"Bar the gates!"

"Man the walls!"

"Prepare to defend!"

The three commands went out almost at once.

The three Marshals stood shoulder to shoulder, watching as the men of the Palace Guard took their positions with practised ease. They seemed to be glad for the opportunity to do what they did best.

Ainura of the Sword, the Marshal of the Gates, was a big, bearded giant of a man, jolly enough when circumstances warranted, but grim and terrible in battle. He was a veteran of the siege of the Wassars and had proved his courage and loyalty to the Emperor time and again. In his late fifties, he was easily the most revered and feared soldier in the Palace Guard.

The other two Marshals looked to him for leadership, though they themselves were no ordinary soldiers. Willa of the Bow was one of the best bowmen the land had seen in centuries. He could put an arrow through the eye of a flying eagle and had successfully held the Rockface of Rud with a band of thirty archers against a force of more than a thousand chanting tribal warriors. Kodia Mara was an axe warrior, and he had once chopped his way single-handedly through an eighty-strong raiding force in the Border Wars.

Together, the three Marshals embodied the spirit of the Palace Guard, which was composed of archers, swordsmen and axe warriors.

Within minutes of the orders to defend, the Palace Grounds were sewn up tightly and on every side, defenders stood ready. The Marshals went around, each looking at the defences, making sure everything was in place and the men were ready to repel any threat.

Meanwhile, a string of messengers kept them updated with what the spyglasses told them. The latest report was that the dust cloud seemed to be settling. Lord Gaiba's party was striking camp. This only confirmed the Marshals' suspicions that this was not a friendly host. Why else would they camp within sight of the Palace and not come in?

As the Marshals stood together discussing the defence of the Palace, a messenger came running up to them.

"The Captain wants to talk to you," he said.

The Marshals hurried to the Palace Doors to find Fali Gumari, the Captain of the Emperor's Bodyguard waiting for them. He was a tall and spare man, always immaculately dressed. But beneath the almost foppish personality was a seasoned warrior who had more than once saved the Emperor's life from assassins. He commanded great respect from the warriors of the Emperor's Bodyguard as well as the Palace Guard. At this time however, the Marshals were not very happy - they had not been told anything abut what was going on.

As they approached, Fali bowed to them formally, and the Marshals had to stop and return the courtesy. Fali went on to address them in a formal manner.

"Marshals of the Palace Guard! You have done your duty well and yet you have been treated most shabbily. I, Fali Gumari, Captain of the Emperor's Guard, personally apologise for that. What is happening within the Palace is not yet for you to know. Indeed, even we have but little knowledge of that. The Emperor will remain within the Palace, and you may not see him for quite some time yet. When Lord Gaiba comes, obey him, and let him make all your decisions for you. Do not question me, for I do not have any answers. I bring you orders."

"What nonsense! Obey that traitor? You can bow and scrape to him. Neither I nor my men will let him within a hundred feet of the Palace Walls. Even his dead body will not enter the Palace Gates!" Ainura was furious, and like many warriors, had not gotten over the fact that Lord Gaiba had led the Wassar Rebellion.

"Hold your tongue, Ainura of the Sword!" said Fali, "Do not talk thus of a Lord of the Realm. If the Emperor trusts him, then we trust him. Do we not serve the Emperor?"

"That's all well for you to say. If you will have it so, then expect no support from me. I shall withdraw my men while you consort with Gaiba," said Ainura, not at all convinced by Fali. Willa and Kodia looked uncomfortable. This was not their fight, and they did not like being there at all. They would have preferred it if Ainura and Fali had their confrontation in private.

"That, I'm afraid, will not be possible. The Imperial Bodyguard rides at first light tomorrow - without the Emperor." Fali's words stopped the Marshals dead in their thoughts.

"What?" they exclaimed as a man.

In its long history, the Imperial Bodyguard had never left the Emperor's side, even in the gravest of times. If what Fali said was true, something was going on that was far beyond any of them.

Willa was the first to recover. "What's happening? Tell us at least now, Captain," he said.

Fali shook his head, "I have only orders and instructions. No explanations. Have the horses saddled and ready. When Lord Gaiba comes in, follow his every instruction with care, for that may be only way to save the Empire. Ask no more."

With that he turned and walked quickly back into the Palace.