Against the Law

~"

-Remember to be extremely silent Lai'Er... It could end really really bad for you-

-Don't worry Ge- I took off his hand from my shoulder -I can deal with a few drunk man- -They are still soldiers... Be careful-

-I will...-

-Now it's time for me to go... I hope to receive good news in the morning- were his last words to warn me before I go against the law

"~

I sneak out of home while everyone is already asleep... All I need is a knife and a lot of luck now, if I succeed I will come take the rest of my belongings later

I depart, fully dressed in tight black clothes with a veil to cover my mouth and nose leaving only my eyes exposed...

...

I cannot pass from the principal streets so my only option is to climb on top of a roof and jump from one to another until I reach the walls of the city, descending down silently...

I keep myself away from any light source and run toward the camp... There are still many soldiers eating outside and others keeping guard at the borderlines.

I hide myself behind a bush to observe the route of the guards before taking any action.

The first tend at the beginning of the camp is the equipment area for the new recruits, I need to sneak inside to steal an armor and then reach the one in the center of the camp...

That's where the Royal Minister and the recruitment parchment are.

That's my main goal.

There are two guards switching places alternatively at the front of the camp, that is to never leave the street unobserved...

And the equipment tend is right behind their track.

On the first phase of their route they walk toward eachother until they meet midway, where the actual switch happens, then the second half of the track they turn to eachother's back...

That's the only moment I can use to pass through.

I measure my upcoming track getting ready, half a second before they meet I dash foward...

I end up rolling silently over my head for the last couple of meters so to slip under the tend, almost like a cat... I find myself behind a big wardrobe and hear people talking on the other side of it...

Not expected but nothing too tragic.

-What do you mean by "human shields" Han?!

We are soldiers at the service of the Empire-

-Tz! Only a kid would believe it... I did my studies and contrary to you I do know how actual strategy works.

The greater the army, the longer the estimated time of life for the royalty... We are just here to earn time for their escape.

That's all we are, toys for the enemy until they reach our Emperor!

We are the one diying here and our mothers the one crying... Where are the Royals?! Eating fine meat and talking about how to use our miserable lives over a well decorated table-

-Let's just go get a drink and don't think about it, we can't change anything anyway with our low ranks- the two men leave so I slowly tiptoe out of my hiding spot

-Go ahead, I forgot my helmet-

One of the two starts coming back inside so I quickly hide behind a storage case waiting for him to leave.

I release my breath after they're gone for good this time...

It's not like I'm doing anything much different than in the mountains but still I feel very agitated.

I grab one small armor to cover my obvious non manly body features and go to the northern side wall of the tend, I wait for any sound outside to disappear before slipping under the tend...

I am dressed like a soldier but I still try to take secondary roads just to be sure.

When a group of guys approach me I try to walk away but one of tnem gets me under his heavy arm

-Ehy man! The feast is on the other side! C'mon!-

I look away hoping that he doesn't mind me too much

-Ehy are you one of the new recruits? Yaren't very tall nor built...- he points out with his very marked southern accent, with such a strong accent and big build he's probably a farmer

-I'm a... Mhm!- I clear my voice -I'm a volunteer from the refuges, I'm searching for my tend if you don't mind-

-Oh alright man, but make sure notta miss out on the piglet they're roasting over there kay? Cyarround-

-Sure sure, see you- I walk faster headed to the Minister tend...

4 guards, 2 at the entrance and two roaming behind...

-That will take me a bit of time...- I grin my teeth annoyed and head to hide behind a nearby tend, observing the guards...

They aren't moving at all... How am I supposed to go inside like that?!

I head back to where the men are eating and find the same guy from before

-Yo man! Can I ask you a favour?-

-Sure dude whassup?-

-Nothing actually, I just saw some guards there who can't enjoy this bit of happiness we're given before war

I thought about bringing them some since they are working so hard-

-Oh yeah! Those are Royal Guards ya know? Good move making a good impression on em dude, I'll help you-

he pushes his elbow against my shoulder and fill his hands with bowls while I proceed to take a few bottles of water

-Yo man, we have some extra salt? If they are from the palace I heard they eat very salty, we gotta treat em well-

-Oh really? Then let's be generous! Bring lots of water dude hahaha!-

...

The guy carrying the food, wanting to make a good impression, takes all the merit of our doing and talks a lot to the guards before we leave...

Thanks to his big pride I pass almost unnoticed, wasn't it for the second batch of water they ask me to grab for them

After that I go back to hide, waiting...

After around 30 minutes or so one on the Guards leave his spot for a couple of minutes to go use the bathroom

-Yeah yeah, go on I'll keep guard- once the man is gone the other one grabs his empty bowl, looking around in case anyone notice him

-It should take him a while to be back... If I'm quick I'll be back with a full plate in no time Hehe- he giggles sneaking away

-And they think us women are the weak ones...- I take the chance to slip inside the tend

I find the volunteer's parchment and write my name on it, trying to copy the same calligraphy as the Minister

I notice a small Royal sigil stamped beside each name...

"Where could he be hiding such a small thing... Mmh..."

I turn around to look at the area inside the tend when I notice something gold shining on his index finger

"Oh no...".

I try to take it off and he grunts in his sleep, how am I supposed to take that off without him noticing...?

His foot falls off the sheets and I quickly roll under the bed before it hits against me,

On the ground there's a small bottle of body oil, probably left there as he got too drunk to put it back

"Well... All or nothing I guess" I take it and go back on a kneeling position beside the mattress, letting one drop fall on his ring before slowly circling around trying to remove the stamp.

At each muffled word he says in his sleep, I lower myself almost hiding under the bed untile I finally take off the ring.

I dip it in the ink and press it near my name

"This is done..."

Here's the time for the gran finale! I take the list and Place it over his abdomen, grab my knife and press it on his throat at the same time I cover his mouth.

With a few blinks he wake up and completely widen his eyes as soon as he feel the knife on the skin

-I wrote my name and signed it with the Royal Ring I stole from you... Will you aknowledge a woman's potential now?-

He touches his finger realizing the ring is not there but a parchment is instead liying over him, he takes that in hand and examine it before gesturing me a respite

-Are you going to call the guards and get me arrested?-

He shakes his head so I release him allowing him to seat up...

-Only a few of my best mens would be capable of such a thing.

You sneaked under the nose of Royal Guards to be here, I suppose, and risked it all to prove your value mmh... Indeed such courage is remarkable...-

He stops to reflect a few moments and then look back at the papers

-I suppose we can't let this paper go waste for the benefit of both... Welcome in the army Soldier Ying ChangLai-

-Thanks My Lord- I kneel before the bed tnem leave the tend...

The two guards from before try to block me but the Minister stop them

-Let her go, you failed when needed and now she's one of us...

Now just let me go back to sleep- he murmurs so I take my leave smirking at the guards who look at me dumbfounded.