Part 4
I trotted down the stairs. Exodis was going up them. I was heading to the maid quarters. The stairs stopped at the last floor, and I walked down the hallway. Maids scurried around frantically, some curtsying to me quickly. I waited until most of them went up the stairs or into a room, then I quickly ran into a room that was nearest to me. They were all maid rooms, where they lived and where they got ready.
I looked for anyone who may be near. "Hello?" I called, my voice echoing throughout the room. It was not very big; I was just making sure nobody was sleeping. There were four cots, one small restroom, and one closet. I walked over to the closet and opened it. Just what I was expecting: Maid outfits.
I picked out one I assumed was my size, taking off the armor that covered my regular clothes and placing it in the corner of the closet. The armor was hidden in the shadows. I ran into the restroom and changed into the maid outfit. It was light blue with a white apron sewn onto the front. I took the poison vile and wound vile from my tunic and placed them in pouches in the maid outfit. I stuffed my clothes in my pack and grabbed it, putting the straps under my fingers and wrapping my arms around it, concealing it the best I could. I had also hid my dagger inside the two pouches, which were connected on the inside. The dagger was in its holster so it would not poke me through the outfit.
I quietly walked out of the room, going to the door and opening it, looking around before I fully came out of the door. No one was around. I quickly ran up the stairs, continuing to go up the stairs. I passed many levels, but kept going up until I came to a level that people in royal outfits stood around in. I hung my head and walked into the hallway.
The royal people eyed me. They looked upon me as if I was dirt. I continued to walk down the hallway, looking at the guards at the doors, waiting to see Exodis. It was not a long before I saw his face staring straight out. His eyes moved to look at me. He acknowledged me and continued looking out in front of him.
I entered the door. Maids scurried around busily, preparing the food, washing the dishes, cooking the food.
I walked over to a table where all the plates were set. Some of them had a small sign that said, 'Reserved for...' and followed by their name. I finally found the King's plate. I looked around to see if any maids were watching. They were all busy with their work. I hunched over my pack, taking out my gloves and putting them on, just incase. I then dug in the pouches of my apron, locating the plastic bottle with my fingers and taking it out. The red liquid swished around in the small vile. I opened the cap, carefully pouring half of it onto his food, and half of it into his drink, which was red wine. The red on his food looked like a sauce. Once it was empty, I put the cap back on and put it back in the pouch.
I rushed out the kitchen door, making sure it was the same one I entered through, since the kitchen was connected to the dining room. I quickly walked down the hallway, practically running down the stairs to the maid quarters. I burst in the same door I was in before, checking if anyone was in it again, running into the restroom and quickly changing into my red dress. I hid the two vials and my dagger in the large pockets. I ran out the bathroom, going to the closet, putting the maid outfit back and throwing my pack next to my armor.
I quickly walked back up the stairs, not being able to run because the dress was so fluffy at the bottom. I did not have high-heeled shoes, so luckily the dress was long enough so it covered my feet. Once I got back to the dining hallway, I waited by myself until they called us to the dining room.
Trumpets blared loudly near the two tall golden doors. The crowd silenced. One male fox spoke up.
"Supper is ready. If you would all please enter these two doors..." He said, taking a step back, along with the trumpeters, for everyone to go into the doors. Two male echidnas were holding them open. Exodis was one of them. He had switched doors. I entered after everybody else, taking the last seat available. Like everyone else, I stood up, waiting for the royal family to enter.
The trumpeters and fox came in the doors. They shut behind them. The two trumpeters stood at each side of the door, waiting for the signal. The fox nodded slightly. The trumpets blared.
"My lords, my ladies, your King and Queen!" He said. The golden doors opened slowly.
The King walked in, holding the Queen's hand. His head was held high. He was a fox, along with the rest of his family. He wore a golden tunic with a silver cape attached to it, which dragged on the floor. The tunic was long so you could not see his trousers. He wore golden shoes that looked like sandals. On his head there was a golden crown with points on the top, each point had a different colored gem on it. The Queen wore a white dress that dragged on the ground behind her. Sequins were all over it. She also wore a diamond tiara. They were both elderly.
The Princess and Prince walked in behind them. They were brother and sister, so they did not hold hands. The Prince wore a white tunic with a golden strap around the waist. He had a silver cape on and a silver crown with points too, but it did not have any gems on it. The Princess wore a gold dress that did not drag on the ground. It ended at her ankles, and she wore clear high-heeled shoes. She wore a crystal tiara that was not as fancy as the Queen's.
