chapter EIGHTEEN
Jake, standing near Norlan's chair in the front room, unconsciously ran his hands down the front of his silk doublet, a rich cobalt blue, making sure the buttons were properly connected for the fifth or sixth time. He had been standing there watching out of the window for Dominic for the last twenty minutes, observing the morning traffic as it went by the house on a partly cloudy day.
Norlan had been right about Madalin. When they arrived home yesterday to tell her the news, she immediately said that Jake needed better clothes if he was going to the palace and, without giving him time to object, led him to a store that had men's clothing. As Madalin and the store's owner, a friendly older woman named Jerica, brought out what seemed like a never-ending selection of clothing, Jake felt like an oversized doll as they had him to try on different garments as they discussed the best colors and styles. Finally, they settled on a dark set of pants, a fancy white shirt and the doublet. They both had gushed over how it brought out the blue in his eyes.
He tried to endure it with patience and grace, just glad that Dominic was not there to see it. Jake was at least able to get Madalin to allow him to pay for these clothes. She suggested that he consider buying some shoes, but eventually agreed that his black boots would be fine, provided he clean and polish them.
On the way back to the house, Madalin had insisted that they stop by a barbershop, so Jake could get a haircut and a proper shave. He did not mind the haircut since his hair was getting a bit long, but he was a bit concerned about getting the shave, especially since he did not have much of a beard. He tried to relax as the barber brought the straight razor to his neck, a chill running through him as the sharp blade touched his skin. In the end, the barber was good at his craft and Jake left without even a nick.
"Stop playing with it, Jake." Madalin said, intruding on his thoughts, as she sat in her chair, reading a book. "Do please sit down. You are tiring me out just watching you stand there. Dominic will get here when he gets here."
She looked over at him, her eyes twinkling, a pleased smile on her face. "You look very handsome."
"Yeah, Jake, very handsome." Cherise added with a giggle, looking up as she lay on the floor, working on a drawing.
"Thanks." Jake said, blushing slightly from the compliments as he sat down in Norlan's chair.
Madalin returned to her book as Cherise continued to scratch away on her parchment. Jake sat there, feeling both excited and nervous about going to see Keria. He started to run possible conversations in his head, trying to work out his responses so he would not sound like an idiot, babbling on.
Suddenly, he heard Maxis start barking and saw him run from the side of the house towards the front gate. Jake stood up and saw Dominic entering the yard. Maxis was running straight at him when Dominic simply stopped and looked at the dog, face calm and neutral. Maxis came to an abrupt stop, then slowly approached Dominic, head low. He crept up to Dominic's hand and stopped, waiting, tail tucked. Dominic just looked at the dog for a couple of moments, then surprised Jake by reaching out and scratching Maxis' head for a second or two. He then made a gesture and the dog happily took off back to the side yard.
Jake went to the front door and opened it as Dominic reached the porch. Dominic gave Jake an appraising look, eyebrow cocking up, taking in the fine clothes and haircut.
"Very pretty, boy." Dominic said, a light smile coming to his lips. "I'm sure that princess will find you presentable this time. You look like the other court dandies now."
Jake flushed at the remark, but before he could retort, Madalin pushed by him to confront Dominic. She stepped right up to him and poked him in the breastplate with her finger, eyes angry.
"I picked out his clothes, if you must know, Dominic." Madalin said with some heat. "You are right. I am sure the princess will find Jake the handsome young man that he is. Just because you can't recognize it, don't take it out on him."
"No offense was meant for your taste, Madalin." Dominic replied, stepping back and giving her a slight bow. Madalin face took on a concentrated look, apparently trying to decide if that was meant to be mocking. "Those are fine clothes, fit for the palace."
"However, he is still my apprentice, for lack of a better word." Dominic looked over at Jake. "Where is your sword?"
"In my room." Jake replied, confused.
"Go get it." Dominic said, gesturing towards Jake's room. Jake hurried over and retrieved his swordbelt. On a sudden impulse, he also grabbed his phone from the drawer. When he returned, he saw that Madalin, standing there with her arms crossed across her chest, continued to look unhappily at Dominic, who was simply ignoring it.
"You will wear your sword." Dominic said. "You are representing me in a way, boy, so you need to project the proper image."
"But, I'm going to see the princess." Jake said as he belted on his sword. "Won't the guards take my sword away?"
