01 - The Price of Talent (27 page)

“Did they throw you in one of these cold cells?” I asked.

“No, they seem to reserve these for special cases,” she replied. “I didn’t even know about them until Claudius told me he had captured you and brought me to check to see you were in decent physical health.”

“I thought he sent you as a way to keep me docile,” I said.

“What do you mean?” She asked.

“Given his troubles arresting me, I think he wanted me to know he had a hostage.”

“I’m not being held hostage,” she said looking at me like I was crazy.

“Are you free to go home?” I asked.

“Well, no… Not really,” she said. “But I’m not locked in a dark cell like you are either. I’m being trained as a healer in their hospital ward. I’m free to wander throughout Caer Sud.”

“But not outside it?” I asked.

“No, nobody who isn’t an initiate in the church is allowed to leave the fortress,” she said. “And initiates are only allowed out with fully trained priests in whatever order we are being trained to join.”

“So, I’m not going to be allowed to leave the castle on my own until I’ve been around long enough to be made a priest?” I asked.

“I’m honestly not sure, Tyr,” she said. “I know they won’t let me leave until I have reached an Initiate’s rank, and only then so that I can aid the priests of my order in hospitals throughout Pandanu. You… I don’t know what they have planned for you.”

“Meredith… How am I going to get out of here?” I asked.

“I… Don’t know,” she said. Then, in a whisper: “There are guards above you, and beyond them many more. You’re in the basement of the castle, it takes a while to get down this far into the dungeons. If they don’t let you out voluntarily… I don’t think you get out at all.”

“That’s… not very reassuring,” I said, also in a whisper.

“Tyr, I don’t know why you’re here, or why they wanted you so badly,” she said. “But they have gone to a lot of trouble to do so. For now, I think you need to convince them that you want to learn and work for them, because if not…”

“Why, what happens if I refuse?” I asked.

“Tyr, they say you murdered Inquisitors… I’m surprised you are alive at all,” she said. “If you refuse them, I think they’re going to… kill you.”

“So my options are cooperate with my captors, or die,” I said. “Not much of a choice really.”

“Well, I’m glad to see that you are doing well and are in fine health despite being locked up down here,” said Meredith now in her regular voice. “Unfortunately, I have other patients I need to see.”

              Then she leaned closer and whispered: “take care Tyr, as much as they all smile and try to train you, people who don’t cooperate have a bad habit of disappearing.” And with that warning, she turned around and walked back up the stairs.

Well, that was ominous.

But as we suspected. So the plan remains, keep finding out more information until we can figure a way out of here.

At least this time they didn’t feel the need to put me in a storeroom.

This is true, but I’m guessing that was as much of a test as anything else.

Yeah, it’s the “Can the Idiot Avoid the Temptation to Attack Us!” test.

Given how easily Claudius knocked me unconscious when he captured me, I’m not going to attack him until I know how to defend myself from that.

Good plan. I think we should call it the “Even Idiots Avoid Certain Defeat” plan.

How do you think Devlin and the others are doing?

Given that Claudius hinted that he set the local authorities on them, they are likely all hiding out deep in the forest somewhere. That or all dead.

You think they could defeat Devlin and the gang so easily?

Look how easily Claudius took you out…

You have a point. But I’m not going to count Devlin and the others out so easily.

Are you holding out hope that he will come rescue you?

Honestly, I’m just hoping he managed to escape. I don’t like the odds of the seven of them against an entire castle filled with magically gifted people and who knows how many troops. Regardless, I fear we are on our own, with the possible exception of Meredith, in finding out how to escape.

Glad to hear it kid! I didn’t want you to waste too much time pining away on a fool’s hope.

So, shall we run through some sword practice while we are alone in the dark?

Just try not to bounce me off the ceiling or walls this time.

              I spent what in my mind seemed like the afternoon running through my sword drills. It was as much a way to keep me occupied as anything else. Being shut away, alone in the dark, can do things to a man’s psyche, though I did not know that at the time. Still, having my sword as both entertainment and companion did help alleviate the boredom and crushing oppression of that cell.

              When I could no longer hold the sword up without my muscles seriously protesting, I sheathed it and put it back in the corner where it would be out of sight when the roof was opened and the staircase lowered. I then settled in for some sleep.

              I’m not sure how long I was asleep for, but I was awakened by the sound of feet tromping on the thick stones above my head. As the movable roofing stone began to open, I moved to the corner of the room, cattycorner to where the stairs came down. Again, I saw the now familiar feet of Claudius descending the stairs. When he reached the bottom he turned and walked towards me.

“Phew, boy, you are starting to get a little ripe,” he said. “I think, before we do any testing, that you need a bath and something clean to wear. So follow me up the stairs.”

“I’m being let out?” I asked, incredulous.

“For now,” he said. “Leave your sword behind, you will not need it where you’re going.”

