[center] 
[b]
5:15pm, Last Seed 16 
Rear Entrance, Evermore Castle
[/b] 
[indent]
[indent]
[hr]
[/indent]
[/indent]
[/center]
[indent]
Daixano's backdoor surveillance did not start well. Before he could set up his stakeout, a bunch of human kids decided to run around him and shout racial slurs at him. "Mud-eater", "pond scum" and "boot" were sent his way before he respond. And not a second later, some the kids' parents came by and told Dax to "stay away from the children" and "don't ever talk to our kids again". Nearby guards simply shook their head and told everyone to move along.

When Dax finally settled into a vantage point overlooking several entrances to the castle, it wouldn't take more than fifteen minutes for him to spot two cloaked figures approaching the rear gate. Two guards greeted the visitors, and as one stranger and a guard moved out of Dax's sight, the other stranger leaned forward towards second guard. Although Dax could not discern any features from the figures, he could see the guard letting the stranger in without any inspection. As Dax moved closer, he could see both guards slumped beside the gate, apparently having fallen asleep.
[/indent]
[center] 
[indent]
[indent]
[hr]
[/indent]
[/indent]
[b]5:30pm
Evermore Castle Cellars
[/b] 
[indent]
[indent]
[hr]
[/indent]
[/indent]
[/center]
[indent]
After a grueling ride for the boxed in mercenaries, they were finally allowed to breathe open air again. The said air was the cold and damp waft of kitchen basement, but after nearly an entire hour stuffed in claustrophobic crates, any place where they could stand up straight was a relieve for the mercenaries. Piper, Dar'Jzo and Narzul all arrived intact, though the latter looked like he was going to pass out. Various weapons also came in without issue; Keegan's staff in particular had a rough ride wedged up against Dar'Jzo's tail. Cilo and Saddi made sure the doors were closed and no busybody was peaking, then they helped the mercenaries out, and watched Piper fell straight onto her face (blood swelling in her mouth as a result of her teeth smashing into gum).

However, neither Saddi or Cilo heard the doors open behind their back. In came two cloaked figures, both not anyone they had seen so far through the rear entrance. One of the three torches in the cellar went out, casting long shadows inside the already poorly-lit room.

"What have we here?" The muffled and indeterminable voice of one figure spoke, spooking the mercenaries and prompting them to turn around. "Seems like someone's been playing spy in the dark."

"Looks like hired swords." The other, and equally mysterious individual, said. 

"Who are you working for, huh? Bellemont? Prince Narcisse? That bastard Everard?" The first one stepped forward menacingly, one hand brushing aside their cloak slightly to reveal leather armor and sword.

One of the mercenaries started to say something, but another one's fidgety gesture set off the second cloaked figure. The cloak flew off in a swoosh, and the masked, leather armored figure beneath unsheathed a steel sword. The first figure reacted similarly, but with an additional wave of their hand, four more near-identical combatants emerged from the doorway.

"We won't allow espionage under her grace's nose." It was now hard to tell which one said those words, but all of them were eager to fight. "You better surrender now, before we kill you!"
[/indent]