Dominic shook his head. "Guests of the royal family may bear arms in the palace, even to a private audience with the king." He fixed Jake with a hard look. "Just don't go waving it about, showing off."
"You know that Jake won't do such a thing." Madalin interjected, her voice betraying her irritation. Giving Dominic one more glare, she stepped over to Jake, a smile appearing on her face. She reached up to take his face in her hands, warm and soft. "I am certain that the princess will enjoy your visit, Jake. Just be yourself." She gave him a quick hug, then released him.
"Let's go. We shouldn't keep the princess waiting." Dominic said, turning and heading towards the gate. Jake gave Madalin a quick smile, then trotted to catch up with Dominic.
"I applaud you, boy; you have definitely won over Madalin." Dominic said, as they walked towards the palace, an amused look on his face. "You would not know it now, but she used to be concerned about me, bringing food when I was in town, fussing over my injuries, always unfailingly nice and pleasant. However, since you started training with me, it is like I sprouted fangs or been accused of some horrible crime." He gave an amused shake of his head.
As they made their way across the courtyard, passing through the crowds of people, the palace looming ahead, Jake was again struck by the uncomfortable feeling that someone was watching him, like the time before with Hailyn. He stopped, looking about, slowly turning in a circle, hand drifting unconsciously towards his sword. Other than the occasional glances directed at Dominic, he did not see anyone out of the ordinary.
When Jake turned back, he saw Dominic also scanning the crowd, his body tense and seemingly coiled to strike, hand resting lightly on his swordhilt. He had noticed Jake's movement and saw him looking about. When Jake moved back next to him, he asked softly. "What is it?"
"Probably nothing, Dominic." Jake replied, a little embarrassed to have caused Dominic to have this reaction. "I had a sudden feeling that someone was watching me." He tried to make light of it. "It was probably just someone staring at you, the famous guy."
Dominic relaxed as much as he ever did, hand coming off his sword, even though he continued to watch the crowd. Jake expected some remark about jumping at shadows, but Dominic said instead. "Don't be too quick to discount these feelings. I have seen them give men just enough warning to save their lives." He looked at Jake and asked. "Is this the first time this has happened?"
Jake shook his head. "I felt it once before." He proceeded to tell Dominic about the time with Hailyn. He mentioned the older man he thought he saw looking at him, but that it was only a quick glance. When he finished, Dominic did not say anything at first; he simply continued to walk towards the palace.
"Let me know if this happens again. I don't believe in coincident." Dominic said quietly. He turned his head to look at Jake, eyes serious. "It may not be anything, but I think that you need to stay on guard when you are away from the house or smithy, heading to or coming from our training sessions. I will start asking some questions around the city, to see if I can determine any threat."
They continued on and reached the palace gates. Dominic went to the guards on duty and spoke quietly with them; the guards stepped aside and let them through. Dominic led Jake into the palace where they were met by a stooped old man, his wispy hair pure white, dressed in palace finery, carrying a polished cane.
"Greetings, Lord Dominic." The old man said, voice gravelly, and gave Dominic a sight bow. "I am to take your charge to the princess."
"Just Dominic, Lord Wendel." Dominic replied, returning the bow. "Here is the princess' guest; his name is Jake."
Dominic turned to Jake. "This is Lord Wendel, the Royal Chamberlain. Don't be fooled by his grandfatherly appearance; he may be the most powerful man in the kingdom. Not only does he have continuous access to the king, he knows all of the royal secrets."
"You give a humble servant too much credit, Dominic." Wendel said, chuckling. "I must say that we have missed you at court."
"I cannot say that I have missed court life, Wendel, but you were always kind and helpful to a foolish young man." Dominic replied seriously. Jake could see that the Dominic's sentiment was honestly held.
"You honor me, Dominic." Wendel said, giving Dominic another bow. "I should take young Jake to the princess now. Do not worry, Dominic, I will make sure he is cared for."
"I just need a final word with my charge, then I will leave him in your capable hands, Wendel. If you will excuse us?" Dominic replied, indicating the need for some space. Wendel gave Dominic a smile and shuffled several paces away, leaning on his cane.
Dominic turned to Jake, leaning in close, face serious. "Be careful, boy." He said softly. "Remember what Jonas told you; there may be other agendas here. Don't commit to anything. If you are directly asked to do something, simply tell that person that you need to discuss it with Jonas or myself first. Understood?" Jake nodded his assent. "After your visit, go back to the house and change into suitable clothes for our training session this afternoon. Just keep your eyes open and wits about you when you are alone."
