Dwarven Ruby (7 page)

“Niki,” whispered Boris, “the docks are only a short distance from here. Remember well what I have told you. Concentrate on what you are doing. Let nothing distract you. Go.”

Niki nodded and walked out of the alley. Tedi saw her turn towards the harbor and disappear. Boris reached into the back of the wagon and pulled out two hooded robes. The robes were white with a gold trim and he handed one to Tedi. Master Khatama put on the other robe.

“Put this on,” instructed Boris. “Leave your papers in the wagon along with anything else that would identify you. You are now an emissary from some foreign country. Behave like one.”

“What country?” asked Tedi.

“I do not know yet,” sighed Boris. “Just behave appropriately. And don’t forget your staff.”

Boris reached into the wagon and pulled out a black staff that looked similar to Tedi’s. He tapped it softly on the pavement as he waited for Tedi. When Tedi was appropriately dressed and armed with his staff, Master Khatama turned and followed the path that Niki had taken. They reached the dock area, which consisted of a wide wooden street with large buildings along the city side of it. Across the wooden street piers jutted out into the harbor. Boris halted as soon as he reached the dock area. He stood silently as if waiting for something to happen.

Tedi gazed out at the harbor trying to see if one of the Dalek boats was tied up to a dock, but the ships were too far away to identify. He felt uneasy standing somewhat in the open as patrols of soldiers marched along the wooden street. Other groups of guards stood at the foot of the docks. Tedi remembered such groups from when he and Arik had arrived in Lanoir.

Suddenly, a large dog raced along the wooden street and started growling at one of the soldiers. The soldier picked something up and hurled it at the dog. The dog barked furiously and leaped at the soldier. The soldier screamed and a commotion broke out among his fellow soldiers. The dog turned and ran and the small group of soldiers ran after it.

Tedi couldn’t help but smile at the antics of the soldiers. The small group tried to trap the dog, but the dog was elusive. He seemed to enjoy letting the soldiers almost grab him before he darted off in a different direction. Soon there were shouts along the docks with people pointing at the spectacle. Some of the other soldiers laughed, while some joined in the chase.

Finally, the soldiers managed to back the dog into a small alleyway and the soldiers drew their swords to kill the dog. That was when the other dogs arrived. Some came out of alleyways, others off the low roofs of buildings. The new dogs surrounded the soldiers and started growling ferociously. Cries of help poured out of the alley and soldiers from all over the docks raced towards the confrontation. Tedi was amazed to see the spectacle of the army fighting against dogs.

“Let’s go,” Master Khatama said softly as he strode onto the wooden street and headed for the closest dock.

Tedi hurried to catch up to Boris as the old mage strode purposely onto the dock. Master Khatama’s head swiveled from side-to-side as he passed the ships. When Boris reached the end of the pier he stopped, and Tedi stopped alongside him. Boris pulled out a couple of passes and looked at them. He ran his hand over one of the passes and then handed it to Tedi. While Boris was running his hand over the other pass, Tedi looked at his. The pass was whiter than the old one he had left at the wagon. It also had gold edges and print that was in gold.

“We are from Cordonia,” Boris announced. “The third ship up on the right is ours.”

“I thought Cordonia did not exist anymore,” whispered Tedi.

“It doesn’t,” confirmed Boris, “but we will claim that it does. That ship is from Kantor. We shall announce that a new government is reforming the old country of Cordonia. They only have to believe it for today.”

“Why not just say we are from Kantor?” questioned Tedi.

“Because Kantor is not large enough to matter to the Emperor,” explained Boris. “Cordonia, however, could pose a threat to the expansion of Hanchi’s empire. He will want to know why the new Cordonia has sent an emissary. Let’s go.”

Master Khatama led the way off the pier and onto the wooden street. The dogs had dispersed, and the soldiers were returning to their posts. A pair of soldiers stopped Boris and Tedi.

“Papers,” demanded one of the soldiers.

Boris did not hand the pass to the soldier, but instead held it up in front of the soldier’s face.

“Direct us to the Emperor’s Palace,” Boris said sternly. “Wait. Perhaps you should escort us. After that display of discipline with the dogs, I fear our safety is not as assured as we had been led to believe. Lead the way and make sure we get there safely.”

