The Thieving Storm

The Keep

12

The Keep

               The sound of hooves on the cobblestone rang aloud as Tula and James galloped their horses to the wall. James pulled to the left and galloped along the wall, remembering Tula's instructions from the day before.

               "Meet at the place we separated from Joshua," Tula called after him as she drew Emaris to a stop by the grey wall.

               "Okay!" he yelled back, slowing Chestnut down so he can study his surroundings more carefully. He recalled the things he had to be looking out for: breaches in the wall, trees or vines to help them get over it. Maybe high roofs nearby they could use to jump onto the wall. He stuck close to the wall to make sure the guards stationed above don't see him.

               There's a guard post on the wall every thirty meters, according to the floor-plan Larry had given them, and shifts change every four hours so they're always alert. Now, with the eminent threat of thieves, they're probably more careful than ever. Tula had guessed that there were more guards posted on the wall now, maybe every twenty meters, if not less.

               So, James kept an eye up at the guards, making sure to stay out of their sight, and if he were seen, he would gallop by as if he were on some urgent business. When James saw something useful, he would mark it in his memory and ride past so no one suspects anything.

               Tula, after she had split up from James, had trotted Emaris over to the closest water trough, by a bar, tethered him by it, and walked back to the wall on foot. She looked up at the height of the wall and at the closest building. It wouldn't be easy, but she could do it. The most important thing is to not be seen.

               She took out two knives and held them in each hand tightly, stepped back a few steps, and ran for the wall. When she got to the base of the wall, she pushed off the ground with her feet and ran up the wall as far as she could. She then pivoted and pushed off towards a wall parallel to the keep's wall from a close-by building. As soon as her foot touched the stone of the building, she ran another few steps up then pushed off again back onto the keep's wall.

               This time, she raised her hands and dug her knives into the stone so she was dangling from the wall, the ground far beneath her. She looked up. She was very close to the top. She pulled herself up so the knives were at eyelevel. She grunted as she flexed her right arm and pulled one of the knife out of the wall and hurriedly stabbed it back into a crack in the stone as far up as she can reach. She then pulled the left knife out and repeated this action a few more times. Now, she could reach up and grab the edge of the wall.

               She looked over the side to see if there was anyone there. She made sure to choose a spot halfway between where two guards were stationed, so she'd be as far away as possible from either, but it wouldn't hurt to check anyway. When she was sure the coast was clear, she pulled herself over the edge. She stopped for a moment, to catch her breath, then leaned back over the wall and pulled out her knives, returning them in her cloak. The last thing she wanted was for someone to see them and know of her break-in.

               Tula padded silently to the other end of the wall and looked over the edge. Green grass covered the grounds right up to the keep, which to Tula seemed like a cross between a castle and a church. The grounds were largely empty, save for a few knights here and there. There was a long stretch of grass between Tula and the keep, too open for her liking. She would surely be caught if she ran across in her black cloak.

               A maid exited the keep carrying a basket and headed or the front gate. Tula suddenly had an idea. The maid was probably going to buy something from town, meaning she would have to come to the wall to get out. Tula thought fast. Right beneath her were some bushes and a few small trees. 'It'd have to do', Tula thought, suddenly wishing it was nighttime so she could just blend in to the darkness with her cloak. She jumped off the wall, her cloak billowing behind her. It seemed to take forever before she landed with a rustle in the bushes beneath.