{TITLE} Pt. 6

Part Six.

         The next day the prince returned to Keela's cell after she had been tossed in once the usual whipping session was over. He again asked her what the Kingdom did to her that was so wrong and what happened to her parents. Again she refused to say a word. And so he sat and stared at her throughout the day. How she wanted to lunge at him, to release herself from his gripping stare, to shout and scream at him—there was something about Rylan that was so innocent, yet sinister and she hated him for it.

         As the day went on and slowly turned into night, Rylan said nothing—except the occasional repeating of his question—and Keela did the same. After many hours had passed, he asked once more and when she remained silent he simply left.

         This went on for the next few days; from the moment the sun shone through her window or Keela had returned from the various tortures she endured, Rylan was always there, waiting for her.

         On the fourth day Keela slept into the late morning—which was unusual for her, considering she hardly ever slept—and when she opened her eyes and noticed the figure in front of her, she instantly wished she had kept them closed.

         “Are you going to talk today?” Rylan asked, his words sounding too much like his sister's.

         She situated herself so that she faced the wall and her back was turned to him. Keela heard him sigh softly before asking, “What did the Kingdom do to you?”

         The silence was kept.

         A moment. Then, “What really happened to your—”

         “Why are you so interested?” Keela interrupted, turning around and speaking for the first time in days. “You bother me with pointless questions that are of no use to you in any way, yet you are so persistent to know about my past.”

         She stared at him with piercing eyes and he returned her gaze. As she looked at him she realized something—he was so calm, even when she yelled at him or refused his help. And when he did struggle with her or wrestle her to the ground or almost kill her by plugging her nose, it was always for her own good. Even his features, which were extremely similar to his sister's, seemed softer. The jet black hair made his pale face glow in the sunlit room and his high cheek bones and thin lips did not look as intimidating as Audivae's. Not to mention his almost hypnotic summer sky blue eyes.

         Her brow became furrowed. “How is it that the Prince of the Kingdom, who was raised with the same morals as people I've been questioned by, tortured by, and those who have hurt innocent people day in and day out could be so...” she couldn't quite find the word, so she settled with, “different.”

         Rylan said nothing, contemplating what she had said.

         “You're unlike any Kingdomer I've ever met,” Keela said.

         Rylan shrugged. “I'm not sure if that was a compliment or not, but thanks...I think.”

         Keela smiled and he did the same. Yet when she realized that she had done so without it being in spite of someone, it fell from her lips in an instant; she hadn't actually smiled for as long as she could remember. She tore her eyes away from his and stared at the patch of sunlight that illuminated a section of the dirty floor.

         “You're rather confusing yourself,” Rylan said. “And unlike any girl I've met. True, you are the first traitor I've met, but still—you are...unique.”

         Keela did not acknowledge what he had said, wishing he would just leave; she needed time to think.

         “You constantly lash out at me when I have done nothing to you personally—”

         Keela raised an eyebrow, though she still did not look at the prince.

         He paused, smiled and said, “All right, I'll admit some of my...techniques are a little unorthodox, but I still see no reason for you to hate me so much, other than who my father is.”

         She continued to stare at the small beams of sun coming through the barred window, refusing to give notice that she was paying attention.

         Rylan stood and slowly made his way over to her. “You deny my help, won't give me any information about yourself when I have spilled out my entire past to you and yet...” he stopped. He stood right next to where Keela sat and still she didn't look up. “Even though you curse my family, betray my country and despise me, and even though it's clear that I really should just walk away and hate you like the rest of the Kingdom...I can't help but be drawn to you and your mysterious story.”

         Keela glanced in his direction, but did not meet his gaze.

         He bent down and knelt next to her. “You make me so angry...but I'm always here, everyday, trying to make sense of you.”

         Now she honestly couldn't help herself and she looked into the eyes that mimicked the brilliant blue sky. The usual fire in her stomach had died down until the pitiful flame was completely extinguished—she felt at peace.

         At that moment the door swung open with a shrill creak, bringing both Keela and Rylan out of their trance.

