~Mirandiona💎

I went to stride past Treale when I pull short to address him. "Stay with Serana, make sure she's okay." I order the man before turning on my heel and heading for the balcony.

Damn it, why can't anything ever go right? I growl to myself as I climb up and over the castle walls to get to the infirmary. No doubt that was where Katal would be.

Banking around to face the entrance I all but dive through the doors. Flaring my wings at the last second I give a few hard flaps to soften the hard landing.

"Your majesty-" A guard stationed outside the infirmary stepped forward almost as if to block my path before hesitating.

Using the guards hesitation I breeze past without a second look. Throwing the infirmary doors open I barely manage to catch them from slamming the walls. Oops, too much. I berate my own over eagerness.

Ignoring my fumble I turn my attention to the others in the room. Selina was bent over someone on the operation table with Katal standing to the side and a few other people who I assumed to be servants assisting the doctor.

Katal was the only one to look up at my entrance. Taking a few steps into the room I wave the general over to keep my distance from the operating table.

"How is she?" I ask in a hushed voice before the other woman could fully reach me.

Coming to a stop a few feet away the General frowns forlornly. "Selina says she lost a lot of blood. If she survives the surgery, it will be a miracle." Katal's voice was quiet and hollow as she delivered the news.

Screwing my eyes shut I let my head drop. Clenching my jaw I wait for the guilt and worry to wane. "What did she report?" I look back up at the general to see soft yet steely brown eyes staring back at me.

"The caravan arrived earlier than anticipated which was for the better as by the time they were scheduled to arrive the port they used to get into the city was surrounded by Helton's guards. The others in the caravan are safe somewhere in the city, but..." Katal trailed off as she dropped her gaze to the ground. I could see her jaw quivering before she looked back up to me with a fire blazing behind light brown irises. "Someone warned them. There were very few people who knew about the caravan in time to send that advanced of a warning. Someone in this castle, someone close to you personally, is a snake in the grass." Her voice was low in a harsh whisper so as not to be overheard by the guards still standing just outside the open door.

Shifting closer I lean in and cup my wings around behind me to reduce the chance of eavesdropping even farther. "Any ideas on who it might be?"

Katal mirrored my posture and nodded firmly. "We know it wasn't Serana, and Myka and Treale don't have access to anything to send a letter nor the necessary connections or abilities to sneak one past customs, Fyko could have but he's poor so he wouldn't have any ties to someone in Kenysiz not to mention that everything he has is thanks to you so I would severely doubt his involvement but don't rule it out. The only other two people who knew about that caravan in time to send warning besides Evyo, who is excluded for obvious reasons, is Avar and myself. Since I'm fairly confident I didn't send those babbo's asses any warning, that leaves Avar."

I listened to the general carefully, going over each individual she named. I was all but positive Katal wouldn't have warned the rebels but Avar seemed rather likely, Fyko may have sided with him, or whom ever it was, so he couldn't be ruled out either. Pursing my lips I think quickly before issuing my orders. "Don't trust any of your guards with this information. Avar is our best bet but we need proof before we move forward and we can't tip whoever it is off so that they can destroy it."

Katal furrowed her brows in thought. "How will we go about getting the information without help from the guards?"

My teeth subconsciously clenched as I straightened my spine and bristled my feathers. "Leave that to me."

The dark growl coloring my voice had Katal looking up with a hint of surprise in her expression. It only lasted a second before her features smoothed back out as she bowed. "Of course your majesty."

Flicking my wings in acknowledgement I turn on my heel to start my search.

"Mirandiona." Katal called after me.

Stalling at the sound of my name I turn just enough to look over my wing at the general.

Her jaw was set in her usual squared fashion with her wings and shoulders rolled back, but her eyes gave away the concern she was hiding. The general was working her jaw back and forth trying to find the right words now that she could be heard by the others.

Softening my expression I nod in understanding.

Katal's shoulders and wings lose a bit of their tension as she closes her eyes and nods in return.

Giving the older woman a small reassuring smile I turn back to the door and head out. Brushing past the guards I head for the interior door.

It took about five minutes but I finally found my way to the western tower and up toward the top floors where Avar's room was housed.

One... two...third door down. Reaching the door to the councilman's bedroom I turned the handle and pressed my side into the wooden surface. When it didn't budge I let out a huff of annoyance and knelt down in front of the lock. And this is why I learned to pick locks when I was a kid. I grumble to myself as I stick my pinky talon in the keyhole and start fiddling with the tumblers.

After a few second I hear a decisive click signaling that the door was open. "Thank the Drace." I mutter under my breath as I stand up and try the door again.

This time the wooden barrier swung open without issue. Stepping into the room I immediately make my way to the large bed that occupied the far corner. I'm not going to have long before someone shows up. I remind myself as I lift the mattress to check underneath for any sign of a letter or a split in which to hide something. Coming up empty I drop the bed and begin to check the pillows.

Still nothing. I let out a harsh sigh in frustration. Come on. Where else could he have...?" My thoughts trail off as I hear footsteps fast approaching from down the hall. Damn it, that was sooner than I thought. A snarl tried to work its way past my lips as I shoot a glare in the direction of the door.

