Frederick did not send back a reply to Jerry's text. Instead, minutes later, he appeared outside the palace, walking over to where Jerry was sitting.

'So, you heard that the Bloodrazor clan are intending to contact the king?' he said, without saying hello. 'Are you sure your source is reliable?'

Jerry: "Completely. Y'know, not everyone in my family is a bloodthirsty racist. Some of them are supportive of me wanting to keep my friends alive. So, this emissary is an elven light mage named Alicia, real gaudy looking, hard to miss."

Fred nodded, keeping a mental note of everything Jerry said. 'And why is this emissary coming to see the king? I assume either to discuss the bounty, or whether or not the Bloodrazors will be allowed to enter the king's borders to hunt down Dianne.'

Jerry: "Both, actually. They lost track of her when she left the tavern, something about their scouts getting massacred. So, their next move is to try to get the rights to claim the bounty here."

'Is there any indication of what they'll do if the king refuses to honour the bounty? Will they still attempt to enter the region to attack Dianne nonetheless?'

Jerry: "Not sure. The thought is that they'll try to abduct her and take her back to Agamidae for execution. It's just a rumor at this point, though. They're pretty confident that they'll get permission."

'I see. We should be prepared for any outcome, then, although I highly doubt that they'd be capable of abducting her.' Fred paused momentarily to think. 'What makes them so sure that the king will agree? Because of his renowned mistrust and fear of non-humans?'

Jerry: "I think so. It's no secret that he's not fond of them, especially after Shacklestone..."

{After he says this, a woman appears from the crowd. She's an elf dressed in silver, embelished armor, with golden hair and blue eyes. She carries an engraved sickle on her side. She walks right past the pair, not even sparing them a sideways glance.}

Frederick didn't turn to look at the woman as she passed, outwardly showing no interest in her - but in reality, he was very aware of her walking by. When she was far enough away, he spoke up.

'I assume that was her? Maybe I should go inside and listen in on her meeting with the king. I might not be able to influence his decision, but at least I'll know what's going on.'

Jerry: "That's a good idea. I'd go myself, but I don't think I'd blend in well enough in there."

'He'll have guards, probably in the room with him as well as standing outside. I'll try to get into one of those groups.' Without another word, Fred shifted himself into a white dove and leapt up towards a higher-floor window of the palace, so he could get outside the king's room before Alicia did.

Jerry: "Good luck."

{A few minutes later, Alicia appeared with some guards, approaching the king's room.}

Fred shifted back to human form and smoothly joined the group of guards stationed outside the king's room doors. They lowered their spears and bayonets as Alicia's group arrived in the area.

'State your name and business,' said the head guard, squinting suspiciously at the elf.

{Alicia smirks at the guard.}

Alicia: "My name is Alicia Martin. I have urgent business to discuss with the the king on behalf of the Bloodrazor Hunter Clan. He is harboring a wanted criminal capable of wiping out this entire city. This matter cannot wait."

The head guard's expression remained stony as he turned around, knocked on the doors, and slipped inside. Everyone waited. A few seconds later, he re-emerged and left the doors open.

'You may pass,' he said. 'And no funny business,' he added, eyeing Alicia in a way that suggested he didn't trust non-humans either.

Inside the room, a long rectangular table surrounded by chairs stood. The king was sat in the largest chair, looking uneasy.

{Alicia entered, then bowed courteously.}

Alicia: "Your Highness. My name is Alicia Martin. I come before you on behalf of the Bloodrazor Clan. As I'm sure you're aware, one of your citizens attacked the northern city of Agamidae. My clan simply wishes to remove this criminal before she can cause any more harm. To that effect, we request that you honor the bounty, put forth by the citizens of the Northern Province."

The king entwined his hands together in front of him in a seemingly nervous gesture, and it took him a few moments to respond.

'I'm not sure I can do that. This... citizen helped us greatly when an enemy attacked our city last autumn. I fear that, if I agreed to honour this bounty after she saved us in such a manner... she would kill me the moment she returns, in vengeance.'

Alicia: "I assure you, your Highness, she would make an attempt on your life eventually. She's a conniving creature, just waiting for an attempt to rise to power. Sign the proclamation honoring the bounty, and our clan will do the rest. She won't even have the chance to hurt you."

'...I heard something about the attack on Agamidae... Something about leaked video footage showing that your clan, in fact, initiated the attack upon Dianne. Are you telling me that that story is purely false?'

//What a decision, to choose between two people to trust, both of whom seem equally dubious...// he sighed mentally. //Dianne will destroy me if she learns of this, I know she will...//

{As the two spoke, more guards arrive with a different visitor. The familiar face of Lucci. He nods at Frederick before simply waiting.}

Alicia: "Well...no...You see, with someone as dangerous as this, it's best to strike first. Surely you saw what she was capable of in the Shacklestone War."

Frederick did not visibly acknowledge Lucci's arrival. He simply stood there, acting like any of the other guards. //That's Lucci. He must be here for a reason.//

The king gazed at Alicia, veiled fear in his eyes. 'Oh yes, I saw what she was capable of, and it was terrifying. But at least she did not use her powers against /us/. By attacking her, you're provoking her. Your clan must be insane! You're making her an enemy, giving her reason to destroy us all!'

