Six Of Foxes (Six Foxes)

Part 4 (Knowing the World) Krista

Krista feels as though she and Ken have become twin warriors, pretending that they are fine, hiding cuts and bruises from the rest of the crew.

    To reach the cliff, to face Udeshleg, it takes another two days' journey, but the further south and the closer to the coast, the easier their steps will be. The weather gets warmer, the frozen ground melts, and Krista begins to see signs of spring. He thought the Udeshleg would be similar to the Moontown-gray and brown streets that consisted of rugged streets sheathed in smog and coal smoke, and enlivened by the hustle and bustle of merchants. The port of Udeshleg is crowded with ships, but the streets are neatly lined up into the waters, while the houses are painted colorful-green, blue, red, pink, and pink, yellow-as if challenging the wild white and long winters north here. Even the warehouses on the edge of the dock are also cheerful colors. Udeshleg resembles the shadow city of Krista as a child, all organized and colorful like candy.

    Has the Septicaye been waiting at the pier, parked in a swarm while waving the Kalterville flag and the orange-green flag typical of the Haanraadt Bay company? If the plan goes according to Ken's expectations, tomorrow night they just waltz into the docks of Udeshleg while taking Erikson with them, get on the boat, and it was far out at sea before it was discovered by anyone in Barchen. Krista doesn't like to imagine tomorrow night that something's wrong.

    Krista glanced over to where the Royalemerald stood, a grand white fort atop an almighty cliff overlooking the harbor. Reader calls the cliff impossible to climb and Krista has to admit that it will be difficult to climb there, even for Cats. The cliff seemed to be too high and, bright as ice.

    "Cannon," said Tera.

    Ken narrowed his eyes to the large weapons that led to the bay. "I've broken into banks, warehouses, griyas, museums, safe houses, rare book libraries, and once into the bedroom of a guest envoy of Knuddelbar whose wife was drifting. But, I've never been hit by a cannon."

    "Happy new experience" Tera said.

    Krista puts her lips together. "Hopefully not so."

    "The weapons were stationed there to stop the incoming fleet from invading" Tera said confidently. "Hopefully succeed in a little schooner of cheques that cleave the waves in order to meet fortune and glory."

    "I'll quote your question when the cannonball landed on my lap" Silva said.

    They easily get into the traffic of tourists and traders who move at the meeting between the cliff road with the road north to the upper udeshleg. The upper city is an overflow from the city below, the area is widely spread containing shops, markets, and lodging that serve the guards and staff who work in the Royalemerald and the visitors. Fortunately, the audience is crowded and diverse, as a result the group does not attract attention. Krista spontaneously breathes more freely. He was worried that Tera would look striking in a sea of blondes in the capital city of Borchen.Maybe the crew from Kuwei also relied on the diversity of the audience to disguise themselves.

    Signs of the Udeshleg festival are everywhere. Shops display beautiful displays in the form of wolf-shaped pepper cakes, some hung like ornaments on a large tree that swirls, while the bridge across the river decorated with silver ribbons typical of Barchen. The only way into the Royalemerald and the only way out. Will they cross that bridge as the winner tomorrow?

    "What is it," asked Reyn, stopping in front of a traveling merchant cart selling round sputum webbing and silver ribbons.

    "Voda tree," replied Reader. "Syel's sacred tree."

    "The tree is said to be standing also in the middle of the white island," said Silva, ignoring the reprimanded expression by the Barchen. "That's where Dushenka gathered for the listening ceremony."

    Ken knocked his wand to the ground. "Why am I listening this time?"

    "The voda tree was turned on by the spirit of Syel" Reader said. "That's where we're most likely to hear his voice."

    Ken's eyes glinted. "That's not my question. Why isn't that in our plan?"

    "Because that place is the most sacred and insignificant place in our mission."

    "Let me list what is important. Anything else you wisely didn't tell me?"

    "Royalemerald is a grand complex" Reader said as she turned. "I can't label every crack and corner."

    "Then, let's hope that hopefully no one is hiding in that corner" Ken said.

    The upper Ideshleg does not really have a city center, but most of its taverns, inns, and trading stalls are concentrated around the foothills leading to the Royalemerald. Ken guides them to the streets, just as they were, until they find a dilapidated tavern called Gestinge.

    "Here?" tera complained while squinting into the stuffy main room. The whole place smells of garlic and fish.

    "What is a gestinge?" Krista nodded hard.

    "That means 'heaven'" Reader said. He even seemed hesitant.

    Silva found a table on the roof terrace, the terrace was practically empty. They ran away in tears for fear of the food in the tavern - herring fried in fishy oil, stale black bread, and a kind of butter that faintly appeared to be round.

