Kougyoku didn't like it. This outfit left very little to the imagination. It covered a little more then a swimsuit would.
Kouha took one look at her and wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. Koumei turned to the director immediately and started arguing with the man.
Kouen wasn't sure how to react. If she wanted to be part of the business then she needed to get used to this kind of thing, but she was his little sister and he didn't want anyone to see her like this.
In the end Kougyoku got to wear bottoms that covered a little more then the first ones, but the top was the same. She still was nervous about it.
Koumei reached the large tapestry quickly. He moved behind it and pried open the stone hatch. He walked down the staircase silently. He stopped at the bottom and pressed his body against the wall, looking over at the guards in front of the third wooden door. 'I could take them out, but then I'll be too tired to get the General out. He will definitely have strong guards…Poison it is.'
Koumei pulled a vial out of a fold in his robes. It would turn to smoke when it was released. Good thing he was immune. He held the large vial in his hand, aimed, and threw. The glass broke right in front of the guard's feet. They passed out almost immediately. Koumei waited a moment for them to take a few more breaths of the gas and really get knocked out before he moved forward. He pulled the keys away from the sleeping guards. Two locks, two keys. He opened them quickly and found the princess in the back corner, huddled against the wall.
"Princess. Come here."
"Advisor?"
"Quickly, we don't have much time. We need to find the general and get him as well. Hurry, the guard switch will happen soon. We must get out before they find the bodies."
Kougyoku stood up carefully and made her way over to Koumei. His arm snaked around her waist to steady her and he guided her back to the upper halls. He kept her in the darkness as much as possible. Her bare feet made her steps silent. Down tree hallways and two flights of stairs they were close to the normal dungeons. It was risky to take her with him, but he didn't want her to get caught on her own.
They descended the stairs to the dungeon. He stopped her in a dark corner. There were dozens of guards down here. He could only see one room at the end of the hall though. He pulled two more vials out of his pockets and threw them at opposite sides of the stone room. He covered the Kougyoku's mouth. And pressed his body against hers into the stone. Five minutes passed before he pulled away and surveyed the room. All the guards were down. There would be more behind the next door. He told the to wait two minutes before following him into the next room.
He moved forward and through the door as silently as possible. The effects of the smoke had reached this room. The guards were lethargic. He shot the three men with paralytic darts. He didn't need any distractions or mistakes. He drew his swords and moved forward carefully. He could see the cells now. He kept moving through the halls until he saw a guard directly in front of one. He was a general of the enemy's army. This was Kouen's cell. Koumei shot his last dart at the man. It hit but he pulled it out immediately. Kassim drew his blade and moved forward. He lunged at Koumei. Koumei rolled out of the way quickly. He pulls out a knife to hold in his other hand. Their swords clash. Koumei doesn't have the physical strength to beat the other. He slides between the man's legs to avoid a fatal blow and uses the knife to cut his calf muscles. Kassim falls to the floor. His two minutes are up, Kougyoku will be moving this way now. He needs to hurry up. He throws the knife at Kassim and it lands firmly in his shoulder. He leaps forward and forces his sword through the enemy's chest. His breathing comes hard and uneven. He can hear the princess coming. He can sense the tension in the air. His poisons will wear off soon. The new guards will be here any minute. It took him too long to find the princess.
He grabbed the key off Kassim's bloody body and unlocks the iron padlock. He moves into the room and to Kouen. The key fits into the locks on Kouen's ankles and wrists. Koumei picks up the water from the cart nearby and throws it on Kouen from a distance. Kouen jolts away and jumps up ready to fight. He registers Koumei a second before knocking him out and rights himself. He is covered in his own blood. He isn't steady on his feet. Koumei steadies him and leads him back out to the hallway. Kougyoku is slowly making her way towards them. She rushes to meet them and give her support to Kouen's other side. They hobble slowly down a different hallway. Koumei can see the tunnel entrance. He can hear the guards behind them though. The shouting and running is getting closer and closer. They need to move quickly. They reach the tunnel entrance and guards reach Kassim's body. Koumei leans them into the shadow of the tunnel just before the soldiers come down the hallway. He holds them there for several minutes after the guards leave, then maneuvers them down the sewer tunnels and back towards the entrance he came in from. They were too slow. If they didn't hurry are get out before the soldiers found the horse there would be a problem.
Koumei stopped them for a second so he could clean Kouen's injuries and bandage them. He injected a painkiller and pulled the man back up. He moved quicker now. They ran out of the tunnel system and exited a mile farther away from the horse then Koumei had entered.
The three move through the dark streets and alleys, dodging the frantic soldiers.
Finally they reach the horse. Kouen and Kougyoku hoist themselves up. Koumei leads the horse at a jog away from the city. At a farm in the outskirts they steal another horse and start galloping home.
They arrive three days after Koumei's departure. Kougyoku is guided by Koumei into the negotiation chamber and joins Kouha. Kouha meets Koumei's eyes then turns his attention back to the king he must deal with. The King looks enraged. He takes his leave soon after.
