“Because the Emperor has requested to see them,” declared another Lanoirian officer who had come up behind Boris and Tedi.
The new officer pushed his way past Tedi and turned to look at Boris.
“I had asked you not to reveal your documents to anyone,” the new officer said sternly. “There are precious few people in Lanoir that know about the new government up there.”
Tedi was shocked to see that the new officer was Bin-lu. The Bin-lu he knew was meek and mild, but this Bin-lu was playing a dangerous game. Tedi’s hand gripped the staff tightly.
“Who are you to interfere with the gate of the Imperial Palace?” questioned the first officer.
Bin-lu spun around and glared at the officer. “Who are you to question the Emperor?” spat Bin-lu. “Nobody is supposed to know that these people are in Lanoir, and you are creating a spectacle on the main street of the city. Open the gates, and you and I shall go before the Emperor together. We both know how he handles incompetence. I am willing to place my life in his hands. Are you?”
The first officer hesitated as concern filled his face. He could die for admitting people improperly. He could also die for incompetence, even if the mistake was somebody else’s.”
“You are right about talking here,” the first officer conceded. “Step inside the gate where we can talk privately.”
Bin-lu nodded and ushered Boris and Tedi through the gate. When everyone was inside the gate, Bin-lu pulled the other officer aside.
“Look,” Bin-lu said softly, “I do not know who messed up this assignment, but I do not care to die for it. Their ship was not due in today, and I was not notified in time to meet them. You haven’t been notified yet that they would be arriving, although that is not your fault either. What are we supposed to do? Ask them to spend the night in some common inn? We would both surely die.”
“I hear what you are saying,” answered the officer, “but my task is to admit only those who are scheduled for the day. These people are not on my schedule. I also have never seen you before. Who are you? And what gives you authority to have people admitted to the palace?”
“I am Special Officer Bin-lu,” Bin-lu stated softly. “I am part of the External Diplomacy section.”
Bin-lu leaned even closer to the officer and whispered, “It is my task to find foreigners that will pave the way for our invasion. These people are very important to our plans. That is why nobody is to know that they are here. You must not mention a word about their arrival to anyone. They are to be whisked in to the Emperor and hustled back out to their ship before anyone sees them. Now do you understand why I was so upset about a confrontation on the city streets? Do you also understand why I do not fear to go with you before the Emperor? Gate officers he has galore, but people who can provide what I do are rare.”
“But I am doing my job as instructed,” complained the officer.
Bin-lu shrugged and smiled at the officer. “You are the gate guard,” smiled Bin-lu. “It is your choice what happens next. Let me know what you decide.”
Bin-lu marched over to Boris and Tedi and began apologizing profusely for the short delay. Boris reacted sternly and seemed disinterested in any apologies. Within minutes the first officer approached the group.
“Officer Bin-lu will escort you to the Emperor,” the officer declared.
Bin-lu wasted no time is ushering Boris and Tedi away from the gate. He chuckled to himself as he looked back and saw the gate officer making motions to the other guards. Bin-lu knew that the officer was complaining of sickness and was going to leave his post. He might get beaten for not being at his post, but he would escape death for admitting a questionable person.
“Well done, Bin-lu,” congratulated Tedi. “I could not believe that was you. I could not imagine how you were going to get us past that guard. Whatever you told him sure changed his mind. How do you plan to get us out?”
Bin-lu looked at Tedi and shook his head. “I have no idea how we are going to get out of here,” Bin-lu answered. “We are just on the grounds of the palace. We still have to get into the building, find your mother, and think of a way out. Don’t worry, we’ll think of something.”
Tedi felt as if a giant cold hand had reached up and grabbed his heart. He stared at Bin-lu and then looked at all of the soldiers marching around the grounds. He looked back at Bin-lu and just shook his head.
Chapter 5
Unexpected Company
Bin-lu hesitated at the bottom of the huge stone steps before the Imperial Palace. Boris and Tedi also stopped alongside him.
