Zuria Kingdom

[Bloodedge]

Hector bowed his head upon hearing that the queen was pleased with his information. He did as he always would, sparing no truth when reporting to his superior. "I have faith that you will spare no wrath for those who cross you," he stated. Cador heard this exchange, and felt strangely about it. Jason... he knew of that name from his own visit to the desert, though he'd never met the man himself. The stories he heard made him wonder how things would truly turn out, for the one known as Jason was considered quite twisted in his own right. Well, that wasn't the problem of most people here. The big problem was how ready Kolin was to set out immediately. A quick glance occurred between Cador and Arthur, both believing things were soon to take an earlier turn than they'd hope for.

Most excited of anyone (bar perhaps Dagonet, as he generally was) was Leorio. Finally, his darling queen had proper use of him! The king wore an ear-to-ear grin as he rose, more than prepared to escort Kolin at her leisure. "Of course, my darling!~ I'll summon our Love Chariot right away~" the young king said, wasting no further time before making his way out. He would go on to summon a large chariot boasting a blue and silver motif, seemingly self-driven and large enough for three riders. In addition to this vehicle, there were numerous smaller chariots each large enough for two. This was Leorio's ability─ the mounts to carry forth a small army with his own power. The courtyard would soon be used as a runway for his mounts' takeoff, whenever Kolin emerged from the castle and gave the order to transport her forces. Meanwhile, Cador spoke up at last. "Your Grace, may I ask if you intend to deliver our full forces right away?"

[Apollymi]

Yep, Hector was definitely one of Kolin's favorites. He understood her very well, if the ship's captain didn't simply go along with what she wanted. She'd make sure he suffered after she got where she wanted to be, after all, she was quite patient, as was made obvious by the long and drawn out plan she had. Though most would just consider that sheer madness if they knew both the plan and the reason behind it. "I'm pleased Hector, though I can not allow you rest at the moment, you will be rewarded at some point for your words," Kolin stated plainly. She did love having her ego fluffed, even if that wasn't the intention. Though this wouldn't last too long as a sigh would soon escape her. If she managed to get all of them passage across the desert she'd likely heave Leorio overboard at her earliest convenience. She'd have him to wander the desert for the sin of possessing such a tiny dick and such a random amount of infatuation. It was as if he actually thought himself worthy of attention. His words even managed to irritate her further, their 'Love Chariot'? Transport was about the only thing the boy king was good for, but no matter. If her performed properly at least his departure wouldn't be a death for him. She scoffed and shoo'd him away with a wave of her hand, it was about as much acknowledgement as he'd ever receive from her.

Still there were other more pressing problems to deal with, and Cador seemed most apt to speak. Since he'd approached that sentence in the proper way, she'd make sure to praise him before sending him to do his part. "Yes, that is my plan. How very clever of you, Cador... you aren't my best for nothing it seems," she said offering praise to one while shaming the others, another way to keep them mostly on edge around each other. She'd go on to explain herself very carefully as if the plan wasn't obvious to all present. "If we can be off quickly it would be for the best. I'd like to move on from this frozen wasteland and to somewhere warm," she exclaimed seemingly happy about the potential change in climate. "Ah, but I haven't forgotten there are several loose ends to take care of, bring the sorceress here. I've decided what I am going to do with her," she mentioned with a knowing smile. She also knew Cador was the only one besides one of the new ones brave enough to broach that woman for whatever reason. No matter, it would be fine. She'd turn her gaze towards the court mage and gesture to the area in front of her. With a sigh the buxom woman stood before her, tapping her staff on the ground. This would create the anti-magic circle of Kolin's creation for the sorceress to stand on. 'Stupid cow is nothing but cautious when it comes to her own safety. Well at least there isn't any worries of magic flying at us this way,' thought the woman. "I'm glad you still take orders without being told, Nerys." Kolin mentioned as she wait for the sorceress to be brought before her.

[Bloodedge]

"Thank you, my queen. I will look forward to it. As always, I await your command," Hector stated. Meanwhile, the jester Dagonet was experiencing mock outrage due to the compliments paid to Hector. "What a sha~me. I deliver a most amu~sing tale, yet all credit goes to a lowly knight. Is it the folly of comedy that puts me in this situa~tion? I should consider being more stoic after all~!" he chanted to the universe at large while Hector awaited further instruction.

