A/N: A new chapter again! This or the next chapter is going to be the last one before I leave for a vacation for 2 weeks, without computer access. I'm going to New York, and then out of the country, on Friday, July 2 (2004, obviously), and I'll be out for 2 weeks with no computer access, unable to update this fic or read other people's fics, unfortunately. L When I get back, however, I'm sure to have a chapter or two to put up, because I'll probably be writing the whole vacation. Here's the new chapter, with a new character! Finally! Oh, and I got two new reviewers last chapter –embraces new reviewers very hard until they begin to splutter-- Review responses are at the bottom, because they're long and I don't want to make innocent readers scroll down through the quagmire of responses. Here's the chap!
Chapter 7: The Proposition
Jaseen was dragged back to her prison by two Guards. The beautiful scenery of the Palace was left behind her, as Jaseen arrived at the dungeon where she would supposedly spend the rest of her life.
I've got to get free! I've got to! Maybe I can investigate, find out more about the crime…
Jaseen was shaken out of her thoughts as she was thrown bodily into her cell, the door clanging and locking, closing upon the rest of her life.
I need to find out who truly did it. The evidence must be a clue- someone must have owned that robe, and I'll find out whom.
The hopeless reality of the situation suddenly sunk into her mind, as Jaseen shivered on the cold, stone floor, and her splendid robe for trial turned brown and ripped as it absorbed the mud on the floor of the cell. Jaseen lay down and sobbed for marks, turning the stone around her face a dark, moist gray, until she fell into an uneasy, uncomfortable sleep.
-- --
"Breakfast, sweetling," the Guard called loudly into Jaseen's cell. "Communal breakfast, with all the rest of the convicts in the Dining Hall. Up you get, beautiful." The Guard came into her cell, grabbed her arm tightly, and walked her out of the cell, closing the door behind him, the metal squeaking against the stone floor. They passed numerous empty cells until Jaseen finally reached the Dining Hall.
The Dining Hall consisted of a single room holding one long, withered, old wooden table. It was similar to the cells in the Prison, except larger, much longer, and the doors were usually left open. Guards stood along the walls, surrounding the table, and blocking the exits to the room. Most of the prisoners had already arrived, and gave Jaseen strange looks, wondering who this newcomer was.
The Guards answered the unspoken inquiry of the other prisoners. "This is our new prisoner for life," the Guard announced gleefully. "Meet Jaseen, a murderer. Jaseen, meet the rest of our law-breaking citizens." Another Guard pushed Jaseen into an empty seat, next to a grumpy, scarred man and a foreigner.
The foreigner caught Jaseen's eyes, and immediately he looked strange and different to Jaseen. She was used to the brown or green eyes of natives, while his eyes were a deep, icy azure blue, with raven black hair shadowing his nose and mouth. His chin and cheekbones were clearly visible, protruding from his angular, tanned face, his entire body the gentle hue of gold, his skin glowing amber, his mouth and lips curved into a welcoming smile.
"Welcome, Jaseen," the man said in trade tongue, with a distinct, strong accent. "I am Autumnblade."
Jaseen stared at Autumnblade, looking him up and down, and trying to place his nationality. When she couldn't, she asked, "Sorry to ask you like this, but where are you from?"
Autumnblade laughed, a long hearty laugh, ringing through the silent murmurs and echoes of the Dining Hall, and replied, "I'm a Kaled'a'in. Actually, I used to be the Kaled'a'in envoy to the Court."
Jaseen looked at him, surprised, and then felt a small jolt of recognition.
He was the Kaled'a'in envoy…we never talked to him much, though, which is why I didn't recognize him at first. I wonder what happened, and why I didn't hear about it?
"I didn't recognize you in the Prisoner robe," Jaseen told him, "but I'm sure I've seen you before. I've never really talked to you, though."
"Yes," Autumnblade replied, in a deep ringing tone, his accent causing the words to sound longer and more musical. "The Kaled'a'in do not normally mix with outsiders, unless necessary or for a good reason. However, I do have a good reason…I have a proposition to make to you, Jaseen. Ask the Guards for permission to come to my cell after breakfast. This will benefit both of us, as I know you are innocent of your crime." Jaseen started in surprise, and raised her eyebrows, with a questioning look.
