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Thu 1st May 2025 02:02

93: New plans made

by Lady Leticia Scarlet-Bloesembhel Voetdhel-Montaneus

There was a whirlwind of movement throughout the room and a quiet, palpable sense of relief among her staff. Scarlet moved with clear-eyed determination, directing her team with sharp gestures and faster words, pushing them through the planning phase with relentless focus.
 
This wasn’t guesswork; she’d been building toward this moment for years. With her own information network, a well-trained mercenary guild, and a loyal team by her side, Scarlet finally had the infrastructure she needed. She had followed her mentor’s advice to the letter: build your own support system so no one else can take it from you. And now, she would use it in full force.
 
She stood at the center of the room, surrounded by open maps, marked dossiers, and half-filled boards, the scent of chalk and ink sharp in the air. Her gaze flicked from one plan to the next, internal calculations racing.
 
She could use force. Call in everyone. Overwhelm the compound. Break down the gates, flood the corridors, retrieve the bones, and burn the place down behind her.
 
Her hand hovered over a sketched-out assault diagram: red arrows, sharp angles, high casualties.
 
But brute force would leave evidence. It would leave witnesses. And worst of all, it would tell whoever was watching exactly what she was after.
 
And if they realize what the bones are worth, what they’re for, they might not keep them intact or hold them, her, hostage. She would not stand the disrespect and have her sister put through this a second time.
 
Her fingers tightened around the piece of chalk until it snapped.
 
She heard a murmur behind her. Ciel, unbothered, handed her a fresh one without comment. Scarlet handed off the broken piece. It would be given to the imps or the other children to play with. No sense of wasting it.
 
Scarlet exhaled through her nose, muttered an apology, and turned back to the board. She paced, heel to toe, dragging a hand through her brow, distributing chalk dust across her forehead. She couldn't afford to go loud, not yet. Not unless everything else failed.
 
Still... the idea tugged at her. It would feel good to let go. To stop playing polite, careful games. To unleash the weight of her fury, to make them pay for hiding her sister's body like it was contraband. But if she misstepped, they’d never get the chance to bring her back.
 
And that was the whole point, wasn’t it?
 
“Alright,” Scarlet said at last, wiping down another portion of the board with the side of her paw. Now even more chalk dust collected on the side of her paw powdering it white. “Let’s go with the latter half of Plan B, the middle section of Plan L, and the first third of Plan R. That should satisfy our logistical needs and keep us under the radar.” Porter stepped forward and cast a cleaning spell on her, removing the dust. She quietly thanked him knowing full well he'd have to recast in 10-20 minutes with the way she was moving.
 
Ciel, her wings loosely folded behind her, gave a slow shake of her feathers as she stepped forward. “You’re moving a lot of money,” she said calmly. Before Scarlet could interject, Ciel lifted a hand. “I’m not saying we can’t afford it. I’m saying the timing is risky. If we funnel that much coin while the Eisen and Castille provincial audit is active, someone will notice. We don’t yet know who’s watching.”
 
Scarlet grimaced, already rethinking.
 
Karmela, seated cross-legged on the corner of the large planning table, tapped her quill against her crystal inkwell before offering, “Instead of B, why not try Q? It’s slower, yes, but it gives us a longer window to work with. Less heat.”
 
Porter stepped in with a low grunt, one arm crossing his chest as he fiddled with one of the communication items in his breast pocket as he considered the logistics. “We can shorten the Q timeline if we shift some of our people from the Northern Patlov investigation,” he said. “I’m heading up there anyway. I’m pretty sure we’ve got unallocated personnel in the area; ones not currently tied up in Avalon or Vodacce. They can be redirected discreetly.”
 
Scarlet turned back toward the board and stared at the fading outline of the red assault plan she’d nearly committed to. Her jaw clenched and unclenched repeatedly.
 
She could go in screaming. But her sister deserved better than a half-botched, vengeance-soaked gamble. She deserved a future.
 
