#arch 2

“If anything, looking like trash is far better than whatever it is Meredith’s friends are having me wearing,” came the familiar voice of Edmund in the doorway. Lucy turned so she could face him, and then had to force herself not to drop her jaw. Because he was right. What in Aslan’s name were these two having them wear? It was hideous, but in the ridiculous way. He would be ridiculed on the streets for sure!

“I have no idea what they’re planning, but it seems they know something we don’t.” Edmund scratched his head, walked over to Lucy. “Did you even catch their names?”

“I never got to-“

“It’s Beth. Nice to meet you. Pretty gal over here is a minstrel in the local Tavern.”

“My name happens to be Rachel, not pretty gal” the girl, well Rachel, added dryly. They arrived in the exact doorway Edmund had been standing in seconds away.

They were both pretty, but in completely different ways. Rachel did in fact look like a Minstrel when Lucy took a closer look, but what Beth was she had no clue. Her clothing had intricate patterns and looked quite expensive. However, she was wearing pants. You could argue that now so was Lucy, but she also looked like trash and was in a disguise. Beth didn’t seem to be in any sort of disguise, and if she was, Lucy would have traded her any day.

“Why do we look like this?” Edmund asked with a sigh, seemingly tired of not knowing anything. “And names tell us nothing, who are you?”

Rachel stepped forwards and smiled a little. “Let me answer the first one. Now, Meredith notified me and Beth many fortnights ago that you would show, and wanted us to tell you of all the secret passages around the city. As you must be aware of, the city is a giant fortress, and to survive here, it’s crucial that you both know your way around town. I will start the tour and show you around, we’ll start here and end at the tavern where I work. As far as I am aware, Beth is still bribing the old barkeeper so hard that he won’t mind me not doing my job. That tour, will cover the cities slums, and we will spend most of the daylight going through all the necessary points of access.”

Beth did not move out of the doorway, but remained there, smirking, and continuing where Rachel had left off. “At the Tavern you will change clothing into far more noble attire, yet still remain disguised. We will spend the evening and night in noble company. You will learn every name, every spouse and every layout in all noble castles in the city before dawn approaches us. Somewhere on that last route, Meredith will join us, as she knows some nobles far better than I do.”

That seemed fair and square, at least to Lucy. Spending the day more or less surveilling the city might prove very useful in case of unforeseen events. And if she had even remotely understood how her brothers spy network functioned, unforeseen events arrived plentiful on the worst possible occasions.

“Far enough, but some more information about who you are would still be appreciated” Edmund’s voice was unnecessarily threating and grumpy. Lucy saw no reason for that. They were here to fix a terrible thing from happening, so if he could stop alienating allies, that would be great.

“I am Beth, 7 times national Wicked Grace Champion and local noble. I am my father’s 6th daughter, and I assume you can figure out by yourself that there are sons too, so I don’t ran particularly high. So because of that I have been trained in the art of assassination and take on varying tasks that suit me and pay well enough. I get by. Meredith allowed me to join her secret task force some years back, and we’ve been unseprable ever since. Except when she attends meetings. Or ride into the night. Or go to balls. Or she sends me off to forsaken isles. Now that I think about it, we’re actually not that much together in the same place as I think”

Rachel said nothing. Neither did Edmund nor Lucy. Everything was just significantly awkward for a short while. It was probably seconds, but it felt longer.

“Right. Thanks Beth. Anyhow. I am Rachel, I am a minstrel, and I too am a member of Meredith’s secret task force that work within this city. None of us know the actual amount of members, not even Meredith, but I believe we have infiltrated every single part of Anvard’s society. It’s nice to meet you, but the sun has already been up for many hours, your companion has left, and so should we.”

“Hazel left?” Lucy asked, a vague hint of hurt lingering in her voice. “She didn’t even say goodbye. How rude,” she said with a sigh and crossed her arms.

Edmund reached over to his sister and patted her shoulder. A weird attempt at comforting his sister. “Don’t worry about that Lu, I saw her leave. She is riding home, and I have a feeling what she will come to learn is quite important. I also saw her send a letter with a Raven before going to bed. She has requested assistance from Danielle and Wind, and they will meet her in Calormen as soon as they are able to.”

It didn’t comfort Lucy nearly as much as she wanted it to, but she supposed it was alright.

