Fantasy A Dangerous Affair

[Aerynth]

"Are you sure about this, Rinna?"

"Well, it's a little too late to turn back, don't you think?" Indeed, a little too late was a good way to put it. The royal carriage was bound to appear at any moment now, at least if the intel they had received could be trusted. Trees hid them well, as well as the darkness of this starless night, but the traps had already been laid. Ropes had been tied to the stumps lining the road, waiting for the horses to get tangled in them.

"Even if we chickened out now, what do you think would happen exactly? Do you think that the royal brat would appreciate the little greeting we left for her here? Or do you suppose they would come to the conclusion that ropes grow on trees naturally and pay it no mind?"

Caleb winced. No, he suffered from no such delusions. If the plot were to be discovered, the forest that had served as their shelter for so long would certainly by searched, inch by inch, until their hideout was found. "I... I just don't like it. I think we may have bitten off more than we can chew this time. This isn't common robbery anymore!"

Rinna sighed. Even with the lack of light, one could see the annoyance reflected in her blue eyes and the way her mouth suddenly looked like a single thin line. "You're damn right, it's not. It's our ticket to wealth, you dimwit. One job and we will spend the rest of our lives drinking the finest wines, eating the most famous delicacies and being bored out of our minds by the luxury of it all. Not sure about you, but I want that life. Now if you're too busy soiling your pants, just retreat to the camp and we will come for you later."

"What are you-- I am not a coward!"

"Well, don't behave like one and you may be able to avoid the accusations!"

"Rinna, Caleb, shut up," Gael growled, "I think I hear something." Normally she would have protested about being told to shut up, but he was right; she did hear the characteristic sound of hooves clapping in the distance. Suddenly, her heart was beating very fast. Here goes our golden opportunity.

"Assume your positions," she said and the group scattered among the trees, practically invisible to the untrained eye now. Rinna herself climbed one of the trees within seconds, pulled out a crossbow and reached for one of the sleeping darts resting in her pockets. To her surprise, her hands were trembling. I should calm down, and fast. It's just another routine job; nothing I couldn't do with one hand tied behind my back. So what if my target today is a royal? Kings and queens still bleed red.

When the royal carriage emerged from the darkness, her instincts took over. It was as if something had possessed her body; the nervousness disappeared and Rinna watched the scene unfolding in front of her with ice cold concentration. Just a little bit closer, she urged the carriage in her mind, and it obeyed. The horses ran straight into the ropes and screamed out in pain; a horrible sound to be sure, but Rinna's heart had been hardened for a long time now. Before the coachman could react, Rinna pulled the trigger and he fell from his seat, the dart buried deeply in his neck.

Everything then happened within a blink of an eye. Gael cut the harnesses binding the horses to the carriage and the animals, terrified to death, ran. In the meantime, Caleb and Istra opened the door, gagged the young woman sitting inside and bound her quickly. Her feeble protests couldn't stop them from carrying her out. Soon enough, the woman ended up thrown over Gael's large shoulder. Yes! Rinna jumped down from her elevated position to join the remainder of her group, now trembling with excitement.

"Good job, friends. Now let's get out of here!" She didn't have to say that twice. With no further ado, they disappeared among the trees again, navigating narrow paths known only to them and forest animals. It didn't take too long for them to reach the camp; it was hidden in a cavern with an entrance too small for large predators to enter, but big enough for humans to fit without greater issues.

"Ouch! Damn, I swear!" Well, except for Gael, a giant among humans, who hit his head again despite living here for god knew how long.

"Gael, don't use such crude words in front of our precious guest," Rinna smirked and lit a torch. "And ungag her, please. We're all civilized people here, aren't we?" She proceeded to light a bonfire with the torch; the cavern now looked almost cozy with shadows painting pictures on the walls.

"I... I can scarcely believe it," Caleb whispered, but Rinna ignored him. Instead, she turned her attention towards their captive. After all, the opportunity to meet the country's beloved princess wasn't presented to her every day! "Welcome to my humble home, dear princess," Rinna bowed in a mocking manner. "How do you like it so far?" She smiled sweetly, searching for the signs of fear in her eyes. Rinna knew that she didn't look particularly scary; a blue-eyed brunette with hair tied in a bun, lean and slightly on the shorter side, wasn't exactly the type of person to appear in most people's nightmares. She assumed that this situation was somewhat special, though.

 

[ArcticRose]

It was a simple errand- go to the market, buy fabric for the princess to have for her dreaded sewing lesson in the morning, and return. Ava had gone on the exact same mission numerous times before, always with Princess Evelyn’s complaints about not getting to go along ringing in her ears. Either that or it was the complaint about how she was far too old to not have mastered sewing yet and she was only being forced to continue the lessons because the instructor her father had hired secretly despised her. No matter which complaint the princess saw her off with, it was always Ava’s duty to go to the market to pick fabrics because the princess refused to work with the samples her instructor brought for the purpose.

Normally, it was actually a rather relaxing errand. The carriage ride to and from the market had the tendency to be peaceful, giving Ava the opportunity to think and have a brief respite from her duties. While she enjoyed her position as Evelyn’s handmaiden, there were times when being alone- or, rather, away from the princess- was a bit of a relief. Even Ava, as dedicated as she was, needed the occasional moment to herself.

The peace of the return trip had been shattered by the screaming of the horses and before Ava could so much as leave the relative comfort of the padded carriage seat to see what was happening, strangers had entered and she found herself gagged, bound, pulled from the carriage and thrown over a man’s shoulder in order to be carried through the woods to who-knew-where. She had not been given an opportunity to fight back, as little good as that would have likely done, or even really react. It had all happened far too quickly.

Ava was uncertain how long the trek through the forest had taken, but she had struggled the whole way and she rather hoped that she had succeeded in leaving the man who had carried her with a bruise or two. It was the least he deserved, though all thoughts of minor injuries left her thoughts as she was put down, the gag was removed and the woman spoke. She only really had the opportunity to realize that she was in a cavern before her attention was pulled away from her surroundings and the people gathered there to the speaker.

The woman looked approximately as frightening as Ava herself likely did with her mussed red hair that she currently had to shake her head in order to get out of her face, brown eyes, and light smattering a freckles across her nose. Ava was only a bit taller than the woman, but she suspected that her new “host” was more dangerous than she looked and most certainly more so than Ava herself was. The only person Ava knew that she could have likely bested in anything remotely resembling a fight was the princess herself and that was only because all Evelyn knew about defending herself was how to scream for the closest guard.

It took a moment before the woman’s words truly sank in, but when they did, Ava realized that she had not been their target. And, really, why would she be? She was nothing special, after all- just a handmaiden.

