The Queen's Castle

The Queen’s Castle



The Queen’s Castle is five miles beyond the dark and cozy burg of Brogdin. From a distance, one regards the gothic structure like an ominous silhouette upon the horizon. The sun never shines on the queen’s realm as a black sky looms over it, plagued with swarms of griffons, dragons, gargoyles, and other winged monstrosities.

At the base of the castle is a forest known as Dark Wood. It is a treacherous haven for demons, beasts, and other entities of the dark to linger and swallow any creature of the light. The forest has adapted to the lack of sunlight, and its roots feeds off the evil that pollutes it. The flora and the fauna have equally become corrupt.

Entrance

The Bridge

The queen’s castle is separated from Dark Wood by a stone bridge. The castle resides above a canyon, perched on a stone ledge. The canyon appears to be bottomless, and the gales that escape its mouth allude to a breathing creature. There is a gate before one can cross the bridge protected by two, 12ft giants. The giants adorn iron armor and carry battle axes large enough to cleave the skull of a dragon in two. The giants permit the generals and members of the court, but any stranger or creature would not be given entrance so easily.

When upon the bridge, a visitor may notice the creatures that swarm the skies, and one might also feel watched. The winged beasts are always hungry, and if one isn’t quick to cross, the beasts could swoop down and snatch one off the bridge to never be seen again.

Before the fortress gates are two armored ogres. They aren’t as tall as the giants, being only 8ft, but they, too, carry battle axes. Like the giants, they permit only certain ranks and guests into the castle.

Interior

GM Note: Okay, so I would have used pictures to describe the foyer, but there isn’t one picture of a foyer that doesn’t make a castle look like a two-story house.

Foyer

Upon passing through the castle doors, one enters an enormous foyer with winding staircases to take them to the upper floors. The castle though awe-striking in a dark sense, is large enough for visitors to get lost in, and if unescorted, the beasts that lurk in the shadows of the castle could whisk one away. Like the giants and the ogres, two demonic guards flank the entranceway, while all sorts of servants: imps, goblins, gnomes, and those creatures who submitted to the queen flit about. An escort will always welcome the visitors within and escort them safely (unless the queen requests otherwise) to where they wish to be.

Interior List

GM Note: I swear I’m not being lazy, but I didn’t want you guys to feel handicapped by an elaborate description. Above was all you needed to read, as for how you wish to RP the rest of the castle, how you visualize it, is entirely up to you. I have listed here just a basic run-down of what one can find inside and outside the castle. How you get there is up to you, just feel free to use the NPC servants, however you like. If you ever would like there to be more, then just let me know.

• Library
• Servant Quarters (1st Floor)
• Kitchen (1st Floor)
• Banquet Hall (1st Floor)
• Common Room (for chillin’ – 1st Floor)
  
  • Bar
  • Stage for Entertainment
  • Record player for soft music
  • Chess Tables and other tables for games

• Ball Room (2nd Floor)
• Baths (3rd Floor)
• Guest Quarters (3rd Floor)
• Lab (Basement)
• Torture Room (Basement)
• Prison Tower (Left Wing)
• Royal Quarters (for members of the court - 4th Floor)
• War Room (room for strategic planning – 4th Floor)
• Queen’s Private Quarters (Right Wing – Tower)

Exterior List

• Stables (for horses or mythical steeds)
• Barracks
• Hatchery (for dragons and their eggs)
• Training Grounds
• Gardens
• Bridge (The Entrance)
• Castle Gates

Concluding GM Notes: As you can see, I didn’t go hardcore on this description. I feel the most important thing is to just provide a basic idea of what everything looks like. You guys can use your imagination to do the rest. I feel it’s easier that way and gives more freedom to the players. So enjoy the Queen’s Castle!

List of NPCs

• Catherine - human, virgin servant of The Frog Prince.

Any NPC created by the player, and who plays an active role in this town will be listed here.

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Basic Rules

1. No OOC Bubbles. Keep OOC in the OOC, and if you need to privately speak with a certain player, then do so by using the PMs.
2. RP Speed. Remember, I said at least once a day or 2 to 3 times per week. If someone hasn’t posted for 4 days straight and gave no notice of their absence, then feel free to skip them and improvise.
3. Do not post for the hell of it. If you can’t think of anything to post, then don’t post. Or if you are eagerly waiting for someone to post, and just want to post to satisfy that anxious urge, don’t. Just go find something to do. Please only post something that moves your character along or the story or whatever. Don’t write pointless posts. They don’t accomplish anything.
4. 200 words minimum. I do not like one-lining so at least try to meet that limit.
5. Do not post pics in the IC. Usually people post ridiculously, huge pictures in the IC. Please do your best to describe what you’re talking about. No pictures please. If you want to share a picture for a certain scene, use the OOC thread to post it up. Not the IC thread please.

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GM Recommended Notes

1) This section I made for those who are role playing Leaders to help assist them in guiding the RP. I suggest since this is the beginning of the RP to begin rounding up all the members of the court (not the NPCs). Once they are all within the room of meeting, you can begin saying whatever plans you might have.
2) You do not know that there is a rebellion. You are only hearing rumors that one might be forming, but they have not yet been confirmed.

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Chapter Summaries

his is where I will post a summary for concluded chapters/events to keep new and away players up to date.

Down in the great bowels of the Queen’s castle, evil was an ordinary occurrence.

The monarch made her descent into the catacombs of the castle, while Randolph, one of the many butlers in the building, carried the train of her elaborate gown so as to keep the grimy basement floors from sullying it. Although the catacombs were typically used as a place for burial of the royal family, the Snow Queen had the vacant crypts emptied and used as rooms for torture. After descending several stairs and turning through multiple passageways, the Queen finally stood in front of chamber 21. It was a large stone door with no windows. She looked over to Randolph, and without any other communication, he took the large assortment of keys from off his belt and proceeded to open the door of the chamber.

