How a Little Lord Learned to Fly

A giant chandelier adorned with chain links made of prismatic glass loomed over the audience hall, filling the room with iridescent rays that coiled and twisted as it swayed gently back and forth. The baron and baroness’s seats atop the raised part of the hall were empty, as both were busy working the crowd and attending to visiting dignitaries.

Helian entered the hall in the company of the baron’s son. She looked fantastic in the dress, and from her posture, it seemed she wasn’t under too much stress—at least not at the moment. It was difficult to stop myself from staring at her for too long, but eventually, I managed to tear my gaze away.  If we made eye contact, this would all fall apart.

I tapped the countess on the shoulder and gestured in Helian’s direction. Lady Solana nodded, and I left through the kitchen door in the rear, striding confidently past a group of stressed waiters. The scent of boiling vegetable stock followed me outside and condensed into a cloud of fog as I pushed through the servants’ exit into the cold air outside.

My watch read 7:10—I had ten minutes until the next shift change. 

I strolled casually to the large oak tree next to the west wall of the estate and picked up the burlap sack we’d thrown over the wall earlier. It contained everything I needed. I exchanged my dress uniform for a hooded cloak, gloves, and boots, then removed the tool case. The inside of the cloak had cloth loops sized appropriately for my throwing knives and rapier. This just left my main gauche, which I’d successfully smuggled past the baron’s guards on the way in after leaving Pretense in the countess’s possession. Once I strapped the dagger to my wrist, I was ready to go. 

I returned the now-empty case to the bag, and after stowing it away in the tree branches, I threw the grappling hook up over the wall to create the appearance that I’d entered from outside. If the baron’s guards were on schedule, I had a minute or so left to prepare, which was more than enough time. I concealed myself in the shadow of the oak and dipped two daggers into my hip flask that was filled with anesthetic.

The two guards arrived right on time, walking slowly as they casually discussed the outcome of the previous day’s horse races. Once they passed underneath the tree and were fully concealed within its shadow, I whipped both wrists forward. My daggers grazed their necks, leaving thin, precise cuts. 

The anesthetic worked quickly, bringing them to the ground before their confusion could turn into audible shock and alert the rest of the estate. I quickly dragged them behind the tree and propped their bodies against the trunk before placing a bottle of whiskey in one of their hands. With luck, the next guard rotation wouldn’t spot them, and once they were eventually discovered, the cause for their unconscious state would be obvious from the evidence I’d just planted.

And now, my path to the balcony was clear.

------

I grabbed Arsen Rydberg firmly by the neck and wrenched, forcing all 85 kilograms of his frame backward over the railing. He flailed in panic, forcing words through his constricted and bruised windpipe.

“Let go!”

I did not. As his body hurtled over the railing, I wrapped my cloak tight around my body and dropped down to follow him two stories down. I landed effortlessly on his chest with my full weight, driving the last traces of air from his lungs.

The young lord gasped for breath and clawed at my boots with his fingers, his nails scraping against the steel tip of my boot. Blood flowed from the back of his head and soaked into the dirt. His skull had probably cracked from his fall.  I could tell by how he struggled under my heel that the force of my weight had broken multiple ribs. And still, I desperately wanted to break the rest of them one by one. Sadly, there just wasn’t enough time for that.

I drew my face close to his and whispered, “give the devil my regards, you piece of shit.”

And with that, I drove my main gauche deep into his chest. Blood flowed freely from his lips as he choked. His clouded eyes grew bright momentarily, then went glassy and dull as the rest of his body stopped moving. 

Helian screamed above me. At the same time, a strange black smoke fled from Arsen’s body, dissipating into the evening chill.

It was time to go. I cast the blood from my weapon with a flick of my wrist, then dusted off my cloak and sprinted towards the oak tree, using the shadows cast by the passing clouds overhead for cover. I climbed up into the canopy of the tree to return the rest of my items to the concealed tool case to take back with me to the audience hall. 

As expected, all the guards on shift promptly made their way to the area below the balcony I’d just fled, allowing me to escape through the servants’ exit and return to the hall unnoticed. Along the way, I’d switched back into my uniform and discarded the main gauche and daggers. It was a shame to part with such a fine weapon, but only a fool would hold on to evidence.

As planned, the countess had already left the audience chamber and made her way to the second floor. I’d done my job, now she could handle the rest. I waited, leaning against the wall hidden in the shadows. 

I told myself that everything would be fine. After all, things had gone according to plan thus far, hadn’t they?

Helian and the Cunning Countess (1)

Emerging from the shadows, a shrouded figure grabbed hold of Arsen Rydberg. “Let go!” Despite his struggles, the young lord was hoisted over the railing  and down to the ground two stories below. The young lord flailed and gasped. “Let go!” The assailant’s hand held firm and the two disappeared from sight.

What the hell was going on? With this change, the story was now suddenly unrecognizable. How was this possible? 

A knot formed in the pit of my stomach and my thoughts raced. Anything could happen now. 

