In the dungeon

[Lady Edfeil]

*The dungeons indeed were busy this day, but the visitor that entered now gave the guards some pause. The lady Edfeil’s presence was nae wanted within the dungeons, due to her fathers wish to protect her. Yet they found ‘t hard to gainsay her.
Always she had obeyed both the King and Lord Hawkmoon about nae venturing in there, but this day she was insistant. Her words were soft, but nae lessened of any determination. And for once ‘t was as iffen the lady was an unyielding force herself, instead of the gentle, pliant creature they all knew her for.

The blush ‘pon her cheeks betrayed the insistance nae to be easy, but something inside her told her she needed to be there. Surrounded by six guards iffen need be, and promising to stay away from the most recent captive who nae was subdued yet by longer residence…. but she was gaining entrance to the cells. That resolve was clear within her eyes. Her goal a different one then that of most. *

[Dungeon guard]

*At first he thought to step forward and place his pike to stop her entry......he would have done such to any other... but this was the Lady Edfeil and he lowered his gaze as he bowed to her.

He was at a loss now..... his own features taking on a look of embarrasment as he fumbled with his jerkin and stood upright again. What ever did she need here in this God forsaken place..... why did she disobey even her Father the King and his word.

Standing firm as were the others on guard... he bid her a greeting and spoke in as quiet a voice as he could without seeming to be rude.*

"MiLady... yers really do nae have any business in this place......please..... I beg yers, turn around and leave aye... afore tha King or Cap'n do hear of this."

*His eyes seemed to plead with hers as he glanced about, trying hard not to look upon her gentle beauty which did shine within the dark and dank corridor.*

[Darek]

Would those footsteps never cease? Again and again people seemed to come to his cell door… what were they looking at? bastards… if he could he would have shown them some respect. Alas, for the time being he was on the shorter end of the rope and thus could do nothing but growl at them.

First this man, with his deeply penetrating eyes…. Darek had felt as if his life was draining out of him while that man stared at him. Again, Darek had hissed and spit at the man, cursing his life and wishing him a soon to come death for letting him linger here like some beast.

And now he heard a woman’s voice. Nothing he had heard before. A gentle voice, yet demanding her due. What was that? Another one of the Viking’s whores like the last one? He groaned and turned his eyes away from the door, towards the wall behind which he suspected the cell of that other prisoner to be. Strangely, he hadn’t heard anything from that cell, no answer to his pleas for relieving the utterly boring silence with a little bit of talk. And lately, no more metal or wooden plates being shoved underneath the man’s door. Were they starving that man? It surely was a man in that other cell, unless this king was so callous as to imprison women together with men down here. Hmmm…for a brief moment Darek thought about the possibilities of such an arrangement, but then his thoughts were taken back to that gentle voice he could hear arguing with one of the guards.

Maybe one of them was showing him some pity and would give Darek some playmate for the night? Hmmmm… Maybe not, knowing now how stuck up and “morale” these people seemed to be.

And where was his good for nuthin Captain, Remard?

[Lady Edfeil]

*She spoke softly to the guard. As iffen her very tone apologised for the difficult position she knew she put him in. *

I’ld nae go against me fathers wishes without telling him. And thus I will tell him of me visit here meself, Goodman, ye can rely ‘pon that. I’ll nae shame him in being a disobedient daughter. Yet… I have to go inside now, and can nae wait to see him first. Mayhap ye will go with me, for in truth I fear going in alone...

*How could she explain to him what compelled her to visit the dungeons this day, when she nae could really explain ‘t to herself. But when she had been in prayers there had been a pain growing within her.
A sadness that lingered and like a vine grew around her heart. And somehow, from deep within, she had felt she needed to go and see iffen what she feared be truth. Iffen she had failed again…*

[Dungeon Guard]

*The guard flinched and shuffled slightly.... he felt guilty to be in such a place, surrounded by the dregs of the lands, people of no consequence... no place within the life of the Nobles. Confronted by one of such innocence and grace...he could only stand aside and offer his arm to the Lady...all the while his eyes slightly lowered in respect for her.

He spoke still quietly for fear of alarming her more....he could see she was trembling and yet showed such courage for one so feeble and pure.*

"Aye MiLady Edfeil.....but yers nae be speaking to any here... ye must ignore them that yers see fer their words.....they would harm ye ears and ye very soul. Promise me ye nae shall listen and I will accompany ye where ye wants to go."

