A Fool's Ransom (complete)

[Salem Ave]

I care not for your whore Queen nor for your pathetic Onderon. Deliver to me the viper in your midst Dalamar. Lure him out and I will reward you with 30 piece's of silver a price well suited for betrayal. I know it is the work that is important to you and not the money but it amuses a sense of irony in me to do so. Threats are weak and inconsequential. I will have my REVENGE!! The only question is who will be left when I am through. If the throne is your desire give them both into my hand the Queen and DeSang and I will leave you to it 'Prime Minister'. -- LEGION

The letter sat on Salem's desk. It had arrived rather mysteriously that morning, and had been the focus of the Prime Minister's attention for some time since. He frowned very slightly, and activated his communications unit, opening a channel.

“Please send for the Princess Razielle. Have her join me in my study,” said Ave. He sat back in his chair, and nudged the letter close once more, eyes roving over the spidery scrawl with a musing curiosity.

[Razielle Alastor]

She'd long since given up on being angry that she was still being "observed" by the Prime Ministers guards. Her warped mind was even beginning to warm to the idea. Razielle peeked over her shoulder as she sat, zipping up a pair of knee high boots over black tights. They could follow her around to their hearts content.

Razielle stood, straightening her short black skirt over her legs and admiring the new, off the shoulder, grey sweater she had ordererd. She wasn't allowed to go into the city to shop, so a few of the more tasteful boutiques had sent visual catalogs to her which she was making a habbit of ordering from. The sweater was a perfect fit, but she frowned when she caught her image in the mirror. Her scar was healing, but it was always going to be there. She decided she rather liked her new flawed skin and banished the frown with a smile.

Lira bustled into the room and annouced that Razielle had been sent for by the man himself. The maid didn't bother to hide her smile, still thinking that there was nothing more going on than a bit of a love affair. Razielle smiled and dabbed a bit of gloss onto her lips, pressing them together in the mirror.

"Lucky for him, I'm in a good mood then, huh?" She patted her servant-turned-confidante on the shoulder as she left her room and made her way to Salem's study.

Her guards stopped at the doors, knowing that their presence wasn't required or wanted. Razielle knew she was expected, so after a light knock she entered and closed the door behind her.

[Salem Ave]

The Prime Minister looked up from a leaf of paper work with a tight-lipped smile. It was a practiced look, that he wore so often, yet in the presence of the Princess it seemed somehow... warmer. “Good afternoon, Razielle. I trust you are well?”

[Razielle Alastor]

She walked further into the room, bypassing the chair opposite Salem. With the desk separating them, it seemed far too great a distance for her liking. Instead she elected to come around to his side of the desk and perch on the corner, crossing her booted legs. She folded her hands in her lap and smiled.

"I'm fine, Salem. What can I do for you?"

[Salem Ave]

Salem touched another button on his desks top, and there was a click – the sound of the door to his study becoming locked. He slid the letter back across the desk and offered it to Razielle. “Take a look at this. Tell me what you make of it.”

[Razielle Alastor]

She read, then reread the missive.

I care not for your whore Queen nor for your pathetic Onderon.

Deliver to me the viper in your midst Dalamar.

Razielle's eyes narrowed in displeasure at the slight to the Queen, but she refrained from commenting on it. On the other hand, it would seem that she was not the only one who would greatly enjoy seeing the General's head rotting on a pike in the sunlight of Iziz.

I will have my REVENGE!! The only question is who will be left when I am through. If the throne is your desire give them both into my hand the Queen and DeSang and I will leave you to it 'Prime Minister'. -- LEGION

"Well. Now we understand 'Legion send his regards..'. So this Legion is trying to eliminate the General. What are we going to do?"

[Salem Ave]

“We must re-evaluate the situation at hand. I am beginning to think that the Mandalorian's had no connection with the attack, and that this Legion was merely exploiting the fact that we were at war with them, to disguise his true nature and intentions.” Salem smirked slightly. “In any case, though we may now have Mandalore on our side, it seems as if the good General has won us another enemy. I want to know more about this man,” he continued, looking over the letter again, “who is brazen enough to dub himself Legion. I wonder what grudge he bears for Dalamar...”

[Razielle Alastor]

"Honestly, I wouldn't hazzard a guess. It seems the General has a knack for winning friends and influencing people." She thought about the assumptions that General DeSang had made about her own nature. Then about how he had tried to kill Salem.

"You could always play along. Let this Legion have DeSang and see what comes of it. If the General can't fight off his own battles he has no business fighting the Queen's."

[Salem Ave]

“I can't imagine the Queen handing Dalamar over so readily,” Salem replied, perhaps a hint of regret in his voice. “No... though this revelation will give us another upper hand over the General. Whatever he has done to vex this Legion, we can be almost certain that the Queen is unaware of it. I may have to question her on the matter.”

[Razielle Alastor]

Once again she laced her fingers together and settled them on her lap. Razielle looked speculative. "So what is it that you would like from me?"

She was sure she wasn't called here for an idle chat about the letter. Salem wasn't the kind of person to seek someone out for a debate. In fact he'd probably already come up with a course of action and decided what part he wanted her to play in it. She could only hope it didn't involve charming the General further, she wasn't sure that she could refrain from stabbing him.

[Salem Ave]

Following his last words, Salem had entered a kind of contemplative silence. His brow became knitted with a frown, and he had pressed a fingertip to his pursed lips, tapping them gently. “No... perhaps it would be better if you were to question Adraudia... I have served far too long in Dalamar's company for my curiosity to pass unnoticed. You, on the other hand, barely know the man. The notion that you have taken an interest in him would not seem entirely unbelievable.”

