Arete, as blind as she was to the ways of politics and other courtly matters, had been wise enough to keep her mouth shut when word began to circulate through the city that the King had been killed… or captured. The glorified flute girl couldn’t tell which was the truth as rumors flew about so wildly that it was impossible to keep track of what the current gossip was. It was made even more difficult that she had not been present to witness when the ship carrying the king’s injured men had come ashore. They were the only ones in the city who knew the truth of the matter and the fate of their king, but they were all half-dead if not dead already. Besides, it was unlikely that anyone fueling the gossip circuits was going to get near them anyway. Not while the Mikaelidas family was surely scrambling as to what they were supposed to do with the news that another lion was possibly dead.

The blind panic that Arete was certain was filling the palati was not the mood in the Condos household. Or at the very least, there were no somber tears or thoughts of worry between Nikos and Arete. The girl could not speak for her noble lover, but she took the news regarding the King as a wonderful sign from the gods that the Mikaelidas were not fit to rule. After all, this was what, the fifth lion to have met some great harm in the past few months? The once fierce roars that came from the palati seemed to be more like weak meows as that family only had one man left to lead them. One man left before the crown rightfully passed to the Condos and Arete would be given everything that she had ever wanted.

That is, she would have everything that she ever wanted if she could actually get Nikos to put a freaking ring on it.

Prior to recent events, Arete had thought that she had been secure in her spot as the future Lady of Condos. Nikos had been promising her this position for as long as he had known her and he had meant it too. Or at least he had until he found out that Evangelina was getting married to the Dimitrou leader. Apparently, it did not matter how tightly his Retta had him around her finger, all he had cared about was getting the Leventi girl to abandon her intended and marry him instead. Arete had been kept in the dark about this obviously as Nikos knew how jealous that his bed warmer could be. However, there was no hiding the Condos Lord’s intentions when the object of his affections and her irate groom-to-be appeared on the Condos doorstep, ready for a fight. The Doralisian girl had tried to block out that night as much as she could as it was an ugly wound to her pride. She knew that Nikos had taken other lovers while he was with her -- it was in her very nature. But this? This was a whole new level of hurt that Nikos had put Arete through. She was going to be the one that would become his queen. Nikos had no right to offer to another what was rightfully hers.

It was a miserable wound between the two of them, but Arete had started the process of moving from the whole affair that had occurred between Nikos and the Leventi girl. She didn’t have much of a choice, really. Arete was still very much angered that her lover had dared to promise to another what was no longer his to give, but she was also very aware of her place in this grand house she was certain would one day be hers. As long as her lover dragged his feet and failed to make good on his promise to marry her, she was just a guest that could so easily be sent back to Doralis. As heartbreaking and infuriating as it was to discover what Nikos had done, she knew that the life awaiting her in his province was much worse if she lost favor with her lover. So, she was learning to bite the other cheek, for now, keep her tongue in check, and be sure to give Nikos plenty of reminders of what he had in her bed. It was all that the peasant girl could really do to keep her noble womanizer in check in the wake of such a gut-wrenching betrayal.

Although not nearly enough time had passed for Arete to truly forgive and forget, she could pretend that things were fine. That’s what allowed her to indulge in the news that had come from the south. It didn’t matter if Achi was dead or captured. Either way, he was incapacitated and Nikos was one flickering heartbeat closer to taking the crown. That was something worth celebrating as far as they were concerned even though it added more pressure to Arete to find a way to force Nikos’s hand and be elevated from mistress to wife. She did not want this situation ever happening again.

But that was something that could be tackled later. For right now, Arete had a certain pep in her step as she moved through the halls of the Condos manor, searching for some form of entertainment during this not so pleasant morning. Even though it wasn’t exactly terrible outside, the early winter chill ensured that the air was crisp and cold. Not to mention everything being so wet from the more frequent rainfalls. Needless to say, Arete was not keen on taking any sort of market trips today, so while Nikos kept himself busy with his work, she was going to have to find ways to entertain herself. However, that wasn’t going to be much of a necessity as the very same rumors that were bringing a tidbit of joy to Arete and Nikos was striking fear into the hearts of everyone else in the city and men were being dispatched to handle it.

