That night after dinner, Rain bursts into the barracks screaming, “Assassins! Brotherhood Assassins in the Palace! Protect the Prince!” over and over. She is still dressed in the red cloak and white clothes from the aborted knighting ceremony, but she now has a heavy steel shield in her left hand, and a rapier (not her own) in her right. She is also girt with a dagger and a shortbow and quiver is slung on her back.

Apone and the rest of the squad are awakened by the alarm coming from the palace which began just before Rain burst into the barracks. A very startled Newt wheels around from her place by the window, and nearby resting on an empty cot, one that used to belong to Noch in fact, is Drago. Aramek is nowhere in sight.

“Rain! What’s all this!? How are you out of the dungeons?” barks Sgt. Apone.

Drago jumps out of bed at the noise and immediately assumes a defensive posture in front of Newt. A low hissing growl can be heard from him as he assesses the scene.

Rain immediately goes for her chest and starts pulling out armor, weapons and pouch. She yells “Brotherhood Assassins come up thru the Dungeons, I let myself out and followed them up into the Keep. Get the commander NOW! The Prince is in danger!” (This last part, Rain musters every bit of her command voice.) As she says this she rips off the red cloak and dons her studded leather jacket. She then straps her weapons belts on, yelling “TO ARMS! Brotherhood Assassins in the Keep! Protect the Prince. Get the HELLS UP NOW!”

She double checks by feel that her potions are in their pouch and is ready to bolt back out to the Palace.

Sergeant Apone’s eyes grow wide then he starts barking out orders, “You heard the lady! To arms! Sound the horns of alarm!”

Without another second of hesitation, all the Guard present begin throwing on their armor and strapping on their arms.

At this, Drago looks at Newt, then grunts at her as he motions toward Rain and says, “Let’s go.”

“It’s okay, Drago. Nobody is attacking me,” sighs Newt as she moves around him to get her leather on.

Drago is wearing only his green scales and does not bother with weapons.

While hastily donning her armor Rain yells, “There were assassins and goblins laying wait in the grand foyer, their bolts have drow sleep poison, beware!”

Lowering her voice to a normal pitch she says to Drago “Drago, do you have any protective magic you can spare for me?”

“Protective magic?” Clearly the notion hadn’t occurred to him before as he says, “I don’t think so….”

Rain chuckles at Drago’s response. She says in draconic “Drago, you are with me. Newt stay behind me at all times. Lets go!”

Drago blinks and loudly roars his agreement.

Newt giggles as they go, “But he can whisper sweet nothings in your ear from a long way off! Hehee!”

“Okay, I’ve got your back.” Newt quips, “Gotta keep you alive or we’ll never clear your name at the trial.”

Sir Bodwyn and Commander Gorman, unarmored but with their swords and shields in hand, come running into the room from their officer’s quarters on the upper levels of the barracks. Commander Gorman is clearly startled to see Rain and is about to say something when Sir Bodwyn cuts him off. “No time for that. What the situation Sergeant?”

Sergeant Apone quickly relays to Sir Bodwyn what Rain told him. “That’s good enough for me, we can sort out the details later,” Sir Bodwyn responds. “Guard, to the palace! For the Lion Throne!” he shouts.

Newt jumps up and starts putting on her leather armor, then grabs her weapons. She tries to be fast, but she just looks clumsy compared to Rain.

Through all the chaos, Rain takes two seconds to smile at Newt assuringly.

From inside the palace a voice can be heard crying out, “Just a moment! Just a moment!” They hear the bar being withdrawn and then the double doors swing open to reveal several younger knights and commanding them the bearish form of an older knight with a salt and pepper beard and two pieces of glass on a wire frame perched on his nose. His sword and shield are in hand, but otherwise the knight is dressed only in a nightgown and nightcap. It is Sir Godric, the valiant and noble knight of Heironeous whose cheerful demeanor long ago earned him the sobriquet: the Gay Cavalier.

“Sir Bodwyn, come in quickly! There has been an attack! We are not sure by who or what. The guards in the foyer are dead and we’re already sending patrols through the halls to…”

Bodwyn interrupts him, “It’s the Scarlet Brotherhood, or so I’ve been told. They are trying to get to the Prince again. We’ll head up to his quarters immediately! You continue conducting a sweep of the palace
with the night shift.”

