AO 5 Ch 33

Chapter 33

Zuri held the piece of parchment, turning it this way and that. "Did you really have to write it like this?" she asked, exasperated.

"Well, I wrote it all in straight lines, but then I ran out of room and decided to try and squeeze it into the margins," I answered with a proud smile.

"Yes, this is more confusing than anything." She turned the paper back and forth so that she could read each line that I'd crammed into the margins.

I shrugged. "Next time I need a bigger piece of paper." The information was all there and it was legible, just a little crammed in there. I sharpened the piece of coal so I could write in the incredibly small spaces left.

"Yes, well, that is probably accurate." Zuri squinted at a spot that I knew was smudged, and I looked away before I got blamed for that too.

Instead, my eyes landed on Maribelle slipping back into the tavern. She spotted me and a brilliant smile stretched across her face.

"Did you have an interesting day?" I asked her.

"The most wonderful of days," she said quickly.

I glanced her up and down before frowning. "You need to stay away from the lord."

Maribelle raised an eyebrow.

"We discovered he has a type. Blondes," Emlyn filled in from across the table.

"Oh," Maribelle said softly. "I think people would find it very difficult to take me away from you, sir." She bowed slightly, a viscous smile spreading across her lips.

"Yes, and I'm not worried about you being taken so much as you making a mess." I told her.

She giggled. "It would be very messy."

I pulled Maribelle into my lap at the table, suddenly feeling like I needed to hold onto her a little tighter. "Any news from my father?" I asked her.

She shook her head making her blonde curls dance against my chin. "We didn’t cross paths at least. He’s likely out there finishing up. Did yours go well?" she asked.

"It did, though we witnessed a lady abducted in a market. It seems this city is in the grips of someone with less morals than I would like to see. We should probably finish our trade and get out of here." I held onto Maribelle, lest someone begin to eye her.

Before we went further down that conversation, the door to the tavern opened up and Uncle Valken stepped through, glancing through the inn before spotting us where we were sipping watered-down beer to pass the time.

"If it isn't my favorite child," Uncle Valken swept up to the table firmly in his role as my father.

I snorted. "I'm your only child, old man. Well, now apparently." I cast a sideways glance at Eva. My eyes had been drawn to her a touch more lately.

"Well, good thing on that one. We wouldn’t want to get too friendly amid the family,” he put a hand on Eva's shoulder and mine, giving them both a squeeze.

"How was your day? Did you get what you needed done, Papa?" I said, smirking. I loved a good nickname. Doubly so for this one.

"Well enough," he sat down, joining us at the table. "Things went well. I had expected a little more skepticism. However, those that were trained by us and sent in here quickly recognized what I was and were quick to help me. I didn't talk to any of the," he kept his voice low, "Garrish nationals. Instead, just the Zenovians. My nature was enough to convince them that I could be trusted. They are back at work, as well as handing over the last several weeks' reports.” Uncle Valken tapped his head, indicating that the reports were all now safely stored away.

But I wasn't so sure. He was old, and old people were forgetful. "You should write that down, Papa. You know with old age, you're getting a little, you know..." I let him fill in the details.

Uncle Valken rolled his eyes.

"He's right, Father," Eva gave him the most overly polite tone, enjoying playing her role. "You really should write them down, lest they get forgotten."

"Both of you cut it out or I'm going to make a mess of this table." His temple pulsed as he clenched his jaw.

I could almost feel the sharp glare from Maribelle at the not-so-subtle threat from Uncle Valken.

"It was a joke." He spread his palms before laying them on the table. "Either way, I have restarted operations, as well as gathered many interesting details."

Zuri's face became serious, and she leaned over the table. "What do we have relevant to our current project?" Her eyes casually raked over the inn’s crowd behind me.

"Sordid details, an understanding of why and by whom everything is occurring." He replied.

I grunted, crossing my arms. "We have that as well. While we were in the market, there was a horrible display of the guards, and I suppose the lord who ordered them. They abducted a pretty girl in the middle of the market. From whispers around, I pieced together that she was dragged all the way up to the noble area of the city I heard, apparently stuffed her in some cellar along with all of the other pretty ladies. Sounds like this isn’t the first time. Maybe six or so similar abductions."

I was talking as if the information was hearsay and rumors, but the rest of the table got the point. "And he certainly has a type," Eva added. "All blonde, shoulder-length hair." She tapped a finger to her shoulder. "I think most of them had green eyes, maybe one was blue, or a bluish-green."

Uncle Valken grunted. "I guess that made it difficult to tell them apart."

