Brian's Adventures Ch. 03

Chapter Three: Changing Fortunes

I awoke the next morning with the sun beaming in my face and my body a little sore from sleeping on straw. As I rubbed my eyes, the clinking of the chains reminded me of where I was and the mess I was in. I looked around and found that the cell had not changed. I knew full well that morning that it was not all a terrible dream. I truly was in this strange place that I knew little about and yet had been drawn to. Already I knew that it was far different than any place I had seen. I mean, to have female guards was a strange and unheard of thing anywhere I had been, a rarity of extreme measure. I had not even heard of such a thing being done even in the darkest, most desperate of times. In this place I had not seen a male guard once. Come to think of it I had not seen any men at all yet, another strange oddity of this place called Tania.

I stood up and looked out the door and when I saw female guards again I thought that Jealile and Yeoline were still out there.

"Good morning ladies." I said with a chipper tone and a smile on my face as I remembered the night before.

"Good Afternoon." Came a monotone chorus of two strange female voices in reply. I watched as the guards took a brief glance into the room and otherwise paid me no mind.

"He's up. Fetch the healer." One guard said to someone I couldn't see and I heard the scurrying of feet disappearing.

Moments later I heard a group of people returning and moments after that the door opened up and three people entered the room. Herulia the healer, Shelea her assistant and one of the Guards all entered the room.

The Guard stood at attention by the door and seemed to look past me. She had a stern look about her and seemed to look through me, keeping an ever-watchful eye on everything in the room at once. She had a beautiful face and long black hair pulled back in a single braid. She wore the same uniform of armor that Jealile and Yeoline had worn. Her slender limbs sticking out of that armor made it clear that she too was in fine shape, as one would expect of a guard.

Herulia stood in the centre of the room and I rose to greet her as one would if any lady entered the room. Shelea flashed me a smile quietly from her place beside and behind Herulia but otherwise remained quiet. Herulia didn't say anything for the moment as she examined me. I finally got the chance to examine her; the last time we met I was still not all together.

Herulia was a pleasant looking older woman and carried a bit of extra weight around with her, as one would expect of a woman her age. All in all I would say that she was a well-rounded woman or pleasantly plump, but not excessively overweight by any means. Her silver hair was cut short and did not pass her shoulders. Her breasts were in proportion to her plump body and did droop a little bit. All in all she was a pleasant woman to look at and her face did know how to smile although up until now she was all business.

"How do you feel today?" Herulia asked with the barest hint of a smile, but sounding genuinely interested in what I had to say.

"Better ma'm. It is amazing what a good meal and a decent night's rest can do." I replied with a smile of my own, trying to be pleasant.

"I see the guards last night took good care of you." Herulia asked with just the hint of a raised eyebrow. I got the impression that she knew something about what had happened last night, but for the moment she said nothing.

"Yes they did. They took pity on me I guess and decided to clean me up a bit." I replied pleasantly, ignoring the inference of Herulia's comment.

"Is that all?" Herulia added with a more pronounced lifted eyebrow and a look that demanded that I 'come clean'.

"Yes of course that's all! I was still quite scruffy looking if you remember and I felt dreadfully awful with all that muck on me. They were kind enough, or were sick of looking at the scruffy man in the cell and cleaned me up and gave me these clothes." I replied in an innocent tone but sounding a little perturbed. I was not about to get Jealile and Yeoline in trouble, if I could help it. After all I liked those ladies and as strange as it seamed they almost seemed like friends to me, and you protect your friends.

"I see." Herulia sighed with an unimpressed look and then continued. "Well, in any event you seemed to have made an impression on them. It just strikes me as odd that they would come to your defense so strongly, so quickly if nothing happened."

"I don't know what to tell you." I shrugged.

"Well they're not the only ones that feel you are sincere about your claim not to pose a threat to us." Herulia said and glanced obviously over her shoulder to Shelea. Shelea blushed and looked away not able to look Herulia or me in the eye. "I for one don't know what to make of you though for your sake it would be so much easier if you were just one of our sailors who washed ashore. That's why I'm here, to find out the truth about you." Herulia finished and stepped closer to take a better look at me.

