All the best to everyone! I recently finished working on a “story”. First attempt to write something more or less extensive. Five chapters. To be honest, I’m not very happy with the last chapters, apparently by the time I wrote them I was already tired or “ideologically exhausted”. In general, here it is:
1
The room was small but cozy. But this is not the same homely comfort – everything in the room seemed to be saturated with something viscous, viscous. Even the light flowed somehow slowly. All this looked like a web that laziness had woven: once you got into this web, you began to “creep away”, your eyes closed on their own, and drowsiness enveloped you – like a cocoon in which a spider wraps its victims. This whole atmosphere was created by the Head of the Northern District Guard – the owner of this room. True, this time, two victims were caught in his web, who did not seem to react to the atmosphere around them.
– What does “don’t look” mean??!
– And that’s what it means, Mister Guardsman. We have other things to do.
– Affairs? Other matters?! What the hell are you doing. Women are being murdered in your district, and you’re not even going to look for the killer?
The head of the guard folded his hands on his immense belly and yawned slowly, looking at the ceiling. Having considered the words of one of the guards, whom “our beloved king” sent to check the districts, the guard smiled and shook his head (even this gesture of denial came out somehow slowly for him; probably, his third chin prevented him from making this movement faster), as if refusing to accept what this “pompous knight” was saying.
– Nooo, Mister Guardsman. They kill not women, but prostitutes. Do you care about prostitutes?? I don’t. And we, the guards, already busy people, serve the king with sweat and blood.
“I don’t know about the blood, but you, with your build, are probably sweating even when you reach for the glass of water standing on your table. You have water there?" – thought Steve.
“We, gentlemen, are hard-working people, we serve faithfully, we are on duty, we are not distracted by all sorts of trifles, such as the death of a prostitute or “district checks.”.
The last sentence was clearly intended to insult the two Royal Guards.
“Watch the language of the hog,” the second knight finally entered into dialogue. “Do you at least understand who you’re talking to?”? We are the wind..
“I don’t care, gentlemen, guardsmen, where you served, what veterans you are and, in general, what you want from me.”. You’re interfering with my work, let’s end this conversation, it’s tired me.
Alen clenched his fists, but looking into his eyes, which said, “Don’t, buddy, don’t break wood,” he relaxed and said through his teeth
-Well, okay, "Mr. Guard", wait for the consequences.
Having said this, both “inspectors” turned around and went to the exit. Leaving the room, the whole atmosphere of laziness dissipated, which pleased the guards, as butterflies probably rejoice after escaping from the clutches of a spider.
The head of the guards of the northern society looked at the door for another three minutes, then, leaning back in his soft chair, dozed off.
2
“Hog,” Alen muttered.
– Get used to it, a lot has changed since you left. You were gone for five years, during which time the city managed to rot.
– I had to leave. I couldn’t be here! Since Lauren died… I hate this town. Even then he began to rot.
– Sorry friend, I didn’t mean to remind you… I just wanted to say that this attitude is everywhere now. And this freak really looks like a hog. I envy him: you sit, do nothing, receive a salary, get fat..
“Yeah, it’s not life, it’s just a fairy tale,” Alen laughed. “Well, okay.”. Let’s think better about what we will do next.
– Further? Do you want to take this case??
“We’ve been on inspection for three days now and they don’t want to do anything as expected, so yes, I want to do at least something,” Alen took his comrade by the shoulder. – This city may have gone bad, but I haven’t. And I hope you do too. Let’s remember the old days. Who else if not us??
– Oh my god, a knight in shining armor! – Steve laughed loudly, but, catching Alain’s gaze, made a serious face. – OK! But where to start?
“I’m thinking of visiting the brothel,” Alain said thoughtfully. Apparently his friend mistook “thoughtfulness” for “daydreaming”
– Oooh friend..
– No! I just want to talk to the brothel mom, maybe she can say something.
“Well, well,” Steve said smiling. He looked like a cat who had already done some mischief, but only he knew about it. – I envy you… the brothel… okay, I’ll go with a report to the authorities, we need to inform you that we are taking this matter upon ourselves. Then I’ll ask around on the streets, maybe someone saw something.