Dominic stepped back and said in a normal voice, for Wendel's benefit, Jake was sure. "Be respectful to the princess; never forget that how you conduct yourself reflects on me. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Dominic." Jake said, trying to sound chastised.
"He is all yours, Wendel." Dominic said as he turned and left the palace.
"Come, young Jake." Wendel said kindly. "We should not keep the princess waiting."
His cane tapping on the floor, Wendel led Jake down several marble-floor hallways, then up a flight of wide stone stairs with polished wooden rails. The stairs ended at a large landing with several corridors leading off from it, with Royal Guards stationed at each entrance. Wendel led Jake down the center corridor, nodding to the guards as they passed. They came to open hall, with paintings and wall hangings lining the walls, sofas and chairs providing seating and windows at the ends that let in the outside light. In the wall across from the corridor, a set of large wooden double-doors were closed. Wendel went across to the doors and rapped on them with his cane.
"Who is it?" A female voice asked from the other side.
"Lord Wendel, with the guest of the princess, a young man named Jake." Wendel replied.
One of the doors opened to reveal a young woman, dark haired and pretty, dressed in the livery of the palace. She smiled and gave a quick curtsy to Wendel. "Thank you for bringing him, Lord Wendel. I will escort him to the princess from here."
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Jake." Lord Wendel said, patting Jake on the shoulder. "I hope you enjoy your visit." He gave the young woman a wink and headed back down the corridor.
"Hello, Jake." The young woman said with a nod of her head. "I am Nataly, personal assistant to the princess. Please follow me." She gestured through the doors.
Jake entered into a brightly painted room, with high ceilings and paintings and flowers decorating the room. There were several other doorways along the walls, leading to other rooms, no doubt. Across the room, opposite the doors Jake entered, was another set of ornately carved double-doors. Nataly went over to those doors, lighting knocking on them.
"Yes?" Jake could hear Keria's muffled voice come through the doors.
"Jake is here, Your Highness." Nataly replied.
The doors opened and Keria strode in from the other room. Jake caught a glimpse of a large bed before Nataly closed the doors, flushing a bit when he realized that was Keria's bedroom. That was quickly forgotten as Keria approached with a smile on her face. She was dressed in a green silk dress that highlighted her beautiful eyes. The dress was somewhat low-cut and it clung to her figure, emphasizing her body. Jake was mesmerized and could not take his eyes off her. He realized that he was staring at her bosom, tried to look away quickly, then flushed again when he saw that Keria noticed. However, she did not look upset; her smile deepened.
"Hello, Jake." Keria said, stepping close and taking Jake's hand, her perfume filling his nose. "I'm pleased that you were finally able to make it."
"I'm glad as well, Keria." Jake said, giving her a slight bow and trying to keep his eyes on her face.
"Let's go out on the patio to talk." Keria said, holding his hand and leading him towards one of the doors. "The weather is nice today. Nataly, please bring some punch." Nataly nodded and hurried out one of the other doors.
Keria led Jake out to a covered patio that looked out over the city. There were several stone benches clustered together near the outer wall, allowing the occupants to talk while enjoying the view. Keria chose one of the benches to sit on and pulled Jake down next to her.
"Isn't this pleasant, Jake?" She said with a smile, green eyes sparkling.
"It is very nice, Keria." Jake replied, losing himself in those eyes. Her closeness made him a bit nervous, though.
"Now that we have some time, why don't you tell me about yourself." Keria said, as Nataly appeared with a silver tray with a large pitcher and two silver cups. Nataly poured punch into the two cups, set them next to Keria and Jake, then departed at a little gesture from Keria.
Taking a sip of the punch, Jake told Keria about how he came to this world and his journey from the Forest to Sanduas. She patted his hand as he recalled his flight from the half-men.
"You were very brave, Jake." She said, giving his hand a squeeze. "Not many have escaped from the half-men."
He told of his rescue by Dominic and his trip here. He stopped when he got to the palace. "You know what happened then." He said. A thought came to him. "Keria, why is it that your father and Dominic don't get along?"
"Do you know about Dominic's past?" Keria asked.
"Some." Jake replied. "I know about his commands and that he had a wife and child."
