Val & Ale @savingsallow, Damien @theladyofshalott1989, Tori @espressoristretto-patronum, Jo @ravenwind-75, Ellie @accio-bagel, James @leaping-toadstool-caps, Alyn @cactus-casts are the lovely owners of these mcs <33
Countess Alyn was far more than just a pretty face. Far, far more, because Alyn had been entrusted with the security of the crown jewels.
So, as a matter of fact, Alyn currently had the most expensive necklace tucked away in a pocket of a dress she had designed herself.
Because why would the crown jewels be hidden in only one place, where anyone could stumble upon them? What a silly notion that would be.
And no one would suspect a woman having pockets. Women never had pockets on any of their attire. Alyn was a genius.
Which was also why she could usually be found cavorting with one of the more intelligent members of the royal court, Theo, Alyn's best friend, and also the royal court's head herbalist.
And because Alyn and Theo had been best friends for quite some time now, he knew most of her secrets, including the one about the jewels. Naturally.
Not that it ever came up much, since their conversations mostly consisted of the following:
"Can you hand me the watering pot please?" Theo said as they both worked away at their separate projects. "It's on the shelf above your head."
"What's in it for me?" Alyn replied, followed by a coquettish smile. She loved to tease her best friend. Teasing made the day so much more exciting.
Theo huffed out a laugh. He brought his hand to his chin and stroked it. "Hmm, how about I don't reveal your role as Secret Keeper of the Crown Jewels to whomever asks?"
Alyn brought a hand to her heart and mock gasped. "My! Blackmail, Theo? I would have never expected that of you."
"It's not blackmail if you do what I ask."
"Oh, but to think you would ever do such a thing to your best friend."
"I'm full of surprises."
While true, Alyn knew Theo would never do such a thing. This was all merely in jest anyway, so she reached out, grabbed the pot by its handle, and handed it over.
"Why thank you, milady." Theo tipped his head at her as he started watering the plant he was tending to: a beautiful, flourishing spread of dittany. Alyn watched as he sprinkled just the right amount of water, then moved on to the next row.
"The dittany's for a tincture or salve, I'm assuming?" she said as he continued his careful watering.
Theo sighed. "Yes. For our regiment of royal knights. They've been needing a lot more lately, ever since Sir Solomon changed some rule or another. Loads more injuries. It's starting to get ridiculous, I must say."
"Huh," Alyn said, only half-listening. In fact, she was struggling to remember if she was supposed to switch out the piece of jewelry currently on her person today or tomorrow. She couldn't quite recall.
The rule as Secret Keeper was that she must rotate through the three most precious pieces of jewelry once every five days. Alyn was usually quite meticulous about the schedule, but she had been so consumed with analyzing a new plant she had recently grown that she'd lost track.
Well, that wouldn't do, would it?
"I have to go," Alyn said, rather abruptly, even for her.
Theo raised a brow. "Care to tell me where, or is it top secret?"
Alyn tittered out a laugh. "The latter, of course." Theo couldn't know for sure that she was in all actuality telling him the truth. The whole teasing each other as a habit did come in handy from time to time.
"Alright." Theo turned his attention back to tending to his dittany plant. "Don't get into too much trouble."
Alyn shrugged and said, "That's the plan."
Little did she know what she was about to walk into.
//
The crown jewels were kept in the stables, hidden in plain sight.
The reasoning for this was two-fold:
Why would anyone suspect that a wooden crate surrounded by bales of hay would be anything but gear for the horses, especially when the aforementioned crate was surrounded by a bunch of other identical wooden crates?
and
2. Easier access.
Simple enough, really.
Alyn pulled out the key, since the crate was locked. Obviously. She was about to fit the key into the lock when she heard a low murmuring.
Huh. That was strange.
The only other creatures within a stone's throw radius should have been horses, but the sound, while muffled, was easily identifiable as a man's voice, although Alyn couldn't quite pinpoint who, or even where, the voice was coming from.
Alyn paced the full length of the stables, twice, finding no one. And yet, on her second round, the voice returned. And it was louder, too.
Could there be a hidden room here somewhere? Alyn wasn't sure how that could be, or why, since it was the stables, and no one really cared for the stables. Well, besides the stablemaster, and, she supposed, Poppy Sweeting.
Alyn certainly didn't love spending much time here, which she was reminded of now as she strolled past a stall that clearly needed cleaning. She pinched her nose to dampen the horrific smell.
The horse inside the stall seemed just as displeased, as it stamped its foot and neighed at her as she passed by.
"Sorry," Alyn said to the horse. "You don't want me cleaning up after you. I wouldn't even know where to begin."
The horse merely whinnied back at her, then stamped its foot in what Alyn assumed must have been great indignation.
Hm, well then. What to do?
Alyn didn't love that she couldn't identify the voice's source, especially when the crown jewels were in such close proximity. She supposed it was something that needed to be addressed though, what with her great duty and all.
So, Alyn did what any clever young woman with a similarly-minded, highly intelligent best friend would do.
She strolled back to whence she came to fill Theo in on the drama, and to ask for his assistance.
Because what else were friends for?
[ Read chapter eight ➡️ ]
MCs mentioned: @girl-named-matty's Theodore Lupin and @ps-cactus's Alyn Salters <3
♡ - Ellie @accio-bagel, Damien @theladyofshalott1989, Tori @espressoristretto-patronum, James @i-found-a-mushroom, Val & Ale @savingsallow, Alyn @cactus-casts, Jo @ravenwind-75
♡ - Val & Ale @savingsallow, James & Ren @thats-a-mushroom, Wren & Wesley @freddiestheproblemchild, Damien @theladyofshalott1989, Ellie @accio-bagel, Alyn @ps-cactus, Jo @ravenwind-75, Tori @espressoristretto-patronum.
