by A. R. Rend
His mind felt better today. Like it wasn’t breaking into pieces. But he didn’t feel right. Things were still quite wrong.
He knew he was missing something here.
“Confess and I’ll make sure you get an easy sentence. Done in a decade,” promised the sheriff. “Don’t confess, and I’ll just take your murdering ass to the countess. She can finish you with a signature as easily as she set your arrest into motion.”
Unfortunately for Phillip that was quite true.
As much as he’d love to believe that he was above that as his grandmother’s grandson, or his mother’s child, he knew it wasn’t true. He was putting far too much weight on something that he would never inherit as a man.
As Phillip Rias he was tied only by his bachelor’s name. A name that no longer graced him.
“Saw me go in to Fend’s house?” Phillip asked, wanting to question the witness but still feeling incredibly groggy.
“That’s right. I saw you go inside. You murdering scumbag,” said the witness with venom in her voice.
“Saw me go inside,” repeated Phillip.
“Exactly. I saw you go inside with your guards. You had them over-power her and kill her,” stated the witness. “Filthy horrible bastard.”
I… what?
Ha. Haha.
I see. She didn’t see anything.
My guards didn’t go in with me. They stayed outside.
Chuckling, Phillip let his head dip back down, catching a look at his hands and fingers.
They were filthy.
Not to mention his fingertips looked heavily ink-stained.
Must’ve knocked over the ink-bottle.
“She didn’t see anything. The witness lies,” Phillip mumbled. “Probably paid by you or Fend. Not hard to check. Then she can hang, too, with you.”
Sitting there, Phillip did his best not to move. He didn’t want to jar his fragile sense of stability around. The world wasn’t spinning at the moment.
No one said anything to that.
For which Phillip was grateful.
Their voices grated on his ears and made them ring.
Or were his ears just ringing in general.
“Get him out of here,” growled the sheriff.
Two sets of hands grabbed him and jerked him to his feet.
Sending him right back into the abyss.
Twenty-Five
Phillip woke up here and there. He felt somewhat better than the previous each time, but still not well.
Unfortunately the sheriff continued to hound him. Dragging him out of his cell, shouting at him, demanding he confess to his crimes. Each and every time Phillip just sat there.
It wasn’t entirely planned resistance on his part. He really just wanted to be left alone to recover. To get his head back together.
The only good thing he could count on though was whoever was minding him did leave him water. Almost more than he could feasibly drink.
Each time he had the opportunity, he would drink his fill. In the brief periods of wakefulness when he had his faculties under control.
Only to lie down and go right back to sleep, leaving the food completely untouched.
The very idea of eating something made his stomach squeeze up tight.
“Get him up,” demanded a voice, rousing Phillip from his straw mattress.
“Leave me alone,” he grumbled, not wanting to be picked up again. Every time they touched him he ended up passing out.
“Gently. Don’t… don’t jerk him up, he passes out,” said someone else. “If you’re not going to be gentle about it just go away. If he passes out again it’ll be that much harder.”
Someone else growled at that statement but didn’t argue.
With far more kindness than he’d experienced since he got here, Phillip was brought to his feet. Slowly, they began walking him out of his cell. Then down the hallway.
He could just barely manage to keep his weight under his legs. To keep his feet steady as he walked. The world wanted to swing violently in either direction.
“What… what the hell are you doing?” asked what sounded like the sheriff. “We need to get him transported.”
“We’re doing the best we can. If he goes limp and passes out, pretty sure that’d be worse, wouldn’t it?” asked the woman on his left in an angry and curt voice.
“Not confessing,” mumbled Phillip. “Illegal. Not confessing. Didn’t do it.”
“Fuck,” said the woman on his right. “This is your fault, Halis. All your fucking fault.”
“I didn’t-no, this is his fault. He’s the criminal here,” said the sheriff before she stormed off.
Phillip lost track of what was happening as he was brought up and out of the cells. The steps themselves were incredibly difficult for him. Getting all his weight on one leg was almost too much for him.
Reaching the entry of the building, Phillip nearly fainted when the door was shoved open.
There was the sound of boots entering, followed by a gasp.
“Phillip!” said what sounded like Alice. “What in the hells did you do!?”
“I didn’t do shit,” said the woman on the right. “The sheriff did this to him.”
Lifting his head, Phillip forced his eyes open.
Standing there in the doorway was Alice. Her clothes looked frayed and she had bags under her eyes, but it was Alice.
Stunned, and honestly stupefied, he just stood there and stared at her.
Alice held his gaze for several seconds before turning her head to look at the sheriff.
“I did not! He got in a fight with another prisoner and-”
“Lies,” Alice said in a loud dismissive voice. “Absolute lies. Phillip would never get in a fight with anyone.”
A warm presence pressed into his front, firm arms wrapping around his middle.
Then he was picked up off his feet and held to Alice’s front, his head resting on her shoulder.
Sometimes he forgot how much natural strength she had.
“Who did this?” she asked in an angry whisper.
“Sheriff beat me,” Phillip said.
“I… I did not. I didn’t,” declared the sheriff. “He’s under arrest for the murder of Fend. The countess signed it herself.”
