Holier Than Thou

[Emora Deen]

Atul was heading down the hall, dressed and ready for a ride himself. He patted Vlad on the back as they walked. "She'll be fine, Vlad," he told the vampire. "We'll be cutting through the desert, so we won't have the ability to teleport back if there is an emergency. We'll have to bank on the fact that if she does get into trouble she can either handle herself, the guards can protect her, or that Knight's power overrules the deserts. But, I don't think she'll have any need of him. Assassination attempts aside.... I should really shut up."

The convoy was packed and ready to go, with a line of soldiers riding horses waiting for their king. Two horses stood saddled at the head of the line, one for Atul and one for Vlad.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smirked as he mounted his horse, a dapple gray. He took just a moment to admire the distinctions in leg and face from the horses they had in Ighten. These were more slender animals with dished noses and small snouts. A more spry, graceful counterpart to the clumsier and larger animals they had in the mainland. "She'll be on guard, now that one attempt has been made on our lives. If anyone attempts her life, she will know it, and she'll stop it. If we're lucky, there may even be something left of the poor ass who tries it when we make it back."

[Emora Deen]

Atul laughed. "Very true."

The group road on well into night where it grew too dangerous to travel so they made camp. The servants put Vlad and Atul's tents side by side. For dinner they roasted food over the fire and divided it up among the men. Atul sat quietly with Vlad overlooking the desert, counting the stars.

"We'll reach Ida tomorrow afternoon," he sighed, stretching back in the soft sand. "We will have Arken diplomats to contend with there. Can you keep your cool around them? I hear you and Tenele are quite famous among their higher ranking officials."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad rolled his eyes at the clear, dark sky above them. "There's not much diplomatic about them. I imagine I'll come across as quite polished by comparison, though that may be the furthest from your people's minds when choosing their loyalties." He turned his head to look at his friend. "It will probably take time for a country built around power worship to accept and learn the importance of higher justice and true loyalty. Give them time, and I believe you'll be able to teach them."

[Emora Deen]

Atul smiled. "I hope so," he admitted. "It seems to be going well so far. But, there are still factions that want to follow a lie. Arken is greedy and power hungry and Shea is stretching herself too thin. I almost believe that if she could, now that she no longer has our alliance, that she would try and take us over as well."

* * *

Tenele sighed, stretching across the lounge out on the balcony. She wore a soft cotton gown, comfortable and light weight. She was sad to say she'd actually spent pretty much the whole day in her room, feigning illness. It was even sadder that most of the maids that brought her things like food and water seemed to know the real reason she'd stayed in bed all day.

Unfortunately, Vlad's ability to not be embarrassed by much of anything had not worn off on Tenele. She placed a hand over her heart. The moment Vlad had set foot in the desert she'd lost the connection to him. Because it left so suddenly she felt like a void had filled her heart. So, she decided to watch the stars, the very stars she knew he'd be watching.

After a while though, even if she'd spent most of her day in bed, she grew weary. Tenele retired to the bed, where Stalker hopped up next to her and planted his cold muzzle against her cheek.

"Good night, boy," she whispered to him, stroking fingers through his fur until she fell asleep.

[Soran Nightblade]

"No doubt she would try," Vlad agreed with him, looking upward again. "But she won't succeed. As you've said, she is spread too thin. She doesn't have the military power to fight this many battle fronts at once, especially now that she has lost an ally in Verin. She is nearly his equal, but still less without his backing than she was with it. The demons will be talking about Verin's demise. Their loyalties will be uncertain, and it will take work and time to re-establish the infighting. Your country, on the other hand, has already gotten through that phase of your history and is now past the better part of the chaos. You are ready for her."

[Emora Deen]

Atul smiled proudly, nodding. "I believe you, my friend. I'm sure we are ready." He stood up slowly, dusting the sand from his pants and back. He folded his arms with a playful smile. "I'm heading to bed." He patted the vampire on the shoulder.

* * *

The next day they arrived on the outskirts of Ida. Atul drew his horse to a stop, surveying the landscape with a frown. Above the city vultures circled in a thick black cloud. "Something's off," he muttered to Vlad, glancing his way. "Everyone! Be on your guard. Something isn't right."

The guards opened the city walls for Atul and his men. Inside the area was rank, and bodies were stacked high in carts. Atul covered his mouth with the cloak around his shoulders, motioning for the others to do the same.

"My King, maybe it would be wise if you waited outside the city walls. Let someone else go in to investigate. If its plague..."

"If its plague, I've already contracted it," Atul told him evenly. "I'll continue onward."

[Soran Nightblade]

"I don't agree," Vlad interrupted the king. He was already grumpy from the glaring heat of the sun, and didn't mind getting in his friend's face right now. He stepped in front of Atul and physically blocked his path. "Wait here. I can look further and then return.

[Emora Deen]

Atul glowered at Vlad, and then finally... slowly... backed off. "Okay," he admitted, knowing that if it was plague it would not affect the vampire. "Go on ahead. We'll make camp outside the walls." Atul turned back, leading his men out into the desert.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad watched them until they were safely out of the way, and then made his way into the unfamiliar city. He hadn't seen so many bodies since the Queen's War. But these people hadn't been slain. Every one of them seemed like they'd been ill, and the air reeked of sickness. "Hello?" he called out as he made his way down the barren street. "The king's caravan has arrived. Who is well enough to greet his convoy?"

[Emora Deen]

"Some of us are well," a guard muttered, shoving another body onto the pile. "No telling how long though." He dusted off his hands on his tunic. "I'd shake but... Germs." He chuckled, and then paused at the sight of Vlad's red eyes. "We were told the King would be coming. I'm assuming he's not going to come in the walls though. If you're here on his behalf you need to head to the High Lord's office. You keep heading down this road until you reach a guardhouse. At the moment their's a temporary Arken guard there while the rest of us pile the bodies for burning. You'll get your answers there."

The man turned away, stooped to grab up the body of a dead child, and he tossed it on the wagon with the rest.

[Soran Nightblade]

"Arken is guarding the city?" Vlad asked. He wondered what motives they could possibly have in protecting a settlement in this area.

[Emora Deen]

"Yeah," the guard muttered. "They've been here for a while. Saw we needed help, and helped. Unlike some other people I know. They're guarding the High Lord's house while the rest of us clean up the mess. We've got to burn the bodies before it spreads anymore. The streets are empty because most of the people are locked up in their homes. People are afraid to go out and make contact with anyone. Plague started about a week ago, and people have been dropping like flies since." The man pointed to the vultures circling overhead. "Funny thing is... they got here before the bodies started piling up. Seems like they smelled death coming."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad squinted up with his light-weary eyes at the birds overhead. "Good to know. This way, right?" he muttered as he made toward the office the man referred to. His guard was fully up by the time he got there. Arken was in the city. When he reached the large doors of the high lord's office, he didn't bother knocking. He figured most of the city would no longer be in the habit of opening doors for strangers, so he just teleported to the other side.

[Emora Deen]

The High Lord sat brooding in his seat, with a cluster of Arken soldiers and diplomats around him. He was also had his own Hajarian men around him. He had bags and dark circles collecting under his eyes, and his brow glistened with perspiration. He didn't look too far off from the bodies outside.

When Vlad appeared the whole room erupted. Arken soldiers drew their swords, and formed a circle around the High Lord, Sifan.

"Who goes there?" Sifan muttered, shoving through the guards. "Who are you?"