Inside a dim room made of moldy mason stones, Nathaniel was strapped tight to a sturdy wooden chair. The chair was bolted to the ground and didn't look like it would easily break. The chair lathered in ass sweat and who knows what other foreign substances had a murky luster to it.
Nathaniel who long since awoke from the concussion Zephyr gave him was staring at the ceiling with a wide grin on his face. He was reliving the scene of the map appearing continuously in his head. What he saw was beautiful and the price to see it once again to him at the moment was worth it. He had gotten away with many things at the palace getting caught spying on his king was an unfortunate but expected outcome that he predicted may happen long ago.
The fact that it actually happened made it seem a bit unreal. So, much so that Nathaniel couldn't bring himself to be worried properly. Even though every foreseeable outcome for him is nothing good.
As Nathaniel thought to himself in silence the iron door to the room opened up and from it entered Lothar. Usually, Nathaniel is absolutely annoyed whenever he sees Lothar but this time he wasn't. Lothar's resting scowl brought Nathaniel worryingly enough a bit of normalcy. Nathaniel welcoming Lothar's appearance with open arms and said to him, "Lothar my old friend how have you been? I was beginning too worry that I'd never get to see your face again. Your visit really took the edge off thanks buddy".
Lothar stood in front of Nathaniel while looking at him with the same distant eyes he always had and replied, "how can you still joke around like that. You do know what's happening right? Your name is being dragged through the mud as we speak, Zephyr is already making his way through everyone you know, and at the end, you will be killed".
With a snicker, Nathaniel retorted, "Well I don't know about that last part I have hope that our legal system will see me justice" Nathaniel could barely finish his sentence before he started cackling like a mad man because such a future wasn't real. He was caught by the king, the black hand, the slug Lothar and the head of secret intelligence red handed. There was no out just an end where he got to choose how bad it will be.
Lothar scoffed, "Don't make me laugh until further notice all your rights are suspended. Even if we bothered with such a thing it wouldn't matter. For what you witnessed the only option is death. We'll actually the king thought otherwise. After what happened he became interested in you and thought bringing you into the loop was the best course of action of course after confirming you weren't a spy, but I assured him against such a thing".
"Even when I end up like this your still looking out for me. How kind of you, I'll be sure to offer the same compassion if I ever get the chance".
Lothar looked into Nathaniel's eyes but didn't find the spark of fear and despair he was looking for instead he found acceptance. Perplexed by this Lothar asked, "how are you not afraid you've only been here a few hours so how could you possibly accept what's going to happen to you?".
Nathaniel answering his question with another and said, "what makes you think I'm not?". Nathaniel raised his right hand that was strapped to the chair to let Lothar see how he was feeling and continued to speak. "I'm many things right now cold, scared, sad, my head is in agonizing pain from it all, but I'm also happy happier than I've ever been in ages".
"And why is that?". Lothar asking honestly.
"Why? How could I not be i'm finally unburdened from the responsibilities I once had and get to spend what time I have left marveling at what I love. Lothar, do you know where we are? From the Mason stones alone it's obvious were in Ashgate Prison. A prison famed for the large number of criminals burnt alive in its walls and sent purified in front of the gates of god as fuel to kindle his furnace that will shape the form of a new generation. The history in these walls is it not enough to fill you with joy".
An odd and worrying smile crept on Lothar's face, "so you think that you will have the honor of being burnt alive and absolved of your sins. Our system may offer absolution to criminals for example even that low tier pirate Slack Jaw who had the right to choose how he would die and went with the hot box. Were you are roasted alive inside a sealed Iron box for an hour straight of which survival of pardons you of your crimes. But, I assure you that you won't get such an honor because you will be convicted of treason and will be hanged as a spy".
Nathaniel laughed at Lothar's conclusion then replied, "what are you talking about I don't care about how I die I only care about where. So, long as it's a place with a good story to tell I'll die there happily".
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Lothar frowned at Nathaniel's lax attitude, but a bit of respect sparked in Lothar's heart after seeing how Nathaniel confronted his situation so differently than what he expected. Though none of that changed Lothar's core feelings towards Nathaniel and he expressed that clearly.
"Nathaniel do you know why I'm here or why I never asked for what reason you were in the walls spying on the king".
"No". Nathaniel replied.
"It's because I don't care for the reason all that has happened is a godsend to me. What I feel for you Isn't just disdain I truly hate you and I know you feel the same about me". Lothar as he was speaking pulled out a dozen crumple and torn photos from his robe all with his own face on it disfigured by all kinds of ink markings mixed with slander. Lothar cycled through the photos showing them all to Nathaniel as he spoke.
"You have quite a talent when it comes to slandering someone behind their back. You're as undignified as I presumed".
Nathaniel rebuked, "Lothar you miss understand none of those photos are of you there to pretty. Your face looks more like a horse's ass that's how I know you're mistaken".
