~Muerlinian Z. Argentum~

“Oh...it’s you...”.

The girl muttered annoyance in her disoriented state.

“Well, look who’s not dead. Ain’t that a shame?”

The hint of sarcasm filling her with a familiar frustration. Which was enough to get her to lift herself from her pillow.

“Now wouldja hurry up? I’m not gonna keep it warm for you all day”, the young man retorted as he made his way back to the kitchen. 

“Some people have more important things to do around here. Move it or lose it, Malgrease”.

She watched as he disappeared from sight, her nose lightly scrunched at that obnoxiously familiar nickname.

With a sigh, she twisted herself off the side of her bed, bare feet against the cool wood floors.

Stretching her limbs with a yawn, she stood from her bed to make her way to breakfast.

Abruptly halting in her tracks.

A pause before taking a few steps back.

Her gaze meeting her own in the reflection of her mirror.

Grey crystal.

Like his...like they always had been...

...weren’t they?

“You’ve got 5 seconds before I eat the rest of this bacon!”

Her gaze abstracted by an eye roll.

“I’m freakin’ coming!”

She belted as she stomped out of her room.

“Sheesh!”

“Well, it’s about time”, the man smirked at the girl as she grabbed a plate. “You almost didn’t eat”.

“Well, by law you have to feed me or it’s considered child neglect”, she retorted.

Making her way to the hot food on the stove to fix her breakfast.

“Oh, so you’re a child now, huh?”, the man chuckled, mouth partially full of food. “Weren’t you the one bitching at me yesterday about being too old for a curfew?”

The girl’s cheeks lightly puffed as she glared at her sibling.

“You shouldn’t talk with your mouth full or you’ll choke”.

“Hm”, the young man smirked, “yeah, you’d like that wouldn’t you?”

“No”, Galahd admitted with a sigh as she sat across from her brother at the table, “there wouldn’t be any food. I’d have to start asking Libertus to cook for me”.

“Libertus is literally a chef at the bar”.

Nyx rose an eyebrow at the jab presented to his closest friend.

“Yeah, and he should be fired. That spaghetti nearly killed me”, the girl nit-picked as she aggressively stabbed her eggs onto her fork, “and you let him serve that to me. How could you? Your own flesh and blood!”

“Oooh, okay, here we go”, Nyx chuckled with a shake of his head, trying to enjoy his breakfast.

“What? You think this is funny?!”, the girl dramatically snapped. “Who lets their best friend serve their little sister rotten spaghetti?! That HAS to be illegal!”

“It wasn’t rotten”.

“Uh, YEAH-HUH IT WAS! I don’t know what rock YOU were born under, but on this planet, spaghetti isn’t supposed to be GREEN”.

“It was pesto”.

“It was DEE-SCUS-TING”.

“Maybe if you hadn’t let it get cold-“.

“Oh, gimme a break!”, the girl rolled her eyes at her brother’s rebuttal. “I’ve had cold spaghetti before and it was still passible for decent”.

“Maybe you just don’t like pesto”.

“MAYBE…he should just make better spaghetti”.

Nyx merely chuckled as he took a sip of his coffee.

“Well, you’re gonna have to tell him that yourself”.

The girl halted, her glare at her brother menacing.

“AH YOO EN-SAYN?!”, she shouted clearly offended by her brother’s suggestion, face full of pipping hot eggs and grits. “HY DO I ‘AVE TO-“, her angry retort halted as her food was sent flying down her windpipe.

Trying not to hack all her food on her plate, she hastily covered her mouth bringing her head down on the table, her body lightly shaking.

Nyx only gracing her with a casual smirk.

“Y’know”, he spoke up as he gently pushed a glass of orange juice toward his sister, “…you shouldn’t talk with your mouth full”.

A soft gulp followed by a heavy breath heard against the table.

“You could choke”.

Galahd lifted her watery glare to her brother whom was still enjoying his coffee with a smile, gesturing toward the glass of juice.

Her face flushed in embarrassment as she took hold of the beverage.

“Shut up”, the girl growled as she started to chug the juice for dear life, gulp after hefty gulp.

“Hey, hey, slow down, Malgrease, you’re gonna-“.

Her eyes darted open in a panic followed by a sharp hiccup and aggressive hacking.

“…choke”, Nyx finally finished his sentence before bursting into a fit of laughter at his sister’s whimpers as orange juice drooled from her mouth and spilled out of her nose.

“AUUUGGHHHH!!!!”, she groaned in agony holding onto her face and stomping her feet on the floor. “IT BURNS!!!” She shouted followed by a multitude of sneezes.

“What’s wrong with you?”, Nyx somehow was able to ask against his laughter.

“THERE’S PULP!!! IT’S IN MY NOSE!!!”, the girl screeched as she continued to sneeze. “IT TICKLES!!!”

Nyx nearly fell from his chair from how hard he was laughing.

“SHUT UP!!!”, the girl shouted as she hurled a syrup covered pancake at the man, hitting him in the face.

Growing more infuriated by how his laughter probed him not to care about sugary goo stuck in his stubble.

“WHY WOULD YOU GET THE KIND WITH PULP?!”, she angrily shouted, face still dripping with juice.

“Pulp is good for you”.

“I HATE PULP!!!”, the girl screamed, causing more coughs and sneezes.

Gaining some sort of composure, Nyx, finally attempting to be helpful stands to get her a glass of water.

“Alright, alright, just chill. I’ve got ya”.

“Asshole”, the girl mumbled as she attempted to blow all the pulp out of her nose.

“Here”, he genuinely replied as he held it in front of her, gesturing her to take a sip.

Only to be graced with red puffed cheeks.

“I’m not a baby. I can do it myself”.

“C’mon, you’ve already choked on two things already. Third time might actually kill you”, the man joked.

“Yeah, you’d like that wouldn’t you?”, the girl jokingly retorted.

“Nahh”, he replied with a chuckle. “I wouldn’t have anyone to cook for”.

The girl scrunched up her lips in an attempt to hide her smile.

“…Whatever”, she replied with a playful eyeroll as she sipped her water.

Her brother gently playing with her hair.

Grey eyes sincere.

Nurturing.

Growing red.

Like flames.

Cinders floating about the room.

Like fireflies.

The girl watched them pass between their gaze.

Watched as they floated about their home.

She reached.

Her fist clasped around it.

A flash. Like an explosion erupted in her head.

The sun was gone.

The sky black.

Engulfed in smoke.

She opened her fist to see nothing.

Her mind warped with confusion and fear.

“Nyx?”

She called to her brother…

…although there was no silence, he didn’t respond.

“Nyx?”

Turning around, she saw the flames.

Her home engulfed in red flames.

“Nyx?!”

The screams of people in her town.

The sounds and smells of lives being lost…destruction…fear…

Galahd burning.

Everything covered in red.

All she could see was red.

Red like the cinders that entered her grey eyes.

Tainting them with the red.

The flames and the pain that consumed her.

“NYYYYYYYYYX!!!!”

A sharp pain against her cheek startled the girl, whom was now coated in tears and sweat.

Hey...

Surrounded by a horrid heat.

Her eyes opened.

“WAKE UP, WILL’YA?!”

Still tainted in red, but a familiar voice, roaring with concern…a familiar signature of red.

One that in the midst of her sorrows, was full of light.

“…you?”

A sigh of relief.

“Well, look who’s not dead”, Muerlin briefly smiled, surrounded by raging flames. “Wouldn’t that be a shame?”

                                                            ~

“How long’re you gonna stare at nothing?”

The wizard stretched her limbs. Briefly catching a mere side eye from the girl.

She didn’t respond.

“What? You think Dion and Birdie’s ghost is gonna come eat you or something?”

“I’m sorry, is there a dualhorn nearby or is that you speaking?,” the girl retorted in irritation.

“Nahh, just me,” the wizard casually responded to the insult. “If it was a dualhorn, we’d be in for a fine feast tonight”.

The girl merely rolled her eyes.

“Y’know, it wouldn’t kill you to loosen up a little bit,” Muerlin smirked. “You are free, y’know”.

“What? And leave all the thinking to you?”, the girl scoffed. “No thanks I might as well go back”.

“Wouldn’t that make you gloriously thought out plan just a heaping pile of shit though?”, the wizard chuckled.

“Do you ever take anything seriously?!”, the girl finally turned toward the wizard and snapped.

“This is life or death, you know! We don’t have time to relax. We NEVER have time to relax! We have to remain on our toes at all times or who knows what kind of trouble you could get us into?!”