“Have you ever seen the princess?”

It was, even to Ava, an odd thing to say in such a situation, but the question had tumbled its way out before she could stop it. She should have asked about the coachman and the horses. She should have asked why she had been brought there. She should have asked any number of other questions, but that was all that had come forth. In all fairness, it was actually quite a reasonable question if she gave herself a moment to think about it, though she would have chosen to wait a bit for it if she had thought before she spoke.

Anyone who had seen the the princess themselves would know that Evelyn had golden hair, vivid green eyes and was a bit taller than Ava. The princess had drawn many admiring gazes and Ava quite honestly found it hard to believe that someone would make such a mistake as to think she could possibly be Evelyn. Then again, she had been riding in the royal carriage. Even so, it would have only taken a quick glance from anyone who knew what the princess looked like to realize their mistake.

 

[Aerynth]

"Yeah, I bet you like it here-- Wait, what?" This wasn't her how her intimidation was supposed to go! Rinna frowned. "What kind of question is that? Of course I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you before. It's not like you guys invite people like me to your fancy royal balls. A terrible mistake, you know. Maybe I wouldn't have had to resort to this had you invited me in the first place."

"Uhh, Rinna, I don't think this is what she meant by the question," Istra interjected. Some part of Rinna had been aware the entire time, but she didn't want to accept that reality. The implication that all the trouble they had gone through for the sake of this plot had been for naught was just too heartbreaking. No, no, that cannot be true. Why would we find her in the royal carriage if she wasn't a goddamned princess? They're not really renowned for giving random people rides!

Rinna paused for a moment, not knowing what to do, but then it dawned on her. "Oh, that's what she wants you to think, Istra. Royals are sneaky; don't fall for their lies." She approached the princess once again, kneeling down to her eye level this time; her face got dangerously close to hers. "Do you think I was born yesterday, dear princess? It was a nice try, I will give that to you, but I won't be deceived this easily. Don't worry, though. We're not planning to rough you up too much. In fact, we will return you in one piece if your family pays up. They won't be too opposed to that, now will they? I'm sure they love their princess very much."

 

[ArcticRose]

While the woman’s reaction to her question was not what Ava had wanted- she had rather hoped the mistake would have been realized- some of the things she said were no surprise. The king and queen had the tendency to interact with the public through representatives as a safety measure, though it was not uncommon for the princess to go out and about in the city, surrounded by a plethora of guards and with Ava by her side. Though the king hated it and had made no secret of it, he had learned the hard way that forbidding the princess to do anything would only lead to her blatantly ignoring him and doing as she pleased.

While the princess went out amongst the people, said people were not welcome within the palace. The rulers, at the insistence of the royal guards, only welcomed fellow royals, nobles, and their handpicked staff into the palace. It was, according to the captain of the guard, far too difficult to weed out potential troublemakers if just anyone was allowed into the palace. He was too afraid that people like those she was now surrounded by would get in and threaten the safety of the royal family.

Ava stayed still, meeting the woman’s eyes and pushing down the instinct to lean back in an attempt to put a bit of space between them. It seems that at least one of them had understood what question meant, but it seemed she was going to have to state things a bit more clearly for the rest. “I’m not the princess, just her handmaid.” Ava desperately hoped that she was not getting herself into further trouble with those words while at the same time hoping that what she said next would at least keep them from killing her in frustration. “You may not get as much for me as you would had you actually kidnapped the princess herself, but Evelyn and I have been close since we were children. I have no doubt the king will pay handsomely for my safe return.”

 

[Aerynth]

A handmaid?! Despite her chosen profession, Rinna had never really been the violent type. Sure, she had had to kill a person or two and a bandit couldn't really get by without whacking someone over the head from time to time, but at least she didn't particularly enjoy any of these things. Right now, though, she would give anything to get her hands on that scoundrel Errtran.

"Istra," Rinna turned back to her female colleague, "I distinctly remember paying for information about our beloved princess Evelyn."

"Yeah, because that's what we did."

"Then why didn't we get Evelyn?!"

"So suddenly we trust her, huh? It could still be her, Rinna. Didn't you just say that nobles are slippery? C'mon, she's obviously lying!" Caleb chimed in. Gael, being his usual silent self, outright ignored everyone and put his large hands above fire in an attempt to warm them. He seemed resigned, almost as if the situation had absolutely nothing to do with him.

"Well, yeah, it could be an elaborate plot for sure, but she's not really claiming to be nobody and asking to be freed. She's claiming to be a... a handmaid," Rinna almost spit out the word, "and promising money for her freedom, albeit a smaller sum." As much as it pained her to admit it, it didn't seem as if the woman was lying. Why would she lie in a way that would still result in them being paid ransom? That didn't make sense.

"Which brings me to my previous point. Where is that scumbag Errtran and do you think that it's reasonable to feed him to the rats for dinner?" At this point, Rinna was furious. So many weeks of planning and what did they get for their trouble? A handmaid! Sure, she had claimed that the royal family would still pay for her and that was... well, better than nothing, but they had aimed for the big prize, goddamit!

"Reasonable, yes, doable, not so much. I'm pretty sure he pocketed the money and ran away. He may be anywhere," Istra shrugged. Unlike Rinna, she looked more or less at peace with their fate.

"I knew this wasn't a good idea," Caleb muttered while playing with his knife.

"Nobody asked for your input, Caleb. Anyway, we will get Errtran later. Nobody double crosses us like this and lives. In the meantime..." Rinna sighed and turned her attention back to the captive girl. It wasn't technically her fault, of course; she sincerely doubted that the handmaid enjoyed being kidnapped. Still, the sight of her sitting on the ground annoyed Rinna deeply. The princess should have been there, not her! "Hey, you. Handmaid. I'm going to untie you and you're going to write a letter to that precious royal family of yours. Let them know that you've fallen prey to evil bandits who will surely kill you if they don't pay up. One wrong move and there will be consequences. Got it?"

 

[ArcticRose]

Ava had half-listened to what was being said, paying enough attention to make certain she missed nothing important (like plans to dispose of her since she was not the one they had hoped to get) but also letting her mind race in hopes of coming up with an escape plan. She had quickly come to the conclusion that escaping at the moment was highly unlikely due to the number of people there to stop her and she did not want to waste what would likely be her only opportunity. She would wait. If the chance to get away presented itself, she had every intention of taking it, but if it did not, she was certain the king would pay the ransom for her release.

Whether or not her kidnappers would truly free her if they got their money was a question she had no way to answer. Criminals, after all, could never be trusted.

