A/N: Back to Elsenthia! Oh, but she's not exactly in her normal environment, is she? Hmmm~
-x-X-x-
"Who exactly are we 'paying a visit' tonight?"
The moment the words leave her mouth, Elsenthia regrets them. Not because she doesn't want to know the answer, she DOES… but because she knows she's pushing the limits of her chaperone's patience something fierce. The other woman stops and slowly turns, giving Elsenthia a look that makes the Crown Princess go still, standing frozen in place.
There aren't many people who can freeze Elsenthia in her tracks like that, but the Holy Pope's Shadow is most certainly one of them. Looking at her, the Shadow tilts her head to the side for a moment before finally speaking in a raspy voice.
"No more questions, your Highness. You will follow my orders precisely from this moment on or there will be consequences. The Holy Pope may have agreed to let you tag along tonight my stringent recommendation, but that does not mean I won't knock you out, tie you up, and tuck you away somewhere until I'm done if you endanger yourself or the mission, do you understand?"
Elsenthia's eyes are wide and she mutely nods at the Shadow's words. To be fair… she was probably due that particular dressing down. The Crown Princess wasn't an idiot. She knew she was out of her depths on a clandestine operation like this. It was just… when she'd gone to her mother to follow up on what they'd previously talked about, Lisanna had smugly informed her that everything would be taken care of… by the Holy Pope and her agent.
Needless to say, Elsenthia had not initially been impressed about that. After all, wasn't the precipitating event orchestrated by the Holy Pope in the first place? Was it not on her orders that 'Divine Justice' had been very nearly visited upon General Roka-Ra. The Crown Princess had not understood how her mother could possibly accept the Holy Pope's help in this instance. It was like assigning the head thief of a criminal gang to arresting the members of said gang, wasn't it?
… Alright, so perhaps voicing THAT particular comparison out loud to her mother had not been Elsenthia's best idea. To say the Queen had been rather incensed with her would be an understatement. Even still, she hadn't been ready to back down… until Lisanna had pointed out certain events that had taken place within the Church of the Most Holy Light in recent times.
Wasn't it strange, the number of Cardinals who had met their ends? Old men and women one and all, but still… there were quite a few deaths, weren't there? And even some imprisonments, as crimes came to light that saw Bishops and Paladins stripped of their titles and positions and sent to the dungeons to serve out sentences for things like abusing power and repurposing Church funds.
Elsenthia hadn't realized it until her mother pointed out what was directly in front of her… but the Holy Pope HAD begun to clean up the Church, hadn't she? And the only reason she would do that is if Marcus' flight had galvanized her into action. Or so Lisanna claimed, smugly asserting that with Serafina's own house now in order, she had agreed to help them out with their problems amidst the Nobility.
Even still, even knowing that things were being 'taken care of', Elsenthia couldn't just sit back and watch like her mother was. The two of them were simply built differently. The Crown Princess refused to have control of the Empire handed to her by Serafina singlehandedly, regardless of if the Holy Pope was the Royal Family's greatest ally or not. She needed to be involved. She needed to have a hand in things.
So yes, she'd demanded to be included. And after enough pestering, here she was. Dressed in all black clothing, wearing a mask over her face to hide her features, Elsenthia was shadowing Serafina's Shadow, following the other woman through the darkened backstreets of the Capital towards their ultimate destination.
… And yes, she'd probably asked one too many questions. The Shadow's reprimand was not unreasonable. In fact…
"Of course. I shall follow your lead. In fact, given that I am supposed to be in disguise… perhaps it would be best to drop the titles. Call me something else. Treat me as your subordinate this evening, for that is what I am."
There's a pause at that, and Elsenthia really couldn't tell whether she had managed to gain the Shadow's respect with her words or not. The Holy Pope's most trusted agent is an enigma, even to Elsenthia. The Crown Princess knows barely anything about Serafina's Shadow, the woman's entire existence is shrouded in mystery.
Even her appearance is… impossible for Elsenthia to discern. It's not that it's shadowy as one might think given the agent's title, but rather… nondescript. That would be the best word to describe the Holy Pope's Shadow. Her features are impossible to remember, some trick of her Job's Abilities, Elsenthia had to guess.
