Amelia and Ophelia: The Former Grand Duchess and Saintess.

Elsewhere in the Dukedom of Abernath. Inside a massive forge in the territory of House Baro, producing weapons and armor for the newly raised Dukedom Army was Romus, the elderly elf warrior who was the first person Takawa had turned into her right-hand informant for the slaves.  He had been shuffled off to the Baro Barony and had been immediately put to work inside an arms forge. It is here in this arms forge where the security is lax and filled with guards who are more keen to just rest and relax instead of doing their jobs, where they produce swords, shields and spears did they also produce weapons for the slaves to use once the uprising began. 

"Here, another one is done" Romus said as he looked down at a young wolf beastkin kid who ran up to him with a bucket of water

The elderly elf placed a serrated blade with a ball mount on the end of it where the handle would usually go into the bucket of water, submersing it perfectly and making it look as if the dark water was just that, water. These serrated blades were forged alongside the rest of the arms and armor, but made to look as id they were defects that were then tossed aside and unchecked, allowing Romus to pick it up and place it in the bucket unsuspectingly. This bucket of water that was filled with serrated blades with ball mounts at the end was then shuffled out of the main factory floor and dumped into the main water disposal well which flushed the blades out of the forge and into the hands of slaves who were waiting at the exit pipe hidden out of sight and out of view, the greenery around providing excellent cover for the slaves and what came next. These slaves then took the blades and hid them under their dirty rags of clothing, and then placed themselves in the lines of slaves reentering the slave pool. The guards at the gate of the slave pool didn't even check any of them that entered, just pushing or shoving them into the slave pool just to get it over and done with. 

The slaves who then brought the blades hid them in hollowed-out sections of the wall of the basin, hiding them behind patches of woodwork that blended well with the unkept and raggedy appearance of the slave pool. At night, when the patrols were minimal along the catwalk surrounding the slave pool and the night shrouded the whole place in darkness was when those slaves with the ability to still see clearly in the dark quietly began to assemble the weapons that were brought into the slave pool. Hidden along with the serrated blades were the handles of these blades. They were crude but effective as it was a thick handle that had a ball mount key that needed to be inserted into the ball mount of the serrated blade and then turned to ensure both pieces were connected. Once the slaves assembled the weapon heard the click, they knew it was ready to be used and they would quickly disassemble and hide the weapons before the guards got wise. 

When there were slaves that had been ordered to rotate to other pools, they were expected to try and smuggle the weapon pieces with them. This was a challenge at first with a few close calls, but once Flavius had been roped into their little plot, his people were the ones in charge of the shipments of slaves and the weapons. Cart drivers would bring the slaves to the slave pools while construction workers working for the Dukedom government under the House of Fluchet would move into the slave pools and then start 'repairing' damaged sections, placing the parts of the weapons inside the newly hollowed-out and supposedly 'fixed' areas. By the end of the first three months, there were weapons in nearly every single slave pool across the nation except for the ones inside the capital city as that would be too dangerous at the moment. 

Later that night, as the clouds covered the moon, sitting inside the slave pool in the forge town of Renitz in the Baro Barony, Romus was busy in a corner of the slave pool, etching on the floorboard he was on the amount of weapons they had produced today, marking them in stick marks to ensure he did not lose count. So far, ever since he was moved here about two months ago, the slaves here produced about 600 sets (10 per set) of swords, spears, shields, and suits of plate armor. All the while they also produced 320 sets of blades for the uprising which were now spread across the slave pools of the dukedom. 

"Hmmm....it seems that the army is almost ready to push northward" He remarked as he then laid down on top of the markings 

"Something the matter Romus?" An old woman's voice asked, he turned his face up to see an elderly wolf beastkin woman sitting next to him 

"It seems we are almost about to start off on our fight for freedom. The shipments the Dukedom Army has been receiving from us are more than enough to fit several columns of Signatari Soldiers...something tells me the fight will come sooner rather than later" The old elf replied 

"Hmmm....I see...I think we are all ready however, do you believe that we are ready to rise up? They have doubled the patrols and amount of guards whenever the New Moon comes out. I used to believe that these extra patrols were just to ensure we didn't forget our place, but little did i know that a New Moon was when the magi-collar either failed or was weak enough for us to break off by overloading our magic." 

"Well...I believe we are. Although...I also believe it will be bloody. Having magic running through our veins once more will be reinvigorating sure, but being able to wield it with the same proficiency as before is doubtful" 

The two of them fell silent as they saw from the corner of their eyes, a pair of guards walking along the wooden walkway behind them. They acted as if they were asleep. The soft light of the torches in their hands bathed the surrounding area in its warm glow, they looked around the slave pool, their eyes trying to spot anyone who was not sleeping, their free hands resting on their sides or on the hilts of their weapons. After a few minutes of scanning the surrounding slaves, they went on their way to continue their patrol. 

