The Tower of Bashan

by Joshua P. Simon

  “What about the watch?” asked Andrasta, surprised she had seen only a few people, mostly homeless, moving about the streets.

  “Most of the watch are out of the city thanks to my brother and Gulzar. The rest I’m not sure I can trust.”

  “Then where do we go to regroup?” asked Rondel. “We have to act soon before Gulzar does rally Beladeva’s men.”

  “My place,” came a weak croak.

  Mira turned back inside.

  Maybe the old man isn’t gone yet.

  “Brahma, don’t concern yourself with this. Rest, please.”

  “Go to my place. I have more men there. Many will know who among the watch we can trust.”

  * * *

  The ride through Bashan was eerily quiet, broken only by the clopping of hooves and the banging of carriage wheels. That sense of isolation caused Mira to shiver.

  Fighting in the streets. Dozens are dead, including the prince. The tower was broken into. I was beaten. And yet Bashan sleeps. Or rather it pretends to sleep. Someone had to have seen, if not heard the commotion tonight. And yet, no one did anything.

  That may be Bashan’s biggest problem after all. Few of the people care about it the way they should. The way Father did.

  When Brahma and his guards had not returned, his remaining men expected the worst. The gate to his home was shut, barred, and heavily guarded.

  Mira had to explain the situation to them personally as none would listen to Rondel or Andrasta. Their loyalty to Brahma was never more evident than when several wept upon learning of his condition. They carried him inside with care, easing Brahma into his bed as a mother would a babe.

  “Don’t worry, my lord,” said the captain. “I’ll send my best men out to fetch your sons. I’m sure they’ll want to be here right away.”

  Mira gasped with a short intake of breath. They don’t know.

  “What is it, Your Majesty?” asked the captain.

  She read the blank look on his face, then glanced to Brahma. Through the swelling and bruises, he looked just as confused as the others. Gods, he doesn’t know either.

  “Something’s happened to them?” croaked Brahma.

  She swallowed hard and gave a nod.

  “Tell me.”

  “Beladeva killed them,” she said, fighting back tears.

  Brahma wrapped his hands around the sheets beneath him and twisted. “How?”

  “I . . . I don’t know exactly.”

  “Then how do you know for certain?” asked the captain.

  “He showed them to me.” Or what was left of them.

  Brahma’s leathery skin paled. He closed his eyes and bit his lip. “Captain.”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  “I want you to make Gulzar and every man that has been in Beladeva’s organization pay.”

  “It will be done.”

  “Wait,” said Mira, gathering herself. “I know you want revenge. I want it too. But we cannot have another bloodbath in the streets. The city will go mad.”

  Brahma closed his eyes tighter. “I understand your point, Princess. I simply don’t care. My sons are dead. Bashan can be flooded with blood for all I care.”

  “No. We need to do this properly.” She knew that without an army or even a reliable watch at her disposal, she had no means to stop Brahma. She had to reason with him. “Your men can help with the arrests. Then there will be trials—”

  “Trials take too long. Too much can happen. No. It must be now.”

  “But—”

  “No one said you had to kill everyone in the streets,” said Andrasta. The large woman and Rondel had slid into the room unnoticed.

  “She’s right,” added Rondel. “In fact, it would be wiser not to face them out in the open. I know everyone here is looking for revenge, but they have the numbers. You would do better to select a location of your choosing to take away their advantage. We could use the carriage as a decoy to lure them in. We can easily set it up so they’d assume we’re transporting the princess back to the palace.”

  Brahma opened his eyes. “Captain, obey that man and his partner as you would me.”

  “What!” Mira shouted.

  “But they are just common thieves,” said the captain.

  “If even half of the stories about them are true, there is nothing common about them. Especially in light of where they’ve been tonight.” Brahma paused. “Were you successful?” he asked Rondel with a glance.

  “Yes and no.”

  “But you made it inside and then escaped?”

  “Yes.”

  “Something no one else has done. I’ll want to hear that story later. Captain, obey them.”