… There were rumors that the Holy Pope's Shadow was an incredibly strong Thief, trained for decades and allowed to explore the full depths of her potential, unlike most Thieves indentured to the Church. Given what Elsenthia had heard of the Shadow's exploits, she could only imagine how dangerous the other woman was.
"Good point. From now on I shall refer to you as El. Are we agreed?"
Elsenthia slowly nods.
"Yes, we are agreed."
"Good. Then follow closely, El."
And with that, the Shadow turns back around and begins leading the way again. Elsenthia has no choice but to follow. Dressed in all black, wielding a pair of shortswords sheathed at her waist rather than her rapier, she couldn't feel more out of her depths. But then, that was kind of the point, wasn't it? She wasn't supposed to be herself at this moment. She wasn't the Crown Princess, nor was she a Knight. She'd asked for this, and no matter what, she would see it through.
-x-X-x-
"Intru-urk!"
"You-ack!"
… She'd asked for this. In more ways than one. She'd asked for her mother to find a way for Elsenthia to keep her morals intact while also accepting the role of Queen of the Holy Empire. And after Lisanna had gone and found a way for them to clean up the Nobility, she'd been the one to demand that they allow her to play a direct part in that.
So, in the end… she couldn't complain. This was ultimately her doing. She was the one who wanted this, who wanted to move forward with both eyes wide open.
That didn't make it any easier. They were in a mansion, having broken in under the cover of darkness. And they, or rather… the Shadow was killing people. Everyone who stumbled upon them in fact. The pair of guards who had just run into them were probably not villains. They probably weren't bad people, though Elsenthia couldn't say for sure. The Shadow had killed them all the same.
It might have been fine if the guards had caught BOTH of them… but it was her fault that they'd been alerted. Elsenthia wasn't cut out for this kind of subterfuge. It was precisely as her mother had said. If the Shadow had come alone, would those guards have had to die? Probably not. Unfortunately, Elsenthia had made her demands and now here they were.
As the Shadow slowly lets down the second guard so that his body doesn't hit the floor with an audible thud, all while the first guard slumps back against the wall and slides down it all his own, Elsenthia is expecting another reprimand. But instead, the Shadow simply looks to her and then jerks her head in the direction of the nearest door.
"Come, El."
Just like that. No censure. No blow up. So then why does Elsenthia feel worse for the Shadow's response? In the end, all she can do is squirm for a moment before nodding and following the Shadow. She tries to step more lightly, truly she does. She really doesn't want anyone else's blood on her hands. She's desperately afraid that they'll run into a servant or even a child, though thankfully that latter option is vanishingly unlikely.
The Nobility all keep ostentatious estates within the Capital walls, of course. Despite having lands of their own to govern and look after, the noble lords of the Holy Empire spend much of their time in the Capital, especially ever since her father's death. After all, no one wants to be caught flat footed. And all of them are constantly jockeying for power, attempting to force her mother's hand on this or that issue… and in the case of some, lying in wait, eagerly anticipating the opportunity that might land at their feet.
That said, most kept their families back in their lands. Their heirs would only be brought to the Capital for certain public events. The banquet was one such event, but that was over two months ago now, and many had sent their families home, even as plenty of the noble lords who made up the Nobility had stayed behind themselves to continue their political games.
Elsenthia still doesn't know whose mansion they've invaded, precisely, even now. As the Shadow leads them both deeper into the halls, she reflects that the place could belong to any one of a number of noblemen who were trying to lay claim to her throne and crown. There was no shortage of enemies to the Royal Family these days… men with royal blood who claimed that she and her mother were no Royal Family at all, and deserved to be stripped of their titles and set aside for a new King.
When they finally reach a pair of large double doors, Elsenthia feels a tension building between her shoulderblades. Luckily, they haven't encountered anyone else that the Shadow had been forced to kill. Elsenthia hadn't even had to use the loaner swords she had sheathed at her waist. Truth be told, this mission wasn't so bad, save for those two guards whose lives had been lost because of her bumbling.
Then, the Shadow pushes open the doors and Elsenthia rushes in behind her, only to find herself in a Lord's Study. And not just any Lord's Study either.
"Wha- who are you?! What is the meaning of this?!"
