Chapter 3: Keys to Friendship
Already an hour had past as Jude paced back and forth in his cell, his mind wracked with fear at Cicero's earlier words. He felt better somewhat after getting the dirt washed off his hands and legs with help from Cicero after Marcus returned with the bucket. Unfortunately, it wouldn't matter how clean he got since he would be dead soon. Seven hours remained till his sentence. In that time, the royal guard would come for him and he would be marched to city plaza to be executed. The boy could already see himself being paraded through the city streets, rotten food and blunt objects chunked at him with every step he strode to his final resting place. "Cut off his head and feed it to the beasts outside" they would yell, or even "Kill the killer. No one will shed a tear for what you done!". Jude was at a loss of what to do. I mean, what could he do? His father was gone and Cicero's hand's were tied on getting him leniency until the duke returned. "So there's really nothing I can do to sway them now I take it?" Jude remarked as Cicero leaned against the cell wall.
"No my boy, I wish I could say otherwise, but I told your father I would never lie to you," remarked the old man as he stroked his chin. "Saying anything else would only darken you mood further when the time comes."
After a brief moment, Jude looked over to see Cicero still staring outside the cell door. He returned the sponge and bucket to the young guard a little while ago, but he couldn't make out what he said to him or even why he was still staying here with Jude. He could only assume it was to get more water, since they ran out rather quickly and Jude's back/chest and hair were still a mess. Sitting back down on the rickety bed, the young boy looked towards the door and spoke.
"You know I'm glad you're here Cicero." As the youth spoke, a smile returned to the old man as he asked Jude what he meant. "Father would be here if he could. I just know it. No matter the rough times I went through, he would always come to my aid and stick with me." Looking over into the old noble's eyes, he felt a sense of reassurance in his words. "Next to him, he told me if I even needed anything that you would also be there for me in his stead. He always talked highly of you, you know, about your exploits and the rumors about you. Said you were like a lost brother to him, that he could trust you with anything and that you'd do the same back to him."
Nodding his head, Cicero pushed himself off the wall and stroded over to sit beside his lord's son. He put a comforting arm over Jude's shoulder as he spoke. "My boy, you are most certainly right on that, heh heh. Lord Rowen is a man unlike any other I know. It's an honor to know him as well as his son. I did some rather dark deeds in my days fighting for my kingdom to make it a better place. People saw it as heroic. Others spat on it as treachery. Your father though...he saw it as neither." Taking a deep breath to keep his emotions in check, Cicero looked back at Jude and then turned his gaze back to the door. "We are cut of the same cloth, him and I. We see our deeds as what is necessary, neither right nor wrong, but something needed to be done. It's what makes us different from that excuse of a council. Hmmph, if only they would listen. Then we-".
Suddenly, a knock could be heard on the cell door as a ruckus could be heard coming from the courtyard. "Master Cicero, are you still in there?" It was Marcus. The young guard must've returned with the water bucket. But from the loud crash that could be heard in the distance, it sounded like something was wrong.
"O yes, yes, I'm still here my boy," replied the old man as he rushed to his feet to answer the door. "Did you bring the bucket with more water?" Jude was also on his feet wondering what was all the ruckus outside.
"Of course, sir", Marcus spoke; the young guard seemed to be astonished with what happened recently. "I did as you asked, but a hooded man ran into me on my way back and I dropped the bucket." He lifted the bucket to the open hatch as some water seemed to slosh out. "It must've landed fine because no water spilled out. But it feels a lot heavier for some reason."
"Not to worry my boy," the old man said with haste. "Please, open the door would you. We must move quickly." With that said, the iron locked clanked open and the wooden door was pulled open with the young guard standing with a rag-covered bucket in hand and his sword at his side. Cicero took the boy by the vest as he pulled him and cracked the door shut so as no one could see inside as another Night Watch guard rushed past them. "What's wrong, Master Cicero?" remarked the confused Marcus as he could only stare with a gasp from seeing something at the bottom of the water-filled bucket.
"I'm sorry I got you into this, Marcus. Look at me." The old man pulled the startled guard close as Jude only looked on, stunned from what was unfolding. "You must run home and tell your father of what happened. The hooded man you ran into will be there too. Go with him. Take what you can and leave the city at once. He will bring you back after the dust settles in a few weeks, I assure you. And whatever you do remember: you must never speak to anyone else of what happened this night, understood?" Looking down for a moment, the shaken Marcus could nod briefly before replying "I understand, sir." "Good lad," Cicero said as he patted him on the shoulder. "Now go, off with you." And with that, the young guard darted off into the night as he made for the alley and speedy trip home.
Turning to his left, Cicero stared face to face with young Jude as he was flabbergasted. So many questions and thoughts were running through his head, and he didn't know what to say. Looking down at the bucket, Jude stepped forward and remarked "What's going on Cicero?" before being startled by another crash in the distance and the sound of clashing steel.
"Jude, please listen to me," remarked the old man as he focused the youth's gaze into his caring eyes. "I don't have time to explain everything here, but I promise I will later. You're being given a second chance here this evening. Fate has larger plans in mind for you. It might not mean anything now, but you will understand soon enough." Reaching down into the bucket, Cicero pulled out a small, green-emblem leather parcel and handed it to Jude would only stared in confusion. "In this bag is a map and a few other things that will help you once you make it outside the city wall." As Cicero cracked the door open to see if the coast was clear, he pointed to the western wall. "Head down the alleyway and you'll find a hooded man like the one Marcus ran into. He knows who you are and what to do from there. Listen to him and leave the city."
As if sensing the urgency of the matter at hand, Jude knew he had to act. The guards would come for him and kill him where he stood if they found him now. He had to escape. With a quick nod and a determined gaze in his eyes, he replied "I understand, Master Cicero."
Passing a warm smile, Cicero embraced the boy in his arms. "Thank you, Jude. I promise I will come and find you as soon as I can." As he reached for the door to leave, the old man turned back with one final message. "Never lose that hope of yours, my boy. You're not alone in this fight to come. Now go, and be safe." And with that, Cicero turned the corner of the open cell door and vanished as he strode quickly into the night. Looking over the leather bag for a moment as he took those words to heart, Jude fastened the parcel over his shoulder as he approached the open door. With a quick glance in both directions, he took a deep breath and darted left as fast as he could in the direction of the dark alleyway as steel rang in the distance.