Whether the bandits around her believed she was telling the truth or not, the woman who was very clearly their leader seemed to. It offered little comfort, but the fact that she seems to have accepted that Ava was who she said she was had to be in her favor. Ava knew that it might seem overly optimistic, but she felt that she should look for a silver lining wherever she might be able to find one.

“I understand.” Ava had no doubt that the woman would not hesitate to make her regret a failed escape attempt. “How much do you intend to demand?” It was, Ava felt, important information. Not only would she need to include it in the letter, she would need to make certain the amount was not so high that the king would reject it out of hand. While she was certain the king would gladly pay to have her returned safely, there was, she felt, no sense in overdoing it. Something told her that the woman and her crew had no interest in negotiations.

 

[Aerynth]

"That's a... good question, actually." Rinna had had a certain sum in mind, but that had been for the princess, not for the handmaid. The princess may have loved her little lowborn friend, but at the end of the day, she was just that. A friend. Unlike a blood relative, a friend could easily be replaced. It wasn't like the princess would have trouble finding new people eager to serve her. Maybe I'm just too cynical. Maybe they really would pay an arm and a leg to get this girl back.

"Listen, friends. How much do we want?" Rinna turned to her compatriots.

"How much we want isn't really the question here. How much would they pay? That is what we need to know," Istra said.

Rinna rolled her eyes. "Yes, very smart, Istra. Why not send them a questionnaire? I'm sure that they will be very helpful in assisting us with robbing them if we just ask nicely."

"Pffft, as if you'd ask nicely."

"Not the point!" Ugh, why do I feel like I'm trying to herd cats instead of leading a criminal organization? "And I can actually be very nice when I want to!" She just didn't most of the time, but that was just because nobody cared to motivate her properly. If people paid her for being nice, Rinna would be the nicest person in the entire world!

Realizing that her efforts to discuss the matter with her companions were fruitless, Rinna sighed. "Alright, I give up. Caleb, be so kind and bring something for the lady to write with." Caleb disappeared in the back of the cavern for a while only to return with some pergamen, ink and quills. He placed them next to the bound woman carefully and retreated back to the bonfire.

Meanwhile, Rinna pulled out a knife. She cut the ropes binding the girl's hands with one swift, experienced move, then she extended her own hand in case she needed some stability. "What's your name, handmaid? It's annoying to call you handmaid all the time. I'm Rinna, by the way. Not like you don't know that already, but hey, we're nothing but animals without etiquette, eh?" She offered her a bright smile. "As for your life, hmm, I believe it is worth about 10 000 gold pieces. Wouldn't you agree?" The amount of gold she had asked for was absolutely ridiculous; more a way to gauge her reaction than a real suggestion. Let's see what she thinks about it. She knows the king's spending habits better than we do.

 

[ArcticRose]

Had the situation itself not been terrifying, Ava honestly might have found interactions between Rinna and Istra amusing. She had, when she was younger, had a friend she had such a rapport with, but when his father had been let go as the stable master for reasons unknown, he had been forced to leave the palace. She had never see him again and she hoped he was doing well; while she and the princess were friends, she most certainly did not have that sort of relationship with her. Evelyn was still the princess, after all, so such banter was out of the question. It was something Ava had missed over the years.

The knife coming towards her made Ava’s heart seem to skip a beat, even with the knowledge of what was about to happen. It was a reaction that she had been unable to help, but she thought she managed to hide it at least somewhat. They would, after all, need her alive at least long enough to write the letter. Not only that, the king would issue orders not to hand over the money unless she was alive. She would just have to make certain the bandits realized that if things stated looking poorly for her.

She swayed a bit when the ropes were cut and was grateful for the added stability Rinna’s hand offered. She was surprised by the offer of Rinna’s name, but she had been brought up with manners, and royal ones at that. “My name is Ava.”

She got to her feet slowly, wanting to be certain no one took it as a threatening move, and picked up the writing supplies, which she almost dropped when Rinna made the suggestion. “Ten thousand? While I have no doubt the king will pay for my return, I very much doubt he would pay anywhere near that. Maybe three thousand?” After a moment of thought, she added, “That may still be a bit too much. Two thousand, perhaps?” She knew she had said the king would pay handsomely for her return, really, considering she was nothing but a handmaid, that really was quite a sum.

 

[Aerynth]

Ava. A pretty name; it reminded her of a little bird somehow. Perhaps because the girl herself looked like a little bird in a way, fragile and scared. Now that the initial anger had faded a bit, Rinna felt slightly guilty. Sure, they had kidnapped people in the past as well, but all of them had deserved it. They had had way too much money for their own good and Rinna had helped them to get rid of it. This girl, on the other hand, was just an ordinary person minding her own business. Well, not like I can release her just because she seems like a nice enough sort, now can I? Gotta get my profits.

"Right, Ava," Rinna nodded, "It is my pleasure. I realize that you probably wouldn't say the same and you know what? I'm not petty enough to be bothered by it. Feel free to not be pleased by our acquiantance!" If there was anything Rinna loved about mild-mannered people, it had to be treating them in ways they had never experienced before. Those sheltered ladies that fainted when some poor sap brought them a wrong type of silverware for that particular desert? Yeah, utterly hilarious when faced with people who just didn't care about their imaginary world and its nonsensical rules. Rinna may have felt sorry for the little handmaid, but that certainly didn't mean she was going to miss out on her fun.

Predictably, her suggestion of ten thousand wasn't received with joy. That had been well within her expectations. What hadn't been well within her expectation was the actual sum Ava came up with. "Two thousand? Really? I didn't know that the royal treasury was that empty. Is this the extent they value hard-working retainers? Scandalous."

"Rinna, she's a maid, not a knight," Caleb protested.

"And who are you, some kind of royal apologist? A maid is more useful than a knight. What are knights good for, anyway? They just babble about honor and let themselves get killed. Maids, on the other hand, cook, clean and iron your clothes; all nice, useful things." Gael winced visibly, but didn't say anything. Apparently he had plenty of experience arguing with Rinna and had decided at some point that it wasn't worth it.

"We shall ask for four thousand and no less," Rinna said. "Write it down, Ava. And throw in some personal belonging of yours so that they know we aren't making it up. Do you have a ring or something like that?"

 

[ArcticRose]

Growing up, Ava had always been told that her name was that of a peasant who belonged in the gutters rather than the palace. While the princess herself had never said such things and had even defended her, Evelyn’s highborn friends had taken a great deal of pleasure in taunting Ava, stating that she was just a handmaid and, as such, any feelings she had were of no concern to them. They had eventually grown out of it, finding new interests (namely any handsome young man they happened to come across) and Ava had finally gotten a reprieve from them. She imagined that they would have had nothing negative to say about a name like Rinna, though. To her, the name sounded powerful, like that of someone meant to lead. All things considered, it seemed suitable for the woman who bore it.