Bodwyn leads the Guard through the grand foyer to the central stairs, splitting the squads so that both stairwells will be covered. “Rain, you come with me, don’t leave my side,” Bodwyn orders. Drago and Newt likewise stick close by Bodwyn and Rain.

Rain does as she is told and sticks close to Sir Bodwyn.

When Bodwyn and the Guard reach the third floor they find, Ragnbjorn, Fingol, Wat, and a knight named Hubard in the hall talking with Sedara at the open door to the Prince’s chambers. The Prince and several of the ladies-in-waiting are safe within.

“It seems a catastrophe has been avoided,” Sedara says to Bodwyn. She looks past him and sees Rain, and for a moment a flood of relief can be seen in her eyes but she covers it up quickly. “Isn’t Rain supposed
to be in the dungeons?”

“She was milady,” respond Bodwyn. “The Scarlet Brotherhood came up through the dungeons somehow. Rain says she got out in order to warn us. Sir Godric has taken charge down below and is having the palace swept to flush out the assassins.

Ragnbjorn says, “Fingol and I took care of four of them, two were goblins actually, on the second floor stairwell. They were coming down from this level. There are four dead guards back that way, two on the third floor and two on the second.

Hubard then speaks up, “Yes, we ran into three human assassins and one goblin also. They blinded Father Wat and I with a flash pellet and disappeared. They were heading back to the first floor, probably to get out through whatever way they used to get in. I am deeply sorry Commander Bodwyn that we were not able to stop them.”

Bodwyn turns to Rain, “There is much we need to speak to you about. You said the assassins came from the dungeons. Can you show us where?”

Rain casually takes out the set of dungeon keys from her pocket and hands them to Bodwyn as she replies in an even tone, “Yes, I can show you exactly where they entered the dungeons. They came by my cell to gloat, being that their leader is my brother Niccolo.”

“I knew it!” Fingol blurts out before he can stop himself, then covers his mouth.

Rain looks over at Fingol and barely smirks. She then takes off her weapons belts and hands them over to Bodwyn as he continues to ask her questions.

“Thank you,” says Bodwyn, “You have saved me the awkwardness of having
to ask.” He hands Rain’s weapons over to Sgt. Apone.

“Where is Niccolo now?” Newt asks. “Did he escape? And what of the knight that brought him to the ceremony?”

“He probably made his way down to the dungeons and outside the keep,” answers Rain.

“Prince Prospero,” Fingol says while bowing, “haven’t we learned enough to know what to do about these charges against Rain? Let her keep her weapons. We have need of her help in making this keep safe again.”

Rain interrupts, “No Sir Fingol, I have not been acquitted yet. This process must complete before I can truly be free in the eyes of the Lion Throne. I am fine, do not worry.” She ends this with a smile directed solely at Fingol.

Father Wat says, “Rain’s shout certainly alerted us to the attack. For that I am thankful.”

“But I think we may be thinking too small: either the Brotherhood sent in Niccolo early to assess the grounds, and we have pushed them back and need to secure the dungeon access… or the Cuthbertians are in on a coup. So outside this palace we will either find the Brotherhood fleeing, or the Cuthbertians ruling the streets and our brethren in trouble out there.”

Father Wat grimaces, “Or maybe I am too paranoid all of a sudden and we just need to secure the dungeon… ”

He sighs, “But I would like to get an update on what is happening outside, and if the Cuthbertians are okay… or not… ”

Fingol responds, “It’s my suspicion that Brother Burne would make a deal with Brotherhood in order to preserve his beloved law & order.” Fingol growls, “He wouldn’t care how many people had to die to save the town. If you are of a mind to venture out, I’ll stand by you. Let’s see how far this villainy reaches.”

Rain adds, “My understanding is that Brother Burne was a stooge in this assault. Regardless of my feelings for the man, I doubt he consciously is in league with the Brotherhood.”

Fingol shrugs clearly unconvinced but not wanting to contradict Rain.

Newt asks, “Why do you think this Burne is not involved? He seems in perfect position to be involved, with a small army of cudgels to enforce his will.” It seems there are some ‘nobles’ for whom Newt doesn’t have a full measure of respect.

