A Spoiled Rule

Chapter 17

This was becoming exhaustive. Liam's entire being was in pain. Though he remembered a blue liquid being given to him, he did not at all feel healed. Sure, the weight in his stomach had lessened significantly and he could now feel his throat-very painful-but he felt sick with extreme lethargy. After a moment when his senses returned, he opened his eyes and found himself lying, once more, beneath Harksgold in the stone tunnels. A putrid smell hit his nose and he groaned. The smell of feces did not pair well with the pain in his bones. He recognized Stephen's soft voice, and he turned his head and found the doctor conversing quietly with Coulím. They sat nearby under the glow of a golden light. Liam sensed Jackson near, though not near enough to be seen.
"Liam!" said Stephen rather abruptly. He broke his conversation with Coulím and knelt down before him. "You should not be awake." He held his fingers against Liam's neck.
"Well," said Liam, testing his voice, "I am." His voice was raspy and thin. It was immensely difficult for him to form his words, for his mind was soupy. He gazed at Coulím, who had stood and was keeping a respectful distance. "How long have I been asleep?" His words blurred together.
"Two days," replied Stephen.
Liam frowned. He was not necessarily shocked to hear he was asleep for so long, though his appetite was more of a worry. He was not hungry, or did not feel so. "Why shouldn't I be awake?"
"Because your pulse is slow," mumbled Stephen. "The medicine has a week-long effect."
Liam took a breath. "Where's everyone else?"
"They are protecting the tunnel," said Stephen nervously, glancing around. "Yesterday, something other than zombies entered this tunnel-Men of Dínam, including the king himself. We've moved to the outskirts of the sewage tunnels. Coulím will explain more, he has more knowledge than I."
Coulím stepped forward and gave a respectful nod. "I don't live in the Dínam that you experienced." He glanced at Stephen and straightened his spine. "I am from a city of refugees who've fled from that Dínam. We have heard reports of King Mettiam using the plague toward his advantage, and when we received Gresham's notice, I immediately hurried to Harksgold with my advisor, Rísham."
Liam knew he had recognized discreet yet clear obedience from Rísham. "You are the displaced king," he said.
Coulím shifted his weight, glancing down at the rocky blue armor he wore beneath his clothes. "Mettiam has bruised the reputation, but... Yes, I am the displaced king. Well, prince, more like. But my father died shortly after Mettiam's father took place, and then Mettiam's father mysteriously died... But I wish only to be called Coulím."
"And I Liam," he said quietly.
Coulím's eyes widened and he took a step back. "You're the king of Harksgold! I admit I suspected such when I met your personal doctor, though he withheld your true identity from me. Rightfully so," he added quickly. "You hold the aura of a king, even now."
"You have been added to my list of saviors," said Liam. "I owe you much gratitude."
Coulím's gaze fell. "You owe me nothing. I... I do not mean to be grim, but you have five days left of this treatment."
There came a boom from somewhere within the tunnels.
"I have requested the other refugees to come and help us, though some of them weren't convinced," said Coulím. "Mettiam has dark technology on his side, though I am confident that with our might together, we will win."
"Yes," Liam agreed. "As long as I can stand when Mettiam reaches us." He looked to Stephen.
Stephen pushed his hair from his eyes. "You have no strength to spare," he said. "You weren't even supposed to wake. How do you feel now?"
"I feel like I'm lying in a tub of glue, mixed with... fire."
Stephen's face twisted. "I have never heard that before. I wish I could help you further, but I cannot pair the medication you have with another. It can be dangerous. I am also not much help with my broken hands, but... Coulím has been helping. You must eat something, Liam."
"How can I eat when I'm not hungry?" questioned Liam. "And my throat feels... unpleasant."
Stephen sighed. With his bandaged hands, he managed to grab a few pieces of fruit that were not expired and set them down next to Liam. "You were coughing and vomiting, so that probably hurt your throat. Do you... Do you remember-"
"Yes," interrupted Liam. He did it not to be rude but to avoid the memories. "Yes, I remember."
There came a snarl from within the tunnel. Liam sensed before saw Jackson emerge from shadows and disappear once more into them, taking long strides past them toward the noise of the zombie. The action reminded Liam of crucial steps he needed to take before Mettiam found them. "Stephen, is there any way you can get my strength back, quickly?"
Stephen nodded. "There is a medicine... It will give you enough strength to stand for an hour, then you will crash."
Liam managed a smile. "I thought you said we shouldn't pair medicines."
Stephen craned his neck. "Well, we may be running out of time. But first, you must eat." He grabbed a fruit and helped Liam chew it. Liam nearly choked, but he forced it down and said, "Give me it."
Stephen fumbled for a syringe and a small packet from his pocket.
Liam swallowed in a dry throat. "I am sorry for Rísham," he said toward Coulím. "I feel he was a good friend.
