........
I LEIGHTON ROAD, ANEBURY DISTRICT
ETANIA-CAPITAL OF RYDDOS EMPIRE I
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IS IT SO HARD TO ESCAPE IN PEACE?
PASSENGERS jumped off the train and eagerly stood on the platform, scanning the crowd to see if their loved ones came to see them. Bustling crowds stampeded through the platform to either explore the winding capital or head to their homes or other sinister ploys they had on their agenda. Perhaps, that's why no one noticed the unruly sight of four ginormous disgruntled men surrounding 2 little women. Well-one woman and one little girl-and if Delphine was truly honest, she considered herself a little girl in the presence of such huge men.
That is, she considered herself a little girl in this very particular situation.
Delphine could hear their ragged breaths before she could smell their awful breaths. She was sure it violated the right for one to breathe clean air but she was damn sure if she voiced that she would be buried ten feet under the very bench she was occupying.
Clearing her throat, she turned around to face the mighty fucking ogres with a blinding smile, "Gentlemen-" She nodded her head in their direction, "To what godforsaken entity do I owe a debt too to be bestowed by your ever so gentle presences?" She charmingly intoned, crossing her legs.
One of the goons-the slightly less ogre looking one in Delphines opinion-laughed so hard Delphine's left ear bursted, "Looks like we have a witty one in our hands, fellas"
"Please, witty coming from the likes of you is not a compliment I'd like to hear." Delphine blurted out with wide eyes.
Was she going to regret saying that?
Probably.
But the words flew out of her mouth before she could stop herself and she didn't regret it when she saw their faces turn a brilliant shade of red. Delphine leaned back and stretched her arms across the length of the bench. The child snuggled beside her and hid under the cover of her cape.
It was a smart move. Delphine would've done the same if she were in the same situation. She haughtily raised her head, she wasn't the one they were after so she had no reason to be in distress. The hood of her cape covered her face so she didn't need to worry about her identity being revealed. As long as they remained in the crowded station, she had the advantage.
According to what the little girl had told her, it seemed no one in this scheme was connected to each other. Each group was contacted by a separate mediator-it was a smart way to shake off their tracks. This was just her speculation for all she knew all the groups could be connected to each other.
There was only one way to get out of this situation and that was to be-
"You must be here to collect the girl" Delphine clicked her tongue, "It's best we do the handoff somewhere-" Her eyes motioned to the crowd, "-less crowded."
The one they were looking for, Delphine grinned-she couldn't wait to use her favorite act of all time.
Acting like a trashy stubborn noble.
The ogre that looked less like an ogre scratched his chin, "You were sent by the Red Rhombus?"
Delphine internally gagged, who the fuck is the Red Rhombus and which idiot came up with such a ridiculous ass name?
"The only one in town. He wants the business to be done with the least eyes," Delphine raised an eyebrow and let her disappointed gaze linger on them.
The band of ogres flinched at her words and shuffled under the weight of her gaze. Delphine grinned, she was bluffing with her words but she must've hit a jackpot with their reactions.
At least, she knew she was the one with authority in this situation.
"Names," She demanded as she flamboyantly twirled her dagger.
The leader-the less ogre looking one as Delphine liked to call him, "I'm Lionel and the one to the right-"
"The one that looks like an avocado fucked an ogre?"
There was a round of silence between the three members as their leader looked flabbergasted, "Err, yes ma'am- his name is Bruhel. The one next to Bruhel-"
"-the one who resembles a depressed llama in mating season?"
Bruhel's friend gasped at Delphine's comment, he turned pale as a ghost and hugged himself as if he were trying to comfort himself. Bruhel, on the other hand, already had tears in his eyes.
Men certainly are fragile creatures, Delphine mused as she kicked her legs forward with a mischievous smile.
Lionel hesitantly continued, "-His name is Cranny and next to Cranny is Almond." Lionel rapidly spoke, sparing no time for Delphine to insult his subordinate.
She choked, Almond? Fucking Almond? That's his name?
She drummed her fingers on the arm of the bench, "Almond, huh?"
"My parents thought my nose resemble an almond so they-"
"-so they named you almond because your nose resembled an almond. I can't tell if they were trying to be nice to you or if it was an inside joke between the both of them?" Delphine dryly interrupted, she dismissively waved her hand at them, "Follow me."
............
Delphine exited the station with the little girl perched on her hips and four fragile ogres following her. Most girls dreamed of starting off their trip to the capital by exploring the city and getting saved by a dashing knight. Instead, Delphine started off her trip to the capital in illegal slave tradings, fighting mercerny men with fragile self-esteems and exploring local cemeteries.