The guards outside the king's room stood to attention again when Lucci arrived. 'The king is currently busy. What is your business?' said the head guard.

Lucci: "Well, the woman in there is misleading the king about Dianne, so I'm going to talk to him afterward to ease his fears."

{At that, Alicia starts to look a little frustrated.}

Alicia: 'Your Highness, eliminating highly dangerous criminals like this is what the Bloodrazor Clan does. With us on your side, she can't do anything against you. What kind of king bends his knee to a murderer and a psychopath? Do the right thing, sign the proclamation, and let's rid the world of her once and for all!"

(So, do you need the king to make a specific decision?)

(No. You choose, both will have interesting possibilities.)

'Be careful, elf. I don't like your tone.' The king fell silent, locking his hands together. Then, after a long pause, he lifted his head.

'I have made my decision. No, I will not honour the bounty. I will not allow you to hunt Dianne within my borders in pursuit of the bounty. You're right that she is dangerous, and I will /not/ risk my life or the lives of my citizens by provoking her. Unless she initiates an attack upon us, I will leave her alone, for our own safety.'

{At that, Lucci smiles in the other room. Alicia just scowls.}

Alicia: "Fine. But, when she's knocking down your door later, don't hesitate to call us."

{She leaves a business card on the table, then promptly storms out.}

The royal guards watched as Alicia stormed out, making sure she didn't do anything except leave. Fred's eyes were narrowed. //Well, that went better than I expected...//

'Your highness, there's somebody else outside, said the head guard wearily. 'He wishes to speak to you as well. Some stranger by the name of Lucci.'

'Let him in,' the king replied. He was looking at the business card Alicia had left.

(I just realised Lucci never said his name, so ignore the head guard's last part.)

{Lucci walks in, bowing courteously.}

Lucci: "Hello, Your Highness. My name is Lucci, Oracle of the Mountain of Light. I have come to alleviate any fears you may have about Dianne, or anything else for that matter."

The king looked up curiously, and with a hint of suspicion. 'Your name sounds familiar... I believe you've come here before, yes? I remember your name being mentioned around last year's Christmas celebrations. How did you know to come here right when we were discussing Dianne?'

Frederick stood outside with the other guards, eavesdropping on the conversation.

(Ok.)

Lucci: "Yes, but we haven't met in person. I am the one who called upon Dianne to help with defeating Sargon. I knew to come because I am clairvoyant."

{Lucci then sits in one of the chairs.}

Lucci: "I simply wish to inform you about the kind of person Dianne really is. It is my hope that it will ease any fears you may have about her."

'That woman was right about one thing. Dianne /is/ dangerous, and should not be trusted. Anyone with that much power shouldn't be trusted, especially not a non-human, who are known to be... volatile. The only reason I refused to honour the bounty is because I fear Dianne would destroy me if I did.'

Lucci: "Well...yeah, if you betrayed her like that, she wouldn't be happy. But, she's not as volatile as you think. All she wants is to live a peaceful life. Now that you've agreed to protect her within your city, she'll consider this place home, and she'll protect it to the last. She can be a very powerful ally to you, so long as you give her a reason to trust you."

'Well... yes... that's what I was hoping for. All I want is for her to not harm me, my people or kingdom. But, it's hard to trust someone who has a horde of elite monster hunters after them... Clearly the Bloodrazor clan believes she is a threat, or they wouldn't be hunting her so doggedly.'

(*Alicia returning to the Bloodrazor clan*
Alicia: Sorry boss but I couldn't convince the king to honour the bounty
Paxton: you're fired)

(Lol, yes, but actually, no. She's a light mage, which is kind of a hard counter to Dianne. She's too valuable to fire.)

Lucci: "I understand your concern, however, you must understand that their reasons are rooted in ignorance and fear. They believe that just because she can do terrible things, that she will. It's a fallacy that can be claimed about anyone with power. She would love nothing more than to be left in peace.

The king sighed. 'I see. Well, I've already decided not to honour the bounty, and I will try my best to put aside my fear of her too... Let's hope that she doesn't give me any reason to change my mind. I do not want to see my kingdom laid to ruin by a short-tempered dragon.'

Lucci: "Of course. No king would want that. But, I can guarantee that so long as you extend to her the same protections you would to any of your other citizens, she will never harm your city. You just focus on keeping those hunters out of here, and her friends and I will take care of the rest. You've nothing to worry about."

'Very well. I can promise that I won't grant anyone permission to pursue the bounty within my borders. It's the least I can do in return for her, and her friends', help in defeating that vampire Sargon.' The king stood up from his chair. 'Is there anything else we need to talk about?'

{Lucci stands as well.}

Lucci: "No, that's all. Unless you have any questions for me. Thank you for refusing the bounty."

{Lucci courteously bows once again.}

'Thank you for coming. I appreciate your words of reassurance.'

Outside the king's room, Fred was waiting. He planned to follow Lucci back out of the palace, knowing that the other guards would just think he was escorting Lucci out.

