Madeline, Princess of Bentham

The Princess Madeline of the small kingdom of Bentham, an ally of Attoria during the five year war against Ullaqar now timidly poked her head out her chamber door, her corn silk hair pulled back trailing down her back. Madeline was melancholy near despondent the last month, then found it replaced by the energy of absolute terror during the last four days. Near the end of the previous month the carriage in which her beloved father the benevolent good King Malcom of Bentham, rode was guilefully separated from it's escorting guard unit and ambushed. It was presumed to have been carried out by a Ullaqar ****, Ullaqar didn't dare to make any sort of move directed against Attoria that might be clearly discerned but the little monarchy of Bentham was not empowered with Attoria's clout to dissuade aggressors. Following the attack the servants and administrators attempted to keep Queen Caroline in the dark as to knowledge concerning the fate of her husband the king, though not stopping her from divining the nature of what had come to pass, her end coming in child birth four days before when Madeline found herself now. The four intervening days Prince Stewart the heir apparent had been keeping his younger brother the Prince Duncan drunk. Talk bounded through the castle portraying Princess Esther as being involved in a liaison with Stewart's friend who cast himself in the role of Stewart's chief advisor. Infuriatingly enough even as the midwives and healers were raising a clamor proclaiming the Queen had taken a turn for the worse, Madeline had spied the couple with lute holding hands and stealing kisses. The servants rumors lead her to believe it went further, interactions beyond her understanding.

After Madeline was sure the coast was clear, she crept to her mother's empty chambers. Madeline proceeded to where her mother Caroline had displayed to her a necklace with a large ruby pendant and the place where the late Queen, had hidden it away. Caroline had informed Madeline that the bejeweled artifact had the capacity to bestow wonderous benefits, knowledge, gifts and favors on the wearer while doing so though it would start to take hold of them very deeply.

Madeline crossed the dressing room. put her back to her mother's wooden primary jewelry case and pushed it to the side. Kneeling Madeline removed a brick from the wall revealing a hollow. Madeline reached in the space retrieving the cloth wrapped amulet. Madeline clasped the bundle to her recently budded chest before unwrapping it to stare wide eyed at the surrounding jewels and the murky shadowy image of what appeared to be a two headed monster fixed hovering in the central blood red jewel itself.

Madeline took a deep breath putting the adornment on over her head. Madeline kept her eyes clenched for a couple moments then she let out a disappointed, anticlimactic sigh. "Oh my, what am I to do?"

A calm confident voice in her head answered. "I think you'll find, I'm able to help you in plotting a clear course."