Ice warriors

Chapter 6

Smiler rolled his eyes to the ceiling, the chandelier of candles slowly dripped, the flames danced. Smiler signed then looked at Favian again, the shadowstepper stood still, wrapped in his black cloak, the hood pulled over his head. He thought he looked mysterious but he'd looked a 24 carat dick.
He wasn't the only one though. Stood behind each of the high wardens chairs was a shadow stepper in similar garb. Smiler dismissed them all as the gloried Donkeys they were. The other guards were more interesting  but only slightly.
The only person that didn't have a shadow stepper behind them was the Lord high warden, second only to the emperor he was the ultimate power here in Landaran. Behind him stood captain Rusfelt, a pompous moustached man that had assumed Smiler a servant when they'd met. He reckoned the man wouldn't even recognise him if Smiler shat on his wine blushed nose.
Next to him was Captain Blood hand, fortunately now he kept his stump as a stump, that blood red monstrosity he formed was too much even for Smiler.
The high wardens were babbling on about something, he paid little mind to it. Whilst he was here he was tracking down that stone skin that made him and his men look like fools. Though even before he got back to that there were two city guards that needed punishing. That would perhaps sate his appreciate briefly but he truly wanted to make that boy 'smile'.
Before he realised what he was doing, his hand was gripping his special knife. Just then there was a polite and gentle knocking on the door.
The high wardens hushed and soon entered a handful of serving girls carrying trays of cold meats, cheese and chilled wine.
The sight and smell of the food only made Smiler more regretful he'd skipped breakfast. He'd spent the morning trawling the town but there was no sign of the boy. A slender girl brushed past him as she placed the warden of the north's food before him. Smiler resisted the urge to pinch her bottom, he was very often told there was a time and place for his 'thug ways'.
"I still think you are wrong, we need to pull away from the Registan and strengthen our hold on Malaka," said a small hairy eared man to Smiler left.
"You are the Warden of the West, if you cannot keep in check your province I will send someone to replace you," said the High Warden
"It's a newly conquered province, what am I supposed to do?"
"You make an example," said the tall blonde man, in a tone the offered no chance for reply. "Now we have discussed your failings enough. The Emperor has decided our trade agreement with Raritika has served its usefulness, we shall we be taking their lands in half a years time. Which means we need soldiers, I expect you to increase recruitment on your provinces,"
This was becoming interesting. Smiler looked to hairy eared warden. He looked desperate to speak but held his tongue. No one else tried to raise any objections and the conversation became dull again. Smilers mind wandered again.

