FARHAYVEN: VENGEANCE (87 page)

     “Mask _ hers of it would be sufficient, and unsuspicious,” suggested Clover.

     “Agreed
!
Despatches _ send of these to all the town garrisons involved, Clover. Surveillance _ Serene, you are to continue of this of Secretary Romar,” instructed Ray.

     “Understand _ I do of this, Minvian Iddell. Suggest _ may I of this that a few random observation posts be set up in Eastern Falls as well, just in case she manages to escape and runs there
?
” said Serene.

     “Agreed,” said Ray.

     The trio continued to sip their tea in silence. The sound of crickets chirping serenaded the trio as they took a moment’s rest and reflected on the day that they had just spent.

     She lay chained to her bed frame, the assassin Dawn Breven, with a sad look on her face. The shackles that bound her hands and feet were thick and heavy, but not as heavy as the weight of emotions that pressed down on her heart. Sadness, for the loss of her comrades and friends; disappointment, for the lies and treachery of her clanmaster; hopelessness, for her physical condition and current captive status and finally, a weird sense of comradeship with, of all people, her enemies; these emotions crushed her to the point of breathlessness. The cold, calculative, professional-minded assassin began to cry. All sense of control was gone and she broke into a silent outpour of tears.

     Gone was the cold-blooded assassin and what was left was a little girl, helpless, sad and scared. There was no comfort for Dawn, no refuge to offer her protection and solace. Not a single shoulder to cry on. Her life was hollow. And in that hollowness she lived..., nay, survived; but just barely. She began to wonder how her life would be like if things were different. If her village was not destroyed all those years ago, how would she have turned out today
?
Would she be a farmer or would she be employed in a sophisticated job in a big city
?
Would she be a career-minded woman, or a housewife, or both
?
Would she be at the moment cooking dinner for a loving husband and many adorable children instead of lying wounded and broken in an infirmary
?
Would she be as
cold
and
empty
as what she was feeling at the moment
!?

     Somehow, gradually and steadily, the warrior in Dawn awakened. Control and focus slowly purged the heavy emotions that plagued her heart. There was comfort in the control. There was assurance in the focus. A strange calm engulfed her. A sense of serenity came with the newly awakened mental discipline. But she was different somehow. She searched her soul to understand this difference that she felt. Then she realised what it was. It was the demise of trust and blind loyalty, and with their demise, a new sense of independence, of freedom, emerged. No longer was she a stooge or a pawn to the clanmaster, or to the clan itself. She was a new and independent being; a being uncontrollable by anyone, or by any means.

     A resolution came to Dawn’s mind and with that, a strong sense of hope. She would break free from the clan and she would take her uncle along. She would cease to be an assassin, but perhaps make out a living as a mercenary instead; a mercenary who would be very selective of her clientele so as to ensure that she protected and served only the innocents and
not
the tyrants. She would have to leave the kingdom, of course. Free Falls was no longer safe for her as her identity was now known to the Fallsian Military. But where would she go
?
Surely not Serpentia or the Arid Plains
!
The faraway lands of Whitemounts or Breezeland, perhaps
?
A new land for a new beginning. Yes, why not
?
She was, after all, a highly trained and skilled assassin. Escaping the infirmary would be easy. Sneaking into The Lair would be a piece of cake for her. Just grab her uncle and leave the continent. Start life anew. Yes, start life anew, with the bitterness of the past buried and abandoned. Hope began to fill her heart, a hope for a new, different and independent life.

     Meanwhile, a young, attractive and elegantly dressed woman approached the soldier standing guard outside the infirmary.

     “Good evening, soldier
!
I wish to speak to the prisoner,” said the woman.

     “I am sorry, Secretary Romar, but absolutely no visitors are allowed,” answered the Provincial Guard.

     “Oh, such a firm voice … and such a handsome face as well” said the woman seductively as she batted her eye-lids, soften her posture coyly and then lifted up a finger to his cheeks and traced a line down his cheek-bones to his lips.

     The Provincial Guard took in the scent of her perfumed finger and immediately, his eyes rolled up and he collapsed onto the floor. Verbena Romar ignored the unconscious soldier, removed the infirmary key from his belt and opened the infirmary door.

     Dawn heard a ‘thud’ outside the infirmary door. The door opened and Secretary Romar stepped in, smiled at her falsely and then proceeded to sit on the edge of Dawn’s bed. Dawn was surprised to see her, but strangely, no expression formed on her face. She eyed the visitor intently.

     “Listen and pay attention, I do not have much time, for the perfumed sleeping vapours I administered to the guard outside will wear off soon,” whispered Secretary Romar.

     Dawn nodded her head gently.

     “Did you tell them about me
?
” asked Secretary Romar.

     Dawn shook her head, her expression still blank. A slight smile of gladness formed on Secretary Romar’s attractive face. She took out a key from her handbag and unshackled Dawn’s hands. The assassin massaged her bruised wrists.

     Secretary Romar took out some items and placed them in Dawn’s hands.

     “Hide these
!
” she said in a firm whisper.

     Looking down at her palms, Dawn took a moment to examine what the items were. The first item was a metal key similar to the one that Secretary Romar had used to unshackle her. But the next few items were four tubes of bamboos, each approximately the length of four fingers width. She gave Secretary Romar a quizzical look.

     “Blowpipes. Be careful, the poison on the darts is potent and instantaneous,” said Secretary Romar.

     Dawn placed the items in a hidden pocket inside her shirt.

     “They are going to transport you to Fallsene City tomorrow. Once you are there, there will be virtually no chance for you to escape; you know this, do you not
?
” asked Secretary Romar rhetorically.

