Fantasy The Prince's Shadow

[thefierysiren]

Yana was irritated. Her expressionless face was no indicator of the emotion inside, but there was no doubt about it. She was irritated. She was the one who was requested for the job and she was the one who'd accepted it. Why then, was Logan along for the ride and why had he forbidden her to do or touch anything? She was just as capable as he was and she was sick of him treating her like she wasn't.

They were in the rafters of the mansion. Yana's sharp eyes cut through the pitch darkness as she made out the strong, slender frame and wild blond hair of her brother before her. Instinctively she followed in his silent footsteps. If it wasn't for the tension in his jaw as the muscles twitched, she probably wouldn't have known that something was wrong. Before she could react, he turned on her blowing a glittering powder into her face. She felt her muscles lock as her face became stuck with a bewildered expression. It was a mixture of paralyzing and camo powder. She watched as he lept from the beam and into the middle of the room.

"You caught me." Logan called lazily. The cheek was evident from his tone of voice to the cocky smirk on his lips to the humor in his eyes. "I suppose it had to happen sooner or later, eh?" he let out a mirthful laugh as he raised his hands above his head in surrender. He didn't glance back to Yana. He knew it'd be impossible for anyone to see her or even know she was there and he'd made sure that she couldn't turn herself in. At least not in the moment. He wasn't entirely confident that she wouldn't try to follow him once the powder's effects wore off.

"I suppose you'll want this back?" he asked the humor never leaving him as he held out the bag of valuables they'd been hired to retrieve. "You can take me to jail, but I'm not telling you who hired me." his smirk turned into a toothy grin. "You know, to save you the time."

Yana watched in horror as she willed herself to move. She knew that the effects of the powder rendered this impossible, but that didn't stop her from desperately trying. Her thoughts were running a mile a minute as she frantically tried to find a solution that involved her getting free and getting them both out of here. Even so, she knew there was none.

DergTheDergon

Characters: https://www.rpnation.com/threads/the-princes-shadow-characters.353700/

 

[DergTheDergon]

Viktor loomed behind the two guardsmen, arms crossed, as they arrested the thief, the man showing no resistance even as the goods were confiscated and he was restrained. His cocky demeanor caused the Rolastian Inquisitor to become very suspicious indeed. "Check the goods," he barked, the guards sifting through the bag. "Eeeeh, it's all here, sir," one of the guards confirmed. "Hmmmmm..." Viktor's Viridian eyes narrowed, meeting the fugitive's as he logically sifted through his theories on what the criminal might be thinking.There was an ulterior motive behind this. It was clear that the man was not turning a new leaf by any means. However... there may be some benevolence behind such a self-sacrificial action.

Then, it dawned on him. There were two of them, by all reported sightings. Was this one trying to save the other? This could be the chance Viktor had been waiting for for months. Prince Matthias wanted them both, but Viktor knew that his liege could do with one; in fact, even one person in his employ with the skills these two possessed, coupled with anonymity and, much as the prince would rather not take it into account, a more expendable nature than himself or the other royal Rolastian spies, could be paramount in dealing with some of the more delicate matters that were plaguing the people of late. Mostly, corrupt nobles that vied for the throne with murderous intent, as Viktor himself had uncovered mere weeks ago. That's why he was here, looking to... recruit some help that had more of a touch for this kind of thing. The spies were trained to sneak around, listen, lift documents and the like; not to steal extremely valuable objects or even kill people and cover up their trail. That was an entirely different skillset; a skillset that, purportedly, this thief, now being led away by the estate owner's two guards, and his partner, yet to be found, was impeccably well-versed in.

Matthias was not going to be pleased. Since this one had given himself up, Viktor couldn't take him to see the prince without risking the king learning of this. No, Viktor needed to slip away from the King's guards and capture at least one of them himself. He'd had plenty of opportunities, but he hadn't had luck with any of them. Now, unfortunately, he was certain he'd failed this mission. The guards had the goods and the only person they can directly connect to the heist, so any further action here would be very suspicious in thier eyes.

After all, only Viktor and Matthias knew of the Prince's plan. Quite frankly, Viktor thought the man was insane. His Excellence hoped to capture a professional thief, make them work for the very authorities they defy for a living, and prove to his father that a common criminal was trustworthy afterward. However, Viktor had had misgivings regarding Matthias' plans before, yet still followed his instructions to the letter out of duty; somehow it always seemed to bear greater results than he was expecting, and less negative consequences as well. There was a method to his Prince's madness, he admitted. He just hoped that he hadn't gone too far this time. For now, however, Viktor would have to lie in wait for more news of amazingly flawless heists, it seemed, in order to have a chance at catching this crook's elusive partner.

