Doing her best to ignore the sweat from her brow, Aggie cursed the weight of coffin lids.

Why were they so damn heavy?

Slowly but surely, the darkness once again gave way to light as between the joint effort of her pushing with her feet, and Jed lifting from outside, reaped results. They hadn’t completely removed the lid, only left it slightly ajar with enough space for Aggie to clamber out silently, dragging the sheet that was hiding her men’s clothes with her.

The 2 darted silently out the servant’s entrance, thanking the Gods that the staff kept the hinges well oiled.

As they traveled down the servant’s corridor, Aggie couldn’t help but grumble silently to herself at the annoyance of having to be a corpse for half the day. She gave Jed a nod of thanks for helping her remove the lid, and acquiesced to herself that at least it wasn’t made of marble like some nobility insisted upon.

“The funeral should not take more than 20 minutes- we need to get you back in the coffin in 10 minutes to be safe.”

Jed’s voice appeared in her mind making Aggie twitch unconsciously. She understood the need for their conversation to be quiet, but it was still off-putting.

She responded with a quick nod.

With a grim smile, Aggie started to jog beside Jed deciding not to be too cavalier with the fine timing of the day’s events.

Prince Fucker was about to get the surprise of a lifetime, and she hoped the result would be the tyrant developing a lifelong fear of her.

“Bonnie, Keynan, and Declan should be back at the Inn waiting for us. I will make sure that the Duke is outside the Prince’s door in exactly 5 minutes, we can’t wait longer if we are to leave before everyone notices we’re here.”

Aggie gritted her teeth as she nodded. She was stressed enough without feeling the tickling sensation that came with having her mind invaded- even just for a simple message.

As they neared the kitchens, they slowed down for a moment.

The entire kitchen was abuzz with the drama in the banquet hall, and the flurry of preparing food.

Aggie stopped, and bunched the sheet in her hands up into a large ball that she held high in front of her face while Jed stripped off his coat and tossed it atop, further hiding her appearance.

The 2 rushed through the kitchen up the servant’s entrance- evading notice by appearing to be carrying dirty linens up the stairs in order to be aired out one of the upper windows.

They rushed up the stairs, only passing one or two maids in the darkness, and as they exited on the 4th floor, Jed’s voice echoed in her head once more.

“The Queen said the Prince’s chamber was the 3rd from the end of this hallway. She should be freeing Arlen about now. Be careful, Lady.”

They were about to step into the light of the corridor windows, when the unmistakable flash of the white wig of the crowned Prince appeared at the opposite end of the hallway.

Jed and Aggie waited frozen as he stalked into his room completely alone, and slammed the door.

With her heart thudding in her ears, Aggie left Jed in the shadows without a second glance. She darted down the hallway making as little sound as possible, opened the door, and closed it behind herself, not caring if he heard her entrance.

She was prepared to fight some of his attendants, or even him, but she was surprised to find that he was the only occupant of the room. His back was turned to the door as he threw something made of glass at the mantel, completely oblivious to her arrival, the object smashed into thousands of shards as he muttered something about his father not knowing a good opportunity when it came along.

Aggie smiled, and in a fluid movement, sent a dagger whistling past his right ear, that then became lodged in the painting of a brilliant black stallion that hung over the mantel.

The Prince swung around, but Aggie was already striding quickly to close the gap between them. He didn’t have time to register before a bone cracking punch crushed his nose.

Before he could fall to the ground however, Aggie grabbed him by the front of his silk black coat with its silvery patterns and thrust him against the mantel with her hand covering his mouth.

“Am I squeaking loud enough for you now?” She whispered with a grin.

The Prince’s pain was instantaneously forgotten as his eyes flew open, and he stared into the horrific decaying face and unforgettable bright green gaze of Lady Agnes Beatha.

Feeling his body sag under her grasp, the Lady used his moment of shock. Aggie kept her left hand covering his mouth, and plucked her dagger from the painting with her right.

“You know I don’t have many of these. Pity I have to abandon this one.” The Prince was beginning to struggle against her hand, but before he fully regain his faculties, Aggie executed the sweetest revenge she could think of that didn’t involve his death.

