Ambrosious
Weaver of Written Worlds
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2000
- Posts
- 6,346
Feeling his way down the darkened corridor at nighttime was easy for Lefty. He did this several times each week. The blackened walls left traces of soot on his hands that would need to be cleaned. Where he was headed, and for what he was about to do, Lefty couldn’t afford to leave any trace. The strong holds walls were heavy and foreboding, made of the oldest granite and marble. The torches that had burned in their sconces for generations had left the walls a permanent black, and almost greasy to the touch. The smells from the kitchen assailed his nose as he rounded the corner, and into the hall that led to the kitchen and then on to the stables. Slipping by the baker and his helpers had never proved to be difficult before, and Lefty did not anticipate any trouble this time either.
The corridor gradually brightened as he came closer to the kitchens. He could hear the baker berating his help, as usual, and he heard the shifting of heavy stones and brass plates used to cook the breads, cakes, and sweets on. The only unguarded entrance lied just to the west of the kitchens, and that is what Lefty was making his was toward. He came into full view of the kitchen entrance, and pressed himself flat against the wall. Scoping the situation ahead, Lefty saw nothing that surprised him. The fires were at full intensity, the cooks needing a good bed of coals for baking. The lanterns and torches gave the room a cheery glow. One of the kitchen help walked past the doorway, not bothering to look down the corridor, but Lefty held his breath until the helper was well out of view. Peering into the depths of the kitchen, Lefty spotted his goal. He needed to get to the column that was closest to the door way. Once he got that far, the rest was relatively easy, becoming a game of hopscotch. The kitchen had several columns as support for the floor above it, and Lefty used these to his advantage. He took out his cloak and draped it across his shoulders. If he was seen, he could claim hunger and retire back to his rooms in the Royal Quarter, but the job he was to do tonight was urgent, he did not need to be seen.
Lefty started out, crossing the space from where he stood to the doorway in a few steps. It sounded to him that every step boomed down the hallway. He knew from experience that this was not the case. Every sound was intensified when your senses were as heightened as his were now. He stood in the shadows of the doorway and peered into the bowels of the kitchen. No one was visible from his vantage point, so he started the long walk to the column. With leather soles on his shoes, he made very little sound, and his cloak brushed against his legs as he walked. He made it to the column, and knew the rest of the journey would be simple. He made his was around the column and looked once again for any sign that he might be caught. Nothing was visible, most of the help must be in the mixing room, preparing the breads for baking. This was going to be easier than he thought. Lefty made his way from column to column, quickly coming to the exit door that led to the stable. One swift push and the nighttime air greeted him, along with the odors from the kitchen refuse mingled with stable smells. He curled his lip and set out.
Lefty had no problem exiting the courtyard, for there were one or two spots one could slip under the walls if one was of the right stature. He was. He slipped out and the city’s sight greeted him. He did not know whether he would take to the rooftops, or take to the sewer. Either way was ripe with danger. Roofs collapsed under the weight of men, and the sewers had a sub culture of undesirables living there. He decided on the roofs, for he could walk them near where the walls supported the roofs, and be relatively safe. He made his way to one house where the wood was stacked out back, just so. The wood pile served as a flight of stairs and he was up and on the rooftops with ease. He turned to survey this, his nighttime kingdom and smiled. Lefty knew the dangers he would face tonight, and accepted them with glee. He would need to eliminate certain people that were causing a stink for the king. He had a special interest in this for he was not only the king’s son, he was the king’s assassin.
The corridor gradually brightened as he came closer to the kitchens. He could hear the baker berating his help, as usual, and he heard the shifting of heavy stones and brass plates used to cook the breads, cakes, and sweets on. The only unguarded entrance lied just to the west of the kitchens, and that is what Lefty was making his was toward. He came into full view of the kitchen entrance, and pressed himself flat against the wall. Scoping the situation ahead, Lefty saw nothing that surprised him. The fires were at full intensity, the cooks needing a good bed of coals for baking. The lanterns and torches gave the room a cheery glow. One of the kitchen help walked past the doorway, not bothering to look down the corridor, but Lefty held his breath until the helper was well out of view. Peering into the depths of the kitchen, Lefty spotted his goal. He needed to get to the column that was closest to the door way. Once he got that far, the rest was relatively easy, becoming a game of hopscotch. The kitchen had several columns as support for the floor above it, and Lefty used these to his advantage. He took out his cloak and draped it across his shoulders. If he was seen, he could claim hunger and retire back to his rooms in the Royal Quarter, but the job he was to do tonight was urgent, he did not need to be seen.
Lefty started out, crossing the space from where he stood to the doorway in a few steps. It sounded to him that every step boomed down the hallway. He knew from experience that this was not the case. Every sound was intensified when your senses were as heightened as his were now. He stood in the shadows of the doorway and peered into the bowels of the kitchen. No one was visible from his vantage point, so he started the long walk to the column. With leather soles on his shoes, he made very little sound, and his cloak brushed against his legs as he walked. He made it to the column, and knew the rest of the journey would be simple. He made his was around the column and looked once again for any sign that he might be caught. Nothing was visible, most of the help must be in the mixing room, preparing the breads for baking. This was going to be easier than he thought. Lefty made his way from column to column, quickly coming to the exit door that led to the stable. One swift push and the nighttime air greeted him, along with the odors from the kitchen refuse mingled with stable smells. He curled his lip and set out.
Lefty had no problem exiting the courtyard, for there were one or two spots one could slip under the walls if one was of the right stature. He was. He slipped out and the city’s sight greeted him. He did not know whether he would take to the rooftops, or take to the sewer. Either way was ripe with danger. Roofs collapsed under the weight of men, and the sewers had a sub culture of undesirables living there. He decided on the roofs, for he could walk them near where the walls supported the roofs, and be relatively safe. He made his way to one house where the wood was stacked out back, just so. The wood pile served as a flight of stairs and he was up and on the rooftops with ease. He turned to survey this, his nighttime kingdom and smiled. Lefty knew the dangers he would face tonight, and accepted them with glee. He would need to eliminate certain people that were causing a stink for the king. He had a special interest in this for he was not only the king’s son, he was the king’s assassin.
