‘Look,’ Ty said, stepping forward, ‘Are you going to let us through or what?’

‘At the very least send a message to his Lordship,’ Ancelyn added reasonably. ‘Let him test the veracity of our claim. We can wait here for his response, if you like.’

What a marvelous idea, thought Prism, glancing up at the grey clouds mirroring her mood.

‘Why don't you believe us?’ asked Ayelen.

‘Oh, we believe you, all right,’ the first guardsman sighed. ‘Look lady, do you have any idea how many beggars, thieves, and ne'er-do-wells try it on, so they can get through these gates? Hmmm? We wouldn't be doing much of a job if we let them all through, would we?’

The two guards could have been twins in their well-worn black tabards and chainmail armour. Both wore morion helmets, dented in roughly the same place, and both carried pikes that had seen better days. The only real difference between the two was the enormous ginger handlebar mustache concealing most of the first man's face, whereas his companion was clean shaven. Where the two were practically identical, however, was in the same skeptical attitude haunting both of their bored faces.

This is getting us nowhere, Prism thought. She was just about to voice her frustration when the second guardsman opened his mouth.

‘If Lord Zariel really is in danger, I'm the Queen of Khunda.’ The first guard chuckled at his friend’s witticism. The party, however, fell into a shocked silence, as if the man had spoken ill of the recently deceased.

‘What did you s...’ Ty began.

But the fighter was interrupted by a sudden high-pitched screech coming from Prism’s backpack. The guards immediately dropped into a fighting stance, pikes pushing the party back.

‘What in the nine hells was that!?’

A single heart beat stretched into infinity before Prism spoke. ‘Sorry, that was me,’ she said, stepping forward and lowering her hood.

The clean-shaven guard gasped at her pockmarked appearance. Whilst Prism's expression was artfully rueful, her eyes screamed her irritation. ‘I … got excited when you mentioned Kunda,’ she carried on, ‘I'm … an orphan, you see. And... and … well, to cut a long story short, I was told that I might be from Khunda...’

‘I doubt that,’ replied the first guard, visibly relaxing.

‘Oh, and why would that be?’ Ty asked, his hand resting on the pommel of his sword.

‘Because it doesn't exist, you dolt’ the second guard laughed. ‘Don’t say none of you've heard of the kingdom that sank beneath the sea?’

The four adventures shook their heads. The first guard tried to cover his mouth, but the moustache quivered his amusement. The second guard just rolled his eyes and sighed. ‘Look, whoever told your scarred friend she was from Khunda was just taking the proverbial, mate.’

‘Oh,’ said Prism looking down at the floor. ‘I was hoping you might have known something for a moment.’

‘Do I look like a bleeding scholar?’

‘Enough of this,' Ayelen said to Prism, in a somewhat overly theatrical performance. ‘We can worry about your past later. Right now, Lord Zariel and his family are in great danger!’

‘Sorry ma'am,' Prism said meekly, stepping back and pulling her hood up. ‘You're right, of course.’

‘You would do well to remember your place, girl!’

‘Yes ma'am.’

Ayelen turned back to the guards. ‘Servants,’ she shrugged. ‘Now, are you going to let us through or not?’

‘No,’ the first guard said. ‘Nice try, now bugger off! Go on, the lot of you!’

‘Yeah,’ said the second. ‘Shoo, before I stick this pike somewhere uncomfortable.’

To be continued…

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