"I don't know what to do to make you see that I am what I say I am: a man washed upon your shores. I don't want anything but your mercy and the chance to prove myself." I said and looked her in the eyes with the most sincere look I could muster.

"I take it that by now you know that you are to be executed in a few days." Herulia said plainly.

"I do." I replied swallowing hard.

"Normally you would have been executed already. Until now all of our invaders have been easier to spot. Never before has one so familiar in appearance and tongue arrived. I must say that I wish to believe you, as I am curious about this England of yours. However, you must understand that the safety of Tania must come first!" Herulia finished with conviction, she made a fist and struck the air.

"I do understand. I do not wish you or your people any harm. If the people I have met so far is any indication then you are a friendly people, a little untrusting of strangers but nice all the same." I said as politely as possible with a warm smile.

"We have our reasons to be weary of outsiders." Herulia said still looking at me with a discerning look.

"I may be an Outsider but that does not mean that I am a Destroyer!" I said with a little frustration and the mildest of outrage. "I have done nothing to you or your people and yet I have been treated like a criminal." I finished in a more subdued tone but also with a tone of disgust.

"You seem to know more about us than I thought." Herulia said with a slightly raised eyebrow yet keeping the suspicious look on her face and tone in her voice.

"I am curious to know all I can about Tania and it's people." I replied with a friendly tone and inquisitive smile, hoping that she would warm up to me.

"I'll bet you would like to know all about us wouldn't you." Herulia smiled with an expectant smile.

"Yes I would." I replied honestly and for the moment I thought I was getting somewhere with Herulia.

"I bet you would love to know all sorts of things about us before your army arrives!" Herulia snarled with a growl of distain and disgust, like you would look on your enemy or a traitor.

"What?" I replied shocked and frustrated. "No! I am just a sailor who washed up on your shores and is in need of your mercy, I am no scout or spy!" I replied and affirmed assuredly.

"That may be Brian, but if the safety of your homeland was at stake, would you not kill someone to secure the safety of your people?" Herulia asked with an expectant, yet stern look about her. "Yes, of course." I replied with a more civilized tone. "But only if it was absolutely necessary, if they proved themselves to be a danger." I finished with a firm and otherwise pleasant tone.

"You may be right, you may just be a sailor who washed up on our shores either by accident or divine providence." Herulia relented with a plain tone. "What's one death when weighed against the lives of everyone in Tania?" Herulia said with a raised eyebrow and left that question to dangle in the air as she left.

Shelea looked at me as if she wanted to say something and her mouth opened up to speak, but in the end she said nothing. Instead she placed my meal on the floor near where I could get it and hurried out the door, to catch up to Herulia.

I sat and ate my meal wondering what I could do to get Herulia on my side? How could I get someone who had no trouble with killing me on the off chance that I may be trouble to see that I was a good man, a life worth sparing? I was trying to make friends with her and she saw me as something bothersome, some kind of trouble. She saw me like a dog that has bitten once and may bite again; kill the beast and be done with it or it may trouble you in the future I could hear her saying.

As I sat there pondering all of the strange events since I arrived on this island I was left with more questions than answers. For the rest of the day, other than the arrival of food by people I did not know, I was left alone. I stayed up late into the night hoping and waiting for Jealile or Yeoline to arrive to guard me but they did not. I was left with another pair of guards that did not pay me any mind and I fell asleep feeling quite alone. The two days that followed were much the same and I felt like I had been left to rot in this damn place and my spirit sunk. I have never felt so alone and forgotten in all my life. However, late in the day after that a cloaked figure came in to deliver the evening meal. I was wondering exactly what was going on and before I could question this person I saw inside the hood of the cloak and recognized the smiling, teary-eyed face.

"I had to see you Brian." Jealile said quietly as she looked into my eyes with a loving expression.

