Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

[dmronny]

1091 AD; Amalfi, Kingdom of Sicily.

Eliza sat on the lusciously cushioned throne of the main chamber of the Palazzo Guiscard. She was growing bored with waiting for her important visitor, the Marchesa De Valletta. Looking about the throne room did nothing to dispel the boredom growing within her. She would have to raise some more money from the peasants if her already luxuriously appointed palace couldn't keep her from boredom for a few hours she mused.

Who was this mysterious Marchesa she wondered as she lounged in the throne. little seemed to be known about her, at least from Eliza's normal sources. Certainly she was another lady of means like herself judging from the baggage that had already arrived. At the very least she was a prospective ally for her Duchy, the peasantry had grown rather belligerent as of late.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza fidgeted on her throne. She leaned back, brushed a finger through her long blonde hair, then examined her fingernails absent-mindedly. For a moment, she considered summoning something for amusement but decided that might worsen her mood even more. The duchess let out a sigh of annoyance and began to wander around her throne room. Her long green dress flowed as she walked, and Eliza stopped in front of a painting. The duchess hadn't really had the time or care to examine most of the decorations of her palace. This painting depicted a warrior slaying a demonic looking beast. Eliza scowled. <How old fashioned,> she thought to herself.

Turning on her heel and resuming her absent minded wandering, Eliza wondered when she would get to meet this mysterious Marchesa De Valletta. If her belongings were any indication, the Marchesa could be a useful ally. Eliza was not exactly excited to meet her, but she was intrigued. While the Duchess was not particularly fond of many people, she understood the art of diplomacy. She was willing to bestow her favor for a price. What was it this Marchesa wanted from her, Eliza wondered.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

The sunlight still streamed through the windows when finally someone entered to disturb Eliza from her thoughts. The sound of boots clinking on the marble floor of her palace announced the visitor long before he appeared. Her captain of guards entered and bowed low before the Duchess a worried look on his face. Still he dared not to speak until she had acknowledged his presence, even her own guards feared how she might react.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Lost in thoughts about her unfashionably late visitor, Eliza walked up to the window and looked outside. Beams of sunlight shone over the woman's body and made her hair shine brightly. Incorrigible residents aside, her duchy was really rather beautiful. Eliza made a mental note to take more advantage of the landscapes of Southern Italy instead of couping herself up in her lavish but miserably boring palace.

Just as Eliza was thinking that, she heard the footsteps of her palace guard behind her and heard him bow low, waiting for her response. The duchess, being rather intrigued and impatient to meet this interesting visitor, did her guard the favor of turning to gaze upon him almost immediately. Standing before the window under the beams of sunlight highlighted her more favorable physical attributes. She looked everything the part of a beautiful woman excepting her lips which almost never smiled. Eliza scowled, thinking to herself that her guard looked rather pitiful and wondered how useful he could really be. The duchess gazed down at him with her deep green eyes and then waved her hand nonchalantly, her scowl disappearing into an emotionless expression. "You may be at ease soldier," Eliza said with an off-hand tone. "I assume you bear news of my mysterious visitor?" The duchess sighed, "I grow tired of this abominable waiting game."

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Spoiler

Woops, sorry didn't notice your post when I made the others earlier.

The guard doesn't look exactly pleased with what he has to say as he rises to his feet and answers the duchess. A mixture of worry and confusion on his face tell Eliza that something unusual has happened.

"My Duchess, the Marchesa's carriage has just arrived however...something...is wrong. There was no one pulling the carriage nor was anyone inside when it arrived. Perhaps peasants or rebels attacked and took them though the carriage showed no signs of such a thing."

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Spoiler

No probs Ronny ^_^

Eliza arched an eyebrow and grew instantly suspicious. Judging from the guard's expression, she had an idea of what he might be thinking. The duchess did not believe in the supernatural, however. At least not spirits or ghosts, silly tales to scare children into behaving. Dismissing that thought almost immediately, her mind raced. Judging by the nature of the luggage dropped off, it was unusual for the carriage to be unattended. She knew some nobles tended to be slightly eccentric, but they almost always followed protocol. What wealthy noble would turn down the opportunity to be doted upon by their host? Eliza had met no such person during the course of her duchy. This could not be any ordinary visit. Perhaps assassins sent by political enemies?

Eliza frowned at the guard. "You are telling me a carriage just wheeled itself in and no one saw anything amiss?" The duchess arched her eyebrow again in disbelief. "It seems the incompetence of my security knows no bounds. Put the guards on high alert. We may have a thief or an assassin within our midst. Summon my bodyguard. I don't care who this Marchesa is. No one may expect hospitality from me while snooping about in my palace!" Then Eliza's voice grew low and sinister, glowering at the guard, "Don't just stand there soldier."

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

The soldier immediately hurries off without needing any further encouragement from the duchess. Shortly afterwards her own personal bodyguard hurries into the room even as the sun begins to droop below the horizon. She at least trusts these men more than her normal guards though they are far from perfect.

