“Ow… ow… too tight…” said Serrus.
“I think that’s the point,” said Teraura, “It’s meant to accentuate… your… er… upper torso.”
“… Why am I doing this? Why isn’t Drakaya being Lady Sara?”
“First, because you wouldn’t be disguised and therefore we’d lose a rather important member. Second, I wanted to test that potion. Third, Darokh’s a dark elf, so Drakaya wouldn’t match, and fourth… it’s hilarious,” said Teraura, sniggering as she looked at Serrus’s getup.
“Not for me,” said Drakaya.
“That maid outfit looks good on you, Drak,” said Teraura.
“Just shut up… I don’t see why I have to do this. I mean, we’re not in character yet, or anything.”
“Someone has to tie our corsets, and it’s not like we have any real maids in the guild.”
“Look, I don’t want it to be ‘our’ corsets. I’m still not used to this,” said Serrus. He glanced down at his new body, and shuddered slightly.
“Oh, come on. It’s easy,” said Teraura, “It’s not that hard to act.”
“Easy for you, maybe,” mumbled Drakaya, “I mean, you get to be the aristocrats and I’m stuck mopping floors…”
“Blah, blah, blah… god, stop complaining!”
“They made me do the washing up! ME! A HIGH ELF!”
“They’re getting you into character. I imagine you’d normally be annoyed, if you were born a maid.”
“… anyway, if you do get too annoyed, you’ve always got your fireballs. You’re a maidmage. Or something,” said Serrus.
“You’ll make a clean sweep of them!” screeched Teraura.
Drakaya and Serrus both looked unimpressed.
“As long as you avoid any more puns like that, I’ll stop complaining,” said Teraura.
“Yeah. Me too,” agreed Serrus.
“Good. Now help me get this dress on, Drak,” said Teraura.
“Oh, come on… you can get that on by yourself!”
“If I start acting in character, you’ll have to as well.”
“Don’t start,” said Drakaya and Serrus in unison.
Teraura looked at their faces. And burst out laughing.
After about a minute, she walked into the nearby bathroom, presumably to try to clean up. They could still hear her, though.
“I haven’t seen her laugh this much in… well, it must be more than 20 years,” said Drakaya.
“Wait… you mean you saw her laughing as a baby?” said Serrus, confused.
“Oh, no. She seems to age a lot slower than most people… she looked like a ten year old the last time I saw her laugh. It’s kinda odd. I mean, she’s aging faster than a human, but slower than an elf or dwarf.”
“Maybe she’s a hybrid?”
“She isn’t, we’ve checked. There isn’t anything on her body to indicate any resemblance to anything other than a human. And we can’t check her parents, she ran away from home years ago and she refuses to talk about them.”
“Can’t you just use a spell or something?”
“Well, I can’t, but we got one of the more experienced magi in to try. It fizzled, so either her parents are dead or have completely forgotten her.”“Sorry, I haven’t laughed this hard for years,” said Teraura, finally emerging,
“Yeah, Drak told me. 20 years, was it?” said Serrus.
Teraura shot Drakaya an angry look.
“Serrus? Would you mind if I had a little talk with Drakaya for a few seconds?” asked Teraura.
“Um… no, I guess,” he said.
The two girls went into a corner. Serrus tried not to listen, but he caught a few words, like “… said you’d never say…” and “…why does it matter? It’s not like…” before the girls came back.
“If you tell anyone…I’ll kill you,” said Teraura
“Come on, Teraura… it’s not that big!” said Drakaya.
“No, you wouldn’t. You’d be kicked out of the guild onto the streets,” said Serrus.
“No. No, I wouldn’t kill you. I just might become forgetful and completely forget everything I know about making your antidote,” retorted Teraura.
Serrus gasped. “You wouldn’t.”
“Wouldn’t I?”
“You can’t. Darokh would get angry.”
Teraura raised an eyebrow. “You think he’ll care? As far as he can tell, he’s made life a lot easier for you by breaking you out of jail and basically removing your bounty.”
