A Royal Pain In The Ass

Another day in the life, same shit different day. Not the type of attitude one would expect of Royalty, but the Queen thought this as she sat at her throne as she did every day in her life.

Sitting there signing treaties with their many alliances regarding food trades, clan protection, and the usual whiny ass rich people asking for the villages to be deprived of yet more necessities so they could live a more luxurious life.

How much more luxurious could you get, living in large mansions with the ultimate protection, while other villages barely lived passed a day without some catastrophe of some sort occurring.

The diplomat stood in front of her throne, babbling away about how they hadn’t been receiving shipments of caviar as of late, " ... and this is simply inexcusable, we pay enough as it is for those damn workers to get off their dirty asses and get in their wagons. I’ve been saying this for years, we should just..."

She listened to him talk, and could indeed hear his words but her thoughts were far from delayed shipments of caviar. No matter how hard she tried she could not get her children out of her head, they had been so young and she had wanted to raise a family so badly.

When the doctor had announced she was pregnant she had never been happier, she was finally going to be a mother, it was a dream her and her husband had shared it with her from the start.

So when Tyronis had informed her she had to give them up her world had crashed, and things had not gotten better when she’d talked to her beloved husband’s killer, finally losing patience she interrupted the diplomat, " I think you’ll live with caviar for another damn week, if you don’t got any real problems then get out of my face before I make the guards drag you out."

The diplomat frowned at her straight forwardness, he was about to protest when two elite guards came and grabbed him by the arms, dragging him out of the throne chamber as he yelled in anger. She walked to the window, facing the large plains of Prokrimia she said to herself, " Where are my children, where are you Adonis and Jolene?"

************************************************************************

The plan was quite simple, Jolene would infiltrate the castle using the guise of a Coronian diplomat, which was not that far from the truth, except she was not a diplomat. However, diplomats did not carry weapons, she was forced to dress in civilian clothing. She would have to find a weapon inside the castle, the kitchen would be her best offer.

Constatino had recommended she not use magic, it would help with her infiltration. She was confident the assassination would go exactly as planned. Riding through the peaceful plains of Prokrimia she would reach the city of Colnar, the Royal city. Suddenly she looked back in full alert as she heard heavy galloping from behind, stopping the horse she looked back, seeing a black horse in the distance.

************************************************************************

Ares was very glad these horses were as fast and tough as the dark elf King had claimed them to be, when he’d told Loki he was getting ex-soldiers he had meant it, except for the ex part, first he had to meet up with an old friend.

Sitting calmly at the table he said, gulping down a glass of whisky he said, " Well that sounds like a royal pain in the ass, Royal assassinations always are so troublesome, what approach is she taking?"

Constatino sitting at the other side of the table replied, " Ares, you never change. Have you ever been truly loyal to any side? She’s going for the diplomat approach, she’s new to assassinations, I thought that would be easier for her rather than the full out stealth approach."

Ares liked these sort of conversations, most people would criticize Ares as being a back stabbing cold blooded killer, which was true. But when talking to Constatino, Dominic or Loki he knew they were the exact same.

Playing with one of his rings he said, " Believe it or not but we are on the same side here, you want to stop the prophecy as much as I do, although for different reason I am certain. You do realise there are only five days left, and I need Jolene and your army on my side."

" I have a proposition to speed things up, the diplomatic ways always takes so much time, how about you tell me how Jolene is getting there and I will help her, anyway, I love family reunions."

Contemplating this for a minute Constatino bursted in laughter, " Yes I am sure you would like that, considering how wonderful your family turned out to be. She should be in the plains of Prokimia, I can teleport you and your horse near her location."

They both hit their glasses together and began to laugh as two old friends laughing at an inside joke.

************************************************************************

The horse was now within visible range, suddenly she knew exactly who he was, but why was he here when it had been apparent he had bigger fish to fry. She rode to meet him, as their horses stopped beside each other she said, " Have you come to stop me? Or to talk to me? Or to kiss me?"

Ares smirked at this, " Now why would I want to stop you, au contraire my hybrid love, I am here to help you. And I am sure if we are lucky we will get the chance to talk and kiss. Just to speed up the whole diplomat process I figure I can pose as your bodyguard."

She looked straight in his yellow eyes, although it was nearly impossible to read his emotions she knew him well enough to see he was being genuine, turning her horse around she said, " Then by all means bodyguard, lets resume our trip."

The trip was quite uneventful, no one cared about one diplomat and her bodyguard. Finally arriving at the gates of Colnar they were by far the most majestic looking walls they had seen. Made of pure brass it shone with the light of the sun.

Unlike Tronabia the gates were not shut, it was an open city with crowded streets of chattering people. People frowned at the sight of a petite white woman walking with a tall bulky black man, not that people regarded coloured people with disdain, but different ethnicities usually kept their distance.

Bumping their ways through the large crowds they finally reached the castle entrance, a long bridge leading into the castle court just outside the actual castle where people where either cleared as safe or arrested for attempting to assassinate the Queen.

The guard that was usually considered as tall stood in front of Ares, dwarfed by his size and bulk he said in an authoritarian voice, " What is your purpose at the castle?"

