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"The king is dead!" rang through the streets of Briqueward that morning. Selice did not know how the word had spread that King Dusan had died the night before, but she planned to find out.

"Bozidar!" she called for her manservant. When he came, she told him, "Someone has told the masses that my father, the king, is dead. There were only a few who should have known. I want to know who among them has let this news reach the city so quickly, and I want to know by lunch. Use whatever means you see necessary to find out and report back to me."

"Yes, Your Highness," Bozidar answered with a bow. He left on his errand immediately.

"Oh, this day cannot get any worse!" the princess complained as she paced her room. She rang a bell, summoning a maidservant from the next room. "Has the doctor found the cause of His Majesty's death?" Selice asked.

"No, Your Highness, not yet. Please be patient, ma'am. Someone will come for you when we learn anything else concerning this event."

"See that you do," Selice said, continuing to pace.

The maidservant looked as if she wanted to say more--something consoling, perhaps--but instead curtsied and answered, "Yes, Your Highness," before exiting the room.

Of course, Selice knew her father had had many enemies. Any king would have his share of people against him, but she had never thought that an assassination would kill him. Her father had been so strong, so cautious. So kind. Nevertheless, he was dead now, and nothing Selice could do would bring him back. So she would find what killed her father--who killed her father--, and she would bring whomever it was that had killed the king to justice. Slowly.

The storm last night had struck the city just after sunset, and left with the morning sun. She heard that it had been much worse to the south. Rumors of the Plains of Gunun being flooded waist deep or more had reached the city two days ago from the Tower of High Sorcery. Their magical communication with the Tower of the Mage had warned of the ferocity of the storm, and had likely saved more than a few lives. A curfew had been made for the hours before the storm, and repairs on many damaged roofs had already begun. Thankfully, the city had an excellent drainage system partially aided by its elevation, so there was no flood damage.

If only all of the news from the Tower had been fortunate. It seemed that the Triskelion Archcardinal had vanished the morning of the storm, and had not been seen since. Apparently some believe she was kidnapped, if one could believe such a thing possible, from within the confines of the tower.

Selice knew little about the Order of the Triskelion, but she knew the servants of magic were quite powerful. If one could take the head of this order--the most powerful mage in the world--without so much as raising an alarm within the city, then either they were beyond mortal understanding or the Tower of the Mage was not so capable as it boasted. Ever the skeptic, the princess believed the latter.

She continued to pace until another servant appeared in front of her. "Yes?" she asked more tersely than she'd intended.

"Apologies, Your Highness, but Minister Jindrich requests your attention in the throne room," he said nervously.

"Whatever for?" the princess asked.

"There seem to be visitors for ... the king, Highness. The minister has asked them to leave, but they refuse to do so without seeing His Majesty. The minister believes you may be able to convince them otherwise."

Selice stopped pacing and stared at the man so long that he began trying to find some way to excuse himself. Reviving, the princess said, "Very well. Tell Jindrich I will be down momentarily."

"Very good, ma'am." The servant bowed and exited with relief.

Description
"The king is dead!" rang through the streets of Briqueward that morning. Selice did not know how the word had spread that King Dusan had died the night before, but she planned to find out.

"Bozidar!" she called for her manservant. When he came, she told him, "Someone has told the masses that my father, the king, is dead. There were only a few who should have known. I want to know who among them has let this news reach the city so quickly, and I want to know by lunch. Use whatever means you see necessary to find out and report back to me."

"Yes, Your Highness," Bozidar answered with a bow. He left on his errand immediately.

"Oh, this day cannot get any worse!" the princess complained as she paced her room. She rang a bell, summoning a maidservant from the next room. "Has the doctor found the cause of His Majesty's death?" Selice asked.

"No, Your Highness, not yet. Please be patient, ma'am. Someone will come for you when we learn anything else concerning this event."

"See that you do," Selice said, continuing to pace.

The maidservant looked as if she wanted to say more--something consoling, perhaps--but instead curtsied and answered, "Yes, Your Highness," before exiting the room.

Of course, Selice knew her father had had many enemies. Any king would have his share of people against him, but she had never thought that an assassination would kill him. Her father had been so strong, so cautious. So kind. Nevertheless, he was dead now, and nothing Selice could do would bring him back. So she would find what killed her father--who killed her father--, and she would bring whomever it was that had killed the king to justice. Slowly.

The storm last night had struck the city just after sunset, and left with the morning sun. She heard that it had been much worse to the south. Rumors of the Plains of Gunun being flooded waist deep or more had reached the city two days ago from the Tower of High Sorcery. Their magical communication with the Tower of the Mage had warned of the ferocity of the storm, and had likely saved more than a few lives. A curfew had been made for the hours before the storm, and repairs on many damaged roofs had already begun. Thankfully, the city had an excellent drainage system partially aided by its elevation, so there was no flood damage.

If only all of the news from the Tower had been fortunate. It seemed that the Triskelion Archcardinal had vanished the morning of the storm, and had not been seen since. Apparently some believe she was kidnapped, if one could believe such a thing possible, from within the confines of the tower.

Selice knew little about the Order of the Triskelion, but she knew the servants of magic were quite powerful. If one could take the head of this order--the most powerful mage in the world--without so much as raising an alarm within the city, then either they were beyond mortal understanding or the Tower of the Mage was not so capable as it boasted. Ever the skeptic, the princess believed the latter.

She continued to pace until another servant appeared in front of her. "Yes?" she asked more tersely than she'd intended.

"Apologies, Your Highness, but Minister Jindrich requests your attention in the throne room," he said nervously.

"Whatever for?" the princess asked.

"There seem to be visitors for ... the king, Highness. The minister has asked them to leave, but they refuse to do so without seeing His Majesty. The minister believes you may be able to convince them otherwise."

Selice stopped pacing and stared at the man so long that he began trying to find some way to excuse himself. Reviving, the princess said, "Very well. Tell Jindrich I will be down momentarily."

"Very good, ma'am." The servant bowed and exited with relief.