Aefia's eyes stayed locked at the few guards with their cloak's sigil very definitely marking the house of the Viscount, which was supposedly Lewis and Henry's uncle the last time she has heard it. They stood a block away, discussing a matter, and she most desperately wanted to listen in. By the look on their faces, a serious conversation was taking place.
"..." She breathed out heavily as her fingers were placed at her chin, and her head tilted to an angle that suggested she was thinking. I want to eavesdrop on their conversation... But then Cedric might be concerned by not noticing me... Perhaps I can use that clumsy butler to listen in for me? And that would be suspicious to those guards.
Within a few seconds of getting into the train of thoughts inside her mind, she entered a last resort. Without a second thought, her steps lifted towards the stall he was standing at and looked down with her hood pulled over her head. "Did you buy anything?" She asked while turning her gaze sideways at him.
"I was deciding whether to buy one of these for the guard who is currently training me." A smile flashed at his face as he pointed at the tiny stone at the centre of his palm.
"... And how much is that?" She asked, noticing the size and predicting a small but reasonable price for it, where in her mind, this was more like playing a game of bet. "It's two angcles for one. Pure jade that is." The grumpy seller answered in return within seconds of the question reaching the butler's ears.
"What?! Two?!" Her eyes widened as she shifted her gaze towards the seller and then diverting it to the person beside her. You really have a taste for spending money like that?! You definitely outshine Nada in shopping... She sighed at the end and fixed her expression. "Nevermind... Buy whatever you want." Besides... I am not as stingy as a coward who gives money and still claims it as theirs. Then I am just ruining my image as a member of the Imperial family.
Using her index and thumb finger to pinch the bridge between her eyes, she turned a ninety degrees to the left with dissapointment. And to think... The money... Is just crafted out of magic. In a few days or so... It will dissapear. I feel bad for the salesman and his assuming someone raided his money while he was gone... And then a fight might break out and a whole new level of drama would happen.
"Are you done after this?" She asked without facing him, already having seen the money being handed over. The rustle of a paper bag was heard behind her as she stayed looking at the guards, with their discussion still ongoing, about whatever was serious. In some cases that I have read in novels... These sort of curious situations happen before a major political conflict erupts. Although I haven't read much in this genre, I know for short that this is going to be a huge factor if I miss it.
Soon enough, her gaze was caught by one of the guards as he turned around to ensure no one was watching. That is... Strange. In an entire crowd, I felt only one person glancing our way. Perhaps there must be a spy... He thought to himself as he immediately nagged the nearest guard and spoke in a whispering tone. "Don't you think it is best to cut to the chase? I sense someone watching us." The other guard nodded in response as they changed their topic immediately.
In the distance, Aefia dragged Cedric from in front of the previous shop and pointed towards a different one, while whispering into his ears. "Bargain the price... And try stalling the time until I am back. There is something I need to check." With that, her footsteps faded away into the crowd as she dissapeared out of vision using her stealth form. Leaving him in front of a stall filled with only brooches and pendants. And all of them beautiful and catchy.
***
She slowly leaned closer to the guards' small circle and listened to the words that fell from their mouth, it was indeed about the palace and the topic was in fact, very interesting. The words ringed into her mind, and got saved into a folder automatically called 'marketplace' where once she reopened her memories of what the place looked like, she would directly open the conversation file along with it.
"The fact that I think needs to be put into more consideration is how the Viscount was requested an appearance on a specific date at the courthouse, and I believe this same request had been sent to the Duchess too. And what the Viscount is curious about, is whether the Imperial family is about to take actions about this just yet, or leave this case as they have been grounding another." One spoke.
"Stop skipping the crutial facts... And what do you mean by the Imperial family is keeping a secret and grounding a matter?" Another interjected as he folded his arms against his chest. "If anything, it seems to me, it should be their own familiar matters then ones that can be discussed in public. Why would you bother destroying your peace with the duchess?"
"Because... The matter they are currently grounding is an embarrasing thing for the entire family to spill out, so you better be prepared to hear breaking news about one of the members perishing soon... In the courthouse." One of them snickered.
"And exactly how do you know that?"
"Do I need to say it?" Another spoke out with a smile and a laugh. "Count Lucius is absolutely not in friendly terms with the Imperial family. For what reason? It is not said. But it must be a very fun one because there is a said rumor that states he is ready to collapse the entire empire down if the duchess takes a different route."
"I honestly think you should stop speaking about such things and focus on the major problem here... Count Lucius is ready to take a new step around this time... And he wants every small governors to be a witness, even the Viscount." The more sincere one spoke while lightly clapping his hands. "If you are all aware to the depth of the ocean... The Count wants to get their attention to his unanswered letter by assisnating one of the family members and the Viscount wants us to defend them from the outskirts."
A few words triggered her ears to prick a little bit more to the final words. "The assassination will be targeted directly at three members, so you know that the problem is in a large scale unlike what it seems." He spoke as the rest fell silent with the last words. "Yeah... If that is all, I think we better leave now if we want to investigate the matters." One answered back while stretching his arms upwards.
