BALDERK
We’ve rescued the Queen, we defeated the High Priest, but Istere wants to continue while her adrenaline is still going. Faladel reminds her that everyone here is running on about three hours of sleep, none of us are at our best, and technically the only reason we’re in such a hurry is because we wanted to avoid detection. If we go out now, when we aren’t at our best, we’re far more likely to be caught than if we take a couple of hours to rest and recuperate.
After that, we all agree that it’s probably best to rest for a bit before trying anything else.
“We’ll all be in a better position to get things done after a nap.” Faladel promises.
However when we wake up around noon, we wake up to another crisis.
“What do you mean Blix has been kidnapped!” Istere shouts at the young, frightened guard in front of her. Her hair and fake beard are frazzled after she slept on the couch, and that, combined with her pissed off face, is more than a little scary.
“I–It’s not just C–Captain Blix, almost all the other guards are also missing or were found dead.” The guard stutters, “Your father claims to have the missing ones in captivity. Here’s the note we found.” Hand shaking, he holds out a rolled up piece of parchment, which Istere snatches and tears open. Briareth pops up and peers over her shoulder at it.
“Jeeze, ‘I know you and your new friends are behind all the chaos that’s going on. You’re a traitor and an elf lover, and if you don’t come out and surrender for punishment, I will kill one of your little mercenary band members every day, starting with their Captain.’ That’s not very original is it?” Briareth says, reading the message aloud. “Different wording, but the same sort of thing the High Priest tried to pull.”
“Except this time it would be a lot more difficult and dangerous to try and rescue them.” I say frowning. “They’re probably being kept under heavy guard in the same prison we were in.”
“Where did you find this?” Istere asks the guard, her voice is more controlled now, but the missive is completely crumpled in her clenched fist.
“This one I found when I was on patrol, it was nailed to an announcement board in the servants quarters on the castle grounds. There’s probably a lot more of them out there.”
“He’s making it an open challenge.” Istere hisses, “If we try and rescue the prisoners–”
“We look like we’re guilty of whatever he accuses us of.” Faladel finishes, more calmly, but I catch an edge of worry in his voice. “And if we turn ourselves in nicely there’s no way the trial would be fair, right?”
“Of course not, if he had any evidence of my wrongdoing, he wouldn’t bother with this shady wording. He’s acting on instinct right now, probably feels left out of all the drama and can sense me making some sort of moves behind the curtains. He’s lashing out blindly, but he managed to strike gold by kidnapping all those members of the PPG. That’s where all the soldiers were last night, they were waging a silent war within the castle grounds! I knew something was wrong, why didn’t I guess–!”
“Look on the bright side, at least he looks like a crazy idiot right now.” Briareth says. “I mean, posting this all over the castle? With no evidence or announcements? Surely the nobility will mostly laugh it off.”
“They may laugh and question his mental capabilities,” Istere says, “But that will all be behind cupped hands and closed doors. Nobody would dare question him in public yet. And if a trial goes through and declares me guilty, that will be the end of it. Even if such a trial was obviously rigged. Even if he has no real evidence against us.”
“So,” I ask, looking at Istere, “What’s our plan? If going directly against him makes us look guilty to all the nobles–.”
“It does. Going against the church is one thing, they only had a few mercenaries, and we can mostly cover that up. This would lose us practically all of our legitimacy and would basically be admitting that the king is right. The only way I can see this ending is in our crushing defeat since he would have the entire army, the nobility, and the commoners on his side. Trying to rescue everyone would be suicide. Turning myself in, even if I don’t bring you guys along, is also suicide since he’d use the trial as an excuse to get rid of me...” Istere’s voice trails off as she starts brainstorming.
“I–If I may,” A stuttering voice chimes in. I glance over, and flinch, I’d forgotten the guard who delivered the missive was still here. “C–Couldn’t you try to buy time? Say you’ll go and talk to him? Ask for a private audience or something? Please, I really don’t want to see any more of my friends die. You could use the time that gives you to come up with a better plan to save everyone.”
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“That’s actually not a bad idea.” Briareth says, glancing over at Istere.
Istere stares at the guard, who fidgets nervously. “What’s your name?” She asks.
“U–uggard Talk.” The dwarf mumbles, glancing down at his feet.
“Stand up straight, Mr. Talk, you’ve had a good idea that you should be proud of. Don’t be afraid to throw your opinions out there, especially when the decisions that are being made could affect you or your loved ones.” Istere scolds him, but smiles, her fist unclenching just slightly around the missive from her father.
