The Curse of Iris

Chapter one

A soft wind blew through a dark tunnel rattling the dry leaves scattered across the ground, soon a series of clopping steps approached drowning out the sounds of their rattling. Its source however remained invisible concealed by the thick fog that obscured the nearby wilderness. Until finally the cover was broken, and a short figure covered in a black cloak appeared.

The figure swiftly made its way towards the tunnel’s entrance, their dark cloak billowing in the wind. As they reached the opening the figure sighed, seeing no light emanate from the passage. Instead of being dissuaded however the figure stepped confidently inside. The dim light of the moon slowly disappeared behind them until the darkness became too great.

The figure stood still for several moments unsure of what to do before they finally decided to reach for the wall. As they touched the cold stone a shiver flew up their spine momentarily causing them to wonder if they had been lied to about the rebel hideout. The thought quickly passed however and the figure slowly began to make their way further into the tunnel, the echoing of their shoes clattering in the distance.

Finally light began to glow in the distance, an orange glow only a fire could give off. “So my informant wasn’t lying,” the figure whispered under their breath as a soft smile appeared across their lips. As the figure began moving again they did so slowly, careful to not alert the hideouts inhabitants to their presence before the time was right.

The figure neared the chamber the light was emanating from and began to hug the wall, hoping none of the rebels were currently watching the room’s doorway. Once they reached the door the figure leaned past its wooden frame and peered into the poorly lit chamber. Within the chamber the figure saw seven hooded figures set around a roaring fire in the middle of the room, all of whom seemed to be quietly talking about something.

The annoyed figure swore under their breath as they couldn’t hear what the rebels were saying and now had to get perilously close to the others just to receive the information they desired. Slowly the figure began to move closer praying that the crackling of the fire hid their footsteps. As they made their way closer the conversation the rebels were having become clearer.

“I still can’t believe you are seriously thinking about attacking the closing ceremony of the Wiseraven Festival? “One of the rebels laughed, leaning their hands against their knees.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” one of the other rebels, who appeared to be the leader of the bunch, asked with a hint of irritation in her voice. “That event is a perfect time to strike!” ; They leaned forward towards their comrade, “I mean haven’t I told you about how both the Kaiser and his son will be in attendance, I mean there’s literally no better time to assassinate the two?” “I know…”, the unsure rebel said shakily, ``It’s just…. you do know it’s not just going to be those two men who will be there right? Every available Dragon Rider in the country will be in attendance as well.” The other rebels sighed at this statement as if they had heard this nervous rebel say it or other statements like it multiple times before.

At the mention of the Wiseraven festival the spying figure stopped moving, biting their tongue angrily as they now understood what the rebels’ plan was. However, they soon started to move again but instead of leaving, moved further into the room as the figure suddenly realized what kind of chamber the rebels were meeting in. An underground catacomb, covered in cobwebs, filth, and rot. “They’re hiding like rats,” the figure muttered, “like the dirty rebels they are.” The irritated figure also began to notice more of the details of the chamber, as their eyes scanned every corner of the dark and dusty room. Noticing piles of old swords and armor cracked, weak, and covered in cobwebs like everything else in the room.

The figure began to feel intense anger as they noticed this, as they now realized the catacombs, they were in was that of the Dragon Riders who had died in battle protecting the empire, and the weapons piled up in its corners were theirs. “Stealing the weapons of our empire’s protectors”, the figure thought, beginning to clench their fist hard enough that blood began to drip from their hands, “You are worse than rats, you are filth.” The figure then began to walk backwards into the dark shadows of the catacomb, as, even though they were now completely enraged, the figure had received all the information they desired to learn simply from listening to their conversation. However, as the figure attempted to stealthily leave the room they were stopped by another cloaked figure.

“Hello, little one”, The new figure said, their graying beard sticking out from beneath their hood. The bearded figure then grabbed the black cloaked figure’s arm and threw them to the ground, which simultaneously caused their hood to be pushed back revealing the face of a pale skinned, black haired, teenage girl. “Well, well well”, the leader of the rebels said walking over to the girl’s heap, "looks like we found one of the spies the nobles hired.” “Not just any spy”, The bearded rebel said a dark smile across his face, "that’s Ingela daughter of Euric, Hlaf-weard of norlund.” the girl stood up scowling, "Stay away from me you...you filth! "She unsheathed a blade which glittered in the fire light, from her belt and held it out defensively, "I’m warning you!” The leader of the rebels laughed sarcastically at this,” Oh look at the little Hlaf-dige in the making, already considering all those worse off than her as filth.”

