Everything made much more sense, and was much more horrible now. Such a desperate assassination attempt, even if she hadn't been detected... no wonder she'd gone to such lengths. But that also meant she likely felt animosity towards those who were holding her sister hostage. It meant that they could save her sister.

Fanilly took a deep breath.

"Dame Tyaethe is right," she began, "If this is to be successful, no-one must leave this party."

There was some commotion among the guests at this declaration. It seemed as if at least a few among the nobility didn't like this idea. One of their number, the first voice to speak up, was Lord Velbrance.

"Is that truly appropriate, oh Knight-Captain?" he began, stepping forward, "Surely, there's no way you can expect everyone to wait here until you find the perpetrators. Besides, how can you be certain the little assassin is truthful?"

He shrugged.

Fanilly winced. Could they really simply hold everyone here? Was it right to simply make such demands? But if they didn't...

"I don't think you can expect everyo-"

"Silence, Velbrance!" a voice bellowed over the crowds. It was an older man, and with the clank of armor the tall form of Adeforth Balsung, the seventy-year-old captain of the Crown Knights, strode forward. Face lined with age and boasting a large white mustache, his armor still gleamed as if it was brand new. "Or do you seek to place the Princess's life in further danger? Mayon's Ice, did you father ever drill some sense into that skull of yours?"

"Hmph, I'm merely-"

"Merely trying to be the center of attention? Merely trying to make the duties of the knights sworn to the crown more difficult? Hold your tongue, you blasted fool."

"... You shall hear of this later, old man," spoke a seething Velbrance, glaring towards the aged knight.

"... As I was saying," Fanilly began again, "If word leaves this castle, not only is it likely another attempt shall be made on the Princess's life, but the perpetrators of this vile scheme will kill this nem's sister. Not a single person must leave this party until we are certain both the hostage has been freed and the Princess is no longer in immediate danger."

The nem assassin was wide-eyed with confusion. It was rather clear, even if she couldn't speak, that she hadn't expected this at all.

Fanilly wasn't sure if it was right to place their trust in the assassin, but at the same time she doubted that they had any other options.

"... As Dame Martiza said, we need to know all we can about the ones who took your sister," she said as she turned towards the nem, "What can you tell us?"

Almost immediately the nem was writing, even as her tiny body trembling, tears in her eyes.

[i]'THEY'RE IN THE CAL MAUSOLEUM. SIX OF THEM AND THEIR MERCENARIES. ONE NECROMANCER'[/i]

That was all they needed.

"... I will divide the knights' numbers. Some of you must remain here to help guard the princess," Fanilly said, straightening, "If you must, gather weapons from the Castle's Armory. With your permission, Sir Adeforth?"

"Aye, my permission indeed," the old knight nodded, "Anyone who would threaten her Royal Highness must face steel."

Fanilly nodded, turning back to the assassin.

"... Can... can you guide us? If they have any traps in place..."

The nem nodded.

Fanilly took a deep breath. She didn't know if this was right, but...

"Let's go, Iron Roses!"

As the Roses mobilized, Princess Eliabelle nodded weakly.

"Y-yes, er, as Sir Adeforth said..." she trailed off, "Er..."

The silvery-haired young girl huffed, her knight still an ever-present, silent figure.

"I am Lady Veileena Cal, as your compatriot noted," she began. With that in mind, it would likely become more clear who the dark knight was. It was said that the remaining daughter of Phoran Cal was never without a black knight, after all, "And this is Haelstadt."

Haelstadt didn't say a word.

"I understand your concerns, Sir Knight," she continued, glancing toward Fleuri as she did, "But that is all the more reason to offer my assistance. That traitor who once called himself my father shall not hold any sway over my decisions, thank you very much. I offer my assistance in safeguarding the Princess. As long as I live, Haelstadt will never waver, let alone fall."

[hr]

The Iron Roses had to move, and they had to move quickly. The graveyard was, thankfully, not too far away, even if it was a rather haunting sight to behold in Fanilly's opinion. The elaborate gravestones, some depicting Mayon reaching down towards the grave of the dead, a few similarly constructed, but with Reon instead. Others showed family symbols, or conveyed what the dead interred there had done in life. Some were simple, wishing the deceased a good afterlife.

And then there were the mausoleums. They stood larger then the other graves, and what was visible was only a small component. They stretched underground as well, holding generations of dead. Fanilly admitted, privately, that she found being in a graveyard at night rather disconcerting, but... she couldn't show such a thing.

The Cal Family's tomb was rather easily-recognized. Atop it was the eight-pointed star that symbolized the Cal family. As Fanilly knew, each point symbolized something, but she had never learned what. They had refused to allow Phoran Cal to be interred there, and had stripped him posthumously of his status as a member of their family. He was so hated that his surviving daughter had refused to call him by anything other than 'traitor'.

His tomb looked unguarded... from the outside. But gods knew what was going on down there.

Fanilly turned back to the others.

"Once we're inside, Vosahnn will lead the way," she said, nodding her head towards the Nem assassin. Her name, as she had written while they were preparing, was Tili Vosahnn. "We'll take out as many of them as we can on the way to the bottom floor. Once we're there, we'll need to act quickly in order to ensure her sister's safety, and slay the necromancer before he can act."

It was around that moment that the door to the Cal Mausoleum slowly creaked open... and a guard stepped out.

He'd need to be silenced quickly. They wanted to get inside before there was an alarm.

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