“Me? Really? Are you sure it’s not the girl screaming her head off right now about to blow our cover?”, the relaxed wizard beamed.

The girl now realizing she’s standing in the back of the truck.

The occupants of the few trucks beside them staring at her in suspicion and annoyance.

With cheeks flushed, she quickly returned to her seat crossing her arms.

“Idiot”, she growled under her breath sending the wizard into a light giggle fit.

“At any rate, it’s not like we can do much until we get to where we’re going”, Muerlin added, “which is where exactly?”

“This particular truck is sent to meet a small cargo vessel by the sea. That vessel will take us to the Kingdom of Lucis”.

“Hm, and how long will it take us to get to the vessel”.

“Some of these trucks make multiple stops despite their tight schedules. Most go back toward the villages within a few weeks time, but since this one goes further the trek will be more extensive”.

“Aaaaaand would it possibly be more effective if we hitched a ride from one of the stops?”

“Not likely because this truck goes such a distance, it makes more stops than everyone else, but this is the only truck that goes toward that vessel so our estimated time of arrival if we follow the precise schedule would be about a month”.

Muerlin blinked.

“...and we have no other option...?”

“Not if you want to be there quickly”.

“Hmm,” Muerlin scrunched up her nose.

“WELL! Not much to do now, but take a load off,” the wizard kicked her feet up and leaned back in the truck bed.

A light smile lifted upon the girl’s face as she shook her head.

Returning her milky gaze toward the dimming beam of light in the distant.

                                            _______________

The truck came to a stop at a small outpost once the sun fully laid itself to rest.

The outpost had a small cafe with a few bedrooms upstairs.

With the help of Birdie’s trusty coin pouch, so graciously swiped the night before her sudden departure, Galahd was able to secure the two of them dinner and a room with a single bed.

Once they finished their meal, the two collapsed onto their bed from utter exhaustion of the hectic past few days.

After a half an hour of resting their bones...

“Galahd...you asleep?,” Muerlin asked quietly.

“No”.

“I was hoping you could help me understand something”.

The former slave lifted her face from the plush bedding to see the wizard staring at the ceiling.

“S.R.,” the wizard started. The child narrowing her gaze. “You used it as a ploy for Dion to assume Birdie was the traitor, but...that can’t possibly be the other reason, can it?”

The girl said nothing.

“I mean...you spent all that time to conduct this plan and...well, it was an awesome plan and kind of scary honestly and then you spent so much time simply just trying to humiliate and ruin Dion rather than just kill him yourself”.

“So? What does that have to do with anything?”

“Like...you wanted to make him sweat and only kind of like...scary psycho people do that instead of just focusing on escaping. I mean, you could’ve just bolted on your own while Birdie was eating chode,” Galahd grimaced at the imagery.

“...but you went out of your way to basically ruin their reputations before they...well...got killed, which is friggin’ terrifying, but then you think of what kind of person is even capable of doing such a thing and honestly, you’d have to be the most scary, evil asshole ever to do something like that,” the girl glared at the rambling wizard.

“...and evil assholes usually like to parade around their success somehow by leaving some sort of clue, but not a stupid easy clue, one where the victim has no idea,” Galahd’s eyebrow raised at the wizard’s dramatized monologuing.

“...one where he starts scratching his head wondering, pining for the secret truth, but alas, he is but unable to crack the code to save himself from the feeble demise of himself and bird whore!!!”

“Is this going anywhere?!,” the agitated girl snapped.

Muerlin halted, turning toward her wide eyed.

“What was I talking about...?”

The girl blinked.

“OH, YEAH! S.R.”

The girl stared blankly.

“As clever as it was for fooling Mr. Sequins, as far as he knew the only people that had any idea about his plan to take me for himself were him and Big Bird. Besides, you said she seemed really bothered by him suddenly changing the plan at the last minute, right?”

“Yeah,” the girl replied, “it was the perfect reason for her to betray him”.

“So, given the circumstances, he would’ve suspected her anyway”, Muerlin rose her eyebrow toward the girl whom was giving a suspicious glare.

“So?”

“So going the extra mile that you did to justify his suspicions wasn’t really necessary unless you had an ulterior motive”.

The girl could see the wizard had practically caught on. Sitting up on the bed criss crossed with her hands in her lap.

“Like what?”

“You wanted him to know who did it”, the wizard smirked playfully as she sat up in the same position, leaning toward the girl.

“You’re S.R., aren’t you?”

Galahd’s eyes narrowed further.

Muerlin rose her eyebrow curiously.

“That’s the stupidest pile of crap I’ve ever heard”.

“HA! I knew it!”, Muerlin threw her arms in the air to stretch before plopping on the pillows with her hands behind her head. Her legs crossed.

“Shut up! You don’t know anything,” the girl griped.

“Whatever you say,” Muerlin grinned. “So, I assume it’s your real name? Which Dion must’ve not known, huh? Which is why he called you Galahd. Since you’re from there, I’d assume that’s where you’re trying to go”.

Unbeknownst to Muerlin, the girl began to shake.

“I take it you’ve got some family you’ve been dying to see after all this time,” the wizard continued.

Galahd’s breath hinged and her glare toward the silver haired maiden could chill the spirit of any daemon.

Muerlin leaned up from her position, a sentimental smile on her face as she reminisced on her time in Tenebrae, the only family she had ever known and had to abandon.

“I’m...sure they’d give anything to see you and they’d be over the moon once they do”.

“WHO EVEN ASKED YOU, ANYWAY?!”

Muerlin turned toward the girl, startled.

“Trying to talk to me like you know everything, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, HUH?!”

She stood on the bed, her body shaking violently.

Muerlin could see the redness appearing in her eyes.

“IN CASE YOU FORGOT, WE’RE NOT FRIENDS!! AND IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T NOTICED, YOU AREN’T RAMUH!! YOU’RE JUST THE INCARNATION OF HIS BRAINDEAD HORNY DAUGHTER THAT ACTUALLY IS THE REASON WHY HER ENTIRE FAMILY AND KINGDOM WENT TO SHIT!!! YOU’RE ONLY EVEN HERE BECAUSE YOU’RE TOO STUPID TO KNOW HOW TO HANDLE YOURSELF IN A FUCKED UP SITUATION!!! WALKING AROUND LIKE EVERYTHING IS JUST PEACHY ALL THE TIME WHEN IT ISN’T!!! YOU DON’T KNOW THE HALF OF IT!!! YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING!!!”

Hoping off the bed, Galahd stormed toward the door to their room.

“And you never fucking will,” she angrily shouted as she slammed the door behind her, leaving Muerlin in the dark.

With a light sigh, Muerlin could only focus on the tears that fell from her eyes as she ranted.

Galahd didn’t even notice until she made her way outside the cafe. Completely ignoring the driver of the their truck as she rushed out.

She cursed herself lightly at the idea that Muerlin could have seen.

The wizard figured it would be best not to follow her. It’s not like she was particularly in the best position to run away so there was no need to worry about that.

But sleep was probably not going to happen for either of them tonight and accepting that, Muerlin resigned herself to head back down to the café.

Maybe she’d feel better over a some hot chocolate.

The driver, sitting at the bar, nodded with a kind smile at the girl whom returned with a smile and a light wave.

Once she received her order, Muerlin sat down by the window to watch the stars as she indulged in her soothing beverage.

With a light sigh, she turned her attention to her cup. The moonlight shining over the chocolatey liquid.

“Well, slow start, but...progress is progress”, she reassured herself.

Galahd sitting in a nearby tree gazing at the sky above where she recharge herself.

“Don’t worry...it won’t be much longer now...I promise...I’ll make him pay”.

Eventually the milky eyed girl made her way back to their room, so exhausted she once again ignored the man at the bar, to see Muerlin asleep in the arm chair near the bed.

With a light sigh and a whispered “idiot”, the girl gently placed a spare blanket over the exhausted mystic before getting into bed.

Instantly drifting off to her first good night’s sleep in 2 years.

                                            ______________

“Wait...did you just say the Pythoness?!”

A loud voice gasped in disbelief over a phone.

“Yeah, just hopped on the back of my truck outta nowhere”.

“Holy...this is unreal”.

“Yeah, she’s got some squirt with her with some weird lookin’ eyes. Paid me 300gil to get them outta town”.

“That must be S.R.! The imperials have been mentioning someone with the Pythoness with strange eyes. Apparently she’s murdered two people. I heard the imperials are saying shot a man in the head and fed a woman to a pack of albinogins”.

