Chapter 6

Injustice is Swift

Kidd groaned as Mara and Page carried him up the hill toward Bowerstone. The moon had set a long time ago, and they were expecting the sun to rise soon; it had taken them the rest of the night to get Kidd out of Millfields. It was pure luck that they hadn't run into any more of those feral balverines on their way back. Though, Mara wondered if the reason they hadn't come across any balverines was because they had dispatched of the last of them at Reaver's mansion.

Just the thought of Reaver made Mara's head spin with anger. The feeling of his lips on hers still lingered, like an infuriating itch that she just couldn't scratch. Ben's lips, though rougher than Reaver's, had been much more enjoyable.

Page stopped to take a break, and they set Kidd down. "I cannot thank you enough," Kidd said as he settled on the ground. "I owe you both my life."

"We weren't going to leave without you," Mara told him. "I only wish we got there earlier." Kidd nodded sadly.

Page sighed, turning to Mara, and to Mara's surprise, held out her hand. "Princess, I must apologize. Until now, I did not trust that I could count on your support. I thought you were just another noble, and you didn't really care about the plight of the lower class. However, after having fought by your side, and having witnessed your power with my own eyes, I know now that I can count on you. I will gladly follow you."

Mara, stunned, shook Page's hand. "Thank you, Page. I promise you won't regret it."

Page smiled. "I'll hold you to that."

They received quite the reception when they dragged Kidd into the resistance headquarters, bedraggled and exhausted. Two men ran quickly to them to take Kidd, and Page and Mara leaned limply against the wall to catch their breath. Walter and Ben came hurdling around the corner at the commotion, and ran to them.

"What happened, Page? Where are the rest of the men?"

"They're dead," Page answered. "And if it weren't for the Princess, Kidd and I would be dead too."

Mara tried desperately to avoid making eye contact with Ben, who stood awkwardly with his hands in the pockets of his uniform vest. "Has Major Swift sent any word?" She asked Walter.

"Not since he left for the castle this morning," Walter answered, and he nudged Ben with the back of his hand. "He went to visit you last night, did he not?"

Ben cleared his throat and nodded, painfully aware of Mara's presence next to him. "Well, yes he did. But we didn't talk about anything…very important." Mara looked up at him as he stared at a spot on the wall uncomfortably.

"Hmm." Walter sighed and waved his hand. "I'm sure he'll be back soon. For now, you two had better get some rest. You look like you need it."

Page and Mara looked at each other and chuckled at their mutually pitiful state. A bark echoed from within the tunnels ahead, and Mara turned just in time to see Aldous barreling down the corridor, nearly knocking Ben over as he flew by, his tongue flapping wildly with his uncontainable joy. Mara dropped to her knees and caught the dog in her arms, laughing as he wriggled with excitement.

"He's been nothing but trouble since you two left," Walter said with a roll of his eyes. "We had to lock him up in the back room to keep him from running after you."

Mara wrapped her arms tightly around Aldous' middle and squeezed him. "He just wants to go on adventures, don't you, boy?" Aldous whined with happiness as his mistress hugged him.

Walter laughed and he turned to leave with Page. "I wasn't talking about the dog. I was talking about Ben!" He slapped Ben on the back with incredible force and laughed all the way down the tunnel, his roars bellowing throughout the entire sewer.

Mara looked up to see Ben, frozen with his eyes bugged out of his head. She stood to avoid any more awkward interaction, and quickly started past him. "I should go rest. Thank you for watching Aldous while I was gone."

To her surprise, a strong hand grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Princess…I have to apologize…for the other night." Mara turned around and Ben removed his hand, holding it stiffly at his side. "I don't know what came over me. Please forgive me."

He was looking past her, unable to look her straight in the eye. Mara sighed, and smiled. "Don't worry yourself over it, Ben. Everyone has moments of weakness, I suppose."

Mara could see a glint of some emotion flash across Ben's face that she couldn't place, sadness perhaps, but he quickly composed himself and chuckled. "Well, you know me, Princess. Can't resist a pretty girl." She felt a wave of relief when he shot her his distinctive, devilish wink. "Or, I'm sure you looked pretty before you took a mud bath in your party dress."