“Filth?” Ingela asked with a hint of burning anger in her heart, "no I don’t consider those less fortunate than me as filth,” She sneered at the leader of the rebels, “Only rebels.” The leader smirked at the black-haired girl from under their hood and lowered it revealing to Ingela’s shock the tanned and scarred face of a middle-aged woman,” Really because that’s not what your father believed Ingela.” “A…. A Soulunder? How?” Ingela asked in surprise” ...I thought my father destroyed all of you barbarians?” The Soulunder woman’s smirk widened at this statement, "Barbarians? my my my you don’t sound very accepting of less fortunate people with that statement…. or are you just spouting what your daddy told you?”

“What are you talking about?” the confused and beginning to panic girl asked, “All of the Soulunders were dangerous threats who needed to be destroyed for the safety of the empire.” The soulunder began to laugh widely at this statement, “So I was right you’re just sprouting the same propaganda both the Kaiser and the Hlaf-weard told you, you nobles really are disgusting.” Ingela stepped back in shock at this statement as multiple thoughts began to fly through her head, her dagger beginning to shake in her hands. “N-no,” she said, “That’s not propaganda, your people were dangerous and raided many towns and villages…. your people murdered women and children.” The Soulunder woman sighed, her smile vanishing as she walked over to the nervous but still enraged noble girl. “That’s not the full story, young one.”

“The Soulunders…my people made many mistakes. That is true but we were desperate.” The woman set her hand on the noble girl’s shoulder filling Ingela both with fear and a boiling anger that a disgusting rebel, let alone a barbarian, would even dare to touch her. “You see us Soulunds…we were… dying, rivers were drying up, food was becoming more and more scarce, things soon became so bad that the only way we could have survived was to move towards more…plentiful lands, which tragically was the lands controlled by your father Euric.” Ingela pulled out of the rebels grasp her boiling anger becoming apparent, “So your people decided to flee to my father's land in an attempt to survive, but when you got there instead of simply settling it your goals changed to conquering it right?”

“No, we never wanted to conquer your fathers' lands, we simply wanted to live there. But your father wouldn’t allow it,” The woman said softly with a look of sorrow in her eyes, “So he attacked our people claiming we were invading his lands because of greed, when in reality we wanted to simply live in peace…but Hlaf-weard Euric decided otherwise and slaughtered my people.” Ingela scowled at this attack at her father, not believing a single word she had said and tightened her grasp on her dagger. “Do you now understand why you, calling my people barbarians incorrect? if anyone should be called barbarians it’s you and your father.” This statement was enough for Ingela, who’s anger had been slowly boiling to an uncontrollable level, to snap and before the Rebel leader could say another word Ingela swung her blade at the Soulund women shrieking, "Don’t you dare disrespect my father!”

The Rebel leader dodged the attack by mere inches, while the other members of the rebellion, who had been slowly forming a circle around the noble girl during her conversation with their leader, grabbed her by the arms, forcing Ingela to drop her dagger. As the rebels picked up the nobel girl Ingela began to kick her legs and flail wildly in an attempt to escape their grasp. “I thought you nobles had tougher skin than that,” the Soulund woman said as she walked over to Ingela and flicked her on the nose, “But I guess not, it doesn’t matter anyway now that you’re here and presumably heard our plan for the Wiseraven festival we will not let you leave.” Ingela’s anger temporarily vanished at this statement, fear taking its place. “What are you going to do? Kill me?” She asked meekly.

“Oh no! of course not!” The Soulund woman said, “We’re not monsters.” She lifted Ingela’s head by her chin, looked her dead in the eyes and said in a sweet voice like that of a mother to her child, “We will just lock you up in one of the private mausoleums here in these catacombs and leave you here to die, either of starvation, thirst, or exposure whatever gets you first.” As soon as she finished talking the woman whistled at her followers and wordlessly, they began to drag a now panicking Ingela further into the darkness of the catacombs, “Wait!... no!... please!” The noble girl screamed at the rebels as she attempted to struggle out of their grasp begging to not be locked away to die, but they didn’t listen. Finally, they reached a mausoleum room and without a thought the rebels threw her inside, shutting the room’s steel door behind them, casting Ingela into complete darkness.

