Rat & Will Chapter 26: Empty Thrones & Empty Tables

They sent the girl back the way they’d come, Rat watching her careful creeping with a look that was nearly fond. “She’ll live, probably.” She told Will. He smiled his own fond smile down at her, understanding what she meant. But he didn’t say anything, only gestured towards the final door. She nodded. 

The door wasn’t locked. The office it led to looked well used and Rat quickly found a large stockpile of coin. It took her a moment to secret it about her person so that it wouldn’t rattle. In the end, she handed off several small bags to Will with a grimace. He grinned at her reticence. “I’ll try not to lose it.”

She growled. They both knew he was hopeless at holding on to money. 

She was distracted from worrying about the cash when she found a second stash, this one of jewelry and loose stones. “Hello.” These she found room for in her coat. She was starting to worry about running out of space when she discovered the third stash, this one of small knives and daggers. They were all fine weapons, well kept and clean. After a bit of experimentation, Rat settled a few into her own gear. Then she regretfully left the rest, promising herself she’d be back for them. 

The last door was at the very end of the hall. Rat tried it carefully, finding it unlocked. Slowly, she slid it open. It opened into a large room half filled with benches and tables. At the far end, a sort of throne stood. Though some of the wall sconces were lit on both long walls, the room appeared to be empty. Rat frowned at Will, who wore a similar suspicious look. Where were the people?

Together, they entered the room, noting several doors on both walls and at the end behind the throne. Rat scowled. “We may never get through here.” 

Will shrugged. “We could just leave with what you’ve found so far.”

“You’d never let me live it down.” Rat complained. “So stop tempting me.”

Rat scanned the room, but found it depressingly empty of all but fire and too damn many doors. Will watched her back as she edged closer to the first of two doors on the same side as they’d entered. It turned out to be a long kitchen and a storage room full of high quality food that was beginning to turn. Will found some quality looking packs of salted pork that he insisted on “saving,” but they found little else worth having except for a few pieces of high end silver that Rat quickly bagged and stowed in a cupboard. 

They were both getting antsy. Time was passing. Though they’d found many rooms and fought a few guards, it didn’t feel like a great deal of progress. “We’ve got to find Tremant.” Rat groused. “Before things turn terrible and unsavable.” 

Will, the optimist, simply smiled at her dark mood and nodded to the doors across the large hall. 

Rat shook her head. “The place is too big. We can’t clean it all out tonight. Best find Tremant and deal with him. I bet one of those two doors behind the throne lead to the real power here.”

“Good call.” Will agreed. 

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