Invading Will Chapter 14
#24 of Invading Will
Invading Will Chapter 14 By: D. C. Henry "Ahndeleck"
Thomas's absence nagged on Deanna. She hadn't noticed until she turned to look at one of the alleys they had passed. He had been behind her on the right side, but when she looked, he'd disappeared. The cities were his favorite environment to work in. If he meant to be absent, then it would be best she decided.
She had known since she was first a scout, that her place would be as a protector to the crown rather than eyes in the field. She would have been a guard if it hadn't been for Captain Tillson. He trained her as he would one of his own scouts, and despite Deanna's lack of skill in stealth and subtlety, captain Tillson placed in the ranks of the scouts of Freeraven. She ended up being more of a bodyguard than anything else at first, or the first into a fight.
Thomas had been the eyes, the one hat would go into places no one else dared to go. While Freeraven was fighting the Red Fingers, Thomas had gone into the worst neighborhoods and the worst marketplaces. Even now, his skill at not being found was why he was the first scout she turned to. If he was hiding, there would be a reason for it.
Peter lead them up the main street to where they would meet the mayor. The stories she had heard from Peter over the last several days painted a picture of a kind and generous man. One who looked after the people in his city, both slaves and free. The stories she had heard from her scouts over the years made the man look like someone that just didn't care about anyone but himself. She was about to find out which picture was true.
The city turned out to be exactly as she expected. The central main streets were pristine. All the buildings were gray polished stone with exacting angles. There were trees and bushes, but they were tended to remain in their pots or at a certain place in their gardens. Storefronts were clean, merchandise displayed perfectly. In a way Deanna enjoyed this part Fort Blister more than she enjoyed her own Ravenstone.
She knew that Torland would have their best on the main parts of town, where the free and rich lived. When they passed a smaller street, the rest of the story shouted to be noticed. Dirty wooden huddled buildings with no hope of repair or attention mirrored the poorer citizens of the city. Deanna knew nearly all of the city would be like the alleys, no matter what Peter or anyone said.
"You've built this city well," the dragon broke the silence, "Even when I visited Palitos, things didn't look this good."
"I had nothing to do with it actually Raogothcar," Peter turned in his saddle to glance at the dragon, "Baron Landol's lands are actually north west of here a ways. The mayor here, James Hemming, has worked hard keeping the city as clean as possible. Its not easy with how things have been changing lately, a lot of freed slaves have come to the city trying to find a way to live."
"There still seems to be a few out in the fields." Deanna said, "Conditions further in the city don't look very well either."
"You're right there Deanna. There are still a few things we need to work on, we know that though and we're trying. Your presence here is the first step to fixing a problem we've been having in moving our plans forward."
"I certainly hope so Peter. I haven't liked what I've seen so far."
The central square of the city held the largest buildings of the city. She guessed the largest was the mayor's keep. An imposing building compared to the others around it. While all of the buildings were two stories, this building's two stories towered above the others. A central dome on top thrust the building high into the sky throwing its shadow into the square below.
Below, several people stood in a raised garden in the center of the square, each wore a sword at their hips. Two trees grew on the kept green grass. Other than the few plants, there was nothing but gray stone and glass around them. It felt as if she was walking into a courtyard, formal yet still pleasant in a way.
The man standing in the center of the garden stepped forward and opened his arms. He was wearing a light tan tunic with intricate patterns of gold woven into the fabric. While he didn't appear old, his face bore the weathered creases of stress and worry. Even in luxury, Torland seemed to work its people hard. The lack of friendliness in the man's face put her on edge. His guards armed, and his lack of even feigned pleasure couldn't be a good sign. The three of them stopped at the stairs that lead up to the garden.
"You're finally here." The finely dressed man dropped his arms to his sides. "Peter I take it that the others have been dealt with then?"
"All but Thomas, Sir. He seems to have slipped away when we entered the city. I'm sure he wouldn't be far though."
"That's fine. He won't get out of the city, and even if he did, there's enough men outside the gates he couldn't escape. Now, Deanna, if you'll turn over your sword over to Peter please."
Deanna realized from the mayor's first words that they had fallen into a trap. She knew the bastards of the north couldn't be trusted. The whole council, even Alan, fell into it hoping for a peace she knew from the start could never happen.
The four guards with the mayor would be easy for her to handle. There would be more, she knew there would be more. A quick glance behind the square revealed several guards on the roofs of the other buildings with bows aimed at them. Even the dragon couldn't hope to survive that many arrows if he tried to flee.
