Episode Five: Palace Shenanigins

Ivetta and Castor get up early and speak to James as they three head to town.

Ivetta asks him if he could find out el Yassin’s motivations for trying to learn about the prince. James questions why we work for him if we don’t trust him. They explain Viridis’ sister is under his ‘care’

“I studied under my master and know how to deal with magical ailments. IfI could see her I might be able to help.” But he doesn’t use his magic on regular people on principle so they must find a way to get her out.

Castor asks about the mark on his back, pulling down the neck of his shirt to show James. “What is this triangle? What does it mean?”

He explains that “Most Chati possess such a mark. They mostly pertain to the realm of their birth, usually the symbol has significance there.” Castor suggests the trinity as an explanation. “The mark can change over your journey. It appears now as a scar.” Not glowing as it did when it first appeared.

“Why don't I remember what I do? How can you teach me to control it if you’re not chati too?”

“We both possess magic and I can therefore teach how to control yours. Your friends might also have the ability to learn.”

Tentative, Castor asks “If you were to teach me something first, what might it be?”

“Something simple, levitation perhaps.” James is nonchalant.

Castor looks sideways at Ivetta then says, “When I, uh, Aschar I see visions, people in the places I am.” He describes in detail the few visions he’s seen and James hypothesizes it is gaining knowledge of the realm you're in. “In this particular realm seems to be visions of the prophet Muhammund, his origin story and then sacking of the temple.”

“And he wasn't a Chati?”

“Muhammud?” He chuckles slightly, “No he was not.”

He breaks off, bidding them farewell when they reach the city and Castor and Ivetta head to the palace.

Lead through the palace to a nicer area, a bath house. Wherein Ms. Elsa tells them both to strip. Castor says “uhh, do I have to?”

Scary lady says “Did I stutter?!”

Ivetta takes things off to her undergarments. And Ms. Elsa says “all of it, you need to bathe. I'll leave you to it. You had better be squeaky clean and dressed by the time I return.” Castor's face is aflame and his eyes averted.

There are other people in the baths, a few women who leave soon after they enter and two men in the men's section. Castor follows Ivetta, eyes downcast and she looks at him questioningly, “uh, Castor? Are you sure you want to go into this one?” gesturing to the women’s bath.

He nods, eyes on the floor, and folded in on himself says, “yeah...I--um, Ivetta? I- I have something to tell you. I’m-,” he sighs a bit and continues, “I’m a girl.”

Ivetta is a bit taken aback and stays in shocked silence as they disrobe, revealing that Castor is, indeed, a young woman.

They get in the warm water. Castor's emblem tingling in the warmth.

Ivetta, shaking herself from her shock, questions Castor about everything. First asking if Castor is even her real name. Castor explains that yes, she was named after her grandfather. After her father died she had to be the ‘man’ of the house as her mother’s sickness worsened, leaving her unable to work. Only boys could get decent-paying apprenticeships, so she did what was necessary. “I’ve never told anyone before, do you hate me for lying to you?”

Ivetta assures Castor, “No, of course I don’t hate you! And don’t worry, your secret is safe.”

Castor explains, "I don’t really care what gender people think I am, but it seems like I'll be safer, for now, in hiding it. And when the time is right... if you could help me tell the other two? Viridis... she already hates me I don't- I don't want to make it worse."

Ivetta explains "Viridis is just hotheaded and misses her home and father, and doesn’t want to lose Imilia again.

Castor asks, “how did Viridis react to my idea before? I mean about going home and telling the church I enchanted you three into doing evil.”

“Castor, that is a bad idea and besides James said time works differently between realms. Perhaps time is distorted and we can go back before all that bad stuff happened?” The conversation then shifts to the church and magic. Ivetta is adamant that the church is corrupt and maybe when they go back they won't be in power and says it would probably be a good idea to take James up on his offer to learn magic.

Castor gets a bit angry at her shooting back that the church is good, they care for people like her mother and that magic is the devil’s work. That it's been used only to hurt! Marco could have been killed!

Ivetta insists that learning it will be better than not being in control of it. Castor broods in contemplative silence. She is very conflicted about learning magic, it's evil and this has been told so her whole life, but on the other hand, she could go crazy and hurt so many people if she doesn’t learn control.

Ms. Elsa returns, shouting, “Are you presentable?”

Clothes have been left for them and they change.

