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A Garden Walk

Started by Anonymous, December 25, 2008, 09:38:27 PM

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Anonymous

Ihachi had grown tired of being in court long before she actually left. She wasn't one for being in court, but she had to deal with it just like everyone else; especially since she had a chance of becoming queen one day. She made her way through the castle corridors to her favorite garden. There, she strolled along the paths before she reached her favorite spot; a tree with a swing tied to one of its branches. There she rocked herself back and forth, enjoying the gentle breeze that blew past her.

Anonymous

Like a good little soldier, Theodore, or Dore, as his brother called him, was doing his rounds. Well, sort of. It was such a habit, he wandered around his usual scouting route even on his 'days off'. He'd watched her for a moment or so, go to the tree with the swing. Theodore pursed his lips and tilted his head, he knew he should recognize her, he knew she was important, he just couldn't figure out who she was. A guest? An important guest? Royalty? There were too many royals crawling around the Adela castle for him to keep track of.

That was a lie. Theodore didn't really pay attention to who the 'lesser' royals were. Which meant that he knew who the king was, and had a general idea of everyone else, that was good enough for him. Someone needed a smack on the wrist for slacking on his job.  Theo, dressed like a gentleman, a suit, high collar, boots, his dark hair pulled back into a neat ponytail and his broad shoulders back. He wandered over and smiled at the lady, tilting his head to the side and smiling gently.

"Shouldn't you have an escort, Madam? Even though this is the castle I'm sure there are less than valiant men here. Why, I've heard from the Commander of the Army that the King himself is quite the man of Dark tastes." Theodore smiled and bowed towards the woman in the swing. "I'm Theodore, Lady, may I ask your name before I go on? I might insult someone you know and I wouldn't want to hurt your delicate sensibility."

Perhaps a little too thick with the gentleman layer, but days off where play days, and Theodore was itchy to get out of his expected skin.

Anonymous

Messing with his twin was one of Nathanial's favorite hobbies. And when he wasn't in the mood for that, Nathanial enjoyed messing with other people. Getting to do both at the same time was always best. And the Knight always worried about his brother when he wasn't around. Maybe it was a twin thing, but he always liked to have Dore around. He didn't always want to be interacting with him, but he felt more comfortable with his twin close by.

So on his day off, the Knight was searching for his twin. Maybe mess with him a bit and then take off before Dore gave into the urge to strangle him. Like his brother, Nathanial was dressed quite well. When he was on duty, he kept himself neat and orderly,  though always professional and practical. On his days off, he liked to look good. Never knew when he might run into Akkie.

Whatever sense he had about his twin ended up with him wondering by the garden. And seeing Dore leaning over and chatting some girl, some noble he had never seen before. Though Nathanial tended to not pay much attention to most of the nobles. At least not the ones he didn't interact with what.

Moving behind Dore, Nathanial draped his a arms around his twins neck, nuzzling his face against the other males identical one, "Hey there good looking. Who is this lovely lady?"

Anonymous

Ihachi wasn't expecting to be confronted by not only one, but two men. What made it worse, they were identical. Why did they have to bother her?

"Ihachi, Princess of Adela," she said, answering their questions at once. "As for needing an escort, I can take care well of myself. For you cannot always trust what you hear."

Anonymous

Theo watched her, waiting for her to do something. Before she could, reply however, his twin came and latched onto his shoulder. "Yeah, nice to see you Nathanial. I -- " Then she spoke! magical.

"She's the Princess of Adela." Theodore stopped and looked at her, lifting an eyebrow. Theodore turned his head to look at his brother, his mirror except for the hair. They were born Adelans, as back as their blood could tell. Darker skin, dark hair, their oddity was their green eyes, but he looked back towards the woman and frowned.

"Does that mean you're King Akkiels... Cousin? Sibling? Distant relative? Or are you old blood and King Akkiel just snagged the crown from you?" Theodore put a finger to his twins chin and tapped at it  while thinking before snapping his fingers, "I know! You're his bethrothed! Though, we all know he's secretly hot for his Commander."

Theodore eyed his twin before smiling at the 'Princess' Ihachi, "Though, King Akkiel could be hot for the regent. Those two fight a lot, and Regent Yuri is such a woman taking care of the Commanders baby all the time." A rather large flock of crows flew over their heads and Theodore payed no mind, though he would later when curiosity got the better of him.

