Ravyin woke to the voices downstairs, slipped on her robe, and silently padded down the stairs. At the bottom, she overheard her husband speaking to someone, then finally recognized Carrington's voice. As she listened to what they had plotted, the blood drained from her face.


It was surely madness! How could he even think of doing such a thing! and without her!


The young noble lass rounded the corner just as Drayton was heading back up to gather his armor and stated, "Thee shant do this without me. I refuse to let thee commit suicide like this. Thee shall never be able to get through that house alive. On the other hand, I grew up there, and can easily lead thee around as required. And mine blessings will aid thee. Shall we go mine husband?"

Crispian watched Arguyle and Moryan both after Carrington left. He began to pace nervously, finally digging into a saddle bag, extracting a broadleaf bundle. Rolling one deftly, he held it to a candle and lit it. "Do you think Carrington's friend can get all five letters? D'Vena's plenty drunk, I can tell you, but still..."


He paused, considering his goblet before draining it and filling it anew. "She's vile and evil."


Moryan snorted, her leg cocked against a rung of the high-back stool. "e dinna know the half her farkin' vile, base-born, twisted Lurikeen-lovin' ways!" She paused, raising an eyebrow at Crispian. "But there be some 'o her ways ye be knowin' better tha' most." She chuckled wickedly as Crispian turned red.

 

-----signature-----

Drayton fastened climbing spikes to his boots, and bracers. Of all the bloody jobs he'd done, this would prove the most difficult. He pulled the hood of his black cloak and slipped into the shadows, away from sight as he approached the gates to the manor. There was a lone guard patrolling it.


"Perfect." Drayton thought and tossed a small stone across the way, which landed in a large crackle and snap of a dead bush.


The guard immediately froze, then spun around to investigate the bush. Seeing his opportunity, Drayton lept from the shadows with cat-like agility and landed silently no the ground behind the armored guard. He whipped a club from his cloak and quickly pulled the loose helmet from the gaurd's head, and with a massive swing, took him out with one blow. The man collapsed to the ground with a clank, and Drayton pulled him into some thick underbrush.


He pulled the man's armor from his body and slipped into it himself. It was rather large, but not too bad...and better yet, not noticable. He quickly produced some rope and a sock from his cloak, and proceeded to hogtie the man, but not before stuffing the sock in his mouth as a gag, and tightly tying it.


Drayton brushed himself off, and quietly took the place of the guard, patrolling as he did.


He then turned to the shadows and smiled into them, then beckoned his wife to come out.

 

-----signature-----

Drayton kissed Ravyin softly, then nodded grimly.


"This is what were going to do...when the gaurd comes to take my shift, you will approach. Tell me that you're here to see your Lady D'Vena, an' I will offer to take you inside, and the guard will take my place. This is when it gets tricky. I need for ye' to be in a fit of tears...once ye' get into the dining room. Demand to see her at once...so that they will have to wake her from he slumber. Keep her occupied while I sneak through the castle, an' get the documents." He smiled at her again...


"Can' ye do this love?"

 

-----signature-----

As Carrington finished his order to begin the door swung open and Arguyle, Moryan and Crispian entered.


"Don't just take the forged documents lad. Replace them with these." said Arguyle.


He handed the man some new documents.


"One of the is from me. It is a letter naming D'Vena as the mastermind behind the King's assassination plot. One is from Moryan stating that she had found information linking D'Vena to the Hibernian named Jander. The other is a letter from D'Vena herself. It is written to Jander and gives him the place and time to conduct the assassination. In it she goes on to mention that she has intercepted some letters from those true to the King and that their time is coming to an end. Also something to the effect that she is looking forward to Hibernian rule in Albion." said the Highlander with a slight grin.


"Don't look at me like that Carrington. I wasn't always a Paladin you know. Let's just say that I have a few skills that I didn't learn in the Church." said Arguyle chuckling.


"Now have any of you ever met the King? Other than Moryan of course. HAR HAR! Well, don't just stand there. Drayton you have some work to do and the rest of you...well...you have a King to meet."

Ravyin nods to her husband, and watches him patrol. Not so bad in some real armor, and she blushed at her thoughts. Hardly the time for that sort of thinking.


Finally the guard arrived, and approached Drayton. It was then that she rushed forward tears flying from her cheeks as she clung to the guard. "Ooh.. Herrick.. tis that thee? Please.. I must speak with mine auntie.. please.. tis .. oooh.. what he did to me! Please.. take me to see mine Auntie?"


The guard looked hopelessly around, knowing his shift had just begun and he was not in the mood to take control of the sobbing girl. He saw spied the guard he was to relieve, and motioned him over. "ou there, take this child in to see Lady D'vena. Tis alright, I know her myself. Make sure she gets straight inside, the Lady has been fit to be tied looking for her where-abouts." The guard unsuspectingly placed Ravyin into the custody of her very husband, and the sobbing girl leaned against him heavily.


They slowly walked into the great house.

Crispian blanched white. "The k-k-king? Uh, not me, um no way. I'm really just a farm-boy with a sword, General."

 

-----signature-----

Hearing noises in the outer rooms, the steward roused himself and pulled a robe hastily on. Abandoning thoughts of blond Briton lads, he scurried to the outer chambers, gathering a guard with him. He stood in the middle of the approach to D'Vena's Quarters.


"Now, what's all this then?" he chirped.

 

-----signature-----

Drayton led his wife to the front doors of the estate, where she clutched his arms and let the tears fly. The guards looked at them with a shocked glance, but then nodded, and opened the doors. They had easily gotten passed the courtyard, but now this would be the tricky part.


The two entered the bustling dining hall which was still alive with action, even in these wee hours of the morning. Drayton nodded at his wife behind the masked helm, and grabbed her by the arm.


"Lady Ravyin wishes to speak with the Lady D'Vena." he said to one of the head servants...

 

-----signature-----

The mercenary wench glared at Arguyle.


"There is nae any farking way yer taking me back ta see the bloody king AGAIN.. people are going ta get the wrong damn idea about me. Ye can go visit the bleeding king, I'm nae going anywhere near him."


She folded her arms across her chest and continued her cold glare at Arguyle, the sort that would make a man's testicles shrivel like a cold midgard day in plate mail!