Kethril

by Carroll, John H.

  “That’s horrible. You must have been so frightened,” Millia said with a hand to her throat.

  Anilyia nodded. “I was. When I woke, I was bound, gagged and blindfolded. My head hurt and I was being carried in a chest that was bouncing around. They didn’t let me out for a couple of days and when they did, I was in a room with the men surrounding me. I thought for certain . . .” she trailed off. Both looked horrified by the thought. “Their leader told them that I wasn’t to be harmed. He had his sword out and they were afraid enough of him to leave me alone.” That elicited sighs of relief from Anilyia’s audience.

  “Then a horrifying creature came into the room. It had four arms, pasty white skin and eyes like a deranged cat.” The description elicited gasps from the audience. “It spoke with two voices at the same time, making it difficult to understand. The cloth was put over my mouth and I lost consciousness again. The next thing I knew, I was in a cave with garish colored decorations. It hurt my head to look at them.”

  “I’m surprised those men didn’t . . . you know . . .” Chirelle said in relief.

  Anilyia mentally kicked herself. She had meant to say that they had in order to justify why she was no longer a virgin. Instead, she nodded and decided to explain it a different way. “It would have been better than what the creatures did.” Tears welled again. They hadn’t done that, but they did torture her and she still had nightmares about it.

  “What creatures? This sounds even worse than we imagined.”

  “They call themselves ‘Rojuun’.” Her voice was cracking. “They held me captive in that room for months. They would tie me down and cut me and . . .” Anilyia broke down again. She was going to have to get control soon. This crying was completely unlike her. She didn’t see the wide-eyed looks the princesses gave each other at the mention of Rojuun. They hugged her sympathetically, not saying anything.

  Anilyia took slow, deep breaths to regain control. “I don’t want to talk about everything that happened, but . . .”

  “That’s alright. I think father will want to hear about the Rojuun though. There are rumors,” Chirelle said.

  “Yes. I’ll tell him tomorrow when my head is clear.”

  “We’ll let him know. I’m sure he’ll want a private audience,” Chirelle agreed. “Now let’s dry off, get dressed and have some food while you tell us how you were rescued.”

  “Everyone’s talking about how you were holding the hand of Tathan of the Shadows and someone said you kissed him. We especially want to hear about that,” Millia suggested as they all stood up and let the handmaidens dry them.

  Anilyia had no intention of letting them know how serious that relationship was. The kiss complicated things but she would say it was a lapse of judgment or something. She had come up with a story to explain things that wasn’t too far from the truth, but waited until she was dressed to tell it. It gave her the opportunity to compose her thoughts again. While doing so, she built mental barriers to keep from bursting into tears like a silly little girl again.

  Food was set upon a table. The three princesses sat in chairs and began to eat daintily. Anilyia realized she had been eating with her hands a lot while on the road. “So tell us how they rescued you,” Chirelle encouraged.

  “And about Tathan of the Shadows,” Millia added again.

  Anilyia smiled. “I’ll start with Tathan. I know who and what he is. His name has been heard even in Mayncal.” She thought she had heard his name once during a party, but the activities of a thief had been beneath her notice at the time. “Tathan was one of my rescuers. To be honest, I wasn’t behaving very bravely after being rescued.”

  “That’s understandable. You’ve been through a complete nightmare,” Millia reassured her.

  She smiled in thanks and nodded. “We had to escape those deep caverns in mountains. There were endless dark tunnels and then caves with all kinds of glowing plants and animals. I turned to Sir Danth, the knight, for comfort and safety, but then I realized that he wasn’t alive in the normal sense.”

  “What do you mean?” Chirelle asked.

  “He’s some sort of ghost haunting the armor, but I don’t understand it. I also don’t think it wise to say too much about it because I still need him to get me home.” Anilyia was taking little bites as often as she could. It was the first thing she’d eaten since breakfast.

  “That’s wise. I heard father won’t have his men take you home because he thinks you’ll just be kidnapped again,” Millia replied. She seemed irritated by the fact.

  “It makes sense,” Anilyia responded, dismissing the matter with a casual wave of her fork. “Anyway, I found myself holding onto Tathan’s hand whenever possible, though ‘clinging desperately’ might be more accurate,” she said with a giggle. “I won’t deny he’s handsome and there’s something attractive and forbidden about such a dangerous rogue.” She winked. Chirelle and Millia blushed and tittered. Once again, the women around them looked shocked by the impropriety, but they listened just as intently.

  “I’m not supposed to let men touch me, but I felt safe when he held me in his arms.” Anilyia played with her food, not looking them in the eyes as though she felt guilty. “We traveled together for a long time and I even saw him with his clothes off. He’s very strong and . . .” She reddened in embarrassment.

  “Oh my!” Chirelle exclaimed. Both Kethril princesses blushed as did the women. The conversation appalled more than a few.

  “The kiss in your father’s grand courtroom was a reward for rescuing me since I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again. I like him, but it hasn’t gone further than that, though you may not believe me. I’m certain the common folk will judge me,” she said with a sigh.

