The Almost King

by Lucy Saxon

  As promised, there was breakfast waiting for him when he walked into the kitchen. Toast, bacon and an enormous helping of eggs; more food than his entire week of breakfasts at the military base combined. He didn’t know if his stomach could even hold that much food any more. Still, he dug in ravenously, making the white-haired man laugh quietly. ‘Don’t choke yourself, lad. What’s your name, anyway?’

  ‘Aleks, sir,’ he responded after swallowing, taking a long drink of water. ‘Like I said before, I can’t thank you enough. The military base, they’re horrible, the –’

  ‘I know what they do, lad. We all do.’ The man gave a wry smile. ‘The South’s best kept secret, that. Gods know what the rest of the country would do if they found out, but no one ever will. They don’t want to know, anyway. Not as long as it keeps criminals and beggars off their streets and off their minds.’

  ‘They stole my money and then wouldn’t let me pay the fee,’ Aleks told him. ‘I didn’t even know there was a fee until yesterday. I asked my commander to let me pay it and he refused, so I decided enough was enough.’

  ‘I’m sure you were very polite in your asking,’ the man said drily. ‘That’s the problem with outsiders – no idea that they need to go through proper channels if they really want to serve. People slip through the cracks all the time. But the official word is that everyone in Rensav is a criminal or homeless, so they’ve no right to protest about their treatment.’ He leaned against the kitchen counter, frowning. ‘Your best bet is to get as far away as possible and lie low for as long as you can.’

  ‘But surely someone should be told! They can’t get away with treating people like that!’ Aleks protested.

  ‘They can as long as we’re in peacetime, lad. No one cares about the military when there’s not a war going on. Besides, the army will have to start cleaning up their act soon, anyway. When those mountain tunnels open properly, we’ll get all sorts of visitors down this way wanting to see the palace. It’ll be hard for them to keep going the way they are in that base with so many eyes around. Looks like they’ve managed to keep it from the king so far, but he’s so busy now we’re an independent country, gods bless him, you can’t blame him for not knowing. Tourists, however, are a whole different matter.’ That wasn’t exactly a comfort. Visitors wouldn’t be allowed within the gates – so long as everything on the outside looked legitimate, things could carry on as normal on the inside.

  ‘They should be exposed,’ Aleks insisted. ‘The country needs to know, before more people make the same mistake I did.’

  ‘Don’t be foolish, lad,’ the man returned. ‘That base has worked like that since the Independence War; you’re not the first, and you won’t be the last. They have their ways of keeping people quiet. The smart thing would be to take the luck the gods have given you and get as far from here as you can.’ Aleks bit his lip. The man was right.

  ‘I’d better get going, then,’ he murmured, pushing aside his empty plate.

  ‘Smart lad,’ the man said, nodding. ‘I saw to your horse before I woke you. He’s ready whenever you are.’

  ‘Thank you, sir. I don’t even know your name,’ Aleks realised belatedly, making the older man snort.

  ‘Bit late for that, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘It’s Vadik.’

  ‘Thank you, Vadik.’ Aleks got to his feet, offering the tub of arnica cream to Vadik, who waved him off.

  ‘Keep it. You need it more than I do.’

  ‘I wish I had some money to offer you for your hospitality. You no doubt saved my life,’ Aleks said, buttoning his coat. He only had the money he’d kept in his trouser pocket while travelling, and as grateful as he was there wasn’t enough for him to spend it so early in his journey.

  Vadik gave him a lopsided grin. ‘You can thank me by getting out of here and not looking back. Don’t do anything foolish.’

  Shouldering his saddlebag, Aleks offered a short bow to the man. ‘I won’t forget your kindness, and may the gods repay you for it.’ Vadik inclined his head in response, clapping Aleks gently on the shoulder.

  ‘Ride fast, and stay safe. If the guards ask, you were never here.’

  Before long, Aleks was back out on the road with Quicksilver. If he hurried, he thought he could make it to the outside of the tunnels long before nightfall and stay in a village there. Every moment he spent in the saddle was painful, but he pushed through it, knowing that walking would be worse. His gelding didn’t seem to have any objections to a hard day’s ride.

