Chapter 15

The darkness slowly lifted from Dasian's mind, and he tried to open his eyes. He moaned softly, as pain rushed to his head. Cold water splashed abruptly and directly into his face. His head jerked up, and his eyes flew open. He was doused again, and a man's voice grunted at him, "Wake up, rebel dog!"

Dasian spat the water from his mouth and wiped his face, only to be covered in it again.

"I'm awake!" he yelled at the man. To prove it he leapt up and tried to shake him, but he soon found his hands were bound behind him. Dizziness swept over him and he fell back, hitting the wall; the pain in his head was intense. He closed his eyes tightly and tried to shake it away.

"Stay awake. The king is going to see you soon," the man snickered.

King? He wasn't talking about Gespian. But he couldn't mean Felipe. He hadn't been attacked by Felipe's men. Had he? All he could remember was pain, and blackness. He stood groggily and looked at his surroundings. He was in a room, but not a prison. It was plain with little furniture, a cot in one corner, and a chair. A small window was letting sunshine pour into the tiny room. A bucket of more cold water sat beside the bed, but the man was gone.

He tested the ropes—they were tight. Tighter than the last time he had been captured, and he had to grin, despite the situation he was in. At least Felipe's men had learned something. His weapons were taken, even his belt. They were not taking any chances with him. Last time he had taken his belt and whipped his guard before escaping with the keys. He looked out the window, and stepped back in surprise. He was two hundred feet up in the air. A tower, he was in the castle at Regina, the capitol of the country of Reginatel.

The door creaked open. The man had returned. He looked at Dasian with a disgusted snarl and said, "His majesty will now see you." He took him roughly by the arm and escorted him down some long, winding stairs. He opened another door and led him through the castle to a small, elegant room, varnished with every luxury a king could want.

Felipe stood in the middle of the room, looking very pleased. His black hair was smoothed back, revealing a high creased forehead, and two thin beady eyes. A black beard and mustache lined his smiling mouth. His cheek bones were high, like his son's, and he could have passed for good looking if he did not have those beady eyes and a black heart as cold as stone. The man had left, and they were alone.

"Ah, it's been so long, Dasian," he said, his voice as smooth as silk. "What has it been? Three years, since I last saw you. You haven't changed a bit. You are still as handsome and cocky, as..."

"If you're trying to flatter me it wouldn't work," scoffed Dasian.

Felipe smiled. "I'm only telling the truth, my dear boy. I have been watching you keenly for twenty seven years and never have I been disappointed. You were born a leader. I admire that. But I could help you improve. You know that. That is the reason you have come to me."

Dasian raised an eyebrow.

"Dasian, Dasian," sighed Felipe, almost sadly. "You have so much to learn. You wanted to come here. Remember? You turned to the left on your own free will. My hired man only assisted you to arrive a little faster."

"Aye," said Dasian with a smirk. "He also assisted in giving me a headache. I didn't want to come and you know it. You used magic; black magic to be exact. I didn't stand a chance. Don't try to fool me Felipe. You forced..."

"I did what I had to do," said Felipe curtly. He glared at Dasian before again becoming smooth and softening his face. "I brought you because I want to tell you what my plans are for this people after the war. I don't want to leave this people in despair and poverty. I want everyone to be rich, and wealthy, like myself. And I have a plan on how to do it. Everyone will work together and grow food for everyone. We will be one big happy family, working for each other. We will all be equal. Everything will belong to me, but I will make sure everyone gets a fair amount. That is what my men have been enforcing in the mountains."

"Communism!" spat Dasian. "I know that form of government, and it does not work. It is the worst kind of government in the universe! I thought you were a wiser man, Felipe. How can you even start to think I would even let the thought go through my mind?"

Felipe laughed, and Dasian practically winced at such a piteous and forced laugh. "I thought you were a wiser man. Consider, good..."

"No!" he snarled. "I won't consider. You must... you are forcing this upon the people. You are taking away their right to own, to work for themselves. You are dissolving their freedom!"

The false king finally frowned. But he did not respond. Instead he turned to the door and opened it. Before he exited, he turned to Dasian and said, "You must consider it, Dasian. You have no choice. Either you join me in making the world wealthy, or I'll turn you over to the executioner. But I'll give you a couple other chances."

He left, and Dasian was alone again. For the first time in ever being captured, he felt angry. How dare that pig take away the people's freedom! Communism! The word left a rotten taste in his mouth. But before he could think anything else about it, the door again opened. A young pretty woman stepped into the room. Her dress was of royalty, and she carried herself like a princess. Her black hair fell around her high smooth cheek bones in ringlets and she looked at Dasian timidly under dark lashes.

His mouth fell open in surprise as he gasped, "Mattie?"

She smiled warmly, stepped up and hugged him, even though he was still damp.

"Dasian, I'm so glad you recognized me."

"How could I not?" he said, "You are Gespian's cousin, and the only girl in the palace I knew who was not afraid of snakes."

Mattie, daughter of Felipe, had been one of Dasian and Gespian's playmates. She was exactly their ages and more than once, Dasian found himself wondering what had become of her. All of the other children their ages had either been killed by her father, or were living somewhere in the forest, afraid to declare their true name and origin.