Keria nodded sadly. "That is why there is tension between them. I was very young when it happened, but my mother told me about it. Dominic was Commander of the Army at the time and had led some forces out against a large group of half-men and demons in the hills south of the city. During the fighting, word came that a small band had slipped past the army and was headed towards Dominic's home, where his wife and child were. Fearing for their lives, he abandoned his command and rode to try to save them. He got there too late; they had been killed. When he returned to the city, he was wounded with that terrible scar."
"Due to the nature of the incident and his long faithful service, my father would have forgiven him for that reckless act, but Dominic blamed my father for taking him away from his family. They exchanged heated words in public, words that are not normally said to kings. Only the intervention of my mother and Brother Jonas kept it from becoming worse. Since then, there is no love lost between them."
"That explains some things." He said quietly.
Keria suddenly giggled naughtily. "My mother was always supportive of Dominic. I think it was because she had chased after him when they were young, before she married my father."
Glad that the conversation was moving to a happier subject, Jake asked. "Is your mother away? I have not seen the queen around."
Keria's smile faded. "No, Jake. My mother died several years ago." Keria replied sadly.
"I'm so sorry, Keria." Jake said quickly, aghast at his bringing up a painful subject. "I didn't know."
"That's ok, Jake. I know." Keria said, her smile returning and taking his hand. "I think my mother would have liked you." She paused, then asked. "What about your parents, Jake? Do you have any brothers and sisters?"
He told her about his family and tried to explain aspects of his home, but decided it was easier to show her instead. He pulled out his phone and powered it up. He saw that the battery was getting really low; he would soon have no power left, but wanted to impress Keria. He had her listen to some music, then went to his photos. She scooted closer as he showed her pictures of his family and friends, her head almost touching his, distracting him with her closeness.
"May I take your picture, Keria?" He asked impulsively. She nodded and he stood up and stepped back, getting her whole body into the frame, with the city as the background. After he took it, he sat back down next to her and showed her. She made a comment that it was not the most flattering image, but Jake assured her that she was beautiful.
"That is very kind, Jake." She said, affecting a demure look. "You look very handsome today. I like the way that the color of your doublet brings out the blue in your eyes."
Jake blushed at the compliment, which brought a giggle from Keria. She took his hand into hers again, looking into his eyes, waiting for him to say or do something. When he did not move, she leaned in, mouth slightly parted. Jake was sure she wanted him to kiss her.
Suddenly sweating from nervousness, he hesitated. When he finally started to move in to kiss her, the door suddenly opened and Nataly came running over. "Princess, the King is coming!" She panted, undoubtedly from running here. Muttering a curse, Keria leapt up and hurried over to the bench facing Jake's, quickly smoothing her dress. She gave Jake a look that said to go along.
No more than a few seconds later, the king walked out onto the patio. He came over to where they were sitting. Jake followed Keria's example and rose, bowing to the king when he stopped.
"Hello, Father." Keria said, coming over and kissing him on the cheek. "I was just having a most wonderful discussion with Jake."
"I am glad to hear it, Keria." The king replied with a slight smile for his daughter. "I hate to shorten your fun, but I would like to talk with the young man myself."
"Of course, Father." Keria said. She held out her hand towards Jake. "We will have to do this again, Jake."
Jake took her hand and bowed, lightly kissing the back of it. "It was my pleasure, Princess. I am always at your service." He said, trying to sound formal for the king.
"Come along, Jake." The king said, heading back towards the door. Jake traded a quick glance with Keria, who gave him a frustrated little smile and gestured for him to follow her father. Jake settled in beside the king, keeping a half step back.
"As a father, I am always glad to see my daughter happy, Jake." The king said as they headed down the corridor to the stairs. "As king, however, I have to think of more practical things. Do you understand?"
"I think so, Your Majesty." Jake lied, confused.
"Keria is the princess of the realm, Jake." The king continued as he looked over at Jake, clearly indicating that he did not believe Jake understood. "She will be queen someday and has obligations to the realm. You may not know this, but her husband will be chosen for her, a husband in the best interests of the realm." Jake did not know what to say, so they walked in silence until they reached the bottom of the stairs.
The king sighed, then spoke. "While I would like her to love that person, she will have to do what is required of her. I cannot have her believing it will be any other way." He stopped near a doorway in the hall and motioned for a guard to come over.
