Chapter 63

"Are we not alloys fending through life made of various loves, ires, hates, miseries, smiles and tears?

Those you have collected upon your crusted surface matters not a rush, but what you are most composed of. That element that is you beneath all the minerals Life has rubbed over your being: may that be a beautiful core built of love."

~

Project Incarnation Warlock,

Secret Lair of the Government,

Beneath the Under-Ground Dungeons,

Kingdom of Tristendyre,

The first Phrinight of the Second month,

XXI Year of Regency

"Sir Oreius"

When Jaycob's eyes caught sight of the shadow upon the book of a druid behind him, and heard the woman speak his name like his disguise had not served its purpose of counterfeit, he immediately pushed away, high on his guard ready to tackle her.

"Stay!", hushed the familiar voice of Ingrid Luna-ward, but that only unnerved the man all the more for she was an elusive assassin on his records.

Standing a full tread taller than her, he advanced and held her restrained, knowing that her presence could not bring fine news.

"Trust me, Sir; I bring you naught of harm", she whispered and Jaycob raised an eyebrow unbelieving.

"In exchange for my life, Miss Luna-ward?", asked he, satirically. "Breathe not another word against my presence lest you thirst for your mortality. I have no tempers for a personal appointment with death this night; and not at your especial hand."

"I promise to you that I have no grave intentions, Sir; I come to help", pleaded the maiden.

There was not a shred of chance that the Archer was willing to oblige to her words but he needed to extract his information from her and ergo, yield prudent heed alone.

"Why have you come here?", asked he.

"I had arrived to relieve Mister Joab Xavier", said she and Jaycob frowned at the reception of such words. His family was the victims assigned to her talons, as far as his concerns scaled.

Fastening his grip more securely, he closed his eyes to locate the man in accuracy.

He felt the elderly man's staggering presence fleeing across the City of Shillingston that was immediately neighbouring the Imperial Castle and the Crown of St. Erdengaur.

The previous circumstance when he had gauged the man's situation, he had been tied in those very chambers and struggling. So it appeared that particular portion of her words was certainly truth.

"We haven't much time", she whispered some more and Jaycob opened his eyes to stare at her unswayed.

"I am aware; but you are being my obstacle, assassin", he hissed, eyes narrowed to slits through his mask.

There was a remorseful and hurt expression deep in her eyes at the addressal, but the Archer could not care any lesser, for she was a woman that had strove to claim his life.

She hesitatingly cleared her throat before proceeding, "I know for surety that you would not believe if I mentioned I have seen a change of heart and opinion, but nonetheless, at this moment I am truly penitent.

If benefits are the sole testimony of alliance that you will accept, I will tell you this:

You are fortunate that you have arrived at this time. It has been about a third of an hour since Mister Joab has been passed from my custody to safety and the Warlocks have left for the brief while on a break. It is my watch of the premises and the period will only last until the men return. They will find you out if they lay eyes."

"And how did you perceive I was not one amongst your kind?" asked the masked Archer, voice low but uncalm.

"It was known in the clan that Druid Joab has been found and his cloak relieved of his possession by the Royal Archer. Your height is grandly above heads and thus, your cover is simple to slight. The men of the Organisation are cautiously watchful of your infiltrating presence; kindly oblige to my bid and return to safety", the damsel said in soft and hushed voice.

Jaycob could gather that her contentions were reasonable, but there was potential that those were covert lies to cause him leave the place without news or fulfilment of purpose.

However, such thoughts as the latter did not match with her potentially murderous intentions, for he could not place wherefore she would not kill him straightway, but suffer his riskless escape.

"I require answers", asserted he.

"I will provide them you, but fore-mostly, Mister Joab Xavier wished for me to inform that he desires to meet you in Hyll-Decanta", said Ingrid and the Archer was hesitant.

It was greatly likely that the whole fiasco could amount to Jaycob's absconding there-from and walking into the arms of Death there with Mister Joab's encounter.

However, his opinions had been sold to believe of innocence in the old man and thus, he obliged.

There were various questions burning against the face of his mind that craved accurate reasons.

"I will consider meeting the Xavier", said he.

It did not assemble quite that she was in fine accords with the man whose family she had venged against, but if redemption of sins was her intention, it could be forgiveness from Mister Joab at the price of her sparing his escape.

"What is this Project Incarnation?"

The damsel under his grasp struggled for breath before she looked about the room and saying, "I-I will tell you of all, but I cannot do so within the premises for there may be listening ears."

The man grew aggressively frustrated and mistrusting with every seeming denial "Speak now or fret not after the salvaging of your life", he spat, voice deep enough to instil stifling intimidation.

Ingrid seemed discomfited and without word in the matter, saying, "Sir, I pray you, Mister Joab will expound the truths to you of a surety."

Jaycob threw his next question, shrilled through grit teeth: "If there were as many of your folks hereunder, why was Imogen's life taken to forge the Princess' missing presence? Why did not one amongst your secretive company yield to countenance for the Ceremony?"

He had been the one to propose the course of proceedings before the Regent when the Princess had levanted, in order to salvage Jehu confidentially, but he had not known of the Secret Lair, and thereby, could not perceive reasons for why the marionette was not selected to stage the play from one amongst these.

Against the compulsion, Ingrid inevitable needed to render her whispered answers:

"The only means to justify the abolishment of further bringing presentation of the missing Princess before the eyes of the public is to portray her potential death. But such drastic and grave news shall not be brought to the people at sudden notice, since suspicions are to be held at bay, after all the odd circumstances that have been occurring in the period of the fortnight hitherto.

Hence the substitute that shall counterfeit the persona of the Princess shall be held and subsequently killed, with her corpse to be decorated in the likeness of her Majesty and instituted as Queen Mercedes' funeral.

In order to achieve such, the victim that is killed must not escape or bear knowledge of these proceedings against her. There are only about four women in this organisation and two are far too old and the other couple of us are my sister and I, who are young and absolutely necessary to lay hands on the Project, for it is crucially reaching the heart of affairs."

The olive haired man considered her words for the lapse of a blink and said, "If the Duvessa Princess is pronounced dead, the people will inevitably uproar against the Government; there will be no means of fending for the Kingdom against the Dragons, which is the prime reason the Duvessa family holds the throne. And what if she returns? What will they do with her life?"

"That is the intent of the organisation-", the damsel whose throttle was being strangled began to explain; but before the answers were bid, there was the sound of footsteps and the door opened.

Jaycob turned to eye his threat, unarresting the damsel he had restrained.

"It's the imposter! Quick!", a man's voice called and the various warlocks behind him gathered with arms.

~