The praise of Cador's assertion warranted nothing more than glances from most knights... though Lot was an exception among them. The king's own brother, the knight who truly expressed the highest dedication, should have been the one treated in such a way. He should have been even greater, beyond Kolin's top knight; he should have been king! Enough of Cador; that wretch would be dealt with in due time. For now though, he had his uses... like being the one sent off to retrieve that damn sorceress. The purple-haired knight was off after a bow, quick to make his way into the dungeons where Merlyn waited. It would be mere minutes before he stood in front of an open cell, thinking there was little need to explain the situation. "It's half past showtime, Merlyn. And here I thought we had another full day to wait. Oh well; what's to be done about it?"

[Apollymi]

Hector took his praise as gracefully as ever, Dagonet on the other hand, was full of jokes. Perhaps the queen wasn't as easily amused as she thought, something about that man's speech pattern always seemed to annoy her. Her took a jab at the extra praise offered the others and Lot looked about as pleased as a wet cat when Cador was giving praise. This sort of discord was exactly what she aimed for though, so she was nothing but satisfied with it. While the court bristled in its chaotic climate, Merlyn opened her eyes beneath the cover of her hood to view Sir Cador near her open cell door.

He claimed it was half-past showtime. And asked what was to be done about it. A little smirk came over this woman's face, there were a few things which could be done, and all of them would happen in the order they needed to. "Oh, Sir Cador... I thought you liked not being in the know?~" she teased the man as she stood. She pulled that hood of hers just a little bit further down, so that it cloaked the entirety of her face in shadow, and hid all of her person from view. It was rather important that she not be properly seen for a while. "I knew she would falter sooner rather than later, can't trust the timeline of a chaotic psychopath with a god-complex~" she said with a knowing smirk. She wouldn't keep the Queen waiting, there were funny things about to take place. The Queen's plans for her and the others were quite rushed, not well developed or thought through. "I can tell you, it is her general plan to get everyone onto Jason's boat, and then give away myself, Emilia and Guin to Jason in exchange for safe passage. She's even going to offer me a deal... it's so very generous my refusal will get me into a load of trouble~" she said as if the entire thing was amusing. And it was... but that was because there was a bit more to what was going to happen here than what most could know.

[Bloodedge]

Merlyn was indeed prepared for departure. Cador didn't truly expect to be told anything; he'd simply been talking for the sake of doing so. "Well, whether you share or not doesn't matter. I was mostly venting frustration as a question," he said with a shrug. Even so, Merlyn did divulge the queen's plan. It sounded about right; Kolin would easily reduce other women to the playthings of men who sought her favor. On that same note, she would just as easily have them thrown aside for speaking negatively in her presence. Such a thing would be what Merlyn chose to do, without a doubt. "My my. I'll be sure to get a front-row seat, and maybe I'll be lucky enough to take part in the show. Now... my apologies," he concluded as he reached out to take Merlyn by a shackle applied to her neck, while applying a smaller set to her wrists. He could only drag her into the queen's presence in this state, lest things go sour before anything proper could begin.

As if she actually needed to, Merlyn spoke of the 'trouble' she'd be getting in. Cador chuckled, knowing this day would be filled with nothing short of excitement, at the very least. One could only wonder what she would say. How quickly could she antagonize the queen, and how much could said queen actually do in response? What would the attempt even be? There were so many questions, with only the ability to... wait and see.

[Apollymi]

According to Sir Cador it didn't matter if she shared information with him or not. He was apparently just venting is current frustrations. He seemed responsive enough about the plan she'd divulged, and she'd done it so he wouldn't react too quickly to the news of such things. Of course, she'd left out all of the juicier bits, since there needed to be some excitement in their lives. Perhaps it wouldn't be quite so exciting to him, since she'd already told him the secret of her existence. Regardless, she was soon being pulled along by the chain on her neck with new little shackles on her wrists. "I am aghast. Chained like an animal... whatever will I do?~" she said in the most dramatic way possible. Though if she was being fair, she didn't really mind getting led around by Sir Cador in such a way... maybe he'd develop some new desires from this day and they could revisit this in a more... comfortable situation. Still, Merlyn could do nothing but look forward to this particular climax and smile. She'd keep her head tilted down looking at her chained hands as she was dragged along. Of course, that hood of hers covered her entire face in shadow, if only to spare those around her.

