Dreadlords Forgotten Slights

[Aelita]

Looking to the receptionist, Aelita gave him a smile and a “Thank you,” as well.

Then, she departed with the group to a restaurant across the street. Aelita found an outside table with a clear view of the Triple Rose Inn’s entrance. She took a seat where she would not have to turn her head look at the hotel.

The restaurant itself seemed like a typical family owned one. The smell of the kitchen permeated through the air. An odd smell – possibly due to the blend of Anirian and elven cuisines that remained popular in Vel Faen. A few other patrons looked over to the trio – at the least because Aelita walked around in battle armor with a staff on her back.

“So... a lead,” Aelita began as she looked down at the table. She sank into her chair.

It took only a few moments before a human waitress approached the group’s table.

“Three meals? Drinks?” she asked.

“Lunch and tea for me, please,” Aelita told the waitress.

The waitress would then take Marcella and Lothar’s orders before departing.

Looking to her two partners, Aelita asked, “Any ideas to confirm this is her without drawing attention?”

 

[Marcella]

"Lunch would be great," she offered and the waitress just stood there, expectantly. "And a water."

After the waitress left she considered the question that Aelita asked whilst staring intently, perhaps too much so, at the hotel itself. The first idea that popped into her head was that one of them could yell, 'Len!', at every elven woman who left.

But then a better part of her mind informed her that literally everyone would look at them if they were shouting at people.

Marcella glanced between Lothar and Aelita for a second before finally speaking up, "well, we saw the depiction of her." It stood to reason that they could likely identify their target when they left the hotel.

And by 'they' her mind really meant 'them.' Marcie could barely recall exactly what their target looked like but at least she was going to get a nice meal with this plan. It was such a good plan.

 

[Lothar]

Lothar ordered two meals, something that might again raise eyebrows from his companions, but he made no comment on it. "The Lieutenant implied that this was urgent."

Meaning that the faster they could find this 'Len' the better it would be.

Though, in truth, he also couldn't really think of a better plan. There was no real way of confirming whether or not this was the woman they were searching for other than actually seeing her face. That could take hours though, depending on what she was doing.

His lips thinned for a brief moment, and then he offered. "We could break into her room."

Searching her things might provide some sort of clue at least.

 

[Aelita]

“Yes, we did see,” Aelita flatly said with a smile after Marcella spoke.

An eyebrow perked up after Lothar ordered two meals.

“Hungry?” she asked.

But Lothar’s last comment gave Aelita some pause. She looked down again in thought.

“Nothing else?” she asked as she still looked away.

A few more moments passed.

Then looking up once again, Aelita told the group, “I can lift the master key. Just need to know where it is. And a distraction…”

 

[Marcella]

She didn't ask about Lothar ordering two meals, assuming he was simply going to save one for later.

"I can be a very good distraction," she chimed in, finally recognizing something she could do to help, "I'm very good at being distracted."

Of course the plan wasn't what she would've proposed. Stealing keys and sneaking into rooms wasn't something she was well-versed or trained in. But Marcella often found herself distracted and bored both in the classroom and on missions. She was fairly certain that in another life she wasn't a Dreadlord initiate at all.

So long as the scheme was well explained to her though she was certain that this was the best way for her to help the group.

A grumbling stomach interrupted her thoughts as she looked down at the still empty table. "Can we wait to eat before we carry out the plan, though?"

 

[Lothar]

"Very." He answered, flashing Aelita a smile but not elaborating any further.

In his own experience, no plan ever went off without something going awry, but apart from sitting here all day there was little else they could do. If Aelita lifted the key and Marcella offered a distraction they would at least be one step closer to finding this woman.

"I'm not sure there is anything else." He said. "The Lieutenant didn't really give us much to go on."

Lothar griped. "Perhaps if they had informed us back home we could have asked more questions."

But instead this had been thrust upon them at the very last second. "Maintenance staff should have a master key."

He pointed out.

"If we can draw one of them out..." A shrug rolled over his shoulders as he trailed off. "Maybe you can make a mess somewhere, Marcella."