“Well then, I have to leave. I have some parties to arrange, some clothes to drop off, and then I’ll meet you at sunset” Beth said, turned on her feet and swiftly left the room. Despite the odd introductions, Lucy still didn’t feel like she knew them. For all she knew they could leave them and give them up. Who would know? Certainly not Lucy. Maybe Edmund. He had a sixth sense for that sort of troubles.

Rachel walked after her, and looked over her shoulder, while talking to the siblings. “Come on you two, we have much to see while we still have light with us.”

They did indeed have much to see. In the back of Meredith’s stables was an old wooden hatch leading into the city’s underground river and water system. It was an infinite tunnel, like a maze Rachel told them and they spent hours inside it. Now and then they opened some hatches. One was close to the market square. “Excellent place to hide. Always hide in crowds Lu” Edmund had said, and then the hatch was closed.

The hatch was lowered and they ventured further into the maze. Lucy did her best to remember where to go. Tried to remember the directions. But all the tunnels looked the same. Wet and slippery grey stone, with no markers that gave any sort of direction. They continued further. “Eastwards” Rachel told them, but down here, Lucy’s sense of direction was non-existent, so she followed the two others. They went around a corner, then upwards a little and stopped udner what appeared to be a second hatch. “This one leads to the Royal stables. It’s busy at this point of day, so we cannot open it to look around. It is however intended that you use this route to return to Meredith this evening. The last party will be held at the Royal palace. Now, we must trudge on, there are other places to see down here”

And so they did. They returned back from that arm, and walked in another arm. They looked so alike to Lucy it would make her sick, but she thought she had a vague idea of where the halls lead. At least there had been a year engraved in the tunnel they came from, the one that led to Meredith. At least then she could always find her way back. Given that she found that arm of the maze.

How was Rachel even a part of what they referred to as Meredith’s secret task force. She was a minstrel at a tavern. So sure, she would hear the typical gossip from any town, but that would be about it, no? So why was she an asset. Lucy decided not to ask any of these, pretty rude questions, and kept walking, following Rachel’s back. Then, without stopping, Rachel just pointed up at a hatch located in a corner. “That goes up to the Tavern’s backyard. But we’re going somewhere else, so let’s go. We’ve only got one more hatch to see down here.”

How long did they walk down there, under the city? Lucy had no idea. Maybe it was miles upon miles. Maybe it was some furlongs. Even so she was getting bloody tired of it. “When will we get-“

“Here.” Rachel broke her off, and simultaneously answered Lucy’s question. If Lucy hadn’t been so revealed, she would probably have been an ounce offended.

Rachel opened the hatch, and used her arms to drag herself up and out. For a minstrel, she had some impressive muscles, pulling up her own weight like that. Edmund repeated Rachel’s actions exactly, and then the two lowered one hand each down, for Lucy to grab onto, so they could help her out.

“You must be joking” Lucy said, rolled her eyes, and used her own arms to grab onto the ledge, and pull herself over the edge. It had been somewhat clumsy, but she had done it. Did they think she had joined in on a secret mission to stop an assassination just to get helped all the time?

She looked around. They were standing just a couple of feet away from a brick wall, that went all the way up to the sky, or at least it appeared to do so from their location. They could look over the great big meadow that the city lied in the middle of.

“Right. Now. We’re outside the city, as you may have devised from the meadow and the brick wall. We’re not too far from the south entrance, and even closer to where some people have built ledges and other constructions on the outside of the wall. We will use those to get up on the wall. The rest of the slums will be seen from the rooftops”

Now she was joking. She had to be. But no. So they walked a couple hundred yards and stopped. Indeed. Some poles and ledges went from where they had stopped, all the way up the brick wall. Someone ought to take it down Lucy thought, but then they wouldn’t have been able to use it. Maybe she would hint King Lune about it, when all this business was finished with. Rachel went first, then Lucy, and then Edmund. They climbed up the brick wall, using ledges, poles and stones that stuck a lot further out of the brick than they ought to. Then there were no more things to climb on. They all stood on a horizontal beam, somehow attached to the wall looking up the last 10 yards.

Edmund commented on it first. “Rachel. I think you overestimate how high I can jump.”

“You cannot seriously expect me to climb on the bare surface of the wall Rachel” Lucy added, and they both looked at Rachel.

“No of course,” she said, stuck to fingers in her mouth and whistled. Three short whistles. “I’ve got this”

Down from the top one, two and three sturdy ropes were dropped, and they seemed to be just long enough. How considerate.