3
Before going to the brothel, Alen decided to drop by his home. The room in which he lived was furnished simply, without frills, but this suited the man who had been traveling for about five years. But, no matter what, Alain could not call this place “home”. He probably couldn’t say that about any place. He simply couldn’t: Alain lost his real home with the death of his wife Lauren. He lost it the moment he walked through the open door and found his wife on the floor among scattered things in a pool of blood. Killed. Robbery. They said it was a robbery, but after the criminal stabbed Lauren, he apparently got scared and ran away without taking anything. Alain didn’t care whether it was robbery or not, he just wanted justice… or revenge. But Alain was not given the opportunity to take revenge, he was suspended from business for that period of time. The only consolation was that his friend Steve vowed to find the killer. He did it. However, during an attempt to arrest, the suspect resisted and had to be killed. Perhaps if Alain had looked into the eyes of the killer or ended his life himself, it would have been easier for him. Alain could not stay in this city and so he decided to leave. At first he wanted to just run away, but Steve stopped him. The partner suggested that Alain should not just leave, but “go on long watch” – that was the name of the inspection of the western provinces. The western borders were very far from the capital, therefore, this was a great way to “escape” without losing your job and rank. Alain didn’t see the point in this, but agreed. And so, five years later he returned and entered the service again, but for some reason he was already beginning to regret it.
Alain threw off the cloak that the Guardsmen are forced to wear and fell heavily onto the tightly made bed.
– God, I’m too old for this… everything. Although, you yourself decided to do this business, no one forced you. You could be like the rest of the inhabitants of this city..
After lying there for five minutes, he got up and ate a piece of dried bread and water. Approaching the fragments of the mirror that once hung here, he smoothed his disheveled graying hair. He looked at his haggard face. Alain’s bags under his eyes haven’t gone away for a long time. “Chronic lack of sleep” – this is the diagnosis he made for himself.
“Well, let’s go to the brothel,” said the guardsman, sighing.
1
When the big man standing guard opened the door, Alena was hit by a wave of heat. The brothel smelled of booze, sweat, perfume, and something else that Alain privately called “the smell of human lust.”. Having gone inside, the guardsman quickly, with his head down, went to the counter with the administrator, trying not to look around: in such places you can meet anyone, even a member of the council, and meeting such a person in such a place is a bad omen. And besides, Alain didn’t want to watch how lustful bastards grope prostitutes.
— Rent a room or stay in the halls? Do you want to see lists of girls?? Or maybe you’re not interested in girls? Maybe you are interested in special. services? – the girl standing behind the counter didn’t even look up at Alain. It was clear from her tone that she had said this phrase many times. She hated this phrase, but apparently she has no other way to make money. You can, of course, join the other girls in the brothel and their work. But such an alternative would not suit anyone. And besides, who knows, maybe this girl is also one of the courtesans, only of a higher rank, and that’s why she was allowed behind the counter.
– No! – Alain answered harshly. – I’m here on business. I need to see your "mom".
“It’s all about business,” the girl behind the counter said ironically. She raised her eyes and squinted at the guardsman. – What business did you come for, if not for the same reason as the rest of the cab… visitors??
“On the case of the murders of girls in this area,” the knight answered dryly.
The girl’s eyes opened in surprise, and then went up
– Thank the gods! Well, at least someone in this fucking city is trying to do something! DORY.
A little girl with a boyish haircut came running in response to the scream. She was dressed in rags, but it was immediately clear from her face that she was still a girl.
– Yes madam? – the girl said in a submissive voice.
— Dory! Take this gentleman to our “mother’s” office. And don’t try to… distract him. I know you little bitch.
“Okay madam,” Dory made an inept curtsey, which rather served as a gesture of some kind of mockery. – Follow me, sir.
Alain went after the girl. “God, how old is she?!", with these thoughts, he looked at the back of his guide. "Damn, if anyone sees me? They will think that I’m not going with this girl on business… not on the business I’m going on. God!». Alain looked away. Walking past the stairs, he looked at the row of “free” girls. He glanced at them and turned away. But something in his brain made him turn back. One girl with blue eyes and golden hair caught his attention. "Where did I see you?».
