Soul of a Human

Saphine leads the party towards the mansion properly just as the servant regains his wits and raises the alarm. A few seconds later, the Celestine family guards surrounded the three friends.

"You are hereby under arrest!" The probable lead guardian growled while his three subordinates channeled power to instantly react to any threats the intruders might employ.

Much to the human's amusement, Saphine seemed not cowed in the slightest, but instead, she looked annoyed by the whole situation. Orth was his calm self again, letting Saphine sort those poor bastards out. Mor was the only one nervous and a bit scared at this bout of consequences.

°If you're shaking in your boots now, why did you kick in the gate for Saphine?° The human sighed.

°I was annoyed and didn't think about the implications.° Mor protested.

°Idiot.° The human simply said, and Mor couldn't really argue this time.

"No!" Saphine stated. "We are not."

The leader's surprised face would have been funny in any other circumstance. With a less sure voice, the leader continued.

"Yes, you are. You're trespassing on private property."

"Which we wouldn't have to if that useless waste of space did his duty." Saphine huffed defiantly.

"But maybe you are smarter. Bring me to your Lady Clare." She ordered.

"Why should I do that?" The leader asked.

"Because I, Lady Saphine, first daughter of the Sapphire family, accompanied by Lord Orth, third son of the Obsidian family and our friend Mor Agaton, order you to," Saphine said haughtily.

The leader wanted to say something, probably stupid, but one of the guards was faster.

"Wait, Agaton!? Are you Sophie's boy? I think he was called Mor," he said in surprise.

"You know my mother?" Mor blurted out.

"Of course! My wife is also an Agaton, and your parents are a kind of celebrity in that family. I was told everything about the ice empress who married a commoner," the guard happily explained.

"What are you talking about!" Saphine and the guard leader shouted in unison.

"Well, Sophie was of nobility herself and almost married to the Sapphire family. So maybe their story is true?" The guard said.

"It is true! Mother brought us here because we wanted to visit Clare." Mor added.

"How about we let the master decide, Sir?" The guard said.

The leader let out a deep sigh. "It seems I don't have a choice now, but either way, it will have consequences for you. You disregarded your duty as Celestine guard and disobeyed my commands."

He then turned to the three kids. "Don't make any trouble, I will bring you to the master, and he will decide what to do with you."

"Why can't you bring us to Clare?" Mor asked but got no answer to that.

The kids were brought to the office of Chorne by the guards, and the leader knocked at the door.

°Want to kick that one down as well?° The human joked.

°Shut up.° Mor growled, and the human laughed.

"What?!" Came from the door.

"My Lord, Lady Clare has some visitors. They claim to be from the Sapphire and Obsidian families." The guard leader answered the inquiry.

"Bring them in." The order came back, and the guard leader opened the door and herded the kids into the office.

The gaggle of friends saw Clare's father now for the first time. As all soul kin, he was almost malnourished, but in stark contrast to Clare, he had a very hard and unfriendly face. His eyes were ice-cold white-blue but specked with some greens and reds if someone looked close enough. He looked the three kids over and nodded.

"Sapphire and Obsidian indeed, and who's the third?" He stated.

"He's a part of the Agaton family, a commoner, and of no concern right now," Saphine said self-assuredly.

Mor almost wanted to complain about that assessment, but luckily, the human stopped him before he could be stupid. So Mor just stood there, his lips pressed together.

"I see, and you came here to see my daughter?" Chorne asked.

"Yes." Orth simply stated.

"Why? You must have a reason, right?" Chorne questioned further.

"We became good friends in school and wanted to visit her." Saphine half lied.

"I see. I sadly have to excuse my daughter. She is not available right now. I fear you have made your travel for naught," Chorne said sadly.

°Something's up. He's not annoyed enough, or just hiding it very well.° The human grumbled.

°Why should he be annoyed?° Mor asked.

°Are you shitting me? Or are you this stupid? If someone kicked in my door and showed up unannounced after disrespecting my guards, I would be livid.° The human sighed.

°No one told him about that. He just doesn't know it. You're paranoid again,° Mor answered.

°So we're stupid again... Who said, somebody needed to tell him? First, the crash was loud as fuck, you had to be deaf to overhear that, and secondly, you aren't the only one that can communicate without talking...° The human said, disappointed.

Mor suddenly got nervous at the human's evaluation and took a sly gaze at the guards, slowly shuffling a bit to the side.

"When could we meet her?" Saphine asked.

"I'm sorry, but my daughter needs to concentrate on her healers' training, so I can't let you visit her," Chorne said.

"I see. Would you be so cordial and send her our regards?" Saphine asked with a nod.

"Of course. I'm sure she will be glad to hear about your concern. Please excuse me now and leave. I'm very busy running a hospital," Chorne said.

"Garnid, would you be so kind as to escort our guests back to the front gate?" He said, not really questioning.

"As you wish, my Lord." The guard leader said with a short bow.

"It was delightful meeting you, Lady Sapphire, Lord Obsidian. I bid you farewell," Chorne said, and the kids were herded out of the room again, but before the door could be closed, Saphine halted for a second.

"You should really evaluate your servants better," she declared. "That "thing" you sent to open the gates disrespected me utterly." With a sharp turn, she walked away, not awaiting an answer.

While they were escorted back off the premises, Mor grumbled. He believed the human was right and something was up, but what could he do? The guards ushered them back onto the streets through the destroyed gate and stood guard at the breach.

"Well, nice to meet you...?" Mor said, offering his hand to the "friendly guard".

"Of course, I'm Stan Larimark. Nice to meet you, too." He said, friendly, almost grasping Mors' hand, but a cough from the guard leader stopped him in his tracks. Mor shrugged, and the kids went away, but just before they went out of sight, Mor turned around and waved.

"If you want, we're staying with the Agatons. Bring your wife and come over. I'm sure my mother would be delighted to meet extended family." Mor sent Stan a telepathic message, and in the distance, he could almost see the guard nod with a smile.

°Who are you, and what did you do to Mor?° The human asked.

°What? We need information, and it didn't seem that Clare's father was forthcoming. So, I took the initiative.° Mor said.

°If I had hands, I would applaud you. You can think if you want to.° The human said.

"That went far worse than I thought," Saphine grumbled. "Stubborn old fart, he threw us out without telling us what's up with Clare."

"Yes, but what could we have done?" Orth asked.

"Nothing without seeming rude." Saphine sighed, and Mor grinned.

"What's so funny?" She hissed.

"I have a plan!" Mor said, and both looked at him questioningly.

"Tell us!" Orth said, and Saphine nodded.

"I invited that friendly guard to a little family gathering, and somehow, I have the feeling that in the relaxed company of the Agatons, he may give us some hints about Clare. You know, helping soothe the concern of his Lady's friends." Mor said, smiling, and Saphine grinned.

"That could work!" She congratulated.

"I don't think so. Why would he just tell us something his master wanted to keep secret?" Orth asked.

"Because we use a secret technique! We make him drunk!" Mor said, and after a short, thoughtful pause, even Orth had to agree.

"Could work..." He mumbled.

With their new plan firmly in place, the friends recruited the Agaton family and Sophie into their plans and waited for the arrival of their victim guest.