Chapter Five

Yedda looked at his sister.

It had been so close to her naming day. The whole planet had been waiting to decide what the Baron and Baroness had decided to call their child, and even the triplets had not been allowed in on the secret. They knew their mother’s favourite names, some of which coincided with their father’s wishes, but all in all they had no idea what they were going to name her.

She looked almost seven, now. Yedda shook his head as his mouth turned down, the thoughts of his lost family stabbing him in the belly with the pain of anguish. He and his brother Corii had hardly any time to mourn the loss of their parents, their brother Simion. All their friends on Chinngard were either dead or prisoners, the Lords and Ladies of the court were most likely dead. They never knew what happened to Arkin; one minute the hardened fighter, the next minute a heroic idiot screaming down the halls of the palace with energy sword raised, trying to buy the escapees time. He had surely died there, protecting what he had often described as the things most dear to him, the honour of House Familee.

Yedda had played that scene over in his mind, missing his former mentor and trying to imagine how he had undoubtedly died. Straight away? Not even being able to reach his enemy? Or did he take down many, his sword swinging as he carved his way through the troops, his final words a desperate cry for the salvage of his adopted world, the bodies of the vanquished lying knee-high around him?

Again Yedda held back a sob. He had been doing that many times, knowing that shows of emotion in front of his sister made her uneasy and frightened. He knew that Corii felt the same way, but the time since the escape had been so busy they had still to sit and talk.

As Yedda’s thought’s drifted onto his brother, the door swung open and Corii hurried in quietly, knowing his sister was sleeping and trying not to disturb her. He quickly took Yedda’s arm and lifted him, pulling him towards the balcony. Yedda looked at him confused, allowing himself to be dragged but pulling ever so slightly to get Corii’s attention. As they exited the room, Yedda yanked his arm away. “What the... Corii, what’s going on?”

Corii was leaning over the balcony railing, pointing down. A smile was proclaiming his happiness, and Yedda followed the direction of his indication and looked down.

He, too, began to smile.

A small vehicle had settled in the courtyard, and as the brothers watched Baron Ash approached it with several guards. The figure Yedda saw standing next to the vehicle was unmistakably Lord Verid, his uniform slightly tattered, a long coat thrown over his shoulders to keep his dress from sight. Two others were with him, two that the brothers never recognised, but from the garb they were wearing they must have been troops from Chinngard. They looked at each other with glee-filled expressions.

As Yedda patted his brother on the back a bleep came from his belt, and he reached down take up the comlink Baron Ash had given him. He raised it to his mouth, and looked down to the courtyard to see the Baron.

“Yedda, Corii, I think you both had better come down.”

“I see why, Baron,” Yedda almost yelled down the communicator. “We’re on our way.”

They both turned and dived through the room, again watching their volume as they passed by their sleeping sister, and when they finally exited the room they ran with the speed of a riddabeast down the corridors and stairs until they spilled out onto the courtyard at full pelt.

Baron Ash turned to see them approach, grinning with satisfaction. The Lord Verid smiled, also, although his features were very drawn and his complexion pale.

Yedda reached him first, sliding to a stop and grabbing Verid by the arm. Corii arrived and grabbed him by the shoulder. Their voices were high with excitement, their speech erratic and quick.

“You’re alive!”

“How did you escape?”

“Have you seen anyone else?”

“Are you okay?”

“What happened?”

As the brothers spewed their queries at Verid, the Baron stepped forward and took both their shoulders. “Slow down, friends, the Lord is very tired from his journey. Why don’t we retire to the dining hall...?”

“I am afraid, Baron Ash, that we do not have time for that.”

All eyes fell on Verid as his composure suddenly changed from a man pleased to see lost friends to a man afraid of all around him. His frown was deep, his voice grave. “I only just escaped, with the help of a trader called Mullgit who slipped from the planet at night, helping me and these two troops to get off Chinngard. We only just managed to get away, the Janites have the whole planet locked up securely. We chanced a trip here, to Baron Familee’s allies, for sanctuary, and obviously I made the right choice.” He beamed a smile at the brothers but quickly lapsed back into seriousness. “The Janites, I think, know where we were headed. The Emperor-Priest has people everywhere. Even if he doesn’t I cannot afford to take that chance, and I cannot allow the planet Nebrassa to be embroiled in the matters of other planets. Captain Mullgit says he can take us to a neutral moon where we will be safe. I have made the arrangements.”

Shock swept the gathering. Baron Ash looked at Lord Verid with narrowed eyes. “I think, Lord Verid, you will all be a lot safer here.”

“I understand your concern, Baron, but the details are all worked out. This was a plan decided by the Baron Familee himself when he thought invasion was possible from Janos many years ago. I wish to honour the memory of the Baron by protecting his children and the allies they make. If only I had tried harder back on Chinngard...” he trailed off his sentence with a sigh, looking at the ground with eyes glazed by tears. Yedda gripped his shoulder tightly, and swallowed his own emotion.

