The cloaked figure moved nimbly along the wall, closely resembling a retreating spider. The chaos below him was only growing, but most seemed to be concerned with the small fire and crater he had caused in the garden or protecting the king.
'Another fire…' Silver mused as he clung to the wall. 'I am getting bad about that.'
With things as they were, no eyes in the courtyards were looking to where the culprit actually was—above their heads. If they had, arrows would have quickly flown like a swarm of angry bees at the target. Instead, Silver climbed in peace.
The Guardian's initial plan was to duck into the closest window, but just as he was about to lay his hand on the sill, a curious head popped out looking out at the courtyard. Silver's only saving grace was that the woman was looking out, not down.
Thinking quickly, Silver crabbed to the side of the rounded tower. The woman immediately snapped her head toward him as she saw the shadow in her peripheral vision.
Against the stars and with the magical cloak, she could make out no definite shape. However the servant could not shake the feeling that someone or something was near. With a chill up her spine, the servant went back inside and found a safe place to ride out the excitement below.
Noiselessly Silver ascended outside the southwest tower, climbing up a level before entering the next window. This one was thankfully unoccupied.
However, he had barely placed his feet on the floor when heard footsteps coming around the curvature of the hall. Silver curled himself up against the wall. The cloaked figure made his body as small as possible, ducking below the window's sill to be below the people's line of sight. The hall was wide and cluttered, yet he was still terribly exposed.
The Guardian wrapped his black cloak tightly around himself as the people neared. If nothing else, he hoped that he resembled a window bench or piece of furniture…Anything except the human that he was.
'Should have jumped back out the window,' he lamented to himself after he no longer had the option.
For down the hall, four troops rushed by mustering to join the others outside the keep. They were fierce and determined, their boots sounding like galloping hooves. The light came near, and for a moment, Silver thought the leader might hurl the blazing torch right at him. He braced himself.
'It would serve me right after the problem I cause below.'
However, none of the four seemed to notice him or even look his way. They passed on continuing their resolute march. Silver wondered briefly how no one had seen him as they passed. Then he realized their error as a smirk crept across his face.
'They are blinded by the leader's torch. Ha! There's nothing like using light to ruin your night vision.' He had done so himself many times before realizing that his peripheral vision was far better without a bright ring around him.
The stars were usually enough to get the Guardian where he needed to go and help him see properly in the darkness. 'I am glad they don't know that trick. It would have been the end of me.'
Waiting to make sure no one else came, Silver remained hunched over in his crouch. It seemed that the tower had been emptied of its occupants, for no one else came down the quiet halls.
With his soft soled boots whispering on the floor, the silver-eyed man took to the nearest staircase and continued to rise. Most would have tried to get to the ground and get out, but Silver guessed every possible exit was currently blocked. The Guardian was not anxious to be caught, so he decided to be patient.
Instead of a mad dash through the thick of the soldiers, he would take to the upper levels, even onto the steep roof if necessary, and wait until they had given up their search. Then he would slip out as quiet as a mouse. They would surely lose most of their vigor before the morning light. It was human nature. Silver merely needed to bide his time in a safe place. So, up the stairs he went.
The curved staircase veered right until it ended in a suite of rooms behind a heavy door. Having not frequented castles in his life, Silver had not been sure what to expect.
When he had studied the floor plan of the fortress, his attention had been on the ground and subterranean sections, not the upper levels. This was the highest room and was the most likely to have access to the roof. Now he only had to hope that it was unoccupied...
The Guardian knocked tentatively and receded down the stairs out of sight. When the door remained shut, he breathed a sigh of relief. He touched the door handle and was happily surprised it was not locked.
'One less lock to pick. This must not be an important room.'
With a push, the door swung open, but no outcry came from within. Silver entered cautiously and closed the door gently behind him. His eyes widened in surprise.
The Guardian found himself in a well lit sitting room with two sets of quarters adjoining it. The furniture was beautiful, but he was not here to admire it.
'I have made an error,' he realized. He had assumed that because the staircase ended, this must be the utmost level. However there must have been a rope or wooden ladder leading to an even higher space. For this was the chamber that had contained the beautiful maiden from earlier that evening. He needed to get out.
Yet, some invisible force drew him forward.
"You should meet her." Hanna's haunting words came back into his head. Why would the Fate taunt him like that?
Heading into what he believed to be the larger of the two suites, Silver once again closed the door and surveyed the area in case anyone was laying in wait. No one was, and he relaxed slightly as he took in the room.
If the furniture in the sitting room was nice, the décor in this private chamber was luxurious. The sconces on the wall held delicate lanterns that were topped with colored glass, sending a rainbow of light across the pastoral mural on the ceiling. Below, a lovely satin duvet cover and a mattress more comfortable than a cloud sat plump and ready for a good night of slumber.
'If Sage could see this, she would definitely approve of this woman's taste.' The thought of Sage brought Silver to terms with the fact that he was in a woman's bed chamber uninvited.
As the Guardian eyed the gilded hairbrush laced with golden hair on the vanity, he suddenly felt like a trespasser. The fact that he was one was beside the point; he felt all the guilt that a child does when they are caught stealing sweets.
'What am I doing?! This is so wrong. Get out!' he urged his feet to move. They were slow in listening, but at last the members of his body complied.
If he hurried, he could still find the hatch to get to the attic space and then the roof. The thought of going out the window and having to climb more than a single level at this height made his head spin. He wasn't exactly afraid of heights, but the thought of Hanna having another opportunity to lob him from the building did not appeal to him.
Silver turned on his heels to leave. He would duck out and never think of this moment again. He was simply a fool who took a wrong turn. No one needed to know of his lapse in judgement.
Crossing the distance to the bed chamber's exit, the Guardian placed his hand on the door.
Just at that moment, the door knob began to turn. That's when Silver did the craziest thing yet.
He took a captive.