[The Princes VIII] [Siege, Part I] “Here Raven Raven Raven… Here Raven Raven Raven…” Si tossed a few more bread crumbs from the bag he carried on the ground. Si walked slowly through the older part of the garden that hadn’t been completely destroyed by the thrusters from the evacuation ships that left yesterday. The other boys, his cousins and the orphan-warriors, were all sound asleep under the windows they had chosen to defend from. The Black Guard were occupied on the outer perimeter and Si had snuck away in the middle of the night with ease. “Here Raven Raven Raven…” Si said softly, leaving more bread crumbs to his growing trail through the garden. “I suppose you think that’s funny,” whispered a voice from the shadows. “Yes, kind of,” Si giggled and offered the shadow a handful of bread crumbs. Lord Raven glided out of the shadows to Si and took one of the bread crumbs from Si’s hand and popped it into his mouth. Si giggled again. “You are in a good mood for someone that is going to die in the next day or so,” whispered Lord Raven. Si dropped the bag of crumbs on the ground and reached under his tunic to retrieve a large thick envelope. “I know I’m going to die,” said Si. “You don’t have to make me feel worse.” Lord Raven saw the moment and took advantage of it. The hatchling was frightened and the bread crumbs were his strange six-year old way of dealing with it. Lord Raven knelt down and picked up the bag of crumbs and shoved his head in the bag and gobbled at the crumbs. “Gobble… Gobble… Gobble…” Lord Raven pantomimed a ravenous Raven finding a wonderful treat. Si tried to keep from smiling but the sight of the fearsome Raven assassin gobbling bread crumbs were too much and Si laughed. Lord Raven pulled his head from the bag and tipped his head side-to-side as if looking for more. “I release you from our contract,” said Si. “I bet you could get me out, but not everyone, and I won’t leave my cousins and all those servants that refused to leave on the ships.” “What have you there?” asked Lord Raven looking at the envelope. “I was going to ask Lord Sparrow to hide this for me,” said Si. “But since I never met with him, I don’t have anyone else to give it to.” Si handed the envelope over to Lord Raven and waited for him to look at the documents inside. Lord Raven took his time reading the mass of legal and banking documents before replying. “This is your entire treasury?” asked Lord Raven. “Yes,” said Si. “I guess I won’t need it anymore, you can have it if you promise to make sure the palace kids we sent to Carina and Corvus are taken care of.” “Hatchling, do you have any idea how much money this is?” asked Lord Raven. “A lot?” replied Si. “I see, prodigy or not, you are far too young to understand the true value of money,” said Lord Raven. “I will agree to be trustee of your treasury and will return it to you when you are old enough.” “I’m not getting out of here,” said Si. “Just take care of the Palace kids.” Lord Raven ignored Si and whispered under his breath, Si wasn’t sure if he was talking to him or not; two other Ravens appeared out of the shadows. “These two Ravens will take over guarding you,” said Lord Raven. “I can’t transfer this much money over a Com-link, I’ll have to go in person to an Imperial Bank. I know a branch on the southern continent that won’t ask questions.” Lord Raven grabbed Si’s wrist and pressed several commands on Si’s implant and transferred authority of the treasury to his name. “Hey, how did you do that?” said Si. “That’s impossible, nobody can activate someone else's wrist implant.” “Welcome to House Raven,” Lord Raven said idly while completing the trustee transfer. “You’re a thief!” accused Si. “Of course I am,” replied Lord Raven, “but I won’t steal from you. House Raven will guard your treasury.” “But I’m your enemy,” said Si. “I’m trying to change that, hatchling,” said Lord Raven. “I’ll be back by tomorrow night.” Lord Raven faded back into the shadows and Si looked at the two new Ravens he had left behind. The two was dressed the same as Lord Raven and Si wondered if they always worked in pairs and where Lady Raven had been. “I’m sorry,” said Si. “I’m all out of bread crumbs.” The two Ravens melted back into the shadows. “I can get some more,” teased Si. There was no sign that the Ravens had ever been there. “You’ll be here if I need you?” asked Si. The Ravens didn’t answer and Si shrugged and walked back to the old Palace. The night was quiet and he couldn’t hear the fighting they had heard earlier in the evening from beyond the city; maybe the Black Guard could hold the city until reinforcements got here. Seph was still asleep on the floor next to the window they were guarding. Si was really tired and lay down next to his cousin, he couldn’t ever remember staying up this late before. Si was asleep in moments. Someone shook Si gently. “Emperor… Emperor…” said the voice. Si had some difficulty waking up, it was still dark outside and he wasn’t in his bed. Si was disoriented and didn’t understand