The group trudged through the bustling outer city of Baris, heading towards the darker areas of the city as the buildings transitioned from beautiful stonework to worn-down brickwork. Lucinda stopped as her cloak fell off her shoulder, revealing the blood that was now dry against the blue fabric. She relocated to the pathway's side before retying the cloak. Checking her shoulder, she saw the browning stain before she lifted the cloak, hiding the signs of the battle.
Kota walked up behind her and reached for her shoulder before lowering his hand. "Is everything all right?" he asked. "You seem quieter than normal. Even Sonya is more talkative than you, even if it's about the local flora and fauna, which she knows a lot about, remarkably."
Lucinda smiled at him, seeing his eyes below his hood. Leading him closer to the wall, she sat down on a barrel outside a tavern before she turned away from him. He took a step closer to her, lowering his head to see her own.
"I am not happy about what I used to be, Kota. I may look young, but I am only a year younger than you, and I have a dark past. Done things that have hurt people, good and bad people... some deserved it, others..."
Kota took a second before moving to lean on the wall next to her. The two watched the busy road in front of them in silence as the sun rose.
"Alone in a church at night, with what appeared to be a picked lock where Lukas and I entered." Kota paused, turning his attention toward her before smiling and continuing. "I assumed you weren't as innocent as you seemed. Since the prison, my assumptions were correct."
"Alexis said you were always quick to notice the details. What made you trust me with such an important task of finding your sister that night?"
Kota smirked as he gave a small chuckle, and he looked up at the clouds as they grew darker. The sun, which had risen only a few moments ago, still hid behind them. "I don't know how to describe it, but even though I had my suspicions about you, I knew I could trust you. Maybe it was the air around you, but I sensed peace that night."
"You have a good heart, Kota, but my past is not one as kind as yours. Just remember to keep your guard up, particularly in this area." Lucinda looked around at the citizens, who walked past as if nothing outside of their lives mattered.
Kota glanced at Sonya, who stood with Alexis, patiently waiting for the conversation to come to a close. "Just keep an open mind yourself," he said. "Your past does not always define your future. I know nothing of my birth, and here I am."
He stopped as she laughed at his response. "You are something else entirely. Interesting for sure."
Lucinda kicked off the barrel to land on her feet. She then turned away from Kota to see Sonya and Alexis leaning against the wall, further down, talking to each other.
Lucinda had moved away from Kota when he pushed off the wall and followed her. "Interesting? And what does that mean exactly?"
He ran to join her and the others, positioning himself behind Lucinda as Sonya spoke toward them without turning her head. "No time to waste, both of you. The party is later tonight, and we still have to meet Akar and persuade him to help us. Which Princess describes as a hard task."
"You are right. I got caught up in my thoughts, and it will not happen again," said Lucinda, meeting Sonya's eyes as she turned her head.
Alexis looked around Sonya and met Lucinda's gaze. "Where would we meet him? He has moved to a different location since the last time I met him."
Lucinda watched the citizens' daily routines, contemplating her answer. Kota watched her and investigated the street as the number of people reduced.
A man suddenly whistled and waved at the group from across the street, catching their attention.
"Do you know him?" Kota questioned.
She nodded in response. "Looks like Akar knows we are here. His spies in the city monitor important figures, like the deceased prince. We don't need to look after all."
Lucinda pointed at the man as a horse-drawn wagon passed in front of them, blocking their view. When the carriage passed, the group saw him walking away.
"He wants us to follow him. Akar will surely appreciate seeing me once more. He has always had a soft spot for me."
Kota gave a small grunt and said, "I am interested to see this man who knows your past."
The four of them walked down the alleyway, moving into darker areas of the city. Lucinda turned to Kota, keeping one eye on the man they followed. "I wouldn't be. I'm sure he'll assist us, but there's always a catch."
"So, the incident with Alexis? Was there a catch there?"
As they moved down the alleyway between two stone buildings, Alexis responded. "I refused his request after he gave me information, and he shot me in the foot with an arrow. His actions were limited as I still held royalty. Regrettably, I am no longer royalty, so be cautious. Sonya, stay close to Kota."
Sonya nodded as she moved to walk next to Kota, before they turned a corner, and saw the man walking down some cobblestone steps to the right. They followed him again while matching his pace. Turning another corridor, they paused to see a man standing by a door with a lantern hanging right.
