The Last Citadel

by Kevin Ashman

  ‘What do you mean?’ she asked, the concern clear on her face. ‘Kenzo, where are we going?’

  ‘We’ve got to find an old man,’ he said, ‘and I’ve not got much time.’

  ‘Okay,’ she said and looked back to see what had caused this sudden change of mood in the young man.

  ‘The Brotherhood of the Sark,’ she read slowly, ‘what does it mean?’

  ‘Maybe nothing,’ he said, ‘maybe everything. Come on.’ He took her hand and led her back up to the keep. He needed to find the white haired man.

  ----

  On the way back, Kenzo told Leona everything he knew.

  ‘I have to find this man,’ said Kenzo, ‘do you know him?’

  ‘But why?’ she asked, ‘all you know is that she talked to him. What do you think he can tell you?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ he said, ‘all I know is he is the last person to speak to her that I know of. Perhaps she told him where she was going. Please, Leona, you have to help me, I know he lives in the keep; you must know him.’

  ‘You don’t know what you ask, Kenzo,’ she said nervously, ‘the man you seek has the ear of the council and they prohibit us giving any information about them to anybody. If they found out I took you to one of their own, they would throw me and my family out of the keep.’

  Kenzo looked at her, realizing that an exiled artist would not last long in the city without the support of their trade.

  ‘That won’t happen,’ he said, ‘I won’t let it. I don’t want to be taken to his chambers, I just want to ask him some questions and I can do that in the open, all I need is his permission to approach. Please, Leona,’ he said sensing her hesitation, ‘I have nowhere else to turn.’

  ‘I doubt he will talk with you,’ she said, ‘but he will talk with me. I will ask your questions.’

  ‘Talk to you,’ he said, ‘but how?’

  ‘The man you seek is called Pelosus, he is the Stargazer and I…’ she looked down in embarrassment.

  ‘What,’ asked Kenzo lifting her chin, ‘Leona, what is it?’

  ‘I clean his rooms,’ she said suddenly.

  ‘You clean his rooms,’ he said blankly.

  ‘Yes, I know it’s not very glamorous, Kenzo,’ she said hurriedly, ‘but we all have to live and I have my father to support and I…’

  ‘You are a cleaner!’

  ‘I can walk the tightrope,’ she said, ‘but I get afraid and one day…’

  ‘Leona,’ he said over her nervous chatter.

  ‘I would have told you before, but I thought if you knew I was a cleaner you may not like me anymore and …’

  ‘Leona,’ he said more forcibly, ‘stop talking for a moment.’

  She fell quiet and looked at the floor. Kenzo lifted her chin again and kissed her gently on the lips.

  ‘I would love you if you were the most destitute beggar in Bastion,’ he said, ‘and anyway, I have a feeling that when I find Amber, she will know where to find this boy and when I find him, we will be rich beyond our wildest dreams. In fact, we will be able to hire our own cleaner.’

  ‘You don’t mind?’ she asked nervously.

  ‘Of course I don’t mind, you silly thing.’

  ‘Oh, Kenzo,’ she sighed, ‘I’m so relieved, I knew it was only a matter of time until you found out and I have been trying to think of a way of telling you. The quicker we can marry the better as far as I am concerned.’

  ‘Artist, gymnast, cleaner, it makes no difference to me, Leona,’ he said, ‘it’s you I have fallen in love with, not your occupation.’

  She held him tightly in silence.

  ‘Though after we are married,’ he continued after some thought, ‘I don’t suppose you could get one of those sexy gymnast outfits could you?’ The gentle kick he received in the ankle was worth it to see her smile again. ‘Anyway,’ he said holding her to his chest and looking over her head into the distance, ‘first of all, we have to find Amber and to do that we need to speak to your Stargazer friend.’

  ‘Leave it to me,’ she murmured, ‘I’ll do it tonight.’

  ----

  ‘Beware the Brotherhood,’ quoted Pelosus, ‘what does it mean?’ Pelosus and the clerk had spent hours in the archives searching for the meaning to the phrase Pelosus had discovered on the handkerchief without success. ‘I give up,’ said Pelosus sitting back and rubbing his eyes, ‘absolutely nothing here gives any indication that there may be another place outside of Bastion. It just seems to be a random religious sentence.’

