Awkward Misconceptions [Gwen]

Even the Upper District of the capital had its nooks and crannies; places that people would likely miss unless they already knew their locations. The funny dead ends or the spaces between nobles’ mansions hid a number of these spots and while most were inconsequential, one in particular was anything but.

A small footpath wound around behind the home of a noble family, one who was both wealthy and important enough to live close to the palace. The entrance to the path was overshadowed by the noble’s garden which looked almost as if it had been purposefully allowed to become overgrown. However, if one slipped by the rosebush and made their way down the unkempt path they would soon find themselves standing before a statue. Anyone familiar with the Empire’s history would recognize the subject as a famous king; the same man who had ordered the construction of the impressive castle which was the focal point of the Upper District. The statue was likely just as old as the palace itself and was a bit weatherworn, but it seemed as though either nobody wanted to make the effort to remove it or simply felt that it was wrong to knock down a statue that might have some historical value.

As Kate knelt in the thick grass beside the statue, she couldn’t help thinking that if the statue had been of her father then no one would have any reservations when it came to getting rid of the thing. She glanced up at her ancestor’s austere features and wondered what he would have to say about the current state of the Empire. History generally held that he was one of the finest kings to lead the nation and she doubted that he would be pleased to learn what her father had done.

Scowling, Kate pushed the thought from her mind. It wasn’t as if a dead king’s opinion would really matter, even if he could somehow express it. Right now she had other things to focus on anyways. She reached over and pressed the switch that was hidden at the base of the statue. With a slight rumble, the statue slid aside, revealing a ladder which led into a dark shaft.

Kate stood and brushed the dirt of the knees of her trousers before lowering herself into the pit. She clambered down the ladder, dropping past the last few rungs. Reaching over, she tugged on a lever that was set into the wall. She glanced upwards to see t the late afternoon sun for a brief moment before it was blocked off as the statue slid back into place above her, closing the off the passage once more.

Immediately the walls of the tunnel felt as though they were pressing in on her and Kate was keenly aware of the weight of the earth pressing down on the tunnel from above. This passage was old and parts of it had already collapsed. It seemed as though it would only take a slight impact to send the rest crumbling down onto her head. Kate fumbled for the small magitech lantern she had left at the foot of ladder earlier and clumsily switched it on. The oppressive atmosphere was lessened somewhat when the light was switched on, but Kate still couldn’t help feeling nervous.

However, even though she hated coming down into the passage, she wasn’t about to disregard it simply because it made her feel uncomfortable. Kate had discovered a map depicting the tunnels several years previously and she had forced herself to explore them thoroughly. The passageway was not a single tunnel; it was an almost labyrinthine network that stretched under the palace, although several tunnels had collapsed. While there were several entrances in different areas of the castle, the one she found most convenient was behind a bookcase in in a small room behind the library.

The room had mainly been used for the storage of older books or to house those which weren’t displayed in the main library for one reason or another. Most of the time books were simply tossed in there without any form of organization, which had resulted in the room becoming a complete mess over the years. As a result, nobody had complained when she had decided to clean it up and turn it into her private study, although some had questioned why she had insisted on doing it mostly by herself.

It had been worth the effort though since Kate had gained an easy way to escape the castle and the perfect way to explain away her frequent disappearances. She already had a reputation for being studious so nobody batted an eye when she took to spending long hours in her new study. When she locked and bolted the door, everyone simply believed that she hated to be disturbed. It was also the perfect place to change in and out of her disguise as a street boy since wandering around the castle dressed as Kent would probably not be the best idea.

That didn’t change the fact that she hated actually having to come down into the tunnels. As Kate made her way along the passage, she tried to think of anything but being trapped alive down here. Even if the others in the palace knew she didn’t like to be bothered while she was in her study, they’d certainly break down the door before too long. However, by the time anyone found the secret passage she’d probably be long dead; killed either by falling rocks, asphyxiation, or thirst.

Well, her decision not thinking about dying certainly wasn’t working. With a frown, Kate quickened her pace. It would probably just be best to get out of these tunnels as quickly as possible. However, as she hurried onwards Kate heard something that made her freeze. The passage was carved mainly out of stone which tended to echo. However, she could have sworn that not all the echoes lined up with her own footsteps. Kate hoped that she had been mistaken, but even after she stopped walking footsteps continued to sound down the tunnel.

Kate switched off her lantern and the darkness pressed in on her again. Her breathing seemed impossibly loud, but it could not drown out the footsteps as they grew louder. There had always been the chance that she would encounter someone else down here; there were several other entrances to the secret passage aside from the bookcase in her study and if she had learned about the tunnels then there was the possibility that someone else would stumble across a way in as well. Still, in the several years that she had been using the passage, she had never met anyone else. Perhaps she had simply been lucky before, but it seemed as if that luck had run out today.

Maybe she would be able to overpower whoever it was. If she could catch them by surprise and knock them unconscious then she could rush back to her study and change out of her disguise. However, such a strategy hinged on her not being recognized. At least her disguise would likely confuse most people at least for a short while, but her tonfas were well known around the palace due to their Eastern origins. Kate couldn’t use them unless she wanted to be recognized immediately.

Maybe she could just sprint back to the exit and try to get out of sight before the person caught up. Kate doubted that she had the time though and she might end up in a corner instead. The only other tunnel that was close by had collapsed as well. It did, however, form a sort of alcove off the side of the main passage. Perhaps it would provide enough cover for her to hide.

As quietly as she could, Kate felt her way along the wall until she arrived at collapsed tunnel. Pressing herself back into a corner that had been created by the falling rocks; she shrank down in an attempt to make herself as small as possible. By now she was able to see a faint light as the other person drew nearer and nearer. Breathing as lightly as possible, Kate clenched her fists. If she was seen then her only real option was to try to take out the person quickly and to try to get away. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that, but fortune had not exactly been on her side today.