“Something you want to ask me, girl?”
“Well, actually....” Alex shifted uncomfortably “... how did you know? About Jay that is?”
The old man chuckled as his good eye looked over Alex from head to toe. Taking a big gulp from his stein, he slammed it down and gave Alex a toothless grin.
“Jay's had a hard-on for you for months. Would threaten anyone who dared talk ‘bout you in a way he didn' like. I just figure if you ain’ an item yet, you would be soon enough. Ain' no man out there who would defend a woman like that unless he was in love with her.”
“But, how did you know I loved him?”
“Las, this is Jay we talking ‘bout. He be unreasonable, prone to bouts of anger, and as stubborn as a stag. Ain’ no woman put up with it unless she love him.” The old man chuckled again before taking another swig of his drink. “Bless yer gentle heart las. Gods know he needs someone to love him.”
“Thank you, for your kind words. And thank you for standing up for me.”
“Any friend of Jay's is a friend of mine. That Richard boy too. I've known about all your escapades for years now. Ain' no way you turn us over to that family of yours.”
“Wait, Richard? Do you mean Richard Cadwall?”
“Yes. Richard is part of the resistance too. Been a part of it for three years now. His old man used to be a good leader, till he lost his head. It ain’ no wonder young Richard followed in his footsteps.”
“Richard has been in the resistance for this long? Why... why didn't he tell me?”
“I ask him the same thing once. Wondered why he be keeping secrets from a woman he claim to love. He tell me he cause you enough pain, so he didn' want you involved.”
Looking back, everything that happened between them finally made sense. All those times Richard claimed to be busy, pushing her away. All the secrets she knew he kept. He did it all to protect her. He must still blame himself for what happened all those years ago. The revelations into Richard’s behavior had overwhelmed Alex with a sense of guilt of not being there for him when he needed her.
“If only I knew—”
Stopping herself, Alex trailed off in thought. What if she did know about Richard, what then? It's not like it would have changed how she felt about Jay. Perhaps what hurt Alex the most was the realization that she never loved Richard the way he loved her. No, knowing would not have changed a thing, but if she knew, then at least he would still be in her life now. Seeing tears form in Alexandra’s eyes, the old man reached over, taking hold of her hand.
“Don' feel sorry las. Richard knew what he be doin’ when he introduce you to Jay. Truth is, he know who the better man for you was all along. Lad did the right thing letting you go.”
“I just wish he did not let our friendship die alongside our romance.”
“Perhaps, it ain’ too late to save it. True friendship is never lost, even if the two parties involved don’ speak for a while.”
What the old man said struck a chord with Alex. She and Richard had been friends since they were kids. Despite everything that happened, their friendship should be able to survive. Making a promise to herself, Alex decided that before she leaves Vega, she would stop by Richard's and fix their friendship. Lost in thought of how she would pull it off, Alexandra did not notice an exhausted Henry come over and join them, not until he gave her a gentle nudge, snapping her back to reality.
The surrounding room seemed to have returned to normal, all the men had gone back to their tasks as if she never walked in the chamber. Awestruck, Alex sat and processed her surroundings. This was not the first time she had somehow found herself tangled up in political matters. What had impressed her the most was the fact that this cell seemed to operate so seamlessly under her father's nose. Alex wished to find out more about them, know what they were planning. But more importantly, she wanted to know why her brother's friend was involved with them.
“So, Henry, what exactly does the resistance hope to accomplish? And why are you even involved?”
Nodding his head, Henry turned to face her. Leaning in closer, Alex rested her face on her hand. She did not wish to miss any vital detail he was about to reveal. Realizing the princess would not let him go unless he explained himself, Henry heaved out a sigh and settled down for a long explanation.
“I guess you and I share a few convictions, my lady. You see, I too hate how our world is run. The way things are now is not how it was supposed to be. This isn't what our ancestors had in mind. It's wrong of us to be treating the grays like this, and we don't treat our own kind any better. I believe the strong should protect the weak, and yet, here we are, exploiting them for our own personal gain.
“We don't seek to protect the grays, we're looking for money and influence. But money and power are corrupting forces, ones we have been under for far too long. I have long suspected the real reason for the war was the love of power and wealth which stemmed from something dark and beyond our world. We have been taught we fought to keep our magic from dying out, but the truth is, our magic can't die out. Even grays can use magic on par with our own, they simply need to learn to control it.”
“The grays are capable of more than basic spell work?”
“Yes. Think about it, Alexandra. Think about the magic you use. Tell me, how do you summon your weapon, how do you make your spells work?”
“Concentrating the power of our emotions...” Alex whispered as she understood what Henry was trying to tell her.
“Exactly! The stronger the feeling behind it, the more powerful a spell you can perform. But intent matters too.”
“Intent?”
“Yes. Have you never considered the intent behind each spell?”
“I know about intent...” Alex shrugged “... I just didn't think it mattered much.”
