Chapter 4 : The Duke

"What?" The official sputtered. A look of fear spread like a wildfire over his face, "Why?" he asked standing. He glanced waywardly at the paladin but she was staring down at me with an icy and stiff manner.

Before the young knight could reply, a procession of knights conveyed the gentleman in question into the room. The official dusted himself down quickly and bowed his head low. 

I looked up to see the great man for myself. He looked exactly the part of a minister of the royal court. He wore a refined trimmed coat and iron pressed collar that looked like it could cut steel. He didn't give any introduction. His glance passed the lowly official and went directly to the paladin.

"Ristelle," he gave a nod.

The paladin likewise gave a slight bow. For the first time, I noticed a darkness cross her eyes. It's funny how hatred reveals itself so consistently in the faces of the well-bred as it does the poor. I knew the look well. She did well to bury under her civil manner but it remained burning brightly in her crystal severe eyes.

"Ah, Duke Severn, I was not expecting you," the official began. 

"You ask for a lease of one of our paladins, it's only right I should take an interest, is it not?" Came the duke's dismissive reply.

"Oh!" the official lowered his gaze, "I only meant, that this petty criminal case is not worth your time, your grace,"

"I will decide the value of my own time," the Duke snapped.

"Ah, yes. Yes, of course," the official snivelled.

"Leave us," the Duke commanded.

The official's eyes widened but he complied. The room emptied out once more leaving only the duke, Ristelle and I. The duke took a seat across from me.

"Are you able to communicate with him?" He asked Ristelle.

"Yes, your grace," she answered shortly.

I expected him to continue the interrogation. Perhaps he was another unsatisfied customer with his hand in the honey jar that I could manipulate. Instead, he leant back in his chair observing me quietly. He had the same look as any other district lord. He was clean shaven and his brown hair pushed back with a fleck of grey. He might have been handsome in his youth but there was something in his eyes that was exceedingly off putting. I might have called it bitterness, but it was much more cruel than that. 

His hand slowly came down upon the table as he tapped the gritty wood lightly. My eyes were instantly drawn to the sparkling ruby ring upon his finger. The hue of red was intense. It almost looked like it was glowing.  I hadn't realised it but when my eyes came up, he was staring directly at me. It was as if he was testing me somehow but I didn't know what he wanted from me. Whatever it was, I didn't like it.

"Where are you from?" he asked at length.

"I was born in the city," I replied slowly.

"Your parents?" He followed.

"I don't know," I answered, "I never met them,"

A flicker of grin rose in his lips, "and how long has it been since you were able to speak?"

I stared at him coldly. Something felt wrong, "I don't know," I answered reticently.

"From birth?" he questioned.

"I don't know," I answered again.

He gave a small smile and with a nod of his head, he stood back up. With that, he took his leave as swiftly as he had come. There was faint chatter outside the door but it was muffled. I was attempting to gleam what I could when I heard Ristelle mutter something under her breath:

"Shit," she uttered.

I almost did a double take hearing the words and looked up expecting to garner a laugh at her expense but the look on her face was grave. She returned her eyes back to me.

"You.." she halted, then brought her voice to a whisper, "you're one of them, aren't you?"

"One of who?" I scoffed.

"This isn't the time for games," Ristelle returned fiercely, "If you're one of them, they're going to take you."

"Take me where?" My brow furrowed in confusion.

"They're gonna take you to the Castlewood prison,"

"Castlewood?" I repeated incredulously.

That was the prison for the worst criminals in the Empire. It wasn't a place for thieves even if I was a guild member. It was a place for mass murders, war criminals and those on death row. I shook my head instinctively.

"Trust me, I've seen it happen," Ristelle said wearily.

"Why? On what charge?" I demanded.

"They don't need a charge, not if you're one of them,"

"One of them? You mean a member of the thieves guild?"

"No," Ristelle's jaw clenched, "one of the one's without a voice,"

"A mute?" I let out a snort of derision.

"No," Ristelle answered through gritted teeth, "I don't have time to.."

Just then, the door opened. I was ripped from the chair and conducted back to the cell. The walk back was silent. Ristelle didn't so much as look my way so there was no way to get anything else out of her. I hit the cold stone with a shove. My knees cracked against the ground and I turned back to the guard viciously as he slammed the barred door shut behind me.

"What did this kid do again?" He turned from me to the other guard beside him. "I just heard he's being transferred to castlewood tomorrow,"

The other guard looked at me indifferently. Once more I disappeared completely in their eyes. 

"Who knows?" he laughed, "It's always the quiet one's right?"

I returned my gaze back inside the cell. If I was free, I would have robbed them twice over by now. How annoying, I lamented inwardly. The spell of the daylight spilling into the overcrowded cell seemed to go on forever. All the while, the slosh of blood and whatever else remained was painted on the stone slab floor. For some reason in the midst of what appeared to be the end of my life as I knew it, my mind kept returning to that flicker of gold in Ristelle's hair as it passed me. I contemplated with seriousness that it might be the last gold I ever saw...

When the moon finally showed her face and the dry night air wrapped the loitering heat in a shade of cool, I felt somewhat relieved. I've always felt calmer at night. It's not so bad to be able to disappear into the night. No one cares what you do or who you are, there's freedom in that.

I expected, now lion tattoo was nothing more than a demon's dessert, the night would pass quickly. However, approaching midnight, I heard steps advancing down the hall. I wondered if it was a change of guard and looked back. 

Ristelle's icy gaze met mine with surprise. 

"To see a paladin twice in one day, to what do we owe the honour?" I asked with a smirk.

She stared down with her eyes completely devoid of any sympathy. 

"We're transferring you early," she returned flatly.

With a gesture to the guards, they opened the slammer and hauled me out. I stared at Ristelle in disbelief.

"They can't do this!" I fumed, "I haven't even had a trial!"

Ristelle turned her eyes stiffly away and took me brusquely by the arm and marched on. The last glimpse I caught of the cell was Alto staring up at me. I swear I caught a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

My hands were shackled as I was pulled forward without so much a glance. Ristelle didn't turn back once. I inhaled deeply. What should I? Noone ever escapes from castlewood. I glanced up at those golden locks braids cascading over her olive skin and a thought occurred to me. Should I just kill her?

No, she's a knight's paladin, I reminded myself.  The one who would end up dead would probably be me. I let out the sigh. It seemed impossible now. I should have tried to escape sooner. Regret is like the opposite of a shark, it can only look backwards. Pointlessly blundering through my own missteps did nothing to help me now. 

Once more I looked at my silent captor. I've been told I'm quite handsome. I've got those emerald eyes that are popular in the upper district right now. Though I am a little swarthy in appearance with this dark black hair, I'm in good shape. Maybe I could talk her around.

I caught a glimpse of those steely blue eyes as the moon greeted us in the courtyard. No, I decided against it. The tenth paladin, beautiful though she is, wouldn't be so easily persuaded. I knew that the moment I locked eyes with her. She is someone who kills without hesitation. Like the other paladins, she is the Emperor's axe just as much as she is the righteous symbol of the people. 

We continued wordlessly crossing through the jailhouse courtyard. Onward bound we marched swiftly to the gates. Ristelle didn't so much as greet the guards on duty. She didn't need to. The paladin is the highest rank of knight only under General Talos. 

Outside the gates, we began to descend the steps down to the citadel underpass. It's a labyrinth of  passageways only used by the royal army. As we reached the foot of the stairwell, I began to wonder: Why are we going in here? Why is she taking me alone?