While wandering the reflective, rain-soaked streets, the group attempted to move with the correct balance of speed and caution, making sure to avoid eye contact with passing guards in the most inconspicuous way possible. The longer they moved in the steady rain, the more concentrated the guards seemed to be, and the more diligent they were at stopping passersby. Siesta, Henrietta, and Julien began to move under the cover of alleys, but the sheer number of the guards was beginning to become overwhelming. It was not long before they were eventually noticed. Reacting quicker than the guard could call out to them, Henrietta grabbed at Julien and planted her lips upon his while she wrapped herself around him. The guards then smirked and gave a lecherous chuckle before walking away. Upon their leave, Henrietta did not immediately stop her liplocking with Julien, to which Siesta frowned and came between them.
"I think that's more than enough," she huffed as she shot each of the blushing parties a dirty look. Putting it from her mind, Siesta peered around the corners of the alley and could not see any way through the increasing numbers of guards. "There's just too many of them…" Siesta stated as she gave a defeated sigh as she turned to give Henrietta a stern look. "You promised me an explanation of what we're doing, and now would be the time so I can help us plan a way around these guards."
"I understand," Henrietta nodded as she peered around the corners of the alley as well. "For now, let us make for the inn across from us." Siesta nodded as she reached out to Zeratul.
Can you give us a distraction? Siesta asked.
Indeed, but make haste. Zeratul answered. Not long after, a surprised yelp could be heard from down the street they needed to cross and the guards immediately turned their attention to the noise of their comrade crying out in horror. Siesta saw this opportunity and the group sprinted to the opposing alleyway. As they proceeded, the rain began to intensify and, though she did not say it, it was obvious to Siesta that Henrietta was chilled to the bone wearing such insufficient clothing. Upon stepping into the warmth of the inn, Siesta and company breathed a sigh of relief. The group quickly paid for a room and made their way upstairs to it, whereupon Julien took his leave to use the restroom. Henrietta sat upon the bed as Siesta went to wipe the fog from the window and peer out into the street where the guards were coalescing once more.
"Those guards are relentless… and so is this rain," Siesta commented, turning to look at Henrietta, whose face was flushed and her soaked body was visibly trembling from the cold. Siesta, without thinking, removed her cloak and placed it upon her as she held her close. The trembling slowed and eventually ceased as the two warmed each other, but after a few moments, Siesta, overcome with anxiety, backed away. "Sorry, I just saw you were… and I…"
"It's okay," Henrietta gave her a small, reassuring smile that made Siesta's heart begin to pound. Fortunately for her, Julien entered the room, heaving a sigh of relief. "Now, I promised you an explanation, and I'll try to make it brief." Siesta nodded as she leaned on the room's desk. "As I told you, we will be luring out Lishman with tonight's plan. We're hoping that my disappearance will coax him into meeting with other conspirators to take the throne. The reason I came to you is for two reasons: one? As your status is still that of a commoner, you are not very well recognized, despite your power and accomplishments. Two? Your relationship to Julien, because I knew you would not want him to do this alone." Julien and Siesta exchanged small smiles at this. "Agnes should have already met with Lishman to try and feel his intentions while also carrying out his expected order of requesting blockages to ports and roads. Should Lishman and his co conspirators take the bait, she will follow them to their destination."
Meanwhile, Louise, still entrapped by Julio's antics, sat with the partying former flamen and the other girls as she impatiently tapped her fingers and stared at the inn's entrance for any sign of Agnes or any other servant of the Queen. As she was lost in thought, Mademoiselle Scarron came to the table and clapped their hands.
"Time to get ready, my papillons! The play is to start soon! I am sorry my dear patrons, but we will be closing early!" they announced in their usual joyous, flirtatious tone to the sounds of customers lightly groaning with disappointment but happily getting ready to leave.
What? Already? But no one showed up… Louise thought to herself in confusion as she began to look around for Siesta. Not seeing her, her chest began to tighten with worry as she went up to the changing room to get changed out of the fairy uniform and back into her own clothes. She was surprised to find, however, that her clothes were missing, save for her cloak. She heaved an annoyed, confused sigh as she grabbed it and immediately began making her way downstairs to check the kitchen. Not finding Siesta there, and asking around to see if anyone else had seen her with no luck, she made her way out of the tavern and began searching the streets.
As she walked through the pouring rain, she was stopped several times by guards claiming to be on the lookout for a missing noble, and she noticed, after a short while, that the streets were practically choking with guards. As she aimlessly walked the streets, she happened to spot what looked like a familiar figure moving through the crowds as well.