A cold, stale air protruded into the hallway as he opened the door. The room was pitch black and as silent as a grave. The Queen nudged her head toward the entrance, motioning for Randolph to continue. With hesitance, the loyal butler scurried into the room and hurried back out, dragging a near-dead man with him. The man’s clothes were tattered and his feet were bare. He twitched violently and turned toward the floor to shield his eyes from the light.

“Mr. Cordner, so sorry to wake you,” the Queen said calmly, “but I’m back for our weekly visit. How are you today?”

The man continued trembling on the floor.

“Hmm, I see. Well, how do you feel about your Queen now? Do you regret those ugly words you wrote about her in your filthy little underground rag?” the woman asked wickedly.

The man nodded his head vehemently and began to speak, but only mingled speech escaped his mouth, for he had not used his speech in days and the sight of the Queen had brought a chilling fear to his heart.

“Yes, yes… you seem very regretful, but how can I know for sure that this is not just some act to get me to release you. No, no, this will never do. I suppose another week of solitude will put you right. Randolph, please escort Mr. Cordner back into the chamber. This kingdom cannot do with propaganda mongers like him. We must cleanse the city.”

The man skirmished and frayed against the butler, but his impoverished body wasn’t strong enough to make it an even fight. After a quick back-and-forth, Randolph had hurled the man back into his secluded vault. Quickly, he hastened after the Queen and picked up the back of her skirts as she made her way up to the Royal Quarters.
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Heated conversation was underway in the Royal Quarters. All of the members of the Queen’s Dark Court were present and there was only one major conversation up for discussion, the rebellion of the talking animals. It is true that the idea of talking animals didn’t seem so treacherous, but those that weren’t strong based on sheer physicality made up for that with their mystical powers. A few animals were not a threat to the Dark Court, but a rebellion of a growing group was. The Queen walked into the room with a calm and collected appearance, nodded in respect to her Court, and proceeded to take her seat at the head of the table.

“Dear members of the Court, it has come to my attention that a rebellion is stirring in Fairy Woods, we must shut this down before it takes on a larger form that even we cannot destroy. Knowing this, I must hear what role each of you plan to take in the Dark Court. What areas of the Kingdom you intend to guard as your own quadrant, and most importantly… who will lead our forces into the woods to make quick work of the vermin?”

Her green eyes skimmed over the members of the court, in wait of the first response.

Death opened her eyes slowly. She was listening to the Dark Court, trying to find out what to do. Death was a wolf, a white wolf to be exactly, a talking animal. She was supposed to be on the white side but she hated them. Her father had made her hate them. He had raised her with an iron fist; punishing her when she did something wrong or when she didn't listen. Her father thought of her as a demon that was brought along them to kill them. Her mother was nice to her and when she was with her mother she was kind. But she changed especially when she was all alone. All her siblings had died and so did her father and mother. She was all alone from then on and had been so angerd that no one liked her that she stepped to the dark side. She just couldn't stand the 'White Side' anymore. She was sure she would be killed because her father had warned everyone for her and so, when she was alone, she runned off and ended here.

Her attention got drawn to the Queen entering the room. Her thoughts of her past vanished as the Queen spoke. She listend carefully and sighed, closing her eyes again to think. What will I do for the Queen? She thought about it, thinking what she could do. Maybe she could get some animals to join the Queen and her army. Then Goldi Locks, her master, would be happier too. She opened her eyes and looked at the Queen, smiling slightly but her head low and her ears flat on her head in respect. ''My Queen,'' she said softly, still thinking. ''I may be able to gather animals for your army.'' She raised her head slighlty to look at the Queen, waiting patiently for a respond.

Wolf's icy blue eyes glowed brightly in the dimly-lit room as he sat on the chair to the right of the queen. His movement barely created any noises at all and he closed his eyes, listening to the queen's words as he was deep in thoughts. His mind was a mess right now. The last person he had disguised turned out to be insane and as a result, he was gritting his teeth to endure the torment his mind was going through right now. His fingers, which laid harmlessly on the table, twitched slightly every few seconds and if one looked carefully enough, they might see the sweats that were pouring from his forehead despite the fact that the war room was quite cold. Wolf took a deep breath and tried to ignore his mind as it screamed 'waffles and pancakes' for some strange reasons and his frowned deepened even so slightly as another voice yelled inside his head 'Lemons and orange juice!'. He really should stop disguising as a madman...it really left a bad impact on his mind. He massaged his temper as his fingers twitched again. This time, the voice demanded for blood and sacrifices. He bit his lower lip slightly as he felt his mouth curled into a dark smirk and he depressedly held himself together and kept his emotionless mask on.

“Dear members of the Court, it has come to my attention that a rebellion is stirring in Fairy Woods, we must shut this down before it takes on a larger form that even we cannot destroy. Knowing this, I must hear what role each of you plan to take in the Dark Court. What areas of the Kingdom you intend to guard as your own quadrant, and most importantly… who will lead our forces into the woods to make quick work of the vermin?”

