"My ship is in the harbor, if we take it out from the dock, I think we'd be safe for the night to heal our wounds, and arrive back on the morrow. I'm not sure our ships doctor is up to the task for the shattered leg, but otherwise I think we could recuperate."
"I should be able to help cure the injured once I've had some rest."
"Whatever you can do, we thank you." Amberlae replied simply. "Even if it is only comfort...they are my friends, and they have suffered horribly so I could escape. They have done more there duty here. If you can help them, please do so."
The Princess looked tired, worn out, and afraid. But she didn't beg for aid, or even ask in so many words. Yet...she didn't order, either. She stood somewhere between one who expected to obey and one who demanded to be obeyed.
"We will do what we can for them. And you will always have our support." She will help her up to her feet. "We'll be at your side the whole time."
It takes time to sneak back through the city, but the princess and her bodyguard - once awake - know a surprising number of little used routes and secret passages which allow you to avoid the less enlightened searchers. Still, evidence pervades all around that others are using them too, and it's only a handful of hours before Dawn that you reach the ship.
Ellara was quite happy to follow the princess' requests and demands alike - and spent a fair bit of the trip serving as a mount for the girl and scouting the path to be sure it was clear. Mostly, though, this just seemed to drive home how she'd gotten her name - Ellara was regularly moving from one form to the next. Sometimes she was small and flew to investigate, sometimes she was a canine sniffing out their route, other times she was more like a horse... either way, she seemed quite intent on being whatever she needed to be at any given moment.
And at this moment, she'd become a small flying creature with a great nose, checking out the route they planned to take to the ship.
"Welcome to the Hellborne Crusader, ladies and gentlemen. Make yourselves comfortable, you're welcome to anything, including my quarters. I imagine those not quite as used to the sea might appreciate a more comfortable bed."
The ship, and what crew were available, seemed fine. Look outs reported that the city and the docks had been a lot busier than usual with various search parties and hunters, and that there were rumours that the royal navy had started searching any ships that attempted to leave the harbour, with others calling to seal the city.
Still, the ship seemed to be secure, and for a while at least it would be possible to rest and plan.
"Let's give Amberlae the captain's cabin. She needs to rest up and it's probably the most defensible spot on the ship."
Sleeping goes according to plan, thanks to the safety of the ship.
Once the sun has fully risen, you have a choice to make. Getting to the Palace for the audience is simply enough. Simply going down the central avenue will do the job. Of course, taking the princess and a bear along the road will likely cause...issues. A suitable disguise could help...but will it be enough?
Then there's a pure stealth approach, taking back alleys, sewers and secret passages. It's more likely to work, but there is a possibility you'll be too late.
And, of course, there's a combination of the two. Taking lesser roads and simpler shortcuts will allow you to get there without, hopefully, too much trouble. You're more likely to reach things in time...but you're also more likely to run into trouble.
As the evening winds down, Lady Karnelia seeks out Kiyomi, in private.
"Kiyomi, may I have a word?"
"Certainly, You can have many words."
"I appreciate the trust you put in myself and the others in revealing your... secret, so to speak."
Lady Karnelia hesitates for an awkwardly long time, but cuts off Kiyomi before the latter can answer.
"Truth be told, I've been keeping a secret of my own."
"I was hoping I might share it with you; it would make it just a little easier for me to hold on to the truth."
Lady Karnelia breathes deeply, forcing herself forward despite all of her instincts shouting for her to stop.
"M-may I count on you to remain silent on my subject? I don't know if I'm ready to let Ellara and Lady Julie in just yet, all due respect aside."
Truth be told, it was much easier opening up to one you knew shared a similar secret to yours.
"We have faced mortal peril together and stood by each other. I swear that I will keep your confidence."
"The truth is, I'm not Lady Karnelia... No, that's not quite right. I wasn't supposed to be Lady Karnelia."
Lady Karnelia nervously twiddles her fingers, hard and sharp nails clicking in the otherwise silent room.
"The true Lady Karnelia is the specter you know as Little Sister."
While Karelia and Kiyomi spoke, Amberlae approached Julie and Elara. The hulking Berserker stood behind her, respectfully, but with scarred hands plainly visible and an occasional glare sent Julie's way.
"I wish to talk about what we shall do if things do not go according to plan," she said. "I do not want to harm any loyal subjects to my mother's throne that do nothing but follow their rulers' orders. I would like some suggestions if you please?"
