by Callie Kanno
He was roughly pulled to his feet, his hands tied with thick rope and his weapon confiscated. Half a dozen soldiers in the uniform of city guards stood around him, their expressions fierce. Idris stared at them with his mouth open slack.
“You need to go after that man,” Idris said once he had gathered his wits.
“Silence,” snapped the soldier that appeared to be in charge. He turned to the two guards holding each of Idris’s arms and commanded coldly, “Take this prisoner to the Peak, where he will be executed.”
Chapter Twenty-Three: Prisoner
“Wait, you need to listen to me!”
Idris was dragged out of the alley, barely able to keep to his feet. Two of the soldiers marched him back the way he had come during his pursuit of the Hunter. The other four city guards had gone on to attempt to chase down the man who had escaped their custody.
“We do not tolerate such lawlessness in Koyo,” lectured the guard to Idris’s right, who carried Iona in his free hand. “You were warned before entering the city, and now you will face the consequences of your actions.”
“I was not warned-” Idris began.
The soldier interrupted him. “Everyone is warned. It is part of the process of gaining admittance through the city gates.”
“I came into the city with Princess Lenora,” Idris explained desperately. “That man was trying to harm her. That is why I was fighting him.”
The guard to his right snorted. “A likely story. The princess is not even in Koyo this time of year.”
The second guard intervened hesitantly. “Actually, sir, I heard a report that Princess Lenora did come to the city this morning.”
“I am one of her personal protectors,” Idris said eagerly. “She will be very angry if you have me executed.”
His words gave the first guard pause. “A convenient lie, since we do not have a way to verify it.”
“You can verify what I say,” insisted Idris. “I know where you can find the princess. She will vouch for me.”
The city guards exchanged worried glances. “Perhaps we had better…” said the second one.
The first soldier cleared his throat gruffly. “Very well, prisoner. We will give you this one chance.”
Idris nodded with energy. “Yes, of course. Princess Lenora was going to the Wordway. We will find her there.”
The two soldiers directed Idris up the street where Lenora and Aherin had continued after Idris had split off from them. They walked quickly, but the steep climb still took longer than Idris would’ve liked. His heart raced with more anxiety every passing minute.
What if it took them too long to get to the Wordway? What if Lenora was gone by the time they arrived? Would the city guards be willing to track down the princess in order to spare Idris’s life?
Idris had never seen a Wordway before, but he recognized the building immediately. The entire structure was painted white, setting it apart from every other building in the area. Three cote-like towers rose above the main square, through which messenger pigeons flew in and out. The large door was flanked by two statues depicting birds in flight.
“Wait here,” ordered the guard to Idris’s right. “I will go inquire within.”
The second guard snapped a salute. “Yes, sir.”
It almost seemed to Idris that the departing guard was taking a leisurely pace on purpose. He took several deep breaths in order to calm himself, but to no avail. He couldn’t free his mind of the fear that Lenora wouldn’t be found in time to save him from execution.
“What will happen to me if you cannot find the princess?” Idris asked the guard with a tremor in his voice.
“Doubting your clever plan to escape punishment?” the guard asked coldly.
“The princess has many things to do today,” Idris said in a defensive tone. “Will I be kept in prison until my identity can be verified?”
The guard chuckled without humor. “Koyo has no prison. We have only two ways of dealing with those who disturb the peace of our city.”
Idris felt as though the ground had dropped out from beneath him. “What are those ways?” he asked hoarsely.
“Those who cause significant disruption, but harm no others, are banished from the city. Those who cause harm to others with their disruption are executed.”
“That seems really harsh,” Idris choked.
The guard shrugged. “It works. There have been only three banishments in the past year, and no executions…yet.”
“Can you not just banish me?” Idris pled.
The soldier’s expression was without pity. “No. You injured the man you were fighting, as well as an innocent bystander.”
Idris was starting to feel angry. What kind of idiotic system supported such merciless punishments? “He attacked me first!”
“It does not matter,” the guard responded. “If you had reported the attack, only the other criminal would have been punished. However, you returned the act of violence. Therefore, you are just as guilty.”
Idris seethed at the injustice of it all. He had been protecting their princess, and he was going to be executed for it. When he saw Lenora again, he was going to tell her exactly what he thought of the stupid laws of her kingdom.
That is, if he saw her again…
Just as his anxiety began to surface once more, Idris spotted the guard holding his partisan emerge from the Wordway. He was accompanied by Lenora.
Idris breathed a sigh of relief. “There they are.”
“You have not been pardoned yet,” warned the guard next to him.
Idris could see that Lenora’s beautiful face was white with worry as she drew near. He knew he probably looked terrible, covered in blood and bruises after his fight with the Hunter. He followed the city guard’s example, bowing low to the princess as she approached.
“This young man is my personal guard,” Lenora said to the soldier she was with. “You may release him into my custody. Thank you for your diligent service.”
Both city guards bowed again. “Of course, your highness.”
