Bab 585: Jonrad's Story (6): The Bloody Labour
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Days have passed since that night in Wayrest, months even. Jonrad and Glymet were still meeting every few days to discuss things and each would go back to his business.
Glymet was still on the contract of Uther Nere, he succeeded in joining the Dark Brotherhood's branch in Wayrest and climbed up the ranks by gaining the trust of its members. The story which he based his reasoning on is that he wishes to find a killer that caused him a lot of pain or whatever, it worked splendidly since the Brotherhood Assassins loved stories of revenge.
On the other hand, Jonrad was in a contract with Princess Roselle Barynia. He may have been a Mercenary but he revealed to her that he is a former Blade Agent, a Knight Commander at that. His high skills were very attractive to a person of power like the Princess and he got assigned to her details right away. At night, he was allowed into the Royal Library in order to research the lost Magic he was looking for and he made great progress in the field yet not that much. Still, he kept using the pretext of researching in order to sneak away with the Princess for different kinds of intimate studies.
Life was almost quiet and calm… almost. Peace wasn't a thing that Jonrad and Glymet were ever used to and one day, the whole thing collapsed.
A Pirate Armada was blocking the waters in front of Wayrest and the Royal Galleons were sunk in an hour.
Screams, fires, panic and chaos. Wayrest descended into madness.
Once the pirate landed, they started killing, looting and kidnapping. The Knights of the Hour were weakened not long ago, the Royal Knights were few, the Nobles were the first to escape but the most shameful of all was the King of Wayrest, King Jelric Barynia.
The King closed off the city walls to the refugees from the suburbs and the nearby towns. He then closed the gates of his castle in the face of civilians.
One of the darkest days has cast its shadow over the ancient city.
***
No one knew why it started but it slowly got under Jonrad's skin. He knew why, he understood the role he played too soon and for that, he decided to do something as fast as possible.
His Sixth Labour was just delivered to him by that old Redguard known as Hafiz and he was grinding his teeth. He knew playing in Boethiah's palm would end up badly but all he thought of was himself. That's why he refused to return to Skyrim, not to get his loved ones get involved in these Labours but he never imagined that he would get the whole damn Kingdom of Wayrest involved.
"I must do something." That's all he could think of.
People like Jonrad were mostly reliant on their ability but against odds that they can't change, an army for example, things would never go their way. The moment he stepped out of his residence to help defend the city and its people was the minute where he felt truly lost.
Where to begin? How to deal with this?
If he kept running around killing every pirate he comes across without getting overwhelmed with numbers, he may actually finish off the entire armada with his skill but that's just wishful thinking. He calmed down and thought about what's more important to him.
Princess Roselle and Glymet.
Glymet is more than capable of taking care of himself, more to it, that bastard can even predict and foresee patterns of the future, he won't be in any trouble. The Princess, on the other hand, is going to need all the help she can get especially when she has a large target on her back.
The Princess is a sure target for the Pirates and the Royal Family is holed up in their castle ordering their soldiers to shoot at anything that moves near their palace. However, Jonrad knew of a secret way that the Princess revealed to him in the library.
He sped towards the palace and took the road from the garden to a hidden tunnel near a fountain. There, he came across a servant he's familiar with.
"Sidd." Jonrad called.
"M- Master Jonrad. I bid you welcome." The neatly dressed highly sophisticated middle-aged servant spoke as he bowed.
"What on Nirn are you doing outside the Palace? Oblivion is breaking loose in the city." Jonrad asked.
"I am sorry, Master Jonrad. I truly am." The servant said with an apologetic tone and turned his face away.
*Swoosh*
And in an instant, a sharp projectile broke the air at a terrifying speed towards Jonrad's head. Being the man he is, Jonrad moved like a sabercat and avoided the projectile then in the following second he evaded two more projectiles and started running towards the sources of these bolts.
The first was an assassin hidden in a tree holding a crossbow. The poor man didn't last one exchange before getting his head flying off its base by Jonrad's accurate swordplay.
The next two assassins tried to take distance but Jonrad closed on one of them and completely dispatched her by cutting her from the shoulder to the waist. Not even in the mood to chase off the third Assassin, Jonrad cast a [Fireball] and turned the Assassin to crisp.
All who remained were the servant and naturally, a coward like him would spill out the identity of who ordered a hit on him.
"I don't know… I don't know anything." The man waved his hands as he took a few steps away.
"I am not interested in what you don't know." Jonrad crouched in front of the begging servant, "I am interested in what you know."
"No… I don't…" The servant tried to deny.
"Shush! Quiet." Jonrad shushed him then took out a liquor flask from his pocket, "I am going to share something with you. Something personal."
He opened the flask and smelled its liquor.
"Colovian Wine, year 134's pick. Not something cheap." Jonrad said as he handed it to the servant, "You understand me, right?"
The old man shivered from how calm and collected Jonrad seemed like the city behind him burned. He knew there is no way out and the man in front of him is not someone that should have been messed with. He took the flask and drank a big sip before handing it back to Jonrad.
