Thinking about that now, she laughed to herself again. The Imperial Guard of Vorea would never allow themselves to become so remiss in their duties. A wave of anguish suddenly came over her as she thought about her family and how the Imperial Guard was unable to keep them safe. The anguish was quickly replaced by anger and determination. Despite the fact that the assassin told her that the one who killed her father had in fact been killed, she still wanted revenge. She decided that she would exact that revenge on him if he came back to kill her before she could escape. There was one thing she was thankful for. Amidst all the confusion the day the assassin came, the guards had never thought to search her or her cell. She ran her finger across the blackened steel dagger that was hidden in the fold of the sheet she wore as a skirt. She could use it as a weapon if needed, but for now she used it as a device to chip away stone.
The creaking door pulled her away from her thoughts. She expected to see the plate being slid into her cell and was surprised and terrified when the door was pushed fully open and Hihanzo walked in, skirted by two guards. The wicked grin on his face told Kyrianna that she would not enjoy this visit. He motioned for the guards to grab her. She knew better than to fight against the men but despite her passive actions, Hihanzo laughed and backhanded her anyway, almost knocking her from the grip of the guards. All three men laughed until Kyrianna spit blood in Hihanzo's face and they braced as he struck her again, this time in the stomach. Kyrianna grunted in pain and tried to double over but couldn't because of the hold that the men had on her. She panicked at how close he had come to striking the concealed blade. Hihanzo reached up then and viciously squeezed her left breast until she couldn’t help but scream out in pain. He seemed content after that and turned to head out of the cell, motioning for the guards to follow with her in tow.
Kyrianna was thrown to the floor inside a larger room. She instantly recognized it as the room that Yosu was being tortured in. When she pushed herself off the floor she wanted to scream out at the sight of Yosu hanging by shackled wrists in the center of the room. It was a combination of shock and sheer will power that kept her from bursting into tears. She needed to stay strong in front of her enemy. She would not give them the satisfaction of thinking they were breaking her resolve by breaking her friend. But inside she could feel her stomach churning, threatening to make her vomit at the sight of Yosu’s battered body.
He looked as though they hadn't beaten him lately, his wounds were dried and scabbed, and no fresh blood ran down his body. Kyrianna winced at the sight of his wrists, where the white of bone showed through from the weight of his body causing the steel shackles to dig deep into his flesh. She imagined that Yosu must be in tremendous pain, but when she looked at his mangled face, he showed no sign of it. He looked as though he were already dead, but his chest rising slowly with every shallow breath told Kyrianna that he wasn't. She hoped that he might pull some strength from seeing her, but as his eyes slowly turned to regard her, no sign of emotion came over him. That alone tore at her heart more than the sight of his mangled body.
Makashin was sitting in a chair next to Yosu and was smiling at Kyrianna lying on the floor. He motioned for the guards to pick her up but she pulled away from them and stood up on her own, holding her chin high in contempt.
"Always the proud princess," he said through an evil smirk. "So tell me, are you prepared to admit to your crimes against our kingdom? I’m not even going to ask how you managed to kill that guard several days ago."
Kyrianna did not answer but only continued to stare, unblinking, at Makashin.
"Very well." Without another word, Makashin pulled a blade from out of the sleeve of his robe and slashed Yosu's throat, spilling his life’s blood out onto the stone floor. Kyrianna flinched as some of the warm, arterial spray hit her in the face. She gasped, but quickly recovered, holding her composure.
"Your stubborn disregard for anyone other than yourself has killed this man," said Makashin as he stood and walked over to Kyrianna.
"His name was Yosu,” said Kyrianna. “And he died for a just cause. Nothing you say will make me regret my actions." She hoped her words were convincing because she didn't know if she believed them herself, wondering if poor Yosu died for nothing. Could she have saved his life by admitting to the crimes that she was falsely charged with, crimes she would be accused of and hanged for either way?
