Destroyers and the Dragons

Page 11

I watch the ripple of reaction that I am not bound. I rub my still healing wrists.

     "Do you think it is wise?" asks his first in command.

     "I think it is time we give this ally some measure of trust," Evergreen says. The first shrugs and sits down at the table to my right. Evergreen sits to my left and they begin another day of bombarding my brain. After a few hours, I hold up my hands in defeat.

     "Draw me an accurate map and leave me to study it. I cannot worry about every little detail. People will move about a castle as they will."

     "Fine, we seek only to give you the best time to get the job done," Evergreen says.

     "Write a schedule for me if we need one, otherwise I will improvise."

     "She is too stubborn to do as you hope," his first snarls, in frustration.

     "And what would you have me do? Prance around and distract the fool who sits upon the throne."

     "No, not exactly. Oh fine, I was hoping to sneak you in as a servant," Evergreen blurts out.

     "As a servant, I'm afraid I don't look anything like your people. I am pale, ashen, with a slight blue tinge, pointed ears, war braids, armor will make me a little hard to blend in."

     "Well other than the armor and the war braids you'd actually blend in quite well with the servants."

     "How so?"

     "We've taken in your runaways and castoffs," he says quietly.

    "You take them in and make them work for you?" I ask, feeling like I've been punched.

    "You don't understand, please don't argue about this."

    "I'm not I'm just wondering how many of your servants wanted to leave after a while and weren't allowed."

     "Once they sign the paperwork they aren't allowed to leave."

     "Then they are no better than slaves," I say irritated.

     "Back to the task at hand," Evergreen concedes.

     "Fine, give me a map, and a schedule and I'll make sure to do m best to keep my end of the deal," I say. A plan is made involving sneaking me in and then letting in the rebels. I try to deal with the fact that I will be without my armor and weaponless until I succeed in letting them in. To me, this is the flaw in the plan, but I go along with it. At least this plan doesn't involve a planned marriage to a useless man.

     "I trust you to get me a good weapon and keep me from getting killed during this," I say, staring into his green eyes.

     "Then I will make sure to give you the sharpest steel," he says, as we shake. I tuck my map and schedule into my peasants' clothes. I wear breeches under the dress. I make my way up the stairs to Evergreen's sister's chamber without incident. She is to be the queen in a few weeks by a marriage she does not want. I find her crying in her room and carefully enter the room and wait for the other servant to leave. My scarf hides my braids.

     "I don't want to eat, tell him I'll starve first," she says, with her tears running free.

     "You miss your brother," I say, closing her door and locking it.