Princess Lorelei, or Reia as she wants to be called, followed Ron and the others as they left the busy streets and made their way back to the inn Cale's group is currently staying at. Her cloak covered from wasn't standing out too much after they entered the festival area. Dozens of cloaked people alongside colorful costumes wandered the streets.
Cherry blossoms were thrown around like eco-friendly confetti. Cale had to take sudden detours to not get a face full of that pink surprise attack. The princess wasn't so lucky when a group of kids chased each other around, using her tall form as a human meat shield.
What surprised Cale was her reaction to the kids. The first few minutes he interacted with her showed a confident and arrogant woman that knows her position in the world. Her words were razor sharp, honed throughout the years of royal schemes and sneaky assassination attempts. Cale can't imagine that her marriage was anything but political, especially since the emperor was known to have 'accidentally' killed off a few of his previous spouses.
He expected a jaded but noble lady that will try to keep her distance from the common folk yet when the kids hit her bullseye in the face with the cherry blossoms, she just smiled at them. It was neither fake nor was it forced. The small part of her face that the hood couldn't completely cover, showed a beautiful smile directed at the startled kids. With a quick excuse, the kids ran away.
The princess soon returned her expression to neutral and huffed at Choi Han when the swordmaster slowed down to match her pace.
Ron slipped off for a few seconds to buy a quick dinner, and they arrived at the inn with the newly bought groceries. Predictably, Vicross was already there.
Eruhaben was still investigating his area which left Cale with the rest. Behind Lorelei's back, Cale, Ron, and Vicross agreed to play a game of charade.
(Choi Han has been instructed to stay quiet unless he ruins their fun. The kids made themselves comfortable on the bed, the only sign of their arrival being the slight crumple in the bedding as well as some suspicious bread crumbs materializing seemingly out of nowhere.)
"Your Highness.", Ron bowed slightly and carefully took her cloak. Vicross moved to make some tea while Cale just stood around, staring at the princess with a complex gaze. His red-brown eyes took in her clothes. They had seen better days, which didn't really surprise Cale as she was technically a fugitive.
With a graceful 'thank you' she accepted the steaming cup of tea from Vicross and contently took a sip.
She wasn't the most conventionally attractive woman, yet she carried her own charm. Golden hair cut short into a bob- he hid a grimace after he realized that the name Bob also means different things- and a large scar ran down her face, starting at her left ear, passing her chin, and ending at the base of her neck. It looked gruesome and painful.
Cale switched the target of his attention.
Ron stood slightly behind the princess, his eyes shining brightly in the dimly lit room.
Time to put on an act.
"Your Highness, how can we, just some lowly servants, help you in your plight? My heart can't take your sorrowful sight any longer." Lorelei sighed at Ron's words. Cale isn't sure whether it is because the butler's words unsettled her- they sure scared him- or if she heard those words too often and simply isn't expecting them to be actually able to help.
"I am thankful for your kind words, however, if you can't muster up the strength of an army to help me with my goal, I'm afraid that giving me some delicious tea- you have my compliments for your brewing skills- is all that you can do.", she sighed wistfully. Her eyes became sad and her shaking hands gripped the eta cup with less strength than before.
Cale was slightly scared of her now.
What kind of mystic ability did she have to accurately find Ron, which means Cale and the rest of the group as well? They are easily able to muster up the power of an army or two...or more if Eruhaben appears again.
His expression showed nothing of his sudden fear. Instead, he joined Ron in the play.
"But, Your Highness, we may not be able to aid you in battle, there must be another way for us to help your esteemed self?" Raon started muttering in the background. Luckily, his voice only reached Cale mentally.
-Human, will we loot her? I don't see anything good enough to loot.
Cale ignored him and directed his honest eyes toward the frowning princess. Her eyes searched his for any lies, yet the naïve and honest sparkle in the young man's face dragged her resolve to leave them behind. Lorelei can't let herself be caught. Not when so much is at stake. The small family may be her way out of the tightly controlled city, but it would put the honest father and his nephew as well as his son at risk.
