Somehow without much convincing, I persuaded Arthur to agree to let me go ahead alone. It surprised me to no end that he would allow me this. I can't believe that it was his idea to do this. Along this journey, I had no doubt I would have to try and convince him to let me take the lead for once. Arthur has learned what I can do over the years despite his stubbornness and has allowed me to go in this alone.
I snuck ahead in the depths of the forests. My breathing increases to an uneven pace as I'm starting to feel a strange deja vu. I don't want to be here, but I want to help Arthur. I can give up this small part of my sanity and needs to do what is right for my brother.
Before I had left, he placed his hand on my shoulder, concern riddling his face. I haven't seen that concern in a long time. "Be careful", he had said. And he meant it. It was a different kind of request. It was a plea. And I intend to pull through for him and the knights and Merlin.
I reach the edge of the forest line. The breath in my throat hitching the flags draped over the edges of fallen walls come into view. Stacks of bricks riddle the open plain. They were displaced from the remains of the small castle once owned by someone rich and powerful. How they would toss in their grave to know what it is used for now.
As I peer from behind a tree, I can feel the darkness and cruel natures of the men inside seeping out. The number of people already present overwhelms me. There's more than I expected. Men stand guard at the entrance, as expected. No doubt someone, a slave trader most likely, would be in charge of running the foundations this year.
Lucky enough for me, if I put on a brave face and hold my head up high, I should be able to walk straight through the front door.
Adjusting the weapons the knights had equipped me with, I began to stride toward the castle. Even though I am reluctant to, somehow, my body manages to defy my wants. So, I move toward the castle and all the deadly people residing within it.
As I emerge from the forest, putting on a brave face, I stride toward the castle. My presence is immediately known, heads turning in my direction as I make for the clearing of tents and men. I fix my gaze ahead, catching curious looks and stares toward me in my peripheral. There aren't many women present, and the ones I can see don't look like they are here by consent. I swallow back a nauseous feeling.
As I reach the entrance to the castle, my stiff limbs come to a stop. My breath is heavy, but I manage to keep my mask on. It's strange; I don't feel too scared. No, I'm pretty calm and confident. It is like I'm acquainted with the atmosphere. Like I'm greeting an old friend...
The guards walk up to me, looking up and down my structure. Their eyes linger longer than necessary, bringing a scroll to my face in disgust.
"Are you lost, darling?" one asks, a menacing smile on his face.
"This is the meeting of the Grand Keep, is it not?" I demand in a bored tone.
The guard's smile fades. "You have the phrase then, I presume?"
Somehow I can feel the eyes of the knights on my back, watching from the cover of the forest. "Dum lupus freno."
The guard rolls his eyes as if bored that I haven't turned out to be some little plaything. Only a few women have respect at these kinds of places. I have long known the phrase, and I will probably remember it until the day I die.
"Now, let's try that again, shall we?" I taunt, holding out my hand and waiting for the coin I'm owed. "You say 'Have a good day, malady'."
Pressing his lips in anger, the man drops the coin into my palm. "Have a good day, malady", he retorts mockingly.
I stare down at the familiar wolf engraved coin—my heart races at the mere memory of it. I give the guard a weak false smile. "That wasn't hard, was it?"
He sneers as I brush past him with some confidence. He bites back his tongue as I shove him out the way. I smirk to myself. I know I was testing boundaries, but I forgot how fun it is to mess with people.
I enter the castle with my head held high and my senses on alert. I'm engulfed by its darkness, the light vanishing. It's like I've joined a swarm of bees, the inside of the castle abuzz with chatter and banter. I keep my nose to myself as I push through the bodies of men.
I don't care much for all the stares that come my way. I'm pretty calm. As strange as it seems, I'm as comfortable as I would have been years ago walking in here. It's scary how easily I find myself falling back into character.
As I descend further into the castle, I see the lit-up cage in the centre of the square. Two shirtless and unarmed men lock in hand to hand combat. The onlookers cheer for their chosen competitor. I stop for a moment on a ledge partly overlooking the square, eyes narrowing at the two brutes. I watch the fight for a moment, rolling my eyes at the supposed entertainment.
I look around the room. Some faces are familiar as they scream at the men, drinks in hand. After evaluating and onlooking, I finally remind myself what I'm here for. I pull myself from the crowd, travelling to the rear of the castle. That is where dealings occur, including the slave trade and territory exchange.
The crowd becomes distant behind me as I make down one of the dimly lit halls. My heels click against the stone floor, becoming the loudest source of the sound. I pass a couple, the man giving me a menacing glance as I pass, the woman with pleading eyes toward me. My gut twists in anger, but I force myself on, knowing I can't interfere with anything if I don't want trouble.
