a day from Teans, I stopped the small caravan. The guards that had accompanied us from Teans had been caught, bound, and stripped of their armor after we had left the city gates. The prisoners that had been slaves were freed from their shackles and travelled comfortably in hay-lined wagons while the guards sat, bound in the slaves' wagon.

Night fell. I called all those who had been slaves to me. They were unsure of me. They were still convinced that I was the real Lord Emmerson. Terrified, they stood in a line before me. I walked to the wagon that held gold and treasure which was supposed to be a gift for the king. I took items from the wagon and passed them out among the slaves.

“This is yours” I called out. “Your days of slavery are over. Go to the small villages of the kingdom and start your new lives.”

The slaves were silent for a few moment, then a joyous cry erupted from them. They hugged each other, fell to their knees before me, and ran off into the evening.

“That was a nice thing.” Christen whispered. I shrugged.

“I had no use for them.” I muttered, “And I didn't want them just coming along, they would get in the way.” I turned to Mic and Joss. “I left some for the two of you. You can do whatever you want with it.”

Mic and Joss looked at one another. Joss bowed to me.

“As much as I would adore to just leave and start a new home, I have a debt to you now.” He said. “Mic and I both want to help you kill that vile Kos, to repay our debts.”

“An old man, and a magic-less elf?” I said. I shrugged, “Fine. As long as you can wield a dagger, I think I might need some help.” I walked to the supply wagon and dug through it. “It looks like we have been given, by the wonderful servants in Teans, dried meat, fresh bread, and more wine than I myself could consume. How about we get started on that.”

“What about the guards?” Rico asked.

I looked at Rico as I pulled the stopper from a bottle of red wine. “What about them?” I asked. Rico looked at me, his arms crossed. I sighed. “Fine. Let them go. Let them run back to Teans if they want. I have no use for them.”

Rico nodded and walked off to free the guards. Really I suppose it wasn't their fault, the just worked for pay, much like I did. I took a deep drink of the wine. Really, it wasn't their fault.

***

We made it to Rawlin's without any trouble. Of course, why would we experience trouble? We were not traveling as a group of criminals, we were traveling as Lord Emmerson and a small group of guards. Not only that, but we didn't even see anyone, given that it was winter.

We made our way to the gates. It was quite odd to have the gates opened for us as we approached. I was so used to having to trick the guards into letting me in, or finding other ways into the city. this time, the gatekeepers saw the flag of Lord Emmerson and opened the gates wide for us. We rode proudly through the streets, the rabble of people parting before us so that we might travel unhindered.

Behind my mask I smirked. I had once relied on that rabble to hide me from the guards.

A messenger rode towards us on a brown horse. He turned and started to ride alongside me. “Lord Emmerson, will you be taking yourself directly to the Keep?”

“I do believe so.” I said, my voice tearing at my throat as I did. I didn't know how Justin had kept up the facade of Lord Emmerson for so long.

“Very good, Milord. I shall inform-”

“Tell the King, of course, but as you do, also tell him that I would like to meet the aquantiance of someone whom I have heard is making quite a name for himself.”

“Oh? And that would be...?”

“Lord Kos.” I said, “I would like to make his acquaintance.”

“Of course, Milord. Lord Kos has become the King's advisor, I am surprised that you have not heard that.”

“I had heard it-” I lied, “But only through rumor. I find it's better to find such things out for sure before making assumptions.”

“Of course, Lord Emmerson.” The messenger urged his horse forward and raced to the castle.

“Should we be going right to the castle?” Christen whispered. She was dressed in a fine gown that I had found in the castle. Rico and Mic were dressed as guards, riding on horseback alongside us. Joss rode on a carriage filled with riches, also dressed in finery.

“I think so.” I whispered. “The longer we're here, and the longer I take the guise of Lord Emmerson, the better a chance they realize that I'm not the real-”

“The real Lord Emmerson is dead.”

I sighed, “ I know. The longer I'm here, the better the chance that they realize that I'm not the Lord Emmerson that they're accustomed to. No, it's better to go in now and do what we have to do.”

“And your plan?”

I frowned behind the mask. In all honesty, I had been quite pleased with my idea of taking Justin's mask and cloak and pretending to be Lord Emmerson so I could get into the castle. I had assumed from there, I only needed stab Kos a few times with my dagger. He may be a mage, but I'm sure that even a mage can easily be taken down by a slit throat.

“Find Kos, stab Kos. Slit Kos' throat. That seems like a good plan.”

“He's a mage though. I'm not sure-”

“It killed Lord Necanda, didn't it?”

Christen fingered the black hilt of her dagger. “It did.” she admitted, “But, he got his powers from Kos... Shouldn't Kos be more difficult to kill?”

“Perhaps.” I said. I smirked, but then remembered that Christen couldn't see it through the mask. “We'll just have to find out won't we? If he's clever, he's hired an apothecary to help his resistance to most poisons. I would think that the only way to kill him would indeed be to kill him by the dagger.”

“and If that doesn't work.' Well, normally another few stabs would be enough to make anything work.

***

The pure white castle loomed over us, its marble stones marred only by marks of age. Similar to Necanda's castle, Rawlin's Keep had a great central tower which it was said that the King would study in.

The castle gates creaked open before us and allowed us to travel into the inner-courtyard of the castle through a great, dark tunnel. The courtyard was empty, save for several guards standing at attention at the gates. From the winter and the cold, the courtyard was protected. An almost invisible, shimmering dome arched overhead, warming the gardens of blue, white and purple flower that lay between the spider-webbing of cobblestone paths. a great apple tree stood in the middle of the courtyard, bearing white apples even in the winter.

