After her bath Maria found a fresh set of clothes, folded neatly, in front of the bathroom door. The shirt, vest and skirt all looked much too new and clean to be part of what they had brought along with them, but for the moment she did not care.
Fully dressed she lurched the last few steps to her bed, followed by Sin. "Thank you Sin, uhm, please just wake me when it's time for dinner I am, really tired." She did in fact not make it fully into bed, after laying down on the sheets and the sun shining through the window onto her, she fell asleep.
When she awoke, the sun had begun to set, it's warmth replaced by the heater. Sin was standing near the bed, hands folded behind her back and eyes closed, opening them first as her master stirred and got up. "I hope your rest was pleasant, my master. It is near seven, dinner is to begin shortly."
At her words Maria jumped, a red sting of embarrassment across her face. "But, it was six, wasn't it? Oh no I'm late, Sin you were supposed to wake me!" Her servant bowed, hiding her smirk. "It has been delayed to allow you more time to rest. My master, trivialities like this should not dictate your actions."
The thought of everything being pushed back for her did little to ease her worries, though it did fill Maria with a sense of gratification. Someone else had to wait for once. "Alright, alright. Please just, lead the way then, I'm starving anyways." With Sin's guidance the two left the west for the east wing, arriving in the large dining room shortly after.
Her beasts were already present, as well as Lord Lavelier and a slew of his servants. None of them however had taken a seat at the large table in the middle of the room. The lord waited opposite of Maria near the table, while her beasts were spread around. Menagerie was pacing up and down to her left, Tetra and Elaine sat in a corner with a large tome, and Sin remained at her master's side.
All eyes rested on Maria as she entered, and only her beasts returned to their occupations shortly after. Lord Lavalier and his servants were all staying attention, not a few with a barely hidden sense of worry. "Nothing will begin until you sit down, my master." Sin whispered to her, spurring Maria into action.
Her first steps were small and hesitant, but each became more secure than the last. As she reached her seat at the centre of her side of the table she even flicked her hair before sitting down, back straightened.
First then did the noble sit down opposite of her, directly in front of Maria. The servants brought silver plates, placing them mainly in front of Maria. The young master was in awe at the sight. roasted beef, potatoes, a bowl of shrimp and other sea foods. "Sadly none of your esteemed servants knew your preferences, your majesty, so as to not offend I had the cooks make a portion of a wide selection. I pray it is appropriate."
Maria did not know how to respond, not even on her birthdays had she seen any single of these dishes. "I, yes, Lord Lavelier, you have done very well." Except for a light tremble in her voice her delivery was firm and controlled. She took a few slices of the beef, a portion of rice and potatoes, first then did his Lordship take for himself.
The dinner was held in relative silence, none of the beasts came to the table, Maria was too engrossed in the food to speak, and Lord Lavalier knew better than to speak first.
Only after she had eaten all she could, Sin spoke up. "Your hospitality has been up to standard as ever, Antonius, though I wonder if your information is as well. Have you heard anything regarding the other families, or Paris?" Lord Lavalier was slow to finish his last bite, wiping his mouth before speaking.
"I fear that with your recent triumphs most chatter has shifted to leagues that are far above my reach, lady Sin. I know not what they are planning, only what they have been doing, which was rather obvious." He reached out his hand, and one of his servants handed him a tablet.
As he began to slide his frail, long fingers across it he continued. "Samdel continue to speak through their mouthpieces, trying to rouse and work through these heroes they love so much, Hertiria are moving whole platoons of Paladins from the south as well as from across the channel. Merlayne however I have not been able to trace."
Throughout his explanations, Maria sat in silence with growing worry. "You mean to say that they have, whole groups of those guys? Just one already caused us a great deal of trouble and." Sin laid a hand on her shoulder, enough to cause Maria to stop. "Worry not, my master. We lacked preparation and strength, the next time will be different. Which brings up another matter." Her first servant stared back at Antonius, who was still paying full attention to his tablet. "Has Armoire shown herself yet?
Her question caused a wide smile to appear on his face. "I can answer you this without much need for my expertise or contacts. As luck would have it, a certain incident at bordeaux has gone quite viral, as they say. Some kind of fight broke out at a check point they set up for passengers that entered the country by boat or by air. This fight then escalated into quite the gruesome slaughter as journalists have put it, culminating in this picture that was posted online just shortly after." He slid the tablet across to Maria.
Full-screened was a snapshot taken by a phone camera. A short girl, younger than Maria stood in centre frame, dressed in an oversized black hoodie with a short red skirt. She was shouldering a cross-spear, with two scales hanging from the ends of the cross-guard. The girl was standing in front of a wall that had been splattered with blood, writing out a single phrase. "Await me in Paris. Soon."
The girl´s face was empty, lacking in expression, her features more reminiscient of Sin than any of the other beasts. Even their hair was the same, rose-red in a braid, only that she wore it over her left shoulder instead of her right.
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"The picture was taken from a phone of someone found dead at the scene, and the girl escaped. I was never introduced, but even so that weapon could be nothing but the spear of famine, no?"
Sin had leaned forward and looked over her master's shoulder, smiling widely. "That is Armoire, without a doubt." It was not enough to calm Maria however. "She's all alone down there, and already drew attention to herself. Shouldn't we go? What if she gets caught, and captured or, ends like Trinity?"
