The day had finally arrived. The night was only hours away and preparations were underway right from cock’s crow for the big night ahead.
“The king dies tonight” Phoenix said to his mother
“The king dies tonight” she repeated after him
“Faray dies tonight” they chorused
Armour was polished. Swords, knives, sickles and daggers sharpened by the best blacksmith in the land. Revenge and death were coming in the night. Whoever thought himself the angel of death could easily be surprised. For if you head out to seek revenge remember to dig two graves. You might need one as well.
As the sun disappeared behind the hills, Claressa called what was left of her family to dinner.
“We eat first and then do everything else later. And by everything I mean deep sleep”
“Good one mah” Feliks chuckled. He loved his bed as much as his palm.
“Yeah Feliks you’re doing the dishes first before you sleep. It’s your turn”
“Oh mehn”
Everyone was now safely tucked into their beds and probably in deep slumber except for Wendy. She burned the midnight oil reading whatever book she came across. She was wide awake when her mother and brother slipped out on their quest for blood. She was used to her brother slipping out so she was hardly bothered. They had to be fast and meet up with Jekyll at the palace. It was a three hour trek and the king was fast asleep when they arrived in the dead of the night.
“Well it’s about time. I thought you had abandoned this” Jekyll said in recognition of their late coming
“sorry. We had to put everyone else to bed first” Claressa said to him
“okay then. You’re here now. And where is your armour?”
“It was too heavy and it rattled a lot. It slowed us down and we thought it might give us away so we abandoned it”
“Didn’t you learn anything? The armour was for you to blend in. Of course it rattles and it’s heavy. It’s goddamn steel”
“OH!” mother and son chorused. Jekyll nodded sideways. “We never thought of that really”
“It’s okay. That’s gone. So what do you have?”
“I have a sword, a sickle, a knife on my waist and a dagger in my boot” answered Phoenix
“Two sickles in the hand, knife on my waist and dagger in my boot”
“No sword Miss Claressa?”
“No. Too heavy”
“Okay. Let’s raid a palace”
Jekyll left the two at the rendezvous in the forest a stone throw away from the stables. He had to return to the stables without being seen and switch the stable security with his trusted men. He easily convinced them to move to the palace gate. Two of his men moved in from the smelting room. He waved a torch and his new partners in crime made haste for the stables. They nodded at Jekyll’s men and proceeded past the stables to the threshold of the smelting room. Jekyll urged them on as the room was also clear. Quiet and spacious as it was in the night, their movements through the smelting room were clearly audible. They had to split up. Phoenix continued out of the room using the northern exit where he found the big stone water tank. He stopped right behind the tank and waited for Jekyll’s signal. Jekyll headed out through the western exit into the compound. All Claressa had to do was create a distraction. She threw down a metal bowl and it cried as it hit the floor. The king’s guard were on high alert and wasted no time checking it out. She was close to the northern exit before they could trace the source of the sound. She rejoined her son and together they made their way through the compound to the entrance of the king’s house. Phoenix sat under the stairs to watchout for whatever might interrupt their incomplete mission. Claressa covered herself in a long sheet and walked quietly in disguise behind Jekyll as he checked every corner for guards. One guard had been easily fooled while four wise and courageous ones tasted Claressa’s sickle and Jekyll’s swift sword. Blood had already began to spill. The corpses had to be stashed away to avoid attracting attention. Almost 10 men covered the hall way that led to the king’s chambers. Most of the guards had to be avoided totally to minimize damage, attention and noise. They finally made it to the king’s chambers. Jekyll set foot in first. The window was open and the cold breeze of the night blew into the room. The bed was messy but not a soul in sight. Jekyll was starting to get anxious and worried. It felt like a trap. Just then there was a tap on his shoulder.
“Don’t move” the voice said
It was a bust. The king had appeared from behind the door and had his sharp sword resting on Jekyll’s shoulder. He could easily push it forward and smear the sharp blade against his jugular vein and split it open. It’d take no more than ten minutes for him to bleed to death. He had to obey.
“It’s me my lord. Jekyll”
“I know who you’re. Question is, why are you in my chambers uninvited?” Faray kept the sword at Jekyll’s neck and circled him until they faced each other.
“I’m sorry my lord but I thought I heard a strange sound coming from in here. I thought you were under attack”
“Indeed. Under your attack commander. Care to explain yourself?”
Jekyll knew that if this dragged on any longer he was bound to be headless before the crack of dawn. He had to conjure the smoothest explanation that’d get the king to calm down and get that blood thirsty blade off his throat.
“Truth is my lord, I think we’re under attack. I found some of my men at the stables unconscious. I had to check to make sure you and the queen were okay.”
“How come I haven’t heard the gong?”
“I wanted to keep it quiet and keep them thinking that we didn’t know yet. That way we can be able to capture them by surprise”
“Good thinking commander” Faray immediately withdrew his sword and Jekyll breathed a sigh of relief. His heart was back in his chest cage. “So who’s manning the door?”
Just before Jekyll could make up an answer, Claressa kicked the door in.
“I am!” she answered. “Scratch that. I was. Because I’m not there now”
“Who the hell are you? Who the hell is this Jekyll? And what is she doing in my chambers?”
“I’m Claressa” she answered as she bowed and rose up to put the outer blade of her sickle under the king’s chin. “We meet again my lord”
Faray was swift enough to smack Claressa’s sickle away from his face with her sword.
“So the bald widow lives” He stepped back and fell into Jekyll’s arms who put a big knife to his throat.
“Don’t move a muscle”
“I knew it. You fucking traitor. You have just made the biggest mistake of your entire life. I’ll have your head on a spike for this commander. I’ll find everyone you know and put them to sleep”
“Yeah yeah shut your foul mouth Faray”
Claressa immediately started tying up Faray’s arms behind his back.
“You have no balls Jekyll. Using a bald headed bitch to do your bidding? What do you hope to achieve here? The throne? I must tell you it’s harder than it looks being king”
Jekyll hit the middle of Faray’s head with the back of the knife’s handle and he fell unconscious to the ground.
“Well that was unnecessary” said Claressa as she tied a thick cloth between his lips and jaws to keep him quiet when he woke.