Lothar suggested. "Aelita you can steal the key, and I'll keep the receptionist busy."

After a moment he added. "And yes. Please lets eat first."

 

[Aelita]

Aelita gave a single, low hum.

“Just keep in mind,” she began after Marcella and Lothar had spoken, “I can only mask myself from others’ sight. Sound and touch? Nothing but light feet.”

The invisibility spell Aelita referred to was not a secret. She had used it in front of other students before in class and missions.

Though, this would be the first time Aelita spoke about it before Lothar and Marcella.

Just after that, their meals arrived. One each for Marcella and Aelita. Two for Lothar. Plus drinks. For the lunch, they all got a hearty stew with some spices mixed in.

Without a word, Aelita scooted a bowl over to her and began to eat.

 

[Marcella]

Marcella nodded along to everything that was being said and took her own bowl of stew as the food arrived.

"Don't worry," she said to Aelita, "you may not even need your invisibility spell." The distraction she had in mind was going to draw basically the entire floor's attention. In fact, had she considered it more, her idea of a distraction might make too much noise to be sensible for their purposes.

Assuming he ate both meals Marcie would give Lothar a puzzled look before they departed. She'd not even been able to finish her own stew so how anyone could eat two was beyond her.

Regardless, the initiates headed back to the hotel and prepared to exercise their plan.

In her mind, Marcella had the easiest job of them all. They just needed a distraction so that Aelita could swipe the key then they'd all meet in the hallway that led to the guest's rooms. It was a solid plan and it was the first time on a mission that Marcie was going to be useful in a way that didn't involve healing someone.

Near the maintenance office the hotel had a bar. Marcella walked past the front desk thanks to Lothar eating up the receptionists time and made a beeline for the bar. Once there she found the largest man there who was currently sitting down and enjoying a nice, frosty, ale in a decorative glass mug.

She approached him and reached out a hand, "Hi. My name is Florence. It's a pleasure to meet you."

With a confused look on his face the man reached out to shake her hand. His mouth opened to introduce himself but instead of words violent, blood curdling, screams came out as his arm suffered multiple fractures and the man dropped to the marbled floor of the hotel's bar.

"Oh my god! Someone please help this man!" She attempted to play it off as if he fell whilst a legion of hotel staff rushed out of offices and various other stations.

 

[Lothar]

Lothar had gone to the front desk ahead of his two companion. Catching the receptionist in conversation before he could spot either Aelita or Marcella. This time however he hadn't needed to tell a lie or even speak, no. As soon as the man saw him and looked up from his little book, Lothar had simply looked him in the eyes.

A pulse ran through through the violet of his two stolen magics, and in an instant the man standing before him was turned to little less than a puppet.

It was Nel's magic that he used. The first that he had taken, and the one that he'd had more practice with. He moved, and the receptionist moved with him. Their steps mimicked almost exactly as he lead the man into the back room.

Stepping with him so that Aelita and Marcella could freely move into the hotel. If anyone saw them, it would appear simply as though the man were leading him into the back.

With every passing second he could feel the strain in his eye. A capillary in his eye bursting and coloring a third of it in a deep crimson just as they stepped into the office and closed the door. Lothar's hand almost immediately jumped to cover the left side of his face. A hiss of pain passing his lips.

The receptionist stumbled, and then went crashing to the floor, unconscious.

Seconds later, screams began to echo out, and Lothar half turned around, frowning as he swore he heard Marcella call out. He glanced back at the receptionist with a frown, then simply shook his head and slipped back out the door. Greeted by the sight of nearly a dozen staff members rushing towards the Hotel Bar.

 

[Aelita]

The man continued to scream.

Hotel staff rushed to see what happened.

The hotel door remained opened for an extra second as Lothar left. Aelita’s armored boots sat off to the side.

“What’s going on?!” yelled the first person on the scene – a woman with an apron.

“Oh gods, his arm!” another person, a man this time, screamed.

The commotion drowned out anything that would have been a soft noise in the hotel lobby.

One rough looking man at the back of the growing crowd had a keychain dangling from his hips. The keys appeared to spontaneously mode – then fade within a second as they floated away.

