Knightress

Chapter 20

Tahila got up with the briefcase and sped to her workers, showing them the money. Laura got up, the guards carried her stuff and met her at the door, she took her coat and put it in, buttoning it to cover the blood and put on the glasses.

They opened door for her and she emerged onto the streets with her head low and entered through the open lemo door. This time she sat at the window and pulled down the glass to allow air as they drove back to the castle.

She stepped into her room with a heavy sigh, bear foot, holding the coat in her left and the shoes in her right. She gazed at the clock with tired eyes and turned back slouching her back, in twenty minutes she had a three hour archery session.

...

"Drop me here." Laura told the driver

He pulled one of the castle's smaller black cars into a dark alleyway, few streets from Bertims Cafe. She rolled down the window and poked her head out, noticing Tahila standing discreetly in a corner underneath a mellow street light.

She got out the car and pulled her hood over her head. She wore a black leather onesie, that did nothing against the chilly wind, black ankle boots with a brown long hooded cloak. Strapped around her waist was her katana, on each thigh was a sheath bearing a dagger and across her torso was her pouch. She walked carefully to Tahila, Tahila hastily grabbed her arm when she saw her and led her to the back of the cafe and through an iron door, into the cellar.

She saw four men in a corner, three were unconscious while the other stared at Laura with wild eyes. They were tied quite tightly with thick ropes on their hands and ankles, having a cloth wrapped around their mouth as gag. She took a step to them to free them but Tahila held her. "You can't, they're collecting them today." She said sadly

Her words made the man's eyes widen with terror as he gave Laura a pleading look. "Don't worry too much, you'll soon be rescued, all of you."

Her words didn't seem to give him any sort of comfort but she left either way, Tahila led her into the kitchen. Only a few workers were there, dressed casually.

"They never enter here, so you remain here." Tahila ordered and pointed at the square opening above the ordering counter. "You'll be able to see them through there but do not get caught."

Before Laura could reply, Tahila scurried away into the cafe. She found a corner near the stove that warmed her, the few workers present didn't look her way but continued baking goods for the unpleasant guests.

Nearly an hour passed when the main door shut, waking her from the corner she stood. She could hear the treading of light foot steps of those present in the cafe. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and reached into her pouch pulling out her recorder and camera, she came close and leaned against the wall bearing the square opening and peeked over.

The cafe was moderately full, her eyes surveyed the area with caution. She instantly recognised a few men whom she's seen around the castle a few times, the rest of the men looked like foreigners, they were scattered in booths and tables and some filled the upstairs. There was a podium in the centre of the cafe which she is sure wasn't there this morning. The small waiters ushered in with trays of pastries.

A man ascended the podium, he looked fairly familiar, she inspected the man further and her eyes widened recognising him as Sir Thomas, the King's councilor. She saw him only once, the day a meeting was held after Jade's murder attempt.