UP: Britannia

    Smoke swirled slowly from a yellowish candle, which grew from the top of a human skull. Wax gradually bled across its grinning face. More light emanated from the candle than one would expect, easily lighting the entire room. A slender powerful figure leaned over various scatterings of scrolls and tomes which decorated the top of a large desk carved from heavy mahogany. The woman’s pale hands grasped the table like a pair of porcelain spiders, whose long legs bent and wrapped about the table’s edge. Curls of a dark, unidentifiable material swirled tightly about her body, which exuded physical and sensual power. Cascading tendrils of black hair fell off her smooth shoulders, framing a hauntingly beautiful face.

    Where is what I seek? It could be anywhere, but I need a place to start, she thought to herself. Her eyes were large and black giving a strangely innocent appearance. The ivory heart-shaped face reflected none of the hardships she has had to endure over the years of mad wandering. Not a wrinkle or blemish obscured her icy beauty. Only when deep in thought or erupting with anger did any impurity reflect in her stunning appearance. Her full, crimson lips were parted slightly, as she scanned the cities on a large map with her thin finger. Ripples of thought rode her delicate brow, as she contemplated where to set her plan in motion.

    A small grin lit upon her face, as her finger stopped on an island city…Moonglow.

    Of course, that old blind fool will surely have it, she thought cheerfully to herself. Unfortunately, the joy quickly fell from her face.

    “What is it?” she said in an annoyed tone to someone not yet there. The heavy door opened slowly.

    “Enchantress?” a voice hesitantly muttered, as Crinn Sanjole slowly pushed into the room, hat in hand. Once the door was opened he moved in quickly, and closed the door behind him.

    “What IS it, Crinn?” snapped the shadowy figure, as she fell back into her chair folding her hands in front of her. She stared coldly at Crinn with obvious distaste.

    “My apologies for this disturbance Enchantress. Mr. Boc would like to know when to expect the plan to be set into motion. The men, well, they’re getting a bit restless is all. We’ve been anchored in harbor for a long while now and were wondering when we were to set out again,” he said with eyes to the ground.

    “Thou art a smarmy one aren’t ye, Crinn?” she asked callously, as a grin widened under a pair of angry eyes. “Now, run back to Lazag and tell him to have his men ready. A destination has been chosen. We shall move onto Moonglow as soon as the men are ready. Go now and deliver that message to thine master, and don’t dally. Thou wouldn’t want to upset me, would ye?”

    Crinn looked up angrily. Although a thief and a trickster, he did not appreciate being disparaged. He met her stare for a moment. His hair began to stand on end as he felt her thoughts push inside him. Beads of panic formed on his brow as he felt her icy finger probing his mind.

    Quickly, he backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

    “I truly do hate her,” Crinn muttered to himself. He rested on the closed door confused about what had just happened. He then started off to tell Lazag Boc the news.

From the Town Cryer - The Journal of Ultima Online, Thursday, March 18th 1999