Bab 583: Jonrad's Story (4)
A/N: Guess who's back? Back again?
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It wasn't until an hour after the escape when Jonrad and the Lady he rescued arrived at an isolated street deep in Wayrest's slums. Noble and respectful as she may seem, the lady had an exceptional knowledge of Wayrest's dark side and even some of the passers-by covertly recognized her making Jonrad feel that he is walking into some sort of a plot.
"I thank you a lot, noble sir. I promise you that for saving my life, you will be compensated handsomely." She spoke as she reached the edge of a courtyard isolated by higher buildings.
Jonrad wanted to reply but he could notice several auras hiding all over the place, no one ordinary either. These auras were ones of the best one can ever encounter in this part of the world and in other words, Knights.
"I see." Jonrad nodded, "Did I get myself involved in some sort of gang war or street violence or something of the sort."
Jonrad's question masked his understanding making it seem as if he noticed the people nearby but not that well. It caused the lady to show a hint of surprise.
"I apologize dearly, good sir." The Lady said as she signaled for those who were hiding to drop their attitude, "My absence has its effects on certain circles in this city, saving me was one thing but keeping me alive is another. If you can be persuaded to work for me… with me, I can make it worth your while."
The Lady gave Jonrad an employment offer but before he even replies, all the people hiding in the background started rushing out.
"My lady, you can't!"
"He's an outsider, he can be a spy."
"Please, think this matter through."
The reaction from those men was exactly what Jonrad expected, loyalty and servitude. Befitting qualities of Knights. On the other hand, the Lady looked at them with a stern gaze.
"I am sure none of you knew where I was earlier, am I right?" She spoke in anger, "Have any of you realized that I was taken captive a few hours ago?"
"…"
The Knights went pale from the thought. They indeed didn't spot her usual escort but they didn't think that their peers would miserably fail at their job to the point where a random mercenary drops by their Lady and saves her on his way. The idea itself was suffocating their brains.
"More to it, you wouldn't even have the ability to get me out of that hell hole." She said and turned to Jonrad, "I may be clueless with some mundanes but I know an elite fighter when I see one, I hope your services aren't out of my reach."
Jonrad shrugged his shoulders.
"Honestly, I am on a job with my partner and it led me to you by following a wrong lead. I am not sure though… what's in it for me?" Jonrad asked.
"Each man has a goal, a dream of some sort. Whatever it is, don't shy out. Gold I can offer, information, knowledge, power…"
"Knowledge!"
Jonrad quickly took his pick without even thinking.
"That can be arranged." She said, "Will the Royal Library suffice your requirements?"
"My Lady…" "Wait!"
The Lady spoke and the Knights around her almost wanted to jump and gag her right on the spot.
"The Royal Library… of Wayrest?" Even Jonrad had to reaffirm what she heard.
"Pretty much so. That's the best I can offer if you…"
"Deal."
The Lady was taken aback but seeing Jonrad this cooperative, she didn't even argue about his motive. Each of them has something the other desires and in times like these, the knowledge of the Royal Library is but a cheap price.
This was how the Exiled Knight Jonrad met the Capable Ruler of Wayrest, Princess Roselle Barynia.
***
Later that evening, Princess Roselle informed Jonrad about the details of her problems and how she ended up a captive in a place overrun by monsters.
"So you are saying that two noblemen ambushed your escort and took you as a captive in the Dreughside while one of them was killed by a Dreugh and the other used his corpse to mask the assault?" He asked.
"That's pretty much all to it." She confirmed.
"And now your father, the King, was going to be blackmailed by the traitors and you want to bring them to justice?" He asked again.
"That's what I said." She confirmed one more time.
"Then why are you so dressed up and going to a party all of a sudden?" Jonrad looked at the obviously extravagant dress the princess is wearing.
"A Gala, not just a party. It is customary to dress up as if the world depends on how you dress and make them haters grind their teeth." The Princess replied.
***
"That's exactly what She (He) would say." (Jon & Alina pointing at each other)
"Oh honey! (darling!)" (Jon & Alina again)
"… Moving on…" (Jonrad)
***
And it all happened so fast. To prepare for the gala, some male and female knights dressed in as guests as it seemed they have "liberated" some invitations for themselves and as the ace in the hold, Jonrad agreed to be infiltrating with the arrest team.
This was a simple job and one he's used to; infiltrate, search, disable and capture. As long as it gives him access to the Royal Library, Jonrad didn't mind bailing out on Glymet and Uther Nere's job.
Speaking of which, Glymet took the Assassination Contract on Markam Hawksmire, Head of the Knights Order of the Hour in Wayrest. In such a critical job, Glymet would require the assistance of Jonrad who seems to not have returned from his own part of the investigation.
He had to do something without Jonrad this time to at least pin down the location of Head Knight Markam so he headed to gather intel on him.
