by Tonke Dragt
As Tiuri ran through the armoury, he stopped to grab a bow and a quiver of arrows. Then he dashed up another staircase. On the next floor, he allowed himself a moment to pause and look out through a window.
He could see the marketplace below, and thought he could make out some kind of disturbance among the townsfolk. Yes, there came the mayor’s guards. Four, six, ten… no, there must have been twenty of them! Were they looking for Piak? Tiuri prayed that Piak had escaped. More noises were coming from below, so Tiuri hurried onwards, as quietly as he could. He knew what he had to do.
He raced up another flight of stairs, through yet another exquisitely decorated room, down more corridors and through various chambers and halls until, finally, he entered a room with two big doors and tall, narrow windows. That was where he would make his stand. Tiuri knew he was going to have to put his plan into action soon. The mayor’s men were bound to find him.
He was in luck. The door he had come through had a key in its lock. He quickly turned it and bolted the door for good measure. The second door led to a small chamber with no other exits, so he left that one open. Then he pushed a table in front of the main door, thinking to himself, I hope it takes them a while to find me. And, when they do, they’re going to have a devil of a job getting in here!
Choosing a spot where he could keep an eye on both the door and the windows, Tiuri knelt down, keeping the bow and arrows within easy reach. Then he took out the letter.
The time had come. He had to read the letter and destroy it, so that his enemy would never discover its secrets.
3 THE LETTER
Tiuri looked down at the letter. Only one of the three seals was still intact. He thought back to the previous time he was locked behind a closed door and had been about to read the letter. The circumstances were so different now.
He broke the final seal and opened up the letter. He was so agitated that the words and letters seemed to dance before his eyes and he could make no sense of them. He closed his eyes, just for a moment. When he took another look, he found that the letters had stopped moving. He focused on the words and read the letter from beginning to end, but still he did not understand. Either the message was in code, or it was some language he had never seen before. He recognized only one word, about halfway down the page: Unauwen. He stared at the words, disappointed that the letter’s secret was still a mystery.
The sound of footsteps and voices startled Tiuri and reminded him of the urgency of his task. He had to learn the message by heart, as quickly as he could, and then he could destroy the letter. It was not going to be easy, because he had no idea what the words meant, but he set to work, still half-listening to the sounds outside the room. He heard someone approaching the door, but then the footsteps retreated. Tiuri turned his full attention to the letter, mouthing the words and then closing his eyes and repeating the sentences.
He didn’t know how much time had passed when he thought he had finally committed the contents of the letter to memory. Then he wondered if he could manage to remember how to spell the words too. He might be pronouncing the words incorrectly, so he had to be certain that he could write the letter down, not just recite it.
More noises from outside disturbed Tiuri. This time, someone tried to open the door.
“Hello? Is someone in there?” a voice called out.
Tiuri remained silent.
“This door’s locked,” he heard the voice say. “Go and fetch the keys!”
Tiuri had another couple of minutes to study the letter in peace.
Then he heard a key turning in the lock, but the door was also bolted, so of course it wouldn’t open.
“Who’s in there?” came a shout. “Answer me this minute!” Tiuri said nothing.
He heard mumbling voices and then footsteps hurrying away. Tiuri repeated the message one more time to make certain that he knew it. Then he walked over to the fireplace. He took out the flints he had found in Ardanwen’s saddlebag and banged them together over the logs and kindling in the grate. Eventually, a fire sputtered into life. He held the parchment close enough to the flames that they were licking at his fingers, and then, when it caught light, he dropped the letter and watched it burn. Then he gathered up the ashes, rubbed them between his fingers, and blew them away. All that remained of the letter were the mysterious words in his head. He put out the fire and heaved a sigh. He had done it. He had destroyed the letter. But he was still a prisoner.
“Open this door immediately!” shouted a voice. “Now! Let us in!”
Tiuri said nothing and stayed absolutely still.
“Fetch an axe and break it down,” another voice ordered. It was the mayor.
Tiuri took a deep breath and shouted, “I have a bow and arrows. And I will shoot dead the first person who steps through that door!”
There was silence on the other side.
“Break the door down,” the mayor repeated. “Come on, you bunch of cowards!”
Tiuri heard muttering and whispering.
“You have been warned,” said Tiuri. “I will shoot the first man to enter this room.”
He drew the bow and notched an arrow, wondering whether he would really be able to shoot when the moment came. “Yes, I will do it,” he swore to himself through gritted teeth. “It’s what they deserve.”
“What is the meaning of this?” came the voice of the mayor. “How did you ever come up with such a wicked plan, young man? Whatever possessed you to barricade yourself here in our town hall and threaten to kill us? What possible reason could there be for such a foolish, wrong-headed course of action?”
Tiuri didn’t answer. He was not going to fall for the mayor’s attempts to engage him in conversation.
“What is the meaning of this?” repeated the mayor. “I invited you here as my guest and now you are threatening me in my own town hall! Why don’t you come out here? Perhaps you can still put things right.”
Tiuri remained silent.
