Chapter 25

Richard showed up just before we were about to head out. The man rushed up to me and told me that Tagus and Felicity had just been marched into the grand banquet hall under guard. The two of them looked well, but they were both in chains. I nodded in acknowledgement of this and quickly asked him a few questions. He told me that the guard had been made up of six men, dressed in boiled leather armour, capes, studded helmets, and armed with spears and short curved swords. He also told me that there were a half dozen more guards standing watch outside the grand banquet hall. The only difference in these men was the fact that they were wearing chainmail under their royal surcoats.

We left at a jog with Richard leading us down corridors and up flights of stairs and through hidden passageways that connected one part of the palace to another. The fact was that the palace was massive in size and spread out and that without Richard's help we would have been lost. The man led and we followed him trustingly. When people saw us coming, they got out of our way. I chose to ignore all of them. They were all slaves or servants and it didn't really matter if they raised an alarm. We would soon be making enough noise ourselves that everyone in the capital would know that we were there. It was only once we made it to the ground level that we start to worry about who saw us and who did not. By then we were very close to the hallway that led into the banquet hall and anyone that Richard did not vouch for died quickly and silently. I didn't take any chances now that we were so close.

The grand banquet hall was accessed by a long, broad corridor. There was a set of double doors at one end where people entered from other parts of the palace, and there was a small flight of marble steps at the other end of the corridor that ended on a platform divided by four floor to ceiling marble pillars, and behind which stood two sets of double doors. These doors were guarded by six men in chainmail armed with spears and swords. They were shocked when I popped out of the wall with my longbow in my hand.

Richard had taken us through the walls of the palace to a hidden exit that came out into the corridor about midway down its length. Once there I picked my strike team and then led the way. Once the panel covering the exit had slid away, I stepped out and brought up my bow. I already had an arrow nocked and the moment I stepped out and had spotted a target, I let loose with my arrow. The arrow flew true as usual and pierced the chest of the man I had aimed at. The force of the impact spun him about even as he started to crumple to the floor. As soon as the arrow was in flight I stepped to the side and drew another arrow from my quiver. As I did Zahra stepped out into the corridor and joined me with her crossbow raised and at the ready.

By then the guards knew that they had trouble on their hands. Instinctively they brought their spears from a resting position, across their bodies so that they could use them defensively. As they did they moved forward, starting down the steps. Of course while they were doing that Zahra let loose her bolt and I let fly my second arrow. As they sped away from us, Zahra moved back and out of the way. This allowed Rory to take her place in the corridor with his crossbow at the ready. Even as the guards rushed forward to defend themselves, Zahra's bolt dropped another one and my second arrow felled the third defender. A moment later, Rory's bolt hit a fourth man. His death cry rang out even as the impact of the bolt hitting him threw him backwards into one of the pillars. A second after that I was firing again. My third arrow sped forward and dropped the fifth guard before any of them really knew what was going on. This left man number six and he decided to get smart. He ducked behind a pillar and started to cry for help.

That only delayed the inevitable for him. Quickly I drew one of my throwing knives, palming it into my hand as I rushed up the corridor towards the raised steps, the pillars, and the screaming man. Behind me, people started moving into position. Rory and Zahra became our rear guard. They dropped back down the wide corridor and found themselves firing positions behind a couple of chest high marble plinths upon which ornate vases stood. There they knelt facing the other set of doors with their crossbows at the ready. They were to cover us in case anyone tried to come to the rescue of the king and his party. As for the rest of my party they were right behind me as I rushed forward, with the big guy right behind me and Kola and Caitlin trailing him.

The man's cries got him some attention. I was a dozen feet from the steps when the centre doors opened and a man came bursting out to see what was going on. He was a guard and he was dressed the same as the men that we had just killed. My hand was moving even as the man spotted me. Before he could say a word, my throwing knife flicked out of my hand and flew like a dart right into the man's throat. It took him totally by surprise and for a moment he just stood there blinking in confusion as his mind tried to understand that it was dying. A second later he dropped without saying a word.

The guard behind the pillar took this as an opportunity to flee. He leapt from his hiding spot and dashed for the open door, still screaming that the palace was under attack. He didn't get far. The big guy behind me hefted one of his spears and threw it with such a force that it caught the man in the back before he had even crossed the threshold of the doorway. The spear slammed into him, killing him instantly. As his body pitched forward, I drew another arrow from my quiver and rushed up the steps before anyone could bar the doors. As I entered the room, I nocked my arrow and then drew back and let it loose, killing the first guard that I spotted. After that chaos ensued.