“It matters. If your intentions are pure, the spell you perform will be twice as powerful as a spell cast by a stronger mage whose desires became polluted by lust. That's why those who can love and wish to protect will always be stronger than the ones who want to use their magic to keep themselves in power.”
“If what you are saying is true, then how come the grays don't use magic to take back control? What is stopping them?”
“Think ‘bout it las,” the old man spoke up. “Unlike you, we never learn to control our emotions. We jus’ experience them freely. When need be, you can channel your emotions at a moment's notice, without a second thought. This be discipline us grays lack.”
“I get it... if the grays can learn to control and channel their emotions, they'd be capable of achieving the same magic we use.”
“Precisely. It wouldn't be nearly as powerful, but it would be enough. That's why our kind must keep the grays down, and dependent on us for everything. Can you imagine what would happen if the grays learned advanced magic and revolted against us?”
“It would be East Ashland all over again. We would get unseated, and I imagine a similar system would be put in place after another bloody war.”
“Correct, which would also mean you and I would be free as well. You would no longer be obligated to marry someone of your father's choosing, leaving you free to be with Jay.”
“That sounds all well and good, but something tells me my father would never approve of Jay, even if he were no longer in charge.”
“Possibly, but he also would not have the law on his side to stop you. And just picture the technological advancements we have missed out on and forgotten. We live in the stone age compared to East Ashland.”
“This is true.” Alex pondered about the things she’d see in Ashland soon, before returning to a more pressing question. “Now, I understand the theory behind this, but how do you plan to teach the grays to control their emotions?”
“That is the tricky part, and I am still working on it, but I do have a theory. I have been trying to get these boys to clear their mind and only focus on the emotion they feel. If they can do that, they may be able
to channel it. Unfortunately, after this morning, it seems like we have run out of time. If we are going to become a free territory, we have to act soon.”
“Is that what you are trying to do here, unite the people so Vega can become free?”
“Yes. I feel it's necessary we return to the way of life our ancestors had intended for us, or else everything is lost. We can't wait anymore for someone else to come save us. This is what the resistance has always been about, they just never had support of the pure-bloods before.”
“I take it you don’t trust the Amphiptere much in his promise of saving you, do you?”
“I trust him, but I cannot wait as it could be centuries more before help comes. If we want change, we will have to usher it in ourselves.”
“I see, and how exactly does someone like you come to be involved in such a risky venture?”
“Simple, like you, I had a thing for sneaking out of the castle and getting friendly with the locals. One night, while exploring the town I stumbled upon the local resistance cell. They were ready to kill me, but I convinced them I was on their side. From that day forward, I have been working with the different groups, helping them bring down the other pure-bloods.”
“I never pictured you as a rebel Henry,” Alex got up from her seat. “Show me what you got so far. I wish to know everything there is to know about the resistance and help in any way I can.”
“All right, follow me.”
Henry stood up and led Alex over to a group of men looking over old maps. One parchment she recognized right away as the map of the castle. It was detailed, with all the passageways she used as a child meticulously laid out. Another map contained the town of Winter Haven itself with the roads and buildings clearly marked. Over the city map was a transparent overlay with what appeared to be roads marked in red, roads that went parallel to the existing ones, but Alex did not recognize them at all.
“What are these roads, here?”
“Sewer tunnels.” Henry peered over her shoulder “We use them to get around town quickly and unseen. They come in handy when we are pursued by Manevia guard.”
“Incredible. All this time I had no idea what lay beneath the city streets.”
“That's not all you are not aware of Lady Alexandra.” Paul pointed to an old piece of parchment that mapped out a maze of passages. “Below the sewers lie the catacombs, but few of us dare venture there. Not only are they rumored to be haunted, but it’s also easy to get lost in there.”
“What are catacombs?”
“The realm of the dead. Mages used to be buried there all the time before the war. Now, they are reserved for those of noble birth. Out of all of us, only Richard has been there. The rest are too scared to go.”
“Impressive. But, what good do any of these do you? There is not enough of you to tackle even half of the guards in Manevia.”
“If we play our cards right, we won't have to deal with any of them. All we need to do is take down Dalton and Quinton. With Thomas and I in charge of our provinces, the guards will no longer pose a problem. After that, we can surrender our power to the people.”
“Henry, did you really admit to me that you plan on murdering Quin?”
“Forgive me, Alexandra, I didn't mean it like that. All we are planning on doing is exposing him as a co-conspirator on Philip's life. With any luck, no one will have to die.”
“Honestly...” Alex looked up from the map to face Henry “... you are acting like Quin, and I are close. He is a bastard. Believe me when I say there is no love lost between us. If you wish to slit his throat, you will not see me shed a tear. Although, I do find your effort to not kill anyone rather admirable, I appreciate you keeping him alive, no matter how vile he is. So, how do you plan to expose him?”
“I recognized the guards who tried to kill Philip as the men in Dalton’s personal army. If I could get an audience with your father, I could tell him—”
“He won't listen to you.” Alex cut Henry off. “He is arrogant, stubborn, and hates anyone from Crowning after the incident with your father. There is no way he would side with you over Quin on this. You will have better luck telling this to Philip and convincing him to join your cause.”
