Saviour of the Crown, page 33
“Well, if your father hadn’t spent all his time defending Bodden, I doubt you’d have become a knight, and had you not been a knight, you never would’ve needed armour, so we wouldn’t have met.”
“True. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the Norland raids, your parents would still be alive. Do you remember anything about them?”
“I remember isolated images, a face here or there, but those moments are rare. I dislike conflict as much as you, but in this case, I’m thankful for it; otherwise, we wouldn’t be together. Now, enough of such maudlin thoughts. If there’s to be a battle tomorrow, we need to get you to bed.”
“How can you sleep knowing we’re about to decide the fate of the entire Continent?”
Aldwin grinned. “Who said anything about sleep?”
Thirty-Three
Flight
Summer 968 MC
Arnim crouched beside Nikki while she peered out from behind the hedge. “Any sign of them?”
“Not at the moment,” she replied, “but we should remain cautious.” They’d escaped from the palace but now found themselves in Victory Park, dodging from tree to bush, attempting to avoid discovery.
“This will never do,” complained Janek. “The longer we stay in Varena, the more we risk the emperor being captured.”
“What would you have us do?” asked Nevarus. “Walk down the middle of the street?”
“Would that be so bad, Eminence? You are dressed as a commoner. Who would even guess at your true identity?”
“Who indeed?” said Arnim. “By now, word of his escape will have reached your enemies, and it would only take one person recognizing him to ruin everything. Better to continue as we are, avoiding all possible encounters.”
“I agree with Lord Arnim,” said Nevarus. “Though I am dressed like one, I cannot claim to be adept at mimicking the behaviours of someone born to the lower classes.”
“Agreed,” said Nikki. “And for Saxnor’s sake, stop calling him ‘Your Eminence’—that’s a dead giveaway.”
“But I cannot call him Nevarus!” insisted Janek.
“Then call him ‘lord’ if you must, but stop treating him as the emperor, else it’ll cost us our lives.”
“My apologies.”
“Perhaps I should adopt a pseudonym?” said Nevarus. “What about Master Neyvar? I could be a wealthy merchant visiting from Zefara?”
“Too complicated,” replied Nikki. “Invent too much of a backstory, and you’ll step all over yourself.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“Do you know anything about being a merchant?”
“Well… no,” admitted Nevarus.
“I spent a lot of years pretending to be someone I’m not. The key to surviving is keeping your story as close to the truth as possible. Make it complicated, and you’ll start volunteering too much information, which is a dead giveaway.”
“I agree,” added Arnim. “Now, having said that, perhaps we could concentrate on more important matters, such as how we’re going to get free of the city?”
“Can’t we leave by the gate?” asked Nevarus.
“You’ve just admitted you’re incapable of passing yourself off as a commoner. Do you want to test the validity of that statement now when your life hangs in the balance?”
“No, I suppose not.”
Janek fidgeted. “But if not by the gate, then how? It’s not as if any of us are mages.”
“I can think of a number of ways,” replied Nikki, “but some require outside help. Have we anyone we can trust outside of the palace?”
“Had you asked me that a week ago, I might have said yes, but with half the emperor’s guard not showing up today, I’m forced to change my response. Why? What do you have in mind?”
“That we pass ourselves off as merchants and hide the emperor in the back of a wagon.”
“Would he not be seen?”
“Not if we concealed him in a barrel or crate.”
“I doubt that would work,” said Arnim. “Whoever stormed the palace knows Nevarus represents the greatest threat to the empire’s new ruler. They’ll want him dead so there can be no turning back, which means a substantial reward to anyone finding him.”
“Then we shall offer more,” said Nevarus.
“With all due respect, you no longer control the imperial treasury. Unless you’ve somehow managed to smuggle a pile of coins out under those clothes of yours?”
“I have not.”
“As I thought,” said Arnim. “So, smuggling him out in a barrel is out of the question; anything else in your bag of tricks, Nikki?”
“How about the wall?” she replied. “We’d need some rope, but that shouldn’t be too difficult to acquire.”
“That has possibilities, but access to the top of the wall would be controlled through guard towers unless you’re suggesting we climb up an inner wall?”
“Even if we could,” said Janek, “with everyone looking for the emperor, wouldn’t they be expecting something like that?”
“You make a good point,” said Nikki.
“Any other ideas?” asked Armin.
“Without any coins, we can forget about bribing our way out. We can’t go through the gates or over the walls, so the only escape route left is under them.”
“What in the name of the emperor are you suggesting?” Janek realized what he’d said and looked nervously at Nevarus. “Sorry, Eminence, I didn’t mean to take your name in vain.”
The emperor chuckled. “I’ll doubtlessly hear worse before this is all over. I am curious, Lady Nicole. What did you mean by going under? Surely you’re not suggesting we dig our way out?”
“This city has sewers, doesn’t it?”
“Does it? I wouldn’t know.” He turned to Janek. “Does it?”
“Of course, Eminence. Varena is a shining example of our civilization; to suggest otherwise—”
“Enough!” said Arnim. “We get the idea.”
