Chapter 854

Chapter 854: Elendor [18]

‘And just like that, the situation is swept under the rug. The inspector was right, the matter pertains to national security. The disappearance of Claury must have affected,’ he paused in the middle of gulping a pint – celebrations fluttered in the suffocating air. Lights dimmed, music in the distance, and most importantly, booze. After the inspector arrived at the hospice, Xen felt powerless, the life and hope of Claury laid in the hand of another, on his own, he was strong, influence wise, not much better. Mandl showed his prowess in stopping officers from digging too deeply. Before the hour ended, Igna was on way to the palace, assured by the doctors that Claury will be kept overnight for thorough analysis. ‘-Feel worthless,’ he drank at the bar, drinks came and went, the nobles and their partners excitedly cheered and laughed.

‘I can’t stand still,’ he gulped, ‘-the truth,’ he narrowed, ‘-I need to know the truth. The lens’ was broken, my glasses luckily didn’t shatter, and I’ve lost my phone. All and all, a very bad situation, no contact with home doesn’t bode well. Hopefully, éclair will notice my absence and send the supplies via Dyu,’ the previous day’s event played in the head, ‘-fight against lucifer, the long-awaited battle,’ he sipped, ‘-nothing came of it. I defeated the angel, devoured his realm as if nothing, I wasn’t myself, there was a surge in power, my hatred from him never felt so satisfied before. Alfred is a double-edged sword, overthinking won’t help,’ staring into the crowd, the night’s detail obnoxiously showed, a soiree, one where couples pitted themselves against others. These typical battlefields rose at schools and on ‘celebratory nights’. Close proximity dance, alcohol, and narcotics served under the table, a true party for the exquisite. The thought repulsed Xen, a combination of the day’s event forced the drink down the hatch, hands-on the uniform, he made for the door without drawing attention. ‘-I need to find the truth.’

After a search, Sawdia was spotted outside through one of the many windows. Impatient to take the door, he vaulted from the second-floor, landed with a roll, then stormed to her lonely stare. Her disheveled hair, broken top-buttons and scratch marks on hands pointed to misplay, “-Sawdia, are you ok?” he hurried to her side, “-your hands and face,” he grabbed her swollen cheeks – she didn’t resist, save the distant stare, “-Hey, look at me,” he forced her to chin upward, “-Sawdia.”

“What?” said a muffled, dejected voice, “-what’s the rush...” she broke off his grip and stared downward.

“Someone’s looking worse for wear,” he knelt and stared at the pitiful display, “-I need to know, what happened to Claury?”

“Claury,” she inhaled, “-did they find her?”

“What do you mean?”

.....

“I looked for her since yesterday, no signs. We sent her to serve her first master, I told her not to pursue our jobs. These parties aren’t just celebrations, they’re often used to scout retainers for sexual pleasures, high-class prostitution. From her to the queen, no lass inside is safe from the wretched hand of a powerful noble. Look at me,” she sniffled, “-I lost everything...”

“Hey, look at me,” he sliced through the emotional speech, “-Claury is alive and well. The details aren’t up for discussion, just know, she’s at the hospice in the company of a lady who says she worked here, didn’t quite catch the name.”

“Oh, I get it,” her sadden air lightened, “-you found the head maid. Send a message from her, ask her to take Claury away, she doesn’t deserve the wretched life we have here. You understand, don’t you, Xen – serving the mighty and powerful is the worst job imaginable,” the voice trailed into muffled cries.

“Get a hold of yourself, Sawdia, crying doesn’t befit a strong lady as yourself,” he grabbed her shoulders, “-everything happens for a reason. Better or worse, humble pawns as we are – our influence is on our action alone, not how it reacts nor how it affects people; we act and wait. Claury, I need to know what happened to her.”

“Why?”

“Did you forget, I’m a knight? My duty is to the service of the people – and my duty lies in helping those who’ve helped me. I don’t care much for consequences, so tell me,” he moved, grabbed the back of her head, and pushed his forehead against hers, “-your strong, stronger than me and the others. Woe and miseries aren’t thine to bear,” he gritted, “-raise, Sawdia, be the maid I respect and admire. Smile, even tis a fake.”

“-O-Okay,” the grip eased, he backed away and waited.

“All I remember is Claury had a meeting with a strange noble. The man had an air of suspicion around him, couldn’t get a handle on why. He seemed very impatient as if he could explode at any moment. Check with Maria and Flasie, they escorted Claury, waiting to be there for her after the job was done.”

“Understood,” he cupped her hand, “-Sawdia, none of this is your fault. Self-pity and blame won’t accomplish much save hurting yourself. I saw it without stock, I know it’s easy to get lost in a vortex of doubt and regrets, what if I did this, or what if I did that. I know the feeling all too well, which is why, as a friend, I ask of you this, stand up, wipe the tears, bear a smile, and move forward. Claury is safe, the world is a pain, still, we must survive. If not for you, do it for the maids who look up to you.”

“Thank you,” she exhaled, “-I feel relieved. Someone’s led a team before.”

“More like a kingdom,” he winked and shuffled away, the statement caught her by surprise, ‘-led a kingdom,’ she watched Xen’s back grow distant, ‘-liar... or maybe not.’

‘Not Sawdia,’ he ambled along the palace corridors, looking for any signs of the duo, left and right, no signs till a certain area where the atmosphere felt dilated, the maids not only served but made inviting and seductive digs at the few nobles who passed said part of the palace. He took a chance and followed, one of the passing maids ran up and bumped his shoulder, “-Hey,” she whispered and pulled him to the side, “-why are you here?”

