He was chucked inside the dirty and murky prison cell. The priests and deacons filled the hallway of the dungeon with their wobbly knees and shaky hands that held the spears.
"You think you could invade our city that easily?"
"Who do you think you are? King Kairon has already been devoured by maggots! This is no longer your era you dirty mutant!"
"You should have died with him. You would have saved your dignity as a knight that way."
Kou didn't respond. He hadn't gone deaf yet but he was suddenly very tired. The holy barrier they put up to prevent him from escaping was impotent against him yet he was overruled by lassitude. They thought he was dead with how unmoving he was and were about to unlock the cell, but they leaped from their spots the moment Kou raised his head to stare at them with empty eyes.
"Please find a cardinal that could strengthen the barrier. Kou wouldn't want you to get blamed if Kou escapes."
Their scowls deepened from the mockery that Kou didn't mean to express. The knight was sincere with his intentions. The barrier they made could be easily dispelled by someone who was as stupid as Jinx.
One of them nudged the other and whispered: "Get Cardinal Rorik." They didn't want to admit it but the viel might be right. Might be.
Rorik arrived half an hour later and dismissed them with a cold glare. He wasn't in favor of whatever was happening. That bastard Salem wasn't telling him anything useful. With the prince's eyes hot on Kou, it would prove nearly impossible for Rorik to help him get out.
Why was he even thinking of getting him out? Wasn't this what he wanted? He should be revelling from being the one to capture a high-ranking viel and it happened to be the late king's very own paladin!
His heart wrenched from seeing him in that tiny and filthy cell. His posture sagged. His eyes and ears were downcast. It was as if he had lost hope already. He didn't belong there.
"Kou…why don't you accept the prince? It will give you another chance in life."
Kou will be pampered. He'll get his glory again. He'll be able to serve royalty once more just as he was born to be. Maybe he could clean the viel's reputation that way.
"Cardinal…King Kairon had given life a chance for Kou. There was nothing for Kou to live for before the king rescued me."
The war robbed them of their families. Humans took away their humanity. He didn't know his parents. They were raised by nuns who wouldn't give them food if they didn't do work. Once they reach the age of seven, a group of knights led by a scientist named Belladonna Requiem fetched them. Kou could still remember how the little feet he ran with got chopped off before him as he was tied down. His back was sliced open so wings could be embedded inside. He was force fed with things no human should ever consume. His friends who didn't survive the process were thrown into a metal bucket with all their organs and limbs inside. Some of them had their eyes peeled wide open with fear while others had their eyes gouged out of their sockets. Kou and Sage came from the same orphanage and from the very same orphanage, they were the only ones who survived.
"Kou is not afraid to face death, cardinal. Kou would rather be killed a thousand times than to be a knight for another."
Rorik curled his hand around the cold metal bar and nodded. "I understand Kou. I will personally tell the queen about your request."
Rorik turned away with a stern face. He acknowledged the guards with an incline of the head. As soon as he reached his office in the temple, he whimpered and burst into tears, shocking Theo who was waiting for him.
"Papa! Why are you crying again?!"
There were no windows in the cell. Only the torch outside provided light. Kou stood, reaching for the barrier that Rorik didn't bother to reinforce. The barrier appeared as a thin and fragile see-through mirror that nearly cracked with the contact. Blue writings spread with the mirror's manifestation. The knight had to withdraw his hand quickly before the barricade completely shattered.
"A little pathetic aren't they?"
Kou jounced from the person who spoke behind him. He whipped around, his eyes glowed green to scrutinise better in the darkness. The man was sitting on the floor at the darkest corner of the cell. A blue bandana was wrapped over his head. An eyepatch covered one of his eyes, but even with merely one eye visible, its yellow gleam colour was burning brighter than the torch outside. How could he have not noticed that there was another person inside? How could the priests even put a viel and a human in the same prison cell?
"They should be extolling you as a hero with the loyalty you've given but here you are, you've been treated as a menace."
Kou sensed no threat from the ambiance that the cool and tanned man was giving off. He seemed to be a mercenary. His black clothes were battle-worn while his boots were a bit muddied.
"Nothing has changed. Kou is used to it."
"I suppose so, but their words still stung don't they?" he chuckled, patting the floor beside him, inviting Kou to sit.
The knight accepted his invitation, sliding down the wall until his butt met the ground.
"Hungry?" the stranger queried, he brought out a cold bun from his belt pouch, ripping the bun in half. He offered the other piece to the knight to which he accepted with a bow of gratitude.
"Thank you, what is your name?"
"Kasel. They forgot about me. I should have been released yesterday."
"What did you do?"
He laughed and bit on the bun. "I pissed off the pope!"
…
…
…
Jinx almost flipped the table when he heard what happened but the table was too heavy for him to carry.
"What?! What are we doing? We should rescue Kou now!"
Salem had told them about Kou's imprisonment. Jinx was clearly upset and was expressing it obnoxiously. Karma was hiding his reaction behind his usual bored face.
"Why? I was the one who helped him get captured," Salem replied.
Their dinner consisted of steak, mashed potatoes and green peas and an unlimited supply of milk. All tabs will be paid by the queen. Salem's name was slightly cleaned from his heroic intervention with the viel. People were starting to greet him more despite his crime. Karma was uncomfortable with the treatment they were getting especially because the reason for it was behind bars.