The guard behind her grabbed her elbows, holding her arms back as Makashin moved to wipe his blade clean on the dirty, ragged sheet that barely covered her.
"His blood is on your hands, Princess, whether or not you believe it."
As the blade came in close to her chest, Kyrianna slammed her head back, smashing the guard’s nose and causing him to loosen his grip. She snatched the knife out of Makashin's hand before he could react and sliced it across at his throat but didn't hit the mark. Her shackled hands and his reflexes barely saved his life as the blade cut deep across his cheek when he ducked and turned away from the attack.
Makashin yelped out and landed on the stone floor, blood streaming down his face. Kyrianna tried to dive down on top of him and plunge the blade into his heart but a strong hand grabbed her hair from behind, yanking her head back so sharply that she could do nothing but fall backwards, the jerk sending shocks of pain through her neck. When she hit the floor, she still held the knife, but only for a moment. Hihanzo's heavy boot came down hard on her wrist, nearly crushing it. She dropped the blade as she screamed out in pain.
The guard recovered from his flattened, bloody nose and helped Hihanzo pick up the thrashing Kyrianna to drag her back to her cell. Before throwing her in, Hihanzo landed a few heavy blows to her face and stomach. Again, the pain was an afterthought next to the fear of her concealed blade being discovered. When she hit the cold floor she threw up, no longer able to hold it back. The door slammed shut and Kyrianna lay in the middle of her damp cell, crying for Yosu. She was mortified that he had to die, but a small part of her was glad that, in a way, he finally found a release from the torture. She willed away the pain, and the sorrow, and pulled her thoughts inward, concentrating on the waterfall where her father used to take her. Soon she had her breathing and pulse slowed, and her body numbed. She began to think of what she must do and stood up, retrieved her dagger and moved to the corner of her cell above the door and began to work at the stone again.
†††
Hihanzo walked back into the chamber where Makashin was screaming out orders at the guards all around him while holding his bloody face. Finally a surgeon rushed in and cautiously appraised the deep gash. She gave him a small vial to drink, probably something that would numb his pain, while she went to work stitching the wound.
"Do you wish me to prepare the gallows?” asked Hihanzo. “We could hang the witch and be done with her. It would spur the people into action and we could begin to gather our forces for the attack on Vorea."
"No!” screamed the War Councilor. “We must wait for word from Thaluzont before we act. The timing has to be right." Makashin winced as the surgeon began her work. "But tomorrow we will start the torture all over again, this time the princess herself will be the one shackled to the ceiling, and you, my General, will finally have your way with her."
Hihanzo’s eyes lit up at that. He had been patiently waiting for the time when he could have the Princess alone, with no restriction on what he could do to her.
Once the surgeon was finished, Makashin and Hihanzo made their way to the war room to receive any reports from their patrols and further coordinate the preparations for the attack on Vorea. They hadn't been there for quite an hour when an elite guard came rushing in with a message.
"What is it?" asked Hihanzo.
"There is a messenger here, he claims to be from Thaluzont but he holds no emblem to prove it. He is clad in black leather armor and refuses to relinquish his weapons. He will not say his name."
Hihanzo knew immediately what the man was by the description. It was one of the deadly assassins that T
haluzont kept in his employ, the men used to kill the leaders of the southern tribes. But why would he be here in Kaheendra? Did he know of the Princess and had come to steel the glory of her capture? Despite the questions in his mind, he knew better then to let a man like this wait.
"Very good Lieutenant, explain to the messenger that no weapons are permitted in the presence of the War Councilor. Once he relinquishes them, allow him to enter."
The guard spun and ran out of the chamber to follow his orders. A few moments passed and the assassin walked through the door by himself. His sword was still sheathed at his back and multiple daggers were strapped to different places on his body. One was in his hand and was dripping with blood. The assassin walked toward Hihanzo and Makashin still holding it.