I moved to the side drawing another arrow as I did. Pandemonium was unfolding before me. Guards were spinning about from where they'd been standing and they were drawing their swords or raising their spears. Men who had been seated on pillows and divans were leaping to their feet. Women were screaming with fright. Servants and slaves were trying to flee, and the king was shouting at anyone who would listen for them to kill us. The only two who hadn't panicked were Tagus and Felicity. In fact the old lizard-man was quick on his feet and upon hearing us burst into the room, he had grabbed Felicity by the arm and he had pulled her to the ground, lessening the chance of injury by friendly fire. As for the room it was a massive oval space that was ringed by floor to ceiling marble pillars. These pillars divided up the room and allowed access through them to the vast garden that stood around the three sides of the banquet hall. The doors to the gardens were open, even though it was night so that cool air could fill the crowded room.

The big guy came through the doorway right behind me and as he did, he brought up his second spear and hurled it across the room. This time his target was random and instead of killing a guard, it impaled a rich merchant who'd been rushing forward with a raised sword. The man died and became just one less that we needed to worry about. It was as simple as that. Kola and Caitlin were next, followed by the Elven woman and then the other two. In seconds we were all in the room and fighting for our lives. Arrows were being draw and fired and those before us died as quickly as we could oblige them.

My second arrow fired from within the room was at the king. The man was tall, swarthy, with long straight black hair and a moustache. He was dressed in silken britches and a silk jacket and he was bare-chested. He had a crown of gold on his head and a scabbard at his belt and he was brandishing his sword. I killed him to shut him up. He kept calling for his guards to save him and to kill us. My arrow went into his chest and then out his back, pinning him to the tall wooden throne upon which he'd been sitting seconds ago. With his death things got really crazy. People actually wanted revenge. They tried to rush us. However, by that point it was too late.

In total there had been a dozen guards in the banquet hall. Most of them fell to arrows in the first few seconds after we'd crashed the party. Those that didn't died when the big guy went after them with his captured sword. He actually knew how to use it and he used it well. While he was dropping guard after guard, my people kept anyone trying to reach him out of the way by turning them into a pincushion. Even the gnome got a couple of rocks off before the fun came to an end. She beaned a couple of guests as they tried to flee out the doors that led to the garden. Her stones put an end to that. Still some got away and that put a sense of urgency to our work. I decided that it was time to mop up this little party and move on.

"You two," I said to the dwarf and the gnome, "watch the door and tell me if anything starts happening out there. Caitlin and Kola, cover the exits into the gardens. If anyone comes towards us, let me know. You two, I want getting this rabble under control. If anyone gives you any trouble, kill that person."

I said this last thing to the Elven woman and the big guy. The big guy just gave me a smile that looked more like a snarl and then set to work dragging the survivors into a small group. Most of them were women and slaves or servants. Most of the men had died either trying to fight us or in attempting to flee. I left him to it while I went and dealt with Tagus and Felicity.

"Charles," Felicity cried out with relief when she saw me.

My mate leapt to her feet and threw herself into my open arms when I got to her. She couldn't put her arms about me, for they were chained with iron shackles but she could lean into me as I hugged her to me and kissed her on the lips. I made the kiss short, but it was affectionate. When we broke our embrace I reached down and helped Tagus to his feet.

"I always knew that ugly mug of yours would get you into trouble," I chuckled in Silurian, clasping his forearm in friendship as Tagus gazed up at me with bewildered eyes. "Did you miss me, my friend?"

"Where did you come from Charles?" the old lizard-man asked softly, still stunned by the sudden change in events.

"Where else but the Windrunner Tagus," I told him with a broad grin. "Your quartermaster would not sail under my command unless we came and rescued you and my pretty mate. Now enough questions. Guards will be descending on us in a moment or two and before we leave, we need to get you out of these chains."

That task was actually very easy. I had brought the pack that we'd carried into the sewers with us and in it I had the iron chisels and hammers that we'd used to loosen the bars that had blocked our passage. Since the keys to the shackles were nowhere in sight and I didn't have the time to look for it, I used the tools that I had on hand. I had both Tagus and Felicity kneel again and then I banged their shackles off their wrists and their legs. When I was done, I reached into my belt pouch and pulled out Felicity's pistol. She smiled upon seeing it. Taking it from me, she checked to see if a round was chambered and then smiled even more broadly than before. This time she threw her arms about me and then planted a kiss upon my lips. A second later she pulled away from me, looking at me a little strangely as she did.

"I love you Charles," Felicity said in a low voice, "but you smell like shit. What have you been up to since I last saw you?"