  The captain frowned. “As you say, my lord.”

  “Good. Everyone leave me.”

  “Brahma, I—” began Mira.

  “Everyone, Your Majesty. I would prefer to begin mourning my sons in private. We can discuss how best to punish me for taking the law into my own hands another time.”

  Mira started to open her mouth again, but a hand touched her arm.

  “Please, Your Majesty,” said the captain.

  A part of her wanted to fight harder to be heard, but it was a small part. Deep down she wanted Gulzar and Beladeva’s men to pay just as much as Brahma did. They had wrecked too many lives.

  And my city. Perhaps Bashan needs to bleed the poison out before she’ll be ready to heal.

  Outside of Brahma’s room, men of his household hustled about the spacious hallways.

  Armor clinked, boots clacked, and men shouted. None shouted louder than Andrasta who barked orders like a general on the battlefield. Half of what she said seemed to be repeating the words of her raspy voiced partner.

  Mira went to them.

  Rondel was in conversation with a messenger. “Do it quickly. Everyone you can. Tell only those on the watch that you trust. Stress that whoever does not stand with us, stands against us and the princess will remember them. Go.”

  The messenger took off.

  “I never said that,” said Mira.

  “I beg your pardon, Your Majesty. Sometimes liberties are needed in order to speed things along. It’s the spirit of things that matters most.” He fumbled with his belt, adjusting the sheath of his sword.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  He looked up. “What do you mean?”

  “Why are you helping Brahma? And why did you help me?”

  “Because I promised Lela I would help you.”

  Mira blinked. “She wanted you to help me?”

  “She wanted us to save you actually.”

  “I still don’t understand. Why would Lela care what happened to me? She betrayed me to Beladeva. This is partly her fault.”

  “She knows that and feels awful.”

  “I’m glad she feels something.”

  Rondel sighed. “You have every right to be angry about what happened. If it makes you feel better she betrayed us to Beladeva as well.”

  “Good. You had a hand in this mess as well with your deception to me and my brother. Did you actually get the jewel? We could use it to—”

  “There is no jewel. At least not in the tower. Just an illusion.”

  She frowned. No jewel? So some of this could have been avoided . . . “But why—”

  “A long story, Your Majesty. Look, Lela deserves another chance. Beladeva manipulated her. He used family as leverage to make her do things she would not have done otherwise. That family is dead now. She’s completely on her own and what she wants most to do is try to right some of the wrongs she committed. We forgave her. Perhaps you can too.”

  Who does he think he is, giving me a lecture about forgiveness?

  Mira wanted to fire back at Rondel, but couldn’t muster enough fight. The truth behind his words stung and sympathy for what Lela had been through softened her heart.

  Andrasta interrupted them. “Brahma’s men are ready. One of the messengers has already returned with a half dozen men from the watch.”
/>
  “Good,” Rondel said. “That will add some legitimacy to what we’re doing.” He bowed to Mira. “Your Majesty. We need to be on our way. Dawn will be here soon and once the city wakes, what we plan to do will be harder to accomplish.”

  “Where are you going to lure Gulzar’s men?”

  “Near the docks, there’s an old—”

  “No. That’s an awful idea. There will be too many people near the docks, even at this time of night. I want to minimize any involvement with those in the city. Besides, it will be more difficult for our men to maneuver into positions to ambush.”

  “You have a better idea?”

  “The water gardens would be a better choice.”

  He scratched his neck near his scar. Stubble hid part of it. “That might work. In fact, it is a better idea. I have just the place in mind to lead them. Thank you.” He started to turn away. “I’ll send word to the others. Wish us luck.”

  “I’m going with you.”

  He stopped. “No.”

  “I will not sit idly by while my city bleeds, even if it’s the blood of those who deserve it. I need to be there. Anyway, why pretend I’m in the carriage when I can actually be in the carriage?”

  “We could make you stay,” said Andrasta.

