Under One Banner

Chapter 22

Sheridan and Finley had made it into the castle, continuing with the act of being drugged and one of them. They were moving through the castle, searching for a sign of Aryanna. They were passing by one of many doors when the heard the sound of someone being struck and a scuffle. They could only hear the rise and fall of two voices. They went over to the door and cracked it open. They watched as Aryanna spoke with a man, while being restrained by one of the soldiers. They couldn’t hear all the was being said, they only heard James’ name spoken. 

Their eyes widened as Aryanna was dragged to a chair and chained it. The blank faced soldier turned about and, after a brief conversation with the older man, started coming towards them. 

They hastily shut the door with out a sound and moved away, starting to march as if patrolling through the castle. 

“You two, go and see our lord Adonis,” came a flat voice. 

Sheridan and Finley made their faces blank and turned around. They nodded and passed the soldier. They took deep breaths, hoping they could fool the man in charge. They exchanged glances then opened the door. Aryanna was staring straight ahead into the fire, and Adonis sat at his desk, waiting for James to arrive. When Sheridan and Finley entered the room Aryanna glanced at them but didn’t not appear to know them. Adonis looked fleetingly at them but didn’t say anything. Sheridan and Finley glanced at each other, not sure what to do. They decided not to say anything, just waited. 

“You two, stand near the girl in the chair,” Adonis said after a moment.  Sheridan and Finley obeyed. “Actually, bring her closer to the fire, so the light falls on her better,” Adonis ordered. 

Sheridan and Finley each bent down and picked up Aryanna and the chair completely off the ground and carried her closer. 

“There is good,” Adonis said and returned to his writing.

They all waited in silence, only the sound of the popping fire and scratching of Adonis’ quill pen. 

“Soldier 10789!” came a voice behind him. 

10789 turned around to face the person calling his name. 10789, formerly James, saw a soldier around his own age. 

“Yes?” he asked. His voice sounded strange to his ears, but he didn’t know why. Couldn’t remember why. 

“You are to come with me, Adonis needs you,” came the reply. 

There was not even a spark of curiosity in his mind. 10789 just obeyed and followed the man. 10789 viewed the world with no thoughts of imagination. His life was to eat, sleep, train and wait for his orders for the day. He couldn’t remember life any other way. He kept getting little memories towards the end of the eight hour dosage, the memories bothered him, but as every day went by the doses kept what ever it was at bay. He looked forward to each dose, it made him feel powerful, strong, and emotionless. The one day that he did not get his dose on time his whole body hurt, his head most of all. He got a splitting headache and couldn’t function. The purpose of the late dose was to show him that he needed it to function, he understood that, he accepted that. He walked along beside the other soldier in complete silence. Neither of them saw the need to speak, there were no orders to transfer, other than that, conversation wasn’t necessary. They made it to the door and the other soldier opened it. He and 10789 walked in together. 10789 didn’t look around, he just kept his eyes on his master, his lord. 

After waiting in silence for many long moments the door opened and two soldiers walked in. One of the soldiers was the same from earlier, the other Finley and Sheridan didn’t recognize.

Aryanna gasped. Neither of the two soldiers glanced at her. 

“You, soldier 10789, James was it? Step forward,” Adonis said.