“No! No!” Ingela said, pounding on the cold steel door, fear and dread completely replacing the anger in her heart. “I can’t die here please!”, the noble girl cried, “I was just fulfilling my father's orders, and defending his honor.” Tears began to fall from her face as she fell to the ground in despair. She laid on the ground for several minutes crying her eyes out, wishing she hadn’t listened to her father to spy on these rebels, hadn’t attempted to protect his honor from that damned Soulund woman, and above all she wished that the informant had never alerted her and her father to the existence of this damned rebel cell. After several endless minutes of weeping Ingela remembered something one of her tutors taught her about these catacombs that might allow her to escape, and slowly began to stand up. While her eyes, still red and puffy from crying couldn’t see into the deep darkness of the room she began to search the walls with her fingers, running them across each and every brick looking for what is called the channel of the living, a duct that was designed to allow the spirit of the Dragon Rider buried here to move on to the afterlife.

“Come on come on please be here...please.” The desperate noble girl begged under her breath, “By the Sentinels please be here, I can’t die here.” but she couldn’t find anything but cold stone and cobwebs until she felt an uneven seam in the wall, the channel of the living. But no matter how hard she pushed on the bricks blocking the duct to the outside world and she suddenly realized why. These rebels, after taking control of these catacombs as their hideout had decided to use the personal mausoleums as prison cells and, to make sure their prisoners didn’t escape, they had jammed it with rough, uneven stones. “No…no…” Ingela said, tears beginning to well up again in her eyes as she lowered herself to the floor and began to lay on the ground in the fetal position. Soon the waterworks started, and they didn’t stop. She now knew she couldn’t escape and would soon die here.

Her regrets resumed flooding into her brain, including her wishes that things could’ve ended up differently, including that she could see her family again, and so many others, all the while she just cried. After what felt like hours though something happened the grief stricken noble did not expect, the door to her makeshift cell was opened and by whom she didn’t know. “Who’s there?", she asked nervously, not sure if this was a prank one of the rebels was pulling on her. But there was no response, so cautiously she stood up and slowly made her way to it. As she finally reached it she noticed a light coming from right next to the door. “Please show yourself,” the uneasy girl asked shakily. She was shocked when suddenly met with a face familiar to her stuck out into the doorway. “Aetheldred? What are you doing here? How are you here?” she asked weakly. Aetheldred smiled as he moved his whole body into the doorway, revealing that he was wearing the cloak the unsure rebel was. “I was the informant who told your father about this rebel cell,” The boy whispered a reassuring smile appearing across his freckled face, “The rebels just left for a mission, so I have time to get you out of here!”

“Really?!” the girl questioned unsure whether she should trust her friend moving closer to the fake rebel boy. “Yes, come on!” the boy said, reaching out his hand for her which she quickly grabbed and was pulled from the mausoleum chamber. As she looked around the now illuminated hallway, looking for any of the other rebels, but instead of finding any of her enemies all she saw was the torch Aetheldred used to illuminate the corridor. Now sure she could trust her friend Ingela began to walk in the direction she believed the catacombs central chamber was in but before she even made a step Ingela was stopped by Aetheldred. “What is it?” she asked nervously, without talking the freckles boy turned her around to face him revealing the dagger she had dropped in her confrontation with the other rebels. “I think you’ll need this.” he said with a gentle smile across his face.

Ingela wordlessly grabbed the blade, a silent look of gratefulness appearing across her face. “Thank you,” she muttered at the purple haired boy, who raised his hand at that statement and said, “No need, now let’s get out of this dank place.” Ingela nodded at this and sheathed the blade on her belt. The two immediately began to race off towards one of the exits of the catacombs, Aetheldred leading the way while Ingela followed behind him, the only light that guided them being the torch that Aetheldred held in his grasp. As they walked Ingela asked Aetheldred, “So if you are the informant, why did my father send me here to spy in this cell? You easily could have done the job.” The freckled boy stopped, sighed, and ran his fingers through his purple hair, “Well, you see your father doesn’t know I’m the informant, he just thinks I’m a random rebel who got cold feet and decided to betray my comrades.”

