Rafael Silkskin:

This archived article was written by: Kiara Horowitz

The captain stood up. “Bring me a pair of irons.”
Please be made from just iron, I prayed. My hopes were dashed to bits when I saw the cuffs were made of silver. The captain took them then squatted back to my level. I tried to back away. He grabbed my wrist, snapping one of the cuffs on then the other. I just let him do it without a struggle. What else could I do? The silver poison was draining my energy, and keeping me from doing magic. At least he was considerate enough to put the cuffs over the sleeves of my jacket. The pain was still great and it didn’t keep me from bleeding. On the bright side, the leather kept the silver from burning through my skin to my bone.
“You’re a corroborative one, aren’t you,” the captain pointed out. I glared at him. Of course, corroboration keeps you alive longer. If I did what you were told, perhaps they would drop their guard. The sooner that happened, the sooner I could be on my merry way. The captain took the chain off my leg and tossed it to the guard who brought him the irons. “Can you move?” he asked.
I did my best to get up, but I only fell back down. Finally the captain just pulled me to my feet. He held onto my arm until I could stand on my own which was hard since I didn’t want to put much weight on my injured ankle. As soon as I found my footing, he let go of me.
“Bring him to the castle,” Captain ordered. The guards stripped me of my holster and shoved me into a prison wagon.
The ride back to the castle wasn’t particularly fun, or interesting. So I spent it thinking. I sighed. My first real job and I got caught. I know I should be scared, but my confusion clouded my fear. First there was Melanie making a deal with me. She knew that Randolf told me to never trust a wolf in sheep’s wool. In fact she’d been there when he said it. So why come to me to make a deal, then minutes later I get captured? Had she known that she’d been followed?
And how could the guards find and capture me since Randolf and I made sure that camp was protected from red or blue bloods walking into it. A powerful gold blood like Melanie on the other hand would have no problem finding it though. But if she didn’t know the child was blue blood, and I’m sure she doesn’t, wouldn’t she need me to get him for her?
There was the captain of the guard. Was it just me or was he being nice? Well as nice as he could get. My ankle still hurt, and my hands were covered with blood from my wrists. However, compared to the others I’d watch Randolf take care of, he’d been a gentleman thus far.
They let me out of the prison wagon once inside the castle courtyard. I looked around at the guards surrounding me with swords and lances. Is that really necessary? Even if they took the cuffs off me now, I wouldn’t be able to use my magic for a couple hours. Two of the guards nudged me in the lower back with their lances forcing me up the stairs into the castle I’d left maybe an hour or more earlier. As they marched me throw the halls I wondered if the king was awake, after all the last time I saw him he’d been snoring his life away.
We entered a large room with a high ceiling. The walls were decorated with paintings, mostly of rich people having fun, like fancy picnics and hunting. The had a beautiful dark-wood floor, that I’m either improving or destroying since the blood from my wrist is still dripping and making a shiny puddle on it. I glanced at the captain, he appeared to be in deep thought since his brow was narrowed as he stared at nothing. Thanks to the torches, I could finally see him clearly. A powerfully built man no older than mid-30s, judging by the scars on a his face and the gray in his black hair, he must have put up quite the fight for the job.
“So,” I said, breaking the silent. “Where’s his royal kinglieness?” One of the guards whacked me across the shoulders. The captain gestured for the guard to back off, before turning his attention to me.
“The king,” he said with emphasis. “Will be here momentarily.” He nodded toward a the door at the opposite end of the room, from the other side of which I could make out the sound of hurried foot steps.