Currently, this woman saying she was a Princess of Adela, was far more interesting. Theodore looked to his twin before bumping him with his hip, "I bet you ten gold she's King Akkiels betrothed and they'll be married before the month is out 'cause she's already pregnant."

The Adelan Knight smiled again and winked towards the Princess, looking over his shoulder breifly at the Murder of Crows flocked by a specific location of the outter stone wall. Hmm, whatever could that be?

Anonymous

"Oh. A princess. Really." Nathanial tilted his head, glancing over at his twin. His hair was shorter then his twins, wild without the extra weight to weight it down. He had done his best to comb it back, but it never did much good.

The loud noises from the crows caused the older twin to glance over. Maye there was a dead dog or something. He might go check it out later, when he was done teasing the 'princess.' The mention of his darling Akkiel having the hots for the two woman made Nathanial shoot his twin a look.

Though not to ruin the image for the girl, he gave a laugh, wrapping one arm around his brothers waist in an oddly intimate gesture. It was always fun to wig people out with hints at homosexual incest, "I think that Akkiel is not so secretly hot for just about any female that walks past."

Resting his head against his brothers, Nathanial's grin got bigger, "Ooooh. Have to have a quick wedding then. To keep things interesting, I will go with the long lost daughter of one of our beloved kings many affairs. Though....he would have been like 10 when he had her."

Anonymous

"There's no relation between me and King Akkiels," Ihachi said. "Nor am I his betrothed and with any man's child. Nor am I one of his illegitimate children. I can't believe that in the span of a minute, you two have caused harm to my dignity and pride."

With that, Ihachi stood from the swing and pushing past the twins, began to stroll through the gardens.

Anonymous

"Uh..." Theo paused and blinked at her. What a Priss! she wasn't any fun at all. Though he felt a little bad at hurting her sensitive sensibilities and while it was entertaining prattling about it with his twin, the way the woman huffed off confused him. "What?" Theo looked towards his twin for a moment before moving to catch up with the strange Princess.

He gently caught her arm and looked down at her, "Geeze, We're sorry. You're a princess, an extremely pretty princess and I wish my twin and I..." Theodore paused and grabbed the womans arm a little harder, pulling her closer, pushing him behind her. Protective of the woman, he was a knight, she was a Princess. "Princess Ihachi, stay there... There's something wrong."  His hand was wrapped around her arm, above her elbow and he was staring at the crows.

"Nathanial... Go check it out, that's not normal, and they're... Losing feathers." A worried glance was cast towards his twin and he looked back at the Princess. "There might be danger, you're an important figure head for this country, don't run away, don't move. I'm a knight, I'll protect you, Okay Princess?"

Anonymous

Well, Nathanial hadn't expected that. Most people wouldn't get that offended so easily. Scratch her off list of people it was interesting to be around. Though he should probably try and smooth things over. He gave a shrug at his brother's glance, untangling his arm from Dore's waist.

He let his brother do the apologizing, planning on adding his own once his brother had smoothed the way. Dore was much better at those things then Nathanial was. Though he was only half paying attention, distracted by the birds. He had a bad feeling about it, though he couldn't quite place his finger on it.

As if Dore had sensed his thoughts, the younger twin broke off and took the Princesses arm. Nathanial nodded, relieved that Dore was going to be getting himself and the Princess out of the way, "Good plan." He bowed to the Princess, "Forgive me for leaving. But Theodore will keep you safe from harm."

He gave a quick nod to his brother then took off for the corner of the garden the birds were gathered around. The scent of blood as he got closer caused the knight to move quicker, hoping it was just an over reaction to a dead animal.

Then he saw the once beautiful wings, bloody and tattered, pinned to the wall. Nathanial knew who they belonged too at once. His teacher and commander. Nathanial let out a loud snarl, his fist slamming hard into the wall next to the wings, hard enough that he might have broken it.

Feathers flew as the scavengers took off in a flurry of wings and loud cawing. Flies still buzzed around the wings, though a large number of them had taken off with the birds. Nathanial growled again, hazel eyes dark with anger. He needed to go find the king and report this. And go get his commander back.