“Oh. I know. I’m well aware of that,” growled Alice. “I’d have been here sooner if that wasn’t the case.
“As for murdering Fend, if you have proof of that, of anything, you wouldn’t have him here. Nor would you have asked for that signature from the Countess.”
Signature.
Oh, yeah.
“She tried to make me sign a confession,” said Phillip. “That was when she beat me. Ink on my fingers still.”
Alice shivered as she held onto him. He could feel the tension in her. The rigidity in her posture and her spine.
The anger.
“Countess,” Alice called in a quivering voice. “I demand satisfaction from you, your subordinates, your sheriff, and her subordinates.
“Or so help me I will bring this entire damned city to a screeching halt. Then I’ll go get the Duchess and her daughter. Because if you think for an instant that they’ll let this go because he’s just a man, you’re sadly mistaken.”
Phillip was able to see the doorway from where he was perched on Alice’s shoulder.
A woman had been standing there, almost unmoving. Listening and watching what was going on. He wasn’t sure the sheriff could have seen her from where she was in the room.
She looked to be in her middle years, with dark-brown hair and gray eyes. Her hair was coiled up atop her head in a small bun, though she was wearing what looked like a military uniform.
As if she’d been out in the field.
“Halis, what have you done?” demanded the woman, stepping into the room finally.
“I… you signed the order yourself!” declared the sheriff. “I have it right here. You approved of this!”
That got Alice’s attention. Phillip could
feel her head snap to the side, and he imagined she was glaring at the countess.
“I did no such thing. I did not approve of you arresting the husband of Alice Rias. I approved of you investigating the death of the guild-master,” the countess said, stepping out of Phillip’s frame of view.
“No! You signed his arrest. Look!” said the sheriff with a rustle of paper.
“I did not-I-”
The countess’s voice trailed off as she likely read what was written.
“Alice, Captain Bux showed me courtesy,” mumbled Phillip, not wanting to forget the one person who had been kind to him. “Halis wanted me chained and bound. She refused and took me at my word.”
Alice’s hands which had been gently rubbing his back stopped, then started again.
“Of course she did. She’s Mim’s paternal cousin,” Alice said under her voice. “I’ll be sure nothing happens to her.”
Oh. That makes sense.
Mim’s cousin.
Looking to the doorway, Phillip could see out into the street beyond.
Standing there next to a horse, and looking quite dirty and ruffled, was Mim.
She was looking into the doorway of the room, her dirt-stained face pointed toward him. Her eyes holding to his.
Giving him a weak smile, she stood there, not moving away. Lifting one hand, she waved at him. Then pointed off to the side.
Huh. Did… Mim and Alice race here?
That’d mean that someone told them what happened.
Mildred, probably.
“-told me it was an investigation. That you would arrest a commoner at worst,” shouted the countess.
“He is a commoner!” argued the sheriff. “And-”
“And I don’t care!” replied Alice, shouting over both women. “Countess. I demand satisfaction. Now.
“Have Halis branded on her face as a thief and convict. I want all her deputies fired immediately, no need to brand them.”
There were a number of indignant voices at that.
To which Alice paid absolutely no heed and continued.
“You can pay me and my family restitution personally, Countess, and I’ll consider the matter closed. Otherwise I’ll… I’ll… I don’t know what I’ll do. But you’ll know it was me and you’ll never even begin to understand how dreadfully angry I am.
“And if you do what I’ve said, I’ll let it end at that. Beyond that, the only reason I won’t go to the Duchess about this, is apparently you have someone in your employ who isn’t an idiot. Captain Bux refused to chain my husband down and parade him through town as a spectacle. On Halis’ orders, apparently.
“You may send the payment to my husband at my household directly. Good day, Countess. I will be awaiting a letter stating what you’ve done to ameliorate this situation.”
Turning on her heel, Alice marched out of the building and onto the street.
Phillip saw Mildred and Mim waiting near a coach with the Rias family crest on it.
“Stupid fools,” growled Alice under her breath. “Even if she does what I want I’m going to punish her. Punish her deeply.”
Mildred opened the door to the coach and assisted Alice inside.
“Thank you, Milly. Tell the coachman we’re going to Doctor Wens. Slowly,” Alice said in a kind voice. She was moving around the interior of the coach and shifting a few things around. “When that’s done, get inside. Both of you.”
Several moments later Mim and Mildred both clambered into the coach as Alice sat down on the bench. She didn’t put Phillip down. Instead, she held onto him, cradling his head on her shoulder.
“You’re here,” Phillip said to no one in particular. He was honestly surprised all three women were here.
“Of course I am,” Alice said defensively. “As soon as I received Milly’s letter I left. I said my goodbyes a long time ago.
“And honestly, Grandmother would have told me to leave if she could have. Not to sit around waiting for her to finally die.”
“Letter?” Phillip asked.
“I sent a letter to Lenore and Alice about what happened,” Mildred admitted. “It would have taken longer for a letter to reach Mim than to go in person, so I went and told her in person.”