“Trouble?” Master Khatama asked softly.
“There will be fewer soldiers inside the palace,” began Bin-lu, “but they will be more curious. The marching soldiers on the grounds do not trouble themselves to identify visitors. This may not be true of the ones inside. We must be careful.”
“Do you know where you are going?” whispered Tedi.
“Somewhat,” shrugged Bin-lu. “I saw which way your mother left the main foyer, but after that we will be in places that I have never seen. Keep looking for young children. We will follow them.”
“Keep acting like an officer,” advised Boris. “You are doing quite well. We should move from here before people become suspicious.”
Bin-lu nodded and led the way up the steps. When they reached the top of the stairs, Bin-lu saw dozens of soldiers. Most were standing around talking with each other, but two manned the huge doors to the palace. Not knowing what the procedure was for entering through the main doors, Bin-lu strode purposely towards them and kept his eyes fixed straight ahead. He planned to act preoccupied and then to act bothered when the guards stopped him. He hoped it would work because there were too many soldiers around to start a fight.
As the three infiltrators neared the entrance, the doors swung open widely. A column of soldiers starting marching through the doors to exit the building. Bin-lu swallowed hard as he continued marching forward, directly into the oncoming soldiers. Just as he met the column, the two lead soldiers shouted something that Bin-lu did not understand. His body tensed as he continued walking into the column.
Suddenly, the oncoming column split in half to create a corridor for the entering officer and the dignitaries that he was escorting. As the soldiers stood to each side and saluted the officer, the two columns of soldiers effectively blocked the door guards, and Bin-lu let out his held breath. He marched forward, leading Tedi and Boris into the palace.
After traversing an extremely wide corridor, they entered the grand foyer where Bin-lu had waited to see the Emperor. Bin-lu turned to his left ignoring the two prisoners who were seated on the stone bench, and the group of soldiers surrounding them. A shiver of fear raced down his spine as he remembered sitting on that very bench not too long ago.
Bin-lu set his eyes on another corridor off of the foyer. It was the corridor he had seen Tedi’s mother turn into. As they turned into the corridor, Bin-lu slowed. His eyes scanned the corridor, which seemed to run on forever.
“This is all that I know about the layout of the palace,” whispered Bin-lu. “She disappeared down this corridor. From what I have heard from talking to others is that the room has an outside entrance to a garden.”
“That means that it would have to be on the left-hand side of the corridor,” suggested Tedi as they walked slowly.
“Yes, answered Bin-lu, “but which door? This corridor goes on forever.”
“She might have even turned down another corridor,” frowned Boris. “Can we ask for directions?”
Bin-lu stopped and turned to stare at Master Khatama. “Ask for directions?” he echoed. “Would that not be admitting that we do not belong here?”
“Perhaps,” mused Boris, “but perhaps that will be acceptable. Suppose the Emperor had sent for a specific healer because one of the children was sick? Maybe the resident healers could not determine the cause of the illness? We cannot continue to stroll around the Imperial Palace. Time is our enemy now. Sooner or later
, we will be discovered as frauds.”
“Very well,” sighed Bin-lu. “My heart cannot stand much more of this anyway. I would rather fight my enemy than sneak around among them.”
“You are doing fine,” commented Boris. “It is not like we are after the Emperor’s jewels. Lead on.”
Bin-lu continued to lead the way along the corridor. Traffic was fairly light and the people they did pass were not soldiers, but rather servants. About halfway down the long corridor, two soldiers appeared from another corridor. They were talking and paid no attention to the infiltrators.
“Stop,” ordered Bin-lu.
The soldiers immediately halted, and upon recognizing an officer, saluted.
“I am escorting healers for the children,” declared Bin-lu. “I am not used to such demeaning tasks and cannot find the proper room. Where is it?”
The soldiers looked at each other briefly and shrugged.
