by Drae Box
Chapter Three
Pedibastet
Pedibastet waited until the two humans were some metres away before he turned his attention to the inspectors’ headquarters. Listening carefully, he prowled closer, strolling along the side of the road and then curving round with the path until he reached the garden wall. He leapt up and sat on the top. He noticed the same things Raneth probably had, but his green eyes spotted that one of the lower windows was open. As easy as tasting Cray’s porridge, he thought, before jumping down into the a flowerbed that lined the garden’s otherwise plain grass. He ignored the stables to the left of the building to avoid dirtying his paws.
The Prince of the Giften Cats scurried over to the window and stood up on his white hind legs, resting his paws against the dark green windowsill. Inside, a woman in the grey uniform of the inspectors was hunched over at a desk, picking at the undersides of her nails with a small letter opener. Tail swishing, Pedibastet dipped back onto all fours. There’s a small chance that she might see me. White fur is a pain. With another flick of his tail, Pedibastet strolled past the front door, heading for the other side of the building. He followed the wall, pausing to hide behind a large ceramic pot as two male inspectors stepped out of a side door. This door was behind a healthy tree that was taller than the two humans, but not by much. The cat glanced back towards the rooftop Raneth had used. The tree must have obscured his view of this door.
“There’s been a rise in Giftens coming here,” stated one.
Pedibastet twitched one ear towards them, tracking them as they moved past him and towards the small gate in the stone wall surrounding the property.
“Doesn’t mean their royal official captain is welcome. Or this… what do they call her? Dagger Bearer?”
“Yeah. I hear she sleeps with it.”
“Something that important, I bet she does.”
Ignoring their lewd sniggers, Pedibastet crept out from behind his hiding place towards the door they had come from. It hadn’t quite caught the latch. Pushing his nose and cheeks against the door and its frame, he made the wood move just enough to allow him to slip inside.
The Prince of Giften Cats padded down a long corridor, his paws taking him across the red tiles that paved the floor. Weapon racks lined the wall on the right side of the corridor, and they didn’t just contain swords; a few maces were slotted between the usual blades Pedibastet had come to expect from humans’ weapon stockpiles, and there were also javelins and one battleaxe.
A door at the end of the corridor swung open. The cat froze, watching as another inspector stepped into view, zipping up his flies. A waft of unhealthy urine caught the cat’s nose, causing him to shimmy back. The inspector spotted him and hesitated, and they watched each other for a moment before the human took a few steps closer and knelt down.
“Aw, come ‘ere, cat.” He stuck out a hand and made kissy noises.
If I had an eyebrow I’d raise it at you, thought Pedibastet, watching the man attempting to get him to come closer.
“Come on, pussy. I won’t hurt you.”
My poor non-speaking Newer cousins. This is what they have to put up with? How do they deal with the stupidity of these Newers?
“Who are you talking to, Ian?” asked a female voice from somewhere out of Pedibastet’s immediate view.
The inspector glanced to the left of the corridor as Pedibastet waited patiently. “Just some dumb cat that’s wandered in. Want me to chase it out?”
“Nah. Cats are harmless. We can always feed it to the prisoners if we get bored. Watch it scream.”
What? How dare they! Do they not know cats aren’t food? If this is how they look at us cats, it would be in my best interest to let Raneth deal with these buffoons! I’m too important to become food. I’m a Giften cat! Pedibastet surged into motion, running out the way he had come as the inspector watched him. He leapt up the wall and turned to face the building. Dumb Newers, he thought, before he flicked his tail once and jumped to freedom.
Raneth
Raneth followed Aldora into the kitchen of the royal official safehouse. She stopped and rested a hip against the counter. “Surely if we just ask the inspectors politely, they’ll give it to us. It’s part of Giften heritage. There must be some legal paperwork somewhere?” she asked.
“There is, but like Prince Pedibastet said, they won’t willingly give it over.”
“But surely if it’s legal they can’t fight against it?”
