The decision made was amazing yet extraordinary.
"But…" Larten started, but Paris cut him off.
"I'm sure all of us agree that this does not tally with our laws currently, but I can also say that no one here wants to see Kurda being executed."
Kurda kept his mouth clamped shut, for he knew he was not in a position to say anything. The Hall was completely silent; everyone was mulling over what Paris had said.
"But there is one big problem," Mika addressed the Hall. "Does anyone know of a suitable place to hold the traitor?" At these words, the Hall was filled with whispers. Kurda gave a few small coughs and all eyes fell on him. He questioningly up at Paris, asking for permission to speak.
"Speak," Arrow growled.
"I know of a place," Kurda said, ignoring the gasps behind him, "where there is only one way in and out. It is located not far from the main Halls." the Princes thought over this proposal for a few minutes before Paris spoke.
"Bring us to see this cave," he ordered. Kurda bowed and started to lead the Princes.
"Hang on," Daren rushed to Kurda. "Why… Why did you…"
"Suggest a place?" Kurda smiled. "Remember what I said after I beat Arra on the bars? One's heart judges that person, not other people's opinion. If I don't tell what I know, I won't respect and like myself."
Later, after a lengthy inspection of the cave, the Princes decided to use it. However, the Princes wanted to make a few changes so Mika was given the task of talking to Kurda.
"Thirty years, no more, no less," Mika told him. "Daily necessities such as food, blood, water will be provided, but nothing else. No one is to give you any outside things without our permission."
"Can I have paper and a few pencils?" Kurda asked. Mika nodded.
"Your chains, Kurda," he said, pointing at his wrists, "will be enforced at all times. The only time you can move out of your cell is one hour per week, you get to choose the day and time. Enjoy yourself."
"So sarcastic," Kurda mumbled under his breath.
He was escorted into the cave by two guards, both of whom he knew quite well. Despite the change in position, they still addressed him as General Smahlt. The umpteenth time they called him that, Kurda waved his hand impatiently.
"Don't keep calling me that." The guards smiled apologetically.
The inside of the cave as exactly as when Kurda first found it, but clasps had been fixed to the wall. Kurda walked inside it feeling a bit apprehensive, his stomach churning round and round.
"We will be the only two guards, Kurda," the first guard explained. "Therefore we seek your cooperation not to created trouble." Kurda grinned at them mischievously then grew serious and nodded.
The first time as he was about to doze off, the guards approached him.
"We need to chain you up tighter," they explained apologetically. "Sire Skyle and the rest do not want to risk you escaping." Kurda sighed and sat up as they clasped him. They put something on his ankles with a piece of steel about ten centimeters long. They also changed the chains on his hands to a shorter one.
"We will be asleep as well, so it will be quite easy to escape, if you want that weighing on your conscience. That night, as Kurda curled against the wall to sleep, he suddenly remembered Darren and Vanez. What were they doing?
Four days later, Kurda could bear the boredom no more. He asked the guards if he could go out for an hour and was granted permission. A quick look around and he slipped down a tunnel, all the while looking behind him to see if anyone was following, until…
"BOO!" Darren grinned and stepped out from behind a rock. Kurda took a step back, astonished.
"Hi! Why didn't you tell me you will be going out today?" Darren grumbled. Kurda gave a little laugh. They walked down the tunnel together in complete silence, when Darren slapped his head as though he had forgot something, and went the other way round.
"Come with me!" he beckoned to Kurda. Kurda grimaced and followed him up the tunnel and into another tunnel, until he came to a stop.
"What the…" Kurda started to ask, and then halted abruptly as he saw an injured wolf cub whining piteously. Blood was oozing out of its right front leg, which looked as though it had been broken badly. Beside it, a male and female wolf looked on concerned, but unable to do anything. Kurda let the wolves catch his scent before carrying the cub up.
"Anywhere to treat it?" Darren asked.
"My cell, come on!" Kurda sidestepped the wolves and flitted up the tunnel. Darren ran up together with the wolves up to the top where Kurda was, examining the cub's leg.
"I need a first aid kit; can I go to your room?" Kurda asked urgently.
"Sure!" Darren nodded then led Kurda to his room then handed him a first-aid kit. The cub whined loudly as Kurda carefully put a cast and bandaged up the broken leg.
"Leave it with me for the time being. Oh, and by the way, how did you find me? And how did you find the injured cub?" Kurda enquired quizzically.
"I found the cub by chance. I was exploring the tunnels when I heard its whining. As for you, in case you haven't noticed, your chains are very noisy," Darren explained. Kurda threw back his head and laughed.
