"I dosed him... He shouldn't wake up within the next fifteen minutes. But even if he does, he won't be able to speak until up to the time of his verdict." Elanor spoke while standing up and pocketing the empty vial bottle. "I have done you a favor by mistake... Now you really need to help me eliminate my enemy. Are you not going to do that?" She spoke while folding her arms in front of her.
"I never said I would step out, but I will back out a bit from the mission you entrusted me with. In fact... I have found a way for her to get involved with death... But it will take the Count's death to do so. Are you interested in hearing?" Aefia answered while a pressing a button on her screen and flicking it off.
"Not now... Because I have a feeling he might be smart enough to act dead." The lady answered while pulling off her sterile gloves and disposing it into the sewer line below. "Are you sure... The sewers are unreachable?" She asked while looking slightly curious.
"No... But I am sure that if the sterile gloves are found... You will be saved from some interesting questioning at the court. It is regularly checked for unclogging if necessary." Aefia replied while pocketing her gadget. "Don't you want to hurry back to your estate to finish up the paperworks before daylight?"
"I understand..." The woman nodded while flashing a smile. "But the point is... I won't be the one to take his part tomorrow. Did you forget that I promised to be with the Imperial family's side? Surely you haven't forgotten." Her fingers tapped against her chin lightly.
"You meant it seriously?" Aefia asked while seeming quite interested into the topic. "I was thinking of it as a joke to lure the guards into thinking you have gone vulnerable." She added while eyeing the woman with a pair of sharp eyes. "But I prefer you taking up the matter. That way... The enemy is practically caged into a rough corner."
"Sure... Then I will take your advice." Elanor spoke while staring back at her. "I still have a hard time believing a fifteen-years-old like you have such a brilliant mind... Most people your age are so stupid... They don't even see their enemies coming. I really like this thing about kids like you."
"Am I still a kid to your eyes?" Aefia furrowed her eyebrows with an annoyed look on her face. Her smile stayed plastered to her face with an unbreakable strength. "I honestly take you as a person I would want to learn a few things from. Your knowledge in poison and its effects are definitely a very intriguing thing... Which I want to learn."
Then, as if a sudden shift in environment had occured, their expressions dropped. "How would you like to discuss about the next meeting? We don't have much time before we go public again. Don't you think we need a proper way of communicating?" She suddenly asked with her eyes returning back to their sharp gaze.
"I think you have that figured out too." The woman spoke while letting her hands drop to her sides. "I have a cat, who leaves the estate's boundaries and can return without being caught by anyone. It is aggressive, unless I let it meet the people I want them to get along, in a good bond with."
"Then that settles it." Aefia spoke while reaching her hand up and in front of her face, with the black kitchen knife appearing at her fingertips. "I will meet you at the courthouse tomorrow." She spoke while holding the knife at the woman's face, replacing her dark red eyes with a deep red that promised violence.
Then, with a swift movement, she moved towards Lady Elanor as the woman stood in a shocked state and glancing down at the burning laceration of her skin.
"Why do you keep considering yourself an expert in all things? To think you would drug your father to be able to have a speech with me." Aefia spoke as the thin line of blood at the edge of the knife vanished with a simple stroke of Elanor's finger.
The injury wasn't deep, but enough to fool the guards who rushed in upon hearing the woman's sobbing. "Leave me!" Elanor shouted while fleeing the cell with a steady rythem of her steps. Within seconds of her leaving, Aefia turned around to face the guards with the same expressionless face. "My time is valuable. I would like to go home for now. Prepare the Count tomorrow... He must seem his status at the courthouse." She spoke while leaving through the same door the woman left earlier.
A visible smile flashed onto her face as she came a little far from the guards. You do understand the assignments faster then most of my remaining army. The acting was spot on... Just like how I imaged it inside my mind... Maybe better.
When outside and out of the observation of the guards, she space-shifted herself back to the palace without leaving a trace of her presence. Only the human memory held her in witness point, where she actually was more like a ghost who walked in and out without anymore interference.
Back at her room, she directly headed towards her desk from the center of the room, while slamming her palm first into the surface of the mahogany wood.
"Clueless woman... I am good at stealing you know..." She smiled while picking her hand up from the piece of fabric she had cut off while tearing Elanor's flesh with a swift movement. "My experience in the Mafia is coming quite into handy... Although I never thought I would have to use crime against politics in my life."
Her voice was only loud enough for her to hear. Unless someone was hiding inside her room or someone was at the door. But at this hour, everyone would be preparing for the next day. It was going to be huge and the most important for the safety of the Imperial family. It was also going to be the day many people would grieve, and deepen the emotional stress inside some other people's minds too. Especially the eldest daughter of the Count, who grew up to be just like her mother, elegant and furious.
She knealt down to face her drawers, while pulling the top most one and picking a latch at the end of the box, which realeased a hidden compartment from below, separating the top and bottom. But whatever papers were inside that compartment, was the most useless for what she had opened it for. Her hands reached for a broken handle, which she picked up and headed towards her closet.
There... Her eyes diverted towards the side of the closet, and she pressed her handle onto it, releasing a magnet that caused the hidden vault to appear. Inside, lay only a few papers that had her name heavily signed onto it. But it was only just the copy of the illusion, of her view of whatever she saw or remember seeing from the original contract. With it taken out, she slammed the mechanism shut and walked towards the desk, surrounding herself with more documents for the time being.