“So we are to climb?” Lucy asked, and took the rope in her hands.

“We are to climb” Rachel said with a grin, and used her rope as assistance to climb the wall. Lucy followed suit, scared to loose Rachel as soon as they went over the edge.

Edmund appeared to have been lost in thought, because he didn’t begin to climb till Lucy was halfway up, but he had far more experience than his sister in rock climbing so he wasn’t far behind her, when he too climbed over the edge.

It was spectacular. Best view in the entire area for sure. It was a panoramic view. Behind them was the great meadow, if they squinted to the east they would see a strip of blue, the ocean stretching across the coast. In front of them was the city. Houses stacked together, surrounded by the slimmest alleys. One broad main road stretched through the city from east to west. In the middle was a big square and probably market place. To the west the houses got larger, nicer and of a better quality.  In the middle of the more decent houses, the Royal Palace, which they had been under was located, and it was truly more magnificent from this view, than below the ground.

“This view allows you to make a mental map of the area. Now, that right there is the tavern. I hope you can run, because we have to run over the rooftops to get there. Take a good breath and follow me”

That was the only warning they got. Maybe they should’ve gotten more, but they didn’t.  Rachel jumped of the edge onto a roof and slid down, then she ran, and jumped and slid. She crossed rooftop and rooftop.

“SHIT,” Lucy yelled, jumped over to the same roof, and instead of sliding, ran down the roof, and followed Rachel as best she could. She ran over thin beams that lay from one rooftop to another, and rolled over rooftops. They ran downwards. The houses decreased in height, but still, keeping up with Rachel was hard, at the same time as they had no choice. Lucy dodged some clothes hanging on a thread, and ran as fast as her legs could bear here. Then she stomped her feet to the ground and stopped. She had reached the main road. It was several metres wide, and there was no chance in hell that she would make it across with a jump.

Filled with panic she looked around herself, trying to find some beam or similar that she could use to cross. There, to the left. She began to run again, and picked up her original pace. When she got to the beam, she got down on all four, and crawled over the beam. Don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t do it Lu. She got over, and saw Rachel waiting some houses away. The run over there was not very problematic and she reached her in less time than it had taken her to cross the main road.

“WHAT WAS THAT,” Lucy growled, desperately trying to catch her breath. Edmund arrived after her, seeming a lot less fatigued than Lucy. Cheater.

Rachel just shrugged. “It’s what I do in my past time. We locals call in parkour, they have similar styles in Calormen called free running, if that’s familiar to you”

“Of course it isn’t bloody familiar. Who spends their time running on roofs?” Lucy said and sighed. “Alright. Sorry, didn’t mean it like that. But where are we?”

Edmund viewed the area. “I’d say we’re pretty close to, or maybe even on top of the tavern. The sun is setting far into the horizon, and we are to meet Meredith soon”

“The latter. This is the Tavern’s rooftop, which quite conveniently, has a hatch leading to a staircase. No jumping down from roofs. Meredith would surely kill me in my sleep.” Rachel said with a laugh, walked over to a wooden hatch in the middle of the roof and opened it. “Come along” she said, and walked down the stairs.

Edmund and Lucy followed down, and just at the end of the stairs, some bar maid stood with two sets of clothing and directed them to a room of their own where they changed into far more noble attire.

Lucy looked at herself in the mirror. It was alright. Her dress was decent enough, a lot lighter than those in Narnian fashion, which served her well in the heat. She worked on her hair do for a short while, making sure it could play the part as well as the dress and then walked downstairs.

“It’s obvious. I am the smart ass, we all know this” That was Beth’s voice, nice, she must’ve arrived.

“And I am pretty sure no one would argue with me being the badass,” said Rachel.

“And what does that make you, Meredith?” came the somewhat mocking voice Lucy recognized belonging to her idiot brother. He would start a war with that damn sass.

“Meredith? That’s easy, she is the great ass” Beth said sniggering and then came a familiar sound of a high five.

She stood on top of the stairs and looked down at the four waiting for her, they didn’t appear to notice her just yet.

“And me then? What am I?” Edmund asked, with noticeable pride in his voice. Now, time to make yourself seen Lucy.