The sky darkened, welcoming the night with loud cheers as the festival was still going strong. Fireworks lit up the sky.
Cale was suddenly reminded that they had plans to meet up with Silvio and Avis. The mercenary group will leave either tomorrow or the day after. Cale doubts they'll meet them again in the city. It was a bit sad that their ways will part without a proper goodbye. However, Cale won't deny that he is quite happy to not have another Bud around. One menace is enough.
And don't get him started on Darnall.
It is better that way. Less trouble and more peace for Cale.
He shifted his eyes back to the princess.
"You are in danger.", she opted to say. Cale wanted to facepalm. Luckily, he remembered his role and let out a startled gasp at her sudden proclamation. With wide eyes, Cale stared at her, waiting for Princess Lorelei to continue.
"A count and his son will be attacked soon by an evil organization. I wanted to help them. Yet when I sought them out after I found out about Truth's plans...the count didn't believe me." An angry frown replaced her previously sad expression. It carried furious rightfulness as well as an utter lack of understanding of why nobody believed her.
Ron thought the same.
"Your Highness, if I may dare to ask. How did you tell the count of his impending attack?" She threw him a confused look. Cale could practically see how the butler was slowly getting annoyed and Cale had to agree when Lorelei spoke her next words. Even Choi Han, who was acting as a silent shadow, choked on his breath.
"I told him about the attack while he was out in town. I couldn't just walk up to his estate as I had no way to prove my identity, which is why I sought him out while he was outside his estate."
Cale wanted to facepalm. And throw her out. Ron didn't have the chance to tell him yet what the princess and their missing citizens have to do with each other, but Cale won't doubt Ron and his scary assassin abilities.
His previous speculation was that she found something out while preparing for her marriage, fleeing after she was discovered. Now, he still thinks that she fled after getting found out, however, Cale doubts that she investigated with a purpose. More like the wrong place, and the wrong time were the reason that the princess' fate was sealed.
"How could he just ignore my warning?", she exclaimed in anger. True sorrow at his impending death could also be found in her expression.
Cale decided to quit the act.
So far, her expressions and action were too genuine to hint at any further knowledge. Ron may get something out of her. With a quick sign, Cale gave Ron the assignment and leaned back.
Ron efficiently followed the order.
"You talked about some 'dark people with black hair' when I found you. Do they have something to do with the organization or the count?" the princess didn't even notice that Ron left out most of the flowery words and only paid her the basic respect, nothing more.
She didn't notice.
Her eyes became unfocused for a second. Probably remembering her meeting with Ron, Cale assumed.
"Ah.", she said after a while, "I was muttering to myself. They were the ones who told me the name of the organization. You may not believe me but they were the legendary dark elves that the empire cherished so long ago." While Cale called bullshit on the last part of her sentence, the rest was good to know.
"Where did you meet them?", he also dropped any kind of formality and directly addressed her. She looked at him weirdly when she realized his change in demeanor. Her answer followed with a hint of suspicion in her voice. Her eyes also gained a guarded edge as she looked at everyone- visible- in the room.
"That is of no importance. Why are you asking so many questions? You can't help me anyways.", she sneered.
Cale's next words left his mouth like a river of silk that carried mountains of steel.
"Your Highness, it is of importance. How could we help you when you don't share all the details?" his smile and voice were still polite yet Lorelei couldn't shake the feeling that he was dissecting her with his gaze. As if she had only one right answer, otherwise she will feel some kind of pain.
Shaking her head at her stupid thoughts, Lorelei gazed at them with suspicion. Her guard was fully up. She also finally realized that she let herself be led into a room alone with four men, four strangers.
"How could you help me?", she parroted. The grip on the cup of tea tightened. Her back slouched a bit as if she was trying to make herself smaller. Ron noticed the dagger in her boot a while ago and nonchalantly commented.
"There is no need for violence. We can talk peacefully without drawing our weapons. Isn't that right, your highness?" Her hand froze in action.
"Who are you and what do you want?", she spat at them.
"A deal.", Cael offered from his position on the chair. Choi Han stopped acting like air and re-took his place slightly behind Cale. He carefully let the dim candlelight reflect on the sheath of his sword. An act that the princess didn't miss.