"Our conundrum exactly," Eva said. "Though Ard did a fantastic job at peeking up the street to see where they were going."

"Ah." Uncle Valken made a noise of understanding. "I see. Seems you did wonderful work. And you." He glanced at Maribelle.

"I went job hunting today," Maribelle said calmly. "It went quite well. I was let in as if I'd always been there. Got myself a uniform, even."

I chuckled at the double meanings that Maribelle was dropping. If I had to guess, that uniform was stolen, and she slipped in working like one of the maids without a problem. "Most of the people there seem to be the kind to keep their heads down. A lot of people are afraid of the Lord of the City."

"That's completely understandable," I said. "After all, he has two anchors as his mistresses. They seem to make people quite nervous. In fact, I would suspect that they are watching over those arrested ladies as it is."

"Beer," one of the ladies working at the inn announced as she approached our table, holding up a stein for Uncle Valken.

He waved for her to put it down and gestured for her to empty her pitcher. "Please, if you would, top us all up. I think we'll need the drink for as much as we're gossiping," he said.

"Oh?" she asked, pouring the drink and leaning over the table. "What's got all of you gossiping?" Inns and those who worked in them thrived on gossip.

"They said they were at the market today and a pretty young lady, was arrested," Uncle Valken gestured at me and Eva.

The server's face fell into an immediate frown. "It might be best that you keep your voices down over here. I wouldn't want anyone to get into trouble." She replied.

“From talking about it?" Uncle Valken asked.

"Yes," she replied, folding her arms over her chest. "People are getting in trouble with a high regularity lately. I," she hesitated, "fear that our inn will get a little less busy in the future. Traffic has been slowing down through the city. Most nights we'd have trouble getting a room here," she said. "But now it's pretty common for us to have a handful of rooms empty. All because that stupid lord. I don't know what's gone on, but he's become a greedy fool. He’s asking for taxes for visitors to enter and any merchant with a pretty daughter isn't staying long or slips through the lower quarters keeping their daughters holed up for the trip."

It sounded bad. Even the worst the of the officials in Avente weren’t this bad. Well… Carmilla was horrid, but not to the general populace.

The server rolled her eyes and finished pouring the drink. "So yes, please keep it down." She nodded and turned sharply. 

"Seems like the sentiment here is rather shallow," Uncle Valken observed, turning back to the table. "Those would be the same things that I’ve seen." 

We made sure no one was standing too close. It seemed Emlyn had taken up the role of lookout, perched on the edge of the bench and keeping her gaze towards the rest of the inn. 

"The guards working for the lord wouldn't stop saying that it's just a job.” I offered.

“Now that's never good," Uncle Valken shook his head. "If you can't keep your guards happy, then you've got a bigger problem than a few disappearing ladies. You've got people who will also look the other way when someone comes with a very pointy stick to stab in your gut. Because after all, they're just doing their jobs. And their jobs at that point might be just to stay on watch. Not necessarily do much about it." 

I grunted. "Might make our job easier. But I don't suppose it changes anything."

"Well, we might not have to kill as many," Uncle Valken said.

I nodded. I had an idea and I wanted to run it past my tactician as well as those of us who are gathering and sending out more information. 

I spread my hands on the table and kept my voice low. "What if we swapped them?"

"Swapped them?" Uncle Valken echoed with a raised brow. 

"Yeah, your girl needs to get out. And to do that without setting off any alarms, the best way we can do that is swap someone in." I offered.

Eva snorted. "We are not sticking someone in that hellhole." 

I shook my head. "I don't want to stick anyone, well, anyone half decent into that prison cell. We could either put one of his mistresses in there, or heck, we could find anyone related to the Lord, knock them out, change their appearance, take our girl out and change her appearance." It would be a little vengeance if nothing else.

Uncle Valken raised an eyebrow until it crept up to where his hairline might have been 500 years ago. "Modifying that extensively with life magic is difficult, it would take a single mage a few days.”

“I mean, I could probably do it," I said with a shrug.

"It'll be a very limited scope of time for you to make that much change," He said.

"Not really. If I knock someone out and we keep them unconscious, I can make the change. We can make the swap and then I have until that other lady wants to be out in public to make the changes.

“We can't keep someone unconscious for days, a few hours at most. And that's what I think we should do. Plus, I would get some immense satisfaction out of sticking one of those wicked women into a prison cell and possibly make the lord keep her captive."

"Could we summon someone on our side to take over one of the mistress's roles?" Eva asked, keeping her voice low. “She’d be missed.”

