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[[Cue: Discolor from Umineko]]

Daniel looked at the woman in blue and just stared, he wasn't sure how he felt about Kyle's accusations, they certainly felt heavy handed. She'd been with them the entire time, even on the stage where everyone could see her. How could she even be a suspect?

There were a lot of inconsistencies, but Daniel could not bring himself to speak, his soul still crushed by the wieght of losing his brother again... plus, he liked this idea. He liked having someone to blame, even if he couldn't muster up the will to voice it.

The lady in blue, trembled, feeling the eyes on her like sharp knives ready to dig in and rip her appart like ravenous wolves. Could she tell them without upsetting the situation further, the part of all this that made her so uncomfortable and confused to begin with, the single flaw in thier reasoning? She swallowed hard, feeling the pressure building. Then there was the comment from Kyle. Her king... dead? How could he say that? The king was safely resting in the residency wing. To insinuate something like that- Then again, this wing should have been safe as well, but here they were standing amidst bodies resting, unwaking like in a coma.

She looked at the key which she guarded vagilantly, a key that had power to gain entry to any wing of the castle. In many ways, the most powerful weapon anyone could hold in a castle meant to give sanctuary and protect those within. She released, the silk string attached to the grip slipping through her fingertips as it landed softly in Kyle's hand.

"I... sincerely hope you're wrong," she looked serious for a moment, a slight hint of fear in the back of her eyes.

[[LiB : Narnia : Northeast Wing]]

[[Cue: Discolor from Umineko]]

The lady in blue looked more and more distraught as Kyle went on about potential criminals, limiting it to 3 possible suspects. There was the king, herself, and the mystery thief "X" who could be anyone. Her key never left her possession, and she was innocent, they had to understand that. These were heroes after all, they wouldn't condemn her on circumstantial evidence... would they?

Kyle went on, insulting her, calling her a liar like Noelle, or ignorant. Both negative in connotation, but she couldn't deny she was ignorant. Ignorance, the fact she did not know the answer, did not know what exactly was going on, was this so wrong? They wanted her to have all the answers, but she was human, like them. She was desperate, desperate for an answer that wouldn't make them angry or rile them up further, or worse... these were heroes... right? She didn't have to fear them. The good guys, Aslan's emissaries, bearers of light. They should be her allies, her king's allies in this dark time... yet why did she feel cornered among wolves.

"T-the master key-" she swallowed, she couldn't hide her discomfort. She didn't know how to say it without them getting angry, "It..." she looked around, their eyes were locked on her, she couldn't move. Her heart raced. She looked around. Made eye contact with every person present, hoping someone might lend her an ear, a hint of mercy, aid to protect herself from Kyle's onslaught. All she found in their eyes however was hate and distrust. No one would help her. No one would stand up for her. Would they believe her? Would these distrustful, vengeful glares like those Bobbi had shown her as she made her way out of the cathedral really be paired with ears open to the truth? Would they understand what this could mean if there really was a culprit besides the heartless? She took a deep breath-

"The master key can only unlock all the doors in the castle."

[ Kyle : Narnia : Northeast Wing ~ Cathedral ]

His smile faltered. No, his entire expression faltered. His gaze, at once locked on her, was now beyond her, staring through her. His breathing seemed to stop.

"... Kyle?"

His mind frayed, was chaos, tumult, raw disorder.He, however, was entirely silent.

[Joe: Narnia: Outside the Grand Cathedral]

The monk mused on the other Joe's words. That list of info made sense to the monk, though leader Joe didn't say anything right away. No, he didn't feel like mentioning a couple of 'royals' from the books. But the rest seemed to make sense. Why didn't they have a name? Why weren't they told things? Why weren't the others around?

It felt like...something was wrong. Trap was what his brain went to, but if it was...other Joe had a point. It seemed weird for a trap.

The leader opened his mouth to speak when the mage slayer was done, only to be cut off. Not rudely, but someone did appear to be looking for them.

"I'm a Joe and this is a Bobbi. What do you need?"

{James : Narnia : Cathedral -> Great Hall en route to Residency Wing}

James had to fight with every fiber of his being not to have his palm fly right to his forehead at the normally ridiculous statement that the Master Key only unlocked, not locked doors. The corsair looked at Kyle while listening to Dawn, watching the dragoon as he stood there silent, likely confused just as he was. He watched as Kyle then left without another word, key in hand likely to test it for himself.

'None of this makes any sense...,' The corsair thought yet again and if things continued in this confusing manner that thought would likely keep being the most prevalent one on his mind.

Before the corsair could do anything else, Kyle returned confirming the woman's statement regarding the key was true. Regardless of how it mechanically did not make sense it was true.

'Keys just do not work that way...'

Anthony went over to Kyle and grabbed the key, looking at John and the corsair signaling he was ready to go. With a nod the gunner left the Grand Cathedral with the two of the in tow. As he walked back into the Hall he took a deep breath preparing to shout.

"Guards we are going to check on the King-to-be! Several of you please follow me!" He bellowed as he made his way towards the last door, the one that was behind the throne. The locked door that led to the Residency wing.

'It's time we got some answers...'