Finally, his queen had raised her angelic voice. Wolf opened his eyes and set his face into a calm expression as he folded his hands neatly in front of him, pondering on her words. Hmm...another rebellion? So soon after the last one...He tapped his cheek with his index finger as his mind - the sane part of his mind, wandered on its own again. Well, obviously, there was nothing much he could do beside spying and collecting information. He could lead the army and squash the rebellion with the information he collected but he wouldn't do it. He knew his boundaries and his abilities and while leading an army seemed like a tempting suggestion, his reputation as well as the queen's trust on him could be ruined if he failed. As the queen said something about guarding areas, Wolf looked at the map laying in the center of the table, in front of him and he studied it with a raised eyebrow. Well, East and West were too much for him seeing that he was not much of a fighter and was more of a strategist and information expert. Those two parts of the kingdom were always tensed and ready to go to war at any seconds...He sent a look at Frosch - the frog prince as he calculated his next move. Obviously, Frosch suited the role better than Wolf. His eyes shifted slightly as he observed the next two parts of the map - the South and the North. To be perfectly honest, he preferred the warm weather of the South more than the cold, harsh weather of the North. Plus, South always seemed to be quite peaceful, suitable for someone with Wolf's fighting skill. He nodded his head slightly. That settled it then...he would be the one who guarded South...with the Queen's permission of course... He raised his head as Death the talking white wolf spoke softly.

''My Queen...I may be able to gather animals for your army.''

Wolf raised an eyebrow as he looked at the white thing in front of him. 'For someone with the intelligence the size of a normal animal, she decides fast...' The cocky, unstable part of his mind whispered hastily. Wolf suppressed a smirk...It was true...to some certain extend...because after all, he was a wolf, too...though he had taken the form of a human, he still used to be a wolf like her. 'That's not true...I always know we are special...more special than any other animals...' Another voice said and Wolf gave a small, barely noticeable nod as if he agreed with the voice. 'you shouldn't be too cocky...focus on the matter or the Queen will be displeased...' A serious voice said as Wolf's thoughts became jumbled...again. Wolf coughed slightly, trying to clear his voice and at the same time, paying attention on the meeting. His eyes shifted from one person to another as he decided to speak up at last...

"...your highness...as a master of disguise and information expert...I believe the role that suits me best is collecting information and plans of those...talking things as well as their silly rebellion...I will do my best to bring the most reliable information back to you..."

Wolf sneered at the word 'talking things' as it left a bad taste in his mouth. Those things with the intelligence of an ant... dared to rebel? Who was they kidding? It was a joke...At least the white wolf in front of him now was smarter than all of them combined...He paused, choosing his words carefully as he continued after a minute or so."...and I can help you guard the South part of the kingdom, your highness...the first reason is that I do believe most of the people there have been manipulated by me..."

Tapping a small black spot on the map with his finger, Wolf continued calmly..."as for the second reason...you see this spot? this place is the pigs' place...they can help me by spreading lies and half-truths to the people and report back to me. It is easier than the North, West or East for them as well as myself since their house is in the North part of the country...and the third reason is a minor one...however, it is not any less important than the previous reasons. As you can probably see, your highness, combat skill is not my strong point...and the violence on the West, East, and North is always more intensive than the South...I do not think I can handle being in the center of the violence for too long, especially when I have to carry the task of collecting information and resources...as for the final reason...please look at this..."

Wolf tapped the symbol of a castle on the map and then another symbol written 'South Headquarter' He took a deep breath and licked his lips "... the South Headquarter is actually nearest to the castle...if I need to deliver some important information, I can make it in time and probably sooner than any other places..."

He retracted his finger and folded his hands on the table again. Looking at the Queen, he spoke in his usual cold tone of voice he used to deal with the Queen and the generals "...of course, the final decision belongs to you, your highness... this is, after all, just my suggestions and ideas...my thoughts on the most logical course of actions...the rest is up to you to decide, your highness..."

A meeting was going on, she should know, she had payed good money to ensure that she was kept up to date when important meetings were going on for either side. Currently she was sitting in one of the darker corners of the Royal Quarters disguised as a mouse, listening to their conversation. She knew most of the ways in and out through the various nooks and crannies that mice came and went though, and it proved quite handy most of the time, especially when a meeting like this was going on.

Most of the information Vivian was gathering could probably be exchanged for a good price; if she contacted the right people, the sale could go smoothly, and she'd come out with a hefty pocket of money. Last time she bothered checking up on how things were going with the little rebellion, they could use a bit of juicy information like an animal army or about the lies and half-truths to be spread. Any information Vivian could gather, she would try to sell off. She hadn't had time to check in on the Rebellion for a little while, and she felt it was about time she got around to doing so. If she checked on them soon, it was likely she would be able to get a bit of information about them to, which she could then sell to the Court. Playing both sides against the middle, being neutral, using both sides to get what she wanted; more information, money, and a way to a place far away where she could live with Roland and not be bothered. Maybe she could teach him to love her, since he still had an issue with trying to hurt her every time she gave him his human form.

No matter what she did, everything went back to Roland. Vivian wondered how Roland would react when he found out exactly what she was up to, she wondered if he would approve of any of her doings, and she so wondered what it would take to get him to love her. Even sitting in this corner, focusing on listening, trying to pick up as much as possible; Vivian found herself thinking about Roland. One of these days her thoughts of him were going to get her into trouble... Well, more trouble than she was almost always in.

Vivian scurried away from the corner quickly to pick up more on what the twitchy one was saying, but as soon as he finished talking she went back to the dark corner as quickly as possible. Straying from dark spaces when disguised as a small disgusting creature was never a good idea, too many risks involved, and Vivian did not want to die.

The Prince’s Chamber; and then finally, the War Room

The maid passed through the halls, totting a steel bucket of beetles, worms, centipedes, and creatures that often spread their glossy wings to land upon her cheek. She squeaked as she shook her head wildly, her cinnamon strands flaring. The roach calmly fled her cheek before she slapped it and brushed her hair behind her ears. She had pulled the shortest straw, and though she had thought goblins made the best servants for a monster, here she was with the prince’s lunch. Most women would have screamed, cried, and begged for mercy upon seeing the bucket of insects she was carrying, but Catherine had been a servant of the Dark Court ever since her home was overtaken by evil merchants, and since she was sold into slavery. Catherine had never laid eyes on the frog prince before, although she had heard terrifying stories about him. Stories like how he had devoured one of the imps for accidently stepping on one of his frogs. In fact, stories about him devouring servants were quite common.