The soldier that had been holding Idris’s weapon returned the partisan to the Royal Guard. Idris couldn’t hide how relieved he was to be reunited with Iona. He gave the partisan a quick inspection, even though he knew she had not been injured or altered in any way.
Lenora waited for the two city guards to walk away before turning to Idris. “How badly are you hurt?” she asked in an urgent whisper.
Idris shook his head. “It looks worse than it is.”
“I doubt that,” Lenora retorted. “I did not think you would try to fight the Hunter. I thought you were going to hit him over the head to give us time to escape.”
Idris cringed at her tone. “It…did not turn out as expected.”
“You are lucky that they did not take you to the city leaders, because even I could not have saved you then,” Lenora went on relentlessly. “My grandfather allows local leaders to make their own laws, provided that they do not conflict with the laws of the kingdom. I do not have the authority to override them. You would have been executed if the soldiers had not brought you directly to me.”
Idris’s recent brush with death was still fresh in his mind. He found that he had no desire to argue with Lenora over his uninformed decisions. In fact, he found that he didn’t want to fight with her over anything ever again. “I am sorry,” he said quietly.
Lenora looked slightly mollified. “Well…I suppose I should have warned you.”
Idris reached out and took her slender hand. “I am sorry,” he emphasized, “for everything.”
Lenora’s eyes widened at his touch, but she didn’t pull away. “I am sorry, too,” she finally responded. “I should not have forced Captain Cowan’s hand in the way that I did.”
A comfortable silence settled between them. Idris reluctantly let go of Lenora’s hand, but he continued to smile rather foolishly. He wished that they were someplace less public, where he could’ve gone on holding her hand. As it was, it
would not do for the citizens of Koyo to see their princess being so familiar with her guard.
The silence was broken when Aherin walked up to them, leading all three of their horses. “Idris,” he blurted, “what happened to you?”
“Perhaps it would have been better if you had gone in my place,” Idris said with a grimace. “Apparently, I am no good at waylaying.”
Aherin’s grin was still touched with concern. “We are going to need to stop somewhere to see to those wounds.”
Idris nodded. “First we should meet up with Captain Cowan and the others.”
“I agree,” Lenora replied.
Even though the day was warm, Idris pulled out his cloak from his saddlebags. He put it on and pulled up the cowl, effectively hiding his injuries from the casual observer. Aherin watched him closely as they mounted their horses, looking as though he wanted to give Idris a helping hand.
“Was the Hunter arrested, too?” Aherin asked.
Idris shook his head as he settled into the saddle. “No, he got away.”
“I cannot believe they were going to execute you,” Aherin said indignantly. “What kind of a city is this?”
Lenora began explaining all of the reasoning behind the laws that ruled Koyo, as well as citing the results of such strict measures. Idris only half-listened, having heard most of the information from the city guard. True, Lenora was more thorough in her explanation; but the core facts were the same.
Instead, Idris turned most of his attention to the city around them as they rode toward the northern gate. The Hunter was still out there, somewhere. He could appear at any moment to attack them again. Idris promised himself that he would not be caught unawares.
They rode down one of the slanted streets that wound around the hill, instead of going up and over. Once they were on the northern side of the hill, they were able to see the twin lakes beyond the city. The view was breathtaking from where they stood. The sunlight glittered off of the smooth surface of the blue bodies of water, surrounded by the vibrant green of grasslands. Even the villages that surrounded Koyo took on an idyllic appearance from that high on the hill.
Once they were in the northern half of the city, they took a road that led down the slope. They had to move at a slower pace in order to keep their footing, but it gave Idris the opportunity to watch their surroundings more closely.
He noticed that Lenora had concluded her explanation, so he asked a question of his own. “Were you able to send the messages you needed?”
The princess inclined her head. “Yes. I sent a formal request to King Lot, as well as notice to the border guards at the mountain pass through which we will travel.”
“You have to request to visit the king?” Aherin asked, his eyebrows raised. “I thought members of monarchies could visit each other whenever they wanted.”
“It is the polite thing to do,” Lenora responded. “I have never heard of a request being denied, even during times of conflict.”
“What if he does deny us?” Idris posed.
“Well,” she answered slowly, “then I suppose I will return to Trys and you will have to find a different way to get into Roshum.”
Idris felt a warmth of appreciation spread across his chest. He understood what it meant to Lenora to stay with their group when her intuition demanded it. For her to honor her promise to Captain Cowan was, to her, a sacrifice. He met her eyes with a smile, nodding his head to her. He wanted her to know that he understood her decision for what it was.
The northern gate of Koyo was just like the southern one, through which they entered the city. It was an opening in the stone wall, covered only by a simple wooden door. People leaving the city were given a quick search by the city guards before passing through, presumably to ensure that nothing was being taken from the city without the proper paperwork.
Idris scanned the crowds of people near the gate, some waiting to leave and others simply passing by. He didn’t see any faces that he recognized, friendly or otherwise. “Where is Captain Cowan?” he murmured.
“It is likely that they are waiting just outside the city gate,” Lenora observed. “The guards do not approve of loitering.”
