CWE Book I Part III Chapter XI

X1

Shiven

It was not the distance I was concerned on, but the nearer we got there, the more I am worried about her. She is still young by age and from my perspective reckless. But she has taken this mission without any second thoughts and was eager to begin the task, hence us riding non-stop for over a day now. We had avoided some patrols and checkpoints, taking back trails and seeking shelter in the forest. Now close to dusk, we have arrived at the wall of the city. Like any city, its high wall surround it and every vantage point is a manned tower with archers. The main gate is closed but there are an outpost created outside the gate, manned by some guards who stops any traveler going in. They will questioned the person and decide to let the person go through the small gate into the city or made to wait outside its wall. We saw a small group of the travelers sitting on the side of the road leading to the gate, and they looked unhappy at being made to wait. 

Dina, as she told me her name when we took out  on his mission. We took off as usual without telling me anything, and I was left alone there, staring at the closed gate. Soon she came back and said she know a way into the city. It was a sewage opening to the east of the gate, and the grating looks worn out. Dina said we can crawl in from here, and before I could protest she was on her busy removing the loose gratings with her dagger. 

‘I am sure the passage will be guarded...’ I tried to warn her, and she stared back at me with the look that says; do it or keep away. I find myself getting onto my knees to scrape at the grating with my dagger. Its a dirty and smelly work, but we managed to remove the enough grating for us to squeeze through. Soon we find ourself inside the tunnel which is part of the sewage structure. We moved carefully in the low lit tunnels partly crawling through small openings alongside the rats and other small creatures of the tunnels. I did stop at some intersections to look at the rear of us. I felt we been followed but I cannot tell as the place was very dense and dark. I wanted to investigate my curiosity but my companion was constantly moving ahead.

Our efforts soon lead us to a square room which is designed like an intersection space where other tunnels are seen to different directions. The intersection is about the space of three man width and length; a square with a set of steel ladders seen on one of the walls. The ladder leads to an open grate on the top of the intersection, a height of four man length. We climbed to the opening and took our new intake of fresh air. Dina was quick to pick the rusted lock and we were soon out of the tunnels. The opening is on the alley behind some houses structure, and its looks deserted now. I looked to the skies to see the stars, so we must be in the tunnel for over some time. Not only do we smell like tunnel rats, we are all soak in the filth of the tunnel. I pushed open a doorway next to where we were standing to see it opened into a small garden. I closed it and tried several others before I found one with some new clothes hanging on the line in the garden.

Dina

Fresh clothes and a cold bath, was what we need although it does not take the smell away. I can still smell the fifth on my hair but we need to move on. I looked to my companion who is just putting on his tunic. His back shows signs of flaying although they are old wounds. This is not the time to asked, but a mission need to be done. I threw our old clothes into the sewers tunnels, and told Shiven to follow suit with me. We are in the city, but we need to get to the Inner City which is a distance away through this maze of buildings. Its too late to do the mission and we need a place to hide for now. In my training, the safest place is the enemy’s stronghold, but this is not easy to find. We moved out to the outside streets, and tried to make our directions by looking at the landmarks like towers and main roads. Soon we find ourselves at a temple of worship to the Sun God. I know such Monks are pacifiers and advocate of non-aggression. We crept into the temple ground by the rear gate, and settled ourselves in the garden shed as dawn was seen to be coming in. Soon we both felt asleep as a result of out exhaustion and traveling.

I was awakened by the sound of someone in the shed. I reached for my daggers, but the voice told me to sheath it and eat my food. I saw in front of me was an old Monk who laid a tray of food for us. Shiven had then woken up too and was holding his ‘bo’ to strike. The old Monk stood up and faced Shiven.

‘Its a long time since I saw a fellow monk like you here.’ He bowed his head towards Shiven and completed it with some hand gestures, which Shiven immediately got up to repeat the same. Apparently, the old Monk was also from the same monastery as Shiven, but he is now without a Lord; so he spends his time here in service as a Monk. He told us to feed ourselves and avoid coming out, as the elders might take to our presence as welcome. Its a coincidence that he is the one who handles the garden and saw us.

Shiven

I met the Monk later in the day; when he came to see us with some new clothes and soap for us to bathe in. He told we may followed him to one of the structure near by where there is a bath house but we are to leave our weapons as its forbidden to carry one here. We did as instructed and while Dina was taking her bath, I spoke to the Monk.