Rain lowers her voice directed to Newt, though everyone around can still hear, “Being a complete jerk is one thing. Conspiring with an evil empire against the Lion Throne is quite another.”

Father Wat responds, “True! That is why I would love see the streets to kill of my nagging doubts… I will have to do a lot of work towards forgiveness of the Cuthbertians around here if it is just the Brotherhood we are after.

“Either way we need to keep the Prince safe and secure the dungeons. Sir Ragnbjorn, how shall we proceed?”

Drago wags his tail and nods his head in agreement, but he says nothing as he looks from the Prince to Ragnbjorn.

Well, Newt is not at all convinced, but she can see when she’s outnumbered and outranked. She gives up the argument, but in a bit of a pout, she crosses her arms and remains silent.

In the presence of so many knights and members of the guard, Sedara retreats back into the Prince’s room to rejoin the ladies-in-waiting, who have all put down their knitting needles. The Prince comes forward and says, “Rain, your actions and words fill me with great confidence in you. It is very noble of you to give Brother Burne the benefit of the doubt.”

The Prince turns to Newt, “Brother Burne is not, however, in charge of the knights of St. Cuthbert, nor the Church, nor even the militia. That would be Father Cuthmond. Bodwyn, hurry and let Rain show you where the assassins got in and secure the dungeons. For now, Rain will have to be restored to her cell, but you may leave the door open and provide her with a guard – for her safety. Newt and Drago may stay with her if they wish.”

“Yes, your Highness. Thank you for clarifying.” Newt then remains silent again, but this time due to embarrassment.

The Prince then turns to Ragnbjorn, Fingol, Wat, and Hubard. “The four of you go down to the Church of St. Cuthbert. Ask Sir Godric to send with you as many of his paladins as he can spare from the castle sweep. When you get there, ask to see Father Cuthmond and tell him what has happened. Bring Brother Burne back here. Niccolo is supposed to be there as well, but I suspect he is no longer, but arrest him and bring him back if by any chance he is there. Here take my seal with you. Hurry now!”

Rain nod-bows to Prospero, then begins to lead Bodwyn down to the dungeons and the secret breach.

When Rain returns to the dungeon, Newt goes along. In addition to supporting her friend Rain, Newt is curious to see a real dungeon.

Drago follows Rain and Newt into the dungeons to spend the night. He’s a little nervous at the prospect but tries not to show it.

“Do you think divination spells or other magical detection would help find other tunnels or secret entrances?” Newt seems not to hold on to negative emotion for long. “I think that would be a good idea—searching by those means, all over the keep, top to bottom.”

Newt makes note of the route to the dungeon, still thinking about secret passageways and humming a pleasant little melody as they go.

“Very good thinking,” says Bodwyn as they head back down into the dungeons. “We’ll have the court wizards give the whole place a sweep in the morning. They won’t be able to do it until they’ve had time to prepare their spells, but we’ll let them know to get ready for it.”

In the dungeons they find the two corpses of the guards, and also the corpses of the three goblins with shortbow arrows in them. One of them obviously shot in the back as he was running away from Rain’s cell. All three of the goblins are dressed head to toe in loose fitting dark maroon robes, like the human Scarlet Brotherhood assassins. They each have hand crossbows sized for them, and are girt with shortswords and daggers, also sized appropriately. With their gangling limbs and over sized heads, they would almost be cute if not for their beady red eyes and huge maws filled with needle sharp teeth.

The first two seem to have been shot right in front of Rain’s cell. One has an arrow in both eyes (in one and out the other) and from his position he seems to have been facing the cell. The other has an arrow in his heart and seems to have been facing back down the hall into the shadowy corner that leads deeper into the dungeons. The one shot in the back was running away from the cell in the other direction towards the palace. All three of them had taken off their hoods (the assassin hoods that cover all but their eyes).

A bloody crossbow bolt lays near the cell door. Another bolt will be found down the passage at the turn to the lower depths of the dungeon. Within Rain’s cells are three crossbow bolts. One stuck in the wall at head level by the cot, one on the floor by the cot, and a third stuck in the frame of the cot.

The dead guards back by the entrance were struck with the small bolts and also stabbed with swords (in the back).

Bodwyn surveys the scene and then says to Rain, “When you got out you didn’t by any chance secure a shortbow did you?”