She flinched in fear.
Cale just smiled.
Ron stood behind Princess Lorelei with his usual benign smile.
Vicross started sharpening his knives.
With a gulp, she repeated Cale's words.
"A deal? What kind of deal?"
"The good kind. You will share every single piece of information and interaction you had with the dark elves and we will help you with your little count problem. Doesn't that sound fair?", he smiled some more. The smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Help me? How?" her disbelief was clear to everybody in the room. Raon started getting annoyed at her dismissal of his human and their family's strength. Even Ohn and Hong were getting agitated. Soft hisses could be heard.
Lorelei looked around in confusion. She shook her head and continued.
"If you help me with the organization, then, I will tell you everything I know and where I found the information." Cale immediately rejected her poor attempt at tricking them. He tricked people long before she was born.
"No. You will tell us what you know and we will help you with the count situation, not the organization. Either, we will convince him of his impending death or save him if our warnings are too late. Only that and no more."
She opened her mouth to negotiate some more. The words ended up stuck in her throat when Ron's benign smile entered her field of vision.
Vicious old man. Cale shivered.
"Your Highness, information first, please." Reluctantly, the princess shared her story. Cale listened in and had to admit that her level of luck could rival his own, poor one.
It has been a month since she arrived in the Empire with the knowledge that she will marry the emperor. Two months since her father just shipped off without letting her say goodbye to her siblings. Her life in the palace wasn't bad. She was treated like the soon-to-be empress that she is. Expensive dresses, shiny jewelry, an abundance of wine and quality food, as well as dozens of entertainment options.
Her only job during the marriage was to deliver a healthy boy.
She hated it but couldn't rebel. Lorelei accepted her fate and ignored the only real opposition in the palace. A few concubines took great joy in mentioning her predecessors that died in gruesome accidents. They also didn't shy away from insulting her appearance.
It was during one of many quarrels that Lorelei wandered off. A comment from a noble-born concubine angered her.
'Say, how do you think her corpse will be delivered to her home country? Halved? Maybe even less? Well, it certainly wouldn't ruin any of her nonexistent charms.' In a fit of anger and not wanting the concubine to see how her words had hurt, Lorelei wandered off into the gardens. The sun was slowly setting, bathing the area in a rich red.
Footprints announced that she wasn't alone. When she turned around, a hand suddenly snatched her and dragged her away from the voices. Astonished, Lorelei stared at the obsidian black skin. It couldn't be.
The voices got louder. She could make out words.
"-kill him."
"Kill him? Truth is already targeting him. What if he can't keep his mouth shut?"
"That's why I said kill him. If Count Cassie thinks he can play with fire, he should expect to be burned. Leave him to Truth. They will kill him before he can share anything."
The footprints softened until only the gentle breeze and rustling leaves made some noises. The warm hand was removed from Lorelei's face. Only when the chilling wind hit her face did Lorelei turn toward the person that saved her.
There wasn't just one person. No, there were at least a dozen. All cloaked and covered by fabric with some parts of their dark skin showing. She gasped. The legends were true?
"Are you protectors of his majesty, the Emperor?" The legends spoke about their devotion to the emperor and his volk. She wanted to ask more when one of them held up her hand.
"We serve a ruler but it isn't this one. Time is dire. We need to move fast." The last sentence was directed at her companion. They left Lorelei behind without any other words. She sprinted after them.
"Wait!", she shouted.
"I said wait!"
They didn't listen and she chased them till the end of the garden. The royal hunting grounds start behind the fence. Beasts of all kinds live there. It was dangerous. When she shouted the information after them, one of the mythical beings turned around.
"We know more dangerous people than some wild beasts."
Lights appeared in the distance. With a few curses, the dark elves turned toward the hunting grounds and elegantly leaped over the fence. Lorelei stood in front of the fence and gazed after their retreating forms.
Torches were thrust into her face.
"Princess?", some asked, astonished.
With a heavy sigh, she turned toward the palace soldiers.