  ‘Yet it must mean something,’ said the clerk, ‘why hide it otherwise?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Pelosus, ‘perhaps we’ve missed something on the silk.’

  ‘Could have, I suppose, we are getting nowhere here, let’s have another look at the handkerchief.’

  They both stood up and left the archives to go to Pelosus’s chambers at the top of the keep but as they approached, Pelosus stopped short, his keys in his hand.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ asked the clerk.

  ‘The door is open,’ said Pelosus, ‘and I know I locked it.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘In the circumstances,’ he said, ‘I made doubly sure.’

  ‘Do you think there is anyone in there?’

  ‘There’s only one way to find out,’ said Pelosus and pushed the door wide open with his foot.

  -----

  Leona spun around at the sound of the door crashing open and stared at the Stargazer and the clerk standing in the middle of the room.

  ‘Leona!’ shouted Pelosus, ‘what are you doing here?’

  ‘I’m sorry, Sir,’ she said, ‘I did knock but there wasn’t any answer so I used my keys, I was going to leave you a note.’

  ‘A note?’ he asked, ‘why would you leave me a note? What is so important that you came up here to ask me a question at this hour?’

  She looked at him and the clerk.

  ‘Come on, girl,’ said Pelosus, ‘spit it out.’

  ‘Well, it’s my fiancé, Sir,’ she said, ‘his cousin is missing and he thinks you may be able to help him find her.’

  ‘Me, find a missing girl,’ he said, ‘how in heaven can I help to find a missing girl?’

  ‘It would seem that you were talking to her a few days ago’ she said, ‘down at the causeway, the day after Moon-day. Amber, her name was.’

  ‘Amber,’ he said. ‘No I don’t recall an Amber, oh, hang on, there was that urchin from the market, she didn’t say her name but a very astute young lady as I recall. Would that be her?’

  ‘That’s her,’ said Leona, ‘she went missing straight after and Kenzo, that’s my boyfriend, hoped you may know where she went.’

  ‘No, I’m sorry, Leona,’ he said, ‘I have no idea where she may have gone. She didn’t say anything. Tell your boyfriend I can’t help him, though if I hear anything I will let you know. Now, if you don’t mind, we have work to do.’

  ‘Thank you, Sir,’ she said, ‘and I’m sorry for the intrusion.’

  ‘Think nothing of it,’ he said, ‘now if you don’t mind….’ he stood to one side opening the way to the door, his meaning plain.

  ‘Good night, Sirs,’ said Leona, and brushed passed the two men to hurry out.

  Pelosus turned to find a candle, pulling up short as he heard the cleaner’s voice again.

  ‘One more thing, Sir,’ she said from the doorway.

  ‘What is it Leona?’ he said over his shoulder, ‘can’t you see we are extremely busy?’

  ‘Sorry,’ she said, ‘I just wondered, do the words, “Brotherhood of the Sark,” mean anything to you?’

  ----

  Kenzo leaned against the gate and pulled the collar of his tunic up around the neck in an attempt to keep out the night chill. He had been here for an hour and would be for the next eleven with only an hour’s break for food. At least he felt a lot better than he had last night; it seemed that Braille had forgiven him, to an extent.

  He heard a noise fro
m the other side of the gate. It wasn’t guarded on that side, people wanted to get in, not out! The gate opened and he turned to see what lunatic wanted to leave the safety of the keep at this hour. The last person he expected was Fatman. He sprang to attention.

  ‘Well, well, well,’ said Fatman, ‘what have you been up to now, gutter trash?’

  ‘Sorry, Sir?’ queried Kenzo.

  ‘You and trouble,’ said Fatman, ‘seem to be best of friends these days.’

  ‘Sorry, Sir, I don’t understand,’ said Kenzo.

  Fatman pushed his face tight against Kenzo’s face, his stinking breath forcing Kenzo back slightly.

  ‘Look, shit head,’ snarled Fatman, ‘it pisses me off when I am woken at this time of night with orders to come and get you. It pisses me off even more when I am told that I have to leave my warm bed and an even warmer woman to come and get you, personally.’ His voice was rising in decibels as he forced his face into Kenzo’s, the corresponding volume of spittle rising accordingly.

