The Other King

The Other King- Discovery

I lifted my head off my knees to see who was calling me, I squinted my eyes, straining them to see who was in front of me. The faint light of a torch was the only source of light below the floors of the palace. I could hear chains pulling against the walls, as a hand lightly touch my knee. I could imagine a cold dirty hand that was pressed against my knee, I whimpered in fear as the thoughts of being held down here as the person does as he or she likes. An image of an old skinny man popped in to my head, showing a toothless grin, a long, white beard, and filth upon his face.

"Amanda it is okay, it's only me, Walter." I listened to his soft, manly voice, comforting me.

I strained my eyes, trying to make out his face. The faint glow from the torch allowed me to see his pale face was filled with dirt, a gash laid across his forehead, and his bright, blue eyes stood out from the darkness that was behind him.

"What has happened to you?" I asked him my voice filled with concern as a drop of blood rolled down on his face. I reached up and gently wiped it away, he flinched.

"I have been accused of robbery, but Amanda what are you doing here? What has happened, what foul thing has caused you to be here?"

"Walter what has happened to your face?

"Do not fuss over me, I shall be okay." I crawled over to him and cupped my hands around his cheeks softly, I turned his head to see if there were any injuries. Bruises lay upon the top of his cheeks, a small cut under his right eye, and dry blood under his nose. I let out a cry as I saw what has happened to him.

"Walter, what has happened?" I whispered.

"This is nothing, Amandam now what has happened to you? Why are you here?" He grabbed my wrist, pulling my hands away from my face. His eyes stared back at me and I couldn't help but feel the sadness his blue eyes held.

"The King has ordered me to court him. I... I have disobeyed him and he has sent me down here."

"You are to court the King? Is that why you have not been in the shop? The times I have been by, you seem to never be there."

I nodded my head, "Yes, Peter has taken me away and I am to be courted to him."

He held his head down, letting go of my wrists. "I am sorry to hear such terrible news."

"It is only a marriage, I shall be fine. Please, tell me what has happened to you." I begged him with my eyes.

He sighed, "I have been accused of robbery, my younger brother had stolen an apple from a stand. The man had caught him taking it, my brother of course panicked and handed me the apple and ran off. The guards were called, they saw me and knew of my family. They said I was a thief, and that it is about time that my family must suffer some consequences."

"That is wrong! How can they have you suffer for your entire families mistakes, that is all in the past now."

He merely shrugged his shoulders, "My family may have been thieves, but I would never wish that they suffer this cruel punishment." I looked at him in amazement, amazed that he is so willing to suffer for what his family did in the past, and should have fixed themselves. I would never have such courage to come to this cruel, dark, evil place for another. My own blood would not be worth the blood I will loose here. All the wounds that lay upon his handsome face, are the injuries his family should have faced.

"You are very brave. You do not deserve to be here. Perhaps I could talk Peter in to letting you free." I said, knowing that he will refuse my request. He would merely laugh at me to have such a silly thought of letting go a "thief". He would not know Walter.