– This way, sir! – Dory pointed a thin finger at the door behind which was the room of the head of the brothel. “When you’re done, I’m at your disposal,” the girl leaned close to Alain and made a movement that took his breath away. Then she pulled back and made a more beautiful and graceful curtsey and ran away with a childish giggle. The knight looked with horror at the back of this creature, and then, shaking his head, turned to the door and knocked on it.
2
– Yes, a couple of these girls were mine. Sorry, very sorry. One of them, if I’m not mistaken, was the favorite of one high-ranking visitor to our establishment. Too bad he’ll be upset. Well, never mind, we will find a way to satisfy his needs – having said this, Madame Sylvia winked at her guest.
The room Alen came into was very well maintained: no cobwebs, no dust. On the walls hung red velvet tapestries and paintings of naked men and women. Oddly enough, the room, unlike the rest of the building, did not smell of alcohol and sweat, but the other two were more dominant.
“Let’s not deviate from the topic,” Alain awkwardly adjusted himself in the huge chair in which he was offered to sit. – Your girls should have… well… guards assigned to them?
– Oh yes! It used to be like this! But one day, one elderly gentleman announced that “I can’t do anything because someone was constantly spying on us.”. Well, I think “nothing worked out for him” because of his old age, but still. It is important for us to please our clients – Sylvia walked past the guest, as if by chance touching his shoulder with her hand, and stood behind him – therefore, we began to ask permission to accompany. Naturally, everyone refused, so we even stopped asking. Everything, for the sake of your clients – the last phrase “maman” was already spoken into the guardsman’s ear.
It was a woman, about 45 years old, with round rosy cheeks. Her black hair was tied into a bun at the back of her head to emphasize that in this house, she was an official figure. There was a certain grace felt in her every movement, something fleeting. Something… seductive. No matter what, this person did not distract Alain from his thought processes. Normally, he would be thinking about work, but today there was something wrong with him. “Where did I see this girl??». The beauty with blue eyes completely captured his thoughts.
-You are not listening to me? – Sylvia asked in an offended voice.
-No, no, what are you! – Alain woke up.- So. What about registering visitors?? You should keep some records?
– We are the house of love, not the administration, my dear. There is no need to distract our valued guests. There was a case..
Alain was lost in thought again. "How do I know you??». He no longer listened to what this woman said, and did not react to her attempts to seduce him. Now he was only interested in one thing: “Who is she?”?».
3
Leaving the room, Alain was afraid of only one thing – that Dory might be waiting for him. Not seeing her, he breathed a sigh of relief. Where is she now, he didn’t dare think – he needed to take care of his nerves. The conversation that took place turned out to be useless, and Alain just wanted to get out of this place as quickly as possible. But there is one more unresolved question.
She was still standing by the stairs. "I have to understand".
– Do you want to have fun?? Or just..
Alain realized where he knew this girl from. Her face appeared in his memory. He knew her long before he left the city, before the love of his life died, when he was happy..
4
Uncle Alain! – a girl with blue eyes ran up to the man who entered the house.
Susie! – the guardsman threw his cloak aside and picked up the girl in his arms. – How did you grow up?!
“Look at the braids my mom and Aunt Lauren braided for me.” The girl grabbed the golden braids. One of them had already become disheveled, which made the girl upset.
— Hi Kia!
Sitting at the table were two women of indescribable beauty: Kia, Susie’s mother, and Lauren, as Alain hoped, the future mother of his child. They could be mistaken for sisters, they were so similar in their movements and laughter, but no, they were just best friends since childhood.
“Hello Alen,” the friends said in one voice
-Sit down to dinner with us.
– Wow, I would love to!
— Tired at work, my love? – Lauren asked in a concerned tone. She always worried about Alain with his hard work.
– A little. Don’t worry.
-Will you play with me?? In knights and princesses! It’s like I was kidnapped and imprisoned in a tower, and you come and save me! Well, please, Uncle Alain!
— Suzana! Uncle said he was tired! – Kia said sternly. Alen immediately remembered his mother – she spoke in exactly the same tone when her son played pranks.
– It’s OK! Of course I’ll play with you Susie!
5
– Do you want to https://klashx-casino.co.uk/ have fun?? Or just… Uncle Alain?!
– God! Suzana! – She rushed into his arms. – What! What are you doing here! Why?!