“No, no. I’ll complain.”
“No. You won’t. If you do, I will kill you, even if I get kicked out. But who cares? All this can be avoided if you just… don’t… tell.”
Serrus and Teraura glared at each other.
“Right. Um, I think we should head to Darokh now,” said Drakaya. Serrus and Teraura ignored her.
“Come on… let’s just leave this alone for a while… please?” begged Drakaya.
“Fine. We’ll leave it alone for now,” said Serrus, “Truce?”
“Fine.”
Drakaya breathed a sigh of relief.
After a tense walk to Darokh’s office, the three of them entered.
“Ah. Lady Sara, I presume,” said Darokh.
“Yes. Yes, I suppose so…” said Serrus.
“Teraura, if anyone asks, your name is Aurabelle. Make up a last name if it matters. Drakaya, as a servant, I’d assume you’ll be gossiping a lot. Keep an ear out for anything important. And tell the other servants that your name is… oh, just make it Maisie.”
“Um… isn’t that a bit of an inconsistency? That’s a human name, and I’m not one. I can’t imagine there’d be many high elf servants, either,” said Drakaya.
“I’ve prepared for this… Drakaya, just stand still,” Darokh replied.
Darokh touched each of Drakaya’s long ears. They shortened. Drakaya became a lot plainer, in terms of how she looked. She was still attractive, but not especially. Her face had become a lot less refined, but had become slightly rounder. Her hair became a mousy brown, and tied itself into a bun. A few freckles appeared. Her face even became a little bit dirtier.
Serrus and Teraura stared.
“What… what are you staring at?” asked Drakaya.
“How… how…” blubbered Teraura.
“As Drakaya said, there aren’t any high elf maids. So… she’s still technically a high elf, but you look human,” explained Darokh.
“Um… so why isn’t Teraura the maid? She’s already human,” said Serrus.
“Because each of you has your specialties. And if I’m right… the entire magic field here should be weakening… and yes, there it goes.”
Teraura’s ears popped up a bit.
“Wait, you’re making her an elf now?” said Drakaya.
“No. Teraura was born like this. We… that is to say, the Assassin’s council… believe she is a hybrid,” replied Darokh, “possibly illegitimate. To keep this from the rest of the guild, we’ve had a constant channeled effect active on her.
“Wait, wait. What… what if she recognizes me?” asked Teraura. A hint of nervousness entered her voice.
“Ah. Good point…” said Darokh, “Just hold still.”
Teraura’s straight, blonde hair pulled itself out of its usual ponytail and became black and curled. Her ears pulled themselves even longer to match Serrus’s. Markings appeared on her hands. They appeared on her chest and legs, but this wasn’t visible because they were covered by the dress.
“Haha, sweet! I’m a dark elf!” she said.
“Drakaya, Serrus, Teraura. None of you look like you did before. You must keep appearances up at all times. There is to be no out of character conversation at all. We may be spied upon. This is a very…very… very dangerous assignment. Anything… anything at all that might give us away… or anything that even makes them suspect… cannot be tolerated. We have actually gone to the effort of moving an entire half village when I supposedly forced them to. The villagers surrounding the castle are angry. They are angry at us. Mostly at me, but they are enraged at anyone who has supported ‘Lord Daryun’. Naturally that includes my daughter, and my wife,” said Darokh.
“Wife?”
“Yes. This is Merrissa,” said Darokh.
“Who?”
A dark elven woman entered.
“Hello, Sara, Aurabelle,” she said. Darokh whispered something and the woman froze.
“She is real. She knows nothing of this act. The less of our people we can involve, the better.”
“But… why… is she here?”
“She believes she is my wife. She believes she is your mother. She believes she has a maid called Maisie, although she would never admit that she knows your name. She believes her daughter’s lady-in-waiting is Aurabelle,” explained Darokh,
“Who… who is she?” asked Serrus.
“To be honest, I’m not sure. She was just a beggar, and she said she’ll do anything for money. When we are done with her, she will go back to the gutter without any memory of this, but more than 20000 eru richer.”
