The queen rose, nodded and glared death at Fayna. She took her cup from the table and turned to face the dark woman. "You will leave my son ALONE...I know there is nothing I can do to pry your claws out of my husband but you will release MY SON... I know not what your game truly is, witch, but I know you need me alive, at least until some appointed time or I would be slain already. Release my son or I will drain this cup. The venom within is without mercy and I will be stone dead before you can save me with your vaunted arts and all your works will come to naught.'
Finchley quickly scrambled to her feet and reached out to the Queen. "Don't! Don't drink that, please... Wait-- Did you say 'without mercy'?"
Catalinna huffed as she realized that the cup, the Chalice Without Mercy, had been here all along. She shakes her head. “Well don’t that just figure?”
Nethrida straightened her posture and visibly tensed up. Her hand moved to grab her sword out of instinct before hesitating, unsure. Instead she kept her gaze on the queen and held her breath.
Finchley looked to Moyna and bit her lip. Why wasn’t she doing anything? She spared a glance toward Fayna but then redirected her attention to the Queen. "Please, don't drink that. You'll be leavin' your son without a mother. Then there'll be no one to protect him from who you say is hurtin' him."
The queen froze and looked at Finch, considered her words then slowly lowered the cup. Fayna would appear to be relieved while Moyna would nod to herself but seemed somehow disappointed before gazing at Finch with curious eyes
Fayna bowed slightly to the queen, her voice suddenly treacle sweet. "We all simply wish the best for you and the young prince. Soon the time will come when you must depart with your husband the King to safety far to the North. I have seen and foretold that this is the only way to ensure his line continues....you must be strong for the boy.
Xandilif seemed to be thinking so hard her head would be practically smoking. Finally she raised her voice, looking at Fayna and then to the queen. "I wouldn’t be so feckin' quick ta...umm..I mean...Prithee I am not certain your best course lays to the frozen North, your highness...."
Nethrida nodded along with Lif. "That is very true your Highness. It is critical you and your son survive for the good of the land."
Catalinna didn’t give a damn about the prince or the queen. Rather her mind was still working on reasoning out how to get the cup. However, hearing Fayna's words snapped her back into the moment and she laughed. "Quite an act you put on there, so sincere soundin'... But see how this sounds to you, hm?" It is then that Cat recites the words that she heard from the man that kneeled to the witch in the vision. "All is ready...the three of them will find only death in the snow, their final fate put in motion in Gondor ten years ago... All shall be as you have striven for my lady."
Finchley glanced over to Cat, brows furrowing in confusion. While Cat had Fayna's attention, Finch moved closer to the Queen to whisper, "I hope I'm not oversteppin' my bounds... But, if you value the life of your son, you will do what you need to see that he's safe, aye? You... don't /have/ to follow her suggestions to the King. You are Queen, aye? And you're his mother, aye?"
Cat would certainly have Fayna's attention, as well as that of the Lord of Fire. The Lord of Fire was simply amazed, open mouthed that their private conversation had just been repeated back word for word, while Fayna's eyes burned with a level of hatred even Cat had rarely seen. "What are you babbling about, mongrel?"'
The Queen looked at Finch, her eyes desperate. "She...she has convinced him that the north is the only path, that he must flee...but how am I to trust my husband's mistress with the life of my son?'
Xandilif whistled low as the queen stated it outright and was searching for words when a rough whistling would fill the air, getting louder. She knew this sound well from countless sieges and shouted "DOWN!!!" She herself dived, tacking Finch and the queen just as the first of the heavy stones landed a hit on the city, the ground shaking as people begin to scream outside. In the distance the hum of the Catapults of the enemy releasing mixed with the sounds of buildings falling, and people dying.
Nethrida didn’t dive for cover but she did raise her arms up to protect her face. When the shaking subsided enough she finally drew her sword "We're out of time. The queen and her son must leave at once!" She took a few deep breaths to brace for further bombardment as Sablelinna stumbled but regained her footing and nocked an arrow to her bow, watching and waiting.
