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There was a storm brewing just beyond the surface of Lyra's green/blue eyes. All the while, the rest of her features took on an eerie calm. She was composed, yes, but it certainly didn't mean she was any less outraged by what she saw before her. More so, she was upset with herself. If she had been here, even if only a few minutes earlier, perhaps she could have stopped this atrocity. She never should have gone down to the Crypt with Myrus and the other delegates. She had a duty to her mistress, the future queen, above all else, and it should have been her number one priority this morning. She had let herself get distracted, and in the meantime a life had been lost. In the end, she didn't blame it on anyone but herself.

She promptly pushed her way into the crowded room to make her way over to her mistress Valda. She was already about halfway across the Throne Room when Puck's words hit her ears. She stopped in her tracks, blinking slightly at his contemptuous remark. It was nothing new, really. She had heard it all before. As far as she was concerned, people could say and think what they wanted. She wasn't about to change who she was to better fit people's ill-conceived notions and prejudice. This case was no different. She knew her standing with Valda, and she wasn't about to let some petulant man convince her otherwise. Her unflinching gaze turned to meet his head-on. She boldly arched a brow at him but otherwise paid him no mind. She promptly continued on as before.

She came up alongside Valda just as Atkin barged in and a verbal argument quickly ensued. Her lips thinned, and she shook her head lightly. She held her tongue though. Now was not the time for this. Right now they needed unity not divison. Her gaze turned to Luna when the younger princess granted them an explanation. "Dammit," she cursed under her breath after hearing what had gone down. She nodded her head in thanks to Luna, before turning to face Valda.

"Are you alright, your highness? she asked. "Forgive me for not being here when I should've been. From here on out, I will not leave your side. You have my service and protection."

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Malekith was pleased when gaining entrance into The Castle proved to be a practically effortless affair. And yet, he still had this niggling suspicion that something was amiss. Maybe he was just being cynical, but the guards' reactions seemed a tad bit too accepting. Something about the surname Heap struck a chord with them. Although it appeared to be of a positive nature, he was still leery. After all, he was undercover, and as such he didn't need the added attention that a well-to-do name could garner, no matter how much it soothed his ego. Dammit Nera! he inwardly cursed the witch who put him in this position. Granted, he didn't technically have to take the cover name she gave him, but he quickly pushed that notion aside. It was just easier for him to blame it all on her than to admit that he had actually made a mistake.

He gave the guards a small smile in return and nodded his head in appreciation as they allowed him entrance. He passed through the South Gate into The Castle and immediately headed for the Palace Lawn at a pace that was fast enough to make up for lost time but slow enough so as not to draw unwanted attention. He made an effort to allow his gaze to linger on his surroundings. Of course, it was only truly for the sake of appearances. At the moment, he quite frankly couldn't care less about the pompous architecture and decor that surrounded him. Considering he was on a mission, he didn't want to waste much time on sightseeing than would be deemed normal for a patron.

After appropriately seeing to that endeavor, his gaze went in search of his Witch Mother Fleur. It wasn't too difficult for him to pick her out of the crowd. After all, she was more or less a lily among thorns in his eyes. More importantly, she was a gateway to power for him, so he would do well not to so easily let her out of his sight. Just as his gaze landed on her, another man (Rhys) approached her, a man who seemed awfully familiar with her. Damn you. Like hell I'm going to let you blow our cover. His ever meticulous mind quickly went to work formulating a suitable course of action to deal with this little nuisance. However, it would seem that Fleur was already on top of it, for just as he neared them she seemingly ditched the man.

The corner of Malekith's lips pulled up into a smirk at the sight. He threw a glance in Rhys' direction as he passed the man by just before catching up to Fleur. He smoothed a hand over Fleur's back before he took the seat next to her. He then leaned over to whisper to her a hairbreadth from her ear, "The guards were nothing I couldn't handle. They seemed to take well to the cover name. I wonder however Nera found such a name."

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Rhys gave a mocking smile, though a private one to Fluer as she curtsied and chattered about how excited she was for the coronation. Not that Rhys shared the excitement but he did incline his handsome face. "Who would nit be so thrilled for such a momentous occasion!" But the rest of what the rogue wizard wished to say was cut off as a brute of a man swept by him to make off with his little morsel of a witch! Not the Fleur was a morsel, more akin to a full meal, but the principal was still the same. As was the insult from the dark man.

But Rhys was no new comer to the game and moved with cat like grace to the Witch Mother's spare side giving a slight bow of his head. Daring even to kiss her hand on a player's gesture. "Allow me to join you fairest woman. And we shall see wonder we have not for far too long. Perhaps I could monopolize your time for a more private dinner tonight." Nothing more than a man chasing a pretty face, or so it would look as Rhys too the seat on Fleur's spare side. Giving a wink and charming smile to other women about him. Player at heart and harmless. Unless his eyes were on a woman already taken.

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"That may be true, but you need to learn some manners, I mean really," Valda said to Atkin before he walked away with Arya. The apprentice in her opinion was going to end up dead one of these days, if he didn't learn how to keep his mouth shut or be respectful to anyone besides the Extraordinary Wizard. She did not like him at all, and if she wasn't at least a somewhat nicer person than him, she'd see if she could have him killed after she was crowned. However, she knew that was not a way to make any friends, so she wasn't going to do that.

"I am alright Lyra, no need to worry about me... The whole situation it seems might not have been avoidable at all, no matter how much I wish it could have been," she said, giving Lyra a small smile. She actually liked Lyra, though she did find that she could be a bit overprotective. Valda glanced around at everyone who was left, nodding her head slightly before she went to get ready for her coronation, still not too sure what the rest of the day would bring.

