Canceled Version

Kana raised her hand. "I know, Lovell and that"s why you need to help the King find it."

Lovell sat down; Luna turned to Kana. "What do mean by that Kana?"

Kana"s eyes fixed on Lovell, "The king is asking for your help. He knows that Ark is innocent, but his adviser has taken things into his own hands and persuaded the populous to his side." Lovell growled at the thought. "King Aris searched out one of my scouts and told him the situation hoping that help would be sent from the rest of the gang. But as you can see that won"t happen."

Scarlet leaned forward, "SO we head to the capital, go to the king seek out the real thief and return it. Freeing this Ark person and having a golden ticket to the rest of the Goannas. If I"m not mistaken?"

Kana nodded, "Sort of, the king asked we do this discreetly and out of the guise of his advisor." Turning to Lovell, "Lovell you know this is not going to be easy, so I want you to meet with the king in secret and ask what the item looks like."

Lovell nodded, "Ok, and my friends?"

Kana looked at them, Zero smiled. "We can ask around town, and all meet up at an inn. Slums and shady locations would be the best place to ask since we are not known in the kingdom, well my sister and me anyway."

Zephyr nodded at her brothers" words as Kana smiled at the idea. "Ok, then I leave that to you, as for the rest take to the locals and the shopkeepers about what"s going on. Remember this is sensitive and you five don"t have much experience in this line of work." They all nodded as Kana got up. "Now before all of you leave, I have rented some horses to get you there faster. They are mixed with herizonian"s, the words fastest horse and most finicky but they will get you there faster than going by foot that"s for sure."

They thank Kana as the left, Lovell stopped before leaving. "Kana, be safe and take care of yourself." AS he left through the door, Lovell turned to Kana, "And you should send a letter or two to Grailla, your daughter once and a while." Kana smiled as he left.

Lovell caught up with the others as the readied the horses. The owner telling them that they can release them, and they would return once they reached the outskirts of Goldhill. Luna stroke the one she was going to ride. Lovell walked up to the last one, he looked over it, seeing how it looked like his old horse. Gale and Lance knowing that might be hard seeing a look-alike of his old horse. Watched Lovell mount up as the others did to. They could see Lovell was ok as they mounted as well. Riding off to Goldhill, Lovell turned to make sure no one was left in the dust.

As they reached their destination, Lovell looked at the sprawling city. The gold trimmed Castle nestled atop the large hill, stood out against the colorful housing and shops while the outer area was dull and grey.

Scarlet rode up beside him, "Welcome to Goldhill, the rainbow city, and the capital of the Gold Heart Empire." She unmounted, Lovell followed suit. "So, you ready to do this then?"

Lovell looked back seeing the twins rubbing the rears as they let their houses go. "Yeah, just stick to the plan as much as possible, and things should work out." Lovell watched the other get off and do the same, releasing the horses as he and Scarlet let theirs go as well. "I"ll go to the castle tonight, so I"ll go ahead and find us a place to stay." Scarlet nodded, as they all head into the city.

As they walked down the busy streets Luna noticed the roads were paved with intricate designs of the four season. She walked up to Scarlet, "Hey, Scarlet are the roads depictions represent just the season or other places as well?"

Scarlet Looked at Her, "Yeah, they depict the four seasons and one of the country"s greatest feats." She turning to Lovell, "One is the country"s relations with the Krisnik"s, but they have been all but forgotten by folk and the royals I do believe."

Luna looked at Lovell and Fang, "Oh?" She smiled at Fang. "Hey Fang, do you have a moment?"

Fang the other stopped, Lovell and Fang looked at her. "What"s up Luna?"

"Do you know anything about your family"s relations here?"

Lovell looked a Fang as he sighed, "Yeah, I was about twenty or so when my father saved them from a rogue dragon attack. He killed the dragon and they made a road in his honor, why?"

Luna smiled, "Just curious, Scarlet was giving me some info about the roads designs."

Lovell stunned by what Fang said as he looked up the road, He noticed a sign saying, "Rain Fall Inn." Lovell smiled, "Found the inn, so meet up with you all later. If none of you are back by sundown, I will be you know where." They all looked at the sign and nodded. Lovell sighed, "OK then, take care."