    Tera looked at his plate and groaned. "Ken, if you want me dead, I'd rather have bullets than poison."

    Silva pursed his nose. "If I don't want to eat, then there's a problem."

    "We're here for the sake of the scenery, not for the food."

    From their desks, the outer gate and first guard post of the Royalemerald were clearly visible, albeit far away. The gate was a white bow, formed from two stone wolf monuments that stood on their hind legs, and crossed the uphill road leading to the Royal. Krista and others watched the traffic go in and out while biting on lunch, waiting for the tagging tag of the prison wagon. Krista's appetite eventually recovers and she tries to eat as much as she can to gather energy, but her order soup makes her tasteless.

    Since there was no coffee, they ordered tea in small glasses that burned their throats, but warmed them as the wind grew stronger.

    "We'll look striking soon" Silva said. "It's not the usual place to linger."

    "Maybe today there are no prisoners they should take to jail" Reyn guessed.

    "There are always prisoners to be taken to prison" Ken chimed in, then put his chin to the road. "See."

    The box-shaped wagon stopped in front of the guard post. The wagon was dragged by four horses, while the high roof and sides were covered in black canvas. The door on the back is made of thick iron, padlocked and barred.

    Ken reached into his coat pocket. "Here," he said and handed over the intricate thin-coated book Ken always brought to Tera.

    "Are we going to read the story out loud?"

    "Open behind him, not the others."

    Tera opened the book and stared fixedly at the last page, puzzled. "Then?"

    "Try lifting up, so I don't have to look at your ugly face."

    "Wajahku. Anyway--oh-oh!"

    "Good talk, huh?"

    "Who knew I'd love literature?"

    Tera passes the book to Reyn, who picks it up carefully. "What's writing?"

    "Look at it" said Tera.

    Reyn frowned and lifted the book up, then smirked. "Where did you get this?"

    The reader takes a turn and immediately grunts in surprise.

    "It's called a book without a back" Ken said as Krista took the book from Silva and picked it up. The pages of the book contain regular sermons, but the intricate back cover hides two lenses that serve as binoculars. Ken once told Krista to keep an eye on the women who used a powder box with such lenses in the Fox Club. While acting in the mirror, they can see the cards that the player is holding from across the room, then signal a colleague at the table.

    "Ingenious," Krista commented while peeking through the lens. In the eyes of the waiter and the other patrons on the porch, they seem to be passing books, perhaps to discuss an interesting passage. However, Krista was actually glancing at the guard post and cart parked in front of her.

    The gate between the two wolf statues is made of iron, which is decorated with sacred voda tree symbols and flanked by a high-pegged railing that surrounds the Royalemerald.

    "Four guards" Krista took a close look, just like Reader said.

    "They're the first line of defense" Reader said. "They will check the files and confirm identity, ruling out anyone they think needs to be examined more closely. At the same time tomorrow, the line of guests in front of the gate will extend all the way to the bridge."

    "At the same time tomorrow, we're already inside" Ken said.

    "How often does the wagon come?" ask Tera.

    "Depends" says Reader. "Morning usually. Sometimes noon. But, I don't think they're gonna want prisoners coming along with guests."

    "Then we have to take the morning wagon" Ken said.

    Krista picked up the book without a back. The wagon sais wore a gray uniform similar to the gatekeeper uniform but without a sash or decoration. Sais got down from the chair and turned around to open the iron door.

    Krista returns the book to Reader and, while the book is passed around the table, Krista feels their unrest culminating together. Only Ken seemed undaunted.

    "Avicted, chained, and handcuffed?" said Tera. "You're sure we can't get in as entertainers? I heard Reyn was good at flutes."

    "We go in as ourselves" said Ken. "As a criminal."

    Silva peeked through the lens of the book. "They're counting prisoners."

    Reader nodded. "If the procedure hasn't changed, they'll do a quick count at the first checkpoint, then a second count at the following checkpoint, as well as rummage through the interior and under the cart in case there's any prohibited items."

    Silva handed the book to Krista. "If the number of prisoners added six, he must have noticed when he opened the door. "

    "If only I had noticed that," said Ken flatly. "Let me guess you've never pickpocketed."

    "And let me guess you never pick a good haircut."

    Ken frowned and rubbed beside his head, suddenly self-conscious. "Even if my haircut went wrong, the matter would have settled down with sixty million cairo."

    Tera head bobbles. "We're going to eat canned biscuits huh?"

    "Fright."

    "I don't know that word, biscuit can," Reader said, launching syllables after syllables into a single unit.