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Almost everyone in the Castle who could spare a few hours of time had gathered on the Palace lawns. Many had traveled from far away, some nearly halfway across the world, in order to witness the crowning of Princess Valda Kaur Kaimana Sarai as Queen of the Castle. Although the Castle itself was rather small, it exerted a large influence on the surrounding areas, one that even reached the distance lands of the Eastern SnowPlains, the secretive Big Wild Land Over the Ocean, and their closest allies, the Land of Long Nights.

Enough seating had been provided for everyone who wished to attend. The front two rows were reserved for important guests. Myrus Marcellus Silvers, brother of the Queenling, sat next to a chair that had been left vacant. No one would occupy it. As Myrus glanced at it for a moment, his spirits fell a little further. He was not just without answers as to his mother's death - but his father's fate as well. Behind the dignitaries from various nations - of which a few appear to be absent - are the Wendron Witches. Their leader is nowhere to be seen as well. Five rows back, two twins with silver hair continue to whisper quietly to each other, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

A small stage had been erected, painted white and covered in flowers. It had taken a considerable amount of Magyk to keep them looking pristine, given the chilly weather. Snow had provided a fine layer of powder on the grounds and there were whispers that the moat would soon freeze. An ornate silver throne rest on the platform, adorned with flowers on the legs. The path to the throne itself was in the midst of the seating, marked with a carpet of petals. Those in the audience rose to their feet as a veiled figure approached the path, barefoot.

"Princess Luna Marcia Mathilda Meredith is symbolically the fallen Queen and all queens who came before," Mavis Moll whispered to one of the delegates from the Land of Long Nights, who then nodded in understanding.

Luna stood just in front of the main entrance to the Castle, she looked towards one of the servants that stood there and proceeded to put on the veil. Which was to represent the fallen queen, and the queens before them she was the stand in for their mother due to her untimely death. Once she was ready Luna looked outside to see the crowd there, she then slowly and gracefully made her way down the aisle of guests she then made her way to the gazebo that was set up there. Once she was there she took her spot next to the throne, her eyes wondering over towards the front row spotting her brother and gave him a soft smile and nodded slightly towards him.

Atkin entered the scene next, head held high and in both hands carrying a small red pillow elaborately adorned with gold stitched patterns. On top of that pillow rested an emerald and gold ring, on the top of which were sculptures of two faces, each facing the opposite direction. Arya had told him beforehand that this was the Two-Faced Ring, which is said to have contained the souls of two men who tried to murder the first Queen. He wasn't exactly sure why they'd do something as off the wall as turn them into a ring instead of just shooting them if that were the case, but that wasn't really a concern here or there. Upon reaching the stage he stepped away to the side so he stood opposite of Luna before he turned to look back from whence he came. Assuming things were going according to plan, Arya should have been walking in right about now.

Carrying the circlet of the Queen on a near identical pillow, Arya gracefully walked down the aisle. She recognized a fair deal of those in the crowd, even spotting a few familiar faces amongst the ghosts who had gathered. The golden circlet had been a constant fixture at the Castle since its founding, with only one or two Queens forgoing it in favor of a custom crown. Perhaps it was Magyk, but it always seemed to fit perfectly once the Time Was Right. She then stood next to the others at the front and turned to address the audience. "Please rise for your royal highness, Crown Princess Valda Kaur Kaimana Sarai, heir to the throne of the Castle."

Valda was nervous, but she knew what to do, she had been preparing for this for a while now. It still felt strange, the whole idea of becoming Queen, but she went with it. She had been told what her part in all of this was, and now she walked out, ready to be crowned. She went over to Luna, the one who was filling in for their mother as the past queen. She bowed to her sister, saying nothing, and waiting for what was to come next.

As Valda made her entrance, Lyra rose from her front row seat, lacing her hands in front of her as she did. A soft, reassuring smile came to her features as she looked over her shoulder at her nervous mistress. She consciously made an effort to keep her hands laced in front of her, despite how much they itched to be rested on the hilt of her sword. She wasn't looking for a fight, but she sure as hell would be prepared for one. She was wholeheartedly here to serve, protect, and encourage Valda every step of the way. Her perceptive blue-green gaze did a quick sweep of the crowd before facing forward again as Valda took her place next to her sister Luna.

Arya paused for a moment, before continuing to perform her official duties as ExtraOrdinary Wizard. It was a rare thing, the Coronation of a new Queen of the Castle. The traditions and protocols remained the same, with previous ExtraOrdinary Wizards reciting the same words and not bothering to prepare a new speech. Only the ghosts would know it had been repeated, anyways. Arya, however, had prepared her own words - but the overall structure was the same. "Centuries ago, we were a small village, threatened by the Darke creatures of the Forest. It was MidSummer Day when a barge arrived, carrying strangers with violet eyes from a distant land. This stranger and her three daughters were welcomed into our village, and despite not speaking our language, they proved to be the apt leaders were required to be lead out of Darkenesse. In this time of grief and sorrow, on the day of the longest night, it is now time for Princess Valda to be crowned and continue her ancestral mission - to guide us into the Lyte."

She paused, letting those words sink in. "Do any in the Royal House object to Princess Valda's claim to the throne?"

Luna stood as still as she could be, as she looked over towards her sister she did have to admit she was a little bit jealous it would have been her day to be crowned. But it was out of her hands, she listened to Arya as she started her speech which gave the history of her family. Then her eyes wondered over towards Arya, and then shook her head towards her this was Valda's birthright now as much as she wanted to be the queen. "I have no objections for Princess Valda to take the throne." Luna stated calmly as she gave Valda a slight smile towards her sister.

And now Atkin stepped forward to come directly center stage with Valda. In front of the entirety of the Castle, he knelt down to a single knee and lowered his head. From that position, he raised the pillow to Valda's chest level. In the back of his head, Atkin resolved that this would be the last time he would publicly prostrate himself like this if he could help it. But this was more important than himself. And if this coronation was going to crash and burn, it wasn't going to be because of him.