         “Already questioning her, Rylan?” came a cold and sharp voice. “Good. You're catching up on things around here.”

         Keela didn't need to look at who came through the door—she knew. Rylan stood and took a few steps forward.

         “And what are you here for, Audivae?” he asked. “Keela was tortured yesterday and you don't question her until tomorrow.”

         “True,” she said, once again igniting the fire in Keela's core. “But I am not the one questioning her today.”

         As she spoke a shadow appeared behind her. Keela glared at the floor as if she hated it as much as she hated the man that stood behind the princess.

         “Hello, Keela.” The voice was rough and raspy—Keela felt her cheeks get hot with anger.

         “What's the General got to do with this?” Rylan asked; Keela didn't like Rylan being so protective of her.

         “General Jayzone is the man who brought Keela back a few weeks ago. He has some news to give her that could help us,” Audivae said.

         Keela raised an eyebrow. “What kind of news?” she asked, still staring at the ground.

         The General slowly walked toward her. “You know those two Crads in the bar that you met with?” Keela said nothing, but the General didn't wait for a reply. “We caught them yesterday.”

         Keela's heart skipped a beat, but she waited before showing her fear—there was more to this. She decided to play along for a bit. “Where did you find them?”

         Jayzone hesitated slightly and Keela struggled to hold her expression firm. “Just west of Lake Michael,” he answered, “where they begged for mercy.” Though he gave a specific location, the small delay was enough that Keela continued to grow suspicious.

         It took her a second to picture where Lake Michael was in the Kingdom, considering she still thought of it as Lake Michigan. But that name hadn't been used in over a century.

         The General now stood right before her and she looked up at him, her copper eyes like sparks from a fire. “And what did they tell you?” she asked.

         He smirked. “You already know what they told us, Keela. You gave it to them yourself.”

         “Yes, but—” she began, annoyed with his games and slightly wary at the crack of his smile. But before she could continue, Audivae interrupted.

         “The point,” she said sharply, “is that we have the information you gave them—or some of it. Your buddies have cracked, but they're not talking anymore. We need you to fill in the blanks.”

         “And what makes you think I'll say a word?” Keela asked.

         “Because all you worked for is worthless to the Nation now.”

         Keela was silent. She had never failed before and even just the thought of useless information made her heart sink. She looked from the princess to the General and back to the floor. Still suspicious, and not having received the slip-up she wanted, she decided to continue her charade for just a bit longer.

         “What blanks do you need filled in?”

         Keela looked at the General and just his expression reassured her slightly—he was in complete shock that she was willing to talk. Rylan's face was the same but Keela didn't look at him long. It took Audivae a moment to comprehend that Keela was actually cooperating and after a moment she said, “The invasion. They told us about the attack that's coming up, but they didn't tell us where the attack will be. Any input?”

         Her heart skipped again. She did pass on information about an attack. But after a moment she realized something: the attack was by the Kingdom on the Nation—they should already know where it is. At last she had confirmation that they hadn't really caught any Crads; this was the mistake she had waited for.

         She smiled. “You're lying.”

         Her voice was so soft, she wasn't sure anyone had heard her.

         “Excuse me?” Audivae said.

         Keela looked at her. “You're lying. You never caught the Crads I talked to in the bar all those weeks ago. You never found out anything about an 'invasion'. You don't need me to fill in any blanks—you need me to spill the beans.”

         Audivae stared at her intently and Keela could tell she was trying very hard to keep her nerves cool. “How can you be so sure that we're lying?”

         Keela responded almost immediately, “Because Crads don't talk about the information they're given and they never beg for mercy; they've been trained to kill themselves over giving valuable information to the Kingdom. Also, there's no way you could have caught them near Lake Michael because those particular men were going west where they would pass on the information to other Crads somewhere near the coast. And even if you did ever catch them they couldn't possibly have told you about an invasion because that's not the information I gave them.”

         The three Kingdomers stood there in stunned silence at the traitor full out grinned. True, she lied a little on that last sentence, but at least the point was made and the secret was kept.

