Chapter 10
Loki walked along the side of Ake's cell until he reached the back. He remembered a time when his brother stood where he was standing now, and he was in the cell.
Ake stood up and faced Loki. "Yes, my King?"
"You came back and you didn't have to, why?" Loki asked.
"Because it was the right thing to do. Magdalene at times thinks with her heart instead of her head. She means well and I love her for it. She did not mean to cause trouble. She was trying to help me."
"What did she hope to accomplish by taking you out of here?" Loki asked.
"She knows I am innocent and thought I could find the one who did kidnap the Queen. I knew that wouldn't work because the guards would be searching for me."
"The fact that you and Magdalene came back convinces me that Magdalene is correct, you are innocent and I believe you, that Magdalene did not mean any harm."
"My King, thank you for understanding," Magdalene said. She had followed Loki and stood behind him. "Does this mean you will let Ake go?"
Loki turned sideways so he faced both Ake and Magdalene. "Not yet, first I want to try something and I need both of you to go along with it," Loki said.
Ake nodded. "Of course my King, if it will get me out of prison, anything you want."
Magdalene vigorously nodded in agreement.
Loki motioned to Magdalene to move out of the way. As soon as she did he walked across the aisle to Xander's cell. Seeing the King, Xander walked from the back to the front. "Yes, my King?"
"Where were you while the Queen was in the garden?" Loki asked.
"I was in the garden on guard duty to the Queen," Xander answered.
"Then how was it she was kidnapped on your watch?" Loki asked.
"I saw a stranger walking through the garden. I thought it best to find out who he was and why he was there.
Loki nodded. "That does make sense, but still you left the Queen unprotected."
Xander cleared his throat. "Yes, but I thought I should see what the stranger was doing. I am supposed to protect the Queen as well."
Loki exhaled deeply. "So in order to protect the Queen you left her unprotected to find out what a stranger was doing?" He asked with an infliction in his voice.
"She was not unprotected. Ake was talking to her," Xander replied.
"If you were talking to a stranger, how did you know Ake was with the Queen?" Loki asked.
"Because, my King, when I returned, I saw Ake talking to her," Xander explained.
Loki stared hard at Xander. "But how did you know Ake would be there when you walked away?"
"I did not know, my King." Xander said and let out a deep sigh. "I left her for just a moment. I spoke to the stranger and then went directly back."
"Just a moment? Did it not occur to you it would only take a moment for someone to kidnap her?" Loki asked in an irritated voice. "Perhaps it was a good thing Ake was there or was that when you suspected him?"
"No, no," Xander shook his head. "I mean yes it was at that precise moment."
Loki cocked his head to one side. "You seem rather unsure," he said and brought his head up right. "Are you certain about your answer?"
Xander unconsciously shifted his feet. "Yes, my King," he answered, and tried to hide his uneasiness.
Loki noticed the shifting of Xander's feet. He also sensed Xander's uneasiness, but continued his questioning. "Why were you suspicious? Did Ake not often talk to the Queen?"
"It was his behavior that was off. He seemed to be acting strangely," Xander answered a little hesitantly.
Loki noticed Xander was also now hesitant with his answers. He pushed that thought to the back of his mind. He would come back to it later.
"How was Ake, acting strangely?"
"He kept moving his feet back and forth as if he couldn't stand still," Xander said and demonstrated that action. "He seemed nervous or perhaps anxious. It just didn't seem like him."
Loki watched the demonstration of the feet movement. It was not much different from what Xander had already done. "Xander, you just stood there and watched him? Why didn't you approach him and ask him why are you acting nervous?"
"I didn't want to intrude. It looked like a private conversation," Xander answered.
Loki narrowed his eyes. "A private conversation? You are suspicious of him, because he acted strangely, and yet you do not approach because it looked like a private conversation? That does not make sense," Loki said.
Xander's palms sweated. He was usually good at lying, but Loki was making him nervous. "My apologies, my King, I meant at first I thought it was a private conversation," he said trying to compensate for his nervousness. He hoped he had covered himself.
Loki, knew when he was being lied to. He was very good at that game. Much better than Xander. The shifting of the feet and the palms sweating were telltale signs. "And then you noticed his strange behavior?"
Xander nodded. "Yes, yes, that is correct."
"But still, you didn't do anything?" Loki asked.
"I was about to, but Ake walked away before I could get there," Xander said and shifted his weight.
That was a convenient answer, Loki thought. "What did you do? Did you continue to guard the Queen?"
Xander inhaled and then exhaled. "No, my King I followed Ake."
"I see, so once again you left the Queen unprotected," Loki said in an irritated voice.
Xander rubbed his temples. "Yes, my King, because I thought Ake was up to something."
"Are you agitated?" Loki asked.
"No, my King." Xander quickly answered. "I am getting tired is all."
"Too tired to answer a few more questions?" Loki asked.