Mara gasped and slapped his arm, relieved to see that Ben was his normal, teasing self. He laughed and flinched back at her strike, and Aldous jumped up at him, ready to attack. Mara smiled and clapped her hands, turning to leave with her guard dog hopping happily at her heels.

The sky was a murky shade of gray that day; it seemed like nighttime though the clocks maintained that it was mid afternoon. Mara looked out the windows of the study down into the courtyard at the gathering crowd as they yelled and jeered angrily against the reign of the king.

"I don't like this," Elliot said, squeezing her hand. "If this goes on much longer there's no telling what Logan will do."

Mara looked down at their intertwined fingers, and a sudden wave of dread washed over her. She looked up at Elliot, and without any reason, reached up and kissed his cheek, unable to explain how frightened she felt.

A sudden outburst of voices from the lobby made them jump, and they ran to see what was happening. The guards were dragging three of the protesters up the stairs, toward the throne room, and they cried and pleaded for their lives. "No," Elliot muttered, "Logan's going to kill them!" He abruptly grabbed Mara by the shoulders and looked her fiercely in the eyes. "Mara, you must do something. We cannot let them die! You're Logan's sister, he might listen to you."

Mara could feel a weight on her chest as she struggled to breath. She blinked to clear the tears from her eyes, and she lost all strength in her legs.

The floor came flying up towards her face, and she caught herself on her hands, choking with sobs. She looked up to see Logan, her beloved big brother, staring down at her with cold, uncaring eyes.

"I…" she growled, "…I will never forgive you."

"Good," Logan turned on his heel to walk away. "Then you will never forget it."

Thunder rolled, and she wept like a helpless child on the floor.

Ben watched with a furrowed brow as Mara sat across the table from him, picking mindlessly at a piece of crusty bread. "Sleep well, Princess?"

Mara groaned in response, and continued to pick at her bread. She wanted so much to have one night of restful sleep, though it seemed that fate did not have that in mind for her. She brought the bread to her mouth, but could not find the strength to take a bite, and she put it back down on her plate. Ben sighed and reached over to tear the bread into pieces for her. "Baby steps, love," he muttered, and he tossed a small hunk to Aldous who had been watching with painfully large eyes. He swallowed it down and licked his lips in gratitude.

He waited in silence as Mara carefully swallowed each piece, and he nudged a glass of water toward her. "Now this." She obediently drank, and when she was finished, dropped her head on the table with a thunk.

"I'm so tired."

Ben leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the table. "I can tell."

"I dreamed about him again last night."

"About Elliot?"

"Mhmm."

Ben rubbed his neck as Page entered through the far door. She took a moment to look at Mara, and she glanced quizzically at Ben. He waved his hand to tell her she was fine, and she shrugged. "Good morning, Princess," she said as she sat on the table, "or, rather, afternoon now."

Mara groaned again and lifted her head. A big red circle marked the spot on her forehead that she had been leaning against, and Ben stifled a giggle. "How is Kidd?" she asked.

Page shrugged. "He'll be fine. It will be a while before he can walk again, though."

Walter suddenly burst through the doorway, sending every soul in the room jumping back in surprise. "Logan's ordered all citizens to the Castle for an address. He's urging everyone to attend."

"What could he be up to, I wonder?" Ben asked, and he dragged his boots off the table.

Walter shook his head. "I don't know, that's why I think it would be best if you and Mara go find out."

Aldous nudged his head underneath Mara's arm, and she scratched his nose. "Won't I be recognized at the castle?"

"Not in a crowd. Not enough people know what you look like."

Ben nodded in agreement. "Walter's right. And his rather intimidating stature will only draw attention. Luckily, dear Logan has not had the pleasure of meeting yours truly, so I'll be happy to accompany you, Princess."

"Alright," Mara said, standing. "Won't you join us, Page?"
Page chuckled. "Are you kidding? I'm a wanted woman; my face is plastered all over Bowerstone. The guards will sooner recognize me than you."

Mara waved her hand and followed Ben toward the door. Aldous whined when she gestured for him to sit. "You had better stay, boy. Logan's sure to remember you."

