Alantris, Chapter 9
#9 of Alantris
462 ~N Kingdom of Clarity, 14th Provenance of the Martyr
It was time to put the plan into motion.
For the past few days, Howl had been working hard with Corrin toward making his illusions appear as a perfect replica of himself. It had taken a number of attempts, but he had it mastered. Even Corrin approved his new skill as passable.
Howl had also been juggling his time at the Inn, serving dinners and listening to the local gossip. He had heard rumors that the king of Bastruf had declined once again any arrangements of peace between their religious feud, and again prepared for battle. This made Howl uneasy. That and he was starting to gain face in the Inn. He would have to put his plan into action soon, and he resolved to do it tonight.
Howl was just tidying up the kitchen when Enel, a dormouse, stepped in to help. He prepared himself for what he was going to say.
"Enel, is it okay if I-"
Enel raised a hand, "You have helped plenty enough. Go and get some rest."
"Actually, I was looking to head out of town and pick up some more yeast. I noticed we were running low." Howl had made sure to dump the yeast outside and bury it in the dirt before he mentioned this.
Enel blinked. "Of course, if you wish."
Howl thanked her and headed up to his room. He picked up his cloak and bag, which contained several potions Corrin had given him which would aid him in keeping his energy levels filled, then stepped out into the coming night.
He headed north, following an indirect route that took him through different side streets and alleyways. There weren't many people out while the sun was set, but he wanted to stay concealed, lest someone follow him and find out what he was up to.
He reached the palisade of the castle and looked for the crumbled section he had located earlier that same day and hoisted himself quickly up the wall before any guards could notice him. He then wandered a ways down the wall and finally found a small inlet that would conceal him and took refuge there.
Just as Howl had predicted, the king had just finished his dinner in the dining hall, and was making his way across the grounds. Howl had to act fast if he wanted to catch him while he had the chance. He focused his mind at a shadow of the great hall and whispered the phrase that would create the illusion. A perfect copy of himself appeared in the shadow of the edifice.
He made the shadow walk out, intensifying his aura, and the image moved with his thoughts, carrying the copy out of the shadow of the building and into the moonlight.
The king noticed the copy and stopped. "Athera, why are you here so late?"
Howl spoke softly, and connected his words to the mirror copy, "I have heard rumors, my lord, of Chase's nephew. I've heard talk he has committed treason, though by which means I do not know. Though I've been told it concerns the Fade."
The king took the bait. "What trouble has my ward's nephew committed? Has he been confined to the prisons?"
"Yes, I have made sure that he'd been imprisoned, but you must speak with him. It is urgent, I fear, for the child seems to know important information regarding Chalith's religious mobs, and he wishes to speak to you."
"To where has he been detained, the palace dungeons I presume?"
"Actually we caught him spreading sacrilege at Annual's Square, and so he was taken by the guards to a cell at the barracks."
"Alright. Can you accompany me, I could use your support and wisdom with these serious accusations?"
Howl wracked his thoughts desperately for a reply. "Um, actually, my lord, I need your escort to the library. Files on this situation need to be sorted, I fear."
"Here, take this band." The king removed his bracelet, "and tell Dusk that you need entrance to the library's personage directory. If you can, give the file to him, and he will take care of the matters."
Howl sat there, mind working furiously. He couldn't grab the band as an illusion, so he would have to make a copy of it.
"Actually, my lord, I got such a band from... er, Dusk earlier. He told me I could use it for study in more restricted sections of the library." He couldn't see the details of the band from so far away, so Howl refrained from making the illusion reveal the bracelet.
The king frowned, and Howl prayed that the solution would suffice. Allin put the band back on his arm and grimaced. "I was not aware Dusk had such allocations, but if he gave you permission, then I suppose that's enough." He started heading off across the grounds and toward the main gate, when he had finally vanished from site, Howl was relieved to cut off the connection. He was already very fatigued, and he pulled out a potion and drank of it. It suffused him with its vigor, and soon he felt himself regaining composure enough to climb back down the wall and enter the grounds.
It would take the king at least fifteen minutes to get to the dungeon at Annual's Square, and so Howl had about half an hour to retrieve the information and be gone before the king arrives. He unfortunately did not have the dungeon staged, for Corrin was unwilling to get involved. He imagined that Athera will be left in small regard from then on, which was perfectly fine with Howl.
He stepped up to the doorway of the castle and entered swiftly, heading immediately for the king's study.
"Hey, Athera." It was Dusk. Howl had to confront him.
"Yes?" He replied in a slightly lower, raspy voice.
The raccoon padded up to him and crossed his arms. "I was told by Halia that she wishes to see you. I believe she wants to have a discussion with you about the church's policy on spirits consumption. Supposedly you passed out this afternoon after making remarks about the Lady Redna's, uh..." The raccoon didn't offer the reply. Howl couldn't believe his luck. If Athera was out cold, or at least to dizzy to move, then he wouldn't certainly be around the library or the study.
"Tell Lady Redna that she has a fine, er, bosom, and that I apologize but I am very busy." Howl tried not to snicker.
