The Wandering God

52 Where Mountains And Streams End 2/4

山窮水盡
Shānqióng-shuǐjìn
Where the hills and streams end.
At the end of one's rope.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Watching the royal residence from the water, it did not look so grand.

The walls of the residence were not high, and also were not entirely vertical. They had a slight slope to them, leading up out of the canal, and I had predicted that with a few handholds they would be easy to scale. And handholds could be found, in the form of cracks in the red plaster walls, and a few vines trailing up from the water.

Unfortunately, I had arrived too late, and the soldiers from Kageyama's house had already reported my escape. Now, the guard had doubled. A green cloaked soldier stood at every corner, and others walked the walls between their stationary comrades.

There will be no getting in that way.

However, I had already found another way in to the royal residence.

An arch in the base of the northern and southern walls allowed water to flow through the royal compound. These arches were laced with an iron grate. On the north side, the grate was too small for me to fit through.

However on the south side, there was a spot where the grating had rusted away. The resulting gap looked just big enough for my body to fit through.

The problem though was that it was very visible. I had realized I would have to try after night fell, and attempt to enter with darkness as cover.

I did not like it, but I would have to wait.

I found a low bridge near to the royal residence, too low for ships to pass through. Beneath the bridge was a shallow ledge. I huddled there for the remainder of the day, Kageyama's sword clutched in my hand. I was cold in my wet clothes despite the heat, and to my disgust I started to tremble near evening.

I ignored it. My body would recover fast enough. I needed to get to the prince.

When evening came I slipped into the canal and made my way toward the royal residence once more.

Now I treaded water under the boat dock of a house close enough to the royal residence for me to view the walls. The sky above was red with sunset, streaked with the sort of clouds that appear only after a particularly hot day. Despite the water all around me, the air smelled of dry dirt. The stone alleys and islands of Luzhou had baked dry all day in the summer sun.

I could not feel the lingering heat of the day, and I shivered in the water while waiting for the sun to fully set. A few times I almost sneezed, but managed to choke it back down.

I had made a makeshift strap from my belt and a strip of cloth and strung Kageyama's sword across my back. The blade had not seemed heavy, but in the water it weighed me down.

I wish I could make it disappear and reappear like Kageyama. What a useful skill that must be.

At last the sun set. The guards on the wall lit their lanterns, and carried them, swinging from their hands as they patrolled. But the water below the wall was still black as oil.

Taking a deep breath, I submerged.

I kicked out, heading for the grate in the wall. My legs passed back and forth, my arms shooting out in front of me and then to the side and back. I pulled myself through the dark canal, my movement causing Mutou to drag against my chest. I clutched at the makeshift strap with one hand, worried I would loose my weapon. I had to swim forward awkwardly with only one hand, feeling my way through the water until my hand shot out and touched stone.