Agnes? Louise thought to herself as she began following this figure. Once Agnes had stopped in an alley and appeared to be observing something in the distance, Louise approached her, causing the figure to turn and confirm Louise's suspicions of the figure's identity. "It IS you!" Louise exclaimed, causing Agnes to quickly cover her mouth and shush her.
Agnes looked back at the figure that she, herself, was following and, after confirming that the figure had not shown any signs of suspicion regarding her pursuit, sighed and uncovered Louise's mouth.
"What are you doing here? Why are the streets filled with soldiers? What's happen-?"
"I don't have time to explain!" Agnes hissed, interrupting Louise's rapidfire questions. She then, without thinking, grabbed Louise's hand and pulled her in the direction of the building that she had seen her quarry step into. Agnes briskly opened the door and scanned the room for the one she was following. Louise was then jerked once again to climb the stairs of the building, which appeared to be a pub of some sort, that they had entered as Agnes spotted her prey. Agnes took cover near where the figure had gone down a short hallway to converse with yet another figure. Louise attempted to listen in as the two figures conversed.
"Master is waiting at the theater, it appears the Queen has been kidnapped," the figure, who lowered his hood to reveal his face, spoke in a low voice to his contact.
"What?!" Louise exclaimed as soon as she heard about Henrietta, causing Agnes to snap to her and clap her hand over Louise's mouth. It was too late, however, as both could hear the man approaching them.
"I'm sorry," Agnes whispered as, before Louise could react, she leaned in and planted her lips upon Louise's, pulling her close into a passionate embrace. This act proved to be enough, thankfully, as the man took one stunned look at them and immediately walked past to descend the stairs and exit the establishment. Once the threat had passed, Agnes let go of Louise, causing her to collapse in astonishment. Agnes, for her part, stared forward blankly, her face a deep red and her eyes wide. After but a moment, Agnes regained her senses and began descending the stairs herself to catch up with her target, with Louise, after gathering herself, following close behind. Once the two had left the building, and the man was well out of earshot, Louise, before Agnes could continue her stalking, grabbed the musketeer.
"Hey! What the hell was that?!" Louise hissed in a demanding tone.
"It worked didn't it? Now c'mon!" Agnes hissed back, slapping Louise's hands away from her and continuing her pursuit. The two followed the man until, finally, they all arrived at the Tahiariji Royal Theater. Once they saw the man enter through a side entrance, Agnes breathed a sigh of relief and began walking away.
"Wait! Hold on! You still haven't explained anything! The Queen is missing? Who was that? What was with that… you know…" Louise's voice trailed off as she began to blush. Agnes sighed once again, this time in annoyance.
"Look, this is all part of her majesty's plan to draw out conspirators looking to take the throne. That's all you need to know," Agnes stated before turning to leave once more.
"Wait!" Louise once again cried out as she grasped at Agnes' cloak. "Can you at least help me look for Siesta? She's gone missing."
"Siesta should be with her majesty, do not worry," Agnes answered plainly.
"What? So this was just about her? I'm just a backup?" Louise asked in annoyed disbelief, to which Agnes rolled her eyes.
"Look, just wait back at the Charming Fairies. You'll be notified if there's anything we need from you," at that, Agnes pulled her cloak free from Louise's grasp and began walking away at a brisk pace. Louise, stunned by the coldness of her answer and the overall uselessness she felt she had been assigned.
Simultaneously, meanwhile, Siesta, Julien, and Henrietta had finally begun to dry within their room as they waited for a signal to move out. Siesta sat beside Henrietta on the bed while Julien kept careful watch at the window for Agnes. Without knowing, Siesta let her mind begin to feel Henrietta's, and began to feel the rush of anxiety and fear that was beginning to overtake the Queen. Siesta instinctually placed her hand upon Henrietta's and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Mr. Zeratul told me something that I think would help you right now," Siesta began as the two locked eyes. "Fear is an illusion. One we control. Acknowledge it, but don't let it control you," Siesta stated confidently before letting out a wry chuckle. "Or something like that," Siesta finished, sheepishly.
"Thank you," Henrietta replied, giving a brief laugh in response as she placed her hand on Siesta's face, drawing her gaze back to hers. "It helps more than you know." Siesta could feel her heartrate skyrocket in that very moment and was grateful for the poor lighting of the single candle in this room to hide her flushed face.
"We're good to go," Julien suddenly announced, causing the two women to jump as they looked to him, seeing him nodding to a figure outside the window on the street below that they safely assumed was Agnes. The trio extinguished the candle and opened the door, making their way from the inn. Fortunately for them, they avoided the attentions of yet more soldiers who had entered the building in search of Henrietta and were able to get back on the streets.
"Where are we going now, your highness?" Siesta inquired as they entered the pouring rain once more.