"You're smart," he praised Darren.
When Kurda brought the cub to his cell, the two other wolves tagged along. Kurda shrugged and put the cub down.
"Can you provide these wolves with food? My leftover bread won't do. I need milk," Kurda told the guards. They nodded and said that they would do what they can.
"Meanwhile, just make do, ok?" Kurda said as he tore the bread meant for his lunch into shreds and fed the wolves. They barked happily and gobbled up the lot, leaving Kurda nothing to eat. Kurda raised his eyebrows and gave the wolves water as well.
That night, the cub snuggled up next to him while the two older wolves went out to hunt. They brought back a deer they killed and shared it among them, but looked at Kurda as though asking him if he wanted to have some. Kurda grinned and shook his head.
The next day, the two guards came in and clasped him to the wall, saying that he had important visitors. When Darren walked in with Paris and Mika, Kurda raised his eyebrows.
"Oh, so they wanted to make sure I don't assassinate them," he muttered. The wolves were sleeping, but snapped awake the moment the crowd arrived.
"Greetings," Kurda bowed his head. His arms clasped at his sides, making him look like a crucifix.
"Bless me, Jesus," Darren poked fun at Kurda.
"Ha bloody ha," Kurda laughed bleakly, then diverted his attention to the two Princes.
"Oh, we just came in to see why you needed extra food. Now we know," Mika explained.
"That cub's injured. Badly broken leg," Kurda said jerking his head towards the cub, whose leg still stuck out at an odd angle.
"And we also thought you should know - Darren is a Prince," Paris said.
"If I were in any position to hug you, I will. Good work, mate!" Kurda smiled at Darren.
"Thanks!" Paris tugged at Darren's shirt, meaning that he had to leave. But Darren shook his head.
"I want to stay," he insisted.
At first, the guards refused to let Kurda down for Paris had given his orders, but Darren persisted. However, the guards did not believe that he was a Prince. In order to settle this dispute, Kurda cleared his throat loudly.
"I'll stay the way I am," he said. The guards gave an 'I won!' look to Darren before exiting the cave.
"Honestly," Kurda sighed. Darren carried the cub up and put it on Kurda's shoulders.
"Why do you choose to stay like that?"
"I love being Jesus. Not really, just that I don't want to trouble Paris. If they complain…" Kurda shook his head. Darren shrugged and carried the cub to the top of Kurda's head. Kurda wriggled and Darren burst out laughing.
When Darren was gone, the guards came in and placed two fat bowls of milk and boar meat in front of Kurda.
"It's not for you," they told him.
"I know," he snapped back. "Do you know who that vampire was? He really is a Prince!" The guards looked horrified.
"Really?"
"He was made one because of me," he explained, exasperated. "He was the one who discovered my plots, stopped it from succeeding. He also found a way to dispatch the vampaneze. But, I owe him my life, if he had not spoken up for me, I won't be standing here now." The guards, after hearing his words, exited the cave in low, terrified whispers. Kurda banged his head on the floor and fed the cub the milk and meat. He even gave the cub a bath with the water that was meant to be drunk. After that, he took off the cast and examined the wound.
"Hey, little one! You're healing fast. In three weeks time you will be bouncing and leaping around again!" Kurda told the cub. It wagged its tail then shook its body, spraying Kurda with water. Kurda got up and started to play with the cub, laughing as they played catch around the cave.
The laughter echoed around, until it reached Paris's ear.
"Imagine that! Kurda is imprisoned yet he can laugh that merrily while we cannot," Paris commented.
"He takes every thing in his stride, that Kurda. I rarely see him look gloomy," Larten gave a dry laugh.
"He has, and he always," a voice insisted behind. Vancha March walked towards the crowd, which comprised of Darren, Larten, Mika, Vanez and Paris.
"That idiot, worries about laws, customs, our relationship with the vampaneze et cetera," he explained.
"It's just that he does not show it, that's all. He has his own worries, his own problems, and his own troubles. But to him, his own personal feelings are nothing much compared to the clan's, therefore he seems very happy-go-lucky."
"No wonder," Vanez said, happy to have unearthed the reason for Kurda's supposed happiness.
"I suppose… I suppose you know… you know what happened?" Mika asked cautiously.
"Of course!" Vancha waved his hand impatiently. "It's like the most tremendous news ever. I bet even vampires in far-off lands must know."
"You… you're not upset?" Darren asked.
"Why should I be?" Vancha shrugged. He lowered his voice. "You executed him? Has he been cremated yet?"