9: Sweet Freedom

Ogra lead Cassia and BoldR through the hallways and down the stairs to the dungeon. Cassia felt confused about Ogra’s certainty on which way they were going. “Ogra how do you know where we are going, if you are blind?”

She chuckled with amusement. Doing her best to sound all mystical “ I can still see just not with my eyes dear. I feel the stones of the walls getting cooler and covered with moisture. The air feels cooler and smells more dank and musty. Our foot steps are starting to echo more meaning that the ceiling is getting higher.” Then a mischievous smile crept across her face. “ Plus it helps a lot when the shadows are whispering the direction.”

Everyone chuckled from amusement. Cassia did notice that everything that the seer was describing was indeed what she saw and smelt. The rocks on the walls and floor were covered with a gross slimy looking moisture. You could hear water dripping from somewhere but the echo made it hard to pinpoint the exact location. The ceiling did vault upwards while walking down the stairs. Soon they came to a set of old double doors at the end of the hallway. They were made of heavy vertical planks of wood held together by thick metal plates. The hinges were large barrel and pin that began to build up mineral deposits. A large lock and chain were wrapped around both handles to bar any one entry. “How do we get in? We don’t have the keys.” Feel a bit defeated by the barrier, Cassia was about to turn around when BoldR examined the doors. “We could just pop the pins.” He stated with confidence. “Great idea! Do we have any tools?”

BoldR went to look in his pouch when Ogra chimed in.” We could always just go around.” She made a few archaic gestures and the shadows started to spin like a whirlpool. The funnel shape began to pull inward and the center began to open up creating a portal to another location. Everyone passed through to find themselves on the other side of the door. “You can do that with shadows?” Cassia was completely awestruck by the magic that Ogra preformed. “My dear girl the shadows can do many things you just have to believe.”

The party delved deeper into the dungeon when the heard moans and weeping. Cassia could see the bars of cells coming into view. She was applauded at the grotesque conditions. The smell of death and fecal mater weighed heavy and pungent in the air. Some cells had not but skeletons while others had emaciated and dirty humans. Mummified looking corpses that reached and groaned as they passed bye. “This place is something out of a horror story one would tell by a camp fire.” Cassia stomach began to churn the further she went in and saw. Cassia to a deep breath and began to shake off her nerves. She walked up to cell that had a single prisoner in chains sitting on the floor. “Who are you?” She asked . Her voice was shaking with nerves. The man looked up at her, his face was covered in dried blood, faint bruises could still be seen under his eyes. His stare was intense and his eyes burned with rage. He spat at the ground. “Duncan” he finally said a voice seething with hatred. “Why?” He barked at her.

“I’m trying to find out who down here was imprisoned for being loyal to my father.” Consumed with nervousness she fumbled with her words.

“So those who were loyal to your father get freedom, but those who were not stay down here to die? I’d rather die just for spite.” His cold and attacking tone fueled a spark of anger in Cassia causing her to snap back at him. “Fine then stay down here and rot. I’ll move on to the next person.”

“No wait, just stop and think for a minute what makes one life more valuable than the other? Loyalty? Wealth? A pardon? Since when did life and freedom have a cost when all life is precious to the Earth Mother.” His rhetorical question made Cassia stop and think. He was right but then if they freed everyone what is to say that people she freed wouldn’t come back and attack them. “What guarantees do I get if I agree to free everyone that someone here won’t come back and try to throttle me in my sleep?” Duncan intently stared at her with amazement. “Someone so young as you should not be as cynical as you are.”

“That’s because I lost everything “ Cassia quipped back.

“I will give you that promise everyone that is still alive down here will not come back and try to kill you, we just want our freedom.” Filled with hope that the girl would take his wild offer.

“Fine then I will hold you to that, you are their leader and you will be their spokesperson.” She chirped out.

Panic filled him like a wave of ice cold water. “Woe wait I didn’t agree to be any leader missy.”

“Yes you did, when you spoke on their behalf to gain their and your freedom unless you want to back out and I can leave.” Feeling more confident now Cassia was able to look straight into his eyes.

“Fine I’ll do it. But I need help with these chains. They are enchanted silver so I can’t break them. Gods know I have tried.” Sitting back down feeling defeated.

“BoldR can you take care of this door?” She looked up at her mountain of a friend. “I will see what can do.”He walked over and began to look at the door.

“I would have you use the shadow portal Ogra but I want the doors gone. This needs to be a haven of safety not torture.” Ogra smiled at the girl. She’s becoming a true leader like her father. Ogra taught to herself beaming with pride.

