Chapter 12 - Prisoner or Patient (part 2)

She came into the room with a lamp, stopped for a moment and stared at a naked Darken Rahl laying on his back like an upturned beetle.

"What are you doing on the floor?" (She sounded more annoyed than concerned)

"Where were you? I've been calling you for hours."

She ignored his question walked past him, picked up his nightshirt and placed it on a chair then went to the bathroom, Darken could hear running water. After a while she returned, helped him up wrapped a dressing gown around him and started guiding him towards the bathroom.

"I've already been there, I want to go to bed."

"I'm taking you to the bathroom because you need a bath."

"Why?"

"Because you stink."

Darken prepared to cast another insult, but recanted, he didn't fancy another few hours bored, cold and alone. The water was hot and scented and as she helped him into the bath he felt an enormous amount of relief, his body warmed up and his aches and pains faded away. She started to help him bath.

"I don't need any help bathing."

"Well, I'll just wash your hair."

Darken started to complain, but it felt so good, he didn't resist. After she rinsed his hair she said.

"You can manage the rest on your own." She got up and left him.

Darken sat in the bath and relaxed as the warmth of the water enveloped him. After a while she returned, helped him out of the bath, wrapped him in warm soft towels and sat him in a chair while she dried his hair with a towel then gently combed the knots out of it. She then picked up a fresh nightshirt for him.

"I'm not wearing that thing, I prefer to sleep naked."

"Well you will have to wear a dressing gown while I help you back into bed. I don't want to be accused of flaunting myself at you."

She was still angry with him and Darken said nothing as she led him back to his bed. He noted that while he had been in the bath, a fire had been made and the bedding had been changed and wondered if she had done this herself or other servants has entered the room. He knew that he had to find out more about his situation, before he could make any meaningful attempts at escape and that would mean he would have to control his temper and pretend to cooperate with this witch.

"I'm sorry…about earlier." That was the only apology he could bring himself to make.

She didn't look in a forgiving mood and just said "You must be hungry, I'll bring you some food." She left the room. The bath had made Darken feel sleepy and before he knew it he had drifted off to sleep….

.

Darken thought he was dreaming, he was trapped, something heavy was on his chest holding him down, he felt like he could hardly breath, but then he realised it wasn't a dream, he was awake and something, someone was laying on top of him. He opened his eyes and stared into a pair of green eyes.

"Hobbs, leave him alone." Ellie lifted the biggest ginger tom cat he had ever seen off his chest and put him on the floor. Hobbs did not look pleased.

"Sit up, I've brought you some supper." As Darken sat up, she placed a tray in front of him, on the tray was a plate of chicken, potatoes and assorted vegetables, the meat had been cut up and he had a wooden spoon.

"No knife and fork?" (He knew why)

Ellie ignored the question, as she went into the next room she said, "Don't give that cat any chicken, he supposed to be catching rats and mice."

When she left the room Hobbs, defied her by immediately jumping onto the bed. Darken defied her by immediately feeding Hobbs some of his chicken.

"What do you say Hobbs?" He whispered "It's you and I against the witch."

Hobbs purred with delight at the chicken and for the moment he was definitely on Darken's side. Darken ate his meal in silence, she had left the door open and he could see her sitting at a desk writing letters. When she wasn't watching he would continue to sneak pieces of chicken to Hobbs. When he had finished she came and removed the tray, she saw Hobbs sitting on the bed having a wash, but said nothing. As she left Darken called.

"I'm sorry I insulted you earlier." (He wasn't really, but could pretend for a while)

She stopped and looked towards him. "You were upset." She showed no emotion and Darken couldn't tell if she believed him, she turned to go, but Darken called again

"Can I have a book to read?"

She put the tray down and went over to the dresser and picked up the book he had seen earlier. It was the book he had been reading about the castle.

"Will this do?" She offered him the book.

"Thank you… Don't go, can you read to me? She looked at him quizzically.

