[Plot] The Price of Gold

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

Katarina flinched as Jez brought the axe down. To her credit, she didn't cry out, but, well, it was a big axe.

And it worked! I mean, Katarina still had an ankle bracelet with a dragging chain on it where Jez made the cut, but at least she was no longer a fixture in the room. And the exhausted Jez would quickly find herself nearly tackled by a very gracious golden statue.

"Oh, Jezbelle!," Katarina said, burying her face in her rescuer's shoulder taking some deep breaths to calm herself.

___________________

The slap stunned Prince Alex. The right connected with a satisfying crunch, causing Alex to stagger back, bumping into his own throne as he tried to right himself. His eyes widened as he held his white-gloved hand to his nose, seeing it stained with red. His gaze flickered to Jez's right as he struggled to regain his stance.

It was more luck than anything else that kept Jezabelle from toppling over as Katarina threw her arms around her, the girl was exhausted from her efforts. Time was of the essence, she knew that all too well given that she had front-row seats to two other parties in play. But some things were worth making time for. She gently pet the princess' golden head as she hugged the girl tightly, giving her a chance to recover.

"It's alright Katarina, you're safe now." Well that wasn't entirely true, a fact that she immediately contradicted. "Well, almost. We have to get out of here. Nika is dealing with the bodyguard who attacked you, and Alex is... Alex is being a little shit right now, and I'm honestly flying by the seat of my pants here. I need..." She lifted her hands to cup the woman's cheeks, giving her such a sympathetic look as she felt the sizable dent left by her earlier hardships. "... we need you. We need the princess to lead us. Are you up for it?"

-------------------

Jez was a little bit smug about getting two hits in on Prince Alex. She wondered how many people dreamed about having such an opportunity. His glancing away did catch her attention, but there were many reasons for someone to look away during a fight: Looking for an avenue for escape, an ally, a weapon. She'd been so stupid, here she was fighting him all alone in a castle full of servants and guards loyal to him, even with her powers she could easily be overwhelmed. She didn't dare take her eyes off of him but she couldn't afford not to - luckily she could cheat and do both at the same time. Another duplicate came forth from her, though would it appear in time?

[Narrator]

Nika lands with an audible gasp. She is still recovering from getting shot, after all, and isn't going to win a drawn out fight. Climbing out of the wreckage of the painting and pops two more bullets out of the magazine, holding one in each hand and spreading her arms wide and leaving them hanging in the air so Beef-Strong-Man has no choice but pass between them to get to her.

The Bodyguard hesitates a little bit, carefully eying Nika's move and coming up with a counter strategy on the fly.

Keeping his right side facing towards Nika, he hesitated, hesitated, hesitated -- and then with a faint to the right, cut sharply to the left side of the hallway, wrapping his right hand around the bullet. It obviously didn't go anywhere -- so he couldn't just override Nika's power! -- but it was encased in his invulnerable hand, and he used it almost as a mid-air balance as he swung a kick at Nika's face.

[Narrator]

It was more luck than anything else that kept Jezabelle from toppling over as Katarina threw her arms around her, the girl was exhausted from her efforts. Time was of the essence, she knew that all too well given that she had front-row seats to two other parties in play. But some things were worth making time for. She gently pet the princess' golden head as she hugged the girl tightly, giving her a chance to recover.

"It's alright Katarina, you're safe now." Well that wasn't entirely true, a fact that she immediately contradicted. "Well, almost. We have to get out of here. Nika is dealing with the bodyguard who attacked you, and Alex is... Alex is being a little shit right now, and I'm honestly flying by the seat of my pants here. I need..." She lifted her hands to cup the woman's cheeks, giving her such a sympathetic look as she felt the sizable dent left by her earlier hardships. "... we need you. We need the princess to lead us. Are you up for it?"

Katarina slowly steadied herself against Jez, closing her eyes and taking several deep breaths. Almost unconciously, she ran her fingers along the damaged portion of her face, as she steadied herself.

"I shall...I shall do my duty, Jezabelle. We must get out, and quickly -- if we escape, the game is over for Alex. As long as we're in his domain, he has deniability. If we can reach the city..."