“Where did you get 20000 eru?”
“Oh, the assassin’s guild has its supporters,” said Darokh, dismissively, “but never mind. The portal is almost ready.”
“O…kay, then.”
“We will keep Merrissa frozen until we enter the castle. We will have to leave from the back, otherwise the peasants will… and I mean this with all honesty, they will annihilate us.”
“Oh,” said Serrus. He began to sound worried.
“We should leave as soon as possible. The peasants may soon break down the door,” said Darokh.
“Er. Okay,” said Serrus.
*
The woman lounged on the skulled throne
“Now, I notice not everyone is here,” said the woman.
“Um, no… I’m… I think…” said the former leader.
“And what a pity, because… now you are to become truly powerful.”
The dozen or so remaining vampires looked up.
“If you wish to leave, you may leave. But if you wish to become the most powerful magi ever… you may want to stay.”
“I’ll stay,” said one.
“I am staying,” said another.
One by one, they all accepted. Except the former leader.
“I… I don’t know…” he said.
“Then leave. There is no room for uncertainty.”
“Er. I’ll do it. But… um… can I go last?”
“There is no room for uncertainty.”
“So I can’t just go last?”
Stop asking, said the woman. Her mouth didn’t move.
“But… but I…”
ENOUGH!
The former leader dropped dead on the spot.
The remaining members looked up in fear.
“You too can gain this tremendous power. But… we need sacrifices. Human or any sapient beings. And this first time…I will deliver them for you. But from now on, you will have to make your own.”
Some of the more power-hungry vampires looked up with anticipation.
“Now. Those cowardly brethren who deserted us. I will bring them here. They… they will be our first source of power.
NOW! RETURN TO ME, TRAITORS OF DARKNESS!, shouted the woman. She didn’t say it, exactly. It went directly into their minds.
The former members of the brotherhood of the night appeared. Most were sleeping, but one or two were waking up.
Follow my lead.
“Sertsim krad ruo fo irolg genidnenu et rof,” she said out loud. She then knelt down, pulled out an obsidian dagger, and plunged it into one of the former member’s chests.
“Wodas ni delrow et revok dena niaga esir sertsim et tel.”
And she ripped out the man’s heart, thrusting it into the air above her.
“Wodas et esaeler ot redro ni rewop ithgimla re fo emos niag em tel!” she shouted.
The man’s heart shriveled. Her eyes glowed red.
“This… this is the essence of being a warlock. You gain all the magical and physical endurance and energy the victim had. And you never… ever… lose power. When you have sacrificed even ten victims, you will be more powerful than any mage in the world!”
There was cheering.
“Now. Sacrifice your own from among here. And don’t all rush. Form a line… no, two lines. Yes, find a partner. And stand next to – NO TALKING! Look, ANY noise can distract you, and you might find your own vitality being drained. Now be careful. If you let yourself be drained, it is your fault.”
One by one, the vampiric warlocks drained souls. The amount of dead ex-members was much more than the survivors, so each person alive drained about three souls.
“Now. You are four times more powerful than you were when you arrived. Aren’t you glad you came?”
There was cheering.
“But… we owe all our powers to the Dark Mistress. Without her, you wouldn’t have this. If you want to amplify your powers best, you must make a sacrifice at dusk, midnight, and dawn.”
More cheering.
“But… if you ever betray any of us… you die. That is the warlock’s code.”
*
Drakaya slammed the carriage door shut behind them.
“I cannot believe they’d do this!” said Merrissa, as the carriage they were in started off.
“Neither can I, my dear, but in some ways they are justified,” said Darokh.
“Well… yes, you did tax them kind of hard,” said Serrus, “I mean… 50% of their income is quite a lot.”
“Oh, they hardly earn anything anyway. A few less eru cannot hurt.”
Drakaya muttered something under her breath.
“Urgh, why is she even in here? Can she not sit with the driver?” asked Merrissa, as though Drakaya’s presence was insulting.
