The Fallen World

Escape - Part 2

     Lirenna wasn’t deterred, though. She’d improved noticeable now that they were on the move again, doing something instead of just sitting in their rooms. Almost all of her customary more than human beauty had returned, and now she put every effort into making herself look as alluring and seductive as possible. She thrust her small breasts forward and stared straight into the guard’s eyes with a look that promised the fulfillment of all his filthiest dreams.

     “Oh don’t say things like that,” she purred, fluttering an eyelash at him. “Aren’t you pleased to see me?”

     The guard’s eyes widened in sudden hope and animal lust, and Thomas averted his eyes. He hated this bit, even though he knew how necessary it was. Even though he had seen the demi shae doing the same thing several times before.

     “Keep an eye on the others, Gulda,” said the guard, grabbing her by the arm and steering her down the tunnel, towards a cell far enough away for privacy. “I may be a while.”

     The other guard stared enviously as they disappeared from sight, then fixed his eyes hopefully on Diana, but the cleric glared back with a look that promised a much higher pitch to his voice if he tried anything. The guard continued to regard her as if he was thinking about trying something anyway, but then he looked away and stamped away across the floor in frustration. He looked in the direction the first guard had gone and licked his lips hopefully, making Thomas want to punch him in the face.

     A minute went by, and Thomas began to sweat in fear. What if the enchantment wasn't working? Like all magic spells, there was always the chance it might fail, and if it did she might be in real trouble in there. Real trouble. He trembled to think what kind of trouble she might be in and almost went to see if she was all right, but then she reappeared around the bend in the tunnel, a grim smile of triumph on her face as she adjusted her clothing. Behind her, the guard followed like a lovesick schoolboy, a look of pure adoration on his ugly face.

     Gulda stared in astonishment. “That was quick!” he said. “Parkus, are you all right?” He glared at Lirenna. “What have you done to him, you little witch?”

     “Leave her alone!” roared Parkus, jumping between the demi shae and his former colleague. “She’s worth a hundred of you, you gutter rat! Touch her and I’ll tear your head off!”

     Gulda backed away in fear, certain now that the demi shae had put a spell of some kind on him. He made a dash to get past and escape, but Parkus grabbed him and threw him to the ground. He drew a knife and twisted Gulda’s head back to expose the throat, but Lirenna grabbed his hand and took the knife.

     “No!” she said firmly. “No more killing. There’s been too much killing as it is.” She looked around, wondering what to do, and pointed to an empty cell behind him. “Put him in there,” she said.

     Parkus obeyed, stripping the other guard, tying him up and gagging him. Then he pulled a rag over his head, threw him into the cell and locked it, hiding his uniform in another cell beneath a pile of rags. If anyone came along now, they’d think he was just another prisoner, stripped and bound as a punishment for some act of insolence.

     “What now, my lady?” he asked adoringly.

     “Let them out,” ordered Lirenna, indicating Shaun and Matthew.

     The guard did so, and soon the two soldiers were stumbling into the waiting arms of Diana who tried to hug them both at once. “Thank the Gods you’re safe!” she sobbed, tears streaming from her eyes as she held them close. “I’ve been so worried!”

     The two brothers looked terrible. Their hands and faces were streaked with grime and dirt, they had two week long straggly beards and their skins were covered by tiny red flea bites, some of which looked septic. They were thinner than they’d been, having lost a lot of weight on their prison rations, but they didn’t seem dangerously malnourished. Despite stinking of all kinds of nameless filth, they seemed to have come through their ordeal with most of their health and strength intact.

     “What’s going on?” asked Shaun, delighted but confused by their sudden freedom.

     “We’re escaping,” said Thomas, producing the silken bathrobes. “Here, hide these somewhere, but don't change into them yet in case someone comes."

     The soldiers took them gratefully and hid them under their cot. "Escaping?" asked Shaun. “I presume you have a plan?”

     “Sort of,” replied Jerry. “Parkus here is going to help us steal back our stuff, and then we’re clearing off out of here.” He turned to the enchanted guard. “How do we get out of the city?” he asked.

     Parkus glanced at Lirenna, who told him to obey the others and answer their questions. “I don’t know,” he said. “I know there are ways into the caverns, but they're all either guarded or kept secret.”

     “Can you get us past the guards?” asked Thomas.

     Parkus shook his head. “You can bluff your way down here, but not past them. Only Lord Basil himself can authorize someone to leave the city, and he informs the guards personally. I'm sorry, but I can't help you to leave the city.”

     “What’s down there?” asked Jerry, pointing down the tunnel.

     “I don’t know. I've never been down there. I assume it comes to a dead end.”

     “Well, today's the day we find out,” said the tiny nome.

     The two soldiers glanced at each other, as if suspecting that their friends had come down with moon madness. “We’re running blind?” said Shaun as calmly as possible. “What if it goes nowhere?”

     “Then we all die,” replied Thomas, a little angrily. “Or would you rather die slowly, like an animal in a cage? Go take a look at some of the poor wretches who’ve been here longer then you. We’ve had to look at them every time we came down here to see you.”

     “All right, all right,” replied Shaun, holding up his hands placatingly. “Don’t think we’re ungrateful. You’re right, a quick death, fighting like a man, is better than a slow animal’s death. So, what now?”

     “We’ve gotta steal back our spellbooks before they figure out what we’re up to,” replied Jerry. "We'll be back as soon as possible.”

     Diana kissed and hugged her brothers again, and then they left with Parkus, acutely aware of time passing and hoping that this would be the last time they’d be separated.

     The house guards upstairs stared curiously as the dungeon guard entered the mansion, but made no comment as he moved with confidence and self assurance, as if he had every right to be there. The trick, he explained to the Tharians, was not to look worried or guilty. Act as if you own the place, and you can get away with anything.

     Thomas grinned, amazed as always by the change the enchantment brought about in people. Was there a nice, cheerful, helpful person hiding inside every nasty, evil brute, just waiting for the enchantment to set him free, he wondered, or was his present personality entirely created by the spell and imposed upon someone who normally had no niceness or goodness in them at all? Maybe Lirenna knew, he thought. He made up his mind to ask her one day.

     Parkus stopped a passing young family member and demanded to know where Bantrey was. The young man, a junior cousin of Lord Basil perhaps, was so astonished that he answered immediately, saying that he was probably in the reading room, as he was off duty at the moment. Parkus thanked him politely before they moved on.

     “That’s torn it,” muttered Jerry under his breath. “Now he’ll ask someone what’s going on, and they’ll come after us to find out.”

     “We’ve got a little time yet,” replied Parkus however. “Move swiftly and confidently, that’s the secret. Come on.”