Dusk shook his head but made no attempt to stop Howl as he made his way up the stone stairwell and onto the second landing. From here he took a right, and was faced with the green door to the king's formal study.
He felt for the door, and to his dread the door didn't give way. It was locked. Howl thought for an alternative. Unfortunately the documents that he needed desperately to get to were locked behind that door, and he had no means to enter.
Corrin had never taught howl how to pick a lock, and he didn't have the tools to attempt it. He almost jumped as someone tapped his shoulder from behind, and Howl wheeled around.
He let the fur on his shoulders relaxed. It was Dusk again. Apparently he had followed Howl.
"Athera, Halia still wishes to speak to you. The rules of consumption in the castle are stricter here, you should know that. I believe she is still in the palace sanctuary, cleaning up the mass aisles."
Howl drew himself up. "Actually, Dusk, I had already talked to Halia. She gave me instruction that she needed a note she had left on the study desk, for the king regarding the religious testimony on the Fade... And she wanted me to retrieve it for her."
The raccoon looked Howl up and down. Howl tried to remain composed, though he had to admit he wasn't feeling the effects of the potion so strongly anymore.
The raccoon finally sighed. "Fine. Wait here then." He pulled from his belt a golden key and fit it in the door, turning it until it clicked. Then he pushed open the door revealing a rather messy study.
"What was it that the priestess needed? A note?"
"Yes. It was in regards to the Fade. She asked me to attain the testimony of standstill that was agreed prior to the king's recent change of heart. She needed it for redrafting, I believe to add amends from the king in response to the people's, and Jaeda's, permissions."
Dusk nodded and disappeared beyond the doorway. Howl waited. The king had no doubt found out that the declaration from Howl was a hoax by now, and was probably on his way over here.
Howl was just about to enter the study himself when the raccoon reappeared, carrying an envelope with the seal of the king.
Howl thanked him and took the envelope from his grasp. "I will make sure that this gets to Priestess Halia immediately."
Howl turned, but once more Dusk called him back.
Howl cursed inwardly and turned to face the raccoon, trying to keep from fidgeting as he waited for the overseer to continue.
"Tell the priestess that I advise her to redouble her efforts on your chastening. You still seem a bit dazed."
At that moment Howl staggered, not a feint, but a genuine lurch. The potion was beginning to wear off "Yes, I shall. I believe she had prepared me an antidote." Howl pulled the flask from his pocket and took another gulp. "That's better. On my way, then."
He took off down the stairwell. He reached the bottom when the overseer cleared his throat, and Howl almost scowled.
"Yes?"
The overseer pointed to his left. "The mass hall is that way."
Howl grimaced. "Of course."
Dusk finally turned away and headed down the hallway of the upper landing, and Howl turned left, thinking in his head of which path he would have to take to escape the castle. He did not know the castle well, so he would have to hope that the way to the castle sanctuary lead to an escape route. He placed the letter in a pouch at his belt as he swept past several religious murals and into the sanctuary.
To his luck, the priestess was no longer in the hallway. The temple was empty. Howl found a door at the back of the room and pushed it open. Summer air pushed its way in, and Howl welcomed it, rushing hurriedly into what seemed to be the gardens, and made his way toward the crumbled wall. Once he cleared it, he practically ran through the deserted alleys and back to the safety of the Inn.
He was not expecting however, that he would already be there. Athera stood in the door next to Enel, and he had noticed Howl.
Enel saw him approach and looked from Howl and back to Athera. "What's going on?" She demanded.
In that instant Athera pulled from his belt a dagger, and jumped at Howl. Howl dodged just in time. Enel shrieked and rushed into the Inn, slamming the door behind her.
His brother sprinted after Howl as he ran down the street. Lights turned on and people gazed out of windows as Howl made his desperate flight across the town. He turned his direction south, heading for the magician's shop. Athera was catching up, and Howl was in a panic for what he was going to do.
A flash of shadow swirled past Howl, and he flinched, turning around. Erros had slammed into Athera, brandishing a katana.
"Take Corrin and get out of here!" The sparrow declared as he stood facing the other jackal, ready for combat.
"You'll never escape me, Howl, I will find you. My eyes are not what they once were!"
His brother shouted.
Howl didn't wait a second longer. He ran for the magicians shop, down a deserted alley, and past another. One contained a couple, and he knocked into a badger. He swiftly apologized and picked himself back up, running again for the shop that stood just beyond the corner.
Corrin was outside, waiting against the wall.
"Where is Erros?" The boy demanded.
"No time." Howl shouted. "He told me we have to get you out of here. You said you wanted escort to the mountains? Well, that's where we are headed. Follow me!"
Howl grabbed the squirrel by the arm. Corrin protested, and yanked himself from Howl's grasp. "Lead the way, then."
Howl ran, the mysterious squirrel boy at this heels, toward the outer village. He did not know whether Erros had managed to stop his quarry, or whether what his brother said about finding him with his new eyes was true, but Howl prayed dearly for his life that he and Corrin were out of site as they headed out of Bastruf and into the distant hills.