Chapter 22

Sampson had been taken to a small room no bigger than the room he had shared in his own quarters. He wasn't sure how it was possible but it smelt worse than the dungeons with the heavy scent of stale urine and blood. Sampson's chest concaved as he resisted the urge to vomit but no matter how hard he tried there was nothing he could do to stop himself inhaling the putrid scent.

In the end he could only breath through it and try and bare it. They had taken him until his trial was over and when it was he would be taken to be killed. He wasn't sure how it worked in other Kingdoms but in Toombak you didn't have a chance to defend yourself at trials. It was up to the King and his consort what your punishment would be. You would only find out your sentence when they were dragging you, kicking and screaming to the noose.

Sampson scratched his nails against the walls, chipping away at the stone to try and carve his name into it. He wanted to leave something to the world since he had no personal belongings and no family to speak of. It was the least he could do to leave a part of himself behind, even if it was just his name on the wall that he doubted anyone that knew him would ever see. He would have preferred if no one he loved ever knew he was here since he wouldn't want them thinking of him in here all alone.

As soon as Sampson got over how bad it smelt what came worse was the boredom. In the dungeons he had the men to converse with and even when it was completely silent at least he wasn't all on his own. Now with no one to talk too, stuck in a pitch black room he could feel himself going crazy. He would have rather talk to with the botanist and his love for plants again.

It was a couple of hours since Sampson was taken to the room when the door to the small room opened. The Lord Ferimis stood outside the door with the servant behind him holding a tray of food. The servant dropped the food down to the floor when Sampson was sitting and bowed, leaving Sampson and the Lord Ferimis alone.

Sampson wasn't sure whether it was a trick or not so he didn't immediately reach for the tray but instead waited for the Lord Ferimis's instructions. "You can eat". Sampson eyed the food warily. Given that the Lord had already tried to kill him he didn't put it past him to try again.

"You must be hungry. I doubt you've eaten much in the past couple of months". Sampson's mouth watered at the sight of meat and vegetables on the plate but still he knew better than to try it. Lord Ferimis found his actions amusing because his lips tilted into a smile, before he pulled a chair and sat in front of him, pulling the tray to his lap.

He cut a piece of meat and put it in his mouth chewing slowly before he swallowed. He did the same with the carrots before putting the utensils down. "I am not trying to poison you Sampson. Now that I've proved it you can eat". He brought another chair next to him. "Why don't you sit down? I'm sure it's better than staying in that filthy room".

Sampson hesitated before he stood up. He didn't trust the Lord Ferimis's intentions but he couldn't bare to spend another moment in wallowed in such filth. He sat down with shaking legs on the chair in front of the Lord Ferimis. The chair was pulled close and so when Sampson sat down his knees brushed against the Lord Ferimis's robes.

He pushed the chair back, pushing sitting as far back in the chair as he could. Lord Ferimis produced the tray of food in front of him but still Sampson didn't immediately reach for it. He knew the Lord hadn't brought him food out of the kindness of his heart but more because he carried an ulterior motive.

"Do you wish for me to feed you? Is that why you aren't eating?", he probed. Sampson shook his head and out of fear for what he would do reached for the golden fork and knife. The knife was sharp on one side and blunt on the other, designed to slice through meat or skin if needed be. He felt better that it was in his hands and not the Lord Ferimis's.

He cut his food in small portions and held it up to his nose first, sniffing for chemicals before he deemed it safe enough to eat. "I understand why you would be superstitious with my sudden visit. But I can promise I mean you no harm". The Lord Ferimis was the type of person who gave you a bad feeling from a mere glance. His inviting words barely penetrated Sampson's wariness of him.

The meat was soft as he chewed it, even softer than the meat he had eaten in the dinner party with the royal family. "I apologise for the rough treatment you've received but given your actions I would say the King has been easy on you". Sampson nodded and carried on eating. The more he ate, the quicker he began to eat until he was shoving food in his mouth and swallowing without chewing. He was too ravenous to risk Lord Ferimis changing his mind and taking the tray from him.

Lord Ferimis stayed silent until Sampson finished. When he did, he took the tray from Sampson and produced a cloth that was hidden in the sleeve of his robes. Sampson expected him to hand the cloth to him but instead he leaned over and swept it across his lips, cleaning from side to side. Sampson stayed silent as he concentrated on the task. Lord Ferimis wasn't like Linshanth where he could push him away and tease him uncomfortably.