  Aleks made a point of stopping at a different village to the one he’d stayed in on his way in, renting a room at a small inn for the night with what little money he still had. He spent most of his evening close to the fire with his head down, a cup of hot cider in his hands, surreptitiously listening as an older man told fairy stories to an awed group of children. Aleks always liked staying in family inns; children underfoot were far more welcoming than the possibility of a drunken bar brawl.

  He thought fondly of his first journey through the tunnels, before everything had gone to the storms. How different things could’ve been if he’d just listened then.

  Before: The Beginning

  It felt odd to him, riding the path he’d walked every day for four months, and he was surprised at how quickly he reached the mouth of the tunnels. Quicksilver shied away from the darkened cavern, ears pinned back in discomfort, but Aleks held his seat easily, leaning forward to scratch the horse’s mane. ‘Easy, boy. A little darkness never hurt you,’ he murmured, nudging gently with his heels until the pale gelding took a tentative step into the tunnel. It was enormous, and Aleks could easily imagine it bustling with people and trains. There were wide concrete walkways on either side, and the plan was to have two sets of tracks in each tunnel, allowing trains to travel between all four of the main cities. All of Siberene was eagerly awaiting the day they would open, awed by the opportunity to finally explore other parts of the country, gushing with pride over their king’s decision to create the tunnels. Aleks wondered if he’d bump into any other travellers on his way.

  Uncomfortable in the silence, he hummed to himself, the sound echoing alongside Quicksilver’s footsteps. He only noticed he was growing close to the central station when the number of workers began to increase and he could hear shouting and laughter echoing down the tunnel. He grinned to himself, yearning for the respite; it had been a long time since he’d spent a whole day in the saddle. Even Quicksilver’s pace picked up at the sound of other people.

  A gasp tore from his throat as he reached the opening to the central station; it was monumental. He wondered how the mountains could still be standing with a great cavern like this inside them, but the huge copper and steel support bars criss-crossing the high vaulted ceilings were clearly doing their job. The grey-tiled platforms were pristine and gleaming, and there were alcoves set up for merchants to sell food and other necessities to travellers. While the tracks had yet to be laid, there was a vast turnstile platform in the very centre of the terminal where the tracks would be able to rotate and direct each train to its desired tunnel. Bridges made of stone and twists of metal linked the platforms together, and Aleks could vaguely make out grates covered in metal mesh that led up through the ceiling, allowing air to circulate. It was all far grander than anything he’d seen before, even unfinished, and he wondered if it was the standard people in the cities were used to.

  ‘Could anyone point me towards someone in charge?’ he asked a group of workmen. His voice seemed louder in the open space and he almost jumped in surprise at the volume.

  ‘There are dormitories through that archway on the other side of the North platform. If the bosses are around they’ll be in there. You can hitch your horse over there too, if you like. Someone’ll keep an eye on him for you,’ an older gentleman with greying hair told him, his voice the gritty rasp of a chronic smoker. Muttering his thanks, Aleks dug his heels in and urged Quicksilver forward to the tunnel marked North, edging around the turnstile to cross over to the other
tunnel.

  He looped his reins around a horizontal bar in one of the bridge structures, patting the horse’s sweat-damp neck. Tentatively hopping up on to the platform, he walked through the archway and into a narrow corridor with more rooms leading off it. ‘Hello?’ he called. ‘Is anyone around? I’m travelling through and in need of a bed for the night. I can pay,’ he added, peering into empty room after empty room.

  ‘Not a problem, lad! You’re a bit young to be travelling alone, aren’t you?’

  Aleks jumped at the voice, spinning on his heel. The man leaning in the doorway was taller than him and broad-shouldered, probably in his mid-twenties, with a scruff of dark stubble and equally dark hair cut close to his head. The sleeves of his grey shirt were rolled to his elbows and there were dirt smudges all over him, but he didn’t seem to care.

  ‘I’m seventeen!’ Aleks replied defensively, making the man chuckle. ‘I came from the West, and some of the men in the tunnel said you wouldn’t mind putting me and my horse up for the night. Like I said, I can pay if need be.’

