"Who...?" the guard started to say loudly. Walter clasped his mouth shut before pushing the guard in and closing the door. As they entered, the guard collapsed to the floor and the others stood on alert, brandishing their weapon at Walter.

"Halt! How dare you barge into this residence? Do you wish to die?!" They all seemed to want to tear Walter apart.

"Inform Lady Steinhouse that Walter's here to see her," he said. The guards seemed angrier at his words.

"At this time of the night? Leave! The Lady has better things to do!" the guards blocked.

"Tell her to come. You better do as told, imagine how this would end for you if you do not verify my words," Walter said. One of the guards rushed away to inform his superior. In less than a minute, his superior arrived with more guards. But Walter had seen this man before, and the man; Walter.

"Why have you come?" the superior asked, but he was a lot more respectful.

"This is not a social call. Tell her to come," Walter said and the superior nodded and sent someone to deliver the message in haste. The guards did not put down their weapons and their superior did not ask them to. Walter smiled at his actions. It seemed the superior did not think well of him. Some minutes later, a heavily coated Lady Steinhouse was rushing his way. He frowned at her haste. Even though he had asked her to hurry, he did not really expect her to. Had this woman forgotten who she was?

Lady Steinhouse saw that her guards were still pointing their weapons at Walter and frowned.

"What do you think you are doing? Put those things down!" she ordered and they reluctantly did so.

"Now is not the time. Lord Morge and Lord of Merve are waiting; clear a path. We need to pass without any seeing what we carry. When you are done, have someone signal us with a lantern. hurry," Walter said in haste, before leaving quickly. He returned to the group hiding by the corner, behind a cart.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"She will have a path cleared. Someone will signal with a lantern when it's ready," Walter said and silence descended. After some minutes, a female figure took out a lantern before immediately retreating inside.

When they saw the signal, they moved quickly. By the time they all entered, they found a clear passage. Only the head guard and Lady Steinhouse stood inside. When the guard saw the two lords, his curiosity was piqued.

Lady Steinhouse saw them enter and immediately led the way.

"This way," she said, leading them inside, only the head guard did not follow. He stayed back to guard the gates for a while before he could order his men to return.

Lady Steinhouse led them through a cleared path, till they arrived at a room on the upper level. They placed the lady on the bed and instructed Lisa to watch over her before leaving.

When they went over to Lady Steinhouses' study, they all sighed. Walter sat back on the couch and closed his eyes, the tension was beyond him. The two lords sat on different corners, with a tired look on their faces, the tension in their bones had eased a lot.

"Who is she?" Lady Steinhouse finally asked after a maid served tea and left.

"I don't think you should be asking that, Lady Steinhouse. You, after all, know who we work for, right?" Lord Morge asked with a slight smile and Lady Steinhouse pouted.

"Before, when you both thought I did not know, you would at least have graced me with a lie. Now it's just a plain don't bother," she said and Lord of Merve chuckled.

"Food. I'm going to starve to death. Who would have thought that much tension would make me so hungry?" Lord of Merve said.

"We can't leave today. We'll have to stay the night, I hope you don't mind," Lord Morge asked and Lady Steinhouse glanced stealthily at Walter.

"Sure. Rooms should be prepared by now. Don't worry, it's near the package you refuse to tell me about," she said.

"Don't worry too much about the woman. She is of importance to your uncle's wife-to-be," Lord Morge said.

"Really?" Lady Steinhouse asked in confusion. She was yet to meet her uncle's intended, so she let the thought slide. She was not told who she was, except that she was Lady Raine. Even though, why would Lady Wickshire help her out?

"You think too much," Walter finally spoke. She looked up and found he was staring at her, and turned red. She knew he saw her trying to piece together their motive. She seemed flustered at his stare and immediately got up.

"The maids will show you to your rooms," she said, then left quickly. Walter sighed. Couldn't she be more subtle with her attitude, the lords were going to think something was happening?

The lords only glanced at each other for a brief second, Neither knowing what the other was thinking.