Sabotage - Chapter 3

                                            Chapter Three





The next morning, Hume, the chamber servant, and a younger servant named Iar walk into a dark bedroom. Breathing can be heard from two beds against the back wall. He walks up to a window above a short dresser. The thick curtains let no light in. Hume opens them, letting light seep into the bedroom. A figure in each bed swiftly cover their heads with their pillows. "Time to get up, my Lords." he says. The two figures moan and whine under their pillows. "We do not want to!" "Why?" Iar walks over to a taller dresser and takes out two sets of clothes. He lays an outfit on both their beds then waits for them to get up. One figure removes the pillow from their face. Mondre` sits up, squinting his eyes from the bright sunlight. “Good morning, High Prince. Did you sleep well?” Iar asks. “Yes.” Mondre` yawns. Skreme removes his pillow from his face. Strands of his hair lay over his face. “It is too early.” he says. “Good morning, Prince. It is exactly the seventh morning tone.” Hume says. Skreme moans and falls back onto his pillow. Mondre` climbs out of his bed, wearing his sleeping clothes. Skreme drags himself out of his bed, in his sleeping clothes also. “Who put those on you, Your Majesties?” Hume asks. "Flis.” Mondre` mumbles. Hume nods then smells a strange foul odor in the air. “That smell. What is that?” he asks. Iar smells then scrunches his nose. “We are not sure. But we need a bath.” Mondre` says. “As do we.” Skreme says, yawning. “Yes, Your Majesties.” Hume says. He helps them take a bath in a room attached to the bedroom, using strong soaps to get rid of the smell. Mondre` begins humming a tune while Hume dresses Skreme. “What are you singing, Your Majesty?” Iar asks, sliding Mondre`’s tunic over his head. Mondre` stops. “Something we made up.” he says after a wary glance from Skreme. The door opens. High Advisor Everdron steps in, his blue robes flowing around him like smoke. A dark blue-purple aura was bright around his body. "Where did you go yesterday, Your Majesties?" he asks, his hazel eyes glowing blue. 'Uh oh.' Mondre` thinks. "We became lost last night. We went to the kitchen, but no one was there. So we did not eat anything. We went straight to bed." he lies. He clutches at his supposedly empty stomach. A corner of Everdron's mouth moves upward then returns to it's frown. "You do realize the palace was attacked yesterday. Someone placed an alchemic bomb on the east side......of the second west den." he says, his eyes moving from one prince to the other. "Did you find who it was?" Mondre` asks, acting amazed. "The guards found them escaping over the wall. The intruders had found how to bring down the barrier.” Everdron says. “Were they caught?” Skreme asks. Everdron lets a sigh out through his nose. “No. Eat breakfast then meet me in the study." he orders. He walks out, leaving the door open. Mondre` lets out his breath. "I think he knows we did it." he says to Skreme. "I think so too." Skreme replies to him as Hume and Iar bow, letting them walk out. They stride down the hallway to the throne room. Mondre` hums the tune again, his hands clasped behind his back. A servant walks in the same direction from another door to their right, carrying two buckets of milk. He has an earring attached to his right earlobe. “Tino.” Skreme says to Mondre`, who stops humming. Tino sees them coming and stops for them, bowing low. They pass him and walk into the throne room. He follows after to the dining room. Mondre` can feel his eyes on his back. He and Skreme sit down at the dining table. Tino walks by. He comes to the door then looks back. “Is something the matter?” Mondre` asks. Tino bows his head. “No, Your Majesty. I'm sorry.” he says and walks into the kitchen. “He knows we were there.” Mondre` says to Skreme. “I don't believe so. He's too stupid.” Skreme says to him. Servants bring in platters of sausages, boiled eggs, slices of ham and bread. The princes start eating. "I never thought I'd be glad to be back.” Skreme says to Mondre` as he makes an egg roll over the table top by only moving his eyes. “You always say that. But what are we going to do next?” Mondre` asks him. “I'm not sure. Maybe we could go outside before lessons.” Skreme suggests to him. “You realize that'll anger Everdron.” Mondre` says to him. He puts the egg in a spoon and launches it at him. Mondre` narrows his eyes. The egg flies sideways to the other end of the table, landing with a clack. A guard picks it up, returning to his statue-like position. “I don't care if Everdron gets angry. He's always angry.” Skreme says to Mondre`. “That's true. I guess we can. But we have to be quiet about it.” Mondre` replies to him. They eat their fill then run out. “You can't catch us!” Mondre` hollers. “Yes, we can!