(F/N)
I haven't uttered a word since then. My blood is still boiling in anger with Bodin. Oh how I wanted to kill him right on the spot. Or even torture him to death. "Damn him..." I unconsciously hissed. I felt a hand touch my shoulder and I, without hesitation, smacked it before pulling out my knife and pointed it to the direction of the person.
"Easy, (F/n). Calm down. No need to be so tense," Daryun said, both of his hands raised. I heard Narsus chuckle. I let out a frustrated sigh before putting down my knife. I can feel my eyebrow twitch and my cheeks getting hot. "S-Sorry about that."
Now that was quite embarrassing. I was thankful that it was already dark and the alley we've been walking on is empty. "We should get going right?" I was the first to go back to walking. My mind is filled with hate to that priest that I lost awareness with my surroundings. I need to calm down.
Like what I normally do, I took a deep breath to regain my composure. "Have I been that tense?" I asked at my two companions.
"Yes. For a while now," Narsus was the one who answered. "Don't worry. You are not the only one who feels anger."
I simply nodded. We heard voices talking and laughing right along the corner of the alley. We stopped, just enough to see soldiers merrily drinking. "I had braced myself for this, but seeing for myself as the Lusitanian army throws their weight about here, it makes me painfully aware of our defeat." Narsus and I nodded in agreement. "Now, how do we take back this place?"
"Let us see..." Narsus paused for a while. "For example, we could free the slaves all across Pars in the prince's name and promise to completely abolish slavery. Even if only one-in-ten take up arms, we could form a massive army of five hundred thousand and up." Again, we nodded in agreement, me and Daryun. "But in this case, it would be imperative that we be self-sufficient."
"That makes sense," Daryun said, and I again nodded. We resume walking, away from the soldiers and Narus continued talking. "However, if that happens, we will not be able to expect the support of slave owners such as the vassals and nobles. And even if we freed the slaves, not everything would be well and good. What comes after will be the hard part. It will not go as one might imagine from behind a desk."
Narsus' got a point. As much as there are advantages in abolishing slavery, there are also drawbacks. And getting the support from the vassals and nobles would be close to impossible. But it can also be possible with negotiation and that we will be able to convince them well.
Suddenly, the door of a bar, I presume, opened and came out a drunk man. He stumble quite some time before bumping into Daryun and finally falling to the ground. "Whoa! Hey! Make way, you dimwit!" He began standing up, but not in the most smoothest way. "Do you know who you ran into?! I serve under Eran Kharlan..."
I can see Daryun frown. I let out a chuckle when I saw the face the drunk made. It was clear that he was terrified. He must have realized that it was Daryun...
"Da..." He started. Oh, so he really did. "Daryun!" And then he took off running. I couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Sorry. I just... I just find his reaction funny."
"Running away without even fighting you... He has a good grasp of his own capabilities." Narsus said which only made me laugh harder.
"Do we go after him?" Daryun asked. The two just ignored me. Oh well... I soon stopped laughing. My stomach is beginning to hurt. "Shall we pursue him? I could go after him." I offered but it seems Narsus has other plans.
"First, I will go alone," Our strategist simply said that. Let's see where this will lead to.
I was moving in the shadows, observing the movements of the enemies. Just as Narsus thought, the man had told his "friends" about our presence. I pulled out my blow pipe. I've got a few weapons with me. A knife, 2 daggers, a sword and a blow pipe with sleeping darts. Quite too many than normal but I can't help it. I wanted to be careful.
I loaded it with a dart and aimed for a man by the roof. Thankfully he was alone. After he made the signal that Narsus had passed through, I blew into the pipe, the dart hitting him right at his nape. I can hear him let out a gasp before falling asleep.
Noises soon were heard from below. "It looks like the fun is already starting and I'm up here doing boring stuff." I loaded my pipe again, but this time with two darts and blew them at two men at the balcony. I loaded another two and put to sleep those who have noticed that their companions fell.
"This is getting boring. I'm going to join them." Without hesitation, I got down from the roof of the house I was at. When I got down, I saw Narsus and Daryun confronting the man from earlier.
"Before you die, how about you tell us where to find King Andragoras?" I joined my friends and just stayed quiet there, listening, but on the look out for enemies.
"I-I don't know!" I let out a chuckle, again, when I saw his reaction when Daryun threatened him with a sword. "I really don't know! It's the truth! I value my life, too! I'd tell you if I knew!"
"Aww... Poor man," I didn't stop myself from saying it out loud. Narsus came closer to the man. Maybe an attempt to intimidate him?
"I do not care if they are merely rumors. Recall what you know, for your own sake," Narsus threatened.
"K-King Andragoras is alive."
"That, we know."