Heading outside the mansion and beginning to travel back to the palace, he couldn't help but feel as if he missed something in there; but it was too late. Still, during the night after they had traveled, rather slowly due to how cautious the guards were being about their captive, he did something risky. Viktor slipped away, green cloak rustling slightly in the wind as his bright Viridian eyes scanned the horizon towards the mansion. He knew thatt the thief, if there was another as was reported, would have to head in roughly this direction after escaping due to the steep cliffs that nearly surrounded the manor he'd come from, as well as the wide, rushing river that blocked another route. If he caught a glimpse of another, he'd chase it, for one last chance to bring his prince what he wanted.

thefierysiren

 

[thefierysiren]

Darkness sat in the pit of her stomach as she watched the men take her brother away. There were a few moments still before the powder's paralyzing effects wore off and she nearly fell from the rafters when it did. Almost a second too late, she reached through the air and caught her falling form with the tips of her fingers. Her fingers only met the wood for a moment as she made use of the momentum to redirect herself. Once she had dropped gracefully into a crouch on the floor where her brother stood moments before, she rose to her full height and slipped out of the front door.

Yana's heart threatened to pound itself out of her chest as she tailed Logan and his captors. She was careful to keep a safe distance away and utilized the shadows and unlikely places until she could think of a plan. There was none. In her heart of hearts she knew that rescuing him was futile and if she were wise she would run for her life. She wasn't feeling particularly wise tonight. This was her brother. The one person she could always count on and it was her fault that he'd ended up in this position.

He'd tried to make her see reason. Told her multiple times that the mission was suspicious. He didn't have a good feeling about it. She didn't listen. He tagged along. And now the unthinkable had happened. For the first time in their lives as stealthy assassins, one of them had been caught. Guilt squeezed her pounding heart and she had to fight to hold in a gasp of surprise. She moved back into the shadows quickly and seamlessly. In that moment she felt very fortunate that her brother had drilled the hesitation out of her for in that moment she'd felt the urge to freeze.

A mask of curiosity claimed her delicate features as her wide brown eyes examined the man who'd slipped away from his party. And then he was on his own. His companions hadn't noticed his departure. She watched as his eyes scanned the area and her heart stopped pounding and dropped when she realized that he must be searching for her. If she were in her right mind, she would have used the opportunity to escape. She wasn't where he'd expected her to be. Instead she felt compelled to approach him. All of her instincts and years of training screamed at her to get away while she could. And then she was behind him. It was her last chance to turn and run for he hadn't noticed her. Instead she opened her mouth and said "Take me too. This was my job." Her eyes stayed trained on where his eyes should be. If he attacked she would dodge, but she had no intention of running. Her mind was made up from the moment she'd seen him step aside.

 

[DergTheDergon]

When one spends a very long portion of their life studying espionage, you begin after a while to know, to feel, when another sentient being is nearby. Thus, he began to whirl around and search more frantically for the assassin he just knew was there, hand subtly reaching towards his blade lest they attempt to remove any possible witnesses to their escape. Of course, considering who he was purportedly dealing with here, it proved quite teh challenge to spot them. Viktor heard some subtle rustling here and there, but every time he turned sharply towards the sound, there seemed to be nothing, no one. He didn’t dare move closer to where he expected them to be hiding, however. Assassins did tend to have tricks up their sleeves when cornered like the rats they were, and he’d heard of particularly nasty states that unfortunate guards had been found. His training told him to wait for what seemed to be a safe and opportunistic moment, and not to speak out for the assassin to show themselves, for fear of the guards hearing. They come running, Viktor fails the Prince once again. It really was quite the bother sneaking around behind the king’s back like this,but, as Prince Matthias had aptly put it “I’m protecting my father from his blinding ego and tendency to underestimate our foes.” The only reason Viktor went along with this was that he knew Matthias was right about his father’s lack of confidence in the ability of an assassin to get past his defenses. They were quite meager if an assassin managed to slip past all the guards around the perimeter, and Viktor fear that the mere imposing appearance of the castle had deterred hopeful regicidal millionaires. In this moment, as he scanned his eyes this way and that in search of any sign of the perpetrator, Viktor was certain that whoever he’d spotted was going to escape him, his final chance to complete his mission slipping from his grasp…


That is, until he heard a voice speak up from behind him. It came out of nowhere yet seemed to be alarmingly close considering the utter lack of sound he had been experiencing just moments before. Nearly jumping right out of his skin, he drew two daggers swiftly as he whirled about and faced them… or her, more accurately. Viktor was slightly surprised that this thief was a woman, but it simultaneously made a great deal of sense to him when he thought about it for just a split-second; just long enough to catch his attention wandering far from this possibly dangerous present moment. Locking eyes with the woman, he froze, attempting to make it seem as though he could peer into her very soul as, internally, he simply tried to keep himself focused on responding in what he felt was an opportune manner. ‘More strange behavior from the other half of this pair; turning herself in as well,’ Viktor observed curiously.


Slowly, once he realized that she wasn’t making any sudden movements, he lowered his guard, putting his daggers back after a few moments. Straightening out his posture, he then began thinking through the words he was to utter with the utmost attention to detail. About the last thing he wanted was to give her a reason to change her mind. This was Viktor’s last big chance after all; he could feel it. He spoke up quietly so that the others could hear, but he knew that this woman would be able to discern his near-whisper. Anyone worth their salt in stealth skills, as this woman certainly was, learned to hone the vital sense of hearing at some point.