The fact that they had kidnapped her put them towards the top of the list of the worst people she had ever met, but, as of yet, they had done nothing to prove that they were actually despicable people. They could have killed her upon realizing she was not the princess- a handmaid could be quite easily replaced, after all, so the fact that they had decided to keep her alive told her that there was a chance that they were not entirely bad people. They were certainly by no means good, but they had not yet shown her that they were truly bad.

She glanced around the cave for a good spot to write the letter, preferably away from the majority of the group. Ava knew that someone would read over her shoulder to ensure that she wrote what was expected of her, but she found that she would honestly be rather disappointed otherwise. It would have proved that they were even more incompetent than she already believed. She had no doubt they could be quite dangerous and she was not about to let her guard down, but they had kidnapped the wrong person.

Finding a place that looked promising, Ava started towards it, but stopped to address Rinna. “I think four thousand is still a bit much for someone like be, but very well. If I ask for some of my belongings, do I get to actually keep any of it? There are a few things that I would prefer not to lose, so if you intend to take it for yourself, I would rather not make the mistake of asking for those.” Most of her possessions could quite easily be replaced, but there were a few pieces of jewelry that were family heirlooms that she would have been devastated to lose. Before she asked for anything in the letter, she wanted to be certain of what would happen to them. She would gladly ask for the four thousand in gold, though she really did think that was pushing things a bit, but she refused to lose anything that actually meant something to her.

 

[Aerynth]

Rinna stared at Ava for a while before bursting into laughter. This girl had just been kidnapped and yet it didn't stop her from guarding her property. Many would have betrayed their own mother just to save their miserable lives, but no, her stuff was where Ava drew the line. She did have some unexpected guts, Rinna had to admit.

"I'm not really interested in your things, Ava. We're asking the king for four thousand. I don't think that we will actually need to stoop to petty theft at that point, y'know." That was the entire reason they had cooked up the plan to kidnap the stupid princess in the first place. Living the outlaw life was moderately fun, but that thing with not having anything to eat if you didn't manage to steal enough? That got old pretty fast. Stealing itself also got old pretty fast, if she had to be honest. There wasn't much variety to "Cough up your belongings or die, sucker." No, Rinna wanted some of that honest life, except without all the honest work. And the handmaid would be her key to that kind of life if everything went right.

"You've got my word that we won't touch your stuff if you behave yourself. Now I understand that my word probably isn't worth much in your eyes, but hey, not like you can rely on anything else here," Rinna shrugged. "You can consider it your share of the profits. We could never pull this off without your helpful participation, after all."

"Are you done gloating, Rinna?" Istra smirked. "Because it's almost time to make dinner. Those potatoes won't peel themselves."

"What!" Rinna shouted, appalled by the injustice of it all. "It's not my turn to peel the potatoes, I did it the last time! And besides, I'm the boss here. You peel the potatoes."

"Oh no, no, no, you're not escaping your duties again. Leader or not, the potatoes are waiting."

Rinna made a face. Peeling potatoes was not one of her favorite pastimes. Why did something as pleasant as eating have to be preceded by something so tedious?! Wait a second, we have a handmaid with us today. Why should I have to do anything? "Hey, Ava. Once you're done with the letter, would you peel the potatoes? We're having a stew for dinner and you can eat with us, if you'd like. Not like starving you to death would win us any favor with the king."

 

[ArcticRose]

The laughter, at least, Ava supposed she could count in her favor. It was better than what she had feared might come her way as soon as the words were out of her mouth, which was a knife to the throat and a demand that she shut up and do as she was told. She had heard stories of carriages being robbed, of people having everything stolen from them just to have their throats cut as payment for their inconvenience. It was such stories that Ava had tried to avoid thinking about ever since she had found herself being kidnapped, but now, she was almost beginning to wonder if perhaps she had gotten lucky. Well, as lucky as someone who had been kidnapped and found themselves at the mercy of a group of bandits could be.

For the most part, Ava cared very little about possessions. They were just things, easily replaced and mourned little, if at all, should they be lost, but there was a necklace and ring that her mother had given her, which had been passed down from her mother, who had gotten it from her mother, that were more valuable to Ava than everything in the royal treasury and then some. To most, they were nothing special, just pieces of old jewelry that looked as if they were not worth enough to bother with, but for Ava, they were sentimental. To her, they were treasure, even if some might call her crazy for it.

As much as she would have like to have those pieces of jewelry with her, why would she ever think she could trust a group of bandits to truly let her have them? Rinna may have said they had no interest in her things, that she could consider them her share of the profits, but, as Rinna had seemed to realize, her word meant nothing to Ava. How could she trust the people that had kidnapped her, thinking she was the princess with the intention of demanding ransom from the king? It did not give Ava faith in her word.

Ava settled to begin writing the letter as the talk of peeling potatoes went on, deciding that she may as well get it done and over with, making the decision that she would indeed ask for a few pieces of her jewelry, but not those that were most important to her, just in case someone decided that they would indeed not be letting her have them. What she would ask for were actually far nicer looking than the ring and necklace that meant so much to her, but it would not bother her should Rinna go back on her word and make the decision to keep them as part of the ransom. More than anything, she was asking for the jewelry as a test of character for the group around her, though there was no reason they needed to know that.

When she heard her name, Ava looked up and could not help but raise an eyebrow at the question about peeling potatoes. At least she had been asked rather than commanded, but still, it took her by surprise. Peeling potatoes was not one of her duties as a handmaid- there were cooks and kitchen servants at the palace for that- but that by no means meant that she was unable to do so. “My duties don’t extend to the kitchen,” she commented, going back to her letter. “They are to be a companion to the princess, to bring her things should she request them, to accompany her when she leaves the palace, and to run errands for her should she need me to.” She had an idea and decided that she may as well try it. She looked back up from the letter. “If, however, you take the ransom demand down to three thousand in gold, I’ll make the entire stew- including the preparations- and even clean up after.” And hope that she could find a chance to escape while she was at it.

 

[Aerynth]

Rinna liked to think that she wasn't unreasonable, at least most of the time. Others tended to disagree, but that was only because they didn't listen to her demands in the first place. It baffled Rinna to no end. When she asked for a new dagger at a weaponsmith's shop, she wanted a freaking dagger, not a discounted sword. Similarly, when she asked someone to peel the potatoes, she wanted that done, not a handful of other chores. Besides, who does she think she is? My financial advisor? Captives these days, I swear. They don't have an ounce of respect towards their captors. Sadly, Rinna would have to teach her a thing or two about deference. She smiled sweetly at Ava, although there was something almost sinister about the glint in her blue eyes.