what was happening. “Just carry him,” said a voice that sounded like Lord Tolnor. Si was only vaguely aware of someone carrying him through the Palace and outside through the ruined garden and into the new Palace. Si was slightly more aware when the person carrying him set him down on the Imperial Throne. “This is ridiculous,” said a man standing in front of the throne. “You expect me to negotiate with a child.” “You demanded to see the Emperor,” said Akio. “Here he is.” Si sat silently, slumping to the side of the throne and falling back into sleep as any young child would when woke in the middle of the night. “Where is Emperor Tarin?” said the man. “We do not recognize this child as the Emperor.” “Then we have nothing further to discuss,” stated Akio. “Tarin and his son will be permitted to live on a country estate, under guard, and the Princes will be allowed the honor to end their lives by their own hands if you surrender now,” the man quickly presented the terms. “My Emperor,” said Akio. “What say you to these terms?” Si looked around for his father and wondered what he was doing in the Throne Room. “This child is barely awake,” shouted the man. “I demand to see Tarin.” Akio walked up the steps of the Throne and stood beside Si. “My Emperor, this man wants to kill Seph,” said Akio. “What is your command?” “Kill Seph?” mumbled Si almost back asleep now. “Impale him.” The Black Guards grabbed the man and he turned pale. “You can’t do this, I am Lord Tagno, son of Lord Wolf and second Lord of House Wolf,” screamed the man waking Si up enough to look up and wonder what the man was screaming about. “You are a traitor and your father is a fool, you will pay the price for his stupidity,” said Prince Akio. “Had you studied any history you would know how foolish it is to wake a sleeping child Emperor. Guards, carry out the Emperor’s order.” The man screamed as the Guards dragged him out to the front gate to carry out the sentence. Prince Tarin stepped out of the shadows and approached Prince Akio; he had a grin on his face. “That was brilliantly played,” said Tarin. “You have ensured that there will be no successor after Lord Wolf to lay claim to the Throne, now we can only hope Lord Wolf falls in battle.” “My Lord, is it possible Lord Wolf sent his only son knowing what we would do,” asked Akio, “to ensure he has no contenders to the Throne he seeks?” “That is likely,” said Prince Tarin. “I am proud of you Akio, you are filling your father’s position well.” “Thank you, my Lord,” said Prince Akio. “I’ll have Si taken back to his bed now.” “No, we only have a day or two left,” said Tarin. “I will carry him myself and stay with him while he sleeps. I have had far too little time to be a father, let me have these last few days.” Prince Akio watched the former Emperor carry his son out of the Throne room and then walked over to a man standing against the far wall. “Father, he’s given up,” said Prince Akio, “that’s why he passed the Imperial Throne to Si.” Prince Kyoh, Tarin’s Senior Prince, laid a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Yes, he has,” said Prince Kyoh, “you have inherited a terrible mess.” “What should I do, father?” asked Akio. “Fight to save your Emperor as I will fight to save my Prince,” replied Kyoh. Akio watched his father follow after Tarin and knew his father had given up as well. The Captain of the Guard, having waited patiently for Akio to be alone, approached and held out several reports. Akio glanced at them briefly, the first one was the most important. “Eight Battle Carriers are in orbit now?” said Akio glancing at one of the reports. “Yes,” replied the Captain. “Your orders?” “Contact the incoming Black Guard and tell them to go back to Carina, it would be a slaughter if they tried to get past the blockade, and Si wouldn’t want that.” “And what of House Kitsune’s Battle Carrier,” asked the Captain, “it is only nine hours away now.” Akio sighed, the Battle Carrier wouldn’t stand a chance against the eight enemy House Carriers already in orbit either. “Send a message to the our Carriers Captain to head to deep space and hide,” ordered Akio. “Explain to him this is not a dishonor, the battle is over and Si will need that Carrier one day if he is to ever have a chance to come out of exile.” “They will be out there for a very long time,” said the Captain. “They can’t just wander around deep space.” Akio handed the Captain a piece of paper. “What is this?” “No one but Prince Tarin, myself and my father, and now you know of that coordinate,” said Akio, “it is an unexplored primordial planet a probe found hundreds of years ago, the Battle Carrier can wait there until the day Si sends the recall order.” The Captain read the name on the paper; Tierra. “The Emperor was a second son and he wasn’t sure if he would be able to hold the Throne during the early days of his reign,” explained Akio. “He set up several escape hides for himself, he made sure nobody ever knew one of our probes found a twenty-eighth planet.” “You