Chapter 05: The Coliseum
Toov 6, 2594
Noeth shifted his body as he tried to find another comfortable position once again to no avail. But then, sleeping on a hard cot wasn’t an ideal bed. Shivering, he wrapped his arms around his body since the thin blanket given to him wasn’t much help. Unfortunately, the damp prison cell did nothing to ease his discomfort. His quarter was cramp with barely any walking room, and the only light, which wasn’t much, came from the tiny window. The only good thing was that the ceiling was high enough because otherwise, he would have to hunch his back. Every now and then, he could hear water dripping from the ceiling. Another prisoner would cough or snort once in awhile, but none spoke. Not that he blamed them; he wasn’t in a talkative mood either. As he lay there, he wondered how he got himself into this dire predicament.
Why on Samara did he take the blame for her? Was it because he didn’t want to see Corwin be upset? Or was it…? He grind his teeth. That damned Priya! It was all her fault! He should have been outside joining in the revelry instead of being stuck in this prison! By now, he and his brother would have been eating greasy food and enjoying the spectacle. Instead, he stuck here with no light or warmth. Not to mention, the lack of sleep he had due to the fact the guards would check the cells every hour by shining a light into the tiny room. Now that he thought more about it, he realized that this was the second time he saved her hide. If he ever found a way to get out of here, he’s going to make sure to tell her that she owed him big ti-
“Oy, boy!” Startled, he looked up to see one of the prison guards in front of his cell. “You got a visitor!”
A visitor? He sat up immediately and rushed over to the door. To be honest, he had given up hope of anyone visiting him since no one came for the last few days. It was as if he was forgotten. Most likely it was his brother; Priya probably figured that he was mad at her. A part of him felt disappointed by that. It would be nice to see her even if she seemed to cause him trouble. Imagine his dismay to find it was Lady Rasbeth standing there.
She wore a light gray dress and black boots; he could tell since she pulled her skirt up slightly (most likely, she didn’t want the hem of her dress to get dirty). A dark maroon cape adorned her shoulder. Even though she wore a hood to cover her head, he knew it was her. “Hello,” she said in a saccharine voice. “Surprise to see me?”
“You can say that,” he mumbled underneath his breath. Raising his voice, he continued, "Why are you here anyway?”
Lady Rasbeth just laughed as she removed her hood. Her hair seemed to cascade down onto her shoulders. “Always to the point. That’s what I like about you,” she purred. “Your name’s Noeth, right? Anyway, I heard what happened to you and wanted to help you get out of your predicament.”
Noeth narrowed his eyes. “How?”
“By getting the charges against you dropped.”
“And how are you going to do that?” he asked dryly. “The soldiers found documents proving that I was planning to overthrow the government. That’s enough evidence to convict me, and there’s no way no one would believe I’m innocent otherwise.”
“Don’t be naïve, Noeth. I am the king’s niece so I’ll always find a way.” Clearing her throat, she added him, “Of course, there is a catch – in order for my plan to work, you have to agree to my conditions.”
He didn’t like the sound of that, but he decided to humor her. If she wanted to help him, he might as well find out why. “And what are your conditions?”
She smiled. “Oh, you don’t have to sound that worried; it’s not that bad. First, you must agree to work for me. Second, you must never leave my palace unless you have my permission. Lastly, you must promise that you will never make contact your brother or that girl ever again. You can’t visit nor send messages to them. Now then, will you accept my terms?”
Noeth could scarcely believe what he has heard. He figured she wanted him to work for her due to his past encounter but to control his every movement? That’s insane! Stepping away from the door, he shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I have to decline.”
In return, she appeared baffled by his refusal. “But why?” she sputtered. “Isn’t my offer good enough? You’ll no longer be a criminal and be well taken care of! If it’s about your brother, you don’t have to worry about him anymore. That wench could take care of him now.
“Corwin is my family, and family don’t abandon each other no matter what.”
“Fine. He can come along with you, and I’ll make sure the both of you will be under my protection. That girl has to stay behind, though; I don’t want her anywhere near you.”
He shook his head once again. “No deal. Priya is a friend, and I don’t abandon them either.” Noeth took a deep breath and shrugged. “Besides, I’ve never seen Corwin seems so happy until he met her, and I guess I feel the same way about her too.”
She could only look at him incredulously. “I still don’t understand why you won’t take this opportunity to get out of this wretched place.”
