Consort with the Queen

Getting back into the castle would be more complicated than running your way out of it. Even though the kingdom is peaceful, with no threat of a coup or **** in generations, the number of guards around make unwelcome guests difficult, and that was even before the princess was supposedly **** by an brutish orc bard. If you want to get inside, you're going to have to be smart, and you're going to have to get clever. Thankfully, you've got that in spades. Having been in the castle multiple times through your life, you're familiar with how there's two perimeters of guards, with patrols between them. You're also aware that with the kingdom having been so peaceful for so long, that the guards have often slacked on training. Even if they are super vigilant from what is alleged against you, not having taken their jobs seriously until now can still benefit you. On the other hand, they've seen you several times before; some of them would even call you friends. That and being the only orc noble family will make you immediately recognizable, making disguising yourself next to impossible. With that, you figure that diversion, distraction, and evasion are your best bet.

You wait until darkness before you make your attempt. Your eyes are better than their human vision at night, and will make it harder to identify you, even with your distinct appearance. Getting through the first layer of will probably be the most difficult, you think, because the guards will be looking out towards the main areas of ingress. With this, distraction is the best call. Lurking the streets, you're able to use your flute, and a little bit of occult magic, to charm and befriend one of the kingdom's countless stray dogs. Staying around the corner, you magically give the animal a command, to run past the guards, and to avoid getting caught. With that command, it darts off like a bolt from a crossbow, right past the unsuspecting guards. True to your guess, the unexpected nature of the event and their lack of proper vigilance makes them more concerned about getting the stray dog than they are about protecting their post. With their backs turned, you're able to rush through and into the nearby gardens, tucking yourself behind a large fountain, before the guards were able to apprehend the dog and send it away as they returned to their post

Evading the roving guards would be another issue entirely. You could identify different areas to hide behind, but as you watch their movements, you notice that these guards were a little more adept at their jobs, if only accidentally. They had no clear and determined path that they were taking, making it hard to predict where they would be, or where their focus would be, would be difficult. If you could direct their attention though, you could evade them. Your four legged friend being captured and released, you'll have to come up with a different option.

Thankfully, you had another option in the works. Relying on your bardic knowledge of occult magic, you could deceive these fools by leading them right for what they're looking for. Tucking yourself down as small as you can, you throw your voice and its location.

"To Arms! We've found him! We've found Silve! He's returned!" You push the humor down deep, realizing the irony in that what you're telling them is technically true. You hold your breath as the roving guards race right past you, never looking back to see the cause. The distraction won't last long, and may cause further commotion if they realize there's been deception. If they happen to talk to the guards at the gate you snuck through, they will certainly be on high alert. Even if they're not looking for you, they'll be looking for someone. You take a deep calming breath as you spring to your feet, using the opportunity to its fullest. You figure if you can at get to the floor of the castle where the royal bedroom is, you'll be set. As much as you need to see her, the princess would be constantly watched right now, and there's no way you could sneak or connive your way there. Using the height and strength of your orc ancestry and aided by the moonless night, you're able to scale rooftops and the castle wall, until you're inside. The halls are brightly lit; there's no shadows here. You start to begin to panic, fearing you've made an enormous mistake, but you quickly steel your resolve

"There's no going back now" You remind yourself _"If I ever want to see her again, this is the only way." _Cautiously, you move through the hallways, heading towards the hallowed destination. You turn a blind corner and run into a guard; Paul, someone you actually know somewhat well.

"Silve! What the hell are you doing here!? You trying to get yourself killed!? After what you did?" He draws his sword instantly, stepping towards you slowly,

"I didn't do anything, Paul, I swear. I came here to try and prove my innocence"

"You've got a funny way of trying to do that. I liked you. You treated me and the other guards like people, not like furniture, but I gotta do my job here"

"I know, and I'm really sorry for what I'm about to do!" Paul swings his sword at you, but halts as you throw your arms forward, your eyes slammed shut. His sword drops and he staggers back until he finds a wall, slouching against it.