My lips which had been creeping back to bare my fangs dropped into a neutral expression as I caught sight of something just inside the doorframe.

Striding over I reach it just as the person coming down the hall reaches the door.

"Your majesty." I look up to see the grinning face of Avar. "Do you need my assistance with something?" He asks, the bite behind his tone betraying the really question behind his words. 'What are doing in my room?'

"There you are." I put a note of urgency in my voice, as if I had been looking for the man. My fingers dragged along the doorframe until I hit the little snag that seemed to be just barely cut out of its surface. "One of the guards from the caravan has returned in bad shape. She wasn't able to tell us anything before being rushed to the infirmary." I lie. Using the talon of my index finger I slip it into the crevice and feel something inside shift. "We need to figure out what happened and since it seems unlikely the guard will live to tell us, we'll have to figure it out on our own." I dragged the talon back out and brought the object with it. Pinching the corner of what felt like a folded up roll of heavy long distance letter paper, I pull it out of its hiding slot and push past Avar before he can see my hand. "See what you can find out!" I call over my shoulder, holding the stolen letter in front of my chest with both hands. My teeth clenched as I let a menacing tone darken my voice."I want to know exactly what happened."

There was a slight pause before Avar responded, and slight tremor I heard in the older man's voice had a smirk lifting one side of my mouth. "Of course, your majesty."

It didn't take long for me to find my way to an external wall and make my way back to my office. Bouncing off the balcony railing I land and stride through the still open doors. Ovah was still in the corner on his bed but Serana and her friend were gone. I need to go check on her once I've dealt with this. I make a mental note.

Sitting back down at the desk I unfold the letter still clutched in my hands. My heart stopped at what I saw. Sapian letters. Who knows sapian letters? Shaking the thought I begin to decipher the message.

'Thank you for the warning. We caught a few at the route. Keep the Queen and her mate in the castle. Our gift should arrive soon after this letter. When it does, leave the city.

All my love,

Helton'

My heart was pounding at the letters implications. What could he be talking about? What gift?

Standing from my chair I paced to the other side of the room and back again. The letter was sent after the caravan reached the city and clearly after the guard in the infirmary escaped. So it couldn't have arrived too long ago. And there was no way they could have sneaked another sapian weapon into the city because customs was stricter and more thorough than ever. Growling I made another trip across the room. "Why would he want us to stay in the castle?" I breathe barely loud enough for my own ears. "What weapon could get past customs and all the way into..." I cut off as the thought hit me. "The guard. The guard got past customs and into the castle in under a minute." I whispered as horror set in. Oh please no, Skies preserve us let me be wrong.

Before I put any thought into it I snatched the letter from my desk and sprinted for the balcony. In my rush I kept off too hard and ended up slamming into the wall across the divide and rejumped off that to get in the air as fast as I could.

Despite the infirmary only being a about a hundred or so meters from my office the flight between the two felt like the longest of my life. Banking around to face the infirmary's entrance I actually do dive through and land hard enough to rattle my skull and make me think I've broken a knee. Not worrying about the possible injury I've just caused myself I start hobbling in a pained half sprint to the doors.

"You go find Avar and do not let him leave the castle! I don't care if you have to dewing him, he. Does. Not. Leave." I order one of the guards.

The woman gives a sharp salute as she runs off to follow orders.

"You!" I direct my attention to the man that had been standing guard on the other side of the doors. He snaps to attention as I come to a haunt in front of him. "Has anyone besides me left that room after entering?" I demand.

I could hear the panic rising in my own voice and it was clear the guard was beginning to get antsy because of it. "Only the General, your majesty." He answers swiftly.

"Go find her and tell her to gather anyone who's come into contact with the guard since she's gotten back and anyone who's come into contact with them. I want this whole castle on lockdown. No one goes in or out." I order.

I could see as fear register in the guards eyes as the implications of what I've said sink in. For a moment the guard seemed paralyzed, but only for a moment before he suddenly snapped like the string on a bow and he was off like an arrow.

Turning to the infirmary I throw the doors open as hard as I can so that they slam into the walls and catch everyone's attention. Everyone around the guard whipped around at the sound allowing me to see the bloody mess of what was left of the guard and the sickly gray skin underneath. Speckles of blood around the presumably dead guard gave away that she had coughed it up.

Searching the group for a particular set of lavender eyes I find them near the middle on the far side. Even from this distance and with a medical mask covering the lower half of her face I could see the fear and worry clouding Selina's features.

My heart lurched as my breath caught painfully in my chest. Gritting my teeth I force myself to start issuing orders. "Leave the body. I don't care if she's still alive, she's already dead. The rest of you go immediately wash down in the strongest disinfectant you can find. Do not come into contact with anyone do not touch anything and clean everything. Burn the body. We are under quarantine." I didn't realize I was shaking until I stopped talking and felt the quiver in my jaw.

