The Marquise

Revenge Served Frozen

Marquise Kira woke to bells tolling. She threw back her covers and leapt across the room. She was pulling a robe over he nightgown when a couple of guards burst into the room.

"Marquise! You are unharmed," one said.

Kira raised an eyebrow. "Obviously. Shouldn't I be? What is the clamor about?"

"Marquis Cedric has been attacked by an assassin, Marquise. We have been commanded to keep watch, in case you are to be attacked as well."

Kira pulled her long, platinum hair into a ponytail as she swept her way out of the room. "Marquise!" the other guard protested.

"If you are to keep watch, then you had best keep up," Kira called over her shoulder. She had already started off through the palace hallways, towards her husband's study. She was quite tall for a lady, and her stride was long, so the guards had to hustle to catch up to her. “I expect he was attacked in his study?” she prompted the two.

“Yes,” the guard to her right answered. “Though, if I may, my lady, you seem to be taking this all rather well.” He flinched as she turned her gaze upon him, blue eyes blazing.

“I have no choice. Should my husband be disposed, it is up to me to take care of matters of state.”

Kira resumed her swift march and promptly bowled over a palace servant. “Ah, my lady! I apologize most profoundly,” the man bowed low, sweat beading on his forehead despite the early winter air. Kira arched an eyebrow. “Ah... right, I was sent to find you. Lord Sabran is fading quickly my lady. He wishes to speak with you, if you can.”

“Lead on then,” Kira said. “Quickly now, there is no time to waste.”

The man bowed once more and took off at a swift walking pace. Kira rounded another corner with her impromptu entourage, and was faced with a small crowd milling about her husband's study.

She clicked her tongue in aggravation, and one of the guards, catching her annoyance, shouted, “Make way for Lady Kira!”

The crowd fell silent, and parted before her. Kira stepped into Cedric's study, and found him seated in his desk chair, head in his hands. He looked up as she entered, his head rotating in his hands until he leaned on his chin rather than his forehead.

“My dearest Kira,” he whispered. His face had gone pale, except around his eyes where his skin was darkening. His eyes began to swim with tears as he continued. “I did not think I would see you again. I feared... I would not hold out so long.” Cedric took a long, wheezy breath.

Kira glided across the room until she was opposite Cedric. “What happened?” She took his head in her own hands, and was shocked at how cold he was. Her own temperature was generally lower than average, but his face still felt like a block of ice in her hands.

“Poison,” Cedric said with a wry smile. “Courtesy of the White Crow.” His eyes went to a snow white feather on the desk to the side. The White Crow were a group of assassins, feared across Faucigney; they left a white feather at the scene of their jobs.

"Who sent them?"

Cedric gave a weak chuckle. "Could be anyone..." He coughed weakly. "Many of my peers would see me eliminated. Warmongers, one and all..." Cedric fell into a fit of hacking coughs.

Marquis Cedric was opposed the warhawk sentiments that defined the current ranks of the nobility. It was a stance that endeared him to Kira, though she had worried -- for good reason it seemed -- about his safety as an outspoken critic of such a large percentage of the nobility.

Cedric got his breathing back under control. “Anyway, do what you can to continue to support Duke Renoir. He has ever been my closest ally and a faithful mentor.”

Indeed, Duke Louis Renoir was the strongest anti-war voice in the Faucigney court. He was the most powerful noble in the country, with the exception of King Landry himself. From Cedric's stories, he had been a close friend since Cedric was young, and had personally taken Cedric under his wing after he was made Marquis at a young age, following the tragic death of Cedric's father.

"That aside, you haven't asked if anything can be done," Cedric remarked, a brief smile crossing his face.

"If anything could be, it would already be in progress. Also, the White Crow doesn't miss. I didn't want to waste your last moments with frivolity."

"I love you, my dearest one. I always appreciate how you get to the heart of the matter so quickly. Ohh..." He slumped forward onto his desk.

Kira rushed around, placing her hands on Cedric's shoulders. She felt tears spring to her eyes, and wiped them away furiously. She could cry later, Cedric needed her now. She disguised the movement by pulling Cedric into a hug from behind.

"I know you though..." Cedric said, his voice becoming more strained. "Please... just don't do anything risky... I brought this on myself." He turned his head, his dark brown eyes fixing on her blue ones.

“I promise,” Kira said, embracing him. “Nothing risky.”

“Good...” Cedric whispered. “I would... hate to see you pulled into this.” He weakly pushed her back, and she pulled back to look into his eyes once more. “I... love you...” Cedric's eyes had grown unfocused and hazy.