Following Bonnie’s helpful tips, Aggie removed the Prince’s family orbs.

Prince Raphael lay crumpled on the floor with blood soaking the front of his pants.

“I doubt you will be able to remember what I’m saying right now, but do try.” Aggie crouched down over his powdered face and fluttering eyes that were struggling to stay open.

“I will come for different parts of you if I hear that you are responsible for anything vile again.” Aggie gently poked his swollen and bloody nose, and heard a whimper escape his lips.

“I bet you didn’t know that my nickname when I was a fighter was ‘Baller’. Funny isn’t it?”

Aggie straightened herself with the bloody dagger in her hand, and noticed then the wrought iron fire poker hanging beside the fireplace. Thinking of how she was losing a weapon shortly, she plucked it from the mantel and flipped it experimentally in her hand.

Pleased with her find, she turned and strolled leisurely to the exit, a dark smile on her face.

When she opened the door, she found herself looking at the stunned face of Duke O’Sullivan, and watched with great amusement as his expression turned white with shock at the sight of, what seemed to be, an animated corpse.

Before he could get any words out, Aggie pressed the bloody dagger into his hand, and stepped to the side to reveal the Prince’s limp body on the floor.

“You may want to get a physician here soon.” She explained calmly, then gave a sharp side kick to the man’s knees. As he collapsed with a grunt, she wiped her bloody hand on his white silk tunic, and proceeded to stroll back towards the servant’s stairwell where Jed stood waiting in the shadows.

She gave him a short nod, and he responded by immediately by shouting:

“The Southern Duke has murdered the Prince!”

Aggie beamed at him, as the shouts from the Duke erupted behind them. They watched long enough to see the guards round the corner at the opposite end of the corridor from where they stood, and then began their descent down the stairs silently. They hesitated before the first floor of the kitchens waiting for the perfect window of opportunity to slip by.

After which, came the most difficult part of the mission…

Finding a way to search Sean O’Farrell for the journal.

*

Arlen was leaning comfortably against the bars of his cell, while the guards in front of him stood silently. Sean O’Farrell’s dungeon didn’t have any windows, and was only lit with the torches along the walls, but even then there were large pockets of shadows amongst the damp stone corridor. The entire passage reeked of fecal matter and sweat, but at least, Arlen garnered, he was the only unfortunate soul down there.

One of the guards was Sir Barra, and the other was a guard that Arlen suspected was a recent addition to the staff. A man with rather large hairy arms, large lips, and his eyes almost completely hidden by a helmet that was too large for him.

Arlen let out a small sigh of boredom. He hadn’t been so inactive in months, and he found he wasn’t taking to it well-, but he knew if he started pacing or fidgeting he would seem all the more suspicious

So, he waited as patiently as possible for his cue, when a dark figure appeared from the shadows.

Arlen would have jumped if it hadn’t been for his months of training with his Magee friends, and as a result, he flitted his eyes over Ekon and the young Servicer woman at his side continuing to look bored.

“You are requested upstairs. There is some commotion about the South Prince.” Ekon bowed shallowly to the 2 guards whom said nothing as they then walked and slithered away.

Ekon stared at the retreating tail of Sir Barra with a brief shudder, then turned to Arlen.

“You have caused enough trouble to start a war.” He whispered his eyes burning with hatred.

“The Ruling Family will rejoice in having you back.” The young woman gave him a cold smile, and Arlen raised his eyebrow at her, nonplussed.

“And you are…?” He asked lazily.

“Servicer Vera you dirty-”

There was a commotion at the other end of the dungeon, and Arlen immediately smiled as Ekon and Vera whirled around panicked.

“It was a pleasure to see you again Servicer Ekon, and to meet you, Servicer Vera. Please tell the Ruling Family they will see me soon.”

Both Ekon and Vera turned to him angrily.

“You will not be leaving so easily! The Servicers sent to retrieve Master Bushi have come and are standing at the end of-” The flash of a silvery bow staff came from the darkness and knocked Vera unconscious, while Arlen’s arms blurred as he snatched Ekon by the front of his black coat and pulled him with a crash straight into the bars, knocking him unconscious immediately.