“You gotta be shittin’ me. And I’ve been carryin’ that nutcase around in my truck?!”

“Yeah, we better report it before something bad happens”.

“Aw, man...I don’t know they look like nice girls”.

“Heh! You call two murderers ‘nice girls’? Seriously?! I’m reporting it now before they kill somebody else”.

“Alright, alright...sheesh”.

“Trust me, by tomorrow, we won’t have to worry about a thing”.

“I hope you’re right...”.

The driver sighed before he returned the cafe phone to its holster, rubbing the back of his neck in uncertainty and shame.

“Hey, mate”, the cafe owner addressed him. “Everythin’ alright?”

“...dunno, friend”, the driver responded, “...but Gods I hope so”.

                                             _____________

This must’ve been a bluff, but…the determination in her face was impressive to say the least.

Monumental.

For a 12 year old former slave.

In a vicious battle with her curiosity, Muerlin desperately wanted to see what more this girl had to offer.

“Well, demigod? You wanna go?”

But now…

“As a matter of fact…,” the wizard began to reply, the girl’s fist shaking.

...was not the time.

“I would very much like to,” Muerlin chuckled as she pulled her hand away from Galahd’s face, the lightning ceased. “Come on”.

In a split second, the wizard had pulled away toward the exit of the cavern.

The milky eyed girl blinked in confusion. 

“…what?”

The heat wave subsiding as she turned to see if this was some sort of joke.

“H-Hey! Where do you think you’re going?! I’m not done with you yet!!” the girl shouted in frustration. “Besides, don’t you know it’s rude to just turn your back on people in the middle of a conversation?!”

“And I’m sure you have a lot to teach me about manners,” the wizard joked with an eyeroll, “but your 10 minutes of talking is up and we officially up which leaves us 10 minutes to get out of here”.

“Wha…but…what?!,” the girl stammered.

“You’re the only one that knows the way out, right?”

“THAT’S NOT THE POINT!!! WHAT KIND OF IDIOT DO YOU THINK I AM?!,” the girl shrieked in irritation at the jokester wizard. “AFTER ALL THIS, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I’D TRUST YOU?!”

“Because I’m not done with you yet either,” the wizard grinned proudly.

The girl’s jaw all, but hit the floor.

“Now, let’s get out of here, yeah?,” Muerlin suggested before taking off out of the cavern.

“WAIT!!,” the girl shouted after the wizard as she dashed after her. “WAIT, STUPID! THAT’S THE WRONG WAY!”

                                               ________________

15 minutes later.

“Sir, there’s no sign of the Pythoness here!” an imperial scout reported to his commander of the radio.

“Keep looking!,” Ulldor scolded the man, “or it’ll be you I deliver to the Chancellor personally”.

Looking about the village below, Ulldor grimaced at the sight surrounding him.

“All these unholy degenerate rodents…,” he commented at the women of the village, “like filthy lambs fresh for the slaughter. That is, if we find your little S.R. with the Chancellor’s pet…Mr. Mammon”, the commander snickered to the dashingly dressed man beside him.

“Now, don’t give up hope there, Commander,” Dion’s charismatic charm seeping from his throat like the mountains of sweat from his pores. “Galahd is, but an incompetent brat I picked up from near Insomnia”.

“Hmm,” the commander glared toward the man, “she’s not one of your…play things?”

A light snort lifted from the man’s throat, “heavens, no. She was only 12. Besides, what kind of business man would I be to let my blind maid in on the…festivities?”

“So”, a familiar voice slithered through the man’s ear, “my Muerlin was stolen from me by a blind 12 year old maid”.

Dion and Ulldor turned around to see Ardyn perched on a boulder behind them. That sinister smirk on his stubbled face.

“And somehow this maid was able to trick you into eliminating your favorite lap dog giving her ample time to escape with the Pythoness,” the man commented as he approached the two.

Dion’s breath hinged in light fear.

“And now she brings her here…of all places? The same village where you retrieved your bird”.

“Hmm, it seems this girl is more interested in humiliating you, Mr. Mammon,” Ulldor chimed in with a chuckle.

“Still, not a trace of them,” Ardyn continued to pry. “Tell me…what other significance does this village have?”

“Why, this village is our direct line of supply from the outer regions. Food, first aid, all the essentials come through the back ways here”, Dion explained. “A single road, once a week, 11am sharp, trucks are sent from the village to meet the suppliers across the continent and beyond”.

“I sense these trucks are armed?,” Ulldor asked suspiciously.

“Heavens, no! That is what them Imperial boys are for,” Dion confirmed. “They thoroughly check the trucks before departure. They begin search at 10:30. That’s why they leave at 11”.

“Commander Ulldor,” Ardyn called toward his underling. 

“Do you have the time?”

“15 til noon, sir”.

“Do the trucks ever leave later than scheduled?,” the Chancellor asked curiously.

“Never under any circumstance. Late for a deal and we lose our supply for that week and the Imperial watchdogs make escape…well…a very deadly pipe dream at best”.

“That is,” Ardyn smirked to himself, “unless you remove the dogs”.

“I beg ya pardon?”

“Every Imperial guard is more or less occupied searching for your S.R. and the Pythoness…what’s one measly security check?,” the chancellor deduced. “And I’m sure she’s the one that alerted them of Muerlin’s presence”.

Dion’s eyes widened in agitation. “What exactly are you implying?”

“Quite an impressive escape plan for such an ‘incompetent brat’ wouldn’t you say, Mr. Mammon?”

Dion froze. He glanced toward the commander beside him. Both men sharing a look of utter disapproval as well as sharing the same sinister aura.

“Now, now, hold on there! We may still have time to catch them! Leaving without inspection is a punishable offense!”

“But under no circumstances are they to miss their mark time,” Ardyn interrupted the man, “your words, Mr. Mammon”.

Dion’s knees grew weak. Sweat pored from his fresh like waterfalls. This couldn’t be happening…his prize…his precious bird…his fortune…dashed by a child.

A child.

“Oh…Chancellor Izunia, sir…,” the frightened playboy stammered, “I assure you…I will do everything in my very being to turn this whole mishap around. I swear it on my very soul”.

“Oh, my good man,” the maroon haired man removed his hat, “there is no need for that now”.

Dion backed against the rocky slopes of the mountain side. Shaking furiously in his golden stitched boots.

“I personally believe after this, you deserve a lengthy vacation”.

The man trembled against the rocks. His lungs collapsing over his uncontrolled breathing. 

“One where you finally have a chance…to rest”.

“P-Please…let’s be reasonable about this…li-like gentlemen…we can work something out. Let me talk to the Emperor…I can get him to-”.

“This has nothing to do with the Emperor”.

Ardyn’s eyes shimmered gold, resembling a viper. His tone like a vicious hiss.

“This is…my prize”.

The man’s vein grew cold at the Chancellor’s gaze.

“And now…”, his tone returning to normal as he returned his hat to its rightful spot, “…you may join yours”.

The Chancellor waved toward Ulldor as he retreated back toward the village.

The Commander nodding in understanding.

“Wait…”.

Ulldor returning his gaze toward the cowardly man.

“We can work this out, y’hear?! YOU CAN’T DO THIS TO ME!!!”

The click of Ulldor’s pistol as the safety was removed echoed throughout the valleys.

“IZUNIAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!”

                                                 ______________

The girl’s body jolted her from her slumber at the distant sound of a gunshot.

Turning her gaze toward the mountain range in the distance, as the truck rattled forward, she felt a sudden warmth engulf her body.

“You okay?”

The girl turned her view to the teal eyed maiden sitting across from her in the bed of the truck. 

A gentle bronze hand placed upon her shoulder.

“Actually…,” the girl began to answer as she looked back toward the mountains.

“…yeah”.

                                                  ______________

“What else could you possibly want to know? I figured I spelled it out pretty well for you, or is the Pythoness lacking in intelligence as much as she lacks self control?”

“Oh, sure, laugh it up,” the wizard chuckled as she slowly approached the girl. “I’m sure the imperials would love to hear about your little escape stunt. What do you think they’d do to you then?”

“Nothing,” the girl confidently replied, “because, if you were paying attention you’d know, I haven’t done anything”.

Her smile was sinisterly cocky.

“The bird bitch did”.

Muerlin’s eyes narrowed. Galahd didn’t waver.

“And I don’t think the oh, so gracious Chancellor would show much mercy to the man that allow his magical sex toy escape,” she continued with a smirk.

