Flower of Bulann

Chapter 12

Vior kept his focus on the entrance to Kuan's room as he sat, his blade laid upon his lap. After hearing Kinna's warning from his brother he had insisted on taking the first watch, his experience was that a night attack would come at the witching hour when the night was at its darkest.

Vior hadn't been in this situation since he had first left the Hyenta household, where he had suspected the knife of the assassin inside every shadow and around every corner.

A shadow moved slowly outside of the room in the moonlight and he nudged Kuan awake. Stifling his brother's response with a careful hand over the mouth.

Vior stood slowly, his sword's edge freshly sharpened for such an encounter as this. Kuan stood beside him a moment later, his own sword drawn silently from a freshly oiled scabbard.

The door slid open and Vior leapt in to strike with surprise, pulling his blade mere inches from Jaefan's head, what was Kinna's deaf-mute eunuch doing here?

"I am glad to see that the lady Kinna's love is no fool," he said without a shred of fear, carefully moving Vior's blade aside as he took a seat beside their bedding.

Vior slid the door shut once more after checking for a tail. Feeling satisfied, he sat down beside Jaefan with Kuan, they both held their bared steel at the ready though.

"I was led to believe you were a deaf-mute," Vior said irritatedly, looking the eunuch in the eyes, though who knew if even that fact were true or not.

"You also believed you were going to win the lady Kinna's hand in marriage" the old man shot back, his hands hidden inside his robes.

Vior looked away in disgust, he'd been tricked and that pissed him off. But not as much as the fact that Kinna was once more out of his reach.

"Then why bother with this sham of a tournament?" Kuan asked, the question more important than Vior's own feelings.

"Hostages, of course," Jaefan replied as if they were stupid for not realising this sooner. "The current lord Hyenta yearns to make his mark upon history. He would have it that Vior wins this tournament, and so gain the greatest warrior of our time as a son."

Vior laid his sword upon his lap once more as Kuan took over watch upon the door, perhaps angry at being discounted despite the effort he'd put in.

"Do you not find it strange that the other competitors have not resurfaced since their defeat?" the old man asked rhetorically. "Lord Hyenta now has hostages from every prominent family and kingdom throughout the land."

"But aside from myself, they are all third sons or worse. No offence brother" Vior said perplexed.

"None took, brother," Kuan said with a wry smile.

"And what do you think will happen when war breaks out across the land? Liu's father is always quick to war. And the others also look to expand their domains" Jaefan questioned, annoyed that Vior wasn't following.

"Third and fourth sons will quickly become the heir apparent" Kuan cut in, his grasp of politics far beyond Vior's own.

"With that, you both must flee. Or at least you, lord Kuan, for a renounced heir is of no use to lord Hyenta" Jaefan told them, rising to his feet.

"What of the others?" Vior questioned. "I would feel ill at ease with leaving my comrades behind... nor will I leave lady Kinna, not again."

"I thought you might say that lord Vior," Jaefan said with a humourless laugh. "Cut through that wall panel once I have gone, it will take you outside and then go to the women's quad. It should be safe there for a short time."

Without letting him respond the old man stood and went to the door.

"If we do not meet again after this night, I wish you great fortune, lord Vior, you also lord Kuan," he told them both with a bow, Vior was convinced they would not meet again in this lifetime.

After Jaefan had gone Vior put on his helmet, Kuan following suit as he cut through the rear wall.

The brothers quietly moved through the night, the guards watching the building were in a great number and it was clear lord Hyenta must know everything that had transpired within these walls.

"There," Kuan whispered, tapping him on the shoulder as they took cover in the shadow of a storehouse

The women's quad was tightly guarded by the maidens that usually kept an eye upon Kinna. There was no cover between where they hid and the walls though, guaranteeing they'd be spotted.

"What do we do now, brother?" Vior asked, leaning upon his brother's superior tactical skill.

Before Kuan could answer a serving girl left the quad, making her way over to where they hid as though she'd seen them.

"Come with me lords" she commanded them. "I am Ovinna, my lady Kinna is a hostage. So if you would aid her, please follow."

They followed dutifully into the quad together, with not a single one of the maiden guard paying them any mind as they did so.

"She is pretty, is she not?" Kuan whispered to him, and perhaps Ovinna was, but Vior had eyes for no one but Kinna.

"I had not noticed, brother" he replied, his tone warning him away from raising the subject again.

Kuan just smiled and gently patted his shoulder.

They were led to the right of the gate and into a small hall where another servant waited, opening the door on their approach. The new girl went inside with them, whilst Ovinna waited outside, sliding the door shut behind them.

The room was well lit and waiting there for them was at least twenty of the maiden guard, along with Rassan, Tai'ishi and Tanahashi, all dressed ready for war.

"I had been told you were all captives," Vior said in surprise, clasping each man's forearm in turn with Kuan.

"We three escaped with Jaefan's help. The others are more securely held though in the main palace. It would be suicide to attempt a rescue with our current numbers" Tanahashi explained as Rassan rolled out a map on a table the maiden guard brought in.

The map detailed the compound, Kinna's rooms clearly marked as their target.

"Are you all willing to aid in Kinna's rescue?" Vior asked, wondering why they would do such a thing.

"I am, not for her sake, but to anger her father" Tai'ishi answered, his face still hidden by the demonic mask.

"I am of a similar disposition, lord Vior" Tanahashi said, his fists clenched. "He has slighted all of us with this dishonourable farce, I would have a measure of revenge."

Rassan nodded along as they made their statements of intent. "I too will have him suffer, taking the lady Kinna will certainly serve that end."

"And we all love the lady Kinna greatly, what her brutish brother and father have done is beyond the pale. We ladies are all willing to lay down our lives for her" her other servant, Hinata stated, her young face defiant in the face of imminent violence.

"Then we strike this night, whilst they believe we are all imprisoned or watched. We must be willing to kill those we once considered allies though, for they will show us no such consideration" Vior explained, many of the maiden guards gripping their spears tighter as their thoughts were given voice, but they were willing to fight, Vior could see it in their eyes.

Kuan took over as they planned the rescue. Kinna wouldn't even spend this night as a prisoner, not whilst he drew breath.