Chapter 184: The Great Escape

“Ugh, this is still weird,” Rosalyn grumbled, adjusting the glasses on her nose. “They feel heavy.”

“Wendyl made them to be as lightweight as possible. You’ll get used to them,” Ann comforted the Druid. They were beautifully crafted, with polished wooden frames and wires that held the circular lenses in place. Overall, they made Rosalyn look even more adorable.

“Yeah, well, for now they annoy me. At least I can see the floor and when I’m looking straight again.”

The three of them were sitting on the bed. Unlike every other night, however, they were all fully clothed. Ann had opted for a darker shirt and pants combo, Kat the same, and Rosalyn in her robes. They’d proposed her wearing something else, but the browns and greens were dark enough that she would be inconspicuous as long as she kept her staff dismissed.

Tense energy filled the room. It was tonight. The night they’d make their break from Korvas and set off into the wilderness again. Kat had been pacing for hours, and Ann only got her to stop because it was driving her up a wall. She felt her own instincts and the encouragement of Waheela to run. They needed to be free, to taste the night air and the wind in their fur.

Conversation had turned to random little things while they waited. Kat asked how Rosalyn was doing, if she had everything, how she was feeling about leaving, all the usuals. Rosalyn had described her farewells with Zidane at the Menagerie. Ann was a bit surprised when she’d grown misty eyed when telling her of the goodbye. Apparently, Rosalyn had bonded with her teacher during their lessons far more than even the Druid had known. The kind of bond that was born of kindred spirits working toward a common goal. That and Rosalyn was a little softie.

Ann had told the pair about her visit to the temple, and her own farewells. Kat took it mostly in stride. She grumbled a little when Ann told her what happened with Rowena, but ultimately decided that what was said had been the correct thing to do. They discussed that briefly. Of everyone they’d had their eyes on, Rowena was closest to a thing with them besides Wendyl. Kat still saw her as a simpering thing, too eager to please Ann. Ann agreed, but maintained there might be more in there. It was something they might be able to explore at a later time.

For now, the clock ticked onward, the hands marching on through time. The appointed time finally arrived.

“Alright, remember the plan, girls,” Kat said, all but jumping off the bed. “Can’t talk near anythin’ or I’m busted. Trustin’ ye two wit’ this.”

“We’ve got it,” Ann reassured. “Just get under the cloth and keep quiet.” She cracked a curtain, looking toward the rooftop they’d spotted an Inquisitor before. They were still there. A small bump of darkness barely peeking over the edge. Ann’s eyes, having changed to a wolf’s for better night vision, saw it clearly. “Watcher is still there. Just like we planned. I go out, hold the door for Rosalyn. You come out while she pretends to bumble.”

Ann grabbed what few things she didn’t already smuggle out of the city and gently opened the door.

“Ugh, I need to go on a walk. Too much energy,” she groaned. “C’mon Rosalyn. Kat can spend one night alone.”

“Ye… yes, one sec!” Rosalyn cried as she stood there for a few seconds. Once Kat, under the invisible tent, had made her way out, signalled by tapping one of Ann’s ears, which flicked in annoyance, she exited as well, closing the door behind her. “Ready? Didn’t think we’d be going out so late. Kinda dark.”

“Eh, I can see fine for both of us,” Ann said lazily, taking Rosalyn’s hand. They set off together through the halls. This wouldn’t be the hard part. That was after they got out. Quiet footfalls echoed through the stone corridor as they walked the familiar path. Guards gave them a passing glance, but nothing more. They were welcome. Expected. Ann’s ears still picked up the faint echoes of Kat’s feet against the floor, but no one who wasn’t purposefully listening for her would pick it up. Hopefully they wouldn’t run into any Alfhindur guards on the way.

Ann and Rosalyn had to engage in some level of idle chatter. Walking in cold silence would be suspicious. The conversation turned naturally to Kat, grumbling about her not being allowed out of the palace except under watch, how much this restricted their lives. Getting angry at the Queen for taking away their girlfriend and tank, hindering her mission. It came easily to both of them. Kat nudged Ann at one point, causing the two visible women to giggle.