The Order of the Hour is a religious knighthood order that falls under the authority of the Temple of Akatosh and acts as the enforcers of the will of Akatosh and the protectors of his grounds.
The priests were normally cooperative and can be considered a good source of information thus if Glymet acted as a messenger, he'd be guided right to his target.
The problem was…
"Good day, brother in Akatosh."
"I bid you welcome, brother. How can I help you?"
"I have a delivery for one of the Knights, his hands only. Let's see… his name is Markam, I guess… Markam Hawksmire."
"TO ARMS!"
Without any pleasantries, the priests turned hostile and started all their eyes turned red at the mention of this name.
"It seems that guy really pissed you off." Glymet backed away instantly.
"Brother Markam warned us that someone might come for him. Submit to the will of Akatosh!" The Priest shouted in anger raising his staff towards Glymet.
"Oh right… I'm sorry then."
Glymet threw a small flask on the ground and covered himself with his cloak. He then put his cloak around his face and…
*Smoke*
A sudden burst of grey smoke filled the temple all of a damn sudden and the priests started coughing and sneezing. By the time it cleared, Glymet was already two blocks away.
After arriving at a safe place, he realized that the assassin that willfully handed him the contract seemed to have failed a few times to the point his presence was already known. Too much for the element of surprise.
Back to Jonrad.
Infiltrating the Gala proved to be easier as it seemed that the host was celebrating something rather big. Many nobles were gathered and many servants and escorts creating endless opportunities for distractions. Princess Roselle herself was acting very naturally as if she was used to this sort of party.
She was disguised as a noblewoman, of course, and one of her knights was acting as her escort. Meanwhile, Jonrad slipped under the radar with the male prostitutes.
***
"Please, elaborate on what you were wearing!" (Jon)
"Tight leather pants!" (Jonrad)
"…" (Jon joins his robe nervously)
***
The inside was a well-guarded manor with plenty of important and powerful figures alike. Jonrad wasn't the type to get distracted easily but those bored rich nobles of High Rock had their desires fulfilled in some illustrious if not sickly illustrious ways.
Easily and nimbly, Jonrad strayed from the patch of people he arrived with and took cover in some trees then started counting the guards and understanding their equipment and training. He made quick mental notes of all of that and moved on inside the mansion to get into contact with some of the princess's people.
"How do I look?" Strange enough, a woman approached him first and checked her looks in front of him.
"Oh… it is nice, now if you excuse me… wait!" Jonrad was about to bypass her but he suddenly had to halt and look again, "Prin… ehem?"
She looked at him with weird eyes.
"Yes? That's me. You don't recognize me?" Princess Roselle replied.
"I am sorry… I mean… where are your escorts? And…"
"This is no place for escorts. The only reason you are here as a prostitute is to support me from inside." She said with blaming eyes behind her mask as if she was amazed he missed that part of the plan.
Truth be told, Jonrad only didn't imagine it would be a full-on sex masquerade which made him lag to follow up.
"Then… Why are you having wardrobe malfunctions all over the place?" He asked.
Looking at the princess's dress, it was very chaste when she appeared with it and now it is missing its sleeves, its cleavage is open way under her chest, the skirt seemed to have turned from the full one to slim dress style open from above her hip to show her right leg fully… and many other places were also exposed.
"This dress is made for those kinds of parties. The Gala outside is just a cover, this is the true fun spot." She explained, "I thought you were aware of such things. Even your leather pants open from two different spots."
"Holy shit!"
Jonrad didn't mind his upper part exposed but from the spots she pointed at, he suddenly became so uncomfortable.
"Either way, how was your part of things?" She asked.
"I spotted a total of 79 guards and knights with decent training. They are armed with sabers and blend in quite naturally. I managed to recognize a few Mercenaries and Mages in the lot but… I don't like how they are organized." Jonrad said.
"How so?" Roselle asked.
"The way they are organized is… to watch for the people in."
"That's their intended purpose."
"No. Aside from that, the main focus of a guard comes from an outside threat or any sudden movement… it is like they are acting as if they are prison guards."
"That doesn't make any sense."
Jonrad insights on the guards' locations made Princess Roselle frown.
"There's more." He said, "In the northwestern part of the premises, there is a void in the guards."
"Can we use it to escape?"
"No! I don't think this kind of void is one you use to escape." Jonrad denied, "This is like a hole in a fort to breach it from."
The situation became weirder all of a sudden. Jonrad didn't have much understanding of Wayrest's political scene but the princess soon connected all the strings together.
"This is the rich part of the city, the northwest only leads to the docks." She said.
"What's in the docks?" He asked.
"Tonight… of all nights… the Knights of the Order of the Hour are gathering at the docks. Head Knight Markam Hawksmire led his knights under the pretext of inspecting some ships for stolen artifacts sacred to Akatosh."
"But if there's an attachment of knights that large close to this inclosed area where most of the aristocrats gather, this place may turn into…"
One word remained as the two realized what's happening.
"A Massacre."
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