  ‘We don’t need your money, boy,’ the man insisted, waving him off. ‘You’re welcome to join us; my ma always taught me not to accept coin from a traveller, as the gods’ll pay you back in kindness. What brings you this way so soon, anyway? Weren’t expecting many before the walkways are paved.’ He offered a hand to Aleks. ‘I’m Zhora, by the way. Come on, lad – your poor horse must be gasping and sore besides. Let’s get you to the stables.’ Aleks smiled gratefully, shaking Zhora’s hand.

  ‘Aleks,’ he offered in return, following the older man back out to where Quicksilver was tied.

  Zhora let out a quiet sound of approval, running a hand down the gelding’s flank. ‘He’s a right pretty one, isn’t he?’ he murmured. ‘And obviously a strong one if he got you here in a day.’

  Untying the reins, Aleks followed Zhora through a smooth stone archway to a short corridor, finding a long stretch of concrete with stables lining both sides, most of which were empty. ‘They’re not meant for long term, but they do all right for a day or two,’ Zhora remarked, nudging a door open. The horse went straight for the water trough, slurping noisily, and Aleks grinned.

  ‘So you never said – what brings you here so quickly? Something urgent, if you can’t even wait three weeks for the walkways to be finished,’ Zhora asked, watching him tend to his horse. Aleks shrugged, rubbing Quicksilver’s neck gently. He could groom him later, when he was dry and rested.

  ‘Not urgent as such,’ he replied. ‘Just needed to get away before my family dragged me into a commitment that would prevent me from leaving.’

  Zhora led him back towards the entrance, pausing to chalk a mark on a slate board with a series of numbers on it. It took Aleks a few moments to realise they were stable numbers and that the marked ones were occupied.

  ‘They getting you hitched?’ Zhora joked, making Aleks flush.

  ‘No, no, nothing like that.’ He shrugged. ‘I just wanted to see the world, and I can’t do that if I’m earning my keep in my da’s shop and offering my services babysitting my big brother’s new wee’un.’ Zhora nodded knowingly.

  ‘You’ve got the wind in your blood, hmm?’ Aleks’s nose wrinkled in puzzlement, and Zhora chuckled. ‘That’s what they call it where I come from. The kids who just can’t sit still, need to ask questions and see things and travel. They leave to head wherever the wind blows them, so we say they’ve got the wind in their blood. Where’s it taking you, then?’

  ‘South, currently,’ Aleks answered, absently looking around as Zhora took him through to a large cafeteria, practically empty at this time of night.

  ‘I can tell you now, lad, you won’t get much adventure in the South,’ Zhora remarked. ‘All that’s Southwards is shop work. Unless you’re planning on enlisting, I’d change your plans.’

  ‘I could enlist,’ Aleks retorted somewhat defensively. At least in the military he’d be taught enough skills to get a decent job once he left, and there were definitely travel opportunities.

  Zhora gave him a sceptical look. ‘You, an army brat? You don’t seem the type.’

  ‘What type is that, then?’ Aleks asked.

  Zhora’s lips twitched. ‘The stupid type. But if you want to try your hand at it, lad, be my guest. At least there’s no better time to sign up. No chance of a war happening in your lifetime.’

  Now

  Being back in the tunnels the following morning was somewhat comforting in its familiar dimness. The workmen had been quick about paving the walkways, and there were already grooves cut in the ground for the tracks to be laid. He wondered if Zhora was still working around there somewhere; he hoped so. As much as it would sting having to admit the man had been right about how poor a decision it was to go South, he’d enjoyed his company.

  The central station was now even more spectacular; the tracks were mostly laid, and a breathtakingly beautiful mechanical design was being painted across the domed ceiling. Wooden boards that would show arrivals and departures had been mounted on the walls of each platform, and there were newscast screens in the four corners of the station.

  Heading towards the nearest workman, Aleks tapped him on the shoulder. ‘Excuse me, sir, I was wondering if a man named Zhora was working in here, and if so, where I might find him?’ he asked. The worker blinked at the sight of Aleks’s bruised face.