"Everything I have heard about you indicates that you are a good and fine young man, Jake." The king said. "This is not a reflection on you. However, I must ask you to stay away from my daughter. I know her and I want to avoid either of you getting hurt."
He turned to the guard. "Please escort my daughter's guest to the courtyards." He said as he kindly patted Jake on the shoulder and went through the door.
Jake followed the guard in stunned silence. He had never been told to stay away from anyone; it was most definitely an odd feeling.
As he was crossing the palace grounds to the gates, he saw Marcus standing with a group of other young nobles. When Marcus noticed Jake, he gave him a self-satisfied smile and a mocking wave. Jake gritted his teeth in frustration, but did not say anything as the guard led him to the gates.
He crossed the courtyard in a huff, thinking dark thoughts about Marcus, wishing he had a way to wipe the smirk off that a*shole's face. He moved fast, not paying attention to his surroundings, wrestling with his emotions. As he walked off some of his tension, he could feel his anger level come down. As he calmed down, his thoughts returned to Keria, especially remembering that dress.
As he turned down an alley that he used as a shortcut, Jake was lost in his thoughts of what had happened at the palace. He wished he had leaned in to kiss Keria, especially since the king was clear that he would never have the opportunity again. He gave a huge sigh, regretting the missed chance.
He had just a moment's warning, a sense that something was not right, when he heard the footsteps of someone rapidly approaching him from behind. He turned just in time to see a masked man closing with him, a metal capped club in his hand, raised to strike.
Jake dove, throwing himself to the side as the club whistled past. Tucking his shoulder, he rolled over and came back to his feet, drawing his sword as he did. His attacker was quick, already adjusting to Jake's position, club swinging again. Jake was forced to leap away, ducking to avoid the club again, trying to keep his swordpoint towards the attacker as Dominic taught him.
As his attacker came at him again, Jake stepped to the side, ducking as he swung his sword. He felt a sudden tug as the blade made contact, hearing the man gasp. This time, however, he was not fast enough to avoid the club as he felt sudden pain blossom as it clipped him on the side of his head.
Jake's knees suddenly felt wobbly as he spun to face his opponent. He was lightheaded and could feel warm blood flowing down his head, past his ear and onto his neck. He forced himself to focus, trying to will steadiness back into his body.
His attacker was a few feet away, clutching his side with his free hand, blood staining his hand and clothes. He was more cautious now, watching Jake's sword as Jake struggled to keep it on him. Jake drew in some deep breaths to settle his legs, as he tried to anticipate the next move.
His attacker started to move to his side, club weaving, trying to get past Jake's sword, when sudden shouts came from the end of the alleyway. His attacker looked past Jake, spat out a curse, and turned and ran, still clutching his side. He made it to the main street, turning and disappearing from sight.
Relieved, his body suddenly shaking from what just happened, Jake fell to his knees, bracing himself on his sword, the point pressing against the road. He turned his head to see two soldiers running up to him, swords drawn. They came up to him, asking what had happened, eyes roaming up and down the alley for any threats.
Reassured by their presence, he told them that he was Dominic's apprentice and had been attacked. Hearing Dominic's name, the soldiers quickly offered assistance. They agreed that one would take him to the Temple while the other would find the area's watch captain to inform him about the attack. They helped Jake back to his feet, allowing him to sheath his sword while the one taking him to the Temple threw Jake's arm over his shoulder to support him.
Shortly, Jake found himself in the healing clinic at the Temple. A middle-aged female cleric, who had a kind demeanor, smiling and reassuring Jake, attended to his wound. After the healing, Jake was sitting on the bench, allowing an apprentice cleric to wipe away the blood, when Dominic came in, face stony, followed closely by Hailyn.
"What happened, boy?" Dominic demanded, grasping Jake's chin, looking closely at Jake's face. Hailyn told the other apprentice to leave, pulled Dominic's hand from Jake and, sitting close, took over cleaning him up.
Jake told him about the attack, having to repeat the events over and over again as Dominic asked questions, tried to get every little detail. Despite his dispassionate questioning, Jake did see something like approval in Dominic's eyes when he mentioned wounding his attacker.
"You survived; that is what is important." Dominic said, after he finished his questions. He stood there for a moment, hand gripping his sword. "We need to work on your aggression, though. You missed a couple opportunities to take the advantage."