"I've got a headache." Darken lied, she had lived here from childhood and probably knew more about this castle than anyone else. How ironic it would be if he could escape using the information she gave him. She started to read, every now and then Darken would interrupt asking various questions, but her voice was smooth and calming and as she read, he began to ask fewer questions and just listened while absentmindedly tickling Hobbs on the head, until he slipped into a deep sleep.

Darken awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and better than he had for a long time. Hobbs had disappeared and she was tending the fire. While her back was turned he tried to light the candle, but nothing happened. She saw that he was awake.

"How do you feel today?"

"Much better, thank you."

"I'll get your breakfast." She was only gone a few minutes and returned with his breakfast.

"General Egremont is here to see you, do you want him to wait until you have finished eating?"

"No, send him straight in." Darken hoped for some good news

"My Lord I have brought the daily reports from the People's Palace as you requested." Egremont declared in a loud voice.

"Excellent, bring them here, you don't mind if we have some privacy while I discuss these?" He held his breath, he hadn't requested any reports, but Egremont obviously had some news for him, which he didn't want her to hear.

"Of course not." She left the room and closed the doors

Egremont pulled up a chair by the bed and spoke in a quieter voice. "I managed to convince Falcone to get you the daily reports. I thought it would be a good way to see you every day and talk without any one suspecting." He opened up the reports in case anyone should look in.

"Last night I saw a soldier that I recognise; he is the nephew of a friend of mine. If I can speak to him, I will be able to convince him that it is in his best interests to help us."

"How are you going to do that if you are constantly under guard?"

"They rotate my guards, so it will only be a matter of time before I meet him."

"How many guards are there outside of these rooms?"

"There is nobody My Lord."

"Nobody?"

"You and the woman are the only occupants in this entire wing. If she needs anything there is a bell pull in the next room."

"Nobody at all? Do they think me so weak, that I am not worthy of any guards at all?"

"One guard is left if she leaves the room, but the door is locked, everyone is afraid of you My Lord. Lady Ellissia was the only one who volunteered to care for you."

"I suppose it's her witchcraft that keeps her safe."

"She is no witch, but she has magical abilities beyond reckoning. I spoke to Falcone about her, he would not say much, other than she is descended from one of the great wizard families. Falcone said your father found out about her and sought to use her abilities for himself."

"What kind of abilities?" Darken had assumed that she had used a spell on him to remove his magic.

"He refused to tell me, but I have heard rumours amongst some of the soldiers that she can just look at someone and know that they are confessed."

Confessed people usually showed no outward appearance of being so afflicted, it was only when friends or family members talked to them, or their Confessor was attacked that their devotion was apparent, doing everything to protect them, up to and including giving their lives to save their Confessor. The Confessors had in the past confessed D'Haran soldiers and servants and made them infiltrate various places to commit assassinations or act of sabotage. In the worst cases men were taken as mates and repeatedly raped to provide a continuation of the Confessor line. It was a vile practice, at first he had the men captured and tried to remove the confession by magic, when that failed, wives and children would plead with the person to see sense. Torture & pain did not release them, he even had some of them killed and brought back to life by his Mord Sith, but they returned with the same obsessive devotion. A few escaped the curse, but only if the confessor was killed, however over half of the people saved eventually committed suicide, unable to live with the knowledge of what they had done while being confessed. In the end as soon as they were discovered Darken simply had them killed, it was the kindest way.

Now Egremont was telling him there was someone who could just look at a person and know if they were confessed. If she could be controlled, she would be a great asset. No wonder his father was eager to possess her.

"Did he say anything else, how does Falcone control her?"

"I don't think anyone can. Please My Lord while you are here, you must take the utmost care when she is near you."

Darken chose not to mention the argument he had with her earlier and changed the subject to planning his escape which they discussed until the guards returned and took Egremont away.

