El'Anorath (First Draft)

Chapter Eight

         Nathalya, still somewhat nauseous, awoke in the middle of the night feeling much better than she had.  She tried to turn and hang her feet off the bed, but found that the shackle around her ankle was too short.  The glow of the moon permeated the room through the small window beside her bed. 

         She looked at the window a second, then shuffled in the bed in order to look outside for the first time since she had been taken.  The black streets below looked deserted, save for what looked like a girl sitting all alone on a park bench in a bright yellow jacket.  She couldn't make out the girl's face, but Nathalya wished she could yell to her, if only to strike up a conversation. Instead, she could only watch as the girl stood and hurried down the long road and away from the tower's gaze.

         Nathalya turned as she heard the infirmary door unlock and watched as Estelle entered the room.  Noticing that Nathalya was sitting up, she made her way beside her bed.

         "How are you feeling?" asked the doctor, placing a hand on Nathalya's forehead.

         "Not perfect," replied Nathalya.  "But not altogether unwell.  Thank you." 

         Estelle walked over to a sink and returned a few moments later with another glass of the fragrant water.  Nathalya took the glass and drank it slowly.

         "What is this, anyway?" she asked when she had finished and handed the empty glass back to Estelle.

         "It's an old remedy," Estelle replied. "Called elder blossoms. Wonderful plants, them.  All sorts of good uses.  That water is actually a tea, steeped from the flowers of an elder shrub and then cooled."

         "It's lovely," replied Nathalya.  "I see the guards haven't gone too far."

         "No, no they haven't.  Even when it comes to dire circumstances, they still want to interfere and make things harder than they need to be.  Why are they so interested in you anyway?"  Estelle asked.

         "According to Lord Tesson, I'm the last living direct descendant of Kel'Anor and the only one that can pilot the master titan."

         The expression on Estelle's face changed instantly.  She looked somewhat surprised and yet heartbroken at the same time.  She said nothing, but continued to check over Nathalya.

         "What is it?" asked Nathalya.

         "I know of your kind," replied the doctor.  "It isn't natural, the gifts that you were given.  And they come at a high cost."

         "What cost?"

         "Well, you're here, aren't you?  You're the one he has chosen to be given to the titan?"

         "He thinks that, but I won't do it.  I won't be the cause of all that destruction.  Not after what the stories tells us of what happened on Erath."

         "You should know by now that they aren't just stories, young one.  That ring you wear, I've seen it before. There is a portrait of Kel'Anor wearing a similar ring hanging in the great hall," said the doctor.  She stood up and walked to the end of the bed.

         "And you aren't the only one that can pilot that damned titan.  There is always another way when it comes to Calari technology," she said, then she told Nathalya to get some more rest and that she would be back in the morning to check on her.

         Nathalya was left alone again, thinking deeply about Estelle's last words.  It wasn't long however, before she got tired of looking out at the empty streets outside of her window and she decided to lay back down.  The infirmary was cool and so she pulled tight around her the heavy blanket made from the skin of some large animal.

         She was only asleep for a few hours when the heavy infirmary door swung open.  She sat up and rubbed her eyes and then watched as several guards surrounded her bed.  One of them tossed a dress on the bed and told her to get dressed and they would be back in five minutes to collect her. 

         Nathalya looked sadly at the dress for a moment. She wasn't one for such attire and had always preferred pants to dresses - especially ones so brightly colored as the one she held. She removed her infirmary gown and then slid the dress on over her head.  She tied the matching blue ribbon behind her back and then buttoned the snap on the neck.  It was a simple dress, but she thought it odd to be wearing something like this while being held prisoner.

         The guards returned and her shackle was removed. She rubbed her ankle where it had been biting into her.

         "Don't try anything and we'll make this as painless as possible," said one of the guards as she hung her legs over the bedside and then slowly got to her feet.  The guards directed her to the door and then down a long hallway. 

         Looking around as she walked, she saw the walls were lined with portraits of people she didn't know, and also of a younger Lord Tesson dressed in brightly colored robes.  Eventually, they stepped down a long staircase and into some large room with several statues standing on its edges.  Looking around, Nathalya also noticed a portrait of an older man hanging in a golden frame illuminated by three small accentuating spotlights above a stone dais.  On the forefinger of his right hand was a golden ring.  She stopped and stared for a moment before being told to keep moving.

         At the end of the room, standing by two large doors, stood Lord Tesson.  He was dressed as though for battle, and the metal of his armor shone glass-like in the sun drenched room.

         "Well, well, young one.  Feeling better? Welcome to the great hall," he said, his voice echoing off of the stone.  "Kel'Anor ruled his people from this very hall.  That is his portrait hanging over the dais, just there.  We built Corrin City around this house, our architects drew inspiration from it."