Valda just stood there, waiting for the coronation to be over with. She didn't care much for just standing there, sitting still was never really her forte, but she did it because she had to in order for her to become the official Queen of the Castle. The fact that no one was really objecting to her becoming Queen, and she gave her sister a small smile when she officially declared that she had no objections. She waited now, hoping that this ended quickly, and that there really were no people who said she shouldn't be the queen or something.

"Do any of the Castle object to Princess Valda's claim to the throne?" Arya asked, once the Two-Faced Ring had been presented to Valda. Legend told that an ExtraOrdinary Wizard had banished the souls from the gold centuries ago, but it was just a legend as far as Arya was concerned. No member of the Royal Family ever wore the ring, yet it was kept close by, incase any new foe should need to be Committed to gold.

Silence fell over the ceremony and Arya nodded her head at Princess Luna. The younger sister of the Queenling stepped forward and delicately placed the circlet on her sister's head, crowning Valda as Queen of the Castle. Luna gave her sister a smile as Arya cleared her throat, making what were to be the final words of the ceremony. "It is my pleasure--"

There was a gust of wind and a flash of silver. No one would be able to identify the source, whether it be Magykal or not.

"--To present Queen Valda Kaur Kaimana Sarai," Arya finished. She blinked, staring at the spot where Princess Luna had once stood, but there was no one there. Her eyes swept out amongst the crowd and no one appeared to have moved. Everyone was in their place. The Magykal wards were in effect...

Yet Princess Luna was gone.

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When Luna looked she noticed the strange silver streak coming straight towards her, and before she could even do anything she was gone her whole world felt like it was spinning around her now. The next thing she knew she was now in some unknown room, she felt extremely dizzy and nauseous as well. Luna then tried to move her arms, only to find that she was now tied down to a chair as well, she started to try and struggle to break free. Luna occasionally stopped, the dizziness was a little to much for her as she leaned back in her chair then her mind started to wonder who actually had taken her.

Once Luna had felt the ropes around her loosening she continued for a little bit longer until she was finally able to break free, she stumbled forward and ungracefully fell to her knees. Then she vomited onto the floor from the intense motion sickness, she thought maybe one of the Witch Covens were responsible for her being taken. But she was to old at least she thought to be CradleSnatched by them, once the motion sickness passed Luna slowly stumbled back up to her feet.

Luna made her way towards the door and tried to open it, only to find that it was locked up tight and charmed shut Luna gave the door a hard kick. "I demand to be let out this instant!" Luna yelled, hoping that she could get her captors attention, and continued banging on the door. Her eyes wondered around she didn't see any other way out of the room either, and she was trapped inside until someone opened it up.

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A hush fell over the crowd as the ceremony started and Princess Luna walked out first, representing the fallen Queens from years past. With Cuyler’s height he saw easily and watched avidly. A smile spread across his face when he spotted Lyra. She had become a warrior in her own right and she suited the position and the atmosphere well but Cuyler’s attention was quickly drawn back when Ayra stepped out and the ceremony begun. It was the first he had been to and hopefully the only crowning he would attend and that was a spell in its own right. The atmosphere shifted as Ayra spoke. A spirit seemed to settle over Cuyler as her words drifted out to him. This was the moment everyone had been waiting for and an almost child-like wonder filled him as he stretched up to see a little better.
A slight wind picked up, drawing the winter air around him and he settled into his furs a bit more. The crown was placed on Princess, now Queen Valda’s head, when a flash of light briefly filled the grounds and then disappeared. Cuyler merely thought it was some Magykal way of cementing Queen Valda’s rule but a steady stream of gasps and cries filled the air around them. Where Princess Luna once stood was an empty space. Cuyler’s jaw dropped and he looked around the entire pavilion, looking as if he could spot her behind them laughing at the trick she pulled over everyone. He looked over at Rowland to ask him what this could possibly mean now. Hadn’t Ayra and him gone through the Palace and placed Magykal wards over the whole thing? This shouldn’t have happened but somehow it did and the atmosphere grew from eerie and enticing into fear.

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Fleur was not uncomfortable with having two men she had entertained previously. In fact, she rather enjoyed the attention. Still, while Rhys' offer was delectable and one she would definitely consider, she had other matters to attend to first. And if current events went the way she wanted, she may not have the time to hang around for dinner after. Before she could react to his question, the Coronation started.

It was showtime.

All the pomp and circumstance for this was bordering on tedious, but she had to watch. Had to pretend she was thrilled for the girl. She could feel Mal's enthusiasm, even if he didn't show it. She was anxious too. She felt prickly all over. It was delightful.

Soon, the crowning began. She waited. And waited. Finally, the moment happened. While the others would feel a small gust of wind, she knew better. Bringing the twins along had worked out beautifully. Soon, she was gone.

The crowd would soon surge into fear and panic. She would have to work quickly. As others stood up, she did as well, waiting for Mal to follow her. But not before Rhys. She looked at the man, "Dinner will have to wait, lover. I have other matters to attend to." She gave him a kiss before she ran off, waiting for Mal to follow her. They needed to find Nera and, hopefully, the twins and grab the girl.

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Atkin breathed out a sigh of relief to himself when nothing immediately went wrong with the rest of the coronation as far as he could tell. His head was bowed, and there were no audio cues to let him know what was going on/ The sudden gust of wind didn't strike him as out of place either. However, he could help but pick up that the atmosphere of the ceremony had suddenly changed, and not in the way it should. There was no applause, just dumbfounded silence.

When he looked up, Valda was wearing the crown as she should, but then he looked over to Arya. The first thing he noticed is she looked even more beautiful today than usual. The curve of her jawline, her nearly ebony hair, those piercing green eyes were all captivating. Wait, what was that expression she carried on her face? He followed her line of gaze to where Luna had been standing just a moment prior.