And so past the next few days, in the mornings Egremont would visit with the reports and they would discuss various plans for escape. Escape from the castle itself seemed at the moment impossible, but if they could contact the commander at the Peoples Palace, he could bring the whole of Darken Rahl's forces to this place and force Falcone to surrender. They drew maps of the castle layout from what Egremont had seen and the information Darken had gleaned. There were many corridors and courtyards, someone unused to the layout could easily get lost, so they tried to memorise various routes in preparation.

Darken also got the woman to help him to exercise, by supporting him as he walked around the room, he became stronger but hid it as he wanted her to think he was still weak. At night he would walk around the room and practice basic sword exercises. He had tried to leave the bedchamber, but found the door locked, there were two other doors, one led to the bath chamber, the other door he opened, to his surprise it was a nursery, there was a cot and various other pieces of furniture, a few toys lay on a cabinet. Then he saw it, a picture of General Valmont with his arms around Ellie, no, he was mistaken, the general looked much younger. The woman was about Ellie's age and was stunningly beautiful, she had the same green eyes, he deduced that she was Ellie's mother. The artist had done excellent work in capturing the love these two people had for each other. Darken had no idea what his mother looked like and wondered if his father had ever loved her, he put the thought from his mind and closed the door.

One morning General Egremont arrived with news, he had contacted the nephew who after some persuasion agreed to help, he would release the Dragon Corp who were currently imprisoned, supply them with arms and help create a distraction. He would time it for when Lady Ellissia was away from the rooms and there was only one guard left. When the alarm bell sounded Lord Rahl would escape the rooms and hide in another part of the castle, they had discovered that there were many unused rooms and it would take many hours to discover him. During the disturbance, Egremont would access one of the journey books (he had discovered the location of the second book) and send a message, even if they were all recaptured it would be too late, the message would be sent.

Later that afternoon, she announced "I have to go out for a while, is there anything you want before I go?"

"My powers."

"They will return eventually."

She left the bedchamber and Darken heard the outer door open and close, he had been waiting fifteen minutes when he heard the bell ringing it's alarm to the castle, he quietly slipped out of his bed, pushed over the bedside cabinet then lay on the floor. The loud noise brought a guard into the room, who immediately ran over to the unconscious form of Lord Rahl. As he knelt down, Lord Rahl swung a fist and laid the man out cold, he then quickly stripped the man of his uniform and put it on, it wasn't a bad fit and with the hood up he would easily pass for one of the guards. He looked around but the man had no weapons, neither knife or sword, which Darken thought strange, but he had to move and could find a weapon later.

He ran through into the next room to the doors, they were locked

"Damm!" Darken searched through the mans pockets, there was no key, he could not understand why the door was locked, but there was no time, he went over to the fireplace, perhaps he could use one of the fire irons to prise open the door.

"Would you like to play a game of chess?"

Darken swung round, sitting in one of the chairs, was the woman, the high back had hidden her from his gaze and she was setting pieces on a chess board

"What the.. how did you..?"

"If you win, I'll let you go."

"If I win? I'll have you know I am one of the best chess players in the kingdom."

"Is that what they tell you?"

"How do I know this isn't a trick and you won't use your magic to win?"

"I won't trick you or use any magic, I give you my word."

"The word of a witch?" He mocked

She straightened up in the chair. "The word of Lady Ellissia Valmont, daughter of General Valmont, First Commander of The Red Dragons." She stared straight into his eyes, totally unafraid. Darken found it slightly unnerving, everyone was afraid of him, especially women, but not her and he found as she looked at him that he believed she would keep her word.

"When I win, you say you will let me go, but what about Falcone?"

"As I said, I will let you go, your Dragon Corp will also be freed and you may do as you see fit, no one will stop you, not even Captain Falcone."

"And if by the remotest chance I lose, what then?"

"You stay here until you are fully recovered."

Darken thought for a moment, he didn't want to play her games, but if he did, it would be the easiest way out of this castle. He sat down in the opposite chair and they started to play. After about twenty minutes there was a noise from the bedchamber and a dazed guard, staggered into the room.