“I love you too, my dearest Cedric.” Kira placed her forehead against Cedric's as he breathed his last. Grief overtook her, and she began to sob as she held Cedric to herself.

After a moment, she forced her emotions to still. Using training from her youth, she froze her heart, until it was little more than a block of ice. There would be time enough for grief later. For now, she had to ensure the well being of House Sabran.

Kira rose, and arranged Cedric as if he had fallen asleep at his desk, then turned to face the servants and guards stationed outside. She left Cedric's study, and the whispers of the crowd fell silent. “Cedric has passed away,” Kira informed them in a low, emotionless voice. “There are many matters to attend to, so pay close heed to my words.”

Kira turned first to one of her maids. “Fetch my attendant, Tanya, please. I will be needing her for business tonight. Have her make ready for quick travel.” The maid nodded, her eyes wide, before she turned and hurried off.

To the guards present, “Lockdown the estate, nobody enters or departs unless they are a member of the Sabran family, or have my express permission.”

Next, Kira pointed to one of the scribes. “Have messages drafted and sent to the rest of the Sabran family. They will surely wish to gather to grieve their fallen head. Oh, and send word to Duke Renoir. I shall need to meet with him as soon as possible. Our house will need his continued support if we are to retain our position after such a destabilizing event.” The man nodded and scurried away.

“As for the rest of you, report to your stations and prepare the palace for a period of mourning. Recall that many guests will be here shortly, and will need the full force of our hospitality. We shall not see them disappointed in their time of grief. That is all.”

The rest of the crowd dispersed, leaving only a couple of court physicians, who Kira allowed past her into Cedric's study, and her attendant, Tanya.

“You have hidden your grief well, my lady,” Tanya remarked.

“It is what must be done. Are you prepared?” Tanya hefted a couple of packs at Kira's question. “Very well. I should get dressed, then we shall go. We have some crows to hunt.”

A short time later, Kira and Tanya had left the estate. They had been stopped by the guards, and convincing them that Kira did not need extra security took longer than she would have liked. Now though, they set off into the forest to the north. They traveled a short way into the trees before Kira signaled a stop.

Tanya began pulling some things out of her packs. “Are you sure you are prepared for this, my lady?” she asked, giving Kira a piercing look. “It has been some time since you last attempted a calling.”

“I shall be quite alright, thank you. Snowfang is a good friend. A few years will not diminish that.” Kira took one of the objects Tanya had placed onto the ground and unwrapped it to reveal a large chunk of raw meat. Next, she took a sphere of ice, enchanted to resist melting, and held it between her hands. She knelt down, sitting on her heels; this would take some time.

Next, Kira focused her mind on casting out a message, and began drawing in the requisite ether. The sphere of ice in her hands began to glow a soft blue-white, and symbols circled within it. Finally, the spell prepared, Kira raised the orb before her face, and blew into it. A puff of snow flew forth from the orb and shot off, flying north at a rapid pace.

Breathing hard, Kira opened her eyes. They had turned icy blue, nearly white, while she had used her magic, but were already returning to sapphire. “The message was successful,” Kira said. “Snowfang will be here shortly.” Kira stood once again, and allowed silence to fall. After a moment, she broke it again. “Tanya, would you consider this a risky endeavor?”

Tanya considered for a long, silent moment before responding. “I do not think so, my lady. Your skill with magic goes far beyond what any this far south have displayed. Does the task you set upon bother you?”

“No, not right now it doesn't,” Kira responded. “My heart is too cold for such a worry. I ask because... never mind, it is not important.”

Tanya's eyebrow rose, but she remained silent. After another moment in quiet, Tanya spoke again. “I do worry about your emotional state. Suppressing it all as you do is not healthy. That was one of the major reasons you agreed to marry foreign nobility in the first place.”

Kira sighed. “I know. But House Sabran needs me to be strong right now. Our political enemies will not stop at this strike. They will want to see Cedric's house torn down.”

“I am not so sure that is the case my lady. I think House Sabran needs you as a leader now, not some as some political hitman.”

Kira leaned against a tree, rubbing her eyes to avoid the sight of her attendant. How could this woman be so frustratingly right? “It doesn't matter,” Kira argued. “I don't know how to be a leader. I do know how to freeze my emotions and use magic though.”

“Perhaps that will be enough,” Tanya mused. “Either way, your guest has arrived.”

