“How do I convince them to send a group without spilling my secret?”

  Alixa paced around her camp, braid swaying left to right.

  “Those scrubs will never send a hundred men for my plan…”

  She couldn’t reveal that she held a lost artifact. Not only would they disagree with her plan to use it on a single person, they’d seize it. Alixa understood her place in AFO: she wasn’t a top agent, just a puppet. It was time to cut her ties with them, squeezing every last bit of use they had.

  Pigeon networks were the fastest and cheapest way of communication in Aldrich. It was a complex network of nodes that used either pigeons or mirror artifacts to transfer information. Mirror artifacts tuned to the same chaos frequency acted almost like radios. Affect one, and the other mirrored the action. At lower levels signals were transferred in taps similar to Morse code, while higher-level nodes had audio transmission.

  In oversized boots Alixa stepped through manure, trying to reach the pigeon holder. His hut stood right by a large farmhouse in a small village. It wasn’t a daily sight to see a beautiful girl dressed as a noble stepping through dung, so a small crowd gathered. Housewives heard the murmur and poked their heads out to see what was happening.

  Alixa felt like the whole village was staring. A vein popped on her forehead.

  “Don’t lash out. Don’t lash out. Just ignore them.”

  She entered the hut and was greeted by the owner. Chubby old guy wearing a cowboy hat, gray long hair flowing from under it, missing teeth making every word whistle.

  “Well hello little lady, the name’s Pill, but people call me Pigeon Pill. I guess my momma didn’t know how to spell BILL.”

  He burst out laughing and extended his hand. Alixa pinched one of his fat fingers, dreading contact, and shook.

  “Nice to meet you Pill, I need to send a message to the capital and one note.”

  “A NOTE?”

  Pill was surprised for a reason. Sending a note meant using pigeon networks to post the same message on their boards in a desired radius. It was an expensive service, usually used for shady activity. Messages were coded so only the desired people understood their meaning.

  “Yes, a note.”

  She took out two pieces of paper with encoded messages. One to the capital was addressed to “Kilo Ton” and another was for a radius around Culra.

  “Miss Blueberry, you know a note costs an arm and a leg. AND I AIN’T GOT A LEG TO SPARE.”

  He burst out laughing again and lifted one of his legs. It was a wooden stub. He answered what she was thinking.

  “Oh the pigs ate it, don’t worry I don’t miss it. I’m only mad every time I buy boots I have to pay for two but use only one.”

  He started laughing again. Alixa only got more disgusted. She fished out every last coin in her purse and dropped them on the table, hoping to get out of his hut quicker. Pill was no idiot, he knew she had to have more based on her noble attire.

  “Oh sunshine, that’s not enough for both. It’ll cover the note, but not enough for the capital one.”

  Alixa was desperate.

  “I promise I’ll pay back. I’m royalty after all, Princess Alixa.”

  “So why is our princess running around the sticks without any guards? Listen, it’s not just me you’re ripping off, but all the nodes. If I don’t pay my share they’ll disconnect me! And then what, I’ll be out of a job. You understand what that means to an old one-legged geezer?”

  She looked at her dagger. Killing him wasn’t an option. Too many eyes poked at the hut. She also didn’t know how to guide the pigeons or to what nodes.

  “Fine, can I sell anything to you? I have a dagger, expensive clothes.”

  “Ehhh. I’m not sure. We simple folk don’t really need that crap.”

  Pill stood up and scanned Alixa. No pouches, empty pockets. She was telling the truth. Then he saw her oversized boots.

  “You know what, since you’re such a cutie-patootie I’ll cut you a deal. I see them old mud-kickers ten sizes too big on your pretty feet. Give me those and we’re good.”

  Alixa could not believe it. Without any money, power or resources she had to give away her boots. She handed them over without a single word, almost crying thinking about her current situation.

  “Thank you for your service, and guess what. I ONLY NEED ONE. YEHAHAHHAHAH!”

  Alixa took back the boot and put it on. Arms dangling, she exited the hut.

  ?????

  The plan was set in motion. Messages were simple after deciphering. To HQ it was “Need as many people in Olpore. Subject has info on lost artifact.” And the note was “Find Emperor Vex. Tell him to visit Olpore. Promise him money and women in town square.” She picked Olpore as the stage. It was nearby Culra and no one there would recognize Vex for his artistic merit.

  A week passed. Alixa was training agents sent from HQ. Their task was simple: they needed to rile up the crowd in Alixa’s favor. They were the firestarters. Many of them questioned why they had even traveled so far for such a simple task. Alixa quickly dismissed their questions by saying it was confidential and they could take their complaints to HQ.