{Nodding, Lucci leaves the room and begins heading for the entrance.}

Fred slipped into place beside Lucci and accompanied him down the corridor to the palace entrance. He said nothing, acting just like a regular guard until everyone else was out of earshot. When they were, he relaxed very slightly.

'That went surprisingly well,' he said. 'Not all of us expected the king to be so cooperative.'

Lucci: "Yes, well, he's absolutely terrified of Dianne, so when given the option to make peace with her and secure her as a potential ally, he couldn't pass it up. Now, if he sticks to his word, we'll be ok. "

'The Bloodrazor clan are quite determined. Even if the king hasn't given them permission to hunt Dianne within this region, they might try something anyway,' said Fred as they reached the palace doors.

Lucci: "Oh, they'll definitely try something. They're not very subtle about it. I think Dianne should pull back from the plains when she gets back, maybe stay with Armin for a bit."

'That seems like a logical decision. The hunters might be less likely to try anything if she's actually living inside the city.'

Fred pushed open the palace doors and stepped out into the sunlight, wondering if Jerry was still there.

{Jerry was still there, sitting and waiting for Frederick.}

Jerry: "Hey, Frederick, Lucci, what did the king say?"

'Well, we have good news,' Fred replied. 'The king has decided not to honour the bounty. The hunters don't have permission to pursue Dianne within this region's borders. But it's certain they'll try anyway.'

Jerry: "That's good to hear. I'm sending Dianne a text, letting them know."

{As he typed, he kept talking.}

Jerry: "So, Alicia, she's a light mage. That doesn't bode well for Dianne or her undead. Light magic's debilitating to dark magic users, but it's useless against anything else. If a fight breaks out, we'll have to deal with her."

'Yes, I thought about that. The clan might have other light mages besides her, too. It's not safe for Dianne to fight them directly, so it'll be our job to target and eliminate them, since we aren't weak to their magic.'

Jerry: "Exactly. They don't care about us. Their target is Dianne."

Lucci: "Yes. In Agamidae, they were able to render her comatose very quickly, and with only one light weapon. That light weapon belongs to the Akhetians, and cannot be allowed to remain in their hands. I've brought an associate to aid in the defense. Fair warning, he's insufferably arrogant, but a powerful fighter. Once this is over, he will take custody of the light weapon."

'As long as he's willing to work with us and not hinder our efforts, I don't think arrogance will be a problem,' said Fred. 'Any help is going to be appreciated. The Bloodrazor clan is quite large.'

Jerry: "I agree. We're going to need all the help we can get. So, who is this mystery guy?"

Lucci: "His name is Pugna. He's an Akhetian War Wagon. Pig headed as they come, but a reliable ally. He will arrive soon after Dianne and Armin return."

'Pugna. Alright. So we'll have an Akhetian ally; that's good.' Frederick glanced at Lucci. 'I assume that, since you're talking about all of this, you know that Dianne and Armin are going to return safe and unharmed?'

Lucci: "Yes. My plan back in the tundra worked perfectly. They have no idea where they are or when they will arrive. The first scouts will spot them as soon as they get to the city, because I....disappeared the rest of them along the way."

(By "Disappeared", he means brutally murdered. XD)

Fred's expression suggested that he knew exactly what Lucci meant by that. 'Well, that's good. There are other dangers in the wilderness, but nothing they can't handle, I'm sure.'

Lucci: "Yes, well, so long as Armin doesn't get singled out by spiders...Anyway, I'll need to take my leave now. Dianne and Armin will return within the week."

Jerry: "Alright, thanks again, Lucci. We'll see you around."

'Thanks for coming,' said Fred briefly. 'We'll be preparing to deal with whatever the hunters do, when they come back.'

Lucci: "Yes. the Bloodrazor Clan is not to be underestimated."

{With that, Lucci bids them farewell and walks away, disappearing around the corner.}

Jerry: "At the Christmas party, you had some vampire friends who helped you secure the area. How many are there?"

Fred watched Lucci go, then turned to address Jerry. 'Just four. All ex-members of Sargon's army, like me - the ones not loyal to him, obviously. Why?'

Jerry: "...I'm trying to take inventory of who we have. You, me, Ivy, Rex, Pugna, Dianne, Armin, and those four makes eleven. Dianne has, I think she said, thirty draugr at her disposal, including Titan. The ghoul makes thirty-one undead. Titan is strong, but he's not good with a packed city....So, about fourty-one of us vs....couple hundred at the least."

'The numbers aren't favourable,' Fred admitted. 'Especially considering we're fighting an army of people specially trained to kill non-humans. Against odds like that, we'll have to rely more on tactics and luck than brute strength. I'm sure there's a way. Lucci does seem to think we can beat them.'

Jerry: "Yeah, but we can't forget our home field advantage. They can't just go wildly shooting around civies or haphazardly blowing stuff up. They have to follow the same rules as all the other hunters. Further, if they start attacking us, the city guard will have our back."

'Yes, that's why it's important that Dianne stays inside the city,' said Frederick. 'Out on the plains, the hunters would have an advantage. Although her house is still within the king's borders, she'd be further away from protection. Here, the hunters risk clashing with the guards if they try anything.'

(Posted a new room)