The fields were kissed by the rising sun's rays when Ashton and Joseph neared the capital's entrance.
Ashton shakily inhaled. He couldn't even brace himself for a string of questions he'd have to stutter his way through. Captain Alvarez had already suspected Joseph, and this would only heighten that suspicion.
What kind of excuse could they even use? There were no reasons—absolutely none—that could explain why they were out all night.
"We'll be fine," Joseph promised, sounding astonishingly calm.
Ashton sighed and lowered his head. "How can you sound so confident?"
"Simple, really. If we're questioned, let's be honest. We needed air and yes, we sneaked out to take a walk. Then we were captured by strangers who wanted to kill us." Joseph snapped his fingers and grinned. "We can even say they're the ones behind the murders and we were almost their next victims." He pointed in the direction they'd come from, toward the western region and the Outlands.
Ashton resisted a roll of his eyes. "I thought you said we were going to be honest?"
Joseph lifted his right shoulder and snickered. "That's as honest as I'm going to get about this."
Ashton wanted to scold him. He wanted to stomp in front of him and tell him there was nothing to smirk or laugh at. He wanted to say smirking or laughing couldn't fix anything. However, hearing any bit of joy—even if it was Joseph's laughter—was better than listening to the pounding of his own fearful heart.
They reached the town's gate and had spears pointed at them by Sir Ren and Lady Mai who were adorned in full body armor and had matching grim expressions. Ashton raised up his hands and went completely stiff. Joseph, however, folded his arms across his chest and stared at the guards like they had no right treating him this way. Perhaps they didn't. Yet perhaps Ashton and Joseph had no right—considering the current situation and restrictions—to argue against this.
"They're trainees," Mai murmured to her comrade, her shoulders relaxing and her thin eyebrows straightening. She then stared pointedly at Ashton and sighed. "Do you have any idea how badly this is going to reflect on you?" Ashton blinked and slid his attention to the dry grass near his feet.
"We can explain," Joseph chimed in, waving his right hand.
Ren cleared his throat. "Whitman, this is not something you can charm your way out of. You were both present during Her Majesty's announcement and you swore to follow her new rules that are in correlation with this lockdown. To disobey her orders like this will result in grave punishment—"
"Easy there, Ren," Mai interrupted. "Go on, then, Whitman. Explain yourself. We are listening."
"So, as you've both guessed," Joseph started, "we did sneak out. Yes, we'll admit it. We couldn't sleep. Because of what's happening, we're restless. We thought a good walk would help clear our minds and we intended to return before anyone could notice—"
"Then we were ambushed," Ashton added. He looked up at the guards and deepened his frown. "Our assaulters took us to a shed and said they were going to kill us after they finished their feast." He felt Joseph's eyes on him—wide and proud.
Joseph nodded. "Yes. They didn't hurt us much, as you can see, and we managed to escape. The problem was that they took us somewhere in the Sinstiel and we barely found our way back. Long journey and all."
Ren burst into laughter, a gruffy sound that made Ashton grimace. "Are you truly expecting me to believe such a fabricated story?"
"No," Ashton bluntly responded. Ren's amusement fell from his face and Ashton decided to focus on Mai instead. "If I were you, I wouldn't believe me either. After all, anyone would say anything to get themselves out of trouble."
Mai quirked an eyebrow and squinted at him. "How right you are. Truthfully, Ashton, I would love to allow you back inside without mentioning any of this to Captain Alvarez or Her Majesty, but I'm afraid I cannot betray either of them. They are my superiors and they've entrusted me to be honest." Her voice was soft, almost like she took pity on Ashton. Actually, she did.
Despite the way she spoke to him, Mai didn't want to go entirely easy on him. Just like Bartley hadn't. Ashton was relieved. Special treatment wasn't what he wanted right now. He had never wanted it.
"I... I understand." That still didn't prevent Ashton's eyes from watering slightly.
Joseph scoffed. "Well, I hope the two of you are proud for sealing our deaths."
"I said disobeying Her Majesty would result in punishment not death," Ren sharply corrected. "Queen Anne has more mercy than that." This time, Ashton almost scoffed. Queen Anne and mercy didn't have any relations. That woman did as she pleased, depending on her mood. Ashton knew Beatrice was usually a victim.
Oh... Beatrice!
Ashton's heart leaped and he stepped forward. "May, may we enter now?"
Mai nodded at Ren. "We'll open the gate, and you'll escort them to the barracks. It's dawn, so Alvarez should be awake already. Inform him of the situation and we'll let him take it from there."
"Yes, ma'am," Ren dutifully answered.
As they opened the gate, Ashton and Joseph turned to each other. Ashton saw Joseph's anger flaring up once more, making his right eye twitch and his jaw clench.
"This is idiotic," Joseph hissed. "We did nothing wrong."
Ashton pursed his lips. He had a mouthful of responses to that, yet he settled on silence. Then Mai signaled for them to go on in and they shuffled through with Ren leading the way as if they'd never been here before.
"It's a good thing Alvarez is a morning person," Joseph murmured, leaning into Ashton.
Ashton blinked and continued to face forward, his mind drawing a blank. "How is that a good thing?"
"He will be in a cheery mood."
"Does Alvarez have a... cheery mood?" Ashton shook his head. "What does that mean, precisely?"
"I—oh, forget I said anything. You're right." Then, lower like he didn't really want Ashton to hear, Joseph added, "Nobody in this wretched kingdom is ever cheery." Ashton felt a pang of guilt fill his chest the way it had when he'd found Joseph in the Lunas tavern. He knew he was included in that "nobody." Especially recently. He couldn't even pretend to smile anymore.