She nods, "So, by using her name, you are forging the link that lets her stay in this realm? Sustaining her?"
"... I'd never considered that, but it's possible. I have chosen to maintain the name so that she can reclaim her birthright upon her return. Until then, I am merely hoping to find a way to bring her back to this world."
"I owe her a life debt, quite literally."
She bows deeply, "There is nothing finer than to work for the life of another. If I can help in any way, I will."
Ellara took a seat - in human form. "Your wishes are my commands, Your Highness." she answered. "If you wish to flee, I can teleport us away, then take a form to cross land or sky and go as far as needed. I have no magics that could knock people out without harming them, but House Khalavest may have something available to put them to sleep."
"All of us?" The Princess asked, "Are you strong enough for everyone?"
"Nonlethal takedown is not exactly my forte. That said, even hampering myself like that, I'm more than a match for most warriors. Unfortunately, I'm not certain my ship could be our escape route. If I could get it out of the blockade while we're not on board, and then we could meet it somewhere, we could use it as an escape route, but otherwise, it's a tough call."
Ellara thought about that for a moment, tallying on her fingers. "Uh... if I need to, yeah. I can carry a couple people and their things if I get big enough, and stash their gear in a different space if we've got time to prepare." she said. "Might slow down a bit if everyone weighs too much, though, so it is best to travel as light as possible."
"I appreciate it much, and Little Sister as well. Alas, it is getting late. Perhaps we had best get some sleep. Tomorrow promises to be quite troublesome."
The princess pursed her lips. "If we send the ship out once we depart, then Ellara can at least get us part way there in an emergency, correct? We use her abilities to escape the city proper, and meet this ship somewhere secluded, away from prying eyes." She glanced at Julie. "From what your crew have said, you know such places, yes?"
"It's our specialty, certainly, but we usually don't practice our trade directly outside the capital. I'll see if one of the older hands knows a place."
A plan of escape made, a decision still needed to be made on how to approach - the safe way, the risky way or a middle ground of the two?
Ellara simply tilted her head to the side. "Well, I'm all for safety." she noted. They did want to care for the Princess, after all, and the less risk they had, the better. (She could already hear her family yelling at her if she took chances with Her Highness... ugh.)
"I'd say the middle road. If we're noticed too swiftly, they'll have a surprise waiting for us, but if we're too late, then there was no point."
She pauses to think, "I suggest the safe way as well. If time becomes an issue, it's easier to change and take more risk than to pull back."
The Princess agreed with the majority - the safe path it was.
The party headed for the first section of the path. A path from the docks led to a royal safe house for the various agents of the crown that might need to enter the city unseen. It was unlikely such agents would be using it now, as in theory, they should be out searching, and it was quiet and away from prying eyes.
The Princess used a key to open the door and enter the small, dark passage. "This one should lead to a small room behind a tailor's shop. If the shop keep is given the password 'Tinker' they will provide whoever emerges with any assitance and supplies they need. From there, we should be able to make a short trip to the Waste Management Offices and enter the sewer system." She glanced at the lumbering Berserker, who nodded.
"Very well, not a problem." Julie lead the way.
"Sooooo... what kind of animals do they allow?" Ellara inquired. She enjoyed being as innocuous as possible - overlooked until the moment she shifted into a much larger creature and mauled her targets' faces off. Surprise was a powerful weapon, and she tried to get it whenever she could.
"At court?" The Princess considered. "Dogs would be most common, but be aware, several of the guards have skills designed to route out shapeshifters. One of my ancestors was said to have been killed by an assassin in the form of a small pigeon."
The journey to the shop was a simple enough one, and a quick climb up the ladder revealed the back room.
I'm good
Ellara muttered something about being a much better pigeon than said assassin, but sighed slightly and stayed in her normal form. She was a proud member of House Khalavest, darnit! ...Which meant helping the princess however she could. Well, she could always take the form of something if trouble happened.
The Princess and her bodyguard chose instead to get more non-descript clothing, and the princess blackened her face and hair with mud and soot. Or rather, had it done for her. Her face showed exactly how little she enjoyed the process.
Still, it would likely help the average person not spot her. Those who knew her face better would still be able to tell, of course.
The journey is uneventful once more, but there's a problem at the other end. Someone has put a fair number of guards on the waste management centre. The strange looking building, riven with pipes and odd looking machinery.
And quite a lot of soldiers.