Leídan Aznawar of Khand

It was tricky to move in a city, where outside seemed mostly male, but in the shadows ruled the women. Nawúe had set out to find out where Leídan was kept prison. He had not a hard time to pretend as an uncle who sought a family member in the prison in case he needed a cover. He would study the prison from the outside if there was a sign of him, but he returned empty-handed. Neida’s and Muïda’s adventure was more prosperous. They entered the prison without problems, sought the head-guard who was indeed a woman, and Muída told a difficult and incredible story about a wayward son, who could be perhaps because he had done something naughty, she thought. With permission, they were allowed to look into the books, if her son was really there. Both came across Leídan and which cell he was kept, but as they paged on, memorizing the text quickly. Muïda searched on, but found no name that corresponded to her imaginary son. They thanked the woman for her kindly assistance and went away. With their information, they returned to the hideout.

Leídan had a little to do in his cell. Until now, he had been twice outside on the inner court of the prison. The second time he had seen other prisoners than the first time. He had tried to keep low profile on the court, but to no avail. Some men had beaten him up pretty well. It had been hard to protect his arm. He had healed so far that most bruises were gone, but the bone in his underarm hurt still. He had his doubts how things would be if he was aired a third time. The guards never intervened if a quarrel broke out on the inner court. The prisoners had to handle themselves. If you could not fight, death was written on you. Once a day he got still a watery meal and one can with water. He still had not figured out what the old man had meant with to rely on his power. He knew his strength was waning, because of the bad food and water, and his broken arm that was not healing well. Yet he was not feverish, but that could happen in a few weeks if nothing changed in his poor conditions. He wore the rags he had gotten and was barefoot still. In the evening Leídan was visited by the head guard of the second floor. The man studied him, and tried to ask him a few questions, but all Leídan barked out were a few incoherent sounds. That it was another language, the guard never imagined. He wrote down that possible lunatic was held on his floor, and perhaps he had to be removed to floor three underground.

Nawúe was pessimistic when he learned on which level her brother was held. Neida on the other hand was confident Leídan could get out, but how she didn’t know. “You need a plausible reason to get him out legally and transported,” argued Nawúe, trying to get some sense in Neida’s head. Muïda agreed that more thought must be given to the escape. It was not after all as easy as first thought. She had counted on that, Nawúe as well, but Neida clearly not. “Would illegally possible? Trying to sneak him out?” wondered Neída, looking at the two older people. Amenur, Muïda’s son just listened. In exception, they sat all four together, discussing the next steps. Nawúe, as the temporary appointed leader, developed slowly a daring plan, and turned it inside out to look for flaws. Muïda, Neida and even Amenur asked all sorts of questions and gave all sorts of remarks. The young boy had a refreshing simply insight on things, and so as well the plan. They slept the last hours of the night and set out to work in the morning. Nawúe believed for some reason it was better to try in the morning.

Leídan knew when the guard with food and water came, and when the guards were changed. Although he was beneath cut off from sunlight, and therefore time, he knew it was always brought at the same hour. He broke out that night, as a guard came to relocate him a level lower. He let him stumble in the doorway and broke the argil-made drinking can in pieces on his head. The guard slid unconscious on the floor. He took the man into his cell, stripped him of his clothes and locked him up. As he walked steadily through the hallway he saw no other guards, neither he heard the locked up prisoners. It had to be deep in the night, as he moved upstairs, making his way to freedom. He countered a few other doors, but he had the keys of them all. He found the clothes he had worn in the night when he was abducted from the villa. He took the bundle with him. The last stairs brought him to a door and he entered amazed a world of riches and glitter beyond his imagination. He had unknowingly lived for weeks below a palace. Something sinister was here as the cellars had somehow been transformed into a prison. Why would there be a prison below a palace? What purpose served it? But before he could find any answers, he first had to find a bathing room to change the rags he wore still. He found a room abandoned where he took quickly a bath, washed all the dirt of from weeks and put on his own clothes again. He left the room, gave the flames in the hearth the rags to consume. He felt much better instantly, but had no weapons to defend himself and as far he looked around he found no weapons either. The palace was a maze of chambers connected together. Leídan moved silently, but except an accidental chambermaid or –boy who walked by, he saw no other persons. How large was this place even? He hid himself in a dark abandoned room until the morning. He had to get out this maze and find his sister. But where was she?

In the half-deserted neighbourhood appeared once in the few weeks a patrol to scan it for unwanted livestock or other scavengers who didn’t belong in this part of the town. For some time Neida had stayed here, hidden from praying curious eyes in a cool abandoned building. They had come, because some people had thought a group of people lived here, as it was not supposed to. However, they strolled through an empty building, finding indeed traces of recent living, but the inhabitants were gone. The patrol took nonetheless samples and returned with the evidence to headquarters to report a new case of illegal inhabitation. It was a constant problem in this city, as parts were abandoned for many reasons. Neida and her group had profited from it. Now they had set out to get Leídan free and see to leave this town unharmed. Nawúe had come up with the cover of a princess visiting the leading house of Oud Ilaz. He played a general accompanying her for her safety. He had Amenur with him as son and Muïda as related by marriage niece to the princess. Also they had bought a few more servants, who knew nothing about their normal identities. It was not hard to play their particular roles and pass through for nobility. The Azumenúkhad tribe had a culture and manners that leaned closely to those going with nobility. Pride and arrogance were a few of them. Against all hopes, Neida and her niece Muïda were permitted to enter the palace. Even the general and his son were welcome, as it was about them, that they searched the older brother of Amenur. At the gates the concierge, who served as butler as well, received them. He delivered them into the hands of the female housekeeper and a chambermaid was sent out to call for the lord and lady. Nawúe, Muïda and Neida exchanged understanding looks, assuming something was quite amiss. They waited in a lovely and beautiful stuff anteroom that could pass easily for a parlour. The furniture, the wallpaper and even the paintings indicated a powerful and rich family must live here. But neither of them knew who this family was.