"I haven't seen anyone for days, how did you get in here? What's going on?" I quietly said as she knelt down by me placing the tray on the floor before me. I started to slowly eat my meal to give Jealile the excuse of waiting for me to finish eating as a reason for her remaining with me.

"Yeoline and I haven't been allowed near you. My superiors believe that we are too emotionally attached to you to be objective." Jealile said with a saddened expression before continuing. "I guess they're right." Jealile said looking troubled and looked away, distracted by her own thoughts for a moment. "I wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten you." She said brushing her hand on my cheek tenderly and smiled lovingly at me.

"I never doubted you would do your best or that you would remember me." I said between mouthfuls as I brushed my hand on her cheek and she closed her eyes and held my hand to her face. I swallowed and pulled her to me for a brief kiss that lingered dangerously too long. As her lips touched mine I felt complete; passion welled up inside me. Clearly I felt stronger for her than anyone I had ever known and it had started one brief night that I would not forget.

"I've talked to the healer but she isn't convinced as to your innocence, she thinks you're telling stories and should be killed 'to be safe'" Jealile said sounding slightly dejected as she broke the kiss. Both of our hearts were racing and our breath quick as we looked in each other's eyes.

"I know, she talked to me already. Naturally I didn't tell anyone about us." I said with a smile before taking a mouthful of my meal.

"I know, I heard. It was then that I was truly convinced about you myself." Jealile said with a serious, yet piercing look. "Thank you for protecting me when you didn't have to. You could have turned me in to gain favor but you didn't. I know now that you can be trusted . . . that I love you." Jealile said softly and I was caught off guard and for a moment I was speechless as the weight of her admission hit me.

"I don't know how or why but I love you too Jealile." I said after a moment with a tear in my eye. "We know almost nothing about each other but one thing I do know is that I haven't felt like this about anyone else before." Jealile looked in my eyes and her expression melted into one of love and tears rolled down her cheek as she smiled broadly.

"It's crazy I know." Jealile said shaking her head. "I haven't stopped thinking about you." She said fighting her emotions from overwhelming her as she looked down for a moment. When she looked back up her expression was the same steely, determined glare I had seen on her face before and I knew she meant business. "No harm will come to you Brian Westlock, I swear it!" She looked me dead in the eye and said. "I will get you out of here one way or another!" She finished looking me in the eye and her face melted into a tender, pleading look of a child. "We will be together won't we?" She asked with a fearful look, almost afraid of the answer.

"Of course luv I'll marry you . . . if . . . you'll have me that is." I replied softly.

"Oh I'll marry you Brian, Yes!" She said with a delightful grin and tear filled eyes.

"Than it's settled, as soon as I get out of here we'll be married!" I said confidently and almost too loudly.

"If only it were that simple." Jealile chuckled but looked back at the door and then at me. "I should go, I've been here too long." Jealile said and then gave me a quick peck on the lips before quickly departing with the tray of empty dishes.

I was confused by her last comment but took solace in the fact that she had not forgotten me. At least one person knew I was in here and cared if I lived or died, that was just what I needed to know. I could hardly sleep that night as I realized that she loved me as much as I loved her but yet I knew almost nothing about her. I feared for my sanity but at the time that was the least of my worries. I was more worried about my hide to be sure!

I awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and energized, confident in the fact that somehow I would get out of this mess. Shortly after I had finished my morning meal I had another odd visitor, this time a man. I heard footsteps approaching the cell and when they neared I heard the guards snap to attention. The door opened and two other guards entered the room and took up positions on either side of the door. They were dressed in finer armor and clothing, also they bore fancier swords.

The man that followed them entered the room and stood in the middle and looked me over for a moment. He was tall with dark hair and hazel eyes. His slender build and fine features added to his handsome looks. He wore fine clothes and everything about him looked to be clean and crisp. I could tell instantly that he was someone important and I wondered why he came to see me.