Lucinda approached. "I'm here for business, inform the master. Lu sends her regards. Nothing more, nothing less."
He nodded and disappeared inside, locking the door with a loud metallic sound.
Sonya leaned on the wall behind her, standing behind Kota. "Lu? Is that this vile man's pet name for you?"
Lucinda leaned on the wall across from her and smirked. "Something like that... Just remember, this is not a part of my past I enjoy sharing or even thinking about these days," she answered, aware of her somber tone as she looked at Sonya and then Alexis.
"Don't forget our purpose here. Play to his ego, and we will get what we want. Nothing stupid now," said Alexis, continuing to face the door in front of them.
Kota opened his mouth to speak, but then the clanking sound of metal came from the door, and it opened inward at a slow pace. "He is waiting for you," said a different man in similar brown clothes, holding the door open wide enough for a person to walk by him.
One by one, the group entered the building through the door. Sonya followed Kota. He locked eyes with each person before shutting the door behind her. Crossing his arms, he looked intimidating as he demanded, "Drop your weapons on the table. No weapons or calling past this point."
The group walked into an open area. Kota noticed beautiful rugs on the floor, split stairs leading up to a door behind a large landing. Kota dropped his bow and arrows on a table before unsheathing his sword, placing it on the table as well. Lucinda placed her two blades on the table before she helped Alexis with her spear and sword strapped to her lower back. Sonya placed her ax on the table, and the short sword strapped to her right thigh, but the man reached out his hand, preventing her progress.
"Remove your weapons now," said the man, eyeing Sonya from head to toe.
Sonya reached down her leg, but then she grabbed the man's hand and twisted it behind his back. "Who are you to tell me to become defenseless? How do I know your leader will not just kill us?"
Kota took a step forward, placing a hand on her shoulder, and leaned in close. "Calm down, Sonya. It will be fine. Plus..." He paused, looking around the open area to the level above them, where there were several bows now trained on them. "We cannot win this fight. Just look."
Sonya glanced around the room and saw four bowmen holding their bows at the ready behind the railings on the second level. She released the man, causing him to stumble forward. Breathing heavily, she sighed before she removed two more blades from her inner ankles, concealed by the armor below her knees. The man observed her as she placed the blades on the table. He looked at her once more, gesturing towards the stairs on the right.
Kota moved forward as he looked back and watched Alexis pick up a goblet on the table. She tilted it, and a ball of ice fell into her other hand. Then she handed it to the man as they moved in front of him. "Sorry about that. She is... assertive." Alexis smiled and watched the man place the ice on his wrist before she moved toward the stairs.
Lucinda noticed the red carpet on both sides of the split stairs. Looking left, she noticed a man standing with his arms crossed. The man moved his head, signaling the group as they headed right.
"How do you know this man exactly?" Kota asked Lucinda. "He must like you a little, since they did not kill us back there."
"He was my only option when I had none. I couldn't survive without him. Remember that," said Lucinda, moving her hand lightly on the banister while keeping her eyes on the bowmen, who stayed on the upper level.
They moved up the stairs, and the men directed them toward the big, elegant red-and-brown door that was directly in front of them on the second level. When the group got to the door, Lucinda paused in her steps before turning.
"Tread lightly around him," she warned. "He likes to be respected. This means you, Traveler. No more outbursts."
Sonya crossed her arms and nodded in agreement. Lucinda turned from the group and pushed open the door as Kota leaned closer to Alexis. "She is avoiding the questions I ask. She is usually more direct and calmer. What isn't she telling us?"
Alexis turned her head back toward Kota. "She will tell you when the time is right. Presently, our focus should be solely on the task at hand."
Kota nodded, keeping quiet as they entered through the elaborate door. A grand room with a long, dark brown wooden table in the middle awaited, offering ample seating. At the table's end, a man in a dark brown coat with a fur collar sipped from a metal goblet. Under his well-groomed black hair, his gray eyes pierced the group as they entered the room, and after looking the group over, he glanced over at a man standing beside the table, who led them each to different seats. Lucinda and Alexis sat on one side of the man, with Lucinda sitting closest to him. Kota and Sonya sat across the table, with Kota beside the man.
