Indebted

39

This was a mob approaching him. There was no struggle as the locked door that separated this prison wing from the main corridor opened. A poor sign that there were any nearby who opposed whatever unsanctioned action was moving towards his prison wing. Atticus remained on the stone slab that apparently was intended to be a bed. Waiting to see what was coming to him.

Many flights in his life had been preempted by just taking things near painfully slow. Wait for the enemy to make it impossible to not react any longer. Allow fools to string or trip themselves up. Or better talk themselves out of fighting in the first place. Normally such a reserved, controlled method had served Atticus well. However, when the mob arrived, all wearing top pointing hood-masks made of various fabrics. 

Perhaps trying to invoke the weight and pageantry as the dragon court executioner hoods but only looking like cheap imitations of KKK hoods made from worn bed sheets to Atticus, he met the mob come to call at his cell. Remaining seated, Atticus called out, "How can I help you gentlemen?" Already aware this was a single gendered party.

There was a wave of unease that rolled through the mob as they heard the easy relaxed words Atticus had spoken. They were leaderless, and were not expecting him to be at ease. "You killed our brothers" Someone from the middle of the mob called out. Murmurs of agreement spreading through the crowd after.

Atticus laughed. Apparently this mob was behind on the latest gossip. Cut off, uneducated, angry people sad that their misguided leader had died without giving them proper closure or direction. "It has already been publicly declared that I did not kill Quwent, and an unknown dragon did, you have shown you have no rank, no influence, no power, even the servants are not sharing their gossip with you. What is your collective goal here?" Slowly moving from his relaxed pose, to sitting, elbows barely resting on his knees. Trying to glean whatever he could from the minds that were open. Sincerely wondering what their larger purpose was at this point. Thankful that he had been kept up to date by Nigella's well organized spy network.

Another grumbling low murmur through the crowd as their information was revealed to be outdated. A voice from the middle of the crowd called out. "Get him." Without any further pause, the door to the cell was broken open. Starting a true Melee fight as the mob piled into the small cell.

Quwent's leaderless, angry army did their best to launch an assault against Atticus. Still chained by one arm to the cell wall with a heavy manacle of iron. Enchanted to prevent shifting. The untested, brute army was no match against Atticus. Even with one arm tied behind his back in tight confines.

The biggest threat Atticus faced was the crush of emotions from Esti. She felt as some wolves made their move to strike and actually landed solid blows. Esti and the strikes landed knocking him off balance. Atticus needed to focus on the fight, and Esti was too powerful a force in his mind. Reluctantly he quieted the bond. Needing to focus on the mob not landing another hit. The wolves had only managed glancing strikes, delivered with force. 

Alone in his mind, Atticus was a weapon, tethered to the wall by one wrist. After he had left a third wolf fighter flat on their back, unconscious on the floor, Atticus had started to feel bad about the odds of the fights he was participating in. Though the strain was showing him that some of the links holding him to the wall were not nearly as sound as they once might have been. He was going to break free, one way or another. This was his chance to escape. Never to darken court again. 

These were not fair fights, it was less noble than fighting children after the first round. Atticus switched to merely trying to test the stamina of those he was fighting against. Atticus didn't want to kill anyone he did not need to. A clean knock out, or surrender was preferable. Breaking limbs made Atticus want to gag every time he heard the bone crack. He was a lover not a fighter.

A late arrival stumbled into the cell, just as another warrior went down. The fights were not improving. The late arrival, stammered out, "The Inspector is coming, you need to be done or get him outside before you are all caught." Shuffling on his feet, before running back out the door.

"Brother never lies, take him out through the trap. We're going to finish this." The same voice from the crowd who had called out before. This rag tag mess might have a new head growing from the corpse of the movement Quwent had started.

Atticus watched, peacefully as the manacle was undone while some of the fools imagined they were holding Atticus in place as he weakly flexed occasionally to make them feel like they were doing something. Feigning to stumble as he was bundled out of this jail cell into the dark hallway that ended in what had to be a garbage shaft.

Thankfully, there was a secret side door that lead down to the midden heap for the castle. Leading to a cave, moon light showing in the distance. Atticus was outside of the castle walls, and free of iron chains. It took all his restraint to not giggle with glee at his good fortune.

Atticus was outside the castle. He had only physically been confined. Now he was free, and outside the castle. Ready to just end the fight and follow after Esti. Atticus made a choice to kick the hornets nest and get it over with. "Quwent was a stupid asshole of a man, you all were fools to follow him." Atticus growled out at the fools.

The presumed new leader from the crowd called out, "Fuck Quwent, this ain't for that spoiled satin twat." Catching Atticus slightly off guard, he had thought he understood the situation. If the mob knew Quwent was a garbage human, maybe no more heads needed to be knocked around tonight.

"This is for Zidon and Berny. Theys were good soldiers." Another voice called out. Other voices naming Billy and Jeb, the chorus of names reigniting the passion in those who were still left standing. 

No one around him knew the truth. Wolves were fools to put such stock in loyalty. Always believing that everyone would do the right thing. A rouge wolf as good as a dead dog in most traditional views."Rapists get what they deserve." Atticus countered. Watching a few of the wolves stumble their steps at his words. The ripple of disbelief through the crowd.

"Doros wants revenge so much for his friends that he let us know of the inspection!" Another faceless man called out. The mob reigniting their initial craze and frenzy for violence. Pieces falling into place. There had been someone, a memory Atticus had seen, someone had seen all her rapists and what they had done to her. In the same place they all would die. A name to the one person to have felt regret for their part in Esti's worst day.

The dragon took this opportunity, and clarity to blast memories of what their respected comrades had done. The countless people that had been hurt when the dragon had looked inside their minds, before killing each and every one of the men who had dared try to entrap and harm Esti. There was still other trash in the castle ranks, but one afternoon had resulted in disproportionate positive effects throughout the castle.

No one was approaching Atticus . "We were supposed to make life better for the people." One quiet, defeated voice said aloud. A murmur through the crowd. Atticus dared to consider that after he had cleaned house for this group of degenerates, they could perhaps find their own way to actually making lives better for those in the serving class.

Most of these men were not evil at their core, they were just ignorant and easily swayed by a gregarious charlatan. "Change is possible, you need to choose those you decide to follow with greater care. Now excuse me." Atticus began to walk away. More than content to abandon everything here. Esti was wearing the only jewelry he had kept of his mother's. There was nothing else of value left for him in this place.

"Wait!" a voice cried out, with no one single person yet giving any effort towards actually stopping him. Atticus gave the brave soul a moment's pause. Looking back over his shoulder. "We, can't let you go..." Still no one moved to stop him or give any chase.

Atticus resumed walking away. "Good thing you all worked so hard together to foil my escape. Shame I escaped anyway." Atticus shifted into his dragon, he was going to need to visit his horde to collect some provisions and a change of phone, and identification. Shifting into his dragon during the length of a single step, and was in the air before the wolves and humans could react in any meaningful way. Atticus would find Esti, he ready to start their new life.