Deanna grit her teeth as she slowly pulled the blade from its scabbard. Hot tension wound itself around her as let her sword fall to the street. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the dragon's spines stand straight up and bare his teeth.
"Dragon, don't do anything," Deana hissed, "there isn't anything either of us can do."
"What? We're just going-"
"Just do what they say dragon."
"Yes Raogothcar," The mayor said, "just stand there. I've got enough archers on the roofs that we'll weigh you down with arrows if you try to escape. Get some bindings on them both."
"How did you plan this Mayor?" Deanna dismounted her horse, "There isn't a way to send messages to Landol from here so fast."
"We have messengers, not that it matters for you anymore though."
"What is your plan for Freeraven?"
"She's amusing," the mayor turned as he pointed to her, "she thinks I'll tell her what the Hearer' plans are."
The guards in the garden laughed with the mayor. Someone came up behind her and tied her arms tightly together. She was shoved towards the large keep at the edge of the square. The dragon growled as she walked by, glaring at whoever was behind her. She hoped he wouldn't do anything stupid and get himself hurt.
She was lead inside the large building, which opened first into a large audience chamber. In the center of the domed room was a circular stone stage. The floor was made of the same stone as the streets outside. Around the room thick stone pillars held up lavish balconies. Stained glass windows let light into the upper portions of the room, while below remained gloomy.
A group of guards surrounded her and lead her to the back of the room down a long hallway. Other rooms and halls branched out at intervals, but the guards took her directly to a large set of thick wooden doors. A set of guards opened them and lead her down a long wide staircase. She guessed, after several moments of descent, they were underneath the city now, inside a large cave system. The group walked past a set of bars, a pair of arms erupted out of the darkness behind them.
"Come on," The inhabitant's rough voice came from the darkness, "let's have my trail now! I'm tired of waiting to die. Please, just let-"
"Someone go beat him."
Deanna heard the wails of the man as the guards carried out the order. The man's cries brought the cries of hundreds of other prisoners. Deanna winced inwardly as the voices sorted themselves into young men, women, the elderly, children, and creatures she couldn't identify. Torland showed no mercy to anyone or anything it seemed.
The guards threw her into a tiny stone room, and heard them click the lock on the
small door. The guards laughed as they left, some shouting at the other prisoners. A minute later, their voices were indistinguishable from the cacophony of the rest of the prison.
She beat the bar with a fist. The last place she ever expected to be was in a prison. Mages, gangs, and mobs couldn't stop her rage, but her own nation blindly sending her into a trap was all it took. She would tear Alan apart when she got back to the Tower; he would beg for his life. First she would slaughter her way out of the city first. She wouldn't leave a single person alive in the city when she escaped, she wouldn't leave a single thing in her way.
For a moment, she joined her voice in the chorus of anguish and despair. She roared her anger at those above her. She screamed for her bloody revenge. Then the energy fell from her, and she stumbled back to the rags in the corner of the cell. There she curled into a ball and glared out of the bars as waited for the voices to die down.
*******
Thomas had seen the guards take Raogothcar to one of the central barns of the city. From a distance he watched as the guards lashed him to the ceiling above the horses. While he had followed Raogothcar, the guards took Deanna somewhere else. He hadn't seen the dungeon, but the remainder of the day had revealed most criminals were kept beneath the city. Thomas didn't relish the idea of breaking into a dungeon underneath the home of the mayor. It couldn't be good.
He had spent the night hidden in an alley tucked into a corner of the city. He shared the space with other homeless in the city. The night lead to uncomfortable sleep, broken by ever noise and voice he heard around him. When morning broke, he was tired and stiff with fatigue, but glad he was still free.
An hour after daybreak, Thomas hid on a small wooden walkway above a small marketplace. He had managed to steal a loaf of bread without anyone noticing. Not wanting to be seen by anyone too curious, Thomas sat behind a pair of crates to enjoy his meal. He hoped that his luck would hold him through whatever Torland had in store for them all.
As he ate, he peeked over the crates as a pair of guards were strolling out of the marketplace on patrol. Gripping the small dagger he kept with him, Thomas slid behind the crates again and strained to hear the two men. They walked underneath the walkway and continued their conversation. Thomas crept out from behind the crates until he was nearly above the two guards.
"I don't see how he could still be hiding out there. I mean, he doesn't know the city at all, he's never been here. And then how many of us are out on the streets today?"
"Enough to catch him eventually I'd wager."
