h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*anyone seeking an audience with the King of Imardin comes here. Due to security, people wishing to speak with his Highness must first leave their weapons at the entrance to the Palace, where they can be collected upon leaving. High Council members and the High Lord, however, do not have this restriction.*

Hello? I am a merchant. To whom do I speak to about placing advertisments?

[Guard]Oh, that would be with Major Desr sir.


*The Guard points to a small room down the hall.*


[Guard]His office is there.

*walks down the hall and knocks on the door to a small room*

*I leave my card and go to the Tavern*

*Elandra walks up and salutes to the guards*

I request an audience with the King. *straighens*

*the guards share a look with each other then hurry to let her in*

*she makes her way to the King's chamber and is announced, she then enters*

Your Highness *she bows deeply*

[King] Lady Elandra, news of the battle? Lord Craxus...? *the King looks for a second fearful*

[Elandra] He is injured, but stable. At the Guild healing hall, I took him there but a few minutes ago.

[King] That is a great relief...and how was the battle?

[Elandra] It was not easy, granted, but we managed to drive off the remainding orcs after killing the Drow magicians present. We have had no magician fatalaties ourselves, and no mortally wounded ones either.

[King] And what of the army?

[Elandra] I do not know for sure, your Grace, but I would estimate around 300 at the most. I may be mistaken, though.

[King] We will have to send reinforcements there to make up the troops numbers.

[Elandra] Yes, but I doubt they will attack again straightaway, it need not be done immediately. Once all the Magicians have returned from Kalsho we will reconvene, hopefully by that time Lord Craxus will have regained consciousness, and we will have a meeting to discuss whether any further action is needed.

[King] Your judgement is sound, Lady Elandra. I once again see why Craxus places the trust in you that he does.

*Elandra smiles breifly, wearily, and nods* Thank you your grace.

[King] Now Elandra, you are in need of healing, I would suggest you return to the guild hall and see the healers there.

[Elandra] Your Highness with all due respect I am in no need of healing, I will however make sure Lord Craxus's condition is at the worst unchanged. With your permission?

*the King smiles slightly to her and nods* You may take your leave, Elandra.

[Elandra] Thank you, your highness. *bows* I will keep you updated on the High Lord's condition. *bows again and leaves*

* a manticore flys high over the Palace, with a man riding on its back*

*they circle a few times and then fly off*

*Night Time.*


*A figure dressed in all black emerges on the Kings balcony near his bedchambers.*


*The figure unsheaths a katana gleaming in the moonlight sky.*


*He walks over and can hear the king snoring...With his wife huddled up next to him.*


*The figure in black walks over and twirls the katana about, then runs it through the king. The king wakes up breify and falls into the deepest sleep hes ever going to have...death. The figure walks over and does the same to the queen.*


*He runs over and leaps off the balcony. And disappears into the kingdoms shadow.*

*a guard knocks on the door to the bedroom; the king normally does not rise so late*

[guard] My lord? Hello? *knocks hard*

My lord!

*gets the head of security in the palace, who opens the door with the duplicate key he has*

*the stare in shock at the bloody scene before them*

[head of security] The King has been killed? Get the High Lord! Tell him immediately!

*the guard looks fairly green, and stumbles away out of the palace. The guards posted at the doors wonder at the commotion, and hear the head of security telling other guards to lock down the palace. They figure out what has happened*

[guard 2] The king is dead?!?!?!

*people near the palace faintly hear this, and panic grips the civilians*

[civilian] THE KING IS DEAD?

*the original guard runs to the guild*

*bird flys into the kings room and then out again*

*the brid flys around the grounds Lycan isn't far behind it he moves to outside the kings chambers and looks for footprints*

*walks towards the Kings room*
where is....
the...
you know...

*enters, nods to the guards - her military prescence calms them somewhat*

*finds the head of security, who has just showed Alicia the room*

Captain Bryce. *he nods to her* You've done an admirable job of keeping the order you could...now we need to consider the possiblity that this was a precursor to some kind of attack.

[Bryce] Of course, my lady...what are your orders?

[Elandra] I want all the men out, active. Post security around the palace, a little around the guild, and in the streets themselves. Up the number of soldiers on the walls, towers and front gate. More archers too.

*Bryce nods and waits*

[Elandra] If I need you to do more, I will find you. You may take your leave.

***

*the soft earth under the balcony shows light tracks - as if the person who made them had tried to quickly erase them. They lead off past the wall of the palace, and stop at a sewer grating.*

*lycan follows the tracks down the sewers*

~~sewers.. backup NOW!~~

You two *points to to skilled soldiers* Come with me!

*runs over to the nearest entrance into the sewers, which is strangely already open*

Wait out here, and if I tell you to I want you to go to the High Lord as fast as you can and tell him that we're having trouble down here. Okay?

*they nods and she jumps down into the sewers*

*turns and runs towards the sewers*

*The High Lord arrives.*


*He summons forth the people on the staff of hte King.*


Right, first off, prepare the King and his wife for a grand funeral.


[Scribe]My....my lord? What of taht black magic...what is it??? Necr....Necro...


Necromancy, and no even though we have one of the best necromancers of all time in the guild...it would leave a scar on the Kings soul. I personally asked him if he wanted to be brought back just in case of this type stuff. He told me, "No...I don't want those flithy black magicians to touch me...." I dont want to disrespect his wishes. And I don't want people to disrepect the Necromancy magic.


[Scribe]Yes....m'lord.


*The High Lord walks over and inspects the king and his wife.*


I believe we already have one of our best hunters tracking down the assassin who did this.

I want double the guard on city enterances...send forth rebuilders and reinforcments to Kalsho, if there is an attack it may be soon. The enemy believes we have no leadership, little did they know that I was in control of the military not the king. For that I am sorry that he has lost his life because of me.


*Pauses.*


The city is starting to riot, I want the guards to come out and restore order. Show them that we still have a government that has strength to fight the Dark Alliance and keep order and peace.


[Captain of the Guard]Yes sir...


*The captain moves back and summons his lieutenants and orders them to the streets to restrain order and to start up recruiting for the army to battle against hte Dark Alliance.*


First priotrity restore order...


*The people attending stated at an agreement.*

*Lumien and Alicia appear from the sewer entrance, carrying an unconscious Lycan. All three are absolutely filthy.*

Too much like a tomb down there...