The night was miserable and cold. A coldness that Fallon had never felt before was seeping up from the dungeon floors and sending him into a vicious shiver. His teeth clattered against each other and he wished he had some heavy cloak to wrap himself in, but he had been stripped down to his thin tunic and linens which provided little protection from the cold drafts that swept through. Fallon heard another prisoner far down the row of cells complain and moan for about an hour before a guard took the bait and opened the cell to give him a beating. That was when the prisoner was foolish enough to think taking out one guard was enough to guarantee freedom, and he was met with a cruel hit to the head by the flat of a guard's spear tip, and that was about as far as the man made it.
At least he was warm because of it, thought Fallon. He stared miserably into the empty cell across from him. He didn't dare make a deal of it, not knowing whether the guards had already known of his leave, or perhaps they're the ones who released him. On the other hand, if the guards did not know and Fintan had escaped, Fallon didn't dare draw attention to it for hope that Fintan would somehow get him out.
Fallon had tried and failed to talk the guards into letting him out. They knew well that he was the son of the king but that he had only been granted a small kingdom in the far south corner of Weptswur where peasants grew cotton and wealth was not a reality but merely a dream for all who inhabited those lands. Fallon had not finished grieving his brother's death, but he knew he did not have time. Instead, he channeled it towards his father, promising himself he would indeed one day be king of this land, this kingdom. But now schemed, and hoped, and prayed. If only Charion was more attending to my needs then he would be down here right now, and he woud surely find a way to get me out of these shackles.
As if on cue, Fallon heard the footsteps of multiple feet scurrying down those twisting, narrow steps. Please Charion, please be Charion. What do I pay you all that coin for anyway?
Instead, rather, it was the king's hand, Rayudus.
"Ser Fallon Diehurn, I do wonder, how is it down here? It is quite drafty...I would suppose you are quite cold?" His tone was difficult to decipher, but Fallon figured it was cynical.
"Get on with what you are to say. I am grieving and I would prefer isolation than to see your face."
"Oh, easy now, Fallon. Here, takes my fleece." Rayudus ripped the fleece off his own back and squeezed it between the bars and flung it down onto the ground in front of Fallon. Fallon was internally grateful but would not give him the satisfaction.
"Your kindness does not fool me, lord Rayudus. I am no fool like those court councilmen."
"I am aware, Ser Fallon. And that quite why I am here. Terran the Slayer is to be executed tomorrow."
Fallon's mouth curved into an "O" and then his hand went to his chin and stroked it thoughtfully. Vince moved restlessly in his cell to discreetly scoot closer towards the conversation. He had not spoken to Fallon since they had been returned to the dungeon.
"Get me out of here, Ayudus."
"You know I can't do that, Ser."
"Send me Charion then. You clearly seek my help in the matter, and the only way I can help is if I am freed from these shackles." Ayudus glanced down to where Fallon bared his wrists and the rusty shackles had left bloody imprints on his arms and wrists from where they rubbed loosely.
"I will send for Charion, but I must caution you. Nightclaw is watching him like a hawk. His Ki'vatsu are instructed to kill any man suspected of interfering with the execution tomorrow. It is already a great danger for myself that I am here speaking with you."
"Then why are you doing it, lord Ayudus?
"Well, there is something else, Ser Fallon." Ayudus' eyes no longer met Fallon's as he stared down at his feet which scuffed the ground awkwardly. Fallon waited for him to go on, the fleece still sitting before him as he shivered lightly now.
"I come to you because I would like to see you live and see you as the king of these lands. With that great hope of mine in my heart..."
"...you want me to marry your daughter and take her as queen." Ayudus pursed his lips conceding that Fallon had read him quite easily. No man liked to be read like such.
"Velanna is a kind woman, and as her father and I am not the first to admit she is a beauty, Ser Fallon."
"Indeed, lord Rayudus. Your timing could not be worse, I fear lord. Right now, I must be freed and Terran must be saved. This is the priority, we can worry about those fears later, lord."
Vince couldn't help himself; it had taken everything he had to keep quiet until now.
"Lord, if you would excuse my rude manners, it is of the utmost importance that Terran is kept alive. He is the true Maldur King and should the Maldur who are marching on us recognize that fact, it could change our fortunes significantly."
Rayudus stood and stared at Vince a while, comprehending what he had just heard.
"I cannot be directly involved, regardless. Ser Fallon, I shall send word to Charion but no promises he can rescue you. It could mean his life. As for me, I am the same. It would certainly cost my life if this conversation were brought to the attention of the King."