         "What is all of this about?" asked Nathalya.  "And why am I wearing a dress?"

         "It is customary," he replied.  "For prisoners under transport to don simple clothing that represents the sector they are from.  As you belong to no sector, I have chosen for you a dress very similar to the one your mother would have worn on Erath."

         "I hate it," she said, to which Lord Tesson couldn't help but laugh.  "Where am I being taken now?"

         "We're moving you closer to the Hollin mountains.  My troops are getting closer and closer and I wish to be present when they have their breakthrough.  It is only fitting that you are by my side.  It is several day's journey by foot, but I think for this occasion we'll travel by air.  Shall we make for the transport?"

         The sun gleamed brightly overhead as the guards, accompanied by Lord Tesson, escorted Nathalya out of the keep and into a large courtyard.  Spring was now in full swing and trees and bright flowers decorated the sides of the paths and gave off an extremely pleasant fragrance.  Nathalya noted that the side stone walls were not very high.  She also noted that, besides a rapier and a pistol, the guards were lightly armed.  Three guards walked in front of her, and three behind her.  Lord Tesson led the group.

         The makings of a plan came into her quick mind, she just had to wait for the opportune moment.  That moment came sooner than she expected, but not in the way she had expected.  A young woman came running into the courtyard dressed in a Corrinite uniform.  Her hat pulled low and hid most of her features from the guards as well as Nathalya.

         "Lord Commander!" she yelled, running up to Lord Tesson.  He stopped and looked surprised.

         "You aren't supposed to be here!  What is it?" he demanded with a scowl.

         "Alliance, my Lord!  Alliance are planning to rescue the captive!"

         "How do you know about that?" he asked, his face contorted with rage.

         "Because," she replied, flinging off her hat to reveal long black hair.  "I'm here to rescue her!"

         Nathalya gasped, but didn't have time to react. A small metal canister bounced several times before landing just a few feet form the escort and then exploded.  The company ducked as earthen fragments pelted them.  Thick grey smoke billowed from the crater and enveloped the courtyard.  There came a strong tug on Nathalya's arm and a muffled voice she could barely hear through ringing ears said "Follow me, quickly!"

         She allowed herself to be pulled along.  Her eyes and skin burned like fire and she coughed and wheezed as she ran. After several minutes of running, the wind cooling her eyes and the air clearing her lungs, she looked at her rescuer through painful, watery eyes.  She could just make out the face of the man wearing a black gas mask.

         "DeVega!" she gasped through coughs. They ran for several minutes as the alarms rang in the city.  Most Corrinite soldiers, hearing the alarms, had headed for the outer walls, not realizing the threat was within the city itself.  Finally, they came to a small building and DeVega opened the door and pushed Nathalya inside.

         DeVega shut the door behind him and ripped off his mask, then he took Nathalya by the arm again.  He led her to a bathroom and turned on the shower.  Without waiting for DeVega to leave the room, she pulled the dress over her head and stepped into the shower.  DeVega, though a little caught off guard, closed the shower curtain to protect her modesty.

         "Where's Trinity?" asked Nathalya as she scrubbed her skin clean.  The icy cold water ran black down her legs and swirled as it drained.

         "If everything went well, she should be meeting us here in a few minutes.  How are you doing in there?  Is it coming off okay?"

         "Yeah, it burned like hell.  What was that?" she asked, scrubbing her hair clean.

         "A combination of a smoke grenade, riot gas, and capsaicin extract," replied DeVega.  "One of Errol's concoctions."

         "Errol is here, too?"

         "No, he's off making further preparations for our escape.  It is thanks to him that we found you.  We'll fill you in on everything a bit later."

         They spoke together for a while as Nathalya finished cleaning herself off.  Her skin still burned a little, and she had patches of red, inflamed skin, but the feeling was no where near as intense as it had been.  She turned the shower off and then poked her head around the curtain.

         "Could you hand me a towel?" she asked. "Also, I don't have any clothes, that hideous dress was all I had."

         DeVega pulled a towel from it's rack and handed it to Nathalya, keeping his head turned away. 

         "There are clean clothes for you on the counter.  I'll leave the room now so that you can get dressed," said DeVega, then he left the room and closed the door behind him. Nathalya dried off and then dressed in the clothing that had been set out for her, obviously hand picked by Wells. 

         Nathalya's heart lightened as she pulled on the dark green cargo pants, black, long-sleeved shirt and white vest, and shiny, black leather boots which she tucked the excess lace into once tied.  When she had finished, she hung the towel and left the bathroom to find DeVega sitting on a chair, looking out of a window.

         "I'm all finished," she told him.  "Is Trinity back?"

         "Not yet," he replied.  "She should be back by now."