Arete was passing through the courtyard when she heard the bell that signaled someone was at the door. As a supposedly-dignified guest of the Condos household, Arete was not supposed to be anywhere near this part of the house when visitors came to call -- if only because her presence in this home was not widely known in Taengea yet. However, the surprised look of the servants who scurried forward to greet whoever was outside in the chilly, dampness of Apellaios was intriguing enough for Arete to take notice. After all, it wasn’t often that a completely unexpected visitor came to call, and the last time that this happened, the person on the other side of the door had received a marriage proposal from Nikos. So it really wasn’t all that surprising that Arete made no move to scurry out of the room when the unprepared servants flew open the doors to greet the men in military uniform on the other side.

The sight of men in light armor with weaponry at their sides struck a bit of fear into Arete. She was not going to downplay that, but she quickly realized that her fears were unfounded. These men seemed to be grim, but not angry as they conversed with the serving girl. Even though Arete was quite a distance away on the other side of the courtyard, wrapped in a thick teal fabric meant to keep out the chill, she could still hear slight snippets of the conversation unfolding. Was that something about the order? And storehouse? What was this about needing to count empty rooms?

Arete could tell that even though these men did not mean any sort of harm, they were not here for a good reason either. Though, that reasoning was rather elusive to her as she did not know much about the Order of Vasiliadon. Why should she? She had been raised as a peasant in the far away province of Doralis. The girl had only recently been lifted into the lap of luxury as a way to keep her safe as the war effort in Taengea progressed. Little did she know that many of the homes in the upper echelon of society were now going to be forced to give that opportunity to others as well. Arete was obviously not going to be pleased with this turn of events. With Nikos’s betrayal still so fresh on her mind, she did not want more young and beautiful women joining the household as refugees from the now unsafe provinces. That was almost asking for Nikos to make the same promises he had made to Evie to another girl. That wasn’t going to happen if Arete could help it.

However, there was very little that she could actually do to stop it. She was not noble. She held no power over this household and she especially did not hold any sort of sway over the Order. Arete was more than aware of this as she stepped up and dared to move closer, trying to find out more so she could figure out what she could do. She wasn’t very subtle though in her bright Condos colors and soon enough the soldier’s head turned to face Arete as she walked closer. Their expressions were blank, solemn in the face of the duties that they were sent to carry out. There was no flicker of confusion or recognition in their eyes, daring to suggest to Arete that maybe they did not know that she was not a lady of the house. That was what emboldened her to ask a simple question that was out of place for a girl like her who was only there to sleep with the Lord’s son. “What is the meaning of this?”

It was a simple enough statement, but Arete was sure to make her voice carry all the weight that she thought that she should have as a future Queen of Taengea. Unfortunately for all those who were there, this weight translated to volume, ensuring that all those who were close to the courtyard in the manor and those out on the street could hear her… This was probably something that Arete did not want as that meant that nearly anyone who was close to the Condos household and actually knew who was supposed to be there would now see this girl who was definitely not a Condos asking questions as if she was a Condos. That was most certainly not going to be a good look for this highly-respected family, especially just as word was beginning to sweep through this part of the city that homes were going to be opened for the refugees from the countryside would be finding residence among them and with the skies quickly growing dark, it seemed to be that anyone who was outdoors was soon going to have to be indoors, leading for more rumors flying about their possibly dead king and who on earth this girl dressed in Condos colors could be…

[House Condos]

Nikos greeted the day by heading out early for a ride with his favored steed, Frixos. A habit he’d taken to since the news of Achilleas’ capture in Egypt had reached Vasiliadon.

