A/N—Please read and review. Thank you. I hope you enjoy. Real short chapter that I've had written for a while so I figured I'd actually update it.
Thank you Rubber Duck for all the reviews, especially the note about the summary, which I will get to. I've kind of been neglecting this story.
Corus, Tortall
Early summer, 458 H.E.
Roald lay on his back on the floor of the dungeon cell, his hands behind his head for a pillow and his knees up. He was singing despite the protests of the other prisoners and had been doing so all night. There was a clanging at the other end of the hall of cells but Roald ignored it. Not only had the guards taken his bond papers and dagger, but also the Conté ring he wore around his neck. He'd felt Numair's protection spell waver as the Gennature guard studied him and the ring, so now he was expecting an interrogation. Someone rapped on the metal bars of his cell and Roald tilted his head to see. The blonde Gennature and a man who could have been Gennature or Tortallan stood in front of his cell.
"Yer commin' with us." The second ordered, his northern burr proving he was Tortallan. Roald got slowly to his feet.
"Lucky me," he mumbled, sticking his wrists through the bars so they could tie them before letting him out. "Where are we going?" Roald asked as they led him down the hall.
"The Commander wishes to see you." The Tortallan sneered.
"Lucky me," Roald mumbled again. "That must be quite an honor."
"Not for the likes of you." The Tortallan said. "Stop draggin' yer feet." He added, roughly pushing Roald forward for emphasis.
"Leave him alone, Drake." The Gennature ordered. "If I were you, boy, I'd come up with a good reason for why you had that ring with you." He said, sounding sincere in his concern.
"Why? It won't change anything. I could say I pulled it off a dead man and your commander would still decided I did something wrong." Roald replied. "I know he's going to kill me. The only mystery left is how." Neither of Roald's guards responded to that and they walked on in silence.
"Don't be stupid, boy." The Gennature warned before opening a small, dark door and ushering Roald inside.
The commander of the Gennature military was a thin, sickly looking man. He had sunken cheeks, a gray complexion, and black eyes set close together and far back in his head. His nose was more like a beak and his lips were so thin and pale Roald had to look carefully to find them. Roald hadn't seen him since he had been eleven and remembered being more afraid of him. Now, there was no fear left and Roald was just disgusted and disappointed.
"Leave him." The Commander ordered in Gennature, his voice high and nasally. The two men bowed their way out. The Commander held up his hand, dangling Roald's ring, still on its twine necklace, from one finger and curling his lips up into a cruel smile. "Where did you get this?"
Roald met the Commander's cold, black eyes with his own sapphire ones. He said nothing. The Commander set the ring down on the table he was sitting at. A look of intrigue came into his eyes. "You're not afraid of me." It was a statement, not a question and Roald remained motionless and silent. "Not even a little. Good for you." Roald blinked. "They said there was something odd about you but I was skeptical. Oh well, whether you are or are not a Conté hardly matters. Killing one of my military will get you hung either way."
"I killed a thief, not one of your men." Roald said coldly.
"Oh yes, I know."