[Razielle Alastor]

"The Queen will know that I have a reason for asking. She is rather adept at reading me, unfortunately. She already knows of the cryptic 'Legion sends his regards.' comment. I shall have to think of a plausable reason for the inquiry."

Razielle nodded at the letter.

"How did you come by that?"

[Salem Ave]

“It was delivered anonymously to the palace earlier today.” Salem folded the incriminating note, storing it away in his jacket pocket.

“I'd rather the Queen didn't come to know about it, if only so we have a little more leverage with the General. I don't want you to directly question her about Legion, just do a little fishing on his past, prior to his arrival on Onderon.”

[Razielle Alastor]

"I can do that.. I have questioned Adraudia many times about other courtiers and such, so that I may have a better understanding of the intrigues of her court. It would be no surprise to her that I would be curious about someone as close to her as I am.."

She knew her words were true, the only reason she hadn't already questioned her Majesty about the General was that she had been previously distracted by the Royal Masque and then held up in an infirmary, and finally followed about by an armed escort. The timing was perfect, she would inquire of his health and let the conversation be directed from there.

[Salem Ave]

“Excellent.” Ave sat back in his chair, stretching. “You're free to go, then. I'm sure we both have enough to keep us busy. Be sure to speak with Adraudia soon.” This said, he returned his eyes and a attention to the papers spread across his desk.

[Razielle Alastor]

She didn't make anymove to depart, even after she was dismissed. Razielle remained excatly as she was, perched on the Prime Ministers desk, less than a foot from him, legs crossed and looking like a cat that had cornered a mouse. She smiled and set her feet down onto the polished floor, sidestepping in front of Salem's paperwork.

She folded her arms in front of her and took a business like tone that would make even the Prime Minister himself proud. She began matter-of-factly..

"You know, Lira keeps getting quite dissapointed when she helps me dress, goes looking for love bites and finds none. I was forced on more than one occasion to assure her that if there was any such incrimiating evidence of my depravity that it would be concealed in an equally depraved location.."

She pressed a finger to her glossy lips and it came away a soft pink color. Razielle leaned close, without stopping in her ever logical assessment of the situation.

"In short, if our charade is to continue to work without arousing..."

She dropped her gaze, then lifted her eyes back up with a naughty grin. "..suspiscion, you are going to have to look like you are my lover. You sir, need mussing."

Razielle leaned forward and wiped a small dab of pink on the pristine collar of Salem's shirt, in a location that was only partly visible. After all she was leaving evidence, not a "Now Showing" sign. She also reached behind his neck and ruffled the back of his hair a bit, then sat back and pressed a lip to her fingers inspecting her work.

"You'll do..."

[Salem Ave]

Slowly, Salem looked away from Razielle and strained his neck to see the cerise blemish on his crisp white collar.

“You raise,” he began, his gaze lifting, “an interesting and not entirely invalid point...”

[Razielle Alastor]

She patted him on the arm cheerfully. "I do so try.."

Razielle hopped up and straightened her skirt, tossed her hair around a bit and slid her shirt slightly askew. "There. Do I look decently ravished?"

She turned about for inspection.

[Salem Ave]

“That wasn't quite what I had in mind.” As if seeing the myriad of scenarios then springing to life behind Razielle's eyes, Salem continued: “What I mean is that perhaps the time has come to... go public, to offer an image of ourselves consistent with the rumors surrounding us.”

[Razielle Alastor]

She froze with her hands locked behind her back, mid-pose. Razielle was sure she was dreaming or daft. She pinched her arm as she had done as a girl when she had been having a "moment". It hurt. She knew her eyes had also gone quite wide.

For as lengthy and eloquent as she normally was, she was suddenly gone quiet. She slipped into a chair before her legs went weak. "Beg pardon..?"

She regained her senses and nodded. "Right I understand. Quite more believable when the thing is made public and no longer something that is a mere supposition, a tale to be whispered."

[Salem Ave]

“Precisely.” Salem gave a nod and glanced back to his paperwork, pretending to overlook the sudden shift in Razielle's demeanor, which betrayed her surprise. “I don't mean a public statement, of course... just appearances now and then that will confirm suspicions. Dining alone together and such like,” he continued, as he scribbled something down on a nearby ledger. “Any suggestions?”

[Razielle Alastor]

Her mind went off in all directions before spurring her into a reply. Razielle latched onto a bit of her former sanity and a less raspy tone.

"Dinner sounds nice. Not here though, in the city. Someplace nice. If we are to make headlines we have to go about it properly.."

She hadn't really gotten much of a chance to enjoy the city's sights. Mourning her family, and then the threat of an attack had kept her safely walled up in the palace. She was desperate to get out, and if they wanted public attention, showing up together in Iziz would accomplish the feat nicely.

"When were you thinking..?"

[Salem Ave]

“Within the next week or so, perhaps. Providing nothing pressing arises.” He looked up with a slight smile. “After all, we can hardly justify taking the guards out into the city with us just yet... even if we know that there is no threat to the palace, the people do not, and we must appear vigilant.”

[Razielle Alastor]

Nothing pressing better arise.

She smiled back, but kept her thoughts to herself for once. Rising, Razielle turned on a heel and started for the door. Salem had just accomplished the impossible, he'd succeded in making her tranquil, or at least somewhat subdued. Pausing at the door she turned and looked back.

"I'll talk to the Queen today." She waited for him to unlock the door. When it opened she stepped outside and watched the guard's spines straighten a notch. She turned back a last time and gave a little wave before heading off to her room.