((Why, thank you, Lena! *smiles winningly* That's the best compliment I've received in a while (no joke). I'm flattered! (By the way, I'm glad to see that you aren't taking Eggwald's slights to poor Sara seriously. :) ) )) ((Many parentheses. (Strange plural.) ))

Eggwald was on a roll. He had just reached the palace in his carriage, still himself. From here on out until the evening it would just be good clean fun (or as clean as a power-hungry totaliterian's idea of fun can be) watching that dweeb of an Archmage blunder about. Not to mention the delectable palace cooking.

He strode up to the gate, where there were a few sentries positioned. Lucifer gave a wide, toothy, superficial smile. "My good lads!" he said, spreading his arms widely in a welcoming gesture for no apparent reason. "My good, kind lads! You will let me in, won't you? I am the Vicemage." He raised a penciled-on eyebrow grinningly.

"Oi, it's the Vice Mage," a pimpled guard called up to the gatekeeper, who immediately let the gates swing open. Lucifer walked in, beaming.

Within the hour he was seated in the Archmage's private Lesser Private Dining Hall. This was not one that Jinni had dusted. There were a few she didn't even know about. ((Speaking of Jinni, she's unfortunately taken a backseat. I mean, you've got an illiterate peasant maid and you've got an evil villain trying to take over the country. No-brainer, right? :) ))

"Ah, Arthur, my good lad," said Lucifer, curiously enough using the same term he'd classified the gate sentries with. "My old friend. Tell me, how fare your days?"

"Grimly, good friend," replied the Archmage. "There is unrest in Alcigam and Faerhoven, and my familal affairs are unwell. My dear niece has vanished and after my brother and his wife disappeared, their elder son, my nephew Balthazar, was reported dead. My country is in a state of turmoil due to all the other disappearances that have occurred over the past few months. I fear that a dark force is quickly gaining power, Lucifer."

"Indeed." He didn't allow his lips to curl into a sneer. "Have you had any personal threats to your own life?"

"Oh, the usual groups of radicals," said Arthur, "that meaningless movement called the Rebellion or something to the tune. But there's something else, Lucifer." A strange gleam appeared in his eyes.

"What would that be?" Lucifer leaned forward, trying to look interested.

"There seems to be a plot." Arthur chose his words carefully.

"And?"

"A more well-planned, intricate plot to take my life."

"Any specifics, old friend?"

"The perpetrator," said Arthur slowly, "is someone I never would have suspected."

"Dear me." His words were smooth, but judging by the Archmage's next words they slid off him like oil.

"Arrest this man," boomed Arthur to the guards at the doors, "for treason, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, poisoning, hypnosis, and other illegal magical and otherwise activities!"

Ah, thought Lucifer ruefully. I should have told that maid brat to put the wit-dulling drug in the wine. The two combined would have worked well.

((It was difficult to send Lucifer's plot down, but Arthur told Larco that he knew of the plan. But, strange as it sounds, I have faith in Eggwald. I'm sure he'll find a way to escape. *cackles feloniously to self and then realizes she sounds like she's endorsing villainy* :) ))

While Lucifer's prisoners were stewing in the cells, he himself was evading the dungeons, and indubitably the hangman's noose. After a really nice move that had knocked three soldiers out cold (simultaneously) and broken one nose and a wrist, he was free at last, but dismayed, as he skirted round carriages and jabbering women on the narrow steets of Faerhoven, that his plan had failed dismally. But looking on the far positive, he saw some light with those three Bricyis.

Alas, the hope that Luanna and her parents had clutched so dearly evaporated when they saw that their "rescuer" was naught but Lucifer, once again plotting.

"Right now," he muttered. Then aloud, after some quick thinking, "Come on, you scum--we're off to Alnoitidart." It was a good thing he'd refrained from indulging with more bonbons, because he may have gone overboard and drained himself of too much power. As it was, it was a mean feat to telepathetically transport his whole labratory/library and the four of them to the far boundaries of Alnoitidart, a good fifty thousand or more miles away, and then he threw in the maid Sara for good measure. As an afterthought, he brought his last box of mint bonbons. Not quite as good as raspberry-filled, but delectable all the same.

He located the detached building at the base of a small mountain, and his servant and prisoner along with it. After casting the necessary precaution spells, he took a break to have some lemonade--save the real treat for later--and then conjured up a basement/dungeon dug underneath the building. Tomorrow he could add some suitable living quarters (i.e. bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette, etc.), but for now the most he could muster was a simple but very effective sleeping spell on the three dingbats in the prison and that dimwitted fool of a maid. He himself was too exhausted even to snack on some bonbons.

((He's really addicted now, isn't he?))

*attempts to revive thread* 

C'mon, people! Come back! I miss this thread! Is the interest in Roleplays dying out? It can't! Can't Can't Can't!! Come back, people! 

((That was good, Megan! I thought it was really funny! I wondered if anybody would pick up with Ala...

No, Reuben, I didn't think Larco was irrelevant. Not awfully, anyhow. Now, Jinni, on the other hand... *ashamed shake of head* *clucks tongue disapprovingly*

Assuming that the man smelling of cherry bonbons is Lucifer, I will proceed. Not a very strong knock-out coffee, I guess, Larco... sorry.))

"HA!" snarled Lucifer. "Stupid servant boy. Little idiot. Thinking a grub like him could outwit me... puny little scoundrel!" A string of worse names ensued, as Lucifer's long, swift gait carried him quickly to the palace gate.

"Arragh!" he shouted, his swearing cut short, as a few guard tripped him. "Let me up, you beastly things! I am the Vicemage Lucifer Rudolf Eggwald! Let me up! I can incarcerate you!"

This, he realized too late, was the wrong thing to say. Upon hearing the notorious politician's name, the guards hoisted him up and tied his hands around his back.

But Lucifer had had a few days of relaxation, and had been storing his strength up. He cast the strongest self-levitation spell, Aeirofles, combined with a child's charm used to rise a few feet off the ground, Chipperfly, to form "Aeiroperfly!" which gave him thev power to fly for a few hours, maximum. He also, of course, used the simple jinx "Eerffles" to untie his hands.

And then Lucifer Eggwald soared off into the distance, leaving four wondering guards in the dust.