  ‘And when I ask the reason why,’ he continued, ‘and am told it is none of my business and you are not to be punished, well, I’m about as pissed off as a man can get in one lifetime. Now do you understand?’ he screamed, the spittle soaking Kenzo’s face.

  ‘I understand you are pissed off, Sir,’ ventured Kenzo.

  ‘That’s right, boy,’ he hissed, ‘in the world of the pissed off, I am the pissed off king and you can bet your pretty arse that I am going to make you pay for this.’

  ‘For what, Sir?’ asked Kenzo, ‘I don’t know what it is that I am supposed to have done?’

  ‘Done?’ he answered sarcastically, ‘you haven’t done anything, your holy presence is required by some shit sucker in the council chambers, and you have to be there five minutes ago. Now shift your lazy arse back to barracks, someone is waiting for you there. You haven’t heard the last of this.’

  ‘Yes, Sir,’ shouted Kenzo, and ducked through the door, passing the relief guard on the other side.

  ‘Sorry Ufox,’ he said, ‘this has got nothing to do with me.’

  ‘Whatever,’ Ufox answered with an air of resignation, ‘we’re getting used to it now.’

  ‘Sorry,’ grinned Kenzo again, ‘I’ll pay you back.’

  ‘That’s right,’ said Ufox returning the false smile, ‘you will.’

  Kenzo ran across the courtyard to the barracks where he saw a shadow in the gloom waiting for him.

  ‘Kenzo,’ said Leona, ‘is that you?’

  ‘Leona!’ he replied, ‘what’s going on? I am supposed to meet someone here. Apparently I am wanted by the council.’

  ‘It’s me you’re supposed to meet, silly,’ she said, ‘and it’s not the council that wants you, it’s the Stargazer.’

  Kenzo’s eyes widened.

  ‘You spoke to him,’ he said, ‘did you ask him about Amber?’

  ‘I said I would, didn’t I?’ she said with a smug smile.

  ‘Well,’ he said impatiently, ‘what did he say, does he know where Amber is?’

  ‘I don’t think so,’ she said. ‘He admitted to talking to her but was adamant she didn’t say where she was going.’

  Kenzo’s face dropped.

  ‘If he doesn’t know, then I don’t know where else to look.’

  ‘Anyway,’ she said pulling his arm, ‘come on, I’ve got to take you back to speak to him, and we’re already late.’

  ‘Hang on,’ he said, holding back, ‘if he doesn’t know anything about Amber, why does he want to speak to me?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Leona, ‘but when I mentioned the Brotherhood of the Sark, he suddenly seemed very interested. I think he wants to ask you about them.’

  ‘All I know about them is that Amber mentioned their name, whoever they are, and that the Hunters found a sign in the submerged city with their name on it, that’s it!’

  ‘Well, it seems that he thinks you may know more and wants to speak to you. Come on, we’d better not keep him waiting.’ Leona led him across the open space and toward the restricted area of the keep reserved for the council and their servants. They climbed the winding staircase to the top floor and knocked on the ornate door.

  ‘Come in,’ came a voice and Leona led Kenzo through into the Stargazer’s chambers. Pelosus and the clerk were sat at a round table facing the door, two empty chairs faced them and the clerk invited them to sit. They sat down and the clerk poured them a glass of wine each.

  ‘You are Kenzo, I understand,’ started Pelosus.

  ‘I am, Sir,’ answered the soldier.

  ‘And you have been seeking information about your cousin?’

  ‘Yes, Sir, she has been missing for a couple of days.’

  ‘People often go missing in Bastion, Kenzo,’ he said, ‘why do you think I can help you with this one?’

  ‘Amber is very street wise, Sir,’ he answered, ‘she knows every nook and cranny of the city, and is friends with every rogue, in every back street. Of all people, Amber is a true child of Bastion and knows her way around. She would not put herself in a situation she could not handle. She is a born survivor.’

  ‘Quite,’ said Pelosus, ‘but you yourself admitted that she bothers with rogues, perhaps she went too far and suffered the consequences.’

  ‘Perhaps so, Sir, but I know Amber and she can look after herself. I believe she is still alive.’

  They all sat quiet for a moment.