  A young man dressed as a courier approached Alixa.

  “Miss, we got reports from scouts. They’re coming.”

  Alixa turned away from the agents. She couldn’t stop grinning. She’d finally kill the person who ruined her life and the board was set up for checkmate. After calming down she asked.

  “ETA?”

  “T-minus 2 hours, Miss.”

  “2 HOURS? We don’t have anything set up, we need to prepare!”

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  They scrambled through pubs and taverns, promising a great show in the town square. Alixa took that time to perfect her look. In her mind she had to look immaculate as the future leader of the kingdom.

  ?????

  They walked the block-paved main street. Town was humble but nice, showing that residents really took care of it-flower pots bursting with flowers, everything clean even if a little broken. Buildings were busy, the town lively, even if a little plain.

  Hal stepped with a worried stride.

  “Vex I’m telling you, this is a trap.”

  “And who would want to trap us?”

  “Do I take out a list or just start naming from the top of my head?”

  Amelie saw a bakery. Almost salivating.

  “Lord! Can we get some donuts?”

  “I know all that bread would only fill your tummy and not where it needs to be filled.”

  Amelie pouted, Hal rolled his eyes.

  “Ok FINE we can get them after we find the person who contacted us. It still feels unreal, we’re FAMOUS! I hope we only get more well known from here.”

  “You wish, but knowing your luck… it’s possible.”

  “What can I say I’m a lucky gu—”

  Vex stopped. He and Amelie recognized a person sitting outside a tavern. But their reactions were completely different. They shouted at the same time.

  “SPIDER BITCH!”

  “DARK LADY WHO HELPED US!”

  They looked at each other confused. Vex quickly grabbed Amelie by her hand and Hal by his collar and dragged them to an alley to hide.

  “That’s the widow killer.”

  Amelie was confused.

  “Oh right! The guards mentioned the widow killer was a woman. I sense dark aura around her… It’s spooky. So it was the same lady who helped us?”

  “Yeah I didn’t want to spook you back then. But now you’re stronger Amelie.”

  Amelie flexed her non-existent biceps and grunted.

  “Tough as nails!”

  Hal crossed his legs and rubbed his chin, getting into his thinking position. It felt like he was talking more to himself than Vex and Amelie.

  “Hm… I’ve read about it. Interesting case, she seduces men and kills them after intercourse. Something feels unnatural.”

  He lifted his head to look at his pals.

  “Since you’ve already had an encounter with her, perhaps she’s the one who summoned us. Presumably to enact some kind of grudge.”

  “Well, I didn’t leave that freak on good terms, but I doubt it. I’d guess she gives assassin more than schemer.”

  Hal’s face twisted in annoyed disgust.

  “Gives??? Ewww. Pila really rubbed off on you.”

  Vex’s stomach started rumbling. Even hearing the girl’s name brought back horrible sensations of her smell.

  “Hal, she has never seen you before. Let yourself be seduced by her, while we’ll head to the center. But beware she’ll try to kill you after sex.”

  “Who would be dumb enough to sleep with her, knowing that she’s a ki- No way… So you did it with her?”

  Amelie looked at Vex, eyes wobbly, face red as a tomato. Vex recounted that night, him running away, scared for his life.

  “Best night of my LIFE.”

  Hal gave him a disgusted but unsurprised look.

  “Anyway you two, go to the center, I’ll hold her up. We’ll meet back up at the camp.”

  Hal went straight to the widow as the pair circled around and continued their journey.

  As Vex and Amelie approached the square, scouts quickly notified Alixa to start her show.

  She stepped on a wooden platform, scroll in her hand. The crowd was silent, stunned by her beauty, the only sound they heard was the clack of her adventurer’s shoes. As she got to the middle, she dramatically threw away her cloak, revealing a premium dagger fitted to her hip. The wind swayed her two braids- a diplomatic hairstyle. She took a wide stance and started.

  “People of Olpore! I am Princess Alixa of Aldrich, rightful heir to the throne, daughter of the true king- banished unjustly by treachery and lies, yet unbroken! I come before you not as some wandering noble, but as your sovereign in exile, the one who should be ruling with grace and iron while lesser bloodlines rot in their graves!”

  The people were not impressed. They were promised an entertaining show and all they got was a noble flashing her title. Some drunk guys even shouted.

  “Get to the good part!”

  Then she finally saw him. Her demon, her life’s mission, only goal. She locked eyes with Vex, who stopped to listen to the speech. He hardly recognized Alixa without a dress. At that moment she looked like a tomboy, wearing adventurer’s pants and having her hair neatly braided.

