by Jon Kiln
“You should try and do something to take your mind off of all of this. You could sew with me.” The Duchess lifted the tapestry off her knee that she was mindlessly creating. “I find it relaxes my tensions.”
“No, I don’t think it would help, grandmother. I was never any good at crafts,” she admitted. “The last time I spoke with Ganry and Perseus, we agreed to discuss an escape plan, but they have not been back since. Perhaps they were caught escaping their cell. I do believe that Perseus could escape from this place single handedly. I don’t know how he does it, but he seems to be very talented at the art of escape,” Myriam finished, her thoughts now wandering off to Perseus.
“He is a Suggizon,” the Duchess informed her.
“A what? What is that? I suppose it must be a tribe of warriors within Vandemland, is it?”
“Come and sit by my side, Myriam, and listen to me,” the Duchess suggested. “I don’t wish to shout to you across the chamber.”
Myriam sat in a comfortable chair, thinking that it must have been brought into the city for the humans only, as an Akkedis would not fit in it. Then she wondered the same about the beds and other furniture.
“Your mind is wandering, Myriam, and I need you to concentrate on what I tell you,” the Duchess said quietly.
Myriam looked at her grandmother, who had been such a formidable woman in her youth, and indeed not so long ago during the coup of the royal family. Now, she was looking old and weak.
“Myriam!” she heard the Duchess’s voice shout her name, and jumped with surprise. “Your mind wanders, child. It is the lack of blood in your brain, I’m sure of it. Now listen to me. Perseus is from a rare breed of snake men. He can shape shift into a giant snake. I know of this because he works for Qutaybah, as you know.”
“Yes,” Myriam said, listening to her grandmother’s words. “I have a vague memory of the Suggizon from my history lessons, now I think of it. I thought them legends, not real?” she questioned.
“I have seen him change with my own eyes. He is very real, though there were not many of his kind left. Those that survived were secreted far away by Qutaybah so they could be left in peace to breed. Hopefully, he has saved the species. The few that are caught these days are eaten as a rare dish, would you believe, by barbarians.” The Duchess was clearly angry at the very thought. “I knew that Qutaybah was trying to increase the population but that was years ago. I must admit I never queried over the progress of that project.”
“I thought Qutaybah was a slaver and leader of mercenaries?”
“He is not a man to be double crossed, that’s for sure,” the Duchess replied. “If he sent you here, then there will be more to the plan. Otherwise he would have come himself. I doubt he would have known that the Empress wanted our family blood for her own personal supply. When I can talk to Perseus again, I will find out why he is here. If he was meant simply to be your guide, he would have left you at the stones you told me of, the ones where the sand worms attacked you. There was no reason for him to go any further. You had the Akkedis to show you the way.”
“I do believe you are correct, grandmother,” Myriam agreed, thinking her grandmother to be very clever. “You think that Qutaybah had another objective in mind?”
“Indeed, he has other investments in this project, I guarantee you that, which is good because it should align with our interests,” Duchess D’Anjue said reassuringly. “We just need to survive long enough.”
33
The temporary camp was busily packing away. They had been told that a long journey lay ahead and the troops were readying themselves to cross the desert. Pans clanged, hammers banged on wooden poles, and voices chattered. Women folded the washed-and-dried clothes from the previous day and packed up the food rations. Everyone seemingly had a task to do or they would not have been required to join the troops. Qutaybah kept his slaves busy. There was no time for leisure and no time to waste.
“I know this is the way, Dramand, because I was the one who led them here many years ago,” he told his desert friend.
“Those are not easy mountains to be crossing. It could take us all year.”
“We do not need to go all the way as we have arranged a small holding here,” he said, pointing his finger to a place in the desert on the map. “We built a village so that the Suggizon would know of anyone attempting to cross the mountain pass that hides their people. This village consists of humans, mainly. There should be a Suggizon on duty, so they can send a message fast to the town hidden in the mountains. For all I know, it could be a city now. I have not visited in many years and Perseus tells me, very proudly, that it has grown.”
“I think we had better stop talking and get moving. We have a long way to go. Though why you insist on these people being involved is beyond me,” Dramand complained as he rolled up the large scrolled maps.
“I promised Perseus that if he killed the Akkedis Empress it would make his people rich. They will have a part of the gem mines.”
“By the time you have given all the parts of the gem mines away, there will be none left for those of us doing all the work,” Dramand complained again.
“Bah, there is plenty to go around. These people need to find a trade to enhance their population. Did you know they were almost extinct when I found Perseus?” Qutaybah exclaimed.
“Your heart is too soft,” Dramand laughed, knowing it to be true. Qutaybah was a hard, but fair man. He was not seen as cruel, but those who crossed him would soon feel his wrath.
“If the plan is to drive the Akkedis out of their city, then we will need more men than we have here,” Qutaybah informed Dramand. “I have already dispatched riders to Palara. They will warn the Regent of the betrayal and plotting between Ghaffar and Lord Josiah. I am also hoping as a result of this news, he will send some of his best troops to help in the rescue of his Queen, and join us in battle at the Akkedis city. With our men combined, humans and the mighty Suggizon, I am certain victory will be ours. Do you agree, my friend, that are we going to make ourselves rich?”