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They sat in silence for a minute before Kota stood with an echoing noise as the chair scraped against the stone floor. "I am sorry for asking this so candidly, but we need your help, Akar."
Akar sat still, leaning against the back of his chair as he circled his finger around the rim of his goblet. Then he smiled at Kota. "It is refreshing to see someone who is not... What is the phrase, Lu?"
Lucinda leaned forward, looking straight at Kota, breathing lightly as she spoke gently. "Walking on eggshells, Akar."
"Akar? When did you start being formal with me?" Akar reminisced, but Lucinda's furious fist on the table interrupted him.
Akar prevented the other men from approaching by raising his hand.
Kota observed Lucinda's stillness and anger, then shifted his focus to Akar. "She means no ill will," he said. "The last two days have been quite challenging, as you can imagine."
"That is where you are wrong, Your Royal Highness. She means ill will, but from the look of her clothes and your bandages, I would say you have been through quite the ordeal," said Akar, holding his gaze on Lucinda.
Lucinda unclenched her fist and looked over at Kota, calming herself down as she responded. "You shot an arrow at someone I trust, over a minor disagreement."
Kota glanced at Alexis as she sipped her drink. Alexis placed the cup down before taking a few grapes from the tray. She popped one in her mouth and said, "It is all right, Lucinda. A man in his position must not show weakness. I walk impeccably well now. No need to stay on the topic."
Lucinda hid her hands under the table and silently stared at the plate.
Akar smiled at Alexis before turning back toward Kota as he sat back in his chair. "I am interested in what the mysteriously lost prince has to ask of me," said Akar, eyeing Kota before moving to watch Sonya as she was inspecting the room.
"You said 'lost,' not 'dead,'" said Kota. "I am assuming you knew I was alive, then."
Akar nodded in agreement before glancing back at Alexis. "After the Princess came to me with Lu. She denied my request for a favor, and the thought did not slip my mind. I used my many resources to find out more information for myself."
Kota continued to stare at Lucinda before he turned his attention back to Akar, who was sipping his drink. He let out a breath of air and leaned forward. "I won't hesitate. We need to get to the party my sister is throwing. I need to show the king that I am alive. Unfortunately, I cannot just walk around in the open. There is a woman who has... well..."
Kota paused for a second, thinking of the words, but Sonya finished his sentence. "This woman captured the prince and has allies in the castle. We dealt with three of them after they recognized the prince and the Princess. None survived."
Akar's expression changed for a split second, as if the information was surprising to him. Leaning forward, he placed his elbow on the table and stroked his chin as he looked over at Alexis. "Is she the woman you talked about last time we met?"
Alexis nodded as she took another sip of her drink. "Based on your question, I assume you found nothing about this woman."
"That is not completely true," he replied, leaning back, looking back at Lucinda, but she still avoided eye contact. "I will give you information as an apology for the foot. Not much, but she arrived from the west, beyond the neighboring country of Eira. Other than that, I have nothing. She is, as they say, unknown."
Sonya looked over at Alexis, who met her eyes. Then she turned her attention to Lucinda. "Beyond Eira... I am to assume you will help us, then?"
"I assume you know my help does not come cheap."
Kota nodded.
"This task is effortless for me, but what I request of you is not small. I want you to get me the Winter Gem."
Kota glanced at Alexis and Akar, then inquired, "Wait... you want my sister Alexis? I'm not certain about what you're asking."
Laughing, Akar glanced over at Alexis before looking back toward Kota and responding to his question. "Coincidentally, your sister is nicknamed after this gem. She may know a little something about it herself. I am sure the king will be gracious enough to have his son return for a certain price."
Kota turned his attention to Alexis and asked, "There is a jewel called the Winter Gem in our kingdom? Why haven't I heard of this?"
"The king spared you the burden of our family's ancient gems' politics. Sadly, you have no royal lineage, making you the first outsider to join our family without marriage. He had to protect this tradition. Just in case..."
He looked at her before she turned and met Akar's gaze. "How do you know about this gem? Just a few outsiders, excluding the royal family, have knowledge of this relic."
"Remember, I have people everywhere, but I use my talents to help the kingdom, not destroy it, as this woman has. It is interesting. I am unsure of my men after hearing that news," said Akar, glancing around the room.
