7May Death Look Sweetly Upon You
He glanced around at the battle taking place and the peasants who were being practically slaughtered. Damian felt a slight revulsion at what he had done. They had been led here with the promise that the Inner Circle would be taken down. The peasants would finally be able to mete out their revenge on the people who had been stepping on them for all their lives. The group was needed as a distraction but now it looked as if they wouldn't live long enough to provide it. They wore no armour and carried only wooden weapons; they had no hope of beating the well-trained guards pouring out of the keep. The only way Damian could see the guards falling back was if they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of peasants pouring through the gaping wound in the wall.
He looked out over the wall at the darkened windows of the houses. The noise had probably disturbed a number of people living in the area and, being the nosy peasants he knew them to be, they would come to see what had happened. It was always possible that they would join in the fighting but Damian doubted their courage at this late an hour. He slipped through an open door and his disguise rippled as he let go of the image of Amadeo. Damian fell against the nearest wall and felt his forehead, wincing at the newly made scar. He was thankful that he wasn't bleeding anymore and took a few moments to catch his breath and gather his thoughts. This would have to be planned perfectly if it was going to work.
That's when he wondered at the sounds coming from outside. He heard only the shouts and screams of people: peasants that he was no longer standing beside, and the cry of orders coming from the guards. There was no loud explosion, no thundering noise that he expected and waited for. Gaodwyn was supposed to have retrieved the other barrels and set them at the opposite end of the castle. Right after Damian had blown a hole in the wall Gaodwyn was supposed to blow up his side and enter the castle with a bunch of thieves Damian had personally hired to storm the castle. He stared at the cold stone floor and wondered what had happened.
Without that other explosion his distraction would be short lived. Damian's plan had been to draw the majority of the guards off the peasants by blowing another hole in the wall and splitting their forces. Now it seemed as if his plan was ruined. He cursed Gaodwyn under his breath and made his way up a set of stairs.
Torchlights flickered as he changed his appearance again. His image shimmered and then became clear as he held a piece of polished metal to his face, making sure that he had done it right. His face was lined by wrinkles and a white beard covered much of his face. Dressed in the finery of a member of the Inner Circle, Nicolai Korovkin was a traveller that didn't often visit Cheva. He spent much of his time dealing with merchants and royalty in foreign lands, which explained his absence from most of the Council meetings.
That's when the pain from the dagger hit him again but this time it was worse than before. He felt as if someone was tearing at the wound and ripping it apart. He put his hand over his arm and wondered if Swift was right. A normal wound wouldn't act like this and he began to speculate who his assassin had been talking about. Damian assumed that the Inner Circle had been responsible but they wouldn't have had him suffering in pain like this. They would have been too scared to leave him alive because perhaps he would find a way to counteract the poison. No, this couldn't be their doing; it had to be someone else, someone that didn't necessarily want him dead.
Breathing slowly, Damian made his way down a long passage and inclined his head at the guards lining the hall. Smiling weakly at them, he passed without being stopped and concentrated only on keeping the illusion. If he lost his grip in this place he could never hope to leave alive or intact.
A pair of large doors was held open to him as he walked into a large hall complete with a hearth in the middle. A group of men surrounded it, holding their hands out to the dying embers, trying to gain what little warmth was left from the fire. One of them looked up and immediately recognized Damian as he walked over to them.
"Nicolai! I didn't realize you were coming to the Autumn Feast! When did you arrive?"
"Iyorin, it is good to see you again!" Damian took hold of Iyorin's forearms, greeting him in the old way that all Circle members knew. "I hadn't actually planned on coming but business brought me here last night and I thought I deserved a good meal so I made my way up here for the feast. I don't suppose you know what that loud explosion was all about, do you?"
A worried look passed over Iyorin's face but was immediately replaced by a forced smile of assurance. "Our outer wall was breached by some unknown force. But there's no need to worry; I dispatched a group of soldiers to deal with it. Apparently it's just a group of peasants trying to storm the castle. They will be taken care of shortly." He turned back to the fire, inviting Damian to warm his hands as well. His confidence in the matter disturbed Damian to the point of panic; someone had breached the outer wall and Iyorin wasn't the least bit worried about it? He faked a smile of gratitude and held his hands out over the embers and wondered if he would also perish before he had accomplished his goal. Damian steeled himself against this thought and turned back to Iyorin.
"It seems as if you are making light of a very serious situation." Damian glanced over at the other men surrounding the hearth. They seemed distracted or at least disconcerted about the handling of the entire affair.
"I assure you the matter has been taken care of. It's nothing we need concern ourselves with. After all, there have been uprisings before and they have all been put down." The man seemed to want to brush the matter off and forget that it had happened, as if he didn't wish to speak of it anymore.