A long red and gold outfit waits for Ivetta, very fine fabric and hijab. Castor has a slightly nicer version of the serving outfit she had before.

Ivetta will be living there now, her only time off on Sunday.  Ms. Elsa tells her sternly, “If anyone asks you to do anything you have to do it. If you're found to be less than immaculate, you'll be thrown out.”

They join the prince who is enjoying leisure activities. He then meets with his wife. Castor and Ivetta are left outside their chambers. After about an hour of waiting a man comes and pounds at the door. A tall young man with nice, traditional robes embedded with precious stones.

The prince emerges looking grumpy and his face does not clear when he sees who interrupted him, “Oh its you. What do you want to talk about?”

The younger man says “You've been ignoring me for far too long, we need to have this conversation.” The two start walking away. Castor and Ivetta try to follow but the prince tells them to tend to his wife. When he returns, he is alone and then goes to lunch. As do the pair.

As they head to the servants wing for a well-deserved meal they see over the balcony above the atrium, a scuffle.

Several guards are hauling away two familiar figures who are kicking and screaming.

Viridis and Marco have just been arrested.

They try to follow them to the dungeons but both get lost.

Their lunch break is almost over so they head back Ivetta is stopped by a man and he tells her

“You will attend my private meeting after you are released from work this evening.” She gives Castor a look and agrees.

They head to servants quarters to try and pick up some gossip as well as finally eat.

Castor interacts with a group of Christian bois. Myron, Iliral, Michel, Eugenos, Tolis, Yani. “They arrested two people in the courtyard. Does that happen often?”

“I heard they were trying to smuggle something in. These Islamic fucks drive a hard edge. They'll kill you for anything round here.”

“They'll probably be dead by tonight. They kill them right in the cell.”

Fearful, Castor asks, “You clean the dungeons or something? They must be pretty messy if they kill people down there.” They all chuckle at that.

Ivetta sits alone but is joined by a brown haired woman, Sofia. They chat. “Many of the men here think women of the harem are property; they will ask immoral things of you but the prince does not stand for this. It is illegal. All you need do is turn them down.”

They continue the rest of the work day after lunch. The only significant happening is a Jewish money lender’s visit. The palace is late on payments. THe man leaves on agreeable terms; the prince shmoozed into extending credit.

Let off work around 9 pm. They both head to the servants quarters and bid each other goodnight. Castor asks if Ivetta will go to that man, she says no but she will try to find the dungeon and their friends. While Castor finds James and asks for his help.

Castor leaves, rushing toward the cave. She’s stopped by James calling to her from an alleyway. She tells him Viridis and Marco were arrested and she needs help. He says he’d be breaking his oath, he’s not supposed to interfere. If he used his magic it would be too obvious. He did follow el Yassin wearing a disguise spell all day. Anxious, Castor listens. James says el Yassin goes and comes from influential people: bankers, heads of religious sects, etc.

“I’m sorry, thank you for finding out all this, but I-I can't concentrate on this right now. I need to save my friends. They've been thrown in the dungeon and the other servants said they kill prisoners tonight!"

James offers to use magic to disguise her. Castor hesitates but then agrees, asking “will hurt me?” James assures him it will not but, “It will take some time.” Around 10 minutes later Castor is disguised as a guard she’d seen earlier. Thanking him, she returns to the palace. She is able to just walk right in. Going down the halls, she feels this warm embrace. The feeling tells her where the dungeons are.

Castor is stopped in her tracks when she runs right  into the guard she looks like. He doesn’t bat an eye saying “brother what are you doing here?”

Internally screaming she lowers her voice and says “Oh, just doing the rounds.”

“Well don't let me keep you.” He smiles and walks on.

At last she finds the dungeon. She walks past the guards at the prison door and down a flight of stairs.

The man with the keys at the bottom of the stairs asks her “what your business here?” After a pitiful attempt at lying, Castor finally convinces him that his sister's daughter was arrested today and he was made to promise to check on her.

She’s let in and she sees Ivetta kneeling by a cell holding bread.

Castor walks to her and says “Ivetta its me Castor!” For a second she doesn't believe her but this guy said her real name. Ivetta asks, “Do you have the keys?”

“No, but I can get them.”

In the cell, Viridis is heavily beaten and Marco is trying to keep her coherent.

“I-we gotta get you out of here but there are guards everywhere.” Castor looks fearful at the door.