Coulím lifted his eyes from the ground and met Liam's. He nodded, though sadness followed the action. "More of a friend than an advisor. Perhaps that is what got him killed."
Liam frowned. "Or perhaps it was a foreign plague."
Stephen cleared his throat, having filled a syringe with murky liquid. How the doctor had done so with his hands remained a mystery. "This may add to your fever, but that is only temporary," said Stephen quietly as he pushed the needle into a vein in Liam's arm. When he was done, he said quickly, "Can you rate the pain you currently feel on a scale from one to five, five being most painful?"
"Four and a half," mumbled Liam.
Stephen grasped Liam's hand. "Good, for if you felt nothing, you would be dead before next sunrise." He hauled Liam up, and the movement caused Liam to momentarily lose consciousness. When he came to, he didn't remember why Stephen was holding him up, but he remembered what he needed to say. "Coulím, should I die in battle, will you see to it that Harksgold does not fall into Mettiam's hands?"
"Of course," replied Coulím immediately. "But if you are to fall, I will not wipe your name from the kingdom. No, I will honor her fallen king, as you are worthy of honor."
Liam fell silent for a moment. He would have grown teary if it were not for his lack of strength. What an honorable man Coulím was. After a moment of circling thoughts that brought Liam to wonder why Stephen held him up, he said sluggishly, "Should more of your army come to aid us, will your men and my men work together?" They were moving very slowly down the tunnel, opposite of where Jackson had disappeared.
Coulím nodded. "The refugees admire Harksgold. They don't see it as an enemy; rather, they see Mettiam as the enemy."
Liam took a few breaths before continuing. He could see Prima in the distance leaning beneath a light. "What resources do you have?"
"Everyone has access to the armor I wear, though some only wear parts and some not at all. I don't enforce them to wear it as I," said Coulím. "We have more blue liquid that may heal, though as you know, there is no guarantee and it will only work for infections and diseases. We also are equipped with knives of the hardest rock."
"And what of the blade meant for the king of Dínam?" asked Liam.
Coulím stopped suddenly, and so did Stephen and Liam. "I... I apologize for my hesitation," blundered Coulím. "What do you know of this blade?"
Liam now knew this blade was monumental toward defeating Mettiam. "A portmaster of mine constructed a ship under instructions to place a blade within her. King Mettiam recovered the blade. I assume it once belonged to you?"
Coulím's complexion flushed. "The blade once belonged to me, yes. My father rescued Mettiam's father from death and showed him the kingdom. It was a time of peace, until Mettiam became old enough to rule. That was when he stole the blade from my father and wounded me with it, and I was forced to flee. But I found a small community who had fled as well, and they welcomed me. Soon after, Mettiam began the war with Harksgold, accusing her under what I understand to be false accusations. I never knew what had happened to the blade, but now I know. He tried to get rid of it so there'd be no evidence of his treason. The sea must've carried it to Harksgold." Coulím scoffed. "And now, it has returned to him. He will try to use it against me, finish what he started."
"What knife?" questioned Prima, leaning away from the wall.
"Prima, will you walk with me?" asked Liam.
Prima's eyes hesitated on Liam, but she nodded. "Of course." She was holding a knife in her hand. "We have been keeping the tunnel secure against Mettiam." She glanced at Stephen. "How is he awake? Is he okay? Should he be walking, Stephen? He doesn't look okay."
"He's okay for now," said Stephen. "I have been wondering how he could be awake myself. Liam, if you wish to speak to everyone, we may want to move quickly," he said quietly.
"Prima, I know you need no lecture from me, but take care after your brother. He may put himself in danger trying to protect you, so you must have his back over mine. His over mine."
Prima nodded, though she could no longer meet Liam's eyes. In fact, she had hidden behind her hair. "Of course. He is my brother."
"If he asks you to stay behind, will you do it?" asked Liam. He was not going to ask Gresham to do such a thing, nor Prima, though he needed to be sure of what her word was worth.
"I will," said Prima. "Gresham could not survive beyond losing me."
Liam nodded in agreement.
"How could he be awake?" asked Stephen, gazing at Coulím.
Coulím gave a shrug. "People react to the treatment differently."
Harvey and Ryan were under the next glow of the golden light, also looking relatively bored. Ryan sat on the ground with his knees against his chest while Harvey fidgeted with his hat. Liam focused on the steps he took, though Stephen supported him greatly. "Harvey," said Liam when they got closer, "watch over your crewman. Ryan, watch over your captain. A ship cannot function without the two. You have a good, loyal sailor, Harvey. Promise me that if things go awry, you will board any ship still standing at the ports and leave."
Harvey pressed his lips together and rubbed his chin. "If things go awry... Aye," he sighed. "Aye, we shall leave. For the good of the kingdom."
Liam gazed at Ryan. "It helps to think of something that will give you a mission other than the one to relieve the pain."