Everyone watched them as they entered. Each one of them had a smile upon their face. The King sat at the end of the table, the opposite end from me. The King sat in a large oak chair, the Queen in a smaller oak chair, and the Princess and Prince sat in the same size chair, which was a bit smaller than the Queen's.
Once the royal family sat down, everyone else sat down. The maids came in and served us our food. We could not eat until the King took the first bite. But the King had to make a toast.
He took his glass of wine and held it up. "I would like to make a toast..." Everyone also picked up his or her glass, including me. "To my wife, dear Sikarey, I love you with all of my heart. To my son, who I know will be a great leader. And to my daughter, who has a great life ahead of her. And to all of you, may you all live a healthy and wonderful life." He held his glass to the person he was speaking about. After he finished, he lifted the glass to his lips and drank. We did the same.
And he did not even know that was the last drink he would be drinking.
The king picked up his fork and began to eat. Everyone else did also. I watched the King out of the corner of my eye as he ate. A minute later, a loud clang was heard. He had dropped his fork. His mouth was open, his eyes were staring out in front of him. He began to choke.
"Kedalow? Kedalow?" Sikarey asked, placing her left hand on his, shaking it slightly. "Are you all right?"
"Father?" Prince Tennan and Princess Mylarra said.
"Someone help! He is choking!" Sikarey shouted, standing up.
Everyone began to murmur. One of the guards entered the room. It was not Exodis. He saw Kedalow choking. He ran over to him.
Kedalow dropped from his chair on the ground. He gasped for air. I put a horrified look on my face as I watched him. Inside, I was laughing. I watched as he took his last breath. I then ran out the door, looking as panicked as I possibly could.
Exodis looked at me. I nodded. He got the hint. I picked up the bottom of my dress so I could run. I ran down the stairs and into the maid quarters, running into the room. I grabbed the armor and my pack from the closet, running to the restroom, quickly changing into my tunic and putting the armor over it. My pack was on under it. My dagger was in its holster attached to the strap around my tunic underneath the armor. The wound vile was in the pocket of my tunic.
I ran out again, running up the stairs, and going out of the palace. The two guards were gone. They had probably been called into the castle. The people in the village were looking at the castle, talking to others. Apparently some had heard some word of Kedalow's death.
I ran down the stairs. The people instantly mobbed me.
"What is going on?! What happened?! Is Kedalow really dead?!" The people screamed at me.
"Kedalow is dead!" I yelled, disguising my voice as masculine as it could get. "We think he was poisoned! Please! Get out of my way!"
The people parted slightly. I pushed my way through the crowd. I ran out of the city and into the forest Exodis and I were staying in. Once I was in the cave, I took off the armor and threw it in the back of the cave. I was sweating from doing so much running and having the armor on. I took off my mat and set it against the cave wall and sat against it, next to my backpack.
Exodis came back at sunset.
"You did well," he said, taking off his armor and putting it in the back of the cave also. "They do not know who did it. They are accusing the maid who made the King's food of poisoning him."
"Good." I said simply. "What took you so long?"
"I had to stay for another forty five minutes after you ran out of the room. They made me guard the dining room door to make sure no one leaves or enters... It took me about ten minutes to get through the crowd after my duty was finished..." Exodis sighed.
"At least you did not make yourself look suspicious." I said.
"You too..."
I gave him a 'what did you expect' look.
"So, how are we going to kill the prince?" I asked.
"Slit his neck." Exodis said, sitting against the other side of the cave's wall.
I blinked at him. "But will not someone see you do it?"
"I am not going to do it. You are." He said. "I will kill the Queen and you will help me kill the Princess. The Queen will be hard because I will do it tomorrow. It will be hard to get to her. I am sure we will find an easy way to kill the Queen since there will be two of us. It will be even. The King was easy, and killing the Prince will be easy too. Besides, you need practice.
"I was thinking of having you sneak into the Prince's room and hiding under his bed until he falls asleep. You come in by the window. You put your hand over his mouth so he cannot scream, and slit his neck. Escape back through the window. No one should know you were even there." Exodis explained.
"Sounds good." I said.
"His room is on the third floor, left side of the palace. The fifth balcony from facing the entrance is his. Enter through the window to the right of it." Exodis said.
"How did you find this out?" I asked.
"When I was leaving my duty I explored the castle. I asked a guard where it was. I told him I was new and my duty was starting soon. He showed me. I went in his room, went to his balcony, looked around, and figured it out. It was simple enough," Exodis said.
"It does not sound like it," I said. "When do I leave?"
"An hour from now."