Raneth considered Aldora’s question quietly for a moment. It’s so sweet how she thinks they should play nice with us. He gently kissed her cheek as he went to stand by her side. “We only became official allies with Newer in 2002,” he stated gently, filling the kettle and placing it on the stove to heat up. “The best we can hope for if we ask them for the Shotput is to sit around for weeks, possibly months. There is paperwork, but I’ve tried that sort of thing with Newers before. It ends up with a lot of blocking on their end. They make everything difficult for Giftens; they will probably insist on paperwork from King Cray and Queen Regina on the matter. Inspectors have a habit of ignoring Queen Regina and working independently when it comes to working with Giftens — Cray knew not to bother giving me one ‘just in case’. Even an alliance of seven years doesn’t stand a chance against older propaganda.”
“We should try anyway. Where’s the harm in a little bit of waiting?” asked Aldora softly. “And where did all this propaganda come from?”
“It’s from the so-called Death Era - in 1704, the Newer king was assassinated and his queen blamed Giften. She thought we were working to expand our territory by weakening their royal strength. She teamed up with the Barbarians and we teamed up for the first time officially with the Southern Kingdom and it led to the war of that era. The Newers kept being beaten by royal officials sent ahead of our army so they started saying stuff about royal officials, and when their queen was killed by her nephew, he used royal officials to explain it away. At least until someone in his court let slip once he able to speak up safely. It spiralled out of control and only started being tackled by Newer’s royals when Regina became queen.”
“The Newers have been spreading lies about royal officials for nearly three hundred years?” Aldora shook her head. “That’s ridiculous!”
“Yeah, maybe.” Raneth ran a hand over the back of his neck before giving a shrug. “If you’re sure about trying to play by the rules, then we can try asking them to check for the Shotput later, but it’ll go a little smoother if it’s you asking, because you’re the Dagger Bearer and not a royal official.”
“Fine,” she said.
A squeak came from the window. Aldora and Raneth looked over as Pedibastet ran a paw down the pane, making the squeak again. The royal official opened the window and watched as the Prince of the Cats slipped inside and then sat on the sill to clean himself.
“Well?” asked Raneth.
Pedibastet paused his grooming to look at Raneth, the tip of his tongue exposed. “What?”
“What can you tell us about their headquarters?”
Pedibastet resumed licking his fur. “They,” he said, speaking between licks, “considered feeding me to the prisoners. Me. A cat. Their superior.”
Superior in what exactly? wondered Raneth as he tried not to smile.
“Are you OK, Pedi?” asked Aldora softly.
“Yes, though I shall have strange dreams for months.”
Raneth frowned and then carefully shut the window, mindful of the cat’s tail. “I meant the layout. You’re obviously fine,” he said.
“Of course.” Pedibastet told them what he had seen of the internal layout and the door he had entered through. “I suggest we sneak in and check for the Shotput sooner rather than later. Two of them talked about you.”
“Anything to worry about?” asked Raneth.
“They made some odd comment about Aldora sleeping with the Dagger of Protection, and they have a clear dislike of your presence, Raneth. We should not stick around i
f we can help it.”
“Pedi, I’m going to ask them nicely to give us the Shotput if they have it,” said Aldora.
Pedibastet paused his cleaning to look at Aldora.
“What?” she squeaked.
The cat glanced at Raneth.
Raneth shrugged. I can guess what you’re thinking. I’ve already tried.
“It will be an exercise in uselessness,” stated Pedibastet.
“Raneth agreed.”
Pedibastet gave a low growl, looking towards Raneth.
“I think Aldora will understand our thoughts on inspectors if she experiences what they’re like with Giftens first hand,” he said. “But I won’t be going. Last time I was here the inspectors dragged me into their headquarters and took turns beating me until someone came and helped me out.”
“Why didn’t you say?” asked Aldora. “I’m not putting you in harm’s way.”
Raneth shrugged. “That’s why I’m not going. So you won’t be. Pedibastet can go with you and advise you.”