Jez was a little bit smug about getting two hits in on Prince Alex. She wondered how many people dreamed about having such an opportunity. His glancing away did catch her attention, but there were many reasons for someone to look away during a fight: Looking for an avenue for escape, an ally, a weapon. She'd been so stupid, here she was fighting him all alone in a castle full of servants and guards loyal to him, even with her powers she could easily be overwhelmed. She didn't dare take her eyes off of him but she couldn't afford not to - luckily she could cheat and do both at the same time. Another duplicate came forth from her, though would it appear in time?

It took just a moment for the duplicate to appear, and that may be a fraction too long. On the wall were some...well, a set of crossed decorative swords. Rapiers. Were they sharp? Did Alex even know how to use them? Whatever the case, that was what Alex had glanced at, and suddenly lunged for, struggling to remove one from the wall to give himself the upper hand. Or sword, as it were.

[Nika Novak]

Nika lands with an audible gasp. She is still recovering from getting shot, after all, and isn't going to win a drawn out fight. Climbing out of the wreckage of the painting and pops two more bullets out of the magazine, holding one in each hand and spreading her arms wide and leaving them hanging in the air so Beef-Strong-Man has no choice but pass between them to get to her.

The Bodyguard hesitates a little bit, carefully eying Nika's move and coming up with a counter strategy on the fly.

Keeping his right side facing towards Nika, he hesitated, hesitated, hesitated -- and then with a faint to the right, cut sharply to the left side of the hallway, wrapping his right hand around the bullet. It obviously didn't go anywhere -- so he couldn't just override Nika's power! -- but it was encased in his invulnerable hand, and he used it almost as a mid-air balance as he swung a kick at Nika's face.

Nika let's go of her knife and freezes it mid-air to block the kick rather than try to evade or take the blow. Who knows what'll happen when unstoppable force meets immovable object or which one is even which, but she aims a kick at his other leg and simply hopes her power will hold.

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

Katarina slowly steadied herself against Jez, closing her eyes and taking several deep breaths. Almost unconciously, she ran her fingers along the damaged portion of her face, as she steadied herself.

"I shall...I shall do my duty, Jezabelle. We must get out, and quickly -- if we escape, the game is over for Alex. As long as we're in his domain, he has deniability. If we can reach the city..."

Jezabelle gave Katarina a little peck on her unharmed cheek for good luck, taking the woman by the hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We WILL reach the city. What guard would dare lay a hand on you? And woe be the one who actually does." Still, it would be nice to have a little bit of insurance.

It took just a moment for the duplicate to appear, and that may be a fraction too long. On the wall were some...well, a set of crossed decorative swords. Rapiers. Were they sharp? Did Alex even know how to use them? Whatever the case, that was what Alex had glanced at, and suddenly lunged for, struggling to remove one from the wall to give himself the upper hand. Or sword, as it were.

One Jezabelle ran to try and intercept Alex at the display, trying to push him away with one hand while the other grabbed for the handle of the other sword. The other Jez moved closer to the doorway, keeping an eye out for reinforcements. She knew that Nika was delaying the main bodyguard, but who could say when some other guards might arrive.

[Narrator]

Nika let's go of her knife and freezes it mid-air to block the kick rather than try to evade or take the blow. Who knows what'll happen when unstoppable force meets immovable object or which one is even which, but she aims a kick at his other leg and simply hopes her power will hold.

Success! Nika's knife, at least temporarily, halts the bodyguard's kick -- as strong as he is, he can't knock it out of midair.

Nika's kick, aimed at the bodyguard's left leg, buckles it, removing his footing and sending him crashing to the floor.

[Narrator]

Jezabelle gave Katarina a little peck on her unharmed cheek for good luck, taking the woman by the hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We WILL reach the city. What guard would dare lay a hand on you? And woe be the one who actually does." Still, it would be nice to have a little bit of insurance.

"My knight in shining armor," Katarina said, with a weak smile. "Out. We must find our way out."

One Jezabelle ran to try and intercept Alex at the display, trying to push him away with one hand while the other grabbed for the handle of the other sword. The other Jez moved closer to the doorway, keeping an eye out for reinforcements. She knew that Nika was delaying the main bodyguard, but who could say when some other guards might arrive.

Jez was able to keep Alex from getting both swords, at the very least, but not from grabbing one of his own. It appeared Alex had more experience with a tool in his hand, as he seemed more confident as he faced Jez. Presumably, it was sport-fencing rather than actual combat, but who knew what crazy things they did in Symkaria?