“I mean, with Dion planning to betray him anyway, it would’ve caused a skirmish IN the Empire itself, but his favorite poodle selling him out for the payoff? PFF!,” the sly pre-teen chuckled. “It’s like everyone’s favorite x-rated crime story come true. Of course, for that to be the case, she had to do something stupid to give herself away. Like accidentally exposing her identity.”

“And S.R.? That was just Birdie’s accidental mistake to give away her identity with the politically correct name of Dion’s favorite flower?”

The girl smirked at how quickly the wizard called bullshit.

“Aww, did the demi-wizard grow a brain cell or two?”The corner of Muerlin’s mouth merely raised into a light smirk at the girl’s attitude.

“What’s going to happen to Birdie?”

“Tch! Fuck if I know,” the girl snorted. “Unless Dion kills the plastic pin-up bitch, hell if I care. She’s better off fed to the albinogins,” she returned to looking at her nails.

“Although, knowing Dion, he’d probably rough her up a little first,” her voice shallow and uncaring. “He’s a pretty twisted fuck like that, but by now, she’s probably long dead”.

Muerlin’s voice lowered in light shock.

“So, you’re guess is that your whole elaborate scheme killed Birdie?”

“No”, the girl replied with light sass, “my guess is that DION killed the bird...and it was HER failure to keep that sewage rotten smell of her worn out chewed up pussy,” the girl approached the wizard, savagely recalling the horror of her past with the two,” out of my face...every time...one of her glittertit cock guzzling cumdumpsters had their polyester panties torn off by some horny imperial scum. Like that wasn’t what they were getting paid to do in the first place”.

Her milky eyes resembled a grey flame. Her aggression higher than it had ever been. Like a lone wolf clouded by hunger and rage.

“So, to hell with all of them...they can all rot together,” her voice softened. “But me?,” she began to pull away. “I’m done here”.

As the girl grabbed her back, she hastily began to storm out of the cavern. Muerlin’s gaze fixed on the ground.

“Or!,” the sparks and pulsating grew louder. “What’s stopping me from just taking care of you right here?”

The girl turned back toward the wizard to see a unsettling grin on her face as she inched closer to her. Her hands completely swarmed in lightning. Like it could actually blow a crater through the girl’s chest.

Muerlin didn’t know what to expect as a reaction from this. Fear, anxiousness, panic, but she hid her surprise to the small chuckle that floated from the girl’s throat.

“Well, that would be downright stupid for you to try”.

Her laughter rose the corners of her mouth into a smile as she shook her head.

“I mean, where do you think we are? Or has it not settled in yet?”

Muerlin just stood in silence, curious, as her hand remained steady and ready to strike.

“I mean, did you even wonder how it was so easy for me to have Imperials after you? Or why most of the women here look like absolute dolls? Or even why this place was so easy to get to from the mansion?”

She inched closer to the wizard as she taunted.

“Well, ask yourself this, oh great sparkly one, where do you think Dion got all of his girls?”

Muerlin continuing to stare her down.

“There are 10 villages like this surrounding the manor. Each one a breeding ground for a girls and each one profits off a particular type of girl for His Horribleness. I mean, why did you think they all looked so poor? Just because humans can fuck like rabbits doesn’t mean they can conceive like one. These people are only able to dish out no more than 5 girls a year and as far as trafficking goes, the pay is pretty shit”.

Muerlin’s expression unchanged.

“Imperials are stationed here to keep an eye on the merchandise and there are more stationed in this one than any of the others. Know why?”, the girl’s cocky smile getting on Muerlin’s nerves.

“Because this one just so happens to be where Dion got his precious bird”.

Muerlin’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“This place has security out the ass and I’m the only one of us that knows the way out. Plus, I’m sure you don’t need another murder on your godly hands,” she smiled mockingly.

“You’d see a dead enemy, but what would the world see? The monster that everyone already thinks you are has just kidnapped and taken the life of an innocent girl...in cold blood”.

“Cute,” the wizard retorted in a near growl, “and if I said fuck it and try anyway?”, her hand hovering aside the girl’s face.

Her expressing hardened.

“You’d fail,” the girl responded, her tone solid. 

“You think just because you’d get a pleasant tickle from sticking your finger in an electric socket that you’re special? Everyone else may think so, but mark my words, I see through you. Clearly”.

“You’ve been running from and evading the Imperials left and right for days, I trickled you AND had you following me in a place where I have absolute control over your freedom in a number of hours. You don’t know me. Or what I am. What I could do. You’re at my mercy now...wizard”.

Muerlin winced at the sweat forming on her brow. Confusing her for she felt no fear, but an overly excessive heat.

“And, if anything, you will know; I will not die here”.

Muerlin noticed Galahd’s fist clench.

“I’m sorry...,” the wizard rose her gaze back to the girls milky stare.

“I thought you were threatening me”.

                                            ________________

The old woman shrieked at the sudden slam against her counter, dropping her book to see a panting and sweaty wizard in front of her.

“Oh, Muerlin, is just you,” the woman collected yourself. “You nearly give me heart attack, girl!”

“Sorry, Ms. Lee,” Muerlin wiped the sweat from her brow, “but it’s urgent”.

“You covered in sweat,” the woman commented in worry, “and smell like toilet. You run cross kingdom?”

“Not really,” Muerlin replied.

“Oh?”

“Just across town”.

“WHAT?!”

“I had to grab these before Prompto could get home”, Muerlin pulled a large bark up to the counter and poured its contents out before the woman. 

Her eyes widening at them before she rose a curious eyebrow at the girl.

“What for?”

“You think Muerlin’s gonna be alright?,” Evita asked the glaive as they strolled down the Insomnia streets. “She’s not exactly a master with confrontation”.

“She’ll be fine,” Six insisted. “This isn’t the first fight those two have ever been in and it certainly won’t be the last”.

“Yeah,” the assassin looked toward the sky, the sun beginning to set.

“I’m wondering what she’s going to do to fix this shitstorm,” Six lifted a pondering finger to her chin.

“Beats me, but y’know Muerlin. It’s bound to be something crazy”.

“You sure you want to sell?,” Ms. Lee asked the young wizard. “These one of a kind item. You were so excited when you got them”.

“I know, but I have to,” Muerlin lightly sighed with a small smile. “I gotta make it up to Prompto”.

With a sigh, the old woman complied.

“Alright. These three worth 1,150 each and this one 1,550 because it’s more rare so you get 5,000gil”.

Muerlin’s face lit up like a firework as she hopped triumphantly.

“YES! That’s exactly what I need!”

“THIS BOY BETTER MARRY YOU, GIRL!!!,” Ms. Lee loudly called toward Muerlin as she hurriedly raced out the door.

“THANK YOU, MS. LEE!!! SEE YA LATER!!!,” Muerlin giggled with a wave as she dashed down the street.

Unbeknownst to her just ahead of where Six and Vee were walking. Both left wide eyed at their friend’s speed before glancing toward the manga shop across the street and then each other, silently agreeing they should check it out.

“Welcome!,” Ms. Lee shouted as she heard the shop’s door chime.

“Hi, Ms. Lee,” the two greeted the old woman in unison.

“Oh, girls, you just miss Muerlin”.

“Yeah, we saw her practicing for the hundred meter dash up the road,” Evita sarcastically joked.

“Oh, that girl,” Ms. Lee shook her head in disapproval, “she give me heart attack one day! You let her be bad for my health!”, the woman shook her cane at them.

“We’re sorry, Ms. Lee,” Six chuckled. “We’ll put her back in the kennel”.

“Hmph,” the old woman shook her head at the glaive’s joke.

“By the way, what was she so rallied up about anyway?,” Vee asked looking around the shop.

“I don’t know, but whatever it may be, it was enough to make her sell me these,” the old woman replied as she showed the girls the bag that Muerlin brought.

Not a word in any dictionary could be enough to describe the utter shock that fell onto their faces.

“What in the actual hell?!,” Six gasped.

“I told you she was going crazy”, Evita added.

That evening...

After hours of running up and down the city, Muerlin finally made it home.

Busting in the apartment, the door harshly slammed against the wall.

“Prompto!!”, Muerlin called out in a pant, hoping to the Gods that he hadn’t left for Noct’s yet.

“Prom, sweetie, please tell me you’re still home!!”

Muerlin frantically looked around the living room and the kitchen.

“What the what??”

Muerlin turned toward the bedroom to see her beloved chocobo standing in the doorway, light worry in his face.

