Since his room was right next door, Ludvig had been awakened by the commotion and came to investigate. Grielle instructed him to head to the west entrance, where a canal passed alongside the palace walls, and hire a boat to get them through the city.

Benedikt waited anxiously outside Grielle's chamber as she changed her garments. Yorick and Reyn had already rushed off to find the others.

She soon re-emerged from her room. "I don't need a bodyguard," she said as she brushed past him.

"You know, a little 'thank you' here or there would be nice."

Grielle started off down the hall and Benedikt followed. She pressed herself to the wall and stuck her head around the first corner. "Thank you," she whispered, her lips lifted into a slight smile. She again poked her head into the adjoining passageway, then headed onward.

"That wasn't so hard. Although, now I really see why you didn't like me if you thought all princes were like Henrik. That man is a real piece of work if you ask—"

Grielle turned abruptly and Benedikt nearly crashed into her. "Will you shut up?" she hissed, her lips inches from Benedikt's ear. "I don't think Henrik will be happy if he finds out we are vacating his palace earlier than expected. I get the feeling he doesn't want me leaving at all." She pulled her face away and gave him a warning glare.

Benedikt didn't need to be told twice. He made a motion as if buttoning his lips closed.

Grielle gave him a satisfied nod, and they continued down the maze of passageways. While she checked their surroundings, Benedikt inventoried his thoughts; they insisted on wandering to the tickle of her whisper on his ear, or how soft her skin had felt when he touched her hip.

Roaming guards forced them to duck into darkened alcoves and doorways on several occasions, but they reached the door to the western gate with relative ease. After exiting the palace, they approached a shadowed figure at the gate but quickly saw it was a guard rather than one of their own.

Grielle laced her fingers through Benedikt's, slowed their pace, and to his surprise, rested her head on his shoulder. Having momentarily tensed and readied himself, the guard relaxed at the sight of another pair of courtiers wandering the gardens at night. With a flirtatious giggle, Grielle pulled Benedikt into the bushes off the path. Once in the foliage, they turned to watch the soldier, but since he didn't even cast a second glance in their direction, they crawled across the lawn until they spotted some familiar figures in the darkness. The rest of the Liberators already waited for them, hidden in the shadows of the cypress trees.

Ludvig stepped out into the moonlight with his shoulders back and neck stiffened. He was dressed in the dark red uniform of a palace guard and nothing suggested he was anything otherwise. He raised a hand, motioning for them to stay put, then moved out onto the path. They all watched and listened intently as Ludvig marched over to the guard by the gate.

"What are you doing here?" the guard asked.

"They told me it was time for my shift," Ludvig replied as if his reason for being there wasn't obvious.

"But I just started—" the guard said.

"Fine by me," Ludvig said with a shrug. "They just finished cleaning up from the banquet and I left two scullery maids and a bottle of wine in the cellars that I'd like to get back to. Thanks for the night off!" He started to walk away.

"Wait! I got confused; you're right. My shift ended," the man protested as he chased Ludvig.

"Fine," Ludvig grumbled.

The Liberators watched the man hurry back to the palace, leaving Ludvig to watch the gatehouse alone. As soon as the guard disappeared from sight, they ran to the entrance. Without a sound, the group slipped from the palace grounds. Unseen and unheard, they hurried along the path beside the canal.

Benedikt couldn't help but smile to himself at their smooth escape. For all his past adventures, he had never seen a team work in such harmony. Here they were fleeing from a maniac with an entire kingdom at his disposal, and they still found a way to escape without conflict. This was Grielle's way of doing things and Benedikt's respect for her grew all the more.

A low whistle from Reyn brought the group skidding to a halt. On the shoreline ahead of them lay a skiff with an old man asleep at the stern.

Ludvig tossed a small pouch of gold onto the man's chest, and he awoke with a snort. "We require use of this vessel, good sir," Ludvig offered, giving the man a sweeping bow.

"Whassat?" the old man said. His was still half asleep, but as he emptied the contents of the pouch in his hand, he woke up quite rapidly. "...good sir," he laughed to himself as he counted the pieces, jaw agape. "You can have my eldest daughter for such a sum," the old man exclaimed, his eyes twinkling.

"The boat will do," Ludvig replied laughingly as he helped the old man ashore.

"Gods bless you, young man."