He circled around, keeping the Jez with the other sword in his sights, before lunging in.

The Jez by the doorway could hear shouting and running, coming closer.

[Nika Novak]

Relinquishing her power's hold on her knife she grabs it out of the air and tries to press her advantage by pinning the guard to the ground with the knife to the left side of his throat.

[Narrator]

Relinquishing her power's hold on her knife she grabs it out of the air and tries to press her advantage by pinning the guard to the ground with the knife to the left side of his throat.

Pressing the knife to the guard's throat provides a satisfying thin red line, ending pretty much exactly in the middle.

In this position, there's not much the guard can do, though Nika doesn't exactly have many great options other than "continue to pin the guard to the ground".

[Nika Novak]

Except of course the tried and true method of applying kinetic force to the left lateral temporal bone with her metacarpals to cause a brain contusion. Which is to say, punch him really hard in the left side of his head to knock him out.

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

"My knight in shining armor," Katarina said, with a weak smile. "Out. We must find our way out."

"I think you're the shiny one out of the two of us." Jez walked a little ahead as she helped Katarina, allowing the injured woman to rest her weight on her handmaiden as they descended the stairs to the hallways below. The guard at the bottom? Well they'd deal with that when they got there.

Jez was able to keep Alex from getting both swords, at the very least, but not from grabbing one of his own. It appeared Alex had more experience with a tool in his hand, as he seemed more confident as he faced Jez. Presumably, it was sport-fencing rather than actual combat, but who knew what crazy things they did in Symkaria?

He circled around, keeping the Jez with the other sword in his sights, before lunging in.

The Jez by the doorway could hear shouting and running, coming closer.

With one sword removed from the display the other was easier to remove the other. Unfortunately, Jez wasn't trained in any sort of swordfighting beyond what she'd seen in movies, so... none at all. Now she was on the defensive and it showed, the woman backing away from Alex and toward the balcony.

The other Jez rushed to the door and sought to bar it, first with the sliding iron if any before resorting to whatever furniture she could move. Right now the prince just had a sword, but whoever was coming might have guns along with numbers.

[Narrator]

Except of course the tried and true method of applying kinetic force to the left lateral temporal bone with her metacarpals to cause a brain contusion. Which is to say, punch him really hard in the left side of his head to knock him out.

Success! Nika has defeated her opposite number. Unless Alex had multiple mutant-powered guards Nika was not aware of, everyone else around should be mundane.

[Narrator]

"I think you're the shiny one out of the two of us." Jez walked a little ahead as she helped Katarina, allowing the injured woman to rest her weight on her handmaiden as they descended the stairs to the hallways below. The guard at the bottom? Well they'd deal with that when they got there.

But as Jez and Katarina reached the bottom of the stairs, the guard at the bottom was nowhere to be found. What on Earth had happened to him?

With one sword removed from the display the other was easier to remove the other. Unfortunately, Jez wasn't trained in any sort of swordfighting beyond what she'd seen in movies, so... none at all. Now she was on the defensive and it showed, the woman backing away from Alex and toward the balcony.

The other Jez rushed to the door and sought to bar it, first with the sliding iron if any before resorting to whatever furniture she could move. Right now the prince just had a sword, but whoever was coming might have guns along with numbers.

Ah, that's where the guard had gone, leading three others with him towards the throne room. Jez was able to bar the door before they could arrive, but that exit was cut off for her.

For Alex's part, he was ignoring the Jez behind him in favor of the Jez backing towards the balcony, thrusting and herding her in that general direction.

"Surrender now, harlot, and I'll personally ensure your imprisonment isn't too loathsome," Alex said, boasting as if he hadn't been getting his butt handed to him earlier in the fight.

[Nika Novak]

Nika gives the guard a slight kick to the right side of his head for good measure. The measure in this case being for her own emotional benefit.

"Have you found Her Highness?" she looks over at Jez.

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

But as Jez and Katarina reached the bottom of the stairs, the guard at the bottom was nowhere to be found. What on Earth had happened to him?

Jez looked up and down the hallway, breathing a little sigh of relief, even if all of her selves now knew where the guard had gone off to. "I don't suppose you're familiar enough with this castle to know about any secret passageways, do you?"

