Shackled Serenity

by Leon Logos

  “Don’t get conceited now you’re with us,” Lyla said scornfully. “You’re still a newcomer. And I don’t trust you at all! CARLISLE!”

  She yelled it loud enough for everybody on the floor to hear. Ten seconds later, Sixto came out of his room in the right hallway, a dozen yards from them. He was appreciably groggy, his hair messier than usual. It was evident that he had just woken up and heard the yell.

  “What the hell is going on over there?” he called crabbily.

  “Ask her!” Lyla called back, retiring back to her chamber and slamming the door shut. All of a sudden, Serenity had become so infuriated.

  “Go back to bed, Sixto,” Serenity said, concealing her anger. “It’s fine.”

  “What’re you doing in those clothes?” he asked, baffled. “Sleeping?”

  “Y-yeah,” she responded. “I felt colder than usual…”

  “You sleep with your boots on?” he added.

  “Oh, no! I came outside because I heard a noise. I wanted to check it out. Sorry, I don’t sleep in this. I have a nightgown.”

  “Okay…?” Sixto said, still confused. “Good night?”

  “Good night,” she smiled, walking inside her chamber without further ado. It was a close call.

  Hopefully, Lyla would let this go in the morning.

  The first thing she did was kick off her boots and remove her jacket. Serenity still felt the makeup on her face and decided to remove it immediately. As she did, she contemplated in her head how she managed to pull this visit off. Though, it wouldn’t be the last time she’d have to do it. For her first time, things went smoothly. The only issue was being caught by Lyla. Out of all people, it had to her. Why couldn’t it have been Lily?

  She recalled the time spent in the jailhouse. Kyler was in egregious condition, and he was being starved. Her incompetent, idiotic-self had forgotten to bring drinking water. And she had agreed to help him escape. The other prisoner had given her a helping hand, informing her of the key owned by jailhouse guards, and that Councilmen could unlock any of the cells in the cellblock. It wasn’t the time right now to formulate a plan. She now realized how tired she was, waves of drowsiness avalanching her. It was dizzying how abruptly she felt it. After fifteen minutes of removing her makeup, she changed into her nightgown and then collapsed onto her bed.

  In a way, she felt slightly proud of herself for succeeding in her mission. Maybe she wasn’t so hopeless at stealth after all? She didn’t need to rely on Sixto for guidance or recourse. She somehow managed to find the trapdoor again by herself. Not to mention slither past security undetected. It was certainly an accomplishment, one of few in her lifetime.

  “How long will the guests be staying?” Serenity asked, the next morning in the Breakfast Hall.

  “Until after New Year’s Day,” Lily responded, pouring milk into her cereal bowl. “New Years is almost as important as Christmas here.”

  “Yeah, especially this year,” Destiny added, joining them at the table, kissing her little sister on the head as she passed.

  “Oh yeah, there’s going to be an execution!” Lily exclaimed.

  “Lily, do you know what an execution is?” Serenity frowned.

  “Yeah, it’s when we kill really bad people, right?”

  “W-well, yeah, but…you want to see somebody get killed?”

  “It’s not so bad, right?” Lily inquired. “Sixto told me it’d be all right.”

  “Yeah, let her enjoy her first execution,” Sixto smirked.

  “Lily, you’re going to be in your room the day of the execution,” said Destiny sternly, filling up her plate with eggs.

  “What?! No!” Lily protested in shock.

  Serenity was gladdened at Destiny’s sensibility. She was sane enough to hide something as gruesome as a beheading or a hanging from a ten-year-old girl. The others weren’t inclined to discourage Lily in witnessing this. Serenity was aware that this was the first execution in a long time. The execution of the Carlisles (at least one of them) had been long anticipated. Nobody brought up the fact that she held a considerable history with the “enemies” being killed. It was strange how they talked casually of Desmos and Kyler’s execution in glee as if she wasn’t there—yet they knew full well that she was listening. Serenity surmised that they thought she, too, was elated at the news and was equally as anticipant in their demise. Therefore, it wouldn’t be a big deal in speaking so lightly about it.