“ Skreme yells back. Mondre` dashes through the corridors and past rooms to a set of doors with Skreme right on his heels. The guards open the doors. He goes out to the balcony then takes the stairs three at a time. A bird darts overhead. He grins and leaps over the rest of the wide stairway after it. Skreme runs underneath him. The bird sees Mondre` and flies faster, barely missing his hand. It heads for a large pond with a fountain that sits in the front section of the courtyard. Different fish and aquatic life can be seen swimming in the crystal clear water. Mondre` lands on the cobbled path infront of Skreme and dashes after it. It hovers over the pond then shoots straight up. Mondre` leaps onto the surface of the water. The water turns into a flexible material at the touch of his aura. It bends under his weight then slings him up after the bird. Skreme bounces off the water and rockets into the air. The bird evades Mondre` by looping over then under him. He turns and dives after it. It heads back to the pond. It passes Skreme, who grabs for it. He catches it's tail and falls. The creatures are at the surface, waiting for them to come. When the creatures think they are in reach, they snap, but the bouncy surface keeps them from coming out. The princes land on the water and bounce a few times, laughing. Skreme releases the bird, which darts into the trees. Mondre` can hear it chattering at them. Skreme holds a feather up. “We have it!” he says. "Another for your collection." Mondre` says, getting up to jump. “Your Majesties!” Hume, who stands on the top of the steps, calls. “Time for prayers!” “We are busy!” Skreme shouts. “High Advisor Bersion insists.” Hume says. They complain, but step over the water to the shore and make their way up the stairs. After morning prayers, they move down the corridor toward a study they had for lessons with Hume. “I will let you go on, Your Majesties.” he says with a bow. He walks into a separate corridor. "He's gone." Mondre` says to Skreme. Instead of taking a left, he and Skreme go to the right until they come to a door. He opens it and looks inside the colossal throne room. "Anything?" Skreme asks, peeking past him. "No. Follow me." Mondre` says. They step out inside. They creep behind a column, which is one of many that line both sides of the walls. Mondre` makes sure that the bejeweled throne that sits at the end of a black carpet is not hiding anyone before moving to the next column, just in case someone did come in. To his right are glassless bay windows that shows a tiny courtyard blocked off by the dining hall. “No one's here.” he whispers. Skreme moves by him to lead the way. Flags with the High Royal emblem flap in a breeze. The noise sounds like someone in heavy robes walking or running alongside them. The front doors are sixty yards from them straight ahead. "Now!" Skreme hisses. They speed across the room. The wall mirrors can barely catch their reflections as they pass. They run up the long flight of stairs and just make it to the top when Everdron appears infront of them from out of nowhere. Mondre` gasps and tries to stop. But the marble floor is slick and they slip. They land hard on their behinds, sliding to a stop. Mondre` grimaces then looks up. Everdron narrows his eyes, which begin to glow. "Where do you think you are going, Your Majesties?" he asks, arms folded in front of him under his sleeves. Mondre` gulps. "Uh...around." he says. "I told you to go to the study. Why are you not?" Everdron asks. "We wished to get some fresh air before we studied." Skreme replies. "You can not go outside until you are finished with your lessons." Everdron says. "Have you finished with prayers?" "Yes." they say. "Then you will go