Uncle Valken frowned and thought, "That's an interesting idea. However, I am unsure who we have that would be willing to take on such a task."

I glanced around at them as they all seemed to be thinking of who they could ask. "Uh, how about the rebels? I'm fairly certain we could find an anchor there that would be willing. Not to mention, inserting them would put them in a direct position to counter the lord here with the intel they would gather."

Uncle Valken finished and rubbed his chin. "And that makes it more important that we regain contact with these rebels," he said, "with this Lady White or Knight Clarence."

I nodded. "They said they would bring some wounded here so that," I gestured at Maribelle, "she could heal them because rather than let me do it, she outed herself."

Eva pursed her lips. "I think with the lack of Serpent Mage's healers in Garrish right now, they will be here. There's very little chance that they'll pass up the opportunity to get some of their wounded back on their feet immediately," Eva reasoned.

I nodded, put my hands flat on the table, leaning back. "Well then, let's enjoy a few rounds and then maybe we'll see if we can walk this city and let ourselves be seen."

***

Eva was working on her courting gift for Ard in her room, but it was not as peaceful as she had hoped. 

"What are you doing?" Maribelle asked, sitting across from her at the desk. She leaned over the top of it, her breasts spilling out far beyond what was normal. 

It was hard to ignore them.

Eva snorted. "I already answered you. It's Ard's gift, and I'm here working on it because none of you would let me go out with him tonight." 

"Of course not." Emlyn came up behind her and put her hands on her shoulder, leaning on her head. Those giant orbs she liked to call her breasts just happened to be at the perfect height to smush on top of Eva's head. Once again, this reminded her that she was by and far the smallest-chested woman surrounding Ard. Eva’s eyebrows started twitching. 

"I am working on his courting gift.” Eva replied, focusing on the task.

“I can't help but be curious.” Emlyn then leaned down over top of her to look at her upside down. “I mean, if I suddenly said I was making a courting gift for Ard, and was covering it up as I scribbled in a notebook, you'd be curious too." 

"Get off of me," Eva grumbled, pushing Emlyn away. "Why are you even here?" 

"Because of your new role you've decided to create, I am now your anchor, and it would look incredibly suspicious if I were anywhere but in your room." Emlyn rolled her eyes, adding a few effusive gestures. "Really now, Eva, are you trained in spy work?" 

"I don't believe you are either," Eva replied.

Emlyn shrugged. "I'm not the one making such silly mistakes." 

"It is not a silly mistake," Eva shot back, her arm still covering the notebook she was working in, "and I'm working on Ard's gift. The more you interrupt me, the less I'm able to work on it." 

Emlyn raised an eyebrow and glanced at Maribelle, who raised one in turn. 

"Oh wait, you're trying to stall me?" Eva grew frustrated.

"No," Emlyn said, entirely unconvincing, waving a hand in front of her face. "That would be silly. We were not trying to stall you, right, Maribelle?" 

"Right," the maid answered quickly, nodding along. 

Eva couldn't help but roll her eyes. These two were at times even worse than Ard. Of course they were trying to stop her. Emlyn was nosy as usual, and Maribelle, obsessed with Ard, was being a little protective. 

"You can't tell him what it is." Eva narrowed her eyes on both women.

"Oh, of course not." Emlyn's smile was too wide. 

Eva slammed the book closed. "Nope, I'm done. Not working on any more with you two in the room." 

"Aw, come on," Emlyn complained, only for the book to slip out of Eva's grasp as Maribelle lifted it off the table out from under her. Eva's elbow hit the table and jarred her. 

"Give that back!" Eva tried to snatch it, only for Maribelle to dance away from the desk, her blonde curls twirling in the air as she opened the book and began flipping through the pages. 

Eva reached out with her magic, tendrils of darkness ripping out of every corner in the room and snapping the book closed before the darkness curled around the book and yanked it back into her hands. 

"There will be none of that," Eva waved the book at Maribelle. 

"You have to sleep sometimes," Maribelle said with a polite smile. The maid scared Eva to her bones, she was all smiles and polite tones yet it felt like she could bury a knife in your back while keeping up the conversation.

"And I think I'm going to be sleeping on top of my book." She gestured at it and held it to her chest. 

Emlyn crossed her hands underneath her own. "Well, Maribelle, I thought that was going to work." 

"Me too." Maribelle agreed.

"Don't either of you have something better to do?" Eva rolled her eyes. "I don't know, go take a bath, walk the streets and murder people at night? Anything really." 

Emlyn chuckled. "She thinks you'd randomly murder people." 