*He swallowed hard as they ventured deeper along the corridor....moving past several cells and cringing as the stench became stronger along with the foul mouthed words of the inmates.*

[Lady Edfeil]

*she nodded her agreement to his request. Her hand shivered upon his arm as they wound their way down the stairs. She made the sign of the cross as a vile insult was hurled towards her, but true to her word nae spoke.*

There be a man locked here... who once was a ranger. I... I must see him. Can ye bring me to him? *she asked the guard. The air seemed to close in around her and each step she took seemed harder. A nameless fear clutched around her heart as her fingers tightened on the guards arm*

[Dungeon Guard]

*He felt her small hand tremble upon his arm.....she was so slight...so gracious. He thought she would slip away in a strong breeze. As she spoke, he ignored the stench and the vile words eminating from the cells...her words were as he thought an angel might speak. For that moment, he covered her hand with his gloved one, as if to offer protection. With care he steered her past the slop buckets and soiled straw, he felt embarrased she should bare witness to such depravation.

He knew of whom she spoke and looked solemnly at her tender face...her eyes seemed moist and he sensed her genuine concern. Why did he ever allow her here.*

"Aye MiLady...it be Smith ye do seek.......ah warns yers though fer he aint long fer this world. They dun say he dint eat this morn. Why dus yers be seeking tha likes o' him MiLady?"

*As they arrived at the cell that had once contained Smithy....they were greeted with a body that could be seen to be sleeping. Curled up in the darkest corner of the cell, a shadow of what he once was.*

[Lady Edfeil]

*She makes the sign of the cross at the soldiers words, fearing he be right, for she had heard whispers of the consumption when the man was brought in. And certainly a stay within the underbelly of the castle nae was conductive to the possibility of a recovery.*

I... must speak to him. And mayhap let him know there be one that... still prays for him..

*She whispers the words afore slipping into the dungeoncell. The torch casts eery lights upon the damp walls. Quietly she moves to the sleeping form. Each step careful as if she barely dares to tred.*

Goodman Smith? Goodman?

*Nae a response from the still form. The fear that she had felt grew stronger and even before she kneeled down there were tears within her eyes. Gently, ever so gently she touched his arm. Without care for her dress, she settled on the floor and like a mother cradling a bairn, she turned him. When the head fell back, 't rested into her lap.
Dead eyes saw no more that soft hand brushed dirt and blood from a weary face. Smithy never felt the quiet tears that rained down upon him, whispering the grief of one he had barely known, but that had bound herself to him in silent prayer and care.

She looked up at the guard, her lips trembling. Several times she needed to swallow before the first words would come.*

Go.....tell me father... I be claiming the body for burial. If nae one shall come for him. I will.

[Dungeon Guard]

*He knew in the instant she spoke...he saw no movement and his stomach rolled over several times. Smithy was dead....how long had he laid there. He almost gagged for a moment and a fearful shiver passed though him.

She had knelt down, no care for her skirts.....no thoughts for any but the dead man. He gazed at her....she rocked gently as if holding a babe to her breast. His heart ached for her, felt her pain, he wanted to spare her this, spare her any grief ever.. for she did not deserve to witness anything but joy in her life.

He sighed deeply, instinct taking over as he too knelt down. He reached carefully past her and gently slid his hand over Smithy's eyes to close them. Then he placed a hand to her shoulder. As quickly as he did this, he lifted his hand again and removed his leather glove. Replacing his hand, he found himself gently patting her shoulder.

He felt her trembling and he knew then that when he should leave this earth, he would want no more than this gentle maiden to hold him...for surely his spirit would find peace. He silently wished Smithy peace and sighed once more. Sliding his hand down to her elbow, with a gentle but firm motion, he tried to lift her, hoping she would stand and leave this awful place.

When she at last spoke, he cringed and knew he could not do her bidding...he spoke gently to her, afraid now for himself.*

"MiLady ah ken nae do this that ye do ask o' me. Ye Father would nae take kindly to my allowing ye here. Please MiLady.....come ...leave now an' I promise I will help ye. My word ye do have, an' we will bury him. But ah nae ken tell tha King ye was 'ere. Ye must understand."

*He did battle within his own heart, the emotions she showed cut him so deeply, never before had he seen such a selfless act of kindness. He held her elbow still, not wanting her frail form to fall from the shock.*

[Lady Edfeil]

*For a moment ’t seemed she would protest. She was loath to let go of the man, to let him lay there, alone in the cold and dark, as he had died. She opened her mouth to say such, but the fear within the guards voice halted her. She was nae being fair. ‘t was nae his fault… and he should nae repay for such.
Very, very gently she rested Smithy’s body back ‘pon the floor. Her cheeks were wet still as she lifted her head to the guard and nodded.

Aye… I will go. But ye must come for me when ye burry him, aye? He must nae be alone.

*Shivering from head to toe now, she let herself be led out. Arms wrapped around her, as iffen to ward off a chill that nae came from within the walls. She nae looked back. Could nae look back, for she knew she would nae stop weeping iffen she did.*

I thank ye… ’t be all that she manages to whisper when they reach the ground level again. I thank ye…

[Dungeon Guard]

*With the gentle care she deserved, he helped her to her feet, for the moment he wanted to lift her into his arms...to comfort her and ease her pain. For it was pain he saw within her eyes....the pain of death, anquish at not doing more. He sensed that from this small creature beside him. Small perhaps...insignificant....washed away by a larger wave....lifted from her feet by a stong wind. Aye, she was small but he felt a power within her frail frame that he had nae felt before. This one could stop a war he thought...with her faith.

