Silly Little Castle

Hunting

Again she hunted in the darkness, hidden beneath a dark cloak, a shadow amongst shadows as she slipped silently after her prey. This time she was in the trees, astride her horse and he was a hunter as much as she was, adapting to the forests easily. His ears were swivelling as he tracked,   fitting for the creature most people considered a demon to be capable of almost predator instincts. She paused in the shadows of the woods as she saw a lone rider race by in the direction of the City. She had a ways to go before she reached the spot where the men had agreed to meet and lie in wait for their target.

Nerini frowned, waiting to see if there was something pursuing the rider turning to watch the man as best she could from the dark. After a few moments, she relaxed and continued on her way. There was urgency, yes, but no panic in that one, he must be just rushing to the city before the gates closed, or with a message. Something uninvolved to what was happening.

She glanced up at the  nearly full moon, rising through the sky giving the rider a bright path on his journey. Assured of her assessment she picked up her speed moving as quickly as she could now  while being quiet. She was trying to catch noise of anyone else on the road that night. Being more cautious than she wanted to be, taking more time than she had,  but still Cocoa's hooves ate up the ground under them.

The feeling of wrongness hit her in the chest a while later and Nerini cursed, before urging Cocoa faster. The certainty, the pull in her chest was telling her to hurry, pulling her forward like an arrow in the night. Nerini found herself suddenly questioning if the rider was a herald for someone who was coming afterwards. 

 Though she wracked her brain for the answer, Nerini still couldn't figure out who was coming up the road this late and why they would be using the small fishing port on the other side of the island. She ignored the irony that she had used the same path herself not too long ago.

There was no one expected in the city if you listened to the talk throughout the city and amongst the politicians of the Alliance. Everyone who was anyone had already arrived in time for the tournament. She had checked earlier that day and no ships were expected other than the normal trading traffic. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, if she forgot about those two mercenaries talking late into the night in a bar the evening before. And the certainty in her soul that something was about to happen.

Nerini looked up to the sky again, frowning in concern, she had an hour to find them and who knows how long until they found their mark after meeting in these woods.

***

Shiar stood from his spot in the drawing room, trying to be inconspicuous but not getting more than a step before his friends stood with him, trying to convince him to stay a little while longer. He paused for a moment, chuckling and holding up his hands. "I must go, I'm sorry. Do not stop because I am leaving, but I have a longer, tougher day than you all do tomorrow, pray excuse me." 

He smiled and bowed first to his Prince, then the Queen, turning to grab his cloak from a servant when there was a knock on the front door, down the hallway from where they were.

Shiar paused, stepping to the side as the door was opened for a servant announcing a messenger for him. It was a surprise at this time and location, not to mention that there was an urgency in the servant's respects for whom was in the room.  With a curious glance to him, Caleur inclined his head to allow for whomever it was to enter.

One of his men at arms stumbled through the door, letting out a breath and smiling to him carefully, relaxed but breathless,."M'lord, I'm sorry, I ran here from the stables. I was sent to let you know-"

"What are you doing here? You are part of the guard assigned to Lyana." He cut the man off, frowning darkly, his sister was supposed to be miles and oceans away, at home. This man had no reasonable explanation for being on the island, not unless the world was burning down.