         “Fine,” Audivae said coldly and she turned around and went to the door. Keela sat back in the corner as the princess turned away, sort of proud of herself—she was actually able to make the royal brat leave. If only Rylan was as easily discouraged, then she could always be alone. Yet Audivae did not leave the cell. Instead she stopped at the door and rapped against the dirty metal three times. The door swung open and two shadowy figures stood at the threshold. The first shoved the second into the room and a mass of dirty rags tumbled to the floor. Gray hair peaked from behind the brown cloth and a soft, low, groan rose out of the silver curtain. The figure's head hung low as it slowly lifted itself into a kneeling position and then was raised, revealing a man's face. Old and sickly eyes peered at Keela, set in a wrinkled face with patches of dirt spread across the saggy skin.

         “Elli?” Keela said softly, not sure if it truly was her old friend. The usual light was gone from his sea-green eyes and he looked worried.

         “Prisoner number 272833, Elliot Preslan. Just as you ordered, Princess,” the guard said in a gruff voice, still standing in the doorway.

         “Thank you,” Audivae said, not looking at the guard but still staring intensely at Keela. “Perhaps you two should talk before you refuse to help us, Keela.”

         With that, Audivae turned to leave, General Jayzone close behind her. Yet Rylan stood firmly in his place, looking at Keela from the corner. She did not return his gaze, but she felt his eyes burning into her and she knew he didn't want to leave.

         “Rylan,” his sister said sharply, stopping just outside the door, her head turned slightly.

         With reluctance, the prince turned away from the prisoners that now sat in the dirty metal cell, looking at each other.

         As soon as the door shut with an echoing creak, Keela and Elli stood and hugged each other. It had been weeks since they'd seen one another and years since they'd been in the same room—she missed him. After a moment they released their embrace and sat down in the corner, facing each other.

         “What's wrong?” Keela asked, sensing bad news.

         Elli didn't hesitate. “They've done it! They don't think I'm as useful anymore and that all my information is too old! Just yesterday they actually threatened me!” His voice was shaky and cracked once or twice, not lively as it usually was; he was really worried.

         She tried to calm him. “Don't worry, Elli. They've threatened to kill me hundred of times, if not thousands. They never mean it, we're too valuable to them.”

         “No, you're too valuable, Keela,” he said. “I have stuff as late as 2147—it's just not good enough anymore.”

         Keela didn't know what to say. It was true, she was still capable of escaping and receiving new information. Elli was no longer in his prime, his bones achy and his muscles tender. Escaping wasn't much of an option anymore since he could hardly run or climb or attack anyone if necessary. Elli was simply too old.

         “Keela,” he whispered, “you have to tell them...about the information you gave those Crads.”

         Keela was shocked—she had never seen Elli like this before. She raised her voice in astonishment. “Elli, you really expect me to—”

         “Shh!” he hushed and Keela fell silent. “Don't you know they're waiting out in the hall?” he said in a rushed whisper, gesturing toward the door.

         Keela glanced at the hunk of metal before saying in a quiet tone, “You really expect me to just give away Nation secrets like that? To help the Kingdom?”

         Elli looked at her desperately. “Keela, you've got to tell them. They say they'll kill me if you don't and that I was supposed to convince you to talk.”

         Keela turned her gaze to the rays of sunlight that crept through her window, but they had turned dull and dim. She didn't want her only friend in this place to fall to the hands of the Kingdom. But she knew that if she compromised the information then she would be going against everything she had ever worked for, everything she had ever known.

         “Please, Keela,” he said, his voice unsteady and raspy. “Help me.”

         After a moment of silent thought, Keela came up with an idea. Her eyes lit up and she turned to her friend. “Elli, all I need you to do is agree with everything I say, all right?”

         He looked at her suspiciously. “What are you going to say that I'll agree with?”

         She looked him square in the eyes, knowing that she had to bring him back to the side of Yomcecrad Nation. “Promise me,” she said in a low whisper, “that no matter what happens, you won't say anything.”

         “But Keela—” he protested, but she raised a hand to silence him.

         “Elli, I can guarantee your safety, but you have to play along. Act strong and stand firm and you will stay alive—they won't hurt you.”