If being alone in the dark means I don’t have to suffer your stink any longer, feel free to follow him.

You going to be ok by yourself?

Hah! I’ll be a lot better without your stink nearby anyway. Besides, if you need me, just call.

              So, with nothing else to do, but with much trepidation, I followed as Claudius led me up the stairs. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, I was nearly blinded by the torch light for more than a few minutes. Bleary eyed, I could barely follow Claudius until my eyes were able to adjust. I had the vague impression of walking down another hallway with doors on either side of it. It wasn’t until I reached the foot of another stairway that I was able to see properly. We headed up the stairs and onto another landing. Then followed the corridor until Claudius stopped at a wooden door near the end.

“All right Tyr,” he said. “Head in there. Inside you will find a bath. I will send Meredith in with some fresh clothes. I will return when you are done, and then we can begin to get the true measure of your talents.”

              He then pushed open the door, watched me walk through it, and closed it behind me. There was an audible locking sound as it closed. So, they trusted me enough to let me bathe, but not enough to keep the door unlocked. Well, it was progress anyway. Still, I had no doubt that there guards were nearby and that Claudius, or someone else with talent, was near enough to ensure I could not escape easily. Likely this was all part of a test.

              The room itself was quite basic and sparsely furnished. It was made of the same stone as the rest of the castle, at least the parts of it I had seen on my way here. There was a large cloth screen that ran from the wall half the length of the chamber. Behind it there was a large wooden tub full of water that I sincerely hoped was warm. As I walked over I saw that there was a bench on the wall behind the screen, presumably for the bather’s clothes and possessions. Not knowing what else to do, I removed my small clothes, tossed them on the bench and entered the tub.

              The water in the tub was mildly warm, but not comfortably warm. Still, I was grateful for that after so much time in the “Cold Room”. Deciding not to waste time, I got in and washed off the filth and sweat from sword training. I was seriously tempted to try and heat up the water with magic, but I was also worried that Claudius or someone else would sense it and think I was trying to escape. Having only just been let out of my cell, I didn’t want to press my luck. So instead I put up with the temperature and finished washing up. I was just starting to relax when I heard the door unlock and open. I could not see who was entering, thanks to the screen, but I heard to door close again and footsteps heading towards me.

“Looks like you’re finally getting a bath,” said Meredith as she walked past the screen.

              Seeing her casually walk into the area I was bathing put me into a near panic. I covered up with my hands and dropped down in the water so only my head was above the surface.

“Meredith! I’m… not dressed…” I said lamely.

“I should hope not,” she said. “Who takes a bath in their clothes?”

“But…” I tried to respond, only realizing after I said it that I didn’t know what to say.

“Oh Tyr, look at you, blushing like child…” she said laughing. “You do realize that, as a nurse, I already know what the male body looks like right? But if you feel more comfortable cowering under the water, suit yourself.”

              As a matter of fact, I did feel better cowering under the water. Her having seen other men naked did nothing to make me feel any more comfortable.

“Anyway, here’s a change of clothes for you. Nothing fancy, but better than your soiled undergarments I assure you.”

“I didn’t soil my undergarments!” I said indignantly.

“I just meant they were dirty,” she said laughing at me again. “Soil, dirt, same difference.”

              Still laughing at me, she put the clothes she was carrying on the bench, picked up my old undergarments, and headed around the cloth screen and towards the door.

“Claudius is waiting for you outside when you are done changing,” she said before opening the door and leaving.

              More than a little mortified, it took me longer than I like to admit to get out of the tub and get dressed. I kept thinking of things I wish I could have said instead of spluttering in the water. But, no matter, Claudius was waiting, and I did not get the impression that letting him wait too long was a good idea. A bath and clean clothes was hardly enough to make me forget how I got there in the first place.

              The clothes themselves were fairly simple. Monk’s robes, breeches, clean undergarments and a pair of sandals. They were all a little loose, but fit well enough that I was not in danger of exposing myself accidentally. The colors of the clothes were not complex either, just various shades of brown. But I figured they would serve their purpose well enough. Finally dressed, I headed for the door.

              Upon exiting the bathing room, I saw Claudius leaning against the opposite wall.

“Well Tyr, I’m glad to see you clean and clothed,” he said. “My nose thanks you as well. You smelled as if you were running laps in your cell while I was away seeing to my other duties.”

“Well, it’s not like there was a lot to do in that cell,” I said.

“No matter,” he replied. “Follow me.”

              With nothing else to do, I followed him. He led me back down the hall, through another set of doors, up yet another stairway, and into another long hallway. This one looked a little less like a prison. Instead of bare stone, thick wooden doors and torches for light, the walls were whitewashed and had polished brass sconces on them on which candles were set. The light had a softer and less flickering quality than the torches near my cell. It made the hall seem less foreboding than the previous ones.