As Catherine carried the pail, her skin broke out in goose bumps and felt chilled despite the black sleeves of her dress, hugging them snuggly. The white apron that tied about her neck was smudged with the mud from the gardens when a previous servant before her had the duty of filling the bucket. She wouldn’t have minded filling the bucket if it was to spare her from being eaten by a monster prince, but then again, she might not have enjoyed the toiling work. Her gingerbread eyes gazed down into the crawling bucket, her face paling the longer she focused on the squelches and clicking of the creatures within.

With a foul odor building in the hallway, it became evident to Catherine that she was nearing the prince’s room. The smell was rancid, wet like a swamp and almost humid. She came before a door the color of human excrement and gazed upon the bronze knob that looked covered in some sort of greenish-brown sludge. Catherine reached out to grasp the knob, but then thought against it—her fingers clapping against her palm as she retracted her attempt. The pail lolled in her right hand like a weight as night crawlers pelted the black carpet and crane flies dispersed from it with the grace of pixies. Slipping her hand beneath her apron, Catherine grasped the slimy doorknob, feeling the moisture begin to seep through the material and pushed open the door. As it opened, her hand immediately abandoned the knob as her forearm rose to cover her nose, trying desperately to protect it from the funk that dumped from the prince’s chamber like a hot deluge.

“Ugh,” Catherine said in disgust.

The chirps of the frogs were like crickets singing in the night. The maid’s eyes lowered to the floor of the dimly lit room. A window veiled by a white, tissue-thin curtain bathed the interior in a deep blue as the silhouettes of amphibians of several sizes became accentuated by the golden light of the oil lamps that spilled into it from the hall. There was no furniture in the room. There was ivy along the white marble floors, a few bird baths that had frogs soaking in them. A dark pool was before the window with the curtain and the far right-most wall was a bed of tall grass. The prince was nowhere to be found.

That relieved Catherine as she sighed and kicked the door closed with the heel of her laced boots. She started over toward the pool, suspicious that it might have been too good to be true. The frogs watched her silently, their eyes upon the bucket. One hungry tree frog leapt from his perch on a bird bath to plop into the bucket of bugs, the noise startled the maid as she stopped and peered down at the creature.

In a flash, Catherine felt a breeze travel across her skin. She blinked her wide, copper eyes as they moved from the tree frog over to her flat tummy and the black lingerie that cupped her breasts and hugged her hips. The maid dropped the bucket in fright as she whirled around to gaze back at the door. Her arms crossed about her bosom as she glanced to her left and then right. A clear, cool fluid dripped from the ceiling to glide down the right side of her nose and dribble down into her tight cleavage. Her gown then dropped from the ceiling like a black and white blanket and slowly her eyes rose to gaze upon the back of a creature.

The back she gazed upon was covered in black, bulging warts that dripped with a slime that hung from its back in clear ribbons. The beast uttered a low croak that made her lips tremble until a shriek climbed its way free from her throat. A head budded into her sights as two glossy, yellow eyes gazed down at her.

Catherine’s mouth opened in terror. A shriek was building in her throat as her legs instantly became weak with fear and collapsed beneath her. The back of her hand rose inches before her lips as she bit back the scream that escaped her on timid whimpers.

The creature had been eying her quietly until her silence made him giggle. “Is this how you greet a prince?”

It then dawned on her that this monster upon the ceiling was The Frog Prince. Fearfully, Catherine lowered her hand and pleaded, “Forgive me, My Prince for we have never met!” She wasn’t sure what the right words were to say to such a creature. “I-I have a message!”

“Pick up the bucket,” the prince’s low voice demanded.

Catherine, feeling her muscles quivering, crawled over to the bucket on her hands and knees. There were numerous frogs huddled about it, gobbling up the bugs that had spilled free. She took the bucket slowly, making sure not to dump the rest of its contents out and held it within both of her hands. The prince’s cold tongue reached down to wrap about her, spiraling up her waist and across her bra before she was lifted to the ceiling. Catherine yelped and clung to the bucket until the prince’s large arm wrapped about her, and she settled upon his smooth pectorals. She clasped her hand over her nose and mouth as she thought she might puke. He smelt of garbage: eggs, rotten meat, and old sweat. Her thighs clinched tightly together as she gazed upon his mug. His wide mouth curled with delight and his eyes gleamed like amber. His pink tongue flicked out of his mouth to drag along his left eye as a string of slime snapped free upon its return into his maw.

“Since when did they start sending me humans? I’ve had only devils, imps, goblins, and gnomes, but humans? It must be my birthday,” said the prince as his chest quaked beneath the maid with his laughter. “Reach your hand into the bucket and feed me some of those delectable vermin. As you do, convey your message.”

Catherine lowered her shaking hand from her mouth and she reached deep into the bucket, frowning in disgust at the handful of worms and beetles she withdrew. She held her hand out to the prince as his mouth opened to clamp upon it. She felt his tongue scrape the bugs from her palm as she then removed her hand from his mouth to gaze upon the thick saliva that dripped like syrup from her fingers. It made her nose wrinkle in disgust, and as the prince munched audibly on his meal, Catherine suddenly remembered his request.

“The queen requests a meeting with all the members of the Dark Court,” she reported. She slipped her hand into the bucket to gather another handful that she held out to him.

“Mm,” the beast hummed with intrigue. He snagged the next handful from her hand and resumed his crunching. “If she requests the entire court, then it must be urgent.”

