"You're an Arcadian Kirin." I could hear Darek's words echoing in my mind time and time again, hundreds of times in an instant, and it all left more questions. How? What did that even mean? What difference did it even make? So many questions rang in my mind that I stood there, but only one set of words found their way out from thought and through my lips.
"What difference does it make?" It was the most obvious question I had, what difference did a different title make? I knew the basics - any Arcadian was immediately considered a lower noble, and as such the laws were far less restrictive on what they did. But would that make a single difference?
"The difference is simple." Darek continued, he placed a single hand on my shoulder, steadying me softly as he crouched down. His smile was contagious - so contagious in fact that I could almost feel the need to meet it with my own. Yet I ignored it all the same. "Arcadians are given two options when given a death sentence. Death, or the military." He sounded almost proud of that fact as he looked at me, trying to get his point across he continued. "You have proof now, via witnesses. Only Arcadians can cast magic like what you just did - it was crude but there was no mistaking it. You can prove yourself an Arcadian at the trial."
I fell silent as I tried to digest all of the information. It felt, wrong at first. Almost five years spent in this hell, just for a path this easy to suddenly be ushered out before me? It felt like some kind of cruel joke, a silly daydream that would wear off in a few moments. Probably when a guard would whip me across the back to get my mind back from wandering. Yet no such thing happened, and as I looked around the other guards of the bottom layer seemed to be in agreement. To some extent at the very least, there were some glares - visible hate from the other prisoners, and disgust from the guards who didn't agree with what was happening.
"So I either choose death or I get sent to my death for some 'greater cause'... Doesn't sound like much of a choice if I'm even given the chance." My voice fell as my eyes found their way down to the dirt underfoot, I could hear a sigh from Darek as he stepped back. Only to lift my chin up to look at him.
"What did I just say? Life works in terribly mysterious and cruel ways Kirin. But you are now stained with mana, the lifeblood of magic runs through your veins and is forever going to mark you as an Arcadian to any other Arcadians who look at you." Darek continued. He forcibly hoisted me to my feet, leaving me to look around with some level of concern again. I could feel pain flare across my body from the sudden movement leaving me to lock up as he set me on my feet.
"That still assumes that the judges even give me a chance..." I mumbled out, but Darek just placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
"Just tomorrow you have to stay and work down in this mine. Your trial was already scheduled for your birthday, and I will be there. Kirin, I know I shouldn't state this but I do care. I would hate to see a child die for sins that they did not commit. I will support you however I can in the coming days." He sighed softly, picking up the pick off of the ground, handing it to me gently. "But until then you need to get back to work. Try not to lose yourself to rage again."
I just took the pick in silence, turning to the rubble filled pit I had made. It had to be at least five feet wide, and two deep, maybe a single in length. An amount of area that normally would have taken me hours to dig out, and it was in a mere instant, or at least what felt like an instant.
I slowly tightened my grip on the pick, and I started to swing again. Strike after strike, sparks igniting off of the stone before falling to nothing beside me. This repetitive pattern went on for hours until finally I had enough stones to fill the cart that sat beside the area I worked at. I had noticed that during this time another guard had brought Darek a note, with the two conversing rather slowly while I caught my breath for a few moments - so quietly that I couldn't make out a word they said. And just as quickly as the guard arrived he turned and left, running to the surface of the mine.
The cart was easily as big as an ox, and it felt like it was three times as heavy as one, if not more. It was a struggle for me to load the rocks into it thanks to my well below average height, but once I finally did I took a deep series of breaths. Regaining what little stamina I could before I started pushing, the rails were rough and uneven, the wheels had teeth carved into them to prevent the carts from rolling backwards without being turned around, but those teeth made it that much harder to push the cart forwards.
Each step felt like every muscle in my body was screaming, it was honestly only barely offset by the utter, bitter cold that was setting in throughout my entire body. I was at least thankful for that cold, it always made the painful days like today that much more bearable. Sparing a single eye I looked upwards, the sun was setting slowly. There wasn't much time left before the bell would be ringing out. Darek was walking in pace beside me, many days he had tried to offer help. But I only received beatings the next day for being 'lazy' because of it. It was a lesson I had long since learnt.