"It seems he's being imprisoned somewhere. Lord Kharlan only told those close to him to begin with. Even the generals of Lusitania don't know about it."
"What of Queen Tahamenay?"
"She's to marry Innocentis VII, the King of Lusitania. I heard some Lusitanian soldiers gossiping about it. They said it was love at first sight for the king."
I pushed Narsus to the side gently. "Let me beat him unconscious."
"The Lady Queen's beauty is a terrible thing. But what do we do? Even assuming that His Majesty is alive, he may be harmed as an obstacle to the marriage," Daryun said.
"Or there is the possibility that the King of Lusitania is pressing the Queen to marry him in exchange for King Andragora's life," Narsus suggested. "I would prefer to have a little more information."
"As simple-minded as this might seem but... I think it would have an advantage for the Queen if she marries the King of Lusitania. If she's clever enough, and I really hope that she is, with her beauty, I think she'll be able to control that King," I stretch my arms and let out a yawn. "Shall we split up and go fishing again, Narsus?"
"Yes." After hearing that, we walked to different paths. Something, though, bothers me but I can't figure what it is. A feeling, I guess. I began humming an unknown tune. What we had discovered is not enough to surprise me. But I know that it might to Arslan. This has been hard on him and I can see that he struggles to surpass all this. And I admire his determination.
I suddenly hear metal clanging. It perked my interest. "What could be going on?" I quicken up my pace. The nearer I get to where the noises came from, the more I began to recognize what they were. I took a peek and saw two men clashing. "Swords.." I began to realize that one of the man was Daryun. I draw out my sword and was about to help Daryun, who seems to be in trouble but Narsus came to the former Marzban's aid.
"Hey, now, you will not even ask my name? I feel embarrassed having to offer an introduction myself," I heard Narsus said. I decided not to join the fight . I sheathed my sword and moved in the shadows in an attempt to get near them.
"Who are you, you clown?" the man, who seems to cover his face, said.
"Then, allow me to formerly state..." Narsus began. "My name is Narsus. Under the reign of the next King of Pars, I am to serve as the Court Painter."
"The Court Painter, you say?"
I covered my mouth with both of my hands to stop myself from bursting out laughing. Court Painter? For an intelligent man, he sure is "crazy" for that position.
"As heedless of art as you are, I doubt you would know, but people call me the second coming of the Master Painter Mani," Narsus proudly said.
"No one calls you that!" Daryun burst out.
"Damn..." I was laughing with my mouth covered and it was really hard. I know that I must not laugh at a time like this. I realized that the enemy's level is not the same as the ones we have encountered so far.
"A pet hound and an inept painter. You make a good match." Oh, how this guy's got the eyes. I'm referring about pairings.
"Why you!" The strategist launch an attack to the unknown man, to which he easily dodged. He tried to slash Narsus but failed because Daryun parried him. They began attacking in turns, the man dodging them again and again. Even if the two attacked him at the same time, he was able to parry it. "He's good," I uttered.
I soon hear the sound of feet and every corner was soon filled with soldiers. I had no choice but to came out of hiding because one of them spotted me and tried to slash me. "Whoops!" I dodged the blow and run towards my companions. "Hey, guys!"
"(F/n) where have you been?" Daryun asked.
"Answer that later. It seems best that we withdraw for the time being." Narsus sprinted towards the end of the roof.
"Yes, agreed." Daryun followed him.
"You can't be serious," I exclaimed before following them, also knocking some pots along the way before jumping down to the next roof and to another.
"That bastard is frighteningly good. If you had not come, I would have been in danger," Daryun said.
"Daryun..." I mutter. "I must say, he's skilled an-"
"Such things do not matter!" I was surprised by Narsus' outburst.
"Narsus, calm dow-" "That bastard called me an inept painter! I do not like it!"
We didn't say anything. It will only result to an argument. I'm tired and am not in the mood to tease the "court painter".
"By the way, that man... Was his mask merely to hide his cause? Or was it to prevent others from knowing his face?" That caught my attention. I did notice a mask lying around but I did not give any attention to it. I thought it was owned by a child who left it while playing.
"I do not know. But sooner or later, we are bound to have to settle things with him."
I've got a feeling that we are bound to discover something that will surprise us. And it has something to do with that man.
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Disclaimer:
I don't own Arslan Senki (The Heroic Legend of Arslan). It belongs to Yoshiki Tanaka and Hiromu Arakawa. I only own some plot changes and the like but most of the story (characters, places, etc.) belong to the authors.
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A/N:
Wow... I said I'll be updating in a few days in it actually took me weeks. -face palm- I'm terrible. Haha! Enough of me self-pitying. Enjoy this chapter and be on alert for more~ Hanggang sa muli! (Until next time!)