by Brad Clark
For a fleeting moment he thought about this being the place where everything had begun. If he had only ignored the cries and pleas coming from the queen, he would still be innocently living the life of a guardsman. But Neffenmark would still be king and he probably would not have stopped hurting Elissa. Even though Master Goshin might have still been alive, Elissa would have been miserable married to that man. There were no regrets with what he did.
As he reached the top landing, he came to the final realization that regardless of anything that he had done in the past year, Tarcious would have still marched his army upon the city. But because of the direction his life had taken him, he had the Ark and Tarcious would not get it. Those thoughts gave him the confidence he needed to keep moving and know that soon the Ark would be safe. He just hoped that Elissa and everyone else that he cared for were able to get out of the city before the army attacked.
Glaerion impatiently pushed past him and tested the door. It was locked. The doorframe, which had previously been shattered when Conner burst through it to protect Elissa, had been fixed. With quick precision, Glaerion unlocked the door and pushed it open.
Conner stepped through first, cautiously stepping into the room where his journey had truly begun. The entire room had been changed. Every piece of furniture was new, as was every curtain, tapestry, and mural. A thick rug was covering the spot where Neffenmark had fallen. The long fireplace that warmed the room in the winter was still there. The remnants of a fire burned providing a little warmth to the cold room.
“What now?” Glaerion asked, looking around.
Conner did not hear him as he looked at the wall above the bed. Mounted there were two swords, sheathed in their scabbards.
“What are you doing?” Glaerion asked.
Conner stepped onto the bed and pulled down the swords. He pulled one of the blades out from its scabbard and suddenly found himself unable to breathe. He had given up hope of ever seeing his swords again, but now that he had them, he felt complete. The other sword came out of its scabbard as he jumped off the bed. With precise ease, he swung the swords, testing their balance. They were perfect in his hands.
“Sak’turana. A Hurai blade,” Glaerion said. “You hold them well.”
Conner acknowledged the rare compliment with a nod while he swung them one more time, listening to them sing through the air. With a comfort that he had not had in many months, he sheathed the swords and tied the scabbards to his belt. Then he went to the long fireplace that spread across the entire back wall. It took a couple of tries, but he eventually found the brick that triggered the hidden door to open. A spring-triggered mechanism popped the door open so Conner could grab it and pull it open wide enough for them to step through
“We will need the light of your dagger,” Conner said, looking into the darkness.
With the light to guide them, the trip through the dark tunnel was much quicker than his last time. Conner led the way with Glaerion and his glowing dagger just behind him. When they reached the end of the tunnel, the iron grate was still unlocked. He hoped that Elissa still used it to escape the castle. She enjoyed visiting with the young children of the city, especially those that lived in the slums. It would be a shame if her rise to power resulted in her inability to connect with those that loved her so much.
It was still night when they emerged in the back alleyway.
“Well that was convenient,” Glaerion said, mostly to himself. “What other secrets does the castle hold?”
Cautiously, Conner led them down the alley and out into the street. There was no one else around, which made the city seem slightly eerie. He expected there to some sounds, some activity. But it was just as quiet as the forest in the middle of winter.
A clanging of a gate shattered the silence. There were a few shouts and then horses appeared from around the corner coming from the main gate of the castle. Conner fought the instinct to dive back into the alley, but he just stood at the edge of the street and let them race past. There were more than he could easily count and they made thunderous noise as they charged down the street.
“They are fully armed,” Glaerion noted. “Barding on the horses. Shield in hand. Is that normal?”
“Not since we marched north into Thell,” Conner replied.
There was more shouting, but they were too far away to hear what was being said. Even though it was still nighttime, the city began to wake. With a quick step, they headed towards the main gate, which was also the direction that the armed soldiers were heading.
As they made their way through the city, more soldiers came racing from the castle. They kept to the side of the street not only to stay inconspicuous, but also to avoid being run over. But the soldiers atop their mounts did not pay them any heed. They had their own duties and it didn’t involve two men innocently walking down the street.
“I’ve never seen the main gate closed before,” Conner observed.
The main gates had been pulled shut and all the mounted soldiers that had passed them on the street were milling about in front of the gate. They had all dismounted and were gathered in a tight group. Young boys stood next to the horses, holding their reigns to keep them from wondering off.
“What about your walk through the wall spell?”
“No. You saw what it did to me the last time. Are you willing to carry me after we make it through? I didn’t think so. Plus, I am feeling weaker than I should be. I think touching the Ark took a lot out of me.”
“Well, there is another option. There is a secret tunnel under the gate.”
The elf raised an eyebrow. “Under,” he asked. “As in under the ground?”
“Yes, under.” Conner started to walk away, but Glaerion did not follow. “What’s the problem?”
“Nothing,” Glaerion quickly replied. “Lead on.”
With Glaerion following, Conner walked away from the gate towards the darkest part of the city. While most streets of the city were lit by oil lamps during the night, the streets of the slums were only lit by the light of the stars and the moon. But with clouds covering the night sky, only the ambient light from the city lit their way.
