into forbidden areas would still be challenged and reported. Still, the thought nagged Colonel Taerin so much that he rose and dressed.
As the colonel stepped out of the palace, he glanced up at the night sky. The sky was heavy with dark rain clouds, obliterating the moon and the stars. While the rain had not yet started to fall, Colonel Taerin knew that it would soon. Already the damp vapors were licking at the lawn, and the air had a moist chill to it. The colonel stole off into the dark night, not taking a direct heading towards the barracks in case someone else was awake and staring down onto the grounds. He headed for the shoreline until he came to a tall row of hedges and then doubled back, using the hedges to hide his movements. He felt silly in a way, traipsing around in the middle of the night like some great spy, but he knew that he would not be able to get back to sleep until he verified that Colonel Donil was in his bunk sound asleep.
Coming to a break in the hedge, Colonel Taerin slipped through into a stand of fruit trees. He was now beyond sight of anyone in the palace, but he continued onward in a stealthy manner. As he neared the edge of the small orchard, he saw a light in the distance. He halted and stared at the light, trying to make sense of what he was looking at. It was a dim light, and he probably would not have even seen it on a normal moonlit night, but this night was dark and ominous. The colonel knew that he was staring in the direction of the barracks, but the light was too dim to be that close to him. It appeared weak and far away, yet that was impossible. Beyond the old barracks was a stand of tall trees that would block any lights from the rest of the grounds.
Staying in the relative safety of the trees, Colonel Taerin followed the curve of the orchard to get a better view of the mysterious light. A muffled thud split the silence of the night, followed closely by a cry of pain. Colonel Taerin halted again and stared at the light. Only then did he understand what he was seeing. The light was coming from inside the barracks, and someone had left the door slightly ajar, allowing a faint trickle of light to seep outside. As he stared at the light, a dark figure moved across it. The slight sound of the door closing coincided with the disappearance of the light. A thrill ran through the colonel’s body. His suspicions about Colonel Donil were proving to be correct. His activities were indeed taking place at night, and it appeared as if he had confederates on the palace grounds.
Colonel Taerin desired to get closer to the barracks to hear what was going on inside, but he was sure that someone was standing guard outside the door. The figure that closed the door could not have entered the building without first opening the door wider. That had not happened. The colonel stealthily reversed course and moved away from the front of the barracks. He followed the curving orchard until it ended and then dropped to the ground. He crawled slowly across the ground until he was sure he was not visible to the sentry in front of the barracks. He rose and moved silently towards the rear of the barracks. The windows of the barracks were shuttered, and the evening air had been cold enough that no one would bother to unshutter them Indeed, the barracks used for the palace guard often had blankets hung inside the windows to cut down on drafts. He expected the same from Colonel Donil at the old barracks.
Colonel Taerin made his way to one of the windows of the old barracks and pressed his back against the old building. He heard muffled voices coming from inside, but he could not hear the actual words spoken. Picturing the interior of the building and noting which bunk the colonel used, Taerin moved towards the front of the building, hoping that the conversation was occurring in that area of the building. Passing by another window, the colonel stopped at the third one. He heard nothing and frowned. Unexpectedly, he
As the colonel stepped out of the palace, he glanced up at the night sky. The sky was heavy with dark rain clouds, obliterating the moon and the stars. While the rain had not yet started to fall, Colonel Taerin knew that it would soon. Already the damp vapors were licking at the lawn, and the air had a moist chill to it. The colonel stole off into the dark night, not taking a direct heading towards the barracks in case someone else was awake and staring down onto the grounds. He headed for the shoreline until he came to a tall row of hedges and then doubled back, using the hedges to hide his movements. He felt silly in a way, traipsing around in the middle of the night like some great spy, but he knew that he would not be able to get back to sleep until he verified that Colonel Donil was in his bunk sound asleep.
Coming to a break in the hedge, Colonel Taerin slipped through into a stand of fruit trees. He was now beyond sight of anyone in the palace, but he continued onward in a stealthy manner. As he neared the edge of the small orchard, he saw a light in the distance. He halted and stared at the light, trying to make sense of what he was looking at. It was a dim light, and he probably would not have even seen it on a normal moonlit night, but this night was dark and ominous. The colonel knew that he was staring in the direction of the barracks, but the light was too dim to be that close to him. It appeared weak and far away, yet that was impossible. Beyond the old barracks was a stand of tall trees that would block any lights from the rest of the grounds.
Staying in the relative safety of the trees, Colonel Taerin followed the curve of the orchard to get a better view of the mysterious light. A muffled thud split the silence of the night, followed closely by a cry of pain. Colonel Taerin halted again and stared at the light. Only then did he understand what he was seeing. The light was coming from inside the barracks, and someone had left the door slightly ajar, allowing a faint trickle of light to seep outside. As he stared at the light, a dark figure moved across it. The slight sound of the door closing coincided with the disappearance of the light. A thrill ran through the colonel’s body. His suspicions about Colonel Donil were proving to be correct. His activities were indeed taking place at night, and it appeared as if he had confederates on the palace grounds.
Colonel Taerin desired to get closer to the barracks to hear what was going on inside, but he was sure that someone was standing guard outside the door. The figure that closed the door could not have entered the building without first opening the door wider. That had not happened. The colonel stealthily reversed course and moved away from the front of the barracks. He followed the curving orchard until it ended and then dropped to the ground. He crawled slowly across the ground until he was sure he was not visible to the sentry in front of the barracks. He rose and moved silently towards the rear of the barracks. The windows of the barracks were shuttered, and the evening air had been cold enough that no one would bother to unshutter them Indeed, the barracks used for the palace guard often had blankets hung inside the windows to cut down on drafts. He expected the same from Colonel Donil at the old barracks.
Colonel Taerin made his way to one of the windows of the old barracks and pressed his back against the old building. He heard muffled voices coming from inside, but he could not hear the actual words spoken. Picturing the interior of the building and noting which bunk the colonel used, Taerin moved towards the front of the building, hoping that the conversation was occurring in that area of the building. Passing by another window, the colonel stopped at the third one. He heard nothing and frowned. Unexpectedly, he
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