"I'll tell you later my love," I said with a chuckle and a smile, "but it's time for us to go."

With that I turned and faced those who were still in the room. There were roughly thirty people left and almost all of them were women. Only three were men and they were all looking a little afraid.

"Is one of these men Alexander the trader from Lufkin?" I asked Tagus and Felicity.

"Yes," both of them said as one. Quickly Felicity pointed out a man who fitted the description that had been given me back in Izmir. When she did, the man started to tremble. He started to shake when I drew my longsword.

"You, you bastard," I exclaimed forcefully stepping towards the man, "are responsible for all of this including the death of your king. You kidnapped my mate, attempted to kidnap another of my mates and you kidnapped my friend. For that I have sacked your home and I have made myself familiar with your wife and daughters and I have stormed this citadel and killed dozens including your king. Now I will kill you."

"No," the man cried out in protest, flinging his hands in front of him to ward off my blade. It failed. The blade sliced through his hands and then sank into his stomach. He was dead when I pulled it out.

"All right," I yelled to everyone in the room, but more specifically to my party. "We'll be leaving in a second or two so I suggest if there is something you want to take with you, do so know. You'll need money where we are going and these bastards might as well provide it to you. While you're at it, take what ever weapons that pleases you. We'll probably need them. Felicity, I want you to cover these prisoners with your pistol while I go reclaim my arrows and throwing knife."

Thankfully it didn't take me long. By the time I'd pulled the last shaft from the men I'd killed, trouble was brewing again. Guards were gathering in the garden and Kola and Caitlin were engaging them with their bows. The first few who'd run forward had died quickly and the others were now milling about trying to decide what to do. It was a clear sign that it was time to leave. That was when I got lucky. The Elven warrior pointed out a pretty young thing who was hiding amongst the women and slaves that we'd spared so far.

"That is the Princess Samira," the woman told me in Minoan, "and the late king's daughter and heir. We could use her as a bargaining chip."

"We could if the rich bastards in this city cared," I said in retort, glancing at the frightened girl. "Still we might be able to use her. Tie her up and put her in the care of my friend Tagus. He'll keep a good eye on her."

The girl protested but it was to no avail. By now Tagus had armed himself and he willingly took charge of the girl. As he did, all hell broke loose down the corridor from whence we'd come.

"Quick," the tiny voice of the gnome cried out, "they're storming the corridor."

I didn't even wait to see who would follow me. By now I had slung my bow and I had my shield on my arm and my sword in my hand. I ran through the open door and charged down the broad corridor. Ahead of me was a phalanx of advancing guardsmen. A couple were already lying on the floor dead, killed by the bolts from Rory's and Zahra's weapons, but the rest had formed up and they were using their shields to protect themselves. Of course they hadn't expected anyone to charge them. I dashed pass Rory and Zahra with my shield before me. The men stopped to brace themselves for my onslaught, thrusting their spears forward as I closed with them. We came in contact with a bang.

My shield protected me from the spear points, or at least most of them. As for their defensive wall, it collapsed. My momentum and my bulk crashed into them like a battering ram and they stumbled backwards. Before they could steady themselves and act, others were upon them. The big guy was right behind me and he had a shield as well. He crashed into the other side of the phalanx and it was like a train hitting a car. The men went flying. As they fell, my sword jabbed and stabbed and thrust into people, left and right while the big guy used his spear. In seconds that threat was over but other threats were forming up all around us. I needed to get everyone out of here and I needed to do it now.

"Into the passage as quickly as you can," I shouted to everyone, "and follow Richard."

The dwarf and the gnome moved first, followed by Tagus, the princess, and Felicity. Rory and Zahra dropped back to cover Kola and Caitlin as they withdrew from the banquet hall. As a parting gesture my mates put torches to curtains and pillows in an attempt to set the place aflame. Once they had done that, they hurried into the open passageway, while Rory and Zahra dropped a couple of more guards who'd entered through the garden doors in pursuit of my mates, only to find death. After that it was the Elven woman who'd been covering me and the big guy, quickly followed by Rory and Zahra, and the big guy and me.

There was no time to breathe a sigh of relief or to even pause for a breath. We still needed to get out of here and by now our options had become limited. The palace was in a complete uproar and people were running about in a total panic. On one hand it was good and on the other it was bad. The chances of sneaking out without being detected were diminishing by the second. The chances got worse when we tried to get back to the passages below the slave quarters. Our way was blocked with smoke and fire. The slaves had been too good at listening to my suggestions. They'd set fire to their own quarters and they'd cut off my original avenue of escape. We needed another route out of the palace and we needed it quick.