Chapter 23: Hope
There was either something in the way Briceus had so carelessly muttered those words that made Ezekiel doubt the purpose behind them. Who was this man really?
'What is this man thinking? Is this a game to him? Somebody's life? Of course it can't be that he fancies the maiden in question? Did he not already make that clear in his manner of approach? Unless of course again, he really has something else he's not saying,' concluded Ezekiel in his mind, taking care not to mutter anything in a hurry either.
Briceus, on the other hand was completely conscious when he had so casually mouthed those words to Ezekiel, but he had his reasons for doing so; one he didn't see the relevance of revealing yet.
As soon as Zeke had shown him the necklace, he had been smart enough to recognize that he was going to have to retreat his verdict on the maiden from before, whose name he had not taken the pain to find out.
It was in this regard that Briceus had thought…
'Even if there was a dozen proof to vindicate her of my accusations, what manner of vindication would stand up for her to excuse her of having come into my room at all? So therefore, it is only logical I keep her close because if she were a thief or spy, it would be easier for me to understand her motives by keeping her near me and did the darkness not already hinder the maiden selection ceremony?
And is it not still mandatory that I as the king should have a maiden who would become my potential wife and queen? Surely, I wouldn't want my uncle, the Duke to have a certain princess or whoever get arranged for me.
Taking this unidentified maiden as a stand-in for when I am ready to make sense of the importance of that selection ritual and decide to find one for myself, is a most likeable option for now. It is more like I will be stopping two gaps with one bush.'
Decided on his hidden agenda, Briceus went on to reply Zeke of the potential question written all over the latter's countenance.
Parting his lips, Briceus breathed out hid words-
"Are you really that surprised that I am willing to compensate that maiden with my body?" said Briceus teasingly. His demeanour was further putting Ezekiel in a fix but he seemed to be enjoying his mischievousness.
"Milord, this is a surprise to me… First you showed no interest to as much as even look on at any maiden while we were at the hall of Termarth before the darkness crept in, milord… so right now, hearing you say those heavy words just now didn't quite add up in my mind. Hence my dilemma at this time," finalized Zeke.
He really wished that the King would be benevolent enough to speak in clear English other than parables, but he knew the former was least likely and that Briceus would soon wave off the subject altogether. Still, Ezekiel felt that something did not add up.
"Well, you can think all you want Ezekiel, just don't expect that I will have that luxury of benevolence to pull you out of your dilemma. Right this moment, I need you to get your act together and hurry off to the Dordragon to prove to me, that maiden's innocence… maybe once you've done that, you can worry about how authentic my compensation would turn out to be," muttered Briceus.
Bowing slightly, Zeke mumbled a subtle, "Yes, milord" and was right about to make it out of His Majesty's presence when the following words hindered him-
"One more thing, Ezekiel-"
"Yes, milord!" Zeke muttered rigidly whilst he turned himself about to once again face the king.
Briceus got ready to speak.
"Actually, you will need to do two things extra, Zeke-"
"Okay, milord…"
"First, tell the men that the trip to the Shadow Hollow has been rescheduled for an indefinite date. Also, get the royal messenger across to me… I would be needing his services," concluded Briceus.
Without hesitating physically, although Ezekiel had done this in his mind, he walked out of the king's presence to do all that he had been instructed to do.
SLAM!
Ezekiel exited Briceus's former room.
Once alone, Briceus remembered how the maiden- Elizabeth, had glared at him, back at the hall of Termarth. Finding her timid approach at getting his attention back then, amusing, Briceus smirked.
"You badly wanted to become my maiden, now let's see how well you'd come to enjoy being by my side… let's see if you can withstand that much, unidentified maiden," blurted Briceus whilst he thought out loud.
——
•DORDRAGON PRISON•
Elizabeth had cried her eyes sore by now.
Immediately the knights from earlier-Yoger and Maxim had turned their backs on her after shutting the gigantic steel-barred gates of the Dordragon dungeon before her face, Elizabeth had slid down in defeat and into her tears.
However, she couldn't stay on the hard concrete ground for long before an innumerable clan of feisty-looking merciless rodents made her aware of how unwelcomed she was, for trespassing their sacred territory. These rats looked nothing like Mr Pickle hence the first call of action for Beth had been to scream at the very top of her lungs.
"Help! Please! Kind sirs, don't… don't leave me here!" she had called out but no one had come to her rescue. The knights had simply scoffed and walked on, with Maxim doing the most.
Roughly an hour had gone by… an hour which represented four winters elapsing during that time frame for Elizabeth.
In those minutes, she had retreated, strategized her defense, and finally charged at the rodents who were for some reason more interested in rending her garment.
She had cursed, prayed, call for Bessie and had finally given in to defeat once she realized how well they outnumbered her- the rodents.
So therefore, she had hurriedly slid out of the semi-expensive ball gown which her dear Bessie had helped acquire on rent from the kind old Mr Lynchfield and had sacrificed it to the official owners of the prison yard.
"Ruthless rodents!" cried Beth once she had seen how mercilessly they destroyed the fabric with teeth and all.
Walking with the tip of her toes in order not to alert the prison monsters from doing their business, Elizabeth had located a high standing rock, the purpose of which she could not fathom and had climbed to the very apex which was leveled and comfortable enough to afford her to sit.
Now an hour later and Beth was still seated on top of the rock putting on just her inner garment with her eyes that had become sore red and puffed up like pressure-filled airbags from crying so much.
She had long passed the stage of self-blame and self-pity, questioning herself for coming to such a place and for what? To be made a prisoner.
By now, even the rodents had let her alone.
Shrunken from the episode of the day's torment, she sat with a sullen visage when she heard voices of men that alerted her at once.
"Who has decided to finally come to my rescue?" asked Beth as she felt a bleak of hope.
Soon the humongous gate making a disturbing noisy sound, was pushed open by some men.
Elizabeth instinctively climbed down from her sitting spot and began to walk in the direction of the prison's entrance.
She walked clumsily and halted once she had caught a full glance of the familiar masculine form before her.
"Why is he here?" asked Elizabeth as she retreated a step or two.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Nancy_Jim
Nancy_Jim The second chapter will be out in a matter of hours.
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