It was all starting to seem like a big mistake. Little did Eliezer know what a mess he was getting himself into when he had offered to accommodate the young woman he had only just met the night before. He should have known not to make such a terrible decision, how was he to run an entire kingdom when he was guilty of such incompetence? In light of the attempted assassination that had taken place during the ball, the king and queen had ordered a drastic increase in palace security and restricted the movements of their sons. Eliezer would have liked to comply with the orders, but a promise was a promise, and a prince should never go back on his word either. It was not until the night before that he had started to doubt what truly was right, and it was not a good feeling.

Not long after the servant came to alert him of Raven’s arrival, Mathazar, who was in on the ploy, turned up at his door as well, looking rather concerned. “I cannot help but to find myself accountable, should any harm come to you, Eliezer.”

“Do not feel such a way, for you could not stop me even if you desired to. You should not be held responsible for my actions,” the elder replied, before turning to the servant. “And neither should you.”

At the servant’s nod, the brothers swiftly made their way down the hallway, with Mathazar informing Eliezer about the current situation. “I have set up a distraction to lure the guards at the gate away. They are currently elsewhere, meaning you should be able to pass through without issue. Father and Mother will be attending to their duties until night. This is not like you at all, imagine the hysteria, should they find out that their precious golden boy has gone out to the village with his mysterious dame at such a time!”

Despite the younger’s attempt at lightening the mood, his older brother only addressed him in seriousness as they stopped at the gate. “Unless I do not return by nightfall, they must not know. Do you understand?”

Mathazar nodded. “You have my word, brother.”

A light smile then graced the elder’s lips – a rarity, considering his usual stoic expression. “I simply cannot thank you enough, Mathazar.”

“It is my pleasure to be of assistance to you,” Mathazar responded before quickly pulling his twin into a hug to hide the smirk on his face, the smirk from the expectation that Eliezer was not going to return that night. He then let go of him. “Now go!”

He watched his brother leave through the gate before making his way back into the palace, leaving Raven to finish the job.

The trip to the village area was longer than Eliezer had remembered. He had graced the folk there with his presence several times before and brought them gifts on behalf of the royal family. It was how he had earn their favor. However, he never knew what it was like to live as one of them, and as he and Raven travelled past the simple cottages, he pulled the hat over his eyes, acknowledging that the disguise would also be of use should there be more assassins lurking about the village.

Why would she choose to spend her time with him here? Remembering that she had claimed to be from this area, Eliezer decided that it was time to press her for more information. “Considering how we had only first spoken the night before, Lady Om- [i]Raven[/i], surely you aren’t already planning on bringing me home to meet your family?”