Whisked Away

72. The Web of Lies

Azar's POV
The four humans and dwarf sat on the steps to the tower while Jewel and Puzzle settled on the grass. I perched on Queen Shifra's should.

"Now, friend Poggin," my king began, "You have more news of the enemy than we. Tell us all you know, and first what tale do they tell our our escape?"

"As clever a tale sire as ever was devised," began the dwarf, "It was the cat, Ginger who told it, and most likely made it up too. This Ginger, sire, oh a slyboots if ever a cat was, said he was walking passed the tree to which those villains bound your majesty. And he said (saving your reverence) that you were howling and swearing and cursing Aslan: 'language I wouldn't like to repeat' were the words he used, looking ever so prim and proper. You know the way a cat can when it pleases, and then, says Ginger, Aslan himself suddenly appeared and swallowed you whole."

"And what of the queen?" I asked, for he had not said much.

"As for her, the cat claimed he heard your majesty cursing Narnia and every creature that lived in it and the cat apparently was so angry he killed you himself and you were eaten by Tash," replied the dwarf. "Both of your supposed deaths has only made them all more fearful and obedient to the ape."

"What devilish policy," exclaimed my king, "This Ginger, then is close in the ape's councils?"

"It's more of a question now, sire, if the ape is in his own councils," the dwarf replied, "He's taken to drinking you see and now I think the plot is mostly carried on by Ginger and Rishta - that's the Calormen captain. And I think Ginger's words are to blame for how they behaved towards you and I'll tell you why.

"One of those dreadful midnight meets had just broken up when I realized I'd left my pipe behind. It was a real good 'un, an old favorite, so I went back to look for it. But when I'd gotten to where I'd been siting I heard a cat's voice say Mew and a Calormen say here, speak softly. So I just stood there as if i was frozen.

"And these two were Ginger and Rishta Tarkaan as they call him. Noble Tarkaan, said the cat. I just wanted to know what we both meant today about Aslan being no more than Tash.

Doubtless, the Tarkaan replied, most sagacious of cats, you have perceived my meaning.

You mean, asked Ginger, that there's no such person as either?

All who are enlightened know that, the Tarkaan agreed.

Then we understand one another, said the cat. Do you, like me, grow weary of the ape?

The Tarkaan agreed,  A stupid, greedy brute, but we must use him for the present. Thou and I must provide for all things in secrete and make the ape do our will.

And it would be better, wouldn't it, to include some of the enlightened Narnians into our council, the cat suggested, for the beasts who really do believe in Aslan may turn at any moment and will if the ape's folly betrays his secret.

Excellent cat, the Tarkaan praised, but choose which ones carefully."

While Poggin had been talking, the day had grown rather cold and the sky had darkened. A foul smell had risen up. Queen Shifra had wrapped her wings around herself and his husband who sat next to her, for both had begun to shiver. Suddenly Jewel scrambled to his feet and shouted, "Look! Look at it! Look, look!"

We all looked where the unicorn's horn was pointed. It seemed to be a figure made of smoke, for you could see through it, but it was grey. Although it did keep it's shape and the smell was nothing like the smell of smoke. It was a bird-headed man. The bird head had a cruel and curved beak. Four arms grew from the body, which were raised high above their head as if they wanted to grab hold of all Narnia.

The nails on their hands were cruel like the beak and more like bird claws than human fingernails. It hovered a few inches above the ground and the grass beneath it withered as it passed. Puzzle let out a donkey's scream and darted into the tower. Jill buried her head in her hands, but the rest of us looked at it wearily. It turned it's cruel head and fixed on of it's eyes on Queen Shifra. A bird's smile crossed its face and it disappeared into the thicket.

The sun again appeared and the temperature normalized. "What was it," Eustace whispered.

"I have seen it once before," the king admitted, "but that time it was carved in stone and overplayed with gold and had solid diamonds for eyes. It was when I was no older than thou and had gone as a guest in the Tisroc's court in Tashban. He look me to the great temple of Tash. There I saw it, carved above the alter."

"Then that - that thing," Eustace stuttered, "was Tash." Shifra had folded her wings back behind her while he was speaking.

"It seems then that there is a real Tash after all," I commented.

"How is it with you, lady?" King Tirian asked of Jill.

"A-all right," she replied shakily, "I'm all right, it just made me feel sick a moment."

"You're right, Phoenix," the dwarf remarked, "and this fool of an ape, who didn't believe in Tash, will get more than he's bargained for. He called for Tash; Tash has come."

"North, into the heart of Narnia," said King Tirian, "It has come to dwell among us. They have called it and it has come."

"Ho, ho, ho," laughed the dwarf, "It will be a surprise for the ape. People shouldn't call for demons unless they really mean what they say."

"Who knows if Tash will be visible to the ape," Jewel remarked.

"What have you to tell us, Jewel?" Queen Shifra asked. "Or you, Azar?"

"I have nothing to tell, my queen," I admitted, "I was kept in that cage for the entirety of my time. Those Calormens don't know how to respect a bird of my age. They picked up the cage and kicked it around."

"I got similar treatment," Jewel added. "We were to be executed this very morning."

"Well, I'm just glad we got you when we did," Shifra admitted, her eyebrows pulled together at the thought of what they'd done to us. "The next thing we need to decide," she added, "is whether we are to go to the stable tonight and show Puzzle to everyone or if we should go east and meet up with Roonwit and the small army he assembled for us."

"We can't allow our people to be fooled any longer," her husband stated.

"But, dear, think of how the dwarves reacted. What if they all turn against us?" Shifra countered. "We should meet up with Roonwit. I don't like it anymore than you, but it is the wisest choice we can make."

"Very well," he agreed, "What say the rest of you?" Everyone else agreed with Queen Shifra's plan, so we began to prepare. The first matter of business was removing their disguises, so soon they all were white Narnians again after washing it off with a mixture from the remains from cooking our breakfast.

Then everyone apart from myself, Jewel, and Puzzle changed their armor and weapons into true Narnian style with straight swords and Narnian bows.
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Shifra's POV
Standing my one of the lockers, I looked at the swords trying to find one that I liked. Really I just missed my own swords. "Find any to your liking?" Tirian asked behind me. I merely shrugged. He chuckled lightly and commented, "I think you'll like these better."

I turned around to see two of my own swords. "H-how?" I stuttered.

"I had some of the smiths craft copies of your swords to put in each of these towers. I figured you'd be there if we ever had to use them. There are copies of each of your other usual weapons as well," he explained.

"Thank you," I whispered after I had jumped into his arms. "I hate fighting without my own weapons."

"I know," he replied, bringing out the other copies and handing them over with their sheaths. After securing all my weapons, I began to braid my long hair. The braid started at the top, right side of my head and moved down across the bottom of my scalp until it ran up the left side of my head and across the top and down and to the left into a braided bun. Some strands had come out as I braided and hung on either side of my face, but I was not worried about them, for they were short and unlikely to get in the way.

When I left the tower everyone was waiting and after it had been shut and locked, we set out.