to the study immediately." “Yes.” they mumble. They get up and walk to the throne room side door. Everdron follows behind them. “How does he know what we're going to do?” Mondre` says to Skreme. "He knows us too well.” Skreme says to him. Mondre` winces from the pain in his rear end. "We should've traveled.” Skreme smirks. “That's no fun.” he says to him. They walk to the study, where High Advisor Bersion waits. Mondre` and Skreme sit in two brown leather chairs. "Where have you been, Your Majesties?" Bersion asks. "We were praying." Mondre` says. “And then tried to sneak off.” Everdron says. Bersion chuckles. "Advisor Everdron caught you again, eh?" he asks. The boys keep quiet. "I leave them to you." Everdron says. His robes swish as he leaves. “Now that you are here, I will have you work on arithmetic.” Bersion says as he walks past them to a bookshelf. Mondre` and Skreme prepare to take notes on paper with quill pens he hands them. After lessons, the boys creep away when he becomes distracted by a group of farmers. They come to the door that leads to the throne room hidden behind the throne. "We need to figure out how to get to the front doors." Skreme says. Mondre` pauses to gaze at something on the other side of the hall. Light comes down to hit a pair of thick doors with thick chains attached. A lock that keeps the chains together has no keyhole or combinations. On the front of it is a decoration made of gold. A small bridge leads to it with a dark pit between the doorway and the hall. Above is a clear glass window with a silver rod sticking straight out the top. "Will we ever get in there?" he asks. "We will. But we shouldn't stay here or Everdron will find us." Skreme says, walking up to the throne room door. "We should return to the study." Mondre` suggests. “But what should we do about the secret escort?” "Perhaps. All they are talking about is their crops being devoured by swarms of hikbats." Skreme says, listening through the throne room door. “We'll have to lose them.” “How?” Mondre` asks him. “We'll have to run.” Skreme says to him. They stride away from the door. When they think they are far enough, they dash for the grand hall. A group of people are there, waiting by the main throne room door for their turn. The princes stop when they see their friend Eresal. "Your Majesties!" he greets happily, walking over. "Hello, Eresal. Where have you been?" Mondre` says, bowing his head a bit in greeting. "I have been traveling to the North while my father was away." Eresal replies. "Where has Baron Quinteral been?" Skreme asks. Eresal gives a slight shrug. "Not anywhere as of late." he says. "Are the High Advisors too busy?" "Possibly. We can talk in the study." Skreme says. The three and Eresal's entourage gather in the study. Eresal sits in a chair, his hands clasped at his mouth. The princes remain quiet, patiently waiting for him to speak. He lowers his hands. "My father was sent to the border of the Eastern Kingdom. He was captured and killed." "What?" Mondre` asks. "At least now he can care for his other siblings without that old coot putting them in danger." Skreme says to him. He discretely steps on his foot. Skreme grimaces then gives him a dirty look. "We are sorry to hear of your loss." Mondre` says. Eresal nods, looking down at his boots. "You have to think about Clarese and Kiney. Maybe you can care for them better now." Mondre` says. "You will be doing them a favor." Skreme says. Eresal sits up. "Do you believe so?" he asks. "Yes." the cousins say. "Have you been crowned yet?" Skreme asks. "No. I will be at the end of this week. That is why I am here. I need to speak with High Advisor Bersion to receive Daemon's blessing." Eresal says. "He will be preoccupied for a time. That is why we were there." Mondre` says. Eresal smirks then says to them. "Trying to sneak out again?" "Of course. We have to or we will rot of boredom." Skreme says to the two. Eresal shakes his head and gets up. "We should see if they are finished." he says. "You can go on ahead. We have other objectives to attend to." Mondre` says. "All right. I should be staying in the city for a time. I will return soon." Eresal says. "All right." They all go their separate ways. Once they come to the stairs, Mondre` swiftly leads Skreme up