“That’s the reason. You don’t understand,” he countered. “By accepting your offer, I’ll still be living like a prisoner. I have no free will to do whatever I want. You dictate to me what you want me to do, and I have no say in anything. At least here, I know that I am a prisoner and I have some freedom even it’s not much. Now, get out! I don’t want to see you ever again!”
Disgusted, he turned away from her and headed back to his bed. At that moment, he didn’t care that he slighted her; he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts. He barely took one step when he heard Lady Rasbeth announced, “I thought it was quite noble of you to sacrifice yourself to save that wench. You didn’t have to do that, but you did. It surprised me when I found out, but then, I should have known you’re the type of man to do that.”
“What did you just say!?” Noeth spun around so fast that he almost tripped over his feet. Did she just…?
The king’s niece was still looking at him. Her eyes seemed to gleam as she eyed him like a hawk that has cornered its prey. Instead of answering his question, she said, “Once I found out that girl was living with you, I knew that I have to get rid of her. Otherwise, I won’t have a chance of having you, and I knew just how.”
“Wait, are you saying that…” His voice trailed off as it dawned on him what she was implying. “Then those papers-!”
“Were planted by the soldiers themselves,” she finished and smiled. “The only problem was finding the right time to implement the plans. All three of you have to be away and no one else was around to notice anything suspicious. But when? That was when it dawned on me. I knew the perfect opportunity – the Yuzema Festival. Everyone would be gone at that times. They would be too busy with their families to pay any attention to what was happening inside the city. During that time, I could have some soldiers sneak back into Sollum early and enter your house to search for proof of that girl’s crime. With that decided, I enacted my plans. It would have worked if it hasn’t been for your meddling; with the evidence, no one would be the wiser then and believe she was guilty.”
Noeth could feel the blood drain from his face. “If what you’re saying is true, then that would mean Priya was never a member of the resistance.”
She barked out a boisterous laugh, which surprised him. “The resistance!?” she exclaimed. “Of course, she isn’t! The so-called resistance doesn’t exist!”
“What!?” Now it was his turn to be flabbergast. “B-b-but I thought-”
The noblewoman smirked. “There is no such thing as a resistance group trying to overthrow the government. My uncle only made up that bullshit in order to lure out any potential instigators as well as get rid of any rivals to the throne. It seems that his plan works because we have gotten rid of several rabble-rousers already with no one knowing the truth. You peasants are so gullible, now that I think about it. You believe everything that we fed you without thinking for yourselves I guess what my uncle said was true – you lot need us to hold our hands and guide you. Otherwise, you would be lost without us.”
“Why you little-” Vivid, Noeth stormed back to the prison door and stretched his arm out to try to grab her, but Lady Rasbeth simply took a step back to avoid his reach. How dare she and her family toy with the very people they supposed to govern and protect!?
“What’s wrong? Did I insult you for telling the truth?” she mocked. “You thought that wench was a resistance member, didn’t you? You even said that yourself just a few minutes ago so you can’t deny it. In fact, I heard from the soldiers that you didn’t say anything when she denied being one. You thought she was lying; the only one who believed her was your brother. Tsk, tsk. Must feel awful for not believing them, huh? Too bad you can’t apologize them since they are preoccupied at the moment.”
“If you dare lay one finger on them, I’ll-” he snarled.
“You’ll what? You can’t do anything in that prison cell. Besides, why should I allow my clean fingers touch filth like that?” she taunted. Seeing how quiet he became, she sneered as she put her hood back on and motioned the guard that she was ready to leave.
Noeth could only watch quietly and fume as she strolled down the hall toward the exit before she abruptly stopped. Even though he wanted to throttle her, he knew that she has a point – he was powerless inside his prison cell. There was nothing he could do to prevent her from ordering her goons to harm Cor and Priya. Likewise, he hated to admit that she was right about the fact that he was madder at himself for doubting Priya. She kept telling him that she wasn’t a member of the resistance, but he still didn’t believe her. Dammit, he should have trusted her, but now it was too late. She probably views him as a jerk. He would.
The king’s niece was at dungeon door when she abruptly turned around to look at him one last time. She then added, “Oh, don’t expect any more visitors. Your brother and your friend are under house arrest. Do you actually think your stunt protected them? No, as soon as I found out, I immediately ordered the guards to stay with them and make sure they can’t even step out of the house. But I promise you that, but I make sure you’ll regret not taking my offer. You’re going to suffer so dearly that you’ll wish that you’re dead once I’m through with you.”