He had only been down this path once, but he still remembered the route that Havid, head of the Merchant’s Guild, had taken him. The dilapidated house was still there, looking as run down as he remembered. A thick blanket covered the doorway, doing a poor job of keeping out the cold and wind. Cautiously, Conner pushed it aside and walked into the house. Glaerion pulled out his dagger to bring light to the inside of the house.
“Hold there!” called a voice from beyond the soft blue light of the dagger.
Glaerion turned his dagger towards where the sound of the voice came from, spreading light to the far corner of the small room. An elderly man was there, holding a long knife in his shaking hands.
“We need to get through the tunnel,” Conner said.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” the man snapped back. “Be gone! Before I have to take you out!”
“Well,” Glaerion said, chuckling. “You have no fear, old man. I’ll give you that. Now show us this tunnel of yours.”
“You remember me?” Conner asked, ignoring the rudeness of his companion. “Havid, Paul, and myself were here just a few months ago. You helped us escape the city.”
The old man squinted in the low light. “Yeah, maybe ya look familiar enough. But you didn’t say the words to pass! I can’t let no one pass without knowing the words.”
“I don’t know them, but we have to get out of the city right away,” Conner said.
“Where does this tunnel start?” Glaerion asked. He started moving around the room and kicked the man’s blankets out of the way as he searched for the tunnel entrance.
“Glaerion! Stop it!” Conner called out.
“We don’t have time for this. Where is the tunnel?”
The elderly man walked up to Conner and looked at him more closely. “I have seen you before. With the princess. She is a good you
ng lady, coming to visit us and all. Haven’t seen her around in a while, though.”
“She is queen, now,” Conner said.
The man let out a snort. “Queen, princess. Whatever.” He pointed to a spot on the floor. “Dig there. I am too tired to do it myself.”
Conner grabbed the man’s shovel while Glaerion used his dagger to clear the loose dirt from the top of the tunnel entrance. As soon as the trap door was cleared of dirt, Conner pulled it up by a short piece of thick rope. The elf dropped through the opening, landing without a sound.
“Thank you,” Conner said. He wished he had something to give the old man, but he had no coins and could only offer his thanks.
“Yeah, well, okay,” the man grumbled, realizing he wasn’t getting his customary pay.
Conner climbed down the ladder to the impatiently waiting elf.
“What is this?” Glaerion asked, looking up at the low ceiling. It was still taller than him by a few inches, but he still crouched.
“It’s an old smuggler’s tunnel that the Merchants Guild uses, or used, to get stuff into and out of the city without having to pay taxes on it. I don’t think that it’s really used that much anymore. It’s how I escaped after killing Neffenmark.”
With his dagger pulled out for light, Glaerion said, “Let’s move.”
He led the way, walking very fast.
They walked in silence until they reached the end of the tunnel. A ladder led up to the door above their head. A rope hung down through a hole in the ground. Conner gave it two tugs. Then he took a step back and sat down with his back to the tunnel wall.
“That’s it?” Glaerion asked. “We just wait here until someone opens the door?”
Conner shrugged. “It’s the way it works.”
Glaerion looked around, fidgeting.
“What’s wrong?”
“I hate enclosed spaces, especially tunnels dug into the ground.” He reached over and pulled the rope two more times.
“It shouldn’t be too long,” Conner said. He closed his eyes not realizing how tired he was.
***
Lord Martin followed Queen Elissa into her chamber, his face red from exertion. The queen had walked from the Great Hall with long strides, making it difficult for the plump lord and his short legs to keep up. Four guardsmen, each former knights, had taken it upon themselves to be her personal escort. They had changed out short swords for their own longswords and posted themselves at her door. Toknon slipped in behind Lord Martin and gently closed the door.
“We cannot just leave our guests!” Lord Martin cried out. “What are we to do with them?”
“I don’t care,” Elissa said. “There is a Taran army marching on my city!”
“They are still your subjects, my queen. We must offer them leadership and direction. We cannot abandon them. Many are already starting to panic and that panic will quickly spread through the city.”
There was a sharp knock on the door. Toknon opened the door and let Arpwin in.
Arpwin gave the king of Thell a quick look, wondering why he was in the queen’s chambers. To Elissa, he asked, “Is it true what they are saying? Is there a Taran army out in the forests ready to attack?”
Lord Martin turned to him and snapped, “We do not know that! It is just rumor.”
“You have been discussing a treaty with the Taran diplomats,” Toknon said calmly. “Do we know where they are?”
“Marik has detained them,” Lord Martin said. “And if there is no army out there, they will be livid and everything that we have accomplished in the past few days will be for naught. We have established the framework for an economic treaty that will keep our coffers full for years to come.”
“And if the army is truly out there, you have prisoners of war you can use to bargain with,” Toknon said.
“They are a diplomatic delegation!” Lord Martin said. “They are here only for peace. They will be treated accordingly.”
“I would recommend that if there is war, that they be treated accordingly,” Toknon said.
“No one is asking you,” Lord Martin snapped back. “What are you doing here, anyway?”
