Royal Blood

XI: Old Friend

Back at the castle, Nadia walks into Seán's workshop with a list in her hands. "McLoughlin," She starts, not looking up from the her list. "I need those Lemongrass Hex...bombs..." She trails off when she looks up and sees an unconscious Mark laying on a table, a bloody cloth wrapped around his left shoulder. Seán, for one, looks terrified. You had one job, he thought. Nadia sighed and closed her eyes, annoyance furrowing her brow.

"McLoughlin," she says calmly.

"Um, yes, Cap-Captain Rose?" He asks.

"I like you. I tolerate you. So, I'm going to ask you one time and one time only: Is that my rebel?" She opens her eyes  their gaze was as steely as knives. "And not just any rebel, the rebel leader?"

Seán swallowed dryly. "Uh... No?" Nadia raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side. Nadia had this stare. This intense 'I have three knives hidden in my boot' kind of stare. The eyebrow raise, the head tilt, pursed lips, and maybe an eye twitch if she was really mad. Sean wilted under her stare. "Well, uh, he was-he was wandering the castle with an arrow in his shoulder and- and he said he was looking for Adelaide and-"

Nadia raised a hand, cutting Sean off. "Wait," she started as she walked to the table where Mark layed. She rested her hands on either side of his head. "Why was he looking for Adelaide? That should be the last person for him to look for. Why not go for help? Or at least try to escape the castle?"

"Well. . ." Sean drug out. "They were kind of. . . friends."

Nadia looked down at Mark with a confused look. "Friends? How could they have possibly been friends? He's been the prison for three years now, so unless--damn." She sighed. "She stole a copy of the dungeon key, didn't she?"

Sean laughed. "She's a smart one. You're not as quick on the draw as you used to be."

She looked up at him with a scowl in her eyes but a small smile on her lips. "Don't ridicule me. It was a small. . . overlook on my part that happened three years ago. I was twenty-five and clueless on how to run a whole army."

Sean raised his hands in defence as he circled around the table to stand by Nadia. "No need to explain yourself to me, Captain. Look, let him rest here, and when he wakes up, you can. . . lock him up again. Deal?"

Nadia was quiet for a moment before rolling her eyes and sighing. "Fine. As soon as he wakes up, you come get me. Not a minute later, or it'll be your head."

"You're bluffing. . . right?" Sean asked nervously.

She shrugged. "Maybe. But do you really want take the risk to find out?"

He shook his head furiously. "No, sir." Nadia simpered just as the loud ringing of bells echoed throughout the castle. "They're back," she said.

"I'll catch up with you." Said Sean, Nadia nodded as she closed the door to the workshop. There was a beat of silence before Sean patted Mark on his good shoulder. "She's gone."

Mark sat up. "Oh thank God." He said relieved.

"You, my friend," Sean started before leaving the workshop. "Are so fucked."

Mark sighed.
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Adelaide, Dark and Anti appeared seemingly out of a cloud of black smoke, at the main entrance to the castle. Dark to no time to march ahead, dragging Anti right along with him.

"Dark, wait," Adelaide pleaded, Trying to catch up with the two. "What was so important that we had to leave the carriage all the way back in Leca? Dark!"

"I must speak to your father at once." he spoke sternly.

"Uh, no! How about we don't!" Anti quite adamantly protested, the heels of his shoes skidding on the wooden floor.

"I don't understand why you're making such a big deal out of this!" She yelled. Dark and Anti were even farther ahead then before. "Every demon has their own special abilities!"

"I'll speak with you later, Adelaide," spoke Dark before he and Anti disappeared behind a set of doors. "And take off that damn necklace!"

Adelaide balled her hands into fists and stomped her heel on the floor. "Arrogant, self-entitled demon!" she shouted, knowing very well he could hear her, and not caring about the strange looks the servants gave her.

"Trouble in paradise?" Someone asked from behind. Adelaide turned around to see Nadia approaching her with Sean in tow. Adelaide smiled. "Isn't there always?" She looked over Nadia's shoulder and saw Sean's face riddled with distress. "What did you do?" She asked Nadia, still looking at Sean.

"I didn't do anything. It's what you and this moron-" She jabbed a finger at Sean. "-did. What were you thinking? Having Sean harbor a fugitive?"

"Who are we-?"

"Mark," Sean interrupted. "She's talking about Mark."

Adelaide blanched. "Mark. . . he's alive?"

Nadia shifted her weight and rested her hands on her hips. "Yes, he is alive. And not only is he alive, he is resting. In. This. Moron's. Workshop." With each word she stabbed her index finger into Sean's chest.

"Okay, stop doing that, will you?" He complained, shooing her hand away.

Adelaide shook her head with slight confusion. "Alright, hold on. I didn't ask Sean to hide Mark--if that is what you're thinking--in fact, I didn't even know he escaped. The last time we spoke was the day before the Blood Sky Ball, and that was two weeks ago. And, if you haven't noticed, I have been in a coma up until three days ago."

Then they were silent. Sean's eyes kept flickering from Adelaide's face to Nadia's, waiting for one of them to make the next move, because he sure as hell knew better than to get between two arguing women. "Go," said Nadia as she nodded her head in the direction of the workshop. "Visit your friend while he still has his freedom. And his life."

Adelaide hugged Nadia. "Thank you."

"I don't do hugs, princess."

Adelaide pushed away quickly with a brisk "sorry" before running off to see her friend.

"Oh, and Adelaide?"

"Yes, Nadia?"

Nadia held out her hand. "Key." Adelaide groaned before reaching into the bodice of her dress, pulling out a gold key, and slapping it into Nadia's hand. Sean face turned beet red and he turned around.

"May I leave now?"
_______________________________________

Adelaide hesitated before she knocked on the door, her fist hovering over the wood. She couldn't quite understand why, but she did; perhaps it the fact she and Mark only ever talked with iron bars between them. She cleared her throat and finally knocked. "Come in," came a deep voice from the other side of the door.

"Idiot," she exclaimed with a smile as she closed the door behind her. He was leaning against a bookshelf with his arms crossed over his chest. Mark lit up at the sight of her. A smile mixed with slight confusion broke out on his face.

"Adelaide! Wait, what?" He asks as he walked over to where she stood.

Adelaide gestures to the door as she speaks. "That could've been Nadia. And then what would you do?"

His smile fell. "I'd probably be dead."

"You'd most likely be dead. Nadia is not the most forgiving being. I mean, you escaped, and who knows how many others escaped, and Nadia is going mental trying to find you all. There will be no mercy once you're found."

Mark scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah about that... I need your help."

Adelaide hesitated for a moment. "Help?" she inquired with an eyebrow raise. "What kind of help?"

"Well, I need you to help me find my friend. A girl I met in the rebellion. Her name is Caitlyn."