They piled into the vessel. Berne nearly capsized the lot of them, but the small skiff held them afloat. Once all were tucked in, the old man released the line from the boat's mooring and bid the Liberators goodbye with a wave. He then stuck his thumbs into his suspenders and teetered off into the night.

"By the smell of him, I think he'll have spent the lot of that in the tavern by morning," Reyn whispered, wrinkling her nose.

Grielle hushed them as they glided down the empty canals.

An eerie silence had befallen the city at this hour. Benedikt kept his breath calm and quiet even though his heart seemed to jump at the slightest noise. Grielle sat at his side, stiff as anything, which made him even more uncomfortable.

Berne had gathered weapons before they made their exit, and now handed them out. To Grielle he gave a slender rapier and to Benedikt, he handed a long and broad sword similar to the style Stalvart warriors liked to wield. Benedikt tested the grip of the sword in his hands and found it more than adequate. He still cursed himself for letting a pirate take off with his own blade, so he unsheathed the pirate cutlass and tossed into the canal with a plop.

They all jumped at the sound and Grielle drove her sharp elbow into Benedikt's ribs. He grunted at the pain.

"What happened to being quiet?" Ludvig hissed as he pushed the boat through the water with a long pole. Somewhere in the city, a bell sounded, its melodic tone echoing through the empty canals. Another bell followed, closer this time, and Ludvig pushed the boat faster.

They stopped under a footbridge as a slew of guards passed over them. "Prisoners escaped the palace. One dressed as a guard," they heard a woman say to someone before both headed in the direction of the palace.

"We've got to move," Grielle whispered to Ludvig.

"Lose the uniform, too," Moose suggested.

Ludvig stripped down to his undershirt and pushed them out from under the bridge. Moose made sure everyone had their own pack with supplies and weapons at the ready. Ludvig steered them towards the nearest dock and they disembarked. The noise of guard posts sounding the alarm was stirring the city from its sleep. They now passed by lighted windows, and heads peered out over balconies to see what caused a commotion at such an early hour.

Benedikt found himself in the middle of their pack with Grielle, Reyn, and Yorick, while Berne guarded the rear and Ludvig and Moose led the way. Kai flew high overhead, a shadow following their movement through the city. Working steadily toward the eastern edge of the city, they made it quite a while before Benedikt's ears caught a sound that made his hair stand on end. All his hours spent practicing and using one guaranteed he would always recognize the sound of a sword being drawn from a sheath. Benedikt slowed his steps, his eyes scanning the shadows of the cobblestone street until he saw it—a shoulder jutting out from the corner of a side street. Grielle had just about walked past the figure when a raised sword glinted in the moonlight.

The city guardsman brought his sword down towards Grielle's unsuspecting back, but Benedikt lunged forth and caught the blade against his own. The unmistakable clash rang out through the street. Grielle whirled around with weapon drawn, a look of battle glinting in her blue eyes.

"I've got this. Run!" Benedikt yelled as he blocked another blow from the guard.

Grielle paused. Benedikt knew she didn't want to leave him alone; he was her charge to protect. The guard was much taller than Benedikt, but he held his own, matching the guard blow for blow.

"Grielle, run!" Benedikt pleaded but rather than listen, she drew her stiletto blade. While Benedikt grappled with the guard, she ducked under his arm and buried the dagger in the guard's side. The man gave a sputtering gasp and then fell to the ground, clutching his waist.

The rest of their party had dispersed around the street, watching adjacent alleys and walkways for any other signs of attack. Ludvig had an arrow on the string and was furiously scanning the way ahead.

"Thanks," Benedikt said to Grielle, trying to catch his breath.

"You're welcome."

She turned to the guard, grabbing a cloth that hung from Benedikt's pack. "You won't die from the injury, as long as it gets proper care." She tossed him the swath of heavy fabric. "Keep pressure on your wound. Lie on top of it if you have to."

The guard looked stunned as they all turned and ran.

"I don't want to start a war with Andor for you if we haven't already," Grielle said.

Once in sight of the outer wall of the city, they slowed to a stop. Benedikt placed his hands on his knees, panting. "That's probably for the best. But it's worth it if it means keeping you alive."

Benedikt watched Grielle carefully. Her face lit with joy at first, but her eyes quickly returned to their look of stony indifference. He turned back to the others, who were waiting for Yorick to give the signal that the way was clear at the gate. The city walls were far too high to climb without significant preparation and equipment, so the gate was their only option.

~

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