The prince’s vocal sac abruptly billowed enormously. Catherine pressed her hand against it as it nearly pushed her from his chest. A low croak escaped him before a belch gusted into the maid’s face as his sac deflated. Its volume made her wince as it left the prince’s throat like a deafening blast and speckled her bare skin in bits of worm, chitin, and wings. She then squealed in protest when his tongue lapped along her tummy and then up her bosom to her face, collecting the bits of insect.

The prince’s arm looped about her waist as he detached from the ceiling flipping right side up to land upon the floor with a thud that shook his entire room. The pail had tipped over to spill the rest of the insects across the floor before clattering off into a corner. The frogs crowded the spill as the prince released Catherine. She slid down his chest and round belly until she slumped to her knees at his feet. With an unenthusiastic sigh, the prince stepped past the maid over to his bedroom door.

“You will be my servant. If anyone else comes here, I will cook them in my bowels. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Catherine answered. She must have been cursed. What misfortune made her the primary servant of the prince?

The prince left the room, leaving the door ajar as his amphibian subjects hopped after him. He strode down the hall. His shredded trousers swaying against his thick, green legs and his massive hands dangled at his sides. His eyes blinked leisurely, seeming to meld into his skull before they swelled like two bumps upon his head. His black warts protruded from his shoulders like mountains descending down his back, and freshwater weed dangled from his navel.

The War Room

By the time the prince had arrived at the War Room, flies had gathered about his head and shoulders and the halls of the castle were permeated in his stench. His webbed feet slapped upon the marble floors of the conference hall, the sight of the queen, exciting the corners of his mouth to twist with devious content.

The prince then leapt toward the smooth table with the map of Fantasia sprawled across it. His form swiftly shrank into a round, ball of a frog that landed on the table with a splat. His frog subjects were entering the room behind him in waves, occupying the chair behind him, its armrests, and some joining him upon the table.

He had arrived just in time, and never too soon to stink up the room with his putrid perfume. He had chosen his frog form because his stench wasn’t as potent, but knowing that he was present was very evident. One just needed to breathe his very air.

As the mouse eavesdropped on The Dark Court, a large horned frog hopped in front of her. Its yellow eyes offered her a side glance, the hunger it felt when gazing upon her gleaming in them. The frog didn’t move. It instead waited to see if she’d twitch a muscle, which would be its cue to snap her up.

The meeting so far was sounding like a situation Goldilocks and her ward could handle on their own. Frosch was the size of a bull frog, his girth comfortably spread about him, making him resemble an amphibious blob, but he was quite comfortable as he listened to The Wolf go on in his strategic nonsense. All the queen had to do was tell him to handle it, and the prince would. His eyes sank back into his head as he kept his thoughts to himself. His attendance almost seemed like a waste of time. The meeting had interrupted his fun with his new servant.

The frog prince entered the room, and the smell offended Vivian's nose; it was typical, but it still made her shrivel up her mousy nose. Frogs... They were nasty, smelly creatures that didn't deserve much. From what she'd heard about the Froggy Prince he deserved his fate of being the disgusting thing he was today. Then again, what she'd heard probably wasn't true, no one, not even stuck up princes tried to force fairies to marry them. Vivian sneered in her head, she needed to find out his real story, it just didn't do for a dealer of information like her to be left out of the loop like that.

Just then a rather large frog hopped in front of her, interrupting her thought. She didn't react,... At first. Vivian gave it a quick once over out of the corner of her eye. She thought carefully about what to do the Princes frogs had a habit of being nasty buggers, they'd snapped up a couple of people she'd had spying for her in the castle; thus why Vivian was here instead of anyone else. If it caught her she was dead, dying wasn't pleasant from what she'd seen happen to her step-sister.

The frog was large and gross, and it smelled too. Smelly stenches were becoming overwhelming, and Vivian really needed to get out of here, she didn't want to be eaten by a frog. Scurrying as fast as she could, Vivian prayed that the mouse hole she was about to go into was too small for the frog to squeeze it's smelly body into; she knew her spying in the castle was definitely done for the day.

Goldie appeared to be so serene, sitting with her legs crossed at the ankles, her hands curled around each other in her lap. Blue eyes were half lidden as she stared out at the room. It was almost like she wasn’t even breathing, sitting in that chair like a little nearly-life sized doll, so delicate and untouchable with those golden curls.

It was all a lie, though. She was seething inside, her thoughts in turmoil, her anger steadily building in her chest while she listened to what the queen had to say- and then, to have her nose offended so greatly by the Frog Prince- The –frong- Prince- disgusting smell with him. A frog prince, hah! Goldie scoffed aloud, cheeks coloring with a light blush. She shifted, allowing for her golden locks to hide her triangular face. He was in control of frogs – a pitiful creature- but one that she should have been controlling none the less.

With a deep, shaky breath, Goldie shifted once more, into a standing position and laid a soft hand upon the animal that was nearly always at her side- The Wolf; wha ever her name was. “My queen,” Goldie started off,, a pleasant smile gracing her lips, as if the news she were going to repeat was anything other than infuriating for her. “There is an.. Animal uprising starting in the woods. You know, magical, talking, animals. I do not know –why- they’d uprise..”

For a moment, Goldie’s innocent face twisted into a look of pure anger, making those delicate features monstrous. “But they have decided as much. I could, if you so will it, send out some spies or something along the notion of that. Or perhaps deal with this issue.. Personally?” Head tilting to the side, Goldie blinked those pretty blue orbs. By peronsally, she meant she’d have others do it. But she could be on the front lines. In the lap of luxury. She wouldn’t want to harm anything, not yet at least. And Goldie knew better than to touch something, besides the wolf who hardly mattered, when she was in a mood such as this.

Animals, revolting! What was the kingdom coming to? She'd straighten the poor dears out.. All it took was getting close enough.

