I woke up on the cold wet floor of the dungeon like I have many times before, beaten and bruised, my right arm broken, my left knee won't move. Every time I wake up I ask myself how long it has been. How long has it been since I saw the light, a kind face, a warm smile.
I slowly sat up feeling the tiredness and hunger run through my body, the throat dry as bone, blindness taking over my vision.
And soon the sound of footsteps I heard so many times before stomped down those stone stairs with only a single candle showing them a path.
Yet there was an extra pair of steps and a voice.
“Let me go!” A very healthy man yelled echoing throughout the chamber. “You got it wrong. I didn’t commit treason! I helped finalize the Treaty of Eldorn!”
Yet they did not listen, no expressions came off their face as usual.
And they threw him in the dungeon next to me, and left him as he yelled and screamed that he did no wrong.
Days passed, the screams turned into cries for help, then soon a cry of pain and sorrow, and soon he stayed silent.
I took this chance to talk to him in this quiet environment. “Kid” I spoked in an ungodly raspy breath. “Kid, you alive?”
“Who is there?” He yelled out. “You came to rescue me! Thank you, thank you.”
“Shut up kid! Cough cough.” I hollered which led to me coughing up blood. “No one is going to rescue you.”
“Why not? I'm from the Conerath house. I'm a noble, they can’t hold me here!” He declared with pride. “If I die , at least let me die with dignity.”
“There is no dignity in death moron!” I told him “Death is ugly. And that's the truth, don’t like the answer, then die with idiocy and doubt.”
“What are you here for?” He asked.
“Same as you. I pissed off the king, so he cut me out.”
“I did not-” “How did you make the king angry, may I ask?” He said in a very stern tone.
“It’s a long story, kid. Short version. It was the third day of Castern year forty nine twenty eight. The whole front was low on everything, guns, ammo, clothes, food. You name it.” “Cough, Cough” “The war has made its 12th year and still no end in sight. Millions dead. And the other side is looking more and more appealing with their guns aimed at our heads. And their stable supply of food.
There were 6 deaths per day by starvation, every 4 square miles of the front line. Which means over 1,200 deaths a day.
Every week I send a proposal or a warning to the supreme army commander to help end the war or the war will soon be lost if we don’t get anything done. Yet nothing was accepted.
So I took it into my own hands. I carefully planned and acted over a period of months, and finally gained contact with the leader of the enemy's army. I sent a letter stating that we will abandon the southern front and if confronted with your army our troops that have been informed will immediately surrender. All I ask of you if I am doing this is to treat our citizens, and soldiers kindly.
Soon a month passed and I got a reply and immediately demanded the retreat or surrender of the pursuing Caligithian army.
And the plan worked. It forced corrupt politicians to do something, the reserve army failed to reach the major industrial city of Conigrath in time to defend it. Which forced our country onto the negotiation table.
Three days later I found myself here, in this cell, with no man to talk to, no sun, no stars, food, clothes, nothing.”
After i finished my story i started a huge coughing fit.
“I don’t have much time left.”I Told him. “I hope i may meet you in person in the afterlife, if there is one”
Yet no answer came but a very loud snore, and Quickly and suddenly my mind quickly faded away with overwhelming sadness with some happiness.
In the end, I hoped for was to see my old man's ugly face again.