Eventually, they made it to the gate they’d be using to get out. It wasn’t the main gate, since that’d be further fortified and watched. Plus, them going out the side gate to avoid attention was pretty common at this point.

“Halt. Identify yourselves, please,” the guard called in a tired tone.

“Ann and Rosalyn, going on a walk,” Ann said. They’d all agreed she’d be the one handling any interactions. Rosalyn expressly asked that she not be the one for fear of accidentally giving them away.

“This late?” the guard asked, looking them up and down.

“Yeah. Can’t sleep. Orenous is chattering my ear off and I just need to be moving to think.”

“Can’t imagine what that’s like,” the guard chuckled. “Get away from my husband enough with work I don’t mind his rambling. Him being in my head all day would be maddening.”

“Now think about what Orenous is Goddess of, and you know what my head sounds like most of the time,” Ann sighed. “We good to go?”

“Yeah. Have a good night, Holiness.”

“Annita,” Ann corrected, giving her a wave as they passed through.

Both Ann and Rosalyn held their breath as they waited for Kat to follow. The guard stepped back into place behind them, not bumping into anything. Then something flicked Ann’s ear, and she relaxed.

“So, where to, lambchop?” Ann asked. “I can walk anywhere, but I’m dragging you along.”

“Let’s go out of the city. I’ve been feeling too cramped here,” Rosalyn said as they started walking again.

“Yeah, could do with seeing the sky again,” Ann agreed.

She kept her eyes on the rooftops, watching for anyone following them. The Inquisition wouldn’t be in the palace, but the moment they left, there would be eyes on them. Bren had told them that not everyone would be carrying devices to detect invisibility, but someone would be.

After a few blocks of tenseness, Ann heard a thump. It was quiet. Barely audible even to her ears. Glancing in the direction of the noise, she saw someone standing on the roof, then vanish. She was short, with a red bob of hair and dark skin.

“Remmi’s here,” Ann whispered. “Get ready to get moving.”

They kept their pace, slowly and leisurely walking along. They needed to keep the illusion of normalcy up as long as possible. Passing Wendyl’s shop, they saw lights on, and the Inlon woman in the window, tinkering with something. She gave them a lazy wave, which they returned. All was well on her end, in that case. No suspicion. No one poking too much into her work.

Another thump, and Remmi disappeared again into the darkness. Ann knew the woman had open disdain for being quiet, but she could be incredibly stealthy if she wanted to. Well, stealthy in the ideology of nothing happening if no one was alive to tell of it. She hoped those inquisitors were just knocked out.

“Hey! You over there!” A gruff call followed by the loud clanking of several armoured guards grated Ann’s ears as a patrol marched towards them. They were still far enough away that they might be able to make a break for it.

“What do we do?” Rosalyn whispered in fear.

“Fuck it, too many, hold on,” Ann whispered as she scooped up Rosalyn and bolted. Kat would have to keep up on her own.

They ran hard and fast. Ann was slowed down by carrying Rosalyn, but the guards had all their armour on. This wasn’t the right time for Remmi to make her distraction. She had to hold back from helping.

Ann took corners hard, paws scrabbling against walls as she used them to bank corners into alleyways. Cries of alarm followed her as she ran. The guards calling for them to stop. They couldn’t. Ann ducked into an alley, breaking line of sight, then another. This alley had to be out back of a few shops. Crates, boxes and tarps were everywhere, along with some wooden refuse.

“Camouflage,” Ann hissed to Rosalyn.

The druid summoned her staff for the brief instant it took to cast the spell, then dismissed it. Screwing her eyes shut, she concentrated as Ann held her breath.

Loud footsteps approached the alley.

“They went this way!” one guard, a woman, shouted.

“We lost sight of them. Did anyone get a description?” a male guard asked.

“Vulhardrin, for sure. Saw horns on one and a tail on the other,” another male guard replied.

