Rescuing the Captive: The Ingenairii Series (10 page)

“
That will be a very uncomfortable trip in the winter time,” Kage spoke up. “You won’t be able to travel by river, and it’s a long, cold journey up into the mountains, and it’s dangerous as well.”

“
I saw the way Alec can fight,” Elena interjected. “It won’t be very dangerous for them, at least not from bandits.”

“
Before we go though, we’ll wait a day to see if your meeting tomorrow is a success. If not, you’ll be welcome to come with us,” Alec added.

“
We’re really going to go to Black Crag?” Bethany asked with bright eyes and flushed cheeks. “Do you think I’m ready?”

Alec pulled off his ill-fitting uniform jacket, sighing in relief as he removed the constrictive cloth. “I think you’re close to ready, and you will be ready by the time you apply to sign up or do whatever you have to do.

“
Now, do we have anything to eat? I’m hungry, and our guests are probably starving.”

Bethany went to the kitchen and returned with a tray of various food items, and with every step she took Alec could see the tension and excitement that she struggled to maintain in this newest crisis. They all sat, eating in silence, as they pondered the new reality they were living in.

After the meal each of them drifted off to sleep, as Alec gave his room to Kage and Elena, while he slept in the front room. He dreamt again, and he remembered the troubling dreams when he arose the next day. He dreamed of being on a cavern, sitting on a stony shelf, talking to a ghost, who spoke of the need to battle against usurpers.

“
I have every right to ask you to go to Oyster Bay to avenge our family by slaying the murderers who killed my father, preserving the crown and preparing the throne for a rightful ruler to return,” Enguerrand had told his dream self. The phrase
rightful ruler
echoed in his mind, causing him to dread the thought of Vincennes being controlled by usurpers. The dreams were glimpses of his life before he lost his memories, he was convinced, but they were too scattered to provide any clear picture of his former identity.

Soon after dawn broke, Alec outlined his ideas. “This morning I think we should all move to Delphi’s armory. I think we’ll be safer there. There are some small, hidden chambers we’ve found where we could stay undetected. Tonight I’ll escort Kage to his meeting, and then tomorrow we may know when we’ll leave for Black Crag.”

“
Will we leave tomorrow?” Bethany asked.

“
I don’t know yet,” Alec responded. “I’d like to make sure that Kage and Elena know what their options are so they can decide if they want to stay here or want to go with us.” He felt some responsibility for the two refugees he had rescued, but more than that, he felt that his dream was a message to fight against a usurpation of power in Vincennes. Kage seemed to be someone who might provide insight into how to fight to overturn the coup that was underway, making it prudent to stay near the man to learn who was in charge, and what the prospects were for the future.

He knew very little, next to nothing about the politics in Vincennes, he realized. Perhaps the princess who had been overthrown was a bad ruler who needed to be ousted he mused. He would find out more later, he promised himself.

While he was pondering, Bethany organized the rest of the occupants of the apartment for their departure. When everyone was loaded with a bag of food, goods and such supplies as they were likely to need she walked through the rooms to see what was left behind. Half an hour later they were cramming in the last of those overlooked items as an exasperated Bethany tried to maintain her composure and Alec watched in amusement.

They walked downstairs single file, and began walking through the nearly deserted streets, Alec and Kage wearing their purloined uniforms to provide protection from the patrols that continued to walk through the wintery city. Every other group they saw also contained men in uniforms; there were no lone civilians abroad.

Their chilly walk took them through the narrow streets of the city neighborhood where Delphi’s armory was a dark space in the streetscape. There were no lights visible in the windows, but Alec was gratified to find the door unlocked, and they all entered hastily. The entry hall was gratifyingly warm, and the sound of practice swords making contact in the practice room drew their attention.

“
I don’t know what to make of this, but you’ve tried to fool someone,” Delphi said as the activity in the gymnasium stopped, and all eyes faced Alec and his companions. “Either you’re wearing the uniform now to trick people into thinking you’re a soldier, or you weren’t wearing a uniform in the past when you were a soldier.

“
Which is it Alec?” he asked.

“
This uniform was the best way we had to walk through the streets the past couple of days,” Alec answered the group that gathered in a semi-circle. He detected no overt hostility, only curiosity. “Kage was being taken captive by the Conglomerate forces,” he paused to see if everyone understood his pronunciation of the complex foreign word, “I helped rescue him, and we used these uniforms to bring him and his wife to our apartment last night.

“
Now,” he added, “We’ve come here to be safer.”

“
We’ll help protect you,” pledged Wilman, one of the sword-practicers, loudly, as several other chimed in agreement.

Alec felt a lump in his throat, as he looked at the fierce smiles and nods of agreement. These boys were ready to thump their chests and fight battles for him. From what he knew about the past lives they had experienced, many without parents or adults since they were small boys, he knew they could fight, and he knew they had rarely had a purpose for fighting other than self-preservation. Their willingness to proclaim loyalty to him touched him deeply, and he knew he had to impress them all with the depth and importance of the commitment they were at the cusp of stepping into.

“
Kage,” he said, turning to their visitor, “you are a supporter of the princess, aren’t you? And you think she should be on the throne?”

Kage looked at Alec, and looked at the small crowd in the room. “Alec, I can tell from your accent that you aren’t originally from Vincennes,” he began, to a collection of grins and snorts from the audience that loved to tease Alec by imitating his strange pronunciations. “So,” he continued, “you probably don’t know her or her reputation.

“
Princess Esmere is a good person. She is a little naïve at times. She studied at a nunnery for several years while her father and older brother ruled, and she came to the throne when she never expected to or wanted to,” Kage explained. “Her father, King Vincent, died unexpectedly about four years ago, in good health and at a relatively young age. He was succeeded by his son, Isalan, who was Esmere’s brother, but he died in a hunting accident six months ago, without an heir. So a Council decided to put Esmere on the throne, though we’ve never had a ruling queen.