"I'm sorry My Lady, but Lord Rahl….

"It's all right," she went over to the half naked dazed guard and looked at his face "go and report to the sergeant, then see the healer." She walked him to the door, took a key from her pocket unlocked the door and let him out. She then retuned to the game and they continued to play. Darken was annoyed that it hadn't occurred to him that she would have the key, he was also annoyed that he was losing the game, she played a lot better than he suspected. Eventually after almost an hour, he conceded defeat.

"I'm still not feeling well, that's the only reason I lost. I want to play again."

"Maybe tomorrow. When you are feeling better."

"The same terms and conditions"

"Of course, you can reset the board while I prepare your bath."

She got up and left him, Darken looked around, the room was a large lived in room filled with various pieces of furniture which included at the other end of the room a desk, the surrounding walls were covered by bookcases filled with books and scrolls, where he was sitting there was a large fireplace and across the other side of the room there was a set of double doors, the doors to his freedom. Darken considered breaking out of the room, but he knew he couldn't escape the castle, winning the game would be the easiest way. It annoyed him that he had lost, even more so that it was to a woman, that woman, but he was confident that he would win next time. He reset the chess pieces and then went for a walk around the room. He looked at the letters on the desk, she seemed to constantly write and upon examination of the envelopes, Darken noted that he recognised many of the names from noble houses, provinces and adjoining territories. He opened one of the letters and read it, most of the letter was female chit chat, but part was about him.

...Lord Rahl has decided to grace us with his present, it is so exciting to have him here and he is even more handsome in person... Darken smiled, he knew she wanted him, despite her outburst the other day. He continued to read...he is so brave as well and has taken to hunting in the woods near by, though I do fear for him as the soldiers say he rides faster and harder than any of the others and I would hate for him to have any kind of accident…Accident! Were they planning to kill him after all? He tore open more of the letters and they all said the same thing.

"Your bath is ready My Lord."

Darken looked up, she saw him holding the letters but said nothing. He dropped the letters on the desk and went to bathe. As he passed her he said "Come through in a few minutes and wash my hair."

Neither of them spoke about the letters for the rest of that day, he bathed, ate, and as usual Hobbs kept him company while Ellie read to him. The next morning as he was now mobile, he was given fresh robes to wear and sat at the table by the window to eat his breakfast. The daily reports were delivered without General Egremont, who had been confined to his room for a few days for his part in the planned escape. Darken eventually broached the subject when they were playing chess that afternoon, he was doing quite well and was confident of victory this time.

"So, you plan to let me go then kill me in the woods later."

"Not at all, the letters were written in case you did not recover. It would not benefit D'Hara if you were to die."

"Benefit D'Hara, what do you care for my country?"

"It is my country too."

"You know nothing, locked away in this castle."

"I know a great deal more about your people than you do standing on your balcony waving at them."

"I've travelled the length and breadth of these lands meeting people."

"People that were deemed fit to meet you. Have you ever, sat in a tavern, or walked through a market place?"

"No, have you?"

"Yes."

Darken said nothing further and returned to the game at hand. He couldn't concentrate properly, she disturbed him, she spoke to him as an equal and the only other person to do that was his friend Demmin Nass. It was a most peculiar feeling. Since he had become Lord Rahl everyone deferred to him, nobody argued back, or told him he was wrong, except her. These thoughts preoccupied him and he lost the game. He didn't demand a rematch.

The next day before lunch she led him out of the rooms into a deserted hallway, they walked halfway along the corridor until they got to a door. She opened the door, winding steps led down.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

It felt like they had gone down only one level when they reached another door, Ellie produced a key and unlocked the door. Through the door was a garden, so large, he couldn't see all of it from where he stood, tall windowless walls surrounded it and within there was grass, flowers and trees. He walked through in wonderment.

"This is so beautiful, I didn't know it existed, I never heard anyone mentioned a garden."