They arrived at the castle gate and were given disapproving glares from the guards on duty. Ashton had to look away many times, fearing those eyes would burn him and damn his soul. Once they were waiting outside of Alvarez's office, Ashton looked at Joseph again. Joseph didn't show an ounce of fear. Ashton wondered if this bravery of Joseph's was merely an act—a wall he'd built over the past few months. Because Ashton knew he used to see much more humanity in Joseph's cold eyes.
Ren exited Alvarez's office a moment later and told them they could enter. Joseph snorted and sauntered inside as if this were a casual visit—another one of Alvarez's lectures telling him to take training more seriously or to treat the other trainees with more respect (both of which had occurred various times since Ashton had met Joseph).
Ashton concentrated on his breathing and waited until Ren disappeared around the corner before walking inside. He froze a few steps in when he noticed Alvarez pinching the bridge of his nose. Joseph—already sitting comfortably in one of the black wooden chairs in front of Alvarez's matching desk—glanced back at Ashton and arched an eyebrow. Finally, Alvarez put his hand down and looked up at him as well.
"Close the door and take a seat, Ashton," he grimly ordered.
Ashton obliged. When he sat down in the chair beside Joseph's, he realized his hands were trembling. He balled them into tight fists in a weak attempt to conceal them. He couldn't bear looking Alvarez in the eyes. But he kept hearing his father's voice telling him to sit up, politely make eye contact, and do the right thing. Actually, that last part belonged to a different voice... a glowing figure urging him to tell the truth about Joseph.
No.
"Which one of you would like to begin?" Captain Alvarez asked. "What were you doing outside of the walls?"
"We went for a walk," Joseph started, "because we couldn't sleep." He continued with the rest of their tale and ended with them arriving at the town gate.
Ashton sneaked a quick glance at Alvarez. Alvarez sat back in his seat, rubbing his hairy chin with his forefinger, and pensively puckering his chapped lips. He didn't believe a word that came out of Joseph's mouth. He never did. Just as Ashton knew—deep within his heart—that Alvarez never truly believed him during the questioning about Samuel's murder.
"I suppose it does not matter how I feel about this," Alvarez admitted, lowering his hand to his desk. "I need to be fair with everyone who disobeys Her Majesty's requests."
Joseph rolled his eyes and slumped in his chair in a much less dignified way than Alvarez had. Then he folded his hands in his lap and lifted his right shoulder. "Tell us our punishment, then, sir." The lack of emotion in his tone made Ashton shiver.
Alvarez smiled, though. "You will be assigned to stable duty for one week and kitchen duty the week afterwards. During these two weeks, you will not be training with your knights. You must train during your own time."
Joseph blinked hard and Ashton even saw his jaw twitch. "Pardon me?" He laughed weakly as if that would make Alvarez confess that this was a mere jest.
Alvarez never cracked. Instead, his smile dwindled, and an awful scowl took its place.
"We will consult with those in charge of the stables and the kitchen to ensure the two of you are taking your duties seriously," he said. Suddenly, his tired kind eyes were dark and menacing as he narrowed them. "Failure to comply will result in greater measures. Do not test me, Joseph. I can and I will remove you from these grounds if I'm left with no other choice."
Ashton's breath hitched and they both looked at him. He sat up straighter and nodded once. "We will do as we're told. I promise."
Joseph raised his right hand. "Ash, what—"
"We will." Ashton glared at him. Although Joseph continued to gape at him for another beat, he eventually nodded and repeated his words. Then they faced Alvarez again and apologized.
"Get yourselves cleaned up," said Alvarez. "The horses need to be fed soon."
Joseph fled the room. Ashton took his time getting out of his seat and forcing himself to the door. He paused there, considering saying something else to Alvarez until he quickly changed his mind and slipped out. The last thing he needed was to say the wrong thing and make everything worse. So, he closed the door behind him and deeply exhaled. His entire body felt numb, reminding him of his lack of rest. Then he heard Alvarez curse inside, and he hurried down the corridor.
Ashton took the first steps down the stairs when he heard a whisper. And he whirled around, half-expecting it to be Alvarez or another soldier making his way toward him. Nobody was in sight—up or down. He waited until he heard it again.
"The castle," it said, sounding close to his right ear. Ashton grimaced and turned left then right. "Go. Now."
Ashton felt his heart in his throat as he took off down the stairs, taking two at once. The only name that kept ringing through his head was Beatrice.
So, they had gotten to her.
Or... not yet?
Perhaps he still had a chance to stop them. Perhaps he'd been given a warning—a chance to get to her before they did. He couldn't stop to contemplate what exactly he had heard or the fact that it sounded eerily close to the glowing figure's voice. He didn't care. He couldn't care. A problem for another day—one that would surely keep him up once he did start to dwell on it.
Ashton nearly crashed into a group of soldiers making their way out of the building. They shouted at him, most questioning where he thought he was going. He cried apologies over his shoulder and ran faster despite his chest getting tight, his breathing becoming rigid, and his legs trembling.
Please let her be safe, he prayed to the Great Holy Deity. Please... not her. Please not her.
Once he reached the castle's back entrance and reached for the latch, he heard a blood-curdling scream. It frightened away birds perched in the surrounding trees and on the windowsills above. Their wings frantically flapped as they flew off in the same direction, wanting to be anywhere but there to witness whatever had caused such a terrifying cry.
Truthfully, Ashton wished he could've been one of them—disappearing somewhere peaceful. Because he couldn't breathe or move. He couldn't bear to witness what had transpired inside and possibly break the last bit of him keeping it together.
Then a second scream followed... one that undeniably belonged to Beatrice.