While the prisoner and Cador made their way back, Kolin waited none too patiently. After making everyone wait for her to get to the throne room this morning, at the very least the court wizard, Nerys as she was apparently known was disgusted with her lack of tact. One day, she'd be rid of this woman, perhaps one day soon. She planned to say here, in her enchanted tower, perhaps with an uneasy alliance with Kolin. She couldn't have taken this place from the former Prince and Princess. So, working with Kolin had been ideal... knowing the woman was planning to leave made all of Nerys plans that much easier. Granted she would have preferred if that cur Leorio hadn't funneled literally all the wealth of this place into Kolin's whorehouse. But... money could be remade once the woman was gone. Whenever Cador appeared Kolin would offer him a bit of a warning. "Leave her in the magic circle but do not cross it. I can't lose my best Knight to a punishment meant for a sorceress..." she said as if it was a kindness. In all honesty she might need Cador to be fighting fit in a bit she'd rather not have to figure out how to undo her own magic. She expected Merlyn to be found within the circle shortly.

[Bloodedge]

As was very much her typical way, Merlyn had jokes to offer. Indeed, she was chained like an animal. Would he develop new desires from this, as Merlyn thought? Not quite. One could not develop something they had long since given consideration to, but the idea was also presently swimming around in his head. He would even offer some insight to the current workings of his mind, if only through his response to Merlyn's jest. "What else can you do? Go along with the plan, like a good girl," he said with a snarky grin, continuing to move toward the throne room.

Lo, there was a spell placed in the center of the throne room when they arrived. Cador was advised by the queen herself to guide Merlyn into that magical circle, albeit without crossing it himself. To keep up appearances, he walked to the barrier's edge and stepped behind the sorceress, shoving her toward the designated area with distaste in his visage. "I am grateful for your consideration, Your Grace," he said to Kolin before stepping aside. Whether he would remain near Merlyn at all, take up his post, or anything else, was up to the queen. Cador simply stood aside and awaited further instruction, simultaneously taking note of the daggers being stared in his direction by Sir Lot.

[Apollymi]

"Yes, sir~" Merlyn said with a cheekiness in that voice of hers that could not be missed. "You'll have to make sure to tell me how good of a girl I am though~" she said offering the man a wink from beneath her hood while they walked. But alas careless flirting had to come to an end sometime. Entering the room, Kolin who looked more than a bit anxious gave an order to Cador which had the lass actively stumble within the magic circle on the floor. All for show of course, Merlyn could see the future she knew this would happen, she also knew it was necessary to stumble here to trick Kolin into that strange sense of security. "Oh, how gentle is the Knight's demeanor. If I'd been blessed by the whore goddess I would have fallen on my face~" Merlyn said, and the mage known as Nerys had her eyes widen as she coughed to stifle an involuntary laugh. That would not be going over well, and she knew it, but that was still a funny sentence. Merlyn wasted no time, but she'd also said nothing directly to Kolin in the moment. No, that was said only for those who knew of her prior visit to this same room. She looked down at her feet from the shadow of her hood. "Hoh? You've redecorated..." she said those eyes of hers deep in shadow as she looked at everyone present in this room. Thinking of them as the objects Kolin saw them as... "I don't like it." Still the magic of this anti-magic circle was an extreme detrement to the Queen, because it suppressed magic. So, the enchantments of Merlyn's clothing which kept her from being overly appealing to the opposite sex all the time by her nature, were being stripped for the duration of time she stood here. Though the effect wouldn't be immediate, any man who looked at her for too long would begin by smelling the sweetness of her pheromones.

Kolin's eyes cut in Nerys' direction, but she'd recovered enough for her to assume it was a cough. "Truly days in the dungeon have done nothing for your attitude sorceress," she mentioned with a lax wave. Even so, she had to seem much nicer than she planned to be. "Still, I could simply blame that on you being mad. I am willing to be a bit forgiving," she started which made Merlyn took up at her though those eyes of hers were still hidden. "I'll give you one chance. Remove your hood, give an oath and beg forgiveness. I'll even give you the grace of accompanying us on our little trip to let you prove your worth. Arthur has already sworn himself to me, it would keep you in his company as you are obviously far more attached than he is. You should think it through, within that circle your magic won't work. Take my kindness now, it will not be offered again." Kolin's request might have seemed reasonable but from its inception it was unreasonable. She literally wanted an apology for someone telling her the truth. She rubbed in the idea that Merlyn had some vested interest in Arthur that he didn't share with her, and claimed she could be of use. Classically all of these things were her trying to manipulate someone she couldn't actually control. Merlyn wasn't willing to give this woman the satisfaction. A small smirk appeared on Merlyn's face, she was about to cause a stir, she could feel it in her bones.

