The feared Crimson King

31. Death row prison

Running into the throne room and checking if I knew the prisoner rumored to be a part of the royal family, was what I wanted more than anything, but it was to suspicious. Instead I must pretend I don't know what was going on.

I go back to my chamber and think of possibilities to figure out who it was. They could be wrong, maybe it's just a high ranked knight that was caught at the front lines.

I bite my fingernails and walk back and forth around the room. If I go back to work in the dungeons I can figure out who'd been caught by "checking on them". Please dear god don't let it be Parcival. Thinking back, his stature could be that of Parcival but that mans blood was everywhere and it was impossible to identify him from the back.

I hear the door of the Kings chamber swing open outside. "Alice!" The King shouts.

It scared me when he shouted my name, I never knew if I'd done something wrong or if he'd found out about my identity.

"Yes, you highness." I say-shout as I enter his chambers.

He comes at me quickly, with a smile on his face, and grabs my side to leave me gasping as he lifts me of the ground. He spins me in the air. "The war is as good as won, little Alice!"

His confidence, and happiness makes me want to celebrate with him, but his words could only mean that they truly have a member of the royal family. Im pulled into his arms as he smiles brightly. "We've captures the royal prince of Lyria."

My heart drops and I'm glad that my face is buried in his chest. This can't be happening. I have to help my brother somehow. I fight back the tears.

"Soon Lyria will pay for everything they've done. I'll have the King and Queen surrender to me and come here, where they'll pledge their loyalty to me. Maybe I'll let them live." He thinks out loud. He pulls me off his chest and smiles at me. I try my best to smile up at him.

"What's wrong?" The King turned serious. I wish I was better at faking my emotions, let alone lying.

"Oh, it's nothing." I try to laugh it off.

He shrugs, "tell me." His voice was becoming threatening.

"I'm just worried about my family is all, since their home country will fall apart soon." It wasn't a lie, I just wasn't being specific.

The King relaxes his features and his hold on me. "I understand, but I have an idea. I'll have your family be brought here to my castle. What's you family name?"

"Byron." I lie quickly before asking "you'll have them brought here?"

"Yes, but don't worry, they're your family. Once they pledge loyalty to me, they'll be treated as nobles here. They are you family after all."  
I smile and thank him trying to hold up my lie.

It's a sweet gesture, that he'd look past where they're from, but they are the King and Queen and that makes them his biggest enemy.

That night during dinner I'd been informed that Theodores and Jaxons uncle would be coming to visit us in the castle and that King Theodore wishes to have me meet him. I'm not to tell him that I'm from Lyria and I feel that there is a certain tension in the Kings voice as he speaks of his Uncle.

It must have been the middle of the night when I got up out of my bed. I couldn't sleep I had to go see Parcival. It was risky but I had to try. I open to the door to my chamber as quietly as possible and tiptoe through the Kings room. At night there usually aren't any guards in front of his chambers. And my hopes were granted as I snuck into an empty hallway.

I tried my best to be quiet as I checked each corner before turning it. If anyone were to see me, they'd report me to the King. I'd have a difficult time explaining to him why I'm sneaking around in the middle of the night. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that I see Parcival and that he was alright.

I finally made it to the steps that lead to the entrance of the dungeon without being seen, but this time there was a guard in front of the door. His loud snoring gave me hope. I snuck past him and ever so slowly opened the dungeon door. My heart was pounding and small droplets were forming on my forehead. I carefully closed it again and immediately turned to the right to where the death row prisoners were being held.

I was sure if they were holding Parcival captive, it would be here somewhere. These cells didn't have bars, they were made completely of stone and they only had one entrance which was a massive wooden door looked from the outside by a broad wooden plank. I can't hear anything. It all seems so quiet, like no one was here. After looking through a few small barred windows I finally found saw the beige shirt the man from today was wearing. It was very dark and the torches in the hallway were my only source of light. I grab one and pull up the bar of the door.

Laying the bar next to the door and quickly creep into the cell. It's very dark and my torch flames don't reach down the stairs to the prisoner just yet. My eyes adjust slowly and I see a man seated on the floor with both armes wrists shackled to the ceiling.

I slowly get closer, keeping in mind that it could be someone else. Secretly hoping that it wasn't Parcival.

"Hello?" I whisper.

The man doesn't reply but he slowly and painfully lifts his head of up of his chest. That's when I see his eyes.

"Parcival!" I almost shout before clapping my hand before my mouth.

"Al-Alice?" He croaks and I run to him and kneel down to hug him.

"I'm so glad to see you!" I start crying. To be able to hold my beloved brother once more in my life wasn't something I'd expect to happen. Reuniting was wonderful but my biggest fear had just become a reality.