Alexis stayed silent as Kota stared at her, hoping she would elaborate on the subject. Kota readied another question, but Lucinda asked, "What would happen to them if the king refuses this offer?"
"It's best not to mention such topics while dining. We can discuss that after Kota returns from the dead," said Akar, avoiding her question, still eyeing Kota with a smile.
Lucinda pushed her chair back, but Kota repeated her action. Speaking before she could, he told Akar, "I will ask the king when I see him, and I will oversee what we can do about this so-called Winter Gem."
Alexis and Sonya remained motionless as the other two locked eyes, without uttering a single word. A few seconds later, Lucinda moved away from the table. She twisted and kicked her chair over before continuing toward the double doors behind Akar.
He only moved when he looked at Kota and extended his right hand. The two shook hands, and Akar told him, "Follow her to the seamstress. She will help with the arrangements. She will take you to the living quarters before we do anything else. We must hurry. Time is limited."
Kota smiled and nodded as the other two stood and followed Lucinda unobtrusively through the different corridors of the building.
Lucinda stayed quiet as Kota moved more slowly. Walking next to Sonya, he asked her, "Do you believe we can trust this Akar? He knows about an ancient object that I don't even know about."
The two of them watched Lucinda as she walked in front of them, staying quiet.
Sonya turned her head toward Kota, answering his question. "You were raised as royalty, and they all hold secrets within those castle walls. Without another option, we must trust him to enter the castle tonight."
Continuing through the hallways, they eventually reached a red door, where a woman was waiting outside. The woman was significantly older than any in the group, with signs of gray hair visible as she smiled and hugged Lucinda. "Good to see you again," the older woman said. "Judging from your attire, you'll need new clothes for this extraordinary ball. It will be something else this year."
Kota responded to her comment by asking, "Something else? Grace has thrown exquisite events before, but what makes this different?"
"Well, she is throwing a masquerade ball for her eighteenth birthday. You know, with masks and elegant dresses. Oh, and the name is Mira," explained Mira as she waved her hand toward the open door.
Lucinda nodded, and the group followed her inside. Kota was the last to enter. Mira gestured towards the door behind him. "This place has a lot of prying eyes, and as a gentleman, you should protect the ladies from prying eyes."
Kota closed the door, turning to see dresses and other clothing scattered across the furniture and walls of the room. Several changing screens lay about the room, and other women walked around them, moving throughout the tables and chairs laid out across the room. He watched as she led Sonya and Alexis across the room, and two other women grabbed their hands. "Let's change you out of those clothes. Armor is not appropriate for this ball."
Sonya moved her hand, distancing herself from the woman. "I prefer nothing other than my ax on my back and armor on my chest."
"You cannot bring a weapon into the ball, miss. Please just trust us."
Kota laughed as they moved Sonya and Alexis behind the screens.
Mira looked him all over. Nodding her head, she spoke to Lucinda while she sat down in a chair next to a table. "This one is quite handsome, my dear. Where did you find him?"
"Prison. Rescued him myself," replied Lucinda with a smile. "The boy is trouble, though."
Mira examined Kota again. "That's what you've been doing all year? You left, claiming we'd never meet again, yet were you plotting his rescue? It was around the same time, but that seems unlikely even for you."
"He saved my life the next night, after that conversation with you. Some argue he endangered me to begin with."
Lucinda kept her eyes locked on Kota as a woman walked up to him, taking different measurements while he fidgeted. The woman turned him around as he glanced back and said, "I might have brought those huge masked men into that chapel, but who broke into the building in the first place?"
He tilted his head toward Lucinda as the woman pushed his head forward. Kota waited for a response as he turned his head slightly, and the woman taking measurements adjusted his chin. "Stop fidgeting."
Mira looked at Lucinda before moving away from them. "So, Elida was your doing, Lucinda?"
She shook her head and pointed at Kota. "No. He was the one who started that entire chain of events. That was all in response to her attempt to capture the prince for some unknown motive. All hell has broken loose since then."
The woman who had taken his measurements began pushing him behind a screen, and Lucinda watched as his clothes piled up on top of the screen. He poked his head out, replying, "In my defense, I cannot call upon lightning. If she had not thrown lightning at my friend and me, we could have taken her."