The princess was identified quickly, with the guards of the gate urging the crowd to make way for her. Lenora smiled kindly at everyone she rode past. Idris and Aherin kept their horses close to hers, making certain they did not get separated.
As soon as they were through the gate, Idris felt a hand touching his boot. He looked down at the grizzled face of Cowan, which was covered with fresh bruises. His limbs and head were bandaged with clean strips of cloth, and he favored his side as if his ribs were bruised or broken.
“This way, lad,” the veteran rumbled.
Idris got the attention of his companions, then turned to follow Cowan down a narrow side street that ran parallel to the city wall. As soon as they were away from the crowds, the captain raised his voice to a normal level.
“I see you got through without too much trouble,” Cowan said, his eyes taking in Idris’s injuries. “That is a relief.”
For a moment, Idris was speechless. He had been stabbed and sliced and his nose was broken. If Cowan considered that to be minor, what kind of fight had the other group encountered?
Chapter Twenty-Four: Wounded
Cowan led them to a nondescript building far from the main thoroughfare. Idris was surprised when the captain stopped, indicating they should dismount. A boy appeared out of nowhere to lead their horses to a small stable behind the building.
“He will bring your bags inside after he has cared for the animals,” Cowan assured them.
Lenora frowned, staring at the building. “What is this place?”
“The home of a woman we met upon leaving the city,” Cowan answered briefly. “We paid her to give us temporary shelter.”
“Can she be trusted?” Aherin inquired.
The captain shrugged. “Just about as much as anyone here.”
The four of them walked through the low door into the main room of the humble home. The only seats available were two benches that sat on either side of a wooden table. The kitchen appeared to be no more than a corner of the room, close to the fireplace. There was a curtained off doorway that presumably led to a bedroom, but that was it for the simple structure.
Kurag and Hildar were sitting at the table, tending to their wounds. Kurag appeared to be writing runes on strips of bandage, then wrapping them around injuries while singing softly. Hildar had a gash along her hairline, several cuts on each of her arms, and what appeared to be a broken wrist. Kurag had an alarming number of stab wounds on his legs, as well as a worrisome-looking bruise on his side. Idris guessed that he, like Cowan, had injured his ribs.
Lenora rushed forward to kneel beside them. “I have some medicine in my saddlebags,” she offered.
Kurag shook his head as he continued his work. “That will not be necessary. Save your medicine for when I am absent, or unable to use runes.”
Hildar gave Idris an assessing glance. “What happened to you?”
Idris shrugged, feeling self-conscious. “There was a Hunter following us. I got into a fight with him.”
“Just one?” Hildar inquired.
His eyes dropped to the ground. “Well, yes…”
Lenora interrupted, sounding eager to explain the situation. “Idris drew the Hunter away while Aherin and I went on to the Wordway.”
“You fought a Hunter by yourself?” Kurag asked sharply.
Cowan’s brow furrowed. “It is fortunate there were not others waiting just out of sight. You could have been ambushed.”
The thought hadn’t even crossed Idris’s mind, which made him feel rather foolish. There were some situations in which it was painfully obvious that he still thought like a farmer.
Yes, you do, snapped Iona suddenly.
Idris could understand her anger. He had rushed into the situation without thinking it through first. As a result, he had almost died twice—first by
the hand of the Hunter, then as a prisoner of the city guards. He had acted like a stupid, reckless idiot.
“I am sorry,” he said softly, speaking to his captain as well as Iona.
Cowan nodded, looking satisfied. “Every new soldier has much to learn. There are things that cannot be taught in a training session, for they are unique to every individual. You have learned a hard lesson today, but it will help to make you into a better Royal Guard.”
“Come sit down,” instructed Kurag. “I will see to your injuries in a moment.”
Idris did as he was told, propping his partisan against the table. “What happened to your group after we parted ways?”
Cowan raised his eyebrows and sighed, settling down on the ground with his back to one of the walls. “We passed through the villages to get to the western gate, which turned out to be a mistake.”
“You could not have known, Captain,” Hildar assured him.
Cowan went on as if she hadn’t spoken. “We were attacked by five Hunters in a lane between two of the villages. Apparently, once you are outside of the borders of the city or a village, no one cares what happens to you.”
“There were villagers standing near the fences to watch,” Hildar growled. “As if it were a sport.”
Cowan scowled at the floor. “Well, we survived. That is the important part.”
Kurag grunted. “It was not until we passed through the gate that we were warned that any sort of fighting was against the law within Koyo. We might have avoided the conflict all together if we had entered through the southern gate.”
“Perhaps,” Idris said slowly, “perhaps not. The Hunter I encountered seemed to have no reservations with striking me first.”
“Were you reprimanded for fighting in the city?” Kurag asked Idris as he finished bandaging Hildar.
Aherin made an incredulous noise. “A couple of the city guards tried to have him executed. Luckily, Princess Lenora was able to intervene.”
“It was lucky,” Lenora agreed. “Under normal circumstances I do not have the authority to overturn such a sentence.”