“Have we met before?”

“It’s me,” her eyes narrowed, “-look closely, it’s me, Maria...”

“HOLY,” escaped, “-pardon, why, how. Maria, makeup is scary, you look like another person,” lovely combed hair, slight but effective touches on her cheeks, around her very large pupils, nicely shaped lips and the revealing maid-outfit, opposed to before, the length was freely cut till shy above her knees. The white stocking and heels didn’t help the cause either.

“Stop staring,” she stepped away in embarrassment.

“Maria,” hovered a few mocking gestures, “-take the dashing man to one of the rooms,” they suggested. Older, less attractive, chubby men, complete with a lack of personal awareness, issued death threats, rather, tried to squint their intent across, against the fleshy-filled visage. Harassment is all but stacked.

“FINE,” she grabbed his hand and led the walk, up a narrow staircase – an insult to the larger customers – and inside an array of doors. Her long fingers wrapped around the first door and entered. Xen followed; the inside was an epitome of what love hotels tried to sell. Dark colors and slow music. Maria snapped at the lights control, toggled it too loud, and dug her heels into the knobs controlling the music, “-sorry about this,” her flushed face and heaving breaths changed by her swaying her hair and slowly lowering into her seat, of which was the foot of the bed.

“Maria,” he stepped inside, “-I suppose turning on the lights and shutting the music means we won’t be having any fun?”

Confusion riddled her face, “-wait, you wanted to?”

“I’m only joking,” he laughed, “-pulling your legs,” he winked.

“Ok, enough. If you want sex, say it outright, don’t have much time to spend on another worker...”

“Hey, no,” he motioned towards a cupboard inside which were bottles of wine. The latter opened and drinks poured, “-here,” he handed a glass then followed to sit beside the obviously tired Maria, “-no intercourse, only a parle between friends,” they cheered and sipped, “-I spoke to Sawdia earlier, she seems worse than before. What happened?”

“Our job’s hard, Sawdia’s the favorite of despicable men with harmful fetishes. She takes the requests to save us, all we ladies are grateful, she does so much for us, and we ought to appreciate the help. This worthless side of the work is disheartening. Did you know, all the maids here were once servants to lady Ela, being hired by her was the best day of my life. The opportunity to work with our dignified queen, I couldn’t ask for more... then, he came, and everything changed.”

“Tell me about you, why the sadness?”

“Don’t know really, I’m just, I don’t care anymore. Nothing matters,” she watched through the lenses of one who’s forsaken life itself. A common sight amongst war-veterans, “-why did you stroll here, was it to laugh or pity.”

“No need to get defensive. I came to ask a few questions about Claury. Tell me, what happened to her...”

“Oh...” walls rose around her expression, “-I-”

“Tell me,” he grabbed her hands, “-don’t worry, she’s fine, I need to know who she catered to.”

“Claury is fine?”

“Yes?”

“She’s always fine, isn’t she?”

“No, she was abducted – they found her wounded body, not to worry, she’s at the hospice, healing as we speak.”

“She was abducted,” her hands moved to hold her face, “-I don’t believe it, a friend of ours was lost and we sat there, doing nothing to help. Xen, look at me,” she grabbed his collar, “-promise me as a knight, you’ll deliver retribution to those who did her harm.”

“I need a name or a description.”

“Flausie,” said Maria, “-the man’s with Flausie, I saw them take the room at the end of the hall earlier.”

‘She could be in danger,’ he hurried into the hallway, ran to the room, and knocked, “-Flausie, you in there?”

No answer, “-Flausie?” he tapped again, nothing, ‘-screw it,’ he broke down the door and jumped inside, a masked man stood over a bloodied bedsheet with a knife in hand.

“Get out,” said the man, “-else I’ll have your head,” he rushed at Xen, a worried Maria ran down the hall, *crash,* a body flew across and into the wall, the sudden boom had many invitees exit their rooms. Whispers washed the horrified sight, “-you,” Xen glared. Maria looked inside and screamed, “-FLAUSIE,” she ran to her friend – the room was covered in blood, “-FLAUSIE!” she cried over and over again, the other maids tore from their clients and hurdled at the room, “-FLAUSIE!” Maria’s excruciating cries brought the nobles to their feet. Many wanted pleasure, and others, something to spice up the encounter. Nothing extreme as death.

“-Bastard,” hands around the neck, he pulled the man off the wall and threw him on the floor, the mask broke, “-that’s the Duke’s son,” said a scared noble.

“What’s his name?” scowled Xen, “-give me a name, right now,” he casually lifted the knife, “-must I repeat myself?”

“Prince Raine Shion of the Dukedom of Cophy.”

Panic muddled into the room, “-Maria,” cried a maid, “-stop Xen, he’s going to kill the son of a duke.”

It came down to the last minute, Xen had a knife above the unconscious Raine’s head, Maria had to run, and embrace him from the back, she held strong, “-don’t do it. Don’t kill him... if you do, you’ll die,” no stop at first,”-XEN, STOP!” she screamed, deafened his ears, the knife dropped as did they, falling onto their backside. Her forehead dug into his back, “-Flausie is dead,” she sniffled, “-my friend is dead.”

“Not on my watch,” he broke her restraints and grabbed the noble’s collar and pushed him against a wall, “-wake up, prince,” he tapped, the blonde-hair man opened his eyes softly.

“GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME, COMMONER.”

“Perfect,” *smack,* teeth, and blood spewed, “-you wish you were dead,” fist curled, Xen unleashed on the prince.