"Fancy a trip to the theater?" Henrietta asked with a knowing smirk as she directed the group's attention to the visible aforementioned location ahead and the group began heading towards it.
Louise, at that moment, was still stranded outside in the rain with naught but her cloak and the Charming Fairies outfit to cover her, leaving her desperately cold and irritated at being kept in the dark as to this whole situation. While stewing in her thoughts, she failed to notice the approach of an opulent carriage out of which an equally ostentatious noble stepped. No sooner had he done so did he appear to notice the irritated, shivering Louise, clad in attire meant to appeal exactly to predatory men like himself, and began to approach her. Louise, too wrapped up in her irritation and slowly convincing herself to leave and go back to the inn, had her thoughts interrupted by the approaching noble.
"Excuse me, miss, you seem awfully… underdressed for this weather… and at this time," the noble stated in what could only be described as a perpetually predatory man's attempt to sound sultry and appealing. "It's not safe to be out alone like this, you might catch a cold, or something worse," the man's last statement positively dripped with implied threat. Louise, clenching her teeth and reaching for her wand out of instinct, recognized the man before her.
Lishman? She thought to herself in confusion. Not seeing a reciprocation of recognition, she loosened her posture and attempted to defuse this situation, knowing his status could cause problems for her should she lash out. "I'm fine, I'm just meeting with a friend," Louise replied in a monotone, but cordial tone without making eye contact.
"Is that so?" Lishman replied with amusement, "You know, I could be a friend…" as he said this, he reached out to place his hand on Louise's arm, to which Louise instinctually slapped it away.
"I said I'm fine," Louise stated, curtly, to a now-enraged Lishman.
"I'm sorry, Master, we must hurry," a man covered entirely in a cloak stated, urgently, interrupting the aggravated noble. Lishman's face dropped to one of stereotypical, emotionless nobility as he gathered himself and turned from Louise. Louise, remembering the conversation overheard from earlier, immediately put the pieces together.
It's him! Louise thought, urgently as her demeanor shifted to one of determined anxiety to be of use to these plans she was not privy to.
"You are lucky for now, girl, but do not think I will forget this," Lishman stated, gruffly, as he turned to walk into the theater.
"Wait," Louise piped up, softening her voice to be as sweet as possible. "Perhaps… you could be my friend, seeing as mine didn't show." Louise stated in as flirty a tone as she could muster.
Lishman, already ensnared by his shortsighted desire, chuckled, and opened his cloak to Louise. "I knew you'd come to your senses," Lishman stated smugly as he wrapped his cloak around the shivering Louise and the two entered into the theater.
Be cautious, Young Louise, this one's intentions are purely selfish and malicious in nature, Zeratul warned in Louise's mind.
Don't worry, he's the one Agnes and the Queen are looking for, I don't want to let him out of my sight, Louise replied.
Very well. I shall intervene should the need become dire, Zeratul acknowledged as his presence faded from her mind.
Not long after this encounter, Siesta, Henrietta, and Julien had begun their approach just in time to see Lishman's carriage being driven away.
"Good, he's here," Henrietta remarked as they approached the theater but took a sharp turn into the alley beside it. Siesta assumed this meant they were going in through a performer or worker entrance, and she was proven right not moments later.
Akhundelar Siesta, Zeratul announced, causing Siesta to stop in her tracks in the alley. Henrietta and Julien, noticing this, also stopped and looked to Siesta with mild concern. Siesta merely held up a finger.
"It's Zeratul," Siesta informed, causing the two of them to nod.
"I'm sorry but we must be quick. We don't know when we'll get another opportunity like this," Henrietta implied with urgency, to which Siesta nodded back.
Young Louise is within, with the prey you seek, Zeratul informed. Siesta's eyes widened. Henrietta and Julien, noticing this, began to show concern as well.
"Louise is inside! Let's go!" Siesta urged as Henrietta led them to an unguarded staff entrance.
Why didn't you stop her?! Siesta almost shouted aloud at Zeratul.
I could feel the confidence in her actions, and I trust her judgment. I implore you do as well, Akhundelar Siesta, Zeratul answered calmly. Siesta was too caught up in her worry to reply as she raced through the theater's staff hallways, following swiftly behind Henrietta as she led them through the hall of dressing rooms leading to the back stage. Ahead, Siesta could see Scarron, who appeared to be waiting for them. Once they approached, they winked at the three of them.
"Just in time, my loves, he and his conspirators are all waiting for your trap to be sprung," Scarron said with a smirk as they led the three of them to a stairway. "This will place you right above them, I made sure to give them the best seats in the house." Scarron gestured to a booth to their upper left where they could see who Siesta assumed to be Lishman sitting down with other nobles that Siesta didn't recognize.