Ah, that's where the guard had gone, leading three others with him towards the throne room. Jez was able to bar the door before they could arrive, but that exit was cut off for her.

For Alex's part, he was ignoring the Jez behind him in favor of the Jez backing towards the balcony, thrusting and herding her in that general direction.

"Surrender now, harlot, and I'll personally ensure your imprisonment isn't too loathsome," Alex said, boasting as if he hadn't been getting his butt handed to him earlier in the fight.

The Jez that was wielding a sword kept backing up further and further, her attempts at deflecting the Prince's strikes sloppy and amateur. Soon she was out through the large French doors that opened onto the balcony, though that offered her no avenue of escape. Well, except for down. "Genoshans nor Americans are known for surrendering. At least in death I'll be spared seeing your pug face again." What was it about wielding a sword that made one want to quip like that?

Nika gives the guard a slight kick to the right side of his head for good measure. The measure in this case being for her own emotional benefit.

"Have you found Her Highness?" she looks over at Jez.

Jez approached as soon as she saw the bodyguard was no longer moving. "Yes! We're on the move right now. Hurry, we have to get her out of the castle. This way!" Well there was someone else they had to get out as well, but first things first.

[Nika Novak]

"Well done." Nika says curtly before breaking into a run to follow Jez' lead.

[Narrator]

The Jez that was wielding a sword kept backing up further and further, her attempts at deflecting the Prince's strikes sloppy and amateur. Soon she was out through the large French doors that opened onto the balcony, though that offered her no avenue of escape. Well, except for down. "Genoshans nor Americans are known for surrendering. At least in death I'll be spared seeing your pug face again." What was it about wielding a sword that made one want to quip like that?

"Americans and Genoshans are also known for being all talk. 'Mutant Paradise'. 'Land of the Free'. Hot air you use to inflate yourselves upwards. In Symkaria, we are made of sterner stuff."

Alex kept advancing, now getting particularly cocky and adding in extra flourishes that presumably score points in exhibitions rather than real fights.

Jez looked up and down the hallway, breathing a little sigh of relief, even if all of her selves now knew where the guard had gone off to. "I don't suppose you're familiar enough with this castle to know about any secret passageways, do you?"

Katarina shook her head. "I don't think a place this...small would have any secret passageways. The Sablinovas squat in a glorified barracks atop a hill. You can see why Prince Alex would be so...desperate for an upgrade."

Katarina clearly had a different standard for "squatting", considering the luxurious interior of the castle, but that's a privilege bar to crack at another time.

"The castle does go down further into the hill itself than it appears. Perhaps there is some sort of...extra exit, in case the castle's defenses were breached? Or...or a Ljubavnicavrata?"

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

"Americans and Genoshans are also known for being all talk. 'Mutant Paradise'. 'Land of the Free'. Hot air you use to inflate yourselves upwards. In Symkaria, we are made of sterner stuff."

Alex kept advancing, now getting particularly cocky and adding in extra flourishes that presumably score points in exhibitions rather than real fights.

"And yet you're the one with the bloody nose; shame that sterner stuff is all in your head." She was full on goading him now, even with her back to the railing, her expression so smug and condescending. Like she didn't think he had the guts to actually go through with it.

Katarina shook her head. "I don't think a place this...small would have any secret passageways. The Sablinovas squat in a glorified barracks atop a hill. You can see why Prince Alex would be so...desperate for an upgrade."

Katarina clearly had a different standard for "squatting", considering the luxurious interior of the castle, but that's a privilege bar to crack at another time.

"The castle does go down further into the hill itself than it appears. Perhaps there is some sort of...extra exit, in case the castle's defenses were breached? Or...or a Ljubavnicavrata?"

"Yeah, right, a real fixer-upper." Jez mumbled, looking back the way they came as they tried to go mostly back the way she'd been led in. Would anyone at the front gate actually dare to stop them? "Nika is on her way, she'll be joining us shortly. Then we can make our own exit if we need to."

"Well done." Nika says curtly before breaking into a run to follow Jez' lead.

Jez lifted the skirt of her dress so that she could run more quickly - hardly dignified, but they were in the "flight" part of "fight or flight". "Down here and to the left, but we might have to make a detour if there are guards heading for the throne room. Lord Farquaad is none too pleased to see me."