“Which children’s room do you mean?” asked one of the soldiers. “There are many. There are prayer rooms, playrooms, meal rooms, sleeping quarters, and education centers. I fear that I cannot help you without knowing which room you seek.”
Bin-lu stared at the soldiers and shook his head in dismay.
“I was informed that the child was hurt in a garden,” offered Boris. “I believe that they were studying lessons in Sordoan culture at the time of the accident. Does that help any?”
The two soldiers chatted with each other for several moments as they discussed which room it might be. Finally, one of the soldiers asked,” How old is the child?”
“Between eight and ten years,” answered Bin-lu. “A female child.”
“That is just down this corridor,” smiled one of the soldiers as he pointed. “You cannot miss it. It is a few doors from the end of the corridor.”
“Show me the way,” ordered Bin-lu.
“But…,” the soldier frowned.
“Now,” demanded Bin-lu.
The soldiers dutifully nodded and turned around to lead the way. Their pace was brisk, but the infiltrators kept up as the soldiers marched silently towards the end of the corridor. When they reached a door, they stopped and pointed to it.
“I think this is the room that you seek,” one of the soldiers stated.
“Good,” Bin-lu said brusquely. “I want the two of you to stand guard while the healers are inside. Nobody gets in and nobody leaves without my authorization. Do you understand?”
The soldiers nodded glumly and took up positions at both sides of the doorway. Bin-lu opened the door and stepped into the room. Boris and Tedi immediately followed him and closed the door.
The room was fairly large with several doors leading out of it besides the one the infiltrators had entered. There was a large desk at the front of the room and a couple of dozen smaller desks. About twenty young children were seated at the smaller desks. They all looked up as the door closed. Bin-lu scanned the room and saw that there were no adults present.
“Where is your teacher?” Bin-lu demanded.
“You did not bow to me,” frowned one little girl in the front row. “I am the Emperor’s daughter and demand your respect.”
Bin-lu stared at the little girl. Swiftly he bowed before he breached some unknown protocol. The rest of the students began laughing.
“She is not the Emperor’s daughter,” shouted another girl while the rest of the children continued laughing. “She made you bow.”
“Where is your teacher?” Bin-lu demanded again. “I do not have time for games.”
“She had to go somewhere,” answered a student. “She told us to study until she returned. Who are the men in the white robes?”
“What is your teacher’s name?” asked Bin-lu.
Before the students could answer, there was a loud knock on the door. Boris swiftly moved in front of Tedi so that he was blocked from the view of the doorway. Bin-lu strode to the door and opened it.
“She says she is the teacher,” offered one of the soldiers. “You said nobody was to enter without your permission.”
“Let her in,” Bin-lu nodded.
The woman swept into the room as Bin-lu closed the door.
“What is going on here?” the woman demanded. “Who are these men?”
Bin-lu smiled broadly as he recognized the woman. Slowly she recognized him too.
“You?” she said softly as she stared at Bin-lu.
The teacher turned and gazed at the other two men, although she could not see the second one because he was hidden behind Boris. Bin-lu held his finger to his lips and smiled. Master Khatama stepped aside and the teacher saw Tedi for the first time. Her knees buckled with recognition, and Tedi raced across the floor to catch his mother before she fell. Lara shook her head to clear her vision and gazed at up Tedi. Tears started running down her cheeks, and she clung tightly to her son.
“You should not be here,” Lara cried. “They will kill you.”
“We are going to take you home,” Tedi said softly.
“No,” sobbed Lara. “They will never let me out of this building. Take your friends and get out before you are discovered. The will kill you horribly. I do not want that to be my remembrance of you.”
“I am not leaving here without you,” Tedi said adamantly as he led his mother towards the rear of the room. “I have lost you once, and I will never lose you again. I don’t care if we have to defeat the whole Lanoirian army. You are coming home with us.”
Bin-lu heard loud talking outside the room and started moving towards the door. Suddenly the door swung open and a noble walked in. The two soldiers were right behind him.