Fallon nodded at him and Rayudus took his leave, his last words reminding Fallon that his daughter was highly sought after, and that he should at least consider it. Fallon's mind was already on tomorrow though. He was relieved that Rayudus had not noticed Fintan's empty cell. Doubtless, Rayudus was still loyal to the king, he merely wanted to see his daughter wed into royalty. He would surely alert the king of anything unusual about their conversation, but Fallon was desperate. He doubted Charion would come anyways, it was lost with his mercenary. But perhaps Fintan was out there somewhere, and maybe that was his last hope.
"How can lord Rayudus hear my words and not heed them?" asked Vince some time later.
"His mind is ignorant and puny Vince," said Fallon.
"Then why is he the hand of the king?" asked Vince.
"That's the way of the land, Vince. It never is as it should be, but it is men like you and I that must make things right ourselves."
The King and Queen sat inside the meeting room with the king's royal council and advisors sat around the long table. Bishops who had travelled from far were in attendance to bless the meeting and provide reassurance when the Queen began to sob over his son's death. Nightclaw attended as well, with two of his Ki'vatsu posted by the door where the King's guards had submitted to them and moved to a new position.
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It was long into the meeting before Nightclaw spoke his first words. It was predominantly King Erilin who spoke, informing the council of his decision to hold the execution tomorrow. It took some time to convince them of his decision, many of the bishops gasping initially at the sound of it, for they would never condone such a brutal death. Nightclaw had heard of the plans and now King Erilin allowed a silence to fill the room for comments from his councilmen.
"I think it is a brilliant decision, your majesty. He must be punished by death, for if it weren't for his terrible deed to slay the Maldur King, that army would never have stormed into our borders and thus taken your son's life." Nightclaw had his usual calm, silky tone.
King Erilin let out a wild yell, unable to hold in his feelings of grief when he heard it in words of his son's death. A few council members exchanged nervous glances towards one another.
The King rose to speak, "One last announcement, councilmen and noblemen alike. If that dog of Fallon's, Ser Charion, is seen inside these walls, have his belly spilled open and his head brought to me promptly. I will not have my son getting in my way from behind bars through the work of his mercenary. And If I find out that any one of you is working against my orders to have the Maldur Slayer executed, I shall have your head removed first before Terran's head sees the light of day!"
The King's hand, Rayudus, arrived late to the meeting and picked up the latter end of the meeting. He contained his surprise of the news that Terran the Slayer was to be executed the next day. The meeting was adjourned and he found himself outside the meeting room speaking in secrecy with one of the lords of Weptswur who had attended the meeting although he admitted he had only come to the meet with King Erilin in this great castle on the basis of the great feast that would no longer be happening.
"Tell me, lord Rayudus, hand of the king. You're a faithful servant to King Erilin, I suppose, aye?"
"Aye, 'tis true, lord Gorren," said Rayudus.
"Perhaps you could help me understand why his councilmen have not input that it may not be in our best interest to hold on to this vile man, Terran the Slayer, as they call him."
"Lord Gorren, I have already allowed my tongue to say too much today, I would wish not to put myself in further danger with a response to such a question." Rayudus tried to turn away to make for his chambers but lord Gorren put a hand on his shoulder and jerked him back to face him.
"You don't get off that easy, lord Rayudus. That man bothered me; he had a certain presence about him. Since when does Weptswur let poision like that seep into its walls?" Gorren had a firm look about his face.
"Oh, you are speaking of Nightclaw? Yeah I suppose he is quite a dark man by nature—"
"You suppose? Does he have you under his spell as well? He is a dark magic monster, and by that, I mean he should not be in such close proximity to the king. Men could not properly advise the king, for fear of Nightclaw. Have you seen his slaves? They wander around like mindless murderers with blades as sharp as the sword god himself, Ertorin of Rednork."
Gorren had Rayudus' attention now and Rayudus face tightened as he pushed his own face inches from Gorren's.
"As far as I'm concerned, you told me yourself. You came for the feast, and now there is no feast. So, go home for all I care lord, but do not involve yourself here with these matters."
Rayudus tried to turn the corner from their spot just outside the king's council room but a jagged dirk nearly poked through the flesh of his neck as a man in a concealing cloak stepped out of the shadows and jerked Rayudus into the next-door room. Gorren followed in behind and the door barred shut.
The man in the concealed cloak removed his hood and Rayudus was stunned to find the brown teeth of Ser Charion smiling back at him.