The castle courtyard was swarming with people, and Mara hooked her arm through Ben's to keep herself from getting lost in the crowd. The sky threatened rain as the people pressed into the courtyard. Mara and Ben pushed as close as they could get to the front, and they could see Logan watching the crowd through the front windows in the foyer. Standing beside him, smirking at the throng of people underneath his towering top hat, was Reaver. Mara instinctively shrunk back and buried her head into Ben's shoulder.

"Shit, it's him!"

"Who?" Ben looked around. "'Him' who?"

"Reaver! If anyone can spot me in a crowd, it's him. He has the eyes of a hawk."

Ben patted her arm. "Don't worry, love. I won't let him get you. Besides, I can't imagine he can move very fast with that ridiculous building on his head."

Mara snickered and lifted her head to see Logan step out onto the balcony. The crowd burst into angry jeers and hisses, and he lifted his hands to silence them, surrounded by guards with rifles drawn. Mara felt a twinge of sadness at the sight of her brother; his skin was so pale and devoid of color that he looked like a living ghost. His dark hair was near his shoulders, and his beard had grown so long he was hardly recognizable. He looked exhausted, thin, and bereft of life.

"Looks like dear Logan needs some sleep as well." Ben muttered.

"People of Albion," he began, his voice booming over the crowd as thunder rolled in the distance, "there are traitors among us." Ben and Mara glanced at each other as the crowd murmured with confusion. "Yes, traitors. Traitors who plot to end us. Traitors who would have you believe their cause is noble. They wear many masks. They may look like your family, they may look like your friends. They may even look like your most loyal servants." Logan clapped his hands, and a small group of guards dragged a prisoner out onto the ground below. Ben caught his breath and squeezed Mara's arm when they saw who it was. He was in his underwear, naked and humiliated. His skin was bruised and beaten, and his eyes had been swollen shut above his greying mustache.

"Swift," Ben whispered.

"This," Logan continued, pointing an accusing finger at the major, "This is the face of a traitor. Major Swift, a respected member of the army and sworn servant of the kingdom, has plotted against us all. He was apprehended attempting to turn loyal soldiers against us, and is thus charged with espionage, treason, and conspiracy." Ben dropped his head in anger, his hair falling over his eyes. Mara could see his jaw clench tight.

"Let this be a warning to you all. Anyone suspected of plotting against the kingdom will suffer the same fate as Major Swift. The fate of all enemies of the crown."

Ben growled and began to lunge forward as the guard next to Swift raised his pistol. Mara wrapped her arms tightly around his waist as the shot rang through the air, and Swift fell limply to the ground. Ben froze as he watched the blood pool underneath Swift's head, and the rain began to fall, washing it down the steps. The shocked gasps of the crowd filled the air, and Mara pulled Ben out of the courtyard. He followed her in a daze as the rain got harder, and they took cover under a bridge next to the river.

"He—he just killed him. Swift, he—" Ben gasped, and sobs tore through his chest. "Why did you stop me?!"

Mara clapped her hands roughly on either side of Ben's face, and looked him firmly in the eyes. "Ben, listen to me. There was nothing you could do."

"We could have at least tried to—"

She felt angry tears roll down her face as memories of Elliot flashed through her mind. "No, Ben. Please believe me. There was nothing we could do."

Ben stared at her in disbelief, then squeezed his eyes shut. He knew she was right. He knew that Swift would have been furious with him if he had tried to do anything, and died in the attempt. He knew that Swift wanted the best for Ben, that he looked at Ben as if he was his own son; Swift had been more of a father to him than Theodore Finn.

He felt his legs buckle and he crumpled to the ground. Mara leaned him against the canal wall and knelt next to him. "Ben, listen. I cannot stay here with you. I have to go warn the others now. Promise me you won't do anything stupid?"

Ben looked up at her, at his Princess. Swift's Princess. The woman to whom Swift had sworn his allegiance to, and the woman who Swift had loyally died for. The sight of her brown eyes made him ache, and he looked down, helplessly nodding his head. He couldn't put her in danger because of his temper.

"Alright," Mara whispered, and she leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Stay here, or find a room to dry off in. I'll come back to find you soon."

Ben watched as she stepped out from under the bridge and disappeared into the pouring rain. Thunder rattled the bricks beneath him, and he leaned his arms on his knees and wept.