Pedibastet’s ears flattened, but Aldora gently rubbed a finger against the underside of his chin, causing the cat to purr and close his eyes. He jutted out his head for a better chin rub.
“So be it,” purred the cat. “But only after Raneth has fed us something.”
Back in the royal official safehouse, Raneth stood in the kitchen doorway, watching Aldora pace back and forth. Pedibastet wasn’t bothering to watch her; his attention was on the small saucer of milk that was being poured by the other royal official in Oreg, Adelard. He looks like he’s kept under the inspectors’ radar pretty well, thought Raneth. No sign of any injuries in his movements, and no bruises on his face.
“I did warn you, Aldora. They are Newers,” stated Pedibastet before he lapped up some of the milk. He looked up at her. “Inspectors do not like royal officials, and I would have to guess that includes the Dagger Bearer too.”
“But it’s ridiculous,” snapped Aldora. “Royal officials are the good guys. They should be happy to work with us. I don’t even know Adelard but I trust he’s a good person and could help me if I asked nicely! He’s a sodding royal official! A law enforcer!”
And a soldier, if you want to get technical, thought Raneth, though having seen Aldora pace with this much agitation once before when they were trying to help her friend Jenny out of a jam, he knew better than to chime in. We need to answer the question of whether the Shotput is there though. I might be able to get in and out on my own without their discovering me, if I’m careful.
“Aldora, now you’ve seen what they’re like, can I sneak in once it gets dark?” asked Raneth. “Take a proper look?”
“Fine. But Pedibastet and I are coming too.”
The two royal officials glanced at each other; the Prince of the Cats was content to drink his milk.
“Aldora, you and Pedibastet should stay here,” said Raneth softly. “I’ll be faster on my own and less likely to be caught snooping. It could upset the kingdoms’ friendship if we get caught, and our friendship with Newer is still rocky at best.”
And if I get caught, you’re not the one causing a multi-kingdom upset.
“Either we all go or you don’t,” said Aldora.
Pedibastet lifted his chin away from his milk, revealing a little milk beard. “I agree with Raneth. They wanted to feed me to the prisoners. We should stay here, Aldora. Better let the royal official do the dangerous work. Besides, if we get into trouble, the Dagger might choose not to help us — inspectors are Newer’s law enforcers — it might decide the rule against harming them with its abilities still applies.”
“No. I know I can’t always make the Dagger do what I need it to, whether it’s the thin line it has about the difference between hurting and defending or my own lack of mastery over it, but we still go. You have better hearing than Raneth and me, and you can walk without being heard at all,” insisted Aldora.
“So can Bayres, almost,” stated the cat. “Family training, and for Raneth royal official training too.”
“We all go.”
“I’ll be on the streets,” said Adelard, who had been watching them quietly. “I need to find out if anything happened because of your going over there.” He excused himself to Pedibastet.
Raneth stepped out of the doorway so Adelard could leave and turned his attention to Aldora. She had her arms folded and was frowning up at him, expecting him to give her a response. “Fine,” said Raneth softly. I’m not getting into a fight with her over this. “You can come.”
“Stop giving in to her just because you two are courting now.”
“Your Highness,” replied Raneth, stepping a little closer to Pedibastet. “Aldora is determined we all go. I’m not going to argue with her and waste time we could be using.” He glanced towards Aldora. She was frowning at him, but she gave a slight nod.
With the town snuggled under darkness, Raneth walked beside Aldora, his right hand holding her left so they would still be able to use their weapon hands without delay if needed. Pedibastet walked behind them, listening carefully to their surroundings but saying nothing. Raneth wasn’t talking either, ignoring Aldora as she looked up at him as he examined the street and the rooftops. The town was dead now that night had claimed it; they walked across a road Raneth led them to with ease and turned right on the path nestled beside it. The inspectors’ headquarters stood a little further ahead of them.
“You two should go through the side door,” stated Pedibastet as he rubbed his side against Aldora’s leg, curling his tail round her knee before stepping away.
Raneth stopped walking as he carefully observed the six foot wall and the rooftop of the building jutting out behind it. Aldora watched him curiously.