She smiled again. Then she turned him around and loosed him from his bonds.

"What are you..."

"I can't bear to see you tied up like that, especially if we're going to talk."

Dasian rubbed his free wrists slightly and asked, "Talk? What would we talk about? How much our masters hate each other?"

Mattie frowned. "Please, I don't want to talk about that. Forget about that for a while. I want to show you something." She took his hand and led him from the room. As she led him through the castle, she talked about her life as a princess.

"It really is not different from how we were as children," she said. "Only I have no one as nice as you to play with. But recently father has let me throw some parties here in the castle. Young men and women come from all around and we have such a grand time. I've seen people from as far as Tsea and Lartnec. Maybe you can join us sometime. I know you'll be happy."

Dasian shook his head. "I would never be happy if I was stuffing myself in this elegant castle full of traitors, while my men are out in the cold night air, hungry, hurt, and wondering if there is any hope."

Mattie glanced sideways at him; wondering if he was serious. He certainly had changed from the last time she had talked to him. She ignored his statement and continued to talk about the parties, and the places she had visited.

"Here we are." They stopped in front of a large wooden door.

"The dungeon?" Dasian asked.

"It is not the dungeon," she assured, "It's a place to keep—certain rebels."

"Rebels?"

"What else am I supposed to call them?" she asked, defending herself.

"Freedom Fighters," he said simply.

Mattie almost rolled her eyes, but instead smiled lightly and nodded. She whispered something to one of the guards, and he entered the wooden door. Mattie sat down on a bench, and seated Dasian beside her.

"Tell me Dasian; do you have any young women in your camps?"

Dasian gave her a strange look. "Aye. In my own camp I have two."

"Really? I thought you didn't think much of women. When you were young you were always saying how dumb they were, and how smart men were. I suppose you've changed your mind?"

Dasian shrugged. "That use to be the case and sometimes still is. But these are exceptional women. Not only are they attractive, but they're smart and quick. One was..."

His voice trailed off as the guard reentered, followed by a line of children. They were all very young, three to eight years old. They were dressed in dirty rags and all looked starved. Their faces were smudged with dirt, and they smelled horrible. They looked at Dasian and Mattie with wide scared eyes. One eight year old boy was not scared. He stepped right up to Dasian and frowned menacingly at him.

"You ruined my life," he hissed at Dasian.

Dasian was taken aback at this sudden accusation but he said calmly, "How?"

"Your men took my father and got him killed. My mother and sister were killed too. They hurt me, but I got away."

"That's a lie," said Dasian confidently. "My men don't hurt women and children. As for your father, he left on his own will. He left to fight for your freedom."

The boy shook his head. "I have no freedom. That is, I didn't have freedom in the mountains. Here I'm safe, and soon, I will be rich." The guard led him away, and a girl the same age stepped into his place.

"My mother use to tell me stories about you, Captain Dasian," she sniffed. "She said you would make everyone happy, but now I see that's not true. My brother is dead and so is my father. I am the last one left of my whole family. If you really were going to make people happy, you wouldn't ask them to leave their families and fight."

"I did not ask them," Dasian sighed, wondering where the children had learned these silly lies.

She tossed her tangled brown hair, and let another guard lead her away.

"This is crazy," he growled to Mattie. "I don't want to see anymore."

"Wait," smiled Mattie, "One more."

The next girl was younger, about four or five. She walked timidly up to him, and looked up at him in awe. At first she did not speak. Then she whispered, "I thought you..."

Dasian waited for the lie to leave her lips, but she didn't say anything. She just stared at him. He looked at her closely.

"Hanna," he said softly.

Her brown eyes widened to hear her own name.

"I know you, Hanna. I came to your town once right before a great battle, and you were standing beside your mother. I picked you up, and you gave me a flower, remember?"

The little girl did not respond.

"It was a yellow flower."

Hanna's face split into a smile. She threw her arms around his neck, and whispered, "I remember you. You gave my mum money, because Pa helped you. I love you." She stepped back and looked Mattie in the eye. "Maybe the other kids can lie," she said, "But I can never lie to my Captain."

Mattie frowned and nodded to the guard. The guard took hold of Hanna and led her back to the dungeon. The other children were led away. Dasian stood, as if to retrieve her, but Mattie stopped him.

"These children, Dasian," she said. "They were poor, starving, and hurt. We have taken them in, and now they will be happy. Think of the many others like them. You and I can help them and others. Just a little money can go a long way."

"Mattie, you don't know what you're saying," he said stubbornly. "Nothing, nothing at all will change my mind. I will not take their freedom. I will help, yes, but not in that way. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go back to my men. Thanks for untying me."

"Dasian, please stay," begged Mattie. "You don't have to do what my father wants you to do. You can stay here with me. You'll be happy here. The war will be over, and there will again be peace. Peace, Dasian, you remember what peace and happiness is like don't you?"

"Aye, I do. I had it while riding with my good friends feeling free. I had it when I looked into the eyes of my stalwart men, who were fighting for liberty. I felt it when I talked and cared for certain people who had the same goal as I. I know about peace and happiness, Mattie, even in a time of war. Soon, I will feel it always, when your father and brother are dead, and the right king is restored to the throne."