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Just as I began to crest the hill into the next layer up I could hear the bell ring out calling the work to a close for the day. I couldn't help but groan as I slide down beside the cart. Letting my breath slowly return to me as the bell continued to chime, strike after strike echoed across the cavernous walls while Darek offered a canteen to me that I gently took from him.
"A storm is coming in... You shouldn't have to work tomorrow at the very least." Darek offered a kind smile as I gulped down the water greedily. It was so rare to get an actual drink and not just horrible gruel, leaving Darek to just chuckle as I downed the entire canteen. Lowering my arm I started heaving for breath now that my throat was no longer screaming at me to hydrate it. My eyes traveled upwards as I focused on breathing, the storm I had noticed forming this morning was definitely going to hit tonight like Darek said.
Heavy dark clouds were moving in, it was nearing the rainy season meaning most of the coming months for the prisoners would be spent in their cells until winter fully hit. Freezing the ground through so thoroughly that all work would be done for the year, and the tunnels instead would be expanded to accommodate more prisoners. That was how it had been for every year I had been here, I was a little relieved knowing that I would at least be avoiding the worst of it at the beginning.
"Guess it'll be time for another day in the cell..." I groaned as I forced myself to stand up slowly. But Darek quickly corrected me.
"No, it isn't. It's time for us to head to the surface, while you were working a notice came in. Your trial is to begin first thing in the morning the day after tomorrow, in the capitol city Arcadia. Meaning we are to leave tonight if we wish to be there with enough time to make you presentable to the Royal Court." Darek stated plainly. As I almost fell forwards he placed a hand to steady me.
"Royal Court?..." It took a few moments for the words to fully register through my exhaustion, leaving me to gawk slightly. "As in... The High Nobles? That Royal Court?..."
"Those very ones. The very ones that sent your father to death, and the only ones who know of his crimes so heinous that they couldn't be told to the public." Darek stated as he began forwards, leading me to the upper layers of the mine. Layers that I hadn't seen since I had first been brought down to the deepest sections of this horrible place, I couldn't help but let my eyes wander. The brilliant black stone underfoot glimmered in the night sky, it was one of the reasons it was so popular. This particular stone was beautiful, and prized as one of the primary exports of Berinia.
But it wasn't just that peculiar black stone that was mined in here, heavy metals like iron and copper were mined in the higher layers. Sent off to forges, Berinia itself was one of the strongest nations in the world despite being the youngest nation. Having formed only a mere hundred years prior.
It took nearly an hour of walking to finally reach the top level of the mine, hundreds of feet above the lowest point where I worked. A mine nearly as old as the kingdom itself, and it had a single exit.
Before us sat a massive stone gate, two grand pillars sat on either side holding it up while an entire winch array sat at the top to raise the door. Across the edges were walls with countless positions for guards to sit, many held bows in hand as they walked in formation. Their heavy footsteps falling across the stony tiles as they walked, echoing loud enough for me to hear despite being at the base of the door.
I stood in place while Darek began to walk forwards, talking with the company of guards at the front gate, and offering them the note he held in hand since earlier in the day. Handing it over to the head guard he simply needed to see the intricate seal that held the note closed for him to gesture to his company. They moved to the side without issue, the grand stone gate began to raise as Darek returned to me, now walking behind me and leaving me to walk in the front.
"The cart on the right with the golden roof. Get in the back and you can rest, it's going to be a long ride." Darek spoke softly so that he couldn't be overheard. I was somewhat relieved that I could actually rest while on the journey to the capitol, I didn't know exactly how far it was, all I did know was that under ideal circumstances a day to travel that far was pushing it.
"What do you think the chances are for this to work?..." I asked slowly as I willingly got into the cart. I was immediately surprised by it somehow being lavish on the interior. It was clearly a prison cart, the walls were reinforced, but there was a proper bed. Not only that there was warm food, actual food on a tray. I found myself stunned by such simple commodities, and thankful even more that what could be my last days alive were at least spent with Darek by my side.
Walking over I sat on the bed while the door behind me closed, I heard it lock from the outside, but I was able to relax. I glanced to my side, noticing a new set of clothes, and a water bucket with a sponge. With a slight grimace I set to work on washing myself, the rags I was wearing practically fell off as I shed them before I set to work with the sponge. At least the water was warm.