She looked down at the sleeping little girl. Delphine thought it was better to cast a sleeping spell on her before they left the station. She wasn't a great fighter but even she knew that having a kid in the fight would just be a distraction. Plus, she didn't want the child to hear about how she was going to be sold off.
"Did Red tell you why he wanted this kid?" Her heart pounded in her chest, every question she asked could potentially turn against her. She needed to tread carefully with her questions.
Bruhel stopped his sniveling, "All we know from the orphanage is that she's a mixed kind. A product between some damn human and fairy. Buyer wants her for some research purposes."
"Huh, I'm guessing Red wants her in the slave auction by the end of the day then since she's valuable."
"Spot on, ma'am. He wants to take her to the one run by the sleazy griffin in blue." Bruhel snorted with distaste, "I always hate heading to Grimhell street so many nobles dressing up as the purest saints when they're worse than the demon lord himself."
"Then they have the audacity to call us the dirty heathens." Almond growled, dragging his spear through the ground.
The two descended into further conversation about nobles while Delphine frantically tried to piece together the information she had just been handed. She knew Grimhell street was full of splendor and delights however it was just a front for the lucrative businesses lurking in the darkness. A slave auction on that street could only be funded by nobles. Despite being a horrible villainess in her past life, she knew the noble families by heart. So "sleazy griffin in blue" must be a code name but there were so many noble families with the symbol-
Blue Griffin
She vaguely remembered the slave trading investigation led by the crown prince. She was sure the name Blue Griffin appeared in their report.
Her heart pounded violently against her chest, "How is the Blue Griffin these days?"
There was a pause of silence, she gulped and reached for her dagger. She closed her eyes, they were almost near the cemetery.
Finally breaking the silence, Lionel cleared his throat, "I heard his lordship's daughter was recently humiliated by the son of one of the dukes."
Delphine's ear perked up at this, "His daughter?"
"It seems because of that his sales in the sugar market have decreased due to her persistently chasing after the affections of-"
Delphine didn't hear the rest, her mind was racing through her past life. Nobles that were part of the sugar market? There were a couple who came to mind but a duke that was powerful enough to reduce their market sales just for the business between their kids?
Who would that be?
Sugar, decreased market sales, daughter, duke, late spring and a merchant? It could only be the Marquis of Lebonny, Earl of Hess, Marquis of Dartworth and Baron Leven. The last two were currently traveling abroad so that left it with Hess and Lebonny.
Her eyes widened, "Narella Lebonny," She gasped aloud without realizing.
She turned around to face the pale faces of her current company, "Narella Lebonny, daughter of Marquis Lebonny faced humiliation at the Carswell Teaparty." A huge grin spread across her face, as they nodded at her.
"We wouldn't dare speak of her-"
"Yes yes I know, don't worry about it." Delphine dismissively looked over shoulder, "She must be throwing quite the tantrum."
Once they entered the cemetery, Delphine relaxed the tension in her shoulders. She hummed as she strode across the darkened cemetery, placing the child on a tombstone she faced the family of ogres she became comfortable with.
"How is the real estate in the capital these days?" She cheerily inquired, leaning against the broken window of the church.
Almond laughed, "Are you looking to buy a house from the money you've earned today, ma'am?"
"Why of course! One should be able to live in a comfy house in this business after all."
"I heard the academy district, the duke's territories, main capital avenue and Bakers Street are all quite expensive these days. For people like us, I'd suggest Lenova, Denis, Renyia and Breve." Cranny chimed in, summoning a bag out from his subspace bracelet.
Delphine eyed the bracelet, they must be backed by a rich noble.
She shifted from one foot to another, "Those are pretty good neighborhoods to settle in after retiring from this job. The capital of the climate these days isn't so terrible, what do you think, Lionel?" She casually brought out her dagger and flipped it in the air.
Lionel inched forward to help Cranny sort out the money, "Well, I think you know well enough that whatever the nobles are feeling is the climate of the capital, Ma'am."
A peal of giggles escaped her lips, "You're a smart one, Lionel." She loomed over him with a cheshire smile, "So tell me, what do you think the nobles are feeling?"
Lionel gulped and lowered his eyes, "I don't know much but from what I've been hearing there has been slight unease among the nobles. For starters, Lady Bythesea and Duke Rydian engagement is rocky-"
Delphine's heart steeled at the mention of her fiance, the man she once loved, the man that hated her and the man that left her dead. Hot rage pooled into her stomach and coursed through her veins. She wanted nothing more to end that engagement and run that bastard to the ground.