“Muerlin?”

“Oh, thank Ramuh you’re still home!”, the woman hurried up to him.

“Y-yeah, but...,” Prompto stammered as he felt against the reddened portions of Muerlin’s face, “babe, are you okay? You’re burning up!” 

“Please don’t go tonight! I don’t know what I’d do if you left!”

“I won’t...wasn’t, but what’s going on? Why is your face on fire? And...what’s that?,” Prompto pointed to a large box in the woman’s hands.

“I-It’s for you,” Muerlin stammered before pushing it toward him.

“Muerlin, I actually just wanted to talk to you-“.

“Please open it!!”, the wizard frantically interrupted the man silencing him and after a brief pause, he finally complied to opening the package.

His jaw nearly hitting the floor once he saw the camera he had been saving up for now suddenly in his hands.

Along with the 1,400gil lens and the latest pocket digital camera, a much more advanced model than his red one.

“I’m sorry for everything!!”

Prompto’s shaken ocean eyes returned to his beloved.

“I’m sorry for being such a klutz with all of your cameras and I’m sorry for what I did to you lens, and for spending all of our gil on sushi. I was going to replace it, I swear it! I know how much that camera meant to you”. 

Prompto’s ocean eyes twinkled as he watched tears begin to stream down his love’s face.

“H...how did you even get these? That’s at least 4,000gil”.

“5,000...”.

“Excuse me?!”, Prompto shrieked. “Where in the world did you come up with 5,000gil so quickly?!”

Muerlin didn’t answer as eyes peered slightly toward the bookshelf.

Prompto turned toward the bookshelf and gasped when he noticed.

“Please tell me I’m hallucinating. You sold your SIGNED Aggretsuko Pops for this?! Are you crazy?! You waited 8 months for that anime convention and 3 hours in that line to get her to sign them!! Those were your favorite things in the entire world...”.

“I had to make this up to you and this was the only way to do it. I’m a massive idiot and I don’t deserve you”.

“Woah, Muerlin, hey...”.

“...but see? I’d give anything to have you at my side forever because I love you so much, more than anything in all of Eos, in the entire universe!!”

All the blonde plebe could do was stand there in awe of his girlfriend’s spill.

“So, please...please please please forgive me!!”, the girl’s bitter tears pouring like waterfalls down her face. “I can’t lose you!!”

“And you won’t,” Prompto finally cut in, taking the crying girl in his arms, silencing her panic at last.

“Alright, now it’s my turn,” he started with a smile. “I’m sorry”.

Muerlin’s eyes widened in confusion and shock. “For...what?”

“I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that,” he shamefully admitted. “Just like with the lens and the other camera, I know you never meant any harm by any of it and then the fact that you sold them...because of this...”.

Prompto pulled Muerlin into the warmest embrace.

“I’m so sorry...I’m the one that doesn’t deserve you”, he ran his fingers through her silver locks.

Pulling herself away slightly so she can return his gaze, Muerlin blinked her tears away.

“So...you’re really not mad...?”

“Of course, I’m not mad,” Prompto giggled to himself as he caresses her damp cheek drying her tears.

“I love you more than I could love anything in this world, let alone any ol’ camera,” he gleefully admitted finally putting a smile on those soft lips.

“Besides, how could I stay mad at someone so cute?,” the man lovingly rubbed his nose against Muerlin’s, a giggle lifting from her throat and she leapt to hug the man.

Planting a sweet kiss upon his pink lips.

“Hm, go figure,” Evita mumbled to herself as she watched on the edge of their balcony.

“What’s going on?,” Six strenuously called out to the redhead standing hoisted up on her shoulders.

“Oh, just some sappy puppy love, the usual,” Evita smiled as she watched.

“Great,” Six wiggled, her arms starting to give out. “Are we done here?”

“They really do kiss like little puppies,” Evita watched wistfully as Six groaned in frustration over the weight of her friend.

“Oh, okay, there’s a little tongue in there. Okay, gettin’ saucy with it,” the assassin smirked clearly enjoying it.

“Okay, I’m putting you down now,” Six grunted toward her peeping friend.

“OH! And straight off to the races we go!,” Evita squirmed at the sudden escalation she just witness.

Ultimately loosing her footing on Six’s shoulders, a shriek echoed throughout the neighborhood as Evita plummeted to the ground below.

The ladies eyes becoming saucers at once another in the brief silence.

After the sound of the lock of the balcony sliding door unhooking, all Evita heard was a subtle...

“Run”.

...before a typhoon type wind slapped her in the face and turning around to see Six nearly halfway to the end of the street.

Wasting no time, Evita leapt to her feet cursing her friend to the heavens as she chased after.

Muerlin giggling to herself as she watched.

“What’s up, babe? You see something?,” A mostly naked Prompto asked as he kissed the back of his love’s neck.

“Nope,” Muerlin smirked to herself before lowering the blinds. “Nothing at all”.

                                                   ________________

“How bad do you think it is this time?,” Evita asked swirling her straw around in her cold brew.

“Who knows?,” Six replied with a smirk. “It can’t be worse than that time she dropped that red digital camera in Scoobs’ water dish”.

“Or that time she accidentally shot that 1,400gil lens with 3,000 volts of electricity,” Evita added in taking a sip of her drink.

Six winced. “It actually costed that much? I thought he was just exaggerating when Gladdy told me”.

“Yep,” the assassin confirmed. “Had been saving up for weeks. Iggy was impressed.”

“Doesn’t look like he’s going easy on her this time though”.

“It’s not like him to really get this mad about it though. It’s not like either of them are particular good with money anyway”.

“True, but...Prompto usually only squanders money on her,” Six glanced at the redhead whom returned her look with an agreeing nod.

“Oh, she’s coming back,” Evita hastily warned the glaive. “Act natural,” she instructed as they quickly shifted their seating and pretended to be occupied by anything else.

A heavy sickly sounding groan and the thud of Muerlin’s forehead on the table caught the attention of many of the cafe’s patrons.

“Heyyyy, Babeh Muermaid,” Six lightly rubbed the wizard’s back, “what’s the matter?”

“Everything...”.

“That’s pretty vague,” Evita sighed.

“How was I supposed to know that all that sushi would cost so much, anyway?”

“When they gave you the total?,” Evita mumbled trying not to sound sarcastic receiving a light glare from Six.

“What?”, Evita whispered toward Six.

“Vee’s right,” Muerlin mumbled against the mahogany. “I’m an idiot”.

“Now, that’s not what she meant”.

“I’m the worst thing to happen to the world since that time that Gladio tricked Prompto into googling bukkake”, she whined loudly, Evita choking on her drink as multiple heads turning toward their table.

“Oh, come on, babe,” Six tried to reassure the girl, “NOTHING is THAT bad”.

“It went up my nose!” Evita muffled in between coughs.

“Well, apparently this is,” Muerlin finally lifted herself up, placing her chin on her palms. “Judging by that huge spat he just me, I’ve really mucked up this time. He’s gonna dump me for sure”.

“Hey, hey now,” Six tried comforting the teary eyed mystic, “you know there’s no way that Prompto would dump you over something so silly”.

“Besides,” Vee finally joined in after brief cold brew asphyxiation, “you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him. You’re like...two chocobos of the same egg or...whatever”.

“That would make us siblings,” Muerlin mumbled.

“You know what I mean,” Vee retorted. “Look, it’s gonna be fine. Just wait until he calms down and you can talk to him tonight”.

“He’s staying with Noct tonight...”.

The assassin and glaive looked at one another, sadness in their eyes.

“Look, sweetie, if you’re really worried about that much, why not do something nice to make up for it?”, Six suggested with a kind smile. “You know how much of a sap he is. He’ll be ready to kiss and make up in no time”.

“...but...how am I supposed to do that?,” Muerlin finally met her friend’s eyes.

“You’re creative, you’ll think of something”.

“And besides, if he’s still mad after that, we can always beat some sense into him for you,” Vee smiled at the wizard while playfully ruffling her hair forcing a giggle from the girl’s throat.

“Alright...,” Muerlin nodded to herself. As she glanced across the street to a manga shop.

That adorable raging red panda plastered all over the front window.

“I think I actually have an idea”.

                                                  _____________

Muerlin struggled to fish her cellular from her pocket to answer.

“Hey, Momma Six, what’s up?,” her voice sounding strenuous.

“Where in the hell are you? What, are they out of eel or something?”