Where was Luna? As he stared at the empty space where the princess had just been, something in him snapped. All that anger and frustration he had barely been keeping in that day erupted in the most immediate physical action he could perform at that moment. He didn't put any conscious thought into it. Hell, he didn't even feel the sensation of anger before his body acted. With both hands, the ExtraOrdinary Apprentice threw the small pillow he had been holding in a random direction as hard as he could. It didn't spend much time in the air, for it quickly found and obstacle in the path of its trajectory in the form of the newly crowned Queen's face.

His perception of time seemed to slow to 1/10th of its normal speed as he watched himself perform the greatest faux pas he had committed in his life. In an instant, all that anger turned into regret and guilt plainly on his face. Unlike his earlier rudeness, this wasn't just a matter of formality or tone policing. He fucked up, and it didn't even have to do with her newly promoted status. His brief status as ExtraOrdinary Apprentice had erased any preconceived notions of the royal family's inherent mysticality. Well the Queen was, that was merely fact. But when it came down to it, even the queen was just a person who could fuck up just as badly as anyone else. And as far as he was concerned, Valda was like him. She wasn't a raised as a noble, but some schmuck who just got pulled into this position by chance. Wearing a red dress and fancy circlet didn't change that one bit. But he still didn't mean to smack her in the face with a pillow in front of the entire Castle.

"Oh bollocks. Sorry, sorry, sorry. I did not mean to do that." The sincerity of his apology was evident in his tone, and he quickly scrambled to pick up both the pillow and the Two-Faced Ring, holding them out to her once again as if that were supposed to fix everything. But he didn't know what else he could do here. How was he supposed to make this up at a time like this? And how were they supposed to react to Luna's disappearance? He had no idea, and his apologies were probably making things worse, but at this point he was certain the entire day had been cursed so that anything and everything would go wrong.

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Lyra's blue-green gaze smoothly turned to the ExtraOrdinary Wizard Arya as the woman formally began the ceremony. Ever so often, she glanced back over at Valda, seemingly checking up on her, before her attention would eventually return to Arya. She nodded her head along with the wizard's words, before pausing when a question was posed. She looked over at Luna with a pleased smile on her face when the former crown princess declared she held no objections to her sister's rule. As far as she could tell, Luna had pushed aside whatever resentment or jealousy she may have had, and for that, Lyra was grateful. The last thing Valda needed was for her own family to oppose her rule. While that concern was seemingly dealt with, at least publicly, as there was no telling what would happen in private, it still left another bigger concern out in the open. Her muscles tensed in anticipation as Arya asked the question that Lyra was dreading on hearing the answers for. Did any of the Castle object to Princess Valda's claim to the throne?

Her laced hands shook slightly in anticipation, and Lyra had to take a deep breath in an attempt to steady herself. All the while her ears remained peeled, listening for anyone who would dare let their objections be known. Yet, all she was met with was silence. She didn't buy it. Something wasn't right, and soon she would know how right she was. Her breathing sped up slightly as her anxiety for Valda's safety only grew. Her gaze met Arya's, and the look in her eyes almost pleaded with the wizard to do continue before people changed their minds. A gust of wind tousled her long platinum blonde locks, and she could've sworn for a split second she had seen a nearly imperceptible flash of silver. Just as soon as the crown was placed on Valda's head, Lyra blinked and then blinked again. What the hell?! Princess Luna was gone!!

While everyone in the crowds collectively gasped and cried out in a mixture of shock and dismay, Lyra's protective, warrior instincts kicked into overdrive. Without an ounce of hesitation, she stormed up onto the stage to throw herself in front of Valda. She slid to a stop just as Atkin's ornate pillow unceremoniously hit the new queen in the face. Lyra shook her head lightly at Atkin, but otherwise ignored his screw up. After all, a pillow was the least of her worries. No, her concern was that whatever or whoever had taken Luna could also come back for Valda. She promptly took up her position in front of Valda, spinning around to face the crowd and unsheathing her sword. The green in her eyes had seemed to diminish, giving way to a stormy blue. Her demeanor took on a formidable intensity that almost said "try me." And yet, she was smart enough and humble enough to know that she couldn't do this all by herself. Her intense gaze turned to Arya. "ExtraOrdinary Wizard, I can only protect our queen through physical means. If this was indeed the work of Darke Magyk, I will need your help," she exclaimed before her gaze surveyed the crowd once more. Whether or not she noted the presence of Cuyler amongst the crowds, one could not tell from the piercing look in her eyes.

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With the light touch of his fingertips, Malekith tucked a strand of Fleur's blonde hair behind her ear, before straightening back up in his seat. His dark eyed gaze looked her over with a look that was seemingly one part appreciative and one part appraising. His gaze came up sharply when that man from earlier had the gall to show his face again. Or had he fallen prey to Malekith's bait? His head tilted to the side a bit, and his eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the man, with hawk-like attention, openly flirting with Fleur yet again. He considered playing the jealousy card but quickly decided against it. No, that would only serve to complicate matters. It would in the eyes of the public tie him down to one woman, and as such, if his expertise was needed elsewhere, it would only serve to incriminate himself as a cheater. He most certainly didn't need that added complication. Besides, the jealousy card wasn't one of his favorites anyways.

Malekith rolled his eyes and settled back in his chair, but from his peripheral view, he continued to study the man. Rhys's flirtations were a bit overkill if you asked Malekith. After all, he much preferred the art of subtlety when it came to such things as deception and seduction. Nevertheless, he had to admit that the man had an admirable amount nerve. It was reckless, yes, but still admirable. And yet, he also detected a weakness in the man, if the man's response to his goading were any indication. Rhys was no doubt the jealous type. Oh, now that I can definitely work with. A devious glint came to his dark eyes just as his attention turned to the stage as the coronation ceremony began.