“Three paths. Check them. Report back to the square once you’re done,” the first male guard, their apparent commander, barked.

With that, the several footsteps branched into different parties. Ann’s ears picked up two coming their way.

“Silence,” Ann whispered to Rosalyn and wherever Kat had wound up.

The guards picked their way down the alley. It was slow going with so much piled up. They poked around with their weapons trying to find them.

Closer.

Closer.

Ann could all but hear the man’s breath as he reached the pile of boxes they were next to. He glanced behind it, scanning where they crouched.

“Don’t think they went this way,” the man grumbled, almost making Ann jump out of her pelt. He turned and picked his way back to his partner. “That tall one would have made too much of a racket to get through here.”

“Probably,” the woman shrugged. “Come on. Hate hanging out in alleys this late at night.”

“We’re guards. It’s our job.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it,” the woman grumbled back. Their bickering faded into the background as they walked away.

Ann and Rosalyn let out heavy sighs as Rosalyn released the spell.

“Too close,” Ann whispered.

Lucia Simourgh

This was all a very risky plan. Hunters on the roofs, guards all around. Too much reliance on others for Lucia’s preference. Bren’s anxiety was seeping through the bond like a swarm of bees, pricking her mind as she tried to remain calm.

“Fine,” she grumbled at the man pacing in his room.

“We won’t know that until later,” Bren said tersely. He’d contracted a word. A sign, she’d learned, that he was off balance or compromised mentally. His brown eyes were nervous, darting around the room as his mind raced like a deer during the hunt.

“Know,” Lucia persisted. “Is time. We go?”

“Yes. That would be best,” Bren nodded. “Hopefully Remmi has enough speed for both groups.”

“Ann confident. Trust.”

“Right. Trust her,” Bren muttered to himself, then strode to the door. “After you,” he said, holding the door open for her. He did that a lot. Little gestures. It was nice of him. Unnecessary, but nice. The little bow he did every time wasn’t bad either. Lucia doubted he even noticed that he was doing that.

She stepped out into the hallway. It was dark. Crystals were tuned lower to help the sensitive residents sleep better. Lucia felt naked without Fillianore. She understood why she couldn’t carry her for this, but it made her hands itch. Idly, she rubbed a tusk to try and give her hands something to do.

“Nervous,” she muttered.

“I am as well.” He didn’t sound it.

“Bad at showing.”

“Well, like I told you earlier, I have had plenty of practice.”

“Still surprised,” Lucia said as they walked. They were going through the main gate. Not having an invisible princess helped.

“What, that I was involved with such rabble?”

“Talk like that? Yes,” Lucia chuckled.

“It was… a struggle to mask my pedigree with their parlance,” Bren sighed. “Please do not ask me to do the voice again.”

“Will.”

“Please?”

“Give what?”

“To make you not press that?”

“Yes.”

"I am not certain. What would you like?"

“Hmm, date.”

“Date?” Bren almost fell over his feet in the middle of the courtyard. Guards stifled laughter. She had won this exchange.

“Date.”

“But… hold that thought,” Bren said. He tried to look normal, but his blush was hilarious.

“Sir Hedera,” the gate guard greeted them. “Lady Simorgh.” She still didn’t like that title. She wasn’t some prissy lady. “Sorry, but you know the drill. How long will you be out? What’s your business in the city? When can we expect your return?”

“A bit strict there, Royce,” Bren said. Seems he knew the guard.

“Listen, my sergeant has been on my ass about sneaking a drink last week. That and the assassination? Gotta keep things to regulations. Can I see your crests?”

They fished out the small wooden disks and handed them over for Royce to inspect. He didn’t do too good of a job. Just a stray glance. Lucia would have chewed him out. Guards like this needed perfection. Maybe this was one of the guards Bren had compromised?

“We’re heading to the Temple district. I need to go through some records in the Qu’Sella temple. Should be a few hours, so don’t wait up for me. I should be back tomorrow.”

“And you, Lady Simorgh?”

“Same. Go with.”

“You chasing this one too, Bren?”