The Minkies Queen appeared in front of his cell holding the key in one hand and the bow staff in the other.

She wordlessly unlocked the cell, and Arlen strode out nonchalantly.

“Did you get what Ned requested?” Arlen glanced at the Queen’s impassive expression, the maid’s cap already stripped off of her flaming red hair.

The Queen didn’t reply but instead held up a small glass vile filled with the burgundy blood of one of the Servicer’s.

“Swords?” He asked as they immediately stepped in sync heading towards the beginning of the tunnel where the exit stairs were.

“You can take the ones off of the guards at the end of the hallway. Go find Aggie. Jed and I will try to meet you at the cart before it leaves. Remember, if we cannot wait, do not hesitate to use the backup plan.”

Arlen nodded, and as he passed by the 2 unconscious Servicers on the ground, the limp Sir Barra and his colleague, he picked up a sword and a dagger.

“Is she still in the coffin?”

“Why ever would a corpse leave a coffin?” The Queen queried innocently.

Arlen smiled.

The two ascended the slightly damp and slimy dungeon stairs where the doorway at the top was filled with the cool light of day. Once back above ground, the Queen and Arlen shared a nod of understanding.

Arlen casually climbed up onto the nearest windowsill and leapt down onto the squishy grass silently. The Queen meanwhile, headed down a hallway going to her left towards the kitchens. She needed to stir up a few rumors of the Duke and Prince before meeting Tork at the cart.

After running around the back section of the keep and ducking under windows so that he would not be seen, he finally came to the banquet hall. Arlen found the window nearest Aggie’s coffin, and settled against the wall a short ways down.

Now all he had to do was wait.

*

As the guests filed out of the hall somberly, they all headed towards the front of the keep where Lady Agnes Beatha’s coffin would be carried out, and loaded onto the cart that would carry her to her grave- a plot that Sean O’Farrell had commissioned amongst his other family members.

The only ones that lingered in the hall once the last row of benches had cleared, were the North King, Lord Beatha, the North Prince, and Duke Sean O’Farrell. They were to be the ones to transport her coffin out.

As they turned towards the curtain, Sean suddenly burst out.

“Might I please pay my respects to Lady Agnes before we continue?”

He looked as uncomfortable as he sounded, with his forehead perspiring ever so slightly, and his eyes shifting to the curtain instead of his King, or betrothed’s father.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a rigid nod from Agnes’ father, and so on stiff legs, Sean stepped forward and pushed aside the soft velvet to stare down at the decaying face of Lady Agnes Beatha.

They hadn’t put the lid back on? Sean frowned. He could’ve sworn…

He shook his head and moved closer.

He was letting himself become distracted.

Trying not to breath the horrific scent of rot too deeply, and inching closer to minimize being overheard, Sean let his words come out in a rush.

“Lady Beatha, I am sorry for any grievances I gave you during your time here.” He cleared his throat, and clenched and unclenched his hands behind his back.

“I hope you know peace now.”

Sean stared at her face, deciding to firmly put his guilt to rest, when the bright green eyes opened and the body sat upright so swiftly, that before Sean could fully back away from shock, her right hand grabbed the front of his tunic, and ripped it up out of his belt, forcing the thick red leather notebook he kept tucked at his side, to fall with a slap onto the stone floor.

Aggie then threw Sean with all her might backwards away from her. He might have recovered quicker, but as he stumbled back, his feet caught on the curtain, and he tripped falling backwards through the velvet, and landed sprawled on the other side.

“What the-”

“Sean are you alright?”

With blood rushing in his ears against the pain in the back of his head, Sean let out a roar.

“BEATHA!”

The face of Agnes’ father filled Sean’s sight as the man stared down at him with a cocked eyebrow.

“Yes Duke O’Farrell?”

Sean didn’t bother to explain as he launched himself up, and back towards the curtain in time to see Aggie perched on the windowsill, with the journal tucked between her belt and tunic.

She turned back in time to smile over her shoulder at the stunned faces of the North King, North Prince, her father, and Sean O’Farrell staring through the opened curtain.