"I saw your face," Autumnblade explained, "at the trial. I am considered an expert, among my tribe, at reading other people's emotions and reactions. You reacted the way an innocent person would, and I believe that you are not guilty of this crime. I am not guilty either, although I will explain it to you in more detail in my cell. I need your help."
Jaseen nodded, and the two stopped talking so they could eat their breakfast. Jaseen ate the lumpy mush absentmindedly, thinking about Autumnblade.
What could he possibly need my help for? Maybe he can help me as well, with re-opening my case.
Jaseen finished her breakfast, and turned to Autumnblade. He was not yet done with his breakfast and Jaseen examined his features, looking at him intently.
He is beautiful. Very different looking, but gorgeous.
She could see Autumnblade's angled profile from her seat on the bench. In the dim lighting of the dungeons, his naturally golden skin shone brightly. An amber hue of radiant, gentle light seemed to come from his body, his skin and face shimmering and gleaming. A long veil of raven-black, lustrous hair went down his back, almost reaching his legs, a few strands gently reaching over his shoulders and around his neck and arms.
Most noticeable to Jaseen were his strong, vivid ice-blue eyes. Strong and commanding, the eyes took over his face and met your eyes with strength and kindly vigor. A gentle, light twinkle in the corners of his eyes portrayed his kind, gentle nature.
He is the kind of man I would like to take as my husband.
With this thought, Jaseen blushed a gentle crimson, red taking over her naturally pale cheeks. Autumnblade wasn't looking at her at the time, so Jaseen had time for her face to fade, returning to its natural creamy white, until Autumnblade finished his bowl and left the table, clasping Jaseen's hand in his. The Guard nodded at them, and escorted the two to Autumnblade's cell.
"You get one mark!" the Guard called, before closing and locking the door tightly on the two prisoners. Jaseen gestured at Autumnblade, and he began his story.
"I used to be the Kaled'a'in envoy to the Court here," Autumnblade said, looking at Jaseen. "That all ended with one conversation. I assume you know Lady Reanna," Autumnblade paused, expecting Jaseen to respond.
"Yes," Jaseen answered. "She's that pretty, but quite stuck-up noble I've seen around Court. I don't know her that well, though."
"That's her, to the last detail," said Autumnblade, his accent standing out strongly in his speech. "I was talking to her, as a matter of necessity of an envoy to the Court. Some of her friends were also present at the time, I believe quite a few. I now regret saying what I did to them…" Autumnblade broke off, quite upset, his emotions finally reaching his formerly unreadable, golden face. He gained control of himself again, composed his face and his figure, returning his face and gestures to a once again indecipherable smile, and continued his story.
"Anyway, my one mistake was that I told them what I thought about Ma'ar," Autumnblade continued, saying Ma'ar's name with the utmost contempt and dislike. "I told them that I believed Ma'ar was a bad advisor, and I still think that. You know what he has been doing with Kaled'a'in-" Autumnblade broke off, and Jaseen responded.
"I've heard about the camps he has been putting them into, saying it is for the 'safety of the nation,'" Jaseen told him. "Disgusting." That was the answer Autumnblade was looking for. His face lit up slightly, and he nodded, going on.
"Yes. That was his idea originally, and after that any ideas I proposed to the Court were vetoed or put down," Autumnblade said. "After I told Lady Reanna what I thought, I was arrested on order of treason. I'm assuming that one of Reanna's friends was a traitor. Probably not Reanna herself, she doesn't seem like the type, but perhaps. What matters is I was put in here, supposedly guilty of treason and manipulating to steal the Crown. Everything wrong that had happened recently was attributed to me. I will hang within a few moons."
Jaseen gasped, astounded and grief-stricken. "They will hang you for that?" Jaseen asked. Then she considered the Court, and the way they guarded power.
A threat to their leadership, power, and absolute authority must be killed.
"Never mind, they will kill you for that," Jaseen corrected. "But what did you come to me for?"
"Yes," Autumnblade nodded. "I did not come to a foreigner just to share stories. I am wary of foreigners, and for good reason…no. I need your help. I am asking other prisoners about my case, to investigate the Court and my supposed crime. Many people will not talk to me or tell me the truth, as I am a foreigner. I will help you investigate your case, if you help me investigate mine. I would not normally come to an outsider, someone who is not Kaled'a'in for help. We are untrusting of outsiders. But I must, and I am asking you."
