"Who the-" clammy hands cover my mouth and I'm pushed against the stony wall of the alcove. It's dark, but not dark enough that I cannot make out who he is. The feeble moonlight filters through the widow of the alcove, giving a sheeny touch to Kolans face.
"Shh, shh!" Kolan shushes me, and scans to see if someone's around.
If he's afraid that someone will overhear us, that means he must knows how inappropriate this is.
I consider reaching out for my dagger, but that would be awkward since he is too close for my liking to retrieve it from around my thigh. So instead, I swat hard at the back of his hand, which is still against my mouth.
"Oww" Kolan whisper shouts and immediately withdraws his hand.
"Me? You're shushing me? YOU shush." I tell him with a pointed finger to his chest, keeping my intonation to the normal.
He's the prince of Zephry, I get that. But if he has this twisted idea that he can use his sovereignty to do whatever the hell he desires, with whoever the hell he desires, then I'd be delighted to help him fathom just how wrong he is. In the most violet ways possible.
"Or what?" It does not come out as a threat, but Kolans throaty voice makes it sound like one.
"Or I will assassinate you this instant" I say through gritted teeth, letting him know just how infuriated I am.
"Go ahead." Kolan replies as if an assassination is the most customary offer he gets on a regular basis. Maybe he does?
"Do not tempt me." I hiss back at him.
"Huh." He pauses a while, as if he is actually considering it.
"Well, I do not wish to be embraced by death today. So that'll have to wait."
Whatever is wrong with this guy? I reckon he is not entirely sober. The dinner's working a number on him too, and he's inebriated a little too much, I think. But he is standing, talking, and not reeking. So maybe he is sober. I never can tell.
"See you around when you yearn to be embraced by death, then."I start to get away from Kolan, when he grabs hold of my arm again.
"Wait, wait, wait. I- I need you to do something for me." Kolan says with an urgency.
Need me to do something? He's never asked for anything before. I look at him dubiously, knowing full well that this can only mean trouble for me.
"I politely decline, your grace." I tell him with mock obedience. I start again with no intention of stopping this time.
"Do me this favour in exchange for a piece of news. That stops me short for a split second.
"You wouldn't wanna miss this for anything." I turn to look back at him, and I'm greeted with a grin. I search his face, but I cannot tell what he's playing at.
"You're just bluffing." And I know he is. There's only foul play that I can expect from him. If there's anything I've learned in my eighteen years of being here, is that he's full of malice.
Audi Alteram Partem- listen to the other side. Ekhos words echo in my head. I am certain that the other side in my case does not have anything splendid to offer, but hearing him out wouldn't hurt.
"Maybe I am. But it'd be a mistake to let this information escape your knowledge." Kolan looks me in the eye, moving even closer. If my senses are serving me right, there's only conviction I heard in his voice. Like he really means it. And it works, because goddamn he sounds convincing.
"What do you need from me?" I give in to temptation before I can stop myself.
This is a gigantic mistake, the rational part of me screams in my head. But I want to know where this is going.
Kolan takes my hand in his and hands me a piece of paper. I unfold it to see a hazy route to someplace that I do not recognise. I look up back at his half moonlight face.
Outside, the trees are rustling softly, and I can hear crickets chirping. My first impression is that it is all very foreboding.
" I need you to retrieve a package from the armoury." Kolan says simply.
From The Armoury? If my mind wasn't so captivated and occupied with thinking about the armoury, I would've inquired more about that package.
I've only ever been to the armoury once with Elkho, and it's...divine to say the least. Divine and guarded.
"Worry not, it is a secret passageway which is going to lead directly inside. Nobody should be there at this hour. Though I take no guarantees." He says as if reading my exact thoughts.
He cannot guarantee. Somehow he's letting me know that this could potentially turn against me, and that I will be the one held responsible.
I'm guessing my senses do not serve me right after all, because I'm gravitated to go there.
It is The Armoury, and it is incredibly hard now to resist. And mostly because I function on impulse, I decide to regret this later.
"Why me? Why not ask somebody else to do it?" I squint at him.
I can think of a few reasons why, but I'd like to hear what he has to say.
"Because I know nobody else as menacing and stealthy as you." The corner of his lips curl into a smirk again.
I cover the few inches between us, put one hand over his shoulder and whisper in his ear,
" If this turns out to be a lie, I will personally end you. And I suggest you do not test me on that."
Taking a step back I curtsy a little.
" I mean that with every ounce of respect that I have for you, your royal highness." I give him my best smile.
He just arches his eyebrows and looks as though he finds that amusing instead of vaguely baleful.
~•~
It is easy enough to follow through the route that Kolan has given me. At this side of the palace, the giant curtains are drawn on the window. My only source of light comes from the few lanterns hung along the walls. There's no one around. It's just the buzzing of the silence that surrounds me. It's the most peaceful I've felt today, which is weird considering how reckless this is. I'm thrilled, and I faintly realise how easily I've started to neglect safety. I shouldn't be here, but I lost control of myself a long time ago.