  ‘This is all very well,’ said Pelosus, ‘but it doesn’t change the fact that I don’t know where she is. I will of course make enquiries and rest assured I will let you know if I find anything, but until then, I can’t help you, however, there is a small matter in which you can help me. It would seem that you may have certain information about a little known Brotherhood within the city and I would like you to furnish me with what you know.’

  ‘I know very little, Sir,’ said Kenzo dejected, ‘it’s just what my cousin said a few days ago. If I was not so hung over, she may be here now.’

  ‘What exactly did she say?’ asked the clerk.

  ‘Nothing really, she was just keen to know what I knew about something called the Brotherhood.’

  ‘Which is?’

  ‘Nothing.’

  ‘Yet it would seem that she knows something otherwise she wouldn’t have asked.’

  ‘It would seem that way,’ he answered.

  ‘Is there anything else, Kenzo?’ asked Pelosus, ‘anything at all that you are aware of that may shed light on this Sark business.’

  Kenzo thought furiously, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was a link here, something that he needed to cling on to. The Brotherhood of the Sark seemed to be the common thread that linked them all and while the Stargazer thought there was more information to be had, the longer Amber stayed in the equation. He decided to take a risk.

  ‘There is one more thing,’ he said, ‘I don’t know if it will help, but I am aware that she was seeking a boy and he has links with this Brotherhood.’

  ‘What boy?’

  ‘I don’t know, but I am aware he has a deformity and is in the city somewhere.’

  ‘And how do you know this?’

  ‘She told me,’ he lied, careful not to reveal his own interests in the boy or the conversation he had had with the Watcher. Again, there was silence while everyone digested the information.

  Eventually Pelosus spoke again.

  ‘Look, Kenzo,’ he said, ‘there is much we don’t understand here, but it would seem that we both seek similar things. This boy has links with the Brotherhood of the Sark and it is entirely feasible that your cousin has found him. Therefore, it is in all our interests to find them both, so I have a proposition for you. You will join us in the search for the boy and your cousin. We will use the substantial resources available to us to seek the possible whereabouts of both, while you will be our foot soldiers on the ground. We would have, shall we say, some difficulty navigating the city without arousing suspicion, whilst you two hav
e been brought up in Bastion and can mingle unnoticed with the lowest of the low. No offence intended, of course.’

  ‘None taken,’ said Kenzo.

  ‘Some taken,’ murmured Leona under her breath.

  ‘What about my duties?’ asked Kenzo, kicking her leg under the table.

  ‘Leave that to me,’ said Pelosus. ‘You will be given indefinite leave with immediate effect. This will take precedence over all other tasks and you will deviate for no one and report directly to me. Is that understood?’

  ‘Fine with me,’ said Kenzo, ‘where do you want me to start?’

  ‘Get back out into the streets and start asking questions,’ said Pelosus. ‘Leave no stone unturned. Use your contacts. Be nice, bribe them if necessary, but worm your way in to the underclass of the city. Someone, somewhere, must know where they are.’

  ‘And you?’ asked Kenzo.

  ‘While you explore the underbelly of the population, we will arrange the breaking of heads. This city is not very big and between us, I reckon we should have an answer before nightfall tomorrow. Are we agreed?’

  ‘Agreed!’ said Kenzo. At last, something positive was being done and with the weight of the council behind him, it was only a matter of time before he found Amber.

  ‘One more thing,’ said Petit, ‘let’s keep the Brotherhood of the Sark to ourselves for the moment. All we need to share is that we seek a missing boy and a girl. No need to stir up a hornet’s nest.’

  Kenzo agreed.

  ‘When do we start?’ he asked.

  ‘No time like the present,’ said Pelosus, ‘you have until morning before I mobilize the guard. Anything else?’

  ‘Nope,’ said Kenzo, ‘thank you.’

  ‘Don’t thank me,’ said Pelosus, ‘just bring me this boy.’

  Kenzo and Leona left the chambers and made their way to the keep gates.

  ‘Hadn’t you better tell your father?’ asked Kenzo as they ran across the courtyard.

  ‘Forget him,’ answered Leona, ‘he’s blind drunk and won’t even notice I have gone until he wakes tomorrow midday when his belly needs filling. By then, we may well be back, let’s worry about him then.’