All I wanted was a nice dinner in town. It was the first night since having my leg broken at the hands of Penrose and his minions that I felt like going someplace. I had become restless of sitting around all day and doing nothing, and thought that no harm could come from going to Skara for a quick bite.
The moment Cas appeared behind me in the tavern I knew I was in trouble. At about the same time the door opened and a young man entered, looking towards where I sat. I did not make a move. Izznet was with me and I did not wish her harmed because of a misstep by me. Si when Cas announced that I was under arrest, I simply turned and said as you wish.
I apologized for the walking stick I was leaning on, but she said I would have to leave it behind. I handed it to Izznet who watched as they took everything I had on me including my sword. I was surprised when the young man took me by the arm and offered support for my walking as he led me outside.
Izznet followed, and I asked that she go back inside. When she refused to leave Cas told her that if she did not go back inside, they would slit my throat on the spot. Izzy relented, and returned to the Shattered Skull as the Hand led me through two gates, to their tower.
I had been in this place before and did not relish spending more time in the filthy dungeon they called a lock up. I was led through to a room where a gate keeper sat and was asked to sit in a chair. Again, the young man helped me to the chair for which I thanked him.
Cas began to question me about the incident with the two guards in Yew. Before I could say a thing Fate took the sword he carried and bashed me across the leg with it. As the pain coursed through my body I tried to tell them that I was attacked at the board as I tried to post a message and defended myself. But the truth did not suit the lady, so she handed the young man an arrow and he rolled up my sleeve, and stuck it into my arm. I was told that any time I did not answer in the right way, it would be done again, and then for good measure, Fateweaver again used his sword on my leg.
It was clear they had no use for the truth and that my speaking anything other than what they wanted to hear would result in further torture. So when I was handed a pad and a pen I wrote down just what she wanted me to. That I had in fact killed two guards in yew and that under the same circumstances would do so again. As I handed my confession back to her the younger man applied a bandage to my arm to stem the bleeding. I was then led down stairs to the cell.
They had what they wanted, I had signed a confession and using that they could try me for murder in the court of Yew. But that was not enough for Cas, she was determined to humiliate me. Perhaps this was in retribution for my being able to outsmart her and her men for so long. They made me remove my clothing and out on a rather drab frock and a bonnet. I am not sure what thrill this gave them. Respect for ones foe has always been a part of what men call “civilized” warfare.
They have spoken about hanging me, perhaps they will. But once they figured I was well subdued, they left and went outside. A while later they returned with Skylar, tossing her in the cell with me. Seems there had been a fight outside, and Skylar was captured.
They went back upstairs and in a bit returned with a man that I remembered from some years back. Damien I believe was his name, and he was a rather dark sort back then. He seemed to be trying to make some bargain to take Skylar with him. I was hoping the Hand would let him take her so Skylar could break free and wring his puny neck. But it seemed he had to go check on something first, so Skylar and I were left in the cell.
Cas seemed very interested in Skylar, and what made her tick. She even had her wrist slit to see how fast the wound might heal. Skylar was not to be cowed by them though and tried several times to attack Cas through the bars. All the while blood was dripping from the gas on her wrist. Reaching down, I ripped off the bottom of the dress they had me in and held it out to Skylar. She accepted it, wrapping it around her wound.
During a scuffle with the young member of the Hand I grabbed and broke his bow, and he tossed it into to corner of the cell. After they left, Skylar wondered if she could fashion a weapon from it, so I reached over and grabbed it, handing it over to her.
I watched as she worked on the pieces of the bow, taking the long part of it and working it against the stone on the floor to sharpen it. As she worked, I could see blood seeping through the bandage, and so scooting a bit closer, asked how her arm was doing. She seemed a bit surprised and said it was doing fine, and went back to her work. I then asked if I could see it, and to my surprise, she offered her arm over to me.
Removing the bandage, I looked on the angry gash and knew I had to do something even if it meant revealing too much of myself to a person that a few days before had aided in an attack on me. Holding her arm steady, I laid my other hand over the wound and focused on healing her. It is to me second nature to so such things, but what is nature to me can get me killed by others.
When I sat back, she looked to where the wound had been, and then to me. Tossing me the other half of the bow she said.
“Sharpen this.”
We worked a while longer, and then, as I knew it would a tiredness swept over her, and she lay down to sleep. I watched her for a few moments and then, making a cup of tea, sat with my back against the bed and watched the stairway.