Early the next morning Allahandra reluctantly awakened the slumbering Lily, but much needed to be done and Freelan needed all the help possible. The white-haired woman groaned and managed to sit up. “Feeling better?” The queen asked not unkindly.
“Somewhat.” Lily replied and shook her head to lift the remaining chains of sleep. “A filling meal and a night’s rest does wonders. Not worrying about being discovered or awakened for your shift to watch really eased the burden of this past month.” She swung her muscled legs over the edge and stood up to stretch out sore limbs.
Allahandra watched with awe and amusement as Lily began contorting in a series of mind-bending positions. Although the warrior shed much of the rigidity her muscles once her more feminine muscles were still larger than most men and the positions she achieved wouldn’t seem possible without seeing it in action. “I see you still do this.” She remarked.
Lily paused as her chest lay against the ground while her feet were planted on the carpeted ground by each ear. She then unfolded herself, straightened both legs, pushed up on both arms and bowed her back.
Amethyst eyes then turned upon the queen’s dark brown, nearly black ones, but they held no animosity. “Ever since the long journey across Point Lake I’ve done similar exercises each morning. Although women are naturally more adept and bending, Alex still outperforms me. As you well know he taught many aboard how to do this. We used to do it together each morning when the others roused and it helped in our journey greatly. Only Calosh seemed to dread it. It has became a ritual of mine now. Because of it I’ve seen my swordsmanship become more graceful and deadly now that I’m able to bend and adjust to more fighting styles.”
“Hmm…” Allahandra sounded through her nose as it could be an intriguing idea to train future skills to her fighters and as an exercise to relieve anxiety in the populous.
“Not to mention how many opportunities such positions and flexibility it holds in the bedchambers.” Lily smirked.
“After this is over you’ll teach me, ya?”
Lily’s smirk manifested into a grin as she stood and patted the queen on her back. “It would be my pleasure and soon after; yours.”
They laughed at the camaraderie.
“Just be careful about the little one.” She warned lightly.
The queen rubbed her belly, smiling adoringly. “He’s not large enough yet to interfere with my yearnings.” She looked up to ask “Ready for another meal?”
“Quite.”
Outside awaited Breaker and the rest of the protectors. Only neither Shade or Ava were anywhere within sight. Over the time they had together Allahandra created hand signals that Breaker understood. She asked where the two were and he pointed a wing to a far hill where an unnatural black speck stood patiently at the apex. Lily’s inquiring look prompted Allahandra to explain. “I asked if and where he knew Ava and Shade were” she pointed. “and he showed me they’re waiting over there…”
Breaker’s squawk halted further conversation as his talons scratched the ground to write ‘I spoke to them earlier. They wish to be alone till the siege tomorrow. Ava requests that you make a plan to rescue Alex should they die trying their plan first. They want to try first and alone, for they will be faster and less noticed once the battle is joined.’ He then resumed his proud posture, but his eyes still remained sad from the loss of his mate.
Allahandra nodded it would be done. She hadn’t another choice since she couldn’t command them. She turned to Lily to ask “Do you have any disagreements to their wish?”
“Nay, I knew they would do something like this. Alex is their only priority and if I were to invite myself into their plan it might not be the wisest choice. I’d be a liability for I wouldn’t have the necessary skills to keep up and my very presence would be a distraction. Those two are highly skilled and only Alex has the ability to fight alongside them. If I were a Furion it would be a different matter. Let them do as they must, but I’d like to be part of the troops you’ll send after them.”
“Consider it done, but first we must eat and finish the last preparations for tomorrow’s inevitable clash.”
With that they proceeded to the command tent and had a meal brought in.
Worry and a sense of fear left much of the camp’s focus leading in far too many directions, but the bulk of the men generally needed the day of rest.
Since the ultimate target lay within sight everyone’s senses were on a razor’s edge for an attack could happen at any moment, but reports said the Royal Guard weren’t geared to leave the relative safety the city’s walls gave. After the morning meal disappeared Allahandra had to ask Lily to go to the front lines to help coordinate defenses. She said she’d help where she could and Allahandra gave her a sheet of paper that listed fifteen much needed sites that needed to be reinforced for their weaknesses left the construction of siege weapons and heavy artillery somewhat vulnerable. When delivering the sheet to Rakkian she were to help in any way possible.
Sweat drenched Lily’s brow and back as she aided the warriors all day. Many of the fiends greatly made the difference in hauling and constructing the defenses. The lords worked to great effect in dragging felled trees, the largest were turned into catapults or used in other kinds of constructed weapon. What took a hundred men all day to dig trenches only took a dozen fiends and human partners half the time.
“Thank you for the help, Princess.” A blacksmith said as he hammered in a bar of iron.
“What do you need next?” She asked.
He wiped his dirty brow with the back of his hand and pointed to a pile of recently cut trees that hadn’t been properly trimmed. Fifteen in total, but stacked with five on bottom, four sat atop in recesses, three between those, two atop the three and one sat precariously at the very top. Green leaves on shortened limbs showed how recently they’ve been cut. “While I secure this bolt so that when fired it won’t come undone after a few volley, can I ask you to trim and debark two of those.”