"Say, Ava dearest, who do you think I am?" Rinna let the question hang in the air for a while, enjoying the sudden change in atmosphere. Despite her question having been perfectly polite, something about it felt downright icy. Even her friends suddenly fell silent, all of them now focusing on the scene unfolding in front of them. "Because, in case you have forgotten, I'm not your friend. The fact that I still haven't stabbed you means that I can play nice when you are being reasonable. What it doesn't mean is that you should test how far my kindness will take you. You may end up not liking the result." During her little speech, Rinna was playing with her dagger; a gesture that might have seemed innocuous at any other time, but now, not so much.

"I'll cut you some slack, though. I do understand that you are new here and I may have failed to establish the rules properly." Some of the previous warmth returned to her tone; now she sounded almost like a mother chastising a spoiled child. "They are pretty simple, so I don't believe you'll have trouble following them. You're a smart girl, after all. Rule number one: You do what I say. Rule number two: You do not meddle. Understood?" Rinna raised her eyebrow. Frankly, it was unfortunate that she had had to resort to this, but experience had taught her that captives should never get too comfortable in her presence. That often led to inane developments, like them believing they had a say in the monetary worth of their freedom. No, Rinna preferred for this particular relationship to stay clearly defined.

 

[ArcticRose]

Ava was perfectly aware of her situation. She had suspected that her words would be dangerous and could potentially lead to consequences that would make her regret having spoken them in the first place, but she knew the king well enough to know what he would and would not accept, including what he would and would not pay for someone such as herself. For the princess, had they actually succeeded in catching her, they could have named any number and he would have paid it gladly, likely with a bit on top just to be certain of his beloved only child’s safe return. Ava, however, was replaceable. Oh, Evelyn would certainly be upset, but another handmaid could be found quite easily. There were numerous women who would take the position without hesitation.

Her eyes followed the blade, Rinna’s sudden changes of tone not lost on her. She knew that she was treading dangerously, but if she could convince the bandits’ leader to listen to her, she thought the woman might like what she could offer.

“I would never question your authority. Believe me, I’m very well aware of my position and what you could potentially do to me should I push you too far. I am also, however, very well aware of the fact that the king will never pay four thousand gold for my return. Three thousand is pushing things a bit, but I believe he will pay that. Along with it, I have several pieces of jewelry that I’m not overly fond of that I’m happy to have delivered to you along with the ransom. If you take out the jewels and sell them individually to the right buyers then sell the gold settings to a goldsmith, you could easily make fifteen hundred in gold. I will gladly put four thousand if you really want me to, but I can promise you that the king will try to negotiate and drag the process out as long as possible.”

 

[Aerynth]

As much as Rinna hated to admit it, Ava's suggestion sounded... reasonable, more or less, now that she expanded upon it. "Well, if you had an actual business proposal, why didn't you say so in the first place? We could have avoided all those unpleasant bits. I don't really enjoy being mean to other people, you know." It just had to be done from time to time because people had notoriously short memories and without constant reminders, they tended to forget that she was not to be crossed. Some, like Errtran, managed to do so even with the reminders. Who could blame her for being slightly cautious nowadays?

"Anyway, I'm glad that we understand each other and I do like the sound of that jewellery." It will be additional work for her and her group - selling these things was a pain in the ass - but Rinna was nothing if not hard-working. "Let's say we have a deal, then. And do peel those potatoes when you're done with the letter, please. You don't have to do the rest of the preparations, though. We are not slavers, after all. You're only going to contribute because you too will be eating with us today."

"Following that logic, what are you going to contribute with, dear leader?" Istra asked, clearly annoyed.

"Provide emotional support? No, don't worry. I'm going to season it. You know I'm an expert at seasoning. It will be the best goddamn stew in the entire kingdom." Rinna slipped back into her old joking mood easily, the previous outburst apparently forgotten. Something about the promptness of that transformation seemed downright uncanny. Not to the members of her group, however; each of them returned to their previous task, apparently used to Rinna's little quirks. It was probably easier to get over them when they weren't the ones affected. Rinna herself sat down next to Gael and made herself comfortable, or at least as comfortable as one could conceivably get on the ground.

"So, Ava. What's the royal family like, aside from their cheapness? Is the real princess as pretty as they say or are those just rumors?" There was no harm in some conversation, after all.

 

[ArcticRose]

Ava thought Rinna was a bit too good at being threatening to not enjoy it, even a bit, but she very quickly made the decision that she was best keeping that to herself. She really did need to start minding her tongue around these people because, to be honest, she wasn’t entirely confident that they- or rather, their leader- wouldn’t make the decision to cut it out if she didn’t. There was a very real fear, when she allowed herself to think about it, that they might decide that she really didn’t need to be completely in one piece when they returned her, so it was in her best interest not to give them a reason to come to such a conclusion. She would just force herself to take on the thought process she adopted when in the presence of the king and queen. At least then she was far less likely to get herself in trouble. Ava was not about to treat her kidnappers like royalty, but she could certainly remind herself to mind her words and her manners as if she was addressing the kingdom’s rulers.

She just had to hope that she didn’t forget.

“I apologize for my oversight,” Ava said, returning her attention to the letter now that she knew exactly what she would be requesting in exchange for her return. “The thought of those particular pieces of jewelry only just came to me. As for the potatoes, of course; I’ll start on them as soon as the letter is finished and you’ve approved it.”

Ava was quite proud of herself. What she had wanted to do was suggest that instead of having the captive peel the potatoes, they could consider the vast amount of stress they had caused her and the healthy amount of gold they would be getting for her more than fair for a share of the dinner. It would not have gone over well, she was certain, so perhaps it really had been a good decision for her to adopt the demeanor that she would have used in the presence of the king or queen. It could certainly not hurt for her to think before she spoke in such a situation.

“The princess could have her choice of suitors if she would just make a decision,” Ava responded, stopping in her writing again for a moment to read over what she had written. “She has the tendency to be a little indecisive, but the rumors about her beauty are accurate, and she can be quite kind, though, as I suppose is normal for a princess, she’s rather spoiled. As for the king and queen, they are decent enough people. They take a bit too much advice from their advisors and could stand to make some decisions without them, but I’ve never had a bad interaction.” She went back to her letter. “Whether it would be the king himself or his advisors that would have denied your original request of four thousand gold, I really can’t be certain, but one of them certainly would, even if only to let the king play at negotiating. He’s quite fond of such things. The queen tries to stem it, but the king would try to negotiate everything if he could and she finally realized that he’ll go behind her back to try, so she declared that particular battle a lost cause.”