Aggie leapt down, and took off, noticing Arlen waiting for her while leaned against the wall in front of the window.

“Run!” She called as she darted past his grinning face as she hastily finished pulling her tunic over the red journal that was tucked between her back and belt.

Aggie took off with Arlen at her side, quickly darting around the rounded corner of one of the towers of the keep, and ran as quickly as possible towards the stables.

“New weapon?” Arlen panted as he noted the fire poker at Aggie’s side.

“Needed something.” Aggie wheezed as they neared the back of the stables.

The 2 leapt nimbly over the low wooden fence that marked the edge of the stable yard, their boots landing silently on the dusted cobblestones. They wordlessly began weaving in and out of the numerous black carriages owned by the visiting courtiers that sat empty, with their owners waiting at the front of the keep for a coffin that would not be delivered.

They had just streaked past the steps leading up to the doorway to the keep from the courtyard, when Sir Barra appeared in front of them, his tongue darting in and out angrily as his slit eyes went between Aggie and Arlen.

“Shit.” Aggie muttered quickly wiping the sweat from forehead on her sleeve, and smearing away some of the paint as she did so.

As if on cue Sir Barra attacked, and using the flat side of the sword, Arlen swung down and slapped the Beast Awares head away.

He was at a disadvantage as he was strictly on the defensive due to him trying not to kill his opponent, and Sir Barra quickly realized this, becoming more ruthless in his strikes towards the Servicer.

Conscious of the time, and feeling her desperation growing as Sir Barra and Arlen circled each other while exchanging strikes and blocks, Aggie did the only thing she could think of. As Sir Barra attacked again with his fangs bared, she leap onto his back, locking his head in place with her left arm, and using the right, drew the fire poker from her belt, and began beating the heavy handle down atop his head.

“This. Isn’t. Personal!” She ground out as Sir Barra finally fell limply to the ground with Aggie still atop.

Arlen grabbed her free hand and hauled her up immediately as he saw the North King, Duke Sean O’Farrell, the North Prince, and lastly but not least, Aggie’s father, exiting the keep doorway.

“They cant see us get on the cart with Tork. Back up plan!” Arlen said hastily as he and Aggie sprinted to the stables hearing the pounding footfalls and shouts of the men behind them.

Arlen half hoisted half threw Aggie onto a horse before swinging himself up, and they were sent charging off immediately.

The hooves pounded the stone beneath their feet with a ringing clatter, and the beasts grunted in surprise and annoyance at the suddenness of their charge, but obeyed the commands of their riders.

“Follow them!” Sean O’Farrell barked at the guards that were just arriving to the scene.

The men sprang into action in the wake of the fugitives, and the Lords watched the men at arms take off in pursuit, and then turned to stare at one another- each of them wearing the same dumbfounded expression.

“What did…” Sean O’Farrell panted as he placed his hands on his hips.

“How is she-”

“My daughter’s alive.” The men turned and stared at Archibald Beatha, whose eyes were closed, and a blissful smile lit his face.

The North Prince then began laughing. At first it was a chuckle, and then he was doubled over tears streaming down his face.

“This is not humorous.” The North King regarded his son’s guffaws with a dark expression.

“Is anyone dead?” The North Prince finally managed as he wiped tears from his eyes.

“Not that we can tell. Though we are uncertain what condition the South Prince is in.”

“-And wasn’t it the South Prince that arranged the whole situation with Lady Beatha? Forcing her to fight blood sport and be mocked and jeered at amongst the Southern nobility?”

The North King looked to the sky, and when he spoke next his tone was less foreboding and more strained.

“Those are the rumors. Violence begets violence Arthur, that was not a good method of revenge.”

“Didn’t you declare war over this?”

The King placed his hands on his hips and let out a long slow breath.

The Prince turned to Sean O’Farrell, and took in his disheveled tunic that had been pulled free of his belt.

“How far did she get in disrobing you before shoving you over?” The Prince asked innocently, earning another furious glance from his father and a glare from Sean O’Farrell.

