Chapter Ten: The Earl of Avtra's Own
Clara crouched in the shadows of the alley, along with Earl Cedric and his team. They were waiting for the last point of distraction before they began to sneak into the Odyssey. The fog had rolled in, which would make the distraction even better. Clara couldn't see more than twenty feet in front of her.
The whine of bagpipes began. It was the Earl of Avtra's Own, the acknowledged best in the whole country. Clara had watched them practice for tonight's performance. They were led by a man who directed them with a large staff, dressed in a dark green tartan kilt, with a tan tunic tucked under it. He wore a sash with a silver metal on it, which he had earned in battle. There were a dozen bagpipes that followed him, expert in their art. Then there were the drummers, who beat the cadence. Those were what had attracted Clara's attention. Especially the drummers who appeared to twirl their sticks, yet never missed a beat as they did so. Earl Cedric had told her that it took years for drummers to perfect that trick.
She could just imagine the guards at the entrance looking out, hearing the march of the band, peering through the fog. The beat of the drums providing the impression of a large army's progress through the city. Then they'd see the conductor, his staff raised, stopping just as he could see the entrance. He'd be an almost insubstantial ghost, as the Earl of Avtra's Own split behind him, spreading out along the line his staff defined, constantly moving behind him. The music would continue along with the pacing as the conductor stood still, at the edge of sight, a vaporous vision out of the range of their swords.
With a tap on her shoulder, Cedric began the mission. Two men moved with a ladder towards the outside skin of the Odyssey. As soon as it was secured, the rest of the team headed up it, Clara being the third of the nine. Behind them the ladder was removed, and no evidence was left of their passing.
Across the saucer they moved, the white hull and thick mist making navigation difficult, but with slow progress the moved across it, towards the garden. The hull had been opened to the air there, and that was where they'd get in.
Under the cover of the fog, Captain Lord Treavor arrived in Odyssey harbor. He'd been stopped before entering earlier by a pinnacle bearing a message from the Prince. Tonight he'd begin to prepare his part in the attack. His boat slid noiselessly into the water, though stealth was not really necessary in this stage. His passengers were placed in the boat before he joined them, turning his ship over to his first officer. They pushed off and soon were on their way to the city docks.
The fog hugged the waters of the bay tightly, so only the compass allowed him to navigate towards shore. Soon, the docks peaked through the clouds, and he pulled along side. Troops stood at the ready along the dock, and a cry for the Duke of Armedge's Squire rang out, as they assisted him and his passengers out of the boat.
"Treavor!" was the cry. The voice was familiar as well. He turned towards it. Out of the fog approached Squire Brett, otherwise known as Princess Brittany, though you couldn't tell that at the moment, as her breasts were bound, and she was dressed in the typical squire's attire of Lord Treavor's father's household.
"Squire," Treavor returned, with affection. "I assume you are currently in charge of the docks."
"Until your arrival, sir," Squire Brett replied. "I'm to brief you on the latest plan of the Prince's, and then turn the operation over to you. I've arranged for a private room off the dock master's office. We'll be the only ones in the building."
"I need someone to take care of the Ladies of Castrome that I've brought with me," Treavor said. "I felt it unwise to leave them aboard ship in the current plan."
"Captain Black!" Squire Brett ordered. "Take these ladies and their stuff to our headquarters in the Golden Rinnebeast. Princess Beatrice should be there to pick them up in an hour."
"Aye, Squire," an older solider said.
Treavor moved closer and whispered in Brett's ear, "Planning to leave the post?"
"Only after you help me change," she whispered back.
"Squire, your father would be shocked," Treavor said in a normal tone, as they began walking towards the dock master's office.
"My father isn't here," Brett replied. "And we've got business to handle first, and I want him to be proud of what I've been doing."
"That depends on what you've been doing," Treavor said, as he opened the door to the dock master's office.
Prince Avery, Lady Hayley, and Duke Nolan were looking over the map. It was a large tapestry that had been taken down and placed over the table so that Armedge and Castrome were visible. They'd placed several icons of forces to track where things were.
Hayley wasn't really doing much, save moving icons as messengers went in and out. The Prince was concentrate on where everything was, while the Duke talked.
"You see, Avery, if the Fasstime forces head down the road from Hammer Pass, they'll run right into my son Oswald's force," the Duke said. "He'll probably not be able to hold off them for long, but we need the delay. Duke Murdock has begun his advance into Fasstime, and he's moving fast. Those dragons of his will be rather helpful, I'd think."
"Your grace, who is covering the coastal road?" the Prince asked. "It looks like they can march all the way to Arm right now."
The Duke looked at the map a while. "So they can, but I wouldn't worry," he said. "If they come that way they'll have to go through Arm to cross the bridges, and I've left the City well defended."
"Very well," Avery said. "Can you see any other area we've left uncovered?"
"Not to my knowledge," the Duke said.
"Then we better get some rest," Avery said. "The attack is set to begin at dawn. Have the staff wake me an hour before. Hayley, let's go get some sleep."
Inside the Odyssey, Lord Henry slept in a room near to the throne room. He'd found the bed most comfortable, and was sure that the one in the King's chamber would be even more so, but didn't want to stray far from the throne room, since he didn't know the Odyssey well. He slept well, secure in his position of the next King of Ellosia, at least in his mind. He had no clue, nor watch, on the garden.
In the garden, Earl Cedric and his men were descending down its walls. Softly, they landed on the richly fertilized soil covered with short grass. As quietly as possible they made their way towards one of the exits, finding it unguarded. In the carpeted hallway, Clara directed them, her study of the Odyssey's plans, not only in the keep of the Avtra Dukes, but up on the Enterprise giving her the edge to the mission.
Into a jefferies tube entrance they went, and up a couple decks. It was slow going, but they had until morning to get into place.
Inside the throne room, Captains and Counselors slept, unknowing that rescue was on the way. The water lights had been turned down, automatically, by cutting the bacteria's feed of sugar, so the room was only lit by dim glows. Around the Captains and Counselors were soldiers, trying to keep their eyes open.
Up in the tower of Avtra Keep, Prince Avery slept fitfully, Hayley in his arms. The wake up call would come all too soon.
At dockside, his sister slept in Lord Treavor's arms. The afterglow was more than enough to send both to sleep, while the troops boarded Lord Treavor's ship in preparation for the morning.
And at the Odyssey's main entrance, the guard stood increasingly more ill at ease. The Earl of Avtra's Own was still giving their personal concert, late into the night. The bagpipes blared, and the drums thumped, as the fog obscured, partially, the music makers. Several times, they left only to return later.
As dawn approached, the Earl of Avtra's Own approached one last time. Their bagpipes blaring out the marching theme favored by the Duke of Armedge. One last time they crossed in the mist. Then, unlike the previous times, near the end of the tune the conductor's staff was raised above his head, then tilted at a slight angle. With a swift twist, he straighten it on the beat. The tune died.