“Uncle Alain, I’m so… I’m so,” she swallowed tears and shuddered, “I need you so much.”
– Hey! – the guard roughly pushed Alain away from the girl. – Bastard! I didn’t see you paying! If you want to paw, pay.
Alen looked in bewilderment for another half a minute, either at the guard or at Susie, who lowered her eyes and sniffled. Then he turned around and walked towards the counter.
“Her,” he pointed his finger at his friend. He didn’t want to say anything more. And I couldn’t.
– How much do you charge?? – the same young lady behind the counter asked with contempt. She simply glared at the guardsman and one could understand her. First, this… knight comes and declares that he is investigating a murder case, and now… now, like everyone else, he picks up whores.
– For a long time – Alain threw all the money that he had with him – and the room.
6
She talked a lot. She talked about how she missed him, how she and her mother grieved for Lauren, and then were sad because Alain disappeared. How Kia died a few months later and Suzanne was left with her father. How a father became an alcoholic and eventually sold his daughter to a brothel. She spoke for a long time, remembering the old days. Alain mostly listened and looked at the face from the past. “How much she looks like her mother”. He couldn’t believe that the Susana he knew had suffered such a fate. Unexpectedly, the girl pressed her lips to the man she once called uncle. Alain recoiled from Susan in horror. It’s an awkward moment. But it ended quickly: Alain saw bruises on his shoulder, which was exposed due to the girl’s movements. He immediately asked a question about these beatings and then the girl spoke again. She said that the guards beat girls for any duty, and some visitors like to do this. She told me about all the horrors that were happening in the brothel, about all the cruelty of Madame Sylvia. About the fact that only one thing is important to her – to please her clients. Alain’s hair stood on end from all these stories. He felt so sorry for this girl. No, not a girl, but a woman. She continued to talk, and he realized that Susie reminded him so much not of her mother, but of Lauren. And Susana went on and on and on. When she finished, Alain hugged her and pulled her close. And he couldn’t resist her when she pressed her lips to his again, and his hands untied the ties on his jacket. He couldn’t resist her because she looked so much like Lauren.
7
She snored peacefully on his shoulder, and he thought of only one thing: he couldn’t leave her here. She is what’s left of his past life. She is the only thing left in this city from its past. She became the one, even despite the fact that the imprint of this city remained on her, on her life. And because of this, Alain wanted to protect her even more. He wanted her to be next to him. While she was silent, he thought. I thought about what to do, how to get her out. He didn’t have a ready-made plan, but ideas kept popping up in his imagination. Then he told her everything. Now he spoke for a long time, and Susana, with wide open eyes, listened. When she laughed, Alain was afraid that she was amused by everything he said, that she did not want to run away with him and considered him a stupid old man. It turned out that she just remembered how a long time ago they played “knights and princesses”, and now it’s not a game at all. They spoke. They thought. And then they ran out of time.
8
He hated this place. He looked at the visitors with hatred because they looked at him as if they were one of their own. Madame Sylvia herself was standing behind the counter. She folded her arms over her chest and smiled at Alain. He hated her. Already closer to the exit, he turned around and looked at the room from which he had recently left. She stood at the door. She looked after him. Susana is the light that Alen began to see in this dark kingdom. "Now, maybe you shouldn’t call me Uncle Alain? – I will call you whatever you want… we will meet again? – Certainly. And then… and then, I’ll get you out of here.”. He was walking backwards, looking at Susan, and that’s why he bumped into someone. Alain was on edge, so he was about to turn around and break this man’s jaw, but when he turned around, he saw Steve.
“Well, you’ve been working for a long time,” Steve looked at Susana, still standing in place. – Hmm, I envy your work! – he laughed and patted his friend on the shoulder – You always get the beauties!
Now Alain hated his partner too.
– Okay, let’s go, along the way you’ll tell me what you “found out”. By the way, I already have a couple of clues – I asked around on the streets. One drunkard told me..
Alain did not listen to his partner. He just couldn’t. He just wanted to leave. He hated this place, its visitors, its owner. He hated this place… and he was going to burn it down.