Xander studied Loki for a moment. He tried to ascertain how to answer his question by observing the expression on Loki's face. Unfortunately, Loki's expression was neutral.
"My King, I will continue to answer questions, but I am tired so if we could stop now I would appreciate it," Xander said in a polite tone of voice.
Loki smiled. If he thought for one moment Xander was being sincere, he would have let him rest. However, he knew better.
"Then let us continue. When you caught up with Ake, was the Queen with him?"
"No, my King," Xander answered.
"Did you know where she was?" Loki asked.
Xander shook his head. "I assumed she was where I left her."
"Why did you assume that? Did you tell her to wait there? Did she see you? Did she even know where you were?" Loki asked in succession.
Once again, Xander slowly shook his head. "No, my King to all of your questions.
"Since you thought the Queen was where you left her, what made you think Ake had kidnapped her?"
"I thought the stranger and Ake were working together and the stranger kidnapped the Queen," Xander said. Now there was sweat on his brow.
Loki folded his arms in front of him. "You left the Queen alone, thinking the stranger was going to kidnap her?"
Xander ran the back of his hand across his brow to remove the sweat. "That thought had not occurred to me until after."
His arms still folded, Loki let out a sigh of disgust. "How long have you been a guard? Don't answer that, I already know. You have been a guard all of your adult life. How is it that you did not know better than to leave the Queen unprotected? First you leave her to talk to a stranger and then again to follow Ake. Neither time do you tell her where you are going and to wait where she is. For that matter, you don't even make sure she is safe where she is. While you are talking and then fighting with Ake, she could have moved on, she could have done anything. We of course know what did happen, she - was - kidnapped!"
Xander took a step backwards and nearly stumbled. Loki was scaring him. "My King, I knew she was safe or at least I thought she was. The garden is usually a safe place. I also thought Ake planned to kidnap her when I was not there to stop him." He stepped forward. He did not want Loki to think he was afraid.
"After I found out she had been taken, and I knew where Ake was, is when it occurred to me maybe it was the stranger who took her, and perhaps Ake had hired him."
Loki could read the fear on Xander's face. "That is your excuse? The garden is usually a safe place? Evidently not true for the Queen as she is gone, but you are here. It was not a good day for guarding the Queen, was it?"
Anger replaced the fear Xander had felt and his face turned bright red. He was tired of Loki's questions, especially the last one. He had to make an effort to speak evenly so Loki would not know how he felt.
"My King, I did everything I thought I should do to protect the Queen and stop Ake. I made mistakes, but my mistakes are not why she is gone and I am here."
Loki projected an image of himself into Xander's cell. His projected self stood toe to toe with Xander. "Do not make the mistake of thinking I am a great fool. I am well aware of how you feel. Do not cross me for if you do, you will regret it. I suggest you answer my questions and truthfully."
Although Xander knew it was a projection, it still caused him to be afraid. He stepped back and away from the projected Loki. His eyes grew wide and he gulped.
"I do not think you a fool and I have been answering truthfully," Xander said a bit timidly.
Loki's projection faded. "I sincerely hope you are," the real Loki said. "You said you made mistakes. Do you not understand your mistakes could cost the Queen's life? Not only hers, but my son's as well? This is not some simple mistake! The Queen and Prince were taken while you were on duty!"
Xander lowered his eyes and stepped back to the front of the cell. He cleared his throat. "Yes, my King, I do understand. I am certain Ake would never hurt them."
"Would you? If it was you who hired the stranger to take my family; would you hurt them?"
Xander raised his eyes to meet Loki's. "No my King, I would never hurt them," he said in defense.
Loki decided he would ask several questions very fast in hopes of tripping Xander up. As he spoke he emphasized his words with his hands in order to confuse Xander even more.
"You swear if you had kidnapped my family no harm would come to them? They would be returned expeditiously? You would tell me the truth? I could count on your honesty? There is nothing to worry about? You know who took them? It was you, correct?"
Xander started answering the questions as they were fired at him. He was so caught up with his answers he didn't realize what he had said before it was too late. "No my King, Yes, my King," he said to each question. Finally, he said, "Yes my King," to the last two questions.
Loki folded his arms in front of him. "Why did you take them Xander?"
An astounded look crossed Xander's face as he realized his error. He took in a breath and let it out slowly. "My King, I misunderstood the last question. I do know who took them," he said and looked across the aisle at Ake.
Loki looked in the same direction as Xander. He then turned his attention back on Xander. "You still insist it was Ake?" You want me believe you misunderstood the last question?"
Xander looked back at Loki. "You asked if you could count on my honesty and I said yes."
"How do I know you did not misunderstand that question?" Loki asked.
"Because, my King, you know me, you have known me for centuries and I have always been honest with you," Xander answered.
Loki scrutinized Xander. He knew Xander was not being honest, but it was the answer he wanted to hear. Loki smiled a friendly smile.
"I believe you, Xander," he said.
CONVOLUTED = COMPLICATED