The Baron of Doralis held mixed feelings, indeed, about the news of King Achilleas’ capture at the hands of the Egyptian enemies. On the one hand, the man was his cousin. Yes, Nikos despised him as much as he had despised Stephanos, – still loathed the exiled former king – but no one deserved to be taken as a prisoner of war. On the other hand, if Achilleas was never recovered then the name of Condos was one step closer to being on the throne. This was something that Nikos felt was long overdue. While many were fearful and mournful over the news about Achilleas, Nikos wasn’t entirely torn up over the rumors flying about of his cousin’s possible death. But neither did Nikos openly reveal his happiness about it; that could be construed as treasonous! No, he reserved those expressions for behind closed doors, when he was alone with his mistress. Surely the gods were angered with the Mikaelidas royal line! Those concerns were floating among the rumors spreading throughout the kingdom, what with so much upset and so many deaths within the ruling family. These rumors, though, were perhaps the scariest of them all. For if enough of the populace began to believe it, if a priest of the one god or another came forward with what they believed to be a sign that the Mikaelidas family should be deposed from the line of succession…

As much as Nikos desired the crown, as much as he thought his father deserved to be king, and as much as Nikos felt that he would be a better ruler than any of his ‘dear’ cousins, the Condos Lord understood the dangers such rumors could bring about. Civil unrest, riots in the streets. He wanted to sit on that throne more than anything, but not like this.

The last few days has seen a bit of an influx of people coming into the city, but nothing the taverns and inns couldn’t handle. But today, the lower-class citizens of Taengea seemed to have arrived in droves. News of the peasants flooding the gates of the city traveled fast. So, by the time Nik arrived back home, the servants and guards were a buzz with the news. And Nikos saw the Order of Vasiladon in the courtyard. Nikos hurried inside, knowing that he would be needed to help his father. There would only be one reason the Order would be knocking on their door at a time like this. They needed supplies for the influx of people, and rooms to house them in. Nikolias had been on edge lately, and the younger Condos wasn’t so sure that his father would be too willing to sacrifice his home and his stores to the commoners.

He found Arete and Nikolias confronting one of the Order. Nik sidled up to join them, placing a calming hand to the small of Arete’s back with a whispered ”It’s alright, dearest.” He bowed his head to his father.

’The citizens of Taengea are flooding the city. We have come to request whatever stores you can spare and ask you to consider taking in whatever refuges you might have the room to house.’ The soldier stood straight and tall, carrying out his orders to the letter.

Nikos stepped forward, ”Where is Petros, he would have come himself if he were able.” Nik was referring to the Captain of Doralis, and his dearest friend, a proud soldier of the Order. The soldier explained that Petros was busy elsewhere in the city. Nik asked for word to be sent to his friend while House Condos sorted out what, if anything, they could spare. The soldier bowed to each of them, including Arete whom he did indeed assume was a Lady of the house with how she was dressed, saying he would send word and help the staff take a count of the stores.

Nikos turned to his father, could see the older man was clearly not happy with the situation. The proud and vain Condos lord was accustomed to a certain lifestyle, and having peasants taking his food and invading his home was not conducive to that lifestyle. Honestly, Nikos wasn’t too happy about this turn of events either. He knew there would not be enough room for all the country; he was glad in that moment for his decision to bring his lover to the city with him weeks ago, for if he’d waited until now to send for her, she may not have made it before the gates were closed. ”Father… you know we must help,” he said in hushed tones. ”The situation is not ideal, but we are closer than ever to the throne and it would not reflect well if we were to be the only House that did not lend aid when the Order asked it of us.”

Eliana could use a nap. Not a literal nap- she wasn’t lazy or incompetent. But seriously things were moving far too quickly for her mind to keep up. So many events had happened right after each other in the matter of what- 3 months? And yet at this current moment, Eliana felt like she just popped into existence today and had to catch her bearings in a world that seemingly gone to shit. And she had to do it with a steady face, for she was standing behind the Queen who was very much in Queen mode today.

Refugees, who knows how many, would find their way to the walled cities of Vasiliadon. Eliana for the briefest of moments wondered if her family would be among them. Would her father have a prolonged stay in the capital? What about her twin? Her brother? Gods, Eliana didn’t want to see any of them. Not that this was what she should be worrying about right now.