Ava briefly wondered if she was, perhaps, speaking a bit too freely about the royal family, but Rinna had asked and she hoped that sharing a bit of information, even if it was nothing especially useful would show that she intended to cooperate. She found that she really preferred Rinna to not reach for her blade again.

 

[Aerynth]

Rinna listened to Ava's story with interest. Even if she would never admit it outloud, hearing about them from someone who knew them personally was mildly interesting. Their lives were so completely shrouded in mystery that common folk practically only knew that they existed. Well, that and their names. Everything else was just guesswork. Ava, however, didn't really provide any juicy details. They sound... ordinary, almost, if one decides to pretend that they aren't obscenely wealthy. In a way, Rinna found it almost disappointing. "So, no scandalous stories? No bathing in the blood of virgins? How boring."

With this, the conversation died a bit. They had a lot of work to do, after all. Ava had to write her letter and they had to tend to the dinner if they wanted to eat this night. And so, the rest of the evening passed rather uneventfully. After they ate, Rinna approached Ava for the last time. "You should probably go to sleep. And just in case you get any funny ideas, I can guarantee you that there will always be someone watching you, so I wouldn't recommend trying to run away. Not unless you want to assist us with target practice," Rinna smiled sweetly. "Good night, Ava." It was as she had said; no matter the time, watchful eyes were observing Ava, not granting her a second of privacy. None of them ever bothered her, but they were there, their presence painfully obvious.

The morning came abruptly. Rinna woke up early, earlier than most of her group. When Ava got up, she was already boiling some water for tea. "Good morning!" she beamed at their captive. Judging by the way her eyes smiled along with her lips, Rinna seemed to be in a good mood. "Today is a great day, Ava. Though it pains me that you will be leaving us so soon, I'm rather partial to the idea of all that money. And you will get to meet your dear princess again, so I guess that everyone wins in a way. Aside from the king, I suppose, but it's not like he will even notice losing a few thousand." If he pays for her in the first place, that is. Rinna still had her doubts, but she decided to be an optimist in this case. She could always get angry later, after all. "Would you like tea as well? We don't want you complaining about our hospitality, after all."

"Caleb has already gone to deliver your letter," Istra informed Ava. "It shouldn't take too long now."

"That's not that certain. You know Caleb. It's quite possible that he will get sidetracked and spend the entire morning helping some old lady carry her things. He's the worst, no responsibility at all," Rinna complained.

"I think that's one of his best traits," Gael chimed in.

"Not when he's supposed to be doing other things!"

This time, though, it seemed that Caleb took his job seriously. He appeared within three hours, a letter with the royal seal in his hand.

"Did anyone see you?"

Caleb looked insulted by that question. "Who do you think I am, an amateur? That's the only reason it took me so long. I had to make sure that nobody was watching me. Here you are, our illustrious leader. Read."

Rinna took the letter, broke the seal and started reading. With each word, her expression got progressively more pissed off.

"Uh oh, this can't be good," Istra muttered.

"Ava," Rinna said, her voice shaking with anger, "come here. I'm pretty sure you will find this interesting."

"Dear Rinna," the letter said,
"Ava's fate is most unfortunate. However, as we have so many handmaids that we hardly know what to do with them, we are afraid that her life is not worth that much to us. In fact, it is worth exactly nothing. Do not approach us with further offers. Your messengers will be shot at sight."

 

[ArcticRose]

Ava hadn’t gotten much sleep that night, but it was the fact she had gotten any at all that surprised her because, though she had passed most of it awake and waiting for morning, acutely aware of the fact that she was under surveillance in case of an escape attempt, she had slept for perhaps two hours. It had been broken sleep, coming in the form of a few minutes here and there, but Ava had told herself that she would be back in her own bed the following night and that conviction seemed to make the night pass a bit easier. She could get over one relatively sleepless night.

When she got up and was greeted so cheerfully by Rinna, she was thrown off a bit, though she supposed she really shouldn’t have been. Of course the leader of a bandit crew would be in a good mood on the morning she expected to make a small fortune. What she had asked from the king was more than some people would ever see in their lifetime, so it was easy to understand why she was so cheerful.

Ava accepted the offer of tea rather gratefully. She was rather fond of having a cup of tea in the morning, and though the situation was so utterly out of the ordinary and the company was a far cry from what she was accustomed to, she thought that perhaps semblance of normalcy, however small, would help her get through waiting.

While they waited, Ava made it a point to stay out of the way. She spoke when she was spoken to and felt her spirits begin to rise bit by bit as time passed. Even the king would need a little time to gather the money and items requested within the letter, so she wasn’t nervous.

At least, until the letter arrived and she saw Rinna’s reaction. When the bandits’ leader called her over, Ava approached cautiously. The anger in the other woman’s voice was clear and Ava found that she really preferred to stay out of arm’s reach, fear flooding through her even as she covered the distance between them. Steeling her nerves and preparing herself should Rinna or anyone lash out, she read the letter.

Then she read it again just to be certain she was not mistaken.

“I don’t…” She was surprised at how quickly the fear and despair she felt reading the king’s words turned to fiery anger. “Worth nothing?! I’ve spent years bending over backwards to make certain the princess is comfortable and my life is worth nothing? The others barely do half what I do and not one of them knows the ins and outs of dealing with Evelyn like I do!”

 

[Aerynth]

Rinna knew that she should have expected it. She had, in fact. Ava was a handmaid; a nobody in the eyes of those who measured a person's worth solely by their blood. Still, she had allowed herself to hope against hope and that there was a shred of human decency in the king's old, shriveled heart. That he could appreciate a hard worker and shell out some of that cash he could never hope to spend in his lifetime anyway. But, alas, no! Of course not! She really should have known better than to stake everything on anyone's humanity!

"So, I suppose that this means that we aren't getting rich?" Istra asked in the tone of someone who had never believed in that possibility in the first place.

"A brilliant deduction, just like always. You're right, of course. Read the stupid thing yourself if you're interested in the details," Rinna gestured towards the letter. She almost looked calm in that moment, but then the anger returned in full force. "Can you even believe it? After everything we've done! We paid that scumbag Errtran - remind me to skin him alive next time I see him, by the way - planned a perfect kidnapping, put that plan into motion without a hitch, put a lot of energy into making poor Ava here believe that we were going to kill her the second she looked at me the wrong way--"

"Uhh, I think you kinda enjoyed that part--"

"--sent out one of our best men as a negotiator," Rinna continued without a pause, "and this is what we get? Really? It would be one thing if he tried to bargain - hell, I could respect that - but this, this is just low!"