“Janek,” said Nikki. “Can you tell me more about the city?”
“What would you like to know?”
“I noticed a river from the window of our room. Does it encircle the city?”
“It flows along the eastern side, then curves before returning to a more southerly direction. I presume it eventually empties into the Shimmering Sea, but I’m no expert in such things. Why? Is that important?”
“Sewers empty somewhere, and I’d assume that would be downstream.”
“Why would you think that?”
“What merchant wants a dockyard stinking of sewage?”
“Clever,” said Nevarus. “This obviously isn’t the first time you’ve dealt with such things, although I’m at a loss as to why.”
“That is a discussion for another day.”
“Can you find us a way out or not?” pressed Janek.
“I can certainly try, but there’s always the possibility that a grate or hatch blocks the exit.”
“Then we’d be trapped, wouldn’t we?”
Arnim chuckled. “I have yet to see a lock that could stop Nikki. Mind you, if it’s not locked and simply a sealed grate, there won’t be much we can do about it. Still, it’s better than hanging around here, waiting for someone to discover us.”
“Where do we start?” asked Nevarus.
“By acquiring some supplies,” said Nikki. “We’ll need light of some sort, preferably a lantern, but a torch would do in a pinch.”
“Anything else?”
“A saw might be useful to cut through steel bars, but I doubt we’ll find one of those nearby; this appears to be a wealthier area of town.”
“Right,” said Arnim. “Let’s go shopping.”
“Shopping?” asked Nevarus.
“Relax,” replied Nikki. “It’s just an expression; what he really means is we’ll go stealing.”
“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?”
* * *
Janek waited, his nerves on edge. He’d tried to console himself with the fact it was dark, giving him at least the illusion of concealment, but every little sound convinced him soldiers were about to run him through. Nevarus sat nearby, staring up at the stars, seemingly unfazed by the day’s events. A nearby sound made the servant jump, and then Lady Nicole’s voice cut through the darkness.
“It’s only us,” she hissed. “Here,” she said, thrusting a bundle of cloth at him.
“What’s this?”
“Some food we managed to acquire.”
“And by acquire, you mean…”
“Stop asking questions you already know the answer to and just eat.”
He unwrapped the cloth and found a small loaf of bread that appeared burned on top. He was about to complain when his stomach grumbled, reminding him it had been nearly a day since he last ate. He broke off a chunk and stuffed it in his mouth.
Arnim drew closer, holding up an unlit lantern. “I found this in a carriage house.”
“And the bread?” asked Janek.
“Discarded behind a bakery.”
Janek spit out his mouthful. “Are you suggesting this was on the street?”
“Not at all,” Nikki replied, waiting as he resumed eating. “It was mixed in with all the other trash.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Liar,” said Nevarus. “Now eat, Janek, before you pass out on us.” The emperor tore a piece of bread off for himself. “Did you find an entrance to the sewers?”
“We did,” said Arnim. “It’s just up the street. We should have no problem getting to it this time of night.”
“Any signs of guards?”
“We heard some on the next street over, but their footsteps faded away.”
“That’s to be expected,” replied Nevarus. “Varena is a large city, and even a full legion couldn’t patrol every street. Perhaps the fates are with us for once?”
“I’ll place my faith in our abilities,” said Nikki. “I don’t like to rely on fate; it has a way of coming back and biting me in the arse.”
“Such language from a lady,” said Janek, “not to mention a viscountess.”
“I was raised on the streets of Wincaster,” replied Nikki. “I’ll not apologize for my past.”
“Nor should you,” added Arnim. “I like you just the way you are.”
“Aww, thank you. That’s nice of you to say.”
“In the emperor’s name,” said Janek. “Will this endless prattling never cease?”
“Time to go,” said Arnim.
“Aren’t you going to light the lantern?”
“And give away our position? I think not!”
“Then why have it?”
“Bec—” Arnim started to bark out a response but appeared to have a change of heart when his features softened slightly. “I’ll light this lantern once we’re in the sewers. Now come. We must be well on our way before daybreak.”
He led them down the alleyway and then paused, peering around the edge of the building to look left and right. “This way,” he whispered, then stepped out onto the street.
Janek and Nevarus followed, with Nikki bringing up the rear. It was only a matter of a hundred or so paces before they stood over a wooden hatch built into the cobbled street.
Arnim reached down and slid his fingers through two holes, then lifted the cover off, revealing a shaft dropping into darkness, a ladder built into its side. “You first, Nikki. I’ll hand you the lantern once you’re down there.”
Janek watched her disappear into the darkness.
Her voice wafted up to them. “It’s not very deep but watch your head. The ceiling is low.”
Arnim passed down the lantern, then motioned for Janek to go next. The emperor’s aide moved to stand over the hatch, and an overpowering stench hit him, threatening to close off his throat. “What is that smell?”
“Freedom,” came Nikki’s reply. “Now get moving. We haven’t got all night.”
He climbed down, and when his feet hit bottom, they sank into something wet and squishy. “What am I standing in?”
“Best you don’t know.”