said several,” said the Captain. “I hope you have one to hide Sionnach at.” “I do, but we have to get out of here first,” said Akio. “What of that other matter?” “The listening device you placed in the heel of his boot worked,” said the Captain. “He met with the Daraians again, but they didn’t discuss if they are sending any ships, but I did get the impression Lord Raven has an escape route planned for Emperor Sionnach and his army.” “What else did they discuss?” asked Akio. “I think they were talking in code, they talked about bread crumbs, then they discussed the treasury,” reported the Captain. “I believe House Raven has agreed to hide the treasury, and I believe House Raven has several hidden Raven teams guarding the Emperor.” “I don’t know anything about Daraians,” said Akio. “Just make sure everyone knows not to shoot any Daraians if they show up.” The Captain saluted and headed to the Communications Center to send the message. Akio sat down on the steps of the Throne and held his head in his hands. Daraians, of all the possibilities thought Akio. Si’s only friend in his hour of need is also his most ancient and deadly enemy. Akio lay back on the steps and finished studying the reports the Captain had brought him. Si slept late into the morning and finally woke when Seph got bored and finally hit him on the arm. Si opened his eyes and tried to orient himself, he was in his own bed, but he remembered falling asleep under a window with Seph. “How did I get here?” asked Si. “I don’t know, I woke up here too,” said Seph. “I had a weird dream that I was in the Throne Room and some guy wanted to kill you,” said Si. Seph shrugged, everyone outside the Palace wanted to kill them. “Lets get some breakfast,” said Seph. “I’m hungry.” Si found his clothes on the chair where they usually were, not all the servants chose to leave with the evacuation ships. The Princes personal servants, about forty all total, refused to leave their charges, they had cared for the boys since the moment they were born, many being the first person to hold the infant Princes and had no intention of leaving them now. Seph was impatient waiting for Si and the two got into a wrestling match and tumbled out the door to land at Akio’s feet. “About time you get…” Akio started to say. A series of explosions threw the boys across the hall. Window glass and doors blew into the hall and Akio scrambled to cover Si with his own body. The explosions continued to rock the Palace. Si looked out from under Akio at the ragged hole where his room had been. Akio grabbed both Si and Seph and ran toward the Dining Hall. They passed other boys in the hall and Akio yelled for them to run for the Dining Hall. “What’s happening?” yelled Si. “Artillery fire!” yelled Akio. The Palace shuttered under the barrage of artillery raining down on the Palace. Akio set Si and Seph down at the door of the Children’s Dining Hall and pushed them inside with instructions to remain here. Akio ran back to find more of the boys still at their defense posts and unsure of what to do. He needed to get everyone away from the outer-walls. Si ran into the Dining Hall and found Lord Tolnor and his chefs gathering the boys and carrying the wounded. Lord Tolnor yelled for his people to start taking the boys down to the basement. The terrifying barrage continued and even the older boys were crying, they had never expected war to be like this. Si was terrified as well, his legs trembled from the destruction of the continuous explosions, but he refused to leave the Dining Hall for the basement until Akio returned with the last of the boys. “Lord Tolnor sent everyone to the basement,” yelled Si. Akio herded the boys towards the kitchen doors and down the flight of stairs to the basement. Si followed Akio and was grateful that the incredible noise from the artillery was lessened down here. Lord Tolnor directed the boys to the deeper basements, yelling for everyone to keep going down. Si saw one of the chefs carrying a boy with an iron rod through his chest, the boy was screaming. The boys fled for the deepest level where the firing range of the old guard was. Several boys tripped on the stairs and a broken leg was added to the list of injuries. Akio was the last inside the final stairwell and slammed the blast door shut behind them. “If you are injured let someone know,” yelled Akio. Lord Tolnor’s chefs moved from boy to boy, setting broken arms, legs, pulling pieces of shrapnel from several of the boys. Lord Tolnor went straight to the boy with the iron bar through his chest. “You’ll be okay,” Lord Tolnor told the boy. “It doesn’t look like it went through any vital organs.” Si watched as Lord Tolnor pulled the piece of iron quickly from the boy’s chest. The boy’s eyes rolled back into his head and he lost consciousness. “Is he dead?” whispered Si. “No, he will sleep for at least a day while his body heals the wound,” replied Lord Tolnor. “He is very lucky, if the metal rod would have struck his heart, not even his Kitsune