by A L Hardy
“You haven’t been able to torture the original book’s location out of him?” Tennlka inquired.
Talren simply shook her head in response.
“Have you considered that he actually doesn’t know where the book is?” Tennlka asked, “Maybe that was the only book that he ever found.”
“And what concern is it to you that we torture him to find out?” Talren asked, “You have ruled him as a traitor to be executed.”
“Yes,” Tennlka confirmed, “But I also ruled that execution to happen a week ago, as soon as we had arrived. My people are beginning to question my authority.”
“If your people question you after only a week, my Liege, then you have far greater problems on your hands than you realize.” Talren explained, “This situation is unfortunate and unforeseeable, but you needn’t worry! Give us one more week to question Xardan before you execute him. My paladins and I are working out the missing sections of the spell book and with any amount of luck at all, this war will be over by next spring.
“Now,” Talren finished, “Let us teach you how to wield the magic of the Gods!”
*
The morning after the old man left, Jurod and Ilays were in their rooms packing and trying to figure out what had happened. All they knew is that Jurod had lost any and all knowledge of how to use a sword and Ilays had found herself with an inexplicable urge to give the man the book. Neither one knew why it had happened, but both attributed the encounter to the strange old man and had vowed to find out more about him; and Aramill, whom they were no longer certain they could trust.
Once their bags were packed and their features were returned to their Kin likenesses, they headed out the door to make their way to Faelhart. Myrin and Zoan were waiting for them in the front yard of the inn. Both of their horses were saddled and waiting, with a small wagon tied to a third horse. Zoan sat with a quiver of bolts at his side and a light crossbow in his hands as Myrin loaded another barrel into the back.
“We’ve got enough supplies here for weeks of travelling.” Myrin announced. She glanced up at that point and noticed that the two no longer looked like themselves, but seemed to acknowledge and dismiss the fact instantaneously. “Now saddle up, we should have left hours ago!”
Jurod and Ilays were taken aback by the wagon, and immediately objected.
“You’re not…”
“Don’t think you can talk us out of coming!” Myrin interrupted, “I’ve already locked up the stables and most of the inn and I’ve put a sign on the door saying we’re closed for the season. We may not be the hardest, toughest fighters, but I’m a good cook and Zoan is a fair shot with that crossbow! You try to turn us away I might just have him use it on you.”
Jurod and Ilays briefly considered Myrin and her son, who pointedly turned the empty crossbow on Jurod, before tossing their gear into the wagon and climbing onto the backs of their horses.
It was slow travelling with the wagon, but Jurod was surprised when they came upon a patrol of Faelhart soldiers and Myrin convinced them they were simple merchants. The barrels of beans, rice and wine in the back of her wagon only added to the image, and when they asked why Jurod and Ilays were armed she nonchalantly replied that they were guards. Jurod could have cackled with glee when the patrol moved on.
It took two days for them to reach the crossing south of Faelhart and four days to complete the journey north to the city itself. The patrols grew more constant with every day, and each patrol leader seemed to grow more inquisitive than the last.
Jurod marveled at Faelhart from the moment it entered his view. The King’s Keep sat on the western side of the city, with the Knight’s Temple east of that in the center. Their own walls surrounded both large fortresses, with a third wall surrounding both and the inner city. Outside the wall, the outer city spread from horizon to horizon as far as the eye could see. Unlike Strolm, Faelhart and its buildings were built for appearance before functionality.
Getting into the outer city was simple since there were no walls or gates. When they finally weaved through the twisted maze of streets and side roads and reached the gate to the inner city, Myrin was required to show documented papers and licenses that she was authorized to import goods and trade in Faelhart.
Jurod couldn’t help but wonder as they rode easily into the inner city about how, when and where Myrin got those papers when even he and Ilays hadn’t planned on heading to Faelhart until the evening before they did.
Finding rooms in the inner city was difficult as hundreds of people from around the kingdom had come to witness Xardan’s execution. They finally found a room at an inn crammed up against the east side of the outer wall with a tannery on one side, and a rundown butchery on the other. However lucky they were to find a room, they never heard the end of Myrin’s complaints that the stench of the tannery permeated every inch of the inn, and even seeped somehow into the flavor of the pork that was served for dinner.
It took little effort to find that the execution hadn’t happened yet, or that the King would be in attendance if Xardan’s head were ever actually taken. After settling into their rooms, Ilays and Jurod went out to get a feel for the city. It was universally agreed among their party that the execution would be the ideal time to attack; if only they knew where the execution were to happen.
“The execution will have to be somewhere public.” Ilays said.
“Like a city square?” Jurod asked, “How many squares could there be that are big enough to hold all of the people who have arrived for the execution?”
“I’m aware of four in the inner city.” Ilays said, “But having never spent more than a couple days here I have no way of knowing for certain.”
“Well,” Myrin had announced, “I have to trade something while I’m here or the guards will be suspicious when we try to leave. Zoan and I will go to Market Square and see if anything is happening there that may be preparatory for an execution.”