“Oh, no, they know NEVER to run out of eel as long as I’m alive,” the wizard joked with a smirk.

“Then what’s the hold up?,” the glaive forwarded her brow putting the phone on speaker.

“It’s a…surprise”.

The sound of Muerlin heaving confusing the two.

“Muerlin, what did you do?,” the glaive asked as Evita rose to her seat, making her way to Six and her phone, clearly agitated.

“I told you, it’s a surprise!”

Six stared nervously at the fiery redhead. “W…well, if you say s-”.

“LISTEN HERE, TWINKLE FINGER DUMBERDORE”, the assassin spouted at the phone, static in raging through Muerlin’s ear.

“I LITERALLY STARVED MYSELF TODAY FOR THIS SUSHI AND USED EVERY OUNCE OF WILLPOWER I HAD NOT TO EAT ANY OF THE BARRAMUNDI IGGY COOKED TODAY AND YOU’RE THE ONE THAT TOLD ME TO DO IT SO EITHER YOU GET HERE IN THE NEXT 15 SECONDS OR SO HELP ME, RAMUH, I WILL-”.

“PRESENT!!!”

The assassin and glaive screamed as the front door was fiercely kicked in to reveal a heavily panting Muerlin, carrying a plethora of boxes on her shoulders.

“Muerlin!,” Six shouted aided eyed at the wizard. “What is all this?”

“SURPRIIIIIISE!!!,” Muerlin sang as she put all of the boxes on the table. 

“Are these…,” Evita started as she opened some of the boxes, “sushi cakes?”

“Yep!!,” Muerlin beamed.

“How many of these did-,” Six chuckled to the silver haired minx.

“BARRAMUNDI!!!,” Evita gasped before grabbing the three cake boxes and dashing to the couch.

“….you buy?,” Six finished her question.

“Nine,” Muerlin said proudly, “three for each of us”.

“And how much did this all cost you?,” Six smirked as she looked through the boxes.

“Oh, not much,” Muerlin replied cheerfully. “Just do me a favor and try to keep this on the hush? Sweet Prom would be just devastated if he somehow wouldn’t be able to get his new camera for a couple of weeks?,” the wizard lightly bit her lip.

“NO PROBLEM, BABE!,” Evita shouted from the front of the living room, face stuffed with sushi.

“You’re the best, Vee,” Muerlin smiled with a pouty puppy face at Six.

Six winced. This face made her sick to her stomach. With the light twinkling of big teal eyes, those chubby puffy freckled cheeks. It was sickeningly sweet like cotton candy.

“Alright, alright,” she finally caved grabbing her boxes, heading to the couch. Much to Muerlin’s gleeful triumph. “Come on, Vee already the show paused”.

“What’re we watching?,” Muerlin asked as she grabbed her boxes and shuffled to her designated spot on a pile of pillows.

“Aggretsuko,” Vee replied.

“Hell, yeah!,” Muerlin threw her fists in the air in excitement. “It’s time to RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE!!!!!”

Leaving the other two giggling and Vee nearly choking on her food before pressing play.

                                                 _________________

She sat still.

Appearing lifeless in her sitting position, Galahd’s mind was steady.

Her breath light.She couldn’t miss her marker. Any moment now.

Time blended together.

The roaring overtook her entire psyche. Growing louder and louder every moment. Her heartbeat becoming faint against it.

Her feet planted firmly on the ground waiting to pounce.

This was life or death.

No second chances.

And she was not going to die here.

5am.

Galahd’s eyes popped open as the roaring within the walls ceased. Like a spring, she leapt from her seat dashing from the second pantry, satchel in hand.

Birdie was definitely exhausted for she heard nothing, but silence from her room. The fireplace to Dion’s office just barely illuminating the floor against the sunrise through the windows of the foyer.

It was only slight, but Galahd could see the sun raring to peak its head over the horizon as she raised up the stairs to the second floor.

By now the empire has found the envelope and will be contacting Dion fairly soon. If it involved the Stormsender’s precious daughter, the Chancellor would definitely get involved. They didn’t need to be here for whatever Dion did to his Strelitzia Reginae, let alone what that insane Chancellor would do to Dion for losing his trophy.

This was a short window, but the sooner she got to the Pythoness, the sooner she’d be out of here. Finally.

First thing’s first: angel face.

                                             __________________

She was right though, Muerlin was definitely on defense.

As soon as the wizard heard the door swing open, she wasted no time slamming the girl against the wall by her throat. It took everything in the girl’s power to keep quiet as the air in her lungs was abruptly forced out. 

“G-Galahd?”

Muerlin pulled back from the coughing servant. “I’m sorry, I thought you were-”.

“No time!”, the girl suddenly cut off the wizard’s apology. “We’ve gotta hurry and get you out of here!”

Muerlin raised a confused eyebrow. “Whatddya mean? What’s wrong?”

“Dion”, the girl panted in between her words, appearing to be in panic. “He…he’s told the Chancellor that you’re here”.

Muerlin’s heart sank to her feet. “Dammit all…”.

“They’re coming for you now. They’ll arrive at the manor any moment”, she continued. “You have to get out of here. NOW!”

“Right”, Muerlin nodded as she pushed open the large window aside the bed, “come on”, she gestured to the servant to follow.

“W-What?”, the backed up slightly toward the door, “b…but…I can’t or-”.

“You’ll get pistol whipped again?”, the wizard interrupted.

The girl just stared at the wizard, fear and uncertainty in her milky eyes.

“Not on my watch”, Muerlin declared with an outstretched hand, “now come on”.

The girl hesitated slightly as she took the wizard’s hand before Muerlin sent them soaring through the window onto the manor grounds below.

Upon landing, Galahd peered toward the rear of the manor. “That way”, the girl pointed toward a village against the horizon by a mountain range, “we’ll be safe there for a while”, she insisted.

“Gotcha”, Muerlin heaved the girl onto her back. “Hang on tight”, the wizard instructed with a wink before dashing toward the horizon at top speed. Leaving Dion’s manor to fade in the dust.

                                                 _______________

6:30am.

Roaming about the village, Muerlin examined the occupants with a confused eyebrow.

Most of them seemed to be female and they were all most or less dressed like Galahd was when they met. Just…older and…extra voluptuous. Peering toward Galahd, she didn’t seem to acknowledge anyone.

Her expression was stoic, much unlike how she was in the manor.

Much less timid and…seemingly fragile.

She looked like she could stomp out everyone here.

“Galahd”, Muerlin continued to suspiciously stare at the girl, “where are we going?”

“I know a safe spot for us to lay low”, she firmly replied.

“Really now? And you know this how?”

“Just trust me”.

Muerlin retuned to viewing the residents. They were all staring. Actually, more like glaring.

“They don’t seem really happy to see us”, Muerlin lightly whispered.

“Don’t worry about it”, Galahd replied, expression unchanged. “Just follow me”.

“Hm”. Muerlin just stared at her as she continued to followed. Her suspicions still high, but she wasn’t going to learn anything without a little digging and that could possibly require a little cooperation.

After a while of walking, they came across a small tavern.

“We’ll stop here for the time being”, Galahd instructed as she walked in.

“No sense in objecting, I suppose”, Muerlin smirked as she followed. They took a seat at a table in a far corner and ordered drinks. “What now?”, Muerlin finally raised her voice after a brief period of silence.

“The point is to not draw any attention to ourselves”, Galahd replied with a light glare. “We’ll be able to move soon. Just be patient”.

“Hm”, Muerlin smirked, “whatever you say, captain”.

After more drinks, minutes turned into a couple of hours of mostly silence.

By 9:30am, Galahd finally stood from her seat.

“What’s up?”, Muerlin asked with a raised eyebrow.“I’ll be back”, Galahd insisted as she pushed her chair back in.

“And where are you going?”

“Fetching the way out of here”, Galahd replied before abruptly storming away.

“…Right. We’ll see about that”, the wizard mumbled to herself with a smirk as she finished her drink.

                                               _________________

8:45pm.

“I swear, I don’t know where she went!”, the shaky barkeep stammered, “you have to believe me!”

“I don’t HAVE to believe a word you say, simpleton”, Ulldor snarled at the man. Imperial soldiers holding him and the patrons at gunpoint. “We got a call specifically to search this location and here you are calling my intelligence false. Are you insinuating that I am lying?”

“N-n-no, sir! I would never”.

“Then I would suggest you start answering my questions or I will be legally obligated to try you for treason!”, Ulldor commanded.

