found it,” he says and begins moving toward it.
A hand on his shoulder stops him and Illan says, “Patience. They’re not leaving yet.” He indicates several more coaches and six other wagons which have yet to be unloaded. “Let’s move closer and see what we can do.”
As they make their way closer, Fifer disengages from the crowd and approaches. “That’s it,” he says as he nods toward the ship. “From what I can gather, most of the Ambassador’s group has already boarded. The Ambassador has yet to make his appearance.”
“Any sign of James?” Illan asks.
“Not yet,” Fifer replies.
“Illan!” Miko exclaims quietly.
Turning to see what he’s excited about, he looks to the window of the carriage being lifted on board by a crane and sees a small face peering out. “The kids?” he asks.
Miko nods. “That’s the little one, Daria,” he tells him. He stands there and watches as the coach is swung over and then lowered onto the deck. Sailors then push it over to the cargo hold where several sailors congregate near the coach’s door. Over their heads, he sees the door to the coach swing open but the men there block any view of the children as they’re being led into the hold.
“We have to do something!” he says. “We should tell someone.”
“And what would anyone do?” Illan asks. “That’s a diplomatic vessel and for the authorities to search it would be tantamount to a declaration of war in these shaky times. They’ll not risk that on our word alone.”
Miko glares at him, his rage wanting to be released. Pushing it back down, he lets it simmer against the time when it can be. And woe to the person who feels its wrath.
A group of kids makes their way toward them out of the crowd. As they draw near Miko can see that Paul, the leader of the group of kids, is very distraught. “They just took them on board!” he states angrily.
“I know,” Miko tells him.
“What are we to do?” Paul asks him.
One of the older girls comes toward him tears streaming down her face and says, “Daria’s my sister. We can’t let them have her.”
Laying his hand upon her shoulder, he wipes away an errant tear before it can travel very far and says, “Don’t you worry. We’ll not let them be taken.”
Then from the direction of the castle area, a murmur begins working its way through the crowd and they see a group of important looking people making their way along the docks. The leader of the group is obviously from the Empire, and by his dress he must be the Ambassador.
“There he is!” breathes Fifer as they see James walking within the group of guards behind the Ambassador. His hands and feet are manacled and the short chain between his ankle restraints forces him to move in a shuffle.
“Now?” asks Miko, ready to extract his vengeance.
“No,” Illan says. “Let’s move a little bit closer.” As they move through the throng of people on the dock, he contemplates this foolhardy venture. They haven’t made any plans for escape should they even manage to get him free. How are they even going to get out of town? Events are simply moving along too rapidly.
By the time the Ambassador’s procession reaches the gangplank to the ship, they’ve managed to work their way down to the edge of the crowd. James lifts his head and sees them there. He can see in their eyes that they plan to do something foolish. Looking directly at Miko, he shakes his head. He does the same thing with Jiron.
“Is he telling us not to do anything?” Miko whispers to Illan.
“I think so,” he replies. “He knows if we do anything here, it’ll come to ruin. Too many people and guards.”
“Then what are we to do?” Jiron asks.
From behind them, a voice says, “I’d suggest keeping your hand’s away from your weapons.”
Turning around, they see Lord Colerain standing there, a smirk upon his face. Flanking him are four crossbowmen as well as a dozen armed men. “Now, we don’t want to make a scene here,” he tells them. “So if you’ll follow along quietly, no one will get hurt.”
The crowd around them begins backing away when they see what’s transpiring between the two groups. The Ambassador’s group, having already past their location doesn’t take notice of what’s going on.
Miko reaches for his sword when Illan grabs him and says, “No! He’ll kill us all.” Staring into the eyes of Lord Colerain, Miko’s anger and rage almost gets the better of him again. “Not now,” Illan insists.
Releasing his sword, Miko continues glaring at him.
Lord Colerain gives him a victorious grin and turns as he leads them away from the docks.
Miko glances over his shoulder to where Paul and the other kids are mingled in with the crowd. Paul stares in disbelief as they’re being led away. Then Miko sees him say something to another boy who begins running through the crowd toward one of the streets leading away from the docks.
Just before he’s led from the dock area completely, he casts one more look toward the ship and sees James as he’s led aboard.
Chapter Twelve
“You’re not going to get away with this!” Illan tells him as they leave the dock area.
“And who is going to stop me?” he asks. “You? You’re wanted for murdering a visiting diplomat. We even have witnesses.”
“James’ retribution will be hard indeed when he learns of your involvement,” threatens Miko.
“I think I have little to fear from him,” he says. “It’s unlikely we’ll ever see him again.”
Miko’s anger turns to worry for his friend. If he is drugged and incapable of using his magic, just what can he do? In a fight he’s pretty useless, he can’t use a sword or anything. And then his mind turns to Gwynne and Daria, those sweet girls now in the hands of merciless men who only want to make a profit off them. He feels they’ll be safe until they’re auctioned off, girls who are untouched tend to go for more. But how long do they have until they stand upon the auction block?
Glancing back, he can see Paul and the rest of his group following along behind, keeping a discreet distance.
They proceed in silence as they’re lead through the streets. He’s pretty sure they’re being taken to the castle area though not entirely. Up ahead the street opens into a wide plaza with a large central fountain where several streets converge. Along the edges are many merchants selling a variety of goods to the people passing through.
“Thief!”
A cry from across the plaza draws their attention. “Guards! Thief!” a fat merchant selling loaves of bread hollers as a boy races away through the crowd with one of the merchant’s loaves tucked under his arm.
Members of the city guard in the area give immediate chase. The boy races through the crowd, dodging nimbly as he makes his way to one of the streets which merges onto the plaza.
“Stop!” one of the guards hollers to the boy but the lad ignores the command and reaches the street. Soon, both he and the guards are out of sight.
At first, Miko had thought this some ploy of Paul and the others, but when he didn’t recognize the one who stole the bread, he dismisses the idea. As their group crosses the plaza and come near the beautiful fountain of three women who are pouring water out of earthen jugs, he sees the boy who Paul had sent running back at the docks when they were being led away by Lord Colerain. He’s standing on the edge of the fountain.
Suddenly, he raises his hand and the crowd around them surges as dozens of boys, ranging from older teens to a couple who couldn’t be more than eight or nine, jump the guards surrounding Miko and the others.
As the guards are thrown to the ground, a melee erupts and soon the whole area is one big mass of fighting. Regular citizens scream as they race away from the combatants. Paul appears out of the maelstrom of fighting, struggling people. “Come on!” he cries as he takes Miko’s arm.
Leading him away, Illan and the others follow right behind as they make a break for the far side of the