Ilays shook her head in response, “The merchants won’t want anything as messy as an execution happening there, but you should trade something. Try to coerce as much information as possible out of anyone, but don’t bother checking the square. Zoan, you might actually be able to help with that if your mother will allow it. That game we played back at the inn is very common among the soldiers of Faelhart. Perhaps you could get a few of them to play a game or two with you to get them talking.”
“As long as none of them are drunk or trying to bet with him I see no harm in it. But in the meantime, what squares are possibilities?” Myrin questioned.
“There’s the King’s Square, immediately outside the gate of the Palace, and the Knight’s Square outside the Knight’s Temple.” Ilays announced, “Both are quite formal, but the King’s Square especially will have strategic advantages for Tennlka.”
“I think that is where we should check first.” Jurod concluded.
“What about the squares outside the walls?” Ilays suggested, “There are thousands of citizens and dozens of public locations for something as messy as an execution.”
“But they’re all exposed.” Jurod replied, “Tennlka has no way of knowing or controlling who is in the outer city. After what happened in Learth, I’m sure he is expecting some sort of uprising at the execution, and I’m certain we’re not the only group planning one. He will not want to be that exposed unless he has no other choice.”
“Then Zoan and I will go to market, and you two will go look around the King’s Square,” Myrin finished, “And you should also check the Common Square and Knight’s Square while you’re out anyway. I would venture a guess that a few young love struck individuals on a walk wouldn’t take in much attention if the two of you think you can pull it off.”
The two of them gave only an awkward nod to Myrin and to each other before preparing for the scouting mission.
Less than half an hour later Jurod and Ilays walked through Faelhart, with their cloaks drawn closed and their hoods lifted to cover as much of their features as possibl
e; avoiding contact with one another at all costs. The common square was closest to their inn, but there were no soldiers to be seen there, and far too many passersby for Tennlka to be planning anything there without securing part of the square.
They walked leisurely west and north from there, skirting around the Knight’s Square to get to the King’s Square faster. As they drew nearer the palace, Jurod couldn’t help but marvel at its beauty. Ornate, white granite walls and towers rose almost to the clouds and high overhead an island floated by, only adding to the majesty of this building.
In stark contrast to the Common Square, this one was packed with soldiers. Handfuls of civilians meandered through as they passed from one store to another, but they were constantly being stopped by patrols of soldiers and having to weave between carts and horses. This was supposed to be a formal, ceremonious square, but instead it had turned into a military garrison, expanding the palaces defenses.
Ilays grabbed Jurod by the arm and pulled him to a stop. “This could be where they’re planning the execution,” she said, “Policing who is coming through here and why, checking who even sees what they’re doing here.”
“I agree.” Jurod said, “Let’s head back to the inn through the Knight’s Square, just to satisfy Myrin, then we can fill her in once she returns.”
The pair turned back and took side roads and alleys to avoid the King’s Square until they came to the Knight’s Square. The entire city, including the King’s Palace, paled in comparison to the Knight’s Temple. The walls and towers weren’t nearly as tall or as ornate as the palace, but every inch of the granite seemed to shine with a magical light entirely its own.
Only four soldiers stood in the square itself, two of which flanked the gate to the temple. The other two soldiers watched lazily as a team of men worked constantly at building a large stage in the center of the square.
Ilays and Jurod barely exchanged glances before one of the two soldiers in near the stage approached.
“What are you two doing?” the young soldier asked.
Ilays calmly replied, “We heard the sounds of the workers’ hammers and came to see what the commotion was about.”
The young soldier nodded slightly and explained, “This is going to be the platform for the Knight of the Black Era’s execution.”
Ilays nodded and asked, “When is that execution supposed to be?”
The young soldier looked at the two cloaked figures and shook his head.
“I think it is time that you two go on your way.” The young soldier answered.
With small nods and low bows, Jurod and Ilays dismissed themselves and meandered, seemingly aimlessly, back to their inn. Myrin and Zoan arrived later in the evening, and Zoan was ecstatic to tell of an overheard conversation in which one soldier told another that Xardan Ta’Caran was being tortured for information.
“They must be trying to get the location of the spell book.” Jurod concluded.
“And what did you find?” Myrin asked.
“The King’s Square is packed with soldiers,” Ilays informed them, “As if they’re expecting trouble there, but there are workers in the Knight’s Square building a platform that they are willingly announcing is for the execution.”
Myrin considered both possibilities, “Either could be a ploy, but a public execution of someone such as Xardan Ta’Caran will take significant planning. Building a stage is a significant expense just to change locations at the last minute.”
“But if they’re expecting rebels at the execution,” Jurod argued, “It would be a good way to convincingly throw off their attempts.”
“And if they’re expecting rebels,” Myrin retorted, “They could just as easily lay traps with the stage, turning it into a weapon of its own.”
“We could split up.” Ilays suggested, “Myrin, you and Zoan could find a window facing the King’s Square where you can get a good shot with that crossbow in case they move. Jurod and I can stay at the Knight’s Square and try to see if the stage has any unseen surprises in store for us.”
Neither Jurod nor Myrin liked the idea, but Zoan was thrilled at the idea of shooting the King himself.
