"Bloody bitch." The toothless man spits as he leans on a chair to stand. He can barely keep himself up. "You broke my jaw."
Siv realizes that her hood had fallen and her disguise was discovered.
'Oh well, nothing I can do about it now.'
The drunkard reaches for a dagger that he points at Siv. She doesn't react, though. She just stares at the man, unimpressed.
"I actually wish I had broken your jaw, since you can still talk." Siv grabs the hilt of her rapier, in case the man finds the courage to attack her. But as soon as he starts lunging toward her, a huge man grabs him from behind, lifts him up in the air, and slams him against the dark wood of the floor. The man cries at impact.
"What in the name of the Blue Flames happened here?"
"Erico, you're late."
"Sorry, they had a late delivery at the store. Oh hello Gary." Gary nods at the six foot six tall man.
"Well, can you please take care of that man." Ragna asks. "He has to pay first, he owes 7 Topaz."
"Sure." Erico picks up the man again and shakes him for any topaz. He flips him upside down, spilling a pouch from his pocket and the contents of his stomach onto the floor.
"Ugh, you're cleaning that, sweetheart." Ragna informs her lover with folded arms which makes Erico groan.
Gary realizes that a few spectators had taken interest in the scene so he places Siv's hood back on.
"We should go." He says looking at Ragna. "I will stop by again soon."
"Of course, you are always welcome here Gary, and you too, Gary's friend."
"Siv." She introduces herself. Gary presses his lips together. He knows he can trust Ragna, but there are too many eyes and ears around here.
"Well, you are always welcome here, Siv." Ragna smiles. "It is not every day that I meet a fellow Cognac lover around here." Siv chuckles. "Oh, and thank you for punching that idiot. I would have done it myself if someone hadn't intervened." She looks at Gary.
"Sorry, please don't hurt me." He jokes making the two women laugh. "Alright, take care, Ragna."
"You too, Gary," Their voices have gotten way too serious, stripped from any amusement.
"I like your friend." Siv comments as they walk through the woods.
"Yes, she is an amazing woman."
"How did you meet?" Gary is a bit surprised at Siv's inquiry.
"It was a few years ago, she came looking for me for a favor."
"A favor?" Gary gives her a side look. She usually doesn't ask many questions about him. Or at least not as direct. He smiles to himself.
"She needed a ship and crew to rescue Erico, and I happened to own one."
"I find it hard to believe that Erico would need rescuing." Gary laughs.
"Trust me, princess, there is always going to be someone stronger."
'Or smarter, or prettier. Ha, story of my life.'
"Wait, you have a ship?"
"I do." Gary raises his head in pride. "It is quite the ship, I must say. The fastest in all nine kingdoms."
"Maybe next time we escape the palace, you could show me."
Gary eyes her for a moment, she is way more relaxed than earlier and has her guard down. He had noticed that she kept a hand on her sword the whole time she was with him, but she is not anymore. She also speaks to him more casually.
'Has she finally began to trust me a bit?'
"I would love to show you around, princess."
He escorts her as far as he can into the palace before bidding her farewell. When Siv finally enters her bedroom, she finds Veda and Tove as pale as a sheet.
"Oh my lady." Veda runs to her.
"What is going on?"
"You are required to attend dinner with His Majesty tonight, along with the other Rouvas." Veda informs her. "I looked for you everywhere."
"We don't have much time, my lady." Tove is more composed and calm than the other maid. "We should start preparing." Siv nods before rushing to the bathroom.
They have exactly one hour before a servant knocks on the door. Tove fastens a pearl necklace around her neck as a finishing touch. Siv sighs in relief.
'This has to be a new record.'
"Thank you Veda, Tove. You are the best."
"Wait, my lady." Veda rushes to the vanity and grabs a bottle of perfume. She sprays it on Siv before she walks the door.
"Good evening, my lady." The servant bows. "I will be guiding you to dinner tonight."
"Thank you." Siv smiles at the young woman.
She slowly follows her through the hallways. Siv notices that instead of taking a left, where the dining hall is, the servant takes a right.
"Is dinner not at the hall?" Siv asks.
"No, my lady. It is tradition to have the Rouva dinner in the dining hall of the guest palace."
"Oh, I see."
Siv follows her to yet another part of the palace that she has never been to before.
'How big is this damn palace?'
"Please watch your step, my lady." The servant points at the floor. "We will be taking a shortcut through here." She opens a door revealing a spiral staircase.
'I bet there are so many more secret passages in this place. This is exciting.'
They both descend the stairs all the way to the bottom. A chill runs through Siv's body, giving her goosebumps. It is not because of the cold though, she just has a bad feeling all of a sudden. She slows her steps looking around for any hint of danger.
Sure enough, she is yanked by two men each one grabbing an arm and preventing her from moving. She doesn't scream, she is not surprised, she is just angry at herself for not figuring it out sooner.
"Good evening, Rouva Siv." Gunvor Vagle walks to her.
"What is the meaning of this?" Siv hisses.
"Well, the meaning of this is that you will be missing dinner."
'Ah, not attending would be the same as rejecting the king's invitation. Shit, could that cost me my life?'
"Put her in the cell." The young girl orders. The men comply immediately, shoving Siv into a tiny dark room and locking the metal door. It is pitch black.
A little light infiltrates the room when Gunvor opens the small window on the door. She sneers down at Siv.
"You see, the difference between a child and an old hag like you is that I can outsmart you." She slams the opening shut, erasing any light from the room again. "Enjoy your evening, Rouva Siv. Or should I say, Former Rouva Siv."
Siv pushes to her feet trying to feel her surroundings in the dark. She reaches the door and tries to open it, she pushes and tries to pull but of course the metal door does not budge. Siv starts to panic. She slams her hands on the door a few times.
"Open this door." She yells. "Open the damn door." But everyone is long gone and nobody would hear her from here.
'Damn it, I need to get out of here.'
"Bloody bitch!"