Come Together
That was not what I meant but I followed behind them just the same. The soldiers made way, pulling their fallen comrades to the side. I spied some of them examining the arrows and throwing knives that we’ve unleashed.
“Prince,” I spoke, “we will need your men to return all the weapons and arrows.”
Jakeli stopped in his tracks and wheeled around with an annoyed look on his face. I met his gaze, raising my chin.
“All of it.” I added.
“You heard him. Gather it all and give it back. And find that waving physicker!” He said, turning.
It occurred to me then, just how far the lengths some will go to maintain appearances. Here was a man who had an arrow shot through his right thigh, keeping up with us uninjured people, and still barking at his soldiers as if nothing affected him. Given the time that passed, the wound didn’t seem to be fatal. Litoc was the closest, he must have known.
“Litoc, the Prince here, if they got to the King-”
“Ha, Jorj. I’m knowin’.” He cut me off, “Let’s find the child first.”
As I passed the line of soldiers in the corridor tending to their companions, I could not help but feel guilty. Sure, it was our lives on the line. They would not have been kind to us had they caught us. But the situation has changed and all that fell, they fell for nothing.
My heart skipped a beat as Jakeli put his hand on a wide, wooden door and pushed. Two soldiers with their swords out came to view as the door swung. Behind them was a group of at least a dozen children cowering behind tables. All except for two.
“Ona!” Cried a boy with light hair and big ears.
“Ora!” Jibel exclaimed.
The two soldier’s eyes darted between the Prince and us. They relaxed once Jakeli motioned for them to put their swords down.
“Ora! You’re here!”
Jibel excitedly approached, casting a piece of wood to the side. From the toppled chair lying near the table, I guessed he was holding one of its legs. He stopped halfway to regard our party, eyes widening as he recognized Litoc and Hanni.
“You’re all here!”
I put a hand on his head, ruffling his dark hair as I looked around. His excited demeanor was not at all what I was expecting.
The rectangular room had six bunk beds on each side. There were two chests beside each bunk bed and a row of shelves along the wall on both sides of the door we entered from. Two, long tables were joined together on the center, chairs on each side. There were fruits, pitchers, and mugs on it.
Jibel wasn’t wearing the clothes I last remembered him donning. Nor was it, in any way, remotely similar to the clothes he used to wear. While it wasn’t decorated or had any kind of designs on them, the garments were new. All the children’s clothes looked new. Only the light-haired kid wore a different set of clothes – yellow with blue lines along the seams.
“How are you?” I asked, stooping down. “Did they hurt you? Any of you?”
“No. Well… at the market.” The boy replied, eyes switching between the prince, the soldier, and I.
“Listen. We’re here. It’s safe. You can tell us.”
“They didn’t hurt us. I mean, only when they took us from the market, ora.”
“On your way here?”
“They were strict and yelled most times, especially mornings or when they want us back on the wagons. But they did not hurt us so long as we didn’t cause trouble.”
“So, they did hurt you.”
I stood up and used my height to tower over the prince. The soldiers around us tensed as I approached, backing him into the door. He winced when the tip of the arrow grazed his left thigh.
“Well, not me.” Jibel spoke hurriedly. “Insen, I think her name was. She was always crying for her oba and fighting with the men.”
“It had to be done! It had to be done!” Jakeli cried as I collared him. “I had to take action, take care of the children. If war breaks out, it’s them who suffer the most! Erdimal! Sivi Deterin approved! He approved!”
“Ye tellin’ me the old fool actually cared?”
“Yes! It’s my idea but your father, the King, backed it, Erdimal.”
“Bunch o’ fools ye two are. O’ all the thin’s ye can think o’, this is what ye chose?” Litoc shook his head and licked his lips. “Let ‘im go Jorj, ‘es not worth it.”
“It’s not the only thing,” Jakeli protested, straightening his robes after I released him, “we were-”
“Not ‘ere.” Litoc interrupted, putting his hand up. “Children, ye make sure ta give no trouble ta these guards ‘ere, ye hear? We’ll send some more ta ‘elp keep ye safe. Tell them if ye need anythin’. An’ no goin’ out there until the sun’s up.”
Jibel looked at Litoc wide-eyed then gave me a questioning look. I nodded to him. His expression only grew more confused. I pushed him by the shoulder to follow behind Litoc when Litoc stopped and turned around.
“Sa, yer Vindeth aren’t ye?”
The light-haired boy he addressed stiffened and stood straight.
“Ha, Er… Your…”
“Sivi’s fine child. Come join us. Yer that age anyway. No better time ta learn.”
“Cousin, he’s only a child.” Jakeli protested.
“I remember ye havin’ big ideas when ye were younger than ‘im. ‘es what? Twelve, thirteen now?”
“Eleven, sivi.” The boy replied.
“The best age. Come child.” Litoc beckoned and the boy walked by his side.
Jibel walked beside me, gaze wandering. Had it been any other child, questions would have poured out of him as fast as he could think of one. His stare lingered behind me, at Hanni, for some time then he lost himself in thought again. I would have answered any question he had but I knew he would not ask them until later.
“Are you, are you really my sivi?” The boy, Vindeth, asked, looking up at Litoc.
“O’ course I am. What kind o’ question’s that?” Litoc patted the boy’s left shoulder then ruffled his hair. “Ye need ta ask better question’s from now on child.”
The kid’s head bowed as we progressed through the corridor. If I had any doubt left about Litoc being the actual king at that moment, it fizzled away as we followed him around. He navigated like he owned the place. The soldiers we passed were as confused as the child beside him.
“Sivi, are you a ghost?”
Given the situation, the question could not have been more out of place. Then again, so was Litoc’s hearty laugh.