Kira opened her eyes to find a large canine snout right in her face. It sniffed once, then Snowfang, the great white wolf sat on his haunches. “You called,” he remarked, “though, based on your conversation, you are having doubts.”

Kira closed her eyes through a deep breath. “No, no second thoughts now. The political scheming of this country has gone too far when it has taken my husband. We will mete out punishment in kind.”

“Excellent, I am delighted to hear it. Do you know who has slain your husband then?”

“No, but I do know how to find the weapon that did so.” Kira held up the white feather left by the assassin. Snowfang gave it a couple of long sniffs before nodding.

“You will return by morning, yes my lady?” Tanya asked.

“I imagine so, unless my guess at the culprit is off mark.”

“Very well, I shall try to smooth the worries of the estate in your absence. We shall have to see about preparing you for true leadership. Regardless of whether you are chosen to retain your title, you will have great influence within house politics from here out and you can no longer rely on your husband to deal with such matters.”

Kira chose to not respond to her attendant. Right she may be, but right now she could not be distracted. “Are you ready, Snowfang?”

The wolf turned from where he had eaten the pile of raw meat, leaving a much smaller pile of bones. “I am now. Shall I give you a ride back?” he asked, turning to Tanya.

“Thank you, but I shall manage. I have much to consider, and time to think without chattering people around it going to become a valuable commodity in my near future, I fear.”

“You could always abandon your cities. You two, of all humans I have met, would make great companions for my pack.”

“We appreciate the offer,” Kira cut in, “but for now, we have a job to do.”

Snowfang merely gave a smile and nudged Kira onto his back. He took off at a trot, and they quickly left the forest behind. Their pace was swifter than what seemed possible, even given Snowfang's larger size than average wolves. He tore through the night, and a mere couple hours later they were catching a small horse-drawn carriage.

Snowfang stopped amidst a few trees near a stream. “The one you seek is in there,” he nodded toward the carriage. “How do you wish to proceed?”

Kira studied the carriage for a moment. “How many occupants?”

“One other, by my nose.”

“Can you spook the horse?”

Snowfang let out a hissing laugh. “Can I spook the horse?” he chuckled. “Hold on tight.”

Kira obliged, clutching a large section of Snowfang's fur in her left hand. With her right, she began weaving a spell. As Snowfang howled, she released her spell. A sheet of ice formed on the road beyond them, underneath the carriage. As it did, the horse bearing it forward whinnied and bolted. The carriage, pulled between the horse now racing to the left, and its momentum carrying it forward, pitched onto its side. The driver spilled into a roll, flopping onto the ground.

Snowfang paced forward, and as they approached, the carriage door facing upward was blasted off its hinges and a man leapt out. Kira let go of Snowfang's fur as he leapt forward, bowling into the man as he landed.

Kira walked up to the man, twirling the white feather he had left behind in her fingers. “Is this him?” she asked Snowfang.

He gave the man's face a long sniff. “Smells like it.”

“Who sent you?” Kira asked the man, seeing no point in niceties.

“I don't know what you are...” he began. Kira's eyes flashed an icy blue to cut him off though. “Fine, fine, no need to resort to your northern witchcraft.” He made some gesture with his hand that Kira took to be a warding sign.

Kira rolled her eyes. “Just tell me what I want to know. Though you did the killing, you are just a weapon, not the murderer. I despise your kind too, but I have much bigger problems with the one that sent you, so if you make this easy, I am inclined towards leniency.”

“Fine,” the man spat. “Duke Renoir sent me.”

Kira felt a crack break through her icy resolve. “Wha... What?” she stammered. “Duke Renoir? But he was Cedric's closest friend? Why?”

“I don't ask for reason's just payment. You don't believe me, fine, but it's true.” Kira reeled for a moment until she could pull herself together. It didn't matter who ordered the attack, but she wanted a bit more proof if she was to go after a supposed ally.

Kira's focus snapped onto the carriage. She walked over to it and jumped inside it.

“I'll save you time, and me a mess!” the assassin called out. “The contract is in a small box under the seat.” Kira found the box on the door against the ground. It had fallen open in the crash, but the scroll inside had not gone far. She unrolled it, and frowned when she saw Duke Renoir's seal in wax next to his signature. She scanned the rest of the contract, but saw nothing that would suggest anything other than Renoir having ordered the attack.

Kira leapt back out of the carriage, preparing another spell. With a flash, the assassin's legs were frozen in a thin sheet of ice. “That will hold you for a bit, just so you don't follow us.”

The man, wisely, remained silent.