No, what she should be worrying about is the pregnant Queen being very Queenly. What she should be worrying about is the King who has gone missing, and his maybe child growing in his wife’s stomach. What she should be worrying about is the people fleeing to the capital- even if there was no guarantee that the war would reach Taengean shores. Would they have enough food? Would they have a safe place to sleep? Would tension rise as the uncertainty of the future remains ever prevalent?

Also, there was the big confession the Queen gave her that… well, Eliana still couldn’t wrap her mind around. But let’s not touch that right now. That deserves its own saga. Back to what’s happening.

Long story short, Eliana needed a freaking nap. As did the rest of Taengea. But there was no time to nap, for the Queen was already on the run and looking for Prince Emilios or Princess Xene. Personal opinions about the former (especially in light of recent findings) aside- those were certainly the two she should be looking to find. Were they at the dikastirio?

I think I saw the Prince outside. Oh, well never mind. Eliana walked quickly, staying just a few paces behind her Queen and the guard. She kept her mouth shut as she just observed- wishing for just a moment the gods would bless her with the ability to read minds. What did the people need right now? What did her Queen need right now?

Eliana picked up her walking speed just a tad- though she was still notably behind Theodora as she should be. “Afterwards, I might suggest stopping by the dikastirio, your majesty,” Eliana suggested lightly, scanning the outside area for the Prince. “It might do the people well to see the Mikaelidas helping prepare warm, safe areas for the incoming refugees.” And perhaps show the people who get barred from entering the walled city that they are trying? That’s all people can really do right now, isn’t it? Try.

Arete could feel her heart sink when the soldiers gave their reasoning for this fuss, speaking to Nikos as he quietly appeared on the scene, standing between his mistress and his father. She had heard him approaching the group of people gathered in the foyer and normally Retta would have turned to greet him.

But she could not even bear to do that in the wake of what he had done.

Arete had been left in the dark as Nikos gave away everything that he had ever promised her. With only a few words and a simple lie, he had shown that Arete was not as important in his life as she had been led to believe. He could promise her the world when it was just the two of them, swear upon his life that she’ll be his queen when they were in the heat of their lusts, but it meant nothing to him outside of their bedroom. Everything that Retta had thought was just theirs had quickly been given away without a second thought. If that wound was not painful enough to bear, Nikos did not even have the courage to admit his wrongdoings to her as any proper man would. Instead, he hid behind lies, pretending that the ultimate betrayal that he cast down upon her had never happened in the first place. As if he could hide it when that savage Dimitrou showed up on their doorstep, ready to murder Nikos. If he hadn’t appeared… Arete would have never known.

That probably hurt more than anything else that Nikos could have done.

She knew he would cheat. Arete had never expected that he would do any differently when it came to the temptations that other women offered. However, she did think that at least he would be honest about it as she was supposed to be his Queen. Knowing now that he had not trusted her with the truth was a bitter pill for Arete to swallow and likely why she did not lean into Nikos’s touch as she normally would have if he had approached her like this before his betrayal came to life. Instead, she remained stiff as a board as his hand explored her lower back, trying to offer some sort of comfort to keep her calm as the soldiers spoke about how supplies were needed for the refugees at the gate. Maybe once upon a time, it would have worked. She would have buried her face into his shoulder and quietly resign to slipping away when the Condos men dismissed the soldiers so that they might take an inventory of the house. Not today though as the hard glare she offered the soldiers as they took their leave only fed into the illusion that she was a true Condos lady.