"What is the meaning of this?" shouted Hihanzo as he stepped forward to stand in between the assassin and his leader as a shield. "No weapons are allowed in the presence-"
His words were cut short as the assassins leg shot out and the top of his foot caught Hihanzo right on the side of his jaw, sending him spinning around to fall to the side in a tangled heap. Just then more guards rushed into the room, brandishing weapons. Makashin held up his hand, stopping them, all the while staring into the cold dark eyes of the assassin. Makashin glanced over to Hihanzo who lay unconscious on the floor and swallowed hard, then looked back to the assassin. One of the guards, a sergeant, stepped forward still holding a shaky sword out in front of him.
"He killed the Lieutenant and three others in the hall!” screamed the panicked soldier.
Makashin again held out his hand and gave the guards a scowl that backed them down. He regarded the assassin and wondered how much more terrifying this Thaluzont could be if one of his lone assassins could cause him such fear. "What is it that you wish to convey to us, Master Assassin, Messenger of Thaluzont?"
Valgannon stepped a few feet closer to Makashin, making no attempt to lessen his threatening behavior. "You’re Lieutenant and his men paid the price for attempting to hold fast a messenger of Thaluzont. I suggest that the next Lieutenant you appoint be of greater intelligence than the last." He wiped the blood soaked blade off on Makashin’s tunic and replaced it into the empty sheath that hugged his side next to two others.
"Forgive me Master…” he waited for Valgannon to identify himself but when it became obvious that no such thing would happen, he continued on. “Assassin, I will ensure that my men do not make such a mistake again."
Valgannon seemed to be thinking to himself for a moment before he finally spoke. "What happened to your face?"
Makashin didn't know if Valgannon knew of the Princess so he answered broadly. "It happened while we were torturing a prisoner, it was an accident." He also didn't wish anyone else to know of the embarrassing moment.
Valgannon thought about the Princess. He had almost forgotten about her after what he had just witnessed on the road. He remembered how resourceful she was and how fast she had moved and surprised him. He was sure that Kyrianna was the reason the War Councilor’s face was now scarred and the man was lying about it. He probably thought to hide the discovery of the Princess and also save himself some face. Valgannon smiled mockingly at Makashin. He loved knowing more than those around him thought he knew. He quickly decided on how to use this information to his advantage.
"Three men and a woman are just outside your city. They are representatives from some of the southern tribes. When they arrive in the city you are to greet them with open arms. Once they are inside, you are to kill them all except for the one called Lucian." He raised a finger to Makashin. "Make no mistake. These four are a dangerous lot. If you think to capture them with a small contingent you will lose them all. The one named Lucian is for me to kill, for this I will allow you to keep the Princess and do with her what you will." The last remark carried its desired effect. Valgannon could see the surprise on Makashin's face no matter how hard he tried to mask it. Before the War Councilor could form an argument or excuse, Valgannon continued on. "Remember to let them into your city. Once inside, kill all but the one named Lucian, he is mine."
Makashin could only nod before Valgannon spun and was exiting the room. Once he was gone Makashin had to will himself to breath normally again. Hihanzo was just starting to come around and the guards rushed in to help him stand and awaited instructions. Hihanzo stood and shook his head, trying to clear the fog of unconsciousness.
Makashin snapped his fingers at the Sergeant, signaling him to come closer.
"Lieutenant, gather as many men as you can muster, no less than a hundred and station them around the courtyard." The newly appointed Lieutenant rushed off to his task and Makashin looked to a confused Hihanzo. "Go find the Prince and bring him to me, I will explain it to you both together. Inform High Priest Yanzin of what has taken place here and of the upcoming demise of our beloved Princess."
Hihanzo nodded and started out of the room, rubbing his sore jaw along the way.
Stone, Steel and Iron Will
Kyrianna waited patiently with her ear against the wall next to her door, listening for the telltale signs of the guard bringing her food. She had practiced the maneuver many times and was confident that she could do it in the time it took for him to make his way down the hall. She only hoped that once she was free from her cell that she would be able to escape the prison compound and then the city. She remembered which way the assassin had gone and that he obviously made it out. Kyrianna was not an assassin, trained to meld into shadow, but she was not without her own skill and wits. Knowing that her time was nearing an end, this would be her final act of desperation. She had no other options.