Marco says “Don’t worry, just grab the keys and distract them.”

Picture if you will, a Middle Eastern man in fancy guard uniform, taller, more buff than Castor but in her voice saying, "I’ll try, but this is scary okay?"

Ivetta and Marco assure Castor he can do it.

Ivetta leaves the dungeon to go to her room, returning the tray to the kitchen and heading to bed.

Castor leaves the cell block and clocks the guy with the keys on the head. The two upstairs hear the crash and ask if everything is okay. She shouts “He’s had a fit or something, he’s unconscious!” She grabs the keys. They come down telling her to go get water. She runs up and closes the door instead. She heads back down and starts attacking the startled gruards. She knocks out the guy helping the unconscious guard first. The other guy kneeling down pushes her into the wall. Castor tries to punch him but he takes out his sword and slashes her chest from shoulder to hip, the illusionary armor providing no protection.

In pain and fear she rushes him, pinning him against the wall. Holding his sword down and shoving her arm against his throat she stifles his shout for help.

Marco by this time has picked the lock and then drags Viridis out of the cell with him. He see’s Castor struggling with a man nearly twice her actual size. Castor tells Marco, “knock him out!” He does.

More people are coming. Castor runs up the stairs and shouts “prisoners escaped and are headed toward the prince’s room!” She points in the opposite direction. Like 16 guards assemble, one shouts “are you sure?” Castor shouts “yes, go quickly!” they run up there. But two centuries stay behind. Castor tells them, “there are prisoners that had weapons and the other guards ran after them and the other was knocked out.” They say “make sure to attend him” and they leave her there alone. Castor whisper shouts to Marco and Viridis, “hurry let's go!”

The three make it to the entrance hall where two guards stand at the door. Castor tries to get them to leave but her luck seems to be running out, they refuse to leave their post.

Marco runs past as Castor is telling them about the escape. He catches the guards off guard but still gets a small scratch from their swift reflexes.

They outpace the guards running behind but two just ahead with their swords drawn are ready to impale them.

Marco unceremoniously drops Viridis and wields his twin daggers. He parries and slashes at one of foes and he takes damage. They shout shut the gate and the guard moves to do so. In an attack of opportunity, Marco stabs him in the back. But he managed to cut the rope, despite Marco’s attempts to stop him and the gate slams down.

The four guards all attack Marco, slicing and slashing.

Castor, still disguised as one of them, barrels into three and 2 are knocked down. She manages to fling a sword away.

Viridis hobbles over and screams “STOP!” Startling a guard. Marco takes the opportunity and stabs a bitch in the chest.

Castor punches the top guy in the head and knocks him out cold. The other guy is struggling to get up from under the now unconscious man.

Marco feels cold steel on his neck. The guard who cut the rope for the gate says “drop your daggers.” Marco does and gets tackled to the ground.

The guard then calls for Castor to help restrain Marco. The other guard who was stabbed asks "sir?" to Castor, apparently his commanding officer, and holds his bloodied hands up shaking. She says “go get medical attention, they have this under control.” The man who was under the other guy gets up too and asks what he should do. She tells him to help the other man to the medic. Viridis, Castor, and the man tying up Marco are left alone. Castor scoops up Marco’s daggers from the ground.

Castor gets up behind the final guard and holds one of Marco's daggers to his throat. Whispering in his ear, “drop your sword and get up.”

“Traitor!”

"Quiet.” The knife is pressed closer to his throat. “Now, you're going to open this gate and let us out."

“The gate is closed and unless you plan on fetching the horses it's going to stay that way.” He spits acidly.

“There must be another way out.” Again the dagger tightens. “Tell me.”

“Never. I'm ready to meet Allah, are you?”  He presses his neck to the dagger. Castor knocks him out and he drops to the ground.

Aggravated Castor growls “We need to get that gate open!” Viridis looks to Castor and points to the top of the gate. “You two are in no state to climb over, there must be another way.”

Castor feels tingly.

Hurt, tired, and desperate to get her friends to safety, she reaches out with her faith. Nothing happens for a moment.

But then the gate glows purple and rises inch by inch, Marco and Viridis see Castor silhouetted in the disguised body, holding up her arms. Marco and Viridis take the opportunity to hobble through the gate. Castor follows and the gate crashes down behind them.

TBC

Episode Six: Revelations