  “No,” sighed Rondel. “This is her city, and the choice should be hers. Let’s go.”

  * * *

  Three teams set out on foot, horseback, or atop the carriage as they left Brahma’s home. Rondel and Mira took the carriage. Andrasta led the men on foot, and Brahma’s captain took those on horseback.

  Mira gave Rondel directions for the longest route back to the palace in order to give the other teams a chance to get into position. They began to worry when there was no sign of any of Beladeva’s men.

  Their worry eased after turning onto the road that passed in front of the palace. A large group of men led by Gulzar congregated outside the palace’s gate. Five sat atop mounts.

  A relieved smile touched Mira’s lips as the palace guards on duty refused to open the gate for Gulzar and his men.

  Perhaps, there are more loyal to me than Lela thought.

  Rondel ducked his head inside the front window. “All right, Your Majesty. Gulzar has enough men to break that gate down in due time. Time to lure them away.”

  She nodded.

  The driver of the carriage cracked the whip and the horses picked up pace, drawing the attention of those at the gate. Mira pushed aside the curtain to the window just enough to be seen without appearing obvious.

  Gulzar shouted orders and both men on foot and on horseback took off after them.

  Mira suppressed several yelps, but not all of them as the carriage bounced along. The pain medicine taken earlier had begun to wear off. Each bump reminded her of every bruise.

  The pain worsened as she ducked down from the carriage seat and lay on the floor when fighting erupted. She dared not poke her head out for a better look at what was going on, but the sounds of galloping horses flanking either side of the carriage, swords clashing, and things slamming into the doors gave her a pretty good idea.

  Angry shouts turned into colorful curses after the driver took a sharp turn that threw her against the side. Her eyes watered in pain. The horses no longer pounded beside them, but fell behind the vehicle.

  That means we made it to the water gardens.

  She climbed up and poked her head out the front window. Through the narrow view, low-hanging tree branches and lush bushes zipped by, many thudding into the side of the carriage as it sped down a path meant for walkers. Despite the darkness, there was enough light from the moon and stars that she could make out a few of the more popular black-marble sculptures like the hero Erjan.

  She hated suggesting they use the water gardens as the place to spring the trap. In some ways, it felt just as bad as defiling the tower with vendors.

  But at this time of morning, no one except a few homeless will even be in the gardens. No one can see what’s going on from the outside. And no one will expect an ambush.

  The carriage weaved in and out of several walking paths. To their pursuers, each turn probably seemed like an act of desperation from someone who knew not how to get out.

  Which is what we want. Gulzar will think he has us trapped.

  In truth, Rondel had told the driver to keep circling in order for Gulzar’s footmen to catch up with those on horseback.

  A loud thud sounded against the back of the carriage. Another on the roof. She heard Rondel curse as a crossbow loosed and swords clanged. Shuffling boots skidded over the roof as men fought. Two screams followed and the roof of the carriage was once again absent of footsteps.

  “Hold on, Princess,” Rondel warned from outside. “Push it,” he told the driver.

  Good. He made it.

  The carriage sped forward, rocking back and forth, banging against small trees and stone walls, creaking and cracking at every turn.

  We’re not going to make it. The carriage is going to fall apart before we get there.

  “Faster!” Rondel shouted.

  Up ahead a false dawn formed. The horses raced into an arched tunnel.

  “Now!” Rondel shouted as the horses neared the end.

  The driver pulled up on the reins. One of the animals stumbled, careening into the other as the carriage stopped. The stumbling beast looked like it may have broken a leg, but Mira had little time to feel sympathy.

  The door to the carriage opened, and Rondel yanked her out as the driver and two more of Brahma’s men blocked the wheels with large stones so it could not be pushed out of the exit of the tunnel.

  “Get behind the tree,” said Rondel, gesturing as he and the others took positions around the carriage to hack at men trying to squeeze between it and the wall, or under the carriage itself.

  She ran to the tree, heart pounding with fear. She wondered if she should have stayed at Brahma’s after all.