Elsenthia finds herself struck dumb for a moment as the doors close shut with an almost quiet click behind them. A presence fills the room, exuding off of the Shadow in a way Elsenthia KNOWS means that no one outside of these walls will hear what's going on within. But she barely pays that any mind, too busy staring at the progressively angrier face of one Duke Alfred Barnham as he rises from behind his desk, a snarl spreading across his features.
"GUARDS!"
But of course, no one is coming. No one can hear him. It feels like a lifetime since the banquet at this point. And honestly? Her interaction with the Duke had rapidly fallen to the wayside considering everything else that happened that night. Still, the Crown Princess was well aware that the man had long coveted her throne. She knew full well that he'd intended to marry her off to his eldest son, so that her crown might sit upon his heir's head and she might be his little broodmare, popping out children that would carry the Barnham blood into the Royal Line well into the future.
Of course, Elsenthia had used the banquet as an opportunity to shove her burgeoning relationship with the Destined Hero right into Duke Barnham's face, hadn't she? And in doing so… had she provoked this? Was this her fault?
"You… scoundrels! Fiends!"
With a snarl, the Duke lunges out from behind his desk. Elsenthia's eyes widen as he pulls a longsword off the wall, brandishing it at them. She quickly goes to unsheathe her shortswords, only for something strange to happen. The feeling in the room abruptly changes, and the pommels of her weapons become inexplicably hot.
She's barely gotten ahold of them, so she's able to let go immediately. Duke Barnham, on the other hand, can only yowl in pain as his flesh sizzles, the handle of his longsword burning him something fierce, forcing him to drop his weapon to the ground.
In an instant, the Holy Pope's Shadow is across the room and slamming him into a nearby armchair none-too-gently. A howl tears its way out of the Duke's throat as she quite literally pins him in place with blades in his shoulders. When he hastily reaches up to try and tear them out, he screams in even more pain, the pommels of those daggers just as hot to his touch as his longsword.
An Ability from the Shadow, apparently. A very strong ability, one that disabled all other martial warriors, it would seem. Elsenthia is very careful not to touch her borrowed shortswords as she watches the Shadow closely. She can't hide her doubts though. Is Duke Barnham truly the enemy? Yes, the man covets her throne… but is he really that corrupt? Could he really be plotting to overthrow her and her mother?
As if reading Elsenthia's mind, the Shadow suddenly speaks in a clipped tone.
"Desk. Now."
"You… bitch!"
Duke Barnham continues to struggle, but to no avail. He's pinned down, and completely at the mercy of the Pope's Shadow. Meanwhile, Elsenthia follows the agent's orders as she had promised she would. She moves over to the Duke's desk and begins to look at the papers strewn across it. She tries to ignore the cries and howls of pain from the Duke as the Shadow… hurts him, but she can't quite help flinching at every sound that comes from the armchair next to the fireplace.
To try and take her mind off of it, she focuses on the task in front of her. There's a lot of information here, and it's hard to parse what's important and what's not. There's a letter from the Duke's son and heir, Lord Alfonse Barnham, for instance. A young man her age, it seems that he doesn't know anything about his father's actions, from what she can tell.
… On the other hand, there's multiple letters between the Duke and a Paladin Commander of the Church that catch Elsenthia's eye. Correspondence that has the blood in her veins turning to ice the more she reads.
It's all laid out right there in front of her eyes. Duke Barnham did in fact intend to topple her mother and her from her positions. In fact, he'd changed what Elsenthia originally knew to be his plans. Ever since that night at the banquet with Marcus, followed by Marcus' flight… Duke Barnham had scrapped the plan for Elsenthia to marry his son. Instead, he intended to orchestrate a full blown coup now, and rule the Holy Empire as King himself.
The Paladin Commander he'd been corresponding with, a man named Tobias Williams, had pledged to support Duke Barnham in his efforts to become King… so long as the Duke supported the Paladin Commander in his own efforts. Apparently, there was a Convent near the town he held jurisdiction over. Technically, the Convent lay outside of said jurisdiction, but Tobias felt strongly that it should be folded over into his area of influence.