JING JIN-

The man looked back for a moment, but soon turned his focus back on the injured man.

Soon after, the stairs repeatedly creaked.

Wooden floor boards on the upper level stirred as if someone stepped on them.

The noises drew close to room 352.

Then, a pause.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Housekeeping,” Aelita’s unseen voice called out.

The muffled noise of the commotion from the lower level on the lower level could still be heard.

If no one from room 352 answered, a bit of jingling before the door would follow. Then, it would be unlocked and open by an unseen force...

 

[Marcella]

Marcella didn't like having to do what she did. It was more just... a factual thing. A part of who she was and who she accepted she'd always be. So while she felt a slight pang of guilt at the affair she knew inflicting the damage upon that random civilian was a necessity.

Eventually she found herself to the meeting spot.

She saw only Lothar present and the young initiate wore a beaming smile. "Pretty good, right?" she'd never been so satisfied with herself before.

For once on a mission she managed to be helpful. In a way that didn't involved repairing a gash or mending a broken limb. She'd been a distraction which was significantly more exciting and more impactful!

"Do you think she's," Marcie suddenly lowered her voice in case any lingering ears were present, "sneaking in there right now!?" The entire plan was so deliciously covert that she couldn't help but revile in it.

 

[Lothar]

"Yes." Lothar said as he stepped into the meeting spot. A pool or red still collected in the lower quarter of his eye, but he did not say anything about it. "Well done."

The chaos was still going inside the hotel, no one had even noticed him walking through the lobby. Too focused on the man and how he was screaming that he had no idea what had actually happened. Lothar found himself half curious at what Marcella had done in the first place.

"I would think so." He commented, glancing upward towards the hotel for a brief moment.

When Aelita stepped inside of the room, she would find a small suite. Luggage was carefully placed and organized, with everything carefully set where it 'should' belong. It was clear that whoever was staying in the room was well organized and put together, and on the side table sat a small piece of parchment folded in on itself.

If Aelita opened it she would find it read;

"My dearest Len.

Please come to Vel Faen. Your father's word can no longer be enough to keep us apart. He sees you as a stain, a mark against his family. Not I, for I love you like the flower loves the sun...."​

The letter went on, continuing into bad poetry and some explicit depictions of potential scenarios that even Lumen would have blushed at.

 

[Aelita]

The door to room 352 opened.

STEP STEP STEP

The sound of footsteps entering the room could be heard. The door closed soon after.

The invisible Aelita looked around the suite. She examined the bed and any combs for hair and the color of it. She noticed the note on the side table and picked it up.

Quickly, she skimmed through its contents – noting the name it was addressed to. After she got to the type of poetry one would see in Lumen’s letters to her “prince,” Aelita’s eyes skipped down to see the salutations and uncover a possible name for the sender.

After that, Aelita carefully and deliberately returned the letter to the side table in a folded manner.

With one last look around the room, Aelita would try to leave the room. The plan was simple: lock the door behind her, go down to the lobby and toss the keys to the ground, then leave through the front door.

Should nothing prompt her to stop and reassess this plan, Aelita would appear to materialize while sitting on the front porch – next to where her shoes were.

 

[Marcella]

Marcella was practically beaming at the smallest bit of praise that Lothar offered her.

Although she did deduce that her companion was obviously not sleeping enough. His eye was bloodshot. They’d need to turn in early so he could catch up on his slumber.

”So, uh, how much longer do you think,” the healing initiate emitted a joyous squeal, half in shock and half in awe, as Aelita re-materialized. ”That was amazing,” she told Lothar as she stood and made her way towards the light manipulator.

 

[Lothar]

"Probably no-" Before he could answer Marcella, the girl let out a squeal of delight. He half expected her to clap her hands like a simpleton, but when that didn't come he shook his head and followed after the other Initiate.

Somewhere in his mind he filed away this little trick of Aelita's.

Noting just how useful it would be to have. "Did you find anything?"

The note of course, was the most significant thing, though it had only been signed by a nom de guerre as the Obanese would have called it; "Your Knight within Orchids".

