6 Chapter 6

I was startled awake by the door flying open. "Who is that?!" Guards storm the room and before I know it I'm being bound and chained.

"What is the meaning of this! I am the prince! Where is my father?!" I yell at them but all I receive is a hard slap to the face. The shock of it silenced me. My head swam as they bodily carried me out the room.

By the time I come to my senses I find I am being taken to the dungeon. "What is going on?" I asked. Before I could even get the words out another hard smack land's across my face.

I don't understand why this is happening. Could father finally be tired of my presence? It has been six months since Mera left Xebel to kill the king of Atlantis. Maybe he is just stressed out or something.

Either way I still don't know what is happening. We make it to the dungeons, a place I have never had the pleasure of visiting. We pass cell after cell, most empty. But not all. I lost count of how many we passed. I dared not ask another question out of fear of another strike.

After many, many cells we reach what would appear to be the end. One final cell, this must be mine. One of the guards swims forward and begins the unnecessarily long process of unlocking the overly complicated lock. After two full minutes of fiddling with the locks the thick heavy door is opened.

I am carried inside and am tossed to the floor. I land with a grunt. They roughly unchain me and once done they leave without a word.

I just lay there, trying to make sense of the situation. What could I possibly have done to anger my father so much? Only he can command the guard to act. Much less to apprehend the prince.

I roll to my back and stare at the ceiling. It's dark in here and I am scared. Scared of the implications of the prince who is all but invisible. Is thrown into the deepest darkest cell so roughly without explanation. All I can do is wait for them to return, then I will get some answers.

How long have I been here? I can't tell the time, it's so dark here. The guards bring me food every few days I think but I'm not sure. Every time I hope that the next time they show up I will be freed. Or at the very least explained why this is happening. The first time they came in I walked over to them expecting an explanation. All I got was a strong backhand that sent me crashing into the wall.

They just came to bring my food. Any attempt at convention was met with force. Occasionally my stomach would act up but no matter how loud I screamed they didn't care. One night when the pain was just too much and I screamed so loud they came. Oh they came. They came with their batons and beat the shit out of me.

I thought I would die that night. I wish I had died that night. For after that night my stomach would strike with a vengeance, which would in turn summon the guards. They said nothing as they beat me to unconsciousness.

They were careful not to strike anywhere that would kill me. How considerate of them. I sit in a corner just thinking of my life. Both lives. I always thought that I knew what it meant to be alone. What solitude truly meant. But oh was I wrong. How wrong I was.

At least I had the privilege to go where I pleased. I could see light, see the city at my favorite spot. I still remember it, the way the light would hit the city just right. It would look so magical, like a true fantasy underwater city.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the locks being undone. I hate this part, the time it takes them to open the door. It's almost maddening. Eventually they open the doors and I curl into a ball in my corner. Trying not to irk them, hopefully they would leave my food and go.

But they don't, they walk towards me. I can hear their heavy boots as they approach. My heart pounds with fear. I ready myself for the strike but they just grab me and carry me to the door.

I dare not hope, dare not ask if I am being freed. I fear if I do they will just throw me back in. Like some sick joke to try and break my spirit. But they don't, I am carried out the cell towards the exit. Unbidden tears stream down my face but I make no sound.

As they carry me we finally reach the exit and I can see the outline of light at the edges of the door. It's so beautiful, like I'm being carried to the gates of heaven after being punished for my sins. Oh God please, please let this be the end of it.

As they open the doors I'm forced to close my eyes. The brightness is too much. I don't know for how long I was in that pit, but this sudden exposure has left me sensitive.

The guards don't miss a single step. They haul me somewhere, my eyes are still adjusting. Finally my eyes are working and the sight before me is confusing. I stand before the great doors of the court. A place where those are judged.

The great doors open and I'm carried inside. The stands are filled with people, all looking hatefully at me. I glance towards the podium where just above, the elders stand.

The guards plop me down in the center of the podium and chain both my wrists to the ground. In this position I am forced to kneel before the elders. I look up at them and recognize a few. But one catches my eyes. A woman, my grandmother.

I rarely see her. She all but despises me. Not once has she spoken to me. She looks at me hatefully and I don't understand why. One of them steps forward drawing everyone's attention.

"Prince Naman, you are here to be judged for the murder of King Ryus." I am absolutely shocked. Father is dead? How? When? My mind is reeling at this revelation. "I have not done an-" the man who spoke slammed his staff into the ground silencing me.

"We didn't bring you here to listen to your lies! We already have all the evidence. As I said you are here to be judged. Your guilt has already been determined. Now it is time to decide your fate."

What! What about a trial? "I am the prince! I demand a trial!" A guard walks towards me and backhands me laying me low.

"You are accused of killing the king. His body was found in his chambers dead. The healers declared the cause of death to be poison. Further investigation led us to finding said poison in your own chambers. And after a few eyewitness testimonies, you are found to be guilty."