Incident at the Hidden Kingdom

[Aromancer]

“Excuse me, sir, I don’t think you’re on the list-”

“Step aside.”

“B-but, I really must insist that you-”

“I SAID.”

The man placed a hand around the bouncer’s neck. His hand did not clench, but the power inside was obvious. As was the threat.

“Step. Aside.”

“...Of course, Sir. My mistake.”

Edward Ross allowed himself a confident smirk as he pulled his hand away from the man’s neck, before adjusting his tie and walking into the party. The bouncer was a coward, a fact he had made certain of before the ball had begun; he would cause no trouble. Almost immediately upon entering, Eddy began to draw the attention of the other attendees.

“Who… who is THAT?”

“I’ve never seen him before…”

“I’d definitely remember a man like HIM! Look at that chin!”

“My lady, you flatter me.” Ross walked up to the woman who had pointed out his chin, planting a kiss on her outstretched hand. She was an attractive sort, with a cute nose and curly hair. Wide eyes, though, that were spaced just a little too far on her head. Utterly worthless. The woman naturally blushed when he kissed her, but he had already moved on by the time she’d collected herself.

He moved with a careful grace as he approached the throne, where sat his quarry: Amelie, the princess of Leftheria. “Your Highness.”

[Mr. Moon]

Amelia (NPC) #1

The princess was in an especially bad mood that day. No particular reason really. She was just bored and annoyed by her everyday, unchanging experience. Day after day, she was woken up by her maid at the exactly same time. The same maid helped her to dress and accompanied her on her way to the breakfast, where she was forced to eat with a bunch of people, about whom she did not care about, enduring their fake smiles and empty compliments. And it didn't become any better afterward. Lessons in history, etiquette, dance, and music were real torture, especially when she was interested in completely different topics and hated dancing from bottom of her heart. Even this whole charade was put together only to give her a chance to meet someone new and interesting. Someone whose stories or flattering she didnt heard thousand times over. Yet it looked like it failed spectacularly. As all the faces she could see from her throne were the faces of people she knew for most of her life.
All but one she realized, as she noticed some stranger entering the hall. Tall and dark with a handsome face and black hair, he immediately picked her interest. A mysterious presence she wished to examine, yet she couldn't. Bounded by her status, tradition, and protocol, she still had to keep the impression of regal authority at least under the watchful eye of her father, who was sitting right next to her. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait too long as he walked through the crowd straight to her, earning her father's ire and her gentle smile.
"My lord…"
She offered him her hand hidden in a silk glove for a kiss.
"May I ask your name? For I am afraid we never met before…"

[Aromancer]

Eddy turned his head to look up at Amelia. The Princess truly was stunning, a vision of beauty incarnate. He couldn't pick out a single flaw on her face; and he was an extremely critical sort.

But beauty, of course, was entirely superficial. Princess Amelia was a noble, and more than that, a woman. Doubtless she, like others of her kin, was shallow, and cared only for money and success. Well, two could play at that game.

He accepted the proffered hand graciously, pressing his lips against her fingers. The princess's hand was warm and delicate; the sort of hand that had never known a hard day's work. He imagined that his own hand was far rougher than what she was used to, although he took great pains to be gentle with her. It wouldn't do if he accidentally injured Her Highness, after all.

"Edward Ross," he said, by way of introduction. "I am no lord, although I am a man of considerable means. I recently acquired the rights to the local chapter of the Fishmongers' Guild." Granted, he did so by tricking the heiress into signing away the rights to said guild by disguising it as a prenup, but it wasn't like she had the money to contest that in court. In the eyes of the law, it was a completely legal arrangement.

"May I just say, I'd heard tell of your beauty, Highness, but to see the real thing for myself... I hardly think myself worthy of the honor." He gave an embarrassed sort of chuckle, as though the words had just slipped out of his mouth. "Apologies; I'm not usually so forward." That much was true; normally he played hard to get, but he needed to pull out all the stops to make sure the Princess was interested.

[Mr. Moon]

Amelia (NPC) #2

Whoever was this stranger, he accomplished his first task. He made the princess interested, although it was for the price of suspicion and slight ire from her father, that was sitting just next to her.

“No lord?”
She asked, as if she was weighting his words. It was true, that his hand was rough and strong. Much rougher than that of normal nobleman she ever met. But was that a bad thing? No, not even in slightest. If anything, that made him much more welcomed company in her eyes.

“Well, that´s fortunate.”

She continued with a gentle smile on her face.

“Just when I was thinking how dull and boring this event is, a fresh face showed up. I hope you won´t lose your courage and will ask me to a dance sir.”