They all went their separate ways as Lovell went to check them all in, once inside Lovell noticed a woman standing off to the side, he thought nothing of her as he got the rooms set up. The woman walked over to him. Lovell turned to see she was holding note. Lovell suspected she was with the king and followed her to an alleyway.

The woman smiled at him. "So, you are the one he sent for, for help?"

Lovell looked over the woman. "And if I"m not?" Lovell remembered that Kana gave him a pa.s.scode to see if they were friend or foe.

"Wolves are the worst watchdogs."

Lovell smiled, "Ok then, so what is it you want from your employer?"

The woman handed him a guard"s uniform from her bag. "Put this on, and then follow me to the castle."

Lovell sighed as he took the uniform and told her to turn around. She did, watching for any spies of the advisor. Once Lovell was changed, she led him to the castle. As they made their way to the kings chambers the advisor walked up to them.

He sneered at them. "Where are you going Marie?"

Lovell kept behind Marie, as she clenched her fist. "I am to take this rookie to the west corridor after I see the King, advisor."

The man looked at Lovell, trying to see under the helmet as Marie stepped in front, "Very well then be off, before I report you to your superior." The advisor walked away in detest.

Marie sighed as she looked at Lovell. "Let us get going before he grows a real brain, of what"s going on." Lovell nodded as they reached the Kings chamber.

Marie knocked at the door. "Come in Marie!" The king granted them entry, as they entered Lovell looked around to see that kings" room was bare compared to the lavishing"s outside. "You must be from the Goanna"s?" Lovell looked at the king, his smile welcoming compared to the advisor. "Please show me your face and have a seat." He turned to Marie. "Marie make sure that the fool is not poking around while we chat."

Marie bowed as she left. Lovell took the helmet off showing the king his face. "Well, I thought I would have come much later to see you, your majesty." Lovell bowed in respect.

The king was shocked to see Lovell youthful appearance. "You are much younger than I expected?"

Lovell smiled. "Well, I"m twenty-six, and my youthful look is due to what I am." Lovell grabbed a seat. "Now about Ark, is he safe for now?"

The King nodded, "Yes, at the moment those still loyal to me are keeping a watch over him but my advisor trying everything kill him."

Lovell sighed in relief. "That"s good, ah, sorry I forgot to introduce myself, I"m Lovell Krisnik."

The Kings" eye widened. "Did you say Krisnik?!" Lovell nodded. "By the G.o.ddess, they aren"t all dead." Tears welled up in the king"s eyes as he wiped them away. "Sorry, but from rumours they Krisnik clan was said to be destroyed over twenty years ago after an incident with the lost prince of the Faremin Kingdom."

Lovell looked away from the king, "Well that prince is me and Fang might know more than me but that is not why we are here."

The king looked at Lovell. "We?"

Lovell nodded, "Yes, I"m currently on a journey with people I"ve met, one of them being my much older half brother Fang, and six others. They are in town gathering info on the real thief as we speak."

The King understood Lovell"s words. "Well, let get to business then. Firstly though, as you might or might not know me, I"m King Orville, and outside, the door is Marie, a loyal subordinate of mine. Any way the artifact that was stolen is a Ren-Ky jewel."

Lovell cleared his ears out. "Wait did I hear right in you saying that is a Ren-Ky Jewel, like as in one of the Ren-Ky warrior jewels of legend?"

The King nodded, "Yes, why do you ask?"

Lovell leaned back in his seat as Marie opened the door, "Sorry to do this but we need to leave before some gets suspicious."

The King nodded, "Very well, well till the next time we meet young Lovell."

Lovell stood up and bowed. "Likewise your majesty."

Marie escorted Lovell back the city as reached the alley from before. Marie once again stood on watch as Lovell changed back into his own clothes. "Hey Marie, how long till anything happens with my old comrade?"

Marie Looked at him. "It will be six weeks or else the public would have an outcry. Something the advisor doesn"t want."

Lovell sighed as he touched her shoulder. "That gives us time to search and for me to have more conversations with the king." Marie nodded, "Well till next time then, take care and don"t get caught."

Lovell extended his hand to her, she grabbed it. "Likewise Lovell."

