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[Thrax]

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Nizzre found it easier to get into the palace than she had dared dream it would be. That was the first indication that something was not quite right. She knew from scouting and bribes of servants within that Mauric Branwyr was still there, locked away in a chamber, awaiting judgment. Why he would be left so ill-protected could only mean a few things: either he was entirely trustworthy, which she knew was impossible, or he was entirely timid and therefore harmless, which she refused to believe, or he was being used as bait. The latter thought predominated at the moment. She decided to take careful precautions, making sure she had enough smoke bombs handy to prepare a ready escape, should it be necessary.

Taking the form of a rat, and clinging to what shadows she could find, she made her way slowly past the kitchen toward the room where she knew Mauric was being held. In passing, a real rodent ran up to her, stood on its hind legs, and sniffed at her nose briefly. Clearly unsure of what she was, it squeaked an alarm. She slapped its nose and it scurried off to hide beneath a table.

Continuing he journey, she arrived in the hallway leading to his room. There was one guard at the door and he appeared to be sleeping. Still, she took no chances and returned to the kitchen where she found a maid all alone preparing dinner. Resuming human form in a secluded spot, she re-entered the kitchen and slid her poisoned assassin's spike into the back of the unfortunate woman while holding a cupped hand over her mouth to prevent a scream. There was no need. Between the accurate thrust which severed her spinal cord and the poison, the woman died within seconds, never knowing why she had to die, nor who her attacker was. With speed that would have put a cat to shame, Nizzre clothed herself with the woman's garments including the full apron she had been wearing. She then cast incognito upon herself, piled some food on a tray, poisoned it, and went back down the hall to where the guard was. The guard was not sleeping. He rose swiftly and drew his katana as she approached. She took a chance and bowed. "Dinner for him," she said. He looked her and the food over so carefully that she wondered if he had noticed something amiss, or suspected her. He nodded, sheathed his blade, and reached for the tray, showing her that he would take the food in himself. She released the tray into his grasp and started to turn away. As he looked away to take a key ring from his belt, she wheeled about and dropped to her knees. The assassin spike flashed in her hand and she thrust it deeply into his groin. He dropped the tray and key ring and fell backward, his mouth opening to cry out, but the poison took immediate effect and he was dead before he hit the floor. She grabbed the keys, quickly unlocked the door, and into the room to finish the job.

"ULU el draeval ol ZHAH, IBLITH!" she hissed as she rushed at Mauric, who was standing near an open window. He seemed strangely prepared for the onslaught and quickly cast a spell, "Rauvvrae!" and pointed at her. In seconds she was covered in a seething mass of biting insects which momentarily blinded her as they darted around her eyes. Moments later she heard him cry out for help even as he cast invisibility upon himself, and she knew this first chance to kill him had gone badly awry. She threw down a smoke bomb, took rat form once more and fled out of the room, the insect swarm close behind. Several guards running onto the scene spotted the fleeing rodent and slashed at it with their weapons. They gave chase, finally cornering it in a dining room. That would have been her end, too, had she not been lucky enough to have found a hole in the wall small enough to enter and make good her escape.

-=0=-

Once order was restored, and the palace secured, Lord Tai Kwan Leap arrived at the palace and spoke with Mauric about the incident...

[Tai Kwan Leap]

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Tai Kwan walked into the prisons in Nujel'm. The guard that had earlier pretended to be sleeping snapped to attention.

He steps up to the cell holding Mauric. "Allow me entrance" he said.

The guard steps forward his crimson and gold robes swirling. He inserted the heavy key in the intricate lock and slowly turned it. Tai Kwan walked in and pulled the door closed behind him.

Mauric looks up from where he is sitting at the stone desk in the cell.

"Bloody hell, tha' chippie just tried ta' kill me" Hugh says pulling off his disguise of Mauric.

"Hugh-san, how did you know there would be an attempt" Tai Kwan asks the Highlander passing him a full flask.

"Well, laddie buck, I canna tell all me secrets. Although I must say ye an' yuir damned ninja can irritate a lad" Hugh says dusting himself off.

"Honorable Hugh-san, you practice Ninjitsu" Tai Kwan says handing him a second full flask.

"Dinna bother me wi' petty details" Hugh says draining the second flask.

Tai paces the cell and absentmindedly falls into the Otori kata. He ends with his left foot poised at Hugh's throat and his right hand drawn back in tiger claw strike.

Hugh slowly packs his tokunan briar pipe with a robust orcish blend. He tries to push Tai's foot out of the way, and gives up. Instead he strikes his flint on the callouses on Tai's foot and lights his pipe.

"Now lad, if ye dinna put tha' foot down, I may have ta' let ye smite me" Hugh says puffing on his pipe.

Tai slowly retracts his foot and bows to Hugh. "Much apologies old friend, I am vexed about this incident" the Emperor says.

The guard outside slides a bowl of fruit into the cell.

Tai Kwan leans down, absentmindedly throwing his right foot to a horselord stomp stopping inches from Hugh's chest.

Hugh chants a word in gaelic and fades from the spot behind Tai's foot and reappears knocking the bowl of fruit from Tai's hands.

"Ye bloody fool, tis poisoned" Hugh says taking a bite from an apple and turning green. He leans over and grunts and chews on an orange petal.

"We have moved Lord Mauric to safety. On the morrow he will be released. We may have to give him sanctuary" Tai Kwan says nudging a suspect pear with his foot.

"Well, get me oot o' these Papuan clothes. They itch" Hugh says beginning to strip
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"He's been fired from the Shrimp Boat?" -- Charlaine Harris "Living Dead In Dallas."

[Thrax]

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A guard searching the palace at Nujel'm finds a piece of parchment on which the following is inscribed in blood...



He takes it quickly to Lord Tai Kwan.