The Threat
Jun. 11th, 2012 03:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
knightoftheswanLohengrin looks over the maps and papers spread across Siegfried's desk, most of them covered with notes from the prince's precise hand. Siegfried stood on the opposite side, his hands bracing himself on the desk and his forehead creased in lines of concentration.
"The days are growing ever darker, Lohengrin," he says. "And the monstrous Raven looming ever closer."
"Are these the lands the Raven has taken?" the knight asks, picking up one of the maps.
"The furthest edges are his domain for now, and even that corruption is reversible. First things first, however: the Raven mustn't take anything else."
Siegfried traces with a winding finger, outlining a path from his own castle to a neighboring kingdom on one of the maps still on his desk. The knight returns his map to the table and focuses on the prince.
"We've received word from our neighbor Heinrich's kingdom," he says to Lohengrin. "His nephew, the duke's son Gottfried, is missing and presumed dead. The main suspect, the duke's daughter Elsa, is thought to be the same in purpose as the Raven."
"The Raven is acting there?"
"We believe so."
"And the girl?"
"She is innocent."
Lohengrin quirks an eyebrow as Siegfried meets his eyes.
"You are certain of this?" Lohengrin asks.
Siegfried nods.
"The girl prayed with all of her being for a defender. The prayer was able to summon one of my swans. No one with such a stain on their hands or heart could do such a thing."
The knight nods, considering this explanation. It seems like such flimsy evidence on the surface but even Lohengrin has to admit that Siegfried's swans are not mere waterfowl. They would not willingly help anyone tainted by the Raven.
"Lohengrin, you are my most trusted knight."
"Thank you, my liege."
"Thus I want to send you to Heinrich's kingdom. Defend the Lady Elsa and flush out the Raven in their midst. Keep your identity a secret there; if Elsa is already framed for the Raven's actions, the Raven will surely use any of her connections to his advantage. Should she ask, answer truthfully. But you must return once she knows who you are. Is that clear?"
"Yes," Lohengrin answers with a firm nod.
Siegfried smiles, his amber eyes holding assurance that his knight will have things well in hand.
"Take the night to prepare, my friend," the prince says. "The chariot will be ready in the morning."
"The days are growing ever darker, Lohengrin," he says. "And the monstrous Raven looming ever closer."
"Are these the lands the Raven has taken?" the knight asks, picking up one of the maps.
"The furthest edges are his domain for now, and even that corruption is reversible. First things first, however: the Raven mustn't take anything else."
Siegfried traces with a winding finger, outlining a path from his own castle to a neighboring kingdom on one of the maps still on his desk. The knight returns his map to the table and focuses on the prince.
"We've received word from our neighbor Heinrich's kingdom," he says to Lohengrin. "His nephew, the duke's son Gottfried, is missing and presumed dead. The main suspect, the duke's daughter Elsa, is thought to be the same in purpose as the Raven."
"The Raven is acting there?"
"We believe so."
"And the girl?"
"She is innocent."
Lohengrin quirks an eyebrow as Siegfried meets his eyes.
"You are certain of this?" Lohengrin asks.
Siegfried nods.
"The girl prayed with all of her being for a defender. The prayer was able to summon one of my swans. No one with such a stain on their hands or heart could do such a thing."
The knight nods, considering this explanation. It seems like such flimsy evidence on the surface but even Lohengrin has to admit that Siegfried's swans are not mere waterfowl. They would not willingly help anyone tainted by the Raven.
"Lohengrin, you are my most trusted knight."
"Thank you, my liege."
"Thus I want to send you to Heinrich's kingdom. Defend the Lady Elsa and flush out the Raven in their midst. Keep your identity a secret there; if Elsa is already framed for the Raven's actions, the Raven will surely use any of her connections to his advantage. Should she ask, answer truthfully. But you must return once she knows who you are. Is that clear?"
"Yes," Lohengrin answers with a firm nod.
Siegfried smiles, his amber eyes holding assurance that his knight will have things well in hand.
"Take the night to prepare, my friend," the prince says. "The chariot will be ready in the morning."
