At long last the next chapter installment of this monstrosity!!! I hope you
all enjoy it and I promise I will not wait so long to finish this off! One
more chapter to go after this one! Muahahahahaaaaaaa!
Nadir sat in a creaking wicker chair in his friend's humble abode and listened intently to his spy servant's tale.
"They say he doesn't threaten anymore or even make any sudden movements," the servant explained.
"Hmmm," Nadir thought. This had him fairly worried. Erik was always on edge, unless he was severely drugged with morphine or opium. Even then, he still managed to keep some sort of a guard up.
Nadir had gone into hiding. His possessions and his home had been invaded by the guards and ransacked. Everything he owned had been lost due to harboring a traitor. He had been hiding out with some less than honest acquaintances of his that he knew he could trust if he made it worth their while. He invested the little wealth he had left that he had kept hidden to pay the spies at the work site of the new palace. He felt he owed his life to Erik. He had in fact allowed himself to be captured in order for him to escape. All debts must be paid.
"Go on," he urged.
"Well, he just goes about his work on building at the site, doesn't say a word to anyone, and doesn't seem to ever sleep," the man continued. "Its as though he's always off in some other place thinking. It makes the men even more wary of him than ever. They are afraid he might snap at any moment."
"And what of the royal guard who watch him?"
"They do not do much in the way of interfering. The Shah had ordered them that he is not to be bothered until the palace is completed and the construction has ceased," he paused for a moment and looked around to see if anyone was listening, "It is rumored that the moment the last nail is in place, he will be summoned to see the Shah and will be put to death for his insubordination."
"How close is the construction to being finished?" Nadir demanded.
"Should be any day now. I don't imagine there is much left to be finished."
Nadir thanked the man and shook his hand, abruptly leaving the room. He dared not wait any longer. He knew in the back of his head that this would be the ending result of Erik's behavior over the past year of his commission, but given his present circumstances of having to hide from anyone working under the Shah, he could do nothing.
Nadir made it to the new palace grounds a week later, having to duck the guards on the highway that stretched between the two cities. When he arrived, Erik was no longer there. He sneaked inside the palace walls to see that the construction had been completed and the few servants that remained were cleaning up the sawdust and refuse. While keeping to the shadows, he grabbed a man passing by with an armful of scrapwood and shoved him up against the wall.
"Where is your work-master? Where is the masked magician Erik?" he demanded.
"They took him," stammered the man who stared back at him confused. "A day or two ago, the royal guards came for him on a summons."
"Tell me precisely what you saw and heard!" he demanded.
"I had just finished gathering a load of scraps to take out to the burn pile when I saw the Shah's personal guards approach him on horseback. They announced that the Shah demanded to see him immediately and that he was to leave the site at once and come with them. He shrugged his shoulders and hopped onto the back of the horse that they tied between them."
"Are you saying he didn't say anything or give any struggle?"
"No, master. He just mounted and left with them without a word of protest. He seemed indifferent to anything since his last recess from building three months ago."
Nadir shoved the man away in frustration, threatening not to tell of any of this encounter at the expense of a most painful death. The man stumbled away from this seemingly mad man.
Nadir raced along the dusty road to the palace. He urged his horse faster, pushing the beast to it's breaking point, only stopping to water the animal. As he journeyed, he contemplated what he was doing. This man had caused him to lose everything he had, and yet he had this uncompromising desire to save his lost soul. He did see the good in Erik. Had he been born with a normal face, he could have been one of the greatest men in the world, rather than the most feared. Even he himself had had the experience of sheer terror in Erik's presence when he had been out of his mind and did not recognize the daroga, but beyond that he found him to be remarkably likable.
Nadir saw the city lights in the distance at dusk and he slowed his pace, taking great care not to be recognized as he rode through the winding streets. With his cowl pulled far over his face, he made his way through the slums, until he came to a hovel, lit by a small lantern in the window. He had to make his preparations.
Erik stood in the grand council room before the Shah and his mother. He casually glanced about the room, noting where the guards stood watch.
"Erik, I am very pleased with the final results of the new palace. I shall look forward to moving the royal court there over the next few weeks," the shah said from his throne.
"And for your continued service to my son and I, you shall be greatly rewarded," the Khanum added. She motioned with her hand for a guard to come forth.