“Why? Who sent you here Aetheldred?” The boy didn’t answer this, a look of unease in his eyes, showing that while he wanted to answer her, he couldn’t. “What’s wrong?” Ingela asked gently, “Please tell me what caused you to join a rebellion I know doesn’t follow your ideals.” Aetheldred shook his head sorrowfully at her request, “I just can’t, those who hired me would have me killed if I told you, I’m sorry.” Ingela looked down at the ground annoyed at her friend’s refusal to give an answer, before suddenly having to stop walking forward as Aetheldred had stopped moving in front of her. “What is it?” she inquired, “Is something wron….?” “Shh!” Aetheldred whispered sternly, “I hear voices.” He extinguished the torch he held in his hands plunging them into complete darkness and moved over to the wall pulling Ingela after him, both drawing out their weapons as they reached the wall.

After a few moments of silence Ingela soon heard the same voices Aetheldred had, one was that of the soulund woman, while another was that of the bearded man who had caught her. “Great,” Ingela whispered under her breath in complete disbelief of the situation she was now in. “Any ideas of how to get out of this?” “I might,” Aetheldred said with a hint of unease in his voice as he readjusted his grip on the dagger he held. The steps of the two rebels soon began to approach them, both teenagers’ nervousness began to grow as they did so. As the rebel leaders neared time itself began to stand still in the dark dank corridor, Ingela hearing each and every step the two rebels made as they did so until finally from behind a wall they appeared.

Before either of the rebels could even process what was happening Aetheldred attacked. Throwing one, the soulunder woman down to the ground, as she yelped in surprise. The bearded man unsheathed his sword and yelled out to Aetheldred, “How dare you...you traitor!” Before he could attack the boy Ingela ran towards him and attempted to stab him in the back with her dagger but failed as he quickly turned around and blocked her blade with his, deflecting Ingelas’ attack. “You’re the traitor!” She cried at the bearded man, as she attempted to slash at him again this time ending up in a blade lock with him. “How dare you!” the bearded man said, venom in his voice, “I never betrayed anyone stupid child.” He disengaged from the blade lock before swinging his own sword at her, nearly slicing into her. “Oh really?” She asked sarcastically, “then why are you a part of a rebellion?”

A smile appeared from under the bearded man’s cloak, a sweet yet darkly mischievous one, “I’m not like my leader child, I’m not going to tell you my sob story.” He lifted his blade and swung it at her hilt, surprising Ingela by knocking her blade out of her hand, before he then pointed his at her heart, “Now maybe you would like to go back to your cell and accept your fate humbly, or do I have to gut you right here.” Ingela began to panic at his statement as she realized there might not be a way to escape the situation, she was in. “Oh, don’t be like that.” the man said, “Aren’t nobbles meant to die quietly in order to hold their honor I….” Before he could say another word, a slicing and tearing noise was heard followed by the bearded man crumbling to the ground, a deep gash across his back from which a pool of blood was now starting to leak from.

Ingela stared at the bearded man for several moments, unable to look away from him as his life slowly drained out from him. She didn’t know why, this man had just tried to kill her, but looking upon this dying man filled her with sadness as well as making her want to vomit. Before she did however, she felt someone gently grab her chin and move her head bringing her face to face with Aetheldred. “Are you okay Ingela?” Aetheldred asked, looking right into her blue eyes. “No!” she said, tears beginning to well up in her eyes, “I know he was trying to kill me and was a traitor to our empire and all…but i…it’s still terrible to see him die.” Aetheldred grabbed one of Ingelas hands sympathetically, “You’ve never seen anyone die before, have you?” Ingela didn’t say anything but shook her head in the negative.

Aetheldred sighed sadly with a look of distant sorrow in his eyes, “I understand that I felt the same way when I first saw someone slain in front of me, if you witness enough of it, you’ll get used to it.” “I don’t want to get used to it!” Ingela said sternly, “Violence like this is disgusting, and I don’t want anything to do with it especially once I’m Hlaf-dige” Aetheldred looked down at the ground sorrowfully at her statement, “If only that were possible…” “Don’t,” Ingela interrupted him, “just don’t!” A tear started to flow down her check, the stress of her experiences in the catacombs finally getting to her. Aetheldred nodded not saying another word but instead began to lead her out of the catacombs once more, grabbing the still lit torch the rebels were using to guide them through that catacombs as they began to walk away.