"Thank you, mademoiselle Scarron," Henrietta gratefully acknowledged as the group began to climb the stairs leading to the catwalks overlooking the theater. Seeing a path now, Siesta took the lead as the group went to position themselves over the booth where Lishman and his cohorts were now situated. Though, along the way, she could not see Louise.
Zeratul? Is she still alright? Can you contact her? Siesta reached out. In that moment it felt as though her thoughts were simply echoing in her own head. Feeling a rush of panic, she tried to reach out again, only for the same result to occur. It was as though she were trapped in a locked room with no windows. "Something's not right," Siesta whispered in a panic. "I can't hear Mr. Zeratul. I don't feel right." Siesta, in that moment, did, indeed, begin to feel drained as though she had been expelling her powers for an extended period of time. She felt an overwhelming urge to seat herself on the catwalk and her eyes began to feel heavy. Henrietta and Julien came to her side in a panic.
"What's wrong, Siesta? Are you sick?" Julien asked with concern as he placed his forehead on hers. "You don't feel sick."
"No," Siesta shook her head, "it feels like all the life was sucked out of me, I-I just need to rest. Please save Louise and get Lishman." Siesta's imploring fell on deaf ears as they both attempted to raise her. Siesta attempted to shake them off, causing her to stumble forward, away from the booth, and as she did, she began to feel the burden on her spirit lift. She blinked a few times as it seemed the world began to come back into focus the more she stepped away from the booth, and a familiar voice began to appear in her head.
Akhundelar Siesta, there appears to be a psionic dampening field around your prey, and I am sensing multiple psionic presences around you! Zeratul warned. Almost as soon as she processed the information, she looked back to Henrietta and Julien.
"We must go, Siesta, will you be alright?" Henrietta asked, with concern on her and Julien's face. This was not what Siesta was acknowledging, however, as she instead could see a kind of… glimmer behind them. Approaching slowly. She attempted to reach out to confirm the being's intentions, but could not. She realized she would need to take a gamble.
Louise, earlier and meanwhile, had been taken up to the entrance of the booth with the odious Lishman.
"Wait here, my dear, I shall be out in a bit," Lishman stated in a disgustingly sultry voice as he tilted her head up to him. Louise fought every violent urge in her body to simply smile and nod as he went into the booth and closed the door behind him, leaving her with a hooded figure who she assumed to be a guard. Not long after, a man clearly dressed as an employee of the theater was making his way down the hall pushing a cart of refreshments. Louise saw her chance and approached the man.
"Have anything I can get to drink? I'm quite thirsty," Louise asked.
"Sorry miss, these are all alcoholic drinks and I think you might be-uh," the man seemed quite anxious both at Louise's acknowledgment of his presence and that he may have ensnared himself in an awkward situation with his words.
"Might be what? I'll have you know I'm-," Louise stopped herself before going on her usual rant about her nobility, "perfectly of age!" She finished hastily. "Besides, no one needs to know, right?" Louise asked in a sly voice as she produced some coins. The man's demeanor seemed to calm, if only a little, as he took the coins and poured her a drink in one of the wine glasses, which Louise took and immediately began to chug. As she felt it burn through her throat and cause her eyes to water, she realized she may have made a mistake. The man, for his part, simply looked at her, perplexed as he briskly walked away to go into one of the other booths. After he was invited into one, Louise finished her drink, coughing and sputtering as she did, and dropped the glass, which thudded on the carpeted floor.
The hooded figure did not react throughout these events, and Louise looked to him, confused. What is this guy's deal? She thought to herself. I need to get rid of him if I want to hear what's going on. Louise thought to herself and came upon what she believed to be a brilliant idea.
Zeratul, I'm going to distract him. When he's focusing on me, get him, okay? Louise tried to reach out. As she lacked Siesta's psionics, she was unable to tell whether or not it got through and proceeded as though she had been heard. "H-hey!" Louise called out to the hooded figure towering above her. It did not seem to respond. "Hey! I'm talking to you! Lishman brought me up here as his guest, shouldn't I be with him?" The figure seemed to stir as it tilted its obscured face to Louise.
"He never told you his name," a deep, unnatural voice spoke from beneath the hood as the figure revealed its gloved hands and reached for her. Louise dodged, in a panic as the figure came after her.