He stopped before the door and let Anthony unlock it as he reached into his pocket to grasp the knife that he had kept there though he wouldn't pull it out or do anything to draw attention to it being there. When Anthony unlocked the door the corsair opened it and as soon as the guards assembled, would head inside.

[[Narration - A Turn for the Expected]]

As James, Anthony, John and their entourage of guards made their way past the crowd and to the door tucked away behind the statue of the mysterious figure, they could not quite see the words written upon the plaque displayed prominently from the front slope of the statue's pedestal. They reached the door with little trouble, James, receiving the key from Anthony was able to place the key in the door without any resistance, the turn to unlock the bolt mechanism effortless. The pressure to release he door from its sealed state, little worth mentioning.

The entrance was simple enough, a dim hallway lit with a few candles, candelabrum, and glass shaded lanterns that split off into a 3 way fork. A few small desks covered in various fruit bowls and light snacks lined the hallways dotted with doors. Each door lie slightly open, just enough to catch a glimpse of the fireplaces and candles within flickering lightly. The atmosphere was warm and comfortable, restfully silent, and undisturbed. A perfect place to rest.

Upon checking each room as they passed by, they'd find room after room empty besides the elegant furniture designed to provide the most relaxing stay possible from pillows of various sizes, billowing blankets, to pillow top mattresses meant for no less than royalty. At the corner of each room was a small closet-space, a pantry shoot of sorts. There were desks set up, with pens, quills, vials of ink, and paper for writing, each blank and void of any messages. End tables, some more lively than others held small novels, plates of half eaten food, to drinks of a wide variety indicating there was at least someone here at one time.

But wasn't there supposed to be more guests here? Where were the rest of their family members that had supposedly been resting in this place?

At the end of the short hallway that went straight north the path turned right to a staircase, circling around in a large arc. Windows overlooking the north and northeast portions of the lake sectioned off the hallway with lanterns between each. After pulling a complete 180 around nearly the entirety of the wing, the group came to a doorway grander than any of the others on the floor below.

With a soft push the door swung open, the cry of a gentle creek from the hinges accompanying an unwelcome chill.






As the light from the hallway crawled across the carpet floor, their fears could only grow as they prepared themselves for the worst.

There, at the foot of a massive circular bed, a mound of bodies lay slumped over like dolls sat up lazily like by a child done playing with toys to encircle the mattress. It was impossible in the light to tell just how many there were, but there were quite a few. All those earthlings thought to have been in the residency wing, lay there, motionless, sleeping as a group, peacefully resting until someone would come to wake them from their slumber. At closer inspection, many were holding hands, resting upon each others shoulders, some even lay there with small smiles adorning their faces as though they were having a pleasant dream. But... pleasant as those dreams may have been... they would never wake from this slumber.

Atop the bed, was one body in particular, still wrapped up in vibrant sheets of blue and purple, head adorned with long, wavy brown hair cradled atop a pillow of brilliant red. His features, pristine, slender, and feminine in many ways reminded one less of a young man and more the fantastical depictions of an angel. Though his visage was new to the earthlings, he looked oddly familiar, like a childhood friend that had not been seen in many years.

Behind the head of the sleeping boy, a scroll, hung still rolled up and tied to the frame above that held the drapes that once canopied the bed. Tied, or rather, imprisoned in the center of the bow that held the scroll, was a key... a master key.



[[Still Cueing: Discolor from Umineko]]

The woman in blue shook her head in reply to Kyle's question, "I assure you, there are no secret passages out of the cathedral. This portion of the castle was only constructed recently, nothing like that was included in any plans I saw."

Kyle's comment at a broken reality however, was for the most part ignored. After all, reality was reality, there was no breaking it. There had to be an answer for this, the world just didn't work like that.



"Er- Lady Bobbi, Sir Joe, a... erm... pair of rather large guests have called for you. They... um... broke into the weapon cell in the Northwest Wing of the castle and demanded someone fetch you immediately. Please... if you would follow me," the young servant motioned, pointing them across the hall, past the throne and the large unknown statue.

[Joe: Narnia: Outside the Grand Cathedral]

The monk blinked at the servant. Weapon cell? Large guests? Was there even anyone they could even call 'large' at the party?

He was about to shrug at the other Joe's query, only to stop midway and c**k his head to the side in thought. He strode over to the nearest table and hopped onto it(etiquette be damned when there were bodies, after all), and scanned the room.

Hopping off and heading back over, he finished his shrug. "I have a feeling one is at least that Norn woman we came in with. I don't see her in the crowd, at least, and she's...pretty hard to miss."

He thought for a moment. "Well I at least might as well go. I can fend for myself...besides, if there's weapons around I can probably snag one if I'm in a pinch." He shrugged again. "At this point you can do...whatever you think is best. Kyle is in the cathedral keeping an eye on things, I'm assuming so...you can come with me or hang around to make sure no one heads in to tamper with stuff or something."

He was technically speaking to both Bobbi and Joe, and he sounded tired. Which he was. His mental state was fairly frayed, and being around the crowd of people wasn't helping soothe it much. So he headed off towards the weapons and the 'large guests'. Might as well find out what that was about.