The Union

Ash slumped against the cemented corner wall. Arms around her knees, she buried her face on her legs.

Her nightgown was probably dirty by now. The laces and the cloth itself, white before, probably sported brown. It was a respite from the Omniscient that the floor wasn"t wet. Thank the Omniscient it wasn"t wet. In her father"s city, Coldford, the sewage leaks towards the dungeons. Ash had been there a few times but never stayed for long. That was beyond disgusting.

She lifted her head. The lone guard stationed outside the cell was staring at her, a young man with curly hair.

"Is it true miss? I am curious. The whole city already knew about it. News of your arrest and suspected betrayal has spread. Everybody has been discussing it" The guard said.

"They want me dead right? They want me hanging. Since yesternight?"

"Three nights ago" The guard answered "You"ve been here for three days already"

"Oh" Ash slumped. She bit her lips "It is true by the way. I betrayed him"

Ash didn"t bother lying. The evidence was strong against her.

Several witnesses stepped forward in accusation. And even if there wasn"t an evidence, Sarah had already rallied the people into believing that Ash was a spy. Whether she was or wasn"t, Ash would be treated as such anyway and would hang. The truth doesn"t matter now, not that the truth would help her anyway.

"Why?" The guard"s voice had disappointment in it.

"It matters not" Ash shifted to the side "I am a spy. I am a betrayer, traitor, serpent"

The guard was silent. A sigh then sounded. "He loved you. King Harold"s love was truer than most"

"I know" Ash"s voice was fading.

She remembered the look Harold gave her after he read the letter taken from the pigeon"s leg. Never had she saw such pain on someone. Something broke inside him, she knew, she saw.

Harold spared her a single look- a single glance. It must have hard for him. Harold then walked away. Ash expected him to be bathed in fury. She expected shouts and hits from him. But Harold just left without saying a single word.

But that was somehow more painful. Ash preferred him to burst in anger. She would rather accept his strikes and shouts and even humiliation. Harold gave her something more painful instead- his silence.

She would do it again. There wasn"t a tinge of regret in her. She did what she thought was right. Siding with Queen Lucia was the natural way to go. What she regretted though was getting too close with Harold. That was a mistake and a terrible one. Now everytime she closes her eyes she could see that face- Harold"s expression.

"I"m sorry" She said to the man who can"t hear her. She hoped that he would hear or even know that she didn"t want this to happen. Like what he said, wars are strange. Sometimes people fighting on opposite sides are not enemies at all. Sometimes ideas were the walls that separate people.

Steps then brushed against the floor of the dungeon. Hurried but few, the steps were coming towards her cell.

Down the steps came three men. Two wore armors while the one at the center was shrouded in a brown and long cloak. The faint torchlights illuminated their faces but before she could identify, the ident.i.ty of the cloaked man was revealed by a salute from the guard. One of the two armored men stood guard while the other brought the clanking keys towards the lock.

"I"m sorry" Was all Ash could say to Harold. She deceived him. Harold was kind to her- a bad and weak King- but a kind one. She betrayed his trust.

The iron lock fell. Harold immediately burst into the cell. Ash flinched and expected something painful to come soon. But it didn"t. Instead Harold embraced her, warm and tight.

"are you alright?" Harold asked "Did t-they hurt you?"

Ash didn"t talk. Her mouth was frozen. Her ears were devoid of hearing. She buried her face on Harold"s shoulder. She sobbed.

"Don"t cry" Harold patted her hair. It felt good. She felt safe "I w-will get you out of h-here"

Ash stopped her sobs and questioned what she heard. She looked at Harold, the man she deceived and lied to and the one she betrayed and trying to depose. She blinked a few times before moving her lips.

"You will get me out of here?"

Harold nodded. Ash was perplexed. She stared at Harold for a moment.

Maybe he was still denying the truth, Ash thought. She could lie and deny her being a spy. Harold would believe her. She could get out of here and flee to Heraldshome. She would be safe under the protection of Queen Lucia.