“And here we are. As soon as Milly told me what was going on, I left instructions for my people, stole a horse, and left,” Mim said with a sigh. “Though I’ll be honest, I was hoping to be here first and rescue you personally.
“Just how fast did you push your coach team, Alice?”
“You stole a horse? As for the team, they’re dead. Pushed them till they died. I didn’t even realize I’d done it until it was too late. Sold them to a butcher,” admitted Alice, still holding onto Phillip. “Bought a new team. They’ll probably be put to pasture. Pretty sure they’ll not be the same after this. I did try to go easier on them so they at least wouldn’t die.”
“They’re done, yes. They won’t be the same,” Mildred confirmed. “Or most of them are.”
“I see. And, yes, I stole a horse. There was no way I was going to wait around,” Mim said with a laugh. “I did leave a note as to who stole it, and I’d pay them double for it once I got home or send it back.
“So… more… borrowed without permission? I’m sure it’ll work out just fine. I just need to send a follow-up letter.”
“It’s done, too,” Mildred added.
“Oh, well. Yes, bought without permission. I suppose maybe we should invest in breeding stock and a horse farm,” Mim said casually. “Might as well with all these horses who can’t run now, Allie.”
“Lenore?” Mildred asked, changing the subject.
“Received your letter but couldn’t get away from the situation,” replied Alice, her hands still sliding up and down Phillip’s back as the coach rolled slowly along.
“Chose not to get away,” Mim countered. “Since you’re here, that is. Clearly it was a choice.”
There was a long pause before Alice shrugged her shoulders.
“I didn’t ask permission. No one else’s opinion mattered other than my own. I just took my coach and left. I’m a grown woman and my husband needed me. It was my coach and my team. Mother and Lenore have their own and can do as they like,” she answered. She didn’t defend Lenore or her actions, but she did provide a plausible answer.
Phillip felt his breathing slow as he held to Alice, and his mind started to wander off.
Then he fell asleep against her, feeling quite a bit safer than he had in a long while.
***
Phillip had briefly stirred when someone poked and prodded at him. Though he fell back asleep.
When he finally woke up once more he felt better. He was also in a bed that was quite comfortable. With sheets that smelled wonderful and a much cleaner feeling in his mouth than he expected.
Clearing his throat, he looked around his room.
Frankie, Vinnie, Bobbie, Tonie, and Mildred were all around him.
He was in his room back in the Rias house.
All five women were looking at him.
“Oh, sleeping beauty woke up,” Tonie said. “I wonder which kiss we gave him did it.”
Phillip blinked and then raised his eyebrows as that.
Clearing his throat again, he thought about how to respond to that, but didn’t have the energy to flirt back.
“We’ll just have to try again tonight when he’s asleep,” Frankie said.
“Clearly,” Bobbie agreed.
Smiling, Phillip let out a sigh.
“Home, I see. Everything is okay?” he asked.
Mildred stood up from her chair and walked over to him.
“Wheels all sold out. Madeline is selling them as she makes them,” explained Mildred, ignoring everything that’d been said by the others. “She deposits a part of the proceeds from every one against what she owes. Things are moving quite well.”
“Countess bitch hung the sheriff. Her body is rotting outside the city wall,” Tonie said with a chortle. “She was
trying to appease your oh so angry wife and Mim.”
“Both of which are doing much better now that Halis is dead,” Mildred offered. “Alice is just following up on all the notes you left her.”
“Angrily, following up on those notes you left her,” Bobbie amended. “Taking no prisoners. At all she-”
There was a hard clack as the door to his room opened.
“Ah, here we-Phil!” said Mim, excitedly coming through the door.
She bounced and hopped her way over to the side of his bed. Moving in close to him, she bent down over him and hugged him. Pulling his face up into her well-exposed cleavage.
“Oh, Phil… Phil… I’m so glad you’re awake,” Mim murmured, her fingers sliding through his hair as she held him against herself. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left you here alone. Fend wouldn’t have dared do something like this if I was here. Alice and Lenore left and expected me to be here and… and I wasn’t.”
Mim’s arms tightened around him, pushing his face deeper into her chest to the point he couldn’t breathe.
Holding onto him for a little bit longer, she eventually let him go, easing him back into the bed and pillow. She lightly slid her fingers through his hair and rearranged it, her fingers pausing at his temple.
“I think Halis got off lightly,” Mim said with a cold under-tone to her voice. “I had planned to ruin her life completely. Every aspect of it. Death was too simple for her.
“But that’s why the countess is regarded as smart as she is. She knew that in having her hung it’d make it harder for us to stay angry.”
Unable to really express how he felt, all Phillip could do was smile.
The absolute anger Mim and Alice had displayed warmed him in a weird way. It buoyed his own self worth. That he was worthy of such extreme emotions and actions.
“How are you? Are you feeling alright?” Mim asked, cupping his cheek with her palm.
“Yeah, feeling a lot better, honestly. Everything feels almost normal. Just a little… light headed but that’s it,” Phillip admitted.
“Considering you’ve been mostly asleep for three days that’s not surprising,” Mim said with a smile and patted his cheek.
Three… three days? Holy crap.