"That can wait, Dominic." Hailyn said tartly, looking at him disapprovingly. She continued to gently wipe away the remaining blood. "Jake needs to get out of these soiled clothes and rest."
Dominic looked down at her, an amused look in his eyes. "Whatever you say, Sister." He said mockingly, giving her a little bow. Hailyn flushed at the remark, but did not answer.
"I'm going to find Jonas." Dominic stated, heading towards the door. He called another apprentice over and sent her to get Norlan. He turned back to Jake. "We need to discuss this. Wait here until I return."
...
Captain Stradford stopped his horse near the edge of the woods, looking down at the meadow, a light green oasis in the wooded hills, the grass rich and thick as the sunlight danced across it, dappled in the shadows of the clouds passing above. It was just as Martis had described it.
Stradford had grown close to the man over the last several weeks, meeting him before and after duty. He did not have many close friends, so it was nice to have a male confidant. After Stradford had mentioned the tensions with his wife, Martis had suggested that a picnic away from the city may be what they needed. He said he had passed through this meadow when he got turned around in the woods and it was a very peaceful place.
He glanced over at his shoulder to watch his wife and young daughter ride up on their other horse. His wife, a slender and pretty woman with long brown hair, seemed pleased by the choice, a happy smile on her face, her brown eyes sparkling. His eight-year-old daughter, whom he felt took after his wife, was restless and fidgeting, clearly ready to get off the horse.
Hopeful that the rest of the day would continue his wife's good mood, Stradford climbed off his horse, tying the reins to a nearby tree and went to help his daughter and wife down. After securing their horse, he helped his wife set up the picnic blanket and lay out the meal while their daughter played nearby, laughing and running about. Stradford ran out after her, playing and chasing her around until his wife called out that the food was ready.
They slowly ate their meal, enjoying the beautiful day. After finishing the meal, Stradford sat listening to his daughter tell a story about her day in school while his wife smiled happily as she put the plates and utensils into a bag to take back to wash. After their daughter said something that caused Stradford to laugh loudly, his wife glanced over at him, clearly glad that he was spending time with their daughter. Stradford was watching her face, appreciating her beauty, feeling the tension fading between them, when he saw her look past him, eyes going wide with horror, a scream bursting from her throat.
Stradford started to leap up when rough hands grabbed him, wrestling with him to pin his arms behind his back, tie them with a rope and pull him to his feet. He saw several rough-looking men in dark leather pants and shirts, with rings of metal sewn in, armed with swords and daggers. They all had that slightly crazed look in the eyes that he had always been told about: half-men! They had him secured; his only weapon was his sword that was hanging uselessly from the saddle on his horse.
They had seized his daughter and wife as well, their wails of terror ringing across the hills. The man who had his daughter simply put his hand over her mouth to muffle her cries. Another slapped his wife across the face to stop her.
To Stradford's surprise, his wife lashed out with her leg, kicking the man in the groin. He staggered back, holding himself and cursing, while the others laughed.
"You shouldn't have done that." The man rasped at Stradford's wife, as he recovered and drew his dagger. "Now I will make you scream for real." The man advanced on her, murder in his eyes. "Hold her still." The man told the others holding her.
Stradford cried out, renewing his struggle against his captors, desperate to get free. He was struck on the back of his head, causing him to collapse to his knees, helpless as the man brought the dagger up to his wife's face, the point next to her eye.
Suddenly, a bolt of dark energy streaked past Stradford, its passing sounding as if the very air was ripping apart, coming from behind him, striking the man threatening his wife. It blasted him away from her, surrounding him, consuming him in its dark fire. The man screamed briefly, a cry full of agony, then collapsed into a smoldering heap. The horses reared and cried out, struggling to get free of their restraints.
"I told you idiots that they were not to be harmed. If I have to explain that again, I will leave your corpses here for the crows." A cold, inhuman voice said from behind Stradford. The sound of it chilled him to the core. "Bring them into the trees."
Stradford was half-dragged and half-carried into the shade of the trees. He was thrown to the ground, his wife pushed down next to him. As he tried to rise, he heard that terrible voice say. "Bring me the girl." Stradford could hear the gibbering terror coming from his daughter. He forced himself to get up to his knees.
Standing a few feet away from him was a short figure in a cowled robe, the cowl thrown back to reveal its scaly face. Stradford felt as if his insides had turned to water, terror rising up as his mind screamed "Demon!".