It took everything within her not to scoff when Nikos reminded his father that they were going to have to help. As far as Arete was concerned, they did not need to lift a finger for those who had to abandon their homes for the city. “With what supplies? They have left their fields to rot and any chance of fresh supplies even in the heart of winter will wither and die because they are all here.” Arete angrily muttered as she took a step away from Nikos. Now the irony of the situation was completely lost on Arete. In the brief month that she had been here, the lie that she would be a true Condos woman soon enough had seemingly warped her memory, making her forget that she was merely a glorified version of the peasants seeking shelter. After all, Nikos had brought her here out of concern that the countryside would not be safe and clearly not because he was finally ready to make her his wife. Her callous dismissal of leaving what was her essentially her kin was something that should come as a shock to the other two men. It would likely be one to Arete too once the news properly sunk in and she had a chance to reflect on her actions once her temper had cooled. Maybe then a sense of empathy would consume her and she would find it within herself to accept the new reality among the nobility of Taengea.

However, until then, Arete was blinded by her jealously. Her emotions should be overwhelmed with compassion, but instead, all she could think about was how if there was even just one pretty peasant… Well, Nikos was Nikos. He had already made it pretty clear what he would do. Call Arete selfish, but she didn’t want to even take that risk when she knew that her placement in his heart was already so precarious. It was bad enough that he had already promised away everything that Arete dreamed for. She didn’t want to have to fear being replaced as well -- especially as Nikos would have every opportunity to do so if there were to be refugees living in the home.

Though even she was forced to realize that her words had a rather cruel bite to them as they rang out within the room. Arete could hear how quickly she was condemning them to poverty and destitution, forcing her to momentarily reconcile with the fact that maybe this wasn’t the best way for her to handle this situation even if her words were true. Wars were a long and messy affair. There would not be enough food in the Condos stores to supply them forever. Plus how on earth were they supposed to get the refugees to leave once the danger had passed? Arete herself knew all too well that she was not going to go back to Doralis quietly. She’d kick, scream, and practically claw her way back into this lifestyle if anyone threatened to send her back to that pottery sweatshop.

“My apologies--” She briefly muttered as she tried to force herself to calm down as she brought up a reasonable question that she knew that they should all be considering in this situation. “But how on earth can this household support that sort of influx for more than a few weeks? And what happens when the danger has passed? I might be ignorant to such things, my lords… but this is a disaster waiting to unfold.” Her words still carried that same biting undertone as before, making undue assumptions that she should really not be making given that she was technically a member of the group of people she was so eager to cast her judgment against. Even though Arete was the one who shouldn’t be saying these things and she would need a good hefty reminder of the irony in her statements… did she actually have a valid point to make with this turn of events?

Clang. Clang. Clang.

The work of the forge never stopped, even when dozens of refugees were littered across the floor of the adjacent rooms. With dozens of swords seized by the occupying Order members, Alastor never had a doubt in his mind that Zenatos and Hermaeus would be working in overdrive, to supply weapons, tools. Everything from hammering large bowls for water to be passed to the refugees to food being delivered by courier, Alastor's duties for the Master Informer were tossed by the wayside as he was thrown into countless meetings with the royalty.

Whatever. This is where I'm needed.

Alastor just wanted to do his part, and helping the less fortunate was if anything, a pleasure. But, it wasn't to last. He had the bowl pulled out of his hand, water splashing to and fro as a guard looked him over with a degree of recognition.

"You're Agathon's boy, aren't you?"

What?

"I... work with him, yes."

Was he about to be pulled into something else? He groaned aloud, the sound muted out by the clanging of a hammer and the ricochet of sparks that sent a few people behind the guards in a flurry.

"Isn't this a bit dangerous?!"

A refugee called out above the clanging, and Alastor couldn't help but agree. But in the end, his voice never rose above the hammer, and there wasn't much space for them to go, anyway.

"They can use my room. I'll probably be out a couple days," Alastor muttered as the soldiers gave him that sort of look. None of them wanted to be in this position, making demands of the poor and the busy. But, it was the law, passed down by faceless royals too high and mighty to give up their own space. Presumably, anyway. Maybe the other half were hurting the same way we did.

"Leave it to Agathon's boy. He'll spill the bad news."

Fucking... really?

The Order members wanted to save face, make it look like a stooge passing along orders for the sake of Taengea.

You know what? Fuck it. Maybe it's time to start throwing my weight around.