  “I honestly can’t wait for the New Year,” Sixto commented. “Not just to see those idiots die, but so all the guests can leave.”

  “You’re talking about the twins, aren’t you?” Lyla said tonelessly, stirring a cup of coffee with a silver spoon endlessly.

  “And? You hate them too, don’t you?” Sixto said, referring to a pair of flirty Australian twins that he despised.

  “Yeah, because they won’t quit flirting with me whenever they see me,” Lyla complained. “Gross, I’m not even sixteen yet. They should try Destiny.”

  “Destiny’s too scary and authoritative,” Sixto laughed. “I’d love to see them try. Really, it would be a spectacle.”

  “Do they know she’s with Bastion?” Serenity asked.

  “Probably,” Sixto nodded. “Even more of a reason why they won’t try. Bastion can turn them into mashed potatoes if he wanted, just like he did to that little prick that you like so mu—”

  Sixto fell silent at the look on her face. Lyla noticed, and gawked at them until she realized her coffee had not even been sipped. Serenity hoped she had not heard the whole thing. She was certain that Lyla hadn’t forgotten about the confrontation last night. She probably was waiting patiently for the most opportune time to investigate or tell someone.

  Serenity took notice of a Councilman entering the Hall, ambling down the end of the table to take his seat. The barely-perceptible noise of jangling keys was audible among the Breakfast Hall chatter. She got a fleeting glimpse of his belt, which held a number of keys clipped to it. The key-holder was comparable to what the jailhouse guards wore. She remembered the task she was supposed to complete: steal a key.

  There were six days left until the execution; instead of counting down the days and procrastinating, she realized it would be beneficial to start today. As soon as possible. She also acknowledged that as a consequence of this, she’d have to become temporarily aloof with the others. Lily suggested they visit the recreational grounds to play in a ball pit that supposedly had been constructed.

  “No, thank you, I don’t feel well today,” Serenity declined politely.

  “Oh, are you sick?” Lily asked.

  “No, it’s just a headache…and I feel really tired too.”

  “Okay, you can stay in bed,” Lily shrugged.

  “If you need medicine, ask one of the maids,” Sixto advised.

  “She doesn’t need medicine, she just needs some alone time,” Lyla interposed curtly. “Some time to do whatever she wants.”

  “What’re you talking about?” Sixto guffawed.

  “I don’t know,” Serenity answered for Lyla. “She’s joking, probably.”

  “Am I?” Lyla glared.

  The Councilmen’s chambers were locked and located in separate living quarters, designated only to them. Serenity found out herself by tailing the eyepatch man. Thankfully, the area was not fortified with guards. This was another flaw in the Aurelian security. The eyepatch man did not reveal the key she was looking for. Serenity retreated from the area, which she felt was restricted. In order to gain access to their chambers, she would also need to steal their room keys.

  She had to pick a specific target. Who would she steal from? The eyepatch man was her first option. But she did not know the man much, and she found no plausible way to steal from him. Then, she considered Dorian and Alistair. These two were great candidates. But Serenity felt it unmoral to steal from them. She admired how magnanimous the two men were to her. She could not yet decide if her gratitude outweighed her commitment to rescuing Kyler. However,
as she was pondering while walking past the library, her target became clear to her.

  “Little girl!” a pompous voice called.

  Serenity turned around, looking up at Bastion.

  “How have you reacted to the news? Of the Carlisles?” he asked smugly, his posture completely straight, accentuating his military persona.

  “It’s fantastic,” she said, faking an enthusiastic tone. “I’m happy.”

  “How cruel,” Bastion grimaced. “You wish death upon your brothers?”

  “They’re not my real brothers. And they were cruel to me.”

  “So you say,” Bastion returned. “Have a good day!”

  Serenity’s eyes averted to his waist, searching his belt. There weren’t any keys insights. Even if she couldn’t see them, she would’ve heard them. Nevertheless, she chose Bastion as her target. Her detestation towards him fueled this conviction. Somehow, she needed to find a reason to be in his chamber. Which meant she had to get close to him. The notion of befriending or becoming formally acquainted with Bastion was revolting. Serenity decided to be patient and wait for the opportunities to arise.