Ryan forced a small, painful smile and gave a slight nod.
Liam continued forward. He was lucky to have such patient people by his side who would not dare to walk faster than him for the sake of courtesy, though he was also slightly embarrassed on how he could not walk very fast and that Stephen could not let go of him. Nevertheless, he was still alive, and hopefully would make it through the burdens of the medication. Though he wondered whether it was a weak immune system that ran through his family, or immunity that did so. Perhaps it was medication that he was immune to.
"But you said the medication slowed the heart," said Stephen to Coulím. "And it did, but now he is awake. How can that be?"
Coulím sighed. "Some people live through the medication, others die."
"That depends on their strength, the severity of their condition," said Stephen. "Unless... You aren't saying that it's something else, are you?"
Theron was next, standing nervously under the glow of the light with a knife, pacing silently. He stopped when he noticed them and immediately closed the distance. "So you are alive! That is good. I don't want to be the only thief around. Alas, I'm not sure how equipped I am for this. That Jackson fellow stopped anything from passing, but he has now left Gresham to take over and I fear Gresham secretly wishes of me to become infected because of my past endeavors with his sister."
Prima scoffed from behind Liam. "You're outrageous."
"What shall I call you?" asked Liam. He recognized a fateful gleam in the thief's eyes.
Theron hesitated and glanced over his shoulder. "You won't punish me, surely. And who is this?" He glanced at Coulím nervously. "Why does he wear armor?"
"He's the displaced king," Prima said in a sort of whisper. "I hope he punishes you."
Theron stuck out his tongue.
"I will not punish you," said Coulím. "I would have thought a thief like you would come to me. Mettiam still allows thieves to roam?"
Theron shrugged. "I am the only thief left, and he doesn't think I am capable of causing much damage."
"What shall I call you?" asked Liam again. He was drenched in his own sweat.
"Tholle," he replied. "Tholle is the name."
"Tholle, I don't think now is an appropriate time for thieving," said Liam quietly.
Tholle's mischievous smile lessened. "What I will steal next is worth the risk. I don't need to go far."
"When is it that you will go?" asked Liam.
"When the battle begins," said Tholle simply.
"Very well," said Liam, for he knew he could not change the mind of this thief. "Do you wish to go alone?"
Tholle frowned. "Of course I do!" He let out a laugh that echoed off the walls, painfully into Liam's head. "I am never truly alone, Liam."
"Good to hear," said Liam, patting Tholle on his shoulder. He continued forward. He felt as if he were leading a very slow parade. It would be called the silent march, for it took place just before battle... or a funeral. Usually the king in the march would be presentable and well-trimmed. Liam did not want to acknowledge how he was drenched in his own sweat and dried blood.
"If what you said is true of the medicine, then Liam being awake is impossible," hissed Stephen.
Coulím sighed. "I am not a doctor. All I can say is that people respond to the medicine differently. Maybe Liam woke because he needed to say these things. Isn't that enough? I have nothing else to say of this."
After a painfully slow and quiet procession, they met Gresham who was standing near the next entrance to the tunnel. He only took his gaze from the entrance when they were beside him, and he showed no sign of surprise or worry. "The explosions from above are raining dust," he said, and Liam noticed Gresham covered in it.
"Gresham, watch over your sister," said Liam. "I don't feel you should do more or less than what you have been doing up to this moment. No more, no less," Liam reiterated. "If you desire and if hope is lost, return to Dínam. There, you can end Mettiam's reign if he has ended mine."
Gresham nodded. "Let us hope it does not come to that. I will do no more, no less." He glanced at Prima.
"I haven't gotten the chance to express my gratitude for the letter," said Coulím to Gresham. "I've wanted to venture back into Mettiam's domain since I left, but I don't have a mask that will sustain the trip."
"Why haven't you received the other letters?" asked Prima, folding her arms. "Many have sent letters out into the sea. Many have ventured out, too."
"And many have died by Veelam," hissed Tholle.
"If there is one who is withholding letters from me, I will find out," said Coulím with dignity. "Perhaps your letter was the first to survive the trip, at a timely coincidence."
An explosion rained from above, sending a storm of dust upon them. Liam coughed and it took a great amount of strength to calm himself before the coughing sent blood. "Jackson," he breathed, sensing the guard's return. "Continue to do your job as you were asked to do when you joined the guard. Nothing more, nothing less. Only, maintain your discretion even during the battle to come."
Jackson nodded. "Yes, Liam."
"I shall wake before the battle," said Liam, prying himself from Stephen and grabbing onto the wall. He slid down to the ground, black spots in his vision. "If I don't wake or you cannot wake me, go without me."
Stephen knelt down before Liam. "I will have to feed you myself, as you're so stubborn!" he said, frustrated. "You're a difficult patient."
"You will rest after you fuss over me," said Liam sluggishly. "That is a command."