I, of course, had never seen the courtyard. However, once a year on the new year, there was a ceremony held inside for the nobles and merchants of the kingdom. People used to travel from all across the kingdom to see the beautiful magical garden of the King. It was said to have been a gift from the islands to the south, as a peace offering once Lord Rawlin built the castle.

“It's beautiful.” Christen whispered.

“I'm surprised that you never came here before. I'm sure Lord Whyte would have been invited.”

Christen shook her head. “My father came, but I stayed at home. He did not want me leaving the village.”

A gate on the other side of the courtyard opened up, and several guards came running at us. I stiffened, and clutched at my dagger. Had by disguise been discovered?

Mic and Rico edged towards me, holding their spears upright. Mic might have skill with a spear, but Rico didn't. If things got very bad, Rico could use his own power, but that would mean giving away our position entirely.

A guard with plumed helmet walked before us, holding a roll of parchment in his hands. A few guards ran around us, circling us.

The guard unrolled the parchment and read, “Lord Emmerson of Teans, you are under arrest on the charge of embezzlement of kingdom funds for purposes unknown. Your penalty will be a month spent in the dungeons of Rawlin's keep, followed by an execution on the dawn after your imprisonment.” He looked at Christen, Joss, and then my guards, “You're consort, as well as your guards and friend will be taken into the prisons as well and questioned, with their release at the will and mercy of our Lord, the King.”

Generally, 'At the will and mercy' of anyone meant that you could expect to rot in prison.

“I'm offended that the question of my unwavering loyalty to King Rawlin would be questioned, even for one moment!” I said, “Have I not always been-”

“The king has many agents across the kingdom. They generally report when something strange happens, such as the absence of hundreds of gold from the city's funds. Our king has been getting such reports for years, but decided not to act on them until recently, with the great loss of one thousand gold.” The guard rolled up the parchment and made a small motion to the guards around us.

“Arrest them.”

The guards slowly marched in at us, their spears pointed outward. I urged Dawn and Night forward, breaking through the band of guards standing before me, and sending the guard in the plumed helmet falling to the ground. I raced across the courtyard, Christen clinging to the wooden seat under her, crying out as the Caravan tilted and came up off its wheels on one side as we turned around

“What are you doing?”

“Do you want to go back to the dungeons?” I demanded, “We're getting out!”

I charged towards the gates that we had come into, planning to get out of Rawlin's Keep, and perhaps out of Rawlin for the time. The guards that I had knocked down only a moment ago now lined up before the gates, their spears sticking out, ready to kill my horses, then myself.

A great plume of flames cut through their ranks as I approached, sending the guards into disarray. I quickened my horses and rushed through them, catching embers on my white clothes and mask. I turned to see Rico, still clad in armor with his hand outstretched, a sizzling aura ebbing away from it. Mic had taken the reins on Joss' caravan, and they were following on that.

We rushed through the long, dark tunnel that cut through the wall of the castle and led from the city to the courtyard, however, as we approached the end of the tunnel, the steel gates fell down. From outside the walls, we heard a great horn, and a deep bell sound. The wooden doors outside were pulled shut, and the light of the outside world was cut off from us, and we were trapped inside.

“What now!?” Rico asked, “We're trapped.”

I pulled off my mask and tore the white cloak from my shoulders. “Not quite,” I said. I threw Lord Emmerson's disguise to the ground, “Burn it,” I said, “I'll hide in the caravan. Tell them that you... That you serve the King before Lord Emmerson or something like that. Make it believable.” I quickly opened the door of my caravan and slid inside. I locked the door and sat down on the floor and listened.

Outside, I heard a ratting of armor as guards came up to the caravan.

I heard the voice of the guard with the plumed helmet say, “Where is Lord Emmerson!” There was a long moment of silence. “ I see,” he said. “You slew your own lord?”

Rico remained silent for a moment, then I heard him say, “I follow the path of what is right and just. Upon hearing of Emmerson's evil deeds, I could not withhold my anger-”

“And you are a mage as well?”

There was another moment of silence.

“Not at all,” Rico finally said, “I have this skill by means of birth, not study. It is why I was hired to serve Emmerson.”

There was a few moments of conversation I could not follow. Then, the guard with the plumed helmet spoke up once more.

“And the caravan? The wagons?”

“The wagons are filled with riches that Emmerson said were to be offerings to the King. As for the caravan-”

“We were attacked on the way!” Christen said. “A group of thieves tried to steal the riches and take me away. This young guard saved me, and slew them.”

“And why did you attack my soldiers?”

“I had been trying for the caravan. In my rage, my aim was poor.”

There was another long moment of silence, followed by soft mutterings.

“You three will be carefully guarded in one of the guest rooms until we have informed King Rawlin of these events. As for you, mage, you will be brought to the Magus upon the morning. In the meantime, we will seal you in a stone dungeon. Lord Kos will know what to do with you thereafter.”

I heard the guard come closer to the caravan. He pulled on the door handle, but the door didn't open. “How does one open the door?”

“With a key, but Lord Emmerson did not have it. ”

“Very well. Take it to the stables. The horses look fine at least. Tomorrow have someone look at it.

The caravan lunged forward, and I held on to the floor to keep from moving about. I heard Christen protest as someone tried to lead her away. I cursed under my breath, frustrated because not only would I have to find the Moonshard, I would have to try to kill Lord Necanda, but I had to find my allies, and get them out of the damned castle too.