“Alright,” she said quietly, but firmly. “We run the Q timeline but overlay Porter's support team from Patlov. Ciel, slow the money movement. Use shell accounts and divert through the Southern Avalon office first. I’ll handle the timing.”
 
The team exchanged quick glances, nods, and low murmurs of agreement. Plans were falling into place.
 
Scarlet stepped back from the board and took a steadying breath. Her heart was pounding, not with fear, but with something fiercer: hope. She thought to herself, 'I'm close. I can feel it. Don't worry sis, I'll rescue you soon.'

Continue reading...

  1. 01. Settling in
  2. 02. Fist Fight at a fancy Ball
  3. 03. It's a Lion not a 'Cat'
  4. 04. Patron's tea and dance
  5. 05. The escort job
  6. 06. Update: Today's purchase list
  7. 07. Escort for Bella and the Loot King
  8. 08. Sirens and a chase in town
  9. 09. Got abducted again
  10. 10. Jams and Jellies
  11. 11. New Dog
  12. 12. Guards in the Trees
  13. 13. Temple Visit
  14. 14. New Pup & Outing
  15. 15. Training exercises
  16. 16. Fighting over an idol
  17. 17. Jobs galore
  18. 18. New stationary
  19. 19. A small visit
  20. 20. Slaps and shows
  21. 21. Today's meal
  22. 22. Homesick
  23. 23. Lanterns in the sky
  24. 24. Baby in the park
  25. 25. The Heist
  26. 26. Update: Guild
  27. 27. Mines and Traps
  28. 28. New clothes
  29. 29. I made Journeyer!
  30. 30. Investment shopping
  31. 31. The Pit (fights)
  32. 32. Ghosts of the past
  33. 33. Unexpected ending in a Play
  34. 34. Today's meal
    https://www.worldanvil.com/hero/journal/1aa083c5-ae1f-4624-a724-197a3f8704e3/view
  35. 35. Spies and secrets
  36. 36. Wanted: Three Hand Gang (WED)
  37. 37. Well it's official
  38. 38. Hags and stones
  39. 39. Death and visitations
  40. 40. the shell game
  41. 41. Anger and plots
  42. 42. The jobs so far
  43. 43. (Doodles)
  44. 44. Meetings and Partings
  45. 45. Double checking
  46. 46. An office Scene
    8/01/2023
  47. 47. An(other) office Scene
  48. 48. Paperwork
  49. 49. Behind the curve
  50. 50. Notes and notation
  51. 51. Cake and notes
  52. 52. Paperwork on the high seas
  53. 53. Pics and notes
  54. 54. A small talk
  55. 55. Small notes
  56. 56. The Dressmaker
  57. 57. (food)
  58. 58. Notes
  59. 59. Putting the clues together
  60. 60. Notes
  61. 61. Tea cakes (& slights)
  62. 62. Updates
  63. 63. Board Meetings during battles
  64. 64. Updates
  65. 65. Field command
  66. 66. I am okay
  67. 67. Mountains of paperwork
  68. 68. Needed Vacation
  69. 69. A note
  70. 70. An update
  71. 71. Dissapointment
  72. 72. Notes
  73. 73. Journal entry
  74. 74. Ledgers
  75. 75. Food
  76. 76. An update
  77. 77. A thought
  78. 78. Basking in Dusk's light
  79. 79. A note
  80. 80. A letter home
  81. 81. A dream/a journal entry
  82. 82. An update
  83. 83. Working long hours
  84. 84. A dream, a memory
  85. 85. A meeting
  86. 86. The ride home
  87. 87. Reflections
  88. 88. Paperwork
  89. 89. A small trip
  90. 90. The journey there
  91. 91. Fitting in
  92. 92: Finding your voice
  93. 93: New plans made
  94. 94. (the missive)
  95. 95. Nursery planning
  96. 96: New spell gem
  97. 97: Shuffling

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by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.045 © 2017-2024 [en] | Anvil Time: 17:57, May 30 2025