“You think Philip and Lord Griffith would listen to what I have to say? If they were to become part of the movement, it would mean they would have to give up their power too.”
“I didn't say, Lord Griffith, I said Philip. Lord Griffith is getting old, his health is failing. He is going to turn the power over to Philip before the end of the year, and Philip is on our side.”
“How can you be sure of that?”
“I spent some time talking to Philip on my birthday. I found out he feels the same way I do when it comes to the rules of our society. Unfortunately, he also seems to believe we are powerless to change anything about it. But, if you were to talk to him, you might convince him that with the three provinces working together a change can be achieved. Speak to him, Henry, make him see that change is inevitable, convince him to be part of the greater good.”
Standing beside her, Henry nodded his head as he considered everything Alexandra told him. Watching him think, there was no doubt in Alex's mind that Henry could convince Philip to join his cause. After all, Philip wanted to discuss her ideas further in private. Realizing she would forgo her meeting with Philip, Alex felt guilty. Nonetheless, if anyone could get Philip to join the resistance, it would be Henry, for Alex had no place to make such a request.
“Alex.” Henry said snapping his fingers, “I think your proposal could just be crazy enough to work. Rexham would be a crucial ally. If Philip is as much on edge as you claim, I think I can help push him over to the right side. I shall arrange a meeting with him as soon as I get home tomorrow.”
“You actually believe you can pull all this off, don't you?”
“Certainly. We are already more than halfway there. All we need to do is get Dalton and Quinton out of the way, that would leave two provinces free. If we can convince Philip to join us as you claim, it would mean Vega can be no different from East Ashland.”
“Noble plan. Sure hope it works out for you, though I do think you may be setting your ambitions a little too high.”
“Nonsense. My goals are not high enough. I want to see all of Alteria free, but I don't actually believe I can achieve it on my own. And just think how good it would be. You would no longer have to conceal your feelings for Jay.”
“Not like I will have to conceal them for very much longer, anyway.”
“I beg your pardon?”
The look of confusion on Henry's face quickly changed to one of a disturbing realization. Knowing she slipped up, Alex wondered what she was going to do. She thought it would not hurt to tell Henry her plans, at least not anymore. He would figure it out on his own in a day time, anyway. But Alex still worried Henry would try to stop her if he knew. Fortunately for her, however, she did not have to answer him yet as frantic knocking on the door drew everyone's attention away from her.
The old man got up from his chair and walked over to the gate. Opening the small peephole, he glanced out into the rain and frowned. Shutting the window, he turned to the crowd with a grim expression on his face.
“It's the Cadwall woman.”
“Isabel?” Henry sounded surprised.
“Yeah.”
“Well, let her in.”
Still looking troubled, the old man opened the door. Isabel came running in hardly giving the man enough time to move out of the way. She was out of breath, soaked, and Alex could see her face was covered in tears. Stumbling over to Henry, Isabel grabbed hold of his jacket, sinking to the floor, continuing to sob uncontrollably. Concerned, Henry put a gentle arm around her shoulder as he tried to comfort her.
“What's wrong Isabel? What happened?”
“It's Richard. Oh, Henry, they got Richard.”
“What are you talking about? Who got, Richard?”
“The
Manevia guards... they came by... and arrested him...” she sobbed “... said he orchestrated an attempt... on Lord Philip’s life… they… they will execute him in the morning.”
Gasping in shock, Alex fell back against the wall with a hand clenched over her chest. This was too soon, why would Quinton move so fast, and tonight of all nights? She cursed her brother under her breath as her concern shifted to her longtime friend. Something had to be done about this. Such an act was unacceptable, but if they were to wait until morning, it would be too late. Anxiously, Alex turned to look at Henry for guidance, who was still on the floor trying to console Isabel.
“I'm sorry Isabel” Henry held her tight as she continued to weep on his shoulder “But there is nothing I can do.”
“What?” yelled Alex “You're not just going to abandon him, are you?”
“What do you want me to do Alexandra?” Henry glanced up at her. “I can't go wake your father. We have worked too hard to get to where we are. You can't expect us to throw it all away for one man.”
“No, but I also don't expect you to throw him to the wolves.” Alex glared at Henry, her anger boiling over. “What happened to you protecting the weak Henry? Are you willing to sacrifice one of your own for the greater good?”
“The woman is right Henry,” spoke the scruffy man from earlier. “We either stand together or we fall one by one.”
“So, what do you suggest?” Henry yelled back at them. “I will take the first bright idea someone wishes to offer.”
“We break him out.”
Pulling away from the wall Alex came over to Isabel and put her arms around her friend’s sister. It was clear Henry was not thrilled with her suggestion, but she did not care. Richard was her friend, and Alex was not leaving Winter Haven until he was safe. Standing cross-armed, Henry frowned down at Alexandra. It was bad enough he got her involved this far but hearing her talk about risking her life to save someone was too much for him to take.
“What is all this we to talk about?”
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