A sigh left his lips as he peered through the gap of some Inn window. There was still chaos on the street. This wasn't the first time an uprising was attempted in the capital of Lascivie and it probably wouldn't be the last.
"How long do we have to stay up here?" Sebastian drooped his eyes back to his trusted knight.
"I am not too sure your highness, we might have to camp here for the night." Frederick stared straight ahead, unbothered by the chaos on the streets but stood there tensely.
The sun had already begun to set off in the horizons and the crisp night air had already slither it way through the small cracks of the windowsills.
Sebastian shivered before fully shutting the window. He could hear muffles shouting and the clanging of the empire's most respected and feared boots of the paladins. A separate, and almost militaristic part of the Church that is used to instill law and order. Only their law and order though. They were ruthless, cold and blindly loyal to the Church.
"Why are you standing there like some wind-up branch." Sebastian had noticed the strange behavior in his most sarcastic companion.
He would at most bat an eye at the chaos of the loosely strung together insurgence, but it felt different today.
"I am certainly not...your highness."
Sebastian all but snort at his knight sass but said nothing. It wasn't his interest to pry into others. Also, it wouldn't be bad, not having to go to all those pubs to put on some promiscuous play, get deadly drunk and having to comically go back home. If he had his will he would never go back home and would hide away deep in the countryside.
Before the last light of day passed, Frederick made sure to light the lanterns and candles in the room.
"You can ask the innkeeper to draw you a bath, for night clothes and anything else your highness desired." Frederick waved his hand in the air liked a pompous noble lady.
Sebastian laughed at the display but couldn't help but wonder since it is usually Frederick who does all these things.
"And where do you think you are going, my fine sir." He jumped from his position and offered a fancy bow.
"Patrolling. Don't stay up late and do not leave this room." That was the only response he got before being met with the thud and click of a locked door.
"That little goody-two-shoes. How dare he lock me here. I am a prince, not some damsel in distress." Sebastian was not totally taken aback but not pleased at the same time.
Instead, he flopped onto the bed that lied tuck near the walls.
I can wait. Amazing things happen to those who wait and even more to handsome princes locked in a room because of their weird knights.
Soon. darkness poured into the room and casted shadows onto everything.
Buuut...even more amazing things happen to those who get up and do things.
Sebastian shot up from the bed and headed for the door. He took out a hairpin from his ponytail and let his hair spilled on his shoulders.
"Well, sir Federick, it is a good thing this damsel knows how to pick locks and definitely didn't learn this for other reasons."
He quickly shaped the pin into the desired form and insert it into the door and listen ear to the door as the lock clicked and rotated until he got the feeling of satisfaction when the last click opened the door smoothly.
Aha!!
Sebastian carefully peeked out the door before stepping out.
Yay!! Now let's go find a sassy and disgruntled employee.
He slipped his way downstairs through the inn's door which was easy as people were more distracted by the disarray outside. However, when he reached outside, he could understand why. There was nothing but turmoil all about. Many things lied strewn around and he even saw a body with some blood on it.
Ayayaya. Maybe this was not the brightest idea.
As Sebastain maneuver though the strangely kind of deserted street he heard a shout.
"ARREST EVERYONE THAT IS STILL OUTSIDE."
Oh, the unholy.
Frantically he took off in a direction away from the shout. A few minutes later he found himself in an unfamiliar place.
"ALRIGHT. GET THEM."
Almost instantly he jumped into the nearest dark alley and buried himself deep in the unseen. Then a sudden stampede of metal boots assaulted both the grounds and his ears as several paladins ran down the street. Slowly and still facing the street he walked backwards more and more until he bumped into something. Someone. It was someone and they felt rather well built on his back.
"It's rather late for an evening stroll young lad." A gruff voiced spoke up behind him.
Sebastian felt himself gulped.
"Just out here enjoying the weather like any old commoner." He didn't want to turn around but felt himself being forcibly turned.
"Commoner? Yeah right. We know who you are your highness." Another voiced rose.
Sebastian could barely make out the many figures in the alleyway, but he could feel their smirks and hear their laughs.
"Cats finally got your tongue?" A chorus of hushed snickers met his ears and then he was grabbed and forced into one of the buildings in the alleyway.
Inside was barely lit and all he could tell was there a lot more of them inside.
"The paladins are gone for now, but it looks like we caught ourselves a big and rare fish." It was the first voice.
Sebastian was shoved in the corner, and he felt himself tremble a little and started a silent prayer.
Oh, goddess Vio, I know i never attend your mass or even go to Church, but I've lived a mostly okay life. Please, pleease, spare me today.
"Look, he's praying his little pants off." The whole room luaghed.
