The Archaic System - 53 Sleeping

I left the garden and went back to the Manor making my way to the kitchen area. As I was leaving, I picked two small pieces of bamboo from those that formed the perimeter of the garden. The kitchen was silent, no one was present since it was still the middle of the night. I started a fire in the wood stove, drew a small amount of water from the well, and placed it in a pan to come to a boil.

While waiting, I hollowed out one of the bamboos with an ice pick and used my knife two fashion three little darts from the other. Then I used a bit of glue to attach a small patch of cloth to the end of the darts. When I was finished, I grabbed a mortar and pestle and ground the petals and stem of the Adarna into a paste. When the water came to a boil, I poured just enough in the mortar to cover the mixture. Then I stirred it all together until it was soupy.

The Adarna plant had a secret that not many knew about. Typically, the flower is used as a decoration, due to its beauty it’s very popular. That is why it was placed in my garden and can be seen in flower displays all over the village. However, the stem and petals produce a unique chemical that when mixed together and exposed to warm water creates a fast-acting sedative. The sedative is strong enough to knock out a Brown Steel Bear. The only downside is once the chemicals of the flower are mixed they lose all potency after 30 min. Therefore, you can’t make any ahead of time and must use it immediately. Also, even if you use it, the effects wear off at the end of that thirty minutes. So if you mix it and take 25 min to affect your target, they will only be out for 5.

I dipped the three darts into the mixture and loaded one into the hollowed out bamboo. I quickly made my way over to the East Wing of the Manor. As I passed through the seating area, I looked for a particular chair. After finding it, I used my knife to pry off a metal trim that was part of the decorative design.

When I got closer to the east wing, I slowed my steps so I wouldn’t make any noise. I reached the area with the guest rooms and peered around the corner. Two guards were sitting in a chair on either side of one of the doors. One looked half asleep while the other was lazily looking down the other side of the hall. I made a mental note to address their lackadaisical actions later, for now, it actually helped me. I pointed the bamboo at the closest guard who was half asleep. I quickly blew into the end, and the dart shot at the guard.

Fortunately, the guards weren’t outfitted in full body armor. They had leather chest plates, but nothing on their legs except cotton pants. The dart stuck into the guard’s calf.

“Ouch”

He reached toward his leg and slumped over, completely asleep. The other guard looked over when he heard the sleeping guards voice.

He looked at him with disdain mumbling, “If you are going to sleep at least stay quiet. Talking in your dreams, how pathetic.”

He waited for a second to see if the sleeping guard would respond, “Hmph.”

He went back to staring down the other side of the hall.

I quietly loaded another dart, took aim, and blew into the bamboo. Another hit, right in the thigh.

“What the hell?”

The guard turned around, but before he could even see what hit him, he went limp. I got up from my crouching position in the corner and walked over to the guards. I removed the two darts from their legs. The hole from the dart was too tiny to notice and the dark-colored cotton pants absorbed and obscured any sign of blood. Even if they see the small mark, the will probably think it was a bug bite. I propped them both up against the wall. It’s vital that they believe they only dozed off when they wake up.

So far so good. I unlocked the door to the room. My heart was racing, but I knew what I had to do. I entered the room, most of the furniture was removed. All that was left was a small mattress, a blanket, and a pillow. Sylvia was laying there with her hands shackled together, and her feet chained to a bolt in the floor. She looked like she was peacefully sleeping. However, I had to be sure. I placed the bamboo to my lips and blew the last dart. It hit the center of the bottom of her foot sticking out underneath the blanket.

She quickly sat up completely alert, “What? What are you do…..”

It seemed she was only pretending to be asleep. However, the sedative quickly kicked in, and she fell back down. I pulled out the metal trim from earlier, formed it into a Z shape, and left it on the floor. Then I used my key to unlock her from her shackles. I picked her up and carried her out of the manor and into the garden. Before leaving, I made sure to lock the door to her room behind me.

After getting back to the garden, I placed Sylvia beneath the large tree with the pink petals. I tied her hands and feet up with rope I had retrieved on the way. Then I tied her body to the tree just in case she woke early, I still had one more thing I needed to go do.

Not too much later Sylvia groaned as she woke up. She looked at the ropes binding her, then she looked at me.

Overwhelming hatred burned in her eyes as she said, “What is this? What do you want?”

Her loud shouts shattered the peaceful serenity of the garden. Fortunately, the garden was far enough away that she wouldn’t be heard from the house.

“I just have one question, Sylvia.”

“What?” She growled back at me.

“Could you ever overcome this hatred you have for me? It may not look like it now, but following mewould lead you to a life you could only dream of.”

The silence seemed to linger for an eternity. Numerous thoughts sped through my head. After my moment of clarity, I realized Sylvia was too great of a risk and decided she had to die. However, I had a problem, Matilda would never approve of this, and if anyone found out, it could be used against me. So, I was going to make it look like she broke out of her chains and used them to hang herself. However, at the final moment, I just couldn’t do it. I knew she posed a threat, but it seemed cruel to decide her life and death so arbitrarily. So I changed my plan. Sylvia’s loud exhale brought me back to the present.

She locked her gaze on me, “My brother was my only reason for existing. Unless the dream life you propose includes him, I want nothing to do with it. I will always seek revenge for him.”

I could see it in her eyes that she already knew what would happen next. She accepted it before she gave her answer. She had resolved to die, if my resolve were any weaker, it would be an insult to her.

“Understood, you leave me no choice. However, I have no desire to be cruel. Drink this.”

I walked over from the bench and placed a cup in her hands. She stared at it for a moment then glared at me as she downed the whole thing. No words, just a cold glare, and acceptance. As soon as she swallowed she slipped back into sleep.

While she was tied to the tree, I created another batch of the Adarna sedative. In small doses, it knocks people out. If you drink a large amount, you fall into a sleep so deep that your brain stops functioning. It was the most painless death I could think of.

I cut her loose from the ropes and gently laid her body next to the tree. I grabbed a shovel the gardeners had left behind and begun digging underneath its limbs. The garden was recently built, so all of the dirt looked overturned and fresh. No one would notice that a body had just been buried here.

As the shovel bit into the dirt I heard a voice, “At least you understand mercy.”

I spun around. I prepared to defend myself. How could someone be here without me noticing?

My eyes went wide with shock as I recognized the figure standing there.