Chapter 2: Silent Night
The words could hardly register with the prisoner. As Jude’s legs gave out as he sunk to the floor, the situation finally became clear: this was his final night in this cell, but for all the wrong reasons. Tomorrow he would be left to die in front of the whole city and nothing would come to pass. No more evening side chats with his father and friends. No more sword lessons. No more warm, home-cooked meals. Just a never ending sleep was all that awaited him tomorrow and it would all be over.
Jude shivered at the thought, his psyche phased for the first time since he was hauled in. Despite the beatings he took every day and the lack of social contact for the past week, his conviction to persevere never faltered. He never once gave in to defeat. It was the very thought from his lessons and words from his father that reminded him of what kind of person he was: a survivor.
Jude could tell himself he was innocent every day he spent in confinement, but it wouldn’t be enough. He could resist giving in to the harsh questions that were spat at him by his captors, but it would only do so much. He could even be broken to every bone in his body from torture, but ultimately it would force him to give in, if not for the one thing that held it all together: his hope. The faith that he had in his father and himself to push on, no matter what came his way. It was part of his mantra, and gave him a purpose to live by. And yet at this moment, he became at a loss; a shattered soul that was looking down Death’s door at the end of his cell. Jude stared down at his dirt covered hands and could only weep at his predicament.
“I’m so sorry, Jude” Cicero said as he crouched to comfort the youth as best he could. His heart felt torn to pieces from the news he just delivered. It was bad enough having to spend every night alone in a dank cell with no company for so long. But to finally get reunited with a close friend that came bearing the worst of news only opened the wound wider.
“I tried to convince the other lords and nobles that this was madness. I pleaded that there was no way someone as generous and noble as you could ever do such a vile deed. But Bryce and his group didn’t care. They wanted action to be done. And with your father gone, they wanted to set an example to him and anyone that challenged their word.”
“It’s…it’s just not fair,” muttered Jude through his sobbing. “There was nothing I could do…they never gave me a chance…” He looked up into Cicero’s eyes, trying to wipe away the tears. “What about Duke Fry? He’s the presiding lord. He should have say over anyone in Valenhold.”
Cicero nodded and tried to smile best he could. “My boy, you aren’t wrong. I know Fry all too well and if it were any other matter happening, I know damn well he wouldn’t stand for it. He's great friends with your father and everyone on the council, and even he agrees that this is ludicrous.” With a deep sigh, he continued: “But this is a matter entirely different. Bryce went straight to the capital with this claim and has gotten permission from the higher governing body to see this through, regardless of what happens. Effectively, the duke’s hands are tied.”
Jude was stunned, his jaw nearly hitting the floor. His sorrow rapidly turned to confusion, he replied: “From the capital?!? But…but how can these murders have anything to do with the royal family?”
Shaking his head, Cicero helped Jude up to his feet and sat him on the bed, sitting next to him. He knew there was more at work than that, but even Cicero didn’t know everything that was going on with this investigation or why it merited such notoriety. “I don’t know Jude. A lot has happened recently in other cities across the nation.” His expression turned to a stern look as he gazed past the closed cell door. “If I had to venture a guess, it would have to be those recent political deaths that happened over the last few months in the northern region. But to think that having a youth being tried and executed for something related to that, when I know full well you haven’t been anywhere north of the capital in your entire life, is absurd!”
Recent deaths? Jude pondered to himself. How come this was the first he heard of this? If it happened a while back, surely news would’ve traveled swiftly to the all major cities by word of the crown. Unless, of course, they wanted to keep quiet about it. Could the rest of the council have known? Including Rowen?
“Master Cicero, I do remember something the Inquisitor asked me that I still don’t understand?,” Jude said with a look of conjecture as he stared at the cell door. The old man looked over intently, not to miss a beat. “He asked ‘why was I outside the home of Lord Rutherford during the night the murder was reported?’. I told him I was delivering a painting that my father bought for him at a recent auction in exchange for a wine bottle from his cellar. Then he asked me where I went after the delivery, which I replied with heading home through the main plaza. He stood there with a blank face for a moment and then just walked out of the room. Next thing I notice are the guards untying me from the post and being led back to this cell for the rest of the day.” Jude paused for a moment before turning to Cicero. “Did he think I lied to him?”
Even though Cicero believed the boy was dead honest with everything he said, he remained somewhat unconvinced. Jude had no reason to lie and must have told every detail he could remember. Unless something was making him forget something, Cicero had a different theory altogether on the matter. “Hmmm,” Cicero murmured as he stroked his short beard. “No. I don’t believe the Inquisitor thought you were lying to him, Jude.” Glancing toward the door, he replied: “I think he knew someone else was lying to him.”