"Who ordered the hit?" Jonrad asked.
"His Grace… King Jelric." The servant said.
"Why?"
"You… you are dangerous. The Princess relies on you. It will… cause problems." The servant calmed down gradually saying so.
"And where is the Princess?"
"She's… She's at Ray Square… securing reinforcement for the defenders."
"I see. So the King is working against the Princess, his daughter. Roselle didn't mention any of this." Jonrad thought, "Anything else you like to share?"
The servant shivered again knowing that his moment arrived.
"Just… kill the bastard. Make it hurt." He said in a last act of courage.
*Slash*
And the servant's head rolled down.
***
"Hmmm!" (Jon)
"What's wrong?" (Jonrad)
"Nothing. Imma just write that last part down." (Jon)
***
Understanding that there is even a fracture between the King and the Princess, Jonrad soon started to have an image of what's happening.
He knew the Princess quite well and he was sure that despite how lavish and cunning she is, her heart belongs to Wayrest and its people of all classes. The King was someone who ruled by dividing his people against each other thus breaking the strength of his nation apart in order to beat his political rivals.
It is strange to imagine that the Princess and the King are a father and daughter but that's the case either way and despite all, they cared for each other.
No matter the situation, Jonrad rushed to where the Princess was to offer help.
***
Earlier this week, Glymet received a hit order from the Dark Brotherhood. As an elite member, this was one of the most difficult hits ever issued to this branch. Naturally, it was handed to him.
The trust he accumulated among the assassins in this sanctuary was at an all-time high and he managed to gain access to many details and knowledge about the other sanctuaries but never the identity or the location of the Listener. This contract in particular would allow him to rise up as high as a Nail to the Black Hand, meaning he would work as a special agent to one of the five ruling figures of the Dark Brotherhood.
Whoever his target is, it had to die tonight yet for Corsairs to invade now of all times!
The Target was King Jelric Barynia and it had to be done as fast as possible in order to escape Wayrest. Also, Jonrad has access to the palace so that will surely come in handy.
The plan deviated a little bit when Glymet arrived at the city gate and found it being assaulted by Pirates. On top of it, the guards were blocking not only the raiders but also the helpless refugees.
A fight broke out and Glymet held the gate until the citizens closed it then went in looking for Jonrad. Knowing that his friend hangs most of the time with the Princess, he headed towards the Palace and there he found Jonrad escorting the Princess around.
"We can't let my father cower in his Throne Room more than that. Everything is falling apart and all he cares about is plotting to murder my friends. What is he thinking?" Roselle walked ahead of Jonrad.
"What you did in the Plaza just now was brave enough. Freeing the political prisoner surely rallied a lot of resistance and granting freedom to the criminal who wishes to fight is truly going to make a difference. Still, the King is the only one who can ruin our efforts." Jonrad complained.
"It saddens me but father no longer fits his throne. The main reason why the people and the nobles are divided is because of him."
"Still, today you took an admirable step princess. No one realized that the prison which was packed with nobles and common folk alike to be the solution to this mess. They are already fighting the pirates but all they need is a defined and present leadership and you showed them that."
"Thank you, Jonrad."
Glymet almost puked of how intimate Jonrad and the Princess were talking to each other but as they were all on their own in the way, he decided to show himself.
"And who in the name of Dagon are you?" The Princess turned at the man who walked out of the garden trees raising her staff at him.
"Jonrad." He spoke.
"Glymet." Jonrad nodded to him causing the Princess to aim away her staff while Jonrad explained, "This is the friend I spoke about, the one that is good at infiltrating."
"I heard much about you." The Princess said, "Jonrad said you are a war hero, I hope you lend us your skill."
"Yes but… Jonrad, Princess, the palace was overtaken by Pirates." Glymet informed them about the result of scouting the palace.
"No way!" The Princess was shocked.
"It makes sense now." On the other hand, Jonrad was thinking of something else entirely, "Why exactly are you here, Glymet?"
"I have been hired by someone to come here." Glymet didn't reveal that he has a hit order on the King but said it in a way that only Jonrad would understand.
"It seems that we have the same goal." Jonrad nodded.
The King tried to kill him earlier and there is no reason to let him off. Also, Jonrad's Sixth Labour was to kill the King. If not for his relationship with the Princess, he would have done it a week ago. Sadly, time has run out.
"I smell the blood in your words."
Yet who were they trying to keep in the dark? The Princess could tell that the two men were in the psyche of killing and that meant her plans to peacefully force her father to abdicate are no longer an option.
"Princess, I for once am willing to negotiate with the King first." Glymet said.
"I know the King is not the one to choose peaceful options but I will follow your plan." Jonrad said.
"I understand."
The Princess smiled but she had to agree with Jonrad. Forcing the King doesn't mean killing him and now that he's in the hands of the Pirates, his position is very weak.
But she knew how it was going to end.
A Regicide… a Patricide… the Reign of Queen Roselle Barynia had to start bloody.
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