Catalinna only grinned wider at seeing the fancy Lord's mouth agape and the hatred in the witch's eyes. She was about to move into phase two of her 'plan' when the whistle, shout, and boom occur. She inwardly cursed this place, that witch, Desad, Moyna, and whatever had launched that projectile their way. She took cover, but never took her eyes off that cup. If she could still get to it in the chaos, she was going to try.
Finchley had been tackled to the ground by Xandilif’s armored bulk, the wind knocked out of her but she didn’t stay down for too long. She made sure that Lif was alright first and took a few deep breaths as she pushed herself up on her forearms and scrambled towards the queen. "How do you trust the king’s lover with your son? You don't," she answered the Queen in a whisper. "So don't trust her with his queen either. There's another way. And you can take it... sadly, without the King. But definitely without his Mistress...but YOU need to choose, it is all in your hands, your highness. More then you can imagine right now." She glanced over to where Moyna watched, her gaze filled with love for the woman she couldn’t hide but also a challenge. was her Grams of the past going to just watch or was she going to step up and do something? Was she going to disprove the secret fears about her that had been gnawing at Finchley for months now?
The catapult strike took Fayna by surprise and the Lord of Fire moved to shield her. "My lady, we must get to the King....we cannot waste more time on this nonsense.'
Moyna looked to the Queen, her eyes warm yet aloof, like a compassionate chess player preparing to sacrifice a pawn. "The boy speaks his fears, and of matters he cannot understand so raw in years, but he IS right about one thing my dear....you have reached the crossroads, we all have, all of Fornost, perhaps all of Gondor and Arthedain has…you must choose your own path now. The fate of your son depends on it for good or ill, and on his fate, the West itself depends.'
Several more booms sounded from further away, the rushing crackle of fire came to them on a hot smokey wind, the moon blocked out by arcane shadows and the shades of the dead. The battle had begun in earnest. Fornost had begun its death throes. For the brave men of Arthedain, morning would never come.
The queen was still gripping the cup...unsure...looking between Finch and Moyna as finally Fayna regained herself. "Enough of this. Typically, my sister would foolishly coddle you and the boy when strength is needed now. Your highness, come with me...we must go to Arvedui. THAT is where you belong. As for this stable boy that serves the elf, he speaks with the terror that many of the uneducated feel of their betters. If it will clarify your mind, Firiel of Arnor, I will slay him for you.”
Xandilif rose slowly to her feet, drawing SilverWand. The massive greatsword seemed to glow iridescently, reflecting the lights from the windows. "You would try, Pussycat…but even if you could get through me which are pretty long odds, I don’t think you can hurt her. Call it a feckin’ hunch, but I think there are rules about such things for you arcane types.” She turned and looked at her comrades. “From the sound of it the outer walls will be breached soon. We can’t stay here much longer or we will get mixed up in this crapstorm. If I remember right, once the bombardment is done, then the trolls are sent in followed by the necromancers, then it is all just cleanup from there. While the trolls sound kind of fun, it ain’t a winning proposition....but I got no damn idea how to leave...I really wish Rian was here, she is better at this stuff than me…”
Nethrida moved closer to the Queen, frowning a little bit, drawing her own sword. "Your highness, if there is a way to save yourself and your son you must take it now. The Champion of the Azure Faithful is right despite her colorful terms, the city is doomed to fall."
Remaining focused on her goal, Catalinna sighed as she saw that the queen still had the chalice in her hand.
Finchley got to her feet and dusted herself off, resting one hand on Xandilif’s crimson-armored shoulder. “It’s alright Lif…I have this.” She stepped forward, putting herself between the Queen and her son and Fayna. "Beggin' your pardon, but she doesn't have to go anywhere with you if she doesn't want to. She's the Queen. You are not. She can make her own decisions and doesn't have to take orders from you. And... considerin' the damage you've done to her son, she probably shouldn't. And furthermore... if you could release her son from whatever you've done to him, please do so. You'll not get your way today I think. The King is beyond our reach and I know it... But you can't have his son."
Finchley rested a hand on the hilt of her dagger for good measure. She thought to herself that she didn’t look intimidating, but her conviction and righteousness made her far more of a threat to her foes than she realized.
