Chapter 2.11: The "sleepermaker"
Foto de Azra Tuba Demir.
In the vicinity of Haloren, the monastery of the Order of the Patron Saints of the Sea was located in an area of the coast, practically separate from the entire city. They were in charge of caring for all the fishermen, whether they were drowned, injured or simply old. For centuries, the fishermen of those ports had bred large dogs that accompanied them and helped them in their tasks. But the monks had selected them and now they were even bigger, more agile and stronger. Many fishermen had been saved thanks to their intervention.
But that night, the brother doorkeeper had had a conversation with one of the monks of the mendicant monastery of the city and had told him the news. Among other things, he had let him know that his presence could be of interest in the port. Therefore, he had informed the Abbot, who had sent three of the monks with two dogs to the port. From afar, he looked at the lighthouse and the lights with concern. He knew that something had been happening for some time in that port but their mission had never been that. The Abbot seemed very worried but there was little they could do, except save anyone who fell into the water or who needed help on the boats.
In the distance, in the bell tower, the bell rang: it was two in the morning. No one would be up: the loneliness made the tension in that cubicle at the entrance even worse.
When Prince Erevin saw the gunpowder that the duenxy Milwnor had discovered in the hold of that ship, he knew perfectly well that they were on the right track:
– Thank you, Milwnor, excellent discovery. This gunpowder belongs to the Imperial Fleet: you only have to see the emblem on the barrels that contain it. Therefore, we are now clear that there is a conspiracy and that it seems to be much bigger than we had originally thought: that merchant who suggested the other ship to us did not expect us to come to see what was happening with this one. There is no doubt that he collaborates with that miserable port manager and in turn with that traitor Tulio Tanaris, the former governor of Tandras. But now I am sure that they are all here because they have received orders and that they are not ultimately responsible for the hijacking of the Fleet. But there is another thing that we do not know: where is the Fleet and its men?
Milwnor looked at him and understood the implications.
– We must get out of here as soon as possible and, if possible, without attracting attention.
Erevin nodded.
But that was not going to be so easy: now they were inside the ship and in a fortified port. Small shadows appeared through the small window: they were the twin elves, Amulia and Amanula, who had left, as agreed, the inn where they had been singing and dancing. As soon as they jumped inside, Amanula said:
– The port manager is coming here with guards.
Outside, a strange song was heard, like that of a mountain bird. Erevin smiled: they could still do something.
– That's the signal: we're in position. Let's hide.
Outside, they heard:
– Alms for the poor of Haloren.
It was the voice of Elios, disguised as a begging priest, who was walking through the port with Arbil. Those inside the ship almost laughed: the voice was so plaintive that it was difficult for anyone to question the theatrics.
The voices of both took turns along the port, as they walked back and forth. Meanwhile, along the street that went down to the port, to the right of the ship, the sound of armed soldiers coming down at a martial pace began to be heard. Their steps were getting closer as time went on. Right next to the ship, something fell heavily into the water. Erevin then smiled:
– The monk that always arrives late has arrived on time… once…
The port manager had just arrived, but, as everyone expected, instead of shouting, he said in a low voice:
– Brucanor, where have you been? I can't see you…
But no one answered. Meanwhile, the litany about alms continued to be heard in the background. The port manager looked into the gap between the ship and the mainland but also saw nothing that could tell him where the owner of the ships was. He seemed hesitant but, seeing that he couldn't find him, visibly angry, he said:
– Damned Brucanor, where are you? We had agreed to meet here…
Unfortunately for him, Brucanor was not there, but he simply thought that he had not arrived or that he was somewhere lost and drunk and that he was not going to come. So he withdrew his soldiers from the port, ordering two of his men to go to his house in case he was there.
That gave Erevin time to leave the ship with the rest, but not before meeting up with Frey Tinodar. The former watchman brother of Sinningen had done his task in Haloren excellently, independently of the others and had arrived at the agreed time, as Erevin had said.
Foto de Ernestos Vitouladitis.
Almost without speaking, they left there and went up to a promontory that was on the right side of the port of Haloren and that was another meeting point that they had indicated when arriving at the city:
– I'm sorry I couldn't get here earlier, but I thought it was necessary to investigate a series of issues that I've been seeing since we arrived here.
He then pulled out of his sleeve a map of the city, schematic but very clear:
– We're here - he said pointing to one of the low towers of the promontory that allowed for a better defense of the port. Few lights were seen on the north side, closer to the port, but on this side only the moons illuminated where they were. He continued – well, I've followed that damn slick Count who just arrived for a day and a half. I think that, in addition to being corny, he has little idea of the powder keg he's sitting on, although I also think that he's not a count or anything like that.
He then pulled out a tattered piece of cloth from his other sleeve, as if it had been torn from somewhere:
– Your Highness, we know that you are an expert in heraldry…
– Please, Tinodar, no Highness. Yes, I have always liked to know about that matter.
Then he stretched out the piece of cloth.
– Well? What does this coat of arms say to you?