Lord Ferimis folded up the napkin and left it on the side next to the tray. Sampson shifted his hands to his lap, the knife was on the tray and now far from his reach. It would only take the Lord Ferimis to reach for the knife and slash his throat.

It was as if the Lord read his mind because he pushed the tray further towards Sampson, and far from his reach. Sampson screwed up his brows almost in disapproval. The knife was closer to him now which meant he could just as easily take it and kill Lord Ferimis.

"You have a trial in three days and in that time the King will decide what your punishment will be". Sampson nodded, he had been told as much by Deiniol but he wouldn't tell Lord Ferimis that. Deiniol paid a hefty sum to the guards to keep quiet about his daily visits.

"As you will be aware your crime is punishable by death but…". Sampson looked up at Lord Ferimis, visibly shrinking when he gaged the salacious smile on his face. "The King may be convinced to give you a lighter sentence if I were to put in a good word for you". As he spoke the words he reached over and placed his palm on Sampson's knee, lightly squeezing like he was trying to comfort him. Sampson wanted to prise his cold fingers off of him but his hands remained firmly at his sides.

It took a while to get over the shock of being touched in such a way before he could get his words out.

"You would do that?".

"You were talked highly of as a servant and it just so happens I am looking for one myself. We would be helping each other". An uneasy feeling settled it's way into Sampson's stomach. There was a way Lord Ferimis spoke to him as if there was a deeper meaning to his words. He suddenly felt afraid being in a room with him all on his own. There were no guards and in that sense meant there were no witnesses.

"What do you say? My offer only stands today". Sampson shifted in his chair, subconsciously moving towards the knife in case he needed to use it. "It is like you said, I should be punished for my crimes". The smile that had grown on Lord Ferimis's face dropped in an instant, replaced by a chilly stare. The pressure of his fingers deepened into his skin, the pressure large enough to leave small bruises.

"I am saving you from death and the only thing you would do in return is to serve me for life". He made it sound like he was offering Sampson a kindness but Sampson would rather die a thousand deaths than be indebted to Lord Ferimis for life. "I don't deserve such an offer. I apologise my Lord but I cannot accept".

Lord Ferimis leaned in until he was close enough to Sampson face where he could feel his cold breath. "When you are moments from death I will be there to watch then you will beg me to have the chance to accept my offer".

"We'll see", Sampson remarked darkly. Lord Ferimis had shown his true colours and so he no longer felt the need to hide his. It wasn't clear why exactly he wanted Sampson as a servant, there were hundreds of others, ready and waiting who would do just as good a job as him, if not better.

Given the things he had heard about Lord Ferimis and the fact that he had a particularly liking towards men, it didn't pass Sampson's mind that it might have something to do with it.

There would be no way of knowing unless he agreed to the Lord's offer but it wasn't a risk he was prepared to take. Lord Ferimis stood and took his leave but he didn't take the tray with him. Leaving the knife ready and waiting to be used.

Sampson contemplated taking it and ending his misery know. It was most likely the reason Lord Ferimis had left it there because he wanted to see if Sampson had the guts to kill himself before the King sentenced him to death. He picked it up with shaking fingers and held it close to his throat, taking slow breaths. He counted down from ten in his head, making the deal that once he got down to zero he would slice the knife through his throat. He would be in pain but it would only be for a couple of minutes whilst he bled out.

With every number he could feel the knife slowly starting to slip from his fingers that had now become clammy and covered in sweat. He never did reach zero, he lost his nerve at three and the knife slipped from his hands and to the floor. He picked it up but placed it back on the tray. There was no convincing himself to use it. He would wait for the death sentence to be given to him if it meant he could live for a few more days.

It was as he placed the knife down did he realise the guard had no returned and Lord Ferimis had left the door unlocked. He must have thought Sampson would kill himself and so saw no need to lock it. He could leave for a few hours and come back as if he had never gone at all. He doubted the guard would return until nightfall.

Sampson crept towards the door, checking through the empty space between the door and it's hinge to see if there was anyone standing on the outside of it. The corridor was empty, so he opened the door wider and crept outside, leaving the door slightly ajar just as Lord Ferimis had. He was in part of the castle that he had never ventured before and so he had no idea how he would get down to the pond from there.