Fayna stared at Finch, her eyes glowing. "Foolish boy...how DARE you...you have sealed your own doom as well as that of Arvedui's curse....DIE and let the ruins of this misbegotten city be your tomb.....'
A gesture, a few gutteral words no one could remember afterwards, and a raging, purple fire would flow off of Fayna's outstretched hands and bathed Finch, obscuring her for a moment. However, as the fire faded....Finch was still standing there, apparently unaffected. She set her jaw and drew her dagger.
Nethrida moved to tackle Fayna as she attacked, but The Lord of Fire stepped into her path. "I do not know what games you and your friends are playing, whore, but you will surely die here if you do not flee...I do not relish killing a woman, but....'
The Warden of the Tower of Fire drew his sword and attacked. Nethrida brought her own sword up to counter his blow. Swords clashed and Shrouded Glory blazed in the firelight through the window as The Lord of Fire's sword shattered against it, knocking him backwards as if struck by an unseen hand.
Nethrida stared at her sword, dumbstruck at what it, at what SHE had just accomplished. She then flinched and clasped her throat for a moment and looked around, tense and somewhat lost before focusing her gaze back to the Lord of Fire, holding her sword half up in preparation but he did not seem to be eager to continue the fight.
Finchley just sort of... patted at herself a bit just to make sure she was definitely not on fire. When she realizes she was fine she gave Fayna a hard look. "You'd best be on your way before you die here too. But first, let the boy go." She looked slightly over her shoulder, keeping Fayna in her line of sight. "Your highness... Please leave. You won't have to go anywhere with her or be drinkin' any poison today."
Catalinna decided a human pyre and a shattered sword was distraction enough and lunged forward. “The chalice, people!!!! The CHALICE WITHOUT MERCY!!!” and tried to wrest the cup from the Queen’s hand.
The Queen looked at Cat in shock, both of them gripping the chalice at the same time and Cat's mind was filled again with visions, as they were before...'
Her world seemed to seem to flow like water and she was suddenly in a vast chamber, sunlight streaming down onto a body laying in state in the middle of the room, dressed in battered armor, a broken sword still in his hand and resting on his chest, a crown still on his head. Several nobles in old fashioned robes or ornate armor were standing nearby in quiet conference. One of them brought his hand down with a crack on the edge of the King’s Pyre. ”We cannot wait any longer...the people need a king, lest they grow disheartened. Our victory is till tentative, we cannot risk a show of weakness or indecision. We must choose today. We must choose NOW.'
Fayna stepped forward, moving amongst the noblemen like a wisp, whispering softly. "The choice is clear my lords, my victorious lords, my wise lords....the boy Arvedui must be turned aside…he is untested…he is unworthy…he is unknown to the folk of Gondor. Let the crown fall to Earnil, the general wrapped in victory of arms, the man who the people want, who they know. Leave the pretender Arvedui and his wife, the girl child of dead Ondoher WHERE....THEY...ARE. There is NO…OTHER…WAY.”
One by one each noble would nod and repeat, “Earnil” As Cat looked on, Fayna seemed to fade until she was nowhere to be seen....as if she had never been there at all.
The man who had demanded they choose stepped forward, lifting the crown off the dead man’s head. “We are decided. There is no other way...Long Live King Earnil!”
Catalinna maintained an iron grip on the chalice even though a searing pain shot through her head at the deliverance of another vision. As the vision passed she gritted her teeth and tried her best to focus, even though she couldn’t fully see nor think straight anymore. Her eyes turned to the blurry form of the Queen, "The woman that's advisin' you was for someone other than your husband to be king when your papa died, lass... She has set this all up to kill him, you, and your child. We're here to help so... I'll be takin' that poison to keep her from killin' you with it as she planned. You don't want to be her pawn, hm?"
The Queen just stared at Cat, whispering "...no."...and slowly released the cup.
Sablelinna, who had been staying quiet in the corner trembled in rage as she saw Catalinna's hands upon the chalice. Suddenly she was flooded with the voice that had whispered to her day after day, week after week as Angmar tormented her…”Do NOT let your sister gain the chalice, do not let her profit from her falseness and vile deeds. She slew your mother and forced you away and she will slay you once she has the chalice. You must make her pay and stop her evil plans….” The sense of betrayal, abandonment and rage filled her breast as she saw the look of triumph on Cat’s face. She pulled the bow back to her cheek and loosed an arrow straight towards her sister's throat, screaming 'Bitch!'