"It was created by the original owner for his wife, there are only two doors into this garden the one we came through and another which is used by the gardener, he is the only other person allowed access. I thought you might like some fresh air."

Ellie led him around the garden showing him various places until they reached an area where a blanket and a basket lay on the ground shaded by a silver birch tree. She sat down and started to unpack the basket, there was food, the chess set and the latest book she had been reading to him. The book was called 'The Philosophy of Government' and they had spent the last few days discussing the chapters she read to him. Darken hated to admit it, but he had enjoyed these discussions, he had initially pretended to be interested to put her off her guard in preparation for the escape, but she had a keen mind and offered insightful comments. Darken secretly wished he had a few more advisers as intelligent as her who would offer such frank opinions. He knew they wouldn't, anyone with any intelligence, wanted to live more than disagree with him, he understood and hated the situation at the same time. He knew too that once he escaped the castle, he would have her captured and force her to use her powers to aid him, if she didn't then she would have to die. It would be regrettable, but outside of this castle he couldn't have someone openly defying him, that would lead to anarchy, pity though, he was beginning to enjoy her company. Darken sat down and took the plate of food she offered, they ate in silence for a while.

"Tell me about your powers." Darken didn't look at her and tried to sound casual as he ate.

"This is my favourite spot in this garden, I've often thought of having a garden seat put here."

She ignored his question and Darken didn't pursue it. She chatted instead about the plants in the garden. It was a glorious place, the air was warm and scented and in the background the bees hummed and the birds sang and Darken felt a peace he hadn't felt for a long time. Later they played chess, though the game was interrupted when Hobbs ran across the board in pursuit of a pigeon that had landed near by. They laughed as the chess pieces scattered and Ellie admonished him for disrupting the game, but Hobbs didn't care and merely plonked himself down on the blanket and started to have a wash. Ellie offered to replay the game, but Darken declined, he wasn't in the mood for chess, instead they lay on the blanket together looking up at the sky through the leaves of the tree.

"Did you get in much trouble with your governess?" Darken was referring to their meeting as children.

"Yes and no. She scrubbed me clean with carbolic soap, whipped me with a hazel switch, then made me apologise to my father for being a wicked girl and a disgrace to the name of Valmont."

"What did your father say?"

"He sent the governess out of the room and then made me tell him the whole story about the men and your sword and you. When I finished he said I was a honour to the name of Valmont and he was very proud of me"

"I'm sorry you were beaten." (Darken was genuinely sorry)

"Although he didn't show it, I think he was quite angry with my governess. I heard he had her dismissed and made her walk all the way home in only the clothes she stood up in."

Darken said nothing, but he remembered the territory around the camp, there were only a few farms and apart from the city that was under siege, the nearest town was over sixty miles away. A woman alone with no food or protection would fare poorly in such circumstance, bandits and the occasional Gar roamed the countryside and he doubted she ever made it home. General Valmont's daughter had encountered two people that day, one he had treated with great kindness, the other with great cruelty.

"I can see magic."

"What do you mean?" Darken lay there, he tried to control his breathing, she was going to tell him her secret.

"I can see magic." Ellie rolled onto her side towards him and propped her head up with her hand. "I can see the colours it makes, I can also hear it and feel it."

Darken turned over towards her and mirrored her pose. "When you held the agiel, you were describing what you saw and felt?" (this was unbelievable).

"Agiel's are made with dark magic, so are journey books. I could hear the nasty little buzzing noise it made, even though it was hidden in your trunk."

"What about the coin? I thought that was a trick."

"The coin was made with neutral magic, neither good nor bad, it shone yellow like the sun. I could have picked it out of a thousand coins."

"And confessed people, how can you tell they are so afflicted?"

She looked at him for a moment then got up. "It's getting late, we had better go in."

She had almost told him everything, but in his eagerness, he had forgotten that she had never mentioned confessed people and she realised he was probing her for information. There was no point in trying to question her any further, so he helped fold the blanket and followed her back to his chambers. Darken could wait, he knew there was more, much more...