Caleb glanced at the letter and whistled. "Wow, this is... pretty cold. I almost feel worse for Ava than for us. I mean, at least we weren't told that our lives were worth nothing, were we?" Caleb's voice seemed to be full of genuine sympathy.

"I think that it's kind of the default position considering the fact that we're outlaws, but... Yeah." In a strange twist of fate, Rinna discovered that she actually felt a bit sorry for the handmaid. An element of guilt had been present from the very beginning, yet she had managed to suppress it until this very moment. So what if we kidnapped an innocent, probably poorly paid servant instead of the spoiled princess? Rinna had thought. Sucks for her, but we got to make our money somehow. One night spent with us is not gonna kill her. Gotta scare her a bit so that she's nice and compliant, but we'll return her in one piece, safe and sound! She'll have a great story to tell to her future grandchildren! It had all sounded nice in her head, except that it wasn't true. Ava had nowhere to go now, at least unless she intended to return to the king that had discarded her, and that didn't seem very likely.

"Well, I guess that this is what you get for an honest work. Low wages, physical suffering, general misery and then-- absolutely no gratitude," Rinna shrugged. Was this her idea of compassion? Quite possibly. "That's one reason I decided to become a thieving scoundrel, actually. At least you get to work for yourself if nothing else." She bit her lip, suddenly looking almost apologetic. "You know, this is actually quite embarrassing. I didn't think it would turn out like this. Can we maybe do something for you?"

 

[ArcticRose]

She had been so certain that the king would pay. If not due to his own generosity, then because Evelyn had pouted and threatened a temper if he didn’t. Ava had witnessed it work numerous times before, so she was sure that the princess would have had no trouble convincing the king to pay. Judging by the letter, Ava could assume that she had made a very serious error in thinking that she and Evelyn were friends.

While she was hurt and angry at the knowledge that her life meant nothing to those she had spent so much of her life serving, she was really rather touched by sympathy she was being shown. It was something she had not expected. There had been signs that the bandits were not entirely bad people, but she had never expected they would genuinely feel bad for her in such a situation. It seemed that everyone could be surprising at times.

The idea started small, tumbling through her mind, working its way to the forefront until she found it impossible to ignore. It was crazy. She knew she should dismiss it and ask if Rinna might let her stay for a day or two, just until she could decide on the best course of action. Ava was not about to return to the service of the royal family if she meant so little to them, but she needed time to figure out what to do and where to go. Perhaps Rinna could even help her with it.

Why, though? Why just slink away? Why just accept that she was worth nothing? No. That wasn’t what she was going to do. She had a better idea.

“There might be,” Ava answered before raising an eyebrow. “How do you feel about robbing the palace?”

 

[Aerynth]

The offer of help was something she hadn't planned for, a spontaneous idea born of guilt, but hey, what could someone like Ava possibly want? Perhaps some money, a shoulder to cry on or a place to stay for a few days. Though annoying, they could provide all of that. This was, after all, unambiguously their fault. Compensating her for single-handedly destroying the comfortable life she had had at the castle was the right thing to do and it probably wouldn't even be that difficult. Right? No, wrong again!

"... What?" Rinna looked at Ava as if she saw her for the first time in her life and in some sense, it was true. She hadn't truly looked at her before, not in the sense of trying to determine who she actually was. Ava had simply been Ava, a little handmaid down on her luck. A bargaining chip for her to use and then send on her merry way, hopefully to never see her again. Of course Rinna had known from the very beginning that she was also a human being, but not acknowledging that had made that whole kidnapping business significantly easier for the remnants of her conscience that still held on for dear life. Right now, however, it was difficult not to see a person. A person with a very interesting idea.

"That's insane," Gael finally said. "We got burned once already when dealing with the castle. I say no. Just forget it and live your life. You will get over it in time." Gael, just like always, seemed to be the spokesperson for common sense. And, just like always, Rinna didn't like that. Gael really should have become a librarian, not a bandit. I can almost hear him chastising some poor sod for forgetting to return the books on time. Did he really have to be so uptight all the time? She hadn't chosen this career path to be reasonable all the time, god dammit. And robbing the royal palace? How daring, how fascinating. If everything went right, they would become legends. This was no longer just about money; pulling off a heist of this caliber would immortalize them.

"It is insane, but what if it's just insane enough to work?"

"No, it sounds just insane to my ears."

"Oh come on, why won't we at least hear her out? Surely Ava wouldn't be saying this if she didn't have some idea. And it never hurts to listen to ideas, does it? It would be downright rude not to let our honored guest speak." Rinna turned back to Ava. "Let's say that I am... interested. Do you know a way to make it work? Because I don't particularly want to die there, as you can probably understand." Ava had been a royal handmaiden until just yesterday, after all. Did she have access to knowledge that could help them bypass the castle's defenses?

 

[ArcticRose]

Had Ava stopped to think about what she was suggesting, she might have reconsidered. Why should she, though? She had been kidnapped by these people, but even worse, the people she had trusted to save her had simply thrown her away. The king’s letter had proven that she was seen as disposable by the people she had put her faith in, so why not get a little revenge.

“It is insane,” she agreed. “Or it would be if you didn’t have someone with knowledge of the palace’s layout, the guards’ rotations, and how to avoid detection while there.”

She began pacing as she spoke, picturing the palace in her mind. “There are passages that only a few people ever use that go straight past the treasury. There are rumors that spirits wander those halls and the king’s men, like the king himself, tend to be superstitious. I’ve explored those passages for years and never saw anything out of the ordinary, so I doubt the rumors. I can get us in and out without any trouble as long as no one has any problems with following my lead. Our timing will have to be perfect going in and out, but as long as we get that right, we should have little to no trouble helping ourselves to anything we can carry.”

She glanced around at the bandits. “If you prefer not to take the risk, I understand, but I have every intention of going in and gathering a few things. I’ll need money to start over with and since the royal family seems to have decided I’m disposable, I feel it’s only right they unknowingly donate to my cause. I imagined you might appreciate the opportunity to make yourselves ridiculously rich.”

 

[Aerynth]

Rinna smiled, half entertained and half amazed. This situation was turning more and more interesting with each passing second. Damn, I think I'm actually going to like this girl. Scratch this, I like her already. And why the hell not? The transformation from a scared captive into a criminal mastermind who would dare to rob the royal family was downright admirable. Besides, Rinna could never really say no to an opportunity to make some easy money. Alright, maybe not that easy, but a lot of them! That's even better!

"Well, well, well. That sounds very interesting indeed. What do you think, guys?" Rinna turned to her friends again. "Do we join our brave Ava here or do we let a complete amateur humble us?"