Qutaybah did not wait for an answer. He climbed onto the seat of his camel and instructed the caravan to get moving. They could not battle the Akkedis without the Suggizon. He had promised Perseus. Besides, he felt they were the perfect race to take over the running of the lizards’ gem mines.
It was time for them to come out of hiding and for the Akkedis to disappear. He never had any love for the lizard people. They were bad business dealers, greedy and never caring about anyone, not even their own. A selfish nation of creatures that deserved to be vanquished.
The caravan of over a hundred mounted troops set off into the desert, called Saraba. The trek across Saraba is a dangerous one, even for seasoned troops like these.
The heat is relentless, making it almost impossible to travel during daylight, especially when the sun is fully up. The sand worms are a constant threat, with routes having to be plotted that take into account solid rock formations for refuge. This can often double the time it takes to get from one place to another.
Not only are the sand worms a problem, the desert has many tribes, some friendly, others not. Whilst they were well equipped for trouble, they needed to complete this part of their journey with as little distractions as possible.
Qutaybah had ensured there were gifts a plenty to bribe those who could make their passage easier. Arms for some tribes, food for other ones, clothing for another and even gems and gold for some. All would be appeased so this caravan could continue its journey unhindered.
They traveled for almost twelve hours and as they ascended a huge sand dune, an oasis came into view. A small patch of ground with a pool of water and a number of palms that offered shade from the ravages of the midday sun. The caravan headed towards it and in no time, the soldiers and beasts were refreshed by the cool clear liquid. All rested under shade.
“It would be much quicker to go south following the dry river bed, rather than climbing the two huge dunes that stand between us and our
destination,” Dramand said to Qutaybah.
“Indeed, but I would not wish to go too close to the Akkedis just yet. Besides, we have yet to meet up with the Suggizon. They are crucial to the success of my plan.”
Hours of riding had made his back ache, and Qutaybah rubbed at it absentmindedly. “For now, Dramand, enjoy this beautiful oasis. It is the last one on our route. This is my favorite. For some strange reason, a single coconut tree fruits here every time I arrive. No matter what time of year, it always provides me with this refreshing drink of coconut milk. I think it is a magical tree and bears a good omen. I go out of my way to talk to it whenever I am passing.”
“Pffff, you talk to a coconut tree?” Dramand scorned good-naturedly.
“Indeed I do. A warrior should always make time for the little things in life. Things that may not seem important, but who knows how anything might change your future, eh?” Qutaybah took a long sip of the drink in the coconut cup.
“Talking to trees, my friend, can only be a sign of desert madness,” Dramand warned him. “I fail to see how a coconut tree can be of any use in your life.”
“See, it provides me with nutrition, right here in the middle of nowhere, how can that be?”
The debate over the lonely coconut tree went on well into the night, as the two friends discussed the mundane subject. This eased the strain of travel, as friends are meant to do.
The next day would find them approaching the village that guarded the pass to the Suggizon. Arriving with an army of men would cause consternation, and tensions would be high.
34
Myriam was restless, as always, though she had not provided blood for a few days. She found she could not sleep in this place. There were no windows to open, no fresh breeze to cool her skin. Just the same stuffy air that kept recycling itself, stale and damp.
Something was bothering her, something niggling at the back of her mind. She had not seen Linz or Hendon for days as the guards had stopped her leaving the room. Luckily, she still had the company of her grandmother. Though now she thought about it, the Akkedis had not taken any blood from the Duchess either. That could only mean they were bleeding the young men dry.
With a sudden start, she jumped up from her bed. Concern over her companions was causing her to pace the floor anxiously. What if they were to go too far and kill Linz and Hendon? She would demand the very next day that she be allowed to see her compatriots. Just as she was composing a speech in her head, she heard a door slowly open. It was the door to the empty room. Why hadn’t they put the boys in there? she wondered.
As the door opened, she was unsure who to expect, friend or foe. Could it be the Akkedis servant girl, Arriba, whom she had not seen her for a while? Could it be one of the boys, though why would they come that way? All these thoughts quickly scanned through her mind and she felt relief flood over her when she saw the figure move into the light.
“Perseus, it is so good to see you,” she said, approaching him. “I was worried you had both been murdered.”
“I come with grave news, Queen Myriam.” He spoke with a resigned sadness and would not look her in the eye.
Myriam sat down, her legs trembling, readying herself for the bad news.
“Please do not tell me that Ganry is dead?”
When he did not reply, she choked, not wanting to hear those words.
Perseus took her delicate hand, trying to offer some comfort.
“No, but he is close, and there is little I can do,” he told her. “That creature, Ghaffar, he tortures him with insects, every day. He puts those vile creatures inside his body and stands there watching as Ganry writhes around in agony. Every day it takes a part of his strength away. If I were to kill Ghaffar, I would be showing my hand too soon. I bring extra food and liquids for Ganry’s strength, but even that is helping less and less.”
Perseus covered his face with his large hands, rubbing at his skin. It was clear to Myriam that he and Ganry had become close on this expedition. The loss of Ganry would hit him hard.