 

[Aelita]

Just a second after Aelita would have appeared on the porch, she exhaled as if she had been holding in her breath for ages. Several deep, exhausted breaths followed. Sweat poured down Aelita’s face. She gave no response, verbal or physically, to either Marcella or Lothar for a good few seconds.

After some time, Aelita leaned back her head, then tilted it toward her comrades.

“I’ve.... I’ve... I’ve found enough. For a report,” she told them between heavy breaths.

Slowly, Aelita put her boots back on. She would slowly get up – on her own if neither Marcella or Lothar offered a hand.

“Let’s go...”

If the other two agreed to head back, Aelita would fill them in on the details while on the way.

 

[Marcella]

Aelita was panting, gasping for air. How could she not offer a helping hand? Whether or not the blonde accepted her aid was entirely up to her.

Sure, there was the entire, ‘I tortured you that one time,’ thing to get over but everyone needed a helping hand from time-to-time.

”The way you, um, vanished was so cool,” she said while holding out her hand.

Regardless of whether or not the light-manipulator accepted her help Marcie would eventually nod and agree. ”Alright, let’s go.”

A more prudent initiate would likely have asked as to whatever it was that Aelita had found but the fact she thought it was good enough to report back was enough for the part-time healer part-time pain inflictor.

 

[Lothar]

Lothar noted just how tired Aelita seemed to be.

He wondered if that was the magic she had used, or the duration that she had used it for. Either could be a possibility, but questioning outright didn't seem subtle. Instead he made another notation in his head, and then headed off with his two companions.

Aelita filled them in on the way, and Lothar seemed to frown. "So it's a love story."

He commented with a frown.

By the time they reached where the Lieutenant was garrisoned, it was well into the afternoon. The Anirian Barracks in Vel Faen as fine and beautiful as the rest of the city, the three Dreadlords had no problem getting through the Guards out front nor finding proper directions.

When they arrived they found the Lieutenant conversing with another man, though as soon as he noticed the trio he quickly broke it off. No greeting was offered as he motioned for them to follow, eventually leading the Initiates outside to what appeared to be a training yard.

"So, I assume you have something to report?" The man asked impatiently.

 

[Aelita]

Reflexively, Aelita grabbed Marcella’s hand while standing up. But once upon her own feet, Aelita realized the owner of the hand. She let of Marcella and quickly pulled her hand away. A slight winced appeared on her face as she did.

A reply never reached Marcella for the compliment she gave.

As they journeyed to the barracks, Aelita slowly seemed to regain stamina and began to breathe regularly.

Once Aelita and the gang reached the Lieutenant, Aelita gave an Anirian salute. She lowered it once the Lieutenant made it clear he was not to give any greetings.

To answer the Lieutenant’s question, Aelita told him, “Yes, sir. The elf, Len, is staying in the Triple Roses Inn.”

 

[Marcella]

It wasn’t really a shock that Aelita accepted Marcie’s help. She knew that the light manipulator viewed her kindly. Now it was confirmed that Aelita was a member of the select few initiates at the academy that actually liked her.

”And she’s secretly dating a Knight of Orchids,” that was probably the juiciest piece of gossip they picked up.

An eyebrow was raised on the Guardsman’s face at Marcella’s addendum, “right, a Knight of Orchids? No idea who that could be, unless it’s,” he trailed off as he stroked at the stubble on his chin.

After a brief second of being lost in his own head he added, “good work on finding her.” The Guard stood there, as if he were contemplating something.

 

[Lothar]

After a few moments of thought the Lieutenant shook his head. Something seemed to be stuck in his head, as though he couldn't quite shake a feeling. He frowned, and then spoke. "Alright, the three of you wait here."

He motioned to a bench in the training yard.

Lothar looked at it, then to the others, sitting himself down just as the Lieutenant departed. For a few seconds he remained quiet, not saying anything to either of his companions. Then he glanced towards them and began to have idle conversation.

"Well done today." He complemented the both of them.

