galvarelli/witch-enters-havenmount.txt

Nikki was conscious of herself being carried slowly through her old office.
No one spoke, and the building was eerily empty.
Hopefully everyone stayed in the saferooms.
She still didn't know if it was just Sarla enticed into joining the Witchfen Meadowlark, or if Auroklos was a traitor as well.

Rows of empty desks, filled with this invasive scum.
Some sudden urge seized her, and Nikki spat at one of the yaks carrying her.
Her defiance earned her a hoof to the gut, leaving her trying to double over while also being carried.
The movement of her captors caused a minor rustle, and the Witch turned back to glare at them, and they fell back into formation.
Her defiance at this point was nothing more than an annoyance, apparently.

They reached Adam's desk outside Calvin's office.
Nikki was dropped unceremoniously on the ground, and the guards holding her kept their spears close, as though she would be in a position to fight them.
A yak reached ahead to open the door for the Witch, but she gestured for them to stop.

—These things must be done properly.

The witch walked back along the wall, until she reached a small utility closet.
Stopping in front, she raised her staff slightly before tapping its butt end against the ground.

Nothing seemed to happen, but after a moment Nikki felt a strange sensation move across her skin, from head to tail.
Something like the feeling of lightly brushing something unexpected, a sensation of contact that sent shivers across her body.

—Cruimo, the Witch called.

A dwarf came forward, a long stick of chalk in his hand.
With slow methodical strokes, he drew strange glyphs across the middle of the utility closet door.
Then, he put the chalk back in a pocket and laid both hands on the door's surface.
A moment passed, and a few more followed.
Nothing happened, as far as Nikki could tell, but finally Cruimo stepped back.

—That should be it.

He opened the door, and Nikki immediately heard a panicked voice shouting to get back.

—Don't move, any of you.
	One at a time, come out, slowly.
	If you make a sound or move quickly, everyone dies.

Yaks began to file out from the saferoom.
Adam was the first in line, followed by many of the staff Nikki had worked with.
The Members of the Assembly came next, and Nikki groaned internally.
She didn't know how the dwarf magic known which saferoom to use, or even how they knew there were saferooms.
It was either some part of the magic or their location had been betrayed.
Auroklos had likely been able to find out where they were, and could have given them up.
A handful of the Witchfen Meadowlarkers instructed them to kneel, and stood guarding them.

The Witch stood before them.

—I wish to address the government of Galvarelli.
	Who will speak on its behalf?

Nikki waited a moment, but no one spoke.
She felt her stomach churn, and she couldn't stop herself throwing up what little remained in her stomach.

—If you want to negotiate, you can negotiate with me, she found herself saying.

The Witch approached her.

—I wish you to understand.
	Galvarelli will be mine, and I do not want it to be broken.
	But I will break it if I need to.
	Make things difficult for me, yak, and you will drown in your friends' blood.

Nikki nodded pathetically.

—Who is the current Acting President?

—It would be Vaughan, as Chair of the Assembly.
	With him gone it's Justice Secretary.
	But Acting Presidents only serve until the Assembly nominates an Interim President to serve until the next election.

—The Assembly are here, in full.
	They shall nominate me.

Nikki felt a horrible sinking feeling, as though the bottom of her body had dropped through the floor.

—Why?
	What do you even want here?

The Witch held the staff out, and gently brushed Nikki's face with the twig-covered end.
She shuddered as soon as it touched her.

—Again, child.
	I will destroy every yak in this kingdom if I have to.
	Will the Assembly act to prevent that?

Nikki felt tears begin form in her eyes.
She was shaking, and it took every part of her mental strength to force herself to respond.

—How do we know you'll keep your word?

The Witch paused a moment, then made some imperceptible gesture to the crow.
With a flutter of wings, the crow moved in front of Nikki, and then suddenly her world erupted in pain.
It felt as though nails were being driven into her feet, through her leg, all the way through her body, then back down, pain stitching her to the floor.
Her hairs seemed to want to drill their way back into her skin.
She wasn't sure if she was screaming or not, but her throat burned either way.

The Witch drew closer.
Nikki could barely move at all, let alone avoid her as the Witch reached out and grabbed Nikki's left horn.
She barely seemed to move, and as easy as if it were a twig, she snapped her horn.

The pain in her body stopped suddenly, leaving only the sharp pain from her horn.
June was pleading to the Witch, but Nikki couldn't follow what was happening.
She was sobbing into the ground, snot and tears mixing together on her face, blood dripping from her broken horn.

Some part of her subconscious picked up on the Assembly taking a vote.
They'd lost.
The Witch had whatever legal authority this Assembly could grant, for whatever good that did her.

After a moment of speaking to her followers, the Witch entered Calvin's office.
There was a brief moment of confused silence among the hostages, until Kral shouted

—All of you, leave.
	You're no longer needed here.

Nikki couldn't move.
She had a vague impression of being carried again, and she gave up on remaining conscious, and passed out.