His facade soon changed to one that appeared more lighthearted and expressed seeming interest in the ceremony. Truthfully, he couldn't care less about it. I mean Valda's rule wouldn't truly benefit him in any way, so why would he care? No, it was just that appearances mattered to him, and at the moment, it was better for his own sake if he seemed interested. He rose to his feet with a fake smile gracing his features as Valda came down the aisle. He was truly a master of acting, acting like he cared, acting like he was normal, acting in whatever way would benefit him the most. Yet, his lips soon thinned and the lightness of his features ebbed as things took a turn for the worse.

You idiots!!! he thought angrily, assuming that the twins Marya and Medea were behind snatching Luna in front of everyone. Sure, no one saw the culprits, but nevertheless, it drew way more attention than he would have liked. The last thing they needed was this very public fiasco that was sure to put every guard in the realm on high alert. Idiots. Idiots. Idiots!! If they don't get themselves killed, I'll kill them myself! Despite the more or less internal tantrum he was having, he kept up a façade of fake concern. Well, that was until he heard Fleur's parting words to Rhys. As she ran off ahead of him, he took a moment to face Rhys. The façade slipped for a moment, revealing the devil of a man that lied underneath. "Until we meet again, lover," he taunted, the corner of his lips pulling up into a smirk. He then turned his back to the man and followed after Fleur.

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The crowning was spectacular, if one enjoyed preformances of the sort. Rhys was merely using it as a way to observe his targets. Match a face to a name so to speak. But as the flash of silver momentarily blinded him and a rogue wind tousseled his hair, the man enjoyed the panick as the crowd became apprehensive. Someone was up to something, Rhys thought. Only to be confirmed by Fleur's kiss and mention of other matters to attend to before she fled into the crowd.

So, it seemed there was interesting things a foot, Rhys had to school his face into a look of shock to hide the feral smile of amusement that formed in part at the situation and in part from Malekith's words. Though there was a purr as he shot after Malekith. "Lover, I could always enjoy your company too." While Rhys didn't enjoy men in such a way, he would enjoy this strange pet of Fleur's as a form of entertainment. Standing and remaining in 'shock, Rhys decided to stick around to see what would happen. Erinnie's little recognize of him had been a fluke! Rhys was no longer the knees and elbows lad he had been and held a much more darker heart. He just had to blend in, become another face and he would be fine. Plus, blackmail helped.

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Valda didn't know really what to do at the end of the ceremony. She was now Queen of the Castle, though she still wasn't even positive what that meant for her. It wasn't like she could go back on it now that she was officially crowned, it would be impossible unless she was dead, which she did not want happening anytime soon. When the gust of wind occurred, she didn't think anything was wrong, until she noticed that Luna was gone. "Where did my sister go?" she asked.

Of course, she asked this question right before a pillow smacked her across the face. She closed her eyes for a moment, but even without looking she knew who had hit her. His voice was a dead giveaway in any sense of the word. Opening her eyes, she looked at Atkin, and took a deep breath, calming down slightly. "Don't worry about it Apprentice, I'm more concerned about what just happened, and finding out where my sister is. It was an accident, those sort of things happen." she said before she started focusing.

Using her magic, she was able to see and hear the twins, they were speaking in a language that she didn't recognize, but she did hear a name. "Does anyone know something about someone named Malekith?" she asked.

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Rowland frowned. "That was not Magyk, Cuyler," Rowland mumbled, rising to his feet. He closed his eyes for a moment and began to Sense the Magyk in the air around them. It was unchanged - the wards he and Arya had crafted were still intact. Whatever happened to the Princess-in-Waiting, it was not a wizard or a witch that was responsible. His prejudice might have caused him to blame Alchemie, yet he doubted they had any Elixir that would perform such a feat. "I do not know who might have done such a thing...yet I dread what this means for the Castle. For something so dreadful to happen after the Queste has been renewed, a witch is crowned Queen, and in the wake of Queen Meliscente's death...The sun may finally be setting upon the Castle."

Arya had similar thoughts to her mentor, as she stood at the front of the crowd. She too could not Sense any damage to the precautions that they had taken - but there was no denying that something had happened to Princess Luna. Once the impossible was eliminated, whatever remained, however improbable, had to be true. If Magyk could not have caused Princess Luna's abduction, the answer would have to remain elsewhere. "This threat appears to be immune to my Magyk," Arya told Lyra calmly. "I do not believe it is of this land...I have never seen anything quite like it."

She pursed her lips slightly as Atkin chucked a pillow in the face of their new Queen, yet she said nothing of it. She was far more fixated on Valda's utterance of a name - Malekith. She had not heard such a name before, yet she knew the power held within a name. It would require Darke Magyk in order to use it to hold the subject there - something that was against the principles of the office of ExtraOrdinary Wizard. Arya was about to have an internal dilemma over the use of Darke Magyk for the greater good when Asha the Magykal stepped forward, her eyes glowing a soft purple that matched the stone around her neck.

"H’tikelam, I Call you," Asha declared. Names were a powerful thing in Darke Magyk, holding power over the individual. Many of the best necromancers refused to give their true name, instead using a false one. With the first name, that is enough to construct what the Darke name would be. Asha, the strongest and most talented at Magyk in her country - and the world as well - had no difficulty in Calling Malekith to come approach them at the stage.

"Good work, girls," Nera whispered to the twins. She then looked with concern as she heard Asha Call Malekith and her blood ran cold. Fortunately, she spotted Fleur a moment later and she looked at her for direction. They had Princess Luna held captive at their home - did they abandon Malekith and take the Princess as their prize? Or did they remain and fight for him, at the risk of losing a potential member of their Coven?

Myrus held his head in his hands, taking deep shuddering breaths as he bit down on the inside of his lip. He heard Gwydion Puck get up and whistle, motioning for his troops to move in. They had finished their travel to the Palace in the midst of the ceremony and had been waiting respectfully on the edge of the grounds. "Do not worry, my Queen, I shall see to it that your sister is returned safely to you - my deputy hunter is the best there has been in centuries," he assured Valda. He knew that even though Asha had Called the man forward, his deputy hunter would be able to extract the information they needed to see to Luna's safety.