They quickly post themselves around the room to prevent entrance by any would be assassins as the rest of her soldiers look for the intruder. Before long a cool wind begins to blow as the sun finishes setting bringing darkness to the palace.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza watched at the soldier scampered off, annoyance belying her deep green eyes. As she waited for her bodyguards to arrive, the duchess moved over to her throne. Sliding her soft hand over the arm rest, Eliza pulled forth a ceremonial dagger kept there to protect the ruler from attack. As she held the dagger in her hands, examining it, she nodded approvingly at the speed of her body guards who had shown up to fortify her position. The dagger was small and shining with a silver hilt and a ruby sphere at the end of the hilt. Standing there with her weapon, the duchess of Amalfi was determined not to go down to this threat without a fight. This Marchesa surely did not know who she was dealing with, Eliza mused ominously.

Placing the dagger into a cord at her waist, Eliza began moving along the walls of her throne chamber. She picked up a stake and thrust it into one of the lit torches at the corner of the room, lighting up her stick. The duchess moved along the walls, lighting the rest of the torches to bring a flickering glow of golden light back to the room, just as night fell and deprived her of the light from the Sun. Satisfied, the duchess wandered back to her throne and sank into it, resting her cheek on her hand restlessly. Eliza couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding like something dark and ominous was encircling her despite the protection of her bodyguards. She rested her dagger on her lap, looked down at it with a scowl, rotating it on top of the velvet of her dress. Then her kiwi green eyes darted up and scanned the fire-lit throne room slowly.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Her bodyguards remain alert as they stand watching for any entrance by a possible attacker. Her Norman guards could certainly handle one assassin as they had done before, they were easily her best soldiers.

Sitting in her throne she looked around the room now lit by the flickering torches along the walls. There was no where for an assassin to hide except for a few shadows cast by he flickering torches. Wait, Eliza could swear she saw a figure in the shadows moving but it was gone in an instant. It must have been her imagination for the shadow was so small that no one could have hidden there.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

As Eliza's eyes swept along the walls of the glowing torch-lit room, the foreboding feeling grew in her slender gut. Something just wasn't right about this situation. From the abandoned carriage to the leftover luggage, there was starting to be a lot of unclaimed ornaments in her midst. What kind of noble leaves her belongings and doesn't come back for them, Eliza wondered in confusion.

Just as the duchess started to ponder ordering her guards to search the contents of the baggage, Eliza's eyes darted toward the sudden movement. Startled, her kiwi eyes widened for a moment but then narrowed again, heart thudding in her chest. Nothing was there. Eyes shifting side to side to scan the throne chamber, Eliza frowned in annoyance. She pushed her long snowy blonde hair over her shoulders. Eliza fidgeted in her throne and gripped her silver dagger tighter in her soft hand. She wanted to tell her bodyguards about what she saw, but she knew they would just think she was being paranoid. Maybe she was being paranoid, the duchess thought to herself. Eliza sighed heavily and scowled at the spot where she saw the shadow just moments ago. The duchess sank further into her throne as if trying to disappear into the cushions. Her physical behavior belied the fear she was feeling, but Eliza's mind rebelled against that instinct of dread. Trying to push down that feeling as much as she could, but still sinking into her throne, Eliza glared along the walls of the room. The blonde muttered a curse under her breath. She was going to enjoy hearing the screams of whoever was responsible for scaring her like this.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

The guards continued to watch from the entrances to Eliza's throne room, keeping a sharp watch over the duchess. Despite their drawbacks she knew there was little anyone could have done against the dozen highly trained men.

Suddenly she saw another shadow move but it was in a different place from the last and just as quickly disappeared only to reappear on the opposite side of the room in the shadow of one of her own guards as he stood keeping close watch. He moved slightly and the shadow melted back into it's original shape. Outside a window the caw of a raven broke the silence of the room only to be replaced by the sound of Eliza's rapidly beating heart.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

As Eliza scanned the fire-lit chambers, her eyes darted to the new shadow, seeing the sudden movement. The duchess gasped silently, her voice catching in her throat. When the shadow reappeared again, this time behind the back of one of her bodyguards, Eliza sat alert and stiffened. Now convinced that there was indeed something going on, Eliza watched intently trying to catch the encroacher in the act, heart thudding rapidly in her chest. When the shadow, returned to its original shape, Eliza stared, a snowy eyebrow arched at the new development. She was so on edge that the sudden raven caw scared the wits out of her. Eliza jumped right out of her throne and held her gleaming silver dagger aloft, kiwi eyes staring where the shadowy figure had been behind her guard. Paranoia be damned! she thought to herself before calling out to her bodyguards indignantly, "There's... There's something wrong going on in here! Look out!"

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Her already alert guards looked around the room alarmed by the duchess' words. The guard whose shadow she had seen turned and took a few steps forward to look out the nearby window warily. As he moved forward Eliza could see that there was absolutely no place for anything to hide where he had recently stood except for a blank wall.

Her guards couldn't be any more alert as they once again searched the room thoroughly. The checked behind every curtain and piece of furniture but it was to no avail. The room was empty except for Eliza and her guards.

