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Day 1: Centre Yew Lower Dungeon
This place was truly miserable, it was unbearably hot and humid, never had I experienced a hellacious environment like this. Luckily, the guards didn't confiscate the canteens we carried in with us... something told me we would need them later.
I found my emotions would flare up randomly, most of my outbursts were triggered by the frustration of not knowing what was going to happen to us... it was still unclear what occurred and why we were being held captive, blamed for the murder of Centre Yew's King.
Within the first few hours of our luxurious stay, I managed to maneuver my cuffed hands around my legs freeing them from behind my back. I was quite proud of my accomplishment, as small as it was. With my new-found freedom, I found it easier to explore our surroundings.
Several torches lit our cell, I walked around in their faint glow searching for anyway of escape. As I dug at the walls and flooring, James would laugh and advise me save my energy. He also reminded me that if I did manage to find a way out, I would still be trapped by the main door that sealed the entrance to the temple. He was right, and besides that I would have had to leave him behind... and I couldn't do that as tempting as it was at times.
After several unsuccessful attempts at digging around the chamber door, I finally gave in to James' ranting and plopped down on the warm floor.
"I've been told that it is improper to ask a lady this, but hell, since we're here and we have all the time in the world." He chuckled to himself and when he noticed my lack of response he rattled his chains until I could no longer ignore him.
"What are you talking about?" I asked annoyed that he was beating around the bush, I would rather have him spit out what he was about to ask then act like a bumbling fool.
He cleared his dry throat. "Your age."
It took a moment for me to realize that he did, in fact utter that ridiculous question. I examined him wondering if he was serious, his curious stare back told me he was.
I rolled my eyes and sighed.
"Is this how we're going to pass the time before they string us from the gallows, by answering stupid questions and playing silly games?" I replied while lifting my cuffed hands to my shoulder, I wiped away a trail of sweat that was tickling my neck.
"I just thought," his voice went hoarse and he cleared it with a cough. "I thought it would be better to talk than sit and stew, there's no use in that... besides you look like you need to talk."
The last thing I wanted to do was talk, but I could tell it was really he who needed to.
"How old are you?" I retorted sarcastically.
"Twenty-two." He smiled back victoriously. "Your turn." Twenty-two, he acted younger, perhaps it was the way he carried himself. He seemed too foolish to be older, but so was I for thinking a few extra years would make someone act like a grown up.
"The end of next month I would have turned nineteen," I answered begrudgingly while digging at the cracked clay floor, I really hated answering him but it seemed only fair since he had answered my question.
"Don't worry, you'll live to see that day yet."
I continued to pick at the flooring, pulling up small pieces of hardened clay. I stacked them into a small pyramid, until they could hold no more pieces.
My eyes lifted to where he sat. "So... you think, we'll be singing and dancing in Berthold soon?"
"The other Knights will come for us once they've heard word of what's happened."
I sighed while my eyes peered down at the glorious pyramid, I constructed. I thought about what he said, how could he put so much faith into thinking that someone would come to our rescue. It made me angry, I couldn't understand how he could just dismiss the fact that we were being held captive for something we obviously didn't do, that something more was going on.
"What makes you so sure, these people will inform them? We were convicted of the King's murder... his people are going to have our heads for this," I replied crossly while smashing the small pyramid with my shackles, the pieces scattered clear across the room.
I glared over at him, I must have seemed crazed to him by the look he gave me.
"When you say stupid things like don't worry or imply that I will celebrate my next birthday, it makes you sound like an idiot."
"I'm sorry... I really am, but you're being unreasonable. I'm no psychic, if I would have known that this was going to happen, I would have avoided it."
"We could have left when I said so, or did you forget about that?"
"Leave based on what, that it was too scary to continue on? That wouldn't have gone well with Lord Alexander."
Our argument could have gone no longer, but I decided to give it a rest, it's not like it would have changed our predicament continuing it. We sat there avoiding glances for the longest time.
"You know... nineteen was the last age I could remember vividly, every year after has blown away silently with each passing season," he whispered. His voice cut through the silence.
I looked away, my eyes examined the filth that covered my hands with forced attention. I was going to make it a point to not seem interested in what he was going on about.
He sighed as he shifted his chains, "I thought I had found love, boy was I wrong..."
My eyes darted over to see what expression he wore, I half expected him to be wearing a gotcha smile across his face, but that wasn't what I found. He did wear a smile... it was sad and forced.
"I was young and stupid... I had no idea that love could be so cruel." His bitter laugh only made me want to know more of his story.
"What happened?" I blurted, letting go of our previous argument, in fact I had forgotten all about it.
His eyes joined mine and I was locked in, all of my attention was on him and the story he was to tell.
"She had lived with me for almost a year when the unthinkable happened... one hot summer's night the Berthold's Knights were called in to deal with a settlement spy who had threatened the life of Lord Alexander. This spy had made a respectable life in Berthold, so it was a surprise to all who knew him. It must have been a shock to her father and brother too because they both hesitated when they found him, and ultimately that is what cost them their lives... He took the lives of twelve men that night, but ultimately it was Lord Alexander who finally brought him down."
"Lord Alexander brought down a man?" I asked skeptically, wanting to know how a blind man could best a man who had slain twelve.