"Have we yet? We've all been on the streets since before dawn and not a single person knows of anyone with that description or wearing that gaudy insignia of Freeraven. He had to have climbed the wall during the night and ran off."
"That's fine then. That overgrown red winged dog and that woman will die tomorrow."
"Mayor Heming already set the trials?"
"You were asleep while the captain was talking again Chris."
"Nah, I just wasn't paying attention. I know you do, so why would I have to?"
"What if I decided the same thing? Would we just wander around having a nice conversation all day while some soldier of an enemy nation sneaks around killing everyone? That doesn't seem much like doing our job."
"Sleep like the elves, John. I just don't see why they have to get every single guard this city has looking for one little man. They've never done that before."
"Then that should tell you how important this is. Look, I don't like this any more than you do, you know that. So why are you giving me such a hard time about it? You weren't the one that damned dragon stepped on. I've had enough of a hard time trying to walk around like it doesn't hurt."
"How could that beast step on your foot while it was bound up in full chains? By Yathma, you're blind John."
The other guard grunted and started walking off. Thomas leaned back close to the wall of the building the walkway wrapped around.
"Hey, its true. I heard everyone else stood far enough away that dragon couldn't even touch them. Maybe you're just short in the head huh?"
"Come on."
The first guard grumbled as he trotted after his companion. Thomas sighed and sat against the building. He knew he wouldn't have much time to get them out of the city, but by tomorrow seemed impossible. He'd never tried breaking anyone out of a prison in a day, especially not by himself. He had to find Richard and soon as well.
Thomas thought that Richard might have fallen for the same trap, but since the guards hadn't mentioned any of them, he still hoped. If they were in the city, they would be somewhere near where he was. The other gates leading into the city were too far to get to by night fall when he left with the guards.
He stood over the railing of the walkway and looked down the narrow canyons of buildings. The guards were gone for the time being, so he hopped over the railing and waded through the marketplaces in the city. Eventually he managed to navigate the maze of the back streets to find a cheap tavern near the northern gate to the city. The owner was a small man with sandy colored hair and a thick sandy colored beard. He came out of the kitchen wiping his hands and nodded towards Thomas.
"Hello sir. Are you looking for an early room?"
"Actually, I was wondering if you could tell me if a friend of mine came into the city last night."
"I can try, as you can imagine though, a lot of people go through those gates in a day. Usually I'm in the kitchen or working on the rooms upstairs."
"Oh I completely understand. Anyway, he's about my height, black hair, thin black beard too. Its almost scruff rather than a beard. His name's Richard."
"Oh yes, I saw him. Mayor Heming met him at the gate actually. They talked a while and walked into the city. I bet you'd find him at the courthouse if he's waiting on you."
"Mayor Heming met him at the gate you said? Usually he wouldn't get quite such a welcome."
"Trust me, I know Mr. Heming. I guess your friend knows the mayor or something. They seemed pretty friendly. Light tan tunic and carried a short bow?"
"That's him. Alright," Thomas scratched his head, "thanks for letting me know. I guess I'll go see if I can find him over there."
"You're welcome sir."
Thomas walked out the way he came in and slunk back into the shadows of the back streets. He sat against a wall, hearing that the mayor greeted Richard was terrible news. It had to mean that whatever was going on, Richard worked as a part of it. The idea that Richard would be in league with the mayor, who just took Deanna and Raogothcar prisoners, could only mean that Richard was working on Torland's side.
The idea struck him like a club to the stomach, Richard a traitor. His closest friend for years now turned his back on his country, on his home, on his best friend. Thomas slammed his fist on the wall. Everything was beginning to fall apart. Torland was winning a silent war against Freeraven, and he couldn't see a way to stop it.
He stared out into the distant street. Evil, depression, and darkness crept all around him from the moment he left the tower over a week ago. Now they pressed around from every direction, Thomas felt choked from their presences. He had failed Freeraven, and everyone that had come to Torland to fight against druids that didn't even exist.
The green small mantle caught his attention first, and then he saw the single painted feather to show a druid's station. The tall black haired bearded man reminded him that Torland had used druids to lay their trap. He should have known, druids wouldn't have done so much out of character.
Then as the man walked out f view, Thomas wondered if the druids might help. Everything that Torland had said so far had been lies, perhaps with the druids they would help. Alone, trapped in an enemy nation, and without any tools or resources, Thomas doubted that anyone would help him. The situation seemed too impossible, and too dangerous.