  ‘Oh, aye, Zhora’s still about. You’ll need to get over to the North platform; that’s where we’re all living, he’ll probably be around there. Looks like I get to show you the horse crossing,’ he said, sounding excited. Aleks watched the man practically bounce over to a lever in the floor. ‘Watch this – genius bit of machinery, it is.’ He pulled the lever and there was a whirring noise like rapidly spinning gears. Before Aleks’s eyes, a slab of solid steel began emerging from the side of the platform, reaching across to the North side. It slowly stretched out across the train tracks, resting neatly on top of them, fixing into place when it reached the walkway on the other side.

  ‘That’s brilliant,’ he murmured, and the workman’s face lit up.

  ‘Isn’t it just! Go on, take your horse across, it’s perfectly safe,’ he instructed.

  Aleks smiled at him, nodding. ‘Thanks for your help.’ His first step on to the platform was tentative, but once he was sure it was sturdy he crossed with Quicksilver easily.

  Wandering through to the stables, he looked about for a stablehand but couldn’t find one anywhere. Shrugging to himself, he picked a free stall and let Quicksilver inside, checking it for fresh hay and water, every movement still causing him pain. ‘You need a hose down,’ he muttered, eyeing the horse’s mud-browned legs and belly.

  With his horse happily resting, Aleks left the stables, heading through to the dormitory corridor. Surreptitiously peering through the open doorways as he passed them, a tired smile tugged at his lips when he spotted a familiar head of short dark hair.

  ‘Zhora!’ he called, watching the man turn, dark eyes widening when he spotted Aleks.

  ‘Well, there’s a sight for sore eyes!’ he exclaimed, quickly crossing the room to bring Aleks into a half-hug. Aleks couldn’t stifle his cry of pain, and Zhora stepped back, eyeing him closer. ‘Storms, lad, what happened to you? You look like you’ve gone ten rounds with an angry bull.’

  ‘Let’s just say going South wasn’t the best decision I ever made.’

  Zhora’s eyes widened. ‘Come on, let’s go somewhere a little more private, let you sit down before you fall down. Your horse safe?’ Aleks nodded, allowing the man to lead him through to one of the back dormitories.

  It wasn’t until he was sitting down on one of the spare beds that Aleks let himself relax, shoulders slumping in exhaustion. He pulled his hat off his head, and Zhora let out a quiet gasp.

  ‘You enlisted.’ Aleks nodded. If there was anyone he could trust around here, it was Zhora. He gave the man a quick summary of his time in Rensav, a lump growing in his throat as he spoke. He hadn’t realise
d how much of a toll his journey had taken on his emotions. When he was finished, Zhora gave a long sigh.

  ‘Well, you have been busy,’ he muttered, and Aleks huffed out a laugh. That was an understatement.

  ‘I don’t know what to do, Zhora,’ he admitted, hating how young and pathetic he sounded. Zhora’s frown deepened. ‘I can’t go home. It’ll be the first place the guards come looking – my address was on the forms – and I can’t tell my family what happened. They’ll never let me out of the house again.’ They would be so disappointed it would kill him. And he couldn’t put them in danger by bringing guards about.

  ‘The bloke you stayed with was right – you need to get as far away from there as possible. Go North, lie low, find a job and a place to kip, keep your head down. If guards come up this way looking for you, I’ll tell them you went East. Keep them away from your family.’ Aleks looked up at the man’s words, surprised.

  ‘You’d do that for me? Why? You hardly know me.’ Zhora gave him a smile.

  ‘Truth be told, you remind me of my little brother. Heart of gold, head of stone, and a brain of little more than air,’ he added teasingly, making Aleks scowl despite the smile that threatened to break through. ‘You got in a bad situation, but you’ve done nothing wrong. I had no idea the Rensav base was that bad. Sounds like you’re lucky to have got out like you did. Least I can do is help you stay lucky.’

  ‘You’re a good man, Zhora,’ Aleks declared solemnly, making the mechanic laugh.