Jolene stepped up, the guard did not take his eyes off Ares as they glared at each other. Jolene said anyway, " Diplomat of the Coronian Empire, if you would take your eyes off my bodyguard you might want to check my credentials."

Reluctantly looking away he took the credentials in his hands, an official scroll with the initials of the Emperor himself declaring Jolene as an official representative, handing it back he asked, " And what business does the Coronian Empire wish to discuss with the Queen? She is busy, I will relay the information to the Queen and she will choose to see you or not."

Jolene had anticipated this question, " It is no trivial issue, we want to go to war and want the Royal Kingdom’s support as promised in the contract, relay the message." The guard did not even say buy as he turned, whispering to a guard, " Heighten security to maximum, I don’t trust that bodyguard of hers."

************************************************************************

Queen Tania was discussing the money situation going on throughout all allied clans when the entrance guard charged into her throne chamber, bowing in respect, " Your highness, a Coronian ambassador has arrived with her bodyguard, they wish to meet with you immediately, in regards to war."

She was surprised to hear this, last she’d heard of the Coronian Empire was the day they’d signed the peace treaty, not a good memory. She’d been worried ever since that day that there would be trouble, that they would break their word and catch her with her skirt up.

But they’d done nothing, the masked assassin had never returned, everything else had returned to normal, if not even more peaceful. Now they were back after over a decade asking for her to fulfill the treaty, she replied, " Let them in, and heighten security to maximum, post elites rather than the usual palace guards."

The guard smiled, " Its already been done your highness, I’ll go fetch the Coronians." He walked out briskly, sword making a metallic noise as it bounced against his chain mail. Sitting back in her chair she remembered the assassin, yellow eyes glowing with the mirrored mask, at least she was only meeting a diplomat.

************************************************************************

Ares always found it amusing what people said when they didn’t think you could hear them, the guard returned and waved them in. Jolene took the lead and followed him in, Ares acting as a body guard walked behind her, looking alert to make sure no one would try to kill her.

As they walked there Ares couldn’t help but notice the heightened security, the overrated elites with their special armour and weaponry. Jolene however was filled with far too much rage to notice, these people had killed her mother, that bitch of a Queen was responsible for the death of her mother.

Finally at the door the guard said, " You try anything to her and I will have you both executed on the spot, no trial, no mercy. Now go" Ares smiled, lifting the guard by his collar Jolene motioned him to drop the guard and they walked in.

The Queen sat on her throne, as they walked on the blue carpet that led to her throne they stopped at her feet, Jolene bowing she said, " Your majesty, it is an honour to meet you face to face, I have heard so much about you."

As she began to talk Ares surveyed the situation, there were five elites in the room itself and he knew they would come charging in any second’s notice. The Queen looked very much older than he remembered, She asked, " And who are you going to war with exactly? Why should the Royal Kingdom even bother to care."

They could play with this forever but was not so patient, pulling five arrow heads from one of the pouches he went into action, throwing one arrow head in each of the guards’ heads. Before anyone could react he slammed the doors shut, using all his new strength to keep the doors closed.

The Queen got up in shock at what was happening, Jolene kicked her back in her throne and said, " Ares, pass me one of your swords! I want to end this thing now!" Queen Tania, looking closer at Jolene suddenly recognized her from a birth mark on her chin, " Jolene, its me! Your mother."

The guards were pushing hard against the door, it bulged in as Ares pushed it back, throwing one sword to the ground near her resounding in a loud clang Tania recognized her bodyguard as well, it was the masked assassin. Grabbing the sword Jolene scolded, " No! My mother was killed by your soldiers! Those soldiers trying to come in and save you!"

Ares yelled, " Jolene, place a protective shield over the door, I’ll take care of the Royal pain in the ass" Jolene turned, activating a shield around the door she applied all her magic force, keeping the door back with ease.

The Queen urged, " Jolene, its all a lie. I was forced to give you up because the Coronians were going to get hold of you, you have an important destiny, the world depends on you, I am your mother and that is no lie."

Ares laughed at this pathetic show of emotions, " Your highness, I promised you that if you ever seen me again I would kill you. I’ve changed much since then but I am true to my word."

As he swung his sword her entire life flashed within her eyes. All those tedious tasks day after day, the death of her husband and loss of her children. Only to find out it had all been for nothing, Jolene had still fallen in the hands of the Coronians and now Ares was going to kill her as he’d predicted all those years before.

She did not fear her death however, smiling she said, " Of course you are, because that is all you know to do isn’t it, kill and lie. Go ahead, do it." Without hesitation Ares decapitated her head, saying to her corpse, " I am an excellent killer and an even better liar."

Turning to Jolene he said, " Now lets get out of here, teleport us out of here now." As Jolene ran to him, the doors blasted open. Guards poured in like water but the they were already gone, leaving behind the dead body.

Leaving the city as fast as possible they met up with Constatino once more, he applauded them both, " Congratulations on your first assassination Jolene, it went very well. Now I have an even more important mission. Lead an army and go with Ares, you are going to be responsible for the end of the world as we know it, how is that for big?"