Aefia stepped back couple steps and broke her stealth form. "I prefer... You all should stay out of this matters and return to the estate you came from. Because curiosity over this matter will mean you are engaged in the assassination as well." Her voice was loud and clear as her expressionless face had slowly turned stern thanks to the rage she felt for Count Lucius and his insolent, dumb acts. The guards slowly turned to look at her with a surprised face. One noticed her slightly silvering hair and stayed silent while the others laughed.
"Kid... Its a grave crime trying to interrupt into some serious political matters. Where are your parents? It's better to alert them you are sneaking around eavesdropping into diplomatic situations." One spoke while trying to place a hand onto her head. Within the blink of an eye, his hand moved back as he stared at the young girl and her serious face with dimly glowing red eyes.
"And don't get me wrong when I say I will inform the Viscount about your reckless behaviors outside the estate fields and your incompetent manners of skipping work and staying more than fifty minutes away from the palace." She sternly replied without moving a single step back or forth. "And since like I said, you all are just incompetent... I prefer you return immediately... Then to try to keep an eye over the palace. Your duty will be better fulfilled by other guards in rankings lower then yours."
Her words angered them very much as one raised his hand against her, she stayed her ground with a grin while watching the silent one stop his hand movements. "Stop... Just listen to her and go home. We are going to be punished anyways." He added while yanking him backwards and watched them retreat and finally glanced at the girl who didn't grimace even ones. "I am sorry for being a trouble, and so are my colleagues." His head bowed to a small angle as he tried not to make it obvious.
"So you noticed?" She asked while placing a finger under her chin and looking at the guard. "Is that true? That Count Lucius had all that planned?" The question left her mouth, and he nodded instead, becoming momentarily speechless. Then, his own words left his mouth with uncertainty of how she was going to take the answer. "I managed to come to the view of your partly silvering hair, so please don't take me as the assassin."
"I never assumed you like that until you said it yourself." Her eyes turned towards the crowd while she spoke. "Anyway... What does the Viscount know you as? A given name or a title?" She asked with a warm smile, with her red eyes fading into a black base. "I am just his closest guard, one who follows him around." The guard answered while titling his head upwards and scanning the girl's face, then noticed the bloodied bandages at her waist and her right hand.
He opened his mouth to ask, while catching the sight of the collar too, but then hesitated the second he had opened it. She seems to have gone into a dungeon... Do I bring up this matter? She is still standing despite the amount she looks to have been injured. How... Is she still standing? The questions took a very large space in his mind while watching her say one last word and walk away into the crowd of buyers at the marketplace. "Thanks." Her voice was heard rather calm compared to her serious injuries.
***
"Are you done? We need to return right this second!" She panicked, wiping off the stoic mask she had worn until now. "Stop the bargaining... How much for whatever he has bought?" The words left her mouth in a rush as beads of sweat settled against her forehead with anxiety speeding through her mind in a roller coaster.
"Three–"
Before the lady could finish her words, ten notes fell to her stall as she picked up another item and dragged Cedric away from the stall, after making sure he had taken whatever he wanted to pick. "I don't know what you bought or what you were doing... But how does someone spend that much in such a short time when they are also not a girl in a fashion store?!" She ran, while also heaving heavy breathes and realized that they weren't going to make it back in the short time they had.
Before she allowed him to say another word, they bumped into a gathering of people who were captivated by the sight of something or someone at the centre of the market. Right! This is a better opportunity! She thought to herself with a smile while grabbing onto the butler like he were a piece of paper in the air. "Slow down... I am not done shopping!" He spoke while placing the pin into the bag he was holding and folding the top edges to close it.
"Shop another day!" Her annoyed expression spoke for itself. "I have no other choice, so we are going to just teleport back to the palace gates." She gritted her teeth at the end of the sentence and ran towards a tight alley, then appeared inside the palace gardens in the blink of an eye as she fell to the ground with her knees. Knealing with one knee, she wiped her forehead and looked up to the third floor.
Behind her, Cedric fell face down to the ground and started complaining about his pain onto the grass. "I have no time to deal with this. Good luck." She spoke while heaving a last breathe and got up, the sprinted towards the tall tree in front of her room window. Her muscles were aching as the tight collar around her neck caused only half her breathe to flow into her lungs.
I have unknowingly consumed more then enough of my magic energy... What did I do with it all? I walked my way there, and only space shifted to the other empire. So does non-magic users consume more energy to teleport? Darn! That's way too taxing to take into considerations the next time.
***
His silver hair flew away from his face as he slammed open the door to her room with full force, with excitement. "Hey! I just–" glancing inside the empty room, he walked inside with curiousity and suspicion. Just when he was about to walk over to shut her window, a figure jumped onto the sill with her black cloak fluttering as she moved.
Hoping down, she looked up at her brother as the hood fell backwards. Before she could speak, her brother opened his mouth. "You snuck out?! In broad daylight?! And return bloodied?!" He quietly scolded her as he noticed the collar and the red, soaked bandages. "... I had my reasons... Don't worry I am fine." Holding up two hands, she smiled as her eyes immediately diverted towards the open door.
"Got you a little something." She spoke while grabbing his wrist and holding a blue brooch onto his palm. Before she walked out the room, she turned her face halfway and spoke a few words. "Happy birthday... Lewis." Her steps faded away in the corridor as he was left staring at the present. The same blue of his eyes, a small, simple gemstone... A sapphire... His favourite.