“There’s no guards on the roof,” stated Raneth. “You’d think there would be now it’s dark.”
“Newers are stupid — that is why they hate Giftens, because we are superior,” boasted the cat with a flick of his tail.
Idiot. Raneth turned to Aldora. “Follow me, please.”
Aldora nodded, so Raneth jogged towards the wall, listening to her gentle footsteps as she tailed him, her breath becoming more audible. She’s nervous or scared, he noted. He sped ahead and then waited with his back to the wall, watching Aldora’s progress as she neared him. She smiled as she joined him, so he smiled back. Both glanced down at Pedibastet loitering at their feet, looking up at them, his right ear twitching towards the south beyond the wall.
“Someone is coming out of a door. Heavy feet – probably male. Just one set,” whispered the Prince of the Cats.
Raneth nodded and took Aldora’s hand, gently easing them both closer to the gate in the front wall, then he paused beside it and released her hand. The gate squeaked as it was opened by another. As the inspector stepped out, Raneth wrapped his left arm around the man’s waist and his other hand pinched the inspector’s nose, the palm pressing against the mouth. The royal official tugged the inspector to him and rested his own back against the wall. Aldora shied back as the Newer squirmed in Raneth’s hold, reaching up, trying to grab at Raneth’s face before going for his arms and wrists. The inspector’s movements started to slow, until they stilled and his body sagged against Raneth. The royal official released his pinch hold of the nose and lifted the Newer into his arms.
“Shove him in the stables on the left. Aldora and I will head to the side door and get inside. Come find us.” Pedibastet swept through the open gate.
Raneth gave Aldora a nod. She briefly glanced at him and the Newer in his arms before she went through the gate, running after the streak of white in the greyed grass and over the path to the front door.
As Aldora and Pedibastet stepped inside the building through the unlocked door, Raneth watched the front windows closely for any movement that would warn him they had been spotted. Nothing. Good to go. Raneth shoved the Newer over his left shoulder and sprinted across the grass of the headquarters’ front garden until he reached the stable entrance to the left of the
building. He yanked the door open and peeked inside. The stables were dark; there was hay all over the concrete floor, and no human-like shadows moved. Raneth crept inside, listening closely. A few horses patted their feet at his arrival, one snorted, but he smiled as he realised none were going to whinny or complain loudly at his presence. He dumped the inspector on a bale of hay before striding between the stalls and over to an open door. Looking through it, he spotted a female inspector sitting at her desk, sharpening pencils that she gently dropped into a waiting cup after blowing on their newly sharpened tips.
Raneth eased through the door and its doorframe, keeping his back just shy from the wall so he wouldn’t create a rubbing noise against the bricks. He darted forwards and ignored a door to his left. The female inspector raised her gaze to him, her mouth opening as she jerked to stand, her chair clattering to the ground.
The royal official vaulted over the desk, knocking over the cup of pencils, and his feet connected with her stomach. She tumbled to the ground and Raneth shoved a hand over her mouth. His other hand smashed the back of her head against the hard floor. She groaned as she stilled. Raneth waited for a moment. Are you tricking me? He slowly drew his hands back but kept them poised to take her out again, but she didn’t react. He climbed off her and looked around.
In the room, directly opposite the desk, was a window with a long cupboard underneath it. Raneth smiled and dragged the inspector towards it. He yanked the cupboard open and peered inside. Mostly empty. Handy. He shoved her in and returned to the desk just as Aldora edged along the wall by the stairs and looked through the doorway at him. Raneth smiled at her as he righted the cup on the table, along with the pencils, and then gestured for the cat and Aldora to follow him. Aldora nodded and stepped past the stairs. Raneth led them through the door he had ignored and led Aldora down a set of stairs that the door led to. Pedibastet overtook the two humans.
At the bottom of the stairs, Raneth was acutely aware that Aldora was standing behind him with one of her hands on his right shoulder. He could just hear her breathing. “Breathe gently,” he whispered.