[Narrator]

"And yet you're the one with the bloody nose; shame that sterner stuff is all in your head." She was full on goading him now, even with her back to the railing, her expression so smug and condescending. Like she didn't think he had the guts to actually go through with it.

Alex hesitated for a moment -- Jez wasn't entirely wrong about his guts. But then, he thrust forward, aiming to pierce Jez's shoulder with the blade.

"Yeah, right, a real fixer-upper." Jez mumbled, looking back the way they came as they tried to go mostly back the way she'd been led in. Would anyone at the front gate actually dare to stop them? "Nika is on her way, she'll be joining us shortly. Then we can make our own exit if we need to."

"Good, yes...regroup and escape. Castles are designed to keep people out, after all -- not keep them in," she said, the butt end of her iron cuff bouncing along the ground behind them.

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

Alex hesitated for a moment -- Jez wasn't entirely wrong about his guts. But then, he thrust forward, aiming to pierce Jez's shoulder with the blade.

Prince Alex might have expected Jez to try and dodge out of the way, or deflect the thrust with her sword, or do some weird mutant powers BS he couldn't have anticipated. Instead he got the answer to the question of whether or not the swords were sharpened. The blade tore through her shoulder and out the other side, the girl letting out a shriek of pain, one probably heard by any staff working in the courtyard below. She gritted her teeth and looked at him, her eyes softening. "I guess you're not all bad, you could've gone for the heart."

And that's about the time two sets of hands grabbed the prince by the shoulders, the same moment as his impaled opponent's gritted teeth formed that awfully American smirk. The other Jez, who had been at the door, stepped around the prince's side, her injured copy handing her their sword. She'd sacrificed a pawn to effectively disarm the prince; checkmate. "Remember what I said earlier, about throwing you over the balcony...?"

[Narrator]

Prince Alex had indeed, forgotten that his foe could split into multiple copies. That was...wait, the prince wasn't supposed to lose! That's not how these things worked!

"...You wouldn't dare. You'd never dream of being that bold," he said, with a confidence born from having been born on third base.

[Nika Novak]

Jez lifted the skirt of her dress so that she could run more quickly - hardly dignified, but they were in the "flight" part of "fight or flight". "Down here and to the left, but we might have to make a detour if there are guards heading for the throne room. Lord Farquaad is none too pleased to see me."

"Which one of you is the lead one?" Nika asks as they're running. The idea that Jez might not have one copy who's in charge does not enter her mind.

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

Prince Alex had indeed, forgotten that his foe could split into multiple copies. That was...wait, the prince wasn't supposed to lose! That's not how these things worked!

"...You wouldn't dare. You'd never dream of being that bold," he said, with a confidence born from having been born on third base.

The hands roughly turned Prince Alex around so that his back was to the railing, two Jez' staring him in the eyes while the injured one slinked into a third that seemed to be absently tapping on her phone with one hand, and now wielded a sword in the other.

"What's the phrase, in for a penny, in for a pound?" The two girls who had silently restrained the prince gave him a shove, though they were rather quick to grab him by the shins and ankles to keep him from plummeting to the courtyard below. It was still an unpleasant sensation, and the view was captivating for all the wrong reasons. The one on her phone rested her elbow on the railing and looked down at him with an expression of boredom.

"Right, let's make this quick 'cause you're heavy and I don't know how long I can hold on for. I wanna hear you give a full confession and apology for kidnapping the princess, and promise that you won't ever move against her in the future. It's very important to tell girls that you're sorry."

"Which one of you is the lead one?" Nika asks as they're running. The idea that Jez might not have one copy who's in charge does not enter her mind.

"Well, it wasn't the one who got run through with a sword just now, but I am one of the ones with the Prince. I'm not quite sure how I'm gonna get out, but then again neither is Katarina so that makes two of us. Speaking of which...."

"Good, yes...regroup and escape. Castles are designed to keep people out, after all -- not keep them in," she said, the butt end of her iron cuff bouncing along the ground behind them.

From behind the two came the sounds of footsteps, and around the corner slid a girl wearing the same dress as Jez, waving for the person behind her to continue following. Now the princess had two handmaidens to place their shoulders under her arms and help carry her weight, which should make for faster progress. And leave Nika free to clear a path if necessary.

