Alsakur, Hidden in the Shadows

Description

   Sometimes you have to sacrifice a couple of pieces on the board to achieve a goal. Give the enemy confidence in his victory so that he loses his vigilance. When your main weapon is stealth, you can neglect the life of one of the students to keep yourself hidden.

   Alsakur watched the young assassin infiltrate Tartus, who fell into the poorly placed networks of the Templars and eventually was revealed. Several knights, dressed in monastic robes, patrolled the corridors where their leader killed the spy. Now they will think of themselves as agents in the shadows. Alsakur smiled when he heard that everything went as planned. The first pawn was played according to plan.

   While most of the Templars on watch were busy with the spy and his capture, no one noticed how Alsakur, covered with a travelling cloak, went into one of the small rooms, not far from the dining room, and hid in a niche behind the fireplace. A few minutes later, a company of Templars of different ranks and status, united by one idea, began to gather in this room. They all had a small tattoo in the form of a blue rose, which they hid either under plate gloves or hair on the back of their heads. Alsakur played his part of the game among them.
“Brothers! Noble sirs!” One of the oldest Templars in the hall spoke to the knights. “We haven’t received any help from the Empire for a long time. The new emperor turned his back on us!

   We are Templars, the warriors who have seized new lands for the Empire! We saved his life from the insane priest’s uprising! But how did he repay us for all this? By neglect and oblivion!

   The knights nodded in agreement.
“Our Master Baldwin is undoubtedly noble and daring. But his excessive nobility will ruin us all! He blindly believes Roland and the Emperor, not noticing that they have long betrayed him!

   Left him away from his native land. Like all of us. Knights of the blue rose! It’s time to decide what we choose. Keep serving the young emperor, who betrayed us and his naive pawn Baldwin, or the one who fought shoulder to shoulder with you against these barbarians? Raising a hand against your master is not a noble act, but unfortunately, we have don’t have any other choice.”

   The speaker made a short pause, observing the reaction of the audience.
“I contacted a man from the caliphate who can help us arrange negotiations and, perhaps, will take part in our plan. We await his arrival today while Baldwin’s supporters are busy with their captured assassin.”
“Thank you for the introduction. I have already arrived.” Alsakur came out of his hiding place and bowed to people in the room. Several of them grabbed their swords, but the assassin ignored it. “I’m sorry, but you should have searched the premises before the secret meeting. Anyone could find out your secrets if they were handled so carelessly. Apparently, I have a lot to teach you.