“Sir!”, an underling solider shouted toward his superior, “the Chancellor gave us permission to search the rest of the village!”

“Well, what’re you waiting for?”, Ulldor growled toward the man, “Start searching immediately! We cannot allow the Pythoness to escape!”

The village remained in peril all night with Imperials searching through various homes and businesses for the fugitive wizard, but to no avail. By the next morning, they seemed to have all, but given up until…

“E-excuse me…sir…?”, a young child hesitantly waved to get a soldiers attention. “I…I think I saw the Pythoness up there…”, he pointed toward higher ground, “…toward the caverns in the mountain beds…”.

With a light nod, the solider informed his captain leaving the child, whom in turn darted in the other direction toward his home, a large handful of gil in his grasp.

                                                ________________

A light fire crackled against the echoing silence of the cavern.

Galahd’s hands warmed against the flame’s aura as she sat upon a discarded log. She shook with light anxiousness waiting for her window to leave the cavern and evacuate the village. Just like before, she had to time it perfectly. Success required remaining out of the chaos.

She just needed to be patient.

As her window approached, she proceeded to prepare herself. Her mind and sense closed off to the rest of the world.

She would succeed. She would not die here.

She could finally relax. She was free.

Standing from her seat, the girl’s window opening, she headed toward the opening of the cavern.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you”.

Galahd’s heart felt as if it had halted in her chest at the sudden echo from behind her. 

But...she was just sitting there...facing that direction.

However, thinking about it further, the fire didn’t cover the furthest end of the cavern.

There was a gap of pitch darkness in that particular space.

Slowly turning around, her eyes nearly popped out of her skull upon seeing a figure sitting in the darkness.

“There’s some sketchy shit going on out there”, the figure spoke. “No place for a helpless servant”.

Her body lightly trembled once she noticed the figure’s twinkling electric fingers.

“But you wouldn’t know anything about that...”.

And her bright teal eyes.

“...would you...Galahd?”

                                                  ________________

Upon returned the tray of cleared dishes to the kitchen, Galahd hastily made her way to the second pantry.

She took a brief moment staring at the cot.

If this plan worked, she would no longer be forced to this small space her room.

However, if it didn’t...she still wouldn’t...her new bed would be within multiple albinogin stomaches.

But it was too late to retreat...the last seed was in her grasp and just needed to be planted.

Which was the phase of her plan.

As she grabbed a small coat hanging upon the wall and a scarf to wrap around her face, she returned to the hallway, peering to the right while returning to her statuesque form.

The light from the office fireplace still barely illuminating the corridor and the subtle moans continued.

Galahd just shook her head in silence before she returned to the Bird’s cage.

She made her way into the bathroom. The plush rugs squishing under her feet.

Her milky eyes planted out of the window above the tub.

Birdie only took baths on few occasions.

Her birthday, lower business days where her extraction services weren’t needed or when Dion was busy entertaining guests, in whatever way he saw fit.

Other than that, she only showered and if she was the prime source of entertainment, they were exceptionally long.

At least an hour which a trip to her bed immediately followed.

During those long showers, Birdie liked to keep this small web shaped window open to invite in the cool night air.

The latch was old and rusted so it always stayed unhinged.

And knowing this would be one of those fateful nights for the poor bird, it was a sure way of her source of absence being undetected.

After climbing in the tub, with a heave, Galahd hoisted herself up to the window leaping from it head first landing in a somersault on the hard grounds below.

It was a 35 minute walk to the nearest Imperial Base on the main road, but with a short cut through the woods, she’d arrive in 15 minutes flat.

Wasting no time, enveloped tape in hand, she dashed toward the blackened woods shrouded by a grey fog.

The vapors so thick, the moon barely shown through, but she could see her way.

Navigating through the darkness in swift silence. Her light footsteps not steering a single leaf out of its place.

Her breathing seemingly non-existent.

Like a ghost in the grey.

15 minutes on the dot, she arrived at the base. A camera patrolling the entrance slowly turning between the left and right side.

It had to be timed perfectly as to not set raise alarm.

She awaited just outside of the camera’s view on the side that covered the most ground.

As it began to turn away, she sprinted fiercely to the entrance placing the envelope on the pavement before swiftly turning her heel and returning to her original spot.

Turning to see the camera’s light just now pass over the envelope.

She was undetected.

1:30am, Phase 4 was officially complete.

Still she had no time to rest in triumph, although the hard part was over, she still needed to get back to the manor.

After that, the rest would be cake.

                                                 _______________

1:46am.

Galahd stood outside the manor. Staring up at the window in silence, she surveyed the atmosphere.

She heard not a soul, no subtle breathing, no footsteps. The room was shrouded in darkness.

The coast was clear.

She backed up just far enough.

With a deep breath, sprinted toward the window, using the momentum to carry her up the wall until she firmly grasped the window seal.

Light pain from her sharp grasp emitting into her fingers.

Ignoring it, she hoisted herself forward slowly pulling her body through as to not make a sound lowering herself into a handstand position in the tub.

Tilting her body backward and correcting her stance to an upright position over the edge of the tub onto the floor.

Hastily making her way out of the Bird’s cage, Galahd steadily made her way toward the kitchen. There was little need to worry, but the sooner she could make it into the kitchen, the better.

Peering toward the office for the final time, the fireplace light still illuminating the floors and Birdie’s body still being used to the devil’s will.

A light smirk rose to Galahd’s face as she entered the kitchen.

Returning to the second pantry, she removed her coat and scarf before planting herself onto the cot.

Finally able to rest.

The hard part was over.

Phase 5 was complete.

Now there was nothing left to do, but wait.

Come morning, this will be their nightmare.

Come morning, the bird sings no more.

                                                   ______________

The kitchen down the right hall.

There were no windows and the walls were thick marble.

It was surrounded by a large dining room and one of the guest halls that no one was permitted to enter during night hours, unless by direct order of Dion himself.

Galahd had no chance of getting caught in here if the girls knew what was good for them.

And they undoubtedly did.

For her plan to run smoothly, all Galahd needed was to remain out of sight.

Ever so often, in small pockets where her culinary preparations needed no attendance, she would step outside the kitchen for 20 seconds. Shutting the door behind her.

In the silence of the manor, a concentrated ear could easily hear the sound of agitated gagging and pleasurable moans.

Deciphering each pitch and tone with a person was tricky in the beginning, but eventually became like clockwork for the burdened child.

Dion was not complicated.

Certain trophies were good for certain tasks.

Some were better for quickies or primarily subtle fellatio.

Some he enjoyed to role-play with or any form of BDSM.

Every girl had a kink and each one had a particular talent that Dion would exploit for his own pleasures.

Every girl sounded slightly different while getting their throats stuffed.

The few with no gag reflexes were the most difficult to identify, but…lucky, this one did.

The sound of the gags resembled an obnoxious chirping.

Birdie.

Good. That meant she’d be occupied for a while. Dion liked to take his time with his favorite.

A lot. Of time.

Galahd re-entered the kitchen. Pots and pans still stable. She continued stirring the contents within them, seasoning, garnishing. Everything needed to be perfect. Down to the very last detail.

A special trust was needed to be gained. After all, the Pythoness was not so simple as to fall for anything. If everything Dion and Birdie have said are true, then trust wouldn’t be as simple as talking about.

She couldn’t just rely on her disheveled appearance and clear impairments to pull her through this.

No. That would be much too easy.

She had to form a bond. A bond that would make the Pythoness sick at the thought of betraying.

Galahd’s physical state already sent a spear through the wizard’s heart...before being pistol whipped before her teal eyes.

But an entire banquet of a feast, solely prepared by her alone...with no intention of partaking?

There was no doubt this would be enough to tug at anyone’s heart strings…

…let alone a wizard on the run to save her family’s reputation.

However, before that, she had one more task to complete. And judging by the time, 12:27am, this one required haste.

With dinner preparations completed, Galahd re-emerged from the kitchen.

Statuesque in the darkness, she lended her ear to make sure the cost was still clear.

The gags had ceased, but Dion’s moaning had not.

Birdie’s significant lack of sounds clearly indicated she was not enjoying herself, much to Galahd’s amusement, but she didn’t have time to delay.

Making her way down the hall, she passed by the guest rooms.

She briefly reminisced on multiple clean ups she’s had in there.

Not just of arrogant Nif soldiers...as well as a few rule breakers.

Despite the fact it was off-limits during night hours, there have been a few of there own lost to their own stupidity...a ripped off breast here and a tongue there was no surprise.