Erik immediately tensed, though he did not let them see that. The guard approached and stood before him. Erik, preparing to defend himself or flee, was genuinely confused when he dropped a small gold key in his hand.
"What is this?" Erik inquired.
"That would be the key to the treasure room. You may go there and fill that sack," the shah motioned towards the embroidered bag the guard also held out.
"Then my commission here is finished?" Erik said optimistically.
"Not quite," the Khanum replied, rising from her throne at the Shah's side. "There is one thing further that I require of you. But before I call upon you, please, feel free to collect your reward and gather your things in your quarters."
Erik felt a chill run down his spine at the tone of her voice. It reminded him of the calm before a terrible devastating storm that was about to occur. He left the room, letting the guard walk in front of him down to the treasure hold. He prepared for any sudden attack. The treasure hold was heavily guarded, but they let him enter, collect his choice of diamonds, jewels, gold, and other fine items, and they never touched him.
The guard escorted him back to his quarters and left. Erik was confused, expecting that he should have been attacked, but the Khanum and the Shah had obviously given orders that he not be touched. After all, she still had one thing more for him to do for her. His head pounded, wondering what that one thing could be, as he packed his belongings into a trunk to be loaded onto an awaiting horse in the courtyard.
It was well past midnight when Nadir heard the warning horns being blown and shouts coming from within the palace. Men were running about in a frenzy, shouting orders to each other, and in all the confusion he slipped through the gates into the palace grounds. Mass panic had encompassed the entire place. Nadir knew something had happened, and by the look of it, it was not what was planned. Somehow, Erik had escaped his appointed fate that night. He raced through the palace corridors looking for his friend. There was no way Erik could escape without his help. There were too many people looking for him now.
Nadir slipped through the door to Erik's quarters. The place had been destroyed by the guards. He knew of one place where they would not think to look. During Erik's stay in the palace, he had made a few alterations to his room, late at night. Erik had shown him once in confidence when he was drugged on morphine. Nadir approached a panel in the wall and pushed a gilded lizard that triggered the wall to swing open. Disappointment swept through him when he did not see Erik hiding in the small space, but then he looked down towards the floor of the space and saw that Erik had been very busy expanding his hiding place since he had shown it's location to him. Nadir climbed down the small ladder that dropped between the closings of the walls into a very cramped space and closed the door behind him. The climb down seemed to last forever and in the encompassing dark, he could not see where it ended. Finally his foot found solid ground when searching for the next step off the ladder. The moment he stepped off, he felt a cold hand clamp over his mouth.
"Don't make a sound!" Erik whispered fiercely in his ear. He tugged on Nadir's shirtsleeve and guided him between the walls.
"Where are you taking us? Where does this lead?" he asked.
"Shhh!" Erik stopped moving and put his ear to the outer wall. "It should be safe to exit now. I think the guards have left to search elsewhere."
Erik pushed the panel of wall and it swung silently out. Nadir stepped out to find himself standing in the perimeter gardens. Erik stepped cautiously about, looking for guards. He motioned for Nadir to follow him, but he shook his head and pulled Erik in the other direction. Erik followed his friend into the darkness to where they could see the palace wall. A man stood waiting with a lantern and two horses just outside the gate.
They made their way across the yard, but before they could climb over the gate, Nadir felt the blade of a knife slice across his shoulder. He cried out into the night, feeling the blood begin to flow down his back. Fast as lightening, Erik rounded on the man who had come up behind them and lassoed his neck, snapping it neatly and dropping the guard to the ground in all of two seconds. He helped Nadir to his feet and helped him over the wall.
As they rode away into the night, Nadir felt the wound throbbing and his very life slipping away from him. An hour later they were out of the city and riding towards the underbrush of the countryside. Erik stopped their horses by a stream to water them and tend to his weakening friend.
After he helped Nadir off his mount, he began to dress his shoulder wound, applying pressure to stop the bleeding.
"Why did you come back there for me?" Erik finally asked as he bandaged the wound with the torn hem of his cloak.
"I felt I owed it to you. I knew they were going to kill you once the palace had been finished. Couldn't you know that?"
"Yes I knew, but look," he motioned towards himself. "I'm still alive."
Nadir stared incredulously at Erik, "How, Erik? What did you do?"