With that, she pulled her hand back, gently hinting, that it´s a time for him to move away. At least for now. After all, he wasn´t the only one who wanted to greet the princess or introduce to her. The nobles were lining up for this honor. Some obviously, some less so, with most of them being much more worth of her attention, at least according to her father. However, the princess herself was ignoring most of them. Still thinking about the mysterious stranger. Although, she was trying not to show it, she couldn´t wait for the moment, when the music will start, hoping that he will be the first one to ask her for a dance.

Lost in her thought, she was greeting one noble after another, without giving much attention to them, or anything else, that was happening around her. Shame, otherwise, she would notice, that after Edward walked away, he summoned a short yet sturdy man, that was standing in shadows behind his throne, whispering him few silent words, that without a doubt were concerning that unwelcome guest.

[Aromancer]

The man smirked to himself as he walked away, leaving the princess to greet the other nobles. He noted, with some consternation, her father's looming disapproval; men never did seem to fall for his charms the way women did. Ah, but that merely showed the wisdom of the superior sex.

Ah. His Majesty had summoned somebody else to court. A short, stocky man who appeared to be a skilled combatant. Ross probably had the physical skill necessary to best him, but physical skill was hardly the end-all, be-all in a fight. This man probably had some martial technique that would best him if the night came to blows. He quickly averted his eyes, hoping the newcomer hadn't noticed him looking.

The only thing to do was ensure that no violence were to come that night. Eddy would need to stay in Amelia's periphery for the entire night. So long as she was close by, he doubted that the man would try anything. He was loyal to the king, after all, and the king didn't want to distress his beloved daughter.

He walked back through the party some more, socializing with other patrons and doing his best to put on the air of a high-class man of sophistication and wit. Always, he'd keep his attention on the corners of his eyes, where Amelia and the man, who was thankfully sticking to the shadows, were constantly on his mind.

Finally, the music came on. Time to make his move. As the princess had requested, Edward quickly approached her throne once more. He bowed his head low, his entire body tensed just in case the stocky man made a move. "May I have this dance, Princess?" It was a jaunty tune, one he would supplement with much jovial spinning once the pair of them hit the dance floor, although he would make sure to take her along for the ride.

[Mr. Moon]

Amelia (NPC) #3

The seemingly endless line of nobles slowly disappeared, leaving the princess alone with her father and his master of spies, who was however hiding in the shadows so well he was basically invisible to an untrained eye of the princess.

"I hope you won't spend the whole evening with this...gentleman."

Her father picked this moment to finally speak his mind. Using the word gentleman with a tone usually reserved for the worst insults.

"There are some among our guests who already showed interest in marrying you, so if nothing else you should spend some time with them. Lord Maverick…"

The princess frowned.

"Lord Maverick would bore a stone statue to death."

She complained, while still looking at the stranger as if she was daydreaming.

"And don't worry father, I am not planning to run away with him...after all we just barely met."

Amelia winked at her father, who was trying to hide the overwhelming anger he felt with all his mind before she turned back to Edward who just came to her, attracting the irritated gaze of several noblemen.

“My lord, you can not even imagine how glad I am that you found your way back to me.”

She responded to his question, quickly leaving her seat before anyone could stop her. Following Edward down on the dance floor.

Princess Amelia was nothing if not a superb and very spirited dancer. Whatever the music, whoever her partner, she knew how to adjust her steps and submit to her partner´s lead to create work of art from any dance she partake. It was one of the few pastimes that we allowed her after all and so she had lots of time to practice on top of her natural talent.

She offered Edward not only the first dance of the evening, but also several others, attracting more and more attention from other nobles towards him, with most of them not even trying to hide their hostility towards this unwelcomed man. So it didn´t take long, three dances actually, before one of them voiced his opinion. It was lord Maverick. Tall and athletic looking man in his late twenties, maybe early thirties, with short black hair, stern face and the posture typical for soldiers who approached the two of them, completely ignoring Edward, while addressing the princess:

“Your highness, may I have this dance?”

[Aromancer]

Eddy narrowed his eyes somewhat towards the spymaster. The man was good; if he hadn't seen the king interacting with him earlier, he may not have noticed him at all. Every now and then, the spymaster shifted position, and it took all his effort for Ross not to whip his head about in search of him. But it should be alright; the spymaster hadn't yet made a move, so he should be safe.

"I'm impressed by your skill on the dance floor, Your Highness." Edward was accustomed to taking the lead such that his partner could only barely keep up; yet his spirited maneuvers were matched step-for-step by Amelia. "You show a proficiency at Alabastan Kathak that I have seen in very few people!"

