Happy Couple
Story Emits
Southport is busy, and even more so now with people sailing in from various places in the Compact. More so that just the normal trade ships are those preparing for war - a small contingent of the Velenosan army, a troop of Mirrormasks, and a large group of the Valardin army as well. And Lady Eirene Malvici waits at the docks, waiting for her new husband Cicero to step off the ship onto the shores of Southport. He walks down the gangplank smiling at her, and if anyone is watching there's a moment of awwwwww to see a newly-married couple looking happy and content to be once more in each other's company. The sun is shining, it's a beautiful day - even the seas are calm.
And then his eyes widen in surprise. He looks around and there's a look of growing horror on his face. He takes a step back toward the ship and is suddenly propelled forward by something unseen. "No," Cicero says, flinging his arms wide and stumbling in front of Eirene.
But Eirene is safe. Untouched she stands, as wounds start to open up on her new husband. A claw mark here. A scratch there. A chunk of flesh somewhere else. He is bleeding out right in front of her, held up - pushed around by unseen assailants. He crumples to the ground as he takes more damage than any one person ever should and his eyes look up at Eirene, standing there with her sword looking for attackers in vain. "I love you," he mouths the words to her - and then the light dies in his eyes and he is gone. It happens, just like that, and what was a beautiful day turns dark and grim, though the blue skies and sunshine waver not at all.