One of Us

IV

     The guards had not been gentle along the short journey from the throne room to the dungeon. Before Yossi reached his cell, his bruises were multiplied and blood dripped down the side of his face from a scrape against the rough hewn stones lining the walls. Clearly his reputation preceded him. He was thrown into a windowless cell, the door clanging shut and darkness engulfing him. Memories of the last time he'd been in a windowless cell back in Radavia flooded his mind. His breathing grew labored and he started to shake.

     Backing against the stone wall, he slid down and sat on the floor, arms wrapped around his knees.

     Here he was again. In a different cell in a different country, but the story would be the same.

     Dusan would find him, just the same and make him pay for betraying him. And it wouldn't be a quick death either, no it would be slow and tortuous. He could feel it now, see Dusan's face, laughing over his screams.

     A squeak from somewhere in the darkness jerked Yossi from his thoughts and reality washed over him.

     He wasn't in Dusan's prison, he was in Rudisian.

     At least for now, he was safe.

     He remembered why he was there and his breath came easier.

     His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness and looking around the small space he noted a stone slab for a bed in the back, a bucket in the corner by the door and a small air shaft near the ceiling. Compared to Dusan's prisons, it was a definite upgrade.

     Sighing he leaned his head back against the wall.

     His plan had worked.

     Rowena had been saved....and he'd gotten to see her one last time. He let his mind linger on the image of her face when he'd burst through those doors. What had he seen there? Hope? Happiness? More like relief. But why? If she was going to marry that idiot Ailiard, she must have loved him, or at least liked him, so why relief? Why joy at seeing him?

     Yossi pushed the thought that followed far away, telling himself it was impossible and that had been years and many many deeds ago.

     He dwelt instead on what would happen next. Ailiard would no doubt have spies in the castle who would tell King Dusan that his favorite slave had run away, foiled his plans and for all he knew, spilled all sorts of secrets to his greatest enemy. He would no doubt attack very soon, before Rowena had any time to react to anything Yossi might have told her. He would declare war, march on Rudisian and make it his private goal to keep Yossi alive until he had the time to personally deal with him.

     Yossi shuddered again, but then reminded himself that some things were worth dying for.