body could heal from that.” Si started crying, this wasn’t anything like what he thought it would be like, there were so many wounded. Lord Tolnor grabbed Si by the shoulders. “You can not cry, not yet,” said Lord Tolnor shaking Si. “This is what war looks like, they need you, hold your tears and walk from boy to boy and give them comfort.” Si nodded and choked back his tears. The first boy Si knelt at was biting on a leather belt, his arm was nearly torn from his body and his teammates were holding it in place while his body worked to repair the damage. “You’ll be okay,” said Si. “I’m proud of you, you’re a real warrior now.” Si moved to the next, a broken leg… the next… an arm… the next… Si had to look away… the boy’s eye was repairing itself, but to see it was horrifying, his team mates had to hold his arms to keep him from scratching at the eye. This was war? It was less glorious to see it in person. Si looked around at the carnage, his eyes grew cold and dead. “Akio,” yelled Si. “Yes, Si?” Akio called back. “Yes, Emperor!,” corrected Si. Akio was startled. “Yes, my Emperor?” said Prince Akio. “Artillery comes before an attack,” said the young Emperor. “Yes,” replied Prince Akio. “Everyone that isn’t injured grab a long rifle and get up to the blast door,” ordered Si. “The Palace doesn’t fall today!” “My Emperor,” said Lord Tolnor. “These are children, not warriors.” “We were born for this and every day of our lives we have been on the sand training for this day,” said Emperor Sionnach. “I’m going, follow me or not,” Si gave them no opportunity to argue, he turned and ran back up the stairs, those not injured or caring for the injured ran up the stairs with their Emperor. Si stopped at the blast door and sat down. “We go when the explosions stop,” said Si. The artillery fire lasted another hour before it stopped. Akio slowly opened the blast door and led the armed boys out of the basement. The old Palace was a ruin and Akio had to back-track several times before they found a way through the rubble. The boys used the dry stream bed where the fat lazy fish used to swim to run unobserved towards the main gate. Si was sad to see the practice sand, the wall around it, the old brick building with their practice weapons, and the bleachers, were now a smoking hole. Both Palaces were on fire in places and the upper floors were all but gone. Si was angry. The boys stopped at a fork in the stream and crawled up the bank to peer over. They could see the enemy advancing through the gate from beyond the wall that separated the gardens from the main driveway up to the what was left of the front of the new Palace. The Black Guard were outnumbered five to one at least and but were still leaving a swath of destruction behind them as they slowly backed towards the Palace. Si could see his father fighting with the Black Guard. “They don’t know we’re here,” said Akio. “We can crawl to that wall and flank them.” Akio crawled out of the stream bed and Si followed him, crawling on his belly through the dirt of the destroyed gardens; his knees were shaking but he wasn’t going to let anyone see him afraid. The army of boys crawled to the wall and sat with their backs to the wall. Si checked his long rifle, and took a deep breath, there wasn’t anything else to prepare for, it was time to just shoot until he couldn’t anymore. Si knew there could be no retreat from this wall, the enemy would just pick them off in the open as they ran. Si put his hand on Seph’s and smiled. “This is it, our glorious last stand,” said Si. Seph nodded and Si got up on his knees and put his rifle on top of the wall and fired into the mass of enemy soldiers flooding through the Palace gates, his army did the same and the resulting thunderous explosions of the ancient weapons firing and the brutal damage they inflicted on the enemy had an affect Si hadn’t imagined. The more modern weapons used by the Kitsune were relatively silent. A modern ground battle wasn’t necessarily a loud and chaotic place. The weapons were remarkably accurate and killed instantly, there was no screaming of the injured or the sound of gunfire. But the ancient weapons unleashed a wall of lead that ripped through the flesh of the invading soldiers without mercy. Death was not instant and the screaming of the dieing rose moments after Si unleashed this ancient terror on his enemy. The threat coming from Si’s army was recognized by the enemy Officers immediately. The entire invasion force was ordered turned in mass and ignored the Black Guard. They charged the wall where the boy-warriors were unleashing hell on them. Akio was screaming for everyone to hold their positions, his battle cry bolstered the boys and they never let up their fire. The invaders rushed at the wall and Si knew he only had moments left to live. He would die with honor. The invaders were nearly at the wall when a mass of black leather-clad figures rushed in from behind and took positions between each of the boy-warriors. The Ravens had arrived.