"What do you mean that was all that happened?!?"
The shaken knight was blown off his feet from the boom of the Inquistor's voice, hastily scrambling to get back up for the next impending assault. Even with how thick the stone walls of the northern barracks of Valenhold were, the sounds of the burly man's yells could shake the stones lose at any moment from his fury. The guards outside could only sweat in their suits as they waited outside for the fate to unfold for their comrade.
"So this is what the Night Watch is all about here," the Inquisitor barked as he approached the knight that lay petrified on the floor. "The council told me in advance before I arrived that y'all had been on this investigation for nearly 5 days. FIVE DAYS!" He then slammed his hand onto the nearby table with a beat-up piece of parchment, words detailed on the top quarter of the page. "And THIS is all you can give me?!?"
"I-I-I'm sorry milord, p-please understand..we only had a few men available to look into the matter. T-t-the council told our captain what he had to look into but insisted that most of the Watch remain at their posts in the meantime until you arrived. S-so we only-" *gags* As the knight barely rose to his feet, the Inquisitor clenched him by throat with one hand and shoved his metal body into the wall, nearly knocking the life out of him. As the knight dangled before him, he barred his teeth through his grizzled beard and stared a penetrating gaze into his eyes. "Don't lecture me about your council. Not when they are the ones that are breathing down my neck to get this mess resolved immediately!" Releasing his grip, he continued: "Five days of looking down alleyways, questioning the townsfolk, and collecting any evidence near the site shouldn't amount to a few sentences on a bloody piece of paper. I mean by the grace of the gods you all couldn't find your own asses with both hands at this rate. And you expect me to finish up where y'all left off right? Is that what your captain wanted you to tell me?" Still scared, the knight nodded as sweat dripped from his face. Then out of nowhere, a hearty laughter came from the burly warrior as he stepped back towards the center of the room, slowly clapping with thunderous booms coming from his leather pads.
"Oh my, this....THIS is too rich." Slowly he swiped his hand across his face, hardly containing his sarcastic smile at what he had just heard. The Inquisitor had only been in Valenhold for almost a week after making the trek here with a caravan from Semereth, since the crown had asked a favor of him while he was on assignment. He couldn't refuse the request from an old friend, so he left his task and headed for Valenhold at the next sunrise. He knew little of what he was getting into, especially since the letter was vague with details. It was only after seeing the seal of the royal family on the letter's end that he knew it had to be urgent. After all, he was well known for his previous deeds under the last king and only left the court shortly after the following coronation of his successor. But even with all his experience in the field, he was left stunned at just what unfolded when he arrived to in Valenhold. The council (with the exception for Bryce at times) was still sequestered in the castle for the next coming days and didn't see anyone, not even him. He was only given a handful of Night Watch guards and one of the council's elite guards to assist in the investigation. And the only evidence he had to go on was what was left at the scene after the bodies were removed prior to his arrival.
Nonetheless, here he was this evening; questioning one of the knights that were first on scene at the night of the murder and left to go on with what the guards reported, which literally told only about the bodies found and nothing more. He shook his head at the thought, thinking how absurd this was. A incident this significant that it warranted investigation by a high authority, and there was less to go on than what you might find from someone stealing a loaf of bread? *sighs* Well there's no point sulking at the matter now, the Inquisitor thought to himself. The lad hasn't given me anything new to go on in the last few days and I hardly think beating him to death will make any more progress. He looks up towards the knight for a moment as he tries to regain his composure while leaning on the table. Plus the greenhorns here aren't worth the spit to clean my boots, let alone help 'aid me' to find the truth. Nah. If these blokes can't give me answers and Lord Bryce expects me to solve this with my eyes closed, then I might as well do it...through other means. "Hey." The Inquisitor said in a less threatening tone to the knight who quickly stood at attention. "Look if that's all you have to report then I'm done with you and your squad for now." With a wave of his hand to the door, he signaled to the remaining two knights that waited outside that they could rejoin their comrade. "You can keep that paper and send it back to your captain" the Inquisitor said as he readjusted his gloves and made toward the door to the plaza center of the castle. "Wait milord. But what about the investigation?" Getting his composure together, the knight rushed past his fellow squad and grabbed the shoulder of the burly warrior before he could leave. "Our captain gave us orders to help in anyway we can. Please sir. Let us make up for what happened earlier." He pleaded into his eyes as the Inquisitor turned to face him. "Just give us another chance. Tell us what we can do!" The burly man wouldn't be phased by the guilt that came from the new knight. With a dead tone in his voice, he muttered back: "You can stay out of my way." Brushing off the knight's hand, the Inquisitor turned back out the door and marched into the dead of night, leaving the knights stunned as they peered out the barracks door.
