Dwarven Ruby (32 page)

“Where is the Falcon’s Hood?” asked Wylan.

“Arik can show you the way,” Alex responded. “He can also explain where the Pawn Shop is in case you get separated. Let’s split up now.”

Alex turned at the next intersection. Tanya and Jenneva followed him. A few minutes later they arrived at the stables for the Golden Sword Inn. Alex secured a room for Jenneva and himself while Tanya got her own room. As soon as everybody was settled in, Alex left the inn and proceeded to the Sword and Shield Inn. He asked for a room overlooking the street, using the name Kyle Agrat. He was shown to a room. Just a few moments later, the door opened and a man entered and sat on the floor near the window.

“You are becoming a regular visitor,” grinned Larc. “Perhaps we should offer you a long term rate.”

“Tagaret does seem to be in my path a lot these days,” smiled Alex. “What news do you have for me?”

“Queen Marta entered the city last night,” grinned Larc. “Without a single casualty, I might add.”

“Excellent!” remarked Alex. “I had not expected it so soon, but I am pleased with the news. How is the Council taking it?”

“She addressed the Council this morning,” informed Larc. “It is too early to determine what will happen. Tensions are high throughout the city though. Word is spreading swiftly throughout the city. A few are rejoicing, while others do not seem to care. The city is in a bad way, Alex. I have never seen it this bad. Not even after the Sordoan attack and the Collapse. There is no food and no work. Businesses are closing because they cannot afford the taxes. There is a lot of talk among the citizens of leaving the city, but they are afraid to. There is no safe place for the people to go. Riots are becoming a daily occurrence and the army deals harshly with them. Gangs of children have formed to steal food, and I do not mean a loaf of bread. These are organized gangs who hijack food shipments, even wagons bound for the Royal Palace itself. It is only a matter of time before Tagaret self-destructs.”

“You paint a grim picture, friend,” frowned Alex. “I can see now why the queen entered the city earlier than planned.”

“That was not the only reason for changing the schedule,” continued Larc. “Colonel Salvo almost discovered our operation in the city. A Red Sword corporal, named Sydar, made a mistake. He was being interrogated along with his sister when David Jaynes managed to get them released. The fear was that sooner or later, Colonel Salvo would find out what was going on.”

“That would have complicated things a great deal,” nodded Alex. “It is just as well. The third gem for the Sword of Heavens was found. There are now clear skies over Lanoir.”

“That is excellent news,” responded Larc. “Where are you off to next?”

“Tor,” frowned Alex. “We are searching for the Shield of Oykara. Let me know if you uncover anything about it.”

“Never heard of it,” declared Larc. “You should be wary of Tor. The people in that region are not very friendly. There are also many reports of dragons up there.”

“Those humans are from another Universe,” nodded Alex. “I was through that area a few years back looking for the Children. They do not care much for strangers, but they did not appear openly hostile.”

“You also have a message from Oscar,” added Larc. “He wants to see you. He said to bring Jenneva and the children with you.”

“All of the children?” asked Alex. “I am not even sure where all of them are.”

“He was not specific,” shrugged Larc. “I would just go see what he wants. If it involves the children, you can always go back.”

“Well, I can take most of them with me,” replied Alex. “I do not want to spend much time in Tagaret this trip, so I think I will do as you suggest. Do you have anything else for me?”

“This letter came for you just after you left the city the last time,” offered Larc as he handed the envelope to Alex. “I opened it and shared the contents with Oscar. It was from Arik and Tedi in Dalek.”

“Old news then,” nodded Alex as he stuffed the letter in a pocket. “I should see what Oscar has for me.”

Larc nodded as he rose and slipped out the door. Alex waited a few minutes before leaving the room.

* * *

“Look at this,” Wylan called from the window.

“What is it?” Arik asked as he laid his sword and bow on the bed.

“I am not sure,” Wylan answered. “It looks like a bunch of young thieves are planning on stealing a wagon.”

Arik walked to the window and gazed out. A group of about forty children were standing in the alley below. They were looking towards the bakery across the street and the wagon that sat outside of it. The wagon was being loaded.

“I had heard that there were food shortages in the city,” commented Arik, “but children should not have to resort to thievery. Maybe they are just playing around.”

“I don’t think so,” frowned Wylan. “Everyone in the common room downstairs was talking about it. It sounds like these children are heroes to the people. The army has been trying to hunt them down.”

