Nights of Villjamur (62 page)

'I taught you how to fight, but not to kill,' Randur panted. 'I promise you it's not much harder. You up for it?'

'Yes, I am,' Eir replied without hesitation, but with a look of terror on her face.

Randur indicated the soldiers now approaching, some way further along the long wall. 'Those heavy swords impede their movements, to our advantage.'

'Did you organize all this?' Rika gestured to the commotion down below. The crowds had overpowered the military and violence had spread out to the neighbouring streets. The whole chaotic scene possessed a surreal texture, spoke of the power of the people, the power of long-term resentment. What had begun with just a few dozen brawlers now absorbed hundreds, the spirit of the city changing before their eyes, generating a confidence that came from citizens rather than their rulers - a true democracy. You would soon hear these screams and shouts on the far side of the Empire.

'Den, mainly them,' Randur said, pointing to the soldiers behind. 'Not quite the time for a debate though.'

Randur then gestured for them to hurry. 'There's a boat waiting for us right now in the underground docks. We need to fight our way down to the tunnels running under the city.' He reached into his boot for a knife, which he handed to Rika. 'You may need this.'

'I am not really the kind of woman to consider violence as a solution.' Rika handed the knife back.

Be awkward, why don't you.
Randur frowned, sliding the blade back in his boot. 'Righto, my lady, but you don't mind if we kick a few arses to save your own?'

Denlin interrupted, 'City soldiers are nearly here and I'm almost out of arrows.'

Randur said, 'Rika, you stay behind us. Right, Eir, let's show this lot a little
Vitassi
.'

The pair stepped forward with their swords up at the ready. The soldiers stared at Eir with confusion, a young woman of her pampered lineage preparing to meet them in conflict. Randur utilized their momentary hesitation to lunge out and rake his blade across one face. Before retreating, Eir swiftly repeated his gesture, and Randur noted her remoteness with approval. It was never a simple thing, to wound for the first time.

Two men crumpled to the floor, another came in place. Randur slipped on the wet stone, tumbling into the other man. They rolled awkwardly, pushing each other away from their own weapons. Randur reached for the man's head, smashed his skull and kicked his body sideways off the wall.

He pushed himself up as another two soldiers shuffled forward. Eir faltered and Randur shouted for her to continue, to concentrate.

Side-by-side they were blocking blows, stepping gracefully out of the direction of strikes, and Eir learned from their opponents' mistakes, waited for them, then wiped the razor-edge of her short sword across their necks or hands, never enough for a direct kill, but they collapsed off the wall to their deaths. Every time they did Randur could see something fade within her.

Denlin warned, 'Last arrows,' and killed two more.

'Keep an eye out behind us for now, Den. Me and Eir will get rid of this lot easily.' Randur noticed how Eir seemed enhanced by his boast of how effectively they worked together, regained her composure and put her mind into a protected place. She began a series of new moves that were far too complex for the guard she now parried with, overwhelming him with pace if not strength, till a swift diagonal stroke saw him paw his throat in panic. Then she kicked his weakened legs from under him and he buckled forwards.

One by one, the opposition was decimated.

The four of them finally had a clear path to the doorway. The riot below had moved away from the gates entirely, absorbing new energy in the ancient streets nearby, and already two trails of smoke rose from the lower level of the city.

They moved to the narrow stairs, which spiralled down.

'How come there're no more guards?' Eir panted.

Breathless, Randur replied, 'Rioting . . . All the trouble on the streets . . . Weren't prepared for it to get out of hand.'

'Smart,' she gasped. 'And all Denlin's idea?'

'A master plan,' Denlin wheezed, and nearly tripped over the bow strapped across his chest.

*

The two guards standing sentry at the bottom of the stairs were dead before they even realized what was happening, and their departure was marked by a web-trail of blood against the whitewashed stone.

From then on, Denlin directed the small group along a complex of side-alleys, then down into a passage leading under the city towards Caveside, and all the time they could hear the crowds shouting in anger above them, a thousand feet thundering on a trail of devastation.

At one point Eir dropped her sword and staggered against the wall and began to cry. Randur held her in the darkness. 'What's wrong?' he asked soothingly.

'I helped kill . . . I've never done anything like that.'

'It's all right.' He'd been stupid to expect she could just take someone's life like that, without feeling anything. Denlin was just about apparent in this darkness, but the old man seemed patient and understanding. Rika was close but silent.

'You were saving your own life,' Randur whispered to her, pulling her closer to him, then helping her to her feet. 'You had no choice. I promise you that when we're out of here, you'll be fine. You'll be fine.' It wasn't a good time to tell her that she might never get over it, but she would have to block it out or they would be hunted down and slaughtered. She cried into his shoulder for several minutes whilst Denlin marched back along their route to check if they were being pursued. When Eir had calmed herself and he could feel the tension released from her body, she apologized. 'I'm being so ridiculous. Now isn't the time.'

'You're just being human.' Randur repeated over and over that she would be back to normal as soon as she was out of the city, and that she had to put it out of her mind. All the time praying that sometime soon she might begin to believe the lie herself.

*

On and on, through passageways and down steps that had become so worn they were rounded treacherously at the edges. Ancient, ancient corridors.

Denlin was relying on memory to guide them. Randur wasn't so sure of the reliability of that, but the old man had surprised him more than once. They trudged for the best part of an hour in near-darkness - and in silence, so they could hear if anyone was approaching.

Eventually: the sound of water.

'Are we close now?' Randur enquired.

Denlin said 'Yep' with satisfaction.

Eventually, bits of daylight pooled in patches, as the rock around them changed texture, and the familiar smells of Caveside became intense.