“Certainly.”
“You know…” He caught himself as she began walking over and stopped once she heard his voice and met his stare. “Never mind.”
“Say it.”
He rolled his item-hammer over a shoulder and admitted “I was told you and the prince weren’t like other blue blooded royals. I didn’t believe it till today. Most royals or nobles would be caught dead before building up a sweat, let alone get any labor that got dirt under their nails…” he smiled in an embarrassing way.
“That is the way I believe also. Quite often I forget who I’ve become, bonding my life to Alex solely for life.” She admitted while drawing her rectangular, pink short sword. “Neither of us were raised like most nobles so physical labor isn’t new to us. But I must admit, this is my first time constructing something such as this ballista here.” She pointed her sword to the half built weapon. “I was raised as a warrior for the King’s use and believed for a long time that was all I would be, a solely trained warrior who kills and murders per order.
“After Alex saved me from a Shadow Fang and was injured…” She said and kicked the topmost tree off and willed her sword to disperse into thousands of razor this petals and focus them on debarking the tree and slicing off the limbs. “I believed he died to save me. Imagine a man with no apparent skills saving a Kings Guard and managing to kill a Shadow Fang with nothing more than a stick.
“Later I killed a ruthless general and was sentenced to be executed. Imagine my surprise seeing Alex save me again. It took quite some time getting used to his abilities…”
“I’ve heard him speaking to the fiends at one time or another.” The blacksmith admitted.
She smiled. “As you can surmise, neither I nor my husband are what you can describe as typical. Sometimes I wish neither of us were so popular or have such high relation to a kingdom’s hierarchy. I just hope he is well.” She choked and focused more on the task at hand to keep worrying thoughts at bay.
“If Runkamon keeps to his usual ty
rannical self I doubt he’ll not harm the prince. He will want to publically flaunt himself and try to further break the will of any who get in his way, but let me tell you something…” he waited till she turned and looked at him. “Alex saved my boy’s life twice after he found himself surrounded back in the battle in both Alluan and in Central City. If the king so much as nicks the prince both I and my boy will lay down our lives to see that man’s head separated from his shoulder. On that you have my undying vow.”
“That does make me feel better, thank you.”
He nodded and brought his hammer around to work the iron securely in the structure. Lily turned back to the colorful display of rose petal-like blades making quick work of the lumber. Wood shavings coated the grassy ground in a growing layer and before ten minutes she perfectly shaved the tree and finished a second one in about the same time.
Afterwards she needed a break and the blacksmith nodded in understanding for it took much labor to do such construction and told her to get something to eat.
Fine hairs on the back of her neck and a hollow feeling in her gut grew more noticeably as she walked away and plunged into a sea of tents designed to hinder clear view of the interior of camp and the growing feeling explained she was being followed and drew her curved sword while turning around in a sudden spin, stopping the edge a hairsbreadth from a middle-aged man’s bearded throat. “What do you want and why are you following me?”
The scruffy man’s eyes widened from the unexpectedness of her instantaneous move and tried stepping back, but her sword easily followed and stopped as his back became flush against a rigid tent wall. It took a moment for him to ask “Am I right to presume you are Lily of the Blood Moon, wife of Alex of the Blood Mist?”
“Answer my question first!” She ordered and then made a tiny score against his throat and the few drops of blood that escaped were greedily eaten by her sword and grew slightly, further making his position precarious.
“I simply wanted to know if it were you…”
“If that is all then you are wasting your time…” Training made Lily always watch her opponent’s eyes for they would usually give away where next they’d strike, but as she watched the man’s light blue eyes barely shifted away from her. Realizing someone approached from her exposed back and not to the sword pressed against his throat. She tried to step to the side and face both, but a sharp pain suddenly exploded in the back of her skull and darkness took over.
Lily’s grip on her sword slacked and dropped the dangerous item and the man caught her unconscious form heavily in his arms. He smiled evilly to his accomplice. “Good move, she was more dangerous than the captain said. A minute more and I would have wet myself. Even traitorous Kings Guards retain a fearful expression. Hurry help me put her away before someone sees us.”
The other man brought his item out. A silver bag opened and darkness seemed to be the only thing inside. Together they picked her up and threw her within, but as she entered she shrunk down to the size and weight of a pea and they also tossed her sword inside to take away all evidence of their confrontation. Then the item itself shrunk into the size of a money purse. “You know our orders. Wait till nightfall and return with the prize. We will be richly rewarded.”
“You have that right.” He said, tucking his prize and item into his belt.
The local tavern of the fourth inner level of the Royal City closed early as part of a city wide order from all ranking military personnel that when the battle began that the warrior class wouldn’t be impeded by being drunk. Marlin knew if he had any chance of further infiltrating he needed to cross the great wall behind him, but sluggish thoughts hindered him. He found a bakery and used five coppers he stole from the man he and Lily captured to buy fresh bread to soak up the alcohol he’d been sipping on all day. The baker seemed a friendly fellow and said his business sold more with the enemy outside for many warriors needed fresh food at all hours and he’d serve them at cost since they protected his interests.