As the Wardens began to slowly rise, Smiler snapped back. They'd talked past his capacity to entertain his own mind. He might have fallen asleep whilst standing up?
The Wardens were soon disappearing into the shadow gates formed for them. Smiler realised what was going on in time to step away as the Warden of The North forced his chair out, he showed his cold smile to Smiler as he rose and turned from his chair. Favian turned and opened a shadow gate. As was expected Smiler entered first, stepping out into the Wardens office. He stood to one side as the other two followed.
The Warden went straight for his desk, sitting down. Favian exited, his only task for the day completed.
"Prepare the prisoners for interrogation," said the Warden. Smiler nodded and the followed out the way Favian had gone.
As he strolled along the the corridors of the Wardens tower various clerks and servants hurried past him all busy with their days tasks. They made efforts to put as much space between him and them as possible. Smiler did have a reputation after-all.
The cells were only two floors below the Wardens office, which was located on the top. Smiler had spent a fair amount of youth in cells and as a rule they were usually underground. The Wardens reasoning for the placement just showed off the brilliance of the man. He told Smiler when he'd asked, that if anyone did manage to escape the cells, they would have a further five floors to descend as opposed to just going through a few doors.
Smiler exchanges small talk with the gaoler, a pudgy thin eyed man he'd never bothered to learn the name of. The man patted him down, locating only some of his stash of knives. Smiler was let inside fully armed anyway but the Warden demanded everyone be searched including himself. He was shown to the first cell where the Faran on the wooden palate, snoring loudly. The gaoler opened the cell in smilers instruction, then he entered the cell and kicked the the old man with the heel of his boot.
Faran stumbled awake, panicked he lashed out at the air. Smiler struck him again for good measure, hitting him between the eyes with a slap.
"Stop it I'm a city guard,"
"You were. Get up it time for some questions," smiler said cheerily.
"Please no, I'll say whatever you want,"
Smiler simply gestured towards the cell door.
Faran slowly got to his feet and shuffled out, walking as if he was already going to the gallows.
Smiler followed him out as the old man shuffled into the 'questioning room'.
The smell of tears pain and sweat was welcoming to Smiler but Faran reeled, holding his hand to face.
One lonely candle dimly lit the room, showing the dank small room and in its centre the questions chair. Faran must have seen this as he turned around and tried pleading again. Perhaps he'd seen the table with all the truth extracting equipment?
Smiler looked at man sternly and he began to sob but still willingly got in the chair. He sobs became protests again as Smiler bound the leather straps at his ankles and wrists.
"I will tell you whatever you want,"
"I know, but the Warden likes it this way," said Smiler as he exited the room and closed the door. If he was forced to wait with pathetic man he'd have to kill him himself.
Leaning against the wall Smiler found his whetstone and began to methodically sharpen his blades.
He was just finishing the second when the Gaoler came plodding back, the slender trimly bearded Warden looming behind him.
"Faran is in their first," said Smiler.
The Warden raised an eyebrow ever so slightly.
"The older city guard, he was the one that neglected his duty," added Smiler.
The Warden didn't comment but instead glanced to the door. Smiler quickly opened it and then followed his boss inside.
Faran was gently sobbing now, but on see the Warden he went deadly quiet.
Smiler stood to one side, the only other chair taken by the Warden who was unwinding the cords of a leather bound note book, on the small table beside him he placed his ink and quill.
This whole process took some time, the only accompanying sound the occasionally sniff from Faran.
Finally the Warden cleared his throat.
"You are accused of abandoning your duty and allowing a prisoner to escape. Why did you do these things?"
Faran then began to babble out an account about a mob of people blocking his view and how they refused to move then when he saw the prisoner was escaping he chased them but was tripped up. He kept mentioning how Hillon wasn't effective, a poor attempt to shift the blame. When he'd finished his account the Warden asked him a few question to which Faran expanded on detail. Then the Warden nodded to Smiler and he escorted Faran out, who seemed perkier all of a sudden. He then went to collect Hillon, a drip of a boy who was either too young or too thick headed to understand the danger he was in. He compliantly strolled to the room, but there he froze. Smiler pushed him in the small of the back and obediently he went to chair though could see the fear in his eyes as he strapped the boy in.
His account was more detailed and closer to what the word from the street had been. Faran had left the boy alone, but he did admit his own failings. His inexperience and fear of getting things wrong. By the end of the questioning the Warden had several pages of notes and the boy had burst into tears twice.
Then it was Farans turn again. He'd seen Smiler walk the past his cell to and from the questioning. Smiler made sure of this.
When he went collect Faran the mans eyes were wild, why he thought to lie was beyond Smiler. Never lie if you can't control the truth getting out.
Faran walked to the questioning room all the same, some small shred of hope must be convincing himself he was alright.
Smiler glanced to the Warden to make sure he had the all clear then he selected the pliers and tried to seize one of the mans teeth. Faran knew now, and tried to keep his mouth shut tightly.
Smiler slapped the man across the face, the sharp sound absorbed into the padded walls. He then turned his focus to the mans left hand, tapping each finger with the cold metal of the pliers. This was foreplay.
Finally he selected the the baby finger, seized the nail and pulled it out with the ease of practice. Faran screamed and rightly so. Smiler pitied him, he'd tried to fool them but he was just poor at if.
Smiler had never understood how his former friends from his former life always tried to lie when they shouldn't of equally tell the truth when didn't need to. He'd been questioned himself plenty of times, never a particularly accomplished their but he always knew what to say and when.
Two more fingernails came out and now Faran was a mess of sobs and screams. His resistance kicked in, Smiler chose a tooth and pulled it free. It came out too easily. He made to move to the next one when he heard a very distinct cough from behind him. He pulled away and stood to the side again as the Warden carefully surveyed his work.
"What happened?" He said, his voice ice.
Faran spluttered out a more realistic account, explaining his absence from his post as he was diddling some prostitute he knew as Lydia. With the Wardens probing questions he described her, the girl that had interrupted him and the large boy he'd seen carrying the prisoner away.
Then the warden got him to describe everyone in the crowd, which he failed to do. The cause of the crowd appear be a flute player, he wasn't able to describe him either. The Warden tapped his finger faster on the wooden arm of his chair as more detail was divulged.
When it seemed the old guard could say no more the warden got up and left without a word. Faran stared at him wide eyed, anticipation in his eyes.
Smiler had managed to win favour with the Warden for his imagination for torture and his willingness to conduct them. Years had taken there toll however and he took no pleasure out of drawing mindless screams from the old man.
With the gaolers help what remained of the man was dumped in his cell then Smiler made his way from the tower as quickly as he could, searching for a prostitute.