Marie left back to her duties as Lovell head to the inn and waited for the others.

~~~~~~~~

The sound of chatter filled the streets as Luna looked around, her hands clenched close to her chest. Scarlet looked over at her. "You think she"s alright Gale?"

Gale turned to Luna, seeing her look around nervously. "Yeah, she is just nervous about failing, she"s probably never chatted much to people. Letting Fang co most of the talking for her after she left her home."

Scarlet nodded as Luna caught wind of an injured child. She ran up to it. "Are you hurt badly?" the child looked at her shaking its head, Luna sighed looking over the injury. "You should be careful, not many people watch where they are going when it comes to children."

Scarlet smiled at her kind heart; she walked over. Handing the child, a flower. "Here, take this brave little soldier." The child"s face lite up thanking Scarlet and Luna, as the child waved them in thanks. "I didn"t expect for you to go off and help that child Luna?"

Luna smiled, "Fang did most of the talking to older folk, and I had my way with children." She snickers. "You should see Fang trying to interreact with them; it"s quite funny."

Gale smiled at the thought. "Well, we best ask around." He looked around seeing a café. "Let"s try that café over there first." Pointing at it, Luna and Scarlet looked over seeing the café"s sign. "We might find something out on that night?"

Scarlet nodded. "Good plan, let us go then before we get smooshed by the crowd like the kid." Luna nodded as they headed over.

AS they entered, they notices the child before slip into the back, a woman walked up to them, "h.e.l.lo there, what can I get you three?"

Gale turned to the woman, "Some nice tea would be nice your choice blend please, for all of us." Scarlet and Luna found a seat.

as they sat down, the woman brought their tea. "Is that all?" The woman smiled at them.

Scarlet started to take a sip as Luna looked at the woman. "Well if it"s not too much to ask, we heard that someone had stolen from the kings castle, if you might have info about the incident?"

The woman thought about it. "Well the only thing I remember is a man running from the Winter district with this weird pendant that had one jewel, but I could describe him though because he wore a ratty cloak and seemed to be heading to the slums just past the winter district." The woman bowed. "I"m sorry if I"m no help in telling you more."

Gale reached over to her. "You were more than a help miss, thank you." The woman looked up seeing his warm smile.

"a your welcome." The woman blushed at him, covering her cheeks. "I should get back to my work; I hope you enjoy the tea." She left fl.u.s.tered at Gales warm smile.

Gale looked at Luna. "You handled that beautifully, Luna."

Luna smiled at him. "Thank you but this means we have a starting point to start searching for—"

A commotion caught their attention; Gale left the coin for the tea on the table as they went to check it out. The child from before flew across as some men had kicked him. "Filthy brat, you dirtied my new jacket!" A man barked.

Gale was about to go when Scarlet walked up the man. "Excuse me but what is going here you oaf?"

The man turned to Scarlet and smiled greedily at her. "Well I would feel better if a woman was in—"

Scarlet dropkicked him to the ground, stepping on his shoulder, pinning him to the ground. Her eyes filled with disgust at him. "You dare talk to a Rosier, that way boy?"

The man recognized Scarlet, his face filled with fear. "I-I"m sorry madam Rosier! P-please forgive—"

Scarlet lifted her foot grabbing him by the collar; the man winced in fear. "Forgive you? Please don"t make me make your life more of a living h.e.l.l. You will respect others over your ego and." She let him go, the man fell back down. "if I ever catch wind of you doing this again, you will be hanged from your manhood. Am I clear?" The man nodded as he ran away soiling his pants. Scarlet fixed her hair. "What a pig of a man."

Gale, shaken by Scarlet, went to the child and Luna followed close behind. "Are you alright little one?" The child nodded. "That"s good." Gale sighed in relief.

The woman from the café ran out seeing the child, "Are you ok honey?"

The child teared up at the sight of her. "Yes, sis I"m fine now thanks to these folk."

Luna smiled as Scarlet walked over. Whispers of Scarlet echoed around them. "Well, at least you"re not hurt badly from that –"

"That pig." Scarlet cut Luna off, as she looked around. "We should head back to the inn before the guards come sniffing." Luna nodded saying goodbye to them, as she joined Gale and Scarlet.

