Last Chapter...
Thayet sped up as she ran into the outside courtyard. Nenala couldn't be going to Queenscove to mourn with her family. Everyone except Duke Baird was in residence at the Palace. 'This is going to be interesting,' She thought.
A/N umm... this chapter will be set in both Scanra and Tortall
Jules-Gemma: Thats cool. Where do you live? Unlike countries like England, and USA, we have our summer in Dec, Jan, Feb and winter in June, July, Aug and also our biggest holidays are in summer, but they have just began and only go for about 5-6 weeks. So obviously, we don't get any snow, well except in July – August and thats only in Victoria and i think a few parts of NSW. Its all good.
Conscience15: Sorry about that. I use open office and it doesn't pick up on things like dotting 'I's',
but I have made sure that all of the 'I's' in this chapter have been capitalized.
Catri Howlman-Carthaki spy: You are about to find out!
Gewher: I hadn't actually noticed! I'll go back and correct it.
Everyone else: Thank you for your reviews!
Chapter 4: Neal's Torture and Uncovered Plots
Neal stood up. Whoever was coming towards them had keys. Big ones. The doorknob turned with a big creaking noise, as if it hadn't been opened in years. The door pushed forwards into the cell. In the dim light stood a man, tall, strongly built and with long filthy blond hair. In a way. He kind of resembled Stenman. Of course it wasn't him, as Kel had killed him months before, and this man had a big smirk on his face. Like all he had ever wanted to do was put people in cells. Like he enjoyed it. From behind him appeared a smaller man, of the same blond hair, but less dirty. He wore slightly more expensive clothing and had a long piece of thick rope in his hands. His brother, Lukas, made way into the cell for him. He frowned at the prisoners, then snarled. "Have fun Lodun," He said, and closed the door.
Lodun looked over the four tortallans. Yuki had backed away, and Neal had wrapped his arms around her protectively. Kel looked back at them and took a step towards the couple while Dom took a step forward. He walked up to the mage Lodun and roughly pushed him against the door. He glared at the small man, a foot smaller than him, and stated clearly, "Where are we? I believe that we have a right to know." Lodun didn't reply, and looked down. Dom relaxed. This guy was an amateur.
Suddenly the mage snaked his hand out, pale yellow Gift streaming from his fingers. The rope he had being carrying flew across the dungeon and wrapped itself around each of the the Tortallans hands. Neal blew his end off with his green magic and started to release the others when Lodun muttered a curse and Neal flew back against the grimy wall. Magic hand cuffs appeared on his wrists . He tried to magic them off but every time his magic touched the handcuffs, Neal was burnt in his arm. He gave up, for now.
Lodun walked up to the prisoners. "You will now tell me your names, and your status," He pronounced clearly, in a high, whiny voice. He pointed to Yuki. "You first." Yuki put on her mask, and stared at the wall in front of her, remaining silent. Lodun smiled and the rope became tighter on her wrists. Yuki kept her mask on. The rope made red marks into her skin. Her mask began to fall. She was in a lot of pain. Lodun smiled once more, showing brown and cracked teeth. "You ready to tell me now?" Yuki nodded. "My name is Yukimi, lady of her majesty Shinkokami of the Yamani Islands." Lodun looked at Dom. He sighed and replied in his most strained voice. "Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle." He glared ahead of him. Lodun now looked to Neal. Neal continued to look ahead. The rope tightened. He looked into the mage's eyes and said, "Sir Owen of Jesslaw." Kel smiled inwardly. 'I wonder what Owen would say if he knew.' Her thoughts were interrupted by Neal's scream. Lodun looked at Kel. "I think I've spent enough time here.' He spat on Neal, who was lying, breathing heavily on the floor. Then he walked out.
Instantly, Yuki, Dom and Kel went to Neal. When he had said the fake name, both the rope and the handcuffs had imploded on his wrists and lower arms. He was burnt, and a small trickle of blood was falling down his arm towards his left hand. Neal grimaced and began healing himself. His green magic began flowing over his wrists and over his arms. He couldn't completely heal himself though, he was still weary from the trip and all of them hadn't eaten anything in days. All they could do is wait. Only small hope remained in this group, mainly in the eyes of one Lady Knight and her Sergeant. It was left unsaid, but there wasn't much anybody could do, short of somebody just opening the door and letting them go. Kel and Dom just sat there, while Yuki bound Neal's hands to think of what their friends were doing in Tortall. They would probably laugh if they knew.
In Tortall.
Thayet got there just in time. Nenala and the men were collecting the food and water and dividing it between their packs. The stealthy queen crept up in the shadows, ran up the stairs and promptly ordered the guards not to open the gates. She knew exactly why these knights, soldiers and lady were leaving, and she knew that she could not allow it. She wished with all her heart that she could but Thayet knew better. Didn't they know that people like them were being watched out for? 3 of Miles and George's agents had already been killed in Scanra in the past months. Thayet walked down the stairs to where Nenala was now arguing with the guard on the ground. She walked up to them,
"What is going on here, Lady Nenala? You do know what you are trying to do is treason don't you?" Nenala gasped. She shot down into the mud, to bow as low as she could. "I am sorry queen Thayet" She stood up. "You must let us go. We have to rescue my brother and his friends. His fiance is pregnant for God's sake! They could be hurt!" Thayet thought mildly, 'Thats is the first time i have heard that...' Merric came up to the pair. "Your majesty, we left a note on our desks. We did this last time with Kel, and it worked. We know what to do, we have planned carefully. Please..." He was interrupted as Thayet sighed and said, "Last time you were very fortunate. You had access across the Drell River and the Scanrans did not know you were coming. They are waiting for a group of young knights such as yourself to come across and try a rescue. I know its hard to just accept that your friends have been taken but we are doing everything we can. Daine has been delayed but will arrive in the next week. We will send her out into Scanra." Nenala started to cry. "You are very brave, all of you, but this isn't your fight, not yet."
Merric, Nenala, Owan, Faleron and Wolset began to walk back to the palace. Rain began to fall, first softly and then becoming so powerful that all of them were sopping wet within seconds. The queen walked ahead, ashamed that she had been forced to make the action she had, while Merric put an arm around Nenala as her sobs sounded into the night. By the time he had reached his end of the knights quarters, the others had disappeared. Nenala had quietened but still held on to Merric. He unlocked his room and once inside, lit a few candles. She sat on his bed as he put a few things away (he doesn't usually get visitors). "I... um, don't know where your room is, but i can escort you there if you like," he said. She looked up and smiled. "If its alright with you, it'd like to stay here awhile."
When Faleron walked to Merric's room the next morning, he didn't expect Nenala to come out. She smiled sheepishly and walked on to where her rooms were. Merric was sitting on his bed and looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep the last night. In truth, he actually hadn't. He and Nenala had spent the whole night talking. About family, and their previous years with Neal and their other friends. Faleron raised his eyebrows and Merric blurted out, "It was a completely chaste night!" Faleron smirked. 'Sure.'
A/N I'm not sure whether to pair Nenala and Merric. What do you think? If I do, it won't be for a while coz they have only known each other for a day!