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Elesa would smile to Voletta as she tucks the child in, but that smile fades as Voletta moves away to sleep in another place. Elesa would murr in protest, moving to correct this on her own as Voletta seemed to pass strait out. The child would take her covers and move them over Voletta so she was cuddled up under 3 blankets and took the pillows to situate them under Voletta as well. Once her work was done, Elesa would yawn again and crawls into the tripple stacked nest with Voletta and snuggles into Voletta like a teddy bear. Elesa wasn't really able to sleep due to the motion of the cart, but she'd sure be comfortable for when the cart stopped moving.

Lilim would keep going, leading the mule down the road and almost out of the village when she saw torch lights starting to move at the front of the palace, "Hmph... I thought we'd have more time than that... Alphys won't keep going without someone to lead him and I'm gonna need to hide too..." she whispers to herself before looking around and spotting a place, "Huh? Hmm... Morgan Inn and Tavern... I wonder if the owner would understand the joke if I called them Captain..." Lilim says calmly before moving Alphys toward the back to hide him and bring the cart to a stop behind some crates. She had to move quickly, but got to the back of the cart and found Voletta and Elesa cuddled up together, which was absolutely adorable to her.

She wished she didn't have to rouse Elesa, but would give her a gentle caress to wake her. Elesa would murr softly but would look up to Lilim, "Big Sis?" Elesa whispers sleepily. "Ssshh, I need you to stay with me just a few minutes more, Elesa. We'll be hunkering down to hide here, but I need you to walk with me, ok? Hold onto the tail of my gown there and just follow me... I promise, I'll tuck you in for sleep inside here." she says as she works to swaddle up Voletta, subjecting her to some much warmer and very different bondage than she was used to.

Once Voletta was swaddled up, Lilim would scoop her up like a baby and carry her lovingly, walking into the Inn with Voletta in her arms and Elesa behind her, the child holding onto the tail of her gown and rubbing one of her eyes, "Excuse me, Innkeeper?... Could you spare a room for three poor maidens? I'll do anything you ask to pay for the room, but I need a place for my sisters to sleep... Please?" Lilim says in hopes that she could win the innkeeper over in some way.

Morgan looked at Lilim and nodded, finding Elesa quite adorable.

"Upstairs, second door to your right should be large enough for the three of you" nodded Morgan turning his attention to the other customers and served the demanded drinks onto the counter.

"Two strong brews and one mead, that is half a gold each" recited Morgan collecting the payment

Lilim smiled and noded politely, "Thank you, Sir." she says briefly, shifting Voletta in her arms and carrying her carefully up the stairs, Elesa right behind her, still holding onto the tail of Lilim's gown. Once they made it inside the room, Lilim would carry Voletta to the bed and carefully unswaddle her, positioning her mindfully under the covers and moving Elesa to lay with her, tucking them both in lovingly. "Here we are... You both get some rest. It's been a long night. Leave everything to me... I promise, I'll take good care of you." she whispers before giving each of them a delicate and loving kiss on the forehead, petting Voletta a little and then Elesa to give each of them a bit of attention.

Then it was time to lock the door behind her and head back to the bar and see what her tab would be. She'd make her way back down the stairs and have a stealthy look around before venturing out again, wanting to make sure there were no guards from the palace in the Inn before she went to see about the tab and what she'd have to do to pay it off.

The Hanged Man had forgotten that Merthyr saw the four of them in the pantry--he cringed, expecting suspicion to fall immediately upon him, but the prince was a naive and kindhearted boy who had already decided them to be innocent. Once again Crow felt guilty for deceiving him.

After being dismissed, the knight went to clean himself up. He stripped out of his soiled clothes and distinctive black armor, then attempted to scrub the stink out of his hair and skin. He was only marginally successful, and wished he had some of the scented oils that the nobility wore on occasion. He had grown used to the pungent odor, at least. Thankfully the smell didn't stick to his armor, so after some cleaning by an attendant, it was good as new. Once he had changed and tied up his hair, he was off to the front gate ...

---

While those that had ventured into the sewer cleaned themselves up, the castle seneschal made his way up to Merthyr's chambers to break the grave news about the king. With a heavy heart, he knocked on the door. "My lord ... my prince, there is aught we must discuss ... Taff, please fetch him ..."