  As time passed by, she grew increasingly restless. Six days were still left, but any time spent not formulating a plan to complete her objective was time wasted. She reposed on the hammock by the garden, next to Lily. Serenity couldn’t decline Lily’s offer to hang out with again. From a distance, she could see the bridge that was suspended over the entrance to the tunnels. For some strange reason, she was compelled to go down and check up on Kyler. Which made her realize it would’ve been ideal to venture down into the tunnels during the day. When the sun was up, there was no curfew, and she could get around without looking suspicious. She debated to herself whether she should travel under the sun after she acquired the key.

  “You wanna head to lunch?” Serenity asked.

  “Woah, is it time already?” Lily asked, surprised. “Okay, then!”

  They both hopped off the hammock. The gardens were the perfect spot to meditate or relax. Everything about them were aesthetically pleasing to the eye, picturesque in detail.

  Destiny crossed paths with them on their way to the Lunch Hall. She was in her armor, having just finished with morning training sessions.

  “Where’s Bastion?” Lily asked, noting that he wasn’t accompanying Destiny. The pair were usually together at all times.

  “He went on ahead,” said Destiny. “He forgot his grip-strengthener. Lily, could you return it to him for me when you see him? Before lunch, I need to take a shower.”

  “I’ll do it!” Serenity volunteered automatically.

  “Thanks,” Destiny replied, visibly stunned at her willingness.

  She handed her a platinum grip-strengthener. Serenity pocketed it. She was fully intending on returning it to Bastion. But with this task assigned, it could grant her the pretext for snooping around his chamber. If she was to be caught by anybody, she knew what to say. Destiny parted ways with them as they entered the main house through the courtyard. Serenity was inclined to separate from Lily and head straight to the private living quarters, where the Councilmen lived. However, she deemed it indecent to abandon the child. Furthermore, making up lies on the spot was tiring.

  Sixto wasn’t present at the table. She presumed he was also taking a shower because of training. Serenity paid no mind to Lyla, who was clearly intentionally ignoring her. It was better this way. She did not mind. She helped herself to freshly-baked garlic bread, simultaneously scanning the Lunch Hall for Bastion. Was he also washing up in his chamber?

  “Who are you looking for?” Lily asked perceptively.

  “Um, Bastion,” said Serenity, with no reason to lie. “And, Sixto.”

  “They should be here soon, don’t worry,” Lily said, munching on chicken nuggets. “Hey, Serenity, I have a question about the execution.”

  Serenity now gave Lily her undivided attention, meeting her eyes.

  “The two people being executed…did you know them?”

  “What gives you that idea?” Serenity blurted out, feeling gullible after. Lily wasn’t stupid. She knew her affiliation with the Carlisles.

  “Your other family were the Carlisles, right? And I keep hearing that two Carlisles are in our jail right now, waiting to die.”

  “Y-yeah, I knew them,” Serenity said, trying to sound easygoing.

  “Are you sad?” Lily asked somberly, eyebrows furrowed.

  “No, not really. I accepted it. And I told you already. I never liked the Carlisles. If they die, it won’t make me sad at all.”

  “I guess that’s good,” Lily simpered. “You won’t be depressed, then! Can you tell me how they mistreated you? Sorry, I’m just curious!”

  “I don’t feel like going into the details,” said Serenity truthfully. “If I could make a list, the list would be long…”

  “Oh, sorry,” Lily apologized briskly.

  She was glad Lily wasn’t a prying person. Or that the girl wasn’t genuinely interested to the degree of superfluous questioning. The last thing Serenity needed right now was to recall the wretched memories she held with the Carlisles and list the many grievances she had with them. It could waver her commitment, making her change her mind on helping them. All on a whim. Just the recollection of ordinary, indignant experience with them was liable to boil her insides and evoke vengeance.

  Bastion strode into the Lunch Hall, immediately catching her eye. He wasn’t hard to miss with his authoritative aura, his muscular physique, and the salutes that his co-soldiers gave him as he walked past. Serenity watched him, vacillating on whether to return the grip-strengthener right now or hold onto it a little bit longer. Holding onto it would risk her being labeled as incompetent by Bastion or Destiny. She ultimately decided on giving it back right now. Serenity stepped from her seat and nipped over to where he was sitting. He sat with the other Councilmen.

