Announcement

**Z64** · 10-22-2013, 09:25 PM

Maxwell made eye contact with Zarola. It was hard to imagine that there was some kind of "person" in there. Evidently, she seemed a bit grumpy, like Sephira had said, so he refocused.

"Your people, huh? Who would that be? I'm smart enough to know that not just any Hylian can speak to animals like you, Sephira." Maxwell said, his curiosity growing.

Maxwell wasn't sure how to feel. He was definitely getting more than he expected. The hardest part, though, was deciding if Sephira was a liability.

She has a strong opinion, and is hiding a lot from me. The first one is going to be a headache if she keeps disagreeing with me. Whatever information she is hiding from me can be anything from a secret she's uncomfortable with, or a secret she cannot tell, like being a spy.

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 11-02-2013, 02:58 PM

Sephira grimaced. "You're right. My people are... special Hylians. We called ourselves the Stari." She bit her cheek and turned away. She couldn't tell him everything. After all, if she wanted him to trust her, she couldn't chatter. That would indicate that she wouldn't keep any of the secrets he told her. And she wanted to know them all. Someone he kept nothing from.
She turned back to him. "It seems to me that you've learned a lot about me. The things that make me unique. But all I know about you is that you're the king. So tell me how you became the king. Unless Termina is different from Hyrule, you are not born of royal blood." Not like I know the difference.

**Z64** · 12-01-2013, 02:25 AM

When Sephira and Maxwell started talking, Clock Town was at a normal noise level. Everything was calm, and nobody seemed to be in a bad mood. But after a while, it became increasingly more loud. The people were talking about how Maxwell had not yet talked to them about the laws he was enforcing. Nobody knew the man who had incited talk about it, and nobody had cared enough to fully remember his appearance. Soon, it was clear there was a riot going on, and anyone 20 feet away from Clock Town could hear it.

---------------------------
Maxwell recognized that there was a riot going on, and frowned. "Not now...." Maxwell looked at Sephira. "Well, looks like I have to quiet down a riot. Do wish to stay here and wait for me, or are you going to come help?" Maxwell asked Sephira, pretty sure she was going to come along.

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 12-06-2013, 01:03 PM

Sephira frowned as she noticed an increase in the noise around her. She didn't know what it meant, but she felt decidedly uneasy about it. It wasn't until the people started to act upon their grumblings that she recognized that they were rioting. She scowled. People of cities and towns tended to be a lot less disciplined than her forest brethren. She had only ever seen a riot after leaving the forest.

Still, this might be a chance to prove herself to Maxwell. "I'll join you. There might be something I can do to help you." And see just how you react to rebellion.

**Z64** · 12-17-2013, 07:44 PM

Maxwell and Sephira had arrived at a point where they could see the riot, but not vice versa. They were in front of the Clock Tower, shouting and looking everywhere for a sign of Maxwell.

Maxwell frowned. "Looks like I AM going to need you. If they see me, they'll go insane. Find out what they're rioting about, try to calm them down, then come back here. Got it?" Maxwell asked, looking Sephira in the eyes.

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 12-17-2013, 11:45 PM

Sephira nodded, frowning at the noisy crowd. "Easy enough," she said, gesturing for Zarola to stay with the self-appointed king. She slipped away and down into the crowd, blending despite her richer outfit and confident bearing. It didn't take her long to find someone she could quiet enough to talk with. "What's with the noise? she asked him when he stopped yelling with the others.
He frowned at her. "Haven't you heard? Maxwell's made himself a king, but he hasn't imposed any laws yet. How do we know our homes will be safe from thieves? How do we know our families will be protected from murderers? He hasn't said if he'd continue to punish the wicked, or how he'll even do that. His army is puny compared to the guard, even if they managed to beat them."
Interesting reason to rebel, Sephira thought as she moved on to another person. He told her that without Maxwell's new laws being known, he had no way of knowing if he was breaking any. "For all I know, just talking to you could be against the law," he told her, eyeing her brilliant red dress. "I wanna know what I can't do so I don't get punished for ignorance."
Still another professed a fear that with Clock Town weakened and its forces scattered, the Ikana dead would attack and claim the city for their own. Sephira dismissed this story as ludicrous, but decided she'd report it nonetheless.
She spoke with a few others, but always received the same information: the people were scared of what the lack of laws would mean. She made note that none of the people up in arms about it were the type who'd take advantage of the chaos to steal, kill, and otherwise advance themselves at the expense of others. She did try asking who had started the riot, but she only got blank looks. No one knew what started them voicing their outrage and fear, they just knew that once started, they wouldn't stop until something changed.
All of this, she reported to Maxwell.