‘Monk, I am surprised to see you. I thought all the elder monks when you are left by your Lord chose to be mercenaries or bandits,as told to us by the masters. Pardon my words.’

‘Times has changed. We now do not sacrifice out life's without a cause. Some of us has become Monks or manage a business, but our beliefs still stands; we will protect the weak and oppressed, and assist any of our own in times of need. Even to the extent of ending their life if requested.’

‘I share your counsel and truly life outside has changed. Maybe one day, I will do the needed too.’

‘Your turn to bathe is now. Do it and I see you later to show you the way out.’

I thanked the Monk and took my long awaited second bath. The Monk has given me clothes similar to that of the Monastery. It must be his from his warrior days.

At the beginning of dusk, we were led out of the temple grounds, and given a sketch of the city, with its landmarks. Dina and myself thanked the Monk, who just ignored us and close the gate. According to the sketch, we are about some distance from the Inner City, and that was our target, but its too bright to move now. We decided to shelter in a nearby alley and wait for the darkness to settle in.

‘Dina, why did you readily accepted this task?’ I looked at the young assassin who is now dressed in the black tunic and pants. Her sandals are also in black with dark lacings to the shin’s. I wondered on this lady now; who is her real Lord? The Mistress or the Lieutenant. I came because of my mistress Kimi who told me to follow Dina. She told me its the Master orders and she showed me his seal as approval. Before I left, she told me that the way to end this war is to clear the Lord’s of their power.

‘I was told by my Lord. Mistress Camy is only my assigned task, and now I am given a new one. If I succeed then the war may just end here with these two Lords. This was told to me by the Lieutenant.’

Her next remark shocked me. ‘I do not enjoyed the killings. I do it because I am asked to. But I enjoyed the challenged of carrying one out, especially if it involved close guarded targets. I relish the challenge more than the killing on the wayside and streets. That is not my type of killing, I am not a murderer; I am an assassin.’ I wanted to reply to her, but she signaled me to be silent. I see two guards with some loads on their back running in the alley towards us. One of them said; ‘hurry up. We will be late if you do not hurry up. The gate closed soon. This shortcut will take us there in half the time.’

There was no reply back as Dina has just taken him down with her dagger struck in his neck, and was onto the  second guard. She was holding the second guard with her dagger at his neck.

Dina

We were soon on our way with the uniforms of the guards and carrying their loads with the staff as the carrier. In the lessons we learned are also torture as this is needed to be used at times to extract information. My latest victim did not die for his effort, but he will sleep for some time. We reached the  gate in time to be shown in without the need for any identification. This is obviously a daily affair for these two guards. We left our luggage at some alleys and proceeded to the Lord’s Hall. As we were dressed in the guards uniform we did not attract much attention and no one question the staff that Shiven carries, although its unusual for a guard to carry one. They normally do carry pikes or spears, but not wooden staff. It was then when an alarm was raised and the whole place was chaotic with guards running helter skelter. I stopped a servant to ask him what is happening.

‘There is a fire on the east side of the Inner City. They are trying to stop the fire before it spread to the barracks. Hey, you are a girl....’ Last words of a loyal servant. We made out way into the chambers area, and had to silence three guards on the way; hiding their bodies in the side rooms or any dark corners. We rushed through the corridors and seek for the Inner Chambers. Soon we found it, guarded by six guards who looks like they know their action well. My reaction was as swift as in my training days, four daggers was flying towards the guards, with three finding its target, but the fourth was deflected by the helmet. The guard whom I almost killed regain his composure to be met by Shiven’s killing blow, and I took on the remaining two at close quarters with my dagger and sword in the other hand.

I opened the door to the Inner Chamber to be greeted by another guard; armed with a spear and he is good with it. I pushed on to let Shiven handle this guard, and rolled my body beneath the spear’s swing to land after the guard. If not for Shiven, I would had failed to open the next door behind the guard. The downward spear swing was blocked by the long staff of Shiven. As Shiven occupied the guard, I rushed into the Inner Chamber of the young master. I was confronted by elderly lady who was standing guard over the master lying on the bedding.

‘Come no nearer, assassin or I shall need to defend my son from you.’ I went at her and took both their lives. I turned to see Shiven looking at me, with the look of one who cannot understand the way of the assassin.

‘Turn not your back to me, Dina. How can you kill him? We were to capture him only.’

I did not answer him and left the chamber. He followed suit behind me but I would not let him see me in the face. We took almost three nights to leave the city and no words was ever spoken during those times. None was needed from the look on his face, but this is my life as an assassin; we kill to live.