Anonymous

Ihachi was ready to slap Theo for grabbing her arm. Of all the ways to make their first impressions, the twins had to joke about if she was any relation to Akkels, or a possible relationship. Theo had begun an apology when he stopped, grabbed her arm tighter, and drew her closer to him. Ihachi didn't know what to do. It was rude enough for the first meeting. Then he said something thing was wrong and that he'll protect her. Since when did Ihachi need protecting? She maybe a princess, but she was well trained in archery and swordsmanship.

Nathaniel had gone on ahead to see what was wrong, for Ihachi too had seen the feathers when she was walking away. She didn't pay them any mind since there have been some circle of life deaths in the garden anyway. Ihachi managed to free herself from Theo's hold, despite his claim of being a knight, and turned to face his twin.

"What is it?"

Anonymous

Theodore watched after his brother, eyes unfocused, he was worried... Something wasn't right. For a moment his grip tightened before it was just barely holding her arm before she pulled away and stormed off afer his twin. A shock of 'aftermath' pain shot through his fist and he stared in the direction his brother had ran off. What did Nathanial do? Theo shook his hand free of the remnant pain and he rook off at a run.

Something wasn't right at all.

"Nathanial!" He screamed as he ran, brushing past the Princess easily as he did so. He reached his brother in seconds, he took a deep breath and put a hand on his twins back before noticing the wings pinned to he stone wall. Black, a single wing stretched out to extend six feet, meat - it couldn't be called anything else - hung from the joint, bits that had been forgotten by the birds. "Oh god... Princess!" Theo yelled at her, his voice commanding, an arm stretched out to point at her.

"Don't take another step. You don't need to see this... " Theo stared while his hand was out to stop the Princess, he didn't want her fainting or anything. The last thing he needed to do was carry a Princess around and ask the maids where her chambers were. Theodore ran his thumb over his knuckles and he stared at his brother for a second, "If you break your hand you're useless. I'll... Try to get these down, you take the Princess to her room for protection and get your hand checked out." Theodore paused and reached out to gently touch a feather.

"Then report it. It... These can only be the Commanders, she's the only one with wings." Theodores expression grew dark and he looked downards before turning his head towards the Princess, "You're useless here, go do something Princess-y, like cross-stich or play with your jewels." Thedore found women good for two things, mending clothes and looking pretty, few women had earned his respect as anything else, and the owner of the wings had been one of them.

"They look like they were... ripped from her back... Nathanial... You go, I'll take care of this. Rouse the guard, get any information on who was in the castle last night... It's... " Theodore quieted down and looked up at the metal spikes, his emotions down in his gut, he could be sad later, but now he needed to get these spikes out and the wings down.

Anonymous

Nathanial hadn't taken his eyes off the wings. He didn't even turn to look when Dore arrived, he just reached over and grabbed his brothers hand in a death grip. Nathanial wasn't fond of many woman, he found them tedious and bothersome. He would fake smiles and tease them, but few he liked. His commanded was one of those few. Even Akkiel liking her hadn't kept Nathanial from liking her.

And Tarlaka was not a weak woman. She had been one of the people who had taught him and his brother to fight, helped them become the talented swordsmen they were today. To Nathanial, that told him that no where and no one was safe. And that included his brother, "Sorry. About the hand."

The flash of rage had calmed a little, but the anger hadn't vanished entirely. He shook his head, "No. You can take her back. I am not leaving those up their any longer."

Despite his noble upbringing and knighthood, Nathanial didn't really care what the Princess did right now. She was just in the way currently. His twins comment that they had been ripped from her back sent a fresh flash of rage through him. They had tortured and hurt someone Nathanial cared about. Then hung her wings out like some piece of meat.

In a moment of anger and stupidity, the Knight lifted his hand and flames erupted around the wings, the scent of burned feathers filling the air.

Anonymous

"I'm not leaving until I find out what happened," she said, crossing her arms.

Ihachi stayed where she stood. Whether it be because Theo told her or because it was a vibe she just got, but she stood there. And how dare he say that she was useless here and go do something princess-y. Ihachi can't remember the last time she cross-stitched or counted her jewels.

"And how useless will I be if I allowed you two to find the cause of what you wish me not to see? I'm a fare shot with a bow, and my sword's still sharp as the day I got it. I maybe a princess, but that doesn't mean I do what other princesses do."

