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resistance is futile...
avvie by mrs.gamgee photoshop genious!

A servant appeared to the room where Zelkhar and Ava were, he bowed slightly and signalled for them to follow. The names of the contestants were to be read before the people at the stairs of the palace, Ava was guided to a row of contestants that all stood at the end of the stairs looking down to the people as a robed man stood in the midway up the stairs. People were silent as the man began by raising his hands up then taking out a scroll to make an annoucement. Zelkhar himself stood in the shadows of the palace as a cloaked man appeared next to him.

"Your `friends` have done well sir, the weaponmaster is dead and seems that the mage never showed up here so we can count that Denaris made it yet Khaisan had the trickest case I must add not to mention he made it that way." The man explained as they both examined the contestants and the crowd.

"How so?" Zelkhar said with a curious and almost threatening voice as he didn`t like trouble.

The man swalloved and smirked slightly as, if trying to feel less fearful before his boss.

"Well apparently he spared one of the daughters took her to his citadel, then left alone to kill Martion, the uncle of the girl and the brother of this contestant or whatever he was. Do you think he would use her to claim the throne instead of you having Ava sitting on it?" The man suggested with an interested tone.

"No... Khaisan wouldn`t risk our deal for that, he is not that foolish and besides even if the daughter had been related to the former king it will be too late as Ava will be crowned queen soon enough. All we need is the grand final to take this backwater of a kingdom. And about the mage.... Denaris undoutably took over the tower as he thinks his magi are a force to be reckoned with yet that poor fool never realises to notice that there are other powers working in the world."

Zelkhar said to him, considering the discussion over as he continued to examine the crowd and then turned his eyes at the robed man yet his thoughts were cut off again by his spy.

"Such as us?" The man asked, not knowing what to expect

"Heavens no! We might run the criminal underworld in some kingdoms yet we are not a menace and that is good, I hate too much attention and hatred towards my organisation" Zelkhar laughed, this time it was rather menacing and had cold pleasure in it.

"Who then?" The man asked trying to get more information out of Zelkhar.

"That is none of your business and you are disturbing me from the show that is going on down there, now get lost or shall I thrown you down from here?"

Zelkhar said with a calm tone as he turned to look the man in the eyes, the man nodded and disappeared from sight while Zelkhar turned to watch at the announcer whom had already began talking.

"... Here before you stand your contestants for your future ruler, after being convinced that their race, age nor past bothers their participation they have been left to compete...."

After some time of babble came the names, many names came and went yet the man obviously grinned before reading the last one.

"Avanti Covell.... apparently she is.. the exiled princess that has been long gone yet would have once been the rightful heir by blood to the throne..."

The crowd bursted into whispering, muttering and some in shouts. Some shouts were rooting for her and some weren`t yet the caretakers whom stood behind the contestants had a bitter face as they returned into the palace. Zelkhar smirked knowing that it would take some time for the tests yet soon enough they would go for the scepter and crown. The announcer calmed the muttering and continyed to speak.

"The contestants will be tested in their ability to make decisions as ruler, as a leader in war, their motives shall be also asked for and tested, then finally they will all fight against each others at the tournament!"

The crowd cheered and seemed to be very exited, some turned to look at the arena that was few blocks away from the plaza and was the place for tournaments. The people loved the games that the kingdom usually offered them, seemed somewhat expensive yet it would be worth it as it was not only for Yuthicko, but for other countries to get invited into. The contestants were lead inside to be tested and questioned, Zelkhar joined Ava with a smirk on his face.

"Don`t worry about the tests, your father was a good ruler so it is in your blood as well, just remember that in the test they will try to crack you and make you hesitate. Ignore all outside distractions and let them fustrated in turn... I`ll see you in the arena after your other tests... make me proud..."

Zelkhar said with a smile on his face before disappearing from the palace doors as Ava was left alone to wait for her tests, the imp emerged from the shadows of a column and arrived to it`s master. Zelkar looked at it quietly and thought of sending it away yet it had one more task.

"Go to the others, they are probably at my warehouse and tell them to meet me at the arena..."

The imp nodded and went away once more.

-------------------

Soon enough it appeared before Denaris, Nuanla, Khaisan and Naushida. It looked at them all and wondered about the appearing of the fourth one yet assumed its master was aware of the situation.

"You must go to the arena, my master is waiting for you there"

The imp explained before disappearing into it`s cage to rest.



(Pandora, you may describe how the tests went and put what they asked, your char answered as it would be just way too long if we would go trough them all as there are others waiting for us.)

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Let him curse my name
On these blood stained pages of misery
Let him call me a tyrant so cruel
Let him curse my name, but remember the truth!

Ava followed the servant and Zelkhar as she was lead to the area where all the other contestants were. She scanned the room with an uninterested look, none of them were worthy of this title, why did they even try? She leant up agaisnt the wall as the robed man spoke to them of the rules of the trade, her boredom increasing she turned to look at Zelkhar who was currently deep in conversation with an imp. She was about to listen in on the convo when the robed speaker asked them to follow him.

Ava followed the constestants down the stairs and to the end of the hallway just before the crowd, the man in robes continued to walk forward so that he could announce the names. She waited patiently for her name to be called, wondering how the others would react to hearing the heir to the throne had returned...

"Avanti Covell.... apparently she is.. the exiled princess that has been long gone yet would have once been the rightful heir by blood to the throne..."