“Next time a corpse sits up and starts pulling at your clothes, you tell me how well you fair.” He bit back angrily- not caring that he was snapping at the crowned Prince. He then turned to the King, his expression one of resigned frustration.

“She stole the journal.”

Aidan’s eyes snapped to Sean with a look of confusion and concern.

“What would she want with the journal?”

Sean turned an impatient expression to the King.

“Similar to yourself your Majesty, I only just found out that the Lady Beatha is in fact alive. I do not know what her thoughts are.”

*

“Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.” Aggie cursed as she glanced over her shoulder at the rider nearing them while her tailbone took a beating from riding her steed bareback.

The knight was gaining on her quickly, and so not seeing any other means, Aggie threw the fire poker with a grunt. She watched as the iron collided with the knight’s steel helmet, and knocked him off his horse.

“Sorry!” Aggie called back as she urged her horse forward towards the forest.

“Aggie we have to fight them! Otherwise we will take them straight to the others!” Arlen called over his shoulder as they approached the forest.

“There are too many coming! We need to disappear!”

“Once in the trees!” He called back with a nod.

They pushed the horses to their fullest speed, and as soon as they past through several rows of trees, yanked back on the manes, then leapt off. They each gave a good smack on the horses hinds, sending them off in whichever direction they chose.

Arlen grabbed Aggie’s hand, and ran several feet into a nearby thicket. When they heard the sound of knights approaching, Aggie reached into the leather pouch tied at her side, and withdrew a light blue gem that was transparent, and glittered in her palm.

Closing her eyes she thought the awkward word that Ned had taught her;

“Forsvinne.”

Aggie heard Arlen’s sharp intake of breath, and when she opened her eyes, had the same reaction as she looked down, and realized that she could in fact see through herself.

“I saw them last over here!” One of the knights called as he dismounted his horse 50 yards from where Aggie and Arlen stood.

“I don’t see ‘nuffin!” Came a snappy retort from one of the guards that had joined the knight. The guard shook his head and began walking straight ahead, away from where Aggie and Arlen hid.

“They were here! They might’ve hidden underneath the roots of one of these trees, or maybe in that thicket over there.”

Arlen’s hand tightened in Aggie’s as he gently tugged her closer to him, and not knowing where he was aside from his hand, Aggie stepped slowly and silently towards where he was pulling.

They were attempting to move as quietly as possible, but as they exited the thicket found themselves staring into the eyes of the knight.

His breath smelt like sausages and garlic, his eyes were a dark blue, and he had several days of stubble shading his face. He frowned, staring through them at the thicket.

As he took another step towards the thicket, Arlen tugged Aggie hard out of his way, and with a rustling of leaves, Aggie fell into Arlen. He managed to keep her on her feet by clutching her against him, with his back against the nearest tree, not daring to risk letting go of her and suddenly being visible.

The knight jumped at the sound, and looked around frantically, then stepped closer to the thicket experimentally, drawing his sword as he did so.

Arlen leaned his head back against the tree, and closed his eyes for a brief moment, neither of them daring to breathe.

Aggie’s face was buried in his chest, where she could hear his heart thudding relentlessly against his ribcage, and she could smell the faint musk of sweat on him. She prayed only she could hear and smell him.

Arlen felt her warm body become paralyzed as the knight crunched around the thicket. He gripped her a little tighter to himself, his free hand holding the back of her head to keep her hairs from tickling his nose.

It felt like an hour passed before the knight called out that he hadn’t found anything, and set off to join his comrade.

When they were certain they were alone, Arlen bowed his head down, his cheek brushing against the side of Aggie’s head.

“Ned said the stone will last 30 minutes, we need to get to the entrance quickly.”

Aggie felt a rush of tingling from the proximity of Arlen, and slowly, on shaking legs she stepped away, her hand still in his to ensure they both remained invisible.

The 2 then set off heading North towards the entrance of the Dwarvin tunnels that lay in the forest of Willow Wood, between the King’s Settlement, and Sean O’Farrell’s Keep.

Adrenaline pumping through their veins, they dared not slow down, and both were well aware that they were not quite relieved from the threat of discovery.