[Bloodedge]

"I surely will, so long as you don't act out~" Such was the final retort of Cador prior to their arrival before the queen. He shoved the sorceress into the anti-magic field, and strangely thought nothing of doing so. In fact, the knight wondered if she actually fancied the aggression. Ah, but wait... he shouldn't have been thinking like that, should he? The things he'd said to Merlyn thus far had all been reactive, naturally flowing with the conversation; it wasn't as if his mind passively went to such things─ Or did it? Oh, no; he understood what was happening.

Anti-magic field. The answer was right there. Merlyn couldn't have her attractiveness to the opposite sex taken away; it was a simple fact of her existence that created such an effect. Surely then, there had to be something magical to conceal that part of her. Moreover, Cador was in closer proximity to the sorceress than anyone else; he was the first to feel its effects, and had already been exposed to it enough to take it in a more natural way. This was going to be interesting indeed.

Ah, but Kolin's order, her kind offer, was dangerous for her followers. She wanted the woman to pull back her hood and offer an apology? As if things couldn't become bad enough for the queen in the next few minutes or so, that would surely cause a ruckus... and Merlyn's excitement was almost tangible to Cador. What would he do, then? There was one thing he considered. He could do something while keeping up appearances─ he could strip the sorceress' hood himself. Well... Cador was a man of action, as Merlyn herself said many times. Upholding the visage of an arrogant knight, he grinned and took the initiative. "If I may?" he asked, outstretching his hand and letting it hover just outside the magical field. His query may have seemed to be for Kolin, but no... he was asking the chained sorceress.

[Apollymi]

That shove wasn't necessary something Merlyn was against. She did say she enjoyed men of action and those who made choices of their own accord. Sir Cador happened to be one of those types of men, he fit a lot of her personal preferences, a bit of aggression was included in what Merlyn enjoyed. The same could be said of the woman sitting on the throne, though she was less likely to be obvious about that particular aspect of herself. Whatever the case, with all the current players in place, Merlyn was indeed giddy at this offering. How amazing was it, that the mechanizations of the Queen fit perfectly into helping Merlyn fully manifest her powers? It helped that she was currently blind, that she was tainted by her madness and couldn't tell the difference between a human sorceress and a succubus. Of course, Merlyn went out of her way to appear as human as possible through magical means, but stripping away magic mean they were left with... well everything else.

Going along with Sir Cador's plan Merlyn could have chuckled. Instead, she gave a singular sentence, which also could be taken as being meant specifically for the man in front of her, but instead of it being a negative it was actually aimed at Kolin. "You will regret it." Merlyn said in response to Sir Cador's question, but that was permission for him. Much like he'd granted her when she'd slept the platoon of Knights her first evening in the dungeons, it was a warning opposite of what she intended. Of course, Kolin, in all of her selfish delusions assumed that Cador was asking her permission. And because Merlyn had dared to imply that something negative would happen, she went on to give said permission. "I'll regret it? You have no power here, are you trying to hide some horrible disfigurement?" Kolin questioned while laughing. There would be nothing funnier than the girl pretending to be Merlin being hideous. "Remove her hood!" she exclaimed. She was still waiting on the answer. "And you will give your oath!" Kolin seemed very demanding, and Merlyn only smirked. Today really was worth waiting two days for, she really did enjoy knowing these types down a peg or two.

[Bloodedge]

Regret? That seemed about as clear a sign as any. Additionally, Kolin gave the order to remove Merlyn's hood. What a foolish decision that was. "Kuku~" the Spirit Knight laughed, reaching out farther to take the sorceress' hood in hand. "I hope my lady is pleased," he continued. This, again, was not a statement truly meant for Kolin; it was another for Merlyn herself. With that, he jerked her hood back quickly enough to flutter that nest of white locks atop her head.

Cador was already transfixed, and Arthur felt no overpowering desire for Merlyn aside from accepting her attractiveness. The other men in the room, however, were taken aback immediately. Even Lot, truly Kolin's most loyal servant among the bunch, was enamored with the succubus' visage. How? How could she be more enchanting than that buxom bombshell of a queen? She was shapely, yet so modest that the desire to bed her overthrowing the thirst for Kolin made no sense! Ah, but that modest look was so very appealing in its own way, any man would be a fool to want anything else, right? These were the thoughts flooding Kolin's knights' minds; even the magical jester, Dagonet, was smitten. In fact... he was the first to speak, despite previously being enchanted by Kolin herself. "Sou~desuka~. It seems our prisoner is without a blemish, nor fault, nor cellulite~. She is too magni~ficent to kill, no~? I have o~ther plans for the sorceress, if the queen wishes it so~!"

