Three Must Decide.

Part 47. You Must Come.

Chapter note. the first 3 chapters have introduced you to the Three. Each faction is controlled, to a degree, by a real life person so decisions have to be made.

Now the storey has evolved. The Threes strategy, manoeuvres, traps and tricks forced the birthing of another faction. Another has taken control of the Rollos.

Hidden consequences.

If you cannot guarantee success you can begin something new.

Decisions.

Peace they may have but to free Terrill they had to decide if they would do as the Crown Prince commands and how else they could survive.

Read on to see its end

Peace. The King had agreed peace with Terrills house yet here Oceana and Alden stood.

The Grand Duchess had agreed to nothing. Behind the walls of Peregrin Run, its harbour able to feed its people, Dark Harbour, the now known refuge, that had let her gain strength, pouring its resources in to her plans. The Grand Duchess had not had enough, they had agreed no peace.

Oceana and Alden followed a Crown Sward down yet more steps. The place was vile. Oceana lead, Alden, silent, on guard. He had grown now, a leader, now proven. They had no weapons and just one guard was with them, the guards distaste for this duty evident but people of statuses, as Oceana and Alden remained had to be given an appropriate escort. They past through a small chamber, cells off its walls, not one occupied, damp, dark, no natural light, the air thick with the smoke from the two torches that burned to provide a little light.

The guard led them to a low door, leading to a rough corridor chiseled from the bed rock its self. Unfinished walls the steps uneven. No need here for any luxury, the place dug out for a single purpose, to make a hole to leave people to rot, away from the world. It was a Hell made by human hands and they desended in to it.

The decision to come for Terrill to save him from this fate had been made in an instant. There was no question, The Crown Prince had ordered it and they would show no fear. They had traveled to Bronze Gate with few guards and they went by the most well trodden routes with their house standard high. They displayed confidence and disregard for any danger. They would come for Terrill but would not cower. The time sinse the Battle at their home had change them to the very core.

Their house had changed. While their daughter grew within her Oceana stayed safe aboard the ships of Terrills brother. Between them they had aided Alden and the Cader Guards who followed him. Before the peace the Hold was their only symbol of resistance and then only because the grind of war and famine had stopped any chance of their enemies coming again.

Their house had suffered with the attrition of it to the point of collapse. It was only Aldens drive to prevent it that had stopped it and to do that with what he had left he had turned to the dark shadows of the criminal world.

He had made those he needed remain loyal. His Cader Guards would still have what they needed and then when he needed coin the ships of his uncle brought goods and the routes in to Vasted kept secure with the guard they made a new power, found a new strength and Oceana at its heart. Permanent council, guiding force and when the the cruelest of actions had to be taken it would always be by her hand personally. Some actions she would always take away from her son's conscience while she could. Their hand was brutal but it would shower those who proved loyal with excessive riches.

The building of it had not gone uncontested and would never be untested, even the Grand Dutchess had turned her attention to them in this underworld while she fought the Crown. They had failed, unprepared, under resourced as the Grand Duchess was while she still fought the Crown and Tereills house at the same time, her attempt was pushed back out of the shadows, back to the side lines were her spys could watch but do little to interfere in any great way.

As the weak light faded from the torches in the chamber behind them they came to a door. The guard pulled the bolt and pushed the door inwards. It lead to another roughly made tunnel and there was nothing to be seen in the pitch black darkness. The guard light a torch which hung on the wall which revealed that the tunnel was not long, just 20 to 30 feet and ended in a single door made of metal that had hung there for so long that its outer layers seemed to be corroding away with flakes of rust that could at any moment peel away.

They made there way towards the door, the tunnel just wide enough for two to stand shoulder to shoulder. Half way to the door the floor fell away quickly. The view from the door was deceiving in the poor light and as Oceana began to desend the air became thick with the clinging smell of mold and damp.

The guard coughed and Oceana shortened her breaths to try and keep the oppressive air from her lungs. She heard Alden suppress a cough and then they were at the door.

The guard said nothing, took a huge key from the bag the Jail Warden had given him and turned the lock. The door moved slowly and with some effort on its hinges, it banged noisily on to the wall of the tunnel and with its opening the release of a fowel stench of sewage and filth combined with the thick mould filled air. It was enough for the guard to retreat quickly back to the first door, Alden and Oceana could not help but to turn away.

"He is in there" the guard called down to them "the floor is wet, he will be on the stone bed on the left" she said between taking lung fulls of the cleaner air.

The guard had left the torch on a wall hanging by the door. Even it seemed to struggle to keep its self alight with the tainted air.

Oceana reached up and took it in her hand stepped forward tentatively, dreading what she would find. The chamber was no more than 10 feet wide and 6 feet high and as the light filled the space her eyes finally came to the rock bed and atop it a man, wedged in between the rock beds top and the ceiling, enough to lie down, 3 feet at most, the floor covered in water floating with human waist and rotting food.

Oceana only knoew it was Terrill because she had been told it would be and seeing a crippelingly thin mans back facing the door, their legs curled up pulling them selves in to a fetal position, she could not beleave it was him.

"Terrill" she called softly "Terrill we have come for you"

The man did not move and for a moment she thought he was dead. Looking for a sign of life she could not see any. She stepped back unsure she could face the truth.

"Father" Alden called stepping forward in front of his mother. He called again with more urgency and then again, this time full of anger!

The man heaved a saying breath that they both saw. Oceana stepped forward again but Alden put a hand out to stop them and then stepped in to the filth which came up his shin but not over the boots he had on. He moved quickly over, reching with the new deeper stink that was released from the black water.

He placed a hand on the man's shoulder and pulled him gently towards him. Rolling over the man gave another heaving breath but did not resist.

Alden held his head in his hands and stared in to his eyes.

"We have come, we are taking you out of this place".

The glazed eyes of Terrill looked wild and searched Aldens face. A thin hand touch his cheek.

"We are taking you home" Oceana said, now by them both, reaching out and touching Terrills side who looked to her and began to cry.