Voletta would subconsciously feel the weight of three blankets ontop of her, as well as some more pillows go underneath her and would furl up under them, allowing them all to bury her. When Elesa cuddled into her, Voletta would turn so that her body was facing Elesa, before snuggling into her tightly, as if they were each other's teddy bears. Voletta would bury her head deeper into the pillows as she let the weight of the blankets lull her into an even deeper sleep.

Though by the time they reached the inn, Voletta would be utterly exhausted and so deep asleep from the days events that she wouldn't feel the cart stop, nor would she feel Lilim working to swaddle her up. Rather she would end up burying her face in Lilim's shoulder as her limp body slept in Lilim's. She would be unaware that they got a room at the inn, and when Lilim had set her down in bed, she would bury her face in one of the pillows as Lilim tucked the two of them in. The blankets would be warm, and Voletta would be so comfortable that she would drool slightly. When she woke up and discovered what was going on, she would be eager to help pay off the tab to, as it was what she was used to doing. But for now, she would be sleeping peacefully next to Elesa.

"Back so soon, is anything amiss?" Quizzed Morgan having expected the customers to sleep all night through

He was quite surprised that Lilim would return so promptly

Merthyr, now that he was comfortably dressed, gave the castle staff his fullest attention, treating them all with courtesy and respect, glad to have Crow by his side

"What can I do for you?" Enquired Merthyr politely

Lilim slowly shakes her head, "No, nothing's wrong. I was just wondering if there's anything I could do to pay for the room. I'm willing to do just about anything to make sure the debt of me and my sisters is repaid in full. It's the least I can do considering I'm naturally Nocturnal and won't be getting sleepy until the sun peeks over the horizon. And seeing as I came in with no coin of my own, I'm curious how much I owe you and what you'll have me do to pay it back." she says with a soft smile. The girls seductive gaze might catch the eyes of a couple of clients too. Nothing like an attractive young woman at the bar to bring in a bit more revenue.

(May I join?)

"Well we cannot have that young child in the streets so if you're happy to serve orders and clean up chores you can pay your way with hard work" nodded Morgan already charmed by Elesa

The seneschal--named Weckan--bowed his head low. "You had best come with me, sire," he said somberly, beckoning to the prince. He had been thinking for a while about how to break the news, and though he had prepared a statement, it gummed up on his lips. "It's your father. He's ... no longer with us."

When Crow heard this, his lips tightened to a thin line. He had served Simon for twenty years, and though the king could be cruel, he was also strong, charismatic, clever. The knight couldn't help feeling a pang of sadness.

The seneschal let the grave news sink in for a moment, knowing that it would deeply affect the young prince. "We found him on the floor of the banquet hall, a goblet not far from his hand. I do not know what ill befell him, but there is a chance that foul play is involved."

"Then we must make sure that the prince is safe, and all his suitresses as well," Crow said. "Come, sire--your search for the girls m-must be postponed. Let your men handle it." It was a bad situation--Merthyr was young and inexperienced, and now he was to be crowned king. As an only child (as far as most people knew) he was in exceptional danger.

Upon hearing the terrible news Merthyr broke into a run, hastily making his way to the feast hall where the body had been found, struggling to accept the truth of such words.

He had seen his father calmly talking all but a few hours ago and he had yet to be told the more important reasons for objecting to the marriage, reasons he will never know

Tears ran through his eyes soaking up the cheeks as he walked fast paced to the corpse

"Merthyr!" cried Crow, who tried to speed up in pursuit. But his bad ankle was throbbing, especially after hours of slogging through the sewer, and he couldn't muster much more than a hasty hobble.

King Simon was still in the dining hall, though he had been rolled onto his back and his arms were crossed over his chest, a much more dignified pose. As Merthyr slammed open the doors, the guards watching over the body nearly jumped out of their skins. The attendants were finally cleaning up the dishes from the banquet, and the castle's head surgeon was currently inspecting the body. When she saw the prince enter, she straightened up and bowed. She was a curt woman and got right to the point. "My liege, I have concluded that he was poisoned."

Crow and the seneschal caught up to the prince and followed him into the dining hall. The knight grimaced as he looked upon the King's visage, which was still contorted slightly. "Goddess take him fondly into what comes after," he muttered, laying a hand on Merthyr's shoulder. "My prince ... you must retire to your quarters where you can be protected."