[Apollymi]

Merlyn's smile got much wider than it had been. This was way too much fun, her nest of silver white hair was tossed by the movement of her hood. And that little cowlick of hair on top of her head bounced ever so slightly. Again, the only person in the entire room who was obviously unaffected by her was Arthur which she expected. Kolin herself didn't see what the big deal was, she was a cute girl, but not much more in the eyes of the queen. But the Queen was protected from Merlyn by her own madness, still she looked far too similar to the male Merlin for Kolin's liking. "So you made yourself a copy of that annoying mage employed by that flat-chested bitch. So what?" Kolin had started to make further demands, until she had a look around and noticed that all the eyes in the room were on Merlyn. She was trying to keep control of this situation, but it was spiraling too quickly.

Still, Merlyn looked up slowly opening those glowing magenta eyes of hers, as the smitten Dagonet sung her praises before his Queen. Nerys looked onwards. Though she wasn't physically smitten with Merlyn, Kolin's court mage... felt the lass was obviously beautiful. Beyond that Nerys got the strange sensation in her chest. She would do what Merlyn asked of her, no matter what it was. She felt like a trustworthy individual, way more worth connecting to than one such as Kolin. A simple laugh left Merlyn's lips, she couldn't help it, this whole thing was too funny. "Haha~ The magically enchanted jester, really? Poor Dagonet... I did warn you~" Merlyn mentioned, as the chains around her wrists rattled from her random movement. She wanted no more than to toss the locks of her hair with her fingers. "Dagonet is mine!" this is what Kolin responded which only made Merlyn laugh more. "Really? Did he choose that or did you... when you enchanted him so he wouldn't tell jokes at your expense?" Merlyn asked, she still hadn't even begun to say anything about that supposed deal she was offered. "SILENCE!" Kolin had gotten down to single words now, that was making this more amusing. "Nerys what is happening here, did you screw up my spell?" she asked making the assumption that Nerys was responsible for this obvious magical influence that Merlyn was causing. All the while, Merlyn continued to passively effect this group at large, they could see those glowing eyes of hers now, and she turned them to Dagonet. She truly felt pity for this man, who'd been enchanted against his will. Though if he was smitten and since Kolin hadn't given him any orders specifically, if he followed his desire to be nearer to Merlyn and stepped into the Anti-Magic Circle, Kolin's control over him would be lost. She had no intention of taking it, any who knew her... would find that obvious. But here and now as about Knight's Rights.

[Bloodedge]

A little spat between Merlyn and Kolin was of no concern to the men of this room. Bar Arthur, all eyes were on the white-haired sorceress. It would not be solely Dagonet who encroached upon the chained woman, either. Dagonet, Hector, and even Lot drew closer and closer, until all but Arthur and Cador were inside the anti-magic zone. Of course, the former was the only enchanted male among the group. Dagonet had been suffering forced loyalty to a queen he didn't otherwise have reason to not serve; he'd simply been reduced to such a state because she disliked his choice in comedy. What a poor end for a jester, but it would be no more as the enchantment lost its effect. "Finally~! So many jokes unspoken, so many acts never put on~! The wrathful queen's spell is bro~ken? Will she next be melted in the way of the Wicked Witch~?" the redhead chanted while reaching out to place a gentle hand upon either of Merlyn's cheeks. "And what of the so~rceress? With so many vying for her attention~ will she take them all as her playthings now~? Will it only be one? After another? A single choice? Far be it for a humble merrymaker to assume~!"

Of course, during the jester's tangent after being so recently freed, it would be Lot to grab the smaller male by his collar and pull him aside. There was but one way for this to end in the knight's mind. This delectable little spellcaster would be his to tame, and only he could truly answer the call her body so clearly sent out to the masses. "Be silent, clown," the knight said as both of his hands reached out to Merlyn's chest. "The obvious choice here, is none other than myself. The rest of you are far too weak to satisfy this body."

All the while, Cador fought every urge to laugh. Was this what he'd become like on the previous day? Perish the thought! He and Arthur seemed to be the only remaining men with a sense of self at this point, with the latter never leaving his post and simply... watching, waiting for events to truly unfold.