His eyebrow rose. "What... do you think that our King is incapable of defending himself?"
I bit my lip realizing that he most likely had no idea about Alexander's handicap like I did and wondered how many actually knew.
"Well, anyway... after that night she said, she needed to take care of her sister and keep her house in order, so she moved out and that was that."
"I'm sorry," I replied feeling pity for him, and here I thought my love life was bad... I guess I couldn't complain.
"Don't be, she's not..."
He rested his head against the wall and his blue eyes trailed along his chains, he looked to be deep in thought.
"She must be," I replied while his eyes met mine again. "I always knew there had to be a story behind her anger, now I understand..." When he had mentioned the sister, it was a dead giveaway to who he was talking about.
He chuckled. "That obvious."
His sudden laugh sparked something from within me. I looked down at the clothes I wore and cringed, it all made sense to me now. The reason behind her confrontation with me in the field, the week before was now clear, these clothes were hers and that was why she had asked me about them, she was the old roommate who left them behind.
I watched him as he finished his cocky chuckle, and slowly that laugh reignited my earlier rage until I could no longer control it. I scooped up a small chunk of clay that rested nearby and held it briefly before I decided what I was going to do with it.
With the rock clenched tightly in my palm, I threw it with a forceful thrust at him, when it struck his breastplate the metallic clank sent James flying forward stunned.
"You shit!" I shouted.
"Ouch, what the hell was that for?" he whined, but I knew all too well that he felt no pain.
"That was for sending me into the lion's den baited!"
"What do you mean by that?"
"You know exactly what I mean, you stupid ass, the clothes that I'm wearing are hers. It's no wonder she almost ripped me a new one."
He looked surprised that I had solved the mystery, or perhaps he was shocked that I had called him out on it, either way it was now out in the open.
"They're just clothes, how was I to know she would overreact," he grumbled after the shock of it all wore away.
"You know nothing about women... Apparently, she still has feelings for you or she wouldn't have made such a big deal about it." I picked up another rock and waved it at him threateningly.
"That woman loathes me."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that... I bet if you talked to her openly about what happened, things may get better between both of you. Who knows... you may even get back together if-"
"Our time is over," he snapped, sounding upset with my proposition.
"Just don't involve me in anymore of your games," I warned while dropping the rock to my side.
"There were no games," he snapped again sending the room into stillness once more.
After several minutes of silence, I fell back against the clay wall of our cell and scowled while pulling the letter from my top. It was damp from the sweat that had soaked through it. I flapped it in the air, hoping that would dry.
"You have the letter?" he said surprised.
His eyes watched the letter fixedly as I continued to air it out.
"Yes, I hid it when I saw that the king was dead."
He motioned for me to bring it to him and so I did.
"You gonna read it?" I sat down beside him.
"No, how would you suggest I do so with my arms chained up like this."
I smiled briefly as my eyes examined his restraints, at least there was that I thought smugly.
"I'll read it then... it may hold a clue to what's happening."
"There will be no reading of the letter, understood?"
I rolled my eyes and stuffed the letter down his breastplate, and sat in front of him. I gawked at him for a while and he back at me, we were both acting so adult. He sat back and adverted his stare, but I kept watching him wondering what was keeping him so calm.
"Why is it so damned hot in here?" I fell back onto the floor and watched the ceiling, it seemed to move with the flickering of the torches.
"Those cleaver bastards must have built their dungeon near a hot spring," He snickered. "Assholes."
I sighed and thought about Cassandra. She had many reasons to be upset, and now that I knew a person from a settlement like mine had murdered her family... I could understand the hatred and distrust she had shown me.
"Alanis, I want to ask you for your-"
"Stop, I don't want to hear it," I spoke over him knowing he was going to come up with some sort of story about why he kept his relationship with Cassandra a secret, or try to play off the fact that he gave me her clothes like some sort of moron.
I rolled to my side to face him.
"Regardless of what you may or may not believe I'm sorry for-" He stopped and his eyes examined my face curiously. "Tears," he proclaimed as his eyes met with mine. "So it seems a monster can weep too."
I rolled onto my back and ran my fingers down my wet cheeks. I pulled my hands away and examined them noticing the glistening wetness that collected on the tips of my small fingers.
"I haven't a clue why I've shed tears," I replied just as puzzled.
"Perhaps, it is your body's way of reactivating your emotions or testing them."
"Perhaps," I agreed and didn't give it anymore thought.
"Can I have a drink of water, please?" he asked politely, as if I would reject his request and leave him thirsty.
I sat up and uncapped the canteen and lifted it to his waiting lips.
"That woman Tunerir, who was she?" I asked as I pulled the canteen away.
He swallowed. "Her name is Daria... Tunerir is her title," he replied while clearing his throat several times.
"She has dark hair just like mine. I wonder if she was from a settlement."
"Most likely, but it's odd that a king would choose an outsider to become his Tunerir."
"What's a Tunerir?" I asked and took a small sip of water.
"A personal conjurer, that fights alongside his or her Master. As you know it takes time to wield, and most of the time the enemy won't wait around to meet their maker... the Master will attack with weapon and the Tunerir with magic."
I sealed the canteen and laid back, my thoughts were on the woman who had thrown us down here. Shouldn't she have been with the King protecting him at all times, did she have something to do with his death?