A commoner found alone in the nobles’ sitting room, the heir to the barony lying dead in a pool of his own blood just two stories below. A locked room with only one suspect trapped inside. The conclusion was obvious. I would be executed.

As this thought took hold in my mind, I screamed involuntarily, then ran for the door. I pounded on the unyielding wood with all my might. “Help! I need help!”

I heard a guard chuckle. This was not Arsen’s first time in a locked room with a young woman, and they were confident he would triumph in any struggle. How could he be harmed? Everything would go as expected.

Just not this time. “The lord’s been murdered!”

I heard the other guard laugh raucously from the other side of the door. “That’s a new one.”

“There’s an assassin on the estate! Please—help!”

At that moment, a voice rang out down the hall. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Countess!” The two guards responded in unison.

The countess? What was she doing here? Was the plot dragging itself back onto the tracks?

“I said, what is the meaning of this? I clearly heard a woman in that room begging for help. If I’m not mistaken, I heard the word ‘assassin’. Now what the hell are you fools doing? Open the door immediately.”

The guard to my left coughed. “I’m sorry, Countess, but we’re under strict orders that Lord Rydberg is not to be disturbed.”

Light footfalls approached the door and I heard the countess’s voice from the other side. “Stand back, young lady.” 

I obeyed. Suddenly, both doors were forced off their hinges and landed on the ground with a thud, knocked down clean by a single, powerful kick.

Lady Solana offered me her hand. “You did well. Let’s be going.” She led me out of the room.

We fled into the audience hall as the guards crept into the room behind us. “Lord Rydberg? Hello?”

The countess gripped my hand tightly. “Listen carefully. We’ve yet to be introduced, but right now, you must trust me. Leave the talking to your elders and we’ll have you out of here without a scratch. None of this is your fault.”

Why was she here? Was she in league with Arsen’s murderer? Everything had suddenly gone off course, but how? Why? 

None of my questions would be answered now, so all I could do was take a deep breath and listen to her directions. “Okay. I’ll leave it to you.”

Lady Solana walked in large steps towards the baron, who was currently sharing a drink with his wife. She called to him in a voice that echoed through the hall. “Baron Rydberg.”

He flinched and turned to us, obviously confused. “Countess? What seems to be the matter?”

“I’m afraid a great many issues need to be addressed, and it simply cannot wait. We’ll begin with your recently departed son and his behavior.”

The baron’s eyes narrowed and behind him, his wife gasped in shock. The guards flanking him each placed their hands on their weapons.

“What the hell did you just say?”

How a Little Bird Learned to Fly (4)

This was my first opportunity to watch the countess at work, and she was clearly in her element. The baron and his guards’ attempts to intimidate were clearly failing.  She confidently stepped close enough to grab the baron with her bare hands.

“The young lord Arsen Rydberg stands accused of myriad crimes, including abduction, torture, and murder. Upon learning of the evidence against him, his co-conspirators plotted his assassination before he once again tried to escape justice. Regrettably, I was too late to thwart the killing as your son had locked himself in a sitting room with a young woman and ordered the guards to block the way.”

As the gathered crowd murmured, a vivacious older woman collapsed to her knees near one the appetizer table. I noticed Helian’s gaze shift to the woman, her eyes filled with pity. I suppose she’d been close with the bastard.

“Countess, I don’t know what makes you think you can utter such falsehoods in front of those gathered, but even your title does not grant you the right to-”

Lady Solana cut him off with a stern glare and continued.

“I’m not finished. The evidence we’ve collected paints a clear picture of his entire family’s involvement. During our investigation, we made a number of shocking discoveries. When I presented my findings to the king, he naturally expressed great concern, which is how we find ourselves in this present situation.”

The baron audibly gasped for air and began to claw at his chest. Perhaps his poor diet and lack of exercise had undermined his health.

“Baron Rydberg, on the authority granted to me by His Majesty, I formally strip you of your title. If even a fraction of the accusations against you are confirmed, you shall be executed in the city square within the week.”

The baron’s wife began sobbing openly and uselessly grabbed at the countess’s sleeve.

The countess ignored her, continuing. “Miss Rydberg, I would advise you to cooperate with my investigation. If the accusations against you are substantiated, you will share your husband’s fate. However, a show of contrition might convince the king to take mercy upon you.”

Lady Solana then turned to address the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, I sincerely apologize for ruining your evening. It breaks my heart to bear such dire news. Had my tears not run dry long ago, I would weep at the tragic events that led to this moment. I pray you will all aid me in restoring the honor of this barony.”

The noble lords and ladies looked back and forth at each other for confirmation, then responded in a cacophony of shouts. “Of course!” “We’re with you, Countess!” “Justice for the weak!” “No mercy for the wicked!”

The diplomatic envoys from the north, visibly shocked, took their leave of the estate, followed by a slow trickle of other attendees.

A satisfying outcome. Now that attention was off the countess, it was best that I make my exit to avoid being spotted. As I crept towards the servants’ exit, a chorus of voices rang out behind me.

“Lady Saintess!” “Oh, Metis have mercy!”