[Apollymi]

Nerys snapped to attention when she was spoken to, of course, Kolin was trying to blame her for what was happening here. "What? I couldn't even mess something like that up. It is far from complex. Obviously, it is doing its job, undoing the magic around the sorceress... it even freed..." she didn't have to say. Kolin could hear it in Dagonet's voice. Why had all her knights approached this woman? In the seconds it took for her to begin her argument with Nerys every Knight but Cador and Arthur were swarming towards the other woman. And Dagonet was free and making those annoying jokes at her expense. "Ugh, next time I'll just cut his tongue out," Kolin uttered. What a harsh response for such a light jest. "Maybe his eyes too, how dare they all be looking at her and not me!" In truth they really couldn't help themselves. Even so the fault of this was Kolin's so passing blame in this case was completely uncalled for. "Nerys! What is actually happening, what use are you as a court mage if you can't even figure out what sort of sorcery is being cast here!?" she questioned the female wizard. Of course, the man who was the base of her personality scoffed. Leave it to a bimbo with no real magical understanding to blame the other woman in the room for what was happening here.

At the same time, Merlyn found herself being spoken to directly by Dagonet. The man was now free of his need to answer to Kolin, even so because of the lack of enchantments on her person, he couldn't resist her either presently. Still, he was rather funny and his wicked witch comment would cause the white haired lass to giggle. "Hehehe~ that's pretty funny. You're going to be great!~" Merlyn mentioned, she could see very clearly into the future. This one wouldn't remain at Kolin's side. But a slight bit of sadness flashed through the eyes of the succubus. She wouldn't take advantage of this man's lack of ability to resist her. "Not that I don't think you're adorable and all, but I'm no date-rapist and you aren't quite yourself, Sir Dagonet... how about we talk when you are? I only wished to free you, after all, I could hear you asking for help," Her words were a suggestion but she meant for the man to step back and given her power that suggestion could have been one he took to heart. Still there was the matter of Sir Lot, who grabbed for her chest, Merlyn had no outward reaction, but her body still began to feed on this man, though admittedly not in the friendly way she'd fed herself upon Sir Cador previously. Besides that, this energy taking wasn't magical either, it was simply due to the fact that he'd touched her in a manner which could feed her that her body took energy from him, but it wasn't kind. No, if he didn't unhand her... he'd find himself so drained of energy, his physical strength dwindling along with the inability to use magic. He'd be on his knees in seconds, if his hands remained in place. "Are you quite sure about that... I've seen the truth of you Sir Lot, and you truly aren't up to task. No matter what dumb ideas the Queen fills your head with, there is a reason you aren't the best..." she said with a wicked smirk. "Or haven't you noticed that your competition aren't so easily moved?" she asked of him with a singular raised brow. Soon after her eyes shifted to Sir Hector. She looked at him for several seconds, though he had approached he'd made no moves to touch her. A wide grin spread across Merlyn's face. "Oh to know the depths of a person, we must know what they'd choose of their own accord. As scary as that might be as an unknown, the choice must always be in their hands~" Merlyn's last sentence was for Sir Cador and a play on his own words. She could see Sir Hector clearly and he was here and sworn by Sir Cador's will, but not necessary his own. What would he choose if given the choice, they needed to know for the best possible outcome.

[Bloodedge]

"Naturally~" Dagonet said, despite being so recently thrown aside by Lot. It seemed justice would soon be served, as Sir Lot's knees buckled shortly after making contact with Merlyn. How strange─ Dagonet hadn't experienced such a thing at all. "Many thanks for the assistance~. I will respectfully bow out as a show of gratitude~" he concluded. As for Lot, it was not the draining that made him move aside. He was far too simple to feel anything but satisfaction when having his energy taken, but the comparison to Cador and that damned Arthur, could not be tolerated. What set those two apart? Releasing the sorceress' chest, he reached for the lance kept at his back. Cador would have to go, and Arthur would follow suit. "You spare them of your enchantment to make a fool of me? You will see what it means to play favorites," he announced.

Meanwhile, Arthur sighed. He didn't see what all the fuss over Merlyn was about. He could see numerous features he would have preferred over the ridiculousness that was Kolin's physique, but what were they all crowding around her for? When would things really begin? With bated breath, he waited still... while Merlyn set her gaze on Sir Hector. The more mysterious of the knights here, was a mystery even to his former king─ but Merlyn knew better. Words were shared with Cador, while the purple-haired male kept a hand at his sword's hilt to prepare for Lot's potential onslaught. Could it truly be so simple? "That is, by far, the most ridiculous thing I've heard all day," he said. Even so, Hector looked to the other male as if awaiting his order instead of one from Kolin. Tides were turning, and there was only one way to shift them in the right direction. Even Sir Hector understood this, but there were oaths that would never be broken. . .