Chapter 8:The Testimony of Friendship.
"Shadow Wings!" the cry echoed through the trees as a blue haired youth felled a Sabredragon in the quiet of Moonguile forest. He wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to his wife with a triumphant grin. "Wings or no, at least we have our finishers to remember the good old days." he said.
Xelha smiled. "This sure brings back memories." she said.
"Yeah. Same place too. They have way too many sabredragons around here." said Kalas.
"Not for long with us on the job." said Xelha wrapping her arms around Kalas' neck.
"I still can't believe you'd rather traipse around with me rather than stick around and lounge in Wazn."
"I don't mind where we go." said Xelha. "As long as we go together."
Kalas smiled. They strolled along the forest and made their way to Celbalrai. Cedr met them with an expression of self importance on his face. "Doc Larikush wants you to come quick!" he said. "There's a message for you from Alfard."
"Must be from Lyude." said Kalas. "Wonder what's up. Sounds urgent if the doc wants us to hurry. Let's go.
Larikush turned to Kalas and Xelha as they entered. "Ah good. This arrived today, it has the seal of the office of the Minister of International Affairs, it's been stamped urgent."
"Urgent?" said Xelha. "I hope everything's okay."
"It's not." said Kalas reading over the document. "Lyude's gone missing. He and Alyssa were ambushed in the Nihal desert."
"Oh no! I hope he's all right."
Kalas' face was grim. The message is from his brother, Skeed. He's asking that we come to help look for him. Says he's not sure who would be reliable in the government."
"It's that bad over there? I thought things were going well in Alfard."
"They were until this, but now some of the creeps in the government are trying to get ridiculous legislation passed in his absence."
"I think we should go." said Xelha, "Lyude is our friend and he's very important to keeping the peace in Alfard."
"Of course we're going." Kalas shook his head.
"What is it, Kalas?"
"Ah, nothing, just thinking that Lyude is bound and determined to prove me right and never see his twenties."
"It's not his fault!" said Xelha reprovingly. "He's only trying to help his country!"
"I know." said Kalas with a sigh, "They sure are giving him a hard time of it though, aren't they?"
Xelha sighed and nodded. "It's part of the burden of being a ruler, I never had such worries in Wazn, but there was never so much discord there. Alfard is a wounded country and needs much love and care, but there are those that do not want to accept Lyude's merciful and kind policies. Let's go now, it looks like Lyude has been missing for a few days already."
Kalas nodded and they headed out to board the white dragon.
Savyna sighed. Her souffle was ruined. Mayfee was washing dishes. Her voice had matured some over the past year and was no longer grating to the ears. She was a little less pushy with Savyna as well. She still admired her, but she knew better than to press her admiration now.
Savyna walked over to the cutting board and began to chop some fresh parsley. It was getting to be late afternoon and Mayfee would be going home to her grandmother soon. Mayfee's grandmother had been looking quite spry since the medicine of the celestial flowers had healed her. It was a great relief to both Mayfee and Savyna. Much as she cared for the girl, Savyna didn't feel herself fitting for a parent...not at this time. There was a knock on the door and Savyna opened it to find Georges, Mayfee's best friend waiting at the door, a sealed envelope in his hand.
"Here ya go, Savyna, walk you home, Mayfee?" said Georges handing Savyna the letter. Savyna was slightly puzzled to see Alfard's seal of office on the envelope and she opened it immediately. Scanning the letter and furrowing her brow. This is going to take some serious measures." said Savyna to herself. I'd best break out the battle gear again."
Savyna opened up a chest in the far corner of her simple home. Removing the gear she felt she would most need on the trip she was about to take. This objective would be dangerous, but she never left a man behind and she wasn't about to start now.
She thought back to when she had first been brought to the Empire as a small child. She had been with her parents on a business trip, her mother and father had been merchants in Anuenue until she had been around five. She couldn't remember how it happened, but her parents had been killed and she had been taken in and trained by the imperial army.