1
Robin ordered a beer and began to listen to what the regulars were gossiping about in the tavern. Mostly, these drunkards chatter no better than the most tongue-tied gossips, but sometimes interesting or useful information slips off their tongues. Yesterday Robin listened for an hour about how, finally, in the city, north of this village, for the first time in many years, justice triumphed: two guards or guards or someone else caught a maniac who was terrorizing local prostitutes. And the maniac turned out to be the butcher’s son, the fool Jackie. This guy has had problems with his head since childhood. His dad, a good man by the way, as one of the drunkards noted, decided to accustom his child to the family business, so he taught him how to gut animals. He taught me how to teach, but I forgot to tell you how to cut only pigs and cows. So our Jackie went to disembowel the whores. Why – no one knows. But that was yesterday, today a much more pressing conversation was in full swing – a fire in the city. They say that one residential building burned down (no one lived in the house for a long time due to the fact that an opium smoking den was set up in the basement), a warehouse with some important things and a brothel with some of its inhabitants. They don’t say how the fire started, but it’s already clear: either someone decided to spoil the blood of the top people and therefore set fire to their warehouse, or a jealous wife who didn’t like her husband’s trips to the priestesses of love, or opiate addicts completely smoked and got burned. When everyone began to support the first option, because the king and his retinue had completely lost their conscience, the innkeeper looked at Robin with a questioning eyebrow raised. When Robin realized what the tavern owner meant by this, he shook his head and finished his glass of beer. Everyone he was waiting for has already arrived. It’s time for the last meeting. All the extra people were almost kicked out of the tavern. The gossips left the tavern with curses, but did not resist, they long ago realized what kind of forces began to gather in this place.
– So. Today we will do it. I hope we have everything ready? – Robin said, looking around at all the leaders of the uprising present.
2
– What is it??! – asked Robert Beast – What does this writing mean?? If you could read Bobby, I would give you this letter and you would be outraged too! – Bobby didn’t even turn to his brother, continuing to stuff a chicken leg into his mouth. – This is outrageous! How dare you demand anything from me?! This is my land, here only I can claim! – Beast shouted and kicked his feet a couple of times. His behavior was reminiscent of a little spoiled boy whose strict parents took away his favorite toy. In fact, everything was more or less like this, only the boy recently turned 50.
Beast Brothers. Milwaukee Village Stewards. More precisely, the manager – Robert was in charge of everything. Robert was a tyrant, greedy for money. As for money, he was just greedy. He took almost everything they earned from the peasants, and the taxes they had to pay were the highest in the kingdom. Everything was taken from the peasants: money, gold, livestock, crops, and then all this was hidden in Robert’s hiding places. Everything except food belonged to Bobby. Bobby Beast is a giant. When Robin first saw him, he remembered his father taking him to the fair as a child. There was a tent with a bearded woman, conjoined twins, dwarfs and the bubble man – a fat guy who moved with great difficulty. So Bobby was bigger. When visiting, his brother often called him down, but in fact he loved him very much. This is probably why all the supplies from the village went straight to the owner’s kitchen. During reconnaissance, one of the maids of the house said that in fact, Mr. Bobby was three hundred times better than his brother, but Robert did not even give his brother a word, gagging him with food. And Bobby is just happy.
– This, my lord, is a message. A final warning if you will. – Rick said in his snake voice.
Rick was just as much a spy as Robin. They were both sent to sow confusion, to start an uprising in the domains of King Codrik, so that Queen Ilisa could then seize power and expand her territories without much resistance. Robin would have been happy to work alone, but the queen herself sent Rick to help him. "He has certain… talents. He gains people’s trust, this may be useful to you.”. It’s amazing how this vile guy, who aroused hostility in Robin, ingratiated himself into people’s trust. It clearly sounded in my head “don’t warm this snake up on your chest Robin.”. But nothing can be done – an order is an order.
The Beast brothers and their possession of Milwaukee were ideal for the beginning of the plan: a discontented population, cruel rulers (ruler) and very close to the main goal – the northern capital. All you had to do was find a couple of people, bribe another couple and it was done.
– Warning? Warning! What kind of nonsense are you talking about?! You are in my possession! You are mine! I’ll show you how to communicate with me! Guard! Guards, grab them! And to the dungeon! And take all the things that are with them into storage, then I will see what was with them!
