The group woke early, and while Annabelle noticed Casper looking less stressed than he did the night before, Elisayra was looking more so. By the time Annabelle had stirred awake, Casper was already dressed and Elisayra was starting to stir as well, which was a strange feeling as she was used to being the first one up. Though she supposed she needed the extra rest to let her wounds heal.
The sun was barely up when they started moving, with all three of them In full gear and out the tavern door just as the thinnest sliver of light reached through the cracks and into the city. The hard shadows made it easy for Casper and Elisayra to move, and Elisayra was surprised that Casper was capable of moving so stealthily. He wasn't a huge man but his broader shoulders and taller stature made him appear more of a brute fighter than a nimble acrobat, yet he easily was on par with Elisayra in his quick and silent movements. Elisayra broke off away from him and made her way to the docks, and Casper continued towards the castle.
He made his approach casually, slowing down as he got closer to the walls surrounding the structure. Taking care to keep to the corners and alleys. By now the sun was reaching a bit higher, not enough to get over the walls but enough to allow a little light in. The area around the walls was quiet, interrupted only by the sounds of guards passing over every now and then. And Casper waited, and waited. He had studied their rotations passively during his time in the city, during their shopping trips and general outings, always keeping one eye on the walls. Just as they finished passing he closed his eyes and let out a warm breath, and in a moment he was up on the walls, a trail of black smoke quickly dissipating around him, and just as quickly he ducked into the tower.
Casper had been planning this for quite some time. He had done well his first time here with his father to take a mental map of the castle and its walls here in the city, along with the overall layout of the buildings that surrounded the area. Of course he never expected to be using that knowledge in this way, to infiltrate it. Originally he only bothered to study its layout and structure to avoid looking foolish getting lost in such a large space.
Taking careful steps, Casper worked his way down the wall towered internal spiral staircase and into the ground floor. When he and his father were here last, his father had told Casper about the secret entrance he and the Count would use to sneak women in and out. He had mentioned they had to use the secret entrance down by the docks to get in, so Casper figured that someone had to have opened the entrance from the inside. He now just needed to get down there. Taking a look through the thin slit windows over the courtyard, he could see the servants and slaves working, guards patrolling and the noble family milling about. Catching glimpses through windows or in the far gardens, the children running around without a care. He needed to find a way to get into the secret entrance, and for that he needed to get lower.
The castle itself was a military structure of course. Count Constance, the count of caution, had had the previously existing structure further reinforced when he took over for his father several decades ago. The grand monolith of heavy stone blotted out the sky like a mountain of its own, though not nearly as tall. The castle was of course though, also a living space. Despite the brutalist, simple and efficient design of the walls, and castle, it was contrasted by the interior gardens. Vibrant, almost pastel greens with gorgeous flowers and over worked its way through the pillars and along the walls of the castle's central courtyard.
A large fountain topped with a brilliantly carved female figure gave the space an ambient hum of flowing water to harmonize with the chirping of songbirds who used this little slice of paradise as an escape from the dirt of the city. Stain glass windows lined the walls of the chapel to the far side, their imagery depicting the Heavens Ascent in gaudy details.
Casper moved through the walls and across the garden like a shadow. Picking the times when the guards backs were turned and in a few strides had made it through an interior door. While Casper could teleport, he could only ever teleport very short distance to places he could visibly see. He could of course try and rely on his memory of the place to teleport through windows, but without knowing who was inside or hearing the sounds of guards, it was too risky.
The inside rooms of the castle were modest, nothing impressive per say other than a fair bit of space but practical, this was after all first and foremost a military structure. Though it seemed as the day was starting, and as Casper had expected, the servants, slaves, and household were mostly out of the house itself. Casper worked his way through the back rooms, the servants quarters, listening to the sounds of footfalls on tiles and wood and stone to tell the direction of the movement. The castle was of course well lit, but designed in such a way as to prevent attacks from easily navigating the space. This meant that there were very few straight corridors. Each room and pathway twisted and wound around in strange ways, providing ample blind spots from him to navigate around.
Casper went room by room, checking every space thoroughly to gather a count on the number of present guards, servants and slaves, as well as the other household occupants. It was a very painstaking processes to go through but it was absolutely necessary to gather as much intel as he could before making any more decisions.