“I find it intriguing that both you and your partner in crime suddenly gave up after all this time. Is being caught really an inescapable situation for you two? The stories I’ve heard beg to differ. However, that’s none of my concern. All you need do is follow me. If you cooperate, you will not be imprisoned and instead be atoning for your crimes by doing a service for our Kingdom. You’ll be given the details upon arrival. If you’re really serious about this, come; and keep in plain sight for both our sakes.” With that, he simply started walking, gesturing to her to keep pace with him as, frankly, turning your back on an assassin is simply asking for a death sentence. Viktor wondered when she’d ask about where they were going; after all, they were heading away from the camp he’d set with the royal guards. Keeping a steady eye on her for a while, he shifted his overall focus towards his surroundings as they walked. Once he was sure they were out of earshot of the camp when speaking normally, he turned towards her again and asked “We’ve a ways to go, so spit your questions out.” It was clear that he was a blunt, cut-and-dry, no-nonsense sort. From her demeanor so far, however, it almost seemed like this woman was his kindred spirit in that regard. It’d be interesting to see her interact with Prince Matthias, for certain… if she wasn’t planning something else, of course. Even if she proved herself trustworthy to the prince, it was doubtful Viktor would ever trust her. Especially since the prince wasn’t the best judge of character in Viktor’s eyes.

thefierysiren

 

[thefierysiren]

Yana couldn't shake the heavy feeling that weighed in her abdomen as she stared blankly at the man before her. Logan would be angry with her if he knew what she was doing. He would be furious. He would be livvid. If they ever somehow faced each other again, she'd feel the wrath that she was always so careful not to invoke. Pulling herself from her tangent, her eyes focused so that she noticed the daggers sliding back into their sheathes.

This was it. She could kill them. She could kill them all. Perhaps she wouldn't escape unscathed, but she could do it and they'd both be free. Or she could leave. Do as her brother requested. He'd taken care of her for most of her 20 years. He wanted her to run. He expected her to run. The least she could do was respect his wishes...

There was an imperceptible twitch of her jaw as her teeth clenched gently. No. She was an adult. She was beyond grateful that to her brother, but he couldn't control her. In the end her decisions were hers to make and if she were ever to get him back, then this was the path she needed to take. Her pupils narrowed as she caught wind of the words 'you will not be imprisoned. She was used to being a part of shadow affairs but there was something about those words that set her on edge. Why capture her brother, but use her? She would wait to ask this question, as requested, but that didn't mean she liked it. She stare after him as he turned to walk away. She fell into step with him, pulling up her cowl so that her hair was covered and her face was hidden in shadow.

Her enchanted clothing appeared to meld into it's surroundings. Everything from her thigh-high boots to her fitted dress to the cowl were bewitched to shine white an reflect surroundings during the day and turn black and blend with the shadows in dimmer lighting. She absentmindedly tugged on her sleeve as her brown eyes scanned the surrounding area out of habit. "When can I see my brother?" she asked almost imperceptibly. In the moment, it was the only thing she was concerned with.

DergTheDergon

 

[DergTheDergon]

Viktor could practically feel that the shadowy woman begrudgingly following in his wake was conflicted. The air between the two felt heavy, only accentuated by the relative silence of the past-midnight forest that surrounded them. There was silence for a time; a silence he had half a mind to break, yet he couldn't think of anything to say that didn't seem unwise to him in some way or another. The prince really saddled him with a dangerous job, and for Matthias himself as well, no just Viktor. The man kept an ear out even as he pretended not to pay much attention to her, heavily expecting her to either attempt escape or attempt to kill him at any moment for this entire journey, which would last into the morning unfortunately.

She then suddenly and unexpectedly spoke up, albeit with a rather expected question. The word "brother" caught Viktor off guard, but the more he thought about it, the more the concept 'brother and sister starting a life of crime together' made a bit of sense. He considered how to respond for a few moments. He was both glad that they wouldn't have to spend the next few hours in silence and dreading all the things she may or may not ask about after he gave his answer. Regardless, without so much as looking back at her, or indeed away from his walking path and his general surroundings, he replied. On a whim, he decided to go ahead and preemptively answer some of the other questions he was certain must be on her mind at the moment.

"If it were my choice, you'd never get to see him as it could endanger the purpose we intend for you, among other repercussions, especially if someone besides my Prince and myself sees you two speaking. However, knowing him, you'll get to talk to your brother whenever my prince deems to allow you to, and my king isn't looking. See, whilst his father would rather imprison both of you, Prince Matthias feels that such is a waste of the talents you and your brother possess. Before you ask why we can't use both of you, as you've likely gathered, the king doesn't know of this and we'd rather him not. He does know of this mission, however. So, allowing my unaware comrades to capture your brother is neccesary to ensure the king is not suspicious. We never come back with nothing; that is not how I operate. He'd certainly think something is amiss if I told him I failed."

He then went silent, waiting for a response and slightly dreading the type of responses he was fearing incurring from her.

thefierysiren