“We do not escort people…,” one of the soldiers began.

“Do not tell me what you do, or do not do,” scowled Master Khatama. “Are diplomatic visitors to your Emperor supposed to be subject to villains and bands of wild dogs? Must I start my meeting with the Emperor by complaining about his soldiers?”

The second soldier leaned over and looked at the pass with a worried face. “We had no notice that you were coming, Ambassador,” he said apologetically. “Perhaps your ship arrived earlier than expected. Normally there are officers waiting for any arriving envoys. I shall escort you to the gates of the palace. I am afraid that I can take you no further though.”

“Get me to the gates of the palace safely, and you have done your country a service,” nodded Boris.

The first soldier shook his head in confusion, but he followed the second soldier’s lead and escorted the robed Cordonians to the gates of the Imperial Palace. The four men halted at the main gate to the palace and an officer stepped in front of them.

“What is this?” questioned the officer.

“Cordonian envoys, Sir,” replied the second soldier. “We thought it best to escort them here. I think the ship arrived early. There were no officers to greet them.”

The officer nodded to the soldiers to dismiss them and then asked for the Cordonians’ papers. Boris held the pass in front of the officer’s face, as he had done with the soldier, but the officer took the pass and held out his hand towards Tedi. Tedi promptly handed his pass to the officer.

“I do not recall hearing about the arrival of any envoys today,” remarked the officer. “I am always kept well-informed. Besides the fact that Cordonia ceased to exist with the Collapse, why should I believe that you should be admitted to see the Emperor?”

“Because the Emperor has requested to see them,” declared another Lanoirian officer who had come up behind Boris and Tedi.

The new officer pushed his way past Tedi and turned to look at Boris.

“I had asked you not to reveal your documents to anyone,” the new officer said sternly. “There are precious few people in Lanoir that know about the new government up there.”

Tedi was shocked to see that the new officer was Bin-lu. The Bin-lu he knew was meek and mild, but this Bin-lu was playing a dangerous game. Tedi’s hand gripped the staff tightly.

“Who are you to interfere with the gate of the Imperial Palace?” questioned the first officer.

Bin-lu spun around and glared at the officer. “Who are you to question the Emperor?” spat Bin-lu. “Nobody is supposed to know that these people are in Lanoir, and you are creating a spectacle on the main street of the city. Open the gates, and you and I shall go before the Emperor together. We both know how he handles incompetence. I am willing to place my life in his hands. Are you?”

The first officer hesitated as concern filled his face. He could die for admitting people improperly. He could also die for incompetence, even if the mistake was somebody else’s.”

“You are right about talking here,” the first officer conceded. “Step inside the gate where we can talk privately.”

Bin-lu nodded and ushered Boris and Tedi through the gate. When everyone was inside the gate, Bin-lu pulled the other officer aside.

“Look,” Bin-lu said softly, “I do not know who messed up this assignment, but I do not care to die for it. Their ship was not due in today, and I was not notified in time to meet them. You haven’t been notified yet that they would be arriving, although that is not your fault either. What are we supposed to do? Ask them to spend the night in some common inn? We would both surely die.”

“I hear what you are saying,” answered the officer, “but my task is to admit only those who are scheduled for the day. These people are not on my schedule. I also have never seen you before. Who are you? And what gives you authority to have people admitted to the palace?”

“I am Special Officer Bin-lu,” Bin-lu stated softly. “I am part of the External Diplomacy section.”

Bin-lu leaned even closer to the officer and whispered, “It is my task to find foreigners that will pave the way for our invasion. These people are very important to our plans. That is why nobody is to know that they are here. You must not mention a word about their arrival to anyone. They are to be whisked in to the Emperor and hustled back out to their ship before anyone sees them. Now do you understand why I was so upset about a confrontation on the city streets? Do you also understand why I do not fear to go with you before the Emperor? Gate officers he has galore, but people who can provide what I do are rare.”

“But I am doing my job as instructed,” complained the officer.