Good, he's focused on me! Take him out, Zeratul! Louise thought. The figure kept coming for her, with no indication that her request was heard. Zeratul? I don't understand Protoss humor but this isn't funny! Please help! She practically screamed in her head as the figure loomed over her, causing her to fall over in terror. She felt a sharp, piercing pain on her shoulder as she realized she had fallen on, and broken, the glass she dropped, with the shards jabbing into and slicing her shoulder flesh to ribbons in the area. She was about to cry out in pain, but before she could, the figure had gripped her by the throat and was pulling her up. Scrambling, Louise felt for anything around her, and happened upon the broken stem of the wine glass. Without thinking, and as the world began to grow dark around her, she took the stem and thrust it at the figure before her, blindly. Almost as soon as she had, she felt the pressure around her throat cease, causing her to be dropped back on the carpeted floor, coughing as she struggled to regain her breath. The figure collapsed to their side, motionless. Louise, still reeling from what had just happened, stabilized herself and began to take stock of what had happened. Before she could, however, she heard a man cry out in terror. She turned to see the server from earlier, who had just left the booth he was serving, with his mouth agape at the scene before him. Louise had no time to react before he began sprinting away screaming for help.
It was at this moment Louise felt something warm and wet touch her exposed calf that was still on the carpeted ground, and she looked, in horror, to see blood pooling from her victim's temple, where she had jabbed the wine glass stem. All at once, she wanted to cry, to vomit, and to scream, but the combination of these strong feelings made her only frozen. What happened? Louise asked herself. Unable to comprehend the weight of her action. I had to. He was gonna kill me, Louise thought to herself. Though she was right, the weights of guilt and horror still began to nest themselves within her. She could no longer feel the piercing, burning pain of the glass lodged in her exposed shoulder, as her mind was consumed with this situation before her. She had no time to think further, as the screaming of the server had alerted other patrons to this scene, and nobles began trickling out of the booths to witness what had occurred. Shocked gasps began to fill the air, and Louise began to tremble and grow hot with all the eyes burning themselves into her. Among these nobles was one from the very booth the figure she had killed was guarding, and, upon seeing the scene, drew a dagger.
"You bitch!" He yelled, before running at Louise, who could recognize him as one of the two men who Agnes and her had overheard from the tavern earlier. Louise had no time to react and found herself frozen as the blade came for her, but just before impact, he was thrown off by screaming from within the theater itself. Louise took this opportunity to run past him and into the booth to see what had occurred. She ran past a dumbfounded Lishman and his cohorts and looked below to see a body of a man wearing the same gloves as the one who attacked her in the hall, but could now see that the gloves were attached to a larger outfit that covered his whole body. It was an outfit unlike any she had seen before, but was akin to pajamas, only skintight, outlining every muscle and curve on the man's body, with bits of forged metal and other materials she didn't recognize covering him in ways that could somewhat constitute armor.
"Louise!" Louise heard Siesta's familiar voice cry out to her. She looked over to see Siesta standing upon the catwalk above the stage, and beside her she could see Henrietta and… a boy she had never seen before. Before she could call back, she was aggressively grabbed from behind and felt a blade touch her throat.
"We're leaving! Head to the secret exit, Lishman! My men will cover you!" A masculine voice said from behind her. She recognized the accent as a Gallian one, but beyond that could not see the assailant holding her. "Follow us and she dies!" The voice of her assailant yelled to the trio on the catwalk. Louise, feeling the time for stealth was no longer necessary, produced her wand from within one of the white stockings that marched the frilly dress she wore and pointed it at the ground.
"LOUISE DON'T-!" Siesta cried out, only to be cut off by an explosion on the balcony of the booth, causing it to collapse. Immediately as the explosion went off, Siesta felt the full rush of her powers return to her, and she, without thinking, dove from the catwalk and reached out to Louise amid the dust and rubble. Her psionics allowed her to catch Louise and her attacker and safely lower them to the ground with the rest of the collapsed balcony, with Siesta safely landing herself, as well. The moment her feet touched the ground, she ran to Louise's side. "Louise, please! Please be okay! I'm right here!" Siesta pleaded. Louise stirred, confirming her liveliness, and Siesta breathed a sigh of relief. Siesta then was struck with a feeling of panic as the man they had been pursuing was now escaping. "Your highness! Lishman is getting away!" Siesta cried out.
"Don't worry, Siesta! We have it covered!" Henrietta replied as Siesta saw her begin to make her way down from the catwalk.
What did we need to sneak for, then? Siesta wondered to herself as the Queen and Julien disappeared from view. She felt Louise wince in her arms and looked down to her again, noticing a wet feeling on her hand and looking at it. Her eyes immediately widened with horror as she saw the blood from touching Louise's shoulder. "Oh no… You're bleeding!" Siesta cried out in a panic as she pulled Louise forward to look at the cuts and bits of broken glass stuck in her shoulder.
"It's just a scratch, I'm okay," Louise tried to reassure even as she hissed through gritted teeth as Siesta began trying to carefully remove some of the larger pieces of glass from her back. "Don't do that! You might hurt yourself!" Louise admonished her concerned girlfriend to no avail.
