Diamant

Chapter 23 - Well Planned

"I sent Roc to check on the border by the Riverside. I was looking for you to do it but you had disappeared." He said looking apprehensive.

"Dragon Lord." Goben paid his respect and only then did DL see the bird. 

"A message." He smiled. "When will they be here?"

"Soon." Goben replied with a smile.

The Black Mask meeting would soon commence. DL and Goben took their seat waiting for others. Goben had taken the bird away to a cage and now he only had with him a message.

One by one they arrived, each paid respect and took the seat appointed to them. Once they were complete, DL started the meeting. 

He had Goben read the message and they discovered that the enemy planned to have a meeting at the Central, where they were. They planned to meet in a bar and it was all detailed out. 

They needed custome and the Dragon Lord appointed Aliyah and Joseph to see to that.

"We are going to that bar this night. News reaching me that we lost some warriors at the border. I strongly believe that there is an insider, there is no way we would have to deal with a hit like that if there isn't an insider." DL said.

Lewis eyes flew to Malik, Malik felt his eyes on him but refused to look at Lewis. He kept his face focused on the table.

"Reports?" DL asked.

Roc stood up and said,"My Lord, as you asked, I went there to gather information. There is a strong evidence that Canilus had something to do with it." 

Roc reached out for his bag and he had Canilus flag stained with blood, he dropped it on the table.

"From the border, Dragon Lord. I also found their shields and some of their men dead." 

"How did you know that it was Canilus' men." Joseph asked.

"They wore Canilus armor, dimwit." Roc barred his teeth at him.

DL allowed the drama to go on.

"What if it was a wrong scent and they just wanted us to think that it was Canilus?" Lewis asked.

"You might be right but I would know if those evidence were put there deliberately. They were not." Roc replied.

"What if Canilus is part of the attack but not the one majorly leading the attacks." Diamant suggested and everyone fell silent.

"Canilus, as I have heard, has been against The Dragon Lord for years. Whosever planned this knows that Canilus would first be suspected and then she would finally be implicated. I do not think that The Master is Canilus or Canilus' King. I think the Master is using Canilus as a cover up." Diamant added.

"You are right. Too strong to be wrong, too good to be true." Goben nodded in agreement.

Diamant looked him in shock, that was a change.

"I think so too. The evidences are too prominent but not wrong, at least not totally wrong." Rina added.

The room fell silent. Canilus was a kingdom that had been against Alusa for years. The evidences truly were too convincing. It felt like they had been laid there for them to be found out.

"Change of plan! We are going to the bar not to attack the ones from Canilus but to catch other things not related to Canilus. Be on alert, they would try their possible best that these things are hidden away. We are going to the bar tonight to know who the insiders are." He declared with finality.

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There were drunks everywhere, people cheering. Music filled the air as ladies were dancing at the middle of the stage. Some drunk men stood around the stage cheering the dancers on as they threw some coins at them. Some men were talking in loud voices while the Black Mask was scattered across the bar in camoflage.

Diamant was wearing a short gown and had her long black hair dropped. Rina was pretending with one of the guys over the table. Roc was pretending to be drinking with Diamant, whispering things to her ears while she giggled carelessly like she was drunk.

Not all of The Black Mask were in bar, some were outside with some ladies.

Some carriages arrived, Canilus flags on them. Some of The Black Mask still spied on them. 

The wrong scent might have hints of the right one.

Nothing seemed suspicious for now. The real ones weren't here yet.

Roc leaned in and whispered something about the carriages. Diamant threw her head back and laughed carelessly again as she looked around quickly.

Then her eyes caught someone.

Aaron...

Aaron was sitting in a corner drowning his cup as a lady was trying desperately to get his attention. His gaze was fixed on her. His eyes filled with anger, pain and sadness. Diamant looked away, it was all too much for her.

She didn't know how to feel.

Diamant stood up, her emotions in a knot. She should be angry but she wasn't, she was confused.

"I need to...I need to go. I will be right back." 

"Are you alright? You don't look good." Roc asked with concern as she nodded vigorously.

Roc stood up and hugged her while he whispered in her ears.

"Rina said nothing is happening at the Canilus table, you were right. The real ones will soon be here. Don't take long." With that he planted a kiss on her cheek.

That had effect on more people than Roc had originally intended

"Sorry about that, Rina is watching." 

Diamant nodded and hugged him back then left.

The mission was important and on this mission they were couples.

Diamant dashed out almost hitting someone on her way out.

Rina's eyes burned with jealous tears. They were carrying out their disguise as a couple well, maybe even too well. They did it so effortlessly.

"They were only acting." Rina tried to convince herself.

Their new closeness bothered her, they were always together.

DL had caught the moment too. Seeing Roc holding her like that, something had snapped inside him. He saw Aaron watching those two with death glares. He saw Aaron's fists tightened as Diamant dashed out hitting him.

She didn't even know it was him. No one would, his disguise was perfect. Then he saw Aaron drained his cup and followed her.

DL's inside twisted in a knot as he watched him leave.

