Ileus: The Dark Prince

There was silence between them and no one spoke much. The healer started feeling very sleepy. "I am very tired," he said. "I will take a small nap. If you feel that anything is wrong, you can wake me up."

Tasha's lips curved up. "Sure, and thanks for helping me."

"Okay!" he replied and then rested his head on the sofa's armrest. Within a few minutes, he was snoring beneath the blanket.

Tasha grinned. She picked up the tea and tray of pastries to take them back to the kitchen. When she came out, she walked to the healer and surveyed him for a few minutes. His snoring deepened. She bent down and poked his shoulder with her finger. The man didn't move or open his eyes. He was deeply sedated. He would not get up for at least half a day.

Tasha brushed her hands and then went inside the bedroom where she found Murtagh also sleeping. She strode to the cupboard and retrieved the small saddle bag that she had packed his clothes in. She looked at him and a smile crossed her lips. She recalled how they formed the plan of escape.

Murtagh wanted to get out of the house to be with his gang of rebels. He had been trying for a long time, but every time his plans were foiled by none other than the guards on duty. They would detect it as soon as he formed. They weren't Mozias, but they were skilled wizards. It was impossible for him to trick them and get past them.

Over the years he had fined his art of making poisons from whatever was available in the kitchen. This time he created a poison that wasn't one, but it had the same effects. All it did was to give fever to the recipient and put them in a delirious state and make it seem like they were poisoned. The plan was that Tasha would first go to the General and tell him that he had sliced his wrist, when in reality he hadn't. In order to fool the guards, he stabbed his finger with a sharp knife and collected some blood in a bottle. When Tasha had told them that he had cut his wrist, he had only nicked it and splashed blood over it. The guards saw the pool of the blood and believed that he seriously needed help. Once the guards were convinced, Tasha went to Kaizan. Murtagh only sliced his wrist with the poison-tipped knife when he heard that Tasha had come back with the healer. The fever was instant and there was already a lot of blood by the time the healer came. The poison began to take its effect. It made him delirious. It all looked too real to be ignored.

Tasha was absolutely fantastic in convincing the healer to stay. And right now, she was sitting beside him with her head resting on the back of the bed. He fluttered open his eyes. It was still very dark in the night, the room lit in the soft light of the brazier on which coals were burning. "Tasha…" he whispered in a hoarse voice. She jerked open her eyes immediately.

"Murtagh?" she said and knelt down beside him. She touched his forehead. "How are you?" she asked, keeping her voice low.

"I am fine," he replied and straightened up. Tasha hopped out of the bed and brought water for him. He gulped down the whole lot. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and gave her a knowing grin. "Let's get moving," he said.

"Yes!" she nodded. She walked to the side of the bed where she had laid the clothes which the healer was wearing. She had removed his clothes when she was sure that he wouldn't get up even if an elephant walked all over him, and made him wear Murtagh's clothes.

Murtagh got out of the bed, impatiently peeling off his clothes. He wore the healer's clothes and then put a cloak over him and a cap over his head.

"Would you like to eat something?" she asked.

He was very hungry. "Yes, get whatever is ready as soon as possible," he replied. "And also pack something for the journey!"

Tasha rushed to the kitchen. It was only a few hours before dawn. They had to get out of Draoidh as soon as possible, else if they were caught, they would meet execution. Tasha was not worried about getting out of Level three. She was worried about the exit from Level two. When she came back with food, she saw that Murtagh had carried the healer to the bedroom and had made him lie on the bed. He covered him with a blanket. Hurriedly, he ate the roasted chicken and bread that she had brought for him. Tasha dumped the utensils in the kitchen and came out quickly.

Murtagh gave a knowing nod. She changed into her uniform. She picked up the saddle bag and he picked up the healer's medicine bag. When they came out, a cool gust of wind swept across, fluttering their hair. Murtagh walked just like the healer did—with a slight limp on the left foot. The guards who were stationed at the main gate, watched the two. Tasha was very aware of that. She looked over as Murtagh mounted the healer's horse and patiently helped him with putting the medicine bag in his saddle bag, right from where the healer had taken it out from. Once he was mounted, she went to her horse and mounted it in one swift move. She nudged her horse on the side and it started walking with Murtagh following him slowly. The guards were too sleepy at the moment, cursing the healer to come out at this time of the night, but nonetheless they opened the gate. Tasha walked out with her breath lodged in her throat and didn't look back for the fear that it might look suspicious. It was only when Murtagh was beside her that he released her breath.

The two trotted away their horses slowly and once they were out of sight of the guards, they galloped all the way to the exit point of Level two. Since the streets were deserted, they reached the exit very fast. The portal to Level three was buzzing and there were a few guards that loitered around. Tasha knew just the trick. While Murtagh waited in the shadows ready to leap through the portal any time, she nudged her horse to the guard who was facing the portal and looking inside it with concentration. When the guard heard the footsteps, he saw a familiar face.

"Tasha! What are you doing at this time of the night?" he asked, moving away from the portal.

"I am accompanying the healer who tended Murtagh, back to Level three. He is very sleepy and not used to traveling at this hour of the night," she replied with a yawn.

The guard shook his head. "That foolish man. Why does he come up with such antics?" the guard said, meaning about Murtagh. "But where is the healer?" he asked, looking back towards her.. The other guards glanced at the two of them.