"Yes, it is fortunate that you appeared. What did I-", she was abruptly cut off. Her face gained a ghostly sheen at the soldier's words.
"Did you help them escape?", he forcefully grasped her shoulder.
"You are hurting me!", she screamed in fright.
"You helped them escape, didn't you?" the soldier spoke his words like a statement and not like a question. Lorelei couldn't answer before they started dragging her toward an unlit area. She struggled. It was of no use. Without listening to her words, Lorelei was thrown into a moldy prison cell.
The moon shone almost mockingly through the small barred window onto her form. However, hope didn't leave her yet. Once the emperor finds out about her mistreatment, he will come and get her out, right?
Who was she kidding?
She will be the newest forgotten corpse until a successor arrives. Wow, she died before she could even meet the emperor. That should count as a new achievement. Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks. It could have been minutes since she was thrown in here or even hours when the rustling of leaves rang through the mostly silent night.
A face suddenly cut off her only source of light. Staring at her from the small window was a dark elf.
"Need help?" Lorelei hesitated. If she escapes now, she will forever be labeled a traitor and maybe even killed on sight. However, she will probably die even faster if she remains. And it wasn't like she truly wanted to marry the emperor. It was a do-or-die situation from the beginning.
With a shaky nod from her, the dark elf started waving her arms around. A pretty light formed around the steel bars and Lorelei watched in amazement as the bars slowly melted. The window was too small for a man to escape but Lorelei was petite, even for a woman. Getting out of the prison was easy after the bars melted completely.
"What will I do now?", the ex-soon-to-be empress asked with a shaking voice. The elf threw her a pitying look.
"We can take you with us till we reach a village. After that, you are on your own." Their travels to the rest of the group happened in relative silence until Lorelei asked a question that has been bugging her.
"What were the soldiers talking about? What did Count Cassie do? What...no, who is Truth?"
The elf answered truthfully.
"We aren't from around here and don't plan on staying as well. If I have to guess, I would say that the soldiers worked with the count and he double-crossed them in some way. Truth sounds like-heh, excuse me, a secret organization or something. Maybe they aren't the Real Truth.", the elf laughed until a melancholic expression replaced the humor.
"That would actually be nice."
"What would be nice?", Lorelei asked, curiously.
"If the Real Truth appears, everything would be fine."
"What-", she was interrupted for the nth time that day. The leaves and twigs snapped below her heels, scaring her in the process.
"You shouldn't ask too many questions if you don't want to get involved."
Lorelei couldn't believe that they would just ignore the death sentence handing over the count.
"But I have to help him!" The elf stopped and looked at her. It was hard to see as the darkness of the night cloaked everything in dark grey and black.
"Do what you want to do but remember your limits."
They traveled in silence after their short conversation. A few hours later, when the sun already started rising again, Lorelei was dropped off at a nearby village with a change of clothes and some pocket money for travel.
The villagers told her what she needed to know about Count Cassie and she started her journey to Velvet, where he spends his time in his estate.
Cale's eyebrow twitched. He had one more question after listening to her story.
"Did they say where they will go next?" Luckily, Lorelei had the answer he needed.
"Yes, they mentioned that something up in the north, somewhere in Anqua, is interesting and needed to be checked." Anqua? That's the country that borders Torten. If Cale remembers right, it mostly consists of cliff sides, not unlike the Ubarr Territory as well as fields.
Anqua, huh?
What could have garnered the elves' attention? At least, they are fine. Cale didn't like the fact that they were captured if the 'did you help them escape'-part is anything to go by. With a frown, Cale grimed at the fact that he needs to travel even further north.
"You will help me, right? We had a deal."
With a sigh, Cale nodded. A deal is a deal.
First, they will meet the count tomorrow and either beat some sense into him or save him from the secret organization, and then they will take off toward Anqua.
Cale just hoped that no new surprises will greet them.
XXX
Done^^
As promised, here is the discord link to our lovely Lcf server (Lcf Café). I hope some of you may join⸂⸂⸜(രᴗര๑)⸝⸃⸃
https://discord.gg/bTgY2vcJ