Erevin looked at it carefully and his face turned pale: it was a snake with wings. It brought back memories that were too painful to take him back many years. Tinodar was right: that man was an impostor. Milwnor looked at the shield, leaning up to get a better look and said:
– I have seen another one like it somewhere and not exactly here. It was on the trip.
Amulia came closer and said:
– Yes, I saw it too, on an unknown traveler. But he deviated a little after Sinningen and I have not seen him again. It was strange anyway, because at first he looked very closely at our cart and, the moment Amanula and I got out of it, he was surprised, smiled and disappeared.
After a while, Arbil and Elios appeared with another man dressed as a monk in a similar habit.
– This is Brother Línor, from the southern monastery of Haloren. They have come to look for us in case we need help.
Erevin looked at him and said:
– We just need transportation but first we have to know where we have to go and we still don't know where the Fleet is.
– Praise the One – he said, looking at the sky – The brothers of my monastery have a lead but we must act as quickly as possible. It is said that orders are being sent to investigate the monasteries for lack of consideration and attachment to the Empress.
Erevin looked at Tinodar.
– It was to be expected. He cannot wait to have absolute power. Fine, but we will not all go together: we must go separate ways and in turns.
Milwnor added:
– It is better that we go in mixed groups: I will go with Erevin – he winked at him, knowing how little he liked his title – Amulia and Amanula could go with Arbil and Elios and Tinodar had better wait for Gutron to arrive, who will surely bring some breaking news considering where he has gone.
Tinodar nodded and in a short time, he was left alone there, sitting on a stone, looking out to sea. He pulled a flute from his robe and began to play a sea melody he had learned years ago. It was his way of giving thanks that, for one day, things seemed to be going well, even though they were not even remotely close to solving the mystery. He was so focused that he did not hear the duenxy approach, who was once again carrying his club on his shoulder. The duenxy, tired of everything he had been doing throughout the day, simply put the club down and sat down to listen to the music.
But the melody ended and Tinodar realized that he was not alone. He greeted the duenxy, informing him that they were waiting for him at the monastery of the mendicants of Southern Haloren. The duenxy simply replied:
– I don't think it's a good idea to go south. And if we go, we shouldn't go over land: they're waiting for them.
– Who? - said Tinodar, staring at him.
– I passed near the lighthouse, after going to the north and seeing what was happening at the Governor's house. No one has news of where he is and his wife seems to have not left the house for days. Also, I have to tell you that I know who the "count" is that you've been following.
– Who? - said the friar fiercely.
– Don't look at me like that, after all, you're a friar and I'm not the "count"… - he made the quotation mark, while Tinodar couldn't help laughing-. Well, it's not that I've actually found out, but I've seen what he does. He's a "sleeper-maker," one of the Chief of Intelligence's assassins. But we're not his target, but Prince Erevin. They want to kill him, or at least take him to Bonardia, on the Empress's orders.
"And you just stood there watching me play the flute?!"
"I'm tired," said the duenxy. "I needed to sit down and rest for a while."
Tinodar didn't say anything, but the look he gave Gutron was expressive enough to frighten the duenxy. And they said that those men of God were peaceful... he rolled his eyes because that monk was more aggressive than him... he had a reputation for being bad-tempered.
The monk began to run towards the sea, where he arrived out of breath, but he could see that there were several boats with oars on the shore. They had to hurry. They both got on and maneuvered as quickly as they could under the natural arches that life itself had produced in the heart of the cliffs between the port and the monastery. "It's a shame not to be able to see them during the day and, above all, in peace, but there are much more urgent things today."
In about three quarters of an hour, if the sounds of the bells didn't deceive them, they arrived at the outskirts of the monastery. They then saw that the monastery seemed to be closed and dark, something strange considering what the monks did. In the shadows of the night, they slipped through some bushes that were on the way up from the beach and that hid them from the area closest to the monastery, where the beach and the subsequent access avenue were at the same height, precisely to be able to better assist whoever needed it.
As they climbed, they clearly saw that something was wrong in the monastery: the main door was closed… Tinodar then looked towards the path that went down from the promontory and then at Gutrón. Both nodded. They calmly began to walk there, although they had seen that they were being followed with their eyes: whoever was spying on them was not in the monastery but a few meters away, although not as well hidden as it seemed to him.
They continued to climb and once they turned the first bend, they started to run. Half a league further up they met the first group and waited for the others. But as dawn was breaking, it was becoming less and less likely that they could remain hidden in that area while the moons were giving way to the suns… Now they had to tell the prince what was happening… and none of them dared. In the end, Gutron told him:
– The Empress has sent a “sleepermaker” to take you back to Bonardia or kill you.
Erevin looked at them and then looked in the direction of the monastery:
– That's why you came to warn us. Have you seen who it is?
– We know he's pretending to be a count in Haloren, but we don't know anything else, – said Gutron-. Besides, we didn't foresee this: none of us can use the magic of the duenxies: we haven’t been trained in it.