“I have pledged my sword to the queen. I will not leave her side.”
Elissa smiled. “My dear Toknon, that is indeed sweet of you, but I do have four guards outside this door. They are all former knights.”
“Nonetheless, my sword is yours.”
“It seems there is much to do,” Aprwin said. “Your Majesty, I will handle the guests. Some will wish to leave the city, but until we know for sure whether or not the roads back to their homes are safe, it would be wise for them to simply stay here in the castle. I will prepare rooms for them. There are also many homes outside the castle that will be suitable as well. With your leave, I will attend to these matters.”
Elissa took two long steps to the elderly man and hugged him tightly. “Thank you, Arpwin. You always know how to do the right thing.”
“It is simply my duty,” Arpwin said, slightly embarrassed at the public display of affection.
“You missed the dance,” Elissa said with a smile as he pulled away.
“I did not expect you to miss me.”
“This was as much your party as mine. You spent so much time preparing it, but you were not there to enjoy it.”
“Knowing that you enjoyed it is all that matters. I simply had other duties to attend to.” Aprwin stepped back and dipped his head. “Now, I will attend to your guests.”
Toknon opened the door for Arpwin to leave and gave him a slight nod of respect. He wished that he had a man like Arpwin to keep his own castle running smoothly.
“Now,” the queen said with a sigh. “I will need Kimmie to help me out of this dress and into something a bit more comfortable. Lord Martin, please find her and send her to me.”
Lord Martin stammered, trying to find a reply to such a menial task. Toknon opened the door again, to further emphasize that the lord was dismissed. Red-faced, Lord Martin left the room.
“It is not appropriate for a queen to be left alone with a stranger,” Elissa said with a smile.
Toknon smiled back. “There are four heavily armed men on the other side of this door. And from experience, I can tell you that little sound is stopped by these doors. I am sure they are well trained, ready and willing to defend your honor.”
“Thank you for staying,” Elissa said. After a slight pause, she added. “By my side.”
They stood for a long minute looking at one another, each wondering if the other was thinking the same thing. Elissa was beginning to really like Toknon, as he continued to show his softer and more compassionate side. She had told him that she would never forget that he had been instrumental in her father’s death, but she was beginning to believe that in time, she might forget.
A light knocking on the door interrupted their moment. Toknon opened the door to let Kimmie in. She looked from Toknon to the queen, sensing they had shared a personal moment. A slight smile came to her lips.
“Your Majesty,” she said with a slight curtsey. “You have called me?”
“I need help getting out of this dress,” Elissa said. To Toknon, she said with a smile, “For this, I think that Kimmie and I can be alone.”
Toknon gave a formal bow and said, “I shall retreat to the outer antechamber, milady. Call if you need assistance.”
As soon as the door closed, Kimmie let out a giggle.
“Enough!” Elissa said, but she couldn’t hold back her own smile.
***
Roland looked up the stairwell, and then down the hallway. It was empty and silent. “Are you sure this is the back way to her chamber?” he asked.
Peter replied, “Yes, of course. I have been here several times, but there always had been a guard or two posted down here.”
“Well, it has certainly made our job easier,” Roland said.
Roland led the way up the stairwell, a bloodied sword in his hand. Peter held the other dead guard’s sword
and followed just behind. Berrien, his eyes cautiously looking up and down the hallway before he started up the stairwell, trailed just behind the other two. He held a dagger in his hand, but it felt awkward and uncomfortable. He would only use it if necessary, but he hoped beyond hope that he would not have to use it.
Roland moved slowly, carefully putting his foot down on the stairs to keep from making any sound. He paused to listen at the top of the stairs, where there was a small landing. They could hear two female voices, but they could not discern what they were saying. He handed his sword to Peter so that he could test the door and the lock.
He hoped that there was not a crossbar that held the door shut. If that was the case, then they would really have no way of getting into the room. It was a thick door and would likely take a small battering ram to break it down. Since there was a lock on the door that needed to be opened by a key, he made the assumption that there was no crossbar and only the lock held the door shut. He bent down to study, but picking locks was not in his skillset. He glanced up at Peter, who shrugged his shoulders.
Berrien stepped forward and knelt next to Roland, elbowing him out of the way. “Amateurs,” he muttered softly. Roland stood up and stepped back. Berrien looked closely at the lock, trying to determine what style it was so that he could pick it quietly. It only took him a moment before he stood up and said in a whisper, “Okay, it’s unlocked.”
“But you didn’t do anything!” Roland replied.
Berrien shrugged his shoulders. “It’s unlocked already.”
Roland gently pushed Berrien aside so that he would be the first one in the room. He took his sword back from Peter and then whispered, “I’ve got the queen. It sounds like there is someone else in the room. Berrien, you take her. Peter, you secure the main door. Even if there is no guard here, I cannot imagine that she wouldn’t have guards outside the main door.”
“What do you mean take her?” Berrien asked. “Where are we taking here?”
Roland grabbed his arm by the wrist and forced his hand to come up, which brought his dagger into view. “Use it to kill her.”