I trotted down the stairs. Exodis was going up them. I was heading to the maid quarters. The stairs stopped at the last floor, and I walked down the hallway. Maids scurried around frantically, some curtsying to me quickly. I waited until most of them went up the stairs or into a room, then I quickly ran into a room that was nearest to me. They were all maid rooms, where they lived and where they got ready.
I looked for anyone who may be near. "Hello?" I called, my voice echoing throughout the room. It was not very big; I was just making sure nobody was sleeping. There were four cots, one small restroom, and one closet. I walked over to the closet and opened it. Just what I was expecting: Maid outfits.
I picked out one I assumed was my size, taking off the armor that covered my regular clothes and placing it in the corner of the closet. The armor was hidden in the shadows. I ran into the restroom and changed into the maid outfit. It was light blue with a white apron sewn onto the front. I took the poison vile and wound vile from my tunic and placed them in pouches in the maid outfit. I stuffed my clothes in my pack and grabbed it, putting the straps under my fingers and wrapping my arms around it, concealing it the best I could. I had also hid my dagger inside the two pouches, which were connected on the inside. The dagger was in its holster so it would not poke me through the outfit.
I quietly walked out of the room, going to the door and opening it, looking around before I fully came out of the door. No one was around. I quickly ran up the stairs, continuing to go up the stairs. I passed many levels, but kept going up until I came to a level that people in royal outfits stood around in. I hung my head and walked into the hallway.
The royal people eyed me. They looked upon me as if I was dirt. I continued to walk down the hallway, looking at the guards at the doors, waiting to see Exodis. It was not a long before I saw his face staring straight out. His eyes moved to look at me. He acknowledged me and continued looking out in front of him.
I entered the door. Maids scurried around busily, preparing the food, washing the dishes, cooking the food.
I walked over to a table where all the plates were set. Some of them had a small sign that said, 'Reserved for...' and followed by their name. I finally found the King's plate. I looked around to see if any maids were watching. They were all busy with their work. I hunched over my pack, taking out my gloves and putting them on, just incase. I then dug in the pouches of my apron, locating the plastic bottle with my fingers and taking it out. The red liquid swished around in the small vile. I opened the cap, carefully pouring half of it onto his food, and half of it into his drink, which was red wine. The red on his food looked like a sauce. Once it was empty, I put the cap back on and put it back in the pouch.
I rushed out the kitchen door, making sure it was the same one I entered through, since the kitchen was connected to the dining room. I quickly walked down the hallway, practically running down the stairs to the maid quarters. I burst in the same door I was in before, checking if anyone was in it again, running into the restroom and quickly changing into my red dress. I hid the two vials and my dagger in the large pockets. I ran out the bathroom, going to the closet, putting the maid outfit back and throwing my pack next to my armor.
I quickly walked back up the stairs, not being able to run because the dress was so fluffy at the bottom. I did not have high-heeled shoes, so luckily the dress was long enough so it covered my feet. Once I got back to the dining hallway, I waited by myself until they called us to the dining room.
Trumpets blared loudly near the two tall golden doors. The crowd silenced. One male fox spoke up.
"Supper is ready. If you would all please enter these two doors..." He said, taking a step back, along with the trumpeters, for everyone to go into the doors. Two male echidnas were holding them open. Exodis was one of them. He had switched doors. I entered after everybody else, taking the last seat available. Like everyone else, I stood up, waiting for the royal family to enter.
The trumpeters and fox came in the doors. They shut behind them. The two trumpeters stood at each side of the door, waiting for the signal. The fox nodded slightly. The trumpets blared.
"My lords, my ladies, your King and Queen!" He said. The golden doors opened slowly.
The King walked in, holding the Queen's hand. His head was held high. He was a fox, along with the rest of his family. He wore a golden tunic with a silver cape attached to it, which dragged on the floor. The tunic was long so you could not see his trousers. He wore golden shoes that looked like sandals. On his head there was a golden crown with points on the top, each point had a different colored gem on it. The Queen wore a white dress that dragged on the ground behind her. Sequins were all over it. She also wore a diamond tiara. They were both elderly.
The Princess and Prince walked in behind them. They were brother and sister, so they did not hold hands. The Prince wore a white tunic with a golden strap around the waist. He had a silver cape on and a silver crown with points too, but it did not have any gems on it. The Princess wore a gold dress that did not drag on the ground. It ended at her ankles, and she wore clear high-heeled shoes. She wore a crystal tiara that was not as fancy as the Queen's.
