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CHAPTER 25
Swaying atop the seat of the wagon, Jermsen watched the immense plateau gradually drawing closer. The morning sun lit the soaring stone walls of the People's Palace, warming them in a pastel glow. Although the wind had died down, the morning air remained bone-chilling cold. After the reeking rot of the swamp, she welcomed the flat, dry, stony scent of the open plain.
With her fingertips, Jermsen rubbed her forehead, trying to soothe her dull throbbing headache. Tom had driven all night and she had slept in the back of the bouncing wagon, but not well nor nearly long enough. At least she had slept some, and they had made it back.
"Too bad Lord Rahl isn't there."
Shocked out of her private thoughts, Je
"Lord Rahl." Tom gestured off to the right, to the south. "It's too bad he isn't here to help you."
He had pointed south, the direction of the Old World. On occasion, Jermsen's mother had spoken of the bond co
What the Lord Rahl accrued from the bond, Je
From her mother's descriptions, Je
Je
Tom, being D'Haran, took that bond to the Lord Rahl for granted, and had just given Je
Lord Rahl was off to the south, probably in the Old World making war on the people there, as Sebastian had told her.
"Yes," she finally said, "too bad."
The marketplace below the plateau was already busy. Wisps of dust drifted above the crowds gathered there and over the road south. She wondered if Irma the sausage lady was there. Je
Tom pointed his team toward the market, to where he had been set up selling his load of wine. Maybe Irma would go to the same place. Je
As the wagon rumbled across the hardpan of the Azrith Plains, Je
"Take the road," she said.
"What?"
"Take the road up to the palace."
"Are you sure, Je
Take the road."
In answer, he urged the horses to the left, away from their course toward the market, and toward the base of the road, instead. From the comer of her eye she saw him snatch glances at his inscrutable passenger.
Soldiers stationed at the base of the plateau, where the road began its ascent, watched them approach. As the wagon rolled closer, Je
"Don't stop," she said to Tom.
He stared over at her. "What? I have to. They have bows, you know."
Je
When they reached the soldiers, Je
Every pair of eyes watched that knife handle with the omate letter «R» upon it as it flashed past their eyes. None moved to stop the wagon, or to nock an arrow. Tom let out a low whistle. The wagon shook and rattled as it rolled onward.
The road switched back and forth as it made its way steadily up the plateau. In some places there was ample room, but occasionally the road narrowed, forcing the wagon to ride close to the dizzying drop. Each tight bend offered them a new vista, a new view of the expanse of the Azrith Plains spread out far below. Off in the distance the plains were rimmed by dusky blue mountains.
When they arrived at the bridge, they finally did have to stop; the bridge was pulled up. Her faith in herself, and her plan, faltered as she realized that this, and not her bold bluff, was probably the reason the soldiers below had let her pass so easily. They knew she couldn't get over the chasm unless the guards lowered the bridge. They knew she couldn't simply barge into the palace, and at the same time they didn't have to challenge a woman who had what very well might be an official pass, of sorts, from the Lord Rahl himself Worse yet, she now saw how the soldiers had also isolated, in a place without escape or hope of rescue by reinforcements, people they deemed potential intruders. Any hostile foray would be stopped cold, here, and in all likelihood, captured or killed on the spot.
It was no wonder Tom had advised against using the road up.
Stimulated by the effort of the climb, the big horses tossed their heads at the interruption. One man stepped in front and took control of the horses' bits to keep them still. Soldiers approached the side of the wagon. Jermsen sat on the cliff side, and although she saw men guarding the rear quarter on her side, most of the men approached on Tom's side.
"Good day, Sergeant," Tom called out.
The man scrutinized the inside of the wagon and, after finding it empty, looked up at the two in the seat. "Good day."
Je
"Drop the bridge," she said before he had a chance to ask them anything.
The sergeant took in the knife handle before meeting her glare. "What's your business?"
Sebastian had told her how to bluff. He had explained how she had done it her whole life, that she was a natural at it. Now she had to do it with deliberate intent if she was to save him, and get out alive, herself. Despite how fast her heart pounded, she showed the man a stem but empty expression.
"Lord Rahl's business. Lower the bridge."
She thought that he was taken back a bit by her tone, or possibly he was worried by her unexpected words. She could see his level of caution rise, tensing his features. Nevertheless, he stood his ground.
"I need a little more than that, ma'am."
Je
"I know you have a job to do," Je
"And what might be your name, ma'am?"
Je
"Unless you lower that bridge, Sergeant, and right now, you will forever after remember me as Trouble, sent by Lord Rahl himself."
The sergeant, backed by a few dozen men with pikes, along with crossbows, swords, and axes, didn't flinch. He looked at Tom.
"What's your part in this?"
Tom shrugged. "Just driving the wagon. Were I you, Sergeant, this is one lady I'd not want to be delaying."
"Is that so?"
"It is," Tom said with conviction.
The sergeant gazed long and hard into Tom's eyes. Finally, he considered Je
Jermsen gestured with her knife toward the palace up the road. "How may I find the place where we hold prisoners?"
As the gears started clattering and the bridge began to descend, he turned back to Je
"Inquire with the guards at the top. They can direct you, ma'am."
"Thank you," Je
Je
"You want to see the prisoners?" Tom asked.
She realized that she never had said why she had to return to the palace. "Yes. They've taken a man prisoner by mistake. I've come to see that he's released."