Standing, Thomas moved down the side street to try and follow the druid. After the second cross street, he caught up with the man. Standing at the corner of the street, the man looked around him. Thomas needed to get his attention without drawing as much to himself, but nothing came to mind.
A dove flew down into the street between them. In a flash Thomas tried a pair of bird whistles. The druid turned in surprise and stared down the street, searching the roofs and windows of the buildings. Thomas waved to the druid, and inwardly sighed in relief when he started in his direction.
"Where did you learn to whistle like that?" The druid stopped a short distance from Thomas.
"I've been practicing." Thomas stepped forward and extended his hand. "I'm Thomas Becksend, and I could use your help. Do you have a few minutes we could talk?"
The druid peered cautiously into Thomas's face. Thomas gave his best trusting smile, and hoped for the best. One moment passed into a second, and Thomas began to feel despair returning to him. Then the druid nodded slowly and shook his hand. Hope rekindled within Thomas.
"I'm Matthew Snowbough. I think I can spare some time to hear you. I don't really have much else better to do, so what's on your mind Thomas?"
"Well, I'd rather talk somewhere less in the open. I know that sounds bad. No dark alleys or abandoned buildings. Would a pub be alright though? Someplace public, but private enough not to be overheard?"
"Lead the way." Matthew nodded.
Thomas turned and scanned the small street quickly for anything that would do. He didn't know for sure where he was, but didn't want to make Matthew uncomfortable with the situation. The conversation had already gone better than he expected.
Near the end of the street was a dirty, charred sign. The remains of a flying gryphon hovered over the words, "The Roaming Gryphon", and Thomas hoped it was a decent enough not to be in the middle of a fight, but bad enough that the guards ignored it. Without any other options, Thomas lead Matthew inside and hoped that Yathma would grant him a measure of luck.
The smell of alcohol poured out from the building. Thomas drank some, and had been around people that could drink their way out of a river, but the smell was nearly too much for him. He hoped that Matthew wouldn't abandon him to the smell. The inside of the pub could only have one style in mind, dirty. In corners and under tables, broken glass and dirt lay undisturbed from when they first arrived in the building. The walls held the stains of food and various liquids from untold times. The few patrons in the pub were huddled around one table laughing and completely ignored the two of them as they entered.
A grinning, fat man stood behind the counters. His black hair had thinned to nearly bald, and had been slicked back with far too much oil. When Thomas stepped up to the counter, he set a pair of half emptied mugs aside and grinned even wider.
"Welcome to the Roaming Gryphon masters. I'm Knut the owner. What's your pleasure?"
"Just a pair of mugs and some cheap wine please. Not much of a crowd in here today?"
"Oh, just the usual. Do I know you?"
"Nah, I'm traveling with him." Thomas pointed to Matthew standing next to him.
"Alright, well here you are."
Thomas used nearly the last of his money to pay for the drinks, and then walked over to a small table in the corner. They both sat down and Thomas poured a small bit of the wine in each glass. Matthew took his glass and held it up.
"Thank you Thomas."
"You're welcome. Least I could do in return for your time."
"Well, what do you want to share with me?"
"I won't insult your time or intelligence with any wild stories. I'm a scout from the nation of Freeraven. I came here with many country men at what we thought was a diplomatic mission. As far as I know the rest of them all have fallen into a trap that is designed to lead to the spread of Torland's ideals to the rest of LOL. Now the reason why-"
"Wait, I'm sorry to interrupt, but you said Freeraven?"
"Yes, I'm a scout from Freeraven."
"I shouldn't even be talking with you. You'll get us both killed if you're caught. I've got enough-"
"You haven't heard enough yet. We were told you were the enemy, the druids were why we came up here in the first place. So we thought anyway."
"Druids, the enemy? A Torland official told you this?"
"A Torland ambassador told the whole nation of Freeraven that. This has already taken a turn towards war. War is inevitable, no matter if I return to Freeraven or not. If however I don't return to Freeraven with news that the druids aren't our enemy, Freeraven will march upon both Torland and all the druids of the north."
Matthew sat back in his chair, looking down into his mug. Thomas knew his words had made him think. There was no way to know if the druid would believe anything he had said. He couldn't be sure that Freeraven would actually kill druids when they went to war with the north. Then he couldn't be sure that if he couldn't get home to tell the king what had happened, that Freeraven could survive any war at all.
Thomas wanted to shout at the man, to make his decision for him. There were friends held captive that he could do little about without some help. The druid seemed to be the only good chance for any help at all in the midst of a large enemy city. Matthew had to help him, and he would. If Thomas had to threaten his very life to save his country he would.