I continue down the hallway, reaching the end of the hall, where a man sits at a desk. He's guarded by two much taller, steadier men. The two guards watch me with fixed gazes as I reach the table. I stare down at the man seated. He doesn't look up once. He continues to do his work, scribbling away at his piece of parchment.
"Name please", he requests, his high-pitched voice gruff.
"Edythe", I reply, pulling out the coin and placing it on the table. I lean over the length of the table as I push it across the wood toward him. My actions interrupt his writing, getting in the man's personal space. "I'm looking for a man selling a special stone. He goes by the name of Tyrant."
"Very particular", the man acknowledges, picking up the coin and checking its authenticity. "Was a private dealing I'm presuming then?"
"Yes", I answer, unsure if this is true but having a strong feeling it is private if Ronon's involved.
The man nods. He finally puts down his quill, turning to another piece of paper. His finger scrolls down the page for the object I'm looking for. "You're lucky. He checked in this morning. You'll find him in the very last room on the left."
"Thank you very much", I smile, giving the man a wink. I slip past the guards and stride down the new hallway with a sway in my hips. They barely glance at me as they go back to doing whatever they do.
I follow his directions, remembering this castle well from many times I had visited. I never was for these kinds of gatherings, but sometimes I had no choice. And sometimes, I was in desperate need of some money.
I reach the small wooden doors at the end of the hallway. My gaze turns to the door on the right as a commotion bursts inside. Muffled shouts erupt and the sound of two swords meeting rings through the air. I watch the door cautiously, eyes wide as I turn to the left door. I chose to ignore what may be going on in the other room.
I don't knock, knowing too well courtesy is not well-practised here. I enter the darkly lit room, lit by a single fire in the centre of the stone structure. Over it is a pot, cooking up a meal for the feast later in the evening between all the leaders.
As I shut the door behind me, I notice the figure lying in the far corner of the room. A blanket lay beneath him on the floor for his makeshift bed. His grey eyes shifted to my presence, with a frown growing on his features. He rises to his feet, dagger in hand as if for a moment unsure if it is me standing here.
"Edythe?" he questions, confused.
"Hello Tyrant", I greet, a smile finding its way to my face.
"What are you doing here?" He asks, his dagger returning to his side but still firmly held in hand.
"I'm here to claim a certain item", I answer, striding around the circular fire pit. I observe the room as though it is all beneath me, taking to my old persona. It comes back to me with ease.
Tyrant huffs in confusion. "Thought you weren't working for the Wolf anymore."
I shrug. "Things can change."
"In what? Two days?"
I shrug once more.
"You're not here on behalf of Ronon", Tyrant snorts. "You are here for the stone, though. You're not as good at lying as you think you are."
"Is that so?" I sneer.
"Oh yeah", Tyrant smirks. "See, it took me a few hours, and I had it all figured out. The way you spoke to that knight. The way you were dressed. It was obvious. You aren't one of us anymore."
My heart races in my chest. "You're confused. I was undercover-"
"Undercover", Tyrant chuckles. "Right."
"If I wasn't one of you, why did I let you go?" I retort, trying to cover my tracks. The only thought keeping me together and from freaking out is I need to get that stone.
"Point. But that doesn't explain why you're here, Edythe," Tyrant objects, now swishing his dagger in hand.
"The stone you stole", I continue, creating a story out of thin air. "That was the item I was after. Clients. So fussy and precise about what objects they want."
"How coincidental."
"I know, right."
We both stare down one another. He can see straight through me, and I know it. I need to be more convincing if I want him to hand over the stone. Tyrant won't give it up lightly. Failure could mean a great punishment if he is completing initiation—even death. And to lose it to another rival, that would put Tyrant in a very, very bad position in Ronon's eyes. But if I can convince him otherwise, this will be a miracle.
I watch as Tyrant's hand falls to his hip, then to the outline of an object in his pocket. He reaches in, pulling out the stone. The green light bursts through the room, illuminating everything in its vicinity. My eyes fall to it, breath hitching in my throat at the sight of its beauty. I had forgotten how stunning it truly is. It glistens like green water across the walls.
"Looks like we're at a crossroads", Tyrant acknowledges. "Listen. I like you, Edythe. You were like a sister to me for a very long time. But times have changed...and I can't just give you this stone."
My eyes lock with his eyes once more, seeing the internal battle Tyrant has. He knows I'm lying, and that hurts him. The fondness he has for me grows smaller in his eyes. The very same eyes that he looked up to me with when he was a child. Tyrant looks betrayed by my lying and angered by my interruption to take the stone.
He may have wanted this initiation into the family for a very long time. And here I am, coming to screw it all up. That anger is burning over the love in his eyes. It reminds him that you either die from human emotion or remain heartless and survive in this world.
