Kingdom of Hallos, City of Beswind, Present day.
Anaria's heart froze as she looked down the barrel of Rebecca revolver. What was she doing!
"Don't act as if you didn't hear me." Rebecca's voice carried a grim tone. She dashed towards her.
Anaria flinched and opened her eyes to see that Rebecca had moved passed her and had her revolver trained not on her, but rather towards the opposite end of the garden.
She pulled the hammer back. "I heard you rustling about and if you don't come out in the next—"
"I yield!" said a sharp voice from behind a large hedge. His hands appeared first as he stood, shortly after came his pale frightened face. "You found me, don't kill me, I'm not a monster."
Rebecca scoffed. "We don't know that yet. Just keep trying to grasp the clouds, understand?"
"Yes, sir—er…I mean madam." The boy's voice was shaken. He looked no older than fourteen seasons. He wore a leatherlike burgundy tunic that had no sleeves, allowing his shoulder tattoos to be in full display.
Anaria frowned as she focused on the boy's eyes. She inched a bit closer but there was still a collection of flowers and a small pond between them. "What is your name?" She made sure to keep her voice gentle.
"Calanus," he answered. "Though curse be on my mother for it. Many people just tease and call me 'Cow's Anus'. He let out a nervous chuckle.
Rebecca snickered before retaining her glare. "I see a leather strap across your chest, Cow's Anus. I doubt it's a bridle. More likely, it's a baldric with a weapon, correct?"
Calanus clicked his tongue as some color returned to him. "Keen eyes—and beautiful ones at that. They remind me of emeralds."
"Luckily for you, they may be the last thing you see unless you throw your weapon aside."
"No arguments here, madam." He slowly lifted the baldric off his chest.
"Toss it into the pond."
Calanus' shoulders slumped. "Come now, if I do that the blade's gon' rust. It took me a decade to—"
"Sorry, what part of you being at the end of my barrel made you think I was asking?" Rebecca flicked her revolver, pointing at the pond.
"I'm only doing this because you're pretty, you know that?" He tossed it. There was a light splash as the pond swallowed the sheath.
"That's assuring. Now then, why were you prying?"
"Well…I wasn't entirely prying. I was here first and you two came through. Keilerah told me to keep an eye out for guards—"
"Keilerah? Who would that be?"
"What? Oh, I must've misspoken. I meant uh…Kailarah. Yes Kailarah, the goddess—I'm young but my piety is unwavering. Praise be to her right?" He scratched the back of his head.
"Uh-huh. Keep your hands up. Now, we were looking for a friend." She pointed at Anaria. "Her fiancé, actually. There was a murder nearby and he vanished in the chaos, we just want to find him. Brown hair, eyepatch over his right eye, talks a lot like you, seen anyone like that?"
Calanus shook his head. "Apologies, miss. But I haven't seen an elven man like that 'round here."
"I didn't say he was elven."
"Didn't you?" His voice was shaky. "I meant, your friend there is elven so I just assumed that she—"
"If the next thing that comes out of your mouth isn't the truth, you'll regret it." Rebecca put both hands on her revolver. "The woman that escaped the cortigiana was said to have shoulder tattoos, much like the ones you have."
Calanus put his hands out in front of him. "Wait wait! I don't know—I was told to keep quiet, just don't hurt me."
Anaria swallowed slowly. Was she genuine? She put her hand on her shoulder. "Rebecca."
"No, he's hiding more." She tightened her grip. "Where's the commander?"
"Commander? I don't—you mean the Zuland soldiers that chased after Keilerah? They took them away for interrogation I think."
Zuland? That's right. Xeto and Roy were disguised as Zuland soldiers, it must have been them that he had seen.
"So, your people have them? Where?"
Calanus remained stiff. "In our underground guild, the entrance is hidden."
"Show me."
Calanus slowly walked around the pond with his hands still up.
Rebecca followed behind him, together they reached the end of the garden that had a coffin-like slab. It had countless unrelated carvings; a horse, a sword, a flower, a tankard and many more.
Anaria frowned as she saw the fear in the boy's eyes. "We won't hurt you, Calanus, I promise. We just want to find our friends. Isn't that right, Rebecca?"
"That's up to him."
"Why couldn't your friends just leave us alone…" he mumbled.
"Get it open, Cow's Anus."
Calanus slowly ran his hand down the slab while pushing down on some of the designs. First a carving of a mare followed by another of a leaf then finally on the one of the moons.
There was a loud click underneath the slab. Shortly after it began to move slowly out of place, revealing a hidden passageway. Together, they walked down into the dark tunnel, the slab closed behind them shortly after.
~0~
Their footsteps echoed down the tunnel which now appeared to be made of some sort of luminescent stone, letting there be no need for torchlights.
"This stone is beautiful," said Anaria, breaking the silence.
They walked in a line with Calanus in front and Rebecca with her revolver trained on his nape.
She felt guilt gnawing at her seeing him short of a smile. Was this really necessary? What could such a young boy possibly do?
"Hirustone," said Calanus, displeased. He craned his head back to the duo.
"I'm sorry, Calanus," said Anaria.
"For what? The magicarm pointed at my head? No need, makes me feel all kinds of warm." He faked a smile.
Rebecca put the barrel of her revolver into his back, pushing him forward. "Mouth shut while you walk. This'll be over once the commander is back with us."
"If he's anything like Chonsey, then he's probably dead. Better off I say."
Rebecca spun him around and pushed him against the wall. "Ever been a captive?" She glared. "Talking this much will only get a bullet nested in your head."
Footsteps approached from an upcoming crossway.
A tall man wearing a black coat clasped his hands together as he eyed the trio unamused. "The lady is right, Calanus."
Calanus smiled. "Adulfus."
Rebecca unholstered her second revolver and trained it on the calm-faced man.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too," he said as he pushed his long black hair back. "So, how did you two get in here?"
Calanus squirmed in place. "I'm sorry, Adulfus I—"
"Shhh." He put a finger to his lips. "I was talking to the lady."
Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "Cow's Anus here invited us for tea and cream buns. Don't want them to get cold so how about you move aside."
"I don't like that proposal."
Rebecca grimaced. "Maybe you should rid the notion that it was a proposal."
"Is it customary to aim weapons at your hosts where you're from? Perhaps lower them so we can have a civil discussion."
"I don't have civil discussions with my enemies."
"I'm not your enemy, and you're not mine."
"Certain about that?"
"Calanus seems unarmed but unharmed. I'm in your way yet you haven't retaliated." He shrugged. "So, tell me again why you're here. I may be able to help."
"Commander Xeto Alcazar. I have reason to believe he's here."
"The Zuland soldier. Yes, he's here. I'll take you to him and the sharp-ear." He turned and beckoned them to follow.
Anaria and Rebecca shared a look of confusion.
"You think I'm going to follow you into an ambush?"
"I'm sure you're aware that there is no exit the way you came…" he said without turning. "In other words, you're both trapped in my den. I have control in here. Calanus, stay calm, if she wanted to hurt you, she would have done it by now."
Was this a trap? The man seemed genuine but Anaria didn't know many liars growing up, could this be how well they fabricated a false sense of safety?
Rebecca holstered one revolver, keeping the other trained on Adulfus' back.
"That man that was murdered in the cortigiana, General Chonsey, had a hand in gravely injuring a friend of mine. And if you had a hand in it as well…well you won't be getting any tea and buns, understood?"
"I'll decide on that when the times comes," retorted Rebecca.
Adulfus chuckled. "So be it."