  “Excuse me,” she introduced herself, timidly, “I have something for you. Destiny told me to give it to you. She said, you forgot it.”

  Bastion took the grip-strengthener from her as she outstretched it.

  “Thank you,” he said, not sounding thankful at all.

  “Hello, Serenity!” Dorian greeted. “How have you been faring?”

  “I’d like to know as well,” said Alistair. “Ever since the announcement, I wondered what your feelings have been telling you.”

  Before Serenity could answer, Bastion did it for her.

  “According to her,” he said, “She’s delighted at the news.”

  Dorian and Alistair returned to her for confirmation.

  Serenity nodded vigorously, wearing a fake smile. She also attested verbally, stating that this was certainly the case.

  “Yeah, don’t worry about me,” said Serenity. “It doesn’t bother me.”

  “We’ll see once the day arrives,” said Alistair. “About a hundred-and-forty hours left, give or take? Splendid!”

  She smiled, taking her leave. Of course, she wasn’t going to tell them that she wasn’t planning on attending the execution. It would just arouse suspicion. But being absent during it would also be suspicious. If the plan failed and execution day arrived smoothly, she felt she probably should attend it as a precaution.

  Serenity didn’t return to the table. She exited the Lunch Hall. She was finished with her food, and there was no point in staying any longer. There wasn’t any time for trivial conversation, not anymore. She wandered around the main house hallways, lolling by the library and then the art gallery. She didn’t linger in one spot for long, keeping her legs moving and the machinations of her mind on active duty. She was fixated on this key, imagining unlikely possibilities of it magically slipping into her grasp. Of course, never in a million years would it be this easy. Successfully stealing the key would plausibly be accompanied by troublesome repercussions. It was a godsent miracle that there weren’t any surveillance cameras in the main house. Alistair had told her that privacy was well-respected in the resid
ence and that any intruders wouldn’t even make it across the courtyard.

  That evening, she was in her room, lying down on her bed. Her left leg was listlessly dangling over the edge. After lunch, Serenity hadn’t spoken to anybody at all. She felt it easier to live the life of a recluse temporarily, rather than be the sociable, lovely girl people expected her to be. Lily was spamming her text messages, asking her to come to the swimming pool. Serenity had to decline four times before Lily finally gave up, sending the “annoyed” emoji. Dinner would arrive shortly; there wasn’t any point in going outside anyway. She pacified herself mentally, reminding herself that there was still time. Impatience would get her nowhere and could potentially jeopardize the entire mission. If Bastion were to catch her stealing from him, she figured he’d be authorized to give her a beatdown—like he did to Kyler. Though, the prospect of this scenario didn’t unsettle her too much. Sure, Bastion was ruthless; but not as fearsome or ferocious as Gunther.

  Her thoughts turned to the other prisoner in the jailhouse that had given her the information needed. As far as she knew, his only incentive in aiding her was to be also released if she was to succeed. She knew nothing about him, why he was imprisoned, who he was, and what his intentions were. Serenity didn’t trust him. But at the current moment, she couldn’t afford to be circumspect. Kyler had stated that they would decide what to do with him once she acquired the key. It would be unfair to wrong the prisoner like this, letting him rot in the cell while Kyler went free. Especially since he was the one who told her about the key in the first place. She wished she was a better judge of character. Kyler seemed to better than her at this, and his intuition warned him that the man wasn’t trustworthy.

  Then there was Desmos. She had no clues, no leads, no earthly idea where he could be. Again, there was Sixto’s supposition that the well by the farm could be his location. She hadn’t investigated it yet; obtaining the key was her first priority. Wherever Desmos was, whatever condition he was in, she could only hope he would pull through. Desmos had always embodied strength and endurance for her, even more than Garen. She could not understand how he could be killed. Yet she knew it would be easy. Desmos was human, like the rest of the brothers. One-shot to the head. One clean swing of an axe at the neck. Seven minutes submerged underwater. Easy.