Original Stories Fan Fiction / Romance Fan Fiction ❯ The Crusade of the Quandary ❯ The Oak ( Chapter 9 )

The women in the cell next to Cadeyn sighed.

“It's about time.”
Cadeyn opened her eyes as she heard footsteps.
”Time for what?” Three guards, armed with heavy amour approached. Inserting a key into the lock, she braced herself as it swung open. Two of the guards grabbed each of her arms and pulled her upright. The women looked up sympathetically, whispering to her.
”Whatever you do, look after the poor priest's wife.” Cadeyn turned to her before being dragged up the stairs and into the open. The sunlight poured onto her face and she flinched, trying to stop the sun hurting her eyes. She took a deep breath in. While the sunlight was too bright, the air was fresh. Once her eyes adjusted, she scanned around her. A small paved area with a metal cage, pews and a stand were arranged all around. Inserting a key into the cage, the third guard opened the cage up for the others to throw her inside. She landed on her knees, knocking the air out of her chest. She rose, slowly and looked around.
”The trial will begin in an hour. You may be free to speak with the citizens of Orches Crest.” The guards took their positions in the courtyard, watching her. She took in a breath of fresh air and looked around. There was a woman sitting in the pews, her head bowed. Cadeyn watched her as she rose from her seat and headed towards her. Surprised, she noticed that the woman's hands were shaking, clasped and white. She smiled slowly at the women as she approached. The woman looked at Cadeyn.
”I am Bree. I am the priest of Ochre's Crest's wife. I have been asked to question you.” The woman began, shaking. Cadeyn smiled at her slowly.
”Sure…” She thought back for a second. The woman in the cell's had told her to look after the priest's wife. She wondered why for a moment as the woman began.
”Why were you traveling in the territory of Ochre's Crest? What business do you have with us?” Cadeyn frowned for a second.
”I was traveling with a friend. I was headed to…” She paused for a second, “…find my fiancé. He went missing about the time of the Crusade passed through our village. I was unaware of any township or city here. We had camped not far from here when our horses were cut loose. My friend went missing, I had presumed the man I followed here had kidnapped her.” She smiled softly at the woman. ”Why are you so nervous?” She asked the priest's wife. “I'm not going to do anything to hurt you…” The priest's wife smiled at her.
”You are held here for trespass and attempted murder. Your sentence is execution unless you can prove yourself innocent at your trial.” Cadeyn frowned.
”My friend's horse was slaughtered…why? I was following the man here, I was protecting myself and hopefully my friend. I do not know of her fate. Where is she?” The woman shook her head.
”She is due for trial tomorrow. She is being held by her father.” Cadeyn frowned more.
”Nothing fits…am I not entitled to protect myself? I did not attack or attempt any such murder.” The woman hushed her quietly.
”I am aware of your plight.” She whispered. “I dreamt, the honorable goddess came to me, she asked me to protect you.” Cadeyn frowned. “I cannot change your fate at this trial. Trust in me. Trust that I will come tonight and help you.” She turned and began to leave.
”What will happen to my friend?” The woman turned her head as she walked.
”The honorable goddess told me that there is nothing I could do for your friend. I am sorry.”

Cadeyn listened to her trail, the sun slowly dipping towards the hills. Nothing was asked for her opinion nor for any information. The priest's wife explained her cause, but little was heard by the jury. Cadeyn turned away as they decided on a verdict.
”For attempted murder and trespassing, you shall be hung tomorrow at dawn. You may visit the temple tonight for fifteen minutes tonight. You shall spend the rest of you time in the cells.” Cadeyn let out a long breath as they opened the cage and grabbed her, pulling her back down towards the cells. She closed her eyes, the smell of mildew, sweat and blood coming back to her. As they pushed her back into her cell, she noticed that the cell beside her was empty.
”There was a woman, wearing white in the cell beside me. Where is she now?” She asked as the guards locked the door.
”What woman? You've been the first prisoner here in months.” A guard replied, confusion written on his face.
”There was a woman. I spoke to her today.” She replied, confused. The guard shook his head.
”You were probably dreaming. You were talking in your sleep a lot. Injuries to the head can do that to people.” He turned his back to her. Confused, she felt the side of her head. It was still raw and sore, leaving her with a thumping headache. Had she dreamt it all? Or were they lying to her? She sighed and sat down. She could only wait.

