The Birth of Ignaius - (Part 2 of the Ignaius-Saga)

Negotiations

Tanier sat up and as he did it became clear that there was someone at the door. He put on the jacket and got up from the table. He didn't feel good about leaving Variel naked, but he did not want to bring down Rovik's ire on him. So the man had already succeeded in training him.

It wasn't Rovik, who entered this time, but Nevala. With an entourage of guards, of course. And no Rovik. One of the guards carried a basket and a big bottle and placed it on the table. It looked like they were receiving breakfast today, but Tanier was rather careful to not be delighted, before he could really be sure.

Nevala seemed to be the only one who was at least slightly irritated by the presence of a stalk naked Variel on the table, with collar and leash still around his neck. But his irritation gave Tanier a chance to address him: "Good morning, Lord Nevala, I am glad to see you. I was hoping we may be able to discuss the paper you want me to sign?" - "So will you sign it?" - "I have been thinking about it. You will understand that it is a difficult question. There are a few points I would like to discuss with you." - "I don't see why, but ask, if you have to." - "Maybe we could do so in a more private setting?" He walked as close to Nevala as the guards permitted him to and dropped his voice: "You know all this will gravely affect the family of the boy. I want to speak freely with you and I can't as long as he is listening in on us." He counted on the fact that Nevala could hardly deny his request without openly admitting that the plan was to get rid of him - and probably Variel - anyway. And at this point he still tried to get Tanier's cooperation.

Nevala gave the mater some thought, but finally accepted the request. "You will understand that I can not allow you to move around freely," he explained, when some guards put shackles on him. Tanier fully understood. If he got a chance to run, he would do so. So he completely understood about the shackles. He was escorted outside after Nevala.

Variel began trembling the instant he heard the door being unlocked, and when the basket and bottle were placed near him, he didn't dare move. He stayed as silent and still as possible, curled up on the table and just watching the men in the room in hopes that none would come near him.

He was surprised when he saw Tanier leave with Lord Nevala and the guards. He shivered in cold and dread, wondering what exactly the king was doing. Was he really going to negotiate, even after saying he would not sign the paper? Was it a trick, or had the king decided he couldn't take much more of this? Variel honestly wasn't sure which he preferred. He had suffered a great deal already to keep these people from hurting the rest of the kingdom, but he could not deny that the prospect of being let go wasn't enticing.

He clutched his knees tighter to his chest now deprived of the other man's body heat and the jacket that had served as some coverage. He was alone, naked, and collared in this horrible place, now deprived of the only thing that was keeping him going: his king.

The king was away for quite a while. The room he was taken to seemed to serve as the room for the guards. Surely it provided no luxury, but it was not dark, not damp and not cold. He took his time to finally read the full text. He did contemplate, if any changes would make signing it acceptable, but he didn't really see any possibilities. He still negotiated some of the more outrageous concessions, not just to buy time, but also to make it look like he was seriously considering the matter. He knew he was as good as dead, if he signed it. But he was dead as well, if Nevala lost any hope of coaxing him into this deal. It began rather civilized, he was even offered a drink, that he tried to drink not too eagerly. For a while he tried to engage Nevala in the typical back and forth of political negotiations, but largely failed. The man was incredibly stubborn. It ended with Nevala yelling at him when eventually he refused to sign and he was dragged back to the cell. It was inevitable, but he was rather sure he had played his role well enough and given the impression of a man who would not easily break, but who was being worn down slowly. He had also postponed any torture for as long as this had lasted, but he had no illusion that there was more to come, rather sooner than later, as he was pushed back into the cell.

Variel looked up from his curled position when he heard the door open, his eyes wide. He saw Tanier pushed in, and his mind raced. It was likely that the paper had not been signed... or maybe it had, and - as expected - Nevala was not going to let them go.

He felt numb from the cold, and since he had not moved, his muscles and joints were extremely still. He was still exhausted, but had not slept. He also had made no move to touch the items that had been left on the table. Somehow, he feared that doing so would get him in trouble. He feared doing anything without being told to by someone, which he knew well was a bad sign for his mental health.

Tanier walked over to the table and could see at a glance that Variel did not touch a thing. He was angry and saw no reason to hide it: "Why didn't you eat? For god's sake! We are lucky they didn't remove the stuff when they returned me." He walked over to the items in question. Before he even started eating, he stowed some bread in his pockets, afraid they may be disturbed any minute. He pushed the bottle in Variel's hands: "Drink!"

While he watched, he started to eat, eagerly like he was starving. Surely he wasn't starving yet, but he was hell-bent to not loose any of the food to the early arrival of the torture team.

Variel winced at the sound of the king's angry voice. He didn't try to explain his inaction, just as he hadn't tried to defend himself the last time Tanier got upset with him; there was no point and he was probably being stupid. He shakily took the bottle and began to drink, clutching it tightly to avoid dropping it. Water was precious to them right now, especially him as he was losing a lot more of it than the king was. It helped to sooth his throat, and he actually had to force himself to stop drinking. One, it was for them to share, and two, drinking too fast would probably make him sick.

After carefully sliding the bottle away, he reached for one of the rolls in the basket and began to nibble on it. He was hungry but he didn't feel well; again, he didn't want to risk any of it coming back up. Throughout all of this, he shivered, and thanks to his soreness, he moved as little as possible.

Tanier's fear had not been without reason. He was still chewing quickly, when he heard the door being opened. He swallowed the bite he still had in his mouth and turned.