((OOC - Yeah, Blue's MIA, so let's go on? Hopefully my post quality will increase later on.))

((Right right.))

In an unspoken agreement, Niniva lead the way, creeping low by the walls and even informing them on how to knock out guards without bloodshed. Damocles was not worried. He could use his authority, after all, he carried the seal of a Knight-Commander of the Gavaroche Royal Guard on his arm, as well as the coat of arms on his tabard. Well it was pretty useful to know. Though whether he'd live to use it afterwards was another matter.

When they came up to a locked gate, Niniva, like a thief, picked the lock and soon she entered. Almost immediately, Damocles remembered that they were still technically intruders, and if this was truly a keep, a magi could have laid traps and detectors around. Before she could go any further, Damocles held her by her shoulder.

"Not so fast," he hissed, "There may be magi."

He gestured for Rono.

"Rono, can we have some of your salt?"

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, the blaze that was started by the battle only grew taller and even more fierce. The Mistress had entered the field.

(((Finally.)))

Rono followed along, and learned how to knock out someone using a choker hold from Niniva (as she led the way), and took note to ask her how to pick a lock after this was done. Before she started to move on, Damocles stopped her, and gestered for him. "Rono, can we have some of your salt?" he said.

Retriving a bag, Rono grimaced as he realized he had only one left, and forgot to refill the other. "Last one" he told Damocles, and gave the bag.

((Can we just move on, it's been a week, and I've been feeling zippy lately, if that was even a word.))

((Well it seems it may be just us two if nobody else continues but let us anyway. Kiki please do something ))

"Last one," Rono mentioned as he passed the salt.

"That'll be enough for us all until we can get some more."

Damocles took the bag of say and took a pinch of it. For some reason, salt seemed an effective magic dampener. It would be enough to counteract most magical surveillance or traps. As long as no one was using an artefact, like say a crystal ball, they would not be spotted. Even then, they would appear as a blur. Sounds on the other hand would be pretty easy to pick up regardless of whether they had salt on them or not. Such magic relied on capturing sound waves, not active probing and salt did very little to dampen sound. The salt was thrown on to his shoulders, from there, the grains would easily fall down on the rest of his body as moved. He urged Niniva to do the same as Rono was a seasoned adventurer.

"Quickly now, Niniva, goodness knows who could be watching us," Damocles spoke quickly yet quietly, "We are here to find the Princess not partake in war. Leave the talking to me."

With that said, he stood up straight and despite the figure he cut in the middle of the shrubbery, he walked forward with a great stride. Each filled with purpose. If he was going to wield his title, might as well do it now. Any of these well-fed imps would have heard enough of and old dog of war such as he and such pups would do well to listen.

OOC: <.< Sorry

Abi eventually grew bored of playing with the bangles that jingled on her arms. She was tired of waiting in the room, she felt very much like an animal waiting to be sent to the slaughter house. She looked over at Sanskrit, he no longer sat upon the large coloured pillow, he had gotten up a half an hour ago and now prowled back and forth in anticipation. She knew how he felt, she wanted to do something useful as well, though she knew it would be pointless to attempt to ask the pompous governor-general if she could do anything. She smiled, as she remembered her glass ball, kept concealed within her sleeves.

She straightened her arm and it rolled down, landing perfectly in her palm, shining brilliantly. As if she had just taken it out of the magical fires it had been formed within. She set the ball onto a low table and sat beside it with her legs crossed. She placed both of her hands over the ball and they began to faintly glow a pale blue. The glass ball began to fill with what appeared to be clouds, which unceasingly tumbled around within.

"Show me those who seek the princess" she said to the ball. The clouds spiralled and then faded away, revealing the fiery witch, she nodded to herself, she knew it was she who now attacked the city. The glass ball filled with clouds again, and then faded away to reveal soldiers, none of whom she had met fighting near the walls. The glass ball filled once more, though this time when the clouds disappeared the vision seemed blurry. Abi leaned closer to the ball, trying to glimpse what was there, none of the people could be seen, though she knew that what ever or who ever it was, was inside the fortress, as she had recognized the walls.

She immediately got up, the princess was in danger, did the guards not see that they had intruders? Intruders, who perhaps had some sort of magic that prohibited her glass ball from seeing all clearly. Sanskrit eyed Abi, unsure of what she had seen, but too proud to come alongside her and view what she was seeing in the glass ball. He had to admit that she had talented. Abi walked over to his side and gave him an awkward curtsy.