Robin smiled, which made Robert tense, but the sounds his partner made scared the owner much more – Rick hissed. In fact, Rick didn’t hiss, he just laughed without opening his teeth and the air whistled out of his lungs, turning into a hiss. “Is he really doing this on purpose?? Is he really a snake??" – thought Robin.
— Guard? – Robert repeated in horror – What are you waiting for??
– Heh, if only you knew how cheap your guards sold! You still had to pay them a salary at least occasionally!
Silence reigned, only the slurping of the big Bobby could be heard, who seemed not to care about what was happening in his house.
3
Rick took the manager upstairs to one of the rooms for questioning. Robin remained in the central hall, where the reception was held. After Robert’s unsuccessful attempt to give orders to the guards, Robin’s men, collected by him during his journey, entered the house. Outside, dissatisfied peasants with torches and pitchforks were waiting – they were destined to become the “first rebels”, and the fact that all this was organized by Queen Ilisa is a big secret. The uprising should go down in history as “spontaneous”: The peasants themselves attacked their tyrant masters, and went on to fan the flames of the uprising.
– Mister Robin, sir! What should we do about this? – the soldier pointed to Bobby, who was still sitting at the table.
– What should you do with me?? – the giant spoke in a deep voice. This is the first time Robin heard his voice. – Look at me! I can’t run away… I can’t even leave on my own. Look at me – I’m pathetic… leave me my pathetic life – there was so much sadness in the giant’s voice that it became clear to Robin: this man would not survive without his brother and servants. Moreover, this person is aware of what he is like and hates himself for it.
“Leave him alone,” said the spy and went downstairs, where his people were opening the door to Robert’s vault. When he arrived, everything was already ready.
– Lord God, there’s enough junk here to equip a small army! – shouted one of the soldiers who was studying the contents of the vault.
— Salaga! – Robin said not with malice – That’s not all! Don’t you think that a man like Robret the Greedy (as he was called in the village) would keep all his treasures in one place?? We think he has vaults!
“Mother of God,” the soldiers said, almost in one voice.
Robin walked through the room filled with various things and chests, then gave out orders and went to Rick. He must find out where Robert’s vaults are located. When Robin returned to the main hall, he saw his partner coming down the stairs. He walked with a bloody blade in his hands, wiping it with a piece of some kind of rag.
– What are you..
– Yes, yes, I killed him! – Rick said in an arrogant tone – I realized that it was useless to torture him. People like him would never give up their secrets. It’s easier for them to die. So I decided – why wait?? – Rick laughed, then continued – okay. You’ll have to look for it yourself. We have people who can do this. Let’s kill another pig and let’s go – with these words he turned to Bobby. He dropped some piece from his hands and looked at the spies in fear.
– Wait! – he shouted – Stop. Don’t kill! I know! I know where my brother’s treasure is! He thought I was a fool, but I’m not a fool, I knew everything he did! Just don’t kill. We can help! I’ll tell you, just don’t hurt me, please! – the giant begged. Despite the fact that he considered himself a pitiful creature, he wanted to live.
“Yes, little pig, I won’t harm you, just talk,” Rick replied. He chuckled evilly, causing the fat man to shake in fear.
– So, you are a spy, or a villain from children’s fairy tales? – Robin asked his partner, “What the hell, Rick, stop acting like that.”. So, Mr. Beets, then we can agree on the provision of mutual services? Tempting, tempting..
The fat man looked at Robin and then asked a question, pointing at the table with food
– Can?
Robin nodded approvingly and was amazed at how quickly Bobby started eating.
4
– So, the job has begun. I’ll go report to the queen. I will inform you that it is time to prepare the troops for the performance. I think you know what to do my friend.
“Yes, I know,” said Robin, looking from the hill to the north, where the walls of the city could be seen in the distance. “They say that the other day, a brothel was burning there, and so soon, this whole city will burn.”. Long live the queen!
