Meet the Vixen's terms

The day's remaining activities are somewhat exhausting, made even more so as the events of the night to come weigh on your mind. All of your advisors spoke true. Duncan is correct, it is not your place as a King to answer to a criminal of the forest. Captain Navarre's course would be the most prudent action, to be sure. But General Ferdinand's words have been most persuasive. You have always felt that as King you must serve the people as well as rule them, and while it's arguable as to whether the Vixen is one of your subjects, you feel you have a duty to meet with her nonetheless.

Most of all, you find that your curiosity is simply to great to ignore. What is so important that she felt the need to come out of hiding, and speak directly to the King? It is hard to believe that she would go through this much trouble just to surrender.

At last, the opening ceremonies, the reception, the feast, and the general revelry come to a point where you as the host may graciously take your leave. Your first order of business is to change out of the ridiculously uncomfortable robes and ceremonial breastplate that you were compelled to drag yourself around in all day, in favor of the riding outfit you wore in the morning, when you first encountered the Vixen. Your sword is on your belt, but there seems no point in wearing armor; the Vixen could target the weak spots even in a full suit of plate mail.

In the dark of the night, with only a small lantern to light the path ahead, you exit the castle's back gate riding upon Steelheart, with Captain Navarre in the lead and Trina following behind. This time, you all turn onto the leftmost path, heading higher up into the hills. The path is clear as far as the meadow, where you stop and dismount; the horses are capable of climbing higher, but at no faster pace than one might walk, and the chance that one of them might make a misstep in the darkness is too great.

"Lady Trina, you will accompany the King as far as the cracked stone," Captain Navarre says. "I will remain here with the horses. Sire, before you ascend, allow me to make one more suggestion. The Vixen said you should meet her alone, but I imagine she meant that you should bring no human companions."

"You believe I should take Steelheart?" you ask, confused; the horse would be a liability on the high path more than an asset.

"No, Sire," he says, and reaches up with his left hand to stroke the falcon on his shoulder. "Selina should accompany you. If you are in danger, send her into the sky; she will return to me, and I will at least know that you need assistance."

You glance at the raptor, then at Navarre. "I know what she means to you, Etienne," you say in a low voice. "The Vixen is more than capable of shooting her from the sky, even on a night much blacker than this. I cannot ask this of you."

"I know you would not ask. That is why I have offered. I have sworn an oath to your service, Sire, and to lay down my life in the defense of yours; but as I cannot be at your side on this occasion, allow me to do what I can to ensure your safe return. Selina must accompany you."

It is unusual, almost unheard of, for Captain Navarre to insist to you that his will be done; to be unable to perform his duty directly is clearly weighing much upon him. "I will take Selina," you agree, "and both of us shall return safely. If you see her return without me, however, do not immediately assume the worst; I may have her carry a message back to you if the meeting goes long."

"Yes, Sire."

It takes a moment for you to strap on the leather pads which will allow Selina to rest on your shoulder without her talons drawing blood. Once this is done, you take the heavy glove from Navarre, and lead Selina to her perch. She seems to look at you quizzically as you and Trina start up the higher path toward the druid's circle. It takes a long time, but you manage to reach the great boulder as the Moon ascends to its highest point in the sky.

"I go alone from here," you say to Trina. "I do not know what orders you may have been given by your Captain; I suspect that he has instructed you to go through the crack to defend me at the first sign of danger. This you must not do. I am giving you a direct order now, as your King, that you must remain here until I return, and ONLY proceed through the crack if you hear me call for you. If you see Selina fly overhead, she may only be carrying a message. If there are any unusual sounds, you must ignore them unless you hear an absolutely unmistakable cry for help. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Trina says, bowing at the waist.

"Thank you, Trina. I am glad to know that there is someone at my back upon whom I may absolutely rely."

With Selina balanced upon one shoulder, and your scabbard held parallel to you leg, you proceed into the cracked boulder. The great rock is over twenty feet high, and the crack is so narrow that you must release all the breath from your lungs and squeeze through the slimmest point. Selina adjusts herself on your shoulder several times, but remains quiet and perched. A rise in the "path" hides the other side from view, but once you are past that, you can see the light of a campfire. Someone will be there to meet you, it seems.

The crack widens before you reach the other side, and so you are able to enter the Druid's Circle walking normally. A fire burns in the center of it, and standing off to one side is a young, slim blonde woman who stares into the flames.

"Lady Vixen," you say quietly. "I have come alone, as you asked."

"Your guard awaits on the other side of the boulder," she responds, not yet looking in your direction.

"And she will remain there. I know that is not the way you came here, so if escape is your plan, you need not leave that way either."

"And how do you know this?"

"Unless you are possessed of some magic, you could not have carried a large bundle of firewood through that crack."

She nods slightly. "You must wonder why I have asked you here."

"To surrender to me, I imagine."

"You presume much, King Xavier."

"You show your face," you point out. "You therefore intend surrender, or you intend to kill me. I think that you would not go through this much trouble if the latter were the case."

"I show my face because it is important that you believe what I say to you now," she says, finally raising her eyes to meet yours. "A hidden face can lie, and will not be trusted. I will need to trust you as well, King Xavier. Why do you carry a dagger behind your back?"

You have been facing her the entire time; she could not have seen it, but it is there. You withdraw the short knife and toss it to the ground at her feet. "It is custom in Elyssia to offer a sheathed blade as a token of peace," you tell her. "That is why I brought it."

"And the sword?"

"To defend myself in case you are here to kill me after all."

She nods. "We will be truthful with one another, then." What she does next is entirely unexpected; her short, simple brown cloak drops to the ground, and she follows it with the tunic she wears underneath, leaving her standing with nothing on at all.

You are about to say something, but before you find your voice, she speaks. "I am willing to surrender myself to your custody," she says, "but not unconditionally. From what I know of you, King Xavier, you are an honorable man whose word is true, but that is not my only concern. I have enemies who I have good reason to fear. I need not only your pardon, but your protection."

"Why have you -"

"Will I have your protection, King Xavier?" she asks, interrupting you.