The Prince’s Assassination
Crossing, Zoluren: 116 Lirisa 360 I was told by the Mayoress Lindryl to accompany and guard the Prince.
So I followed the Prince around while he mingled with the people attending the Ball. I then joined him while he attended the performance of the Troupe of Four Winds. During the performance, he asked for a private viewing in his study. And luckily, I was granted the opportunity to go along.
Proof: The Prince’s Study at DiSilveron is an island of shabbiness in the elegance of the manor; the study is disconcerting. The aged rug once had a pattern, though it is now hard to discern–faded and stained as it is–but at least it hides most of the grimy floor. The furniture hardly dispels the illusion of being in the room of a now copperless man: the desk propped up with two books where a leg has gone missing, the armchair’s stuffing about to overwhelm the upholstery, the bookshelves covered with ugly little objects of no worth. Also with me in the room: Lord Vorclaf, Advocate Krymson, Mayoress Lindryl, Poet Lethargy, Seihjin, Derivan, Aengen, Kithria, Balladeer Bubbinster, Starlighte, Poet Melissande, Tale Singer Austeria, Poet Firannion, Tahatia, His Majesty Belirendrick.
So, I watched as the Troupe performed their marvelous songs. Soon Kouritza arrived, escorted by a guard.
I saw Diva Kouritza Zantaikis, a Human.She has green eyes, long curly dark brown hair that is tousled, and tanned skin. She is fairly young for a Human.
She was holding a white silk handkerchief in her left hand. She was wearing an elaborate black boa made from wild gryphon feathers, some dainty high-heeled black shoes, a long black velvet evening gown with a sequin encrusted bodice, some long black satin gloves, a large diamond necklace and a sparkling diamond tiara.
An unknown, but she swore to be legit, Diva appeared to sing for the Prince.
It appeared that the Bards did not like her at all. They ridiculed her and scorned her in her Bardic performance for the audience. It went like this:
Kouritza struts on stages waving her hankie graciously at the prince and other nobles, curtsies clumsily while adjusting her gown.
Kouritza puts her gloved hands together and smiles broadly to her audience as she takes center stage.
Kouritza clears her throat.
Kouritza inhales a great swallow of air.
Kouritza happily sings in a soprano voice:
“May the God of Wit inspire, The Sacred Thirteen to bear a part, And the Blessed Heavenly Choir, Show utmost their Art.”
Kouritza gets a happy expression on her face!
Kouritza playfully sings in a soprano voice:
“While Echo shall in sounds remote, Repeat each note.”
Kouritza quietly sings in a soprano voice:
“Each note note note….”
Kouritza smiles happily looking obviously pleased with herself.
Kouritza waves a white silk handkerchief around.
Kouritza confidently sings in a soprano voice:
“Sing while we trip it on the Green But no ill Vapour rises or falls, Nothing to offend our Saintly Queen.”
Kouritza looks about with a puzzled expression on her face.
Kouritza tugs at her gown suddenly realizing she has forgotten the words.
Kouritza hesitantly sings in a soprano voice:
“Tra la la la tra la, ha ha ha..”
Kouritza clears her throat.
Kouritza lets out a long sigh of relief.
Kouritza hums cheerfully to herself.
Kouritza smiles pleasantly winking at all nobility.
Kouritza playfully sings in a soprano voice:
“Let Noise and Care, Doubt and Despair, Envy and Spight, (the Fiends delight)…”
Kouritza laughs happily.
Kouritza puts her finger on her cheek and looks coyly around.
Kouritza wryly sings in a soprano voice:
“Be ever Banished hence, Let Soft Repose, Her eye-lids close, And murmuring Streams, Bring pleasing Dreams, Let nothing stay to give offence.”
Kouritza’s performance continues.
Kouritza adjusts her black boa.
Kouritza coyly sings in a soprano voice:
“Mystery has come to lock all fast, Love without it cannot last. Love, like the counsels of the Wise, Must be hid from Vulgar Eyes.”
Kouritza shakes her finger playfully at the audience as she warbles the last few lines.
Kouritza sings in a soprano voice:
“It’s Holy, and we must conceal it, They profane it, who reveal it.”
Kouritza holds her hankie to her rising chest.
Kouritza smiles playfully.
Kouritza sweetly sings in a soprano voice:
“One charming Night Gives more delight, Than a hundred lucky Days.”
