The Final Hour

Chapter 16

My face burns with shame at the thought of my friends and fellow soldiers hearing the lies that King Artol has concocted. I wish they knew that I didn't run away. But what are they supposed to believe? They are there.

And I am here.

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"Move it!" Spittle flys in my face and makes me wince. I can't even reach up to wipe the flecks of phlegm off of my face, because my hands are tied behind my back. I tried to remind them that I came to them, but apparently they think I'll try to leave.

I direct my best death glare at the spit man, and keep walking. We've been walking for a day and a half. I can't help but wonder where we are going. But of course they wouldn't tell me where we are headed. Obviously if they did, I would use telepathy to ruin everybody's plans again.

Yea right.

"Didn't you hear me! March!" Somebody screams in my face once again. I look up. Several people are grudgingly looking over at me.

"I told you three times to keep moving!" One man yells angrily at me. I avert my gaze and shuffle forward. I'm so tired I don't even care. I'm beyond the point of caring about anything. Anything besides the pain in my legs and my migraine.

One foot in front of the other.

I think of Branwen. Of Briss and Jaosh. Kaone, Derrin, and Mufar. All the people that need me to keep walking.

I actually hate all of them right now.

Maybe this is my penance for all the trouble I caused as a kid. Maybe this...this hell I'm going through is life's way of slapping me across the face.

"Halt!" The order comes from up front. I am 'ushered' up to the front of the line, where Gray sneers down at me.

"Wow....you're certainly looking worse for wear." Her face crinkles in disgust as she flicks a piece of dirt off of my cheek. I step backwards, out of reach from her icy claws.

"What do you want?" I growl. Gray throws back her head and laughs.

"See for yourself!" She cackles, pointing. For the first time, I look towards the horizon. I recognize the place and shudder. Bad memories are all that linger there.
It's too ironic-my journey started here. Now it's going to end here.

Asenhouse.

I am flanked by two guards, herded inside of the familiar oak doors. I've never been more thankful to be indoors-on the last leg of the journey it started to pour rain. I am soaked to the bone. I wait outside outside of the office that Gai used to occupy. I'm assuming that King Artol is behind those doors to negotiate with me. I'm actually glad for the quiet. I can almost pretend I'm still Lynx-living and training here.

Ah, the good ol' days.

"His majesty will see you know." A guard says monotonously. I shoot a glare at the guard, and walk in the office.

As I predicted, Artol is behind the desk, leaning on a chair with his feet up. But there's somebody else lurking in the shadows. I squint.
It's Gai Flynn.
He should be locked up in my castle. What is he doing here!? How is he here!? And why on earth is he with Artol!?

"Ahh...I see you remember my friend Master Flynn." King Artol chuckles, obviously enjoying my anger.

"I wish I didn't." I say stiffly. Artol smiles.

"You are here to sign the surrender papers." He says cheerfully, pushing a large stack of paper towards me. I glare at the paper.

"I think I'm ok. But thanks for the offer." I respond cockily, barely bothering to conceal my anger.

"You will sign." Artol leans forward in the desk, staring at me intently.

I shake my head.

"Nothing you can say or do will make me enslave my people. I'm not a traitor, unlike other people in this room." I stare pointedly at Gai as I speak, causing him to shuffle uncomfortably.

Artol leans back again.

"Maybe you need some convincing. Guards!" He yells. I turn, and see two guards appearing in the doorframe. Each one carries a large leather strap. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what's about to happen. I swallow nervously. This is going to be harder then I thought.

Clank
The final clasp of the chains wrap around my wrist, and tether me to the wall. I slump uncomfortably. I don't think that they did any serious damage, but that doesn't mean that I don't hurt like crazy.

The doors to the dungeon slam shut, encasing me in semi darkness. I look around. This is the exact same cell I spent three days in at the beginning of everything.

Such good memories.

I hear a groan in the darkness. I freeze.

"Hello?" I call out. I hear another noise, on the other side of the cell.

"E...Eadu?" They respond. I gasp. I know that voice!

"Kaone? What are you doing here?" I pull against the chains holding me up.

"We...we were attacked. They took me on a horse here. I don't know how long I've been here for." She murmurs.

Panic grips my chest. This wasn't supposed to happen! What about everybody else!? Please let them be alright.

"What about the others?" I say, trying to hide the desperation in my voice. I hear Kaone laugh, then cough.

"Everybody's fine. Maybe a couple guards dead, but everybody was alive when I left." She says weakly. I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Are you injured?" I ask, but I don't get a response. I start to panic. Is she dead? She can't have died! Right?

Then I hear the soft sounds of her slow breaths from across the cell. She's just asleep. As if on cue, my eyelids immediately feel heavy. It's been a long day. I need to sleep. Then I'm coming up with a plan.
I'm going to bust out of here. Artol is going rue the day he crossed paths with me.