A piece of rope had been attached to the sturdier of the ship’s three masts, and would serve as aid for the three companions too get off the ship. Hazel swung off first, and then Lucy followed by Edmund. They only had one small leather satchel each, and had covered their heads and bodies with capes made of old rags. They had dressed themselves in some of the sailors ruined clothing, and had left nearly all valuables behind. Only a bracelet that had been given to Lucy by King Lune, and a golden quill which Edmund used for all spynetwork business was close to being valuables. Hazel had brought her bow along, but the materials were rather plain, though expertly crafted, so most thieves would not look twice at it.

They gave a short wave to the ship, following four swift hand movements, that were directed to the bridge, were the Admiral stood firm on the ground. Up on a hill, north from the three’s position, a small cottage made itself seen, by turning a lantern on and off three times. They had not been seen, nor were there any unexpected travellers on the roads visible from the house.

Lucy had never been inside it, nor talked to its inhabitants, but Edmund had. It was small, yet extremely valuable for his network. In it lived an elderly couple, who also farmed the land surrounding their cottage. It was enough to keep them fed, but not enough to make a living from. Some years ago, Edmund had trekked through this very forest, when he was approached by the couple. They were friendly enough, and after some supper, they proved eager to assist the Narnian King in his endeavours.

Small merchant ships with Anvard as its destination, brought timber along from the Western Woods, and the couple, along with some craftsmen, built the dock. It was unstable, but long, and could accommodate even the largest vessels in the Narnian fleet for some hours, should the need arise. After the dock was built, it became Edmund’s spynetwork’s foremost route into Archenland’s many corners.

It had gone peacefully beneath the radar of any prominent Archenlander figure, and the few who approached were informed of its use as an ancient dock used by farmers further into the country.

Few ventured that far north into Archenland, yet the elderly couple remained on top of the hill, in their small cottage, looking out for any travellers who might set foot close enough to cause trouble.

The light, despite only being there for brief seconds, clouded their night vision. That was probably why it took them a while to spot a fourth cloaked figure standing on the dock. Hidden in the pitch of the oak trees overhanging the dock, stood the figure, and four horses. It had to be her.

They walked quietly, but quickly from where they had been standing and over to the horses. As they moved, so did the Mistral falcon. The sailors got back onto the ship, pulled in any lingering rope, and gently followed the flow of the water away from the dock side.

It would travel many a mile down the coast, to the main port of Anvard, to pick up some luxury items on behalf of the Narnian Crown. Some black pearls had been lost at sea to freedom seeking pirates many winters ago. Fortunately, the Archenlander navy had brought the ship to bay in recent years, and collected all the treasures aboard. But they’re attempt at holding the fugitives imprisoned proved futile and in the cover of the night, both the pirates and the ship left port. The treasures were left behind and so the Mistral Falcon was able to collect the lost treasures of the Crown. Though it was all as a cover for sending the best ship in the Narnian fleet for a simple merchant mission. Any ship would do, but for the safety and comfort of King Edmund and Queen Lucy, High King Peter had issues the order that the Mistral Falcon was to collect the Pearls, and drop his siblings off.

It would be hours from the ship left the dock at the Cottage on the hill, before the Admiral ordered the lanterns to be lit once again. Only a young mother, struggling to make her new born baby fall asleep, who lived in a small farm house situated on top of a cliff, saw the lanterns lit out there in the darkness.

The cloaked figure stepped forward and removed the hood from her head. For it was a she. A fair she, with bright eyes and a solemn smile, holding up a flat hand, the universal symbol for a spynetwork greeting. It was she.

“Hail the Kings and Queens of the fair Land of Narnia, I am Meredith, and despite the circumstances, it’s an honour to meet you. I also greet you, Lieutenant Hazel, I have heard of your work in the recent Battle of the River Delta, and not to mention the famous assassinations in Calormen in recent years. Your knowledge of Calormene customs and traditions are astonishing.”

Hazel lowered her head as a token of appreciation, and spoke up. “I just know my country mam, your skills in infiltrating all kinds of groups in society is impressive. My knowledge of my homeland is alright at best, and only based off what I learned when it was still my home. I am confident the Lady knows more of it than I”

Meredith laughed, and shook her head. “We can agree to disagree, but we must make use of the hue of the night. There is more than one night’s time of riding to Anvar, and if we are to get there in time, we ought to leave now.”

Lucy held up her hands to stop Edmund who had made his way to one of the horses. “Wait up a second. I barely know you. I am Lucy, and I’d like to know some more things before anything more happens. Who are you? What do you know?”