Their dance was rudely interrupted by Lord Maverick. Edward had run into this man earlier; he had a surprising shrewdness in economic affairs, and was bleeding his subjects dry while throwing down just enough crumbs of public service from on high to keep them happy. The princess seemed to find his fascination with tax policy rather droll.

Well, he certainly couldn't allow the lord to take Amelia, in any case. That would be suicide; if the king got him alone, he'd almost certainly find himself in a rather intimate meeting with the stocky spymaster whom he seemed to have lost track of. So he boldly stepped between the two of them and adopted a masculine posture.

"The princess is a delicate flower," he explained coldly, "and she requires a watchful eye to protect her from those who would... pluck her." He turned back to wink at Amelia, letting her know his words were mostly facetious. Expressing suspicion of Lord Maverick was basically the only way she could justify refusing his request, but to do so herself might cause a political scandal. Fortunately, she had a man with no noble rank by her side to play the part.

[Mr. Moon]

Amelia (NPC) #4

The princess showed charming smile in response to Edward´s flattery.

“Ah you are too kind sir. It´s just that there is not much to do, so I had lots of time for pursuing the only worthwhile past time I could get.”

She explained her position, with a smile, that however turned into sour expression when lord Maverick showed up. And not only him. As he came to ask for a dance, the spymaster too emerged from a curtains on other side of the ballroom, watching Edward with a smirk on his face, before disappearing once again in the shadows. Was this all part of his plan and if yes? What kind of reaction he expected from the young man and princess?

Well there wasn´t much time to think as the risk of being left alone without the protection of princess was too great and so Edward chose to step out, against the nobleman.

“Were you talking to me?”
He asked, clearly offended by the mere fact that someone who wasn´t noble born dared to address him.

“If you had just a drop of noble blood I would challenge you to a duel right here and now, but like this...”

The princess stepped forward with a smile on her face.

“Well, in that case it´s too bad that sir Edward isn´t noble born, right?”
She asked, obviously pleased, with the fact, Edward acted first, putting hand on his shoulder.

“Dear sir...I am tired of dancing. Would you be so kind and accompany me to a garden? I would love to continue our conversation about the things you saw during your travels.”

Lord Maverick frowned, his hand moving to a place where usually was a sword, but where was nothing except decorated belt this time.

“Princess, is it...”

Suddenly cold voice, that appeared right behind the two of them interrupted his speech.

“You don´t have to worry about the safety of her highness your lordship, I can accompany them to make sure there won´t be any…gossips.”

The spymaster entered the scene.

[Aromancer]

"Really? Dance is the only worthwhile pastime for one such as yourself?" Edward was a little... disheartened to hear that. Surely, nobles with so much free time to spend at their leisure would be able to find something to do with it all! "Have you taken an interest in statecraft at all?"

The state of the nobility truly was a travesty, when the crown princess cared more for dancing than doing her actual job. Really, Edward would be doing everyone a favor once he liberated the royal family from the treasure that was their only claim to the throne. It might lead to a bit of a civil war, but if Eddy was right about the nature of the royal treasure... he might just be able to achieve victory singlehandedly!

---

The taller man scoffed at Maverick's attempt to impress with the threat of the duel that never would be. "And how lucky you are," he added on to the princess's statement, "that I will not be dueling you! It would be a terrible stain on the House of Maverick to be bested by one of common blood!"

He held out his arm to the princess. "I would be honored to see the garden with you, Your Highness." His triumphant smirk suddenly turned into a scowl of distaste, one that downturned every feature of his face and gave him a dark, foreboding aura just for a fleeting moment, as he heard the Spymaster speak up behind him. He instantly composed himself, however, not wanting to allow anyone to catch on to his true nature.

"Ah, the elusive spymaster, I presume!" Eddy was all smiles as he turned to greet the stocky man. "I was wondering when you would join the party! It's an honor to make your acquaintance, truly an honor!" He held out his hand for a friendly shake, hoping to intimidate the man with his grip strength upon acceptance. It was a cheap trick, but good for establishing dominance amongst the feeble-bodied nobles.

"Listen, I'm sure you're a very busy man," he said, "and I'd hate to take up too much of your time. The princess and I were hoping for a more... intimate setting. I'm sure you understand; you look like the sort of man who's had plenty of intimate moments with the ladies, yourself!" He gave a jovial laugh at the compliment, done entirely for show. "So if you wouldn't mind leaving the Princess and I to our business, we'll leave you to yours. Deal?"