As the two teenagers vanished into the distance the soulunder woman who had been knocked out began to stir, clutching her head. “What the hell just happened?” She asked weakly, before attempting to stand up. As she did the woman shook uneasily, “Leofgeat do you know who hit me….?” The Soulunder woman asked the bearded man before seeing him in a pile on the ground with a puddle of blood surrounding him. “No!” She cried running over to her friend’s corpse, “Please no! I can’t lose you too!” Tears started to run down her face as she held the bearded man’s limp body. “Who? Who did this?” the soulunder woman asked before spying Ingela’s dagger still on the ground. She crawled over to the blade and picked it up, “That damned noble girl!” her fist clenched around the hilt of the blade, “You killed the last person important to me! Your father murdered my family, and you murdered my best friend!” She buried her head into her hands, tears flowing from her eyes, before screaming at the top of her lungs, “You’ve taken everything from me, and I promise I will do the same to you! I promise you, Ingela, daughter of Euric, I will not rest until every last person you ever cared about is dead, you hear me!”

Ingela griped Aetheldreds hand even tighter when she heard the soulunder woman’s statement, fear over what she might try and do to her family and friends filling her soul. “It’s okay,” Aetheldred said gently, “She won’t be able to even touch your family, I promise to even keep them safe myself.” “But what about you?” Ingela asked meekly, looking at the ground distraught at the situation. “What about me?” He asked slightly confused. “You’re my best friend Aetheldred, if she goes after those who mean a lot to me, she will definitely try to kill you.” Aetheldred caressed her hand reassuringly, “you don’t have to worry about me, if I’ve been able to survive several battles, against all odds I’m able to survive one crazed woman.” Before Ingela could refute his response the two teenagers reached a surprisingly ornate staircase. “Where are we going? I didn’t go down his staircase to get in here?” “That’s because we’re not going the way you went, we’re going through the exit that leads into the center of Drakenton, back to DrakenKaiser castle where you’ll be safe.” The two began to make their way up the staircase as Aetheldred talked, and when they reached the top Ingela became relieved as she finally saw the grand doors of the catacombs.

The fresh night air felt so refreshing to Ingela the moment it hit her nostrils. This, combined with the rhythmic clanking of her heels on the cobbled streets of the thankfully peaceful city, slowly began to calm her stress, at least momentarily. After a few moments of serene silence during which the two teenagers made their way down one of Drakenton’s narrow streets, bordered by multi story wooden houses and stores, Ingela decided to continue the conversation they had starred in the catacombs. “You know a battle where soldiers are attempting to kill each other is different than a single person trying to kill someone, we don’t even know if she’ll be the one to try and hunt those I care about down. She might hire one of the assassin guilds to do it for all we know.” Immense fear was obvious in Ingela’s voice and Aetheldred felt immense sadness at making his closest friend feel so nervous about his wellbeing.

“You can’t worry about these things too much Ingela,” The boy said, attempting to calm down the scared girl, “People in this world will always try to declare that they will have their revenge on you if you destroy something important to them, yet they are never actually able to actually do it at least usually.” “That’s a naive thought, Aetheldred, if people are driven enough, they will keep trying until either they reach their goal or they die. You are an example of that yourself!” Aetheldred became quiet at that statement not knowing how to answer that, both fell silent while continuing to walk next to each other, slowly making their way across the city, their only guide being the dim light of the moon. The two wandered around the city quietly slowly making their way towards the true center of the city, where all the nobles who will be attending the Wiseraven festival were currently staying.

Before reaching the city center Ingela stopped in front of a bench, Aetheldred stopped next to her before asking, “What’s up?” “Sit!” Ingela ordered. “Why?”Aetheldred asked, confused at her order. “I want to talk to you for a little while so let’s sit down here at the bench.” Ingrea said a hint of irritation in her voice. “But we could just walk and…” before Aetheldred could say another word he was forced to sit down on the bench by Ingela, who quickly sat next to him. “Alright then, I guess we can stay here for a little while,” Aetheldred said flustered at what Ingela did, “What do you want to talk about?” “Why are you so sure that woman won’t be able to kill you? One lucky shot and….” Ingela asked before Aetheldred interrupted her. “Ingela, tomorrow I’m going to become a Dragon Rider, an unskilled person like that rebel leader won’t be able to kill me.” “Can you promise me that?” Ingela asked, turning to face her friend, “If you can please look me in the eyes and say it.” “I promise Ingela,” Aetheldred said looking right into her blue eyes, “I promise I’ll be safe from that rebel woman.”