The door at the opposite end of the hall grated open, sending her into high alert. She used the hand and foot holds that she had carved into both walls at the corner above where her cell door was and with great effort, held herself aloft, suspended in the two foot gap over the door with her back against the ceiling, looking down at the floor of her cell. Instantly she focused all her senses and concentrated her breathing to slow her pulse and make her body rigid. She didn't know how long she could hold herself in this position but hoped it would be time enough for the guard to enter the cell.
The assassin’s blade was clamped tightly between her teeth. In the time it took for the guard to reach her cell, she could feel her muscles start to weaken. It took only seconds for the guard to look in through the small window and call for help but it seemed like minutes. Her limbs began to shake and every one of her muscles burned in the strain to keep herself aloft. She felt the sweat beading up on her face and forehead, her mouth watered around the blade in between her teeth and she worried that the guard looking through the window might see a drop of sweat or saliva, discovering her position. She closed her eyes and pulled her focus inward, battling against the pain ripping through her body. Her fingers had gone numb and she could feel her grip loosening, yet she had no control over it. She would soon fall.
The door came open and one of the guards hesitantly entered. He was being cautious but not overly so, for he had not drawn his sword. Neither had his companion in the hall who was probably tired of needing to come out and cover for this overcautious guard. He stood in the corridor with his arms crossed, looking toward the main guard room where the others were now casting lots without him.
Kyrianna silently screamed back at her burning muscles and waited for the first guard to pass completely under her. Finally he did. Letting loose the muscles in her arms and legs she dropped and pulled in her knees, landing quietly on her feet right behind the first guard. He didn't even know she was there until she reached up and grabbed him around his chin with one hand and a tuff of hair on the back of his head with the other. By that time he could do nothing to stop his neck from snapping after her powerful angled jerk. The second guard was shocked but to his credit, he came out of it quick enough to start back peddling which took some of the force from Kyrianna's rear kick. The attack sent him stumbling back into the wall and knocked the wind out of him,
keeping him from being able to scream.
Kyrianna would not waste the moment. As he fought to regain his wind and pull his sword free, she closed the distance and threw a side kick toward his neck. He brought both arms up to block the kick, releasing his sword and letting it slide back into the scabbard, but Kyrianna was too fast. Her angled foot chopped into the guard's throat collapsing his windpipe. As the guard reflexively reached up to his damaged throat, Kyrianna pulled free the assassin’s blade from her teeth and slammed it into his armpit, where there was no armor, and pierced his heart. His eyes went wide and he dropped to his knees. Before he fell face first to the stone floor, Kyrianna caught the hilt of his sword and pulled it free of the scabbard. She retrieved the other guard’s identical sword and belted both scabbards around her waist after slipping on one of their tunics. She tested the weight and balance of both swords in her hands and nodded in approval. They were short, with narrow blades which allowed them to stay light and agile. They had a single edge with a slight curve toward the tip, perfect weapons for the type of sword play that Kyrianna had mastered. She sheathed the twin blades and quickly made off down the corridor, away from the guard post, looking for where the assassin had found his exit.
She soon came to a wall and after frantically checking the corridor twice over in case she missed anything, her hope started to dwindle. The only possible place the assassin could have gone out was a very small vent for air circulation high up on the stone wall. But it looked entirely too small for even her to fit through. She wondered if the assassin was able to dislocate certain joints to squeeze through such a small space. Either way, she knew that it would be impossible for her to make it through. She had to think of another way out. Squatting down in the dark corner at the end of the corridor she listened for any movement, but there was none. Luckily she had kept her attack on the two guards quiet. The others, too distracted by their sweet mead and drunken games, had no clue that anything was amiss.
Revelations of Doom Page 31