“What is the meaning of this?” demanded the noble. “Nobody is allowed in here without permission.”
Bin-lu noticed that the soldiers had drawn their swords as they entered the room. He also recognized the noble as the man who had escorted him to see the Emperor.
“You,” shouted the noble as he pointed at Bin-lu. “You dare to come back here after the Emperor spared your life? Seize him!”
Bin-lu wasted no time. He leaped into the air and extended his foot in a flying kick to one of the soldier’s chests. The soldier flew against the wall and collapsed. Bin-lu landed and dropped to the floor. He swiftly pivoted and used his legs to sweep the other soldier off of his feet. As the soldier hit the floor, Bin-lu brought his stiff hand down hard on the soldier’s neck. Neither soldier moved, but the children ran screaming out of the room.
The noble turned with fury on face and Bin-lu leaped to his feet. Tedi shoved his mother behind himself and picked up his staff. Bin-lu executed another flying kick to the noble’s chest. The noble hit the floor hard and slid towards the rear of the room. Tedi placed his staff on the man’s throat to keep him from getting up. Bin-lu turned and slammed the door shut.
“We will never get out now,” he shook his head as he dragged the large desk to block the door.
“This one is out cold,” Tedi declared as he examined the noble. “What other ways are there out of here, Mother?”
“You should have just left me,” Lara cried. “Maybe you still can.”
“I am not leaving you, Mother,” retorted Tedi adamantly. “What other ways are there to leave this building?”
“None,” cried Lara. “The whole palace is walled off from the city. There are hundreds of guards stationed all over the grounds. What are you going to do against them? One soldier, an old man, and a fisherboy? Why did you have to come?”
“Because he loves you more than his own life,” Boris said softly. “We can get out of here, but we will need your help. Which way is the garden?”
“The garden?” sobbed Lara. “Through the next room, but that will not get you off the grounds of the palace. There will already be guards heading towards it. They will seal this room off quickly.”
Now would be a good time, Niki. We have precious little time so do not dally. Meet us at the wagon when you are done.
“We need to move quickly,” shouted Bin-lu a
s soldiers began pounding on the door that he was still piling furniture against.
“Can we really escape from the garden?” asked Lara. “Is it really possible?”
“Anything is possible,” Boris said softly. “Mostly you have to want it bad enough.”
“Wait then,” Lara shouted as she dashed through the doorway to an adjacent room.
“Bin-lu,” called Tedi, “leave that door be. If these adjacent rooms open to the same corridor, you are just wasting your strength.”
Bin-lu nodded and headed towards Tedi as Lara reappeared leading another woman.
“Mistress Clava!” shouted Tedi.
“You look old enough to call me Kamil now, Tedi,” smiled Arik’s mother. “I thought Lara was imagining things when she told me about the necklace. Goodness it is good to see you. How is Arik?”
“There will be time for that later,” Master Khatama said impatiently. “To the garden, now.”
Lara nodded and pointed to the other adjacent room. Tedi gripped his staff and dashed through the doorway. Boris followed Tedi and moved towards a door on the outside wall of the palace. He eased it open a crack and stood there watching. The rest of the party gathered around him.
“What are we waiting for?” Tedi asked. “We do not have much time.”
“Patience,” smiled Boris. “The Lanoirians have yet another surprise heading their way. It will give us the confusion that we so sorely need right now.”
Boris leaned out of the door and gazed towards the front entrance of the palace grounds. He smiled when he saw a rat scurry through a hole in the wall. Within seconds rats began pouring through small holes and cracks in the wall. He could hear shouts of alarm from the front of the palace and screams echoing through some of the windows. Boris nodded and flicked his wrist. A dense cloud of mist appeared at the bottom of the stairs before him. As he held his arm out, the mist grew swiftly into a huge fogbank. When he could no longer see anything, including the stairs before him, Boris stepped through the door.
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