"-why do you think so?" She gritted out, her fists clenching at Lionel's anticipated answer.
Lionel hesitated, "They say the Lady's younger sister and the Duke are in love with each other. The duke despises Lady Bythesea due to her villainous nature and so he found comfort in the arms of the younger one."
Cranny snorted, "He should've remained loyal to his betrothed. Lady Bythesea may be a cruel lady but at least she shows her true intentions. She only desired his attention and love. I'd rather take a cruel lady who is honest with her intentions than a sweet one who will drown me in her venomous honey."
Delphine halted her dagger, her heart unraveled at Cranny's words. The layers of sweet desire, yearning for warmth and heartache slowly became undone at the friendly ogre's words. Her throat closed up, my first time being comforted and it just had to be one of these ogres.
She cleared her throat and wiped her tears away. Perhaps, she should go easy on them.
Almond sniffled, "Poor girl. I truly hope she finds someone who loves her. The engagement isn't the only thing dampening the mood of the nobles." Almond warily glanced around the cemetery, "They say trouble is brewing in the underground world and more and more nobles are being caught by the Crown Prince. The nobles are growing annoyed with the royal family."
Bruhel whacked Almond, "It's not just the issue with the royal family that's threatening the peace of the empire! The Duke of the East is running wild, growing tensions with the Hermonia Empire, and the temple's growing power."
The more Delphine learned about the climate of the capital, she realized she needed to relocate somewhere outside of the empire. She wasn't about to die in the crossfires of political battles. The minute she earned enough money to live comfortably for the rest of her life, she was boarding the next ship out of this shitty empire.
She carefully awoke the child and pushed her behind the broken church wall. Delphine had entertained them long enough to cast her spells. It was time to cut their meeting short.
She folded her hands behind her back, "Maybe you should all gather together and lift the money."
Bruhel and Cranny eyed her suspiciously, she merely offered a shrug back to them. She wasn't planning on taking the money, she didn't need them tracing it back to her. The minute the 4 men lifted the trunks of money, she snapped her fingers and activated the binding spells.
Flustered, they screamed and hollered at each other to slash the bonds. Delphine grabbed the child's hand and whisked her away from them.
"She's running away with the kid!"
"CATCH HER, ALMOND!"
Delphine whirled around just in time to see Almond thundering after her. Out of all them, she just had to face Almond. She dropped the kid, "Run and find cover. I'll find you once I'm done with them."
"What if you don't come back?" The little girl wailed, stumbling on her tiny feet.
Delphine narrowed her eyes, "If I don't come back in 10 minutes, run to the city and find the royal family's relief camp."
Delphine whipped out her daggers and flipped them in her hands. She really didn't want to use them unless necessary. She certainly didn't want to start her new journey with 4 bloody murders.
"Miss! Take this sword!" The little girl screeched as she came running to Delphine.
"I told you to hide!" Delphine scowled, slapping her forehead as the girl pushed a long ancient sword into her hands.
"I know but I couldn't leave you to defend yourself with those tiny knives." The girl sniffled, wiping away her tears from her big eyes.
Delphine reached out to pat her-
"ARGAAAAAHHHH" Almond roared, aiming his spear at Delphine. She pulled out the sword and blocked his heavy attack. Her feet pushed into the ground as she pushed back Almond.
"VEMORA LA ERINA, DOSHINA." Delphine cursed in her mother tongue, "DOS NA GRIDA. AVA MORE NEEYENDRA ENNNDU!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she left a mark on Almond.
The sword began to vibrate violently, it fell out of her hands and gleamed a brilliant gold. Ancient subscripts smoldered around the handle of the blade, Delphine shakily stared at her burned hands.
Dread swept into her stomach, "What cemetery is this?" She shouted at Almond, bringing out her daggers. Her eyes scanned the trees for the little girl. She was nowhere to be found.
"Grand Empire Cemetery!" Almond screamed from behind the trees.
Delphine's face paled, she made a grave mistake. She shouldn't have haughtily entered this cemetery and she shouldn't have used that sword.
She collapsed to the ground, "I just wanted to escape in peace," She groaned into her hands.
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: AUTHORS CORNER :
I know this chapter is super short and all over the place but it will come together soon! I'm so sorry for the delay, been busy dealing with life and university and everything in between. You can also find this story on INKITT. The link to my Inkitt profile will be dropped soon ;) I hope you have a great day and remember to take care of yourselves :)
Sorry about the delay!!
- RITA
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