 

“Child, wake up.” The priest's wife hissed as the guards opened the door of her cell. Opening sleepy eyes, Cadeyn stood. She was allowed fifteen minutes to pray in the temple. Sometime during that period, she must escape, or die. She sighed. She would do her best to fight her way out. She would fight to her death, if she must. She had no other alternative. Allowing herself to be led to the temple, the guards thrust her through the door, slamming it behind her. She looked around the temple, candles lit throughout. The priest's wife walked to a statue of Shalenti at the front of the temple and knelt. She prayed for a moment before rising. Cadeyn looked around for a place to escape. There was none. There were no windows that could be opened. There were no other door, nothing she could use as a weapon. She walked up to the statue, examining it.
”It is time.” The woman whispered to her, quietly.
”For what? How can I get free?” Cadeyn asked, dread and fear beginning to find her.
”You cannot pass through those doors again. There is a crypt…” Cadeyn shuddered for a moment.
”A crypt?” The women hushed her.
”There is a crypt under a row of pews.” She hurried over to a row of pews, pushing it back. “Only my husband and I know of its existence. There are far too many secrets to be unveiled here. If we allowed its existence to be known, the slow rot of death would poison those brave enough to explore it.” Cadeyn grimaced as the priest's wife pulled it open.
”Then why am I going in? How do I get back out of it?” The woman shook her head.
”There is a tunnel. Follow it…I know it leads out of here, but to where I don't know. The sprits of the dead will not bother you while you have her divine protection.” Cadeyn went to speak for a moment, to insist that she does not believe in the rubbish of the gods, but closed her mouth. The women was helping her out of faith, it would not help her if she insulted her. The woman pulled a small dagger and a few coins out from under a table.
”I can only help you from here. Go child. She ushered Cadeyn down into the crypt, the hairs standing up on the back of her neck. Hurry.” She paused for a moment. “The honorable goddess wanted me to tell you one thing…I do not understand.” Cadeyn looked up.
”What did she want you to tell me?” The woman looked puzzled.
”Don't be afraid to wait within the Oaks.” Before Cadeyn could reply, or thank her, the priest's wife shut the trapdoor down again, replacing the pews. It was dark and cold in the crypt. She shuddered. She could barely see around, her eyes slow to adjust. She could smell something rotting. She thought for a moment, wondering what way to run. She put her arms out in front of her, carefully trying to find a way out. Then she saw it. A small slither of moonlight down a tunnel, barely big enough to get herself into. Pulling herself into it, she crawled along it. It was wet with something, mud perhaps. The tunnel was made of rough stone, ripping Cadeyn's pants and knee's as she crawled. It narrowed further on, the small light getting brighter and brighter. The air was rancid, the more she breathed the more she wanted to throw up. She pulled herself along, if she stopped to rest, she didn't know if she could continue.

 

 