"Why did you do it, master? I thought Kou was part of our group?"
Salem showed no remorse for his actions. "He is where he is needed to be."
The swinging doors of the inn's entrance were shoved violently. A pale as paper and heavily sweating muscle-bound man ran inside. His stomach was as ripe as a pregnant woman in her final days of gestation.
"GET THIS THING OUT OF ME!!!"
Blood dripped down his muscular bare thighs and legs like a waterfall. The people in the directions he reached out to cowered in the corner like ants gathering, climbing to whatever they could climb on and hiding under tables.
"Anastasia!" The inn owner called out from his hiding spot the moment he recognized her. Jinx was peeking from under the table.
"Help me please! This critter is finally coming out!"
"That's a woman?" Jinx questioned in shock.
"For a moment I thought this would be the same as Satbury village," Karma sighed.
Salem stabbed the piece of steak he sliced with his fork. He liked his steak well done. Rare and medium-well just reminded him of the scent of busy days in the field.
"It's not impossible," he commented.
"I do hope that you're not foreshadowing, master," Karma sighed.
They assisted Anastasia to an empty table. Jinx peeked through the gaps of his fingers. Karma kicked Jinx's ass.
"Hey, at least you get to see the real deal now."
Jinx released a shaky breath. "Holy shit that's one big hairy– ow master!"
Women held her hands to tightly grip on. Her husband who was visibly more feminine than her rushed inside and was scolded for being late. Her legs were spread open. A head crowned out from her woman cave. An old maiden firmly yet gently had the head in her palm as the baby slowly rotated. She was sitting down on the stool, her sleeves rolled up and her puffy dress had splatters of blood.
Anastasia screamed and pushed. Her face was red, strong veins popped out from her neck and forehead.
"Take a deep breath and exhale. Don't scream, child!" the old lady instructed. She may sound rude and inconsiderate, knowing that she was in agony, but her screams would only steal the energy she had to give in pushing out.
Snot dribbled out of her nose.
"I can't do it! Please help me! I don't want my baby to die please!"
Her tiny husband grabbed her hand and stared at the midwife pleadingly. "I'm begging you, Miss Bella, we can't lose this baby."
The midwife clucked her tongue. "What do you think I'm doing? Follow what I say and you'll get this child out. Push hard. Push as if your child's life depends on it because it does!"
If Anastasia's face could get any redder, it already did. She bit her lips, breathing in and pushing out the hardest constipation she ever had.
A strong cry erupted from a small creature in old Bella's wrinkled hands. Tears welled up his parents' eyes. Anastasia wept with a wobbly smile as the baby was placed on top of her chest.
Jinx admired the look they gave at the newborn child. He wondered if his parents looked at him the same when he was born.
"He's lucky. The parents look so happy to see him."
Salem placed his empty mug down, staring at the ceiling with a noticeable smile behind his mask. "I'm certain you were given the same look, Jinx."
…
…
…
Kou lurched forward from a scream that was drowned out by a mouthful of liquid. His head was lying on the shoulder of his fellow prisoner who in return had his cheek lying on top of Kou's head.
"Bad dream?" Kasel asked, still sleepy.
"It sounded like someone was calling for help."
Kasel pulled the knight back. "You're off-duty, Kou. You've been thrown into prison. You have no obligation to help anyone in your situation."
Kou wasn't used to sitting still. The werewolf's adrenaline was predominant than his dragon characteristics. Even if he did try to help, that person may want to die more than to accept help from a viel. Kou leaned further against the wall, defeated. Was this the feeling of being relieved from their duties? He never thought he'd retire from being a knight.
"Hey, at least you got to experience being a prisoner. Isn't it fun to be locked up with me?" Kasel nudged him playfully with his shoulder.
Kou slightly beamed and nodded enthusiastically. It was nice hearing Kasel's adventures. He told stories with dramatic body movements. He came from another country to import their products to Canaan. He didn't say how he angered the pope as it was a secret. He would only tell Kou once he was ready to, saying that Kou wouldn't be able to take it.
"Kou should have worked as the king's prisoner rather than being a knight."
Kasel laughed. "I think he would have wanted that more than sending you to danger everyday."
"You think the king would still be friends with Kou even if he's a lazy prisoner?"
Kasel nodded with chuckles escaping his throat. "I'm sure he would, Kou. He'd still love you no matter what."
Kou's eyes latched onto Kasel's yellow ones which were lightly sprinkled with green glitters. Kasel was a very warm person. Kou couldn't help but feel comfortable with his company.
"They keep telling Kou that he's dead but…"
"Do you believe them?"
There was a long pause before Kou swayed his head. "How can I when Kou still feels him alive in here?" he questioned, hitting his chest.
Kasel ruffled his hair, causing Kou's ears to flutter in delight. It was a nice and nostalgic feeling to be petted again. No one dared to because they were afraid.
"If you believe that he's alive, I'll believe it too. I'll invite myself to the club."
Kou's eyes sheathed with a thin layer of wetness. A profound feeling of hope burned inside of him, stronger than ever.
"Kou's king is alive. He'll forever be."