Brankin Huoh

  Tagan had never been to this part of the Citadel before. As far as he knew it was reserved for special guests and it would normally be an older boy attending to their needs. That might explain the trepidation he felt as he walked down the hall, glancing at the doors as they passed, looking for his destination. There were only a handful of rooms on this floor and he spotted the one he was searching for and approached it. Tagan felt out of place up here and tapped on the door with timid knocks. He could hear noise coming from inside. Someone was walking toward the door. Taking a deep breath, he stood himself up tall wanting to make a good impression on the person staying in the room. The door opened a crack, wide enough for one eye to look out. It was an eye that he recognized.

  Braulor didn't wait for Tagan to enter the room. He flung the door open, reached out and grabbed Tagan's tunic and dragged him inside, the food cart trailing along behind in Tagan's hand. With Tagan inside the room, Braulor took a quick look up and down the hall, making sure that nobody was watching and shut the door, bolting it for good measure.

  They stood looking at each other before Tagan broke the ice. "I thought you were gone. I went to your cell and it was empty."

  "That guard brought me up here before the afternoon meal. I wasn't expecting it." Braulor shrugged his shoulders, still bewildered by his meeting with Alrei Yqu.

  "I saw your name on the execution list so I thought maybe...you know." Tagan trailed off not wanting to voice the rest of his thoughts.

  "Execution." Braulor’s eyes sprang open wide. He wasn't dumb enough to think that the Citadel didn't want him out of their hair permanently but he was sure he would be given a trial of some sort, even if it was only for show. "I suppose they were getting tired of me as a houseguest."

  "Why do they want to execute you? What did you do?"

  "I’m a part of the Greejon clan. That's reason enough in the eyes of the Citadel." Braulor paused. "Do you know why you're here?"

  "Well, I was selected at the induction ceremony for training. It seemed strange to me because I didn't seem to be the type they would choose."

  "No, you don't seem the type the Citadel usually takes, but there is something more."

  Tagan came up blank as he tried to reason it out.

  Before Tagan could say anything further Braulor spoke up. "I was tasked with getting you out of the Citadel. It seems you have an ability that is a benefit of all the people of Brankin Huoh."

  "How do you know about that?" Tagan was shocked that Braulor knew of his ability to see into Quanna Eresse. His parents were the only ones he ever told.

  "I was sent by a man; at least I think he is a man. His name is Alrei Yqu. He is a shaman or seer of some sort. He knew that you were going to be inducted and it was because of your ability. The Citadel wants you here where they can keep an eye on you."

  "I have never heard of Alrei Yqu."

  "What is this ability that he speaks of?"

  Tagan hesitated but the urge to talk about it was too strong. "Well, I can see into another world, if you can call it that."

  "Another world?” Braulor was unsure exactly what that meant. “Do you mean heaven?"

  "No, it is this realm,” Tagan said, indicating the space around him, “but there is another level or dimension to it that people don't see. I do."

  Braulor looked at Tagan while he tried to massage what he just heard into some sort of workable idea, something he could comprehend. Another world layered on top of this one that only Tagan can see? If it wasn't for his own ability to feel life force from things such as trees, there is no way he would have believed such a thing was possible. Braulor opened his mouth to ask one of the dozens of questions that were bouncing around in his brain about Tagan’s ability and then he remembered their situation. "Well, you can tell me more about that later. For now we have to get out of the Citadel. How well do you know your way around?"

  "I have good knowledge of the lower levels. This is the first time I have been up here."

  "Hmmm. No shortcut passages or anything like that?"

  "The front gates are the only way in or out that I know of."

  "There must be another way." Braulor took to the chair once again, deep in thought.

  "All the supplies they bring in. They must send stuff back out again. Barrels, casks, crates. That sort of thing," Braulor said, continuing his thought process out loud.

  Tagan was wandering around the room taking in its splendor. "Uhhmm. Yes. You're right. They do send some things back for refills."

  The base of a plan was starting to form in Braulor's mind. "And where would that be?"

  "The lower levels, near the kitchen."

  Braulor stood up so fast it startled Tagan. "Is it heavily guarded down there?"

  "The room itself is not heavily guarded but we would have to make our way down there without being seen." Tagan came to a stop as he started to catch on to Braulor’s idea.