         Suddenly, the back door swung open.  DeVega jumped to his feet and pointed a pistol and the person that ran inside.  He lowered the pistol when the figured closed the door and turned around.

         "Trinity!" Nathalya cried.  She ran to her and wrapped her arms around her as hard as she could.  They stood there a moment, weeping tears of joy as they embraced.  When they parted, Wells looked pained and grabbed at a blood soaked spot on her arm.  Nathalya rolled her sleeve up and took a breath.

         "You've been shot!" she said.  "We have to get this treated.  It doesn't look bad, though, only a graze."

         "It was that bastard Tesson.  The gas didn't seem to affect him much.  He nearly had me when I remembered Errol had given me a knife.  When he stood over me with a gun pointed at my head, I stabbed him in the leg.  He pulled the trigger when he flinched.  I don't think I've ever run so fast in my life," she laughed as Nathalya set her down at a table and set to work dressing the wound.  She doused it with rum that DeVega had brought from the kitchen, to which Wells clinched her teeth and almost cried out in pain, then dressed it tightly in a clean, white wrap.

         When she had finished, Nathalya took a swig of the rum for herself and slid the bottle to Wells.

         "I never could understand how you can drink this stuff," said Wells as she took a sip and coughed.  "But it's good to have you back."

         The morning gave way to afternoon as the two friends sat and talked.  DeVega remained watchful by the window. Nathalya didn't have much to say about her captivity, but Wells looked distraught when she told her about Orion, the master titan, and Lord Tesson's plan.  Nathalya then told her what Lord Tesson had said about her mother and the Calari. 

         Wells listened intently until Nathalya had recalled everything she could, and then launched into their trials while trying to locate Nathalya.  She told her the layout of the city, the trolley rides and shops, the many drinking establishments, meeting Errol, and finally the plans for the rescue.

         "I can't believe we're here," said Nathalya when everything was explained.  Wells smiled wide.

         "I've got something for you," she said, then got up and walked over to her coat hanging on the back of a chair.

         "That coat..," said Nathalya.  "It was you sitting on that park bench last night! I saw you from the infirmary window!  I didn't know it was you, but something inside me wanted so badly to call out to you,"

         Wells reached into the coat pocket and produced a small felt covered box.  She walked over to the table and set it in front of Nathalya. 

         "When I saw it, I instantly thought of you," she said.  "Go ahead and open it up."

         Nathalya opened the box, which contained a single flask coated in shined black delorite.  In the middle, the words 'For Nathalya - From Trinity' were neatly engraved with laser precision. 

         "I didn't think I would ever see you again..," said Wells.

         "I love it," replied Nathalya.  She grabbed the bottle of rum sitting between them and filled the flask to the brim, then screwed the lid on tightly and put it in a side pocket.

         The three stayed in the small abandoned house for the night and took turns keeping watch.  When it was DeVega's turn again, and Nathalya and Wells were fast asleep, there came a quiet knock at the front door.  DeVega had seen the man coming and stood to open the door.  Errol walked inside, carrying several pistols and a box of ammunition. 

         "It isn't much, but they'll have to do.  My uncle gave them to me to give to you," he explained.

         "They'll do just fine.  It will take us an age to repay your uncle," said DeVega, then pointed to Nathalya and Wells.  "Should I wake them up?"

         "Let them sleep for just a bit longer, my uncle is working out an escape from the city for us, he should be along shortly.  We'll awake them when he arrives."

         DeVega abandoned the watch to sit and talk with Errol.  He was pleasantly surprised at the young man's cunning. Errol told DeVega that the Corrinite military had set up check points around and at the gates of the city.  He also showed great concern for Nathalya.  DeVega assured him several times that she was doing just fine. 

          Errol explained the next step of the plan to DeVega twice over.  It was a fairly simple, yet potentially disastrous idea.

         "If it works," said Errol.  "Then they will have no reason to extend the search to outside of  the city for a while."

         The window cast a pale light over the room as the sun peered over the horizon and cast its rays across the city. Nathalya awoke and felt refreshed and almost fully revitalized.  She stood, leaving Wells to sleep, and walked into the room where DeVega had been standing watch.  She found him sitting at the table talking with a young man in quiet conversation.  Errol turned and stood and greeted her with a red faced smile.

         "It's nice to see you again, Agent Harms," he said.  Nathalya walked over to him and then pulled him into an embrace. 

         "Thank you," she whispered to him, her soft, warm breath against his ear.  He was glad she wasn't looking at his face, which was now as red as the shirt that he wore.  DeVega cleared his throat and the two separated just as Wells entered the room, yawning and stretching.

         "Time to go?" she asked. 

         "As soon as my uncle gets here," replied Errol, composing himself.  "In the meantime, there is breakfast in the kitchen."