I can help him, with no cost to me, and then he will help me. He knows people, and has connections I don't. I can help an innocent man get free, and save myself. Any drawbacks?
Jaseen waited for a little while before responding, checking all possible outcomes, until she concluded that it could be of no harm to her.
"Of course I will help you, Autumnblade," Jaseen said, grabbing his hand again and placing it in her lap flirtatiously, meeting his eyes emerald to icy blue. "If you will help me, I will offer you my services in any way." Autumnblade looked away, uncomfortable.
"Yes. Thank you for helping me. I will help you as best I can." Autumnblade pulled his arm away from Jaseen's pale one, and clasped his hands together, placing them in his lap.
Jaseen sighed a low, almost inaudible whisper, and nodded. "Thank you," she said. The insistent Guards rapped on the door.
"Mark's up!" one of the Guards said, opening the door, grabbing Jaseen right below her chest, and lifting her up bodily. "Let's get back to your cell, precious," he said, feeling her body as he tugged her away to her cell. Jaseen resisted and attempted to get free, but withdrew, leaving his hands feeling at her ripped robe as he took her back to her small, dirty, moldy cell, not at all like the Palace suites and luxurious rooms she was used to.
Jaseen carefully folded the robe beneath her and sat down delicately on the dirty floor.
Not at all what I'm used to, but at least now I have hope. I must get him free, then he can use his connections and help me get free.
What if he reneges on his promise? A corner of her mind whispered insistently that she couldn't trust this foreign stranger. You have met him a mark ago, and you are placing your life into his hands.
No man has ever reneged on a promise to me.
With this slightly vain, but true, thought, Jaseen comforted herself. Jaseen had started the day grief-filled and hopeless, but had gained hope from this blue-eyed stranger.
Hopefully to be less of a stranger soon…
Once again, Jaseen flushed crimson, although no one could see the red flush in her cheeks. She spent the rest of the day thinking of how to solve the predicaments both of the prisoners were in. They needed to gain valuable information on the Court, but especially Ma'ar.
She ended her first day in prison, with the small, but persistent hope that soon she would leave this frightful place. Happy, Jaseen slept, a short but restful slumber until the next day arose, her dreams filled with hope and a large pair of deep, azure blue eyes.
-- --
A/N: The seventh chapter is done! A pretty long chapter for me, although that might have been because my A/N was pretty long. I finally got to introduce a new and important character, Autumnblade. I found a description of a stereotypical, full blood Shin'a'in/Tayledras in one of the Valdemar stories…I hope the description of Autumnblade was fairly accurate! Here's the review responses I neglected at the top of the story
SilentStream: New reviewer! --hug-- I can't answer your question about Takril and Larle…you'll have to find out! I know, the Mage Wars are really underrepresented on this site. That's one of the reasons why I wrote this fic. Oh, and the Sundering of the Clans was after the Mage Wars. Every clan picked whether to become Shin'a'in, without magic, or Tayledras, with magic. That is, except k'leshya, they were sent through a different Gate and didn't have contact with the rest of the clans. During the Mage Wars, the Shin'a'in and Tayledras were combined as just Kaled'a'in. Long review response. I hope you liked the chapter, there should be another soon!
Herald Kelsin: Thanks! You've been reading this whole time -hugs until Herald Kelsin squirms and begs to be let free-- I know, I hate the prison, but it's necessary, because I have to stick to canon, and she was there for 3 years. Oh well, I guess its necessary… Hope you liked the chapter even though she's in prison.
Fireblade K'chona: I feel bad for Jaseen too! She has to be in there, though…tear tear. She will get out before the end of the fic, though, I promise! Hope you liked, thanks for reviewing this whole time!
Kathleen McCrory: Another new reviewer! --embrace happily-- You'll find out why the brother wasn't at the trial, although you didn't in this chapter…eventually, I promise! Chapters should be longer, I just can't write very long chapters…I don't know why, I have a block or something. I think this one might have been longer. I hope you liked the chap!
Over now. There should be one more chapter before I go on vacation, if I can get it done. Hope you liked the chap, please review if you've read this far!
Wind to thy wings, Breezefire