It was nearly an hour of painful, detailed searching until he found what he needed. Inside the store room, Casper caught a bit of a draft coming from the floor. It was almost imperceptible, had he not specifically been looking for it.
Being careful to move boxes and barrels it wasn't long then until he found the false floor hatch that led to a stone carved staircase. Using the pitons that Annabelle had bought for him to jam the door close, he began working his way down the stone steps. The air became cold and salty, and the sounds of faintly crashing waves echoed through. He reached the bottom and pressed on another door, which seemed to be carved from natural stone as well, making it nearly flush with the wall. it was heavy, but slid open, revealing a small cove, as well as the silhouette of Elisayra on the boat. She startled just a touch, but Casper waved her over and she got the signal, rowing over to him.
The cove itself was underneath the cliffside that the castle sat upon at the top of its cliffy hillside. Eaten away by the crashing waves making a shallow cave, hidden from the rest of the city.
"Anchor the boat here, and come with me" he said. Casper didn't have too much time, and needed to move quickly now before any more guards and servants returned for their daily tasks.
Elisayra followed her direction and quickly went with Casper back up the stairs. Closing the door behind them, back up into the store room.
Once inside, Casper held out a finger, indicating her to stop as the sounds of footsteps approached. They started to sound as if they were getting closer, and Casper had to quickly close the false floor hatch as the door to the storeroom was almost opened. The sound of someone struggling against his barricade forcing him to grab Elisayra and bring her back down into the stairwell with him in case they decided to break down the door.
Elisayra sat there, her body nearly pressing against Casper's in the tight stairwell, listening to his breathing as the feet passed over the top of them. Elisayra hoped that Casper couldn't feel her heart pounding in her chest, as his body gently pressed into hers, and forced her against the wall. She almost let out a gasp but Casper was quick to place his hand over her mouth. It was almost unbearable. She knew it was wrong to find a situation like this arousing, but as Casper faced her, her back against the wall and his hand over her mouth she couldn't help herself.
Her legs started to tremble, half out of fear and half out of desire, or a mixture of the both. If she failed this, he would have no use for her. He would throw her away and discard hard. Or maybe...he would punish her, she half hopped. But the feeling eased out of her as Casper released her mouth and went back to the task at hand. She cursed at herself for being weak when Casper needed her, and cursed that her body had betrayed her. And prayed that Casper hadn't noticed. Though a little part of her hoped he had.
Casper opened the trap door and crawled back into the store room. Listening again for the sounds of footsteps and conversation.
“Doors jammed up, can you please gather a guard to help unstick it?” someone called out.
He grabbed Elisayra by the arm and half dragged her through the doors once the sounds of footsteps faded away. He took her up another set of larger stairs, into a much grander chamber.
Casper looked around, trying to identify the Counts quarters, recalling the specific door, he located it across the room. Pressing into the walls, he and Elisayra approached the large door.
"Pick it" he said, pointing to the door. And now was Elisayra's time to really shine. She sucked in some breath and went to work. The lock was hard, very hard, but she was a better lockpick than the locksmith was a craftsman, and the door opened with a creak. Casper was quick to slide inside, Elisayra right behind him.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
The bed chamber was impressive, a large room with magnificent stained glass windows. A four post bed damn near the size of their room in the tavern occupied a large space against the wall. Colorful tapestries decorated the other adjacent walls, a large wardrobe stood open with the count in front changing.
In a flash Casper was behind him, the cold steel of his blade pressing into the thin mans back. The count barely had a moment to suck in air before Casper pressed his hand against the counts mouth and dug the tip of the steel into his spine, just a prick, enough to draw blood.
"Sh-sh-sh… let's not make any sound alright?"
Casper loosened the grip around the count's mouth, letting him suck in some air and force out a small "of course" from his trembling lips.
Elisayra stood frozen in the corner. She didn't like the look on Casper's face now. she only saw the corner of him from behind the count, but his eyes reminded her of when they had first encountered one another. And it restarted that chill of terror in her. she pressed herself into the wall to try and escape the atmosphere of malice.
"I have some questions for you. And your going to answer them, understand?" Casper asked. His breath soft in Count Constance’s ear.