“Why should thieves be heroes?” questioned Arik. “Stealing is not noble.”

“They do not take the food for themselves,” continued Wylan. “They steal it for the families without any food. They will be hanged if they are caught.”

“This is the state of the city that I am to inherit?” scowled Arik. “Forcing children to risk death to feed the hungry? Perhaps our time is better spent overthrowing the Council than traipsing around the countryside to please the Sword of Heavens?”

“You should not talk that way,” frowned Wylan. “The Sword of Heavens is the only chance the world has. Without it, every city will end up like Tagaret.”

“Maybe so,” gasped Arik as he spied the soldiers gathering a block away. “It’s a trap! The soldiers are waiting for them to go after that wagon. We have to warn the children.”

Arik turned and grabbed his staff as he sped out of the room. Wylan grabbed his staff and followed. Arik ran downstairs and opened the back door of the inn. He ran to the alley. Muffled warnings rippled through the gang of children as Arik and Wylan ran towards the street end of the alley. He halted between a boy and girl slightly younger than himself. They turned and stared at him.

“It’s a trap,” warned Arik. “There are soldiers waiting a block away.”

“Who are you?” Jon questioned cautiously.

“Call me Arik,” he said quickly as he pointed up. “I saw them from my room window up there.”

“Well you should mind your own business, Arik,” scowled Jon. “We know what we are doing.”

“There is no need to be rude,” admonished Sheri. “We can send someone to check out what he says. If there are soldiers there then we will just wait for another time. We are breaking no laws standing here in the alley.”

“I am Sheri and my friend is Jon,” Sheri said as she signaled for one of the boys in the gang to check out Arik’s story. “What is your friend’s name?”

“He is Wylan,” answered Arik. “Why would you doubt my word?”

“There are other gangs,” frowned Jon. “As if you didn’t know. Competition is fierce for the food shipments.”

“I really didn’t know,” shrugged Arik. “I just got into the city today. Why else would I be staying at an inn?”

The boy sent to spy on the soldiers came running down the street screaming a warning. The soldiers ran after him. More soldiers were coming from the other direction and the boy darted into the alley.

“It is a trap,” exhaled the boy. “Soldiers on both sides of us. We have to flee. They mean to kill us.”

“Scatter!” shouted Sheri as the two groups of soldiers joined in the street and headed for the alley.

“We aren’t going to make it this time,” Jon said glumly as the children turned and ran towards the rear of the inn. “We can’t outrun their arrows.”

Jon turned and ran after the children. Sheri pulled on Arik’s tunic.

“Run,” she urged. “They will not care that you are not with us.”

“Jon is right,” scowled Arik. “You cannot outrun their arrows. Get out of here. I will try to delay them for you.”

“No,” screamed Sheri as the soldiers charged the alley. “They will kill you.”

“They can try,” replied Arik as he pushed Sheri behind him. “Go with them Wylan.”

“No,” Wylan replied as Sheri turned and ran down the alley. “I will stand by my prince.”

The soldiers drew their swords as they entered the alley. Arik and Wylan spread out and blocked their path. As the first soldiers came within range, Arik’s staff struck one of the soldiers. Wylan attacked the soldier in front of him. Both soldiers tumbled to the ground, but Arik and Wylan did not hesitate to strike the next soldiers. As Arik’s staff jabbed into the soldier’s chest, the man fell backwards. The following soldiers were too close for the man’s body to fall and he was pushed towards Arik and Wylan.

“Keep stepping backwards,” Arik warned softly. “We are not here to die, just to delay.”

Arik and Wylan kept poking the soldiers with their staffs. They aimed high, for the head or upper chest. The alley was narrow and Arik and Wylan were effectively blocking it, but there was not room to swing the staffs. The length of the staffs gave the boys an advantage, though. The archers at the rear of the soldiers were ineffective because the boys were always too close to the front line of the soldiers. They were not able to use their arrows.

“Now we have trouble,” gasped Wylan between thrusts. “One of them just shouted for some of the soldiers to go through the inn and surround us. Are you sure you want to continue this?”

“No,” replied Arik. “We have accomplished our goal. Let’s make a run for it.”