     Dawn nodded a silent acknowledgement.

     “During your transportation, an incident will occur. Seize the opportunity to escape, do you understand me
?
” instructed the royal secretary.

     Dawn nodded her silent acknowledgement yet again.

     “I need to re-shackle your hands,” said Verbena Romar.

     Dawn placed her hands back into the shackles and the royal secretary secured them and returned her key to her handbag.

     Verbena Romar got off Dawn’s bed and left the infirmary, turning around to glance at Dawn while placing a finger vertically to her lips as she closed the infirmary door. Then she returned the infirmary key to the unconscious soldier’s belt and woke him up.

     “Are you all right, handsome
?
” she asked.

     “Wha…what happened
?
” asked the soldier as he tried to compose himself.

     “I do not know. One moment, you were standing there tall and foreboding and the next, you fainted and fell on the floor,” said Verbena Romar.

     “But why
?
How
?
” asked the Provincial Guard in confusion.

     “I do not know. You scared me half to death when you fainted just like that. Have you had your dinner
?
Maybe you fainted because of the low sugar level in your blood. Should I go and call for a healer
?
I think I saw one just around the corner,” said the royal secretary.

     “No, that would not be necessary. I aah… I feel… I am fine, thank you,” said the soldier.

     “Are you sure
?
The healer is just over there, around the corner,” insisted Verbena Romar.

     “No, I am fine. I am all right.  Thank you,” said the soldier.

     “Are you sure I cannot visit the prisoner
?
” she asked.

     “No, I am sorry. No visitors allowed,” insisted the Provincial Guard.

     “All right, I shall leave, then. But please do take care of yourself, handsome,” said Verbena Romar flirtatiously as she got up and walked off.

      Unknown to the royal secretary, one of Serene’s subordinates, who was disguised as a castle servant, had managed to witness the whole incident. He continued to tail her throughout the night until his position was relieved by his comrade, and then he immediately reported what he had observed to Ray, Clover and Serene.

     Meanwhile, the Sollenthar who was assigned to tail Secretary Romar’s carriage driver was not so lucky. She was disguised as a maid and had followed the criminal since he left his chambers. At first, the criminal had walked out of the castle keep into the gardens. There he sat on a bench and seemed to be relaxing in the gentle breeze while looking at the clear night sky. She was cautious and kept her distance. She did not want her presence to be known, especially when her disguise was now inappropriate for her surroundings.

     Then suddenly, the criminal got up and took a stroll around the gardens, stopping from time to time to admire a particular tree or plant. She followed him from far but now deeply regretted her chosen disguise, as parts of her dress got caught in the thorny branches of flower plants. The criminal quickened his pace as he made his way through the maze of shrubs and trees, and the female Sollenthar quickened her pace to follow. She had been discovered. She knew it in her heart. She was forced to make a choice. She could either break off the tailing, which would be a safer course of action, or continue and risk falling into a trap. She would like to break off the tailing, but there was no one around to pick up the tail after her. Besides, they were on the castle grounds. She thought that she was in no real danger, so against her better judgement, she continued to tail the criminal.

     The criminal stopped walking suddenly. The Sollenthar did so as well, but not as abruptly. Her long, loose sleeves and skirt flapped in the gentle night breeze. The criminal heard the distant sound of cloth flapping. His suspicion was confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt. He broke into a light run. She followed in turn. Then he disappeared. She looked, but he was no longer in front of her. There was nothing but shrubs and trees. She scanned her surroundings. He was gone.

     Suddenly she feels a sharp pain at the back of her head. Simultaneously, she hears a thump
!
The world spins around her. Her legs begin to give way. She falls to the ground. The world still spins around her, but it is not dark. She is still awake, but is severely weakened. Then she sees the evil grin and lustful eyes of the criminal, bearing down on her. She tries to push him off, but her hands are too heavy and will not move. She tries to kick him away, but she feels not the strength of her legs. She tries to scream, but manages to produce only silence. She sees in horror his hands landing on her feminine bosoms. What insult
!
What humiliation
!
No
!
No
!
No
!
She is not his, for him to play as he sees fit
!

     With a sudden burst of energy, the female Sollenthar screams a desperate scream and sends forth a burst of flames from her fingers to the criminal’s face. The criminal backs away screaming and stumbles as he is temporarily blinded. The world spins faster for the female Sollenthar. Her vision narrows like a tunnel. All she hears now is silence. And her world goes dark…

     Two Provincial Guards on patrol nearby heard the female Sollenthar’s scream. They ran to the source of the scream and were shocked to see a maid lying unconscious in the middle of the garden. Then one of them recognised her. He instructed his partner to report the incident to their superiors as he picked her up and took her straight to Ray’s office.

     Ray and Serene were there when the Provincial Guard rushed in. Ray instructed him to lay the unconscious woman on his desk. Serene poured some water into a bowl and after dipping her fingers into the bowl, flicked drops of water at the unconscious woman’s face several times.

     The female Sollenthar began to feel a tingling sensation as light spots of coolness covered her face. Then she felt the droplets of moisture gently flow down her cheeks. Slowly, voices could be heard; first vaguely, then increasing in volume. She opened her eyes, and began to cry. But it was not out of fear or pain that she cried. Rather, it was due to the embarrassment that she felt. Embarrassment that resulted from her failure to execute her orders properly and from the fact that she had failed to protect herself from being violated, both of which was unacceptable for a Sollenthar and a Royal Guard, the elite of the Fallsian Military. Serene did her best to comfort her. Ray complimented the Provincial Guard for doing a good job and dismissed him.