[Alex Sablinova]

The hands roughly turned Prince Alex around so that his back was to the railing, two Jez' staring him in the eyes while the injured one slinked into a third that seemed to be absently tapping on her phone with one hand, and now wielded a sword in the other.

"What's the phrase, in for a penny, in for a pound?" The two girls who had silently restrained the prince gave him a shove, though they were rather quick to grab him by the shins and ankles to keep him from plummeting to the courtyard below. It was still an unpleasant sensation, and the view was captivating for all the wrong reasons. The one on her phone rested her elbow on the railing and looked down at him with an expression of boredom.

"Right, let's make this quick 'cause you're heavy and I don't know how long I can hold on for. I wanna hear you give a full confession and apology for kidnapping the princess, and promise that you won't ever move against her in the future. It's very important to tell girls that you're sorry."

The first thing the Jezzi learned is that Alex had a very, very high-pitched scream. It wasn't even that high up, all things considered -- I mean, you wouldn't want to jump off if you could avoid it, but she and Katarina had faced worse heights during their shrinking escapade, and Katarina hadn't screamed like this. I suppose that's why one's the princess and the other's at the mercy of an army of freshmen.

"Bring me back! Bring me back immediately!" the Prince said, thrashing about. It was quite the scene from down below, and all the various castle workmen -- the ones Alex had so obviously placed outside, working on a holiday, so that the people of the town could see how important he was, got an eyeful of their employer, their liege, their prince, dangling from his ankles.

The guards that were in the courtyard hurried inside, some yelling up at the distant prince. The regular servants were...well, less interested in getting a move on, one could say.

[Katarina Karkov]

From behind the two came the sounds of footsteps, and around the corner slid a girl wearing the same dress as Jez, waving for the person behind her to continue following. Now the princess had two handmaidens to place their shoulders under her arms and help carry her weight, which should make for faster progress. And leave Nika free to clear a path if necessary.

Katarina gratefully accepted the aid of a second Jez. She wasn't all that badly beaten up, facial dent excluded, but this had been an Ordeal with a capital O, and the emotional support of having a girlfriend under each arm was as buoying as anything else.

"Nika, remind me to give a lecture to the armed forces about hospitality..." she groaned as she joined the group.

[Nika Novak]

"Katarina!" Nika can't help but exclaim at the Princess' caved in face and it's probably the most emotional either Jez or Katarina have heard her be. Anger excluded. "Oh I should have stapled that brute to the wall for this..."

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

"Bring me back! Bring me back immediately!" the Prince said, thrashing about. It was quite the scene from down below, and all the various castle workmen -- the ones Alex had so obviously placed outside, working on a holiday, so that the people of the town could see how important he was, got an eyeful of their employer, their liege, their prince, dangling from his ankles.

"Oh, I'll lift you back up, once you give me what I want. Do you need a reminder what I asked for? Maybe this'll jog your memory." One of the Jez let go of one of Alex's ankles, which left all of the burden on the other, resulting in a little jolt as he dropped an inch or two before she recovered.

-----

Back in the hallway, one of the Jezes looked over at Nika. "We can always come back for a rematch, later."

[Alex Sablinova]

It was a battle between his ego and his fear.

It was really no contest.

"Fine! Fine, whatever you want. Just bring me inside this instant!" Alex shrieked.

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

"Nuh uh, it don't work that way." The second set of hands grabbed Alex's free leg, at least keeping him from slipping lower. "We won't be sticking around long, you'll have to do a proper face-to-face another time. Which is pretty generous of me, it gives you a chance to clean yourself up and make the best impression possible. For now, I just need to hear the words."

Jezabelle held out her phone with both hands, framing up both the prince and the ground below, making sure to get it all in the shot as the camera was rolling. "Think of it as an insurance policy. We leave these gates, and only three people ever see the video. But if something should happen to me that'd keep me from getting online to unschedule this post, it'll be up for the whole world to see. I think that sounds fair." Whether the prince thought that was fair was... well, a little irrelevant at the moment, wasn't it.

[Alex Sablinova]

"Yes, yes, alright! I did it; I brought the Princess here, against her will. I was acting under a direct claim from her bodyguard that she was besmirching our reputation overseas, and sought to do what was right for Symkaria. I shall not make a similar move again."

