Eitan pushed open the door, his intense gaze cascading over the nearby infirmary attendants. "How is he?" He inquired instantly.
The attendant promptly bowed. "The poison used was merely a sleeping agent. Sir Aengus' life is not in danger, and he should wake up soon."
Eitan let out a soft exhale before his eyes hardened further. "What about Lind?"
"Butler Lind…" The attendant hesitated slightly.
"Spit it out!" Eitan just barely restrained himself from grabbing the attendant's collar.
The attendant's head dropped further down as he shrank back. "He was-"
"Lord Eitan?"
Eitan's head whipped around, and a familiar face entered his vision. Dirty blond hair, rather than its usual ponytail, was strewn about messily while green eyes blinked in a daze. This was the real Lind.
"How are you feeling?" Eitan managed to ask calmly as his scrutinizing gaze travelled over every inch of Lind's body.
As if sensing the harsh inspection, Lind inadvertently shuddered slightly. He bowed his head and gave Eitan a half smile. "I'm fine, Your Lordship. I was ambushed and knocked out. I guess the person didn't deem me worth killing." He paused and looked over Eitan, worry painting his expression. "But what happened? Were you harmed?"
"Do you think I would be hurt so easily?" Eitan put on a smile.
Lind shook his head quickly. "Of course not. But, milord…" He tilted his head at Eitan.
"What is it?"
Lind scratched his head. "Why was I ambushed? I'm an ordinary person, and I just got knocked out for no reason."
"Oh, the culprit transformed into you to attempt to assassinate me," Eitan explained succinctly.
"Ah-, uh?" Lind's mouth fell open. "Then what happened? To me? Er- the assassin?"
"Farrel took care of them. They're still alive, for now." Eitan responded coolly.
Lind gulped, "... Does that mean there's another me in the castle right now?"
"The magic got dispelled." Eitan added offhandedly, "Just had to remove a finger to convince them."
Lind shuddered and then stared blankly for a moment before opening his mouth again. "Lord Eitan… Does that mean you tortured me– the assassin wearing my face?"
Eitan nodded nonchalantly. "The assassin perfectly copied your voice and mannerisms, too. I must admit, they are skilled."
Lind visibly paled a few shades. "... So everything was exactly like me? And you cut off their finger?"
Eitan finally realized Lind's misgivings and couldn't help but chuckle. "What? Would you rather have me go soft just because they appeared like you?"
Lind shook his head again, more firmly this time. "Not at all, not at all." He shifted his gaze to avoid Eitan's stare before letting out a deep exhale. He then bent at the waist towards Eitan. "But I'm glad you are safe, Your Lordship."
Eitan gazed at Lind for a few moments longer before reaching out and gently patting his shoulder. "You as well. Rest for a bit now." He gave the attendant a small nod and was led further into the infirmary.
Lind brought his hand up to his shoulder and lightly felt the place Eitan had touched. His lips pressed together, and he bowed deeply in Eitan's direction before returning to his cot.
Eitan reached the bed where Aengus had been put to rest, and he looked down, his brow tensing as he observed the unconscious knight. Aside from being a bit pale, he simply appeared to be in a deep sleep. To have such a great effect on an aura knight, that assassin has quite the strong sedative on their hands. Eitan thoroughly checked over Aengus' condition and only stepped back when he was confirmed he truly wasn't harmed. It wasn't as though he didn't trust those in the infirmary, but his concern was too heavy not to be personally assured.
Just as he was about to step away, a soft groan entered his ears. His head snapped down, and he saw Aengus' eyes parting to reveal slits of hazel. He blinked a few times before suddenly vaulting upright, eyes darting around with an erratic warriness. His hand went straight to his hip, but there was no sword to be found, causing his expression to contort.
"Aengus," Eitan called out soothingly, no longer wanting to observe this knight of his in a panic.
Aengus' head immediately whipped around to Eitan, and his entire body settled. "My lord? What is going on?" He tilted his head, now calmly taking in the surroundings. "... Why are we in the infirmary?" His gaze immediately ran back to Eitan. "Are you injured?" His voice rose a bit with concern.
Eitan let out a low chuckle. "You're the one currently on the bed, not me." Aengus appeared a bit abashed as Eitan continued. "But to explain the situation, you were sedated by an assassin. No one was hurt, and they were already dealt with, so don't worry." He quickly assuaged when he saw Aengus' eyes widening at the mention of an attacker.
