Deep within the The Erdeniin Dynasty
The wind started at the tip of one of The Spine's many peaks and roared across the Taagi Baari Steppes like a pack of rabid wolves, tearing apart fields of carefully cultivated crops, and causing farmer hands to mutter about the indecisiveness of Spring. By the time the wind reached the jìntóu valley it had built up enough speed that it crashed into the hillside like a clap of thunder. Yet by the time it meandered through the twists and turns, when it reached the city of Shān-jìn-tóu, it had eased to an eerie echo of the gale it had once been.
It still held the biting cold it had carried from the Spine though.
Demise grimaced beneath her mask and tugged her cloak closer in an attempt to hold on to what little warmth she had left. The Steppes in spring was a miserable affair. Cold, wet, with enough sunny spells that promised the approach of summer to give the people the tantalising illusion of hope. Demi hated the cold. Her homelands had been scorching planes interspersed with harsh storms, but even those rains had still held warmth to them.
Crouched upon the rocking outcrop of one of the mountain passes she tried to concentrate on the city below and not the frostbite creeping into her toes. The miners were just beginning to return to the city and people milled about their evening activities; cooking, socialising, and rotating the guards for the evening watch. It was the latter she watched now with interest. Each group had no less than four strong looking women to their unit and from what she knew of their people at least one was a mage, as given away by their slightly differing uniform. It was a prosperous town and though they had the natural defences of the valley, the people here knew too well the tempting fruit it was to raiders. Instead of feeling frustration at the level of complexity it added to their task Demise found herself thrilled by it.
They had two options, as far as they had deduced so far, as to how they entered the city. The first was the simplest; simply walk through the front gate. Over the last two days of watching the movements of the citizens below the guards had allowed people to enter right up until the tenth chime of the large gong. It seemed a healthy trading post and strangers were not looked at any differently to residents. They could find an inn as cover and take rooms for the night. The only downside would be once the body was discovered of the Bursars bastard daughter, murdered in her bed, the guards would most likely target said outsiders first. Their escape would have to be swift.
The other option was the river. Flowing off the valley side is snaked alongside the city acting as one of its natural defences. The current was strong and as such the bank was not patrolled as much, a flaw in an otherwise brilliant set up. Demise had been almost disappointed to find it. It was a dangerous option to be sure, but there would be less evidence of the four of them being there at all.
Silently she rose and turned to look at her three companions. The Church must have thought it an important mission to send four of them, though given they rarely dealt with royals and political figures she could understand why. The whispers were the Bursars husband had ordered the hit himself, outraged that his wife had given birth to a girl that was not of his seed. But not two weeks ago the bursar had given birth to another daughter. Now, it seemed, her husband felt confident enough to make a move that would rid his own child of any challenges to the Seat of the City.
"Well?"
They had been arguing for some time.