"As of yet you mean. I don't suppose any of these other 'uprisings' breached the outer wall?" Damian pressed his point and waited to see how Iyorin would respond.
"Nicolai is right Iyorin, we shouldn't be just standing here. We should go and see what is happening outside and try to find out how this happened," Bellac spoke up, staring at Iyorin from the other side of the hearth. He moved over to Damian and greeted him in the same manner that Iyorin had, trying to show that he was also respectful and knowledgeable though he was young.
Iyorin glared back at the young upstart, his eyes seemingly trying to burn into Bellac's skull. "We have already discussed this matter and I have come to the conclusion that it is imperative to remain calm and in control. If we let on that we are worried or upset about the current situation, it will only fuel the battle that is going on outside."
"I would call it more of a slaughter if I were you Iyorin. How do you think the people will take it when we tell them that their family members and friends were killed by our guards?"
"Firstly Bellac, they are not our guards, they are the kings." At this Bellac snorted as did a few other members but immediately became quiet when Iyorin glared at them. "Secondly, we have every right to deal with those that enter here uninvited. The fact that they blew a hole in the wall aids our side and if we properly make them out to be a rebellious faction, trying to destroy Cheva, we will save ourselves the trouble of dealing with a unhappy public."
Damian glanced over at Bellac and knew that he wasn't satisfied with the answer Iyorin had given. "How do you propose to make them into a rebellious faction?" He asked Iyorin, seeing how this debate could soon turn ugly if one of them didn't back down.
"I have loyal followers among the peasantry. We can simply plant one of them as a member of this 'faction' and make them speak to the public."
"I suppose we would have to make it look as if your 'follower' were forced to speak?" Bellac rolled his eyes, tired of hearing yet another of one of Iyorin's plans.
"Of course. They would have to be roughed up a bit but what is that compared to the safety of the Inner Circle? They'll be doing us a favour."
"So you're willing to exploit someone else in order to preserve the Circle?" Damian knew he was taking a risk by voicing this but he had to know where Iyorin stood on the matter. He believed him to be a good man but Iyorin only seemed to act that way when it was in his best interests, or the Circle's interests. If he answered the way Damian believed he would, his design for Iyorin would go ahead as planned. If not then he would have to find some other way to sow mistrust among the Circle.
Iyorin took a moment to answer, trying to process what Damian had just said. He was a bit taken aback and wondered what Korovkin might be getting at. In the end he decided that Nicolai just wanted him to state the truth. "Of course Nicolai, it's what we do after all, it's what we're good at." Chuckling he turned back to the rest of the gentlemen. "I believe we can leave this matter until tomorrow at least. I will go and check on the situation but I believe the rest of you should get some rest. We need to be ready for tomorrow and that won't be possible if you're falling asleep in your chairs."
Iyorin walked off as the other members of the Circle made their way up to their chambers. Bellac glanced once more at Iyorin before turning to walk up a flight of stairs. Damian of course, didn't follow the other members and instead headed off in the direction of the kitchens. "I'm off to get something to eat before I head back to the inn."
"Why are you staying somewhere other than here Nicolai? It's far safer for you to stay with us." Iyorin looked back.
"Yes well, you know how I don't like to stay in one place too long. Besides, it's crowded enough in here with all of those visiting dignitaries, or so I'm told. I'll be perfectly fine where I am. I doubt anyone even knows I'm here besides the Circle."
"Yes, I am aware of your, aversion to such crowds. What inn are you staying at?'
"The Glass Inn, run by Llewelyn Sterling. It's not far from here."
"Yes, I've heard of it, a nice place apparently. Well, I must go and check on our little problem. I'll see you tomorrow though?"
"Of course, I wouldn't want to miss the ceremony," Damian smiled; he wasn't going to miss that ceremony for anything.
Iyorin walked off, his cloak swirling behind him. Damian watched him go to make sure that he'd actually left and then made his way to the kitchens. He was hungry after all and wanted something to eat before he started setting his plans in motion. Perhaps while he was eating he would be able to puzzle out what had happened to Gaodwyn, who was supposed to have met him in the kitchens. Damian pushed open a large wooden door but didn't take the time to look around, as he didn't expect Gaodwyn to be there. Filled with steam and sweaty serving boys, Damian made his way over to Fret, the cook.
Surrounded by a veritable feast of food in pots on tables and roasting over fires, Damian's mouth began to water. He made his way over to the largest cook among them, his hat crumpled and crooked and his clothes covered in a multitude of stains. He squinted at Damian for a moment before recognising him and welcoming him into the kitchen.
"Nicolai, how have you been?"