The room seemed to get deathly silent as they returned to their positions warily, the raven having apparently flown off to frighten some other person.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza held her silver weapon aloft and stared in disbelief at the area of blank wall behind the guard as he checked out the window. The duchess's deep green eyes narrowed, darting about the glowing throne chamber. There had been something there. Hadn't there?

Spurred on by her adrenaline and a hint of embarrassment at seemingly making a fool of herself, Eliza joined her guards in the search. She tossed her snowy white blonde hair over her shoulder in agitation and walked briskly about the room. Emerald dresses flowed about her legs as she searched. She pulled curtains aside and looked behind furniture just like her guard retinue. Eliza's annoyance rose with each appearance of nothing and normalcy until she finally kicked down a chair in frustration.

Kiwi eyes glaring about the throne room and its offensive regularness, the duchess stormed back to her throne. With one last glance around the room, Eliza whirled around, her hair whipping violently and plopped into the lavish cushion with an audible huff. She sat on her throne, back straight and alert, still looking about the room, totally on edge. Eliza scowled and gripped her dagger on her lap tightly, cheeks reddening at the confusing situation.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

The guards seemed more alert than ever as Eliza returned to her throne, they almost seemed to make a point of not looking in her direction. They all knew how fearful the duchess could be in a rage and none of them wished to be a target for her wrath.

The silence in the room was almost maddening even the sound of the curtains rustling in the wind had disappeared. She looked around the room carefully as she gripped the dagger in her hand. A shadowy tendril suddenly waved beside her face causing Eliza to turn her head quickly.

A raven had landed on the windowsill off to her right about twenty feet away. She could do little but watch in terror as the tiny bird transformed into a lithe, cold-eyed Saracen. Jumping to the floor from the windowsill he began running toward her as he drew a gleaming scimitar from it's sheath. The entire time she watched she heard no sound at all coming from any of his movements.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza sat on her throne for what felt like ages even though it was just a few moments, heart pounding in her chest. When she felt the sudden gust of air from the shadowy tendril against her pale cheek, her head whipped to the side, startled.

Seeing that raven appear again, Eliza scowled angrily. If I get my hands on that bird I'll-. Eliza's thoughts staggered to a halt in her mind. She watched in horror, eyes widening as the bird transformed, melding into something else. The transformation was terrible and frightening, but she couldn't pull her eyes away from it. It was enchanting..

Before she could even ponder about the frightening sight before her, though there was a Saracen warrior charging right at her! Instinctively, Eliza bolted upright, but she was too quick even for herself and tripped over her dresses falling backward on her behind. Arms and legs working wildly, she tried to slide back away from the charging man and let out an ear piercing scream.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza's scream as she falls over seems to catch her would be assassin off guard as he hesitates for a moment. Her scream also draws the attention of her guards who come charging forward with swords in hands.

The saracen turns to face her six guards with little emotion in his cold eyes expertly parrying the first few sword strikes as he circles around to keep himself from being surrounded by Eliza's men.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

With her assassin distracted and guards holding him back, Eliza managed to scramble to her feet again. She wanted to say something nasty to the attacker, to taunt him for encroaching on her so, but nothing came to mind. Her words caught in her throat, opening then closing her mouth again. Still flustered from the suddenness of the attack and that horrible transformation, Eliza just glared icily at the attacker, making sure she kept guards in between herself and his reach.

She wondered what kind of horror was here in her midst and what other terrible things this evil black magick bird-man might be capable of. Finally, Eliza managed to spit out some indignant words, "Don't bother trying to capture him. This man is an abomination! Kill him any way you can." The duchess kept her fingers wrapped around her silver dagger, looking for any openings to strike him from behind herself.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

The assassin carefully dances in and out amongst her guards making them seem as a cat would toy with a mouse. He never seems to let his guard down for an instant first parrying a blow than dancing away from another before circling the fight once more. Each time he circles he seems to get closer to his target. All the while his face remains cold and emotionless like some machine made to do only one thing.

At Eliza's urging her guards seem to redouble their attacks on the sole assassin. Their renewed efforts seem to have even less effect in stopping her would be assassin as he continues to dance closer and closer to his prey.

 

[Ranger Princess]

Re: Prologue: Eliza Guiscard.

Eliza frowns as the scene unfolds before her, kiwi eyes darting nervously between the abomination man and her guards. Feeling her attacker getting ever closer, Eliza was slowly backing away from the fight even before she realized her guards had little chance of stopping the assassin.

Eliza felt a knot forming in her throat. Six of my best bodyguards, and he's not even breaking a sweat! What kind of demon is this? She realized that his goal was to kill or capture her; and from that cold, emotionless look in his eyes, it was likely to kill. The duchess knew all about that look. Eliza let out a pouty humph in frustration. She hated not being in control, and this was helplessness of the worst sort as far as she was concerned. Refusing to stand by while her would be killer inched closer and closer, Eliza turned, pulled up her skirts for freedom of movement, and ran for her life. She bolted to the door to get out of the throne room. If she made it, her first goal was to summon reinforcements to fortify the throne chamber and prevent the assassin's escape.