"What is it, Prince Myrus?" Emperor Taj asked, hearing the prince yelp. "It's n-nothing...." Myrus mumbled, staring at his hands. Emperor Taj paused before he nodded. "I understand this is a time of great stress for you - but my sister will see that Princess Luna is returned safely and the man responsible, this Malekith, apprehended."

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Luna was starting to get worried and frustrated when no one would answer her demands to be let out, she couldn't hear anyone's voice on the other end either they were giving her the silent treatment or they weren't near the door. Luna knew that she didn't have any skills to allow her to get through the charmed door. She then decided to explore the room, as Luna walked around the room she could tell that this was someone's bedroom. Luna made her way towards a nearby desk, as she leaned forward somewhat she could see that there was various assortment of herbs on one side, then mortar and pestle, and what really scared her the most were various types of torture equipment which made her stumble back slightly.

Luna wasn't sure if they wanted to torture her, or they wanted to keep her trapped in the room, there was also what looked like some kind of carving knife among the torture equipment. On the other side of the room was a cauldron, it was certainly a witches room, Luna had a feeling as she walked over towards a bed, and saw a spell tome on the bedside table. Luna at least had some kind of reading material of some kind to keep her entertained. She also noticed a various assortment of clothes in a nearby dresser, as Luna walked over towards them she picked one up and looked at it.

It was certainly a guy's set of clothing and nothing in her size either, Luna walked over and picked up the knife. She had never taken a life before, but Luna didn't know if there was any other way out of it. She needed to get out of this place as soon as possible and quickly, Luna was scared for her life as well as for the Castle she had been taken in front of the entire audience and in front of thousands of people.

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The words Rowland spoke were highly concerning. If it wasn’t Magykal then what on Earth could have penetrated the wards with no detection? His eyes roamed the castle grounds, watching as it cleared out from the townspeople leaving in a rush and now spouting all kinds of nonsense on what this could possibly mean. Some of the delegates from neighbouring countries seemed to move forward in an effort to help but Cuyler’s mind was focused on other things. The sun may be finally setting upon the Castle… Why would Rowland say that? Was he giving up on the Castle? This wasn’t Cuyler’s home, so he shouldn’t necessarily care for the place but it had become a kind of safe haven for him. Positive memories remained here of him and his father, for in the Land of Lost Nights all he saw in the villages and along the countryside was the destruction of his own home and the bodies of his friends, sister and that very man he called father.
He shut eyes briefly to clear his head, taking a deep breath before opening them again and looked around the Palace Lawn. This place was his home now and he had a new family now. His eyes came to rest upon the stage again where a woman with shockingly yellow-white hair and one in purple robes stood talking to each other.
Without removing his eyes from them he spoke to Rowland. ”Do you think this tragedy could be in relation to what that Ghost said and the Queste?”
Cuyler was very much in the dark here and though it might frighten or frustrate some, he respected that knowledge and would approach this situation better than he had five years ago. First it would be gathering as much information as he could and second would be to use the knowledge of his home and the things he learned in the Traders Market over the years to help. Sure, his observations might be completely useless but his loyalty to these people would be the strength he used in order to help them on their own queste, to find the culprits and Princess Luna.

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They stuck to the shadows, just out of sight but in full view of everything. Amarantha had felt the wind flow through the crowd, heard the screams and the commotion as people made their best effort to shuffle out of the only entrance onto the Palace Lawn and finally, the whistle of her beloved commander. Amarantha’s eyes flashed open, the blue seeming to over power everything else that remained hidden in the shadows. She untangled her legs, slipped her knife back into her boot and stood. She strode out with the full force of the Young Army with her, at least, those Puck deemed worthy to accompany them into the Castle today. The lot of them may be teenagers but they held themselves better than most adults, certainly better than the shrieking men and woman trying to get out of the Palace. Honestly, could they shut their mouths? It was giving Amarantha a headache; however, the site of the people on center stage brought an upwards curve to her lips. Only earlier that day they had gotten the go ahead: the Queen agreed to reinstate the Young Army. How convenient that tragedy should strike that very day when they would be needed.
Amarantha came to stop just a hair’s space behind her commander’s right side and bowed exceptionally well to the Queen.
”My Queen,” she purred. ”The Young Army is here to be used at your disposal in order to protect and serve you and the Castle.” At this point Amarantha usually rolled her eyes, but after the last punishment she learned to cement her expression into cool respect.
Her eyes drifted to Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome who had been called forward with his Darke name, which Amarantha had committed to memory already. He looked to be full of secrets but seemed the type to expect a few in return for one of his. Mmm, the dance between predator and prey was always the best part.

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Fleur rushed in looking around. They had a matter of minutes before things turned sour if they hadn't already. She saw Nera, thankful the girl did her job admirably. Now they had to escape without problems. Of course, when had life ever gone the way one thought? Fleur heard it too. The use of a name was a powerful thing in Magyk.

She turned to face Mal, catching his eye. Soon, he would be drawn to wherever he was called. What did they do? Did she stay and fight, blow their cover and lose the prey they worked hard to obtain or did they leave him to his fate?

Fleur was not one to mince words or actions. Mal signed up for this and he knew the risks. Fleur's expression hardened. If she had the power, she would help when able to, but now was not the time. She turned back to Nera, running up to her before speaking, "We need to go, now! His fate is sealed at this time. We'll aid him later. We can't let our hard work go for anything."

Fleur ran, waiting for Nera to lead the way. The entrance would be guarded heavily now, looking for the culprits that took Princess Luna. They would have to exit by other means. She was prepared to fight back if need be. She had no qualms killing anyone who got in her way.

