Some of you might hate me, some are going to love me. Please do both :D That'll prove your not a bunch of robots. Once again, sorry for the long wait. I wanted to start writing as soon as my summer began, but my mind went empty. I'd lost my apetite for this story and therefor needed a break. Weeks went by without a single word being written. This went so far I had actually forgotten what my story was about (sort-of). A few days ago I re-read the story (with the comment 'wow, I'm good') so I opened my document and started to read my foot-notes. Long story short, I began writing on Chap 17 (Very hard!), but something came out in the end. I'm not sure if I'm completely satisfied with this one, but it brings the story forward (Which is the point). I'm very about those few of you who're still sticking with this story and wants to know the ending :)
PS. Chap 18 is in progress
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Chapter 17
I didn't want to meet the others for breakfast. I was sort-of assigned to think out a plan. I was the one who figured it all out. My mind came up with nothing. I took a peek at the others down at the ground, how they all were laughing like nothing had happened yesterday. Think, Alice, think. If I were Tenan Lu, how would I spend my days? I waited for my brain to answer, but nothing came up. He's the king's counsellor, an important person.
“You're quite a slow thinker” Michael said as he popped out of nowhere.
“It's hard” I whined and sank down onto my bed. “This is nothing compared to when I rescued Nick. At least then I knew where he could be, but I have no clue for Lu”
“Whenever I need a break I usually visit my friends” The frog said and disappeared again. I've started to believe he must have got some magical powers. It's not logical to materialize the way he does. I decided to listen to his advice and climbed down the ladder.
“Any luck?” Nicholas asked when I arrived.
I shook my head. “Not since yesterday”
“Here” He offered a piece of his bread and I accepted. I hadn't realised how hungry I was. Phee was telling a story, which the other elves gladly listened to.
“What is she telling?” I whispered.
“Some story she'd heard. Robin something” Nicholas said and shrugged his shoulders.
I laughed. “She's heard it from me”
“Storyteller? I find that appealing as well”
“Good you can find at least that” I sighed. “I'll never find Tenan Lu”
“How come?”
“He's a counsellor for crying out loud! He's probably locked up when he isn't at any meeting”
Nicholas went silent and seemed thoughtful. “Meeting... I remember something”
I looked at him suspiciously. What information is he keeping from me?
“Every summer they have a yearly council-meeting. I bet my shirt he tends to be there”
Nicholas began to eat his breakfast in big mouthfuls. I waited for him to continue. “Then what?”
He stared at me like I was an idiot, which I maybe was. He closed his eyes and sighed.
“I mean, if you can't find him you know at least one place he usually attend to”
I kept staring at him. “How do you even know this?”
“I used to guard the doors to the meeting room. Every year they plan on how they should divide the last years taxes. Sometimes people comes rushing in and threat the council in dissatisfaction”
“That makes sense”
A yearly meeting with the council? I could probably make the strike. I mean, how hard can it be to slip in again? My mouth turned into a sly smile and Nicholas gave me an odd look.
“Nick, I think I have a plan”
* * *
I told the others about my plan; Sneak inside the castle and somehow lure Lu out from the meeting where we'll get him.
“All of the other important people will be occupied in the meeting. It's nut-safe!” I was eager about my idea. In my head it all worked fine in the end. There was no need for back-up, right?
I seemed lonely with my eagerness.
“Alice, I...” Yoesphin began to say, but her voice died out. What's the matter with them? Neither of them would look me in the eye.
“It's madness!” Tom exclaimed at last. “Alice, you're wanted across the country”
“Yes and I've thought of that. A lot actually” I tried to explain. “We'll disguise me somehow”
“You're planning on going alone?” Yoesphin stated. Was it bad to think I could do it on my own?
“He's wanted...” I pointed at Nicholas.
“... they shouldn't even be here, they should be home...” I looked at Phee and Tom.
“... and you wasn't supposed to exist. As I've said before” I looked at Yoesphin, Amos and Thyon.
I tried to make them see my point, but in the end I lost. Nicholas, Yoesphin and Thyon would accompany me. I didn't want to risk to let Tom be seen with me. No one knows yet that he's a friend of mine. Besides, I was right about what I said before. Both him and Phee were supposed to be back at the farm.
Nicholas had to count the days until the meeting, with my help. I prepared each day for my meeting with Tenan Lu. Yoesphin taught me how to use a dagger. I couldn't always depend on my bow. Nicholas tried to improve my skills with the sword. My last lesson was with sir Valentin all those weeks ago, which I remember nothing from.
“No, parry your sword. Defend yourself!” Nicholas shouted at me. We were leaving at nightfall to make sure we reached the castle in time for the meeting. That's when Nicholas thought it would be funny to fight. I said no, but he insisted.
“How do you hold your sword?”