Lothar displeased with Nathaniel's words clenched his right hand holding the photos of himself into a fist and punched Nathaniel in the face breaking his nose. Blood spilled out of Nathaniel's nose forming two red rivers. Nathaniel smiled through the pain while Lothar grabbed Nathaniel by his broken nose with his left hand and pulled his head up by it. A sick crunching sound came from Nathaniel's nose as he pulled.
In an angry tone, Lothar uttered, "I came here to wash my hands of you yet this is what I get I'd prefer if you took this more seriously". Lothar's words fell on deaf ears because Nathaniel wasn't paying attention to his words anymore and Lothar notice. Following Nathaniel's eyes, Lothar saw Nathaniel staring into the long sleeve of his robe.
"Oh, so you're interested in that are you? Alright I don't mind showing them to you since it will clarify a few things".
In the room, Lothar began to disrobe as his clothes hit the floor Nathaniel saw what Lothar concealed under them. Lothar's body wasn't scrawny as you would expect of an old man. He had more muscle than fat and every curve on him was well defined. Old battle wounds each holding there own story like burns, claw marks, stab wounds, gunshots, missing chunks of flesh were all present. Crisscrossing up and down Lothar's body that stood firm in the room like an old oke tree that has endured the harsh beating of countless storms.
Nathaniel was surprised to see such wounds on Lothar but what was really surprising was the neck to toe tattoos on Lothar's body. The combined set of made a complicated pattern that was somehow more impressionable than the many scares Lothar carried. Nathaniel looked as though he had been struck by a revelation to him all the pieces about Lothar finally clicked together.
While awestruck by this Nathaniel muttered, "so, you use to be a clergyman for The Iron Ring and a high ranking member in fact going by how complete your tattoos are. You know I once heard a dirty little secret about people like you. It was that some of you like to sneak marks of your kills into the tattoo's on your body, so tell me Lothar what's your tally up to".
Lothar replied, "I was a clergyman and what you heard is indeed true there are black sheep like that who fall off the right path, but I am nothing like them I faithfulness follow the true doctrine of The Iron Ring and this Nathaniel is how we differ. I hate you because you are a mockery of everything I stand for. You Nathaniel you childish fool lack discipline. This right here every mark on my body was earned. This is what discipline looks like!".
Without warning, Lothar lashed out and punched Nathaniel in the face. Nathaniel's head shot back from the force that made his brain rattle in his skull. Lothar grabbed Nathaniel by the hair on his head with his left hand firmly locking Nathaniel's head in place. After that Lothar continued to speak.
"You Nathaniel tainted by so many impure sins bring that into my oboe".
*Smack*
"Defiling its once pure form".
*Smack*
"Making what I built into your playhouse".
*Smack*
"Undermining my work".
*Smack*
"Gods work".
*Smack*
"Fifteen fucking years I put up with you and your antics. This lesson is long overdue".
Repeatedly Lothar's fist found itself slamming into Nathaniel's face. The sound of pounding flesh was accompanied by the slushy sound of splattering blood. Much of which coated Lothar's right fist red and accumulated on his chest dripping down it only to gather on the floor. Lothar only stopped when part of Nathaniel's face was swollen dripping with blood. Nathaniel's focus was hazy and his jaw was sore, but he still had the strength to speak.
"I should have known from the start you were one of those religious nut jobs it was just so obvious. You have the same stick up your ass they do. Hay, tell me do you all share the same one, or did you get your own to shove up there yourself when you joined".
Nathaniel chuckled which made him spit out some blood as he did. Annoyed Lothar tried slapping some sense into him but that only made Nathaniel laugh more.
Lothar watched and frowned at this before he said, "I'm done here you're a lost cause".
While covered with blood Lothar grabbed his robes that were on the floor and left Nathaniel as he was a beaten mess. Just as Lothar cracked open the door to leave Nathaniel said to him, "Lothar before you go there's something that I want you to do it's my dying wish".
Lothar stopped and turned to hear what Nathaniel wanted to say then asked, "what is it?".
Nathaniel answered, "I want you to make a promise to me a promise that you will never change because it will be that much more satisfying when I rip that stick out of your ass and plunge it into your heart".
A weak smile grew on Nathaniel's face as his head hung low facing the ground. While Lothar was unamused by it, but he still replied back, "I wanted this to be the last time I ever see you, but your a problem that must be seen through to the end. So, consider this my formal acceptance to your invitation to go on a stroll through The Bone Yard from yesterday. I may not know when Zephyr plans to finish you off but I'll be sure to be in the first row. Till then I suppose".
With that said Lothar promptly left leave Nathaniel alone and alone in that room, Nathaniel wept. His tears mixed with his blood turning red themselves as they stained the ground. Nathaniel cried not for himself, his unlived dreams, but another reason entirely.
Softly Nathaniel muttered, "I'm sorry Helen I didn't mean for this to happen to you".