The demon was holding his daughter with one of its clawed hands. She looked at her father in terror, her wide eyes crying out for him to rescue her, wordless noises coming from her mouth.
"You are the night commander of the West Gate, are you not?" The demon asked Stradford, fixing him with those black eyes.
"Y...y...es, I am." Stradford replied, shuddering, his teeth chattering from fear.
"Do you know of the boy that trains with the warrior Dominic?"
"Only what everyone knows. I have never met him." Stradford replied, trying to fight down his terror.
"We want that boy. You will help us get him." The demon said, eyes boring into Stradford's.
"I don't know how I can." Stradford stated. His concern for his family overwhelmed him. "I will make an attempt to capture him, if you let my family go."
"I don't need you to capture him. We will do that ourselves." The demon replied, a cruel smile on its face. "All I need you to do is let us into the city. If you do that, I will make sure your family stays unharmed and are returned to you."
"You are asking me to betray my people." Stradford said bitterly, torn between his loyalty and his family.
"We have no interest in your people." The demon said. "We only want the boy. You will simply open the gate after dark so a small group can sneak in and take the boy. Once we have him, I swear to you that we will leave your city in peace."
"I'll need time to make this happen." Stradford said, mind racing to think of a way out of this.
"You have three days." The demon said, gesturing for his bindings to be cut. Stradford was hauled to his feet. "Just remember that we have your family. You do not want me to lift my protection of them." It ran a claw gently across his daughter's throat, almost a caress. "Do you understand?"
Stradford could only nod.
...
Martis threw his bucket of water on the paving stones in the alley, watching the water wash the evidence down into the sewer drain, while he heard Ranech, wheezing, squat and fasten the door to the secret compartment on the underside of the wagon. He disliked doing physical labor, but sometimes he did not have a choice. With a sigh, he headed back over to the water trough to get another bucket.
He had sent Frader to meet with the demon's followers to see if his hard work paid off, along with a message about what he had learned from the other apprentice smith, as well as the boy's trip to the palace. He had been a bit surprised by that, considering Dominic's well-know distaste for the royals.
Nothes had told them about it when he returned, clutching the wound from his foolish attempt to take the boy. Martis was furious that Nothes had disobeyed his order to only follow the boy and report on his movements. Nothes had chafed at that restriction, constantly arguing that the rewards would be greater if they were the ones to deliver the boy. Martis knew that to try and take the boy here in the city would only bring unwanted attention; he planned to be a supplier of information only, not a hunted man.
Martis kept his anger hidden while dressing Nothes' wound, assuring him that he appreciated intuitive. Knowing Frader's fondness for Nothes, Martis had waited a good thirty minutes to make sure he was gone before he helped Nothes into the alley, telling him that he was sending him into hiding, then watched as Ranech cut his throat.
Martis still could not believe the idiot had come back here. If he had simply gone to ground, sending Martis a message, he might still be alive. Nothes had known that Martis did not want anything to connect him to the boy.
Martis threw the water on remaining blood still on the ground, making sure that it carried to the drain. Ranech finished securing the wagon, then climbed on, setting the wagon into motion. Martis wiped his brow as he watched Ranech depart. Ranech did have his uses; he would dispose of the body far from the city.
Martis made sure all of the blood was gone, then went to sit in the shade of the doorway. He found himself nodding off as he leaned back in the chair, visions of riches filling his mind. Soon, he was snoring away.
He came awake as the sound of hooves ringing on the stones got louder. The light was low, so he estimated it was late afternoon, near sunset. He stuck his head out to see Frader coming up the alley to where Martis was sitting.
"Well?" Martis asked.
"They have the soldier's family." Frader replied. He pulled a message from his belt. "I was told to give you this." He said as he handed it to Martis.
While Martis opened the message, Frader asked. "Where are Nothes and Ranech?"
While his fingers continued to work, Martis looked over at Frader and met his eyes. Nothing was spoken, but Frader understood. "I see" was all he said as he turned back to his horse.
Martis looked down at the message. He felt a chill surge through his body as he read it. He called to Frader, telling him to gather their supplies and find him a horse. They were leaving now, before the gates closed; they would find Ranech outside the city. As Frader hurried to comply, Martis looked at the message again.
Scrawled in an unusual angular script was a single sentence. "We are coming for the boy."