He guided her away from the sight of death.....helped her make her way back up the steps and into the fresh air. He took in a lungful to somewhat clear his soul of what he had witnessed. Still the feel of her hand upon his arm...his hand helping her...she had touched him, with far more than her body. He felt remorse for having allowed Smithy to die alone...guilt coursed through his veins....he was unworthy of her glance....her gentle ways. He had failed a fellow man even as much as Smithy had failed himself.

He nodded as she spoke...promising her he would send word. Then she moved away...she did not turn and he felt a lump forming within his throat. Shaking his head he himself turned and was met on the steps by Jonathan. The two exchanged words and glances as they watched her depart. Never must the King know they allowed her here.....there was much to be done..and they set about it at once.*

[Dream Loxley]

*As she crossed the courtyard she saw her.....from the distance between them she could see her friend was crying. Her step quickened and in moments she was standing beside the Lady Edfeil...genuine concern within her eyes as the looked upon her.

Instictively she took her own shawl and placed it around the trembling shoulders of the Kings daughter. She looked as if she had seen a ghost or worse still...and her face was even paler than was normal.

Gently she stroked her cheek.....eager to learn of what had caused such grief to be upon her friend..she spoke with care and a soft tone.*

"Edfeil.....M'Lady......whatever be wrong...please...ye must come inside and get warm, lest ye catch a chill."

*She smiled softly and kept her hand upon the tembling shoulder, worry and concern etched deep within her brow.*

[Lady Edfeil]

*Nae able to hold onto strength anymore, she fell into her friends arms. Unaware she was of the shivers, even of the tears that still rolled over her cheeks. She simply clung to her, and let her voice sooth the hurt within.*

He be dead... He be dead... and he was all alone. He should nae have died alone, nae matter what he has done. He should nae have died alone.

*Hearing her own voice, she tries to steady herself. She knows the opinion within the castle of the man that just died. Lower then a rat.. Lord Hawkmoon had called the traitor. And yet he had been a man. And once a man of honour.*

[Dream Loxley]

*She could do nothing but hold this frail woman to her, holding her tightly as she stroked her hair with a gentle hand. The words struck a chord and she looked past her friend to see what direction she had come from. Suddenly she realised......the one who had betrayed her Robin..he had been poorly, she knew of such and had asked for medicines to be administered without her beloved's knowledge.

A deep sigh escaped her as she continued to stroke and soothe her sobbing friend...she herself felt remorse and guilt. She felt torn as she tried to find the right words to sooth the one clinging to her.*

"Nae Edfeil...nae......he died aye...but he nae was alone for he would have felt ye presence.....ye prayers would have eased his pain....of such I am sure. Ye did all ye could M'Lady.....'tis the way of things...ye must be strong now, ye know ye must."

*This was life at its most cruel, and if Smithy's actions had ended the way he had planned.....then she would have been a Widow, her daughter without a Father for the rest of her days. The battle within her heart raged on as she stood there, sad to hear of Smithy, and yet so releived it was nae her Husband*

[Darek]

Where was he? Why wasn’t anyone coming? Where were they?

Pacing back and forth, by now sproting a beard several inches long, his hair shaggy and his clothes stinking, Darek was pacing in his cell like a cage animal. In fact, he wasn#t that far away from an animal any longer. During his stay in the dungeons the guards had afforded him little in matters of personal hygene. No knife was given to him, for fear he would turn it against anyone who’d have the kindness to listen to his pleas for being allowed to shave his beard.

His cheeks had become hollow, his eyes sunken in. he was babbling to himself for strecthes of time during the day, to hear a human voice.

Slowly but surely the sailor despaired… he wanted out. He needed out of this hole!

THERE! There came another with food… maybe. Darek let himself sink to the floor, rolled into a fetal position and began to whimper. First quietly… the small door through which food was pushed his way began to open… his whimpering grew louder, words began to form…”Help me!…The pain, oh God, help me, bring me a helaer…please, water…I cannae move!”

Whoever it had been doing feeding duty this day found pity on the man in the cell. He opened the door, his hand on the hilt of his sword. He’d have to act fast… maybe if he was fast enough, he could get away, get out … “come closer, come ma boy, closer… yes… that’s good!” Darek’s thoughts raced and prayed the guard would make that final, maybe letha step that would set him free.

One more step…Darek lurched himself at the man, toppling the surprised man over, his hand fumbling for the guard’s sword… if only he could get at the sword – he’d be free!

(OOC: Whatever anyone answering here does, please don't kill Darek. There are plans for his proper demise! )