"I don't like they way you're framing this. This is manipulation," Gael accused her.

"Well, it sure is! But only because I love all of you and we'd be stupid to pass up such an opportunity!"

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Istra began, "but I think that Rinna is right."

"I'm always right, my dear Istra, and you know it."

"Don't make me regret saying this even more than I already do," Istra rolled her eyes. "Anyway, if Ava here really knows all these things, then we have a shot at this. We could get much, much more than we originally asked for, too. I say that we should go for it."

"Exactly!" Rinna beamed. "Besides, would you really be so heartless as to let Ava go alone? Do I have to remind you that this is basically our fault, guys? Would you let her walk into such an obvious death trap alone?"

Caleb sighed. "Yeah, you're right. No offense, Ava, but you don't look like a fighter. Should anything go awry... We should assist. And help ourselves to some money while we're at it, of course."

Gael looked as if he wanted to protest for a second, but in the end, he just raised his arms in exasperation. "Alright, I see. I suppose that we're doing this, then." He wasn't convinced, obviously, but experience had already taught him that his friends wouldn't budge on this. Sometimes he had to wonder why he still spent time with this bunch of lunatics.

"Well, you heard the verdict. Welcome aboard, Ava!" Once again, Rinna offered the former captive her hand, this time to seal their cooperation. "Would you mind if I called you a honorary member of our little group? I've always wanted for us to have one of these, you know." Rinna fluttered her eyelashes, suddenly looking almost charming. It was hard to believe that this was the same woman who could just as easily threaten innocent people with knives. "But, let us sit down and plan. When do you think would be the best time to begin our operation? And do we need anything specific? Also," she said with a spark in her blue eyes, "I kind of like the fact that everyone seems to think that the castle is haunted. Maybe we could turn into these famous spirits for the night of our robbery. The presence of spirits isn't something superstitious guards would be likely to investigate, eh?"

 

[ArcticRose]

Had the king not decided that her life was worth nothing, Ava knew that she would never suggest such a thing as breaking into the palace and robbing the royal family, but as things stood, why shouldn’t she try to get at least some sort of revenge? There was a chance that the king would have no idea that anything had been taken, but that was really not the point of the whole thing. He and his family owed her and if she happened to help some bandits- who, if she was honest with herself, really weren’t as bad as they had first seemed- get their hands on some money, then so be it. It was not like they could completely clean out the treasury, after all, and shouldn’t a ruler want to do all in their power to help make the lives of their citizens better? Money went a long way in doing that. True, he was not giving them the money of his own free will, but that was a minor detail.

When had she started thinking like a criminal? Perhaps Rinna and her group were having a bad effect on her.

She listened as the others discussed amongst themselves. Caleb was right in the fact that she was no fighter, and while she was fairly certain that they would not run into any obstacles as long as they got their timing just right, she could not deny that it would be nice to have backup, just in case.

With a grin, Ava took Rinna’s offered hand. It felt oddly nice to be a part of something of such a caliber. “I’d like that. I’ve never been an honorary member of anything before. It has a nice ring to it.”

Ava considered Rinna’s questions carefully before she answered, wanting to make certain she was giving the proper information. “Tomorrow night would be the earliest I would suggest. The king is hosting a banquet tonight, so there will be quite a lot of extra eyes around the palace and security will be nearly impossible to get past. Everyone will need something to fill with their take from the treasury… Does anyone know how to open locks? The treasury is always kept locked and the king has the only key. If not, all I need are the appropriate tools.” That was a much as she was going to say about that. They didn’t really need to know that she had taught herself to pick locks by practicing on her old trunk when she was a child. It had started out as curiosity, simply wanting to see if she could do it, and then had turned into a fun little skill that she had kept as a secret. After all, who would trust a handmaid who could, with the right tools and a little time, work her way into any room she pleased?

“I like your thought on turning into the spirits. Stories say there are three of them: a queen who had her throat slit by her husband when she found out about his mistress, an old man, and a young woman who is said to rip out the tongues of men due to the fact that it was a lie told by either her lover or her brother- everyone has their own opinion- that led to her being executed. I think with a little imagination, we should be able to make the spirits real for a night of haunting and robbery.”

 

[Aerynth]

"Oooh, a banquet. How exciting. Too bad that we weren't invited. They never invite us anywhere nice. Why is it, I wonder?" Rinna asked while playing with a strand of her hair. To those that knew her, the gesture implied that she was deep in thought; Rinna only ever fiddled with her fingers while scheming. It helped her her to focus, or at least it seemed that way to her.

"Uh, probably because you'd just steal all of their fancy portraits and vases? Honestly, Rinna, they're just being reasonable," Istra rolled her eyes.

"Not even remotely true. Portraits and vases are a hassle to carry around. I'd take smaller valuables, thank you very much. And shut up, I'm trying to think."

Caleb, meanwhile, turned to Ava with a surprised expression. "You can pick locks? Where did you learn that? I didn't think that handmaids had... well," he paused for a second, looking for the least insulting term possible that would still get his point across, "... useful skills." Quite clearly, he failed at that.

"Don't be rude to our honorary member," Rinna smacked him behind the ears, which elicited a loud "ouch" from the man. "Let me apologize for him, Ava. We don't really get a lot of guests and Caleb here doesn't know how to treat a lady."

"... That's only because we don't have any here," he murmured.

"Anyway, Ava, do we look like second-rate bandits?" Rinna asked. "Actually, don't answer that. We probably look like second-rate bandits after that tiny mistake in assessing the princess's identity, but we don't usually commit such blunders. What I wanted to say is that we have a lot of lockpicks at our disposal. No need to get new ones."

Hmmm, we may really be lucky here. Yes, the castle is full of eyes now that the king is holding a banquet, but tomorrow? Tomorrow, the castle will be in disarray. Large celebrations, at least in her experience, always translated to a lot of booze. Rinna was willing to wager that many people - including some guards, if they were lucky - would be pretty hangover tomorrow. Could they even wish for better circumstances? It was almost as if the gods were begging them to rob the royal family.

"Alright, I like the plan so far. Ghosts and lockpicking, exciting stuff. We can distribute the roles later. Say, Ava," Rinna turned to their newest member once again, "how do we get inside the castle? You can't really show your face there. Is there a secret passage or anything like that? Also, we should get you some weapon, just in case." Robberies, after all, could be dangerous business. "Yeah, yeah, you're not a fighter, but it's honestly not that complicated. Even Caleb here can do it. What would you prefer? Something small and discrete like a dagger? You don't happen to know how to use a crossbow, right?"