  Braulor started pacing around the room. Tagan was right. He didn't know what floor they were on but judging from the view out the window they were at one of the highest parts of the Citadel. Getting to the lower levels without being seen would be difficult, if not impossible. As this was the only working plan they had, there was no choice but go with it. Braulor stopped pacing and stood staring at the cart Tagan was using for his food deliveries and smiled. He marched over to the bed and pulled back the comforter, dragging it onto the floor. Next he took a sheet from the bed and draped it over the cart and stood back. It would be cramped for sure but he would have to tough it out until they got to the lower floor. He shared his idea with Tagan and a few moments later Braulor had stuffed himself into the underside of the chart, the sheet tucked around the cart like it was glued in place.

  Tagan struggled as he wheeled the cart out the door and down the hall. Braulor was heavy, making the cart difficult to push and even harder to maneuver. It took some time but Tagan was able to master the peculiarities of the cart with its hidden payload.

  Braulor hated being trapped like this. It was so quiet and dark he felt blind. His only company was Tagan's soft footfalls and the creak of the cart as they made their way down the hall.

  Braulor’s idea was to conceal himself under the cart and have Tagan get the cart down to the levels where stock was stored. Once there, they would have to assess the situation. He was hoping that there would be something that was being sent out that was large enough for them to hide in. Once outside the Citadel they could escape on foot out of the city. Braulor learned that Tagan had to use a dumb waiter to get his food cart up to this level. It was how linens and other supplies were moved up and down the heights of the Citadel and it was the only way Braulor could think of to get to the lower levels without being seen.

  Of course, it wasn’t a foolproof idea and there were concerns about using the dumb waiter as a means of escape. Braulor wasn't sure it could handle the weight of a full grown man as it was designed for light duty work. They took as many things off the cart as they could to lighten it up but had to leave some crockery on it to help with their disguise. Another problem was that once the cart was on the waiter and lowered down Tagan would have to get down to the lower level to retrieve it before anyone else did and removed the sheet that was covering Braulor. This was the part that concerned Braulor the most so they had decided they would do it in stages. Tagan would lower him down one floor then join him there to lower him down the next floor and so on until they reached the bottom. It offered the least chance of someone else intercepting the cart at the bottom.

  The cart came to a stop. "I'm loading you into the dumb waiter now," Tagan whispered.

  This was the crux of their whole plan. If the dumb waiter couldn’t hold him then, hopefully, he would be able to get out and they could come up with something else. Braulor shuddered to think what would happen if he couldn’t get out and the waiter failed. He took a deep breath and braced himself. He heard a door open and everything went pitch black as he was wheeled into the waiter and the door shut behi
nd him.

  The pulley creaked and groaned as it came to life, lowering Braulor inch by inch. So far so good anyway, it seemed to be able to handle his weight. The lift came to a halt and all was quiet. Braulor waited for what felt like an eternity before he heard another whisper. "Ok. Here we go again." And the cart started to descend once more. In this fashion they made it to the next floor and down a third floor.

  "Only a few floors left," Tagan whispered encouragingly as he made to lower the waiter down a fourth time.

  "What are doing there boy?" a heavy voice hollered, echoing up and down the hall.

  Braulor stiffened, praying Tagan would be able to talk his way out the situation.

  "I’m sending this cart down to the kitchens. It’s empty." Tagan was as non-chalant as he could be.

  "Well get it offa there boy. There's a meeting going on down this hall and they need their dirty dishes taken away," the voice said, closer now.

  "Uhhmm. Isn't Huofril on duty here?" Tagan looked around hoping. He was on good terms with Huofril and Tagan was sure that he would allow him to continue on his way.

  "I don't care who is supposed to be on duty here boy. Lozan himself is in that meeting and if he wants the dishes gone, they're gone. Now get that cart offa there and take care of it or I'll make life difficult for you."

  The guard was nose to nose with Tagan at this point, his snarl showing many yellow teeth. Tagan had no choice but to obey. He opened the door to the dumb waiter, taking as long as he dared to give Braulor time to get set.

  "Hey, Droinj, what are you doing? Get back here and relieve me."

  Droinj turned and bellowed back. "Ok Huofril. I’m taking care of an order from Lozan. Get those dishes now boy," he demanded, whipping his head back around to glare at Tagan before stomping off to the guard station.

  Tagan thought briefly about pushing the cart back on the lift and continuing on their way but abandoned that idea as Droinj leaned around a nearby corner, scowling at him like he could sense what Tagan was thinking.

  "What's going on Tagan?" Braulor whispered as the door to the lift opened. Braulor had to blink at the unexpected light.