  Her shift was instant, full of confidence, smirk on her face.

  “People of Olpore, I want to tell you about a demon. Yes a demon. He walks right beside you, you don’t even notice him. He’s a slimy, gutter rat parading himself as an emperor, while real royalty suffers due to his actions. And right now he’s in the crowd.”

  Everyone gasped.

  “Everywhere he steps, chaos erupts. His actions are unforgivable, he groped me in a dungeon and proceeded to manipulate the king into banishing ME- the honest princess, true heir to the throne. He humiliated, ruined me and had the nerve to wink at me like he’d won a prize.”

  Vex was deadpan listening to her speech. He was incredibly annoyed at her retelling. All he could think was.

  “I wish that idiot would just stop talking.”

  Alixa continued, her cheeks flushed, passion visible in her eyes.

  “We will destroy him, who’s with me. End Emperor Vex! End Emperor Vex!”

  AFO agents in the crowd started chanting with her, as rehearsed. Suddenly a bug flew into Alixa’s mouth. She started aggressively coughing, unable to continue her rant.

  Vex vaulted onto the stage with the grace of a drunk balett dancer. He patted his clothes and spread his arms to the sides, soaking in the confused cheers of the crowd. He wasn’t sure what to say, he tried imitating the princess by addressing the people first.

  “People of Or… Orwell? Orsoak? Whatever that’s not the point. Good folk! Drunkards! You came here for a show and I’ll give it to you. Behold! I’m the gale sent from the shadows to conquer your world, the star lord emperor Vortex, the unyielding!”

  He struck a dramatic pose and continued.

  “Look at her! This so-called princess is choking on her own lies, isn’t that ironic! She stands here screaming about how I "used" her in a dungeon. Let me set the record straight for the historians in the crowd.”

  Their screams stopped for a second, wanting to get every juicy bit. Vex leaned in to the crowd and slightly calmer continued.

  “She was the one straddling me, dress hiked up to her royal hips, whispering about mutually pleasurable agreements to keep my mouth shut. I was just trying to be a gentleman and kept my hands to myself, mostly. But royalty, am I right? Always blaming the help when their own delusions get out of hand.”

  The crowd roared—half laughter, half scandalized gasps. Vex lived for this, he gained immense pleasure leading this crowd, even a few AFO agents believed him. Amelie stood there alone, feeling isolated, getting the wrong idea. With all her might she screamed.

  “DON’T TELL ME YOU LOVE THAT LADY!”

  The crowd got silent. One word was clearly in its murmur. “Love.” They got the idea that it was just a lovers’ quarrel. They started spewing out twisted ideas of love.

  “Well, they speak with the same delusion of grandeur, am I right?”

  “Just get a room idiots. No need to vent in front of a crowd.”

  “Is public shaming their kink?”

  The crowd got wilder and wilder, theorizing their romantic relationship. Vex and Alixa’s attempts to break apart those rumors were futile, their words just got drowned in the crowd’s theory soup.

  The scroll in Alixa’s hand started glowing and levitated. A sharp “fwung” echoed through Olpore. Everyone got silent. A robotic voice came from the scroll.

  “Perception reached. Effect: Binding.”

  The scroll disintegrated into nothing. Alixa was shocked. It worked, but not on the right note. She took out her dagger and attacked Vex, throwing him to the ground. Her actions were futile. Fate itself went against her, every time she either missed or dropped the dagger, feeling a sharp sensation in her elbow.

  The crowd woo’d, seeing them lay on each other.

  Alixa was exhausted, Vex took that chance to run away. Amelie followed.

  The crowd disbanded shortly after that. They had their fill and went away satisfied. All that was left was the AFO agents. Alixa punched the planks of the stage until her fists were bloody.

  “He can’t keep getting away with it… HE CAN’T!”

  A senior agent stepped up.

  “Miss Alixa, the voice from the object. I know what it was. Wasting it that way… you’re gone from AFO. Don’t ever come back to the capital.”

  He signaled for the other agents to leave too. Alixa was left alone on a stage in the town square, banished from royalty, banished from the underground. The only thing left for her was to cry, cry away her pain of never succeeding a task. And that she did, she cried away her rage, her uselessness, her delusions of grandeur, her pettiness.

  Vex and Amelie were walking back to the camp to meet Hal, they knew it was a straight path, but somehow they found themselves back at the square. They tried walking away again several times different ways, but were back to it every time.

  Alixa was still crying, her eyes red, when she finally noticed them. All she could do was run in embarrasment. Any way she ran she got back to the kooky pair.

  The scroll’s power was in effect. Vex and Alixa were bound to be together forever.