'This is it,' Denlin announced in triumph.

Eir said, 'Won't they be out looking for us?'

'Probably,' Randur replied, 'but down here is unlikely. Anyway, with all those opportunities for looting above, I think we'll find Caveside is almost empty.'

Rika interrupted, 'So we've come so far - how do we proceed?'

Denlin beckoned, 'Follow me.'

Down further hidden alleyways and along backstreets which few knew of, even in Caveside. In his heightened paranoia, the shadows moved like live things. Cats craned their heads in curiosity, leaping from wall to wall in the darkness. Randur noticed how Denlin constantly looked this way and that, and he wondered if the old man was thinking how he might never see these familiar streets again.

The Garuda's Head was unusually closed, a man slumped in front of it, either asleep or unconscious.

'Wait here,' Randur instructed the women. Eir drew her sword just in case.

The two men walked around the back of the bar, then returned with Randur's bags, and a replacement quiver of arrows.

From one bag, Randur dug out some female garments. 'Bit more stylish and probably warmer than what you've got on.'

'Thank you,' Rika said graciously, as she and her sister began pulling on layers of clothing. Randur and Denlin kept a look-out. It was strange to see Caveside so empty.

'Ready,' Rika decided at last. 'I want to tell you how truly grateful we are.'

'Sure,' Randur said, thinking that it was only for Eir he was doing this.

'Pleasure,' Denlin said. 'But not over yet. We need to sail through the caves first, and past more military stationed outside. They should be stretched, what with the riots, like, but there's bound to be a few on watch.'

'Sail?' Eir asked.

'Yep,' Randur said, 'the last of our money bought us some kind of boat. It's no longship like you're used to, but it'll get us the hell out of here.'

'Let's go then,' Denlin declared.

Randur hauled the other bag over his shoulder.

'What else have you got in there?' Eir said.

'Just my clothes. Why?'

Eir sighed.

*

The city docks at the far end of Caveside were crammed with fishing vessels, of every kind, a line of them packed in tight along the harbourside, the only safe getaway route left open for them. Randur had slipped out first in stealth and cut down two of the soldiers on patrol, dragging their bodies into the water. One fisherman turned from fixing his net, saw the incident, then waved casually before ignoring them again.

The small group climbed aboard the small boat that was waiting for them - a fishing boat offering little shelter - then pushed off. Soon the wind blustered through the caves, bringing fresher air with it.

Denlin explained, 'We'll all need to row until we can get the sails up.'

It took an immense effort to push their craft through the water.

'Bit of a step down for an Empress, this,' Denlin joked.

'I will do my bit,' Rika said. 'I am quite capable of being treated as an equal.'

An arrow pierced the water right beside them. A soldier was firing from a vantage point just ahead and to the left.

'Get down,' Randur urged the two women, and ducked down himself.

The old man brought an arrow to docking point and let fly.

It connected with stone. He repeated the action whilst the boat edged forwards. The soldier didn't dare to return fire whilst Denlin was aiming at him. 'Good thing I brought so many arrows, but I don't want to waste them on this bugger.'

Oars split the water, and helped by the current they made progress. Now they were out of view, Denlin picked up his oar to quicken their pace.

No conversation passed between them; they were all preoccupied with a determination to escape.

Ten minutes later and one of the moons became visible, the sounds of rioting became sharper, despite the greater distance. They were outside. Randur opened his bag and pulled out a couple of blankets and offered them to the women. He took time to wrap Eir up snugly, enjoying the moment of intimacy.

'You not going to wrap me up too, eh?' Denlin said. 'I'm old. I feel the cold.'

'Can we relax yet?' Randur said.

'Once the sail's up.' Denlin fiddled with ropes and set up a small mast. He unfurled a sail that snagged tight as the wind caught it, and the boat lurched. The oars were pulled in.

Randur sighed physically, and feeling mentally drained he turned to Eir, who nestled into him, her head resting under his chin. He didn't feel the need to talk right now. All he wanted to do was fall asleep beside her. All that mattered to him now was Eir. And here she was, in his arms, so things were fine.

'Where to now, then?' Denlin said, pulling him back to reality.

Randur glanced across at Rika, whose arm rested on the side of the boat as she sat gazing out to sea. She nodded vigorously, then spoke, almost to herself. 'Villiren. That's where Commander Lathraea has gone.'

'Brynd?' Eir asked, shuffling upright.

'Yes. My name needs clearing. In fact, both our names do. Chancellor Urtica has corrupted the whole city hierarchy, and now only the commander will believe me - even though the military will serve whoever's at the top. I just know he'll believe me, and do what's right. The last I heard, he was heading for Villiren. We shall find him there, and then he can advise. Ask yourself the question: can we allow Urtica to steal from us the Empire that generations of our family have ruled over? No, I'm still Empress, so it's my duty to resist him, and this is only the start of things. We can't do that from here, as we are clearly going to be outnumbered. So we need to go to Villiren.'

Randur didn't think it mattered much who led the Jamur Empire - nothing seemed to change anyway, and the Council made all the decisions. Didn't fancy explaining that to her just yet, though. Instead he muttered, 'There was me thinking I'd got the girl and that was it.'

Denlin said, 'And I can kiss goodbye to putting my feet up and growing old disgracefully.'

'Denlin, Randur - I owe you great rewards. Please, will you stay with me?'

'I'm going where the lad goes,' Denlin replied.

Randur turned to Eir. 'I go where this one goes.'

Eir shrugged. 'Well, I don't fancy being constantly hunted down and then slaughtered. So I guess we're all in this.'

Her sister leaned back with a sigh.