by John Migacz
CHAPTER 25
An hour before dawn, Dieya, Balthus and Adrianna stood once again on the northern parapet. A cold wind blew down from the mountains and Adrianna pulled the ragged old cloak closer around her. She was uncomfortable in the shabby, borrowed leather armor, but it would have to do. Balthus wore worse but had still wanted to wear his horned helmet. When she mentioned that Oldwick might be on the lookout for such a helm, he had quickly traded it for another. Balthus disguised his face by wearing a bandage, complete with a little animal blood.
Dieya peered over the parapet. “It’s completely clear on this side,” he said. “The closest sentries are those two under the first tree to the south,” he said, pointing.
Balthus looked at Dieya then back over the parapet. “My eyesight is very good, but if you can see those sentries in the dark at this distance your eyes are remarkable.”
“Yes,” smiled Dieya, “it’s one of the gifts the gods bestow on someone who doesn’t cheat at Shallcross.”
“Nice,” Balthus muttered as he pulled a grapnel out of a pack. “Are you sure you won’t stand out in that black outfit.”
Dieya smiled. “Remember the old man illusion I showed to the Duke? Anyone looking at me will only see another mercenary, poorly dressed and underfed.” Balthus opened his mouth to speak but Dieya interrupted. “No, this is not magic that the Krill can hear.”
“Reading minds is neither charming, nor polite,” said Balthus.
Dieya turned to Adrianna. “Is he always cranky when awakened early?”
“All right gentlemen, let’s get serious here,” said Adrianna, placing a hand on each of their arms. “I’d rather not walk through the enemy camp with you two exchanging witticisms.” She stroked Dieya’s arm. “On the other hand, this black cloth is rather stunning. You must tell me where you got it.”
“Now it’s getting serious,” said Balthus. He finished coiling his rope and stepped away several paces. Twirling the grapnel around his head in an ever increasing circle, Balthus threw it in a high arc that reached to the boulders on the far side of the moat before descending. The cloth-wrapped grapnel made little sound as it landed. Balthus pulled the rope taut and gave it several hard yanks, setting the hooks.
“Now comes the fun part,” he said, tying the rope around a merlon. He looped a short piece of chain over the grapnel line and held both ends. Looking back at Adrianna he said, “Don’t get your pants wet,” and jumped off the wall. His slide took him on a fast ride over the moat to the rocks where he landed safely.
“Do you get the feeling if we didn’t have to be quiet he would have yelled ‘Wheee!’ the whole way down?” she said.
Dieya smiled and nodded as he lashed his staff to his back. “Your consort is in love with life. We need more of his kind in this world.”
“One more like Balthus would be two too many.” She grinned.
Balthus had drawn his dagger and disappeared into the dark. He appeared seconds later and gestured ‘all clear.’ The slide didn’t excite Adrianna and she was glad when Balthus caught her at its end. Dieya followed, sliding noiselessly using his hands.
“Good way to ruin a nice set of gloves,” said Balthus.
“Not these.” Dieya flexed his hands inside the soft leather. “They don’t even get warm.”
“You simply must put me in touch with your tailor,” said Adrianna with a smile.
“Now,” said Balthus, cutting the grapnel rope, “if you two can stop talking fashion, we’ll find a place to hide out until breakfast.”
Adrianna grinned. “Your mind’s always on food,” she said, as they made their way deeper into the rocks.
Breakfast time in Yorburg’s camp was one of sleepy motion. The lack of discipline and the many different bands of mercenaries caused mornings to appear more like a large village bazaar than a seriously armed encampment. Balthus counted on this as he made his way to the mercenaries’ corral, cloaked with an attitude of sleepy boredom and a biscuit he had filched from a tray. A simple grunt of “out-rider duty” eased the guards’ challenge and they waved him in. He eyed two luses that looked good, but were not the best – taking the best ones might arouse suspicion. He saddled the luses and led them from the makeshift corral.
Still cautious about being recognized, he walked between the luses as he led them to the prearranged spot to meet Adrianna. I hope this plan works better than the last one, he thought.