I come to a halt at a wooden door. This is it. Reluctant, I unlatch the bolt, and slightly kick it open. I step warily in the room, and the wooden floor creaks a little. This door's located on the uppermost floor, and there're about five stories below, all connected by spiral a staircase. A colossal chandelier hanging from the vault, it's illumination enough to light the entirety of the room. There are about five rooms on each floor, categorised according to their specifications.
Kolan has clearly mentioned where exactly I shall find that package of his on the back of the paper. That and how it's supposed to look like.
I am not doing this at his bidding. I force the thought in my head. But so what? variety is the spice of life.
Spice of life it sure was.
I start to descend down the spiral staircase, it's banister cool to the touch.
I haven't seen or heard anyone yet, and I'd prefer for it to remain like that because I wouldn't know how to explain myself. I have no cause that would seemingly fit the reasoning without raising suspicion.
The door is plated as Transmission. I frown. Transmission room in the armoury? Transmission rooms aren't supposed to be this conspicuous. It is odd to find one here, when there is a separate and a very discrete department specifically dedicated to it. It is essentially where formal and "informal" communication takes place between Zephyr and Asteria, both on the war and political footing. It is also where spies are seized and dispatched.
Best I bite the bullet fast.
Try as I might, I cannot stop gaping at the room. I'm awestruck to put it lightly. It's enormous, with a giant map of Asteria, Zephyr, and their allied nations covering the entirety of the wall.
The walls are lined up with newfangled technological devices, ones I cannot even begin to wrap my head around.
I find the package lying on the centre table. I make a beeline toward it. I pick it up and shake it a little. It's covered and sealed in a flimsy black plastic. Touching its ridges, I can only think of it as being some sort of device, or a book.
I got no time to think. So I conceal it inside my dress and make my way back to the door.
I'm cudgelling my brain, trying to wonder why the temperature in the armoury is freezing when I find strong hands around my neck, strangling me with an unbearable grip. I'm being pushed back against the table, too startled and caught off guard to do anything but comply.
It's Drazen. It is only when the light falls on us properly, and he sees me, does he allow his grip to ease a little.
"Alyona?" Drazen asks with both confusion and scepticism.
That is the momentary slip I need.
I free myself from his grip, kick him in the calf of his right leg, and knock him to the ground.
It isn't proportional or a rational defence in any way, but force of habit is one hell of a thing.
I hear footfalls advancing. Crap.
Before Drazen tries to get back up on his feet, and potentially call for someone and have me thrown in a dungeon, I reach down to where he is collapsed on the ground and cover his mouth with my palm; lest he decides to yell or something.
If I wasn't in such fright and panic, I guess I would've realised how unseemly this looks.
Me on top of Drazen, with my hand pressed tightly around his mouth.
I reckon that if he wanted to, he could've just easily taken over. He has at least ten inches on me, plus a sturdy muscular physique.
And taking into account that he leads the Black Ring Regiment, I would've been a piece of cake for him to deal with. Which can only mean he's deliberately letting me have an upper hand.
That or he doesn't want to underestimate me.
I'd appreciate if it were the latter.
I look down at him, and he's just staring at me in disbelief.
Thankfully, the footfalls fade away.
" It is not what it looks like. I can explain." I tell him keeping it on the low, hoping against hope that he'd at least give some benefit of the doubt.
" The hell you can." Drazen clutches my wrist and says. He doesn't sound pissed, I think not. He's just irked.
He makes an attempt to get up, which I have no idea how he's planning to, with me still on top of him. I stop him short, placing one hand over his chest and pushing him back down.
Try harder, will you.
But he just grunts instead, and closes his eyes fleetingly as if I've exasperated him tremendously. Although, I'm guessing I have.
"Just listen, ok. I'm only-" But Drazen doesn't let me complete.
"Get off me, and get out of here before I call the guards on you." Drazen states with a monotone. He's clearly not interested in my justifications. Such is my presence.
I squint my eyes at him. You're just letting me go that easy?. Interrogate me you phlegmatic bastard.
Not that I'm interested in being interrogated, but it the smart thing to do, and I would've likely done the same. Whatever, his funeral.
I half consider justifying myself anyway. Consider telling him that I'm here because Kolan sent me. But this could potentially turn against me, if Kolan outright denies it. What proof do I have that Kolan is the one behind this? The burden of proof is on me. The fault's all mine that I came down here in the first place. I'm the only one to blame. And it's isn't like Drazen will believe me. Kolan his is brother after all.
My lucky day, then.
I make my exit quietly, glad to be forsaken.
~•~
Kolan's perched on the ledge of the window, exactly where I left him. He is looking out, possibly brooding. I don't know. Don't wish to know.
"Start talking if you want this." I brandish the parcel in the air.
I'm expecting him to be impish about this. If he does that, I will seriously dump him in a pile of goo.
He shifts, his expression unreadable.
" You're to be wedded to Drazen shortly." Kolan says all cryptic.
" That is what I overheard Ekho converse about anyway."