Indebted

12

Fowl was already putting too much faith that Atticus would make the choice to save Esti. Otherwise, Fowl wasn't certain he could continue this friendship. Cohorts of children were grouped every five to seven decades or so. Fowl knew Esti, she had truly been the best in their bunch. The only person outside his sisters who had a brain on their shoulders. If Atticus let Esti die, Fowl wouldn't be able to forgive him.

Atticus sighed. "I wasn't planning to stay at court, I just needed to get back on my feet-" Atticus started to say. A crash landing while he waited for his investments to start bearing enough fruit that he could return to the life he knew. A vision of Esti as she turned around from weeding around a basement window, her face first full of pride, then fear as she realized she had been watched. Her amber eyes near glowing as she took flight to run from him. She ran beautifully. "Tell me this isn't a massive mistake?" Atticus asked his friend.

Turning at the door, "For what my opinion is worth to you, I'd like a chance to talk with Esti again." Fowl said, missing the conversations he used to have with the smartest person in their class. Regardless of being the youngest member in their cohort. Esti had a sharp mind. Fowl missed debating with her.

Atticus knew Fowl was right and honest twice over. As lord Fowl left, Myrrh came into the room, having also been made up in her formal wear. Her hand bag large, and ready to accept ample invitations on behalf of the new couple. Myrrh approached Atticus, adjusting the sash and crest on his uniform. So much like his father, softened by the influence of his mother.

"I always liked your mother, you know." She looked her nephew in the eyes. Atticus had honestly never any idea how his strange rich Aunt had felt about his mother. Myrrh looks hard at Atticus, his eyes were the same as his mother's, along with the slight upturn to his nose, but those features carried in a face she remembered belonging to her brother. "Your father stayed away so no one would pay attention to you, so you could live a different life, outside of court." Myrrh looked at the best thing her brother had ever done, Atticus was not able to read the emotion in her eyes.

"I threw myself in the deep end." Atticus said, feeling the weight of what he had done, what he had to do, under the weight of the formal clothes. This was surely not what he expected to find when he made his choice to seek out his father's mysterious family when he felt he had run out of options. He had never actually murdered anyone before. Now for one girl he didn't know he had now done it several times over.

Myrrh nodded. "You did however, arrive here willingly, so what will it be? Save Estella or run? Last chance now." She prodded at her nephew. The castle was absolutely abuzz right now. Far more people than usual were funneling into the main court of the castle. Excited to either see a scandal or an execution. Most not caring which as long as they were entertained.

Meanwhile, in the dungeons of the castle, in a basement wing Esti had never once been before. A section of the castle no one bothered to heat in any way. She sat on a cold stone floor. Only small oil burning sconces on the wall for light. No running water. No windows. Esti had curled up in the corner opposite to the latrine bucket. Knees huddled to her chest. Face on her knees.

She had been snatched from her bed, before Mr. Norman woke her. Esti had screamed in terror as strange hands grabbed her, dragging her from her room. Men she did not know, careless of her person and deaf to her screams. Unceremoniously charged with murder and taken to this cell. No one cared to listen to her pleading that she hadn't done it. It hadn't been her that had killed anyone.

The day maid, the one Esti had seen with Quwent. The same maid who set Esti up was the one who had testified that Esti willingly met up with the soldiers. Gone to meet them in that shed of her own volition. It was Esti's word against the day maid. The nameless, shameless, storyless day maid versus the daughter of an executed traitor that had been sold into slavery by her own mother. Esti knew, she was doomed. The one wrong choice she had made since her first day was going to be the mistake that killed her, took her from this brutal life.

All she had wanted to do, was think she could help one person. Save one life. She had been stupid to fall for the maid's lie. So caught up, Esti hadn't even gotten to enjoy the sunlight after months without it. Her one chance at feeling the sun on her skin directly instead of through thick, heavy, leaded glass. "I was just trying to help." She whispered into her knees.

Esti wasn't crying. She might be out of tears for this lifetime. She was just exhausted. Exhausted by the hand life had dealt her. She had tried so hard, tried to do her best. Since Magnus had turned on her family, this really was the only ending she was destined for. Death. Removed and cleansed from the records. She had held back the tide as long as she could, fought against fate with everything she had. No one would be able to say she hadn't tried.

Esti had spent most of the day alone in her cell. She thought at least. It was hard to tell the passage of time when there were no windows, and she had to guess how quickly the sconces burned down to estimate how much time had passed since she was brought to the dungeons.

After what she thought had been several hours, a bath was brought into the cell. Filled with tepid water, and a rough bar of soap and rag provided, The jailer and guard barked at her to clean herself up before her trial.

Esti undressed and got into the bath. Her clothes taken away, an undyed linen shift left for her, nothing else. Knowing this could very well be her last bath, Esti tried to enjoy herself. She thanked her hands and arms as she scrubbed the rough soap over her skin. She had washed the sweat and dirt from her body before she went to bed the previous night. A night that felt ages ago now. Another life. She didn't need this bath, but she wasn't going to turn down any comforts before her death.

Thanking her arms and back for bearing the weight of the coal scuttle and farm work before. Thanking her legs as she washed her skin. For carrying her everywhere she needed to go. Trying to make her peace, with the fact that her end was coming.

When the bath was truly cold, her body as clean feeling as she could manage in the tepid water and harsh soap. Esti got out of the wooden bath, water dripping down her body and from her hair. The towel was scratchy as she dried herself. Got dressed in the thin tunic, and twisted her hair into a single braid. Wringing the water out as she worked the plaits. She didn't want to have her loose hair tangle and pull when she was hanged, wanted a quick, clean death when it came for her.

Esti was sat on the bench that was intended to function as a bed. Waiting to take her last walk. Hoping the sun would be shinning as she went to the gallows. "I'll see you soon papa." Was her last thought before the barred door was swung open, four guards in black hoods waiting to escort her to meet the king's judgment.