ZEN - Part Two [COMPLETED] [#WATTYS2017]

When Kind Words Fail, Use Violence

 Chapter 52 - When Kind Words Fail, Use Violence

"I'm sorry for taking so long." Duchess Gilderoy glides into the stately drawing-room where her new allies had been kept waiting, though unlike before, this time an older, stocky man and very athletic young woman were trailing along in her wake. "It took time to arrange an audience under the proper pretext."

Zen rises up from the couch with a warm smile, then affects another precise curtsy alongside her wife as the noble-woman draws near. "The moments passed quickly, Lady Marcia. It allowed us the opportunity to work out various details."

"Then I am glad." Marcia slides by the small table in front of her guests, and comes to a graceful halt in close proximity so that their whispers could not be overheard from the hall. "I've successfully manipulated Cameron into believing you both to be a hostile threat. As such, your meeting will be in the Great Hall, with all of his loyal guardsmen present. I hope this will not trouble you."

"That's perfect, Lady Marcia. It will save us the hassle of flushing the rats out afterwards."

"Excellent." The old human woman allows a nervous breath to escape, and briefly peeks over her shoulder to indicate her retainers. "This is the previous Captain of the Guard, Huxley, and his young niece, Josephine. When your audience has started, they have been charged with barricading all of the exits from the Hall to ensure that no quarry escapes."

"Wonderful. Then Joanne won't have to block those avenues with her magics, and we can instead concentrate fully on our negotiations."

Marcia offers a small nod, then briefly reaches over to grasp each of their hands. "Thank you in advance for your efforts. Despite these horrible moments to come, you honour my late husband's memory by seeking to correct Cameron's grave injustices."

The small Cat-woman displays an agonized smile as she easily recognizes the conflicted nature of their amiable hostess. "Our mercy will be swift, Lady Marcia."

"I pray it will be so. Come. Let us not tarry."

Zen waits for their guides to arrange themselves, then slips into their wake at an appropriate distance behind.

They're taken on a short trek through the nearly-deserted halls, with only a few sparse, very-young guardsmen standing stalk-still in heavy plate armours, and they soon arrive at a pair of massive gilded doors that stretch nearly ten metres up from the floor.

There, the former Captain and his niece split off down alternate corridors, and the old Duchess waits for a full count of sixty seconds before pushing open the huge portals.

The Grand Hall was certainly well-named, as it was easily grand in both size and adornments.

At nearly a hundred metres long and half as wide, every available surface and column were gilded in golds and silvers, and flawless mirrors polished to a high shine reflected the images of nearly a hundred and twenty elite guardsmen lining the wide crimson carpet leading to a raised dias.

Each of the loyal warriors were decked out in embossed plate-mail, with either long halberds or shields with the family crest held in one hand, and swords waiting to be drawn from every one of their waists.

The middle-aged human seated on a sparkling silver throne simply looked as evil as his rumoured actions certainly implied. His longer, wavy black hair hung down to frame his ghostly visage, and a large, hooked nose sat below soulless midnight eyes that glared towards them with an obvious amount of disdain and disgust.