I stood and kept my gaze down as I guessed he was the local Lord or someone similar and didn't want to offend him. I wanted to mind my manors around him after Herulia's reaction. I got the impression that if he didn't like me I was a dead man. The last man to have this kind of power over me was Captain Blackstone, but he was easy to deal with. I mean with the Captain, I knew what he wanted: work and obedience; all I had to do was do what I was told when I was told. With these people though I still didn't know what they wanted me to do other then die. I knew that if they had no use for me, I was a liability and easily disposed of at that. "Good morning Mr. Westlock I trust you slept well. Are you enjoying your stay?" He said with obvious breeding that reflected his obvious noble stature.

"Yes Milord, your people take good care of me." I said looking into his face only briefly, minding my manners.

"You have straw for your bed and you are chained to a wall in a dismal cell. I hate to see what you would consider poor treatment." He said with a hint of humor in his voice and a smirk on his face finishing with a chuckle.

"Well sir, I just figured that there was some concern of security and so forth. Otherwise I have been well treated Milord." I said and again did not look him in the face.

It was then that he fell silent while he looked intently but sideways at me, pacing back and forth for a moment. I kept my thoughts to myself and waited, wondering what he was thinking. I hoped that he had a brighter view of me and did not see me as Herulia did. I thought over everything I had learned about these people and tried to figure out how I could impress him, what I could do to win his favor. It was a moment or two later when he stopped pacing and spoke again, giving me an idea as to what he had been thinking.

"Guard." He said without looking away from me. One of the guards from outside my cell hurried into the room and stood at attention beside my mysterious, noble visitor.

"Yes sir." She said with her eyes forward, not looking at him or me directly.

"Is this how you would treat a guest in your home?" He said turning to the guard indicating me with one hand.

"Well, no sir." The female guard said.

"Exactly!" He snapped. "Unchain him." He ordered, pointing at me.

Without a moments hesitation but a shocked look on her face the guard moved towards me. Exactly in sync the two escorts of my noble visitor drew their swords and took an aggressive stance and looked at me unwaveringly. In a moment I was free of the chains and I rubbed my wrists while looking at everyone in the room but did not move from my spot. The female guard stepped away from me but looked at me while placing her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Thank you sir." I said and bowed a shallow bow of gratitude.

Again there was a pause as the nobleman looked me over and I kept to myself for the moment. Once again I kept to myself and thought things over, hoping that he would show kindness and mercy to me. This time however, I had three women watching my every move with swords at hand and deadly intentions in their hearts. I could see in their eyes they were looking for an excuse to kill me, any hint of a reason to do me ill. I stood there looking meek and mild, waiting for the man who stood before me to speak once more.

"Does he look like a threat to you?" The nobleman said over his shoulder to the guards with him. They slowly put their swords away but kept their hands tightly on the hilts of their swords and glared a silent warning at me. "I am Director Lochel Teroncia and you will be my guest until this matter is resolved. Walk with me won't you." He said with an inviting smile and indicated the door.

I looked at the guards in the room and then left the cell for the first time since I awoke in this place. I stood outside and waited for him and his escorts. At his cue we walked side by side down the maze of passageways with his escorts and my guards in tow. It was a little ways before he spoke again.

"Tell me about yourself Mr. Westlock." Director Lochel asked again not looking at me.

"Well sir, I was born in a place called England; more specifically in the country. I was born on a farm and farmed my entire life sir. My father was a farmer and his before his and so on and so on." I started out and paused to gauge his reaction.

"How did a farmer from England end up here?" Director Lochel inquired, looking at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Well sir, I wanted more out of life than simply farm the land until I died. I wanted more, so I moved to nearest port city to find work and make my own path in life as it were." I paused to look at him and he nodded his understanding. "Well I was working on the docks for a spell and things were going fine until I met a lady." I said and paused, not sure how to tell him about Greta after all it was rather embarrassing.

"They can be delightful but they can be trouble as well. I also know this all too well. We have at least one thing in common Mr. Westlock." Director Lochel laughed knowingly, shaking his head.

"Brian sir, you can call me Brian if you like sir." I corrected politely.