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Authors: Richard S. Tuttle
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whispered Tedi.
“Somewhat,” shrugged Bin-lu. “I saw which way your mother left the main foyer, but after that we will be in places that I have never seen. Keep looking for young children. We will follow them.”
“Keep acting like an officer,” advised Boris. “You are doing quite well. We should move from here before people become suspicious.”
Bin-lu nodded and led the way up the steps. When they reached the top of the stairs, Bin-lu saw dozens of soldiers. Most were standing around talking with each other, but two manned the huge doors to the palace. Not knowing what the procedure was for entering through the main doors, Bin-lu strode purposely towards them and kept his eyes fixed straight ahead. He planned to act preoccupied and then to act bothered when the guards stopped him. He hoped it would work because there were too many soldiers around to start a fight.
As the three infiltrators neared the entrance, the doors swung open widely. A column of soldiers starting marching through the doors to exit the building. Bin-lu swallowed hard as he continued marching forward, directly into the oncoming soldiers. Just as he met the column, the two lead soldiers shouted something that Bin-lu did not understand. His body tensed as he continued walking into the column.
Suddenly, the oncoming column split in half to create a corridor for the entering officer and the dignitaries that he was escorting. As the soldiers stood to each side and saluted the officer, the two columns of soldiers effectively blocked the door guards, and Bin-lu let out his held breath. He marched forward, leading Tedi and Boris into the palace.
After traversing an extremely wide corridor, they entered the grand foyer where Bin-lu had waited to see the Emperor. Bin-lu turned to his left ignoring the two prisoners who were seated on the stone bench, and the group of soldiers surrounding them. A shiver of fear raced down his spine as he remembered sitting on that very bench not too long ago.
Bin-lu set his eyes on another corridor off of the foyer. It was the corridor he had seen Tedi’s mother turn into. As they turned into the corridor, Bin-lu slowed. His eyes scanned the corridor, which seemed to run on forever.
“This is all that I know about the layout of the palace,” whispered Bin-lu. “She disappeared down this corridor. From what I have heard from talking to others is that the room has an outside entrance to a garden.”
“That means that it would have to be on the left-hand side of the corridor,” suggested Tedi as they walked slowly.
“Yes, answered Bin-lu, “but which door? This corridor goes on forever.”
“She might have even turned down another corridor,” frowned Boris. “Can we ask for directions?”
Bin-lu stopped and turned to stare at Master Khatama. “Ask for directions?” he echoed. “Would that not be admitting that we do not belong here?”
“Perhaps,” mused Boris, “but perhaps that will be acceptable. Suppose the Emperor had sent for a specific healer because one of the children was sick? Maybe the resident healers could not determine the cause of the illness? We cannot continue to stroll around the Imperial Palace. Time is our enemy now. Sooner or later, we will be discovered as frauds.”
“Very well,” sighed Bin-lu. “My heart cannot stand much more of this anyway. I would rather fight my enemy than sneak around among them.”
“You are doing fine,” commented Boris. “It is not like we are after the Emperor’s jewels. Lead on.”
Bin-lu continued to lead the way along the corridor. Traffic was fairly light and the people they did pass were not soldiers, but rather servants. About halfway down the long corridor, two soldiers appeared from another corridor. They were talking and paid no attention to the infiltrators.
“Stop,” ordered Bin-lu.
The soldiers immediately halted, and upon recognizing an officer, saluted.
“I am escorting healers for the children,” declared Bin-lu.
“Somewhat,” shrugged Bin-lu. “I saw which way your mother left the main foyer, but after that we will be in places that I have never seen. Keep looking for young children. We will follow them.”
“Keep acting like an officer,” advised Boris. “You are doing quite well. We should move from here before people become suspicious.”
Bin-lu nodded and led the way up the steps. When they reached the top of the stairs, Bin-lu saw dozens of soldiers. Most were standing around talking with each other, but two manned the huge doors to the palace. Not knowing what the procedure was for entering through the main doors, Bin-lu strode purposely towards them and kept his eyes fixed straight ahead. He planned to act preoccupied and then to act bothered when the guards stopped him. He hoped it would work because there were too many soldiers around to start a fight.
As the three infiltrators neared the entrance, the doors swung open widely. A column of soldiers starting marching through the doors to exit the building. Bin-lu swallowed hard as he continued marching forward, directly into the oncoming soldiers. Just as he met the column, the two lead soldiers shouted something that Bin-lu did not understand. His body tensed as he continued walking into the column.
Suddenly, the oncoming column split in half to create a corridor for the entering officer and the dignitaries that he was escorting. As the soldiers stood to each side and saluted the officer, the two columns of soldiers effectively blocked the door guards, and Bin-lu let out his held breath. He marched forward, leading Tedi and Boris into the palace.
After traversing an extremely wide corridor, they entered the grand foyer where Bin-lu had waited to see the Emperor. Bin-lu turned to his left ignoring the two prisoners who were seated on the stone bench, and the group of soldiers surrounding them. A shiver of fear raced down his spine as he remembered sitting on that very bench not too long ago.
Bin-lu set his eyes on another corridor off of the foyer. It was the corridor he had seen Tedi’s mother turn into. As they turned into the corridor, Bin-lu slowed. His eyes scanned the corridor, which seemed to run on forever.
“This is all that I know about the layout of the palace,” whispered Bin-lu. “She disappeared down this corridor. From what I have heard from talking to others is that the room has an outside entrance to a garden.”
“That means that it would have to be on the left-hand side of the corridor,” suggested Tedi as they walked slowly.
“Yes, answered Bin-lu, “but which door? This corridor goes on forever.”
“She might have even turned down another corridor,” frowned Boris. “Can we ask for directions?”
Bin-lu stopped and turned to stare at Master Khatama. “Ask for directions?” he echoed. “Would that not be admitting that we do not belong here?”
“Perhaps,” mused Boris, “but perhaps that will be acceptable. Suppose the Emperor had sent for a specific healer because one of the children was sick? Maybe the resident healers could not determine the cause of the illness? We cannot continue to stroll around the Imperial Palace. Time is our enemy now. Sooner or later, we will be discovered as frauds.”
“Very well,” sighed Bin-lu. “My heart cannot stand much more of this anyway. I would rather fight my enemy than sneak around among them.”
“You are doing fine,” commented Boris. “It is not like we are after the Emperor’s jewels. Lead on.”
Bin-lu continued to lead the way along the corridor. Traffic was fairly light and the people they did pass were not soldiers, but rather servants. About halfway down the long corridor, two soldiers appeared from another corridor. They were talking and paid no attention to the infiltrators.
“Stop,” ordered Bin-lu.
The soldiers immediately halted, and upon recognizing an officer, saluted.
“I am escorting healers for the children,” declared Bin-lu.
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