The servants quarters were in the lower east part of the castle and the Prince's in the far North. He continued forward, following a winding corridor and taking the next left, hoping that where he was heading would lead him somewhat close to the servants quarters.

He didn't recognise any of the paintings on the wall or understand why there were so many flowers in elaborate glass vases on every surface. The realisation slowly dawned on him that he must have ventured into the women's chambers of the castle. This is where the Queen and her daughters had room as well as any women the King had decided to house.

It was the smallest section of the Castle and yet the women made up the majority of the royal household. It was would be even worse if Sampson were to be caught here, not only would they hail him a killer but they would accuse him of trying to intimidate the women. His name would forever carry a great disdain and there would truly be no forgiveness for him then.

He passed many rooms through the long winding corridor, none of which he dared to open. He couldn't risk accidentally entering into one of their chambers. He noticed the further he walked through the corridor the less appealing it started to seem. The flowers in the glass vases were old and had started to smell. It had been a long time since they had been replaced. It also felt colder like a cold breeze had wafted it's way into the corridor but there no were windows in sight for Sampson to penetrate where the breeze was coming from.

The corridor came to an abrupt stop in front of a door that was slightly ajar. Sampson opened it wider, feeling the cold breeze getting stronger. There was no room but a staircase. He needed to go up and not down but it seemed like his best option considering it might be the only direction to lead him out of the women's quarters. Sampson took the stairs one at a time listening out for any sound as he had no idea of what could be waiting for him once he reached the top.

The breeze had morphed into a large gust of wind and he began to shiver the longer he climbed. He only had a pair of thin robes on but they were half torn from being dragged by the King's guard. Having spent so long lying in the blistering heat of the dungeons he welcomed the cold.

He stopped when he thought he heard a voice but as he stood and waited, he didn't hear anything. He convinced himself his mind was playing tricks on him. It hadn't been so long since he was locked in a dark room with only his thoughts to keep him company. He would have thought he would have gone mad by now.

He carried on taking the steps once more. They took him to the very top of the castle and as he looked up he saw there were large holes in the ceiling which must have been where the breeze was coming from. He heard the soft saccharine voice of someone singing and he immediately halted in his paces.

In the middle of the room lay a bed with a grey quilt and a cradle on the side of it. A woman sat on her knees, singing by the cradle to a baby that was softly sleeping inside. He recognised the back of her to be Suzy, the King's concubine that had recently given birth to a healthy baby boy. Sampson had never had a mother and so it was completely foreign to him to know such affection.

She stopped singing when the baby settled, sitting up from her knees and standing. That was Sampson cue to leave before she noticed him, however something lying in the cradle with the child made him halt in his retreat. He didn't have time to announce his presence before Suzy turned, realising she wasn't alone she let out a ear shattering scream and snatched the baby from the cradle instantly.

"What do you want? Who are you?". "I don't mean you any harm. I'm sorry, I stumbled up here by accident", Sampson spoke, trying to calm her. She clutched onto the baby tightly. He had been woken up by his mothers harrowing scream and was no wailing in fright, needing the soft melody to put him back to sleep again.

"What do you want with us? I won't let you take him". "I don't want to take him. I would never hurt a baby", Sampson muttered softly. He took a step forward and she pressed herself against the wall as if trying to mould her skin into the stone. As he took another step forward she tightened her limbs tightly around herself, trying to make herself smaller. The baby cried relentlessly at her actions and she did nothing to comfort him.

It wasn't Suzy or the baby that Sampson was trying to reach but the cradle that stood in the middle of the room. He had noticed from afar the dark purple of the indistinguishable purple hellebore. Being as dangerous as it was it had no place being so close to a child.

He leaned down and picked it from the cradle, twisting it in his fingers. "You shouldn't have the flower so close to the child". "It was a present from the Queen", she remarked with a shaking voice. "This flower is extremely poisonous". He tucked the flower into his robe and where he knew it would be safe from causing any damage. The Hellebore was only lethal once ingested, he guessed that the Queen would have found a way to trance it so the baby would ingest it once Suzy had gone to sleep.

"That was a present from the Queen. She wouldn't give it to me if she knew it was poisonous". "To protect the succession the Queen would do anything". It wasn't his place to talk so ill of the Queen but he feared if he didn't, it ran the risk that Suzy would think he was making it all up. The baby didn't deserve such a cruel ending to a life it had barely just started.

