Boots of Booty | ONC 2023

Part 3

11. Stratagem

"You're ten times faster at braiding than I am," Séa said as her fingers tangled again.

"Fair enough. Give me what you're working on. I'll finish that last bit." Tash took the spray of woolen threads from the paladin and continued the braid. The raw material had come from the hem of Tash's prison robe. By braiding, they had transformed it into a few yards of slender rope. "Can you find a bit of broken cobble? The sharper the better. The bigger the better."

"Broken stone? Wull, sure. I stubbed a toe earlier and it bled." The paladin folded to hands and knees and explored among the loose straws.

"Good so far, then." Tash said, bent over her weaving.

Séa rocked back on her haunches. "Found it. The cobble split in two."

Tash's eyes flicked to the tiny window in the door. "I see more torchlight. Dinner time." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Eat up. It's best if we execute this before they pick up the trays."

Dinner was bread and water again. It disappeared down the women's gullets by the time the guard had gone.

Tash handed a cup to Séa. "It's tin, or maybe pewter. Try to rip the bottom off without mangling the sides too badly."

"Mm, hm." The paladin smacked the cup bottom with the sharp rock. The metal dented. A few hits later, it split.

"Peel it back. Yes, like that. Good, now, let me." Tash flattened the remainder with her heel, then bent the cup sides into a double-walled "C" shape. She refined it until the "C" became lopsided, more like a hook. With lightning fingers, she threaded two of the braided ropes around the handle and tied them off. At the tiny window, she stuffed the bent cup through the bars.

"Come, Séa." Tash offered the two rope-ends to the paladin. "Let's see if I can feel the bar." She flopped on her back and extruded her arm through the food slot. She managed to squeeze her elbow through and strained with her fingers along the door. "Right," she said. "Like the other doors, it's a bar. I can just touch the bottom of it with my fingernails. Lower the hook."

Séa lowered. The deformed metal met Tash's waiting fingertips. With deft nudges she guided it into position underneath the hefty wooden beam. "Slow and steady, now. Lift."

The paladin pulled on the ropes, gently at first. With more and more force, the braided wool ropes stretched. And stretched.

Suddenly, wood scraped against iron brackets. The sudden slack made Séa step back, but Tash stood ready to push.

The door swung open.

"Woo—" began Séa. But a tawny hand covered her mouth. "—oop!"

"Quiet, love." Tash said.

The paladin nodded vigorously and crossed her heart with her hand.

Tash uncapped Séa's mouth and jogged off down the row of cells. Another hefty jail-style door barred the exit. Séa pursued, bare feet flapping on the rounded stones.

The end door had no handle and no visible lock mechanism. The rogue ran her fingers around the edges and tried a push, but the door seemed solid. Tash exhaled in a huff and planted fists on her hips.

A moment later, she whirled. She pushed the hovering Séa a few paces down the hall and whispered. "We'll surprise the guard when they come. Take off your robe."

"What?" Séa blurted.

"Shh! Take it off and look sexy. Smile. Lean on the wall like a harlot. We want the guard's eyes on you."