1
-Stop being so gloomy and thoughtful! We are going to an audience with the king! We will be rewarded for catching that maniac, and you… – Steve couldn’t calm down. He tried to stir up his partner so that he “wouldn’t spoil the festive mood with his sour expression.”. Steve was worried, constantly checking the sheath of a short sword that he wouldn’t need at the audience. But Alain was not worried about Steve’s strange behavior, although this was not the first meeting with King Kodrik, and the reward that awaited them clearly did not require the guards to put on working chain mail and a scabbard, as Stiva did. Mentally, Alain remained at home with Suzana, whom he hid after their escape. The plan went a little wrong, but it’s still good that this damn brothel burned down. Susie is indignant that she is not allowed to leave the house, but still she is an obedient girl, she understands the danger. House. Now Alain began to think of his home as a “home”.
– Well, you’re thinking about something of your own again! Wake up Alen! In a couple of minutes we will meet the king and I think a big surprise awaits you and me! I’m sure of it!
2
-… accused of treason! You are accused of deliberately setting fire to property used by the state: a warehouse with provisions and other things that you are not supposed to know about. But apparently you knew, you bastard, what was there? That’s why I set it on fire? You wear a guards uniform… – the guard looked at the accused and spat on him. If the arrest had taken place officially, the guard would have had to speak exclusively in form, without any lyrical digressions, as he was doing now.
Allen had a hard time understanding what had happened. Here he and Steve are walking down the corridor. A group of guards appears towards them. The sound of a drawn sword. Hit to the head from behind with a blunt object. Then he started to fall to his knees, but he was caught. Two guards catch him under the arms, but do not allow him to rise. They’re holding him. Hurt. One of the guards, apparently the captain of the squad, begins to speak. My ears are still ringing, so much so that I can’t understand what the guard is saying. Steve approaches him, turns to face Alain and, with a smile on his face, puts the sword back into its sheath. Steve? What’s happening? Why, Steve? Then the speech of the guards begins to become louder than the bell. The guard says: “You are accused of treason…”. Why, Steve??
– Why, Steve?? – the prisoner said with difficulty. One of the guards slapped him in the face. He hit the place where Alain was bleeding from the blow with the hilt.
– Be quieter! What are you saying? For what? I’ll explain to you, buddy – Steve turned to the captain – if you please, I’ll take him to the dungeon?
– Well, of course, why not?.
3
Cold wet concrete, the smell of mold, rot and not a ray of light – such was the dungeon. When Alen was thrown at her, he skinned his hand on some sharp stone, and his pants at the knees turned into rags.
– That’s it my friend! And you thought no one would know about your deed? – Alain didn’t see Steve, he stood behind the door and spoke through the grated window – I went to see my whore every day, and then the brothel suddenly just burst into flames and she disappeared! Bravo, brilliant plan! And I envied you, I thought you were so smart, I was always amazed at you, and you… oh, Alen, Alen. – Steve fell silent for a long time, the prisoner even began to think that he was left alone, but the former comrade broke the silence.
– Don’t worry Alain, I’ll take care of our reward! – Steve said cheerfully – And I’ll take care of your slut too! You hide it at home, I’m right?
“Don’t touch her,” Alen shouted and rushed to the door. When he got up, he ran into that sharp stone again, but he didn’t care. He looked through the bars into the eyes of his partner. If he could have reached it, he would have scratched them out, but the bars did not allow.
– So it’s still home! I gave it out myself! – Steve neighed. But then, suddenly, the traitor’s gaze changed
– What is it about you Alain?? Why do such beauties fall for you?. I saw this whore, she’s cute. She reminds me of a woman I once knew. Lauren was her name? You know Lauren? Of course you know, she was yours.
– Don’t you dare talk about her.
“Don’t you dare talk about her,” Steve mimicked. “How I envied you then: she was so beautiful.”. But she was yours! I hated you! I was ready to kill you! Or her… that’s what I did Alain, that’s what I did – he uttered these words as he left along the corridor.
Alain didn’t remember how long he stood motionless, still holding his hands near the bars on the door, but when he came to his senses, he turned around and slid down the door to the floor.
1
— They approach the gate, and unrest is already beginning in the city. It’s probably worth starting negotiations with them, finding out what they want?
– Negotiation? Minister, are you serious?? Negotiating with this village brat? And what will they demand?? Just send a larger squad and let them sort it out – the man sitting at the head of the table spoke in an absolutely calm tone. He didn’t seem to care that a mass uprising was about to start. He was confident in himself and that the problem that had arisen was just another little thing unworthy of his attention. “Someone raised these idiots to riot, so find the organizer and execute them.”. Execute him for going against me. Because he went against the king. Now leave me alone. you are free.