– We can't abandon the monks… not a second time – said Erevin. His face twisted, obviously angry.
– But sir, if they take you, how will that benefit the monks?
– We will have to try to free them, while not letting them capture me…
He then turned to the monk from the monastery:
– I understand that there is some secret entrance in the monastery…
– But…
– I just want them to get out of that mousetrap. We'll see how we can get them back to their house later.
The monk looked down.
– Yes, there is a gate, but I imagine they've closed it…
– Where do you get in, said Gutron.
– Through the arches in the cliffs…
– But, said Tinodar, we can't go down this way, they're in ambush there.
The monk started walking.
– It's not necessary, he said, there's a staircase a few meters from here, although it's a bit steep…
Milwnor didn't seem very pleased and Gutron couldn't help but to utter a succession of swearwords that would have made a tavern keeper blush. Arbil and Elios laughed heartily while Amulia added, addressing the duenxy:
– You can always jump into the water from the cliff…
They continued towards the cliff and found the staircase, which was more for goats than for humans. With some setbacks, they reached the bottom and, not without difficulty, swam towards the inner area of the arches. Soon, they saw the gate open and the monk of the community put his hand on his lips to force them to be quiet. Everything was dark and silent, although Arbil could see from his place on a rock that inside the gate there were various boats and small ships in a kind of natural port. That would allow them to leave if they could free the monks.
After a while, the monk returned but only with the brothers and dogs he could find. Most had been killed on the main access stairs to the monastery: the brother doorman lay nailed to his chair with a spear in a macabre position waiting for the next visitors to the monastery. The dogs that had tried to save the inhabitants had been killed, although some small ones were missing. There was nothing they could do there, except leave as soon as possible.
Brother Línor arranged for one of the small boats to set out for them and another for the fugitives from Sinningen. But before that, he gave him a map:
– You see, there is no chance of getting lost if we know what happened. We didn’t know until less than a week ago. We picked up a castaway on the coast: I imagine you want to hear his story. He is still very weak but we have put him in one of the bunks of this small boat. – He pointed to the little ship which they had prepared for them and handed him a map – it seems that they are in Sdáloren but inside the delta, somewhere between the city and the western forest, inside the Gulf of Sdáloren. But we think that they would not have dared to leave them very close to the forest because of the legends and stories that exist about it. The castaway told us that it seemed to be a large castle from which he had been able to escape because he was not one of the “important” ones, who were closely guarded.
Foto de Dimitris Mourousiadis.
Erevin shuddered at the thought of what was happening there, then looked at them and said:
– We cannot fail: we must free those we can. But they will be waiting for us and there are surely more “sleepermakers” there, as Gutron calls them…
– No, I don't call them anything. I heard them called that outside the Governor's palace. It looks like that he has also disappeared.
– I understand – He turned to Línor and said – I will never forget this. I hope you arrive safely at your destination.
Without further ado, they left through the gate and unfurled the sails, setting off towards their respective destinations.
The “sleepermaker” stood up when he saw two new ships that had just appeared between the cliffs. No, it couldn't be. He took a telescope and examined the sails: no, those were not ships from the monastery. Calmly, he sat down again while the ships disappeared into the distance. The calm continued until a gigantic, dark brown flying snake landed next to him.
– Krarkoc, is the dream okay?
– Yes, why do you ask?
– Because you just let Prince Erevin escape for the second time… this time he was on a boat… I sit him on the bow, happy to have given us the slip.
Krarkoc felt a knot in his stomach. This did not look good for him.
– No, – said the snake – if the master finds out, well, it doesn’t look good for you. And no, at this time of day, I cannot fly openly: we are not yet allowed to do so, we must maintain the illusion of normality. But we know where they are going, so we will leave tonight for Sdáloren.
The man knew what an honour it had been to be named “sleeper-maker” and to receive the order to pursue the wayward prince. But he could not understand how he always escaped… if he had not been able to detect magic in the surroundings and the monks had been killed… But he looked at the snake and understood that something had escaped him. He had only seen those two in the distance: he had not paid them special attention because they came from the sea and had not even left near the building. In short, he had to leave the ducal palace – he would not return, it would be another “disappearance” – and go south, although no one had foreseen that circumstance.
Photo by Michael Willinger from Pexels: Pine Rockland Trapdoor Spider (ummidia richmond).
The woman was crying. She had been thrown into that dungeon and she still didn't know why: her mother had refused to talk to her, despite her screaming for it. They had taken her clothes and put those rags on her. But the worst had come when they had closed the door of the dungeon: it was dark and smelled bad and it didn't seem like she was going to be able to get out of there anytime soon. If she did get out...
But then she felt a bite on her leg, on the right one it seemed. The moon illuminated the floor of the dungeon and she saw the hairy, black spider: a tarantula looking at her as if waiting for the poison to take effect. She understood that things could still end up much, much worse.
If you missed any chapter and want to read it, just click here: there you have everything published, which, I remind everyone, is an advanced draft.