"Your esteemed highness" she said hoping the Djinn would heed her wish. "Master of the skies, of the wind-"

"Get on with it" said Sanskrit impatiently

"There are intruders within the castle in search of the princess. Could you please expel them or at least hinder them while we escape?"

"As you wish Speaker" he said bowing his head, and stepping away from the girls toward the nearest window. Abi was initially shocked by the djinn's willingness to listen to her, he had even called her "Speaker". She resisted the urge to grin proudly and watched as Sanskrit jumped gracefully onto a windowsill.

"Until next time, dearest princess" he said as he bowed once again to her majesty. Before their eyes he seemed to be blown away yet, become part of the wind, as if he were a sandcastle. That was when they heard the roar of what seemed to be a powerful wind, Abi rushed to close the shutters, preventing dust and debris from entering the room.

"What shall we do now your majesty?" asked Abi as the gale continued to howl and grow. Winds surged through hallways, knocking over and buffeting anyone or anything that got in its way. Tornadoes touched down as funnel clouds extended from the heavens, quite shocking since the sky had been a clear blue a second before. Sanskrit, now in his true form, tried not to hurt anyone innocent, but all that got in his way would be at the mercy of his tamable spirit.

Crouched among the shrubs and Flora, she nodded back at him. "Alright" She replied back quietly, taking upon the remnants of the bag and splashing the last remaining bits of salt over her chest and shoulders. She hadn't known of any magick based surveillance before, this much through her off her game and made her slightly uneasy.
Keeping her head low, her body in a crouching position, she maneuvered forth through the garden towards the keep, the scent of embers, lively plants and her companions subtle perspiration wafted through her sensitive senses, among them however, the faint and distinct aroma of magical essence. Indeed they all seemed to be right.. thankfully they had known what she hadn't. It was but another aspect of these lands that she found foreign and unfamiliar. She was constantly forced to adapt.
Nonetheless, she kept in toe with Damocles as she neared the keeps walls, preparing for infiltration. In and out.. just in and out.. no fuss she assured herself, ignoring the doubt lingering in her mind. There was something to the very texture of the air that kept her on edge, a reverberation from the atmosphere itself that sparked her very adrenaline.

She leaned up against the side of a particularly large marble statue in the figure of presumably an old lord of the keep. The Hefty rock concealing her , visually from onlookers from the keep itself. Peeking her head out the side, she called out to the two of them. "Something Isn't right..I feel a tenseness in the air.. I don't know what it is.. tread carefully"

((OOC: Joining this guys. Still not too clear on the situation, so I'll post to the best of my knowledge. If something is wrong, go ahead an ignore it.
Also, please forgive me for such a short post.))

Gunnar watched the burning battle rage on. He scratched his stub of what was once his right arm, and then quickly grasped his broadsword tightly with his single hand. He sat upon the ground, eying the scene around him. The keep was under his constant attention, there was something in there important, and he had to watch it.
He relaxed his nervous grip on the broadsword. His large, muscular arms also relaxing from the stress being removed.
He craned his neck as he saw a spry figure dance along the area of the keep. Feminine, most definitely. He could trust his eye for now, for even though he had but one, it was quite sharp. He didn't plan on it dulling just yet, but he still wasn't sure.

He stood up from his surveillance point, stretching his left arm and right stub out to the sky. He gripped the hilt of the broadsword once again, swiftly unearthing it from the ground in which it was entrenched. He slowly swung the broadsword over his shoulder and began his descent down the hill.

"So, are you my ally or my enemy?" he muttered into the empty space before him. "We'll find out."

There was now a slope that ran up to the keep. Then the winds picked up. That was odd indeed. The high walls of the keep should have kept most of the wind out. A trap, magical in nature of course, perhaps, and Damocles ordered them all to a halt and turned to Mumm'ra.

"Do you feel anything," he asked the Salamander.

"Yes, these winds are alive," Mumm'ra seemed to have mused, "He seems to be a very old uncle indeed."

The Salamander felt the ebb and flow of a Djinn's power. It was strong and yet it felt as old as time itself. Not that time was a spirit or anything. In terms of age, Mumm'ra was young for a spirit. Barely half a century old, yet he held much power already. Only a Djinn would still show defiance in the face of such a feat. But that was perhaps why they were mutual enemies.

"I shall go greet this old geezer, go on without me," Mumm'ra said with finality.

Damocles was not going to question the opinion of one with so attuned to magic. It was not his field of expertise. Mumm'ra then rose up in his majestic winged form, higher in the night sky wings spread wide, held aloft by generating his own thermals. It was like an open challenge to whatever occupied the air space. It was a c*** move, perfect for drawing out any arrogant Djinn who could stand up to him.