"My master, do not be afraid." Amusement swung within her voice just as much as satisfaction. "If anyone can do fine on their own, it is Armoire."
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After the picture had been uploaded she dropped the phone and stomped on it. The sirens of the nearby police cars were still blarring, and while distracting, not enough for her to overlook the last remaining officer. He had been lucky, he only missed his legs from the knee down, he was dragging himself away from her.
Armoire closed the distance and planted a foot on his neck, causing him to gasp and choke. "If you are going to flee then be quicker about it." Her voice was low, cold and lacking in emotional weight. With her spear still shouldered she made her way up the street northward, leaving the officer a cripple, but alive, for now.
It did not take long for the first barrier of police cars blocked her way. "Have you not learned it the first time?" She called out to them without breaking her pace. The answers were bullets, and Armoire made no attempt to dodge.
After piercing her skin they bounced off of her hardening blood, with her skin quickly regrowing. With a sigh she let go of the spear, which vanished in a cloud of golden dust before it hit the ground. Instead, the hilt of a sword began to grow out of her right shoulder.
She grasped it and pulled out a long and sleek blade, which shone in pure red. "And I was given power to take peace from the earth." She muttered, and black flames began to spread around the blade. When she swung it sideways, the flames spread forward, engulfing the barrier. skin, meat and bone turned to ash, the cars melted before the flames set off the tanks, engulfing her in a ball of fire.
Undeterred Armoire marched on, untouched by the flames. She could hear the sound of helicopter blades and large calibres being fired. When the massive bullet hit the side of her head, it was rocked to the opposite side, though still not enough to pierce her. It did not stop her march. She threw the sword into the air, disappearing in the same golden dust as the spear.
Her eyes darted around the scene, noting the positions she had been shot at from. A pristine white bow appeared in her hands, and she pulled arrow after arrow from her side, until she held six in hand. All six she laid on her bow as she pulled back the string, aiming only upwards. When loosened they took a mind of their own, and each of them found their target's heart.
The helicopter above her began to move erratically now that the pilot was dead, and crashed into a building to her left. It did not halt her march. For a short few minutes, she was not interrupted. Roadblocks were swiftly abandoned when she approached, and streets hastily evacuated. In the hurry and panic many fell, scurrying on the ground to move away from her, but Armoire just walked past them without a glance.
She dropped the bow, and had the spear once more take shape in her waiting right hand.
At the outskirts of the city she was blocked off one last time. Two tall figures, dressed in heavy armour stood in her way. One armed with a sword and shield, the other carrying a great axe over their shoulder. "Your arrogance to not hide your presence will be your undoing, Beast. For your unforgivable crimes, your unspeakable betrayal, we will cut you down!" They spoke in unison, brandishing their weapons.
Armoire did not break pace and cracked her neck with a sigh. "Just how many of you do I need to cut down before you take me seriously?" They charged forward, closing the distance. Armoire rose her spear to the air. "A measure of wheat for a denarius, harm not the oil and wine." As she spoke the right scale was tipped, the Paladins stumbled in their charge.
Unable to lift their axe, the paladin had to drop their weapon. Unable to defend themselves, their armour was pierced by her spear, which faded when Armoire let go.
The spell slowly vanished with her spear, the remaining paladin regained their strength and rose their shield. "You carry a strength not meant for human hands, beast! Your very existence is a blasphemy, more foul than the Sin that spawned you!" Their blade began to glow in a brilliant gold before they swung forward.
Armoire rose her right hand to block the blade, and it cut right through flesh and blackened blood alike. The Paladin let out a triumphant cry, bashed Armoire backwards with her shield and pressed on.
"The fourth seal it is, then." Armoire muttered under her breath, unphased. Three scythe blades sprouted from her wrist, covering left hand. She crouched under the swing and swiped with her claw like blades, shredding the armour of her enemy and scraping their skin. The moment the cold metal pierced it all life left their body. Now an empty husk they fell over, dead.
With the death of her enemy her regrowth set in once more. Tendrils of black blood shot out from her shoulder, coiling around each other and forming a new arm. Within a few moments after, skin had completely grown over the black blood and turned to leave, until she noticed that the other Paladin was still alive.
They were grasping their wound and staggering towards her. "Strike me down, beast." Their voice was weak in strength, though the resolve as iron as before. "Strike down so another will take my place. Your betrayal will never be forgotten, no spawn of a commoner will take the throne of France while one of us draws breath!"
"No." A shove by Armoire was enough to knock the paladin off balance, ,and they possessed not enough strength to get back on their feet. "When you meet the chapter master, tell her to quit insulting me by sending you to your deaths single file." A first flicker of emotion sounded in her voice, a spark of anger. "And tell that traitorous bitch that I will cut down anyone, break through any fortification and burn down any city that she tries to put between my hands and their throat."
With these words she left the Paladin, the scythe blades vanishing from her hand as she relaxed her muscles. The police sirens were still sounding from far away, either unwilling to pursue her, or more likely called back by their true masters. Armoire paid it no mind as she walked out of the city, hood pulled over her head and hands in her pockets. Her Lore was shining brightly, a flare visible clearly to anyone with sight of magic, a clear provocation and challenge.
That would never be met.