  Rondel loosed several quarrels while Brahma’s guards stabbed with long spears. Still, the carriage skidded under the weight of men pressing forward. It stopped at a loud cry of battle from the other side of the archway.

  Rondel looked back at Mira and gave her a grim nod. Andrasta and those she commanded had entered the tunnel from the other end, trapping Gulzar’s men inside.

  Mira turned away and placed her hands over her ears to block the dying screams of so many.

  I’m a butcher of men. What would Father say if he saw me now?

  Sometime later a hand touched her shoulder. Rondel stood beside her, out of breath and speckled with death. He took a big gulp of air. “It’s over, Your Majesty.”

  No. It is only beginning. She should have felt elated, but given all that had happened, sorrow rested heavily on her shoulders. Bashan will never be the same. Maybe I need to stop trying to make it what my father envisioned and instead make it into what it needs to be.

  A thought struck her. “Gulzar?”

  “Doubtful he would have followed us. But without his guards, Brahma’s captain should have located him by now.”

  The plan had been for the captain to take his riders and chase Gulzar down the moment the men around him thinned enough to make their move.

  She nodded, forcing herself to stand. Her brother was dead. She ruled Bashan outright. She needed to act like it. “You did well. Tell those of the watch to close off the water gardens. Brahma’s men are to see to the disposal of the bodies. It is to be done as cheaply as possible. They mean nothing to me.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty. The sun will be up soon. You probably shouldn’t be here when that happens. Shall I take you back to the palace?”

  “No. Back to Brahma’s. He’ll want to know what happened.”

  * * *

  By the time Mira returned to Brahma’s and relayed the details of the night’s events, small beams of sunlight flitted into his room. The smell of medicinal herbs filled the space. A small breeze pushed aside the thin curtain over the window, flashing a sunbeam into the r
oom. Doing so exposed further details of Brahma’s bruises. Selfishly, Mira wondered if her torso looked as bad.

  Silence stretched between them after ending her story.

  She slowly eased herself from her seat, assuming he’d fallen asleep.

  If the physical wounds don’t kill him, it’s possible the emotional ones will.

  The pull in her side and the stiffness in her limbs reminded her that her body could use sleep as well.

  “I’m still not ready to give Yamana my other hand yet,” said Brahma, referencing his joke about the Kindi god of death. His eyes opened once again. “He’ll just have to keep waiting until I say I’m ready.”

  Mira grinned. “That pleases me to hear.”

  Brahma let out a heavy sigh. “That’s not to say that a part of me doesn’t want to simply die so that I might be with my sons again. But to do that would be conceding defeat. My oldest son, Madhav,” he paused, fighting back tears. “He has a young one. My grandson. He turns six in a few months. He’ll need a strong male presence in his life. I mean to live long enough to give him that.”

  “I’m sure Madhav would have wanted that.”

  A tear fell from his eye. “Yes, I think he would.” He closed his eyes again. “You can leave now, Your Majesty. I just wanted to let you know that I didn’t plan on leaving this life just yet.”

  Mira exited quietly, clicking the door shut behind her. She was relieved that Brahma did not intend to give up. He was a good man and deserved a better ending to his life. Selfishly, she also needed his support to clean up the mess her brother left behind.

  And to truly make Bashan into something better.

  A throat cleared to her right, jarring her from her thoughts. Rondel stood waiting. Andrasta leaned against a wall nearby, doing her best to appear indifferent, but failing in the process.

  “Your Majesty.”

  “What is it?”

  “We didn’t want to leave with unfinished business.”

  “Leave? You aren’t leaving. You did betray Bashan.”

  “True, but are you really going to hold us to that despite what we did afterward to help you secure Bashan under your rule?”

  Mira noted the subtly in which Andrasta’s hand drifted to the hilt of her sword. After what I’ve seen, how many more will die just to stop them. Learn to pick your battles, Mira. This isn’t one. “Then what is your unfinished business?”