Cursed Forest [Ongoing]

Chapter 27

Sir Drakaw Hapow stood outside of the Council's meeting room, muffled voices emerging from behind the closed, thick doors. Another guard stood by the other side of the entrance, staring straight ahead.

Sweating despite the relative cool of the council, Drakaw glanced down the empty corridor, half expecting someone to come and call him out. It had already been three days since his meeting with Hiaashaqwi and the fools. He swallowed, cursing the day that pale little ghost had stumbled across his path. But he couldn't deny their request for help. Especially not after reuniting him with his best friend. Besides, they were right about the state of things, and something had to be done before it was too late. He just wished it didn't have to be him. He wished he wasn't up against a mage and horrifying priests. And Hiaashaqwi had a point. Perhaps, if he played his cards right, and things went well, his situation could change. Maybe, just maybe, he'd be forgiven and be able to finally quit as a guard and do what he was meant to do. Maybe.

Unless...

Unless I end up as a puddle of slime on the floor. Or burned to cinders. Or some other unpleasant death by magic if Master Owadro finds out.

Drakaw glanced at the other guard again, as if his thoughts had been too loud, and wiped sweat from his brow. Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, he tried keeping his mind away from the myriad of deaths he could imagine magic being able to induce and focused on the upcoming task. In about half an hour his stationary guarding duty ended, and his patrolling began. He'd use that to get into Master Owadro's rooms and find... something. He swallowed. He was fairly certain the Council Master would be busy and absent from his rooms. However, you could never account for exceptions. Drakaw dearly hoped there'd be no exceptions today. He let his left hand slide over his trousers, feeling the key in the concealed pocket he'd sewn two days ago for this very purpose. Reassured the key was still there, he relaxed a fraction. Even though it annoyed him he'd had to use up his favour for the key.

Fast steps approached and he snapped back to attention, focusing on a young man coming from the right. The man was just a servant, hurrying with an armload of scrolls. He didn't even look up as he passed by. Drakaw breathed a sigh of relief, but it stuck in his throat as he met the questioning gaze of his guard-partner for the day.

'Are you all right?' the man asked.

Drakaw coughed and nodded. 'Yes.' The other guard didn't look away. 'I've just had a few nights of bad sleep,' he added. That wasn't even a lie.

'Ah, I see. You seem tense.'

Drakaw forced a smile. 'Just fighting to stay awake.'

'Gods know, that's not easy at times,' he chuckled.

Relief flooded his system. The other guard had accepted his explanation. Mentally, he reprimanded himself for being such an amateur. He should know better than acting like this. But the stakes were high. And he was much better at a straight forward fight. He wasn't some lousy spy.

Later, Drakaw walked down the corridors leading to the private chambers of the council members who lived in the large complex. It wasn't exactly his patrol route, but it wasn't too far off, and if he got questioned, he could always claim he'd seen something suspicious and was simply checking it out. That's what a professional guard should do. He stepped around a corner and spotted a private guard standing by a door ahead. His shoulders tensed, but he made sure to keep walking at an even and relaxed pace.

If you look like you belong, you're less likely to be questioned.

The other guard nodded as he passed. Good. Drakaw continued down the hallways, turning this way and that, a bit unsure of the path. But eventually, he found the door to Master Owadro's rooms. Luckily, no guard had been placed outside. Hopefully, no one was inside either.