The Death of a Bachelor

Chapter Eleven

Kieran and Luke rushed down to the Emperor's vault and found two palace guards standing on either side of the door. The palace guards made their spears cross each other at once, blocking Kieran and Luke's advance. Remembering that these guards were part of the Fraternity, and that they had to stage a fight with them, they looked at each other, shrugged, and did just that.

They dodged the intentionally weak jabs from the guards, and tried to get them away from the vault. Amidst the scuffle, the door opened and the Eluder rushed out, carrying a filled sack over his back. He was dressed in a pale yellow vest over a green kurta and matching green harem pants, plus a yellow head dress.

Spotting him, Kieran raised his elbow to hit one of the guards in the face. He dodged it, but nonetheless yelped and fell to the ground, letting Kieran pursue the Eluder. He chased him in the hallway, and as he closed in, leaped forth and tackled him to the ground.

The Eluder tried to use the sack to hit Kieran, but the latter pulled it from him, using his other hand to seize the Eluder's neck and hold him still against the ground. He then flung the sack behind him, and it was caught by Luke, who had 'taken out' the other guard.

The Eluder tried to remove Kieran's hand from his throat, but it was an overpowering grip.
"D-darn y-you.....Ge...neral.." He choked out, his now red face inflated and his eyes bulging.

Kieran was unmoved.
"Shut up, Samson." He told him, "Or whatever your actual name is."
He shifted his grip to his collar and in one fell swoop, hauled him up with him to his feet.

Luke produced some rope from his belt and tossed it to Kieran, who caught it with his free hand, as The Eluder coughed and gasped for air.
Looking up and rubbing his throat, he sniggered, "So his highness is here as well," he said with a sneer, "How the heck did you find me?"

Luke smirked at his prisoner.
"All you need to know, is never to underestimate the capabilities of my Guard." He said while Kieran bound his wrists with the rope.

With the jewels returned and the seize bit of their mission finished, Kieran, Luke and Jethro returned to the Fraternity base with the Eluder, whom they'd blindfolded to prevent him from learning the base's location.

He was held captive in the dorm room, where he sat with his ankles and wrists bound, and shackled to one of the bed posts.
Enoch bent over and watched him, his head hung low. He passed a hand up and down, over his blindfolded eyes.

"What are you doing? He can't see you." Luke said.

"Just checking," Enoch replied, "And playing."

Luke rolled his eyes.

"I'm guessing you're the Prince's stupid servant," The Eluder drawled, a smirk on his lips.

Enoch narrowed his eyes and looked up at Kieran and Luke, "I think maybe we should gag him too."

"Way ahead of you," Jethro said, walking towards the prisoner whilst stretching a grey strip of cloth in his fists.

The Prince and General then started to make arrangements for their return.

"We're left with three days to have the Eluder delivered to the Count," Kieran said, "We might as well make the trip there and deliver him ourselves."

"You're right," Luke agreed, "It's better to travel through Ridian on our way back to Rievelt. You have to attend Anne's wedding in five days too."

"If we travel tomorrow, we'll be able to make it to Rievelt a day earlier."

"Alright, so we should leave in the morning, then?" Luke asked.