I showed him my grip and he shook his head.
“No wonder you can't turn the whole way” He went to my side and showed with his own sword how he held his. “Put your thumb there”
Sparkles flew inside me again as he touched me. I shifted my gaze from our hands to his face. Did he notice the sparks? He met my gaze and smiled.
“Hem”
Quickly I drew away and saw Michael by our feet looking rather amused.
“It's time to go” He said and jumped up on my shoulder.
“Not a word” I hissed to him.
Michael started to chuckle. “I can keep a secret”
* * *
We walked the entire night without stopping. By dawn we found a place to rest and slept for an hour or two. We took turn to keep watch.
When we reached the gateway we encountered more guards than before.
“They've increased the safety” Nicholas whispered to us. “We can't sneak pass without being spotted”
In the distant I saw the stables and remembered what Phee had said.
“What about the stables? Phee mentioned something about a tunnel from there to the cellars”
I looked at my companions for direction. These stables weren't connected to the city and were placed outside beside a tavern.
“We can always try” They said and so we headed to that direction. At the stables I searched every area for some sort of a secret passage. Fortunate for us there were no horses locked in their boxes today.
“I don't think it exist. We've searched every corner” Yoesphin said after a while. I stood silent, eyeing my surroundings carefully. The floor was covered in flagstones in different sizes. I almost tripped over when one of them weren't stable. I looked down at it and bent down on my knees.
“Help me lift this” I said and soon Thyon was by my side. Underneath the stone a dark hole was hidden. I jumped down and had to bend my back so I wouldn't hit my head. I heard loud thumps as the rest jumped in after me. I don't know for how long we walked in complete darkness, maybe hours. In the end we reached a hatchway in the roof above us made of wood. With help I climbed out of the whole and reached what I think is their stock of gunpowder and other supplies.
“Nice” Nicholas exhaled and started to investigate every detail of it.
“Nick!” I hissed at him to move along with us. A ladder led to another hatchway. This time I opened it only ajar. Cold air hit my face and I knew we had reached the dungeons. Slowly I got myself up and looked around. No one was there, not guard or prisoner.
“Coast clear” I whispered and climbed up. Just as Yoesphin had managed to climb out, two guards approached from the other end. They seemed ignorant to their surroundings and had just noticed our presence before they laid unconscious on the floor.
“Maybe we should think of a plan before we move any further” Thyon suggested when we moved the guards into one of the cells.
“I propose we split” Nicholas said and I stared at him.
“No, we should stick together” I opposed.
“No, you two” He nodded towards me and Yoesphin. “Beside the meeting room is a small passage. It won't fit me and definitely not Thyon. Sneak inside and by that you can keep an eye on Lu”
“What are you supposed to do then?” I asked.
“We'll stand somewhere with the gate in sight. Give us some signal if he's moving, then we'll take him”
Before I could ask any more about this brilliant plan of his we were pushed outside.
“What's the signal?” I whispered to Nicholas, but they had already gone a different direction. Yoesphin took me by the arm and motioned me to follow. Smell of baked bread reached my nostrils.
I made us move towards the knight's quarter. Just as I remembered the door into the kitchen stood open. The cook was laying the pieces of bread at the window's edge. The problem was how we, undetected, could pass without having the stout woman after us. As soon as the cook vanished I went over on my knees to the window. I took one of the breads and went back to our hiding spot. Yoesphin gave me an odd look.
“Just wait” I whispered and looked for the cook to return. As I predicted she returned, noticed one of the breads were missing and went mad.
“Those bloody blighter’s! I will get them this time, that I'll swear” The cook took her rolling pin and stormed out of the kitchen.
During my time here as a guard I learned that the stable boys likes to play tricks with the cooking lady. I never laid so much energy on it when it repeated itself almost every day.
With the kitchen empty, we sneaked inside and could rule the halls of the palace by ourselves. Where the king was, so was the guards. We listened carefully through every door for something that reminded of a meeting.
“Hide”
Yoesphin dragged me into a corridor and pressed me against the wall. Two guards passed us by without noticing our shadows. What kind of safety is this?
I leaned against the wall in relief and felt it move. The part of the wall we both leaned at took a spin and we fell through. The tunnel was slightly dark and it took some time for my eyes to get used to the new light. I looked at our surroundings.
“I think this must be some secret passage” I stated as I touched the wall for an exit.
“Why do you have holes in your wall?” Yoesphin asked and I went to her side. In front of us were to holes, big enough for a pair of eyes. A stream of light came through and I bent forward to look. I saw a room with a gathering of people. A lot of people that wore funny wigs and wore black capes. They were seated around a big table. One of the men didn't wear a wig, but a crown. Beside him a man I recognised sat. When he spoke I knew directly who it was.
“I think we found the meeting” I said and smiled at Yoesphin.