– But we haven’t really decided anything, the detachment may turn out to be..
– I’ve said enough, or you refuse to obey me? – Kodrik looked carefully at his opponent, loudly and clearly repeating the last word – ME?
– No, my lord..
Everyone left the meeting hall, and the king, left alone, was lost in his thoughts. He didn’t care what happened in his capitals, for him it was all trifles. Only his thoughts were important.
2
Alain was physically and mentally exhausted. His body ached from the beating, and his mind was racing with thoughts of Lauren, Steve, and Susan. He was here for two or three days, but those were the worst days. The hand hurt and seemed to be starting to fester, and on the back of the head the skin was tightened with dried blood. This is how they found him.
– Wow, brother, you look terrible. Give him some water!
Alain did not understand who came to his cell. They weren’t guards. They looked like ordinary workers who pulled on handmade chain mail and weapons. As it turned out later, it was them. Alain heard screams and roars coming from the streets, but did not attach any importance to it, he did not care what was happening in the world. He only cared about what was happening at home. When noise and screams appeared in the corridor, the prisoner began to notice them, and when he heard the cells being opened, he completely came to his senses.
– Why did they throw you here, brother??
Alain looked at his liberators in bewilderment, and then pronounced his sentence
— Arson of government property
– Oooh, that’s good. We are the same! We are now going to burn down EVERYTHING that belongs to the state,” one of the liberators laughed. Alain didn’t understand who these people were and why they were freeing prisoners, but he didn’t care. He had a chance to get free and find out Susie’s fate. They gave him a waterskin. Having quenched his thirst, Alain began to ask. The main question was: “What’s going on??»
3
— The rebels broke into the city prison!
– And to Arsenal!
-You underestimated them, my lord?
— Underestimated? I? No. It was YOU who underestimated them. They are commanded by someone who knows a lot about this. I would understand it if you told me everything as it is. Well, it’s okay, I know we will break them. After all, this is just a bunch of workers and peasants..
– King! The rebels are approaching the Castle!
“Very lucky workers and peasants…” The king thought only for a moment, but a plan for further actions was built in his head – So! Send a detachment to meet the rebels. The rest, come to me! Order the servants to collect my things. We’re leaving town.
– We are leaving the city? But how! This is the capital! How..
– I am leaving, not us, and yes, this is the capital, but at the moment we will give it up. But not for long. Very soon we will get her back. “I know what I’m doing,” with these words Kodrik stood up and left the hall, leaving his advisers. They were not stunned by the king’s decision; he was ready to do anything to save his own skin. But they were surprised by Codrik’s calmness and confidence. This man thought too much. About himself, about his power and capabilities. He was selfish, but at the same time he was smart and born to manage. He would be a good king if it weren’t for his pride.
4
The night was lit up with fires. The streets gradually became filled with the blood of soldiers and workers. It was not yet known who would win, but there were rumors that the king had fled, and, therefore, the uprising had won. But people didn’t care. Cruelty and violence captured the minds of people, they became one cruel whole, ready to destroy everything in their path. They were united by anger. But even among the angry crowd one man stood out. He fought as if he had lost everything in his life, and all that was left for him was to kill his enemies in order to somehow calm his soul. The thirst for revenge has captured this man. This man returned home and found only blood stains on the floor. He didn’t know what happened to the person he loved, and it seemed like he didn’t care anymore. Only the fight was important to him. Only revenge. Only his anger and nothing else left for this man. While striking the guards, he kept expecting that one of them would be the person he hated most. This man had a name: Steve. But now, the man who stood out from the crowd did not remember this name, he only remembered the image. And he imagined how he inflicts more and more wounds on this image. Anger erased the name of his enemy. Anger erased the name of his loved ones. Anger erased his own name. The man wanted to meet his enemy, otherwise he would not be able to get rid of the anger that had consumed him now. And he will meet him, but not now..
While this is the first version, shortcomings, mistakes or unfortunate moments will be corrected. The name is not working, I just can’t think of anything more suitable, so it may change too.