James
*Through the ball, he continued to talk with Bellaluna, play up the intrigue of an announcement to the court, and generally prepare for the commencement of the plan. His pieces were in place, and during the ball, a soldier tapped him on the shoulder, spoke a few code words. And once the dance was done, Prince Astalios was headed back to his personal chambers to prepare for the operation at hand.

His speech was written and prepared by a scribe that he had selected at Kidu's recommendation, and a court mage stood ready to cast an illusion on him as his advisors attended the disguise. He would be in no simple cloak for this work of deception, but the guise of the unquestionable Lady Solana Agarvaran. As the mage wound his illusion, cloaking Astalios's voice, height, build, and appearance, he kept his fine clothing underneath, and his simpler circlet crown upon his head.

Once this was ready to be cast, he made a show of preparation to a select few waiters, who spread the gossip amongst themselves in earshot of certain noblemen and women. This, surely, would keep the noblemen tied down at the ball, and the conflicting rumors would keep them discussing. Now, he made his way through secret passage to the wayshrine, and the mage who had turned him into Lady Solana now took on his guise. Any who passed by would greet the prince practicing his speech...

He raced to the wayshrine, careful to uphold the superior expression and arrogance he had seen on the expression of the elven lady, and stepped through it into Lerwick Manor, and out the other side...*
Jose
With everything in order, the ball continued like normal with the guests and the Agarvarans none the wiser to what was actually taking place. As the prince made his way through the wayshrine into the town of Lerwick, many of the residents were no where to be seen. This was due to how late it was along with many of them being away and working in the mines. This made Astalios's approach to the Agarvaran manor completely safe and trouble free- that was until he approached the door of the manor itself. A guard seemed to be posted outside, and when he saw what he wholeheartedly believed to be Lady Solana, he bowed and opened the door for her, muttering as she went. "Is everything okay, my lady?" Given that she was returning without the rest of the family, it was probably a pretty strange sight to be seen.

Whether the prince chose to answer the guard or not, the door was opened to the manor for him. While Lerwick was an average looking town, the inside of the Agarvaran manor nearly compared to that of the castle. Marble floors with beautiful, expensive and elegant decorations all around. Directly ahead, a staircase going up to a second floor with hallways to the left and right on the first and second floor both. It was a massive manor, but thats to expected for a noble family anyways. The guard waited to close the door until Solana, the prince, answered him however.
James
*Astalios chose to answer the guard with only a withering glare that he thought worthy of the Lady. He did not need to answer the lowly guard, of course. He was Lady Solana. He flicked his hand in an imperious motion, gesturing for the guard to close the door behind Lady Solana as he walked, straight-backed and proper, up the staircase. There may have been some murderous intensity behind the words that Lady Solana spoke, but he did not know her speech patterns well enough to imitate her. It would have to do for the moment. He, or rather she, was on the warpath.

Past the guard, he ascended the staircase. What had they gone over...?

Oh, yes. Two doors to the left, right turn, one down, and the room on the right at the end of the hallway. That was the record room. He thanked the gods that he had prepared using the Royal archives beforehand. He had to be quick, had to be worthy. He took from his "Bosom" A key, made of iron, only for show, and unlocked the door by inserting the false key, but turning the tumblers with his own magic. The lock clicked open, and he entered, closing the door behind him.

Quickly, he began to rummage through the records of the family, checking lockboxes, safes... He reached out with his metal senses to see if there were hidden mechanisms that he was missing.

It had to be fast.*