Bin-lu shrugged and smiled at the officer. “You are the gate guard,” smiled Bin-lu. “It is your choice what happens next. Let me know what you decide.”

Bin-lu marched over to Boris and Tedi and began apologizing profusely for the short delay. Boris reacted sternly and seemed disinterested in any apologies. Within minutes the first officer approached the group.

“Officer Bin-lu will escort you to the Emperor,” the officer declared.

Bin-lu wasted no time is ushering Boris and Tedi away from the gate. He chuckled to himself as he looked back and saw the gate officer making motions to the other guards. Bin-lu knew that the officer was complaining of sickness and was going to leave his post. He might get beaten for not being at his post, but he would escape death for admitting a questionable person.

“Well done, Bin-lu,” congratulated Tedi. “I could not believe that was you. I could not imagine how you were going to get us past that guard. Whatever you told him sure changed his mind. How do you plan to get us out?”

Bin-lu looked at Tedi and shook his head. “I have no idea how we are going to get out of here,” Bin-lu answered. “We are just on the grounds of the palace. We still have to get into the building, find your mother, and think of a way out. Don’t worry, we’ll think of something.”

Tedi felt as if a giant cold hand had reached up and grabbed his heart. He stared at Bin-lu and then looked at all of the soldiers marching around the grounds. He looked back at Bin-lu and just shook his head.

Bin-lu hesitated at the bottom of the huge stone steps before the Imperial Palace. Boris and Tedi also stopped alongside him.

“Trouble?” Master Khatama asked softly.

“There will be fewer soldiers inside the palace,” began Bin-lu, “but they will be more curious. The marching soldiers on the grounds do not trouble themselves to identify visitors. This may not be true of the ones inside. We must be careful.”

“Do you know where you are going?” whispered Tedi.

“Somewhat,” shrugged Bin-lu. “I saw which way your mother left the main foyer, but after that we will be in places that I have never seen. Keep looking for young children. We will follow them.”

“Keep acting like an officer,” advised Boris. “You are doing quite well. We should move from here before people become suspicious.”

Bin-lu nodded and led the way up the steps. When they reached the top of the stairs, Bin-lu saw dozens of soldiers. Most were standing around talking with each other, but two manned the huge doors to the palace. Not knowing what the procedure was for entering through the main doors, Bin-lu strode purposely towards them and kept his eyes fixed straight ahead. He planned to act preoccupied and then to act bothered when the guards stopped him. He hoped it would work because there were too many soldiers around to start a fight.

As the three infiltrators neared the entrance, the doors swung open widely. A column of soldiers starting marching through the doors to exit the building. Bin-lu swallowed hard as he continued marching forward, directly into the oncoming soldiers. Just as he met the column, the two lead soldiers shouted something that Bin-lu did not understand. His body tensed as he continued walking into the column.

Suddenly, the oncoming column split in half to create a corridor for the entering officer and the dignitaries that he was escorting. As the soldiers stood to each side and saluted the officer, the two columns of soldiers effectively blocked the door guards, and Bin-lu let out his held breath. He marched forward, leading Tedi and Boris into the palace.

After traversing an extremely wide corridor, they entered the grand foyer where Bin-lu had waited to see the Emperor. Bin-lu turned to his left ignoring the two prisoners who were seated on the stone bench, and the group of soldiers surrounding them. A shiver of fear raced down his spine as he remembered sitting on that very bench not too long ago.

Bin-lu set his eyes on another corridor off of the foyer. It was the corridor he had seen Tedi’s mother turn into. As they turned into the corridor, Bin-lu slowed. His eyes scanned the corridor, which seemed to run on forever.

“This is all that I know about the layout of the palace,” whispered Bin-lu. “She disappeared down this corridor. From what I have heard from talking to others is that the room has an outside entrance to a garden.”

“That means that it would have to be on the left-hand side of the corridor,” suggested Tedi as they walked slowly.

“Yes, answered Bin-lu, “but which door? This corridor goes on forever.”

“She might have even turned down another corridor,” frowned Boris. “Can we ask for directions?”

Bin-lu stopped and turned to stare at Master Khatama. “Ask for directions?” he echoed. “Would that not be admitting that we do not belong here?”