She closed here eyes. So many years of regrets. So many lost opportunities and so much robbed youth. Lyude was suffering the same. That was not about to change now that he was practically ruling Alfard. If anything, it intensified matters. Now he was in the custody of three unknown bandits. It was not a conflict that would be swift in concluding.
She packed a few small things and then ate her supper. As she chewed she wondered if all of her former companions would respond to the summons. She did not particularly care to see Lyude's siblings again, but for his sake, she was willing to go. He was a sharp and fairminded boy, if a bit emotional at times.
That was one thing about imperial training, you either grew with a thick skin, or got eaten alive. Lyude would have been the latter if he had not been exiled. His kind heart would not have allowed him to become what he would have had to in order to survive in Alfard. Savyna only wished she had been blessed with that fault.
Her heart leapt slightly at the thought of Azdar. It had been over a year since she had seen him. She almost felt as if she was avoiding him to a degree. Too many feelings that were unnatural to her and made her feel strange and uneasy. Cook or not, she was still that hardened soldier it was something she would never rid herself of. Her discipline would always attempt to swallow her feelings and subdue them. Once she had finished eating she went to Komo Mai to borrow a ship.
"Hold your ground, Lyude. Reinforcements are on their way." she said into the salty breeze.
Gibari stretched with a large grin. Another beautiful day in Diadem. The fish would be biting very well this morning. The greater Celestial river had been an excellent fishing spot before, but on the earth it flourished even more, and the ocean had the most prime sea bream around. Gibari wondered how their ancestors had ever given it up. He slung Balgora's paddle over his shoulder and made his way towards his boat. "Hold it there, Fish Lips." came a voice behind him.
"Insults so early?" chuckled Gibari. "What's goin' on Reblys?"
"Got a pretty official lookin' envelope sent priority from Alfard." said Reblys.
"Alfard huh? Must be Lyude." said Gibari as he took it. "Wonder what he's writing about so soon. Me and Anna already got our thank you's for the wedding gifts we gave him and Alyssa." He took out the paper and frowned immediately. "That ain't Lyude's handwriting." he said and continued to read. "Ya gotta be kidding me!" said Gibari angrily. "Can't they just leave that poor kid alone!"
"What's the matter with you?" asked Reblys.
"Something's wrong in Alfard, that's what. Someone's made off with Lyude!"
"That kid that served as an ambassador here for two years? What would anyone want with him?" asked Reblys.
Gibari raised his eyebrow."He's practically running Alfard that's all. With him gone, they're trying to pull all kinds of stuff in the Imperial capital...erm Alfard. Still gotta get used to saying that. The Empire was such a huge thing back then it's hard to believe it's gone." Gibari's face darkened further. "It may not be for long if Lyude doesn't get back where he belongs to stop it." he said. "I'm going."
Skeed opened his eyes. He was slumped over his desk and proposal after ridiculous proposal lay before him. He didn't know how Lyude could take it. The incessant badgering the complete lack of respect for his policies. It was ridiculous what they expected. Though perhaps they had not been so straight forward when Lyude was running things.
There was a knock at the door and Skeed sat up. "Come in." he said and was surprised to see who entered.
"The Great Mizuti be wanting to know how the search for Lyude be going." said the young girl who still wore her mask even as she no longer needed it.
"You received your letter then?" said Skeed.
"The Great Mizuti need no letter, the Great Mizuti knows a great many things. The Great Mizuti be knowing long before she got her letter that there be trouble brewing in old Empire. The Great Mizuti be knowing that Lyude have many troubles ahead."
Skeed felt his patience slip. Lyude must most certainly have a larger scope of patience than he. If he heard the 'Great Mizuti' one more time, he'd be about ready to shoot something. What a brat this kid was. At fifteen, he would have thought her a little more mature. "We've had no luck." said Skeed with a sigh. "If the 'Great Mizuti' can locate him as easily as she can predict his peril, it would be most appreciated."
"The Great Mizuti be great, unmatched, masterful, wonderful, the Great Mizuti be knowing a great many things, but the Great Mizuti not be knowing where Lyude be. Exception."