He leaned in close, letting the spymaster get a good look at eyes that were pools of darkness, belying none of the humor that played in Eddy's voice. The implicit threat was clear.

[Mr. Moon]

Amelia (NPC) #5

Lord Maverick´s face turned red as he heard the insult thrown at him, his hand gripping the handle of his sword so hard that his knuckles turned white, but almost everyone presents completely ignored him as the attention was fully focused on the spymaster and Edward.

“I prefer the Minister of Interior.”

The short and stocky man grinned, accepting Edward´s handshake. His hand however was nothing like that of the local nobles. It was the hard, calloused hand of someone who was used to hard physical work or exercise. The spymaster didn´t even flinch when the young thief griped his hand and instead matched the strength of his handshake with his own.

“How generous of you.”

He replied ironically looking into Edward´s eyes without a single hint of fear of interest. This guy wasn´t someone who could be easily threatened. On the contrary, he looked like the only competent person among the king´s retinue. One, that definitely wasn´t a stranger to a fight.

“Sir Kallavan I am sure you mean no harm, but surely you can see this is a bit too much? I wish to spend some time with sir Edward alone. This is a royal palace, what could possibly happen to me?”

The spymaster sighed in response.

“I am no sir my lady and neither is this…gentleman.”

He used the word gentleman as if it was a terrible curse of some sort.

“And with all due respect my lady, it´s not my job to heed to your wishes, but to keep you safe.”

Amelia frowned.

“But I am your princess!”

Her voice perhaps a bit louder than it should be definitely drew a lot of attention to your little group.

“And your father is my king. Guess whose order is more important for me.”

The spymaster didn´t backed down an inch.

[Aromancer]

Edward's confidence began to waver. This "Sir Kallavan..." he'd taken him for just another pampered noble who'd earned his position through nepotism, but it seemed that was not the case. The king's spymaster was easily the most competent man here, except perhaps himself. Edward wondered if he truly took orders from the king, or if this master of espionage had more power than he let on...

"Minister of the Interior, then," Edward said, after a moment's handshake. "Apologies if I offended you... Sir Kallavan." There was no threat in his words or his eyes, neither fear nor respect. No smile or frown graced his face. Rather, he seemed... curious. Analytical. He placed Amelia's arm in his own as he pondered this new situation.

Making matters worse were the extra eyes on them. Eddy could take no action against Kallavan without an awful lot of witnesses, and he wasn't quite ready to start bashing the heads of every noble in the Hidden Kingdom just yet.

But maybe... maybe he could use this situation to his advantage? He leaned over to whisper in Amelia's ear.

"Princess..." he murmured softly, haltingly, "I... hesitate to suggest this, but... might there be somewhere we could go that Sir Kallavan is not allowed to traverse, on the king's orders? Perhaps there we might find some privacy?"

If there were, it could only be one place: the place where laid the mystical treasure that gave the royal family power on this island; the mysterious Devil Fruit in their possession. This way, he could get Amelia to take him right there! And she would simply think he wanted some quality alone time with her!

[Mr. Moon]

Amelia (NPC) #6

The spymaster accepted Edward´s handshake, without breaking the eye contact with him. And similarly, to the young thief, there were basically no emotions in his cold eyes, only simple calculation.

“You don´t have to apologize. No offense was taken.”

He folded his arms on his chest, waiting for the two of them to walk into the garden, only for Edward to start whispering into the princess´s ear. As for the princess herself, she paused for a moment after hearing his suggestion, only to smile back at him.

“There is one.”

She whispered.

“The royal treasury is banned to everyone except the king, but I just so happen to have a key.”

She smiled victoriously.

“Princess, don´t.”

The spymaster frowned, seemingly having hearing way sharper than a normal human should have.

“Your father…”

Amelia grinned.

“My father seems to be preoccupied right now, but perhaps you can go and try to petition for an exception for yourself?”

Kallavan followed her line of sight to a table near the throne, where the king was drinking heavily with one of the ladies in waiting. Cursing, the spymaster headed to the table, while Amelia grabbed Edwards hand and rushed out of the main hall.

“Quickly, father really doesn´t like any visitors there.”

She laughed, leading the young man through the maze of palace corridors and hallways towards the basement, where she stopped in front of large steel doors with two numerical locks and one mechanical one.

“Princess what are you doing here? Who is this man?”

Two guards standing in front of it were confused.

“This is sir Edward, my new friend. I would like to show him around. Is there a problem with that?”

The two men looked at each other.