It may not escape Jez's notice that Alex had been sure to incriminate Nika in the apology as well; slipping a poison pill into Jez's blackmail plan. A little bit of mutually-assured destruction.

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

While Jez would have preferred for Nika's part in the prince's scheme to have gone overlooked, she didn't exactly have time to demand a second take. Already the door was starting to split as his guards tried to force their way through, she did not have much longer. So she had to content herself with what she'd been given. Her copies pulled Prince Sablinova back over the railing and stood him up on his feet, immediately beginning to straighten his clothing and brush him off even if he protested, tittering at a rapid pace like a couple of proper handmaidens as they turned his back toward the one with the phone.

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?"
'Indeed, it's a shame we had to get so rough with you, but I doubt you'd have done it otherwise.'
"Oh absolutely. Still you're none the worse for wear, all things considered."
'Mhhm. Still better off than ninety-nine point nine nine percent of the world's population.'
"And I'm sure the royal physician will make sure that your nose is set straight."
'While they take a look at that bump on your head.'

And that was their cue for the sword-wielding Jez to try and give the prince a thump with the pummel of the weapon. She didn't have time to tie him up, she had to get out of here. Somehow.

[Narrator]

"Bump on my h..." Alex started to ask, before being pummeled with the pommel. Sometimes things do work like they do in the movies.

So, now, you had the Jezzi in a room with a sword and unconscious royalty, and angry guards on the other side. That's less than ideal, perhaps. There was always the window, though that was a long way down, and Jez had already fallen today. Going out through the guards would involve a scuffle with people presumably more trained than Alex had been.

Katarina had guessed there wasn't a secret passage in a castle this small, but Alex had been sneakier than she had given him credit for, as well. And if there were to be a secret passage, maybe it would be in this throne room? A longshot, but she could always look.

And, of course, she was also outside the room, and that provided her with multiple other options...

[Nika Novak]

"We need to move and unless somebody has better intel I am going to clear us a way out the front door if I have to."

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

The Jezes holding onto Katarina shook their heads.

"Sorry, but I've got nothing. They split you and me apart pretty late into our trip."
'And it's not like we can ask Prince Sabaloney.'
"Well, not anymore we can't."

Well, that was kind of vague.

-----

If there was a secret passage in the throne room it was probably behind the throne, those massive draping curtains were sure to hide something. But then what? Jez would still be lost within the castle, and that might be the first place the guards looked. Instead she climbed out over the railing and began to shuffle along the extremely narrow ledge that ran beneath the windows. From here she might be able to get back in through an open window and behind the guards, or climb down on one of the long vertical flags hanging in celebration of the supposed-to-be-upcoming event. Even if she could get around one of the stone turrets or other outcroppings, she might be out of view of anyone who came out onto the balcony. And there was always the ever-present hay cart... well, they were in the games she played at least.

Of course, she was still plainly visible to everyone on the ground, and she got about ten feet out before she realized that this was probably the worse of the two actions she had thought of, but it was too late for her to go back. Already she could hear the door giving way entirely and the furniture grinding against the floor as it was pushed back.

[Nika Novak]

"This way then." Nika says and takes point to lead them to the main gate, holding her knife in one hand and the magazine in the other, thumb ready to flick out the ammunition for her power to fire at anybody who would dare stand in their way. She notes Jez' comment about Prince Alex but right now all that matters is getting Katarina to safety.

[Narrator]

If there was a secret passage in the throne room it was probably behind the throne, those massive draping curtains were sure to hide something. But then what? Jez would still be lost within the castle, and that might be the first place the guards looked. Instead she climbed out over the railing and began to shuffle along the extremely narrow ledge that ran beneath the windows. From here she might be able to get back in through an open window and behind the guards, or climb down on one of the long vertical flags hanging in celebration of the supposed-to-be-upcoming event. Even if she could get around one of the stone turrets or other outcroppings, she might be out of view of anyone who came out onto the balcony. And there was always the ever-present hay cart... well, they were in the games she played at least.

Of course, she was still plainly visible to everyone on the ground, and she got about ten feet out before she realized that this was probably the worse of the two actions she had thought of, but it was too late for her to go back. Already she could hear the door giving way entirely and the furniture grinding against the floor as it was pushed back.