Sebastian knew he could never win a fight against all these men, but he did not want to accept the fate thrown upon him just yet but, it felt like hope was in dire need at the moment.
"What is all this ruckus?"
Huh?
A voice so wonderful he could almost pee his pants. It may be some death wish or delusion, but Sebastian was happy to hear the sound of his most sarcastic knight. The crowd of men moved aside to reveal all he longed for.
"Why are you here? Do you enjoy disregarding everything I say at all times, your highness?" Frederick stared down at him with such disappointment.
"It's great to see you, Frederick. Funny how life goes. One minute you're locked in a room and the next your personal knight is working with the people who kidnapped you! So, Frederick what am I doing here!!" He was mostly confused than angry but right now he demanded some answers.
"Watch it!!" One of the men, angry, reached out to grab Sebastian.
"Wait! He is safe. He's with me." Frederick quickly stopped the hands of the angry mobster. There was a small whisper of disagreement all around but them the men left the room.
"You should've stayed in your room." Frederick started.
"You shouldn't have trusted me to stay put." Sebastian retorted.
~
Ignastius let out a panted breath as he exited the information/merchant's guild. It had taken several hours, many near miss murder attempts (all from himself), and lots of money to convince a small group of highly skilled killers to consider the task he was offering. Finally, they agreed and by that time the sun was starting to set in the sky.
Even the light and airy clothes he had taken from patios of random people was not enough to keep him from sweating buckets. He could not wait to re-no go take an ice bath. That sounded better than anything he ever gotten in his life and at the right moment also.
As he walked down the quickly reddening streets and alleyway, he observed the people again. There was still a lot of people outside, mostly men and boys who just came from fishing and was now bringing in their catches. Children still chased each other around like fresh foxes 'cubs in the spring. It all felt simple, a lavish Lascivian fairy tale. He would be a fool to lose himself in such feelings especially when he could feel eyes on his back.
Seemed like the Church was already on his tail. Calmly, Nastius picked up the pace and tried to lose them in the crowd. It doesn't work too well, and he could feel them gaining on him. He turned on the next street which looked to be the marketplace.
This time he didn't need to rush as he let the flow of the market guide him to a safe point near a connecting alleyway and he hid near some stalls. Minutes dragged on and he didn't hear any footsteps. Discreetly he peeked out of the stall to catch a glimpse of the white robed red paladins of the Church. The red paladins were always used in matters of secrecy and assassinations. They are easily marked by the red whirled eye at the back of their robe.
It was obnoxious and in totally reflection of the Church, proving they were bold enough in their actions to do anything. Silently, Ignastius retreated from the stall and continue walking.
A cold bath would have to wait, he needed to get to Einshire swiftly before going back to Ignasualt. Back to the cold, back to acres of snow.
~
Jackal was never alone, ever since he was born there was always some nameless stranger right by his side. He has never been without company, at least without any good company. It was the same as always, with every assignment from the emperor or rather the Church, he was given two paladins, never the same and always rinse out. They would be with him in every case and would provide nothing, but bias advise and indoctrination at every turn. At a young age he stopped asking questions since all he was given was in some way tied to the Church and their goddess they supposedly worship daily.
He even stopped trying to make any friends as all they wanted was a connection and he would keep every thought to himself unless he wanted to be corrected in the right way of thinking. It was the same now as he riffled through belongings of a suspect connected to the case. It was all too easy to find the name of the leader of the underground boxing ring.
"Talk." His voice was stone and it sunk in the pit of the nearly naked young man to the right of him.
The windows had been covered and the doors blocked.
The man shivered and cowered.
"I-I swear I don't even know the guy. He just wanted easy cash."
A pause hanged in the air. It wasn't the answer he was looking for; therefore, it wouldn't be enough for the paladins. Without much effort they pulled out the hands of the young man, took out their swords, and slashed it off.
That was usually how these interrogations would go, bloody and efficient. Jackal had figured out to tune out the screaming, tune out the blood and violence at a young age. To just numb out everything around him.
Then there was the sobbing and finally the realization.
"His name is Rhodingbur Sanched, he has auburn hair and is like a giant. I am not sure how he is sneaking in the monsters, but he works with a group of merchants. Also, he meets up with someone frequently, never seen their face or heard their voice. It is usually drowned out by Rhodingbur shouting."
Jackal digested the information like sweet wine. The leader was inexperienced and not the brains of the operation at all.
"Alright." It was all he could say as it was nearing the end.
"Then you would let me go? Hold on!! Wai-"
Jackal walked by nonchalantly as the man last words was cut off by a sword through his chest. That was how it would usually end. There would be no trace left by the Church, none at all.
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