Anonymous

Theodore hissed when his brother squeezed his hand and he glared at the back of his brothers head for a moment. "Nathanial! get ahold of yourself!" He saw his twin quiet down and appologise and Theodore looked back towards the princess, he sighed, she wasn't leaving. Nathanial wasn't leaving. No one was listening to him! For crying out loud.

His hazel eyes widened. She was standing there with her arms crossed, that was the Princess Pose if he's ever seen it. His lip lifted up in a snarl and he looked at her, his back to his brother. " While it's true that you may be able to hold a bow and that you own a sword that does not mean you can hit a moving target while you yourself are moving, and a sharp sword means you don't use it!" Theodore snapped before he could stop himself, his hands shaking.

Visibly spooked he moved over to gently grab the Princesses hand, dragging her to look at the wings. "You see those wings? Those belong to the commander. The woman who commands the Adelan armies. If she, a well trained soldier, can have this happen to her, what use are you? Those were ripped out of her back. Do you see the flesh that the birds didn't get? This is a direct threat to Adela as a kingdom. You should be in your room being safe, not pretending to be a-... What the hell?"

They were on fire.

"Nathanial!" Theo put his own hand out and the flames died down, smouldering and leaving the horrible smell. "Nathanial. I don't care how pissed you are, your hand is hurt, go warn the King and get your hand checked out. I'll watch the Princess, she's safer with me anyway." He gave his brother a light smack on the back and nudged him towards the castle before returning his gaze to the princess. "I'll teach you how to use a bow and a sword... Later... We... I need to get these wings down... And you need to figure out where you want to be."

Anonymous

The princess was not doing much to improve Nathanial's opinion of woman. Not that he was at his best currently. He was pissed off and worried and not thinking straight. The knight took a deep breath, calming his rage. He was a Knight, he was better then this.

He didn't even try and fight it as Dore put of the flames. He sighed, running his uninjured hand through his hair, "My hand is fine Dore. Just a bit bruised." It was going to hurt like hell for a while, but he was pretty sure it wasn't broken. He could still move all his fingers. Which he wiggled for his brother.

"Look. I'll take the wings down, alright?" Nathanial really didn't want to have to be the one to tell the King. He didn't want to have to see the look on his face on top of every thing else. He glanced over at his brother, his expression pleading, "Can you tell Akkiel? Please?"

He wasn't even going to bother dealing with the Princess anymore. She was proving to be just another spoiled girl, demanding to stick her nose where it didn't belong. He moved to the wings, getting a better look at the spikes, "How...about this. You go tell a guard to go inform the king. And I will stay here and....guard the wings. And you can bring a ladder back with you." It was that or try and melt the spikes. Which would probably not go well.

Anonymous

These two were seriously getting on Ihachi's last nerve. Not only was the one twin, Theo, treating her like a spoiled princess he probably thought she was (which she wasn't) and his twin arguing over what to do about the wings of a commander, they, mostly Theo, were acting like she couldn't hold her own. True, she actually hadn't been in any battles, but that doesn't mean she didn't have the training to do so.

"Let me make it easier on the both of you," Ihachi said. "I'll go inform Akkel and let you two deal with the wings."

With that, the princess turned to leave the gardens. Not only to inform the king, but to change and to gather her weapons. If Theo wanted proof that she can fight, then Ihachi will show him. And the only reason her sword was as sharp as the day she got it was because she sharpens it after every skirmish she goes into.

Anonymous

Pressing a gloved hand to his face he sighed before seeing the wiggling fingers. Fine. He'd go. Theo moved his hand to his brothers shoulder to squeeze gently before runining a hand through his brothers hair and moved to speak into his brothers ear, a rumbling purr, comforting. "I'll go tell him and Regent Yuri, it should be someone they know, and guards are hardly known by people that high up the ladder. Don't do anything stupid, love ya Bro'!" Theo then rubbed at his cheek and turned to stare.

"Uh..." He frowned. She'd go tell King Akkiel. Her. A little princess who was expected to sit around and look pretty. "Stop! Princess!" Theo rushed towards her and stood, blocking her way, "Someone who cares should tell King Akkiel and Regent Yuri. If you'd please, could you request that a guard get a ladder and bring it to where you saw the wings? Then you're more than free to do whatever you like. Please help me with this. It's... Startling news. I'm very sorry for treating you badly, I'll make it up to you later, Princess Ihachi."