“We shall go with you, Lord Verid. You have always been a loyal member of the Familee bloodline, and its most valued advisor. If it is your belief, then it is ours.”

But Baron Ash was not convinced, as his expression showed. He looked from one brother to another with concern, and then voiced his opinion. “House Ash has always been a loyal friend of House Familee, and I implore you to consider your decision...”

“From the information Verid brings, there is no time,” Corii said. “If Janos is intent on capturing us, then I see more danger in remaining within these walls. We will not bring the wrath of Janos on you, Baron, and we will depart.”

Yedda nodded agreement. “I will fetch our sister,” he stated, and walked from the gathering.

Baron Ash withdrew as Corii started a private conversation with Verid. He stepped away and bowed his head, talking quietly with his advisor, colonel Iote.

“I do not like this,” he said with a sideways glance at the two men who had accompanied Lord Verid. They were looking around the walls and talking between themselves, also.

The colonel was also looking at them. “The Lord Verid looks ill at ease. I do not know what he suffered on Chinngard, but maybe he is over-reacting to the situation. Still, his argument makes sense.”

“I know. It seems he has every contingency covered over the matter of extracting the brothers from our safekeeping.”

Iote raised an eyebrow. “You suspect foul play? That Verid has turned on Familee to support his conquerors? I know Lord Verid. It would take much to even get him to dismiss his loyalty to his House, but outright treason? That I cannot believe.”

There was a moment of strained silence. Baron Ash could hear Corii asking more questions about the escape of Lord Verid, even posing some of his questions at the troopers with him, but they just shrugged and replied they just went along for the ride.

“You will not like me saying this, Baron Ash, but maybe this is for the best.” Colonel Iote stood straight and arched his back as if trying to get some stiffness out of his joints. The Baron looked at him with a questioning stare.

“After all, if this was a plan designed by Baron Familee, then we would be fools to interfere. We will already be regarded as a potential threat by Houses sympathetic to Janos for harbouring them in the first place. Believe me, other Houses will learn of their brief sanctuary here.”

One thing annoyed the Baron about his advisor and that was his practical vision and his blunt opinions. He sighed, realising that while the opinion had been bland the truth behind it held firm. He then realised that this was why he had Iote as his advisor.

“Very well. If it is the brother’s wish to leave, then I will not stand in the way. But I want you to take your personal guard and follow them to the landing area, just to make sure they get on a traders ship and no-one tries to interfere with their departure.”

“And if someone does interfere?”

“Then you interfere.”

Iote nodded. The Baron had made his wishes plain.

A little while later Yedda returned, his sister in tow. She held onto Yedda with one hand and wiped the sleep from her eye with the back of the other. She looked around her with mild confusion, but when she saw Lord Verid she frowned.

Verid stared at her in shock. She stared back at him, and even though she was young the apprehension in her stare was evident.

The brothers put this down to mistrust of a stranger, and Yedda lifted her up, holding her tight. He turned to Baron Ash as Verid motioned for them all to get in the vehicle.

“Baron. I cannot thank you enough.”

Baron Ash shook his head with pursed lips. “I would have it no other way. I just wish you would reconsider.”

Corii walked up to the Baron also. “We are still wanted by Janos, and we must make sure it makes it harder for him to locate us by disappearing. Thank you, Baron. For everything.”

“Come back soon, my friends. When House Familee is strong again, we will have much to celebrate...”

As Baron Ash was about to continue with his sentence, the brother’s sister leaned forward and took his lapel in her small hand, her gaze swinging from studying Lord Verid to look deeply into the Baron’s eyes. She stared at him for a while, and as Yedda smiled, thinking she was showing her like for the Baron, she spoke.

“Trust.”

This word sank into the Baron’s heart as if she had crawled into his mind and made the word a part of his being. He continued to stand in stunned silence as the remnants of House Familee boarded the vehicle and flew over the walls.

He stared at the receding dot, mouth open and brow sweating. The words of the girl had burrowed deep, and even now he was trembling.

“Colonel Iote...” he began, but Iote was discussing something with a messenger who had interrupted. The messenger departed and Iote approached. Before the Baron could explain what had just happened, colonel Iote looked at him with worry etched into his features.

“I have just been informed, Baron, that the Prime Lord’s transport Fedarn’s Shining Beauty has just landed at the main port. The Prime Lord’s men are demanding an audience concerning the Familee ‘refugees’.”

“What? Just now?” The Baron quickly gathered his composure and began walking to the palace doors.

“Shall I tell them they have already departed, Baron?”

“Yes, but do not indicate when. I don’t want the Prime Lord making demands, and if they’re not here I can’t be forced to hand them over, can I?”