“
She’s still not called queen yet. The Council was divided, and soon after the slim majority made her the monarch as princess, challenges began to be rumored, and started in the southern cities. Now, as we’ve seen, it’s gotten worse.

“
I’ve worked for the revenue ministry for several years,” he paused as the crowd gave an obligatory round of hisses. “And I’ve had the chance to work with the Princess several times. I know she wants to do what is right and best for all the people.

“
But the Conglomerate doesn’t like the way the Princess has been pushing for taxes on their profits, there’s some other secret policy she seems to be resisting them on, and they’ve finally put their forces in the street to take over. I don’t know where the Princess is, or whether she’s,” Kage paused, unwilling to finish the sentence. “But I know I can meet some people tonight who will know what the situation is, and what we can do.”

“
Listen to this,” Alec took over. “Are you prepared to follow Kage, to follow this Princess Esmere of his?”

“
Will we finally get to really fight?” a voice in the crowd asked, and there was a chorus of laughter and cheers.

“
You all take it easy today,” Alec told them when they quieted down. “I’m going to go into town and see if I can get some money from the bank. I’ll be back in time to escort Kage to his meeting tonight, and then we’ll know what to plan for.”

“
How will you get money from the bank?” Bethany asked. “You said there were constables there to arrest you, and now the banks are probably closed from the Conglomerate take over anyway.”

“
I’m going to let you do it!” Alec told her as they stepped away from the others. “We put one of these accounts in your name, not mine. I’ll take you to the bank as if you were being escorted by a guard; you can take the money out, and we’ll come back here. We’re going to need a lot of money for the trip to Black Crag,” he added in a lower voice, “especially if we need to take some of our friends with us on the trip.”

Bethany looked at him in surprise, then her eyes squinted. “We better go quickly then, if we want to make sure you’ll get back in time to take Kage out.”

They hurriedly called Kage over, to find out what role Bethany should adopt to seem most justifiable as someone who could expect to be escorted about town. “Tell them you are the daughter of Magistar Guilden,” he suggested. “People aren’t going to want to make a Magistar upset, and no one really knows anything about Guilden because he has been raised to the bench just last month.”

With that advice the two of them wrapped cloaks around themselves and returned to the cold winter weather that occupied the streets. The walk through the empty streets was quick, as they moved rapidly to escape the chill. When they reached the Vincennes Mercantile Bank, two Conglomerate guards at the door asked their business, and the persona that Kage had suggested caused the door to open quickly, letting them enter the nearly empty bank hall.

When Alec and Bethany returned to Delphi’s in mid-afternoon, they carried a great weight of heavy coin as well as a number of notes from the bank that could be cashed at other banks along the way. Sword practice continued, and Alec was pleased to see that Kage was credibly participating. He and Bethany joined the practice in a session in which Alec was working hard to teach his young warriors how best to handle their swords, giving detailed advice on every opportunity he saw for them to improve. He held a premonition that they were going to be put to the test soon, and he wanted desperately for them to succeed. The group had come a long way towards responsibility in the time he had known them, and Alec felt an affectionate sense of leadership.

Kage rotated around through the practice mats to come against Alec, and he grinned, despite the sweat dripping down is forehead. “I haven’t had a workout like this in ten years,” he told Alec as they began to contest.

“
We can stop if you want to,” Alec answered.

“
I need to keep going. My wife did nothing but talk about your incredible swordsmanship after you rescued me,” Kage said. “You might as well be one of the immortals in her eyes.”

Alec glanced over at where Elena stood; she was watching the match between her husband and her rescuer. “What are you going to learn tonight?” he asked.

“
This was supposed to be a taxation meeting. Our group of advisors were supposed to tell the Princess what her new tax proposal would raise, and who it would affect,” Kage said as he looked Alec in the eye while thrusting his blade at Alec’s thighs.

Alec parried the attack and riposted with a slicing motion that crossed the torso padding Kage wore. “Enough!” Kage said loudly. “I’m worn out. Let’s clean up and rest for a bit before we head across town.”

They put away their equipment, and Kage went to talk to Elena while Alec sat with Bethany. “Start preparing them,” Alec told her. “Let them know we think we’re leaving the city. Don’t tell them where yet. Those who say they want to go with us need to pack weapons and blankets and any food you can put together.

“
If we don’t come back by tomorrow morning,” Alec began.

“
Don’t be ridiculous,” Bethany interrupted.

“
No, you have to look at the possibilities,” Alec responded. “If I don’t come back, you have to go on without me. I’ll know where you’re going, and I’ll be able to follow you to Black Crag. You can trust these boys,” Alec motioned around them. “And Rahm will never betray you.

“
You’re almost good enough to be a guardsman for any ruler. Black Crag will be thrilled to have a prospect like you show up,” Alec bolstered her. They stood up as Kage approached, wearing a cape over his stolen uniform.

We’re off then,” Alec affirmed. He shook hands with several of the boys in the gymnasium, and told them all to follow Bethany, listening with a warm heart to their pledges of fealty to her.

He and Kage left the building, with long, cold shadows stretching across the width of the street as the sun sank towards the western horizon. Cold winds whistled along the roads, and both men held their heads low as they walked through the bitter cold air. The journey was a long one, and nearly forty five minutes passed, with very few other people in sight, before they arrived at a corner where they stopped.

“
That building down there, the fourth on the right, is where we’re supposed to meet,” Kage nodded down the right-hand street.

Alec looked up the street, and looked at every dark doorway, not seeing any evidence of watchers. “Is there a back way into the building?” he asked.

“
Sure, probably,” Kage replied. “Why? Do you see something? What is it?”