         He still looked uncertain and scared. Keela place her hands on his shoulders, reassuring him and looking at him head on.

         “You—as a fellow traitor—know what you have been trained to do in a situation like this,” she said.

         Elli looked at her, a coy smile spreading upon his old face. “Lie,” he said, now looking at his young friend with happy, youthful eyes.

         “It's in our nature,” they both said at the same time, and they laughed as quietly as they could.

         Keela again looked at the door and said, “Don't worry. I'll take care of everything.”

         Elli nodded, completely confident in his friend, his nerves and mind restored.

         “All right,” Keela said, her voice raised. “You can come in now—I know you're listening.”

         There was a slight pause before the door creaked open again and the prince, the princess, and the General entered the cell.

         “So,” Audivae said, “have you two had some time to talk?”

         “We have, Audivae,” Keela answered, not looking at Elli or Rylan.

         Audivae waited. “And?” she said, annoyed.

         Keela smirked. “You won't get a word out of me.”

         Silence filled the room as the five of them waited, stunned. Eyes flew between the princess and the traitor, anticipating one of them to speak. Audivae looked as though there was a blazing fire underneath her exterior, while Keela had a coolness in her eyes and no emotion on her face.

         “All right,” the princess said quietly, rage in her tone. “Then you and your friend know the consequences if you refuse to talk.”

         “You might not want to kill him, Audivae,” Keela stated, a smirk curling her lips.

         She raised her eyebrows. “Oh? Give me one reason why I shouldn't.”

         “Well it's simple—Elli now knows everything I know, including the information I recently passed on to the Nation. Why shouldn't you keep him alive?” Keela said, turning her gaze to Rylan.

         He held a smile in his eyes. “She has a point, Vae.”

         Audivae flinched at Rylan's use of that name and shot him a nasty glare.

         “Perhaps, Princess,” the General spoke, stepping forward, “I should just whip it out of the both of them.”

         “You remember what happened the last time you tried to use the whip against me, don't you Jayzone?” Keela asked, the smile spreading on her face, “When you grabbed my chin and called me a helpless little girl? I think I was fifteen then. But unless you want to keep your remaining fingers I wouldn't suggest torture.”

         The General's cheeks flushed a light pink and he took a step back, sheepishly hiding his left hand.

         “An extra whipping session wouldn't get anything out of me anyway,” Keela continued. “Torture doesn't scare me.”

         “And what does scare you, Keela?” Audivae asked, quiet venom in her tone.

         Keela thought for a moment—not much really made her cringe at the mere thought, but there was something.

         “Only one thing, really,” was all she said.

         Audivae waited for a moment, wanting more than that. But Keela smiled and shook her head.

         “If you want to know what it is,” she said, “you'll have to figure it out yourself.”

         Audivae stared at her for a moment before a sudden light entered her eyes and a small grin played on her lips. She again went to the door and rapped against it three times. The door was opened and a guard entered the room.

         “Take prisoner 272833 back to his cell. No food for him today,” she said, not taking her eyes off Keela.

         The guard nodded, walked to Elli and took him by the arms, hands behind his back, to lead him to his own cell.

         “Thank you, Keela,” he said as he was shoved toward the door. “You've done the right thing—your mother would be proud.”

         Keela smiled at his words before he disappeared into the dark and damp hallway. Then she looked at Rylan who had perked up at what the old man had said—and she knew why.

         “I'll be stopping by tomorrow, Keela,” Audivae said, a wicked smile on her face. “Be ready,” she added softly.

         Keela merely gave the royal brat her signature glare. Again she noticed Rylan standing in his place, giving no sign of intending to move.

         “Come, Rylan,” the princess said, turning toward the door to leave. “We're having an early lunch with father before your friend Chad shows up this afternoon.”

         Rylan acted as if he hadn't heard her but slowly followed all the same. The General silently left in the wake of the Shanmorc son and daughter, refusing to look at the traitor.

         The door was shut and finally Keela was left alone. She leaned against the wall and stared at the dim sunbeams that streamed through the window. Throughout the day she simply sat there, soaking in the silence.