"You…I know who you are. You're the lost son, I saw you with the King at the bottom of the mountain. You killed the King of Sun Valley". "I didn't mean to do it". "I saw you, you told the soul to kill him", she accused.

Her voice wobbled showing how afraid she was becoming. Sampson hated himself for it. He wished he could go back and undo it, because even if he did somehow manage to escape death he would still have the knowledge that he was a killer hanging over his head. It was something he would never be able to forgive himself for.

"I won't let you hurt my child". "I'm trying to save you, not hurt you". "Save us? What do you mean?". It really hadn't been his intention when he saw the hellebore to help Suzy escape the castle but he knew the Queen would be relentless. Even if Linshanth made a full recovery she wouldn't risk the baby growing up and fighting for succession for the throne.

"You need to leave the castle before the morning, the Queen will return to see if the baby died and when she sees that he didn't, she will kill you both. Your only option is to run". Suzy stared at him with wide eyes that were now flowing with tears. It wasn't just fear he could see in her eyes but acceptance. She knew that the Queen would never let her and her child live, but the time to be blind to it was over. If she didn't leave now the Queen would surely kill her.

"I'll never get out of the castle alive, not with the baby", she cried. She half heartedly tried to rock him back to sleep but he continued to wail. "You should sing to him again", Sampson murmured. Suzy nodded and cradled him into his arms, singing the soft melody that warmed Sampson's heart. He could see how much she loved him just by the look of joy on her face as his wailing stopped replaced by gentle cooing noises.

He waited until the baby was asleep until he made a plan. They would wait until nightfall, in the hour where the king's guard switched from day to night shift to leave. Suzy knew how to get to the servants quarters from her room having been placed there before she was given a room in the women's chambers. It was up to Sampson to get her out of the castle. He hadn't disclosed to her that it would be there, that they would part ways.

As she began to talk about what they would do once they left Toombak it was clear she thought he was going with her. He didn't tell her that he couldn't, because he worried it would stop her from leaving if he did.

The baby was sleeping soundly as Suzy wrapped him in a blanket, tying it around her waist and shoulders to act as a carrier for the baby. She picked up a shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders. The room had only become colder as the day had started to bleed into night. Even Sampson who welcomed the cold after spending so long roasting in heat was beginning to feel his skin prickle from such an intense wind.

"This room isn't fit for a baby. It's much too cold". "The Queen didn't want me in the regular rooms. She didn't want any of the children to see the baby". Sampson guessed they had kept the children away and would most likely never learn about their younger brother until they were much older.

By then they would care little for a child that was only half related to them by blood. Not that they would much now. From what Sampson had already seen the Toombak children cared little for each other and a baby wasn't going to make much difference.

The baby began to cry again and Suzy held him close, gently kissing the top of his head to soothe him. "I don't think this is a good idea. The baby is too young for such a journey".

"You have no other choice Suzy. If you stay they will kill your son". Suzy held the baby tighter, letting a stray tear fall past her cheek. Sampson reached up to wipe it away, before he stopped himself. He remembered Suzy when she first came to the castle, a young girl who looked all out of place. He had thought her beautiful then and even more so now but those childish feelings had long since gone away. All he felt for her now was pity.

"We should go, the guards will be returning soon". Suzy nodded, she swept a number of items into her shawl and tossed it over her shoulder. "I'll hold it for you". Sampson took it from her, not wanting her to carry such a heavy load with the baby.

They took the steps one at a time. Suzy had only given birth some days ago and even light exercise was a struggle for her. Her legs still held the heavy weight of her stomach which had not yet gone down. Sampson held her hand with every step, clinging on tightly in case she was too trip.

As they approached the bottom she squeezed his hand, looking at him with frightful eyes. "If I leave Sampson I will never be able to return". "It is your only option". Sampson pushed open the door, only to have a sword shoved at his throat. Suzy screamed and began taking the stairs again as knights chased after her.

"Leave her", Sampson begged as they caught her kicking and screaming whilst her baby wailed. The Queen was in attendance, baring a sadistic smile. "You must have known you would have never been able to leave". Sampson was shoved onto the ground by Onyx, who bared his whole weight on top of him. As Sampson looked up he saw the Lord Ferimis staring down at him, with a mischievous glint in his eye. This was likely his plan all along and Sampson had played along beautifully.