“Won’t you at least answer me?” growled the mayor. “You have a lot to answer for, young man, locking yourself up in here like this! And you know you are sure to come off worse.” Then, changing his tone again, he wheedled, “Honestly, you have nothing to fear from us. Just so long as you open that door!”
“And will you let me go if I do?” said Tiuri, breaking his silence.
“Well, it’s hardly what you deserve, is it?” answered the mayor after a moment. “You have acted most strangely. But I am not the sort to bear grudges. Come along now, young man. We cannot keep speaking to each other through the door.”
“I am not the one who is acting strangely,” said Tiuri. “And do you know something? I don’t trust you.”
“How dare you speak to me in that manner?” roared the mayor. “For the last time, come out of that room!”
“No,” said Tiuri. “Not until you tell me who your friend is. The friend who wanted to speak to me.”
The mayor said nothing.
“Might his name perhaps be… Slither?”
The mayor still didn’t answer, but Tiuri heard him muttering. Then came the sound of footsteps retreating, their echoes fading away in the distance.
“Go on then! Just you break that door down!” Tiuri called out in a voice that sounded more confident than he really felt. “My arrow’s already aimed!”
Tiuri stood there for a while, bow and arrow at the ready, waiting to see what would happen. But all was silent. Tiuri realized that they didn’t dare to break down the door.
After a while, Tiuri sat down, but he remained ready and alert. Slowly, whatever confidence he had felt began to fade. He had destroyed the letter – and he was certain he had done the right thing – but still he was not free. They didn’t even need to break down the door. They could just leave him there, starve him into submission… No! He stood up and walked over to one of the windows. No sooner had he reached it than he felt something whistle past his ear. He leapt back in surprise and saw an arrow quivering in the wall opposite the wind
ow.
Very cautiously, Tiuri approached the window again and peeped outside. The windows looked out onto a narrow alleyway and he could see a group of archers standing on the roof of the building opposite. One of them was aiming another arrow. He fired. Tiuri ducked, but the archer’s aim was poor and the arrow clattered harmlessly off the wall outside.
“You’re not going to get me like that,” he whispered.
Tiuri looked around the room; there were plenty of spots where he would be safe. He headed into the small adjoining chamber, which had only one window, but it overlooked the same alley. He took up position, drew his bow, aimed and fired. The arrow narrowly missed one of the archers, startling him.
This time I want to hit someone, Tiuri thought, as he notched a second arrow. I don’t want to kill anyone, just give them a fright. He pressed himself against the wall beside the window and looked outside.
The archers were shouting and pointing at the windows. I don’t think they’ve realized I’m in this room, Tiuri thought. He was almost enjoying himself now. He waited for a good moment before taking another shot. A loud cry told him that his arrow had found a target. One of the archers dropped his bow and clutched his arm. The others let off a few arrows, but none of them even hit the window frame. Then they ran to help their wounded companion. Tiuri sent another arrow flying after them, making them move all the faster. Then he left the window and went back into the other room. He had only four arrows left.
If they decide to break the door down, they’ve got me, he thought, even if I manage to shoot the first one or two dead. What would happen then? Would they torture him to extract the letter’s secret? Would the mayor hand him over to Slither? Jaro had described Slither as “the best of spies and the worst of men”. Might they even kill Tiuri to make sure the message never reached its destination?
Tiuri had to admit to himself that he was frightened. He hoped something would happen, anything, that they would start banging on the door, or shoot at him across the alleyway. Anything would be better than just waiting. He passed the time by repeating the contents of the letter in his head, a little surprised that he could still remember it word for word. Then he took another cautious peek outside. There was no one around. Even the streets were deserted.
How long had it been since he and Piak had entered the town hall? It seemed like hours, but it was still light outside. Tiuri sighed and wondered where Piak was now. Why had Piak become suspicious before Tiuri? If he ever managed to complete his task and deliver the message, it would all be down to Piak. Piak…
Tiuri took another look outside. He could not escape through the window, as it was too high. And the rope was in Piak’s bag. Even if he had had the rope, it probably would not have done him any good, because now he could see two guards patrolling the alley below. He watched them until they disappeared around the corner.
A plan was forming in his mind. Why stay in that room, where he knew he would end up losing? His only hope lay in swift action. The one route of escape was through the door – through the door and then all the way back through the town hall! It sounded like madness, but it had to be worth a try.
Tiuri put his ear to the door. It was still silent outside. Maybe there was no one out there – they probably thought he wouldn’t dare to come out. And that was exactly why he had to do it!
4 THE SCRIBE
Tiuri had one fear as he slowly slid back the bolt: the guards might have locked the door from the other side. Very carefully, he turned the key, tried the door… and it opened. He peered around the corner, and saw a guard. He was looking the other way.
Tiuri opened the door wider and whispered, “Turn around and don’t say a word.”
Startled, the guard turned to look at Tiuri and reached for his sword.
Stepping slowly over the threshold, Tiuri aimed an arrow at him and repeated, “Do not say a word. Lay your sword on the floor. That’s right. Now put your hands above your head, and come over here.”