"wh-what just happened?"

"A mind-link spell, Paul. I showed you the truth, what happened through my own eyes."

"Wow. You two, you really love each other?"

"That's right Paul, and I'm trying to clear my name before she's run out here."

"Man. You know, the guards had rumors, and even a running bet for a little while. I wish I could do something to help"

"Help me get the princess out of here."

"You know I can't do that, Silve. I like you and I'm sorry for what happened, but I'm not throwing my life away for you." He slowly got back on his feet, standing straight, and put his sword back to its scabbard. "I'm going to continue on my patrol, and pretend I didn't see you, that's the best I can do for you."

You breathe heavily, wishing he could have been more supportive, but you recognize the difficulty of that request "You're right of course, and thank you, for everything." The guard departed, you slowly open the door to the royal bedroom, finding the queen alone, sitting in the dark over a desk, a solitary candle lit.

"Your Highness?" You speak up slowly

"Silve?" She asks, and seeing you rises from her desk and rushes to embrace you. As she does, she begins to sob uncontrollably. You fear for a second that she blames you, but realize if that were true, this wouldn't her reaction. You wrap your arms around her and try to set her down at the bed, and as you do, you see her face and body has been terribly beaten and bruised.

"My lady? What happened? Who did this to you?"

"My husband, and my son!" She says in a wailful mix of sorrow and fury. The emotion runs over you too. You don't know what caused this yet, but you can't imagine anything sufficient to cause those two men to attack a defenseless woman this way, let alone their wife and mother, respectively.

"By the Gods!" You whisper, as you sit next to her "I'm so sorry! I wish I could have done something to stop them!"

"You can start by going away Silve! This was all your fault anyway!" She lashed out, pushing you away. The silence and the words dug terribly, seeing that your one misdeed has caused so much collateral damage. Before you can respond, the Queen stands, wrapping her arms around herself.

"I'm sorry Silve, this isn't your fault, I swear."

"Thank you Your Highness. I came to try and explain myself. I didn't **** your daughter. I-"

"I know Silve" She said with a faint smile, touching your cheek "you've been far too gentle and sweet for something like that. I know. I know everything."

"You found out?" You ask, rather stupidly.

"Trevolia told me" She said with a smile. "After what she told me, I had to see you for myself" You inwardly roll through your calendar, recalling when the Queen came onto you after a private invitation to the castle. "When I tried to make the case, neither of them would listen. The bastard prince didn't believe me, and my husband didn't care. Said it wouldn't be good for the kingdom for the princess and heir to the throne to be caught up with 'one of those kind'." Her breath picks up as her emotions get high again "I told him off, saying that you were more competent and capable than our own son."

"Your Majesty" You struggle for words "I am so terribly sorry, about all of this. I wish I could undo all of this."

"Don't" she sat, pating you gently "Because of you, we're all discovering who we really are, and what we really think. I'm married to a monster and gave birth to a bastard, and the King is married to a whore."

"You mean?"

"Trevalia is the only rightful heir to the throne, yes, but that was never going to happen, with or without you."

"There has to be something we can do."

"Silve, there is nothing we can do. I tried, and look at what happened to me!" As she moved her hands over her bruises and injuries "If you try, they'll kill you!"

"Than let them! This can't stand. You're the Queen, there has to be something you can do!"

There's a long, dreadful pause as she thinks for a moment. "There may be something. I know where the princess will be taken before she's put into a carriage to be taken to her new fiance. I'll tell you where, and do what I can do to help you rescue her."

"You mean, fight the guards? Rescue her from her own family?"

"And get as far away from here as possible." She said with a nod "It's the only option you have, but if you're going to do this, you have to do something for me."

"Of Course Your Majesty, I'll do anything" You say impulsively, without thinking. You **** on your words, as she begins to undo the clasps of her dress

"Make love to me Silve. Love me like I was my daughter. Let me know that there's still some tenderness and love in this world, or I'll be haunted by these injuries forever"