The Father of Withering

Chapter Seven: What They Deserved

Later, Relma paced restlessly within the cell as she thought about what to do. At least it was fairly large, with rough stone walls and straw on the floor. There was one window with bars, and one could see the branches of a tree out it. Estela sat at the far end, arms crossed and hair falling in front of one eye. The silence lasted until; finally, Estela sighed and looked up. "You should just give him the sword."

"What?" said Relma. "How can you say that?"

"Oh, come off it, Relma!" said Estela. "You're a terrible fighter. You've lost just about every fight you've ever been in."

"I defeated Ham Hawthorne in the Tournament of Kings," said Relma defensively.

"He was angry, half-drunk, and overconfident," said Estela. "And he still almost crushed you." Estela had a point. But it was a point that was aimed completely off the mark. "Well, I don't see what it has to do with not giving up the symbol of Harlenor Reunited to Anias."

"Do you really think the Lords of Gel Carn are going to tolerate this?" asked Estela. "We can just come back later with an army and take it back."

Assuming such an army could be gathered. And it would still be a breach of trust. "Lightning Trail is a symbol, Estela. If I hand that symbol over to Anias, I am handing over everything it represents. And anyway, Elranor wouldn't approve."

Estela stood up and brushed the hair out of her face. "Have you talked to him about this?"

"No, but it seems the sort of thing he would disapprove of," said Relma. "Though I suppose I might be wrong. I should pray.

"What are you even worried about?"

"We're prisoners, Relma," said Estela as if that made things obvious.

"We're prisoners who Lady Pandora the Sorceress has a vested interest in," said Relma with a shrug. "Do you think Anias will be able to hold us here? We don't have to do anything. Pandora will do something any minute now, and the whole scheme will come tumbling down.

"I don't think Anias thought this through very well."

"Do you even pay attention?" asked Estela. "Lady Pandora hates clashing with nobility. If she makes a scene here, it could have serious repercussions."

Relma shrugged. "I never said it would be obvious. It's not as if I'm expecting her to transform Reginald into a bear, kick in the doors, and murder all the guards. She will probably transform Lord Anias into a snake or something.

"She'd have to be a monstrous egomaniac to do that. And Aunt Pan is more sensible than that. No, she'll do something subtle as soon as she finds out about this.

"We'd better make sure she finds out sooner," She paused as a thought occurred, and she saw a bird on the branches. "Well, we've got a window." She made her way over to it and reached out at the bird. "Hello there, come here."

The bird leaped down to land on her finger. Estela scoffed. "Oh, so now you can talk to birds." Relma shrugged. "I don't think I can. Talk less in the sounds. I understand what they mean by reading their spirits.