Akhundelar, we must speak, Zeratul announced as he revealed himself from the shadows beside them, causing Siesta's heart to jump just a little. Worry not, the structure is evacuated. I needed to understand why our psionics were dampened. Zeratul walked over to the corpse of the man Siesta had thrown earlier with her psionics when she regained some of her power. He got down on one knee, and turned the body to examine it, and was able to see all the signs he suspected.
"What is that, Mr. Zeratul?" Siesta asked, looking perplexed.
A Ghost, Zeratul replied, furthering Siesta's confusion for a moment, but all at once the information came flooding back to her. Her grandfather's journal, and all the information about "Terrans". The covert, specialist soldiers who exhibited psionic potential. Like her. Zeratul stood and went near where Louise's attacker had fallen and overlooked the area, reaching down and grabbing a small metal object from the debris. A part from a psi disruptor… then that would mean, Zeratul reached down and pulled the cloak of the assailant aside to reveal the Gallian royal seal. So… Amon's machinations grow ever more complex, Zeratul remarked as he removed the badge upon the unconscious assailant's chest. The UED is here, Zeratul declared as he clenched the badge in his hand.
In the lobby of the theater, Agnes and Julio had arrived and dispatched musketeers and mages alike to scour the building for Lishman. The mass of fleeing theater-goers was proving difficult to control as all of them tried to push through the entrance/exit that was being guarded by the duo.
"No one leaves until we apprehend the fugitive!" Agnes yelled over the din of the crowd.
"What madness is this? Who do you think you are?"
"Do you know who I am? I'll have your rank and your head for this!"
"Let us out this instant! Or I'll make you!"
At the sound of a noble's threats, Agnes drew her pistol and fired it into the ceiling, causing the crowd to scream. "ORDER! I WILL HAVE ORDER!" Agnes bellowed, causing the crowd to quiet down to a murmur. "We are looking for the finance minister Lishman! We will simply be checking everyone to verify he is not hiding amongst you!" Agnes declared. The crowd made no objections. "Make your way to the exits in lines. Remove any face coverings, and you will be free to go!" Agnes announced. The crowd of nobles began to organize themselves thusly. "Julio, make sure they stay in line, I'm taking a squad to scour the building for anyone hiding," Agnes said, firmly, as she gestured to five nearby musketeers and began making her way down the central hall between the two staircases to the sides.
The team went room to room, finding cowering staff and nobles alike, and directed them to the front entrance after verifying their identities. It seemed as though Lishman may have found some way to escape, after all, and Agnes trembled with rage at the thought. She, on the ground floor, eventually came to a hallway filled with doors on both sides, which she assumed meant she had made her way backstage. This was the only section of the building on this floor that had yet to be checked by her, to her knowledge, and she was feeling quite frustrated.
"Split up, each of you sweep one room," Agnes ordered as she went for a door herself. Within, she was met with a masked face with glowing lights that blinded her. "Freeze!" She shouted as she tried to shield her eyes and aim her pistol, firing it wildly into the room. This caused her assailant's mask lights to come off of her face and allowed her to finally see what was going on. The Ghost in the room was clutching his arm where Agnes had landed a lucky shot. Before he could recoup his strength and attack, however, Agnes drew her sword and struck him with a decisive pommel strike to the gut and elbow to the back of his head, causing him to collapse. Once the fight was over, she heard the clanging of someone running in armor approach the door. She looked down and saw what looked like some different version of pistol on the ghost's hip and reached down to draw it from the unconscious Ghost below, aiming it at the doorway. Once she saw the red and blue heterochromatic eyes of Julio, however, she lowered the pistol and breathed a sigh of relief.
"You alright, bellissima?" Julio asked with genuine concern as he entered the room and inspected the scene. Agnes nodded and turned to examine where the Ghost was standing.
Why was that thing standing here? She thought to herself as she looked over the room. She tried to recall the exact details of the moment she opened the door as she looked at the floor, the walls, and the cabinet that the Ghost was standing in front of.
"What is this? Who is this?" Julio asked. Agnes, ignoring him, recalled that her would-be attacker turned around the moment she opened the door. Or maybe a moment before. They were doing something here. Julio, on his end, was examining the disabled Ghost, scrutinizing him over and examining his suit. "This looks like the Gallian royal seal. But… different?" Julio examined. Agnes, hardly interested, saw what looked like the smallest crack in the wall behind the cabinet and pushed it to its side, causing it to fall and break on the floor. Julio jumped at the sudden noise as he gave Agnes a confused look. She pushed in on the wall to reveal that it was, indeed, false and swung inward to a pitch-black tunnel. "Agnes wha-" Agnes held up a finger to cut him off as she loaded her own pistol once more.
