The Queen Maker

by Kristen Gupton

  He shrugged it off and decided to ask about their trip. “Is it time for us to head over the bridge?”

  “Yes, we may go now. It is late enough for the shop owners to be opening for business,” he said and waved a hand toward the exit.

  The three men walked between the various tents making up the small settlement Etras and his family lived in.

  In the daylight, Keiran could appreciate that it was humble but well kept. Most of the people moving around them were Sadori, with some others being Ibianese. The bridge’s structure loomed ahead of them, rising above the tents.

  “Etras, if you are Sadori, why do you live on this side of the river?” Keiran asked, wanting to fill the time with conversation.

  The smaller man fidgeted with his hands and looked off to the side. “The Ibianese do not mind us living here as they make a good business off of the travelers we bring. How else would we host our guests before crossing if we didn’t live on this side?”

  There was logic in his words, but Keiran picked up something from Etras that seemed off. “Have you always been a travel advisor?”

  Etras stopped walking and turned to face the vampire. He tried to keep up a smile, but it was clearly forced. His guests didn’t usually make a habit of asking about his private life, being too absorbed in their own dealings. It put him in an uncomfortable spot, but he genuinely liked the Tordanians.

  “No, not always. We used to live in Takrah itself, and I was the Minister of Trade,” he said.

  Keiran’s head tipped to the side. While it had been obvious from the start Etras was educated, to hear he’d held a titled position like that struck hard.

  “You were a Minister within the government, but now you live in a tent village and do trip advising?” The vampire gently tried to look within the Sadori’s mind without hurting him like before, but he couldn’t get much.

  Etras shook his head and started walking again, knowing enough had been said. “Sometimes, we must give up things in life to hold onto or obtain better things.”

  Jerris looked at Keiran before jogging to catch up with their guide. “It doesn’t seem like this was much of a better thing.”

  Keiran inwardly winced at his companion’s words. “Jerris!”

  “No,” Etras said, fixing his eyes forward toward the bridge, a smile coming to his lips despite it all. “I held onto the only thing that mattered, my friends. There is more to life than money and luxury. Now, we hurry so to avoid the crowds, yes?”

  As they passed the last tents, Keiran could finally appreciate the scale of the Takrahn Bridge. The river was wide enough at their current location that the gleaming white buildings on the Sadori side were barely visible. The bridge itself started its climb upward nearly a hundred yards before the water’s edge. By the time it reached its apex over the center of the river, it was high enough to allow the tallest ships to pass beneath it. There were two massive, stone support towers dividing the bridge’s expanse into thirds. Between these towers, the bridge was mostly comprised of wood, with enormous metal supports along the sides.

  The engineering it had taken to develop the huge structure was beyond anything within Tordania, and both Keiran and Jerris stopped to stare at the bridge for several moments. Etras let them take their time, knowing few people outside of the vicinity had ever seen anything quite like it. The construction of the bridge had taken over a decade, and a considerable joint effort on the part of the Sadoris and the Ibianese.

  There was a line of Ibianese soldiers along the bottom edge of the bridge. While they didn’t seem to be screening any of the travelers coming or going, they were all armed. Their only concern was ensuring no one came along to sabotage the bridge. It was vital to their grain trade with the Sador Empire, and while they had no real enemies to speak of, it was important enough to protect.

  Etras led them past the guards, and they began to walk up the incline of the bridge. Though it was still relatively early in the morning, there was a good amount of traffic. A red line was painted down the center of the bridge, to keep eastbound and westbound traffic separated.

  The three men were caught in a current of not only pedestrians but of wagons, coaches, and men on horseback. They eventually made their way to the outer edge of the bridge as they walked, trying to avoid the other hazards.

  At the apex of the bridge, Etras brought them to a stop, motioning out over the water. “From here you can see both countries!”

  Jerris was breathing fairly hard at that point, Keiran faring better. The redhead leaned against the railing and looked down, seeing a ship passing directly beneath him. He reeled back from the edge, dizzy.

  Keiran quirked a brow and went over, looking down at the ship moving below and was quickly struck with the same sensation of vertigo. Neither Keiran nor Jerris had been as high up on a manmade structure, and they found something distinctly uncomfortable in it.

  Still, Keiran had seen something of interest. On the Sadori side of the river were multiple docks. There, the ships Danier had left Tordania with were moored. Nodding to himself at the realization he was on the right track, Keiran stepped away from the edge.

  Amused at their reaction, Etras pointed down at the wooden decking of the bridge. Between the planks making up the halfway point, there was a plank that appeared to be made of gold. “This marks the boundary between the two countries.”

  The Tordanians looked down as instructed, but it did little for their sense of discomfort. Between each of the wide planks of the bridge was a gap just big enough to see through. Despite the structural soundness of the bridge, they both felt as though they were being held up by nothing substantial.

  Jerris brought his eyes up and decided looking down wasn’t in his best interest. “Yes, lovely bridge. Let’s get to the other side.”

