Page 81 of A Brat's Tale
Looking down, about toclimb down, is altogether different than the idea of it. I feel like there’s a war inside my belly, but I take a breath and get calm thinking only of Corrik who needs me. I hop to the first stone that protrudes from the wall and then I almost slip to my death, only catching my balancejustin time. Gods dammit, it’s a bit icy.This is a terrible idea Tristan.
My heart pounds faster.
I look up. I could go back, it’s not too late. But the fresh air fills me, I’m outside, I’m not in that room. I’m not going back, I’m here and I’m moving forward. I hop to the next ledge with a little prayer. It’s not slippery, thankfully, but others are, and I nearly glide off the third. I’ve lucked out though, the ice hasn’t layered over the whole surface of the stones, only in some patches, and my fingers can grip where the ice isn’t.
I’m successful in getting to the halfway point, where I have to stop, this is where I’m more likely to be seen. I look up, it’s a long way up, and without proper climbing gear, or magic, I realize that at this time of year and icy conditions, getting back up is an impossibility. Fuck, I am not used to this ice and snow stuff.
There are exactly two guards at this point, which means there will be more ahead, but two is a good number for me.
I didn’t want to have to create distractions at this point, alerting the guard could result in a check-in on me—that’s what I’d tell my crew to do were I Warlord looking after the situation—but if I distract them in just the right way, they’ll deal with it themselves and won’t report it till morning.
Using an arrow, I slide it into my bow and calm my breathing until I feel I can release the arrow with precision. The trick to shooting arrows is not to feel the let go, for it to happen in time with your exhaled breath. I shoot it several yards off and into a tall tree. They won’t climb up, but they will investigate, which will give me enough time to climb the rest of the way down and move around the perimeter of the palace in the dark.
“Did you hear something?” the guard with the white hair says.
“Sounded like it went off over that way,” the guard with the red hair says.
“You check over there, I’ll check this way.”
When they split up, I make the rest of my descent as carefully as I can while being quick about it. I’m still at a decent height and if I fall, I won’t die, but I’ll break something, and my adventure will have been short and very over.
I’m ready to pounce to the next stone, feeling more confident, getting used to how the ice looks on the stone, so I can grab for the iceless part of the stone, but it’s dark and it’s hard to judge and I’m unable to catch the ledge. I scramble in the air trying to grip for anything, but the wall is too slick with ice.
I get a bit of luck, landing hard in the brambles below rather than the hard ground. A quick check reveals nothing’s broken, but I’m pretty beat up. The old Tristan, he could have done this, but I’mstarting to think the Tristan I am now cannot. Nothing’s going right. Then, I hear the footsteps come, but they’re not from a direction I expect.There’s a third guard? But how?I have never, in all my scouting seen a third guard. This has got to be one of Alrik’s additions.
Well, that’s it, I’m done for. I won’t be able to directly overpower an Elf unless I use my sword, which has fallen a goodly distance away. It’s over before it’s begun, and this will not fall under Alrik’s definition of well-behaved. He’s going to kill me.
The third guard approaches. “Tristan?” he whispers.
My heart lifts—happy day!—it’s Diekin. “You’ve made palace guard already?”
“Only just,” he says puffing out his chest, his ears growing taller. “Told you it wouldn’t take me long. Though, unfortunately, the decision had a lot to do with Corrik not being here. I am one of the best, they needed me here. I wanted to protect you.” His eyes consider me—I’m out of my prison with two feet planted on the cold ground—and both brows arch, doing a good impression of any Top worth their salt. At the same time, I detect lack of surprise. He’s more likely to wonder why I haven’t done this sooner versus why I’m doing this at all.
I look at him deeply. What I have to ask him, he may not give. I don’t have much time to convince him. “Diekin, I have to go. No one else can.”
He gets tense and his look darkens. “Tristan, I can’t let you go on a suicide mission no matter how much I want Corrik back.”
“Do you think he’s dead?”
His eyes flicker upward for just a second then back to me. “I don’t know. I hope it isn’t true.”
This is old ground we know. We’ve faced this together before and just like before, I had to do what I must. “I’m going one way or the other, Diekin.” I make my stance solid, willing to fight him if need be. I see the moonlight glinting off my sword on the ground and an opening to slide through to grab it. I say a silent thank you to my father again for all the hard days of training.
“Diekin,” one of the other guards, shouts. “Anything over there?”
My heart picks up the pace as Diekin assesses me.Will he give meaway?I have to wait two long breaths to find out. “Nothing’s over here. Go back to your station,” he says.
‘You’re in charge?’I mouth to him. He nods.
He holds up three fingers to me, which I take to mean there are three guards ahead, and signals for me to stay on the side of the palace where it’s darkest. On the other side of the wall, surrounding the palace on this side is a long drop down into icy water. I can’t go over; the only way is through.
Diekin walks with purpose toward his crew on this side. “It was nothing,” he assures them, and they return to their posts. I follow along carefully, worried that at any moment they could catch movement. Elves have tremendous eyesight.
When we get to my sword, Diekin kicks it toward me along the grass and I snatch it up, keeping it out. I follow along where Diekin moves, careful to remain in darkness until we get to an area free of guards where I can run out from the shadow of the palace and into the trees. I know the risk he’s taking for me. He puts a hand on my shoulder. “I can’t fathom what you’ve been through. I wanted to come to see you, but Alrik won’t let anyone. Of course, the king and queen could overrule him, but he’s convinced them he knows what’s best.”
“It’s okay, Diekin. I understand, but I must go.”
“I can see that, Warlord.” There’s so much I want to say, but there isn’t time. I also note my title is back and I like to think it’s something in the way I’m carrying myself. “That sword belongs in your hand. If I might give you some advice, Warlord?”