“Thank you Aetheldred,” Ingela said with a weak smile across her face, “I just can’t bear losing you.” Aetheldred nodded and slowly looked away from his friend, staring up into the night sky, observing the spectacular sea of stars overhead, “I can’t bear losing you either…” Ingela wrapped her friend in a hug, squeezing him tightly. Aetheldred, after his shock at Ingela hugging him, decided to just stop talking and wrapped his own arms around her. The two silently sat on the bench, holding each other, enjoying their company, and watching the beautiful stars of the night sky. “I’ll keep you to that promise Aetheldred,” Ingela whispered, holding him tighter. “I’m sure you will,” he said in return, a soft smile appearing across his lips.

Ingela and Aetheldred's journey to the city center finally ended when they reached the closed inner gate of DrakenKaiser castle, as they reached the gate an exhausted guard appeared from a guard house behind it wearing a faded set of armor with gold detailing on it. “What is your business coming here at this hour?” Ingela unhooked a pendant that was holding her cloak together and showed it to the guard, who noticed the symbol on it. “Ingela Hlaf-weard Eruic’s daughter! Oh I’m so sorry for not realizing it was you immediately…. I’ll let you right in.” The guard ran inside the guard house and a few seconds later the metal gate began to open... When the gate finally finished ascending the two teenagers began to walk through it, but Aetheldred stopped before he was fully through it.

“What’s wrong?” Ingela asked, turning around to face Aetheldred. “I’m not a noble just a simple squire. I am not allowed to enter this castle unless specifically invited by the Kaiser himself.” Ingela sighed at her friend’s statement but didn’t argue with him, instead she walked over towards her friend and wrapped him in a hug. ” Well then, I guess I should say goodbye,” She let go of him a few seconds later and looked awkwardly down at the ground before nervously stuttering, “I know you’re going to be going anyway but do you want to accompany me to the Wiseraven festival tomorrow?” Aetheldred smiled widely, “Of course Ingela. I wouldn’t miss a chance to spend time with you.” Ingela looked up at him with a large smile across her face.

“Thanks, Aetheldred!” she exclaimed happily, “I’ll meet you tomorrow after the Dragon Rider ceremony is done if that’s okay with you…of course.” “I look forward to it,” Aetheldred said, smirking. Ingela slowly turned around and slowly began to make her way towards the grand entrance of the castle’s keep but before she entered, she turned around and yelled out to her friend,” see you tomorrow Aetheldred and thanks for keeping me safe!” Aetheldred’s cheeks turned bright red in embarrassment at her exclamation. “Y…yeah o... of course g…good night,” He muttered awkwardly before turning back towards the castle’s outer gate and began to walk away. Something that Ingela with a huge smile across her face did as well, turning towards the keeps great wooden doors and pushing them open and disappearing into the darkness behind them after which they shut loudly. After they closed, a thought passed through Ingela’s mind, a thought that made her very nervous, *By the Sentinels how on Earth am I going to explain tonight’s events to my father*

Aetheldred walked towards the city of Drakentons central marketplace, his purple cloak drawn up so no one could see who he was. Compared to the quiet nighttime walk he and Ingela shared on the streets that led to the Kaiser’s castle, the streets that he was currently walking on were surprisingly busy. The boy passed numerous unsavory characters as he walked to the destination he was headed towards, each of which disgusted him. Finally, after several moments of walking through the city’s dark streets Aetheldred finally reached his destination, a tavern/ inn called Hollard's corner.

He entered the busy tavern and was met by a jubilant crowd of people each enjoying their time drinking and partying at the tavern. Some of the revelers were sitting at the assortment of tables spread out across the room eating and drinking their fill of the goods sold at the establishment, others were dancing at a makeshift dance floor in the middle if the room, with music provided by a flute and lyre player at the corner of said floor. Aetheldred smiled at the sight of so many people celebrating without a care in their mind besides how they will enjoy their evening. He walked over towards an open stool at the bar and sat down soon being met by the bartender.