Erik looked at him with an odd expression, then replied, "Something fitting."
Nadir sat in a creaking wicker chair in his friend's humble abode and listened intently to his spy servant's tale.
"They say he doesn't threaten anymore or even make any sudden movements," the servant explained.
"Hmmm," Nadir thought. This had him fairly worried. Erik was always on edge, unless he was severely drugged with morphine or opium. Even then, he still managed to keep some sort of a guard up.
Nadir had gone into hiding. His possessions and his home had been invaded by the guards and ransacked. Everything he owned had been lost due to harboring a traitor. He had been hiding out with some less than honest acquaintances of his that he knew he could trust if he made it worth their while. He invested the little wealth he had left that he had kept hidden to pay the spies at the work site of the new palace. He felt he owed his life to Erik. He had in fact allowed himself to be captured in order for him to escape. All debts must be paid.
"Go on," he urged.
"Well, he just goes about his work on building at the site, doesn't say a word to anyone, and doesn't seem to ever sleep," the man continued. "Its as though he's always off in some other place thinking. It makes the men even more wary of him than ever. They are afraid he might snap at any moment."
"And what of the royal guard who watch him?"
"They do not do much in the way of interfering. The Shah had ordered them that he is not to be bothered until the palace is completed and the construction has ceased," he paused for a moment and looked around to see if anyone was listening, "It is rumored that the moment the last nail is in place, he will be summoned to see the Shah and will be put to death for his insubordination."
"How close is the construction to being finished?" Nadir demanded.
"Should be any day now. I don't imagine there is much left to be finished."
Nadir thanked the man and shook his hand, abruptly leaving the room. He dared not wait any longer. He knew in the back of his head that this would be the ending result of Erik's behavior over the past year of his commission, but given his present circumstances of having to hide from anyone working under the Shah, he could do nothing.
Nadir made it to the new palace grounds a week later, having to duck the guards on the highway that stretched between the two cities. When he arrived, Erik was no longer there. He sneaked inside the palace walls to see that the construction had been completed and the few servants that remained were cleaning up the sawdust and refuse. While keeping to the shadows, he grabbed a man passing by with an armful of scrapwood and shoved him up against the wall.
"Where is your work-master? Where is the masked magician Erik?" he demanded.
"They took him," stammered the man who stared back at him confused. "A day or two ago, the royal guards came for him on a summons."
"Tell me precisely what you saw and heard!" he demanded.
"I had just finished gathering a load of scraps to take out to the burn pile when I saw the Shah's personal guards approach him on horseback. They announced that the Shah demanded to see him immediately and that he was to leave the site at once and come with them. He shrugged his shoulders and hopped onto the back of the horse that they tied between them."
"Are you saying he didn't say anything or give any struggle?"
"No, master. He just mounted and left with them without a word of protest. He seemed indifferent to anything since his last recess from building three months ago."
Nadir shoved the man away in frustration, threatening not to tell of any of this encounter at the expense of a most painful death. The man stumbled away from this seemingly mad man.
Nadir raced along the dusty road to the palace. He urged his horse faster, pushing the beast to it's breaking point, only stopping to water the animal. As he journeyed, he contemplated what he was doing. This man had caused him to lose everything he had, and yet he had this uncompromising desire to save his lost soul. He did see the good in Erik. Had he been born with a normal face, he could have been one of the greatest men in the world, rather than the most feared. Even he himself had had the experience of sheer terror in Erik's presence when he had been out of his mind and did not recognize the daroga, but beyond that he found him to be remarkably likable.
Nadir saw the city lights in the distance at dusk and he slowed his pace, taking great care not to be recognized as he rode through the winding streets. With his cowl pulled far over his face, he made his way through the slums, until he came to a hovel, lit by a small lantern in the window. He had to make his preparations.
Erik stood in the grand council room before the Shah and his mother. He casually glanced about the room, noting where the guards stood watch.
"Erik, I am very pleased with the final results of the new palace. I shall look forward to moving the royal court there over the next few weeks," the shah said from his throne.
"And for your continued service to my son and I, you shall be greatly rewarded," the Khanum added. She motioned with her hand for a guard to come forth.