  “They always do,” Millia agreed with a nod. Chirelle glanced at her sister and gave her a barely perceptible shake of the head. It didn’t pass Anilyia’s notice and she filed it away for future use.

  “His cousin Liselle is the one who took the quest to save me though.”

  “Oh really?” Millia asked. “Someone said she’s the child of a goddess?”

  Anilyia didn’t answer right away. She didn’t know how to answer. Considering the things she had seen Liselle do, it didn’t sound too far-fetched. “She may be, but I have no idea. She has powerful magic though. She’s intimidating too. I tried making her a handmaiden after the rescue, but her eyes lit on fire and she threatened me.”

  “How dare she?!” Both princesses were furious.

  “She’s also the dragon’s mate,” Anilyia said quietly. She still didn’t trust Vevin. “And yes, he really is a dragon. I’ve seen him in his natural form.”

  Both of their jaws were wide open. “Dragons eat princesses. We all know that,” Chirelle said.

  “We’re not covered by the treaty. How did you survive?” Millia asked.

  “He promised Liselle he wouldn’t eat me, which made me that much more afraid of Liselle. If she could control a dragon . . .”

  “Oh my, yes. I would be afraid of her too,” Chirelle agreed.

  “I stayed with Tathan in the hopes that he would protect me from the dragon. I’ve made it here safely, though it’s still a long way to home.” Anilyia took a sip of wine. Tathan was in jail and the rest were off to fight a silly ship. She wasn’t getting home anytime soon. “I want very much to go home and I think I need them to get there.”

  “I’m sure they’ll take care of that ship soon, especially with a dragon,” Millia reassured her. “A dragon in human form, I didn’t even know they could do that.”

  “That makes them all the more frightening,” Chirelle said in hushed tones. The other two nodded. Chirelle invited Anilyia to spend the night in her room. Anilyia didn’t want to be alone. The thought of her kidnapping was strong in her mind, so she agreed.

  They talked about princessly things awhile before Anilyia fell into a deep sleep.

  ***

  She awoke late the next morning feeling refreshed. Seamstresses spent the day making her new dresses
and traveling clothes that were much more extravagant than what she had arrived with. The traveling clothes were soft, warm wool that caressed the skin, but would be sturdy enough to handle any terrain they might face. It felt good to wear a full dress as well. They were heavier than the silks she normally wore at home, but she didn’t mind considering the cooler air.

  Shortly after lunch, she met with the king and his most senior advisors, wizards and officers. She told them all she could about the Rojuun, including the room where experiments were being performed on humans. Anilyia cast the Rojuun in as negative a light as she could. They had held her captive, tortured her, called humans servants and committed atrocities. In her eyes, Rojuun were true evil.

  Her audience listened for hours and asked numerous questions. She answered them all and they took her very seriously. The king finally called a break for dinner, promising to continue the next day.

  During the formal dinner, she met two of the princes. The third was off on military drills. They were nice enough and fawned over her, but she wasn’t interested. She had a fiancé plus a lover. Adding anyone else would just complicate things. The thing that worried her the most was the fact that the king was fawning over her as well. It turned out his wife had died recently and he was looking for someone to share his bed with. Anilyia wanted Tathan to rescue her again by the end of the night.

  She slept alone that night, mostly because she needed time to think. It took a while for sleep to come.

  Chapter 15

  Tathan didn’t resist as the guards led him into the oldest section of the castle. The dark walls of the narrow hall had spots of moss on them, showing that it wasn’t being maintained. Lanterns placed at far intervals cast dim light. Old rusted iron torch brackets were empty.

  He became worried when they walked him past a torture chamber with rusty devices. “They don’t use that anymore,” one of the guards told him. Eighteen additional guards had gathered along the way plus four wizards. Every one of them looked nervous that Tathan of the Shadows was their prisoner. “Nobody’s been tortured in Kethril in over three hundred years and you’re to be treated well, which is why you’re in the abandoned royal jail instead of the prison outside the city.”

  The news was a relief to Tathan, but he didn’t say anything. He was concentrating on every detail in the hopes of finding something that would help him escape. A short distance further and they were in a circular holding room with an officer sitting behind a desk. The rest of the guards surrounded the edges of the room.

  “Tathan of the Shadows. How lovely to have you,” The officer said in a gruff voice. His hair was salt and peppered and there were scars on his face and bare arms. “I’m sure you’ll be a model prisoner, won’t you?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Totally,” Tathan answered. His eyes were scanning the walls and the iron gate leading to the cell area.

  “I knew you would,” The officer replied. “Take off all your clothes and jewelry, turn over your weapons and put these on,” he gestured to a folded prison outfit sitting on a small table to Tathan’s right.

  Tathan looked around at all the guards. Just because one said he was going to be well treated didn’t mean it was true. “In front of all these men? What about my modesty?” he asked with an impudent grin. If they were going to do something, that would most likely get it started.

  “I’m sure they’ll look away,” the officer replied with a smirk. “Weapons, clothes and jewelry, please.”