Marlin stuck close to the main street, slowly eating the warm bread, but not so close as to be easily watched or stick out. Lily’s lessons worked wonderfully and the stolen attire completed the successful infiltration. He grew a month’s worth of beard to hide his features for he found a wanted poster in one of the tavern’s he visited and grinned at how he seemed to be worth three hundred gold pieces, further down the board Lily price was three thousand pieces and Alex’s picture had been crossed out but was priced to be worth an ancient and valuable heirloom of the king.
Not much seemed to be known about what truly goes on beyond the fifth great wall. If you didn’t have orders, weren’t a noble or Kings Guard you weren’t allowed to pass. It was as far as he could get. The section of city he found himself in wasn’t too bad to look at, but seemed much more lavish than the outer ring of the city. The civilians not of either the Specialist or Warrior Class were under martial law and told to remain inside until the threat had been eliminated. The people didn’t question and nearly everyone seemed perpetually broken of will, but not nearly as much as the slaves were. The slaves were always easy to spot for all they wore were leather loincloth and the women wore both a loincloth and a simple covering for their breasts.
While clearing the buzz from his mind Marlin spotted two men being confidently led by four lower ranked Guard up the street. They wore standard Freelan green and yellow colors, but their confidence and casual gaze made Marlin understand these were native men for they weren’t impressed at the city like most newcomers and refugees were. Slowly he followed for something about them seemed important. Luckily the darkness provided plenty of cover and allowed him to move freely and follow without alerting anyone.
He followed up the street and stopped when they did at the gate leading into the palace area where five Kings Guard stood before the shut gate. One of the men withdrew a silvery bag that fit into the palm of his hand, opened it and Marlin continued to watch as he stuck his hand inside. Impossibly the man’s arm practically disappeared and the bag began violently shaking. He withdrew a white-haired head and dumped the bag over to allow a large female body drop to the ground while he held a firm grip of hair. Then a metallic clang on the stone road’s surface came from the impact of a sword.
Cold seized Marlin’s soul as he recognized Lily’s familiar form. For a moment she seemed too still to be living, but moments after becoming free she began fighting. Three Kings Guard rushed in to subdue her, but not before she managed to kill to Royal Guard and break the arm of the man who originally painfully gripped her hair. Marlin wished desperately to come to her aid, but it would only end up getting them both killed.
She became quickly subdued, bound and gagged. One of the Kings Guard tossed her over a shoulder as if she were no more than a child, called for the gate to open and walked through with the two men who captured her. The two walked slowly and one held his broken limb till he could get treated. The four disappeared behind the solid gate, leaving Marlin in a much more precarious position and in a rage he couldn’t release.
He melded into the shadows like he had seen Alex do on many occasions. Successfully. At every moment his thoughts cleared and a plan began to take effect on how to enter the last line of fortification.
It was still hours before sunrise and the tense feel in the air made the whole city feel on edge. He had to get in now before easily being spotted and all normal access points were heavily manned so it would be impossible to infiltrate the normal way.
Marlin had chosen a safer way to enter in a way only he could. He stuck to the shadows and left the area Lily’s disturbance made the men more alert. Fifteen minutes later he found a reasonable location in the northern area of the city, scaled the wall of a somewhat tall house and slipped his item out from the loops in his right hip. The russet color of his pole extended to its maximum ten foot apex and would be difficult to spot for it didn’t reflect light like many items seemed to do.
He carefully craned his neck back to find the very peak of th
e great wall and judged the distance. From the tip of the pole he made a fine, translucent line make the fist size bobber and three pronged hook dangle from five feet of the given line. The angle’s going to be a problem. He thought. I just hope the noise wont alert anyone.
The weight of the bobber increased tremendously as he stretched his am back and drop the top of his cane pole below the edge of the building. With a sudden whip of his arm the pole nearly bent completely in on itself as he instantly canceled the extreme weight of the bobber to nothing. The sudden drop of weight allowed the pole to spring forward and shoot the bobber and hook as if it were flung by a catapult. It looked to overshoot so he added weight back to the black bobber and increased the drag on the line. He did it too soon and missed the lip of the wall by a foot. As the line fell he quickly sucked in the line through the tip of the cane again.
Again he tried and failed, but on the third attempt he successfully made the hook and bobber disappear over the tip, but not so much to overshoot for he didn’t realize what lay further in. Not knowing if someone slept beneath his feet he carefully crossed the roof, reached the edge and looked down. None were patrolling this section of street so he firmly grasped his pole with both hands, stepped off and swung into the wall, absorbing the collision with his feet. Marlin then had his pole begin withdrawing the line, effectively pulling him up the wall without expending too much effort.
Moments later he reached the top and carefully peeked over it to find the highest class of warriors spread out all across its surface, but weren’t even looking in his direction and were spaced far enough apart to not reveal his form.
Carefully, and not creating a single sound, he pulled himself over, unhooked his hooks from the wall, silently crossed to the other side while sticking to the shadows created by spaced out torches, re-set the prongs to grip the opposite wall, climbed over and slowly let out the line of his item till he touched the ground. Marlin told his hooks to flatten and they did. As it dropped, the pole ate up the line faster than gravity could bring it down.
Ra' van (Book Three of the Items Trilogy) Page 49