Just as he kill to protect the one he swore to protect. We lived for different objective.

And I had different order from the Lord. One that he does not know.

Lord Camlash

The siege took longer than I expected. Lord Nictin and Pectin has massed his army here outside my wall. We were all once friends, so I been negotiating with them since they arrived; buying time for me to see if my plan worked. There was some skirmishes with the armies of both sides but nothing major as yet.

On the second night, Lord Nictin send over a detachment of his best men over my wall using grappling ropes and overpowering my wall guards near the Main Gate. His detachment was about to lower the ramp when a patrol stumbled on them. The alarm was raised and the invaders was capture or killed that night. Since then, I have doubled the sentries and increased the patrol. It was only on the fourth morning of the siege, I saw the Lords’ withdrawing their army without continuing the siege. I was relieved as my plan actually worked. I told Domo to prepare me a hearty meal while I wait for one messenger, who arrived soon enough.

My original plot was for the Lieutenant to capture the Lords’ son to hold as leverage against this siege. But he changed my plans to used the two guards to go in and do it. The Lieutenant was able to convince me that the duo can do what five hundred may failed to accomplish. So I agreed ut I told Dina to do my request; killed the master instead. Now that Lord Nictin’s son is dead, murdered by an assassin on his sick bed alongside with the mother, his father will return to see tho their funeral. With that, the Lord may withdraw his troops and lift the siege. Its a period of mourning for Lord Nictin and his family. And it worked as planned.

I also know the Lord Nictin’s son has been sick for over a year rendering him motionless on the bed, while his mother attends to him. I know this from the Lord himself, who once asked me for any physician who can assist in the cure. I did get the best physicians I have but they tell his son is not able to be cured.

The assassin of the young master was not found apparently, but an evidence of sort was revealed when they caught a spy among the personal guard themselves, and he admitted that a senior Praetorian paid him to open the doors, when under torture.

He gave the name as Genus, currently sitting in the seat as Lord of Daken. It was a well worth prize to pay fro that spy, but he died while during torture. It was done by the some of other spies of mine who posed as members of the torture team.

Praetorian Genus, there is my surprise for you. A Praetorian who betrays his Lord also betray the Oath of the Praetorian. You acted on your own to claimed the city of Lord Daken, and now you send assassins to murder my enemies’ son. You know the Lord’s do not kill their peers’ families; well not so in the open hostility like now. I am calling for your head now, with my vengeance on you for the wretched life you gave to my daughter. She who is now banished by me because of you. I remember you well although Domo tries to cover your identity from me. You are an outcast now with the Praetorian and from my city.

‘Domo, please come in. I hear that Lord Nictin and Pectin has lifted the siege.’

‘Yes, my Lord. Its said that Lord Nictin son is dead murdered two nights ago. I know not who was the one who did....’

‘Enough, Domo. Where is my Praetorian? I send him off with my lancers to check on the city of Lord Daken, and he has yet to report to me.’

‘I know not his latest , my Lord. I shall send word to him on it

‘Do it... and have my meal ready. I have work to do. And Domo, send for my children back here. They should be at their Lord’s side in such grave times.’

Domo

I know of the capture bid on the young master of Lord Nictin.  The Lord send them out as he felt the duo can do a better job and Dina has someone to protect her. But they are inexperienced in this works. So I called my network of spies to keep track of them. They were trailed from the city to the land of Lord Nictin. My spies reported them going in via the sewage ducts and they were followed too. Once in the city proper, my other spies took over , including the fake monk. They were led by well designed deceits signs and ended up seeking shelter in the temple. There my fake monk appeared out of nowhere and offered them food and clothes. It was an elaborate set of moves but the years of doing these has made me very good at it. But I did not plan the final entry into the chambers, that was the credit of the duo or the girl as there was rumors of her falling back on her old skills. But they done their work well.

Yes, the fire ruse was the work of the fake monk to divert the guards. He is good which is why I took him as my master spy.

As for the Praetorian; I am not sure what is really happening. The Praetorian has been in contact since he took on the lancers to the city of Daken as per direct order of the Lord. But there was no new instruction to him since then. I know he was sent there, but not of his mission. The messenger who has been there, told me that he sits like a Lord in the Hall. I am puzzled if he is aware that a Praetorian cannot be a Lord unless he has betray his oath. But is doing so, or acting on behalf of the Lord here. I must seek the answer.