“No Zoan. You’ll not be shooting the King.” Myrin informed him, “If you did, you would become a would-be-assassin with no chance of getting away fast enough. On the other hand, if you were to shoot the executioner, it might take them a little while to go after you since they’d need to kill Xardan before he regained consciousness. That is where your aim will be.”
Before Zoan could reply, Jurod rose and spoke, “We have to use the one thing we have that the King’s men don’t! We have to use our magic! Ilays, when Father Nikolas and I were fleeing Emmil’s Watch, Lewk and Justin just appeared on the road in front of us. I’ve also seen you use a similar spell to retrieve Aramill when he was falling from the wall at Learth. Would it be possible to do the same with Xardan?”
Ilays nodded slightly as she explained, “It’s called Traveling. It’s tiring, especially with multiple people, and you have to know where you’re going. It sounds easy, but knowing where you’re going isn’t just having a destination in mind; it’s actually having an intimate knowledge of your destination. Usually it’s only used for short distances. Depending on what you’re thinking, you do need to take into consideration how I acted that following day. I won’t be able to fight after using a spell like that one, so you’d be on your own at that point.”
Jurod pondered what she had said, “I have a plan.”
*
They had four days to perfect his plan before the execution date was announced, and five more days after that before they had to be ready. When the morning of the execution finally came, Myrin gave her final protests about the lunacy of the entire endeavor and took Zoan off to the Market Square.
They had decided against having Myrin and Zoan at the second square for several reasons; the largest of which were the safety of Myrin and Zoan followed closely by the fact that the two were Jurod and Ilays’ only escape method.
Jurod and Ilays had packed all their gear in case they didn’t get a chance to come back, and removed the magical Disguises so that they would not be a distraction for Ilays to maintain during the fight. Save for Tristan’s Knighthood blade, which would draw far too much attention, they were taking all of their weapons with them. Everything they left behind was to be taken by Myrin and Zoan, as Jurod’s plan had them completely across the city from the execution, trading and dealing with other merchants so that they had an alibi to get them out after Tennlka’s assassination.
Jurod strapped on all his hard leather armor he had acquired on their journey, strapped his belt of throwing knives across his chest, and shouldered his pack, leaving nothing at his hips to hinder the movement in his legs. It didn’t give him as easy access to the knives, but was still more than workable. Ilays taught him a spell to deflect arrows, making him harder to hit by the archers atop the Temple walls.
Keeping their cloaks closed and hoods raised, Jurod and Ilays walked out onto the crowded streets and pushed their way through the throng to the Knight’s Square. The stage had been completed, with the series of legs and diagonal supports completely exposed underneath. Six soldiers in Faelhart’s trappings and uniforms stood atop the stage with shields on their arms and swords at their hips. Two other men stood clad in complete plate armor with tabards of the Knighthood hanging about their shoulders. On the back of the stage, a black clad, hooded figure held the edge of an axe against a spinning sharpening stone.
Both knowing their roles, Jurod and Ilays continued to push through the crowds to either side of the stage. Jurod heard the Temple gates clamor open and turned to see a large, brown skinned giant of a man walk up onto the stage. The man looked to be one of the brutish Tyrns that Jurod had seen with Ilays in the clearing, as he towered easily a foot over the heads of any other person on the stage. His jaw formed a strong under bite with two large, tusk-like teeth on either side.
He was clad in crudely fashioned,
black dragon scale armor, with patches of leather where the scales were lacking. He carried a Lythrain gladius at each hip, and a long battle-axe in a harness on his back.
This was an element that Jurod had not anticipated.
The Tyrn moved off to Jurod’s side of the stage, and stood with his feet shoulder width apart and his arms folded in front of him. Waiting for the right moment, Jurod took advantage of the opportunity to look for other soldiers. A dozen archers stood atop the Temple walls, few enough that he and Ilays could enflame them all in seconds. Four other archers stood atop the roofs of buildings adjacent to the square, Ilays had a plan to distract them though so they weren’t an issue.
Around the perimeter of the square were no less than two dozen soldiers.
Pitiful, Jurod thought, too few for the hundreds of civilians that are going to be here and too far away to interfere with anything on the stage.
The only threats Jurod and Ilays would have to deal with then were the soldiers on the stage, the two Knights with unknown powers, and the unknown Tyrn. Jurod did take note that the gems in the Knights' blades were a purple garnet and a dark blue sapphire.
A drum roll sounded from within the Temple walls and Jurod felt Ilays Focus from across the square. The all too familiar pain rippled through Jurod as he began Focusing and a Faelhart soldier ascended the stairs onto the back of the stage. He was carrying Xardan’s sword in one hand, and leading a white-clad Xardan by a rope leash with the other. Xardan stumbled forward, barely putting one foot in front of the other properly before he was deposited on his knees before the headsman’s block. The soldier with Xardan’s sword moved to stand across the stage from the brown-skinned man.
Four Trelain soldiers ascended onto the stage next, filling various gaps on the stage that Jurod had been eyeing as weaknesses in the formations. A sharp whistle pierced the air and one of the Trelir motioned with her arm. Everyone on the stage fell to one knee, and everyone in the clearing followed suit, as Tennlka and an elegantly robed Trelir ascended the stairs together.