(hope that was along the lines of what you were thinking, Z.

)

**Z64** · 12-23-2013, 08:18 PM

Maxwell wasn't surprised at the news. It was a good point. If he was being ruled by a monarch who took over by force he'd want to know the laws. "Spread the word that there will be an assembly two days from now at noon where I will establish the laws. Until then, the laws of old Clock Town are still in effect, except for the one about the government becoming a monarchy. You're going to have to come up with how you know this, though. Maybe a guard told you or something. If this works, then they should slowly quiet down. Off you go now."

When Sephira went, Maxwell's thoughts drifted to Edward. If he's still alive, he most likely has united the citizens who escaped Clock Town. That would explain the missing supplies and armor. And even worse, we received the same training, both combat and mind, so whatever I can think of, he could probably match it easily. I suppose it's good to have a civil war against a genius before having international wars with idiots.

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 12-23-2013, 08:46 PM

Sephira nodded and slipped back into the crowds. She whispered to one guy that she was a serving maid in a tavern and had overheard a few soldiers talking. She told another person that she had been flirting with a guard and found out the information. A third person she told she was friends with one of Maxwell's cooks, and had acquired the knowledge from her. She whispered other stories to other people, making it seem as if several people could collaborate the story. She smiled as the riot slowly settled down and the people dispersed, going back to their daily routines as they continued to spread the word. She went back to Maxwell, her pleased smile still in place. "How was that, Lord Maxwell?" she asked, preening.

**Z64** · 12-23-2013, 09:15 PM

Maxwell smiled. "That was brilliant. Now, where were we? A tour? Well, I'm afraid I'm doing to have to direct you to one of the guards, because I have something very important to do."

Maxwell took Sephira to a guard, gave the guard orders to 1) spread the message to hold down the fort while he was gone and 2) to give Sephira a tour, and sent them off. Maxwell changed clothes so he looked like a poor man, and left Clock Town with bag that had a dagger, a pen, ink, and the equivalent of paper.

Let's see if you are leading a rebellion, Edward. If I find you, it's not luck that I'm not killing you on sight, because I plan a fate worse than death for you later, after all the struggle.

***Maxwell goes to Rebellion Base***

(HBC, just have your next post be Sephira after she's done with her tour gathering information or something. Maxwell won't take long in Rebellion Base.)

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 01-01-2014, 10:13 PM

Sephira gave a self-satisfied smile as Maxwell praised her work. It was one line, summing exactly what he thought of it. Simple, to the point. She could grow to appreciate that.

Dumping her on another guard, however, not so much. She didn't appreciate being given a baby-sitter. Still, this guard was a lot more respectful than the first one. He treated her formally, and didn't hesitate to answer any of her questions. He also obeyed Maxwell's other command, making sure that his fellow officers kept the rabble calm and under control.

Clock Town was a rather interesting place. Much smaller than Castle Town, nearly the same size as Kakariko Village. It was certainly bigger than the Stari village had ever been. But it was very different from the Hylian cities. The layout was a lot more smooth, as if planned out. Once different points were explained, she felt she could find her way around the town with ease. Zarola, of course, found if much easier to follow her and the guard along the rooftops, leaping lightly from roof to roof as she kept pace with them, too high up to be stepped on by the crush of people.

Masks was the main factor here. Sephira was amazed at how many stores specialized in masks, and how many people wore them. In Catle Town, only the nobles and rich bred people wore masks, and only on special occasions. There was one, maybe two shops that carried them, and the variety was limited. But here, people were more comfortable admitting that they didn't wear their true face. Masks of a wide variety and color surrounded her, reminding her that no one showed their true face, not even her. Especially not her. A Stari princess, trying to trick a man into accepting her into his inner workings, all to guarantee the protection of a group of people that she couldn't accept responsibility of. The only people she cared about were Star, Midnight, James, and Elwood. Even Zarola, watching them from above, would not have been mourned long by the woman.