Rain does not hesitate in her reply to Bodwyn and Apone, “The assassins were noticed and followed by a kid I used to run with who knows I am in here. He killed these three goblins who were gaurding me, then I let myself out. As he had been shot by a crossbow I made him leave. He gave me his weapons and I followed the assassins up to raise the alarm.”

At a dead end much farther down in the reaches of the dungeons, Rain reveals the false wall. Beyond it is a cramped tunnel leading down into the town. Bodwyn assigns knights to guard it until they can get some paladins down to lead a more thorough investigation.

“We can’t go charging in there now,” Bodwyn says as he closes the false wall again. “It may be trapped and they might also have an ambush prepared. No use running into that. We’ll send mages and paladins down there as soon as we can and get it secured. Good work Rain. Now, however, I must escort you back… Odric!”

Bodwyn quickly commands Apone and his squad to guard the secret door, then with Rain, Newt, Drago, and a couple of other knights who had come down with them he hustles back up in the passage and stops before another cell door. Within is Odric sitting cross legged on his cot staring at an assassin’s shortsword lying in the middle of his cell. The knights draw their swords as Bodwyn fumbles for the correct key.

Odric looks up and says calmly, “Brother Niccolo’s plans did not go as he wished, but he had the consideration to leave me this blade to salvage my honor. I had truly hoped to find something better among you, but after observing the carnage that you consider justice I see that the Lion Throne is no more than the other side of the same false coin. Farewell to you all.”

Just as Bodwyn finds the key and turns the lock, Odric swiftly reaches out for the blade and then impales himself upon it. The blade sinks into his heart and out of his backside. He sighs out his last breath even as Bodwyn runs to his side.

Newt’s eyes go wide, and for the second time that day she screams and reels back against Drago, her whole body quivering and twitching. Newt is overcome by waves of convulsive sobbing. It will be some
time before she can even speak as she is wracked with sorrow.

Drago catches Newt and lifts her small body into his arms again.

As it dawns on Rain what is about to happen she lunges towards Odric’s cell “No!…”, but it is too late. Stunned that he took his own life it is moments before she realizes what is happening with Newt. Standing next to her, she wraps an arm around Newt’s shoulder in comfort. Quietly she says to nobody “What a waste, if he only knew the truth.”

After a minute she sobers herself and quietly says to Apone “I am ready to go back to my cell now, would you please escort me?”

When Rain is ready, Drago follows her into the cell, lays Newt upon the cot and strokes her forehead. It is quite a sight to watch the back of Drago’s green scaly claws comfort his little pet ape.

Rain sits in a corner of the cell, knees pulled up to her chest and head down against her knees. She is not sleeping, but has not said anything since entering her cell.

After awhile, Sedara comes down to the cell to check on Newt, obviously concerned that for the second time that day Newt had fallen into a swoon.

When Sedara enters, Rain looks up but otherwise does not move.

“I’m sorry…” sobs Newt between gasps for air. “I just can’t help it. It’s so sad. And it’s my fault! I may as well have been the one to thrust that sword into him.

Newt calms herself, focusing on her recent resolution to be able to handle what she’s just been through. “People really can have their lives flash before them, and I saw his (she indicates Odric) right up to its end. All of it.

“When do we leave to find Thracia? Elias told him that he saw my parents before they were taken away. They were worried about me! When can we go help them?

Thinking at the cooling corpse Newt almost breaks into sobs again, but stops herself. “He almost made it. But for seeing the executions and but for me… he might have made friends and had a good life, with love and warmth. His was so cold and sad.” She looks at Sedara as she continues “The Scarlet Brotherhood is evil. They trick their own people, stifling what they could be—and I can’t tell if they truly believe in what they are doing or if they are just preserving their own power. Odric was looking for something better. He thought he may have found it until he saw the executions. We have to stop those or he’s right—we’re no better than the Brotherhood.

A few more sniffs pass, then, “It was Father Wat that started Odric the right way. It was his kindness that made Odric look to Keoland for a better way to live. Good Father Wat. Then I turned everything upside down. I couldn’t see it all, not then. He wasn’t planning treachery. He was only making plans in case we attacked him.” Newt can’t help crying again as she remembers. “I didn’t know! I didn’t know! But I turned us all against him by denouncing him when I didn’t have all the information. And he’s dead because of it. I’m sorry! I’m so sorry.” Her voice tapers off.

