Chapter 5 : What Money Can't Buy

Her self assuredness had me as convinced as the rest. However, on further inspection, I saw her quiet conviction was not for my fate but for her own. The dizzying passageway of grey brick from ceiling to floor spiralled on only by the light of faint blue flaming torches.

I pulled back abruptly. Ristelle looked back at me spitefully.

"Move," she growled in a low voice.

I shook my head. She grabbed the chains roughly to usher me forward and certainly she had the strength to do it but I pulled back with all my strength. 

With my hands bound I could barely sign. Nevertheless, I forced the steel shackles to grate against my wrists as I asked, 

"Where are you taking me?"

"Move," she barked.

I shook my head again.

This time, Ristelle knew the game was up. She shoved her hand into her picket and released the shackles around my hands.

"I'm...I'm trying to help you," she said drily.

"Why?" I asked baffled.

"Because!" she replied with vehemently, " it's the right thing to do,"

"What are you talking about?" I responded with irritation.

Ristelle inhaled sharply, "I had a friend like you. She's the reason I learned to sign. She couldn't speak like you. Then one day, the duke came with that shining red ring. It lit up just like when it did with you. They took her away. She was just a child, but I never saw her again."

I stared at her uncomprehending. She glanced up then back quickly.

"Well, before," she went on, " she told me that there were others like her. Like you. That they're rounding them up and killing them. I didn't believe her until she disappeared as well. Now I think it's starting again,"

"You're out of your mind," I scoffed, "Why the hell would the Emperor be rounding up a bunch of kids that can't speak?"

"It's not that you can't speak," Ristelle's eyes glowed fiercely, "It's that they stole your voices. All of you.. "

I held up my hands to cut her off. I backed off with a glance behind. Ristelle's eyes were still on me with intensity. I usually consider myself to be a good judge of character but at that moment I began to think I may have erred.

"Where are you going?" Ristelle followed me.

"Listen, lady knight. Thanks but no thanks," I gave a quick gesture of appreciation and turned back.

Ristelle caught up instantly and blocked my way.

"Have you lost your mind? You're not seriously going back there, are you?" She demanded with wide earnest eyes.

"Have I lost my mind?" I laughed incredulously, "You're the one that's lost your mind, miss paladin. The Emperor's rounding up people who can't speak? I never heard anything so ridiculous in my life and trust me, I've heard a lot of ridiculous shit,"

"Not people who can't speak," Ristelle argued, "You..you all come from a village. A lineage. My friend told me. And your people had this great power! But the others became afraid of it, so they tried to steal that power. They took the voices of every person in that village and sealed inside of a box that Emperor now holds, " 

I paused and turned to her. Her eyes widened in anticipation for my reaction.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you the difference between a child's story and the damn truth?" I answered.

"No! It's not a child's story. This is real. Why do you think they're bringing you to castlewood. You're nothing but a petty thief!"

I stared at her coldly but she met my gaze unrepentantly.

"I'm a damn good thief, for your information,"I sniffed.

"I really don't care," Ristelle dismissed, "All I know is, there is something going on and this time, I'm going to get to the bottom of it. Starting with you. I've already gone out on a limb to break you out of jail."

"Why?" I returned, "Why the hell would you do that? I never asked you to. I don't want to hear this bullshit about stolen voices and governmental conspiracies. I'm asking you seriously. You obviously think I'm just some common criminal. I am, in fairness. But you... you're one of the twelve paladins - heroes of the Empire. You have everything to lose. Why ruin your reputation and dishonour your family name?"

"Because it is the right thing to do,"

"You keep saying that. If you honestly think saving someone like me is the right thing to do, you're either a fool or a hypocrite. You don't seem like a fool to me, lady knight."

"How am I a hypocrite?" Ristelle glared at me.

"People like you follow the pursuit of righteousness because it's a luxury for you. When the vanguard catches us, I'm the one that's going to be executed for this. I'm sorry, miss paladin. Maybe there is some truth in your story but my life is more valuable than your pursuit of truth. You go ahead with whatever this is, i'm going back,"

"You can't be serious!" Reistelle exclaimed, "Even if they don't kill you, you're going to be thrown in castlewood for the rest of your life. That order cannot be rescinded!"

"That's if they catch me," I grinned, "Catch me once, shame on you. Catch me twice, well then, really I deserve it,"

"You're a fool,"

"I'd rather be the fool who jumps of the cliff because he feels like it than the one who jumps off because someone told him to,"

"I'm serious," Ristelle caught hold of me once more, "You can't go back there!"

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't? And  don't tell me about right and wrong. I don't give a damn about either of those. Speak a language I can understand. What will you give me if I go with you?"

"You're asking for payment to be saved?!"

I shrugged indifferently. Ristelle continued to glare at me contemptuously but the fire in her eyes quieted down.

"How about something priceless?" She smiled coldly, "Something money can't buy?"

"There's nothing money can't buy," I scoffed.

"I'm talking about a treasure worth stealing. You said you're a good thief, right?"

"I am," I nodded smugly in agreement. "Go on," 

"Then something irreplaceable,"Ristelle continued.

"What is it?" I asked with growing excitement. " What will you give me?"

"The sound of your voice."

For a moment I just stared at her, wide-eyed in disbelief. Of course my skeptical nature was already lapping at my ankles but for some reason, as I looked into her clear bright eyes, I felt my heart beat a little faster. A voice. A way to be heard. As a child I had often imagined the idea. The power to say no. To say yes. Such little things are lost on those with quick tongues and empty words.

Ristelle was still waiting with resilient, expecting eyes but I couldn't answer. Suddenly, we both turned shapely at the sound of footsteps rushing down the hall.

"Damn it," Ristelle exhaled.

A squadron of knights rushed down the hallway towards us. Ristelle unsheathed her sword and a cold look came into her eyes. 

"If you want to run, now is your chance," Ristelle glanced at me.

"She says after the guards have caught up to us," I sighed.

Ristelle gave a quick shrug before she shot forward with a quick and light step. I was honestly amazed to see her skill, though I never really carried much doubt. As she cut through their defenses one by one with such speed and accuracy I wondered if I would need to fight at all.

However, my brilliant luck didn't allow me any rest. A knight broke through and hurtled toward me with his sword raised above his head. I ducked to the side, and kicked him straight in the gut. His sword hit the ground first and was impaled between the brick. 

The black ink around my arm went writhing down out of my fingers tips. The dragons mouth opened wide and a ball of hot fire exploded with fiery vengeance upon the knight. His charred remains fell back dead. I looked up and at that moment, Ristelle was standing in front of me.

She was staring down at the body with a mixture of sadness and then rising coldness upon meeting my gaze.

"You killed him," she said flatly.

"So?" I returned.

I looked back and I realised all of the knights who were lying on the ground behind Ristelle, they were still alive. She had cut through their defenses without killing them. Such was her talent, I didn't realise until that moment. I glanced down at the body by my feet. Did I feel guilty?

No, I didn't.