The three took a room for each of them, Alth paying for all. They had gone
when Raleigh announced his fiancé. Darr had not been happy.
"You mean to tell me His Highness's engaged to her? How're we s'posed to get her outta there if she's gonna be guarded as heavily as his treasure?"
"Guarded? Why would she be guarded?" Alth asked.
"By the Gods, if she's who you say she is, then-"
"But no one knows that – What did you call her? Attaly? – Is the Chosen One. Or do they?" Rahm looked suspiciously at Alth. Alth looked away for a moment, then looked back, taking a deep breath.
"Raleigh is part of the fellowship of the God. I know this because I used to be also." The two younger men watched him for a moment. Then Darr said slowly, "So, you're good now? You don't serve him anymore?" Alth shook his head. "Well that's good enough for me. I've been bored out of my mind. This'll be fun." He grinned. "Besides, I never got to see the inside of his palace. Maybe I'll do a little extortion – for myself."
Alth grinned back. "Be my guest. I have no love for this king. I've my own score to settle with him. However, I will wait until we are not in such a crowded place, and when he wants to fight me."
Rahm looked thoughtful. "What has he done to you?" he asked.
Alth turned away. "I'd rather not talk of it."
Rahm nodded.
"We will rescue her tonight. Rahm, you must have a sleeping potion. May I have a vial of it? We will need to keep her asleep."
"Of course I do. I will brew some now, if you like."
"Yes, you will need to. Start on that. I'll start planning." Alth turned to Darr as Rahm went to his room.
"I will wear the cloak, following you into the palace. You will get in by saying you have a gift for his Highness from your guild, and your guild master wishes you to give it to him in person. Rahm will travel with me under the cloak. After you get in, you will join us – the cloak is certainly large enough – and we will wait in an empty room until nightfall. When the sun sets, we will find Attaly's room. Rahm will give her the sleeping potion and we will smuggle her out of the castle. We must travel quickly, so if you could, er, borrow four or five horses…" Darr grinned.
"Only four? A'ight, I can do that. Stealing from the idiots at the stables'll be easier then soma the stuff I been told to do."
Alth grinned back. "Then do it." The sun was high in the sky, announcing noon. Rahm came into the room, a small bottle with a pinkish liquid in it.
"It's done," he informed them.
"Good. We should head to the palace within two hours. Rest up, friends; it's going to be a long night."
"You mean to tell me His Highness's engaged to her? How're we s'posed to get her outta there if she's gonna be guarded as heavily as his treasure?"
"Guarded? Why would she be guarded?" Alth asked.
"By the Gods, if she's who you say she is, then-"
"But no one knows that – What did you call her? Attaly? – Is the Chosen One. Or do they?" Rahm looked suspiciously at Alth. Alth looked away for a moment, then looked back, taking a deep breath.
"Raleigh is part of the fellowship of the God. I know this because I used to be also." The two younger men watched him for a moment. Then Darr said slowly, "So, you're good now? You don't serve him anymore?" Alth shook his head. "Well that's good enough for me. I've been bored out of my mind. This'll be fun." He grinned. "Besides, I never got to see the inside of his palace. Maybe I'll do a little extortion – for myself."
Alth grinned back. "Be my guest. I have no love for this king. I've my own score to settle with him. However, I will wait until we are not in such a crowded place, and when he wants to fight me."
Rahm looked thoughtful. "What has he done to you?" he asked.
Alth turned away. "I'd rather not talk of it."
Rahm nodded.
"We will rescue her tonight. Rahm, you must have a sleeping potion. May I have a vial of it? We will need to keep her asleep."
"Of course I do. I will brew some now, if you like."
"Yes, you will need to. Start on that. I'll start planning." Alth turned to Darr as Rahm went to his room.
"I will wear the cloak, following you into the palace. You will get in by saying you have a gift for his Highness from your guild, and your guild master wishes you to give it to him in person. Rahm will travel with me under the cloak. After you get in, you will join us – the cloak is certainly large enough – and we will wait in an empty room until nightfall. When the sun sets, we will find Attaly's room. Rahm will give her the sleeping potion and we will smuggle her out of the castle. We must travel quickly, so if you could, er, borrow four or five horses…" Darr grinned.
"Only four? A'ight, I can do that. Stealing from the idiots at the stables'll be easier then soma the stuff I been told to do."
Alth grinned back. "Then do it." The sun was high in the sky, announcing noon. Rahm came into the room, a small bottle with a pinkish liquid in it.
"It's done," he informed them.
"Good. We should head to the palace within two hours. Rest up, friends; it's going to be a long night."