“Perseus, keep doing all you can for him. I will speak to the others and see if we can come up with some solution. I have a plan, something the Akkedis servant girl let slip about why they drug us before taking the blood. It seems that if we are restful, the blood is of better quality. Well, I think it’s time to change all that. We will refuse to cooperate and make them fight for our blood, make things harder, so to speak. That way Ghaffar will need to put his attentions elsewhere, at least for a while.”
Perseus did not linger. He wished to hurry back to Ganry and try to ease his wounds. It was his intention to sneak into the medical area and steal some medicines to give him strength. He was not sure they would work on Ganry, as Akkedis physiology is so very different, but anything that might lend Ganry some time would be welcome. He knew there was little hope of Ghaffar holding off the torture, but if he had other urgencies to attend to, as Myriam had planned, then perhaps he could build up Ganry’s strength once again.
***
Myriam stuck to her plan and the next day she made such a fuss at not seeing her two friends, who were only in the room opposite, that the guards had to go and find Ghaffar.
“I will not eat, I refuse to drink, and I hope your Empress dies in agony,” she yelled at the Akkedis who brought her breakfast in.
“My dear, whatever is this about?” the Duchess asked as she came into Myriam’s room to share breakfast, as they did daily.
“It is time to stop this charade, grandmother. Ganry is in danger and I have not seen Linz or Hendon for days. I will not be treated like this!” Myriam yelled at her grandmother so all the guards could hear her words. Nor did she care if they understood or not, she just needed to get Ghaffar’s attention for a few days.
The door was left open and she pushed her way past the guards who seemed unsure of what to do. Moving quickly into the young men’s room, she soon saw that they were both sleeping in their cots.
“Wake up, wake up!” she cried. “I want you in my rooms and we will not be parted any more. It is time to lay down a few rules ourselves. Now, boys, wake yourselves, you are needed. I have much to discuss with you.”
She pitied them as it was obvious by the darkness of their eyes and the paleness of their skin, that the greedy Akkedis Empress had been feeding from them in large quantities. They needed to be together from now on, protecting one another. Four heads were better than one. It was time to get together and make plans to be free of this dreadful place.
35
Artas was enjoying his morning ride on his grey dappled horse, Orton. He had not had a moment alone in such a long time. The air was invigorating as the horse cantered along, and they both enjoyed the open space of the meadow. Artas missed being able to do just as he wanted. As Regent, everyone seemed to know his every move. He had even refused Lady Leonie joining him on his ride this morning as he simply wanted to be alone.
As they jogged to the top of a steep hill, Artas could see a group of riders moving fast towards him. He could not recognize them from so far away, and decided to keep his distance until he had identified them better. They drew closer and he could now see that one of the riders carried the banner of Qutaybah. Spurring his horse on, he rode down to meet them.
They came to a stop and surrounded him in a circle, eying him warily.
“Do not hinder us,” the leader said, sternly, hand hovering over his sword hilt. “We ride for the castle. I have grave news for the Regent.”
“That is me, Artas, Regent of Palara. I’d rather hear your message here, away from prying eyes and eavesdroppers.”
The leader was a lean man, well muscled with a hardened look about him. He was clearly a veteran of many battles. Always cautious, he looked at the young man before him more closely. His master had described the Regent named Artas to him, and this nobleman fit the description perfectly, even down to the injured leg.
“My name is Jacayb, and I am here with great urgency with regards to your Queen Myriam.�
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Artas felt a heavy cloud hang over him. This was not what he wanted to hear. Though he was in a rush to know the news, he did not rush the rider who had come so far.
“You have a traitor among your people. He is known as Lord Josiah. That is the only name we have. He is dealing with Ghaffar of the Akkedis to ensure that your Queen does not return,” Jacayb finished.
“The Queen still lives then?” Artas asked, hope in his voice.
“Yes, she lives still. As we speak, Qutaybah is rushing to her aid in the Akkedis city. He implores you to send men to help in his mission.”
Artas nodded, but said nothing. He turned his horse and led the riders towards the castle.
“Please, you are my guests for as long as you need,” he said to Jacayb.
“We can hold up only one night. Then we must return to our own lands for we are needed in battle. Will you be joining us?”
“Alas, not me,” Artas said, feeling as if he was always the one to miss out on the adventures. “The Queen has appointed me her Regent, so I must deal with Lord Josiah and hold the castle for her until she returns. But, I will be sending our elite troops. You can take a hundred of my best men back with you and I’ll send word to the Lakemen. The Chief of the Lakemen is journeying with our Queen, and they will wish to be involved if their Chief is in danger. If you need more, the army of this Kingdom is at your service.”
With this news, Jacayb smiled, relieved to have delivered his master’s message and to be taking back strong reinforcements. “My master asked only for your best. We do not need numbers, just seasoned soldiers.”
“And, my good man, you shall have them at your disposal. I would prefer to take all the army we have to rescue our Queen, but this would not be diplomatic. I shall trust this in the hands of Qutaybah, as I know he is allied to the Duchess and will do all he can to ensure her safety.”