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Atkin breathed a sigh of relief when nobody explicitly took offense to his little slip up there. The relief was rather short-lived; however as he remembered the real matter at hand: the fact of Luna's disappearance. As he stood straight and palmed the Two-Faced Ring, he listened and watched everyone else to try to get some stable mental ground. If Arya and Rowland's reactions were anything to go by, one thing solidified in his mind. An immutable fact that he'd brought into the Wizard Tower when he began his apprenticeship, but never really knew that he knew until just now: Magyk was not the solution to every answer.

There were things it couldn't do and couldn't stop. It was very powerful and extremely convenient, but he couldn't rely on it to fix all his problems. Arya and Rowland, who both grew up and lived in a Magykal world their entire life didn't seem to quite grasp this. But with the Queste, whatever that other thing was and all this other bullshit that decided to crop up today, if he were to overcome this, he'd have to be able to consider all the potential solutions, not just the ones his training would initially suggest. It was this reason that more than anything made him certain that not wearing the SafeCharm was the right thing to do. Such an item brought with it the idea that you were completely protected, but the feeling of security made one blind to their surroundings. Overconfident. And that's when you really end up fucking up.

Atkin grimaced when the Young Army rolled in, already acting like they owned the place. As much as he disliked their presence, he had cooled off enough to realize that the extra manpower would probably be extremely helpful and that at the moment there would be nothing he could say that would get them to go away. He really hoped that Valda's reign wouldn't end up with Witches and the Young Army doing as they pleased all over the Castle. However, for the time being, there wasn't all that much that he could add, so he would just stand back and roll around the ring in his palm.

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"Great," Lyra exclaimed grimly to Arya's reply. If fighting this attacker was even beyond the abilities of the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, then what hope was there for her to succeed? She mentally shook her head. No, she couldn't think like that. For the sake of her mistress, for the sake of her Queen, she had to try--even if it killed her. Her lips thinned, and her hand tightened its grip on the hilt of her raised sword. Yet, all the while, the piercing quality of her gaze remained unchanged. Her brows furrowed and her head tilted back slightly as she heard Valda's question, but she didn't dare pull her gaze away from its current surveillance of the crowds. She gave a simple shake of her head in reply but otherwise stayed focused on the immensely important task at hand.

Out of her peripheral vision, she could see when Asha the Magykal stepped forward with her eyes glowing. She felt a small sense of relief knowing that the other wizard was here. Asha abosultely radiated with Magyk, so surely, that meant she was more powerful than the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, right? Maybe. But what did Lyra know. She had a strong desire to admire Asha while the woman performed her Magyk but quickly pushed that thought to the back of her mind. It was a selfish desire, all things considering, and she would have a long talk with herself about that later. Once again assuming there was a later...

Meanwhile, Malekith may have just thrown up in his mouth a little at Rhys's suggestive comment. In your dreams, boy. The only company we'll be spending together is me over your dismembered parts, he thought with utter disdain, as with long strides he caught up to Fleur in the midst of the panicking crowds. Yet, as he did so, he could feel something come over him and with it came the strong desire to go to the stage. A grimace crossed his features, and his eyes squeezed shut as he tried to fight what was no doubt a Magykal intrusion into his mind. How violating. Unfortunately, however strong the warlock thought himself to be, he was no match for Asha's Magyk. His eyes opened once more and he straightened before he strode not of his own volition through the crowd towards the stage.

All the while, he mentally tried to figure out how the hell this even happened in the first place. He had no part, directly speaking, in Luna's disappearance so there really should be no means of tying him to it. He was too meticulous to allow for that. With that in mind, it really only left one other possibility. He was being set up. But who would do such a thing to him? It didn't take long for the answer to come to him. NERA!!! he inwardly cursed, his eyes darkening. He had to take a deep breath in order to calm the rage burning up inside him. Now was not the time for that. His vengeance would come, but right now, he needed to play his cards carefully.

A yelp off to her side quickly garnered Lyra's attention, and she instantly shifted her defensive stance to face the source. She blinked slightly when her gaze landed on Myrus, but that was not what truly gave her pause. No, it was what appeared to be a small explosion going off in the young prince's hands that made her think twice. To her knowledge, Myrus didn't possess Magyk, but what else could that have logically been? Well, she supposed that she would have to inquire of that another time, as she could see a tall, dark figure walking up onto the stage. The man was no doubt heeding Asha's Call.

Malekith walked up onto the stage, giving a slight respectful bow before his gaze landed on Asha the Magykal. "You Called," he said, more as a statement rather than a question. The corner of his lips twitched upwards the slightest bit before he corrected it. His gaze then swept over the group of people gathered before him to land finally on Queen Valda behind her self-proclaimed bodyguard. To his mundane pleasure, he noted how Lyra's muscles tensed in reaction, how her blue/green eyes narrowed on him, and how she lined up the edge of her blade to face him. Typical hero types.

"I believe there has been a bit of a misunderstanding. I didn't snatch Princess Luna, but it would seem that someone would wish to make it appear as though I did. In other words, I've been set up," he explained with a certain ease, addressing Queen Valda specifically.

"And that's exactly what someone who is guilty would say," Lyra scoffed.

Malekith fought the urge to roll his eyes at Lyra's interjection. She thinks she's tough, but I've squashed bigger bugs than her, he thought derisively. His gaze once again swept over the people on stage. "Use your Magyk, and tell me if I'm lying, he stated simply.

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Rhys grimaced as he heard Asha the Magykal call out and summon the lout who he had been 'sparring' with to the stage. Such a thing boded unwell for Fleur and her lot. A clever and dangerous plan flourished in the space of seconds, as Rhys turned and made his way through the milling crowd to the lovely wytch. His long legs carving a path and his stride allowing him to follow after the two women and girl-children. They must have had something to do with this. Fleur leaving so soon, plus her little guard being called up. It was too much to be coincidence. Which would put them guilty in the Extraordinary Wizard(s) books.