“Let's go Snowfang.” Kira swung herself back onto the wolf's back, and he took off at a quick trot, again covering ground much faster than seemed possible.

Soon enough, they had crossed into the Renoir Duchy, and were approaching Duke Renoir's estate. Kira had Snowfang let her down near the gates to the palace, and approached on foot alone. No need to fight her way through the whole palace. She should still be accepted as a guest of the family, since word would not have made it this far yet.

Indeed, when she appeared at the gates, on foot and alone, she was immediately escorted to a sitting room in the palace, and a messenger sent for Duke Renoir. Not long after, Renoir entered the room.

Kira rose as he opened the door. “Marquise Sabran? To what do I owe the honor? And at such an hour as this?”

“You know exactly why I'm here,” Kira snarled, surprising even herself with the anger in her voice. She shook the contract at the duke.

Duke Renoir crossed the room, taking the scroll from her, skimming the contents, eyes widening as they reached the bottom to see his seal and signature. “Where did this come from?”

“Your assassin had it!” Kira exclaimed. “You had my husband, my Cedric killed!” She felt her icy heart cracking under the strain of the anger she felt at seeing Duke Renoir. He had always been so kind, but secretly planning their family's downfall. She hated the stupid games the nobles played here in Faucigney. She had never been good at understanding the double speech and posturing. And now, her love was dead because of the games.

“My dear, I assure you I had nothing...” Duke Renoir started.

“I don't want to hear it!” Kira shouted him down. “I am so tired of all the games. That is all you people ever do, is lie and deceive. I am over it!” Kira began gathering a spell in her hands.

Duke Renoir's eyes grew fearful seeing her magic. “Please don't,” he begged. “Truly, I did not harm Cedric! There is a plot...”

“Yes, there was a plot,” Kira snarled, “and I caught you in it. Now all who look upon you will remember to avoid crossing House Sabran.” She released the spell she had channeled and watched as Duke Renoir was encased in ice.

The dam she had built of ice inside burst, and at once, she felt tears streaming down her cheeks. She swiped angrily at them, but they refused to stop, so instead she hid her face as she left the room quietly. She rushed through hallways, making her way back outside, all the while weeping for her lost love.

At the gates, the guards tried to stop her, insisting she should not be going out at this hour, but she rushed past them, managing to explain that she needed to return home.

Snowfang met her not far from the gates, pulling her onto his back as she collapsed, not able to summon the strength to go further.

As they arrived back at the Sabran estate, they were met by Tanya, who collected Kira from Snowfang.

“If you need help again, you know how to get ahold of me.” He gave Kira a long look before turning and darting back north.

As Snowfang vanished, Tanya began to drag Kira to her chambers. “Come now, my lady. Try to put some effort towards walking.”

“I have nothing left, Tanya. I left my family behind for Cedric, and now he was taken from me too.”

“Where did your gusto from earlier this night go?”

“It was all anger, Tanya, and the anger has all burned away, leaving only grief. I don't know what to do now. I thought I would be able to rely on Duke Renoir, but he ordered the attack.”

Tanya paused at the revelation, causing Kira to stumble. “You're sure?”

“I saw the orders with my own eyes. It had his seal and everything.”

Tanya looked around, grateful for the empty hallway this time of night. “This is a conversation best finished in your chambers, I think.” She picked up the pace, dragging Kira along with her.

In the Marquise's chambers, Tanya helped Kira back into her nightgown and then into bed before getting the story out of the night out of her. When Kira had finished describing how she froze Duke Renoir solid, the chamber fell quiet.

“For now, get some sleep my lady,” Tanya said. “We'll figure out what to do in the morning.” Kira nodded tiredly, her eyes distant. Tanya forced her to lay back and covered her with blankets. “Sleep now. I will wake you if anything requires your attention.”

Kira fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Far away from the Sabran estate, in the capitol city of Faucigney, two powerful men met as dawn broke. General Marcel Renoir, brother to the late Duke Renoir, met with King Landry. “Have you heard the report yet, my liege?”

“I take it your plan was successful?” the king asked.

“Beyond what I had even planned for. Marquis Sabran is dead by the assassin's poison, and it seems my brother, the duke has been killed as well.”

“Your brother is dead?” King Landry looked perplexed.

“It seems Cedric's wife, that northern barbarian woman, took issue with his untimely death and took it out on my poor brother.”

“Well now,” King Landry mused. “It seems congratulations are in order, Duke Renoir.” He smiled broadly at the general turned duke. “See to it that Faucigney is well prepared for a new age of domination.”