Selina was the first to react as stepped away from infected guard. "Everyone back away and whatever you do, do touch your face." The calm authority in Selina's voice set my own nerves at ease. "Sith go get the cleaner from the storage room. Your majesty get out of here and go bathe immediately. Tell everyone in the castle to do the same, broiling hot water if you can, literally freezing if you can't. The castle must be cleaned top to bottom. Whoever came into contact with the body needs to burn whatever they are wearing immediately and go through a chemical cleaning. Go tell Katal. Now!" She orders.

Without hesitation I turn on my heal and head for the doorway that lead to the courtyard. "Go tell the castle staff to start cleaning anywhere and everywhere that injured guard was. And everyone is to bathe immediately!" I yell towards the guards stationed on either side of external entrance.

Both run off to do as told while I take off to go find Katal. It wasn't hard as I nearly fly right into her as soon as I made it out into open air. "Katal wait!" I call out, snagging the General by her foot. Yanking her back away from the infirmary I half drag her through the air back towards the barracks.

Katal flails in response to being drug backwards through the air and kicks my hands off with her free foot. "Selina-" She starts to shout before I cut her off.

"Selina wants you to find everyone that came into contact with infected guard and have them burn everything they're wearing and treated with chemical baths. That includes us since we went into the room and the body needs to be burned!" I shouted over her.

Landing roughly on the ground I wince at the twinge in my right knee. "I found a letter in Avar's room." I hold up the piece of paper still clutched in my hands. "It's signed by Helton, well sort of, and it was clearly sent after the guard escaped Kenysiz and warns Avar to flea the city once his 'gift' arrives and to make sure Serana and I were in the castle upon its arrival." Just as I finish explain Katal has reached within arms length of me and snatched the letter from my hand.

I watched as her brows furrowed at the ancient calligraphy decorating the paper. "What is this?" She half demands almost shredding the letter as her talons extend from tension building in her muscles do to her pent up emotions.

"It's written in Sapian script, highborn nobility are often taught it as part of our core learning when we're little. We learn it right along with the modern writing." I explain. "But that's our least concern right now. Go deal with the guards and make sure the castle is on complete lockdown. Everyone within the castle walls is under quarantine until further notice."

Baring her teeth Katal screws her eyes shut and nods in understanding. "Right. The sooner we get everything cleaned the less likely whatever the guard brought in with her will spread and infect others." Katal reasons, it seemed more to herself as she was still nodding with her eyes closed.

When the general seemed reassured by her own statement she opened her eyes and a look of grim determination settled on her features. "Go find Serana, make sure she stays away from everyone else. Treale and Myka should be fine, they didn't come near the guard when she arrived before I was ordering them to go find you but they should all still take a bath. You go take one too, I'll have someone bring the supplies for chemical bath to your quarters. But for now go there and do not come out. You and Serana can not catch whatever disease was brought in." Katal was heading for the barracks before she'd even finished speaking.

"Send out a message to the rest of the city, especially the guards who received her at the wall to do the same thing. We can't have whatever biological weapon the rebels sent us spreading throughout the city or this will be useless." I call after the general.

A hand waves back at me in acknowledgement before she's taking off into the air.

Following her lead I leap off to head for my room. My heart pounds agains my chest drowning out the sound of the wind and my wings.

Landing on the platform outside my room I barely take notice of the gryph landing behind me. Was he with me when I went to the infirmary? Doesn't matter he's getting a bath anyways. I dismiss as I storm into my room with a gust of wind as I through the doors open. Serana was there, pacing in front of the bed while Treale and Myka sat on the chair opposite it.

All three heads whip around at my explosive entrance. "You two go take a bath, now!" I order, motioning in the vague direction of the two former rebels as I head for my own bathroom. "The guard that arrived from the caravan was carrying some sort of contagion. That's why she made it out as injured as she was, they wanted her to make it back here and into the castle." I explain before anyone can start asking questions.

"Oh Skies!" I hear Myka breathe in horror as Treale is already up and dragging her to the door.

"Come on!" He urges as he starts to usher the green winged woman out of the room. "Serana, stay here and do not leave this room." He orders before slamming the door shut.

Serana for her part seemed shocked into paralysis.

Letting her process the information I duck into the bathroom and grab a bucket next to the tub. Walking back out I go to the platform and scoop up the nearest pile of clean looking snow and head back to dump it in the bathtub. I repeat this process a dozen more times until the tub is full of snow.

By this time Serana seems to have caught up to the rest of the world and is following me into the bathroom. "What are you doing?" She asks. There was a clear strain in her voice, whether it was from her earlier crying or the overall stress and panic of the day I couldn't tell and didn't particularly care to figure out at the moment. My mind was on one lane and that was following Selina's orders to the T.

"Selina said to take a broiling hot bath if you can but a freezing one would work just as well. I'm taking both and so are you. I'm also taking a chemical bath when that gets here because I went into the room with infected guard. By the way that didn't look pretty and please don't ask too many questions right now because I'm freaking out and can't focus. Get in the tub." I order stripping off my own cloths. These will have to be burned. I make a mental note as I step back outside the bathroom and throw them through the open balcony doors.

"What?!" Serana shouts clearly starting to freak out herself.