The offer to Raise up

"Where are you taking  me?" asked Alistair , as he stared at the place which was isolated from the hall area.

"You don't have the right to question." Said the guards as they forced him to move by tying up his hands so that he can't escape.

Alistair was new to this palace but it was certain to him that he was given the punishment to kneel down before the lance room which certainly was not located this deep.

Suddenly, he remembered the warning as he could half assume that what was going to happen to him.

He could dash them off if they were normal beings without any magic but alas! nothing could be done.

Soon Darcel saw a door which opened and a series of stairs bent down towards the darkness.

"Shoot! Don't tell me that they are taking me to some deep dungeon and planning to kill me." thought he .His mouth became dry, he gulped his saliva and sweat dropped off his face.

"Now you will know why you shouldn't poke your nose into others' affairs. "Said a guard as he saw Alistair's expression and started laughing. 

"You do know right now that the princess will not leave you alone if I die." Said he ,in a rather calm and arrogant tone.

Alistair knew that he was just used as a pawn by the princess to agitate the higher ups .He was no fool and that's why he too took a gamble and used her name.

"Hahaaaa" laughed the guard while dragging him to the stairs and closing the door.

"You think the princess will care for a mare maid ." he said ," Let me tell you .We lower life never matters to those higher ups."

Telling this he further dragged Alistair and this time it was quite rough.

Alistair already estimated this outcome but still he tried .

"Now , I have to wait for an opportunity. Alistair thought, his face was not hopeful and he knew that he might die.

However, one thing that he had known from his childhood was that nothing was easy and to survive you have to keep on fighting. 

Soon the door slided to close down but before it was completely closed down a little blue bird entered through it.

The guards were busy taking Alistair so they didn't notice the tiny entity.

The bird followed them from a distance until they disappeared in the darkness. 

"Now what !where the hell did they go?" Said the bird coming to her real form and hiding behind a pillar that she found there.

"Hmmm, looks like,  I have to search for them in my human form and then take my original form. " she said while searching for them as she descended down the stairs.

Before entering the palace area she took some time to change her clothes into black ones so that she could easily mix.

After some time of walking she finally found a source of dim light that lit the entrance of the dungeon-like area .She was going to run there when she heard footsteps walking down there. 

She was quick to change into her bird form before entering and as she slowly flew high, finding behind some pillars and then escaping out from the patrolling guards' sight.

On the other side The guards placed Alistair inside a cell which was heavily guarded and they made him sit ,while tying  up his hands with the handles of the chair.

"So, is this the maid who interfered in the hall and made our general get punished?" Said a young man ,who slowly entered the cell .

"Sire, what should we do with her." Asked a man that looked like his assistant who followed him.

"Well all of you stand aside " said he and came closer to Alistair.

He stood in front of him and slightly bent his head and put his hand on Alistair's chin and in a domineering voice said.

"Look , you have gained the attention of the princess and my lord wants you to work for her and collect information about the "

Alistair understood that they wanted to use him as their pawn and gain something. 

"Oh ! Don't worry you will gain a good position and also magic ,if you help us." Said The man , while noticing that Alistair was thinking something. 

Alistair knew that he needed that thing but he also knew that if he said yes ,he would be openly used as a pawn and then again he might not end up well.

"If I refuse they will surely kill me and if I  listen then also I may end up dead." Thought he , with a calm expression so that they would not doubt him.

"But why me ? If I am not wrong then you can have plenty of people to do this task." Said he carefully. He already knew that one wrong word and he would be dead meat.

"Well because it would be easy for an outcast to gain the princess trust 

." Replied the man , his face showed signs of seriousness.

However, Alistair could tell the reason was complete bullshit and there might be some hidden agenda that can only be completed by a stranger.

"Then again did they found out that I am not their kind and are planning to blame Rose about being a traitor who bought some other race with her

" he thought.

He knew that this reason is not valid but whatever the reason is something big is gonna happen.

" Ok I will work for you but you have to promise my personal space and have to teach me magic." Said he ,his mouth sealed and eyes staring at the man.

At this all of the people present started to laugh ,especially the man who stood in front of him.

"Lady ,you must be kidding me ,what makes you think that you are in a position to bargain. " said he ,barely controlling his laughter.

Alistair didn't close his eyes but rather just stared and said," just tell me will you or not."

At this the assistant drew his sword but the man signalled him to put it back and said,"ok I will but it will depend upon your work and of course if you can live ."

"Now we will free you but you have to sustain some injuries in order to not raise anyone's doubt." Said He and asked others to step away.

Alistair was ready for this but still he was scared and when he was going to close his eyes the person used his burning technique and it almost burned him just not to death.

Then when the torture was over he left to give Alistair to gain a big strength. 

When they left the blue bird entered and sat on his lap and said ,"hey Rose send me here,and this band is the proof." 

The bird searched her little pouch located in her belly and have it to Alistair who looked at it in a surprised way…