"I swear, Ser Charion, Fallon had just sent me to ask of your assistance in Fallon's escape."
"Sshhhh. Do not spit out such heresy so freely. There are ears everywhere in these walls, Rayudus." Charion had his dagger's flat end pressed against Rayudus' lips and he could feel the cold metal on his lips.
Rayudus jerked his head away and backed up towards the back wall where a thin sliver of torchlight shone through the narrow window. His eyes met lord Gorren and the realization came to him. The two are conspirators. They are working together.
Charion read his mind, "Call us traitors, call us disloyal to the crown, I don't care lord Rayudus. I am mercenary, and I do as I'm paid. Here's the deal, Rayudus. You're going to give me the keys to the dungeon's cells. You'll keep quiet as well. I have eyes and ears on you at all times Rayudus. I don't know how much you know, but Nightclaw has his own men inside these walls, but I own the other half whether you realize it or not. I would recommend you do as I say, or I wouldn't be confident about what is inside your next glass of wine, should you have the chance to sip on ale before the battle."
"What? That's preposterous, Charion! I serve as hand of the king. If this is found out that I gave you the keys, it'll be my head alongside the Slayer's head! Besides, what battle are you speaking of? It was just explained that the only army passing through Mestrane has been held up at Dansington, regardless of the fable that Prince Brahon was alive and defending their walls." Rayudus was shaking his thinning head where wispy hairs of white and gray were missing on top but growing in thick on the sides still.
"Battle awaits us, from Mestrane's depths of darkness come creatures that are not man. They do not serve man. They are led by King Steed himself, and he has come to reclaim his prize of Weptswur and Nightclaw means to assist his siege by slaying the true Maldur King, Terran."
Rayudus was already shaking his head, "But Terran the Slayer is not the king, he slayed the King."
"You have not heard the word from the Magi Knight who dwells inside these walls as a free man now then, have you?"
Fintan emerged from the shadows and this time Rayudus truly was scared. Fintan's dark cloak concealed all but his long nose and his thickly grown beard which had overgrown the region where one would find his mouth. Somehow Rayudus knew he was not happy. Fintan gripped Rayudus by the collar of his fine, silk robes of royalty and hoisted him from the ground.
"Your lord King has already made the mistake of letting the enemy inside these walls as his most trusted advisor, and now I trust you won't make the mistake of neglecting your only hope of defeating him." Fintan released Rayudus from his tight grip and Rayudus hands went to his throat where it glowed red from grip of Fintan's fingers. Fintan spoke now as lord Gorren and Ser Charion stood at either side of him.
"What I tell is straight from the prophecies of old given to me by an old friend who died in an attempt to inform me of this crucial truth. When a Maldur King is slain, it is celebrated, and the Slayer becomes King. In that case, we are holding hostage the very Maldur King himself. Should he be killed as Nightclaw insists, and now the King insists, then King Steed will reign suprememly over the Maldur as they march as one army with the Deranged Men straight for these walls. I do not care that you are about to tell me these walls are impenetrable; they outnumber us two to one and they bring siege towers and catapults larger than our north tower. Tell me now, why it is that you cannot hand over the keys to Ser Charion? Do you wish to see this kingdom, and in effect, this realm become decimated? Because that is the side you are taking if you side with the King." Fintan's voice remained constant and chilling inside the dark confines of the room which Rayudus found himself in.
Rayudus swallowed hard, "I can have the keys to Ser Charion by midnight, Magi."
"Good," said Fintan, slamming his shoulder into Rayudus' chest, knocking him to the ground in a coughing fit.
Rayudus glanced behind him and the Magi was simply gone. He saw the window was still barred shut and there was only one exit, and he wondered how it was that he had simply vanished. Charion gave him one last whisper, "I'll meet you in the courtyard at midnight. Do not bring anyone, do not be seen by anyone, and it'd better be you, or your messenger is going to taste the metal of my dirk." Charion stepped on Rayudus toe with the heel of his foot as he turned himself towards the door and exited with lord Gorren remaining behind.
"Let us leave then and maintain a look of innocence about us so as to not raise suspicions of our dealings, lord Hand."
Lord Gorren and lord Rayudus exited the small, square room and strode across the ballroom where maids were dusting and cleaning the red and black checkered floor as the clock struck eleven o'clock.
Lord Gorren turned to into a narrow twisting stairway towards his designated quarters for his visit, "One-hour Rayudus. The clock ticks."