"Most well, Master Fret but right now I am hungry beyond means."
As he laughed heartily, Fret waddled his way over to a table filled with the most delicious cuts of meat that he had been saving for the king. He slipped one piece off and added a couple of sugared fruits to a plate he had swiped from a kitchen boy. To this he added a pig snout and a goblet of wine, handing it over to Damian.
"You can't say that I never fed you well."
"You are correct in that. I would say though, that I will always come home to be fed the best meal any man can ask for."
"That's a mighty fine compliment coming from you sir. I treasure your patronage to my kitchen, but now I must be off as I have much to prepare for. The Feast is only hours away now and I can't have dignitaries scurrying about my domain. So, out with you!" Fret waved a rolling pin he had picked up at Damian who grinned at this and quickly vacated the kitchen, looking to find a place to quickly gulp the hot meal down.
He soon found an empty bench in an unlit corridor that led off into darkness. He sat and ate the food with his hands, though the meat was quite hot. Sugared fruit juice dribbled down his chin as he swallowed the meal that sufficed as his breakfast, lunch and dinner. There was not time enough for him to stop and grab something to eat earlier so this would have to sustain him until the task was done.
He hid the plate and goblet behind a large and heavy tapestry before he transformed back into Amadeo and paused, waiting for the dagger wound to act up again. But the pain that he now associated with the glamour did not come. He blinked in surprise and looked down at his arm and pulled up his sleeve to see the bandage. A red stain stood starkly against the white of the bandage and when he touched it, he winced and his fingertips came away red, red with his blood. Why wouldn't the damn wound clot?
Damian knew how much blood he had lost in the past few hours and by his calculations he couldn't afford to lose much more, especially from this wound. He would face dangers enough and didn't want to worry about a little stab would he'd received from a badly trained assassin. So he decided to ignore the wound for now, as it had no bearing on his goal. He snuck up a set of stairs and avoided the guards stationed throughout the building to make his way over to a window overlooking Cheva. He stared out and looked to the right and saw the ivy climbing up the top of the castle. Damian leaned precariously out of the window, reached into the ivy and grabbed the hanging rope he had hidden within the green foliage. Pulling it out he yanked on it and looked up to make sure that it was still secured at the top. He looked down at the lighted windows below him to see if anyone was watching. Damian looked down the hall as well but, seeing no one he wrapped himself around the rope and jumped out the window.
He stuck his feet out and smacked into the tower the rope was attached to. But the rope held firm as he pulled his way up the tower towards the window he was seeking. His sweaty hands made the rope slick and he had to move very slowly to keep from making any sounds that would alert the guards to his presence. Several minutes later he entered Iyorin's room through an open window, knowing that at this time of year the council member always kept his room a little chilly. The snores startled him at first, but Damian soon relaxed. Iyorin was asleep and would stay that way until the sun rose.
Damian creeped over to the prone man to make sure that he didn't wake him. If this was to work he needed complete surprise. His hand reached over and hovered over the leader of the Inner Circle before it touched Iyorin and shook him.
"Wha- what's going on?" Iyorin sat up in bed, and jumped when he saw Damian. "Who are you? How dare you enter these quarters, do you know who I am?"
Damian's answer was close to a hiss. "I know you sir, but you have yet to guess who I am."
"Guards! Guards!"
"They won't get here in time to save you so there's no reason to yell." He slipped over to the door and pressed his ear against it. Hearing nothing he smiled and turned back to Iyorin who was trying to lift a ceremonial sword mounted on a plaque above his bed.
"I can assure you such attempts to defend yourself will fail." Damian looked at the scared Inner Circle leader and smirked. "In fact, you won't ever leave this room again."
Iyorin's eyes widened and he began screaming for the guards again but Damian punched him and Iyorin was knocked to the ground.
"Stop making that racket. I can hardly think with you screaming like that. Now, where was I? Oh yes, your death." He brought out the dagger that had been hidden in his clothes and showed it to Iyorin. It shone green in the dim light of the candles on the walls. "Yes, it's very beautiful isn't it? It's too bad you won't have much time to get acquainted with it but that simply can't be helped."
"You're with those crazy people in the courtyard," he backed away, crawling like a crab.
"Yes, I'm with them and they're with me and we make one whole happy family. At least, we will once you're gone."
"What are you talking about? If I die then the Circle will not be able to function and Cheva will collapse."
"Ah but you see, that's where you're wrong. Cheva is collapsing because of the Inner Circle and with you out of the way, we can finally start to stand on our own."
"You speak madness!"
"Not so, it is you who were mad to think we would stand for this oppression for so long!" Damian approached the old man who cowered against his bedpost. He drew his hand back and held the knife above the old mans' head.