At hearing her name, Ava sauntered out next to the other contestants who had already been called, silver hair billowing on it's own accord as she scanned the crowd, crimson eyes sparkling with scarlet as the sounds of hate and sounds of encouragement filled her ears. Oh this would indeed be fun.

"The contestants will be tested in their ability to make decisions as ruler, as a leader in war, their motives shall be also asked for and tested, then finally they will all fight against each others at the tournament!"

Once the trials were over they were taken back inside to where they would be questioned throuoghly. She met Zelkar back inside and smiled back at him.

"I am not worried for myself..." She grinned motioning to the others before looking back to Zelkhar nodding that she understood what she was being asked to do.

"I will see you there..."

After Zelkhar left, Avanti and the others were lead to a rather large white room filled with chairs on one side of the room and a dias on the other side where the person being questioned would sit. Ava sat down in one of the cool chairs watching as contestant after contestant was questioned, each one giving such awful answers. She grinned knowing how easy this would be... Soon enough it was her turn. As she walked across the white expanse of the room she let her wings unfold, lips curling when she heard the gasps from the others behind her.

Gracefully she sat on the dias, legs crossing as she stared intently into the eyes of the question giver, who shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

It started off with the simply questions, like the names of her parents... King Salathar and Queen Sybilla. She was then asked as a leader, how would she deal with the exiles of the land.

"Exiles would be given fair trials, as I have had to go through the same as they, practically being thrown from the throne and family for being what I am." Eyes glittered with resolve as she gave her answer already planning ahead to what she had to do when she obtained the throne.

"I have already worked up alliances with many factions and will be able to have a strong force behind the throne, no one could touch us..."

She was asked another series of simple questions as how she would act as a leader of war and motives of her rule. Each one answered to perfection even as the others tried to distract her by taunting her and her mind.

A wry grinned curled about her lips when she walked off the dias towards the others who seemed to cower within themselves. Returning to her seat she waited until all questions were asked and they were directed to the arena

_________________

The waves that C R A S H E D upon
The R O C K S that you were trying to step along

And in my head I heard them play a S O N G

_________________
resistance is futile...
avvie by mrs.gamgee photoshop genious!

Khaisan sensed the suspecisons that surrounded him and his newly made friend. He didn't care. He wasn't going to take the throne of this kingdom. One thing he hated as a warlord was the fact that all of his thoughts and energy was concernated on a bunch of people whom he didn't know. He got to the message from the imp and complied. This time he walked his way to the arena with Naushida, instead of flying. As they walked, Khaisan subtlely questioned Naushida and soon found out that she didn't have the slightest interest in being queen, unlike her father or uncle.

_________________

I was cured all right.

_________________
resistance is futile...
avvie by mrs.gamgee photoshop genious!

Rumour, as a snake, continues to wait, knowing that the men will not come down for the crown jewels until after the tests......

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For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not die, but have everlasting Life. ~John 3:16~





~The Mercenary A-U Gentlewoman~

_________________
resistance is futile...
avvie by mrs.gamgee photoshop genious!

"Do you even doubt it?"

Zelkhar said with a smile on his face.

_________________

Let him curse my name
On these blood stained pages of misery
Let him call me a tyrant so cruel
Let him curse my name, but remember the truth!

[okay i added my post... sorry for the long wait]

_________________

The waves that C R A S H E D upon
The R O C K S that you were trying to step along

And in my head I heard them play a S O N G

_________________
resistance is futile...
avvie by mrs.gamgee photoshop genious!

(good)

Zelkhar eyed the others as they arrived and as if being the leader of his troops walked to Khaisan, he looked at the girl, then at Khaisan and again at the girl. Zelkhar smirked and hmhed.

"Well this was a surprise in it`s own way..."

Zelkhar said as he examined the girl and thenturned around signalling them to follow him, he lead them into a private area, two stairways up where there were food and drinks for them. The room had a balcony where chairs were positioned towards the edge from where they could watch the fights. They would be about 3 meters above the citizens seats in a private place from where they wouldn`t have masses before them. Zelkhar did enjoy luxury all tough had to admit that it got him attention, in the future he would have to seem more casual.

_________________

Let him curse my name
On these blood stained pages of misery
Let him call me a tyrant so cruel
Let him curse my name, but remember the truth!

"What's our next move after Ava seizes this throne of hers?" Denaris asked.

_________________

_________________
resistance is futile...
avvie by mrs.gamgee photoshop genious!

Khaisan led Naushida upstairs to the balcony area where the tigerman had desingated them for their use. He already revealed the truth about her family's deaths, at least a part of it. He told her that they were planning to have her tried as a witch. Naushida seemed impassive and did not asked any questions. Khaisan left her in silence.

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I was cured all right.

"I am glad you asked..."

Zelkhar before sipping some of his wine that he had taken as they arrived to the room, he stood watching to the balcony and had a draemy face.

"It is obvious that we cannot possibly take on the crusader kingdom, Nauskal lies in the hands of stubborn and almost paranoid sultan whom has ways of protecting himself. The elves are obviously too strong like the republic next to them, the wildlands where we met have barbarian tribes that can put up a nasty resistance so...

You will help me take revenge upon Ilra Mactu where I once lived yet after my attempt of taking over the lands failed I was forced to exile once again and now I want you to help me to get what I once almost claimed"

_________________

Let him curse my name
On these blood stained pages of misery
Let him call me a tyrant so cruel
Let him curse my name, but remember the truth!