But what few brains the still living girls had, they had enough to not make the same mistake.

With how far these rooms are, it wouldn’t be easy for an intruder to be detected.

The only way for one to know is if they knew whose room was beyond these.

None of the girls did and they still aren’t sure who could’ve possibly ratted out their friends.

And because of their fear of being discovered, they never paid attention to where a ever so beauty bird would fly off to after her master sent her away for the night.

Upon entering Birdie’s room, vacant of course, Galahd ever so silently made her way through in the darkness.

It wreaked of the woman’s bitter perfume and hairspray. Not that that was anything new.

This wasn’t the first time she snuck in so she was quick to find what she was looking for.

One of Dion’s strange fetishes was hearing Birdie sing.

It sounded like a chocobo having sex with a cactuar, but nothing those two did was in any way wholesome so she was no longer phased.

Digging into the side table of her bed, the girl removed a tape recorder. As well as one of the many unmarked tapes scattered about the drawer.

Upon setting it up, Galahd made her way toward Birdie’s closest.

There was a scarf the woman adored highly, a gift given to her from her master, made of the thickest and most expensive wool.

She always kept it to the left side on a small satin hanger behind her many corsets.

She knew for she was the one that would be forced to clean it and after many moments of scanning as Birdie returned it to its home, Galahd was able to pinpoint its location.

Removing the scarf from its designated spot, the girl wrapped it multiple times around her mouth before returning to the bedside where the tape recorder resided.

Taking a deep breath, she proceeded to test her theory.

“Chancellor Izunia”.

Her voice heavily altered by the wool. Like a deep monotone.

“Alright”, she whispered before finally pressing record.

12:39am.

Galahd exited the room, returning to the darkness that shrouded the hallways of the manor.

The contents of Birdie’s room were replaced just as they were. Not a inch out of place.

All, but a single tape clutched within the girl’s hand.

Now labeled “S.R.”

Standing completely still for a moment, Galahd could still hear faint delight coming from the office on the far side.

The devil still abusing the rare strelitzia reginae. It should’ve been a crime...

...but the world is full of injustice, wasn’t it?

Phase 2 of her plan was complete.

“Now”, the girl softly mumbled to herself. Her expression blank as she began to make her way down the hall.

“Time to pay The Pythoness a visit”.

                                           _______________________

With a light sigh, the girl finally spoke seriously.

“Look, I know how this looks, but this isn’t what you’re thinking…”, she confessed. “None of this was meant to hurt you”.

“Then what was it?”, Muerlin asked in a light tone.

This actually unnerved the girl. In usual situations like these, there was a sense of urgency, but the young wizard seemed to see this as a simple game of 20 questions…while also threatening to kill her with lightning.

For someone who was really good at pretending to be nervous…she had a hard time pretending to not be here.

“Revenge…”.

Muerlin’s raised a curious brow at the girl’s darkened tone.

“For what…?”

The girl merely sighed in slight frustration. Clearly this was a sensitive subject for her…Muerlin could see her shaking. Feel the tension in her bones.

“…why were you in that mansion…?”, Muerlin asked. Her tone demanding a full answer this time.

After a brief pause…knowing she couldn’t get away with the vague answer she gave the young wizard last time…

“…because...”, the girl nearly whispered, “I didn’t have a choice”.

“Not good enough”, Muerlin quickly retorted. 

The girl winced in irritation at Muerlin’s response.

“Look”, Muerlin took a seat on the opposite side of their fire, “I don’t necessarily want to hurt you. I’m not a killer”.

“That’s not what the Nifs are saying”, the girl smirked before being started by a sudden piercing screech past her head.

A large blast echoing through the caverns.

The girl panting heavily. Her eyes peering open to see a radiating heat coming from the wizard’s core.

Her hand slightly ajar from its original position and the heat radiating from her fingers overpowering the rest of her.

Quickly turning around, she noticed a heat signature imbedded into the cavern walls in the shape of a massive crater.

Barely out of the way of her head.

The girl gritted her teeth in light fear and agitation...lightning doesn’t miss.It was a warning shot.

“That probably cut your time in half”.

The girl jolted back to view the impatient wizard.

“So let’s try this again...”, Muerlin’s light voice making the hairs on the back of the girl’s neck stand at attention, “...why were you doing...in the mansion?

”The girl sighed softly accepting there was no way out of this. Her milky stare firmly fixated on the wizard. Arms folded in light sass.

That lighthearted smirk returned much to the wizard’s surprise.

“Bird watching”.

                                           ___________________

The smell of bleach burned inside the girl’s nostrils as she finished cleaning yet another room.

If only her impaired vision could actually make it difficult to differ blood from semen, it would probably make her job a lot easier.

This time, specifically, it was blood. Galahd didn’t know whether to be relieved or not.

Yet another dissatisfied customer...and another body for her to dispose of...

But no time for a bath, there were other matters to attend to...other floors that needed scrubbing by morning unless she wanted a nice thrashing from Birdie...

That degenerate whore...

Just thinking of her name made Galahd’s bloodstained hand curl into a fist around the scrub brush.

She’d get what she deserved.

Both her and Dion.

That bastard...

Galahd clutched the throbbing bruise left over her eye by the man’s pistol as she turned her attention to the thin glimmer of light at dead end of the hallway.

He was in there...as he was most nights.

She was never allowed in. She was much too unsightly. They preferred she roamed in the dark, but that was where she most familiar.

For they could never tell what truly lurked beyond those milky eyes.

As she silently approached the door, like a ghost floating through the abyss, she overheard a sharp cheerful voice echo through the halls.

“You and me have hit the jackpot now, Big Daddy. The Emperor will surely be pleased”.

Birdie.

“Yes...he would be...wouldn’t he?”

Galahd stopped just far enough to where her silhouette remained invisible against the light.

“The Chancellor’s prized possession walks in our humble establishment and is now counting sheep in one of our rooms”.

She had a clear view of Dion pacing back and forth about the room.

In the silence, she listened closely.

“One phone call...and we finally get the reward and position we so rightfully deserve in the emperor’s circle”.

As disgusting as the plan generally was, the girl was not surprised...Dion was a loyal dog to the Empire after all. Besides, the Pythoness would put this place on the world map.

“We’ll be the talk of Niflheim, baby”.

“Yes, yes, but...is this really the answer?”

“What’re ya talking about?”

Galahd’s eye narrowed. For once, she actually concurred with Birdie’s dimwitted confusion.

“We’ve got this in the bag. Give the Pythoness to that creep Izunia and we’ll live like royalty until death do us part”.

“Yes, but...is this all my great legacy will be? Will I only be the man that captured the Pythoness?”

“What you tryin’ to say?”

“Returning the Pythoness to the Chancellor would get us in with the gold, but...keepin’ her for myself, makin’ her one of my girls...my girl...with her at my side...why, I’d have Aldercapt at my balls”.

Galahd’s eyes sharpened. Her ears ringing. The loyal dog was considering betrayal?

“Now, hold on there, Dion”.

Galahd’s gaze darted to Birdie as she stood.

“We already got a plan. Gettin’ under Aldercapt’s skin would be nice and all, but gettin’ in his circle, we’d be swimming in dough”.

The girl’s brow raised in sudden curiosity. Why was Birdie so bothered by this idea? As deceptive and dangerous as it could be, with careful planning this could be pulled off brilliantly. What was her issue?

“True...but makin’ that ol’ shriveled motherfucker sweat, I become the circle”.

Galahd’s eyes widened suddenly. The realization setting in curved her blank expression to a light smirk.

Just as he said...HE becomes the circle.

HE takes over with the Pythoness at his side doing whatever he saw fit.

And Birdie?

Left to shrivel up and die like the semen she forces Galahd to clean.

“Now, Dion, what in heaven’s name gave you such a ridiculous idea like that?”

Yes, it was there. In her voice. That fear of her abandonment.

“Really. Makin’ that child one of your girls just to piss off the Empire. Now, what we need to be doin’ is-”.

“I’m sorry, I don’t seem to recall asking you for your input, sweetheart. Please...enlighten me if I am mistaken”.

“Not at all, baby”.

“That’s what I thought”.

A deeper smirk stretched across her face as an idea formed in her head.

Slowly backing away from the doorway, Galahd’s excitement overtook her just slightly as she whispered “gotcha” before turning her heel and hastily heading toward the kitchen.

Not noticing a confused Birdie peering into through the cracked door.

Blindly into the abyss. 

The hunter just down the hall.

                                                ________________