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When evening falls, I help the others as they bring out the candles to light up the portico. Saul barks orders at us to put candles on either side of the stairs, alongside the white flowers a few other girls were sent to gather.
“What the Force is he planning?” whispers Padma next to me, decorating a big candle with some bindweed. “Is he finally tying the knot? This looks like a wedding venue.”
I say nothing and catch Ami’s eye while she’s fussing around with some wild daisies. She knows what’s going to happen tonight. I talked to her and Colin right after I was done in the kitchen.
“Who knows,” Ami shrugs.
“Well, who’s the lucky lady?”
“No idea. Not me, that’s for sure. Let’s just wait and see.”
“Whoever she is, I’m eternally grateful,” Padma sighs. “Saul’s a total grinch. It’s about time he left for Newexter.”
If only.
When the sun dips below the skyline, we light the candles. It’s perfectly still. There’s not a breath of wind, and even the crickets seem to have stopped chirping waiting for something. The world awaits the big shift that will take place this evening, under these stars.
At the edge of the manor grounds, behind a storage tent, I know Colin’s waiting. He and Pete have made torches, which they’ll use to set fire to a part of the lawn. Pete sprinkled oil on the already dry grass earlier today so it will light up in no time. Once the flames erupt, they’ll suddenly appear, call Saul a liar and a fraud, and insist he has to step down. Hopefully, that’ll cause enough of a commotion to distract Saul’s bodyguards, so Andy can sneak up from behind, knock Saul unconscious and read from The Book to our group without censorship. With a little luck, Saul’s chums won’t dare to shut him up with everyone present.
In the silence, we all wait for something to happen. Then, the door swings open and Saul steps onto the portico, followed by his burly friends. Ben positions himself on Saul’s right side, next to a column, a sly smile on his face. Still, he looks somewhat restless – of course he hasn’t seen his blushing bride yet. Mara hasn’t taken an interest in his ‘surprise’ whatsoever.
“Dear attendees,” Saul breaks the silence. “Tonight is a special occasion. Two people will be joined in matrimony, witnessed by all of you. The Force be in them.”
Of course, Saul can’t whip out his Book to read to us, so he must be glad with this distraction. No one wonders why he’s not carrying it. They’re all far too curious to find out who’s getting married.
From the corner of my eye, I can see Colin and Pete approach. The torches flare up in the darkness.
“But first, we have another item on the program,” Saul continues.
The main door opens, and Max and Cal appear in the doorway, dragging a handcuffed Henry outside. Cal gives the man a big push so he stumbles forward and lands on his knees in front of Saul.
Oh no. What is this?
“This Fool,” a red-faced Saul shouts, pointing an accusatory finger at Henry, “has crossed the Wall. He has invaded our community to spread lies. He claims our Book is mere fantasy. He says Luke and Leia never really existed!” He drops his voice dramatically. “He even stubbornly maintains that he comes from across the sea.”
His words send a shock through the crowd – myself included. Fantasy? That’s impossible. Walt said Tony wanted to talk to us about our ancestors.
I stand there petrified, watching the scene unfold. Saul kicks Henry in the side, beckoning Cal and Max over to join him.
They’re carrying swords. The swords from the dining room.
“He wants to destroy our world,” Saul yells, his face heated and his eyes glittering restlessly. “Question my leadership. He wants to make doubters of us all with his Foolish talk. But I won’t let that happen.”
Cal takes a step forward. Sweat is dripping from Henry’s forehead. My heart speeds up and my throat goes dry. All of a sudden, it hits me – this whole situation is getting way out of hand.
Speechlessly I watch Max move over to Henry’s other side. He’s lifting the sword into the air. I’m as dumbfounded as the rest of the youngsters surrounding me. No one steps forward. No one says a word, but their fear is palpable.
When Saul steps aside to make room for his henchmen, I finally regain the power of speech and storm forward. “No, wait!” I cry out. “You don’t understand!”
But it’s too late. With a sickening thud, Henry’s body slumps down on the front steps when Cal and Max viciously stab him with their swords. Blood trickles down the stairs. Henry’s eyelids droop and his head hits the marble.
I look around in a panic. Where the heck is Colin?
My brother finally kicks into action. He and Pete rush forward and throw their torches onto the lawn in front of the manor house. Fire blazes instantly. “Liar!” they shout at Saul. “You’ve kept things from us!”
For a split second, Saul seems unhinged, but then he smirks at them. His guards don’t attempt to protect him – they’re too busy dragging Henry’s body away.
“Me, a liar?” he says angrily.
“You’ve been lying to us,” Colin splutters, but it’s not convincing anyone. This is not working.
Saul laughs scornfully. “Hold on. Do you actually believe what this man was telling us?” he challenges Colin in a threatening voice. “How about we give you the same treatment as him?”
Our whole plan goes up in flames. Literally. I can hear the muttering of the onlookers around me, see the awkward glances they steal at Colin and Pete. Like they are the liars.
Colin pales, helplessly looking over at Andy who’s still waiting at the other side of the portico. He hasn’t moved. And then, Colin’s eyes rest on me.
Saul follows Colin’s gaze and seems to suddenly remember I was the only one who objected to Henry’s summary execution. His eyes narrow almost imperceptibly. His calm tone chills me to the bone when he tells his soldiers: “Seize her.”
For just a moment, time seems to slow down. I gape at Saul, unable to move.
“Run!” Colin hollers. “Leia, now!”
That shakes me out of my stupor. I turn around and run like the wind. I don’t even stop to think where I’m supposed to go or how I can be so selfish, leaving Colin behind to fend for himself. He’s right in telling me to run. If Saul catches me, he’ll kill me too. He’s gone insane. I have to get off the grounds and disappear into the blackness of the night as fast as possible.
Branches hit my face when I plunge into the dark forest. The moon is only a small sliver in the night sky and does little to improve my sight. Then again, it also means my pursuers won’t be able to see me.
It’s only when I reach the Wall that I realize where I was headed all this time. This is the place where I encountered Walt for the first time. Saul’s friends can’t be far off, so I have to be quick. I grope my way up the tree next to the Wall like a squirrel and don’t hesitate when I lower myself and drop down on the other side of the barrier.
Blindly, I run on. I’m in uncharted territory, in an unknown world where Saul fears to tread. He won’t follow me here.
I’m in Fool’s Land.