“What will it be, little man?” The bartender asked, spying a glimpse of Aethelred's face under his hood. “The late-night special please,” The boy requested awkwardly, he hated people seeing his face when he was on a mission, especially ones he wasn’t sanctioned to go on by his Hlaf-weard. *The sooner this meeting commences the better, * Aetheldred thought to himself as he sat on his bar stool zoning out into the distance, *I always hate this part of the mission. * His hope that this meeting would begin soon was answered when, while paying the bartender for his meal and drink he was taped on the shoulder by someone. “I’m surprised you completed your mission so soon Aetheldred,” The voice who said this was very calm and quiet, it was a shock Aetheldred could even hear him. “Well…” Aetheldred said, handing 2 silver and 3 gold coins to the bartender, while the bartender handed him his food, “Plans changed.”

“Oh!” The voice said, its source moving next to him and sitting down at the neighboring stool revealing a short stout man wearing a light brown cloak,” How so?” The boy became silent at this figure’s inquiry and looked away from him unsure how to answer, “It’s complicated.” “Well,” the figure said, turning to face the boy, “We have all night to explain what happened.” “The mission was compromised, by something I had no control over,” The boy began to eat some of the bread that came with his food. “What was it?” The man asked. “Remember how you told me to tell Hlaf-werd Euric about what the rebel cell I had been assigned to infiltrate had planned for the Wiseraven festival?” Aetheldred asked.

“Of course, I told you to warn him so he and his daughter wouldn’t attend the festival’s closing ceremony,” the man said, signaling to the bartender that he wanted the same meal Aetheldred had, “Did the man react in a way my master didn’t expect?” Aetheldred nodded before taking a long drink and staring off into the distance, “He decided to confirm this information for himself.” ” So he sent a lowly spy, who got captured and you rescuing them made you break your cover, "The man sighed, "You shouldn’t worry about the lives of those worthless…..” “He didn’t send a spy!” Aetheldred said flatly. After few seconds spent processing what Aetheldred just told him short man busted out laughing, “Wait so are you telling me you had to save the Hlaf-werd of Norlund himself from the wrath of those rebels, that’s the most hilarious thing I’ve ever…” “It wasn’t the Hlaf-werd who I had to save from the rebels either, “Aetheldred said with a hint of irritation in his voice. “Then who?” the man asked as he simultaneously received his own meal from the bartender. “His daughter,” Aetheldred muttered. “You're kidding…” the man said with a look of shock and anger across his face, “the coward risked his own daughter’s as well as his last surviving heir’s life just so he could confirm some information he must have already known was true.”

Yeah “,” Aetheldred said Awkwardly, “I mean I understand why he didn’t send himself; I mean his life is extremely important. But what I don’t understand is why send his daughter? I mean her life is just as if not even more important than his, she’s literally his only heir.” “Maybe he just doesn’t care for her and would rather see her dead…wouldn’t be the first time you know….” Aetheldred could hardly believe what he was hearing from this man and slammed his fist down in annoyance interrupting what the short man said, “That’s not something he would do! I just can’t…no I won’t believe that he would try to kill his own daughter.” “Why? "The man asked, questioning why the boy believed the Hlaf-werd wouldn’t be so harsh. “Because Ingela is the last living reminder of his beloved wife, he wouldn’t just throw her away like that. That’s why.”

The man shrugged, ”I guess you have a point, and even though your part in my master’s plan for the Wiseraven festival was compromised the girl is still safe, right?” Aetheldred nodded, “I delivered her safely back to the DrakenKaiser castle where her family is staying for the festival right before I made my way here.” “Good,” The short man said sharply,”Both she and her father are deeply important to my master’s future plans.” “Which are?” Aetheldred asked, “You’ve never told me.” “You don’t need to know, boy, you’re just a simple pawn in his scheme, that’s all.″ Oh of course,” Aetheldred said sarcastically, not surprised but annoyed at the man’s response, “That’s what everyone’s response is when I ask them that question, I’m working for you, tell me something!” “Fine!…there is one thing I can tell you,” the short man said with a scowl across his face at the boy being so insolent towards his master’s secrecy.

“And what is that,” the boy said sarcastically, deciding that after he was done talking to this man he wouldn’t ever accept another job or mission from this man or his master ever again especially since the last mission almost cost the life of his closest friend. “Don’t fall for that noble girl, boy….” the man growled, “I’ve seen how close you two have become over the years and from the way you talk about her well……just don’t get too close okay! It would really interfere with my master’s plan.” Aetheldred became enraged at this statement and before the man could say another word he stood up and stormed out of the tavern, walking off into the dark streets of Drakenton.