S. Turney - Interregnum

“I just really dropped in to see how you were and how they were treating you. I take it you were listening to the two idiots outside your door?”

Sarios nodded. “It’s hard to avoid it when all there is to do is to lie here.” He beckoned to the commander with his finger. “Actually, I’d like to ask you a favour.” Sabian nodded, silent, and the minister continued. “I want our own doctor to deal with me. I know it’s a risk, but he really does know what he’s doing, I assure you.”

Sabian tapped his finger on his lips. “Perhaps” he muttered. “I’m loathe to put you in any more danger though.”

The minister nodded. “Still, I would wish it.” He glanced over at the table near the window. “I actually got up yesterday for a few minutes and strung some thoughts and ideas together. Perhaps you’d be good enough to take that top sheet and see the council of elders with it?”

Sabian nodded again. “I’d be happy to. Unless you need me for anything though, I’d better get on. There’s a lot to do” he added. Sarios nodded gently. “I’d better sleep anyway. That’s one of the few things both doctors can agree on.”

Without another word, the commander bowed and retrieved the top sheet of paper from the table. Glancing at it briefly on the way out, he noted a list of things that needed to be done, including a priority list for the upcoming vegetable harvest. He smiled. Great minds, eh? As he left, he made sure the chamber door was shut tight and opened the outer door to leave the apartment. The island’s doctor stood in the corridor still and he turned with a start as Sabian appeared.

“Ah, commander” the doctor said. “Darius was by here and wants you to go see him when you’re free. He said you’d know where.”

Sabian nodded. “I think I know. By the way, I’m inclined along with the minister to ask you to deal with his treatment your way. If you see Velutio’s doctor, please tell him to find me tonight. I would warn you though that I will be very unhappy if anything untoward happens to Sarios, so make sure your treatment works.” To add weight to his words the commander had bunched one hand into a fist and was rubbing the knuckles with his other hand as he spoke. The doctor nodded solemnly with no trace of fear. “I’ll do my best,” he replied.

Sabian fixed him eye to eye for a long moment and then stepped around him and continued on down the corridor to stop and collect something on the way.

The ruins of the Golden House mouldered and smelled dank even in the late afternoon sun. The day was wearing on rapidly now and the sun was diminishing behind the high perimeter walls even as Sabian, once more armed and armoured, picked his way among the rubble. Turning the corner, he immediately spotted Darius seated on a timber in the centre of the octagonal room, idly twiddling a short dagger in his hand. He looked up as the commander appeared in the shattered doorway and nodded a greeting. Sabian strode into the centre and, reaching down to his belt, unhooked an extra sword from his left side. Holding the sheathed blade out to the young man, he nodded.

“I’ve talked to the elders” he smiled, “and I want you to continue your training. In fact, I’m going to make sure you’re not interrupted by things like poetry. You can keep this with you; it’s not going back in the weapon cabinet.”

Darius grinned lopsidedly back at him. “Thanks. Somehow it feels wrong not to have sword practice.” Sabian inwardly agreed. He felt the same himself and imagined the boy’s father was much the same. The lad unsheathed the blade and gave it a few practice swings. “This isn’t the sword I was using” he noted.

Sabian sat on one of the fallen boulders. “No,” he replied, “this is a northern sword with a heavy hilt and a slight curvature, like the barbarian tribes to the north use. It doesn’t do to limit yourself to one blade. If you find yourself in dire straits and needing to use what’s to hand, you might not be able to wield it effectively. Plus I have to say that the northern tribes designed one of the best weighted implements of war ever created.” He smiled, patting the sheath still hanging by his side that carried a blade of very similar design.

Darius examined the slight curve thoughtfully. “That makes sense I suppose. It’s a little heavier than the other one too, even though it’s shorter. Going to take a bit of getting used to…”

Unhooking his own scabbard, Sabian laid his own blade across his knees. “I assume you were interested in some live practice? Is that why you asked me here?”

The young man glanced up and turned the blade, sheathing it very professionally. Sabian once more had to acknowledge what a natural Darius was.

“Actually I had other reasons” admitted the boy. “And I needed somewhere fairly private to talk to you. You weren’t followed, were you?”

Sabian blinked. He’d not looked. Why on earth would he be followed? Seeing the commander’s face Darius smiled and, reaching up to part of the ruinous vaulting hauled himself up to the wall level. Though the sun was now hidden by the fortress-like walls of the palace, at that height the boy’s head was once more in bright light. He shaded his eyes and glanced around the ruin. Satisfied they were truly alone he dropped, cat-like to the floor.

“We seem to be fine.”

Sabian frowned. “I don’t think you should climb here; the masonry’s too dangerous. And I think you’d better explain all this” he added darkly.

Taking his seat on the timber again with the blade across his knees mirroring Sabian, the boy nodded. “Don’t worry about the walls. I’ve been here all my life and I know which ones are stable. As for the other, I think you’ve got a problem.”

“A problem?” enquired the commander, one eyebrow raised.

Another nod from the boy. “I think some of your men may be less than trustworthy.”

Sabian bridled. “Be careful what you say Darius, I…”

The young man waved his hands to dismiss the words. “I don’t mean it like that. I…“ He tailed off and looked down at the floor. “I actually trust you commander.” He looked up again. “Have you any idea how difficult that is for me; for any of us here? We know you work for Velutio and that he basically owns us as though we were slaves, and yet you I can’t help but trust. Perhaps it’s the fact that you remind me so much of the military men I read about in the old days.”

Sabian shrugged. “I try to be fair. Where are you going with this, Darius?”

Again the boy looked a touch uncomfortable. “The day Velutio left the island I was on the roof, watching him go. I also saw you talking to your sergeant. You were quiet but I could hear, and since I was in earshot, the man in the soldier’s uniform on the wall certainly could.”

The commander’s shrugged again.

“What’s odd about that?” he probed. “We had guards on the walls.”

The young man shook his head. “I don’t know who he was. I only saw his back and he was partially hidden, but definitely wearing a uniform and definitely watching you. He wasn’t on any kind of duty though, cos he didn’t have his shield or sword with him. Trust me. I know when someone’s doing something they shouldn’t. They move and act in a certain way. Anyway, that’s only part of it.”

The young man had piqued Sabian’s interest now. “Go on…” the commander urged.

The boy sighed. “I’ve been doing some observing of my own over the last few days. I’ve not had my sword and the tutors have been wrapped up in other things, so I’ve had a lot of time to myself. A couple of days ago you were writing a letter in the Ibis Courtyard and I was on the gatehouse thinking when I saw you. And guess what? There was a soldier in uniform at one of the high windows of the Raven Palace watching you from above. Now you can’t tell me that’s right? The top floor of the palace is all apartments for the elders.”