After the three of them spoke, nearly twenty minutes after the Lieutenant had departed, he came back into view. This time though he was trailing behind someone, a man they would all recognize. The diplomat who had come here in the first place.

"My Lord I urge you to have some patience. The Initiates only found her roo-" The Lieutenant could be heard as the two men approached.

"They were supposed to find her! Her! Now she's run off with that fucking fool?! Knight of Orchids my fucking ass. He's going to get her fucking killed!"​

"My Lord, please." The Lieutenant urged. "You want this quiet and your voi-"

"My daughter has run off with a moron, Lieutenant!"​

 

[Aelita]

After the Lieutenant walked off, Aelita leaned back against a wall. She let out a long, tired sigh. She took the waterskin from her belt and drank a bit of its contents.

Hearing Lothar’s compliment, Aelita looked toward him with a smile and replied with, “Thanks.”

Looking down, Aelita then asked something she did not bring up on the journey to the barracks, “I heard a lot of screaming. In the hotel. What happened?”

If Aelita got an answer, she would not have gotten enough time to give any reply. Aelita heard Lord Ildren and the lieutenant talking as they approached.

Immediately, Aelita stood back up and returned her waterskin to her side. Once Lord Ildren came in sight, she would give the appropriate sign of respect for an Initiate to a noble – and otherwise remain silent.

 

[Marcella]

A wide grin took her as Loth complimented the trio. Then she addressed her closest friend’s question.

”Oh, I made a distraction.” Luckily Marcella was saved by the arrival of Lord Ildren and the return of the lieutenant. Unbeknownst to her there was almost a one-hundred percent probability that Aelita would’ve been less impressed by her methods than Lothar had been.

Marcie listened as the lord complained, rather loudly, about his daughter running off with a so-called moron. Raving about how his poor child was going to wind up getting killed.

She, only briefly, considered mentioning that they were specifically told to report back when they merely caught an inkling of her location but she at least had the good sense not to correct Ildren.

Unfortunately for her two compatriots that was about where her good senses began and ended. ”We will find Len, sir!”

Her words came unbidden and confident enough that it even surprised herself. Marcella had caused a distraction today, she knew that they could accomplish this task.

 

[Lothar]

Lothar's head turned almost immediately towards Marcella, his lips twisting in a frown as he couldn't quite believe she had volunteered them so quickly. Though he supposed she probably just wanted to paint herself in a good light for once.

The Lieutenant, for his part, was already rubbing at the bridge of his nose.

"Yes! Good." Lord Ildren said, nodding his head and pointing his finger at Marcella. "You can find her, and then kill that bloody fool."

Almost immediately after the man spoke the Guardsmen's head shot up. "No, you will not. My Lord, he might have taken your daughter but you can't have him killed."

Not anymore anyway. Lothar thought to himself, and it very likely mimicked Lord Ildren's own mind. There was a second where the young Initiate thought the Noble would object, but then he finally relented and waved.

"Fine!" He said. "Get her away from that fool. Do you understand?!"

The Nobles finger snapped up, pointing at the three Initiates, then he turned on his heel and began to walk away. Jabbering to himself as he did so, clearly upset about the whole situation. The Lieutenant lingered, and then looked to Lothar and the others.

"Lord Idren has informed me that his daughter has...a correspondence with a man here in Vel Faen." He explained, clearly not wanting to get into the details.

"He, as you've guessed, calls himself the Knight of Orchids, but his real name is Leonard Arren." A rather unceremonious name. "He's a commoner, but has made quite a name for himself. Lord Ildren would...appreciate if you found his daughter. She is likely with Mr. Arren now."

 

[Aelita]

Upon being volunteered by Marcella, Aelita rolled her eyes from just out of her view.

Aelita listened to Lord Ildren and the Lieutenant continue their conversation. She gave the respectful bid farewell expected of her when Lord Ildren chose to leave.

After hearing what the Lieutenant say what he had to say about the situation, Aelita looked down for a moment in thought.

A few seconds later, she turned her eyes toward the Lieutenant and said, “He’s made a name for himself? Is there somewhere he’d likely be, then?”