Infiltration – Part Two

“But, You are a mere Port-boy!”

A toothy grin came in reply to the Queens accusation. “We prefer the term ‘Port-man,‘ your manly-I mean ladieness.” The Port-boy bowed awkwardly in the large hall, his local-accented voice echoing in the large room. A long line of other royals and officials waited for their turn to talk to the Queen behind him, shuffling with impatience.

The Queen turned red. “Your-Your manliness? How DARE you come into this castle without proper cause!”

The port-boy rose, his sailors hat slipping off his blonde head. He grinned again. “I jes’ came to see if the stories were true!”

The Queen raised an eyebrow.

“At least now I know that you do have a hairy wart on your oversized nose.”

The Queen exhaled loudly, her face turning red. She stood abruptly from her throne and called for the guards, her voice cracking. “Take this-this traitorous SWINE from this room and throw him into a cell until he learns his lesson and-and respects his elders!”

A guard hesitantly shuffled forward and whispered in her ear. “I don’t CARE if he’s underage! This is an order!”

Nodding slowly, the guard stepped forward and dragged the kid away from the other royals.

The guard sighed and looked warily at the kid, probably thinking something like how his job description didn’t include babysitting.

Actually, that was exactly what he was thinking. And the kid knew this because he was Thought Bonding him.

The guard noticed the kids glowing veins and cursed, reaching for his weapon. Kadaan smiled and lunged forward, brushing against the metal weapon with his finger. Instantly the metal bent under Kadaans control and wrapped itself around the guards hands, leaving him immobilized.

The guard opened his mouth to cry out, but the short child landed a solid Limelight-fueled punch in his jaw. The guard collapsed, and Kadaan sighed, relaxing and releasing his Magic.

A mental hail came into his mind and he pulled out a scrap of leather in his pocket, a purple-glowing rune embedded into its surface. He focused on it, then imbued a little moonlight into the purple image. It glowed brighter, and a thought popped up in his head.

Hey Kadaan, take out those Guards yet?

Kadaan looked at the guard, unconscious against the wall.

More like a single guard actually. They really need to beef up security on this place, he replied.

Kadaan could feel Lydians grin from across the castle through the rune. Just make sure that you don’t get caught, alright?

Kadaan smiled, dragging the guard behind him. What? Me? Get caught? Never!

Just remember the plan Kadaan. Sophkas still negotiating terms with this Etheran Prince.

Kadaan put the rune back in his pocket and absorbed some of the Limelight back that he had pooled there. Throwing the guard into an empty cell, he sneaked through the halls, morphing through them using Construction magic and keeping contact with Lydian.

——

Lydian raised the crossbow to gain a bead on the plump man before her. Lord Arand.

Arand froze. He turned, slowly, eyes wide with fear. A figure stood there, cloaked in dark clothing, eyes glowing purple underneath her brimmed hat.

“What! Who-who are you?!” he shrieked. “G-Guards!”

“Oh you won’t be getting any help, Arand,” She said cooly. “I already took care of the soldiers outside your door.”

Arand jumped from his chair and ran for the door, as fast as his fat body would allow. He put his hand on the knob when a black crossbow bolt slammed into the wood right next to his hand. He yelped, jumping back and falling over in the process..

The Lord Arand turned, his body betraying him as it shook.

“My name is Lydian,” Lydian said, raising the crossbow. “And you killed my family.”

—–

Kadaan paused, listening to the Rune. His eyes widened as Lydians words travelled through his mind. He pulled out his rune frantically, hailing Lydian over and over again. Then the leather ripped in half. Kadaan took a sharp breath. Lydian had cut the bond between the two runes between her and Kadaan.

He knelt in the darkness, conflicted as to whether or not he should continue his mission.

Making his decision, he rose from his crouch and burst through a stone wall, moving like liquid through the stone tiles. He burst through a wall and landed on the balls of his feet. Looking up, he saw Lydian aiming at a teary Lord Arand with her crossbow, a dangerous look in her eyes.

“Lydian!” Kadaan cried out. She turned with surprise and lowered the crossbow a bit. “K-Kadaan? Your not supposed to be here!” Her voice hardened, and she raised the crossbow again.

“Lydian, this isn’t what we’re here for!”

She turned, eyes flared dangerously. Her menacing voice surprised Kadaan. “You have no idea what he did to me Kadaan. Get OUT.”

Kadaan hesitated, then shook his head, pleading. “PLEASE Lyd, we need to get out!”

Lydian grit her teeth, the crossbow still raised. Kadaan held his breath.

Finally, she lowered the bow, staring daggers into Arand as he cowered beneath her gaze. Kadaan let out his breath. Lydian sighed, dropping the Crossbow and sitting on the tile floor.

“He took away everything I had Kadaan,” she whispered. “Everyone I loved…He’s that monster that tore apart my family and killed them when they inconvenience him.”

Kadaan regarded the weeping Lord. Was this the man that had murdered her family brutally? He certainly didn’t seem like a killer, even though he was a coward.

Kadaan walked slowly over to Lydian.

“I know that no one deserves to die more than him, but if you kill him…how will you be any better than him?”

He offered her a hand. “And anyways, you have a new family now.”

Lydian smiled gently and took his hand, rising with her crossbow.

Then an army of guards burst through the door.