The arrow sank wetly into Cat's chest, just below her throat as she staggered back, dropping the chalice which fell to the floor with the ring of silver, the poison spilling and hissing on the flagstones. Dark blood sprayed in a bright red arc as the Queen gasped, her gown and face splattered in gore.
Finchley turned and just stared in shock as Sable's arrow landed. "What did you just do?" she cried as she knelt down next to Cat to assess how bad it was and then glared over at Fayna, real rage coloring her gaze and voice. "Let the boy go, NOW, and then get OUT of here! We've had enough of this! Take your... whatever your friend there is, and your King and just... go. You're not getting what you want here!"
Sablelinna snatched up the fallen chalice in the confusion she wrought and fled, seeking a way out...whispering to herself frantically. "I did what I needed to do..what had to be done....what HAD TO BE DONE..."
Catalinna grabbed Finchley’s hand to draw her attention back, her grip already weakening. Whispering hoarsely she met Finch’s eyes. “Don’t…mind about me, Emissary..I always knew..maybe…hoped…it would end like this one day. Get the chalice…get it…kill that supposed sister of mine...and then don’t trust that witch. She ain’t the sweet old lady you think she is…and if ya ever..ever find him…tell the pact brother…tell him that…..” and before she could complete the thought her eyes fell closed, her hand releasing it’s grip.
As Finch keened, Lif stepped forward, blocking Sable off from the doorway, slamming her armored shoulder into the woman’s chest. Sable fell back and slashed with her dagger but the blade was turned by the Champion’s armor, sending a spray of sparks into the air.
Turning to put the weight of her body behind the blow, Xandilif landed a solid left uppercut into Sable’s gut, lifting her off her feet and spraying blood explosively from her mouth. With an animal wail, the woman lost her hold on the chalice but before she could grasp it again, Xandilif caught her in the face with a downward right cross, hammering Sable to the ground where she laid still, moaning, still clutching her bow.
Putting one heavy boot on Sableinna’s head, the elf cried out. “FINCH, leave the dead for now...get the fecking cup!!!!''
Finchley dived across the floor, still sobbing and grabbed for the cup with bloody hands…but another hand reached it first. Looking up, she saw the boy, the cup in both of his hands, the silver seeming to burn with a pale green fire. Aranarth son of Arvedui lifted the chalice, locking eyes with Finchley and whispered. "Only you can save me...only you....".
The chamber faded for Finchley, Xandilif, Nethrida and Sableinna until they were in a vast throne room filled with bones and corpses, the dead and the decayed. At the far end is a throne, a small figure seated in it holding the Chalice Without Mercy. This was the dream they had all shared come to life. At their feet lay Catalinna, face still, pale and pinched from loss of blood.
Down the length of the chamber, torches would light one by one, as if mocking the flames that had destroyed Fornost on that night, gleaming like lights lost in the darkness of the crypt...thousands upon thousands of lights burning in the black with pale regret. These were the souls sacrificed with the fortress, as much the ruins of Fornost as the broken stones above.
The boy’s laughter echoed as they helplessly watched Cat tremble, gasp her last breath.....and then die. In the silence that followed they each realized this was all their fault...everything had come to nothing. They had failed.
For each of them, the despair and guilt was overwhelming. They each saw so many ways they could have changed things but it was too late. This is all their fault....the lights seemed to be judging them. Heroes? No, failures, just as they had been.'
They each had done this....they let Cat die, they allowed the past to come to ruin.....they failed and there was no way to change it...they may as well just lay down there and die, joining the lights, the world would be better without them anyway, and they wouldn’t have to live through the guilt and regret any longer.
Somewhere deep in Finchley’s despair, a firm, rich voice whispered. “Finally…NOW you are ready. NOW she who was once Fayna of Aughaire and became Aganalu, Priestess of The Mandate Infernus and one day Queen of Angmar shall be REBORN in you....and then the world shall be MINE....and you will welcome me.”