I am too reminded of what this world is. And that makes me feel so selfish and stupid for even thinking about letting Tyrant go. I forgot the number one rule in being a thief, the one that keeps yourself and others around you safe. If I had stuck to that and let Tyrant get caught, I wouldn't be finding myself here.
I force all emotion aside, knowing that Tyrant will choose to kill me rather than disappoint Ronon. That's what Ronon does. That's what he did to me. And now I must accept that the only way I can get out of this is to put my feelings for Tyrant aside and take that stone. In this world, no one is your friend.
If this is about Tyrant being initiated into the family, he'll be questioning if everything is a test. Even right now, I can see that thought on his face. It had been on mine all those years ago when I undertook initiation into the family. He is willing to do anything to gain that title, even if it's going through me.
"I'm sorry, Edythe. But if you want this stone, you're going to have to take it," Tyrant vows.
"Can't we talk about this?" I request, voice soft. I don't want this to end in violence, but if that's what I need to do for the safety of my family, for my home, I will.
"I think we're past that."
I sigh, having completed my slow rotation of the fire pit. I was now standing in front of Tyrant. He looks down at me, his face seeming younger as he looks back at me. His face is almost pained by the position we have found ourselves. But where Ronon is concerned, I wouldn't expect any lesser than to be here in a tight, painful spot.
Tyrant's brain continues to tick, and I see even further thoughts cross his mind. There's something else eating at him. It's not just keeping the stone from me. It's something more. There's something deeper to this. I can see him think even further as a realisation comes to mind.
"It's not going to matter if I kill you, though, is it?" Tyrant thinks out loud, voice distant.
"What?" I whisper, a furrow forming in my brows.
"Neither is giving him the stone."
"Tyrant?" I question, "what are you on about?"
"You know Ronon the best", Tyrant whispers, lowering his dagger and placing it back on his hip. "You know he doesn't forgive. Nor forget. But what other option do I have? He is already angry with me enough. I don't think this stone will truly buy me my life as he promised...but at least I might still...have a chance..."
"Tyrant?" I repeat, my hand placing itself on his cheek. "What did you do?"
He looks down at me with glossy eyes, a defeat growing on his features that I haven't seen since he was a toddler.
"I killed a man, Edythe", Tyrant croaks, looking down at me with pleading eyes. "I killed a family member. And this stone was going to buy me my freedom...but seeing you. Well, it put things into perspective. I'm a dead man, Edythe. Dead."
All-time ceases, the ground seeming to fall from beneath my feet. My heart pounds through my chest as I look around the room as if seeing through the walls. Through forests. I see the army of Ronon's most ruthless approach. The weight of Tyrant's words hit me.
This isn't a worker bee doing a task and bringing a prize for the Queen as a gift. No, this is a trade. Tyrant's life for the stone. Forgiveness for a murder, a murder in the family. Tyrant was not forgiven and never will be. They live by the belief that blood must have blood. One man will not meet tyrant, but tens, ready to torture and kill him. To get revenge.
Tyrant is right. Ronon does not forgive or forget. He, and the entire family, will be wanting blood for what Tyrant did to a member. They will punish him, forcing him to endure more than any man could handle.
I can not let that happen.
"Oh, Tyrant. What have you done?" I gasp, colour draining from my face.
"I know. It was stupid. But Marcel...he was a filthy arrogant pig. He kept pushing and...I figured no one would miss him...it was so stupid!"
"We need to get out of here", I whisper, feeling the panic begin to set in but remaining calm for the sake of our survival. "Come with me."
"What?"
"Come with me, and we'll figure this out."
If he comes with me, we may fix this or find a way to hide Tyrant. Camelot will be the safest place for him. Ronon would never think to look for him there. Arthur will be more than happy to help. He will understand.
Arthur...
My mind runs blank, blood running ice cold. My head turns in the direction I know the knights, Merlin and Arthur, are hiding. The vision of the army marching through the forests is clear. They will be on their way, and my friends are out there.
"Arthur..." I shriek, turning toward the door.
Tyrant yells after me, but his words don't reach me. I grasp his arm in a harsh lock, dragging him behind me. Tyrant doesn't struggle, giving into motion. He follows me as I march down the hall. I try to stay as composed as possible, eyes fixed on the exit.
I retrace my steps, slipping past the guards and the man at the desk. They don't even glance at us, even with a half jogging Tyrant behind me.
"They're coming, aren't they?" Tyrant gasps, panic lacing his voice. "That's why you're panicking."
"I'm going to get you out of here, Tyrant, I'm going to get you all out", I promise. My mind is fixed on protecting Tyrant and my family waiting outside. I can think of nothing else but getting them to safety, away from the clutches of Ronon or his men.