Then she left without saying another word, leaving Noeth alone in the dark.
Noeth shifted his body as he tried to find another comfortable position once again to no avail. But then, sleeping on a hard cot wasn’t an ideal bed. Shivering, he wrapped his arms around his body since the thin blanket given to him wasn’t much help. Unfortunately, the damp prison cell did nothing to ease his discomfort. His quarter was cramp with barely any walking room, and the only light, which wasn’t much, came from the tiny window. The only good thing was that the ceiling was high enough because otherwise, he would have to hunch his back. Every now and then, he could hear water dripping from the ceiling. Another prisoner would cough or snort once in awhile, but none spoke. Not that he blamed them; he wasn’t in a talkative mood either. As he lay there, he wondered how he got himself into this dire predicament.
Why on Samara did he take the blame for her? Was it because he didn’t want to see Corwin be upset? Or was it…? He grind his teeth. That damned Priya! It was all her fault! He should have been outside joining in the revelry instead of being stuck in this prison! By now, he and his brother would have been eating greasy food and enjoying the spectacle. Instead, he stuck here with no light or warmth. Not to mention, the lack of sleep he had due to the fact the guards would check the cells every hour by shining a light into the tiny room. Now that he thought more about it, he realized that this was the second time he saved her hide. If he ever found a way to get out of here, he’s going to make sure to tell her that she owed him big ti-
“Oy, boy!” Startled, he looked up to see one of the prison guards in front of his cell. “You got a visitor!”
A visitor? He sat up immediately and rushed over to the door. To be honest, he had given up hope of anyone visiting him since no one came for the last few days. It was as if he was forgotten. Most likely it was his brother; Priya probably figured that he was mad at her. A part of him felt disappointed by that. It would be nice to see her even if she seemed to cause him trouble. Imagine his dismay to find it was Lady Rasbeth standing there.
She wore a light gray dress and black boots; he could tell since she pulled her skirt up slightly (most likely, she didn’t want the hem of her dress to get dirty). A dark maroon cape adorned her shoulder. Even though she wore a hood to cover her head, he knew it was her. “Hello,” she said in a saccharine voice. “Surprise to see me?”
“You can say that,” he mumbled underneath his breath. Raising his voice, he continued, "Why are you here anyway?”
Lady Rasbeth just laughed as she removed her hood. Her hair seemed to cascade down onto her shoulders. “Always to the point. That’s what I like about you,” she purred. “Your name’s Noeth, right? Anyway, I heard what happened to you and wanted to help you get out of your predicament.”
Noeth narrowed his eyes. “How?”
“By getting the charges against you dropped.”
“And how are you going to do that?” he asked dryly. “The soldiers found documents proving that I was planning to overthrow the government. That’s enough evidence to convict me, and there’s no way no one would believe I’m innocent otherwise.”
“Don’t be naïve, Noeth. I am the king’s niece so I’ll always find a way.” Clearing her throat, she added him, “Of course, there is a catch – in order for my plan to work, you have to agree to my conditions.”
He didn’t like the sound of that, but he decided to humor her. If she wanted to help him, he might as well find out why. “And what are your conditions?”
She smiled. “Oh, you don’t have to sound that worried; it’s not that bad. First, you must agree to work for me. Second, you must never leave my palace unless you have my permission. Lastly, you must promise that you will never make contact your brother or that girl ever again. You can’t visit nor send messages to them. Now then, will you accept my terms?”
Noeth could scarcely believe what he has heard. He figured she wanted him to work for her due to his past encounter but to control his every movement? That’s insane! Stepping away from the door, he shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I have to decline.”
In return, she appeared baffled by his refusal. “But why?” she sputtered. “Isn’t my offer good enough? You’ll no longer be a criminal and be well taken care of! If it’s about your brother, you don’t have to worry about him anymore. That wench could take care of him now.
“Corwin is my family, and family don’t abandon each other no matter what.”
“Fine. He can come along with you, and I’ll make sure the both of you will be under my protection. That girl has to stay behind, though; I don’t want her anywhere near you.”
He shook his head once again. “No deal. Priya is a friend, and I don’t abandon them either.” Noeth took a deep breath and shrugged. “Besides, I’ve never seen Corwin seems so happy until he met her, and I guess I feel the same way about her too.”
She could only look at him incredulously. “I still don’t understand why you won’t take this opportunity to get out of this wretched place.”