Meredith sighed. “We don’t have much time, so I’ll have to keep it brief. Over time I have infiltrated several noble houses all over the continent as a member of the Spy Network. I began as a solo operation before I was recruited. I also infiltrated a secret underground group, who the past decade has worked on a conspiracy believing the Lost Prince of Archenland, Prince Cor, was killed by his father on purpose to have the current Crown Prince Corin be next in line. Blinded by their radical nationalism, they have decided to assassinate both King Lune and Prince Corin. This is where you come in”

“To do what? We’ll stand in the way for the arrows sent? I understand the grave situation, but not of how we can be of assistance.” Lucy said. “And anyhow, I suppose we need more people than the four of us?”

Meredith nodded. “We do. I have organised with a Minstrel at a Tavern, and one of my dearest friends. They will join our party for the sake of this quest.

Lucy settled with that. It made her heart rest a little easier. Tho the task at hand seemed infinitely more scary, it was a lot easier to work with information, rather than lack of it. And so the three newcomers strapped their bags onto the saddles on the horses, and got on. Meredith got on her own horse and led the party.

Up on the hill the elder couple signalled with a lantern that the coast was clear, and no unwanted spies had been seen for miles upon miles.

Lucy rode next to Meredith, while Hazel and Edmund rode behind. Lucy looked over at her. “So, Meredith, who are your friends?”

Edmund who had turned away from the horizon and started to stare daggers at Lucy, instantly looked down and away. He blushed, and his cheeks went completely red. “Lu, don’t”

Lucy changed her posture and mimicked Edmund, somewhat awkwardly, but it was no doubt to anyone who would have seen her, who she was mimicking. She made an uncertain expression linger on her face, and talked with a trembling and whispering voice. “Lu, I think I have a crush on a subordinate.”

She stopped mimicking him and raised an eye brow. “That Meredith?

A laugh started bubbling up from her tummy. Up through her chest, up her throat until it erupted from her lips. The crimson red brother of hers, perfectly contrasted the blue sky and teal ocean. Not to mention his usually pale face.

Hazel, though still looking casual, glanced from Edmund over to Lucy. “Queen, would you care to elaborate?” Lucy nodded with a desperate grasp for air, which only made her laugh fade into a giggle. Luckily that allowed her to take a deep breath from time to time.

She was answering Hazel, yet spoke to Edmund, as the story also would allow her to ask some long awaited questions. “You were 4 years into the spy network, talking about this glorious girl you’d met called Meredith. It actually came to a point in which me and Peter decided that she didn’t even exist. That you had dreamt something, taken a fancy too it and simply couldn’t shut up. Or maybe you had become cursed by a local village girl. We had no idea, but you were infatuated.”

Hazel snorted and Edmund gave a look which told lengths about how he would make sure Hazel’s death was never found out as she rotted in a non-existent Cair Paravel Dungeon. “And now, you attempt to tell me, that not only does she exist, but we are visiting her, staying at her place, and in general will be spending time with her, maybe for weeks?”  

Edmund gave up. His shoulders fell from an angered position to one of a tired man, awaiting the judgement of his sisters. Some mocking, or maybe Lucy and Hazel would doubt his judgement about the importance of the case, in the belief that he acted upon old and unrequited feelings. That they ought to return back home to Cair Paravel, while the sun was still high. That he led them out for nothing, and would lure them away. Just as he was supposed to have done years ago. He should have known better. He should have discussed it with Lucy, or Peter, or Susan. But he hadn’t dared to. So he looked over at his sister. With saddened eyes and a hunches back. Much like a young child awaiting punishment.

But it never came. Not the mocking, nor the distrust. Instead, Lucy offered a warm smile to one of her two favourite brothers and gave him a gentle pat on the back. “Man, you had some feelings for this chick. Do you think you’ll be alright?”

It had been a weird time. Edmund was close to being an adult, per British standards, when he had confessed to Lucy that he was crushing on a subordinate. Maybe he was concerned about the whole boss subordinate thing, or maybe he was just uncertain in general, but for a whole month, all Lucy and Ed talked about was Meredith’s eyes, beautiful face and amazing personality. Apparently she was from a nice family, but not even Susan had ever heard of her. Peter only mocked Ed about it. Why wasn’t he bringing her home? When could they meet her? Suddenly, Ed just stopped talking about her, and they didn’t hear more of her. Peter told Lucy it probably was a ghost, or something Ed had made up, and Lucy settled with it. If only she had known that she did in fact exist.