We become engulfed by the crowd, eyes locked on the sunlight as we march on. Our presence attracts too many glances, so I entwine my fingers with Tyrant's. Trying not to stand out, I slow our pace, raising my chin high in defiance. I offer a smirk to Tyrant over my shoulder to look as if I'm luring him away from the crowd. Tyrant catches on, offering back a smirk in confirmation as we walk with confidence.
The eyes that were on us fall away without suspicion.
The crowds of men camping outside don't even give us a second glance this time. They are too immersed in the festivities and entertainment to notice. I thank the gods that everyone fell for our facade and didn't notice our panic.
Once out of sight, I let go of Tyrant's hand, the two of us sprinting into the forest.
"Wait", Tyrant demands, pulling me to a stop. "I can't come with you."
My eyes are wide with panic. "What? Why not?"
"Because. They're coming for me. I can't drag you into this," Tyrant frets, eyes tired and fearful. Yet his demeanour remains calm.
He has done like I have so many times. Put on a mask. If it weren't for the circumstances, I would almost laugh at how much of myself I see in Tyrant. He learnt the mannerisms and habits from spending so much time with me.
"No, come with us", I beg, feeling tears rise in my eyes as I grab for his hand. I know what it's like to be scared and alone. I don't want that for him.
"We don't have time for this", Tyrant growls. "Now go."
He shoves me forward, indicating that I should run. I stumble along with a few steps, turning to argue. But Tyrant is gone. A bush sways from where seconds ago he made a bolt for it.
The tightness in my chest somehow worsens, a sob escaping my lips. Every being inside me wants to follow and make him come back to Camelot with me. But another part knows I would be wasting my time and leaving my friends to perish. I have no choice but to get the knights, my brother and Merlin out of here.
Arthur emerges from the forest, having seen my frantic running in their direction. All the knights and Merlin come out from their hiding spots, all with worried faces, as I run toward them. Before anyone can question, I shriek, "We need to get out of here now."
"What? What's going on?" Arthur asks as I barrel toward him. I sweep his forearm as I zoom past, pulling my brother behind me.
"We saw the thief behind you. Are you okay?" Elyan asks with urgency.
"Yes, I'm fine. I tried to get him to come with me, but he's gone!" I answer in a craze, feeling tears sting my eyes in fear. "We need to get out of here right now! I'm not playing, guys. Come on! Run!"
"Edythe! What is going on?" Arthur demands, running to keep up with me, as do the others.
"I was wrong! This wasn't a simple exchange. This was something else, something we don't want to get caught in, so please shut up and run!" I shriek.
"Did you get the stone?"
"No, I-" my words leave me. Arthur's question envokes my senses to notice the heaviness in my pocket. I almost think I imagine it until I realise something is hitting against my leg.
I reach into my pocket despite my running, a smooth surface meeting my hand. I gasp aloud as I pull out the green stone.
Tyrant had left it with me and bolted in the other direction to draw Ronon's people off. Tears burn my eyes. He gave me the stone, his only possible chance of survival if he got caught. And he gave it to me.
"You got it!" Arthur cries.
"Yes, Tyrant. He must have given it to me before he-"
My words are cut short as I see the dark figure up ahead. I stumble to a quick halt, Merlin running into the back of me as I stop. Merlin catches me before I tumble. Arthur halts beside us with an abrupt stop, the knights mirroring similar actions. Another figure emerges in the distance, then another, and another. The masses of them appear from within the dense forest surrounding us.
My heart almost comes to a stop, breathing impossible as the men approach with swords in hand.
"Well, well, well. Look what we have here," A menacing voice declares from behind us. Its tune turns my blood ice cold. I know that voice. "Six men-five of them knights-and a woman. I say we've won the lottery, boys. How convenient they so happened to be outside our venue!"
The men now surrounding us cheer with anticipation. Oh no, it's not that time again...is it? No, please, no.
Stiff, I turn to face the voice. I shrink as I peer up at those vibrant hazel eyes. He hasn't changed, not one bit. The same brown greasy curls, even the same aged red and brown leather attire. He looks over the knights, who still have their swords ready to fight if need be, but I know there's no escaping this.
He looks over them with excitement, like he's a child on the winter solstice. For him, it could very well be if it's the time for festivities that I fear.
His eyes fall on me. Confusion falls over his features. He surveys me to double-check his eyes aren't deceiving him. He jumps down from the log he is standing on, approaching me in giant strides. Leon steps in front of me, putting himself between the man and me.
"Well, well, well. Look who it is...the myth, the legend..." the man sneers, a smirk on his face. "Hello, Edythe."