Pain and exhaustion flowed through every muscle as Cadeyn pulled and pushed herself around the last corner. She felt the tunnel get bigger every few minutes. She was finding the way out. It felt like hours clawing through the tunnel to get out and she shook her head. It can't have taken as long as she thought, the moonlight couldn't travel that far, especially so little of it. Finally there was enough room to stand, but only just. She groaned as she stretched her back out. She still had to hunch over to move, but it was better than crawling. It continued to open up until she was in a small cavern. She finally could strech her arms out, trying to ease her muscles up. Walking towards the now brighter moon, she felt something under her feet. Tripping, she landed on her hands.
”Ouch…for Aemeil's sake, what now?” She muttered, feeling for what tripped her. She felt her hands wrap around something hard and coated with some soft fabric. Confused, she picked it up. It was a sheath, covered in velvet. She felt the opening. The sword was missing. Worried, she stopped to listen. Where was the owner of the sheath? And its sword? She felt around some more. She felt her hand touch something cool and sharp, leaving a deep wound across her fingers. Finding its hilt, she picked it up. It was engraved with something, but she couldn't pick what. Putting it away into the sheath, she strapped it to her belt. The owner would have to be close by, unless, something had happened to them, of course. Eventually, she felt the end of the cavern. A wall. Swearing, she looked around for another opening. Looking up, she saw a small amount of moonlight from the roof of the cavern. She dug her hands into the wall, hoisting herself up. It was wet and cold, water dribbling down her hands. Climbing through the hole, she pulled herself out into the fresh night air. Looking around, she felt the cool rain pour over her face. Then she frowned. Looking around, she could not find any source of light. Her heart skipped a beat for a second, trying to find the moon. It was raining. The moon doesn't shine when it rains. Confused, she tried to find a gap in the clouds, an explanation. All she found, was a chestnut stallion staring at her, his torn saddle halfway down his side. She carefully approached him, a smile on her face.
”Hey there big guy…” she reached out to him slowly, untying his saddle. The moment it slid to the ground, he walked towards a tree, rubbing his back along side of it. She could make out bald patches on his side, scarring and rubbing from the saddle. She frowned. Whoever owned the horse, hadn't ridden him in a long time. Carefully, she pulled herself up and onto him, bareback. She smiled, rubbing his neck.
”You ready to get some more practice riding?” He neighed slightly, standing tall. She started him off slowly, headed as far north as she could get. She'd ride north as far she could before turning east. She looked up at the sky. The sun wasn't too far off rising to her east. When she was confident the horse was fine to ride, she sped up. Hopefully she could reach Calenbree that night, provided she was heading in the right direction.

 

Morning had reached her not too long ago. She kept an eye out for anyone, she wasn't in the mood for confrontation. Her mind kept on flashing back to what the priest's wife had told her the day before. There was nothing she could do. She sighed, wondering what she told the guards. All of a sudden, she snapped out of her daydream, voices up ahead. She listened carefully, hearing a voice too familiar to be comfortable.
”I don't care what you were doing! I care that your so blind she slipped past you! I thought you were trained for this stuff!” She froze and looked for a place to hide. There were a few shrubs to her right, on the border of a small stream. She looked to her left. An oak tree was towering above her, thick branches swaying slowly. It then hit her.
”The oak…” She whispered. Climbing off her horse, she climbed up into the oak as far as she could. Crouching on a thick branch. Holding her breath, she waited for them to pass.
”You're supposed to be my son! You're supposed to be a thief! And YOU, You are supposed to be the reason she would stay and not run from you!” He cursed, spitting on the ground as he walked. Cadeyn shuddered. Marcus and the two guards walked back towards Orches Crest. They had failed. She watched them silently, picking her father out instantly. He still looked the same, apart from acquiring a scar across his cheek. She felt a renewed burst of hatred for him, tightening her fists. She saw two others. One she did not recognise and the other…the other looked…familiar. She smiled suddenly. The other must be Saiena's brother….her brother. They stopped at the base of the tree for a moment.
”Someone is here.” Marcus announced, pointing towards the chestnut horse. The other men looked up.
”Shirren” they said, in union, frowning. “Don't approach that horse.” Marcus walked up to the horse, frowning.
”Why the hell not?” Shirren neighed, then snorted. He stamped his feet for a moment as Marcus approached.
”He's warning you, Father, his owner died last summer. He went wild from there. Don't approach him.” Smirking, Marus took another step.
”I can tame horses…He's not wild. He's just been ridden, you can tell.” He reached out towards him. Shirren snorted once more and bucked suddenly, his front feet flying up into the air. Marcus recoiled back for a second, Shirren's hooves coming back down with force, narrowly missing him. About to draw his sword, the other men grabbed Marcus.
”Don't kill him, just run.” With each of his arms in grip, they pulled him away from the horse and back south.
”I'll kill that horse!” Angry, he gritted his teeth. “LET ME GO” Refusing to listen, they continued to pull him.
”The elders will be furious if that horse is killed. He is sacred to them.”
Reluctantly, he hurried with them. To get his revenge, he needed them. For now.

 

When Cadeyn was sure they were gone, Cadeyn climbed back down to her horse. Slowly, she stretched her arm out. Her horse, Shirren, neighed softly. She smiled climbing back on.
”You know what?” She whispered to the stallion. “I'm beginning to really like you.”