Hazel and Edmund nodded simultaneously, but Hazel spoke up first. “Tell me, didn’t you brag about this guy you… met? Tennant was it? A doctor?”

Edmund laughed and nodded. “Yeah. His name was David. We had some fun I suppose but that was weeks ago. He is quite the busy fellow. He, just like the rest of his family are traveling doctors. They travel by themselves, and sometimes they meet up, but that is awfully rare. Quite a big family, or so I’ve heard. David claims to the twelfth brother, but that does seem like a little bit too much to me After all, I barely get along with Peter”

Lucy laughed and shoved his shoulder. “Why don’t you try commitment for a change, Ed? Who knows, you might like it?”

Edmund shrugged. “That may be, but for now I am young, free, and would like to do as I please without being concerned that someone is constantly fearing for my life.

“Hey. I, Su and Pete worry about you Ed. Are you saying you don’t want us too?” Lucy mocked.

He returned the shove, not as hard this time.. He laughed a bit, as the shove was unanticipated, and Lucy landed ungraciously on her butt. There she sat confused and looked up at Edmund and Hazel.

“By Aslan Lu, don’t be so childish. Only children playes on the ground” He said with smug smile and laughed.  Strangers would be deceived, but Lucy saw it. Lucy saw the smirk that rested on his lips. The twinkle in his eyes and how he was genuinely having a nice time. It was a nice change of pace.

“ME?! That’s coming from the guy who just shoved me to the ground. It’s obvious who is the bigger child here” Lucy said and picked up the closest item to her left, which so happened to be a glass bottle and threw it in Ed’s direction

“You’re the one throwing fits! And bottles!” he shouted back as he dodged the bottle by ducking and covering his head with his arms.

“Do you two need to go outside or something?” Hazel said dryly, eying them. “You’re behaving like small children.”

“We aren’t, right Lu?” Edmund said and looked to Lucy for support.

“No, sir. We’re a King and Queen of Narnia. We aren’t childish.” Lucy added and got on her feet, walking to Ed’s side.

“You are” Hazel groaned and shook her head.

“Are not!” the siblings said in unison.

“Are too” a hoarse voice, belonging to a quite young faun added to the extremely silly argument.

They were embarrassed to say the least. In all the ruckus they had forgotten one essential point. That they were standing in the front of the fastest ship in Narnian possession. Where the wind blew in her sails, the sun stood high on the sky, and 150 sailors were employed to bring the three to their destination.

“Keep it down will you? All my men are occupied listening into this silly conversation of yours, and we’re losing wind.” Admiral Jacob said with a smile, and nodded backwards to one of the masts, where no less than 10 men, positioned at different placed were looking at them. When Lucy looked at them, all quickly turned their heads and focused on the task at hand, making sure to shift the weight of the sails, to better use the wind to their advantage.

Hazel suggested that they would go below deck, to the galley, where only the chef, and two assistants were working behind loud boiling kettles, and chopping knives. So the three made their way to the galley, took up the table furthest away from the working chef and assistants and continued on with a conversation about Edmund’s former conquest, with eager additions from Hazel, which she recalled from a variety of missions over the years. After a particularly mean addition, Hazel’s former conquest were also brought to the table, and Lucy laughed for as long as words came out of Edmund’s or Hazel’s mouth.

Neither had noticed the setting sun, after hours of chatting. Food came and went, yet they didn’t consider that time as well was moving. Time stood still, as they recalled past adventures and conquest. Shared both victorious and awkward tales from the past, with eager voices and sparkling eyes. They were adventurous people, and enjoyed tales far more than the common folk. First when twilight approached, and one of the kitchen staff members came up to them with a small candle light during one of Hazel’s stories did it dawn on them that time had moved at all.

“..so the arrow went right through the prince’s head, right? And right behind him stood his wife. She was terrified to say the least? But how was I supposed to know she was there? The intel didn’t say anything about it? Anyhow, I suppose she fancied me, and I like to have some decent company after a successful mission, so she booked us into one of the local taverns, where…”

Lucy placed a finger over Hazel’s babbling mouth. “Ssshh for a sec. It appears to be night time. I didn’t notice” she said and brought her arm back to her side of the table.

The three looked out the nearest round window, and only saw the reflection of the moon on the pitch black water.

With a loud bang, the doors to the galley was roughly opened, and in the opening, stood Admiral Jacob.