After a few more moments, in a soft, more even voice, Newt asks, “Lady Sedara, what can be done to stop Brotherhood?”

As Newt talks about Odric and the executions, Rain catches Sedara’s eyes with her own which show forming tears and pain.

Sedara sighs heavily. “We have all made very serious errors. It would seem that none of us are without sin, not a one of us,” she says sadly. “Rain, please tell them what I told you about the executions. These lies must end.”

Rain responds, “The executions are only a ruse to cull the people. The Cudgels wanted to bring back old time executions, like we have seen, and the Heironians fought against it wanting more civil punishments for crimes commited. In the end what has been done is that quick and merciful executions are performed in private for crimes deserving those punishments. The more cruel public exections are only illusions. They are a compromise between the Cudgels and Heironians. One I fear has done more damage than was anticipated… as we have seen here.”

Newt recoils at the thought. “Cull people? That’s terrible! Why would that be necessary, as a ruse or otherwise?” Though still recovering from the recent experience, her mood has changed from one of sadness to one more of anger at the unreasonable mistreatment of people.

Rain looks up and sobers a bit. “Sorry Newt, I meant to say lull.” She almost smiles. “While I am sure the Cuthberts would love nothing more, there is no way the Heironians would put up with that. I believe the attempt to be an honest one… but neither group fully thought out the consequences. Groups of Olmans are fleeing the perceived new governmental regime and forming bandit camps outside the city walls. I fear we have created at least as many problems as we were trying to fix.”

Drago thinks about all that wasted meat. Having less humans in the world is not such a bad thing if life in Westkeep is representative of human kind, but he’s still confused. “How can you kill someone in public and call it an illusion,” he says in Keolandish.

Sedara responds, “The arsonists, murderers, and rapists would also face execution even in Keoland, but they would be hung in a way that would instantly snap their necks, so as not to prolong their suffering. The old legal code of the Sea Princes was much more brutal, and the Cuthbertians argued that the people of Westkeep would continue to mistakenly believe that we were too soft unless we reinstituted the old code and restored their fear of the law. As I explained to Rain before, the Heironeans would not put up with that, so the Prince ruled that the following expedient would be used: those prisoners guilty of capital crimes would be executed swiftly and as painlessly as possible, but court illusionists would use their magic to make it appear to the crowds as though a more brutal execution were happening, when actually all that was on stage were the corpses of those already put to death.”

Drago nods his head as he takes in Sedara’s words, then mutters, “Iluziighu,” as he visualizes himself as a dead Olman. Immediately his features change from those of a lizardfolk warrior to those of an Olman covered in blood and bruises, and hideous burns. Drago falls to the ground, looking dead.

“Ew!” Newt crawls farther back on the cot, away from the ‘corpse.’ She’s sure it’s not real but not sure what Drago is up to.

Willing himself to look normal again, Drago sits up and says, “Sorry Newt. Illusions can be compelling.”

Newt relaxes and scoots back to the edge of the cot. “It’s… it’s okay. I just wasn’t ready for something like that. It’s been a rough evening, and I’m not feeling myself right now.”

Drago tries to comfort Newt with a scaley paw on her knee. Looking back at Lady Sedara, Drago cocks his head, “All is illusion?”

“Yes,” Sedara says, “it was all an illusion. Nothing more than an expedient means to implement the harshness of the Cuthbertian recommendations to deter the people of Westkeep from further riots, without having to actually do anything that would force the Heironeans to quit the city in protest. It made neither side happy and in the end has only made the Lion Throne seem no better than the Scarlet Sign.”

Later in the morning, Sedara comes down to Rain’s cell and sends Newt and Drago up to the palace to get dinner. She assures them that good food will be brought down to Rain momentarily but first she must speak with her privately. She also tells them that the Marinus brothers have returned safetly to Westkeep with Joia’s family, and that Joia herself was already safe in the palace.

Rain smiles at this news.

“Yes, milady. And thank you. I wasn’t sure when Rain would get something to eat.” Newt goes to dinner, finally a bit hungry. She is still unclear about who Joia is, but she can wait to find out.

Drago silently follows Newt to morning dinner, although his stomach is audibly calling out for food as he goes.