"Take the prisoner into custody, I believe the suspect may have fled through here," Agnes informed in an authoritatively low voice as she cautiously stepped forward. Julio nodded in acknowledgement, but it was unseen by Agnes as she stepped carefully into the darkness. A darkness that grew the further she went. She did not have to walk long, thankfully. Using the wall as her guide, she happened upon a faint glow that could be seen past a curve in the tunnel. She removed her metal armor and boots so as to quiet herself as much as possible and hurried her pace to the light. After a few moments, she heard and saw the back of who was unmistakably Lishman. "Stop!" she ordered as she drew and aimed the borrowed pistol squarely at the noble's back. He took a moment to brace himself against the wall with one hand before turning back to look at Agnes, holding up his glowing staff to see who had found him. Once he had registered the face, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"There you are! I am being attacked! I order you to escort me to safety at once!" Lishman ordered right back. Agnes did not budge as she carefully stepped forward.
"That will be impossible, sir, as I am placing you under arrest," Agnes informed in a monotone voice.
"You dare?! I am a noble! You are nothing but a filthy peasant! Do as I say or-!" Lishman's rant was cut off by Agnes theatrically pulling back the hammer on her pistol. "I will have your HEAD for this impudence!"
"The Queen will have your head under charges of treason," Agnes announced, a hint of amusement in her voice as she stopped inching forward, knowing she now had the perfect shot. Lishman could feign his bewilderment no longer as he smirked through his still heaving breaths.
"And what evidence have you of this?" Lishman smugly asked.
"Our agents have heard enough from your little rendezvous to convict you on that, sedition, kidnapping, and many more charges," Agnes convincingly bluffed, causing Lishman's face to slip into panic for a moment. A moment long enough for Agnes to see she only needed to press the smallest bit harder. "Aside from that, we have one of your conspirators in custody right now. I imagine a bit of time in Bastenois will have him naming much more than you." Lishman's rage and panic froze him as Agnes now saw her opportunity. With flashes of her burning village in her mind, she furrowed her brow. "D'Angleterre shall finally be avenged, you son of a bitch." Anges growled.
"What?" Lishman looked to her in genuine confusion. Agnes, seeing this, felt rage overcome her at the sheer audacity of this man to forget what was the most traumatic moment of her life. She instinctively squeezed the trigger, sending a bullet from the much higher caliber pistol directly through Lishman's head, leaving a gaping, gory hole as his body immediately collapsed. With his life extinguished, the light from his staff did as well. And Agnes was left alone, in the darkness, seething with now-impotent rage. She let out a mighty and equal parts triumphant and anguished scream that echoed through the tunnel, dropping to her knees before the now-deceased noble. "I got you…" Agnes whispered hoarsely as the flood of relief and anger washed over her, causing tears to stream down her face. "Did I do good, mom? Dad?" Agnes weakly asked as she put herself against the wall and proceeded to cry freely, occasionally wiping the tears from her face as they soaked it. After an indeterminate amount of time for her, she leaned her head back against the wall and, for the first time since she was a child, relaxed herself as she felt a massive weight fall from her shoulders. "I got you…" She whispered to herself once more.
Meanwhile, back in the theater, Siesta, Louise, and Zeratul picked through the rubble of the collapsed balcony.
"What is it we're looking for, exactly?" Siesta asked as she carefully moved the debris with her hands, feeling too tired to use her psionics.
You will know when you see it, Zeratul answered, clearing debris from his end as well and looking around the dark theater. Ah, Zeratul calmly exclaimed as he picked up some kind of small object with colored strings coming from it.
"What is it?" Siesta asked, walking towards him. Zeratul placed the object in her hands. It was large enough to need to be safely held with two, but small enough that it could be easily transported. It was square and flat at its base with what looked like three crenellations on its top. The whole thing was fairly light but the material was one Siesta had never felt before, aside from some of the metal bits to it.
It is a psi disruptor, Zeratul explained, though I have never seen one in this size before. The UED used a much larger version of this to conquer and enslave the Zerg to their will.
Siesta's eyes widened at the thought. They controlled the Zerg? She thought to herself, instantly both impressed and terrified of this revelation.
Indeed, Zeratul responded to her thought, they came to the sector to bring the Dominion under heel and tame the Zerg, and they accomplished both in such terrifyingly short order that it took the combined efforts of ourselves, the Terrans, and the Zerg themselves to beat them back.
Siesta could scarcely believe that such a force existed where Zeratul was from. Especially after witnessing the terrifying power of the Spear of Adun and even individual Protoss warriors.
"What should we do?" Louise asked, seeing the anxiety that crept onto Siesta's face.