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Diamant dashed out forgetting she was on a mission. Her feelings were all in knot. Then a strong hand took hers and dragged her further outside, almost too far from the bar.

"Let me go!" She screamed but the hand came up to her mouth quickly before she could protest again.

He placed her back against a tree then she relaxed upon recognition.

"You are with him?!" Aaron asked, anger eating up his lovely face, "Do you love him? The man I saw you with, hugging in there. The one that took you home yesterday." The jealousy was obvious.

"Have you been following me?" Diamant asked.

"No." Aaron replied. "So are you both couples?" 

"That is none of your business Aaron! Let us not forget that you almost r***d me. I should be the one angry!" Diamant said back with angry eyes.

Aaron pinned himself on her. She was trying to get away from him and he couldn't afford that.

"I was drunk. I swear that I tried to look for you to explain and on that day it wasn't really me. I mean it was me but it wasn't. I was really drunk, Diamant. Please forgive me." His voice sounded broken.

Diamant stopped struggling and she felt warm. She wanted to push him away yet she wanted him to stay.

His lips bored on her and she felt disgusted. The issue isn't even resolved yet. She couldn't even push him away because of how he has placed himself but she didn't react either. He stood away from her and watch her sadly.

"I love you." He ran his hands through her hair.

He wanted to ask her what she felt for him but he was scared he wouldn't like the answer. 

"I swear that I will make it up to you. I will do everything so that you can forgive me." He promised and stroke her face gently.

"Get off me, Aaron. I feel disgusted!" She spat at him.

Roc had gone to search for Diamant when he saw that it was taking long for her to return. He found her kissing a man and she wasn't resisting. She did say she was seeing someone, so he left.

Someone else saw them, Dragon Lord.

He knew that was Aaron, he had always thought Aaron had disappeared for good but seeing him here made his blood boil.

When DL got back, the bar had already been turned upside down. There was a fight. Swords were clashing and The Black Mask was outrageously outnumbered but they were extremely skilled.

Joseph came in dragging with him one of Canilus spy. He held the man's neck and brought him to the Dragon Lord. DL had the blood of other warriors dripping from his sword and smeared on his disguise.

"He is one of them, Dragon Lord." Joseph said.

"Where are they?!" DL questioned, his voice dripping with venom.

"Far from here. You will never know until they kill you." The spy said as he laughed bitterly, revieling his b****y teeth.

"Who are they?" The Dragon Lord asked again. Malik leveled a sword to the spy's neck threatening him with it's presence.

"I am loyal to the core. For the Master!" The spy drew the sword level to his throat closer and slashed his throat with it. He fell to the ground.

"That was a waste." DL said with gritted teeth.

It had been raining for sometime now. DL looked around and everywhere was in a mess. He would get reports about this tomorrow and he would promise to set up an investigation team like he knew nothing about it. It had always happened like that.

Rina ran in looking apprehensive.

"I searched the whole place just like you ordered, Dragon Lord. She is gone. Diamant has disappeared."

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Diamant and Aaron had started to head off to the bar when it started raining. He insisted that he had to leave but promised that he would see her again. Diamant nodded with an uninterested look. 

Now walking alone as the tree was quite far from the bar, she had heard the swords clashing and she almost rushed inside as she placed her hand on her waist. Her lucky knife was there underneath her gown, resting in its sheath.

Then something caught her eyes, a carriage. She could have sworn that she had seen it before. She went, sneaking and hiding in the darkness to inspect the carriage. The carriage was left deserted, she almost thought it was strange but then she saw the guards that were supposed to be watching over the carriage drinking with women.

She went inside the carriage. Not up to a minute after, she heard someone coming closer to the carriage. Her heart raced and she went to the back of the carriage to hide herself. A curtin hid her away.

A lady with a black gown and a black big hat rushed in with a man, he was a Minister from his dressing.

"They are here and it is not save, we need to hurry out of here." The lady said.

"45 men will die merely for distraction. Canilus will grieve over his men." The man said with pity.

"Attacking the DL is no small issue. If Canilus grieves then he would know that he has in store for him greater rewards. The Master is sure to reward him. The actions of the coup must be delayed, DL is hot on our trail." The woman said with worry.

"Is that not why we had gone silent before? We must carry on. Just make sure your identity stays safe." The man said.

The carriage was now moving and Diamant was worried about how she would escape. They must not find her.

So Canilus was part of it and now it was certain that there was an insider. The information was too little to point at anyone. She blamed the darkness and the lady's hat. It was so big, she couldn't see the lady's face.

Suddenly the carriage stopped, they both left the carriage. Diamant waited for some minute then stepped out. Her mouth was dropped at what she saw. There were warriors waiting outside for her. She had been discovered. Her heart raced and she reached to her knife but she didn't even have a chance to use it. Someone had hit her from behind. 

She fell and her sight became blurry.

"Don't you kill her! Her death would anger him. We don't want to anger the Master." The voice came to her like she was hearing it from a distance. 

Then darkness took over