Back at the Erskine Estate, Sirena walks into the room and discovers that her Lady is not in the room.
'Again!' Sirena exclaims silently, closing her eyes in frustration. She had hoped that her Lady would not try anything tonight especially since she had been complaining about having severe cold. But right now, her bed was empty, she had sneaked out again.
And as if on cue, there was a knock on the door to her room, followed by the Head-maid's voice. Sirena freezes for a moment at the fear of the Head-maid discovering that her Lady has sneaked out.
'My Lady will be the death of me!' She screams in her mind. And after freaking out for a while, she rushes towards the door of the outer chambers where the Head-maid is still knocking.
Sirena opens the door slowly and steps out, closing the door behind her. She turns to look at the Head-maid and fakes a smile. "I am sorry I kept you waiting, Mrs. Mary."
"Where is the Miss Kidaya? How is she? I need to check –
Sirena blocks her from trying to enter the chambers. Smiling, "My Lady will probably kill me if I let you go in and see her."
Eyebrow raised. "Is she alright?" the Head-maid asks.
Sirena leans in and whispers. "I think it was just an excuse to miss the soiree." Clearing her throat. "She will be fine." Sirena says the last sentence a bit loud.
Believing Sirena's charade, she clears her throat. "Okay then, but just keep watch over her all night in case she really has cold. It gets worse at night."
Sirena nods her head smiling. And after one more look at the door, the Head-maid leaves. Sirena heaves leaning on the door and slacking down.
~
In another town, Kidaya and her people finally arrive at the tavern. Miya had come to her this afternoon with news that a Faceless man had been spotted two towns away, and after they discussed for a while, Kidaya had decided that she will go along with them. Now, with all their faces well covered with piece of clothes, and their swords all drawn except of Kidaya who sat on her horse few feet away watching, they slip into the tavern and begin to search the rooms.
Miya signals for everyone drinking outside the tavern to keep silent, then turns to her people and signals for them to take different positions while also signaling for some to go inside and check the different rooms. As they moved, they signaled for everyone to stay silent even as they begin to search everyone and their possessions.
He was inside one of the rooms he had paid for and was loosening his clothes to go take a bath when he noticed that the noise from the other customers of the tavern had reduced. Feeling it was a bit strange, he heads for his door to take a peek, and just as he opened the door, he saw the sword. Without wasting time, he jams the door and runs for his window. The one with the sword opens the door and gives him a chase. But just as the man jumps out of the window, a sword is placed by his neck.
"Search his rooms." Miya says to the one who had been chasing the man, and with a nod, she leaves the window and begins to search the man's room. Two others join her.
Both hands raised. "I am innocent." The man says. And from the distance, still on her horse, Kidaya watched. The rest of the people maintained their position all around the tavern to be sure none of the other customers would make a run to alert people outside.
"Innocent of what exactly? We have not accused you of anything, yet." Miya says sarcastically.
"I have found his mask!" one of the girls who was searching his room announced.
Miya gives the man a smirk. "Innocent you say."
Realizing that his cover has been blown, the man quickly pulls out two knives from the sleeves of his shirt and swings it at Miya who blocks one, but the other cuts across her face. Using that opportunity, he means to take a run but Miya blocks him again, sword pointed at him. Smirking, he begins to attack Miya with his knives. One of the girls tries to step into the fight, but another stops her, shaking her head at her.
"She will snap your head after the fight if you interfere." She tells the girl. "The Lady will take care of him."
In one single twirl around him, Miya cuts him on both sides, on both arms which caused his knives to fall off his hands, and on both knees which sent him falling down, then she stops and points the sword at his heart. "Move and I will drive this through your heart." Miya says to him.
And before he could even try to swallow his tongue and die, two of the girls rush forward and put a thick clothe inside his mouth before tying it to the back of his head.
"I hope this hurts a lot." Miya says hitting him close to the neck.
"We also found these." One of the girls that had been searching his room says raising up his sword and a scroll.
Miya puts her hand into his right pocket and pulls out his ring which served as a badge and pass for all Faceless men of rank. Turning to one of the girls, "Take him."
The girl walks over, picks the man up, and throws him over her shoulder, then she begins to leave.
Miya turns to the direction where Kidaya has been waiting and watching, and nods a signal at her. Kidaya nods back, just as the girl carrying the man arrives at where she was and lays the man on his stomach across the horse. After tying him to the horse, she bows to Kidaya who rides away with him.
Getting to the front of the tavern, the girls had gathered everyone to the front, including the owner of the tavern.
"Say a word about any of this to anyone and we will not just come for you but your families as well. We will kill everyone of them." Pulling out a purse of coins from her pocket, she hands it to the tavern owner who receives it with shaking hands. "We are paying for everyone."