As they returned, they noticed Lovell entering the inn. Entering Lovell turned around to see them. "oh, your back, how was the search?"

Gale walked past him as Scarlet huffed to her room. Luna smiled sheepishly. "Well we found out where the area to search, but we ran into some trouble."

Lance, Zephyr, Fang and Zero walked in not long after. Lance is hanging himself as he sat down. "I"m p.o.o.ped."

Lovell looked at them seeing that they had it rough. "What happened to you four?"

Zero dragged himself by. "Don"t even ask any more than you have." Leaving with Zephyr and Fang to their rooms.

Luna walked over to Lance with Lovell. "Care to elaborate Lance?"

"We ran into some kids that gave us a run for our money, literately, but they gave us back the money after we found them with an old man. The old man beat us to the punch in smacking some sense into them."

Luna snickered, "Sounds like they trying to help him or something to me."

Lance sat up. "Yeah, the old man was taking care of them, and then he got ill, so they turned to pickpocket. Zero gave them a pep talk afterwards." He stretched out as he turned to Luna. "Did you guys have better luck."

Luna nodded, "Yes, but we did get into trouble and I think Gale learned not to mess with Scarlet."

Lance puzzled looked at Lovell then back at her. "Oh, what happened to scare him of Scarlet."

Luna closed her eyes. "Well, we helped this kid out earlier and went to this café. We asked the woman serving us and found out that a man with a strange pendant was seen by her leaving the castle from the winter district."

Lance and Lovell sat up at her "Really?"

Luna put her hands up as they spoke. "Yes, but shortly after this man kicks the child we helped and well Scarlet went scary all over him. Pinning him to the ground and making him soil himself before telling him off."

Lovell and Lance felt a chill as they listened to Luna"s story. Lovell sat back. "Well, I had met the king earlier."

Lance turned to him "What, really?!"

Lovell nodded, "Yeah, he was expecting us and sent someone he trusted to get me. Mind you I had to disguise myself to get in."

Luna smiled, "At least we are getting somewhere."

Lance childishly leaned back, "True, but this is only the beginning."

Lovell agreed, "Yes, but things could also get harder even if we have six weeks to find the culprit." Lance and Luna nodded. "So, we need to keep vigilant. That weasel of a man in the castle has ears possibly on every street with guards and ordinary folk supporting him."

Lance nodded, "Right, and tomorrow we will search the area in the winter district for more info, well you might—"

"No, I"m going tomorrow with you." Lovell interjected, "I know that meeting the king two days in a row would cause suspicions."

Luna leaned back, "Makes sense, so, what"s the plan then?"

Lovell smiled softly, "You, Scarlet and Gale will head to the shopping district in that area, while Fang and Zephyr will check the alleyways by the castle for clues." Lovell turned to Lance. "You, Zero and I will hit the slums and the border area of the commoner"s section."

Lance folded his arms. "Sound like a plan to me I"ll run it by Fang and Gale."

Luna stood up. "I"ll got tell Scarlet and the twins then."

Lovell nodded as they left. "I"ll be a while." They nodded as they left him.

Later during the night, Lovell sat at the window in the seating area of the inn"s dining area. Marie walked up to him with a hooded man. Lovell looked at her. "You have time to talk Lovell?"

"Yes," Lovell turned to the hooded man. "Its nice to see you Orville."

Orville lifted his head revealing his face. "I"m surprised that you noticed it was me."

Lovell smiled, "I knew you might come, so we found a lead already."

Orville sat down across from Lovell, as Marie leaned against the wall. "That"s good."

Lovell leaned over the table. "Now, there is something I"m going to tell you, and it might be a big shock at first but hear me out." The king looked at Marie and nodded, Lovell, leaned back. "My friends and I not including Fang and one other are the Ren-Ky warriors."

Marie stood up. "Wait you are a—"

Lovell nodded, "Yes, and the one other is her."

The King stared at Lovell. "BY the G.o.ddess, well I know now what I"m going to do once this fiasco is dealt with."

Lovell tilted his head. "And what"s that, Orville?" Lovell is trying to keep things off the books of who Orville was.

Orville turned to Lovell. "You will find out once you clear Ark and expose my advisor to the people."

Lovell smiled at him. "Very well then, you should get going before he starts sniffing around."

Marie nodded as Orville got up. "I hope for the best then Lovell." Orville extended his hand.

Lovell gabbing his hand, "Likewise, hopefully with the culprit in hand and the truth."