Her hand came out of the dark and pulled him forward. “Wait here, and don’t move, or we’ll be running into each other.”
A small spark briefly lit the tunnel, then another. The third did the trick, igniting the lantern and flooding the area with a warm glow.
A rat swam past, brushing against Janek’s leg, and he felt a sudden urge to scream. He clamped his hands over his mouth to suppress it, then noticed a look of amusement on Nikki’s face. “What are you smiling at?”
“Nothing.”
A scraping sound came from above. “That’s the hatch back in place,” said Arnim.
“Where is the emperor?”
“Right here,” called out Nevarus, directly behind Janek, his unexpected presence causing the fellow to jump. Nikki waited until Arnim climbed down the ladder and then began leading them south, following the flow of effluent.
* * *
The sewers were a complex web of interconnecting tunnels. There was no sense of direction here or any light other than the lantern, but Nikki followed the flow, trusting it would eventually lead them to the river. Time passed slowly, and they began to feel as though they were trapped in an endless series of tunnels that ran in circles.
The smell was awful, and on two occasions, it became so bad they were forced to hold their breath. After hours of finding their way by lantern, Nikki noticed daylight bouncing off a wall.
“I think we’ve reached the end. There’s a turn up ahead with sunlight streaming through.” She hurried forward, continuing past the bend to elicit a curse.
“What’s wrong?” called out Arnim.
“There’s an iron grate here, with no sign of a lock.”
They moved up, eager to see what she was talking about. The end of the sewer did indeed empty out into the river, but a grate of crisscrossing metal bands prevented anyone from entering or exiting the sewers. They could easily reach through, for there was a good hand span between each overlap, but someone had gone to extraordinary lengths to rivet each spot where the bands crossed.
Nikki rattled the metal, but the entire assembly appeared intact. “This is very disappointing.”
“More than disappointing,” said Janek. “It’s a catastrophe!”
“Don’t panic,” replied Nevarus. “Let Arnim take a look. Perhaps he can see something we’re missing.”
Arnim moved up, taking his time to examine the grill. He stepped back, placing his hands on his hips, looking it over once again. “Some of the rivets are rusty; we might be able to snap them off.”
“With what?” asked Janek.
Arnim pulled out the chair leg he’d tucked into his belt and used it to try and pry apart two of the bands. The grate groaned a little, but the makeshift club cracked, obviously too weak for such work. He tossed it aside with a grunt.
“Hold on,” said Nikki. “You’ve given me an idea.” She knelt in the muck, feeling beneath the shin-deep water. After a bit, she stood back up with a look of triumph. “I thought so.”
“Care to explain?” said Nevarus.
“Arnim is right. Some of the rivets are very rusty, and none more so than the ones immersed in the water. I think we can pry this thing up from the bottom or at least separate two or three overlaying connections.”
“What good will that do?” said Janek. “We need more room than one or two bent bars to allow us to escape.”
“I can fit through a narrow opening,” replied Nikki. “Then I’ll go find something larger to force the rest.”
“Are you certain you can do this?” asked Arnim. “It means holding your breath and submerging yourself, and we both know you don’t like water.”
“I don’t have a problem with immersing myself; it’s being in deep water, and as you can plainly see, this is less than knee deep. Now, hand me that chair leg.”
Arnim retrieved his makeshift weapon and switched it for the lantern she held. Nikki manoeuvred one end below the bottom rung of the grate and then pushed up on the leg, using it like a lever. Arnim soon joined her and was rewarded with a splash as a rivet popped.
“It worked!” shouted Janek.
They repeated the process, and then Arnim grasped the metal bands and bent them upwards. “Not wide enough,” he said. “We’d best try it again.”
They worked away at it until the chair leg split in two. Arnim tried using the larger of the pieces, but it proved useless.
“That’s it, then,” declared Janek. “We’re doomed.”
“I’m not ready to give up quite yet,” said Nikki. She knelt once more, digging down into the muck. “Give me a hand, Arnim.” They both struggled and finally managed to bend another band upward.
* * *
“Is that enough?” asked her husband.
“It will have to be,” she replied as she started removing her dress.
“What are you doing?” asked Janek.
Nevarus placed his hand on his aide’s shoulder. “Patience, my friend. She is removing her outer garments so they do not snag on the grate.”
“Are you suggesting she’s going to immerse herself in the effluent to swim under that thing?”
“That would appear to be the case.”
“How disgusting.”
“Better that than have your head on the end of a pike,” said Nikki. Now down to her undergarments, she knelt, facing the grate and took several deep breaths. She looked up at Arnim. “I’ll need help. You know what to do.”
He nodded, then waited as she submerged her head, her hands out before her to guide her through the opening. Arnim waited as she struggled. Then, when he saw that her head was through, he grabbed her by the waist and tried shoving her forward.
Time seemed to drag on forever, and Janek swore Nikki must have drowned. It was such a strange scene, watching a woman halfway through a grate while raw sewage flowed around her. He imagined himself in her position, and the mere thought made him gag. He turned away lest he add vomit to the sewer's contents.