  The Sadori smiled to himself before walking again. “Come along, the way down is easier than the way up. Near the bottom, we will find Sadori guards. They will need us to stop and hold out our right hands,” he said, lifting his own hand for a moment and waving it around. “And you should have your gift for the guards ready.”

  Keiran jogged to get to his side. “The gift I remember but our right hands? Why?”

  “To verify none of us are exiles,” he replied simply.

  Jerris had pulled up along Etras’ other side, frowning. “Exiles?”

  “Yes, many crimes are punished by sentence to exile. They remove your right hand before asking you to leave. No hand, no return.” Etras looked to each of them and again moved his right hand around, trying to get the importance of it across. “Just do as I do when I do it, yes?”

  The Tordanians nodded in agreement and turned their attention back toward the other traffic on the bridge. It served as a good distraction from thinking about their unease with being so high up.

  The process of screening once they reached the row of Sadori guards didn’t end up being difficult. They said something to Etras, and he stopped to hold out his right hand. One of the guards grabbed him lightly by the wrist, ensuring it was his actual hand. Jerris and Keiran did the same in turn but with a coin in each of their palms. The guards eagerly collected their ‘gifts’ before they were allowed off the bridge.

  The smell of garlic was thick in the air, and Keiran fought the urge to pull the collar of his shirt up over his nose. He hoped to get used to it as one can grow accustomed to most scents, but it wasn’t to be. The stench got worse every time they passed a food vendor, driving Keiran to walk on the opposite side of the street.

  Tordania didn’t have a particularly high population density even in the largest cities like Tordan Lea, but Takrah was a different story. With the desert terrain so hostile, people migrated to the city seeking an easier life. There were many points along the street where they couldn’t walk without physically brushing against other people.

  As they had on the bridge, Keiran and Jerris both suffered some anxiety. All of it was incredibly foreign to them and neither enjoyed it much.

  Mercha
nts stood before their stores and called out loudly to advertise their commodities, the noise adding to the already considerable din of the city. The air was heavy, not only from the highly spiced Sadori food but from the waste in the streets left by the oxen and horses that passed. The heat and humidity made the atmosphere increasingly oppressive.

  Etras, well practiced in helping outsiders cope with culture shock, could see the Tordanians struggling with everything going on around them. He realized they needed a break from walking down the market-lined avenues, and he led them into a bar on a street corner.

  Inside, the air was much less tainted, and both vampire and human found relief. There were large mechanical fans along the ceiling, being driven to spin by slowly lowering weights along the walls. It helped ward off some of the heat, and Etras got them to a table where they could sit down and rest. He gave an order to a passing man in Sadori before turning to his guests.

  “What did you ask for?” Keiran queried, leaning back in his chair and loosening the collar of his shirt.

  “Just beer. You will like it,” he replied, clasping his hands before him on the table. “Much to see here, yes? We have only moved through a small portion of the city.”

  Jerris looked at his friend. “I couldn’t live here. This place is like being shoved into a barrel of rats.”

  Keiran gave him a sharp glare before trying to smile at Etras. Vampire or not, even he’d been worn down by the crowds in the short time they’d been there. His ability to read the emotions and thoughts of others was dulled from his lack of blood for several days. Still, with as many people around as there were, it was overwhelming.

  If Thana was anywhere nearby, Keiran had no idea how he would pick her out from the crowd. “I apologize, I think he simply means to express that we’ve never quite been around so many other people before.”

  “Good, because I would hate to think he was equating the people of the city to rats,” Etras said. He frowned for a second but then quickly let it go when their order arrived.

  The beer was dark to the point it was nearly black, and it was set before them in heavy, glass mugs. It was cold but felt almost thick on their tongues compared to their traditional Tordanian ale. However, it tasted pleasant, and neither of the men wasted anytime in starting to drink.

  Etras was pleased with this, knowing the alcohol usually prompted his customers to be freer with expressing what they wished to buy. It also generally helped their willingness to part with their money.

  “So, now, what is it you truly wish to find here?” he asked. “I know you said you wanted to be left alone to do your shopping, but I could at least point you in the proper direction.”

  Keiran and Jerris looked at one another for a moment before Jerris decided to stay out of it. He picked his mug up again for another drink.

  The Tordanian King leaned forward onto the table and locked gazes with Etras. “I can’t rightly tell you, Etras. I can only say it is very, very serious business. The large building in the center of the city is the palace, correct?”

  His eyes instantly narrowed, and he leaned forward as well, wanting to get to the bottom of it. “Yes, it is. I am an educated man, Saoirse, and I know from your clothing and money you are of considerable wealth. Are you wishing to somehow get into the palace for an audience with the emperor?”

  The vampire asked about the palace only thinking Danier might have gone there after his return. If not, he hoped someone there might at least have some idea where he would have gone.

  Keiran wasn’t surprised Etras pegged him for something more than a commoner. Still, he didn’t know what he could really say that wouldn’t send their host immediately running to the nearest authorities.

  He decided to give a bit of the truth, hoping it might gain some of Etras’ sympathy. “No, I’m not looking to see the emperor, I can assure you that. My desire is to be as unnoticed as possible. I’m looking for a woman.”

