It's bright out, my eyes sting from the sunshine. I'm on top of Dunlok Prison, there are no railings or ways to prevent someone from going over the edge, there is a guard in armor that must be impossibly hot during this time of day standing next to the one exit/entrance. The roof area is that hard scrabble type favored in warmer climates (most of Ronerawth is made of it), aside from a table and a couple of chairs the roof is empty. I'm brought to sit at one of the chairs (There were two guards with me, I've been chained at my ankles and my wrists, hard cold iron chains that made movement difficult), after the guards sit me down they exit, leaving it just me, the guard by the door and the heat (I was in my personal robe, which thankfully kept the heat to just intolerable levels). I was about to ask the guard if this was some new form of punishment when the door opened and Tolar stepped out. He was dressed casually, a short purple tunic with gold embroidering on the short sleeves (kind of frilly really), his pants were baggy silk affairs also in gold, shoes were the slipper variety (in obvious contrast to just about everything else in this prison). He didn't appear to be wearing a weapon, though he had my sword with him.
"So you're a necromancer? That's new." He sat down across from me.
"Well I had to keep busy Tolar." Trying to play things casually with my hands chained is difficult, not impossible, but difficult.
"I see, I've also heard you did a stint in prison five years was it? Seems like you just love being locked up."
"Or I'm always just wrongfully accused, its the system thats broken." Damn that system forcing me to sell goods at exhorbitant prices.
"Was it the system that drove you to kill your aunt and her hunter guild? Or was that just your lust for power?" Tolar kept his tone even, but I could sense the dislike inherent in the words.
"Why don't you just get to the point High Inquisitor Tolar, I take it you don't want me in shackles this whole time."
"Oh you've figured out who I am?" A high inquisitor is a particularly nasty player in Ronerawth, part judge, part jury, all venom, they hand out the marching orders for the royal assassins.
"Well Malcyr was a royal assassin, and he handed me to you instead of killing me outright, also Valrya was aware of you in ways I'd prefer to not recall." She got around, its weird, when I took Serrah's life I didn't get all the gritty details of her sex life, but for some reason I got all of Valrya's in a way that was worse than all the murders (I'm a prude sue me).
"Oh Valrya such a pretty flower," He seemed to be recalling a memory I probably knew, I shivered, "It's a shame she was just using me for my connections oh well I got what I wanted as well."
"Like a war with the red hand that almost destroyed your nation?"
"Like an elevated position after she helped me slip my men behind the enemy lines, apparently you don't have all her memories Lorentino, or you'd know I gave her you as well." I wanted to leap over the table and break his neck with that smug grin, but unfortunately with my feet chained and wrists locked I'd probably just trip and look like more of an idiot. I could have burned him to death, but it wouldn't accomplish anything, no matter how awesome it would have been.
"What do you want Tolar, other than to shove me in a dark hole forever apparently."
"Lock you up? You break my heart Lorentino, no I need you, you see with Valrya not keeping the peace between her children they are going to cause trouble, and I need someone to show them that the trouble they seek to cause can not happen." Everyone always wants something. I just want to be left alone, well and make a lot of money off of suckers, look we all have goals.
"You want me to go out there with limited skills and try and kill all of Valrya's lost children."
"Not alone god no, I'm sending Malcyr with you to make sure the job gets done." Only in Tolar's mind could sending the guy who kidnapped me in the first place inspire confidence!
"So the guy who drugged and kidnapped me will be my ally?"
"Worked well enough so far, just don't eat anything he hands you and you'll be fine." Yeah thats how he drugged me, special drinks! I'm a sucker for a special drink.
"And this time spent in prison is to?"
"Remind you of what should await you if you try and run away or fail me, trust me I'll make your five years in The Red Hand look like a day at the spa, now if you don't mind I'd rather get going, its dreadfully hot out here." He stood up and left, I resisted the urge to murder him back to the dead age (full of dead), an hour later I was released, my sword handed back to me and Malcyr was waiting with a couple horses. He looked at me with the kind of dread a child does when they've done something wrong and fear the punishment.
"Only only in my life could you drug me and bring me here and I feel guilty for that look you are giving me." I checked the horses saddle bags, my meager supplies were there and had been augmented by field rations, bandages, and coin.
"Just whatever you are going to do to me, make it quick and not maim me, I need my skills if I'm to help you."
"I'm not going to hurt you Malcyr, well not today anyway, but one day, one day when you least expect it..." And with that I mounted my horse and rode off, we had business further south. The best revenge is an undeteremined one, and Malcyr was about to find out how petty I could be!
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