Erik immediately tensed, though he did not let them see that. The guard approached and stood before him. Erik, preparing to defend himself or flee, was genuinely confused when he dropped a small gold key in his hand.
"What is this?" Erik inquired.
"That would be the key to the treasure room. You may go there and fill that sack," the shah motioned towards the embroidered bag the guard also held out.
"Then my commission here is finished?" Erik said optimistically.
"Not quite," the Khanum replied, rising from her throne at the Shah's side. "There is one thing further that I require of you. But before I call upon you, please, feel free to collect your reward and gather your things in your quarters."
Erik felt a chill run down his spine at the tone of her voice. It reminded him of the calm before a terrible devastating storm that was about to occur. He left the room, letting the guard walk in front of him down to the treasure hold. He prepared for any sudden attack. The treasure hold was heavily guarded, but they let him enter, collect his choice of diamonds, jewels, gold, and other fine items, and they never touched him.
The guard escorted him back to his quarters and left. Erik was confused, expecting that he should have been attacked, but the Khanum and the Shah had obviously given orders that he not be touched. After all, she still had one thing more for him to do for her. His head pounded, wondering what that one thing could be, as he packed his belongings into a trunk to be loaded onto an awaiting horse in the courtyard.
It was well past midnight when Nadir heard the warning horns being blown and shouts coming from within the palace. Men were running about in a frenzy, shouting orders to each other, and in all the confusion he slipped through the gates into the palace grounds. Mass panic had encompassed the entire place. Nadir knew something had happened, and by the look of it, it was not what was planned. Somehow, Erik had escaped his appointed fate that night. He raced through the palace corridors looking for his friend. There was no way Erik could escape without his help. There were too many people looking for him now.
Nadir slipped through the door to Erik's quarters. The place had been destroyed by the guards. He knew of one place where they would not think to look. During Erik's stay in the palace, he had made a few alterations to his room, late at night. Erik had shown him once in confidence when he was drugged on morphine. Nadir approached a panel in the wall and pushed a gilded lizard that triggered the wall to swing open. Disappointment swept through him when he did not see Erik hiding in the small space, but then he looked down towards the floor of the space and saw that Erik had been very busy expanding his hiding place since he had shown it's location to him. Nadir climbed down the small ladder that dropped between the closings of the walls into a very cramped space and closed the door behind him. The climb down seemed to last forever and in the encompassing dark, he could not see where it ended. Finally his foot found solid ground when searching for the next step off the ladder. The moment he stepped off, he felt a cold hand clamp over his mouth.
"Don't make a sound!" Erik whispered fiercely in his ear. He tugged on Nadir's shirtsleeve and guided him between the walls.
"Where are you taking us? Where does this lead?" he asked.
"Shhh!" Erik stopped moving and put his ear to the outer wall. "It should be safe to exit now. I think the guards have left to search elsewhere."
Erik pushed the panel of wall and it swung silently out. Nadir stepped out to find himself standing in the perimeter gardens. Erik stepped cautiously about, looking for guards. He motioned for Nadir to follow him, but he shook his head and pulled Erik in the other direction. Erik followed his friend into the darkness to where they could see the palace wall. A man stood waiting with a lantern and two horses just outside the gate.
They made their way across the yard, but before they could climb over the gate, Nadir felt the blade of a knife slice across his shoulder. He cried out into the night, feeling the blood begin to flow down his back. Fast as lightening, Erik rounded on the man who had come up behind them and lassoed his neck, snapping it neatly and dropping the guard to the ground in all of two seconds. He helped Nadir to his feet and helped him over the wall.
As they rode away into the night, Nadir felt the wound throbbing and his very life slipping away from him. An hour later they were out of the city and riding towards the underbrush of the countryside. Erik stopped their horses by a stream to water them and tend to his weakening friend.
After he helped Nadir off his mount, he began to dress his shoulder wound, applying pressure to stop the bleeding.
"Why did you come back there for me?" Erik finally asked as he bandaged the wound with the torn hem of his cloak.
"I felt I owed it to you. I knew they were going to kill you once the palace had been finished. Couldn't you know that?"
"Yes I knew, but look," he motioned towards himself. "I'm still alive."
Nadir stared incredulously at Erik, "How, Erik? What did you do?"
Erik looked at him with an odd expression, then replied, "Something fitting."