Chapter 20: Chapter 20 – Not Somewhere, Somewhen

 

For a sickly teenager, a two day journey was turned into four, with frequent stops, and her maid fussing heavily over her health. All the escorts acted properly as the Silver King told them that if she is hurt in any way, their entire family line will be tortured to death, and the tombs of those dead will be exhumed, and cast into the forest.

This was to make sure that any spies were guarded against. As well, any maid who went with her was a slave maid, with a binding collar that no one other then her father, or her grandfather, could alter commands to.

The carriage and the guards got to the gate of Underground Black on the afternoon of the fourth day. The gate opened before them, and the carriage proceeded inside.

'So far, so good.' Ava thought. She had no clue that disaster was on the step of her carriage.

 

* * *

 

"Princess." The Black One and the Seer stood about fifty feet from the carriage, with a line of guards on either side of the path at about ten feet from them. On the side of the carriage, the princess's guards stood on either side of the path, while a maid helped her into the chair, and started to push it forward.

Ava frowned slightly.

'Who is this maid? I don't remember her among my servants. Where is the one I rode with?' She tried to look back, but the chair continued to be pushed forward, and her guards didn't show any signs that something was wrong.

As the wheelchair passed her guard, the chair stopped as though the brakes were applied, though Ava could clearly see that the pedal on her left has not moved. The Black One smiled.

"Did you think you could mix into the princess's maids and no one know?" The Seer said. "Master knows." A figure walked from the side, and Underground Black's guards moved out of her way.

'Do not worry, Princess. She won't harm you.' Ava's eyes widened as she heard a soft voice inside her mind. Aila's hand passed by her face, but when she pulled it back, a blue serpent was on her hand.

"Aw, poor guy. A slave collar." Aila sighed, and flicked it with her finger. The metal ring popped off, while the maid behind the wheelchair grunted. Aila smiled and lightly rubbed the little snake's head. It's eyes closed and seemed to enjoy her touch.

"Oh, this poor guy has been starved nearly to death to keep him small! He's a river python kept in its infancy state so its poison was kept strong." Her eyes narrowed, but then softened as she focused on the snake.

"I bet you're hungry." The snake nodded. "The one who brought you is right there. Don't worry. We don't need to question her. Go eat. Come find me when you're stuffed." She let the snake go back up the sleeve of the maid who still had her muscle's impulses suppressed. Aila pulled the wheelchair forward.

"Guards, make sure she doesn't kill herself, or anyone else. She has poisoned needles inside her skin, and sewn into her clothes." Aila stopped. "Hm. Yes. That will work, Alara." She heard a soft chirp, but ignored it. Her girls did that too, so she was used to it.

"This should work." She held out her hand, and grew a pillar from the ground, spikes off the pillar pierced her hands, arms, and legs, then spread over top of the hole they made, to lock her in place so she couldn't escape. A stone holder formed off the pillar and prevented her head from moving, while a bit went between her teeth to prevent her from crunching a poison tooth.

"Master, quite devious, but appropriate considering that she planned to use the princess, and either try to kill you, me or my sister, or at least the princess herself." Alara said with a small smile. The princess shivered.

"Oh, guards, arrest her escorts. Someone let that maid join the group. Find out who." The Black One's voice was harsh, and made the Black Guards move quickly. The guards of Underground Black were elites, and the escorts were no match.

It quickly became obvious who the mole was as he tried to run instead of protecting his princess.

'Make sure to have him appropriately questioned, Ivadra. This young woman has endured a lot in her young life. She doesn't need to fear the ones at her own home.' Aila said, but within their minds so no one else could hear her input into the situation. Ava sniffed.

How could someone know she had these emotions? She couldn't figure out why, but it made it easier to relax around her. Ava sighed as Aila put her hand on her shoulder.

'Master, how are you able to speak to her without giving her a core?' Alara asked. Aila blinked, but shrugged.

'I do not know how I can talk to her so easily, Alara. It's like I knocked at the door, and she let me in.' Alara could feel her Master's mental shrug, which only made her smile.

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Aila could do many things, but she still didn't know why she could do them. She does these things because she can, not because she knows why.

What could Aila say that would satisfy Alara? She's from a different world, and ever since she came here, she's been stronger? The universe itself tells her that she can do things, so she does? What explanation would she accept?

Every so often, Aila could feel something so immense and powerful, it drew her attention like a light flashing in a mirror. The problem is that the light reflected towards her is not from somewhere else.

It's also so familiar that she doesn't get startled when she catches that reflection out of the corner of her eye. As Aila has already realized, that presence isn't from a place nearby, nor from a time that she needed to worry about it.

 

* * *

 

'Ivadra.' She heard a familiar chirp. 'You sensed it, didn't you?'

'Master, still testing me? Yes, I did. Our little princess is not sickly, or disabled. She's been poisoned, and for a long time.' Ivadra shivered slightly as she felt the familiar intrusion into her consciousness. Aila did it because she wanted to 'see' Ivadra completely. The easiest way was to peer within her mind, and see her memories as she made them.

'Was it too little that the doctors couldn't detect it?'

'No, Master. This is a common poison, so the doctors would have looked for it. Those were also doctors employed by the king, so they have the highest degree of ability.' She heard her sigh.

'For a child to be poisoned by her own family, or for political purposes. It angers me. Can you send a discreet message so that only the ones she trusts are notified?' Aila asked.

'It won't be easy, as they will be watching for news, but Underground Black has a way. Maybe the Magistrate can do something to ease the pressure on himself by acting in her behalf.' Ivadra said, and felt another more powerful intrusion within her consciousness. This one was more focused, just like with Alara.

'Good girl.' The soft whisper at her ear made her tremble. Her Master's strength had grown, as had their mental connection. Ivadra could not understand how her Master grew so powerful, but she could feel the constant movement of elemental essence around her. Almost as if she were actively absorbing the essence at all times.

Alara and Ivadra quite enjoyed her unannounced visits within their minds, and even more so as the connection grew stronger, and the sensations became more intense.

 

* * *

 

"Sir. This was given to me." His hidden guard came out of the wall. "I still don't know how he was able to do that." The report was handed to the Magistrate.

"It's Underground Black. They have their ways." He opened the sheet, and closed it again. "Verify that no one is around my door, above or below me." The guard frowned slightly, but nodded. He disappeared into the wall, and came back a few minutes later.

"One spy. Sent to the afterlife." The guard wiped off his blade on a cloth.

"Go to the King. Take this sheet, and make all haste. This is more important then your duties here. I will take my leave of this office until your return." He looked at his guard. "No one but the king. Not the eunuch, not the Prime Minister, his wife, or any of his children. Just the Silver King."

"Understood." The guard could tell that something was wrong, and disappeared.

Spies at the Magistrate's office. That was bad on its own, but when he said that only the king could take the sheet, he knew it was worse then expected.

 

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