"My lord…" Aengus lowered his head and looked about to clamber off the cot. "I was negligent and nearly allowed you to come to harm! Please punish me!"
Eitan forcefully grabbed the anxious knight's arms to prevent him from going to kneel on the floor. "Stay in bed. The drug used was obviously quite strong, so you shouldn't exert yourself just yet."
Aengus could have fought off Eitan's grip, but obediently allowed himself to be pressed back to the bed. "... I understand." His downcast gaze was filled with self-reproach, but he didn't attempt to kneel again.
Eitan brushed off his hands and looked at Aengus with a slight smile. "The assassin was merely more skilled than expected. It isn't your fault. Besides, no harm was done, so don't blame yourself too much."
Aengus' mouth contorted a bit, and he bowed his head deeply. "It is still my error. I stood guard for the lord precisely for this case, but still failed my duty. Please punish me." He repeated stubbornly.
Eitan sighed lightly. This guy was perseverant in a different way from Farrel. "Fine," he relented. "After you recover, you are to stand guard at the assassin's cell for a full night and day without reprieve."
Aengus' head raised with a jolt. "My lord-" For an aura knight, such an ordeal would leave him feeling somewhat fatigued at most. It was by no means an equal consequence for allowing his lord's life to be at stake.
"Say nothing more. For now, all you have to do is rest." Eitan cut him off firmly, causing Aengus to bow his head in concession.
Eitan appeared satisfied with this and gave Aengus a light tap on the shoulder, similar to how he had done with Lind. "Rest well, then."
"Please take care, my lord." Aengus respectfully bid him farewell.
Eitan responded with a departing nod before making his way out of the infirmary. As he stepped out, he spotted Farrel coming towards him with brisk steps. Once they were only a few paces away, Farrel halted and bowed. "The guards have been arranged."
"Good job," Eitan acknowledged shortly, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "Contact the intelligence guild. I want to know exactly how the countess came in contact with Subrosa."
"As you wish," Farrel received the order and, after a quick survey of Eitan, left to make the corresponding arrangements.
Now that the important matters had been taken care of, Eitan's steps took him to his training field. He picked up a wooden shortsword, testing its grip before swinging it around. His red aura blazed over the carved blade as it sliced through the air. As moments passed, his movements became faster and rougher. Bloodlust began to subconsciously leak for him, and his bloody aura condensed deeper around the weapon in his hand.
Snap!
Eitan halted as the wooden sword cracked along the blade, the bloodlust in the air fizzling out at the interruption. Tch. He threw the damaged tool to the ground, the force causing it to split apart upon impact. It felt as if the blood was twisting within his veins as he shut his eyes, forcing himself to take in a measured breath.
"Master Eitan!"
Eitan's eyes reopened as he turned his head to see Agni running towards him. Under Eitan's gaze, the man stopped, and his eyes darted to the splintered wood on the floor before returning to the amaranth eyes. He gulped almost imperceptibly before taking just a half step forward. "You… were you hurt?" He inquired cautiously, apparently having gotten news of the recent happenings.
"No." Eitan shook his head and straightened out his sleeves. "Anyway, try to prevent your guys from making a fuss about this. It's no big deal, and I don't wish to see the castle in chaos."
Agni's mouth opened and closed, a hint of incredulity in his eyes. However, the man just bent at the waist. "I'll take care of it."
"And have someone clean this up, if you could," Eitan added almost leisurely, gesturing to the wooden mess on the floor.
"... Right." Agni consented, the edges of his lips twisting.
Eitan didn't continue to engage with the redhead and decided to return to the study to finish his work that the assassin had oh-so-kindly interrupted. So, off he went, willfully ignoring the fiery eyes burning on his back.
*****
"Your Lordship, a letter has arrived."
Eitan raised an eyebrow at Lind's voice beyond the door. He finished getting dressed and transferred his dagger from underneath the pillow to its usual sheath before responding, "Enter."
The door was pushed open, and Lind walked in, presenting an envelope to Eitan with two hands. Eitan received it and glanced over it, taking a moment to inspect the seal. Baron Kaor? He recognized it as the seal of the baron who shared a border with the Saorise Region. What could he possibly want? He unsealed the letter and skimmed over its content. As he finished, he couldn't prevent his lips from twitching. A banquet, huh? Lots of flowery words just for them to say come and show what I'm worth. He snorted and dropped the letter back into Lind's hands. "Respond that I'll attend."
