" Come on, up, up. Remember we are on a time crunch."
Philomel reminded as she tugs on Darzirak's foot. Darzirak sighed as he reluctantly drags himself off the bed. Immediately missing the silky soft smoothness against his skin, it made him wonder its thread count to make such a thing so comfy.
" Can we steal this too? This seems like a useful thing to have."
Darzirak asked as he hid the fact that he was more interested in using it for his own bed rather than using it as a makeshift bag.
" That would be useful for a makeshift rope or sack... Very well, bring it along."
Philomel nodded as she started pulling the sheet from the bed. Darzirak immediately grabbed the blanket as well and shove both items into his chest. Darzirak's middle swell up a little making him look slightly overweight.
" Well... After you..."
Darzirak cleared his throat and gestured toward the door when he noticed Philomel's locked gaze on his belly. Philomel giggled in amusement, wanting to see Darzirak walk in front of her with that form. Slightly wondering if he would waddle from the size. Darzirak cleared his throat again as he gestured toward the door like he was giving directions to an airplane for parking. Darzirak soon let out a heavy sigh as he gave up on that and pushed Philomel toward the door instead. Philomel kept smiling at Darzirak as she opens the door and slips out.
" Up the stairs, there's going to be a curve followed by another set of stairs. That area is a little wide and there's one guard standing by there. That area doesn't have a torch but it does have a window, so he's completely standing under the moonlight. After the second flight of stairs there's a hallway and the only doors there are to the treasury. Along that hallway are 4 guards and many torches, there is no dark area in that hallway.... "
Darzirak trails off and fell silent when he noticed that Philomel wasn't really paying attention as she stared at the wall.
" Hey, you listening?"
Darzirak asked as he waves a hand in front of her face.
" Yeah, I heard every word. "
Philomel nodded but her gaze was still glued to the wall.
" Is something wrong?"
" This wall... When we were in the guest room, from the door to the wall... it didn't seem as wide as this. "
Philomel pointed out as she opened the door to the guest room and reconfirm her suspension. Darzirak narrows his eyes, seeing through the shadows world.
" I don't know about that but... It's all concrete. Don't ask me why they have 3 feet just stacked there instead of making the room bigger. "
Darzirak shrugged and was about to leave the room but then Philomel stopped him.
" What about that painting? Is there anything behind there?"
Philomel asked as she pointed at the painting in the corner. Darzirak turned and his narrowed eyes immediately widened.
" Well, I be dam... dame... There's a ladder behind that painting. "
Darzirak whispered in awe as he closes the door behind them. Philomel hearing this immediately walks over to the painting and started feeling the frame of the painting.
" Where does it lead to?"
" Give me a minute, to ask a nearby shadow."
Darzirak informed as he stretched out his head and slipped it into the nearest shadow. Philomel was a little weirded out, by the whole suit of armor standing there. Two little blue eyes stared right back at her, and long black floating liquid came out of its neck, going into the shadow on the wall. But she didn't really mind since it would be to find out what was behind this painting. She looks at the painting carefully and noticed a keyhole on the left side of the frame. Pulling out her lock picks, she slowly started fiddling with the locks. Since it was just a one-tumbler lock, it clicked open without any effort, and a whole part of the wall that held the painting, pop open.
Philomel, pulled open the wall and it swung open like a door, revealing a metal ladder that was cemented into the wall, going down to the deep dark. Philomel peered downward, she couldn't see anything but pitch-black darkness and failed to determine how far it went down.
" Ok, I got it. It leads down to the armory. It seems that the Lord of this area keeps all weapons and armor in a secret underground basement. This hidden ladder leads right into the armory. Since there are times when the Lord finds himself wanting to admire all the weapons. This is the only reason why the village never revolts in any way against the Lord for so long. According to the rumors he has 20 arrows for every villager stored down there. Out of the entire mansion, the most heavily guarded is the basement."
Darzirak informed as his stretched-out neck and head slowly returns back to his body.
" Hmm... It seems... Gold isn't important to this Lord ... must be because no matter how much is stolen, he has the jack-up price and the taxes to recover what he has lost. "
Philomel thought out loud to herself as she turns back to look down the ladder.
" That and he could always hire or send someone to recover what was stolen. "
Darzirak added as he leaps back onto the bed and snuggles against the pillow.
" If we steal from this Lord, we might doom the rest of the village. You've seen how many guards and knights he has. They could wipe out the rest of the village in an instant."
" But why would he want to do that? Without any villagers, there won't be anyone to exploit."
" True... I did hear the rumors that they had been taking villages who are in great debt and selling them off as slaves to a kingdom in the far West. "
Philomel shook her head with a heavy sigh.
" Huh... explains why there are so many angry maiden shadows in this area. It's a good thing they aren't very bright or this whole area would be another rouge shadow territory. "
Darzirak thought to himself as he recalled what happened earlier that night, finally understanding why so many shadows were ready to watch the whole east village burn.
" Either way, if we steal this gold. It would spell trouble for the villagers here."
Philomel frown upon realization. Darzirak hearing her tone and seeing her expression knew that something was up. Darzirak moved to sit upright with his legs dangling over the edge of the bed. His hand pushes the pillow to the side as he held Philomel's gaze with his own.
" It's already too late to back out now, especially when we're so close. Remember if we don't do this we could lose my apartment. I rather face heavy consequences with the satisfaction of knowing that I saved my apartment. Rather than face light consequences and return to bid farewell to a pretty good home. But then again I can't force you, if you wish to quit then go ahead.
Keep in mind though, I'm doing this with or without you. Amon is my home and his bloodline has been my home for generations. I'm not going to watch my apartment crumble to the ground just because I kicked open a door. Granted, I did do that on purpose but I didn't mean to set the whole apartment on fire. I may not seem like it but I really do love living there. "
Darzirak informed as he stood up and held a hand over his heart.
"There's nothing that can stop me from putting out that fire. Not you, not this Lord, nothing. Now are you with me? Or should I give you the baby?"
Darzirak spoke with such determination as he outstretched his hand. Silently asking for Philomel's corporation and her hand. His words and actions shook Philomel in an understanding way. Even though his words are weird the message is the same. He blames himself for Amon's condition just like Philomel does and that was all she needed to hear.
" A person with a goal may be invincible but two with a common goal are unstoppable. I'm with you to the end. "
Philomel announced as she took Darzirak's hand and shook it with a determined grin. Darzirak nodded with a smirk as he shook her hand.
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