“Feels like she is pursuing me at times,” Bren laughed. The noise was easy, comfortable. It made Lucia’s heart do strange things. Maybe the date would be a bigger deal than she thought. Cursed emotions.

The guard handed their crests back. “Have a good night. Can’t say I envy you, my lady. Sitting around while this bookworm reads.”

“Probably sleep,” Lucia shrugged, flicking a tusk dismissively.

“Then rest well,” the guard waved before returning to his post.

They crossed several streets in silence. Bren made no attempt at conversation. Was he waiting for her to speak? Maybe she’d messed up asking for the date.

“We will be in the wilderness for weeks. Who knows when we can have a date like you would like,” Bren said.

“Patient,” Lucia shrugged. “Will be town.”

“I suppose, however, we do not know the situation of this town. It could be abandoned.”

“Then hunting date,” Lucia suggested.

“Another one?”

It was Lucia’s turn to blush. She hadn’t intended for that to be a date, yet it had turned out like one. It was a fond memory. She had lost this part.

“Yes.”

“I… enjoyed that,” Bren said slowly, “I believe something different may be enjoyable.”

“Like?”

A quiet thump from their left. A strange scent Lucia had been subconsciously tracking faded away.

“Perhaps viewing some ruins? It will give you some ranging to do while I can sate my interest in history.”

“Hm. Agreed,” Lucia nodded.

“Then it is a date,” Bren said with a cocky grin on his face. “Postponed until we find a suitable location, but promised.”

The smell of oil and metal filled her nose just before the clanking of metal boots hit her ears. “Guards.”

“Remain calm,” Bren said. “We are allowed to be out at night.”

“Still suspicious.”

“Relax,” Bren repeated. “Let me speak with them.”

“A good night to you, guardsmen and women!” Bren called.

“A good night to you as well,” came the reply. “What business do you have being on the streets so late? Bad times to be wandering.”

“Headed to the Qu’Sella temple,” Bren explained. “Research to perform, tomes to read.”

“This way? The Temple district is that way,” the guard said, pointing to their right. Lucia smelled suspicion.

“Ah, apologies,” Bren said smoothly. “I got lost in conversation with my companion. Thank you for the correction.”

“Just be on your way and do not dally,” the guard said.

“Let us go, Lucia,” Bren said, grabbing her arm and pulling her off in the direction the guard had pointed.

They walked in tense quiet for a few more minutes. That smell of oil never left her nose. “Following.”

“Blast. How far back?”

“Not sure. Smell, don’t see. Turning suspicious.”

“We need to lose them.”

“Any alleys?”

“No. Not that we would not be inconspicuous in.”

“Detour. Tavern,” Lucia suggested.

“Maybe,” Bren said. “There is one nearby. Follow me.”

With that, the man picked up the pace. They didn’t jog, but increased their pace. Weaving through streets while keeping in their general direction, they came into view of a tavern. A placard with a boar sporting a singular horn in the middle of its head was carved and painted along with the name of the establishment.

“Horny Hog?”

“Do not ask,” Bren sighed, making for the door.

“Sounds like Ann owns.”

“It really does,” Bren chuckled as he pushed open the doors.

They quickly made their way to the bar. It wasn’t very crowded. Not enough to hide them. Bren walked straight to the barkeep and slapped down a gold coin. The woman’s eyes widened, then stared up at him.

“We need to use the back entrance. Should you be so inclined, do not mention we were here. If not, that is fine as well.”

“Back that way,” the woman gestured over her shoulder.

“You have my gratitude,” Bren said, pulling Lucia in the direction.

Quickly, they made their way through the kitchen and a very sleepy cook, and out the back door.

“Run,” Bren growled, and off they went into the night.

Lucia could appreciate this side of the man.

Quickly, they ducked into an alley. Boots were fading, but it seemed Bren was taking no chances. Panting, they stopped. Breathers were necessary. They couldn’t get out if they were both exhausted.

“Think safe,” Lucia said, taking a long sniff to confirm.

“Found you,” a voice said in a singsong voice from above.