No, she decided. Enough lies. Deceits should stop. She had hurt him enough. She doesn"t want to see that again, Harold"s pained expression.

"I betrayed you" Ash said "I have been spying on you. Queen Lucia instructed me to gain your trust. And so I thought of a way. I seduced you. I bed you. All of it were lies. I..." Ash shook her head "I don"t know what to say. I"m sorry. Forgive me. Truly, forgive..."

"I know" Harold said "S-somehow I suspected it"

"Then..."

"I d-don"t care. I w-want you. I will give up m-my crown if I have to. We will join the Union in alliance" Harold"s grip on her hand tightened. It was a good feeling. "But there"s no time. S-sarah the wench. You m-must flee"

"And you?"

Harold replied with a small smile. He shawled his hood. "F-follow me. Fast"

With Harold grabbing her hand, they ran out of the dungeon. The three guards followed. It was dark despite the torches. Ash nearly tumbled many times. She didn"t know where they were going.

But she did not care. She trusted him. She trusted that he meant well and he could deliver her to safety. She had been calling him a wimp in secret. She was disgusted by his lack of will. She viewed him as weak. But Ash was wrong. Harold wasn"t a wimp. His will was strong and he wasn"t weak. Him holding her tightly and leading her somewhere safe. Ash felt more guilt.

Up the stairs and turning several corners they exited the dungeon. The faint moon greeted her. The warm but fresh summer air penetrated her nose. At long last she was free. She was happy to taste freedom.

They ran with bent backs. Several alleys they trudged on. Along the way, a few of Harold"s men a.s.sisted them. Finally they reached one of the gates, the eastern one if she wasn"t mistaken. Harold signaled to the guards at the top. With nods, the guards pulled the gate. Ash saw a single horse.

"I p-prepared several mounts. Where are they?" Harold asked in a confused tone.

Several men with bird-shaped helms then leapt from the darkness. The newcomers attacked Harold"s men from both the top and the bottom of the wall. Falconheads, Ash immediately recognized. On the Falconheads" hands were swords, sharp and glinting against the moonlight. The fighting started not long after. Harold put her behind him. He was trembling, she could see. He didn"t know how to use swords, she knew. But Harold was defending her with his life.

They lost. The Falconheads were good. They just danced around Harold"s men. One Falconhead took a sword to the belly but didn"t even utter a grunt. They were not humans. The Falconheards slaughtered Harold"s men. To make matters worse, the people were roused by the commotion. Several heads popped from opened windows. The braver ones went closer. Many people could see them fighting against the Falconheads.

Harold then pushed her. It was a hard push and Ash tumbled towards the other side of the gate.

"Go!" Harold shouted "T-there"s only one horse. They w-will catch us if we ride double. Go to Heraldshome"

"No" Ash shook her head. She rose but Harold ordered the gate to be lowered. Before the iron gate separated them, the last thing Ash saw was Harold"s smile. And then she was alone on the other side of the wall.

Ash pounded on the gate. She could still hear the cries and clash of steel from the other side. She couldn"t do anything.

She then realized that Sarah was the one behind it all. She planned all of this. Sarah revealed Ash"s secret to Harold because she knew what Harold would do. Her real target was Harold. She wanted Harold to be seen as a traitor. And that just happened. People saw what happened and they would know that Harold set her free. With that, Sarah could gain control over all the Cantonese, Hadean and Inkish soldiers nested in the city.

Ash clenched her hands. Sarah won in the end. Harold would be executed for sure. He wasn"t a popular King and the people already hated him. This incident would push Harold"s neck to the noose. She needed to do something. She was a spy, a traitor. But she cannot let him die. She will not let him die. But what could she do? She is weak.

Sarah then turned her head towards the horse. The animal was grazing in peace. Heraldshome was three days ride. She corrected herself. It was not true that she was powerless.

Ash slowly rose and trudged weakly towards the horse.