Lucinda crossed her legs as his head ducked behind the screen again. A white shirt was lifted over his head and then rested on the folding screen. She stared at the shirt for a moment and said, "I am sure you could have. Next time, you will be better prepared. Once you return to life, your kingdom will employ its forces to track her down.
Alexis emerged from behind the screen, revealing a black, cloak-like garment that lay over her dress. Her hair was up in a stylish bun with various small blue flowers tucked in a linear pattern inside the braids leading up to the bun. Alexis also wore a dark blue dress that hugged her legs, stopping right before her ankles, and black boots.
"Beautiful, as always, Alexis," said Lucinda, smiling at her.
"Haven't needed to wear something this elegant since my brother's funeral, which I only wore to appease our father. Never believed you were dead, brother," said Alexis, aiming the last of her comments at Kota.
"Thanks, Lex, for believing I was still alive. I would not be here without you," said Kota behind the screen as he continued to change his clothes.
Alexis smiled as she nodded at Lucinda before she tightened the cloak around her neck. A second woman emerged from around a screen, grabbing Lucinda's attention and gesturing for her to approach. She stood up and walked over as Kota emerged from behind his screen, tightening a black cloak that concealed his upper torso, but not the black cloth on his legs or the brown boots on his feet.
"You look good, Lex," said Kota as he moved to sit as Alexis sat down in the chair next to him. "You ready to see the family again?"
"I could ask the same thing of you, but just because you are alive does not mean they will accept me with open arms after what I have done," answered Alexis, who crossed her arms, watching the bloody cloth that Lucinda had worn flop over the top of the screen. "I have broken almost every sense of my banishment to get you out."
Kota observed the blood-stained cloth and assured Alexis, "It'll be fine in the end. Just one step at a time, right?"
She nodded as Sonya appeared from behind her screen, tying another black cloak around her neck. Kota could see a red dress underneath the cloak, and her brown gloves covered only her palms, leaving her fingers bare. Kota glanced at her left side-braided hair, meeting the rest at the back and forming a ponytail near her neck.
"I hate this more than anything, and I have done nothing but fight since I met you. I would rather be poisoned again... now I must wear this," said Sonya, stomping over to Alexis and Kota.
"Poisoned? I hope you tell me that story one day, but I thought you enjoyed fighting," said Alexis, noticing Sonya was wearing metal greaves over her boots, walking with a clink in each step.
Sonya rolled her eyes at Alexis before Kota added, "I would describe you as a warrior princess. You possess beauty, yet lack tact. All you need is the ax on your back and some armor with that get-up."
Sonya reached up and tapped the left side of her chest, and a metallic thud rang out under her cloak.
"Of course."
Alexis let out a small laugh as they waited for Lucinda to finish getting ready.
At last, the older woman walked around the screen with Lucinda following. Her green dress was covered by her black cloak, and her hair lay braided into a hairstyle similar to Alexis's. Small white flowers were layered down her braided red hair.
Alexis nudged Kota, moving his attention in Lucinda's direction, and he jumped to his feet.
"You look beautiful, Lucinda," he said. "Different from the lady I met in the church a year ago."
Trying to hide the heat rising in her cheeks, she smiled. "Thanks. She's the one who abandoned this life we see. You met me when I was still leaving Akar in the dust, or trying to at least."
Alexis looked at Mira, and in between the talk of the past, she asked, "Now, how will we get into the castle during the party?"
Crossing her arms, Mira stood admiring her and her seamstresses' work before turning toward Alexis. "Akar has a guard who helps with secret deliveries and events. He'll guide us to the castle's back entrance, near the training courtyard."
Mira walked around, handing them different masks that matched the colors of their outfits.
Kota grabbed his, then leaned against a small table before tying the brown-and-red mask around the back of his head. "Looks like all the guards in our kingdom are for sale."
"Do not worry, Kota," explained Mira, placing a hand on his shoulder. "His loyalty to the kingdom is unwavering. That is why Akar chose him. His family lives on the grounds, and he is a good friend of your older brother Michael."
Kota sighed, thinking about his family as Lucinda walked up beside him, placing a green-and-gold glove on his chin. "Let's not worry about the fine details. Soon, you'll face your family and start anew."