Total failure! I should have hidden the axes inside my backpack! - I think in retrospect when fleeing the library root with all haste.
The combined scream of four frightened Alranai was likely heard everywhere now, silence and stealth are out of the window. To try and calm them would be as effective as chasing a shadow while wielding a torch, not to mention an armed mob that will arrive by the time I finish.
Nothing is left for me but to storm out of the tree through speed and force.
Climbing upstairs I briefly dwell on the outcome of surrendering, yet my inner character swiftly resists such a failing notion. Besides, the rumors about the queen's arrogance leave me with no room for doubt: the only person we could petition for my release decided to have us both punished.
As I get up to the middle of the stair, two descending bow-maids appear at a distance ahead of me.
Screaming "Stop!", they pull their arrows and aim. Any relation we might have had with whoever they were is now off the list. Being too far, I have no choice but to dive to the right and duck.
No arrows seem to have hit me, thus not taking another second being still, I stand up and run down once to hide behind a corner of a wide, serpentine stair.
I open the nearest room door to search a wide empty apartment for anything to block the arrows with. Before doing so I finally move my demonic axes inside the backpack.
The living space is a usual two-story chamber with all that is needed for comfortable living. I look through the mess on the floor and furniture to find any shielding armor pieces, yet find nothing. I look at the dining table - too large to carry. Chair? - too small for cover. Damn, is there nothing that... "Ooh, hello, little sofa table. How did I miss you? You will do just fine."
I grab my improvised oval-shaped shield that conveniently stood on one leg, yet that leg has a wide base that I experience difficulty holding to. The table is a bit lighter than the maid I had to lift prior and way more cooperative. I manage to carry it outside through a wide doorframe and just like that, I'm back at the stairs.
"I wish I could fucking see where I go!" - I say, covering myself, walking up as fast as I can.
I take a peak at the place where I expect to find the bow-maids but to my surprise, they were not there.
"What?" - I raise my right eyebrow, feeling like an idiot that carried this equally stupid table all the way up for no reason, but with a sigh, I decide to keep it. - It may come in handy when I'll run into other armed angels.
I go all the way up to a Library-Armory crossway and an even bigger surprise awaits, I also find it equally as empty. I feel so confused by this, that I almost want to wait for someone to show up for me to know what to do now instead of standing in the middle, still holding a piece of furniture.
Silence feels deafening, yet fortunately or unfortunately, voices and footsteps begin coming from the stairs above and below. I have it figured out: there is a large force moving my way now.
"Go up anyway? Hide in one of the rooms?" "Risky. May get spotted."
"Armory then - there is no other way." -Something in me argues.
"Fine! Armory! But not all the way down, there is a guard there!" - I exhale and turn down around the armory way, carrying the damned sofa table with me.
There is a sound of heavy claws upon the wood, accompanied by a crowd of confident footsteps that follow behind.
"Ah, you awaken?" -Says a voice from above.
"We came as fast as we could!" - A voice from the relatively opposite direction answers.
"If you had guarded him better, then we wouldn't have this situation in the first place! Do you realize how dangerous he can be?!"
"Domenic? No. He a kind soul." - Says a voice I have a hard time recognizing.
"A sister nearly died to that savage Fehtl damned kind soul of yours! Help us capture him! The Queen told us to guard him!"
"As you say."
"We have him cornered in the Library. There is screaming. Let's go!"
A large round of footsteps and talking is heard descending the opposite way before fully disappearing.
My eyes widen at the silence. "Really?"