Nothing, for now, as they have made few overt moves in this world that we know of, Zeratul informed as he took the psi disruptor from Siesta's hands. We will be monitoring this situation closely. In the meantime, it may be prudent to speak to the Studious Tabitha regarding their people's history.
As the girls were getting ready to be escorted away, Henrietta got their attention. When they both went to go to her, she shook her head and pointed to Siesta. Siesta, now looking anxious and pointing to herself, received a suspicious look from her girlfriend.
"Don't worry, I'll be right back," Siesta reassured her as she went to the Queen, who turned both her own and Siesta's back to Louise.
"What Louise did tonight was reckless," Henrietta said with a clear amount of disappointment in her voice, Siesta immediately, defensively, furrowed her brow at her.
"She was kept completely in the dark and just wanted to help," Siesta responded, manifesting her defensiveness of her beloved. Henrietta shook her head in response.
"You misunderstand. I'm not upset because I think she could have ruined anything. I'm upset because she's the best friend I've ever had and I do not wish her to be in danger," Henrietta replied with concern as she stared at the sidewalk at their feet. "If something were to happen to her, especially for my sake, I don't know if I could ever forgive myself." Siesta, in understanding, felt her expression soften as she also stared at the ground with the Queen in quiet contemplation. "I almost completely trust you will protect her. That Zeratul will protect her. But who will protect her from… her?" Henrietta asked with a kind of solemn tone. Siesta sighed and looked to her with as reassuring a look as she could muster at that time.
"I guess we just have to make up for it in the meantime," Siesta said with a small smile. Henrietta chuckled, but Siesta could feel she was not fully convinced.
On the ride back to the academy, helpfully provided by Agnes, Louise placed her head gently on Siesta's shoulder. Before the two could get cuddly, however, Louise smelled something familiar that aroused suspicion in her.
"Siesta?" Louise asked, trying to keep her voice calm.
"Yes, Louise?" Siesta answered, leaning her head on Louise's head.
"Why do you smell like the Queen?"
"Well, I was just talking to her."
"No, it's more than that. She's… all over you."
Siesta snapped up and her face, though not obvious in the moonlight, immediately turned red and her body became hot with anxiety.
"Oh, well, you see… she conscripted me to be her bodyguard and it was cold so I tried to keep her warm and… uh…" Siesta's voice trailed off as she looked conspicuously away from the now-annoyed Louise. "Oh! My brother was there the whole time! He can vouch nothing happened!" Siesta loudly proclaimed as she gave a nervous, hearty laugh and turned back to Louise.
"Maybe a year ago I would have blown you up for this misunderstanding…" Louise replied, an unamused look on her face. "And how convenient is it that your brother, who I've never met, just so happened to be there and he just so happens to not be here now." Siesta became immediately crestfallen as she said that, realizing that she never got to spend more time with her brother following this. They were whisked away so fast she didn't even have time to try and look for him. Or Henrietta. Louise, noticing the immediate change in demeanor, felt a rush of guilt come over her as she took Siesta's hand. "I'm sorry, I know that's a hard thing to talk about."
"It's fine, really," Siesta replied unconvincingly. "I was just happy to see him again. I hope he's alright… The Queen has conscripted him in her plans to take down the conspiracy surrounding her."
"Even though he-?" Siesta quickly covered Louise's mouth and pointed to the front of the carriage as she did, to indicate Agnes' presence.
"Even though he's so young? I know! I'm very worried about that, but he's quite a capable young man," Siesta laughed nervously once again as she raised her voice. Louise nodded understandingly.
"Well regardless, you can make this up to me with our own night on the town," Louise half-teased as she gently squeezed Siesta's hand. Siesta smiled and nodded as the two exchanged a small kiss. The rest of the trip without incident with a surprisingly calm and content Agnes.
"Were you able to find Lishman?" Siesta asked, as they disembarked the carriage.
"Indeed," Agnes nodded. "I cornered him as he was escaping, he resisted and I was forced to respond with deadly force." Siesta and Louise both gasped at this information. "Not to worry, we have some of his conspirators in custody and should get sufficient information. In the meantime, rest," She paused and looked away from them as she seemed to consider her next words carefully. "You did well tonight," Agnes informed then with only the barest hint of overt praise, which made both the girls give small gasps in response that Agnes did not register. She then turned the carriage around and began to leave the academy.
Louise and Siesta made it back to the room with no further interruptions and changed into their nightgowns. Siesta took some time to properly clean and dress Louise's shoulder wound (making sure to mark it with a kiss). Once she had finished, the two flopped into bed, and Siesta looked over to Louise and took her hand, causing each of them to exchange weary smiles before passing into restful slumber.