Everyone watched them as they entered. Each one of them had a smile upon their face. The King sat at the end of the table, the opposite end from me. The King sat in a large oak chair, the Queen in a smaller oak chair, and the Princess and Prince sat in the same size chair, which was a bit smaller than the Queen's.
Once the royal family sat down, everyone else sat down. The maids came in and served us our food. We could not eat until the King took the first bite. But the King had to make a toast.
He took his glass of wine and held it up. "I would like to make a toast..." Everyone also picked up his or her glass, including me. "To my wife, dear Sikarey, I love you with all of my heart. To my son, who I know will be a great leader. And to my daughter, who has a great life ahead of her. And to all of you, may you all live a healthy and wonderful life." He held his glass to the person he was speaking about. After he finished, he lifted the glass to his lips and drank. We did the same.
And he did not even know that was the last drink he would be drinking.
The king picked up his fork and began to eat. Everyone else did also. I watched the King out of the corner of my eye as he ate. A minute later, a loud clang was heard. He had dropped his fork. His mouth was open, his eyes were staring out in front of him. He began to choke.
"Kedalow? Kedalow?" Sikarey asked, placing her left hand on his, shaking it slightly. "Are you all right?"
"Father?" Prince Tennan and Princess Mylarra said.
"Someone help! He is choking!" Sikarey shouted, standing up.
Everyone began to murmur. One of the guards entered the room. It was not Exodis. He saw Kedalow choking. He ran over to him.
Kedalow dropped from his chair on the ground. He gasped for air. I put a horrified look on my face as I watched him. Inside, I was laughing. I watched as he took his last breath. I then ran out the door, looking as panicked as I possibly could.
Exodis looked at me. I nodded. He got the hint. I picked up the bottom of my dress so I could run. I ran down the stairs and into the maid quarters, running into the room. I grabbed the armor and my pack from the closet, running to the restroom, quickly changing into my tunic and putting the armor over it. My pack was on under it. My dagger was in its holster attached to the strap around my tunic underneath the armor. The wound vile was in the pocket of my tunic.
I ran out again, running up the stairs, and going out of the palace. The two guards were gone. They had probably been called into the castle. The people in the village were looking at the castle, talking to others. Apparently some had heard some word of Kedalow's death.
I ran down the stairs. The people instantly mobbed me.
"What is going on?! What happened?! Is Kedalow really dead?!" The people screamed at me.
"Kedalow is dead!" I yelled, disguising my voice as masculine as it could get. "We think he was poisoned! Please! Get out of my way!"
The people parted slightly. I pushed my way through the crowd. I ran out of the city and into the forest Exodis and I were staying in. Once I was in the cave, I took off the armor and threw it in the back of the cave. I was sweating from doing so much running and having the armor on. I took off my mat and set it against the cave wall and sat against it, next to my backpack.
Exodis came back at sunset.
"You did well," he said, taking off his armor and putting it in the back of the cave also. "They do not know who did it. They are accusing the maid who made the King's food of poisoning him."
"Good." I said simply. "What took you so long?"
"I had to stay for another forty five minutes after you ran out of the room. They made me guard the dining room door to make sure no one leaves or enters... It took me about ten minutes to get through the crowd after my duty was finished..." Exodis sighed.
"At least you did not make yourself look suspicious." I said.
"You too..."
I gave him a 'what did you expect' look.
"So, how are we going to kill the prince?" I asked.
"Slit his neck." Exodis said, sitting against the other side of the cave's wall.
I blinked at him. "But will not someone see you do it?"
"I am not going to do it. You are." He said. "I will kill the Queen and you will help me kill the Princess. The Queen will be hard because I will do it tomorrow. It will be hard to get to her. I am sure we will find an easy way to kill the Queen since there will be two of us. It will be even. The King was easy, and killing the Prince will be easy too. Besides, you need practice.
"I was thinking of having you sneak into the Prince's room and hiding under his bed until he falls asleep. You come in by the window. You put your hand over his mouth so he cannot scream, and slit his neck. Escape back through the window. No one should know you were even there." Exodis explained.
"Sounds good." I said.
"His room is on the third floor, left side of the palace. The fifth balcony from facing the entrance is his. Enter through the window to the right of it." Exodis said.
"How did you find this out?" I asked.
"When I was leaving my duty I explored the castle. I asked a guard where it was. I told him I was new and my duty was starting soon. He showed me. I went in his room, went to his balcony, looked around, and figured it out. It was simple enough," Exodis said.
"It does not sound like it," I said. "When do I leave?"
"An hour from now."