The guard did as he was ordered. Tiuri heard voices elsewhere in the building. He saw the guard’s eyes flicker with hope and knew that he had to make his escape as quickly as possible.
“In there,” he said. “Now!”
As soon as the guard was inside the room, Tiuri locked the door and dropped the key into his pocket. Then he fled down the corridor. He had not gone far when his prisoner started shouting. Tiuri raced back through the long series of passageways and rooms, desperately searching for a place to hide. He knew he had no hope of getting all the way outside without running into trouble. Then he spotted a large closet. He sighed with relief when he found it wasn’t locked. He ducked inside, and pulled the door shut. Tiuri heard people running through the room, but no one thought to check his hiding place.
Tiuri waited a while before slipping out to continue his race through the huge building. He reached the second floor without being stopped, and then heard noises both above and below – he seemed to have walked into a trap. He dashed into a side room, hoping to find a window he could escape through, or at least a spot where he could hide for a while.
It was a small chamber that he hadn’t noticed before. There was a desk in there, with writing materials on it, and maps all over the walls. He could see a second room through an open door.
As he entered, a pale, dark-haired young man appeared in the other doorway. It was the mayor’s scribe.
Tiuri raised his bow again and whispered, “Not a word, or I’ll shoot!”
The scribe’s large grey eyes grew wide with astonishment. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
Voices were echoing throughout the town hall. “He must be somewhere nearby! Search all of the rooms on this floor!”
Tiuri approached the scribe and whispered, “If they want to check this room, you must stop them and say I am not here. Go and stand by the door. And do not forget that I am aiming an arrow at your back.”
The scribe did as he was told.
“Now open the door,” said Tiuri, “and stand so that they can’t see me. Make sure they don’t search this room. Do not attempt to leave or I will shoot you dead before you can take another step.”
The scribe opened the door. “Hey!” he shouted to someone Tiuri couldn’t see. “Over here! I think he went down those stairs. If you’re quick, you can stop him in the hall!”
Tiuri heard his pursuers retreating. The scribe locked the door and came over to him.
“How did I do?” he asked calmly. There was even a little smile playing on his lips. “So, what now? You can’t go downstairs. They’ll be lying in wait for you. You won’t even make it to the foot of the staircase.”
“Then I’ll find some other way,” said Tiuri. “No, don’t come any closer.”
The scribe stayed where he was. He folded his arms and gave Tiuri a searching look. “What now?” he repeated. “Maybe you’d be better off killing me. The longer you wait here, the higher your chances of being caught. Or you could just drop your weapons and climb out of the window. You might be able to escape that way. And I shall do you the favour of holding my tongue until you’re out of sight.”
Tiuri hesitated.
“Go on, take a chance,” said the scribe. “I’m sure you don’t trust me, but you can’t stay here, not for long anyway. I’d like to remain alive for some time to come and it makes no difference to me whether you escape or not. I have no idea what the mayor wants with you, and I know just as little about why you are behaving in such a barbarous manner, but this is clearly some very shady business, and I would do well to keep my nose out of it.”
Someone rattled the door. “Hey, you in there!” cried an angry voice. “Open up!”
“Go into the other room,” the scribe whispered to Tiuri.
Tiuri retreated to the doorway and held his bow at the ready.
The scribe turned the key in the lock and spoke to someone outside the room. “What is it now?” he said. “Must you keep disturbing me?”
“Why have you locked this do
or?” the man asked.
“What? With that young rogue on the loose? I don’t relish the thought of being skewered by an arrow!”
“Coward!” the man said, sounding angry, yet amused. “Quill-dippers! You’re all the same. But you can’t keep hiding away in here. The mayor’s sent for you.”
“I shall come along presently,” said the scribe. “I take it you haven’t caught the boy.”
“No, but you can be sure we will. He has to be somewhere in the building. The mayor is furious. The town council is meeting later, and he wants this hullabaloo to be over before then. You must help us search for the boy.”
“Absolutely not!” cried the scribe. “Such work lies well outside the scope of my duties. I am not required to bear arms, and neither do I wish to. My paperwork is in order, and that is all that matters.”
The scribe slammed the door and waited until the sound of the man’s footsteps had faded away. Then he turned to Tiuri. “So now do you believe I have no interest in stopping you?” he whispered. “I must say, this is all a very peculiar affair and I do not like it one bit.” He paused. “In fact, I am afraid that I may have to give up my position at the town hall. Or would I be wrong in thinking that the mayor is not a good master to serve?”
“You would know that better than I,” said Tiuri, surprised by the scribe’s words.
“Some of the men here hate him, but he has always been a good master to me. Perhaps, though, that is not enough.”
Tiuri ran over to look out of the window.
The scribe followed him. “So who exactly are you?” he asked.
“That doesn’t matter,” said Tiuri.
They stood at the window, facing each other. The scribe had a curious expression on his face, but Tiuri was still wary.
“The mayor was expecting you,” said the scribe. “He ordered the guards at the gate to detain every young man between the ages of fourteen and eighteen who entered the city and to bring them to him.”