"No, that one was for you. You’re the one with a temper." Maribelle's voice was calm as her eyes shifted over to Emlyn, causing the taller woman to snort. 

"Oh, right. You can at least give us a hint. 20 questions, that's all I'm asking. Just let me have 20 questions to guess what's in that book." Emlyn prodded.

A slight smile curled up on Eva's lips. "Sure, 20 questions." 

Emlyn squinted back at her, biting her lip. "Person, place, or thing?" 

"All of the above," Eva said without a hint of line in her tone. That answer only caused Emlyn and Maribelle to frown deeply. 

"This is going to be harder than I thought.” Emlyn murmured.

“Well, since she's writing, obviously it contains all three of those." Maribelle rolled her eyes, "and technically, I think she doesn't understand the nature of 20 questions. She hasn't been around Ard that long."

***

An aging, portly man was being dressed by three young, beautiful, blond-haired, green-eyed maidservants. His hands and around his mouth were sagging with wrinkles, while his beard bore a peculiar pattern of gray, revealing his age unevenly.

Suddenly, one of his men rushed into the room, slamming his knee and fist onto the ground as he tilted his head as his chainmail rattled.

"We have news of a mage in the city," he announced.

"Oh?" The lord seemed somewhat disinterested with the news. 

"A serpent mage, lord." The man added.

At that, the lord's eyes practically shone. He swatted away the closest maid, giving the man his full attention. "A serpent mage, you say?" He licked his lips. "That is very important news." He pointed to one of the maids. "Quill and paper, on this desk. Now," he demanded, tapping the nearby surface. "And you, full details."

The man, who was kneeling at the entrance, lifted his head to see the lord.

The lord groaned, settling himself into a chair. It was uncommon to see a mage suffering from bad joints, but with the lack of serpent sphere mages, such things were becoming more common. 

"Now," the soldier swallowed, "it is limited information, but there is a small band of wounded coming into the city tonight. As you can imagine, the guards and everyone did their best to dissuade them from finding a healer in the city. There's none. However, these people all seemed rather assured that they would find help." 

The lord nodded. "Most of the serpent mages have completely gone to ground." He squared up the paper as the maid brought it down, before positioning the inkpot just where he wanted it, and dipping the quill in it, preparing to write a letter. "That is fair evidence that there is a serpent mage in the city. However, how do you intend to find them?"

"We have several people watching that group, my lord," the soldier replied, bowing his head again. "It was a large enough group, with their confidence in bringing the injured here, and not the desperation we usually see. We assume they will make contact shortly. What are your orders, my lord?"

The lord finished dipping the quill in the inkpot, before rolling it in his fingers. "Find the serpent mage. Find out whatever they are requiring for their services. We will use their services as much as we can in the next week." He put the quill to paper, and began scribbling out a note furiously. 

"The next week, sir? I had hoped that we would..." 

"These are orders from those far higher than me," the lord interrupted, a slight grin crossing his face. "Besides, we will be rewarded handsomely for a serpent mage."

"Rewarded, lord?" The soldier asked, confusion in his voice, only for the lord to wince as if he realized he had said too much. 

"King Martin has put out a decree requiring all mages be identified to him. Be accounted for, and those accounts sent to him. I just got this order. Of course, he still puts a heavy emphasis on trying to find all of the serpent mages, so that they can join the army and prolong the war efforts." He didn’t so much as bat an eyelash as he spoke.

"Of course, lord," the soldier kept his head down. "I had just hoped they may be able to stay a bit longer."

The lord didn't even glance at the soldier. "I know. They are in such short supply, that many would hope we would hold on to them. However, the war efforts take precedence over our personal needs."

"Yes, my lord. I wasn't inferring that..."

The lord held up a hand to forestall any further excuses. He didn't blame the soldier. 

Everyone wanted more life mages, and he was going to use this one extensively before King Martin came to collect.

The serpent mages always seemed to flow in one direction, and never back out into the populace. The lord obviously had his misgivings, but those were entirely irrelevant, especially considering the power that King Martin had and had given Lord Tybalt. 

Lord Tybalt was enjoying his position. King Martin had made it perfectly clear that he and the rest of the nobility were to extract as much resources as they could from the populace to fuel the war effort.L

ord Tybalt and many of the others saw the perfect opportunity in increasing taxation, while also owning some of the forges that made the swords that went off to war. And if the demand was so high and supply so low, it was only fair that they charge an arm and a leg of gold for each sword they sent. Lord Tybalt was even thinking about gilding his throne. It would make a fantastic spectacle for people to look upon their lord.