Iyorin realized that he wasn't going to scare the intruder out of what he believed to be his duty, so he switched tactics.
"Do you really think you can escape punishment if you kill me? The guards will be here soon enough and they will deal with you. So you see, it doesn't really matter if you kill me or not, your fate is sealed."
Damian sneered back at the man who, he now believed, was showing his true colours. "My fate is not up to you, sir. And I don't intend to stick around after your demise to be caught by your incompetent guards."
"That's what you think but the Seer knows all. If you are indeed the force opposing us, it's far better for you to be in my chambers than out in Cheva causing public unrest."
"Oh yes, the Seer. Well, I don't suppose I can dispute his label of the 'force opposing you.' But I would think you'd know that there are more people in Cheva against you than just myself. You have heard of the Underground haven't you?"
"But, but aren't you with them?" Iyorin looked puzzled at this and grew even more suspicious of Damian's presence. "If you aren't working for them then who are you working for?"
"Oh, don't need to trouble yourself by trying to figure out what group I'm with. I'm self-employed," he grinned.
"You will die for this!" Iyorin backed himself into a corner and then realized what he had done. He made a move to run towards the door but Damian cut him off.
"I suppose I'd be willing to give my life to this cause. But before I do, there's one thing I need to know."
"What's that?" Iyorin felt droplets of sweat trickle down his neck and tried to look calm and collected.
"You didn't happen to send an assassin to kill me did you?"
"Well, I don't really know who you are so I'd have to know where this assassin was sent." Damian knew he was trying to buy time but the guards wouldn't arrive for a few minutes more.
"I was staying at the Glass Inn and tonight I was attacked by someone that seemed quite familiar with what I was doing."
"Well, he wasn't one of ours; I don't even know who you are."
"And yet, you seem so convinced that I'm the one the Seer saw, but are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm quite sure. No one else would have been able to make their way to my bedroom alive."
"Believe what you want old man because tonight, you die!"
"Guards!" Iyorin looked to the door with a wild look on his face before turning back to Damian. "I can give you money, land, a title. Whatever you want it's yours if you only spare my life."
At this Damian's face contorted into a menacing glare. "What I want was taken from me and can never be given back. So don't think that trying to bribe me will work. I'm beyond the petty bargains that you would offer."
"I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement…"
"No! We can't!" Damian's eyes were beginning to water as he confronted the man who had given the order. "What I want are my parents and you took them from me! You, can never bring them back and I think you're done talking old man."
At this Iyorin started laughing, he chuckled so hard that he had to hold his side and started coughing because he couldn't breath. Damian looked at him in horror and disgust before he pulled the man to his feet and slammed him against the wall.
"How dare you insult my parents by laughing at their deaths. I think you're going to have to die slowly for that."
"Boy, do you know how many people have died because of me? Do you know how many families I've destroyed in order to preserve this city? Yours was not the only one torn apart for the good of the people."
"For the good of the people? You're the one who must be mad. My parents were killed on your orders because they disagreed with your methods of government. That is not preservation, that is destruction!" He spat on the feet of the council member.
"That's not any way to treat a council member!"
"No, but you're no longer a council member. You're a dead man." Damian grabbed Iyorin place a dagger at his throat. Just then someone pounded on the door and a group of soldiers burst into the room. They saw Damian and pointed their pikes at his heart. As he saw the situation turn against his favour, Damian pulled Iyorin to him and used him as a human shield against the guards.
"Kill him!" Iyorin screamed.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Because to kill me you'll have to go through him," he indicated Iyorin. "Do you really want to be responsible for killing a council member?"
As he saw the guards hesitate he brought his blade up to Iyorin's throat and whispered in his ear. "It's too bad that I can't kill you slowly because that's the kind of death you deserve. Murderers deserve no quarter in my opinion but it seems as if I have no choice."
Iyorin began to grin at this, as it seemed that the intruder was going to give himself up. But his happiness was short lived as he felt cold steel slice across his throat. He fell to the ground instantly, his hands at his throat as blood gushed out of the wound. Then he felt a strange tingling at his throat and his vision dimmed.
"That's for my parents Iyorin." Damian stood over the body and would have stopped to clean his knife of the offensive blood but he had other problems. The guards rushed him but he ran towards the window and dove out of it. As he fell he grabbed at the rope beside the window and caught onto it. He slipped down the rope instead of falling but in the process, scraped all of the skin off of the palms of his hands. The guards leaned out the window to see where the intruder had fallen but instead saw him climb to safety through a window below.
Author's Note:Ok Ok, so I haven't posted anything in a few months. I've been busy and uninspired. But now I'm back!