This should be the lore accurate copy... Of what I saw or memorized before I had to flee. I don't know if the informations that I wanted to see is written in it. If it isn't, then all those hardwork was for nothing. She gritted her teeth behind her shut mind as she flipped towards the last page. A few of them very familiar inside her mind. Most of them friendly or advantageous to her, while some were coming out as a way for her psychological downfall as Lady Elanor had said.
Her concentration locked in as her fingers leveled up her head from above the armrest. Her eyes burned up with the passing seconds, not even allowing her to blink in case she missed an information. Useless... Useless... Useless... I am trying to find the thing I want to know! Where is it?! Why isn't it here?! Did I forget to write it before deleting the illusion copy of it?!
Then, she had reached the very last of the pages. If this doesn't have that line... I am going to lose it and double check the next morning... I am sure that I had seen it and I definitely remember seeing it! Finally, her eyes landed on the piece of information she had been hunting for all this time.
She abruptly stood up while smacking the copy of the contract onto the table, then slamming her hands around it.
"You old piece of dumb trash! You hid it purposefully! But I am lucky I had formed an alliance with Lady Elanor!" Aefia shouted to herself in dissapointment while reading the sentence. "I want to finish her mission for me right now..." Her head tilted all the way back as a calm smile landed onto her face.
The line of clause was left open on the desk for a second view.
Once the owner finds the pawn has successfully completed every given task properly and confidently, the pawn will be put to the line of execution to protect the owner's secrets.
Is that why you hid the contract from me? And then tried to get back along with me? Because you had it all planned?!
Her mind was rushed... But not racing.
Because I am about to play your game against you... In a few years. Just let me grow stronger politically too.
***
"Well you are up early." Lewis spoke while walking in with a very wide smile. "I guess you are just excited for the Count's demise? Anyway... They said they are serving chocolate cake today... The one we all like. I wonder how big of a piece you are going to secure yourself. Because this time, I won't let you go to the dining hall before everyone else."
"..."
Aefia heavily breathed out while standing, with her phone tightly clasped at her grip.
"Do whatever you want. I am not interested." Her steps lifted towards her room door as she used a single finger to type, and letting the autotype to correct any spelling mistakes. Her hair was done in the same style as the day before and she wore a plain silver and black military outfit. With the vest being silver and the overcoat a black. At her collar was a small brooch that held up a jabot. The shoes were same black glossy ones he had worn a long time ago.
"Hold up... You said you were going to let me do whatever I wanted... And you are heading over to secure the chocolate cake for yourself?" He asked while getting up and trying to chase behind her at the corridor. But just when he thought she was already headed towards the staircase, his head diverted towards the echoing footsteps that were moving towards the study.
"Aren't you going to join us today to eat the cake?" He asked while catching up with her. Seeing that she had no reaction on her face, which was glued to her screen, he reached a hand out to try and steal the phone away from her. With a swift movement of her arm, she caught his wrist at her hand and held it up for a few seconds.
"Leave me alone for a day! I am busy. Do whatever you want with the cake. I won't be joining in today." She answered while letting her grip go off his hand. She was dissapointed on herself, yet it was most likely a misunderstanding.
He stared at the back of her head as she continued her mindless steps away, as a shock settled onto his face.
"Then what about Henry?" He spoke out of a sudden.
"He can survive a few hours without me. Have you forgotten I am contract-related to you guys?" Her harsh tone came out in a way as if she was upset, but her honest reaction was a mild-temper and complete strategy. I don't know if they are also my psychological downfalls.
She walked away without a backward glance and stepped into the study to bring out a few law books. But I don't have time to think about it... I need to review before I leave for the courthouse... Maybe even take a picture so I can study it on my way there.
***
"Young master... It's a pleasure to see you." Lady Elanor bowed in front of her as she hung her head low in a way that made her seem like a lowly person who came for a better life.
"What do you want?" Aefia strictly replied while narrowing her eyes in a painfully fierce gaze at the woman. "Why am I the first person you wanted to meet?" She asked with the harshness in her voice seeming too stern for her usual expressions.
Beside her, Henry clenched onto her sleeve with suspicion. "I remember telling you last night that I would stand for the Imperial family... But here I am... Standing for my father's side." The lady replied with her golden locks framing her face.
"And what does that have to do with me? If you betray the Imperial family, you will seek the right amount of punishment for it. I told you I didn't want to be allowed with you. So deal with your own problems by yourself now." Aefia took her brother's hand and walked past the woman with no sense of mercy.
"But young master... You didn't want to hear whether I would actually defend my father!" Elanor shouted behind her with almost teary eyes.
"And I still don't want to know... All I can say for now is good luck." With that, she walked towards the front row seat and passed it, to settle Henry at his high-back. "Mom's calling you." Lewis spoke from beside her as he pointed at the duchess without a glance at her direction, as if madened at her.
Upon reaching the place, the duchess held onto her shoulders like a kid, which caused her huge uncomfort after what she has read in the contract.
"You said why the heir name isn't George Allistair Smod? And that it had a girl's name replacing it, right?" The woman spoke while lifting the girl's chin up by a bit. "This daughter here is the real heir I had written down as. Aefia Seraphina Smod." The woman confidently replied with a huge smile on her face.
Not for long... Old bag!
She gritted her teeth despite the tight grasp against her jaw.