Skeed's face reddened. Was it so hard to just say 'I don't know'? The way this kid talked it would take her a year to say I told you so through all the gloating she'd have to go through first. Still, she was a friend of Lyude's and he had to be courteous. "Well, we could certainly use any reliable help we can find." said Skeed standing up to greet her. Thank you for coming."
"The Great Mizuti acknowledges your thanks. The Great Mizuti be off to search now." and exited the door before Skeed could say a word more. "That...girl..." he fumed and pressed a button on his desk. "Ayme, please receive and accompany Mizuti on the search. We can't have her getting lost."
"Acknowledged." came Ayme's voice in response.
Skeed leaned back in his chair and pulled some more of the papers toward him. Just to hear another knock on the door. Skeed sighed. "Come in." he said. A young boy that Skeed had never seen came inside. "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything." he said.
"Do you need something?" asked Skeed.
"Well, I was just looking for Minister Lyude. He and I were friends in Diadem, I was invited to the wedding, but I couldn't make it. I hear he's disappeared now." said the young man.
"That's correct." said Skeed standing up. "I am his brother, Skeed, and representative for him while he is absent."
"His brother?" said the boy. "I remember him mentioning a brother now. I met your sister in Diadem. I beg your pardon, I didn't even introduce myself. My name is Matthias. I was a page boy in Diadem while Lyude was serving as ambassador the first year. I went to Anuenue to study and I haven't seen Lyude since, though we used to write often. Now he's missing? Is there anything I can do to help?"
"I've sent for the aid of his friends from the battle with Malpercio, but we could use all the help we can get in finding him. He's been missing for five days now."
"Five days? I went to Komo Mai to study geology and the other nations, do you know where he was when he was taken? I may be able to find something that could have been easily missed."
"We've got it narrowed down to a few possible oasis You are welcome to join Folon, one of the commanders of the army, in searching them."
"I would very much like that. Lyude's a pretty good guy. After hearing everything he did..just...wow. I never would have thought he had it in him."
"He took Vallye and I quite by surprise as well." said Skeed with a sad smile. "I wish I could be out there looking for him too."
Lyude opened his eyes. It had been two days since his failed escape attempt. He had been surprised at his captor's attitudes. Not one of them, not even Gravar had gloated about his situation and the foolishness of his attempt. Of course, Gravar had barely spoken to anyone for the last two days. He simply shot dark glances at his fellow kidnappers and sat as far from all of them as possible. Lyude's ribs had finally mended and he felt as well as could be expected. He sat up, Gravar raising his weapon in Lyude's direction. The usual dark glare in his eyes. Lyude held back a sigh and leaned back against the palm tree. He wondered how much longer it would be before they reached where he was to be taken.
As had become the custom. Lena knelt down behind him and untied his hands to allow him to eat. The silence broken only by the sound of forks on plates. Finally, Lyude sat down his fork and plate and looked at his captors measuring them each in turn. "Just what is it that you plan on doing with me?" asked Lyude wearily. "What is it that you hope to accomplish?"
"Our job, that's what and you'd best drop the matter if you value your health, Minister." grumbled Gravar.
"You'll find out soon enough about our employers intentions. Our duty is only to bring you to him, we are not to inform you of anything."
Lena sighed and picked up the plates. She glanced at Lyude's dissatisfied expression and confusion and shook her head. Some of the expressions that crossed their prisoner's young face just reminder her so much of...a tear formed in her eye and she busied herself further while Urden proceeded to bind Lyude's hands back behind his back. They continued on in the land rover seating Lyude in the center of them. Lyude looked around him for any sign of a landmark. There was nothing to indicate their location, just sand.
Around midday they felt the ground shake and Gravar and Urden got out of the rover treading the ground carefully. It shook again and the two nodded. "This is the place." said Gravar. The two men then proceeded to stomp their feet rhythmically for a few moments until an opening slid open in the sands. They got back in the land rover and it was driven into the new cavern. Lyude watched grimly as the opening drew closer and he was swallowed in the ensuing darkness.
Crazygirl: Thanks again for the review! I'm glad you're enjoying the story.
AN:Please do not forget to review! It's what keeps an author writing.