Assassins of Heretrua

Chapter Three

     The ruins of Scaolust had rested, untouched, ever since the defeat by Heretrua. Color had started to seep back into the scenery around it, though the queen's magic hadn't been focused on healing and restoration in any way.

However, the castle itself... or what was left of it... didn't show any signs of life. And that was the way it should be.

Jay swung off his horse and found a convenient tree to tie it to before advancing upon the ruins of the once massive castle.

The king hadn't had enough time on his hands since the defeat of Scaolust to even think about the possibilities that lay within the remains. The queen, however, had taken it into consideration, and she was excited to hear what Jay found.

There was nothing particularly extraordinary about the castle. At least, nothing Jay could find with the quick sweep he was performing today. He located what had once been the library, the kitchen, the throne room, and lots of weapons.

He also found out pretty fast that not everyone had made it out before the castle had been destroyed, too.

It was what Jay found beyond the castle that interested him more. It was obvious once he found it, but something no one had taken into consideration throughout the entire war.

There was more to Scaolust than an intimidating castle. It was a city, as well.

And a thriving city, at that. It was huge and bustling with people about their business. Though it was the city of their enemies, and in the land of darkness, it looked every bit as normal as Heretrua's own cities did.

Beyond the city, water stretched out farther than the eyes could see. A salty breeze rustled through Jay's dark hair. A smile danced in his eyes and played around his mouth as the people roaming the city below him started to notice his presence.

Jay started down the hill that led to the city, picking his way through rubble until he found a path that must have been the one used to go between the city and the castle before the war destroyed Scaolust.

When Jay reached the bottom of the hill and stood on city streets, the people around him went about their business, pretending they didn't notice him and avoiding confrontation. It wasn't hard for Jay to pick up on their rushed, nervous glances and murmurs.

Luckily, there were parts to any city where information was more readily available and freely shared, and Jay knew how to find them.

He sauntered along the streets, weaving his way expertly through people. Most hadn't seen him come down from the hill, so while rumors and doubts were sure to spread to some extent, Jay wasn't at risk of being identified as any sort of suspicious character.

Jay took in his surroundings as he strolled, noting where he could find certain shops in different places of the city. He discovered the richer areas versus the poor areas, the bustling, sophisticated shops and the run-down, cheaper booths and businesses run out of homes. He made his way through the entire city until he found what he was looking for.

A vast ocean ran far out into the horizon. Docks crammed with people, sailors, and boats lined the entire shore. He'd been to seaside kingdoms before, and was familiar with trade and travel, but those kingdoms were on the other side of Heretrua's domain. No one was aware there was another such body of water so close.

Kingdoms like this always did well. It was easy to make a living for oneself. More importantly to Jay, it was easy to go unrecognized and not be suspicious.