“That’s the reason. You don’t understand,” he countered. “By accepting your offer, I’ll still be living like a prisoner. I have no free will to do whatever I want. You dictate to me what you want me to do, and I have no say in anything. At least here, I know that I am a prisoner and I have some freedom even it’s not much. Now, get out! I don’t want to see you ever again!”
Disgusted, he turned away from her and headed back to his bed. At that moment, he didn’t care that he slighted her; he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts. He barely took one step when he heard Lady Rasbeth announced, “I thought it was quite noble of you to sacrifice yourself to save that wench. You didn’t have to do that, but you did. It surprised me when I found out, but then, I should have known you’re the type of man to do that.”
“What did you just say!?” Noeth spun around so fast that he almost tripped over his feet. Did she just…?
The king’s niece was still looking at him. Her eyes seemed to gleam as she eyed him like a hawk that has cornered its prey. Instead of answering his question, she said, “Once I found out that girl was living with you, I knew that I have to get rid of her. Otherwise, I won’t have a chance of having you, and I knew just how.”
“Wait, are you saying that…” His voice trailed off as it dawned on him what she was implying. “Then those papers-!”
“Were planted by the soldiers themselves,” she finished and smiled. “The only problem was finding the right time to implement the plans. All three of you have to be away and no one else was around to notice anything suspicious. But when? That was when it dawned on me. I knew the perfect opportunity – the Yuzema Festival. Everyone would be gone at that times. They would be too busy with their families to pay any attention to what was happening inside the city. During that time, I could have some soldiers sneak back into Sollum early and enter your house to search for proof of that girl’s crime. With that decided, I enacted my plans. It would have worked if it hasn’t been for your meddling; with the evidence, no one would be the wiser then and believe she was guilty.”
Noeth could feel the blood drain from his face. “If what you’re saying is true, then that would mean Priya was never a member of the resistance.”
She barked out a boisterous laugh, which surprised him. “The resistance!?” she exclaimed. “Of course, she isn’t! The so-called resistance doesn’t exist!”
“What!?” Now it was his turn to be flabbergast. “B-b-but I thought-”
The noblewoman smirked. “There is no such thing as a resistance group trying to overthrow the government. My uncle only made up that bullshit in order to lure out any potential instigators as well as get rid of any rivals to the throne. It seems that his plan works because we have gotten rid of several rabble-rousers already with no one knowing the truth. You peasants are so gullible, now that I think about it. You believe everything that we fed you without thinking for yourselves I guess what my uncle said was true – you lot need us to hold our hands and guide you. Otherwise, you would be lost without us.”
“Why you little-” Vivid, Noeth stormed back to the prison door and stretched his arm out to try to grab her, but Lady Rasbeth simply took a step back to avoid his reach. How dare she and her family toy with the very people they supposed to govern and protect!?
“What’s wrong? Did I insult you for telling the truth?” she mocked. “You thought that wench was a resistance member, didn’t you? You even said that yourself just a few minutes ago so you can’t deny it. In fact, I heard from the soldiers that you didn’t say anything when she denied being one. You thought she was lying; the only one who believed her was your brother. Tsk, tsk. Must feel awful for not believing them, huh? Too bad you can’t apologize them since they are preoccupied at the moment.”
“If you dare lay one finger on them, I’ll-” he snarled.
“You’ll what? You can’t do anything in that prison cell. Besides, why should I allow my clean fingers touch filth like that?” she taunted. Seeing how quiet he became, she sneered as she put her hood back on and motioned the guard that she was ready to leave.
Noeth could only watch quietly and fume as she strolled down the hall toward the exit before she abruptly stopped. Even though he wanted to throttle her, he knew that she has a point – he was powerless inside his prison cell. There was nothing he could do to prevent her from ordering her goons to harm Cor and Priya. Likewise, he hated to admit that she was right about the fact that he was madder at himself for doubting Priya. She kept telling him that she wasn’t a member of the resistance, but he still didn’t believe her. Dammit, he should have trusted her, but now it was too late. She probably views him as a jerk. He would.
The king’s niece was at dungeon door when she abruptly turned around to look at him one last time. She then added, “Oh, don’t expect any more visitors. Your brother and your friend are under house arrest. Do you actually think your stunt protected them? No, as soon as I found out, I immediately ordered the guards to stay with them and make sure they can’t even step out of the house. But I promise you that, but I make sure you’ll regret not taking my offer. You’re going to suffer so dearly that you’ll wish that you’re dead once I’m through with you.”
Then she left without saying another word, leaving Noeth alone in the dark.