"Druids are part of nature. We believe that nature holds answers to problems that we can't see on our own. A few weeks ago, I had a vision while I was with nature. This vision told me to watch for a raven from the south to bring war. At the time-"
"This isn't something that Freeraven wants to do." Thomas leaned forward, "If we attack anyone, its because we're defending ourselves the best way we can see."
"I wasn't finished yet Thomas. At the time I had this vision, I had begun to notice a change in my circle. The Arch-druids had begun to act strangely. It seemed as if they were trying to kill off the whole circle. I was looking for answers to that problem when I communed with nature. What I received was a request to lead the druids to war.
"Druids have never been ones to start wars. And by druids in this case, I'm going back to when the elves still roamed these lands. So the idea of a druid leading a war against the south seemed impossible. When I went to talk to my mentor about this, I noticed a similar presence to what had been in my vision. There is something at work against the druids I think, and I've decided to travel to try and find what that is.
"What I find most interesting though, is that you and I have been told by different people that each other is an enemy. Visions from a corrupted nature telling me you are the enemy is very strange. Ambassadors that lead other nations into traps are also strange."
"Do you think there are any connections between your visions and my problem now?"
"Maybe, I don't know," Matthew drained the last of his wine and set the mug down, "but either way, I'm interested to hear what you need my help for. I assume its to get back to Freeraven and tell them what you've learned.
"Yes, but there is more." Thomas set the bottle aside and leaned close to whisper, "I want to rescue my friends from the dungeon. I think-"
"What? Do you know-"
"Not that loud." Thomas pulled Matthew closer by the collar of his shirt. "Matthew, just like you said about your Arch-druids, one of my closest friends may very well have given us to Torland. I've trusted this man with my life several times in the past, and I know, up to today, that he was one of the most trust-worthy souls in Freeraven. Something changed him, and fast. If your Arch-druids aren't themselves either, we need to work together to stop whatever plans Torland has in motion. The first step to stopping this, is to get my friends out of that dungeon."
Thomas let the man go and settled back in the chair. He wasn't completely sure that Richard had turned to Torland. There wasn't a way that he could be certain that Matthew's problem and Freeraven's problems could be related. Thomas could be certain that he needed Matthew's help, and that the coincidences were good enough to help him force the issue.
"Do you have any sort of plan?"
"It's hard to come up with a plan when you can't get close to where your plan needs to be. I know that the dungeon is in the center of town, but other than that. I don't know much. Since the guards don't know you, I was hoping you could go look around in the center of town to learn a bit for me."
"They'd see me for sure, I'd be thrown in there with the rest of your friends."
"Ahh, but they don't know you're helping me do they? You'll be completely safe from them." Thomas sighed then nodded, "Don't give me that face, you'll be safe for then.
"Now, I have two friends. One I know is in the dungeon. The other might not actually be. Yesterday they had him lashed to the ceiling of the town's central stables."
"So, one of your friends is a dragon I'm guessing?"
"Yes, about the nicest dragon I've ever met honestly. But not great in a fight I've heard. But anyway, We'll get my other friend from the dungeons, she'd be able to fight her way out of anything once we get her-"
"I don't want to be killing anyone. Druids must not harm another magical creature, and humans count."
"Um," Thomas frowned, then leaned on the table, "Matthew, I can't say for sure if that's even possible right now. We're dealing with people that are determined to do whatever it is that they want, and are willing to kill anyone that gets in the way. If they're going to kill me, my friends, or you, I'm going to kill them first. But I'll do my best for you."
Thomas knew he couldn't make this impossible situation any worse for Matthew. He was already asking a lot out of a stranger. He wasn't even sure anymore that Matthew could be trusted. No normal person would be willing to listen any more than he had gone, but to be asked to go beyond what their religion told them, that would push anyone too far.
"I suppose that's the most I can ask." Matthew glanced around the room, "I don't like this at all Thomas."
"Then why are you even here?"
"Because I think there is some connection. I know nature, the caterpillar and the butterfly are the same creature, and yet they look totally different. Our situations appear to be totally different, but something tells me that somehow these two things are part of the same beast. I don't want to be right about this, but I think that the risk is far too great to ignore it if I am right."
"I suppose you're right Matthew." Thomas poured a small portion of the wine in each glass, "Then you're with me?"
"I'm with you." Matthew took the glass before him and threw the drink down his throat.