Wylan nodded as he shoved his staff into another soldier. He turned and bolted for the end of the alley. He had expected Arik to do the same, but Arik remained and continued to jab at the soldiers. Someone at the rear of the soldiers shouted for them to get down. The soldiers scrambled to hug the ground or squat if there was not enough room. Arik stood staring at two archers over the heads of the other soldiers. He turned and ran. He felt the arrows hitting his back, but Arik did not slow down. As he raced out of the alley he saw a rope hanging from the roof of the stables.

“Use the rope,” Wylan called to him.

Arik threw his staff into the stables and grabbed the rope. He pulled himself up swiftly, and Wylan quickly hauled the rope up to the roof. They flattened themselves to the roof just as the first soldiers appeared at the end of the alley. Seconds later, soldiers burst out of the door to the Falcon’s Hood Inn. The soldiers stood milling around until an officer appeared to give them direction.

“Two of you search the stables,” ordered the officer. “Half of the rest of you head to the right. The rest go to the left. I want those children found. Move.”

Arik heard the footsteps of the soldiers as they ran off in two different directions. The two searching the stables were quick and careless in their search. They emerged from the stables moments after entering.

“Can you believe those kids?” asked one of the soldiers. “It takes guts to stand up to the army that way.”

“Not to mention a lack of intelligence,” the other soldier shook his head. “Still, those two lads were pretty good with their sticks. If we didn’t have orders to kill them when we found them, I would suggest that the army hire them. It does bother me though if they start fighting back. I am not looking forward to getting attacked when I walk around the city.”

“I know what you mean,” the first soldier responded. “I joined the army to defend the city, not attack the citizens. My family lives here. And my friends.”

“Did you see the arrows hit that last one?” asked the second soldier. “I could have sworn they struck him fairly.”

“Me too,” shrugged the first soldier. “Obviously they didn’t though. He still managed to outrun us. Let’s catch up with the rest of the men. I don’t feel like standing alone in this part of town.”

The voices of the soldiers faded as they left the area of the stables. Arik remained face down on the roof until the soldiers were well gone. Slowly he rose to peer into the alley.

“There are tears in your tunic,” declared Sheri. “Were you hit? Are you hurt?”

Arik sat up and turned around. Wylan and Sheri were both sitting up. Arik ran his hand behind his back and felt the holes in his tunic. His fingers pressed up against his breastplate and he smiled.

“Must have been dull tips,” shrugged Arik. “I am not cut.”

“Well, wasn’t that lucky?” sighed Sheri as she stared at Arik. “You two were magnificent. You have great courage.”

“From what I hear,” smiled Arik, “you and the rest of your gang have a good deal of courage yourselves. I don’t like to think about people in my city having to steal in order to survive.”

“Your city?” chuckled Sheri. “My, aren’t we possessive? I thought you were just visiting? And if I am not mistaken, your voice carries a hint of Sordoa in it.”

“I meant my favorite city,” blushed Arik. “I grew up in Sordoa, but Tagaret is what I like to call home these days. Why don’t we go up to our room? It is much safer than sitting here on the roof.”

“You don’t sound Sordoan, Wylan,” stated Sheri. “Where are you from?”

“Southland,” smiled Wylan. “Still I have to agree with Arik. I would like to make Tagaret my home. Southland is not much to look at.”

“I have to get back to the hideout,” declared Sheri. “I need to make sure all of the group is safe. “Why don’t you come with me?”

“We shouldn’t,” Arik shook his head. “We really shouldn’t be out on the streets. You shouldn’t be either. It isn’t safe.”

“It’s not so bad,” Sheri replied as she threw the rope over the side of the stables and started climbing down. “I will show you the way.”

Arik climbed down next, followed closely by Wylan. Sheri grabbed the rope and threw it back onto the roof.

“Follow me,” smiled Sheri as she entered the stables.

Arik frowned as he watched Sheri move into the stables, but Wylan shrugged and grinned.

“Why not?” chuckled Wylan as he followed Sheri. “It’s bound to be boring in the room.”

Arik shrugged and entered the stables. He retrieved his staff and walked to the rear where Sheri was lifting a metal grate. Wylan immediately lifted the grate for Sheri, and she smiled at him as she lowered herself into the hole. Wylan handed his staff down to Sheri and then lowered himself into the hole. Arik frowned but followed Wylan’s lead. He moved the grate back into place before climbing down the rough stones to the bottom.