“Oh, come on. She hasn’t done anything,” said Teraura.
“Er, dear…” said Merrissa, “Why is Aurabelle here?”
“My parents were lynched…” replied Teraura. She said it as though she was genuinely sad, and with good reason. She’d been practicing for about 20 minutes straight.
“Oh. I’m sorry,” said Merrissa, without a trace of sorrow in her voice.
“I think we should head to Dadæf and request sanctuary. I believe the nobles there have sympathy to people in our situation, ever since a mob killed the king more than forty years ago,” said Darokh.
“Oh. How horrible.”
“Yes, it is rather. But it benefits us. We should be safe…”
Serrus tuned out to Darokh’s role-playing ramble and pulled out the assignment. He read through his sections of it, most particularly the part involving what happened immediately after the coach ride.
Upon entering the palace, Sara and Aurabelle will retire to their rooms. Maisie will go to the kitchens and volunteer to help however is needed.
“Um… father, can we speak privately for a moment?” said Serrus.
“Certainly. Just one second.” Darokh whispered the words again, and Merrissa froze.
“What is it, Serrus? We cannot afford this. We may be spied upon even now,” he said.
“Well…” said Serrus, wringing his hands, “Why does it need to refer to us as our… well, aliases?”
“Even if we are captured, then… well, they are going to find the instructions useless.”
”But… wait, why… how did you change Drak and me?” said Teraura. “There’s no magic that can change how people look on that scale.”
“There’s also no magic that can wipe someone’s memory, and then give it back to them,” added Serrus.
“No. No, there isn’t.”
“How… how do you do it?” said Drakaya.
“Drakaya… I am sorry for this. But we will give change you back afterwards… and we cannot afford anything at all that will give us away,” said Darokh, and he waved a hand in front of her face. It blanked, and then Merrissa unfroze.
“Urgh, I feel rather sick…” said Merrissa.
“Would you like me to fetch something from the driver, ma’am?”
“What on earth would the driver have, girl! Just find me a bucket!”
“There’s nothing in the carriage, ma’am,” said Drakaya.
“Then pull over, and find me somewhere to be sick!”
The carriage stopped, and Drakaya helped Merrissa out.
“What the hell did you do to her?” asked Teraura, angrily.
“It’s… simple. I just adjusted some small parts of her mind,” said Darokh.
“You… didn’t wipe her memory or anything, right?” asked Teraura, angrily.
“Oh, no, of course not. She merely will act more docile, and more in character. She is still the same person. Oh, and I slightly adjusted the speech parts of her brain, so she’ll sound more polite and less pompous,” he explained.
“You… you messed with her mind?” said Teraura.
“Yes. It is for the good of the assignment. I should do the same thing for you, Serrus. Teraura, however, is fine. She knows how to act as a court lady. You, Serrus… for obvious reasons, do not.”
“Oh,” he said.
“This will not hurt,” said Darokh, with all honesty.
Serrus braced himself…
…and then opened his eyes.
He had a moment of discomfort as the two personalities clashed…
… And then it was over.
“Oh, no… I’m going to act like a spoilt daughter now, aren’t I…? How much have you done?”
“Not much. I’ve merely made you… well, more ladylike.”
“Look, how did you do that? There isn’t any magic that can do that. Magic cannot affect the mind. I know that,” said Serrus.
“Well, no. But this isn’t exactly magic,” said Darokh.
“What… what is it then?”
“Now isn’t the time.”
“Um, sir, ma’am…” said Drakaya, “Would you mind coming outside? Her ladyship has down a hill.” God, this is embarrassing.
“Sorry?” said Serrus.
“Her ladyship has fallen down a hill, ma’am.” Are you deaf?
Um… Drakaya? thought Serrus.
Serrus? What are you doing in my mind? came the petulant reply.
Er, I don’t think I am. Er, it’s confusing… said Serrus.
“Aurabelle, would you mind heading outside to help Merrissa?” said Darokh.