On the stairs leading to the fourth floor of the castle, there was suddenly a fleeting patter of sound. Soft leather-clad feet slapped lightly against the stone; their owner was running rapidly to the top. However, as the person reached the landing, she was torn from her rush and jerked to a stop. The hood that had been pulled up and obscuring her face in shadow fell back to her shoulders, revealing a fleeting look of disgust crossing her face. From the lingering smell of things, she knew at least one person who was already inside the war room.

Impatiently, Adeen used her left hand to brush away locks of straight blond hair from her face. Her right hand, with its missing finger stayed by her side but with a small flick of her wrist, a thin blade shot out and she pressed her palm against the flat of it. The fact that the meeting involved the queen and her closest generals in the war room left little doubt in her mind about the reason for the gathering. A corner of her mouth twitched upwards at the thought. If rumors were to be believed, she would soon get her chance to go out and hunt the rebels. Adeen began moving forward again, but kept her pace calm as she strode down the hall towards the entrance to the room. Her right index finger trailed down the cool surface of the blade and she shivered. Soon she would be able feel the thrill of the hunt, watch the flames cover the rebels' bodies in a magnificent blaze, and hear their screams... Watch the pain as their bodies crumpled to ash.

She shook herself out of her thoughts and withdrew the blade back into its respective arm guard. First she would have to go into the war room and learn where she was to be assigned. Adeen paused at the edge of the doorway when she heard the end of what Goldilocks was saying. I suppose the meeting isn't over yet, she noticed. The air was even more pungent right up close to the Prince, but Adeen only squinted her vivid blue eyes for a moment and then entered the room. She kept herself unobtrusively at the back of the group, drawing in her presence by shrinking down. Her shoulders hunched ever so slightly and her head bent down as well. But she kept herself straight enough that she would be ready to stand at attention should there need be. Her eyes roved around, looking around the room for any sign that she would be needed. But other than that, Adeen didn't move.

She kept quiet and settled down to wait.

The War Room

The wicked queen calmly sat at the head of the table, lavishing her attention on none of the beings that sat before her. Her head was held high upon her long, stark-white neck, her brown eyes half-lidded beneath a thick fan of lashes. She listened first to Goldilocks’s pet and replied facetiously, “I do hope so. We can’t have a war without soldiers now can we?”

Fool. Only an employ of one of her generals would make such an obvious proposal. “Goldie, dear; please don’t bring your pets to the table next time.”

A soft and proud smile curled at the rose-red lips of the queen. She was a cold woman and expected only clever suggestions in her War Room. The Wolf was next. He seemed overprotective as usual. The castle and its regions were nowhere near in danger. The uprising was hardly what it sounded to be. Goldilocks seemed to echo similar sentiments as her pet.

The queen closed her eyes and opened them in a matter unlike a normal, swift blink.

“I would like to see this uprising,” the wicked queen said. “Mirror; my love; my darling; come here please.”

From the thick shadows behind the queen came the sound of heavy footsteps. The light from the candelabras hanging above the conference table flashed across the glossy face of a full-body mirror. The mirror approached the table on four lion paws sculpted from white marble and stopped once it was next to its master. The queen scooted back in her chair and turned to face the creature. She rested her fingers upon its back, lightly stroking its spine.

The mirror was beautiful, burnished, and without a sharp or jagged edge. She found herself caught up in its touch. The stone was eerily warm as though it was flesh and she wrapped her black lace-covered arms about its mane. Her breasts squishing against its flank as her black satin gown pooled at her feet.

“There are creatures who seek to oppose me. Mirror, show them to me so that I may destroy them,” the queen asked.

She released the mirror and slid back into her seat. The mirror leapt onto the conference table as its weighted landing resonated throughout the room. A few frogs had tumbled from the table, due to the vibrations and startle. The lion mirror stood in the presence of The Dark Court. Its marble tail flicked about as though it were living before it settled upon its belly. It raised its head, directing its long, oval face toward the ceiling. It then sank into the table until its glass face could be seen by all who sat around the table.

The mirror flashed and presented a small army of beasts led by a black unicorn marching through the Fairy Woods. There had to be one hundred, and they were advancing on Goldilocks’s animal slave camps to free their brethren.

The black unicorn stopped. His red eyes were wide and triangular ears perked in alert.

“What’s wrong my lord?” a buck questioned.

The black unicorn’s nostrils flared as he snorted uncomfortably. “There’s…there’s a disturbance…”

The buck spread his own ears and turned his head left and right, listening to the woods. “I hear nothing.”

The black unicorn’s hoof stomped the earth. “It’s magic. We’re being watched.”

His horn then began to turn black before a black orb began to fill the mirror, blinding the arcane eye of The Dark Court. The wicked queen frowned and rose abruptly to her feet. She couldn’t believe the magic of a unicorn was able to block the all-seeing eye of her mirror.

The wicked queen looked to Goldilocks, her eyes glinting with accusation. She pointed a manicured claw across the table at her and said ominously, “This is your problem. Do what you must to fix it, but you will bring me the unicorn alive. If not, bring me his horn!”

She lowered her hand. “The rest of you do as you wish…”

The queen then noticed Adeen in the back and she regarded the girl in momentary silence. Her painted lips then curled into an impish smile as she crossed her arms beneath her bosom, gazing at Adeen with much interest.

“Goldie, dear, be sure to take Adeen with you. She loves to burn things and what better to set fire to our enemies…and their home (Fairy Woods).”

The mirror climbed out of the table and approached its queen. She rested her hand upon its shoulder, petting him tenderly.

“My poor baby…did he hurt you? He won’t do so for long. We’ll get him,” she cooed to her mirror. As the mirror hopped down from the table, the queen turned her back to those in meeting. “This meeting is dismissed.”

She and her mirror then eluded into the shadows, vanishing from the room.