"Just give me a couple minutes to get changed. Can't go out looking like a smith's son."

The haughty tone felt so foreign coming from his lips, so strange... But, he needed to get into the character, to wear those little masks that covered his face from society. If he wanted to succeed, then he needed this practice. He took his time, letting the cannibis he favoured sit in its drawer as he washed his face and threw a fresh chiton over his shoulders. Securing it with a leather belt and with an easy step down the stairs, he cocked his head towards the exit.

"After me," he said, feeling the new confidence stir with his better bearing and his attire. A hand-me-down from his brother, the chiton was one his brother might've taken to a part, a well-washed indigo made of finely-woven linens that fell to his knees. Throwing a himation over his shoulders next, he made his way out and set towards the Agora.

These people want me to order other commoners to relinquish their goods. They can be the faceless muscle, hiding behind their helmets.

It was easier, to be the faceless monster. It was his burden to be the one that showed a smile while ruining lives. Alastor found a long tapestry, richly decorated and well above the means needed for such a make. This merchant put sweat and time into this, and the boy was remiss to take it from her, but... it met his requirements.

"I'm quite pleased to inform you, miss, that your work has been selected to warm the refugees tonight. Take it," he said to the soldiers, their obedience taking to carelessly bunching up the fabric and rolling it into something more easily carried.

Imma had been living with Uncle Fotios, Aunt Eirini and her cousins for a month now. She’d had many more inspirational talks with her uncle and her aunt had taken her under her wing, teaching her all the things she needed to know to attract a man and keep his attention. She also helped her run the household. Her own mother had four older daughters, and had never gotten around to teaching her youngest the practical things she needed to know before she married.

She had a beautiful room that she had been allowed to decorate herself, and her parents supplied her with a more then generous allowance. Imma got along well with her cousins and was much happier in Vasiliadon than she had ever been in Macendia. Though she sometimes missed her sisters, she was able to spend a lot of time with Theo and often painted in the palati and on its grounds. She had taken to spending time in the portrait gallery studying the styles of the painters of the past, not imitating them but learning from them to improve her own skills.

That’s where she was when she heard servants talking about the Order confiscating food and other goods from the noble households. Wanting to protect her own possessions as well as support her cousins while their father was ill, Imma told her slaves to pack up her painting supplies and take them to the room she occupied at the palati. She ran to the stables, sighing impatiently as the stable hands saddled one of the horses. Tisavros snorted in his stall, probably miffed that she was not going to ride him. He might be taken if she rode him to the Leventi manor, but he would be safe in the palati.

There were soldiers everywhere as she rode to the Quarter. Imma wondered if her father had been called to the city to assist or if he had remained at home. She saw no sign of him among the men she passed. Surely he would have let her know if he’d had any advanced warning of what was to come.

When she reached the manor, the Order was already there. Handing her borrowed horse to a stableboy, the petite blonde pushed past the men carrying food from the house. Will there be anything left for us? she wondered. Imma was always hungry and ate more than most girls her age.

As soon as she entered, she heard Melina call Dafni’s name. It sounded as if she was in the kitchen and Imma headed in that direction. Melina was so shy that she must be extremely upset to shout in such a loud voice. Imma was quiet herself, but compared to Melina, she looked like a social butterfly. Hr cousin did look distraught standing in the midst of the soldiers gathering things from the kitchen and taking them away.

Imma ran up to her just as Melina was pouring herself a goblet of wine. Plucking another goblet deftly from a soldier’s hand, the youngest Leventi girl smiled apologetically when the man scowled at her. “I need a drink too,” she said to her cousin. “Are they taking everything, Melina? Don’t they understand that we need to eat too?”

Main Leventi Manor

Dafni shot up in bed like an arrow released from its bow. The crack of her spine from the uncommonly fast movement reminiscent of the twang of said release.

Something was wrong.

