Codex Mortem

Drunken mouse, useless mouse

Dawn

I somehow managed to add in a small batch of wine the sickening mix without being noticed, saving some for the dungeon guard Alar, who I knew to be on duty tonight.
The emotion was raw, scratching me from inside. All I had to do for now was to serve the drinks and the food as the feast already started, and wait to be sent to the dungeon with the meal for the captive.
When I will be with mother, I'll unlock her cell and then I'll have to sneak to the king's room to place the key back in the chest.
Uma watched me for a few moments as I brought some wine from the cellars. I smiled at her just in reassurance that I am not ill or tired and she scuffed and turned her grimaced face away, towards another slave girl to be the target of her scolding.
I entered the great hall carrying the wine while the platters of food followed.
The wooden tables, set now in a 'U' shape, were filled with warriors, while at the head of the u shape, on the raised platform, sat proudly the new commander, the First Aga, in the king's chair. At the back of the platform, in the corner, a minstrel was trying his violin, while other two were adjusting their instruments.
The candles from the tables added in the air's joy, while the fireplace was cranky and sparkling with a vivid fire.
This was the first time to see a feast for me and, when the musicians started, my foot became restless.
My face was all a smile as I filled their cups from the raised platform to the last table.
Some wolves were eyeing me with the same smile plastered on their faces, while others were looking everywhere else but at me.
But there were two wolves who were starring endlessly. One was the First Aga. The second one was the same who I encountered earlier in the corridor- Saeban.
As much as I wanted to avoid his gaze, I smiled back at him. I understood now what he wanted and, at a second thought, his invitation came handy to my plan. Not only because his den was a few doors away from Raiden's room and provided me with the best opportunity to put the key back after, but also because I was going to pour in his cup the special wine and watch him sleep like a newborn despite his plans for the night.
The celebration continued, while the servants hurried in all directions with drinks and food.
I knew who was on the night patrol; it was easy to spot them as they boasted their tracking skills and lamented their soon departure in the perimeter, so I made my purpose to fill their cups every time; the same with the Aga's and Saeban's cups. At some point, I realized I need to let the other girls serve them as well, so I could not be blamed. The rest of the spoiled wine I mixed it with the good one- after saving a drop or two for the greedy cell's guard, so not only the night patrol would feel sick, but others as well.

It was all Mother's planning and it left me amazed by her brilliant strategic mind.
I was sitting in a corner, tapping my foot rhythmically, more for the nerves than for the music; the moment of the escape was approaching.
Saeban caught my eyes again, so I gave him a wide smile, a smile that was hurting my cheeks, but a necessary one. A slap over the back of my head made me turn with wide eyes to see the culprit better.
Uma stood frowning, with shoulders squared and fists resting on her hips.
"Wipe that smile away, you silly girl!" She berated me. "Do you wish him punished?"
"Punished?" I frowned. "Who? Why?"
"Saeban, girl. Do you think the King will like this if he finds out?"
I haven't thought of that... What will happen when he will find out not only this, but of me going to his room?
A chill run through my bone. I had to take the risk of his wrath. I had to stick to the plan, and Saeban was providing me with more than the opportunity to put the key back. He would be my alibi.
Noticing the lack of my reply and the frown on my face, Uma continued:
"Go in the pantry and take some scraps for the prisoner. Do not come back here if you do not change your attitude!"
...

"Let me see what you have there!" Alar barked.
I unwrapped the small bundle and, as always, he stole the cheese. 'Maybe he's got a mouse in him, a beast rodent, not a wolf.' I chucked to myself. I was so nervous that I was sure everyone would smell my fear, so I tried to distract my mind in order to relax.
"Why are you carrying wine to that bitch?" He asked, full of bile, grabbing the jug and gulping to the bottom.
'Greedy mouse, drunken mouse.' I chucked again, covering my mouth with my hand so he won't see.
After the last drop, he threw the vessel on the ground with a most hatred look.
"What is you had me drink, wrench? Why was the wine sour?" He yelled in my face.
"N- nothing, sir. The wine was spoiled, that's why it was for the prisoner!" I pleaded, hoping that he would believe.
His hand descended hard on my cheeks and I felt my lip cracking, blood dripping on my chin.
"You stupid bitch! You should have told me before I drank it!" Alar barked again.
Before his next slap, I was on my knees with palms joined in a prayer mode. I could not risk to be sent back, so I had to ask his forgiveness, even though he fully deserved that wine and its effects.
"Please sir, I am sorry! Have I known you were thirsty, I would have fetched a good one!"
His palm stopped midair.
I lift my eyes from the ground as he turned his back on me and took a seat in his usual spot.
"Be fast, wrench!" He shouted.
I rose on my feet fast, not giving him time to change his mind.
Walking through the damp, sour stinking dungeon, I took the key out of the inside of my sleeve hem.
" Good evening, my sweet child," mother's whisper reached my ears. Her voice was calm and hearing her it somehow calmed me as well.
" Blessings, mother." I replied, twisting the key in the lock slowly and steady, avoiding any noise that might led us to get caught.
Leaving the door of the cell unlocked, I walked further the bars wall and sat where she was sitting on the other side.
"I wasn't sure you could get the key." She told me, squeezing my hand. All I wanted in that moment was to open that door, walk in and embrace her. But it wasn't possible, not with the noise that metal frame was making when being open.
I didn't want to tell her where from I had the key and how I got it, and she didn't ask. I passed the food to her and, while she munched on the leftovers, I sighed. I will miss her so much...
" Mother, the guard should be snoring in no time. But you need to wait a bit longer. You have the pile of cow dung just behind the barn, and the trackers will not be a problem. I am concerned only about the border patrols."
" Don't be." She said, handing me back the wrap of the food. "I know the river, and I can swim upstream, to the North. They will follow me South, but this is how I'll trick them."
"Mother, you are to weak to swim upstream! You barely had any food and water in days!"
" Oh my dear child, I can manage it very well. You need to go back and have some of that spoiled wine, so when everyone will be sick, you will be too, in that way they won't doubt you. Do you remember the hut from when you were eleven?"
"Yes, I liked that one." I said, recalling the apple tree near it that we were so grateful for. "The apple hut."
She sticked her arms out through the iron bars and her warm, love-filled embraced was our good bye.
"We shall meet again!"
"We shall meet again, mother!"
My thumb wiped out the lone tear that fell on my cheek.
As I stepped outside, I peered to the guard's chair. There, Alar has collapsed, half sprawled on the ground, snoring and farting loud.
I chucked again, thinking of how discussing he is, and not because of the noises he made.
'Drunken mouse, useless mouse!'