"You escaped from your chains? Then you must be very experienced with this kind of situations! However, you have nowhere to go. What will you do now?" asked the Duke with an evil grin on his face.
"Wait! I can explain. This is not what it seems. I am not trying to escape! I really am innocent! That is why I decided to stay until you arrived. I could have already left." said Oliver as convincing as he could.
"Oh... I see... Well, then, I am sorry! My mistake." said the Duke as he made a sorry expression. However, just as Oliver relaxed, that expression changed back into a grin: "As if... Did you really think I would believe you? Could it be that you still believe that you will go back to the Kingdom of Tat..."
Suddenly, a rope was put on the Duke's neck and he was pulled back. The 'nice soldier' was behind this. Oliver was even more confused. Could it be that that soldier had bad intentions from the beginning? At that moment the soldier took out his sword and went for the Duke's neck.
"Stop!" shouted Oliver. "What are you doing?!?"
The soldier was suddenly surrounded by a diabolical aura."Sorry, kid. I gave you the opportunity to run. You decided to stay. Don't worry! I'll do it fast and then we'll both leave. We will have some time to run before a search party will be sent after us."
"Wait! Why do you want to kill him?" said Oliver panicking.
"He is the King's brother and watchdog. If we get rid of him, we will greatly reduce the Kingdom of Sapphire's power. However, why would you not want him dead? He wanted to torture and even kill you." responded the soldier very matter-of-fact-ly.
"That is true, but that is his duty: to protect the royal capital..."
The Duke who had been choking until a few seconds ago had just pierced the soldier and was now looking at the dying man as he fell to the ground.
"You think you can take me out that easily? You wish!" said the Duke as he smiled victoriously. "Now, Oliver, where were we? Oh, yes, I remember: we were just about to begin your torture."
"Your Majesty, I'm sure you are a rational person. Please give this another thought!" said Oliver as the fear of being tortured and losing his life took over.
"Fine. Let's remember your faults: you are an enemy spy, you are part of a slave-trading group that kidnaps people from the Kingdom of Sapphire to sell them as slaves in the Kingdom of Tatras and you tried to break out of prison helped by someone who just tried to assassinate me, the Duke of Avondale, the Prince and the King's brother. Is that not bad enough?" said the Duke with a harsh tone.
"That is not true. I am not a spy, I don't work with any slave-trading group and I didn't ask to be freed. The soldier did that because he wanted to, not because I asked that of him." replied Oliver.
"Is that so? Then I guess that you don't mind being put back in those chains. Actually, if you are so pure, go and put the chains on yourself. I will see after that if you are actually innocent and worthy to be released." said the Duke.
Oliver lost hope. He could at least do this. There was no point on adding to his 'faults' the one of not listening to the second highest authority in the kingdom's orders. So, he went back to his chains and took out the key, put it away, put his chains on and waited to see what would happen next. His normally lively blue eyes were now completely empty. His hope was lost...
"Are you afraid of death?" asked the Duke.
However he didn't get any response, so he realised that Oliver gave up. The Duke took the most dangerous looking item and put it on Oliver's chest.
"How does it feel? Are you scared?" said the Duke with a grin. He stood there for a few seconds and then he just decided to move on. He had found his answer: Oliver had to go. He raised his weapon and...