Flying from her silky sheets Dafni dashed across the plushly carpeted floor only to have her legs become entrapped by her fine bedding. Tumbling forwards she didn't even have the time nor presence of mind to brace for the fall. Mind still foggy with slumber and some yet unknown urgency Dafni’s limbs but crashed limply beside her as her face smooshed with remarkable force upon the carpet. Dafni screeched obscenities at the push softness that only seconds ago cradled her toes. But now that she was getting a better, undesired look and feel of the offending piece of furniture she was not so sure she desired to keep it. It had attacked her perfect precious face after all! It was not even that soft. Heat licked at the soft skin of her abused face wherever the weave of the carpet had caressed it. It was sure to have left a burn gods damn it all!

Undeterred, and still filled with a need to escape into the house as fast as possible, Dafni kicked and cursed her overly opulent sheets until she was able to extract herself from their stranglehold.

“Stupid godsdamned fucking piece of stupid AARG!” She spat and hissed as she scrambled to her hands, knees, then feet, snared her robe so she was not running around the manor in her underthings, and blasted out of the door.

Bare feet slapped against the floor when for the first time Dafni heard the commotion all around her. Noises and voices she was shockingly unfamiliar with echoed through the hallways of her home. Not one left and two right turns later did she come upon a man who very much so, did not belong in her place of residence. Sleep still muddling her brain and the sudden fear that overtook her at the strange man's appearance led to her second fumble of the day. However, instead of taking a spill on the floor this time, her reaction was more coordinated. Do not ask her why, for Dafni knew not what convinced her this man was an Egyptian invader, but as the stranger turned in her direction Dafni grabbed the closest item, which happened to be a broom, and attacked.

Uttering a war cry that was more of a high pitched scream really, like that of a dying goat if one was to be totally honest, Dafni launched at the soldier and started whacking him with her mighty weapon.

“The Egyptians are attacking! It’s the Egyptians!” The young leventi screamed. The rustling of the brooms bristles as they landed hit after hit on the befuddled soldier nearly drowning out his own please for her to cease.

Not wanting to be brought up on charges for attacking a child of house Leventi, and female at that, the man simply tried to fend her off until his comrades could restrain the wild thing.

In the end it was no soldier that cooled Dafni’s fearful anger, but a maid.

“My lady my lady! Stop stop! He is of the Order! They are here for our food stores! He is Taengean my lady! You are safe!” The maid cried as she tried to place herself between the harassed soldier and her mistress. Finally Dafni withdrew, the maid's words penetrating her mind. Breathing heavily and arms shaking with exertion Dafni’s eyes bounced from the soldier to the maid and back again, their gem green depths taking in the man’s suspiciously lacking Egyptian features and garments and his very prominently displayed Order livery.

“Well,” Dafni sniffed, “why didn’t you just say so.” She continued, looking as haughty and dismissive as a 5 foot 4 inch girl with a severely mused appearance, carpet burned cheek, holding a broom could be. Turning on her heel with a dramatic sweep of her now wrinkled robe Dafni went on her way. A dumbfounded soldier left slack jawed and a harried maid scrambling in her wake.

“My lady! Wait! Melina asked for you in the kitchen, she seemed rather distressed!” The woman's words once more catching her attention. Without warning Dafni turned once more on her heel in a split second direction change, the maid nearly colliding with her. The poor thing avoiding that fate by a hair's breadth.

“You really need to start telling me things sooner.” Dafni snapped at the maid. “Have you no concept of prioritization? Hmm?” The maid simply shrunk into herself as she followed Dafni on her new course. The young Leventi’s bare feet slapping with purpose upon the solid floor of the manor as she blazed a trail to the kitchens.

“Melina! Melina! What in the god's name is happening!” She yelled as she entered the room and saw her sister's nerve wrecked form wavering in the middle of the open space. She looked nearly ready to faint with anxiety as she watched the soldiers plunder their stores. But that was not even the worst of it. It was not the reason her broom was once more raised and her bewitching green eyes narrowed to narrow slits as she advanced with a menacing prowl, voice a deadly growl.

“Those are my snails, unhand them at once!”