Turning back to the rest of us she says, “That’s the best idea I’ve heard yet I should probably give an immediate reply so he can’t monopolize the story. If there are no objections or flaws that anyone wishes to point out?” She hesitates, waiting for us to give any input we have.
“Go for it, hopefully we can get a twenty-four hour delay on the first execution at least.” I say.
“You’ve got to announce it in a way that makes it seem like you have no clue what’s going on.” Faladel says, “Say that you want to have a talk with him about these ridiculous accusations before you put yourself under arrest. Make the nobles doubt him more.”
She nods at us, and says, “Briareth, Faladel, you’ll have to stay behind. Balderk, if you want, put on one of the uniforms of my guard, that way you can join us without it seeming strange.”
“Wait, us? You want to take me with you?” Uggard asks, “But I only finished training a few days ago.”
“Based on your actions and the fact that Blix saw fit to admit you, you’re a good person, Uggard, and I want good people by my side.” Istere smiles at the nervous kid, and I see his spine straighten a little. She knew just the thing to say to boost his confidence. I smile, Istere is truly a remarkable leader.
After quickly getting changed into the uniform, we head out. Istere had grabbed some bread to share with me for a quick midday/breakfast snack, and I’m halfway through my slightly stale roll when we step outside into the bright afternoon sun and it starts raining paper. Uggard and I stare up at the paper, as it flashes into existence with a bright red light hundreds of feet above our head, and slowly drifts downwards. Istere however, is less stunned by the falling sheets, and snatches out a hand to grab one of the– fifty? No, more that, but I don’t know how many– papers that are slowly drifting down across the castle grounds. Over the wall I can see them falling in the rest of the city as well.
“‘The Prince’s Secret Plot?” Istere reads the title aloud, sounding more than a little shocked.
“What does it say?!” I ask, terrified that we’ve all been found out.
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LUDGERA– ABOUT FOUR HOURS AGO
“We’re behind schedule.” I say, pacing worriedly and chewing at my nails. A bad habit, but one I have no intention of wasting my time trying to change.
“We can’t help it.” Agnark says, frowning. “The guards have been all over the city since that bright flash of light early this morning. They’re saying” his voice dips, “That it was magic.”
I spin on my heel and stare at him. “You don’t think it was Istere and the elves, do you?”
“That’s exactly what I think. They must have done something big. And now they’re being hunted.”
“There’s no way they took out the king already.” I return to my pacing.
“No, I would guess they tried to rescue the Queen.” Agnark’s long slender fingers fondle a black pawn on the chessboard on my bedside table. It’s the only clear spot left in this room. My bed is rumpled, my writer's desk is a mess, the bookshelves never were clean in the first place, and the floor is cluttered with all the failed versions of the flyers that I’ve yet to burn. The final design, each of the ten copies painstakingly handwritten, is stacked neatly next to the chessboard.
“The Queen?” I ask Agnark, “Why would she need rescuing?”
“You know how I told my father a lot of stuff.”
“You’ve said as much. Did he end up telling the High Priest Istere’s identity?”
“Yes, although he told the fool not to do anything about it, the High Priest though is a bit of an unpredictable partner…” Agnark trails off, and I get the picture.
“Of course, and everyone knows the Queen would trust him, even if he said the sun would rise in the west tomorrow. With knowledge of Istere’s real identity, if he saw her threatening him as an affront to his pride, of course he would do something drastic.” I groan and tilt my head back, staring at the blue ceiling above us with tired eyes. “I should have seen this coming. I should have warned her!”
“I should apologize to her.” Agnark sighs. “I can tell you I’m not looking forward to that interaction.” He drops his black pawn, and picks up the black queen, smiling sardonically. “Both the High Priest and my father are proud. My father, in that he cannot stand to bow to anyone. The High Priest, in that he sees almost every interaction as a ‘disrespect’ to himself, his position, and the church as a whole.” He drops the queen, this time touching a white knight. “They’re honestly quite similar. Narcissistic scum who believe the sun rises at their say so. My father just sees a bit further ahead, which makes his moves more logical, more predictable.”
I lean over, looking at his placement of the pieces. The pawn and the queen are still on their sides, rolling slightly. “Were you hoping for a game? We really don’t have the time you know. We should get out of here before any maids come in to wake me up. Even if there are still soldiers out, it’s better to be out there than in here. The city should be awake now, and that print shop you mentioned is definitely open.
Agnark stares at the chessboard for a while longer before sweeping all the pieces into their drawer, leaving only two white knights untouched. “No, not a game, just trying to get my thoughts in order. You’re right, we should go.”
He stands up, and, like a gentleman, leaves the room via the secret passage in my wardrobe as I change myself into my street outfit.