"Milord?" Lind's head tilted up with mild surprise.
Eitan's lips curled up into a sly smirk. "Since I've been graced with an invitation, how could I possibly deny?" His gaze turned out of the window, his eyes glinting. This will be a good chance to gauge the political situation here.
Lind observed Eitan briefly before bowing his head, feeling a bit of pity in his heart. When Eitan got that look on his face, it never ended well for the other party involved. "I shall make the preparations."
"Go on," Eitan smoothly dismissed Lind, who promptly took his leave.
Eitan aimlessly adjusted his clothes as his eyes travelled outside the window. The morning sky was perfectly clear, not even a puff of cloud in sight. A storm is coming. A soft exhale escaped his lips as he turned his back to the view and stepped out of his room. He stepped through the doorway to see Farrel poised outside. "Any news?" He threw out the question casually as he walked past.
Farrel fell into pace behind Eitan with a lowered head. "There appears to be some connection through the Cairas merchant guild."
Cairas, huh. Eitan sifted through his memories as he padded down the hallway. "That's one of the main trading partners of Kathryn's family. I didn't know they had dealings with Ikoll."
"The trades appear to be done through secret lines. It's…" Farrel hesitated briefly.
"Just say it." Eitan prompted him coolly.
Farrel's usually stoic expression was rather severe. "The main goods being traded are grains and iron."
"What?" Eitan's steps halted as the statement was processed. "So she truly is a madwoman." He muttered under his breath. To trade such things without the king's permission, especially to a neighboring kingdom, was akin to treason. He rubbed his forehead, his gaze so piercing it nearly cut through the space in front of him. "And in return, she was given the aid of Subrosa, is that right?"
"It has not been uncovered that far, but that is likely the case, my liege." Farrel concurred with the supposition.
Eitan resumed walking, now at a brisker pace. "Let's pay a visit to that rat."
Farrel's eyes shone, and he bowed his head. "I shall follow you."
The two made their way to the dungeon, coming to where Aengus and another soldier stood guard. Even after the knight's punishment had technically ended, he took it upon himself to personally ensure no mishaps happened with the one inside the walls. Both saluted Eitan in greeting, and Aengus asked him, "My lord? For what reason have you come?"
"Open the cell. I need to speak to the assassin." Eitan answered curtly.
Mixed emotions passed over Aengus' face, and his eyes flickered to Farrel before he bowed dutifully. "Understood." There were some clacking sounds as the lock came undone, and the door was soon pried open.
Eitan strode into the dark cell with Farrel by his side, the door creaking shut behind them. Eitan's eyes swiftly adjusted to the dim light as he gazed down at the chained figure. Despite being more haggard, the appearance was just as beautiful as before. Long eyelashes fluttered, and the assassin raised her head to observe the new presences. "Back to take another finger? Truly a pitiful existence this is." A sighing sound came, and whether it was mocking or genuine was impossible to tell.
Eitan stepped forward and harshly gripped the woman's face, fingers digging into her cheekbone. He wrenched her head up, and blue eyes met pink. The assassin's pupils trembled slightly due to the unexpectedness of it, but settled in no time at all.
"You said whoever pays more is the requester, right?" His cold voice echoed through the cell.
The assassin met his chilling gaze unflinchingly, even managing an—albeit contorted—smile under the pressure of his grip. "A young man wishing to kill his own mother. Pity, pity."
Eitan ignored the woman's mock-lament and continued unflappably, "The Cairas guildmaster. Can you do it?
The only sign of the assassin's disturbed mental state was a twitching of the facial muscles, which was forcibly restrained. "A hit like that costs quite a bit, you know?" She blinked with such innocence that it made Eitan instinctively frown.
He dropped the woman's face and stepped back, staring down at her with a stoic face and icy eyes. "Is the cost greater than the price of your life?"
The woman seemed to genuinely consider this. Then, she smiled with unnervingly bright eyes. "My life in exchange for that man's, it's a bit of a pity. Isn't our young lord losing out?"
So you consider the price of your life higher than that? Eitan held back a snort. "Considering its damaged goods, it isn't much of a loss."
The assassin's eyes travelled to her hand, where a bandaged nub sat in the place of a pinkie. "It's a pity, but our young lord is quite astute." She looked back at Eitan and batted her eyelashes melancholically. "But how cruel, to diminish a woman's worth like that."