Fortunately for her, the guards who had been on the ground had rushed in to try to catch her, not expecting the movement outside the window. That still left gasps from the workers below, but at least any trip to the bottom wasn't going to be immediately met by guns and shooting.

No hay carts to speak of, and falling from this height probably wouldn't be ideal even if they were there, lousy physics and all. The flags were a more enticing idea; it was still a moderate drop from the bottom, but she might be able to land it without hurting herself too badly, and even a sprained ankle wouldn't be the end of the world necessarily. Still, there were plenty of castle staff down there, and who knows what they'd think of the Summer Queen suddenly escaping from a horde of angry guards?

Going in through a window elsewhere would lead to it's own problems; being stuck in a room elsewhere in the castle, though maybe she could double back around while the guards were filling the throne room. It had the advantage of allowing her to disguise her position, but the whole 'escape from the castle' thing would still very much be up in the air.

With a *smash*, the door to the throne room splintered open, and the shouting in a foreign language intensified. Going down or in were both options, but Jez didn't have much time to make her decision.

[Narrator]

"This way then." Nika says and takes point to lead them to the main gate, holding her knife in one hand and the magazine in the other, thumb ready to flick out the ammunition for her power to fire at anybody who would dare stand in their way. She notes Jez' comment about Prince Alex but right now all that matters is getting Katarina to safety.

"Those who would dare stand in their way" became quickly apparent as the posse headed towards the front gate -- a number of the guards posted outside were rushing in thanks to some sort of commotion from up above. The site of the princess, a pair of twins, and an angry, knife-wielding commando at the front basically stopped them in their tracks; this was not a situation they were particularly prepared for.

[Nika Novak]

"I am Lt. Novak of the Royal Symkarian Guard. Under the authority of her Royal Highness the Crown-Princess Katarina Karkov I am taking charge of the Castle's Regiment on account of Prince Alexander Sablinova being accused of treason. He is to be placed under immediate house arrest until a formal investigation can be performed!" Nika informs them. She has authority to commandeer forces in cases of immediate threat to her charge, but the extend of that does not reach troops under the Prince Alex' direct command on grounds that unquestionably belong to House Sablinova. But it might make them hesitate, having to actively defy the Crown's authority.

[Katarina Karkov]

"I am Lt. Novak of the Royal Symkarian Guard. Under the authority of her Royal Highness the Crown-Princess Katarina Karkov I am taking charge of the Castle's Regiment on account of Prince Alexander Sablinova being accused of treason. He is to be placed under immediate house arrest until a formal investigation can be performed!" Nika informs them. She has authority to commandeer forces in cases of immediate threat to her charge, but the extend of that does not reach troops under the Prince Alex' direct command on grounds that unquestionably belong to House Sablinova. But it might make them hesitate, having to actively defy the Crown's authority.

Nika's Authoritative Voice (tm) did, indeed halt the guards in their tracks -- in confusion if nothing else.

Katarina picked that moment to chime in, as well.

"What my lieutenant means," she said, adopting a tone that Nika was familiar with, but Jez was not, "is that we require the immediate usage of one of the House Sablinova vehicles, a full escort to Aniana for a party of," she trailed off, looking at Jez.

"For my party," she hedged. "And, if remotely possible, some industrial bolt cutters," she added, clanking the remnants of her chain on the ground to emphasize her point.

"We would like to convey all proper regards to Prince Sablinova for his hospitality, and inform him that, sadly, we must refuse his generous proposition. We would also like to express our gratefulness for his kind offer to remain here for now, in order to reaffirm his deeply-held convictions about our land. We know that curtailing his international...voyages is a hardship upon him, and we will make sure that this particular sacrifice of his shall be well-known throughout the land."

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

Jezabelle decided on the flag, since she actually had an idea of where Katarina and Nika were. She had a better chance of reaching them faster from outside of the castle than from inside, and less of a chance of the guards she encountered knowing about the state she had left the Prince in. She just hoped that the flagpole and mount would be able to handle her extra weight. After steadying her nerves she pushed herself out from the castle wall and forced herself to jump into the waving fabric, grabbing onto it tightly and trying to wrap her legs around it to slow her descent.

Back with the others, the "handmaidens" knew to keep their mouths shut and heads lowered. It was not their place to speak, and their identical nature might be more easily overlooked.