"Hmmm....these patrols will be a problem for sure when the uprising comes, but I think that they won't have enough to stop all of us. By the looks of things, a lot of the guards nowadays are old men while the more fit and younger guards are being used to fill the ranks of the Dukedom Army. We will just have to wait and see when the time comes" Romus muttered to the old elf woman as they watched the guards walk by 

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Elsewhere in the dukedom, inside a construction site for a new garrison fort within the territory of House Theodorus was a young dragonkin by the name of Maltar who was recruited by Takawa for the specific job of organizing the slaves in the slave pools along this region. Maltar, with his black and gold scales along his tail and his well-built body with a missing horn atop his overgrown black hair, slaved away as he used his wings to carry construction materials in the form of sacks filled with rocks from the piles below. He brought them to the second floor of the frame of the building they were constructing, the magi-collar around his neck was tied to a massive chain anchored in the center of the construction sight. He had tried time and again to break the chain in previous escape attempts and failed, being beaten by the guards for his failures. Although it was night, the construction sight was still hard at work as it was the night shift slaves now being forced to work. 

As he brought another sack of rocks up to the second story, a guard working for House Fluchet passed him by, 'dropping' a slip of paper that the dragonkin picked up and read 

New Shipments of weapons have been added to the slave pools in the towns of Faor, Solben and Watershiek. Further orders are to prepare for the Uprising

Maltar looked around, making sure there was no one else in his vicinity before he ate the note, the paper gliding smoothly down his throat before he let out a small cough to hide what he had just done. After ten more minutes of moving around and bringing up the necessary materials to where they needed to go,  Maltar met with several fellow slave workers who were part of his network during the brief break in the night. These slaves were from several other slave pools within the territory and gathered around him for orders for their next moves, these slaves were elves, arachnia and even other beastkin such as boar and wolf beastkin. 

"How are the activities in your areas?" Maltar asked them as he kept his glance toward the guards in the guard shed nearby 

"Everything has been going well, none of us have encountered any serious problems so far" The boar beastkin answered him, her eyes also scanning the surrounding area for any sign of trouble 

"That's good. Sets of weapons have arrived in Faor, Solben and Watershiek. Make sure they remain hidden and that they are working" The dragonkin told them 

"Understood" 

"Good. Now, for your next orders. There will be another pool rotation within the next week, mostly new arrivals you will have to add to our side, but be warned. I have been told by the Head that there has been an increase of random slave pool inspections by the guards under orders from above, they suspect a rebellion but if we all play it safe, they won't be able to find anything" 

"What if we are found out?" The arachnia asked

"Then there is a good chance the entire slave pool will be culled. At least your own as the Head has informed me that the Dukedom does not wish to lose so much free manpower while they build up the army to march northward. So keep yourselves safe and ensure that none of you are caught" 

The slaves nodded before they dispersed and went back to work building the fort. All the while they were being monitored by guards who were none the wiser to the growing machinations and plans of the slaves they were overseeing. These guards, unlike a lot of them in the other territories that were now a hodgepodge of old men, young teens, and adults, the guards in the territories of House Malintara and House Theodorus comprised mainly of conscripted men who filled the ranks of the House Knights and the local militia they were building up for their own upcoming rebellion.

With the Dukedom on the literal verge of a civil war, no side was ready to move until the largest challenge was either away or had disappeared entirely. The newly made Dukedom Army, and until that large obstacle was removed, there would be no uprisings. There would only be plans upon plans that continued to turn until all was ready to unleash their fury like a coiled spring inside a jack-in-the-box. 

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Staring up at the beautiful night sky, with the stars popping in and out behind the clouds that rolled over them like little splotches in the dark. Was Sir Matthews and his beloved Mako who were staying the night in Mako's personal estate outside the capital of Areseburg, standing on the balcony right outside her bedroom. The couple had spent the last few hours making love to one another and both were still feeling the high of ecstasy in one another's embrace, their sleeping gowns were loose and neither was wearing anything underneath them. 

"Your task will be coming soon" Mako said as she felt her lover's arms embrace her, feeling his chiseled body pressing against her back 

"Indeed it will. Are you going to miss me?" Mattews asked as he leaned a bit down to kiss her on the shoulder, sending a shiver of happiness down her spine 

"Of course I will love, you will be safe right? I couldn't bear to think what would I do if you were to die" Mako added as she raised her head and slightly turned it to the left to look at her lover 

"I will be safe my dear. I will return to you, so do not worry" The knight said as he then cupped his beloved's face and brought her close

"There is nothing on this continent that can harm me. I am invincible remember? I and the Dukedom's strongest warrior, so worry not for me, just pray I can get this all done before we have to deal with the other unpleasantries lurking amongst us" 

"Return to my side ok?" 

"Of course my love, I promise you"

The two of them then embraced and had a full and loving kiss that lasted for minutes as they locked lips repeatedly. Their love for one another was immense and would soon move from the balcony and back to the bedroom for the night. Come morning, both of them were still asleep until noon, clearly tired out by the loving activities they had performed the night before.

A/N: Well here we go! More hidden actions and agreements!