"Be quiet. You're likely enough to not even be a woman, anyway." Eitan retorted, and the assassin didn't appear to have a comeback to that. "Farrel. Have Beren prepare a magic contract. I trust he'll take care of it well after hearing the circumstances."
"Yes, my liege," Farrel crossed his arm over his chest and bowed, tossing an almost warning glare at the assassin before making his way out of the cell.
Then, the two were left alone. Eitan stood silently, arms crossed, as he leaned on the wall opposite to where the assassin was chained. Despite his seemingly uncaring demeanor, he was mentally prepared to brandish his dagger at a moment's notice.
"So what does our young lord have against this pitiful guildmaster?" The assassin spoke up with an airy tone.
That form of address was beginning to grate on Eitan's nerves, but he chose not to comment, lest he egg on the opponent further. "I thought questioning a requester was against an assassin's code?" He instead shot back coolly.
The assassin's body lolled, causing Eitan's muscles to tense. "How pitiful. Unable to even make conversation, is it?"
"There is naturally no conversation to be made with a rat," Eitan responded roughly.
A laughing sound came from the opposite side of the cell, and Eitan pointedly chose to ignore it, keeping his gaze level and expression neutral. The silence that fell was only broken when a scraping sound cut through the air. He turned his head to see Farrel, scroll in hand. He respectfully passed it to Eitan, who inspected it and made a small sound of satisfaction. He gestured to the assassin with his eyes, and Farrel took out his dagger, stalking towards the chained figure.
The assassin inadvertently tensed as the dagger moved towards her hand, no doubt recalling the feeling of bone being severed. But Farrel did not remove any appendages and just slashed the assassin's fingertip, causing a few drops of blood to splat on the floor.
Eitan brought the scroll over and held it hardly an inch away from the leaking cut. "Stamp if you wish to live." He instructed acrimoniously.
The assassin stared at him for a few moments before the bloody finger was obediently pressed to the paper. Once this was done, Eitan stepped back and bit his own finger just hard enough to draw blood and mimicked the action. The scroll shone brightly enough to blind, and the particles jumped to the participant's bodies, dissolving with the stream of light. This was a contract far more powerful than the one he had used to leash Beren.
It was a contract of blood. If the assassin did not abide by the terms, then their magic would rampage through their body and result in an agonizing death. The outline of the contract was basically that the assassin would be released to kill the Cairas guildmaster, then must return once completed. As for the consequences… if they attempted to harm Eitan or his persons, death. If information was revealed, death. If the task was not completed in the dictated timeframe, death. Of course, Beren had also covered as many loopholes as one could possibly construe. It could be considered an iron, no, a diamond, leash.
Eitan stared down at the assassin for only a second longer before resolutely turning and exiting the cell. "Release them," he commanded sternly.
Aengus looked at Eitan with shock. "My lord, what do you mean?"
"They have a job to do," Eitan didn't bother fully explaining and just gestured to the inside of the cell. "Release them. I shall not repeat myself a third time." He rarely spoke with such harsh command, but his emotions were running high.
Aengus seemed to sense this and pushed down his own sentiments, bowing respectfully. "As you wish." He eyed the other soldier, and the two entered the cell.
There was the sound of clicking locks and then a thud before three figures appeared in the dim doorway of the cell. The assassin waltzed out, apparently uncaring about the multiple sets of piercing eyes trained on her person. Her eyes briefly flitted around before settling on Eitan. An unreadable smile bloomed on her face, and she put her hand on her chest to do an exaggerated bow. "Then I'll be off, pitiful young lord." Then just as the echo of her words died out, she was gone.
"My lord, are you certain this is wise?" Aengus dipped his head beside Eitan, eyes shining with worry.
Eitan stared expressionlessly at the place the assassin disappeared from before calmly turning away. "An excellent tool was delivered straight to my hands. It's a waste not to use it."
"... I understand." Aengus seemed to accept this, but the lilt of his tone betrayed his lingering discomfort.
"In the meantime…" Eitan changed the topic, a subtle glint in his eyes. "Shall we begin preparations for a storm?"
"Yes?" Aengus responded, puzzled.
Farrel bowed his head, golden eyes trained firmly on Eitan's figure, barely outlined by the dusty light.
"Let's go," Eitan commanded both of them, and the group exited the dungeon, leaving the heavy air behind them.