    Silva looked at Ken with a sour mimic. "me too. We haven't eaten as much street salt acid as you, Dirty Hands."

    "Until any time never will" said Ken lightly. "Remember our target who likes to moan?" Reyn screeching. "For example, he is a tourist who is walking in Krisbow. He heard the place was prone to pickpockets, so he repeatedly patted his wallet, making sure that his wallet was still stored, praising himself for his insight and vigilance. He's not stupid. In fact, what does he do every time he pats the back pocket or the face of his suit? He told all the thieves in Kharfa where exactly he kept the money."

    "For the Saints' sake" Silva grumbled. "I've probably done that before."

    "Everyone has been" Krista said.

    Tera raised an eyebrow. "Not everyone."

    "That's just because you never keep anything in your wallet" Silva replied.

    "Hurr."

    "Fact."

    "The fact is only for unimaginative people" Tera waved.

    "Well, what a terrible thief," continued Ken. "an unsavory thief, just grabbed and tried to escape. A powerful way to be picked by Kardolla. But, a genuine thief-like me-helps the purse and puts something in its place."

    "Biscuits?"

    "Cin cookies are just a term. Replacement items can be stone, a bar of soap, even used paper if the size is right. A genuine thief can estimate the weight of the wallet just by paying attention to the extent of the owner's coat. He swapped the wallet, while the target kept patting happily. When he was about to pay for an omelet or place a bet on the table, it was only then that he realized that he had regained control. At that moment, the thief was already in a safe place, busy counting his gains."

    Reyn shifted restlessly in his chair. "I don't understand why you always say that a real thief can do this. In my eyes, it was clearly like a teacher who understood the laws of physics for being able to calculate weight with flirting alone. Deceiving innocent people should not be proud of."

    "If we do it right, it's certainly worth being proud of." Ken nodded towards the prison wagon, which was now rolling down the road to the Royalemerald and the second checkpoint. "We're gonna be biscuits."

    "Wait a minute" Silva said. "The door is locked from the outside. How do we get in and then get the door locked again from the outside?"

    "That's just a problem for those who don't know the real thief. About the key leave it to me."

    Tera scratched his long legs. "So, we have to unlock it, unlock the chains, and knock out six prisoners, then replace them and somehow lock the wagon again without being caught by the guards and other prisoners?"

    "Rubber."

    "You want us to challenge the impossible what else?"

    A knotty smile loomed on Ken's lips. "I'll make you a list."

>><<>><<>><<

    Pure thief or not, Krista wants to sleep on a soft pure bed, but they won't spend the night comfortably in the inn, not if they want to get into the prison wagon and Royalemerald before 'Udeshleg. There's too much they have to do.

    Silva was sent to chat with the locals and find out the best place to intercept the wagon. After tasting the spooky herring in Gestinge, they demanded that Ken provide edible consumption, and they were currently waiting for Silva at a crowded bakery while stirring warm coffee mixed with chocolate, rolls and pastries are brushed away, leaving only butter-soaked crumbs strewn across the table. Krista notices that Reader's face is untouched in front of her.

    "It must be hard for you" said Krista slowly. "It's here but it hasn't really come home yet."

    Reader looked at the cup. "You don't know how heavy."

    "I think I know. I haven't seen my hometown in a long time."

    Ken turned around and started talking to Tera. He always seems to do that whenever Krista offends a return to Juwel. Of course, Krista wasn't sure she could find her parents there. The saints are wanderers. For them "home" simply means family.

    "Are you worried because Silva's out there?" ask Krista.

    "No."

    "That's the skill, just so you know. She has a natural talent as an actress."

    "I know," said the somber Reader. "He can be anyone in front of anyone."

    "He's best at being Silva."

    "Who is Silva?"

    "I suspect you're the one who knows him best among us all."

    "Farmers," he said reluctantly.

    "And funny."

    "Silly, anything must be made into a joke."

    "Come," said Krista.

    "Whispering."

    "So, why are your eyes constantly glued to the crowd to look for him?"

    "No, really," Reader protested. Krista kept laughing at her pouting face. The young man nudged the cookie crumbs with his finger. "Silva is exactly what you said. It's overkill."

    "Mmm," Krista muttered as she sipped a drink. "Perhaps you're lacking."

    Before Reader could respond, the bell on the bakery door clang and Silva walked in, his cheeks reddish, his brown hair beautifully messy. He announced, "Give me a sweet roll right now."

    Even though Reader grumbled a lot, the expression of relief that flashed on the young man's face according to Krista was not the result of his delusion.

~Next Krista 2