With in a few minutes BoldR pulled out a pin and hammer from his pouch, he placed the pin in the hole and hammered out the hinge pin. Soon a loud plink was heard followed by clang and a bang. Once the pins had been freed, BoldR had grabbed the door and ripped it from its lock and threw it to the side. He then trudged into the cell and looked at the chain. When he picked up the chain in his hand it began to sizzle. He dropped the chain immediately and scowled. He then looked at the rock that it was attached to and a large smile spread across his face. He grabbed his hammer and chisel and hit the rock behind the chain. The loops fell to the ground and the chains went slack. “Step out of the cell and then shift.” BoldR instructed.

“What?!”Now absolutely confused by the behemoth of a man’s instructions Duncan just stood there.

“How ironic that you would end up a prisoner in something you designed. You don’t even remember your own handy work.” BoldR began to laugh heartily. Duncan stood there for a moment longer and let the words sink in. He dropped his head consumed with idiocy he let out a low groan. Duncan stepped out of the threshold of his cell a few minutes later the cracking and snapping of joints and bones could heard coming from Duncan. After some curses and groans of pain an enormous beautiful white wolf stood before them. His fur seemed to illuminate the darkness. The shackles that had been on him had fallen to the floor. The wolf stretched his body like he had just awakened from a long nap. He shook out his fur and let out a howl that was eerily beautiful. He padded ahead of them to each cell. He sniffed the doorways and left a scratch mark on the cell door. When he had finished his rounds, he returned to the small party and reluctantly shifted back into his human form. “There you go, I took the liberty of marking the cells of those who are still alive. That should make it easier to free them.” Duncan paused for a moment he pointed at Cassia.”Aren’t you bothered by my shifting and my nakedness?” He looked over at BoldR “ and how do you know me? “

“You know my brother Bjorn.” BoldR replied with a smile.

“ No shit Bjorn is your brother! How is that moose of a man doing?”

“I wished I knew, I’ve been stationed here in Archon as an ambassador for the Northern Bear clan.”

“Wait a minute, you aren’t just the village blacksmith?” Blown away by this morsel of news Cassia was consumed with curiosity. She had a million questions and they needed to be answered.

“How are you surprised by a werebear ambassador, but not by a naked man who shifted right before your eyes?”

“Oh skin changers don’t bother me. I have seen a werewolf before.” Cassia commented nonchalantly.

“What?! But you are a human it’s supposed to bother you.” Feeling completely baffled by this girl Duncan had to probe more.” Who are you bye the way?”

“Oh sorry for the rudeness and lack of introduction, I am Cassia but my friend can call me Cass.”

“You mean Princess Cassia.” Ogra politely reminded the girl.

“Holy crap you’re Princess Cassia! I didn’t even recognize you, the last time I saw you, you were not but a wee bairn. Look at how you grown.” Duncan came in close and sniffed. “ you smell human but with a hint of something else along with a smidge of vampire. A bit of fragrance will mask the other stuff just fine.” He looked at the rest of the group with deep concern “We have to hide her and keep her safe till she can take the throne.”

Let’s not worry about that right now, we have people to free out of these cells.” BoldR commented abruptly.

It took hours to remove all the pins and tare down the cell doors but Cassia believed that such a place should be built for safety not a prison. As each door fell words of praise and gratitude flowed like an endless river. When everyone had been released they all made their way to the double hung doors. BoldR and Duncan together made quick work of kicking it open and breaking the metal handles. They continued their journey till the party saw day light. 30 people in total were saved from death. Though some were on the brink of it from starvation.

“ Can I asked who imprisoned you all down there in such terrible conditions?” Filled with curiosity Cassia just had to know if the good man she knew to be her father was in secret a horrible monster.

“It was the Queen Calista who imprisoned under the king’s orders she claimed.” One of the prisoners said.

“How severe was your crime to be punished like that?” A sick feeling was welling up in her stomach.

“I took a loaf of day old bread that was going to be fed to the pigs so my family could eat.” The person bowed his head filled with shame. Cassia turned to look at Ogra for guidance. She was lost how could such a loving man allow such a thing to happen.

“Your father had nothing to do with this cruelty my dear, rest assured he was a good man till the end.”

The party continued till they were standing in the castle ruins. The 30 prisoners began to celebrate their freedom. Some collapsed and wept others danced for joy, and some just sang “Freedom, Sweet Freedom.”