[Vesper]
He stared at the map on the table noting the key locations that had been pinpointed out on it. This would be simple. It was nothing like his brilliant idea to cut off those legitimately working for a good cause, and also Agaris off at the throat. That had started out as a stroke of genius on Evidias's part.
Everything began with the Luna invasion. It had been carefully planned to show up as just a major battle in the area with no one quite being able to tell what really happened. She had wanted to victors and the losers to be just a rumor, rather than an actual event in the minds of the people. What had played out was beautiful, almost every citizen, either by rumor, whisper or by the songs of bards had heard what happened.
She had wanted to see what they were dealing with exactly and how it could turn in their favor to get rid of Ephres. However, Marouk had found a new plan for it. When they encamped part of the army at Skara Brae, and the battle had finally ended, he used that moment to turn the rest of them from Evidias and at the same time, approached the town of Skara Brae, issuing a statement that they apologized for the fighting. But that they had been pushing off a bandit, or pirate raid.
So the rumors began of a raid on Luna, and then followed in tales all over Britannia that a second raid was attempted on Skara also. Except The Black Guard had been there to save the town. The final stroke of genius was when he marched on Britain, upon Ephres's command, and forced the Order out of hiding causing a battle in the streets of the very city in front of all the towns people with "The Black Guard" fighting off an attempt to take the city by this "mysterious group of people." He had started rumors of an attack on the city and then in turn offered to station troops nearby to help them should it happen.
He had effectively turned what would be their defense of the city of Britain, into a platform for offering other cities the assistance of The Black Guard to defend them. What he'd promised was that no civilians would get hurt and that his men would take extra care repelling the invaders. True he had lost the battle, but not a single innocent civilian had been harmed. That was all the public saw and that was all they needed to know. No one they cared about was killed.
It was all a smokescreen of course, if anyone really found evidence of the battle they could clearly point out who the aggressors were and who was defending the city. But the point was moot at this avenue, because he had been meticulous about removing all signs of the battle after it ended. It had taken a lot of work, but it was all worth it now as he sat in the barracks just outside of Vesper.
He had no real problem with Evidias. She was doing what she thought was the right course of action. But Marouk disagreed with her in the choice of her actions, and he finally let her know abruptly. The problem before was that they were pretending to help Ephres and a show of insubordination, especially when Ephres left her in charge would have been the wrong move. So he had bidden his time, waited carefully and when the opportunity finally arose he took it.
She had the only working red orb, but there was another somewhere. Besides, he had plenty of incomplete ones which was enough to attempt to make his own. Even if he failed somehow, if Evidias was planning on leaving this world for another she would never leave behind her own people, no matter the disagreements that came between them. Of that Marouk was sure.
He was certain of another thing too. That the watchful eyes of the Royal Britannian Guard would be keeping a close eye on the situation in Vesper. Marouk had placed scouts around the city to keep an eye on it and caught a very interesting conversation. Even though they had no proof that the attack on the city was orchestrated in part of whole by The Black Guard, they had their suspicions and did not like the idea that TBG had taken up residence in Vesper. Marouk had to be sure to be delicate with things from now on out, as to not danger to precarious situation he found himself in.
True, everything so far had gone toward his advantage. But suspicion was a dangerous enemy and far more vicious than anything, except perhaps fear. The situation was very precarious, and so he closed his eyes and thought about his next move very carefully.
He stared at the map on the table noting the key locations that had been pinpointed out on it. This would be simple. It was nothing like his brilliant idea to cut off those legitimately working for a good cause, and also Agaris off at the throat. That had started out as a stroke of genius on Evidias's part.
Everything began with the Luna invasion. It had been carefully planned to show up as just a major battle in the area with no one quite being able to tell what really happened. She had wanted to victors and the losers to be just a rumor, rather than an actual event in the minds of the people. What had played out was beautiful, almost every citizen, either by rumor, whisper or by the songs of bards had heard what happened.
She had wanted to see what they were dealing with exactly and how it could turn in their favor to get rid of Ephres. However, Marouk had found a new plan for it. When they encamped part of the army at Skara Brae, and the battle had finally ended, he used that moment to turn the rest of them from Evidias and at the same time, approached the town of Skara Brae, issuing a statement that they apologized for the fighting. But that they had been pushing off a bandit, or pirate raid.
So the rumors began of a raid on Luna, and then followed in tales all over Britannia that a second raid was attempted on Skara also. Except The Black Guard had been there to save the town. The final stroke of genius was when he marched on Britain, upon Ephres's command, and forced the Order out of hiding causing a battle in the streets of the very city in front of all the towns people with "The Black Guard" fighting off an attempt to take the city by this "mysterious group of people." He had started rumors of an attack on the city and then in turn offered to station troops nearby to help them should it happen.
He had effectively turned what would be their defense of the city of Britain, into a platform for offering other cities the assistance of The Black Guard to defend them. What he'd promised was that no civilians would get hurt and that his men would take extra care repelling the invaders. True he had lost the battle, but not a single innocent civilian had been harmed. That was all the public saw and that was all they needed to know. No one they cared about was killed.
It was all a smokescreen of course, if anyone really found evidence of the battle they could clearly point out who the aggressors were and who was defending the city. But the point was moot at this avenue, because he had been meticulous about removing all signs of the battle after it ended. It had taken a lot of work, but it was all worth it now as he sat in the barracks just outside of Vesper.
He had no real problem with Evidias. She was doing what she thought was the right course of action. But Marouk disagreed with her in the choice of her actions, and he finally let her know abruptly. The problem before was that they were pretending to help Ephres and a show of insubordination, especially when Ephres left her in charge would have been the wrong move. So he had bidden his time, waited carefully and when the opportunity finally arose he took it.
She had the only working red orb, but there was another somewhere. Besides, he had plenty of incomplete ones which was enough to attempt to make his own. Even if he failed somehow, if Evidias was planning on leaving this world for another she would never leave behind her own people, no matter the disagreements that came between them. Of that Marouk was sure.
He was certain of another thing too. That the watchful eyes of the Royal Britannian Guard would be keeping a close eye on the situation in Vesper. Marouk had placed scouts around the city to keep an eye on it and caught a very interesting conversation. Even though they had no proof that the attack on the city was orchestrated in part of whole by The Black Guard, they had their suspicions and did not like the idea that TBG had taken up residence in Vesper. Marouk had to be sure to be delicate with things from now on out, as to not danger to precarious situation he found himself in.
True, everything so far had gone toward his advantage. But suspicion was a dangerous enemy and far more vicious than anything, except perhaps fear. The situation was very precarious, and so he closed his eyes and thought about his next move very carefully.