to the third story, where their room is. Skreme shuts the door behind them. Mondre` kneels down and pulls a floor tile away. He reaches in then takes out an off-white wool tunic. "This one's yours." he says, handing it to Skreme. He pulls out another while Skreme slides off his silk tunic and puts on the woolen one. “We should travel.” Mondre` says, reaching into the tile to bring out a pouch of money. He quickly wraps the leather string into his hair. “The barrier will stop us.” Skreme says. “If it will let us in, it might let us out.” Mondre` says. He ties the pouch to his pants. “All right. But it's not going to work.” Skreme says then concentrates. Mondre` focuses. He is surprised to find he can go through. A gray flash and the tavern comes to view. The people inside start when they appear. They grab any weapons they have. The boys gather energy in their hands behind their backs, ready to fight if they had to. "Stop! These are friends." someone says from the second floor. Everyone, including the boys, look up. Jaran stands on the landing. He waves to the two. Mondre` disperses his aura behind his back and waves. “How'd they do that?” someone mutters, sheathing their dagger. The person they were talking to only shrugs. "Good afternoon, Jaran." Mondre` calls up. "Good afternoon. How are you today?" Jaran asks, walking to the stairs. "Very well, thank you." Mondre` replies. "Where are Ryuu and Ashla?" "They'll be here any minute. Make yourselves at home." Jaran says. "Thanks." Mondre` says. The three walk to a table. "By the way, how'd you do that?" Jaran asks. "Do what?" Skreme asks, sitting opposite Mondre`. "Appear out of nowhere like that. I've only heard of the Daemons doing that." Jaran says, standing in front of the table. Mondre` and Skreme look to each other. "It's something we were taught at the palace." Mondre` says. "You need to teach me some of what you've learned." Jaran says. "We will if we can." Mondre` says. Someone walks up, looking rushed. They whisper something in Jaran’s ear. “All right.” he whispers back and turns back to the cousins. “I need to go. I'll see you." "Goodbye." the two reply. He walks away. "You shouldn't have told him that." Skreme says to Mondre`. "I said if. Besides, they're our friends." Mondre` tells him. "They're peasants. They're not allowed to know what we do." Skreme says to him. "Hey Andre`! Ream!" Several other people turn at the voice. Ashla and Ryuu walk up. Ryuu is now clean, but his hair is not brushed out. Mondre` notices the people giving them suspicious looks. She sits beside Skreme. Mondre` sees his cheeks flush then scoots over for Ryuu. "Where did you go last night? When I came to ask if you needed anything, you were gone. I didn't see you leave." Ryuu says. "We traveled. It's a way for us servants to go places in a hurry." Mondre` says. "Really? Can you take anyone with you?" she asks excitedly. "Of course." Mondre` says then catches himself. "That means we can go with you. Can we go now?" Ryuu asks. "No. Not now. Maybe tonight when everyone's asleep." Mondre` suggests, looking to Skreme. Skreme was red in the face from Ashla sitting so close. "We will be ready." she says, smiling. Mondre` looks out the window. "I need to go to Zuenila's. She has something for us." he says. "We will come with you." she says, standing up fast. It takes him by surprise. "All right." he says. They all head across to the other side of the city. Ryuu points out Panter and Doma's houses then they hurry away before they are seen. Zuenila is happy to see them. "That was fast. I still have it." she says, leaning behind the counter. She brings out the mirror. Ashla gawks at it. "It is beautiful." she says. "Yep. That's why I'm getting it." Mondre` says. He hands Zuenila twenty-two silver coins. "Where'd you get that sort of money?" Ryuu gapes. "We've been saving it for our mother's birthday." Mondre` says. "Good idea. This is great for her." Zuenila says. He smiles timidly, taking it. "Thank you." He tucks it into his tunic. "We'll come back when you get anything else." Skreme says. "I'll be here." Zuenila says contentedly. The four walk the streets until the palace bells ring twice. "We need to leave." Skreme says. "We will see you tonight then." Ashla says cheerfully.

Copyright 2007