Theo gave a deep bow before picking up his speed to a run, his coat tails flapping behind him and his booted feet loud against the ground. The castle doors opened with a crash and he took a deep breath, "Where's Regent Yuri and King Akkiel?" Theodore was from from out of breath, but now that he'd run the slip of worry and energy burst through and the knight could feel his heart pound in his throat, in his veins.

The door man frowned at Theodore before pointing down a hallway. Without asking in which door, he took off at breakneck speed, opening all the doors with a crash; leaving them open which probably annoyed the servants and maids. Occasionally Theodore let out a yell for Akkiel or Yuri, and when he finally found the room they were in he could feel himself pale.

Moment of truth. The knight swallowed his breath before his words garbled out of his mouth, "King Akkiel! Regent Yuri! It's Tarlaka, Commander Tarlaka, She... Her..." Theodore put a hand to his head and pressed his fingers through his hair, his hazel eyes looking between the two men, his heart thumping. "She's gone... Her wings... Her gorgeous black wings are... P-p-pinned to the outter wall, no human could have done it, we haven't gotten anymore information ... Nathanial and I just found it with Princess Ihachi and..." Thedore let out a breathy sob before letting his hands drop.

"From the way her wings looked, it happened during the night, maybe before... We... " He steeled himself and moved close to slam his hands down onto the table, " We have to find what did this, who did this, if they can ... Do that to someone like her... Then everyone in this castle is in jeopardy."

(( P: Ihachi and Zombie are fa-ree to reply to their hearts content! I'll reply once Regent Yuri'n'King Akkiel have replied))

Anonymous

"Thank you." Nathanial didn't want to have to tell Akkiel, not on top of this. It was a bit more then he wanted to handle right now. He leaned into his brothers touch, taking comfort from the close contact. He nodded his head, nuzzling his brother back, taking a deep breath to steady himself, "And I promise I wont do anything stupid. Anything else stupid."

When his brother pulled away, Nathanial turned back to stare up at the wings. He could feel the tears burning at the backs of his eyes. He wasn't going to cry. Not here, not where anyone could see him.

He couldn't get the wings down, but he reached up to touch the tip of one. They had been so beautiful, huge and graceful. Tarlaka had been so powerful, so strong. And now those amazing, gorgeous wings were reduced to so much meat pinned to a wall, picked apart by scavenging animals.

Akkiel would make whoever did this pay. Nathanial knew that as much as he might want too, his chance of getting revenge for Tarlaka was unlikely. There were other people ahead of him in that line, including Tarla herself. Because she was still alive. They would have left the body if she was dead.

Nathanial covered his eyes with his good hand, taking deep breaths. He didn't want to think about how much pain Tarla had gone through. What was being done to her. It made his chest feel tight. Oh Gods.

"WHERE THE FUCK IS MY LADDER!?" Nathanial could hear his voice crack slightly. He wanted the wings down. She deserved that, to have them shown respect and care.

Tally

"What do you suppose the chances are of them hitting Sanctuary?  All those healers and mages sitting in one place, not a one prepared to defend themselves.  These...rogue mordecai—or whoever they are—could have their pick of anyone in the place."

Akkiel stood before a low table.  Before him, two maps laid out with candle holders weighing down the corners.  Adela and Serendipity drawn out in fine brush work, roads and rivers and forests and every village large enough to have a name labeled in neat lettering.

Upon the map of Serendipity lay a scattering of stone markers, each one representing a place where a known mage abduction had taken place.  Far fewer of the tiny stones lay upon the Adelan map, most of them out near isolated villages, but even one would have been too many.

"I just want to stop this now, before it becomes a problem."  To keep it out of his way, he'd pulled his red hair back into a ponytail, which now fell over his shoulder as he leaned over the maps.  "There must be a way to catch them at it."  It had occurred to him to use Sanctuary as bait, to station soldiers there in plainclothes, but if the keepers of the shrine found he had violated their sovereignty they would retract their blessing from his claim to the throne and it was said no monarch had ever held the throne of Adela without Sanctuary's benediction.