         Nathalya and Wells sat and ate while the four of them discussed the plan that Errol had covered with DeVega a few hours earlier.  When they finished, Errol distributed the pistols and ammunition.  They concealed them as best they could and then waited for Errol's uncle to arrive.

         They didn't have to wait long.  Like a puzzle nearing completion, the rescue was almost at its end, and they just needed to escape the city without notice.  Tavrill arrived, spotted by DeVega through his window, at the driver's seat of a small brown truck.  The tree companions grabbed what provisions they could and then followed Errol out of the building. 

         Tavrill stood outside of the truck and greeted the three as they approached.  DeVega shook his hand, saying, "Thank you, my friend.  If we ever get the chance to repay you, I'll make sure that it is tenfold the kindness you have shown to us, though it'll take a lifetime of gratitude."

         "Don't mention it, we'd better move quickly, though, they're setting up more and more blockades.  I know a route that will take us through only two, and that might prove to be too many."

         The three found themselves in the back of the covered truck behind a false back that had to be put in place by Tavrill and Errol.  The truck was then loaded with whatever furniture and other odds and ends they could scavenged from the building. Tavrill then climbed into the driver's seat with Errol beside him. Tavrill started the truck and then started off in the direction of one of the smaller city gates.

         He made several turns and the minutes seemed like hours to the three cramped together in the back.  Suddenly, they felt the truck come to a slow stop, and then, voices from outside.

         "Where are you going and what are you carrying?" asked one of the voices; a male.

         "Helping my son move out of the city, we've got all of his household goods in the back," came another voice, obviously Tavrill's.

         "Check it!" said the first.  The back door was suddenly wrenched open with a creak.  They heard rustling from only a few feet away as the truck was searched.

         "Nothing here, just dusty old furniture," said another voice.  The door was slammed shut.

         "Move on," they heard, and Tavrill gently drove away.  The three let out a simultaneous sigh. 

         The second checkpoint was not far off, but when they reached it, Tavrill and Errol were directed to exit the vehicle as it was searched.  The hidden passengers held their breath as the guards searched on either side of them.  Just when they thought they were finished, they heard "Take everything out of the back!" and their hearts dropped into the pits of their stomachs.

         "Is that really necessary?" asked Tavrill's voice.  "You can clearly see there's not but household things in there."

         "Quiet, you," replied a man.  "Search it."

         The truck was unloaded carelessly, and dust was kicked up all around the passengers.  Wells' eyes watered as she held back a sneeze, her nose and mouth were buried in the front of her shirt.

         "It's smaller than it looks in there," came a voice closer to them.  "But there is nothing else in there, I think they're all clear."

         "Very well," was the reply.  "Let them pack it all up and get out of here."

         Tavrill and Errol made quick work of the job and loaded the truck almost as carelessly as it was unloaded.  They tossed back in the chairs and table and old cobweb covered lamps. Finally, they took their seats and Tavrill started the engine.  Wells couldn't keep it in any longer and let loose a loud "Ah-choo!". Luckily, the sound of the noisy engine drowned her out, and Tavrill made off to the city gate.

         When they approached the gate that would take them out of the city, they were simply waved on; the previous blockade had radioed ahead to let the others know what vehicles had already been searched and released without incident.  Errol turned around and knocked on the divide between them. 

         "All clear, we're leaving the city now," he announced.  "My uncle is going to pull over soon so we can dump all of this garbage."

         Three more sighs of relief echoed from the passengers.  It wasn't particularly hot that morning, but Nathalya found herself wiping a bead of sweat from her brow.  The nerves lessened as they felt the truck turn a corner and then slow to a stop.  The back door came open and Tavrill and Errol began removing the ragged furniture from the back.  Soon, they had everything out of the way and pulled down the false back.

         Wells, DeVega, and Nathalya climbed out of the truck and stretched their sore limbs.  The sun was still low on the horizon as they looked around.  They were a fair distance outside of the glowing city, now to their east, and they could just see the tree-line of the Tarrin Woodlands beyond.  To their west was a massive rolling plains-land that stretched in golden hues far into the horizon. 

         "So what now?" asked Errol, afraid that Nathalya would take her two friends and leave him once and for all. "Where will you go?"

         "We have to get back in touch with the Alliance," replied DeVega.  "So I think our best bet is to make our way south and then east to Xera.  We should do so sooner rather than later."

         "I hope will will see each other again some day," said Errol, speaking to all three of them, but looking directly at Nathalya.  Their eyes met for a second until Errol looked away, turning red again. 

         "I hope so too, you've been a tremendous ally, Errol, son of Erruk. Farewell," Nathalya said, then pulled him in for one last embrace.  The company parted, and Errol watched with heavy heart as they strode away.  Just then, something happened that lightened his spirits somewhat...Nathalya turned and waved goodbye with a smile.