One mask caught Sephira's attention as she pondered these things. Gold, with red along the edges, the mask made it seem almost as if a flame leapt along its wearer's face. Startled by its beauty, she picked it up and examined it closer. Gold and red glitter decorated it, so that as it moved, it shimmered. A mask of fire. She paid the merchant for it, deciding that if she wasn't wearing her true face, she might as well hide the real one. Besides, hiding her identity might prove an asset if she ever needed to slip around the town. Shed the dress and mask, and those who didn't know her, wouldn't know her.

**Z64** · 01-29-2014, 12:24 AM

**Maxwell enters from Rebellion Base**

When Maxwell returned to Clock Town, he seemed to instantly stumble upon the guard who gave Sephira a tour. He told him that the tour had ended, and she was off somewhere. Maxwell demoted him on the spot for being vague, unintelligent, and useless, then went to find Sephira. It took him a while, but it came into the general area. He looked around at the different people who were hanging around the market, and couldn't see Sephira. Eventually, he found her, wearing the mask she had just got. He could tell it was her because she hadn't changed clothing.

"I see you got a mask. I guess you have started to assimilate yourself into the Clock Town culture. Would you like to see the...well, castle/office thing in progress? It's where the mayor's office was, which the guard hopefully showed you."

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 01-29-2014, 10:01 AM

Sephira frowned slightly as Maxwell commented on her assimilating. Were masks really so important in Termina? Why? What was the story behind them? The most she had gotten from her guide had been some nonsense about giants. Maybe she'll get some more information from Maxwell later. "Sure, he showed me. It was in the northen part of Eastern Clock Town, right? Near the entrance to the sewers?" She had to stifle a laugh, finding it amusing that the seat of power was near the sewers.

**Z64** · 02-01-2014, 11:53 PM

"Yeah, that place. Come along now." Maxwell said, guiding Sephira towards the office.

Soon, Maxwell and Sephira entered the office. There was a hallway in front of them that led to two doors, one on the left, and one on the right. The left side was crammed with workers, blocking Maxwell and Sephira's view of what it was that they were working on. The right, however, was empty. Maxwell knew that they had changed that room quite a bit, but Sephira wouldn't know, having not seen pre-invasion Clock Town. Maxwell led Sephira into the room on the right. They entered a living room of sorts, with a fireplace and a few seats. On the other side of the room, there was a bed and a night table.

"This will be my home away from home. The other room is more for business matters, and this is more living quarters or serious one on one discussions. Not as good as the mansion, but good enough."

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 02-02-2014, 10:39 PM

Sephira was pleased to note that it was a simple place. She didn't like it when leaders flaunted their authority with large buildings filled with many examples of their vast fortune. She had always believed that a leader should be judged by what he did, not by how expansive his cutlery was. She was starting to wonder if Maxwell really was bad. She had seen he was tough on his soldiers, but so were Stari. Granted, Hylians were softer than Stari and needed the gentler guidance, but were Terminans? And if they were that soft, would the firmer hand make them a tougher people, like the Stari had been?
She shook her head. It didn't matter. Her friends were with the rebels, so intentionally or not, they had thrown their lot in with the rebellion. She had to help bring Maxwell down so they could continue on their way. They had left Hyrule, as had been their goal, but Termina was clearly not the place to hide Elwood in. They had to get going, and the sooner the better. Din, but I hope Midnight's keeping a close eye on him.
"So is that what this is?" she asked with a slight teasing note as she settled herself in one of the seats. "A serious one on one?"

**Z64** · 02-02-2014, 10:52 PM

"Oh, it's whatever you want it to be." Maxwell said, sitting down. "We can talk here, go outside, or...do other things." He took off his vest and threw it aside, all while keeping eye contact with Sephira.

"What do you want to do?"

Announcement

Espionage

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