Oh, god, we got telepathy from somewhere. This is such a… began Drakaya.
Um, guys? I can hear you, said Teraura.
Oh. Maybe it’s so we can talk without breaking our cover…? thought Serrus.
How is Darokh doing this? This is impossible!
Nothing is impossible.
Oh, shut up, Serrus.
Look… I feel weird. I got two completely different personalities colliding, but… it gets confusing, because they’re both me. What am I meant to do?
Just… try to oppress the original you, I guess. Which one’s more important for the assignment?
Well… “Lady Sara”, I guess. Wait, why am I “lady” when Darokh’s “married” to “Merrissa”?
You have an impressive mind, Serrus. I’ve never met anyone who could pronounce so many inverted commas in one thought sentence, thought Drakaya..
Oh, who cares? I’ve just found Merrissa, thought Teraura, and she’s lying on top of a pile of cow dung… which is covered in her own vomit.
Urgh, too much information, thought Drakaya.
Heh, I just thought you should know, seeing as you’re the one who has to wipe it off.
Serrus couldn’t see Drakaya’s… or technically Maisie’s face, but he was sure that she’d just winced.
*
“Vana… you… little brat…”
“I GOT YOUR NOSE!”
“Give it back. Now.”
“Haha, not gonna.”
Albërcht made another swipe at Vana. She dodged again.
“I got your stinky, rotten nose! Heh, it’s dripping!”
“Give it back!”
“Nope!”
Vana ran around the room carrying Albërcht’s nose in her left hand.
“Look, why do you even want it?”
“Cuz it’s squishy!”
“Give… it… back!”
“No!”
Vana stood up on the nearby table.
“No, no… don’t go up there…”
“Na, na, nana, na!”
Vana fell off.
“Oh, no… oh no, oh no, oh no…”
“Heh… heh…”
“What… are you…”
“I am fine, Albërcht.”
“V… Vana?”
“I…feel different.”
“Vana… you… er… h- how?”
Vana stood up.
“Urgh, what… what’s happened?”
“Um. It’s… hard… you…”
“Albërcht? Are you alright?”
“But… but…”
“What? Come on, don’t clam up?”
“You’re… you’re…”
“WHAT? I’m… no, I can’t be,” said Vana, and she ran across into her own room.
Albërcht blinked to make sure he had been correct.
“No… how could this… how could it happen?”
“Oh… my. I’m…”
Vana looked down at herself.
Albërcht stared at her.
She had changed in a lot of ways.
For one thing, her clothes didn’t fit any more.
“I’m… well… I’m…” she said.
“Are you? Is… is it you, Vana?” stammered Albërcht.
“Er. It seems so.”
Vana had gone from a petulant 3 year old toddler to a 19 year old girl in under five seconds.
“How… how could this happen?”
“I… I suppose… maybe… maybe you’ve been disguised from something for this whole time. And… maybe this… maybe someone has… maybe someone else is after you.”
“Correct.”
“Re… Remara?”
Albërcht turned around slowly
“Remara? Why… why are you here?”
“I merely wanted to see the girl. I anticipated something like this… I’ve been keeping an eye on you, Vana. You’ve had a rather odd aura on you these last forty years. Keeping you a three year old? Very, very impressive.”
“For… forty?” stammered Vana.
“Yes. I believe you are illegitimate, and possibly half elven. And if you are exactly as I believe… well, we’ll just have to wait for the other one.”
And Remara strode off.
“Something… something creepy is happening,” whispered Vana.
“I know. Someone is after you… I suppose… well, the people who were protecting you… if their aura is no longer affecting you… they must be dead,” said Albërcht.
Remara paused at the door.
“Two birds with one stone,” she muttered, and she left.
*
“Oh… no. The aura is down,” said Darokh.
“Whose aura?” said Serrus.
“Are… are you alright, my dear?” asked Merrissa.
“I am. But… she isn’t,” Darokh said.
“Er… okay, my dear,” said Merrissa, as the coach trundled further and further away from the castle.