The sudden death of the young master of Lord Nictin  has now turned the tide of the war, but it was a dishonorable act. Even when Lord Nictin wanted to captured the young master and mistress, he sends his army and announced their intentions, such is the nobility of the way wars are fought here.

Should I move daughter again. No, she is safe in the Red Hill retreat.

A message arrived from my master. Of late, I not seen his dove, but it appear today. I smiled when I read the message. I must burn this last message as in the wrong hands, it meant death.

Praetorian Genus

I kind of like the chair I am sitting on, as if its made for me. Since I taken over the city of Daken, I have much to do, with the quelling of any rebellion by the army is one, and by the people is another. But the task was made easier as Lord Daken was not your ideal Lord, so most of the people liked my changes. I know its too short a time to see the result, but I can see the generals lining up in front of me with firm expression but not that of distaste. I am a Praetorian Guard for over forty years and I know how the army thinks. I have trained many men like these in most conditions and putting their loyalty to test many a times. So the confidence is there. Since I came in as their acting commander, I have also released political detainees and food from the silos. That will put the smiles on the people in general. But the protocol said I must sit in the same seat that Lord Daken once sat, I reluctantly took it as a sign of respect. I still await my Lord’s instruction on what to do next, but no messages was in the pouches sent. I have send the lancers to outside the walls as not to intimidate the army here. I want to show them I fear them not alone, but acted in good faith with them.

Today I received a message from Domo, the adviser to the Lord. I wondered what the old man has to say on behalf of his Lord. It asked me of my whereabouts and how fares the Daken city. I was confused as to the contents, as its showed that the Lord does not what I am doing, when I am actually doing as per his request. I replied to the message to tell the adviser of my position and I await further instructions. It upon handling over the message that I find another message was to be given to me for my own reading.

I read it and was taken aback. It seems like I been played for a fool, and now may be an outcast by the works of things. I looked at my assemble audience and dismissed them all. All of them moved out except one general whom I discussed many issues before with him. He seems to be a fair man and I will hear his counsel first. He asked for an audience with me and I agreed. We discussed over a long time and soon I knew what I had to do.

Lieutenant Damai

Politics is above me, and the waiting is my least preferred task. Since the last task re-assigned to the young guards of the Lord, I have been doing nothing. I heard that the duo killed the young master when discovered and escaped unhurt. That was not what I told them to do, as they were to capture the master and if discovered, leave him and escape. Why did they killed him instead. Unless they were cornered or there was no choice but to do it. I must be careful of these duo.

I been here for nearly half a moon cycle and finally I got my order to march. I am free to move from this hill. The message was to move the young master and the mistress back to the main city. Immediately I ordered the preparation to move out and left message with the servants who stayed back to let the Dina and Shiven know of our new location. I also send a messenger to the Praetorian at the Lord Daken’s city.

I arranged for the best carriage I can find for the Mistress Kimi who is now very weak. But Signar who was still recovering declined his and chose to ride beside me. Soon we were on our way back to the main city. We did not encountered any enemies or obstacle on the way back to the Main City. But we saw the destruction of the siege on the main city. The villages and farms around the city was damaged or destroyed.

It was just as we were marching into the city, that I got news of the Praetorian betrayal and he now occupies the seat on Lord Daken’s city. I was told the Lord is very upset and wished to see me immediately in his hall.

I was to prepare a column of ten thousand men to take back the city from the Praetorian Genus who sits there on his own deceit to the army of Daken. He must be removed and executed. As I was preparing to organize the column, i got new orders to call off the march. Instead I am march to the River Ends fort instead.

Prime Leader Romus

I issued out the edict to dis-claimed the Senior Praetorian Genus from his position and if seen, to be brought to the nearest Praetorian post for persecution. I did not planned this when I send the officer to Lord Camlash.  He was to be my spy and liked before do the things I asked. But the situation has allowed Lord Camlash to turn the events and now I got a disgraced officer in my list.

I also send ten thousand of my men under the leadership of Silva, my trusted lieutenant to march immediately and take over the Daken City. He is to take command and report only to me.

I then consult the Grand Lord and told him of my plans. He nodded his consent and gave me his seal of approval. I know he would, as he wants me to be pawn in this game. But he forgets a pawn can be a knight if he knows his move well.

This game is getting too intense, so I send out words for my peers to meet soon. We may have some decisions to carry out. I hope Raihan rides well to this meeting. He is a key player here.