  Etras smiled wide and clapped his hands together. “Oh, a whore! This is easy! I get you one!”

  Jerris nearly spit his beer out across the table, Keiran suddenly looking mortified.

  The vampire almost climbed onto the table, shaking his head and flushing red. “No! Keep your voice down, Etras, please!”

  The Sadori let his smile linger, eyes shining in his amusement. Tordanians always came off as prudish by his standards. “Now, now, men. There is nothing to be ashamed of in the least! This is completely legal. I can take you right where you wish to go.”

  “No, not that kind of woman,” Keiran shot back, his voice lowered into a forced whisper.

  “Oh, slave market?” Etras asked, head cocking to the side. “This is possible.”

  “No, not that, either,” Keiran said, shaking his head. “I’m looking for a specific woman.”

  Etras crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back somewhat, stymied. “What is her name? Perhaps I know where she can be found.”

  “No, Etras, you won’t know her. This is something Jerris and I must do on our own.”

  The guide placed his hand onto the table, palm up, fingers wiggling.

  Keiran took the hint and sighed before counting out ten half-ounce gold coins and setting them into Etras’ outstretched hand.

  Their guide offered another smile and discreetly made the coins vanish into a hidden pocket. “I will wait for you here, yes? Easy to find this place, straight on the road back to the bridge. If you aren’t back before midnight, I will return here in the morning. I will do this up to three days.”

  Keiran picked up his beer and quickly finished it off before giving the Sadori a nod. “We’ll be back tonight.”

  ***

  Thana started another day much like the one before. After dressing with the other women and having breakfast, she’d gone with Sarit to spend the day in a marathon session of learning Sadori.

  After two such days, by late afternoon she was mentally exhausted. Yet, it had been fruitful. She was still a long way from being fluent, but she knew enough to make her future learning easier. The foundation was set, but she sincerely hoped she would be out of the Sador Empire before she needed it.

  In the evening, the asashis were taken to the throne room with the emperor. He had some laws to work through with them, but Thana was relatively disengaged from the process. She didn’t know the country’s affairs well enough to find it interesting. Since the meeting was being conducted in Sadori, it proved little more than a chance for her to pick up a few more words.

  Throughout the day, Thana shared several knowing stares with Cinat, and she couldn’t help but think about what they were going to attempt. How they would get to the ground from the window troubled her, and where they would go afterward was a mystery.

  Thana realized she and Cinat had more than enough fabric with the blankets on their beds to come up with an improvised rope. Though they would have to work quickly, Thana was hopeful they would be able to put something together.

  She’d not been disturbed the night before by anyone other than Cinat. If tonight proved the same, it would give them ample time to not only make their rope but to get the window apart, too.

  Though it had been a long day by the time Thana was locked in her room, she was anything but tired. Soon after entering, she and Cinat opened the passage between their rooms. Thana brought her blankets in while Cinat started lifting out the individual pieces of glass from the window. Thana used one of the removed shards of glass to slice the blankets up into a heap of long, thin strips.

  Thana looked out of the window when enough glass was removed, and she saw they were nearly three stories up from the paved road below. Their rooms didn’t face into the courtyard of the palace, mercifully. If they managed to get down, they had a fair shot of disappearing into the town as several shops and alleyways lined the opposite side of the street. However, the walls were completely smooth and would provide no aid in their descent.

  Thana began to braid the strips together in earnest, Cinat quickly catching on.
While Thana braided, Cinat worked at shredding another blanket. Once they had enough fabric, Cinat helped Thana with the braiding, trying to keep the ends of the unwieldy fabric strips untangled.

  The women lost track of time as they worked, being both busy and extremely nervous. While it seemed to take most of the night to get the rope long enough, they completed it within two hours.

  Thana looked at the amount of rope they’d created for several minutes, debating if it was long enough. She didn’t want to unfurl it out of the window to test its length as she feared someone would see it.

  Feeling as confident as she figured she’d get, she set about finding something to anchor the rope onto. Most of the furniture in their rooms was angular and boxy, offering no acceptable tie-off points. The only thing she found were the poles across the inside of their rooms’ armoires used to hang clothes upon. Thana was able to pull both of them out with Cinat’s help.

  She laid the poles down parallel to one another and tied one end of the rope around their middles. She hoped by doubling them up they would have the strength to support both women on their climb down. The poles were wider than the window frame, and as long as they remained horizontal they had a chance of holding.

  The skeleton of leading remaining in the window proved easy to bend away. They opened a gap on the bottom half of the window big enough to escape through.

  After looking down for several minutes to ensure the area was clear, Thana tossed the free end of her rope downward toward the street. It stopped several feet above the pavers, but it was definitely close enough that they’d be able to drop the remaining distance safely. With that down, she picked up the poles the other end of the rope was tied to and wedged them across the window frame.

  She looked at Cinat and motioned for her to go first. It wasn’t that Thana was willing to sacrifice the other woman if the rope failed. She just wanted to keep the poles from shifting as the Quitam woman made her way down. If she killed her new friend with her planned escape method, it wasn’t something she could live with.