Udan hid his horse behind a wall of underbrush near a group of trees and walked a few yards toward the post where Ghelfunn was being held captive. He took a moment to scan the scene, noting where each man was located and to what extent they were armed. Free Ghelfunn first, he planned, then together they would dispatch the six men with haste and make their escape. In order for his plan to work, he would need a distraction to gain the attention of Ghelfunn's guards. Once they were detained, he would then free Ghelfunn.
Udan worked his way around the perimeter of the camp using the thick bushes and trees as cover. The pickets stood ready to take notice of any unexpected sound or sight, so Udan had to be careful. These men were trained Taalzanni guards, and though now working for Margon and the queen, they were still extremely dangerous. The weakest man among them was the nervous one, the man walking about looking behind bushes, jumpy without the least bit of provocation. Udan recognized this man as the youngest one, less experienced than the other guards but just as disloyal. How could you be such a traitorous bastard, Udan thought. I'm going to make you pay.
Udan worked his way around to the horses, tied up to a fallen and rotten tree lying on its side near Ghelfunn. He positioned himself so that he could only be seen by the nervous youth. Should he make a noise in the bushes, he wanted only the young guard to notice it. The two men watching Ghelfunn were talking to each other and passing a drink between themselves, assured that the pickets on the perimeter would set off an alarm if anything were to disrupt their rest. Hopefully, they would not be a problem. Udan waited for the skittish youth to approach the horses. He then made a slight swishing sound in the bushes just loud enough to get the young guard's attention without disturbing the other men.
Udan grabbed the mouth and throat of the highly strung guard, bringing him to the ground in one effortless motion. He rolled the guard on his stomach, face down in the dirt and broken limbs behind the tree restraining the horses. When he looked up, the two guards near Ghelfunn ceased their talking and looked around briefly. Satisfied they had heard nothing but perhaps the wind in the trees, the two men walked over to a small group of rocks and sat down. As they continued their conversation, Udan slit the throat of the young fidgety guard beneath him. One down, five to go, he noted.