"Of course, anything you want, anything"
"Good" Casper took in a breath, trying his best to suppress the heat of the mark that clawed at his guts. "The last legion. The ones who carry the banner of the broken star, who is their general''
The count paused for a moment, but not too long a moment before Casper pressed harder onto his back, and the count sputtered "wait wait! Their general, he is general Paxton, general Paxton is their commander"
Casper lighted the pressure "good, and they get their orders from Duke Regalt correct?"
"That's...that's right"
"And where about is the Duke now"
"Nobody really know-"
His sentence was interrupted by Casper twisting the blade and digging it deeper. The count tried to scream but Casper's hand clasped over his mouth and stopped it.
"Yesss you do. You specifically know. why do you think I came here, fool. Where. Is. The duke" Casper's voice was a low growl. It terrified Elisayra, the room itself felt thousands of pounds, as if she was swimming, trying not to drown in the massive pressure.
"The dukes-" Casper heard footsteps approaching quickly and the sounds of arguments and fighting quickly approaching the door.
He clicked his tongue and hissed down into the counts ear "you make a single fucking indication that I am here, and ill kill you" Casper spun the Duke around and backed into the open Wardrobe. Elisayra scrambled under the bed just as the doors to the room swung open, followed by the sound of a body collapsing on the floor.
"My dear, my darling husband, this simply cannot do" a woman's voice, hard a stern. Her long flowing black hair was perfectly done up, a collection of fine jewels around her neck and ringers, contrasted by a cold jagged frown across her freckled face.
Casper looked through the cracked door of the wardrobe, the girl who had just been unceremoniously thrown on the ground was familiar. Shorter cut brown hair, freckles on her nose. Harder hands that scraped into the wood floor as she tried to stand.
Alex. As it turns out, was not a boy, nor 16.
"She refuses to listen yet, I've tried the gentle hand, but it would appear our Niece simply won't obey" the woman dragged Alex on the ground by a fist-full of hair, hoisting her up. "Ill leave her in your care then, perhaps she will learn to be obedient then." the woman, the counts wife, spat the words out like venom, and then left.
The count played his roll well, pretending as if nothing was wrong. Perhaps a little too well even.
"Get over here" he commanded, and Alex refused. Without any hesitation the count took two strides and slapped Alex across the mouth, sending her tumbling back down to the floor.
"First you run away, make me look the fool, abandon your fiancé to go off on your own, and now when we finally get you to return, you do this?" The count stood over her, as Alex wiped some blood from her mouth, trying her best to stand back up, only to be stopped swiftly by her fathers boot
"do not stand until I tell you to stand!" He shouted. And Alex collapsed. "I've lost enough respect with you running out. I even spared your little servant girl you love so dearly. Not a scratch I told you, not a scratch should you return, but now that you are here you think she is safe? Think you are safe? If you do not start doing as you are told I will ensure every guard in my castle gets to fuck her until she's pregnant for years. Do you hear me?"
Alex tried to get up again. Tears in her eyes, only for her face to meet the counts boot again "I said do you hear me?" He growled.
Alex nodded "yes uncle…"
“Count”
“Yes, Count Constance”
"Now get the hell out of here. Go to your room and tidy up, you have a wedding to prepare for. I will not be denied my lands on account of your disobedience"
Alex lay on the floor, still fighting against the tears and bleeding. The count smiled "you may get up now"
Alex stood, and did well to brush herself off and leave through the door. No sooner did the door close than Casper was back out of the wardrobe blade raised. The count tried to ease the tension. "not an indication see. Family….you must understand-"
"The duke…" Casper had no more time for this scum. And his patience was running thin.
"The Duke is at the Crimson harbor...he's at the auction house. The slavers auction house."
“Where is he staying”
“To tell you that, I would be as good as dead”
“You are already as good as dead of you don’t tell me, and i promise you I will not be as gentle as the dukes executioners.
“He is staying at one of the suites in the auction house, the Blue room” The count gritted out.
"For how much longer will he be there"
"He's always has a peculiar taste, perhaps a week or two more from this day. I swear."
"Good" Casper lowered his blade and began walking toward the door, Elisayra crawling up from under the bed. Terror gripped her even just being in proximity to Casper now. The count wiped the blood from his back.
"I can get you in…"
Casper stopped at the door
"That's why you are wondering right? No one else is allowed into the auction house now without explicate invitation, you know this, but I can get you in. I got the Duke in. I can even reserve you someone. What's your flavor? Dark elves? Celestials? Dragonkin?" He asked.