And thus he, the dashing savior of women or anyone with influence or wealth, would swoop in a be the savior of the day! Perhaps then things would go right for once today. Though with his run, Rhys was tempted to just give Fleur the map and tell her to go. But the rogue wizard didn't trust the ornery minx enough for that. It would be like giving a starving boy a giant sweet and telling him to defy temptation. Seizing his 'lover's' elbow, Rhys grinned down at the powerful woman and gave a charming wink. Though he kept moving along with her and the other wytches. "Call it a favor, but you ladies look like you need a door made." His words were light but he fished a hand into his jacket and shirt to grip the map he had received earlier that morn. "Hold your girls up." Yanking out the map, Rhys peered at the pages with quick and decisive eyes. Spying a likely spot labelled 'Royal blood shows the way', the wizard nearly groaned aloud. As if they had to be all 'special' even more! "You don't happen to know anyone with Royal Blood? Secret door over yonder." The man jerked a thumb towards the general location, as he folded the map and stowed it away. He would remember that spot, he always did.

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Valda nodded at Amarantha's comment about them going to find her sister. She didn't know where Luna was, and despite not knowing her for very long, she felt responsible for her little sister. She was glad that someone seemed to know what to do when she had mentioned Malekith's name. Hopefully something good came out of this, and they'd be able to find Luna quickly. She glared at Malekith when he walked forward, just staring at him, as he was the man that the twins had mentioned when they snatched Luna away.

She heard the discussion going around, and Malekith trying to defend himself. She wasn't surprised that he was trying to explain away what was going on, claiming he had been framed, but she wasn't buying it, and glad that Lyra seemed to agree with that idea as well. "Even if or some reason we believed you, and you were framed, it is clear that you know who is responsible, at least in some way." she said, looking at him.

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Rowland didn't hesitate to nod in affirmation to Cuyler's question. "Yes, I fear that it must be...I have no doubt that all of these events are connected, like a spider weaving a web that may ensnare the Castle in its entirely," he said in a low voice. He didn't want any of the panicked citizens around him to overhear and assume that it was the end of the world. Of course, Rowland would have been lying if he claimed to not believe that the Castle was in grave danger. It may have been the longest night of the year, yet Rowland felt certain that there was only more Darkenesse to come. Darke Magyk was swirling around them - or perhaps something new entirely - he was sure of it.

Puck gave his Deputy Hunter a bit of a devilish grin, appreciating the view as she walked up towards them. While he had every intention to make Valda his wife, he didn't wish to consummate their marriage. No, if he were to have a woman, he would want one grown and touched with madness. Such was the Deputy Hunter - Amarantha - Girl 526 as he still thought of her on occasion. He then caught his sister's eye, seeing Jadis smirk with satisfaction as Malekith was called forward. "Well, this is indeed a fortunate turn of events, my Queen," Puck commented. "We needed the head of a Port Witch - and here we have a volunteer!"

Asha the Magykal ignored the comments of politics, staring at Malekith with concentration as the Magykal energy continued to swirl around her. "Please, allow me to assist you," Arya said calmly. Asha nodded. MindReading was ExtraOrdinary level Magyk and Arya joined hands with her, the two of them chanting softly "Between the spells within our power, Give us one Harmonious Hour." The energy coming from both of them gave the air a purple shimmer, with Arya's amulet glowing softly just as Asha's did.

Eventually, Asha's eyes widened with horror and Arya's lips curled with displeasure, as they ended the spell. "He is not the one responsible for the abduction of Princess Luna..." Arya said softly. "But he has committed many grave crimes against humanity - murder and torture of innocents," Asha added, her voice with a slight accent to it. Seeing such Darkenesse in Malekith's mind had shaken her. Asha took a moment to calm herself and Arya put a hand on her back, having felt the same trauma and pain radiating throughout the Warlock's thoughts. Of course, it was directed towards others. They had just glimpsed into the mind of a monster.

"If he really is such a despicable man, then he should be executed," Puck urged. Jadis nodded in agreement. "The Port Witch Coven will always be at our throats, sweet Valda. He may not have abducted Princess Luna, yet I am certain that their Coven intends to CradleSnatch your sister...His death will be a clear message that that cannot be tolerated."

Emperor Taj rose from where he was sitting and went over to her sister, seeing the look of distress on Asha's face. Peter Wylie came to join them as well. He had noticed what Puck had - that Malekith would serve the purposes of pacifying the Empress Astris for the death of her sister. It didn't matter that it had been in self-defense. And as he stared at Malekith, he couldn't help but imagine that no one would miss such a man if he were to die in atonement for a crime he did not commit. "He will work, my Queen," Wylie said to Valda softly, nodding at Malekith.

"...What's happening to me..." Myrus whispered, sitting alone as he stared at his hands. It might have been the glint of the sun against his eyes, but they did not appear to be their normal shade anymore. They were almost tinted crimson. He held his hands his head and took deep breaths. It had to have been too much for him, the stress of losing his mother and now his sister being kidnapped. While he liked Valda, he had grown up with Luna. He doubted his mother would choose to Appear to him, but after they got Luna back, he had every intention of seeking out his mother's ghost. He knew where she would be - the Queen's Room, where she had to wait for a Year and a Day.

"Besides the Royal Family?" Nera asked, looking at Rhys quizzically. She had met him quite some time ago, although she had gone by a different name back then. Hardly anyone connected her with that name anymore. Rhys wouldn't be able to recognize Nera as being another one of the Hopefuls to be apprenticed to the ExtraOrdinary Wizard - although she would appear familiar. Marya and Medea rolled their eyes at the mention of using a secret door. Sure, the idea of a secret door was amusing to them - but it wasn't like escaping from this place was going to be particularly hard. They had gone to and from the Port in less than a second.

"Of course, it is up to you," Nera said graciously to Fleur. "We can ask the twins to get us home, though their abilities may cause some distraction in fleeing this mob...Or I can attempt to use Concilium on the Prince and have him escort us through the passageway that this gentleman has suggested."