Kouritza inhales an enormous amount of air for the final ascending line nearly bursting from her gown.
Kouritza loudly sings in a soprano voice:
“Night and Secrets improve the taste, Make the pleasure longer last, A thousand, thousand several ways!”
Kouritza curtsies to all her adoring fans, waving her hankie and blowing kisses.
Kouritza’s performance ends.
Now, maybe its just me, but I think she was refering to hiding something in that song. The Bards in the room gave her a hesitated applause, and then she slowly appraoched the young Lord:
(Kouritza struts over to the Lord.)
(Kouritza leans over to the Lord and whispers “And I can give you a special performance later my lord.”)
Kouritza winks at Vorclaf. Kouritza adjusts her evening gown.
Then the Prince himself:
Kouritza stands near Belirendrick.
Kouritza smiles at Belirendrick.
It is unapparent whether or not she poisoned him at this moment. However:
Lindryl offers Belirendrick a snifter of Undogoz brandy. Belirendrick accepts Lindryl’s Undogoz brandy. Belirendrick offers Lindryl a snifter of amber brandy. Lindryl raises the glass to her nose, frowning. Lindryl smiles at Belirendrick.
Belirendrick says, “Take this one away. It’s bouquet is a bit off.” Belirendrick smiles at Lindryl.
Lindryl raises the glass to her nose, frowning.
Belirendrick says, “Now, I hate to do this, but I’m afriad I’ll have to hear only one more song. My old bones are wearying and I’m afraid I’m a bit under the weather.”
Lindryl sniffs the brandy.
Belirendrick says, “You are most talented and everyone should enjoy what you have to offer.”
Lindryl takes a sip of the brandy and spits it out! Lindryl asks, “gah! You’ve been drinking THIS?”
Belirendrick smiles at Lindryl.
Lindryl offers Vorclaf a snifter of amber brandy.
Belirendrick says, “Lindryl, quiet for the performers, dear.”
Lindryl bows her head, cheeks flushed. “I beg your pardon.”
Vorclaf glances at Lindryl. Vorclaf asks, “what is that?”
Belirendrick says, “No, no.” Belirendrick chuckles.
Vorclaf asks, “you want me to…smell it?” Lindryl offers Vorclaf a snifter of amber brandy. Vorclaf accepts Lindryl’s amber brandy. Vorclaf puts his brandy in his gift bag.
Lindryl pats Belirendrick’s shoulder. “I haven’t dropped dead, nor has our prince. I’m sure it is just… sour brandy.”
Vorclaf whispers to Lindryl “smelled fine, I’ll just hang onto it.” Vorclaf nods.
Belirendrick nods to Lindryl.
Lindryl says, “please… don’t let my fancies interrupt.”
Now, after this the Bards perform one more song, and then the Prince threw us all out. Apparently to yell at the Mayoress and his son for nagging him about needing protection.
When I recognized the fact that the Diva had been close to the Prince, that she always had her hankie and wouldn’t relinquish it to anyone, and that her song spoke of hiding something, making the Diva the probable suspect to poisoning the Prince, to the Mayoress suddenly A memory of something I was told once by an old teacher of suddenly flashes through my mind.
Then Lindryl rubbed her lips. “Tingling….”
Note that Lindryl had sipped the brandy that the Prince had been drinking, but spit it out. The poison must have been having an effect on her
However, then everyone got caught up in a huge and awful bought with the Breath of the Dragon. Time seemed to stand still for everyone. The Prince could clearly be seen dead, though! When we returned no one could help the Prince, and sadly, he walked.
The Lord Vorclaf disappeared very soon after the Prince’s death. The Diva didn’t seem at all disturbed that the Prince had died. She ridiculed the Clerics and Empaths trying to help him. Declaring them incompetant and not good enough to help. And when Meanne tingled the Diva to get her hankie, Portense picked it up. Its whereabouts now are unknown to me.
Take what you can from my account. I was with or around the Prince at all times of his appearance. He only started feeling woozy after he had sipped the drink. I believe that the Diva Kouritza poisoned the Prince. But that is my opinion. Proof of this is hard to come by now, however, look at the evidence I have gathered. I hope someone else can shed some light on the situation and the murderer be found. We must find the new Prince Vorclaf.
That is all I have to say.
Khull Khuum
Respond with your opinion or observations on this mystery. It is time to sort out the rumors from what various people witnessed.