Niniva, Rono and Damocles continued on quickly. They were not far up the hell before they spotted someone coming down. The moon couldn't illuminate much from where they were standing but one thing was for sure, it was a man with one arm. Strange to find a veteran like him on sentry duty. One armed men certainly had little use in Gavaroche but this was Lexmada. Once again, Damocles signalled for a halt and waited for the stranger to approach.

Gunnar felt the winds hiss at his neck as he gradually straggled down the hill. The broadsword on his shoulder amounted to little weight compared to his massive body. He stared down at the figures below his standings. Each was clearly visible in the moon's light.
He gripped the hilt tightly. He would rather not fight anyone, but he continually thought of protecting 'her'. That was the job assigned, and he could not fail the task.

"The wind's fangs are sharp tonight." He voiced out the the figures. "Why do you wish to tempt the jaws which hunger for flesh?"

Gunnar lifted the sword from his shoulder, and set it calmly and gracefully, pointing straight at the figures. His arm held the weight evenly and had no hints of faltering under the size of the massive blade.

"I do not wish to fight, this is my only warning to you. Leave 'her' to be, or the steel blade of Gunnar Regis shall not falter as it rips through your flesh and bone. I must protect."

Though, he wondered who this 'she' could be. He was told it was a common woman, in fact, one he knew. But he could not remember a time when he knew a woman. Those delicate creatures so fine. How he could have laid a finger on a soft breast, a beast as himself? The men before had planned, and he was but the fodder.

The man was gruff, almost feral. Damocles was wary of men such as them. This one however, seemed to be articulate enough to issue a warning. They'll get to Chataigne eventually but the sooner the better. Turning to face his companions, he reached in to his vestments and produced his seal. It was a simple stalk of ivory with minuscule engravings on it. Only one with the appropriate looking glass would be able to read the what was written. He had only two of them. One of them was kept on his person at all times as it was his will. The other was one for those that needed to speak in his stead. The latter was handed over to his two companions.

"If we get separated, such as if I were to start fighting, make sure you deliver this to the Princess. She will understand," he whispered quietly.

With that he quickly turned around and drew his short sword. He kept it pointed downwards and near his side. Then again, he was glad that his opponent's blade seemed wide. Wide for cutting and even if his opponent where to lunge for a thrust at his neck it would amount to nothing as only a bodkin arrowhead could penetrate his chain mail. His sword was much shorter of course as it was designed for use with a shield. The Mistress has long melted it to slag so Damocles would have to improvise if he were to fight seriously.

"What kind of knave is this Gunnar Regis who would obstruct Damocles Methusaleh?" he answered matching this Gunnar person's proclamation with his own, "You of Lexmada shall be the last person I will hear of protecting something, kidnapper. A knight does not keep his Princess waiting so step aside."

OOC: I was waiting for someone else to post, to give fair turns, but I'm a bit antsy tonight.

The title, 'kidnapper', stung Gunnar's pride. He did not even completely understand the entire situation at hand, and now the man was just slinging petty insults at him. He lowered his broadsword, digging it straight down below the surface earth and leaned against it. Even with his size, the sword did not wobble under the pressure.

"'I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; A stage, where every man must play a part, And mine a sad one.'"

He paused once he called out these lines, closing his eye.

"I am not of Lexmada, and do not deserve the highest honor of being labeled a 'kidnapper'" He shot out. "Furthermore, I do not understand the consequences of what is taking place at this very moment. I am merely a man who wandered in and was hired."

He opened his eye again and sent his piercing gaze out at the man standing before him.

"But there is something precious to me in that keep, and for that, I protect this hill before it. If you may, perhaps, persuade me to allow passage, I will ponder, and possibly, rethink, my involvement with Lexmada in this wretched mess."

He gripped the sword and ripped it from the earth, holding it steady in his hand.

"But until then, no matter how reluctant I am to create conflict, I am the enemy. Your enemy."

Rono nodded, and reached for the seal. He felt he shouldn't take such a thing, and he slowly moved it towards Niniva, if she wanted to take it instead of leaving it with him. Nevertheless, he watched the confrontation between Gunnar and Damocles.

Gunnar seemed very dangerous, even without an arm. At least he bothered with talking first, Rono thought. It seemed that the trio could possible convert him to their side with what the was saying, yet Rono wasn't fluent in persuading others, and didn't know much about the charisma of Niniva and Damocles. So, he continued to view this, until someone makes an action.

((Where's Nini? I did my part now.))