"No" Casper said curtly
"They have a wonderful selection of children, I know those are incredibly popular"
Casper stopped and turned
The count smiled "ah, children then, I've had several myself. They don't last long but I assure you they are all of quality, I can put in word and perhaps we can-"
The hot breath turned the air around him into a wave of heat, and before Casper himself knew it, he found his blade hilt deep into the counts chest. The count sputtered blood over Casper's face as he dropped to the ground. Dead in an instant.
"Fuck" Casper though. His temper had done it again. And now the situation had gotten alot worse.
Casper grabbed the Counts corpse and used some rope from his back to bind his body, stuffing him into the wardrobe and closing the doors. Casper took one of the tapestries from the wall and tossed it over the pool of blood in the center of the room.
Taking a measured look at the Counts belongings, Casper also took a wax seal, several documents and papers at random, as well as a stray lock box. It might be valuable after all.
Casper walked through the door back into the larger central chamber, Elisayra reluctantly following behind, and glanced around. He had one more thing he needed to do now, he realized. “Relock that door” He damned, and Elisayra obeyed.
Casper did his best to wipe the blood from his face and looked for the next door. Once he found it, he asked Elisayra to pick it. She fumbled, nervous, and understandably so, but the door was opened and just as he suspected. Alex was inside, sitting on the edge of her bed sobbing into her hands, blood and spit and tears both in her hands.
Her face shot up at the door opening, and her expression mixed with confusion, surprise, and almost relief at the sight of Casper.
"What…" she barely had time to ask before Casper closed the distance "you want to get out of here?" He asked.
Alex barely had time to understand what was going on, but she sputtered out a "yes". then as everything clicked into place, a far more confident "yes...but can we please get my servant...I fear-"
"Yes, now let's move, quickly. Grab your servant and meet in the west wing storeroom, now"
Casper turned and was gone, doing his best to move quietly but now he was out of time. Moving perhaps a bit too quickly, Casper noted that the rushed sound of footfall, either from himself, or Alex, created noise that alerted some servants, causing them to move about to see what the commotion was all about.
He tried to make it to the store room but the door was blocked now, as people started whispering and talking and moving about. He ducked through a hall and down another corridor, only to double back into an empty room as more foot traffic passed by.
He rounded a corner, almost collided with a servant but was able to duck and weave out of the way, avoiding a collision. He power walked through the hall, doubling back to the now open store room and entering inside with Elisayra
Pressing himself against the wall and waiting, moments later the door opened and Alex emerged, a servant girl in toe. She looked a mix of happy and confused, and even more confused when she saw Casper and Elisayra.
"We need to move, now" Casper quickly opened the trap door and the maid gave a shocked noise
"I hadn't the slightest clue this was ever here"
Alex seemed just as surprised "neither had I"
Casper sprinkled several caltrops inside the stairwell as he closed the trap door behind him, just in case anyone knew to follow.
They moved quickly down the staircase, down to the familiar door and outside into the hidden cliff cove. There was barely any talking, they all piled into the boat and rowed back to the docks.
"We need to hurry, quickly" Casper gritted his teeth. He had likely bought them some time but not much.
the group began to power walk bit Casper wasn't having it
"faster than that, lets go!" his tone caused the others to pick up pace, but it wasn't until the city bells began ringing did they realize they truly needed to run.
With Casper in the lead, he shouldered his way through the crowds, pushing past guards and civilians alike as they approached the gates. There they saw Annabelle, confused as hell and more than a little worried as the shouts of guards began to pick up and the bells got louder all around the city.
"Go!" Casper yelled, running up to the horses, Casper helped Alex on, as her dress got caught she cursed. Casper tossed her a knife and she quickly cut the dress down the side, allowing her legs to go over easier.
Casper damn. Near threw her servant onto the same horse, and all 5 of them were off in an instant, just as the gates began to close and sounds of shouting came after them.
The horses pounded off into the distance away from the city following the coast. Casper could tell a few guards would be on them, they left in quite the rush and drew more than a little attention but they had a decent head start as of now and could worry about that later. For now, they needed to focus on riding and that's exactly what they did. Every single one of them pounding across the road, back into the wilderness.