According to Tobias, the Mother Superior of said Convent was a 'right cunt'. Reading between the lines, Elsenthia discovered that this was because the Convent's Mother Superior had refused Tobias' overtures to have her Sisters provide regular relief to his men. It was obvious from the way the Paladin Commander talked about the Convent that his men wanted to use the place as their own personal playpen, and the Mother Superior and her flock of Priestesses had refused.
Now thoroughly sucked into this disgusting back and forth conversation, Elsenthia finds her heart positively thudding in her ears as she gets to the last and latest piece of correspondence. In fact, there's a half-finished letter from the Duke that they'd interrupted him in the midst of writing when they'd come barging into his study. But that unfinished letter wasn't what held Elsenthia's attention. It was the final missive from Paladin Commander Williams.
Duke Barnham,
I do hope this letter finds you as well as it finds me. I shall be brief. I no longer need your assistance on the smaller issue regarding the Convent and that cunt of a Mother Superior. The foolish Pope has seen fit to issue me with a Writ of Authority. I must admit, when I submitted the request, I expected nothing to come of it. I dare say this is quite the stroke of luck.
Not to worry. Once I and my men have finished cleaning up the mess at the Convent, you can count on our support in the Capital. And with those Sisters finally spreading their legs for their superiors like they should have been all along, I shall have several more allies in short order who will be all too happy to assist us as well.
Yours,
Commander Williams
Elsenthia's hand is covering her mouth and the letter is shaking in her white-knuckled grip by the time Serafina's Shadow comes to stand beside her, reading silently over her shoulder. The Duke has gone quiet, and a short look in his direction reveals that the man has met his grisly… but also just end. Still, for all that she's glad Barnham is dead, she doesn't linger long on the sight of his killing. Instead, she turns her head to the Shadow, holding up the letter.
"We have to do something!"
The Shadow is silent, but Elsenthia presses ahead.
"This Paladin Commander… he's going to rape and pillage that Convent! All of those defenseless Priestesses, at his mercy… all because YOUR mistress gave him a Writ of Authority! Why would she do that?"
The continued silence is telling.
"Please… I don't know how much time we have. We can't afford to hesitate, we can't afford to wait! If we leave now, maybe we can stop this atrocity from happening!"
For a long moment, Elsenthia feels despair at the Shadow's continued silence. She's not expecting much, truth be told. Not even basic human decency. And if she tries to run off on her own… she doesn't fancy her chances of escaping the Shadow's clutches. In the end, there might not be anything she can do, but that won't stop her from pleading her case. Even if it does feel like she's talking to a brick wall and-!
"… Very well."
Elsenthia's eyes widen as the Shadow tilts her head to the side, sweeping her eyes across the rest of the desk for a moment, as though that's all she needs to read the rest of the papers on it.
"T-Truly?"
She doesn't know why she questions the other woman. It's the height of foolishness, really. What if she changes her mind? But no, thankfully that does not happen.
"… It would appear that Lord Alfonse was not aware of his father's plans, so while I was originally allotted time to do so, I will not have to travel to the Barnham Lands to kill him as well. As well, cleaning up a mess like this is… within my mission's purview. So yes. Truly."
Elsenthia almost hugs the Shadow right there on the spot. Almost. Luckily, she manages to control that impulse as well as the impulse to squee with joy as they head off. Unlike many of the Church's recent… regrettable high profile deaths, there's nothing accidental about the Duke's assassination. His body is left to be found in his seemingly locked study. Though Elsenthia doesn't know it, the Shadow has also planted evidence that points towards the Duke's enemies among the Nobility as the culprits of his murder.
Truth be told, even if the Crown Princess had known, she probably wouldn't have cared enough to say anything about it. Her eyes were focused on the North now. The Northwest, to be exact. That was where this Convent was located. That was where this Paladin Commander Tobias Williams was planning to exert his authority over defenseless Priestesses and their Mother Superior for daring to tell him no.
… Elsenthia could only hope they would get there in time.
-x-X-x-
A/N: Lisanna: "We're not made for subtle wetwork daughter"
Elsenthia: "Hold my wine."
Heh, anyways, as always hope you all enjoyed and be sure to let me know what you think!
Arc 3 is a bit shorter than Arc 2 was, so we've actually only got 4 chapters left before it comes to an end at Ch. 49!
Chapter 46 will come out on Monday like usual, or you can read six chapters ahead right now over on the P atreon!