“Princess…you know that your father banned everyone from here. Only his majesty himself can enter, that were his orders…”

[Aromancer]

Eddy smirked victoriously as Kallavan walked away to petition the king to allow him enter the royal treasury. That would probably take quite a bit of time, although he certainly didn't want to tempt fate by waiting around.

"Yes, of course, Princess!" He said, accepting her hand. "Lead the way!" He took her hand perhaps a little too roughly, although it was for but a moment before he relaxed his grip once more and allowed him to lead her to the most well-guarded valuables in the kingdom.

Soon they arrived, stopping in front of a pair of steel doors with devious locks. Breaking in would ordinarily be quite difficult, indeed... but Edward was taking the easy way in.

He allowed Amelia to speak to the guards, but his lovestruck expression took on a sour, deadly expression when they held the pair of them up. Keep it together, Ross. You're not getting in there without her help.

"You would dare to question your princess, the heir to the throne?" He asked the guards. "You know, a less tolerant kingdom would call that insubordination, and try you accordingly."

The guards were noticeably shaken by this, and provided the princess supported his words, parted to allow her and Eddy inside.

He took a deep breath and turned back to Amelia, the smile returning to his face. "Please, let's be inside before Kallavan gets your father's attention!"

Once she unlocked the door, the tall, handsome man took Amelia's hands in his own. "I confess," he said to her, "it's always been my dream to behold the greatest treasures of this land... but it's come true before I even stepped inside the treasury." With that, he opened the door to behold the wonders within.

[Mr. Moon]

Amelia #7 (NPC)

Both guards looked at each other, unsure what to do, especially after Edward took the initiative and started talking to their princess almost as if he was the one with the royal authority there.

Even the princess herself looked confused for a moment, before, quickly nodding before supporting Edward´s claim.

“Yes! I am your princess if you didn´t notice, heiress to the throne and I demand access to the treasury!”

The guardsmen turned pale, still unwilling to move from their place.

“But…your majesty, your father the king…”

Amelia frowned.

“Isn´t here, so I have the highest authority now. If you have any problems with that you can go and ask him. But then you might also lose your job…if not anything more valuable…”

One of the guards swallowed emptily and slowly nodded.

“As…as you wish princess…”

They stepped aside, the taller one from this duo reaching for the keys to open the doors to the vault.

“And now leave us.”

The guardsmen looked at her, eyes wide open.

“But…your majesty…”

Impatient, Anabella stomped on the ground with her small foot, nearly breaking the heel of her boot.

“It´s an order guardsman! I expect you to follow it!”

Once again, the two looked at each other, before carefully bowing their heads.

“As…as you wish princess.”

With that, they headed outside at the other end of the corridor, while Amelia followed Edward into the vault. Large, steel-lined room, filled with gold, cash, art, jewellery, even several rare weapons, and one, small, but sturdy-looking chest, that was placed on a pedestal in the middle of it.

“Oh, Sir. Ross, you shouldn´t flatter me so much or I start to blush.”

She giggled, taking the stranger around his waist.

“So…what´s the plan? I doubt it will take lord Kallavan a long to convince my father to break here with all the guardsmen he can muster…”

[Aromancer]

Edward gave a sardonic smile to the guards as they stepped aside to allow Amelia through. Honestly, the princess was seriously trying his patience. She was so full of herself; constantly pulling rank and demanding that others capitulate to her capricious whims. All women were shallow creatures, but Amelia was especially so. It only served to confirm his preconceptions about the fairer sex.

As they entered, Ross felt the princess's arm wrapping around his waist, but he paid it no mind. His attention was focused on the large room they had just entered. The treasury was impressive, as treasuries went; the art and weapons on display were certainly beautiful, and priceless beyond measure, but they were worthless in comparison to the prize he was after.

There, in the center of the room, sat a chest atop a pedestal, spotlit by a mirror that reflected the moon's light from above. "At last..." Eddy approached the chest with reverential awe, easily extricating himself from Amelia's clingy arms. He placed his hands on either side of the chest, lifting it from the pedestal with an uncharacteristically soft touch. Then he turned around, chest in hand, and smirked cockily at Amelia.

"The plan, Princess, is to take you hostage."

He grabbed a jewel-encrusted dagger from the wall, and held it to her throat. "His Majesty won't challenge me as I escape with his second-most prized possession if the life of his most prized possession is at stake!"

His grip was much harder, much more rough as he pulled the Princess back out of the treasury, her throat at daggerpoint as he made his way towards the castle exit, planning to head for the docks where the fishing boats he'd recently acquired were moored. It was the perfect escape!