  "This guard spotted me and he is making me go pick up some dishes from a room nearby," Tagan whispered back.

  "This won't work Tagan. Where are you going to put the dishes?"

  "I don't know. I have no choice. The guard is watching me like a hawk." Tagan’s heart was pounding all the way up in ears.

  The cart rolled down the hallway, Tagan dragging his feet while he tried to come up with a plan. He had to get Braulor out from the cart before he went into the room to gather the dishes as he was ordered. That much was obvious. But Droinj kept peering around the corner watching Tagan and making it difficult for him to do anything.

  The room Droinj had indicated was located at the far end of the hall. Tagan could see other doors nearby and thought about ducking inside one to offload Braulor. He glanced back over his shoulder and he didn’t see Droinj watching him. He must have gone back to his duties, Tagan hoped, feeling a little relieved.

  Tagan started trying door handles as he walked, looking for an open one. Every handle he tried was locked and he was growing more and more anxious as the meeting room loomed ahead. He could hear the Jaswulder falls rushing outside the window at the end of the hall, water crashing into the basin far below. It was pounding almost as strong as his heart.

  "Tagan, you have to get me out of here." Braulor was also becoming frantic, his voice sounding sing-songy. It felt like he was trapped in a tomb.

  The door to the meeting room opened and Olkuu exited. He stopped and looked at Tagan then furrowed his brow at the cart covered with a bed cloth. Without a word he motioned for Tagan to go inside but continued staring at the cart as they passed as if he had x-ray vision.

  This was it. There was no turning back. In a few moments their whole plan would be discovered. Braulor would be dragged off and killed. No waiting for the next execution day this time. Tagan would be lucky if he wasn’t executed right beside him for abetting a prisoner.

  Tagan gulped as he walked in the room. Nobody took any notice of him as he entered. A fire was blazing in the fireplace, adding to the heat being generated by the bodies within. There were about fifteen people gathered inside. He could tell by the robes and jewels they wore that they were dignitaries and important people. His eyes came to rest on a large, man. He was taller than the rest, muscular too but with scaly looking skin. Tagan hadn’t seen anybody that looked like that before. Kyriu stared back at him so hard that Tagan had to look away to ward off the feeling that the man could see right through him and he surveyed the room, his head sweeping back and forth, looking for the dishes he was there to collect. He wanted to get on with his job and get out of there before Braulor was discovered.

  Kyriu’s mind was racing as Lozan blathered at him. He stared at Tagan, wishing he could see through the sheet that was over the cart.

  The men were taking a break and several of them refilled their tankards with ale or mead and then clustered in a tight group, laughing and joking.

  Tagan began collecting the dirty crockery from the table and placing it on the cart going as fast he could without drawing attention to himself.

  As Tagan was gathering another load of dishes from the table, Olkuu appeared in the doorway. He stood still, glaring at Tagan and then walked straight to the cart and wrenched the blanket covering it away, sending the dishes that were on it crashing to the floor. The group of men stopped talking at once, startled. "Guards, guards," he screamed as Braulor wrestled himself out of his hiding spot and jumped to his feet.

  Braulor could hear the guard’s boots pounding down the hall toward them. There wasn’t much time. He cast about trying to locate something he could use as a weapon. Anything. His eyes fell upon a sheathed broadsword hanging from the back of a nearby chair and he pounced. Braulor pulled it from its scabbard, grabbed Tagan around the neck with his free arm and started backing away from the group. He scanned the room recognizing one or two of the men as rulers of neighboring regions and clans. What are they doing here?

  Droinj and Huofril came bursting in the door, weapons drawn, and assessed the situation.

  "Kill the prisoner," Lozan barked at them, pointing directly at Braulor, "but do not harm the boy."

  The assembled dignitaries backed off, away from the expected melee, giving the guards a wide berth to do their duty.

  Droinj and Huofril each hitched a sneer in place and advanced on Braulor and Tagan. Braulor was right behind Tagan making it difficult for them to attack one but not the other. Droinj and Huofril separated and started approaching Braulor and Tagan from different angles.

  Braulor's head was whipping back and forth trying to track each of their progress. Huofril, on the right, was inching closer. Droinj, on the left, was moving slower but he was also blocking the door. Braulor readied for the fight. He could feel Tagan shaking against him but could do nothing for him. Once Braulor let Tagan go, they were both on their own.