He could expect no help from Serendipity.  They had their own problems.  What had begun as rumors had now turned into a pattern.  Mages were undeniably disappearing all over Serendipity.  They vanished seemingly to nowhere, and according to the messenger no mage dared ventured out alone, especially away from the cities.  And now Fenway and a prince of one of Serendipity's most powerful houses had both gone missing, leaving duty-bound bannermen bristling for a fight and pointing their swords at any House with a claim to the throne.  If they didn't find some hint soon that Fenway was alive, Serendipity was looking at a succession struggle.

The sounds in the hall outside had taken on a frantic tone.  Doors slamming, people yelling, their voices colored with alarm.  Akkiel gave Yuri a concerned look and straightened.  A heartbeat later, a knight burst through the door.  Akkiel struggled for his name.  Ah...Theodore!  Yes.

Akkiel opened his mouth to demand an explanation, but the words died before ever reaching his tongue.

Tarlaka?

When the words had finished spilling from Theodore's mouth, Akkiel had to frown and shake his head.  "This is a mistake," he muttered.  Tarlaka...gone?  Tarlaka's wings...

Blood vengeance rose up like a wildfire to consume his shock, his denial.  His hands clenched into fists at his side.  The pyromancy of his birthright, usually so buried it was nigh nonexistent, caused every candle and torch in the room to sputter and roar.

"I will see it," he said, and stormed from the room, shoving his way past anyone in his path as he stalked down the hall, murder written all over his face.

Rhindeer

Across the table from Akkiel stood Yuri, hands resting on the tabletop as he leaned forward to examine the two maps. He sighed and shook his head. "To be honest, I'm surprised Sanctuary hasn't been hit yet," he said, drumming his fingers against the wood. "They've abducted a powerful king and a powerful prince--if they are indeed behind that, and it's probably safe to say they are until evidence says otherwise--so an unprotected shrine would be nothing. I think it's something we should--"

A clamor arose and Yuri jumped and exchanged looks with Akkiel before looking to the door expectantly. That...had scary timing, considering what they'd been discussing, and he braced himself for bad news as a knight burst into the room.

More abductions, Sanctuary had been struck, some infamous criminal had broken free, those were all things that he was prepared to hear. What the knight said, however, was so outside of Yuri's reality bubble that all he could do was stare and blink, uncomprehending. Tarlaka was gone? Her wings were pinned to the outer wall? Theodore might have just announced that the dragons had taken up ballroom dancing for all that he accepted those words. Tarlaka?

It was when the candles and torches roared and Akkiel stormed out that he snapped back to reality and rushed out after him. He had to see this for himself. It had to be a hoax. He knew Tarlaka! She was strong, she was--Seiteki!

While Akkiel left, Yuri turned and headed off toward her nursery at a jog, intending to catch up with him later. If Tarlaka was really gone, if she had been taken, Seiteki might also be at risk. What if Tarlaka had her with her when she was taken? But surely a nursemaid would have said something, noticed the infant missing? He rounded a corner, found the door open, felt his stomach clench with dread--and nearly collided with the wet nurse as she stepped out and he went to step in.

Panting for breath, he forced his words out between gasps. "Sei...Seiteki...is she...?"

"She's sleeping," the woman answered in a whisper, one hand pressed to her chest. Yuri sighed and pushed some dirty-blonde hair out of his face, shoulders slouching.

"Oh good...stay with her for now, don't let her out of your sight," he said, and then he left to go catch up with Akkiel.

He found him outside and ran to catch up though his sides protested and sent pain stabbing into him. He was not cut out for all this running, and he finally had to slow down and follow after him at a walk. Some part of him was still in denial, numb, and he didn't imagine it would actually sink in until he saw those wings.
Adamaris // Aderyn // Aki // Alexander // Angel // Axieva // Beatrid // Briar // Cadmus // Corryn // Einin/Owl // Emery // Fang // Faolán // Faris // Frost // Hayate // Ife // Jayari // Jirou // Juniper // Katxiel // Khaiya // Kota // Kyran // Liam // Makani // Max // Maya // Mei // Nakato // Naovi // Nasrin // Niaaki // Niamh // Noor // Pepper // Qiana // Qismat // Quinn // Raxta // Riyarin // Rook // Sachi // Sahar // Siobhan // Simonea // Sita // Song // Summer // Valor // Yasmin // Yiroa

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