  Tathan wished he had left his jacket back in his pack along with a few other items. Some of his best things and a few pouches of gems were in secret, magical pockets in the jacket, but a good wizard would be able to find them. He folded the jacket and put it on the table next to the prison outfit. He pulled eleven knives out and put them on top of the jacket. People always expected ten knives so he kept eleven just to have an extra. He took off his jewelry and clothes and stood before them naked.

  “He had a sword in the grand court. I swear it,” said one of the guards who had escorted him down.

  “I still do, between my legs. The ladies love it,” Tathan replied with a cheeky grin. It drew guffaws from some of the guards.

  “Where is your sword . . . Lifedrinker I believe it’s called?” the officer asked, standing up and walking around him at a comfortable distance.

  “I slipped it to my cousin before leaving. I won’t take a chance of it getting . . . misplaced.” It was a believable explanation.

  The officer stopped on the left side of Tathan. “You had your leg tattooed with an image of it? Nice work,” he pointed at the detailed tattoo of a sword that ran from Tathan’s waist to just above his knee.

  “Yeah. A guy in Dralin did that as payment for something I acquired for him.”

  “Acquired is the word thieves use when they steal something,” the officer said. When Tathan didn’t respond, the officer shrugged. “Anyway, that’s not my concern. Put on the outfit.” Tathan grabbed the plain grey shirt and pants. When he was done, the officer motioned for one of the guards to open the gate.

  One guard and one wizard moved ahead into the passage, followed by the officer. Tathan came next then four more guards and a wizard followed. They looked like the toughest and most experienced.

  The hall had five pairs of cells with solid iron doors on either side. There was a barred opening in each so the guards could see the prisoner before opening the door. A locked slot was at the bottom to slip food through. The officer opened the last door on the left. “Go to the back of the cell.”

  Tathan did so. The officer closed the door with a clang. There was no access to the lock from the inside. Words of magic were spoken and Tathan saw the door seal together with a glowing light. That would complicate escape. Footsteps faded away.

  He looked around at what would be his new home for however long it took him to break out. Tathan promised Liselle that he would go to jail, but he never made any agreement to stay there. Lantern light coming through the barred opening in the door was the only illumination. It was enough to see a pile of fresh straw for a bed with a simple cloth pillow in one corner. There was a bucket for waste and a small table and chair both made of wood. Damp stone and the dry straw were the only smells. It was luxurious compared to most cells.

  He had hoped for a window, but they were underground. Even if he did escape, he didn’t know where his equipment was. He would live without his jacket if necessary, but it would be hard. There were magic items he really wanted back and his best set of lockpicks was in there too.

  Tathan lay down on the straw and took a nap. There wasn’t anything he could do right away and even if there was, he wanted to give Liselle and the others some time to get out of the city before he raised any alarms.

  ***

  Footsteps outside the door woke him. “Prisoner! Stand against the back of the cell.” Tathan did so. A guard looked in. “Clear.” Food was pushed through the slit at the bottom of the door after the cover was moved, followed by a wide, short mug. The guard put the cover back and footsteps trailed away.

  The food was fresh, if simple. It was beef stew with a lot of vegetables and tasted excellent. He sat at the table and ate it slowly, savoring each bite. When in prison, it was best to enjoy every meal received. He sopped the last of the stew with some bread that had been included and then drank the water.

  After finishing, he stood and went to the door. The view was limited, but he could see the door across from him. “Hey,” he said quietly. Nobody answered. “Hey, is there anyone else locked up in here?” Still there was no answer.

  Tathan moved to the corner of the cell and sat down with his pillow in his lap. He hated prison even though he knew he deserved it. All he ever wanted in life was to explore the world. Tathan didn’t want to kill anyone, but things had gone wrong at times and it just happened. Silent tears began running down his cheeks.

  Now he had the pressure of taking care of his cousin and a princess who he was in love with. Tathan also felt respons
ible to Sir Danth and Vevin, each of who had problems of their own. Life was much easier when he was alone and responsible just for himself, but at the same time, it was lonely.

  He buried his face in the pillow, quiet sobs shaking his shoulders as he thought of how frightened he was sometimes. There were just so many times a person could have a sword pointed at them or magic tossed in their direction before it became overwhelming. Tathan felt ethereal hands caressing his shoulders and knew shadows were comforting him. He was still angry with them, but any company felt good at the moment.

  The tears didn’t last long. Life went on and there would be more hard times along with times of joy. There always was. He took a deep breath, lay down and fell asleep again.

  ***

  It was the same routine the next morning. Tathan stood against the wall. The cover was removed and he was told to slide the plate and cup through. Once he did so, he was told to go back against the wall and more food was put through again. It was a decent meal, but prison was going to get old in a hurry.

  As he was finishing, the footsteps echoed down the hallway again. Tathan went to the wall right away to keep things moving along. The face looked in again and then disappeared after seeing him there. “Clear.” Words of magic were spoken and the glow appeared around the edges of the door.

  King Cranwer stepped through, still wearing his crown sideways. One of his wizards and one of his knights followed him. “Have you been abused or mistreated by any of my men, Tathan of the Shadows?”

  Tathan considered saying yes to be funny, but it was unusual for a king to see to a prisoner’s comfort. “The guards have been respectful and the food is good. The entertainment leaves something to be desired though.”