  Braulor shoved Tagan down to the ground and attacked. He swung a heavy blow with the broad sword he had procured at Huofril, who blocked it with his shield. Braulor dove onto the table to avoid the retaliatory blow, Huofril’s mace demolishing a chair behind him instead of his skull. Braulor was trying to get his footing on the table but kept slipping on the plates and bowls that Tagan had been sent to clean up. He started kicking them at Huofril who blocked them and moved to intercept Braulor.

  Droinj had retreated a ways, caught up in watching the action, and now was trying a new path that would let him sneak up on Braulor from behind.

  Tagan had rolled out of harm’s way and was watching from his hands and knees as Droinj advanced on Braulor from behind. Grabbing the bed cloth Olkuu had tossed aside he jumped up and attacked. Small and quick, Tagan was on top of Droinj before he knew what hit him. He wrapped the bed cloth around Droinj’s large head with malice, using the anger from their earlier encounter to spur him on,
and twisted and twisted it until it was good and tight. Droinj dropped his sword and lurched backward, his hands trying to get the blanket off his head. That wasn’t working very well so he locked his arms around Tagan’s legs and ran backward, slamming Tagan into the wall, knocking the wind out him.

  Tagan fell to the floor clutching his chest as he fought for a breath.

  Droinj, still struggling with the cloth, was staggering around trying to free himself of it and Braulor saw their chance.

  Huofril swung his mace in a vicious arc, trying to finish Braulor off in one blow. The table cracked and splintered under the blow but didn't break. Braulor, having jumped to one side, lunged forward burying the broadsword deep into an exposed part of Huofril’s neck. Huofril fell back screaming toward the gathered magistrates, blood pulsing between his fingers as he tried to stanch its flow. They moved neatly aside like a parting sea and watched as Huofril fell the ground and went limp.

  Braulor jumped down from the table and grabbed Tagan by the back of his tunic and dragged him from the room. Once in the hallway, he paused to get his bearings. He had been under the cart and didn’t see from which direction they came and everything he could see was new to him.

  Droinj, the cloth sheet removed from his head, came rushing from the room, hot on Braulor’s heels, and crashed into him, forcing him to let go of Tagan. Braulor went tumbling across the hall, smacking into the far wall with a dull thud and fell to the floor. Braulor scrambled to his hands and knees fighting for balance, his equilibrium making it feel like he was on a ship in the middle of a storm. He forced himself to his feet to face the coming assault.

  Droinj smiled, his yellow teeth and fiery eyes made it look he had come straight from hell for this. Sensing an advantage he pulled a knife from his belt and advanced on Braulor, making sure to give Tagan a good hard kick as he passed. He didn't care anymore. He was going to have the prisoner or die trying.

  Tagan crawled out of their way as they circled. He had his breath back but the Droinj’s kick gave him a throbbing charley horse. He stayed out of their way as Braulor and Droinj sized each other up. Men from the room were pouring out into the hall, wanting to see the end of the fight, blocking the way back to the dumb waiter. They were right behind Tagan forming into a tight semi-circle, egging the combatants on.

  Droinj jabbed at Braulor with his knife, trying to gut him in one swipe.

  Braulor ducked to the side, the thrust missing by inches, and then locked onto the guards forearm, wrapping his own arm around it like a constrictor. He tried to bite Droinj’s bicep but it was useless through his armor.

  Droinj used his free hand to punch Braulor hard in the ribs.

  Braulor gripped the wrist of the arm he had locked up and twisted violently. Droinj screamed in pain and dropped the knife but his wrist was so thick there was no way Braulor could break it. Droinj pulled Braulor close with his captured arm and grabbed Braulor’s hair with his free hand and drove him backward.

  Braulor put his elbow out to protect himself from the impending collision and it smashed through a stained glass window, shards slicing his arm in thin lines. Droinj enjoyed what he saw and shoved Braulor into the window over and over, smashing out new glass every time. Braulor tried to protect his face, as he flailed with his legs attempting to trip Droinj up.

  The men from the meeting were howling in delight, their blood lust unbridled.

  Nobody was watching as Tagan gathered himself into a crouching position and launched himself at the fighting men, sprinting as fast as his injured leg would go. He crashed into them as Droinj was ramming Braulor once again into the jagged remnants of the stained glass window.

  With Droinj’s center of balance pushed forward, Tagan's impact was just enough. He slammed into them with a guttural yell and the force pushed all three of them out the window and into the tumbling waterfall.

  Chapter 14