The frog prince gazed at Goldilocks and smirked. He knew how she always detested him and his frog servants. How he had control of all the frogs in Fantasia. He knew that she had tried to win the loyalties of his servants once, but she was not a frog. He was their only prince. She had often flaunted how she had control of all the animals in Fantasia, but here they were revolting.

“Your power is waning,” the prince taunted. “Little girls should stick to their toys and let the adults handle adult problems. I would have that unicorn’s head on a platter and his army in my belly.”

Because you are our prince! a frog chirped.

Yes, our powerful prince! croaked another.

The queen should have sent you, Sire!

Frosch grinned arrogantly at Goldilocks, flaunting triangular rows of teeth.

---

The horned frog that had been watching Vivian hopped after her as soon as he saw her flee. He stopped before a mouse hole, gazing down at the hole that he was too big to even attempt to squeeze inside. Upon hearing the praises of his prince, the frog turned and hopped away back towards the conference table.

The mirror's appearance and subsequent movement onto the table did not cause Adeen to stir. Her only movement were her eyes flicking over the glossy surface and skimming over its features. However, when the mirror's face shimmered and revealed the black unicorn and his followers, she leaned forward slightly to get a closer look. He cantered forward in strong, even steps and the power that lay throughout the animal was evident - more so when he broke the sight of the Queen's mirror.

Adeen sat back, pondering about the unicorn and the growing amount of rebels but keeping an eye on the queen and an ear open to her orders. Only moments after, she saw the queen's eyes gaze on her and she immediately focused on the present, standing at attention. "Goldie, dear, be sure to take Adeen with you. She loves to burn things and what better to set fire to our enemies... and their home." At those words, Adeen's eyes gleamed with suppressed eagerness and her lips curled up into a small smile. Soon she would be able to put some rebels to the flames. Finally, she would be able to do something. She bowed her head as the queen left and then turned her scrutiny to the frog prince and Goldilocks.

"Excuse my interruption," she said, her voice in a quiet volume she preferred, but uttered in a way that carried her voice clearly to the intended recipients. "But Her Majesty's mirror showed that those animals were nearly at the camp. I believe we should be going rather than sparing time to talk about who might be better?" The faster they got there, the faster she would be able to watch the lives join together in one magnificent flame. She would be able to watch the rebellion bleed out of their eyes, to become nothing but cold ashes. Soon. First they had to actually leave the castle and head out.

Death looked at the other members before looking at the Queen. Did the Queen call me Pet? Why would she call me like that? I'm not a pet, I could have been in the rebellion army too but I was smart. But, there is no reason to call me a Pet. Did I do something wrong to make her think I'm a pet, Death thought to herself, sarring at the Queen silently. She just couldn't figure out why the Queen had called her Pet. Afterall, she was the leader of the army of animals of Goldilocks but she wasn't a pet. She did follow orders though but that couldn't be the reason the Queen called her Pet. Did she look that much like a dog then? She couldn't imagine that either. She looked like a normall wolf, that was what she hoped. She knew she was a wolf and she thought she looked like it. But, she guessed the Queen was right. She sighed, listening to the rest and staying silent. She felt really offended but didn't dare to speak anymore.

Death looked at Goldilocks who didn't seem to care about what the Queen said. Death was still offended but she didn't show it though. She just had a cold expression on her face, hiding her feelings. She couldn't show her feelings, her father had forbidden it. She hated her father. She had been sad when he died but after a while didn't care anymore. She was actually glad he had died, she could finally do what she wanted without her father ordering her to stop it and to go away. Her father had always thought different of her. He had always told her that she was a monster, send to kill his family. She never believed it untill a few years. Her mother was much kinder. Her mother loved her a lot. When she was with her mother she could play like a normall pup. But, it changed. Her family all died and slowly she started to think that her father spoke the truth. That she was born to kill. So she joined the Dark side.

Adeen flicked her wrist. A blade shot out like a shot from her armguard quickly with only the barest of whispers; the light flickered on its surface, making it gleam. She moved her hand again and the blade sheathed itself. She drew and withdrew the blade and it was not unlike a snake's tongue as it flickered in and out quickly. Shhnk. The blade was out again. Another whisper and it was sheathed. Silently, Adeen let out a small sigh, standing up straight from where she had been resting against the cold stone of the castle wall. She was outside by the training grounds, watching various guards drill - and probably making them more than a little nervous with her less than hidden presence. She had decided not to go through too much work and blend back in the shadows, but rather play with a little ball of flame and then with her blades.

But even those had lost her interest rather quickly. She wanted - needed - to do something now. Burn a forest, hunt down rebels, anything. Adeen slipped through the paths winding around the great sprawling gardens surrounding the castle, many times wandering off the path, ignoring the prickle of watchful eyes coming from a few of the beasts lurking around. They did not attack. Adeen walked lightly through the growth, barely disturbing them until she reached the exit where she came to a stop.

Well, it looks like someone's back, Adeen mused as she gazed at the Piper expressionlessly.

When Adeen saw Piper, she saw a flicker of movement as Gren'del dove into Piper's pocket frantically. Correctly guessing that it was an action of fear, she put it aside, letting her gaze meet Piper's. She did not tense as Piper let his hand rest against his rapier and reach the other towards his pipe, but her palms tilted minutely away from her body, ready to call out her blades. She would not attack - Piper was another of the Dark Court, and so an ally against the rebels - but she would not stand if he decided to attack her.

The tension did not reach the threshold of any sort of danger and passed like a light wind. It had been nothing more than a breath of awkwardness - wariness. Gone. Piper spoke, a light touch of humor coloring his voice. "Good day Adeen... It is nice to see you -so- eager to welcome me home..." He bowed.

