Head in the Clouds

Chapter 20: A Life For a Life

Ko's teeth chattered as he listened to Deidre speak to Bellamy. How did he know so much about her? Did Deidre know more than she shared? Was this a setup?

Deidre was, even more, shook up. She was staring at this person who seemed human, yet there was something missing from him. There was something perfectly unnatural with his joyless smile and piercing blue eyes. He was terrifying.

"What do you mean?" Deidre asked now trying even harder to mask her emotions.

Bellamy sighed, "Do you remember getting sick when you were about eight years old?"

Deidre thought back. She had such vivid memories of falling ill from her hand becoming infected. Her whole body was in pain for weeks as she slowly grew more and more ill.

"Yes," she replied emotionlessly, "It was an infection."

"You were so close to death that your father and the king became desperate for anything that would help you," he informed her.

"The king?" She thought, "Why would he want to help me?"

"That's why they came to me."

***

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" King Archibald turned to his dear friend hoping he'd change his mind.

Sparrow stared at that door as though he could see through it. When he looked at that door, he saw his daughter succumbing to her illnesses and being gone forever. He imagined her funeral. He imagined a world without Deidre.

"I'm sure," Sparrow declared. His mind was made up. He was going to save his daughter.

The gate was opened by two guards. When the king and the warrior entered the hallway there were only a few prisoners left in their cell, but each prisoner cowered to the very back. Some even put their heads into their knees and wailed.

"Is this prison so cruel, Archie?" Sparrow asked worriedly.

"Not at all," denied the king vehemently, "all these prisoners are well fed and treated by the guards."

"Then why do they all seem like they've lost their minds?" Inquired the warrior.

The king sighed deeply.

"It's because of him," King Archie said. His voice was low and angry to the point of hatred, "He speaks to them and gets into their heads."

"He does that with magic?" Asked the concerned father.

"I wish," mumbled the king, "He asks them questions, makes deals, picks at their insecurities until they can no longer live with themselves or their sins."

They reached the corner when the realization struck.

"So all of these empty cells... their prisoners-"

"Yes," replied the king solemnly, "we're working on shipping out the rest as soon as possible as to... avoid any further incidents."

They made their way around the corner, both fearful of the creature they'd face on the other side. However, when they got there they were more so weirded out by the way he stood at the metal bars waiting for them.

Sparrow was more so put off than scared by the way he was stared at by the prisoner. He felt like he was staring into the eyes of a shark as the smallest fish in the ocean. Still, he showed no fear. He had to save his daughter.

"Bellamy," greeted the king.

"King Archibald Woodrow," replied Bellamy with a smile, his eyes remained on Sparrow, "to what do I do this honor?"