The edge of Adeen's lips curled upward slightly. Deciding to play along, she widened her smile and her eyes so they shone cerulean in the light. "Indeed," she said brightly. She had no dress, but she reached out, grasping invisible cloth and answered Piper's bow with a mock curtsey. "The castle inhabitants have missed your presence so much, that we all had to come and welcome you back with open arms."

Adeen straightened and she dropped her bright grin, settling for the more comfortable almost expressionless face with just a faint remainder of a smile. She could stand only so much wide, bright-eyed innocence, especially when it wasn't necessary... for other means. Her eyes, while not as open and bright, still gleamed with quiet, half-hidden amusement as they regarded Piper and Gren'del's head. "I know you have been... 'busy' staying at Hamlin," she said evenly. "But I don't suppose you might have caught anything regarding the growing rebellion?" Any information would be helpful, after all. And of course, she would be able to inform him of what had happened during the meeting earlier. Maybe the Queen would even let them both go deal with the strange black unicorn and the attempt to free the animal labor camps. Adeen was feeling twitchy and wanted - no, needed - something to do. Now.

Inwardly he studies her in silence, watching her for physical reaction. Checking to see if this is the same, twisted little girl he remembers. She was tense, and slightly edgy, eager to do something, anything... twitchy. Yet she maintained her Demeanor, she didn’t show much worry as he reached over the pipe, he hadn’t expected it, few among the Court could truly understand the power held the the instrument, and if he had his way, they never would. Her voice and smile only cause him to grin softly.

"Indeed," she had said with mocking joy. Answered his own bow with a mock curtsey. "The castle inhabitants have missed your presence so much, that we all had to come and welcome you back with open arms."

He straightened up slowly his hand falling down to rest at his side, the right hand remaining formally on his blade as he speaks aloud, thickening his German accent simply to amuse himself as he speaks. “What joyous news. Sound the horns, the bells, the drums and the choir. Clear the halls, ready the guests, and start cooking the feast, for the Piper has returned.” He speaks the words with -deep- sarcasm, but there is little meaning behind it all, little voice. Softly rolling his eyes as he says it, he is under no impression that he was really missed. Her next words cause him to blink, and Gren’del to softly poke his head from the pocket of The Pipers Coat.

"I know you have been... 'busy' staying at Hamlin," she said evenly. "But I don't suppose you might have caught anything regarding the growing rebellion?" At first, it was mention of Hamlin that caused him to blink, rarely was it mentioned in his presence, the slaughter of every man, women, and child. The stories and rumors that fallowed. Few spoke of it without disgust, or fear, let alone in his presence, then again, she was of the Dark Court, chances are, she had done her fair share of slaughter as well.

He blinks softly and tilts his head to the side, speaking with soft curiosity as he starts to take a few steps closer, ending the formality of their distance.

”What rebellion, among the people? No... they would never have the wit or the power to challenge the queens rule.” He pauses and thinks for a moment, before a small and coy smile crosses his lips. Possibly... just maybe.... the Toad has lost control of his flock?” The Frog Prince, or Toad has the piper called him. Was not a creature the piper enjoyed the presence of, drowning in his own power, corrupt and greedy. He had once held the vermin of these lands under his control. Like he did all animals, but they had left him for the Piper, a man who many of the rats and mice, viewed as a king in his own right.

Despite his humor. a cold, and dark seriousness resides in the mans deep eyes, and expression of cold Who are we going to have to kill to fix this? that anyone who knew him would know.

Adeen kept her gaze on the other as he stepped closer and answered with quiet curiosity. So he had not heard or seen anything about it. His path through the forest probably missed crossing any of the labor camps or the path of the black unicorn then. Piper's expression changed and he acted as if he were trying to hide eager anticipation in asking, "Possibly... just maybe... the Toad has lost control of his flock?" His eyes told of something different though. They were serious and understood that, whatever the rebellion, their expertise in killing would be needed. Adeen inclined her head in response.

"The animals," she half-agreed. Then, clearly and concisely summarized the events of the meeting. "They seem to have found a leader and are currently going to attack Goldilock's labor camps in order to free their brethren." Adeen's lip curled minutely. Not that more animals on their side would help the rebellion that much. Still, defeating them even on something as simple as an attempt to free labor camps would make their growing despair something quite delicious. She would get to And any damage to the forest would only lead back to damaging those animals' homes. Just another good thing to add to the list. "I think it will be quite entertaining to go help defeat that sad attempt at a rebellion..."

"Don't you?"

Goldilocks

Resting her hands upon the table, the blonde slid from her chair as the Queen concluded the meeting and started for the doors of the War Room. Her blue dress bounced along with her fat, golden curls. She resembled a little girl, but she was much older than she appeared. She stopped when she heard the low voice of The Frog Prince, it sounded like two stones grinding against each other. Her sapphire eyes rolled like two orbs to the corners of her eyes as she turned one over her shoulder to regard the putrid creature seated like a stinking bridge-troll upon the table. His title as a prince was the only thing she would agree with. A prince of frogs and toads and nothing more seemed to suit his status.

“And frogs should remain in the bog, not trouncing around claiming to be princes,” Goldilocks retorted sweetly in her child-like voice.

If the frog prince had brows in his frog form, they would be furrowed as he still managed to retain his smug smile.

“The rebellion is nothing but a game. My pets have bitten the hand that feeds, and they will now be punished.”

Goldilocks marched past Peep without a word. What was the servant going on about? Did she think she was participating in the battle? The Queen had not commanded her to go.

Frosch watched Goldilocks leave and then arched a froggy brow at Peep. “What use is a chambermaid in a battle? The scum around my pool needs to be scrubbed.”

The Frog Prince hopped down from the table and with his amphibian servants springing behind him and took his leave. He uttered a deep croak and yawn. A nap was in order.