Chapter 22 - Bad Cop, Scary Cop

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Cade
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I'm incredibly talkative today, as if the words are being pulled from me, one by one out of my throat. That's the Poet Camdhegn's fault, of course. He's remarkably apt at calmly grilling someone. I know I'm bespelled by the craft, and what's worse is that I'm so calm about it. So passive. My defenses are down, mostly because so many of my defenses draw from Nul's power, and I can't really call upon that right now, can I? So I'm stuck.

And what's odd about that is that I'm not worried about it at all. Another thing to blame on the Poet, I suspect. His scrawling on that notepad can't just be my words being recorded. Never give a Poet paper, not if you want the upper hand. As if I have a choice here. And I would prefer, on the whole, to have a choice in this. This is my life I'm talking about, after all.

Regardless of what I even remember about it today, I'd prefer all of it to remain secret.

I watch his quill move as I speak. "There were very few casualties when it came to the Armed. That were taken by me, of course. I prefer to preserve my specimens as intact as possible, as that garners the best response from my employers. It's a shame, since they're so fun to play with - but Xen's specific order was that I deliver him the Armed in as perfect a condition as possible. He was annoyingly particular about them being alive. That's no indicator that you'll find them still living, if you find them at all. I've seen very few since giving them to him."

"So your superior is Xen Xaillyndesse, then?"

I snort. A typical pressing point from an officer like Camdhegn. Shame that I really didn't want that avenue explored. "I answer to Nul itself. Jhene Xen and Thelea like to think of themselves as in control, but they're mere pawns of Nul in the end. I am the Herald and no one gives me orders except my Master. Often enough, I relay them their orders, while they treat me as a mere messenger boy."

"But you're very important, aren't you, Jhe Fayegeaux?"

My eye twitches from the use of that surname. A twitch I'd rather hide, but damn the Seal Guard, he notices it all the same. "No one answers directly to Nul as I do. It can be a position of power, if used properly. It lends me a certain preservation - when he'd easily wipe his pawns from the board, I remain as his prized piece. The position has certain costs to it, but doesn't everything?"

"Would you consider it worth it?" Camdhegn raises an eyebrow as he makes the query. Odd sot. What the hell is he trying to get at? I thought these questions were going to be much different.

"I do it, so it must be worth something." I twitch as I feel him pressed for the actual answer. Damn it. "Shove off, obviously I've been in the position for a very long time. Of course it's worth it if I've stayed there that long."

"But it's no longer worth it now, is it? What changed? Is the danger of Nul suspecting betrayal so great that you'd throw your prized position away? You've worked so hard, for years, and now - nothing? Why the turnabout?"

I scowl at him. "None of your bloody business."

He only grins, an expression eviller than any one I've made, by my reckoning. "Fine then. Tell me why you were stationed under Ebrellin-i's command."

I snort, a grin stealing up the side of my face. "Ebrellin-i would like to think he commanded anything! You're quite the comedian today."

I hear a breath sucked in from out of my view. Camdhegn's eyes flick to the side, then back to me. "Jhe Katherine, unless you are to be of use in questioning, I doubt the Advocate has any place here." Aww, he's getting territorial over me! I feel so loved. Or perhaps that's just a tiny bit of bile in my stomach.

The deposed Emperor's daughter herself steps into view, raising an eyebrow as she glances into the cell. Such a Judge-like expression. "I somehow doubt you would need the Advocate presently. However, your line of questioning interests me. May I observe, Peacekeeper?"

A small smile alights on Camdhegn's face. "Of course. Pull up a chair, if you'd like."

She remains standing, staring down at me. "Who commanded Ebrellin-i?"

Ahh, a proper audience for the things I have to tell. I cock my head at her. "Well, who didn't? The current ruler of Audiva Rocale's been wrapped around the finger of the royal family since I've had the pleasure of his accquaintance. And that's been quite a long time, I assure you, lass. The Kommissar and the Mother Queen Thelea have both had their use of him, though he does maintain control over his own Palace and its adjoining lands. Or did, rather. I'm sure they'll love moving into the space, now that their prize pet's been put in the pound." He smirks. "Not that he's their prize pet, mind ye, but Nul likes to let them think that."

"In reality, Ebrellin-i is Nul's pet." The girl says it without making it a question, saying it to herself more than us.

"Ebrellin-i is Nul's prized peacock. It's cute of you to try to win him back, but Nul doesn't give up his possessions."

"Does that make your struggle a hopeless cause, I wonder?" Camdhegn's voice is conversational. Pleasant, almost.

My expression darkens. "I'm no collared prize of his. I serve as I will. Ebrellin-i could never dream to be Herald. He shakes before Nul, grovels and cowers. I take my bows when I should, but never do I have to-hnnnnrgh." I lean forward, hand clasped around my throat.

It's closed itself.

Camdhegn stands bolt upright, then looks quickly around. His witch-whip is out in a flash, streaking through the bars and snaking around my form. I end up with a few nicks, but far less than I'd expect considering the flayings I've earned prior to this. All that is a side concern, however. I'm beginning to see black around the edges of my vision.

Perhaps I really have said too much. I crumple forward off of the bed, the links of the whip curling out of the way before I can be slashed to ribbons. I had thought Nul wouldn't reach me here. That they would protect me. Keep me safe.

I was wrong. Stupid. What a waste of a life - I could have gone down killing someone.

The edges of my vision flash white, and then the veil covering my senses lifts itself as air sucks back into my chest in one great big gulp. I glance up at the door of my cell.

Katherine's eyes are closed, her hand pressed against the bars palm-open, fingers spread. She's chanting something that I can't make out the words to. The words make me tingle in a way that's not unpleasant but that do not make me comfortable. I try to struggle away for a moment, but the spell holds me still. She opens her eyes at the last breath of it, and the pupils that focus on me are a cold blue, the irises around them a milky, golden white.

I piss myself.

She turns away, walking behind Camdhegn's stool. "And you said there'd be no need for the Advocate. Silly Armed. Always so sure of themselves, including me." Her voice sounds strange, as if it's coming from higher than where she speaks from. As if she's a lady twice as tall as even the Judge.

Fucking spooky.

Camdhegn snorts, ignoring the admonition. "I'd imagine he needs as much protection as he can get, now, so it's appreciated, Advocate. Now if only he were bestowed with greater continence." He shakes his head. "Cursed Dirybvik bastards always wet themselves as they run from battle - suppose I should have seen this coming."

I crouch away from them. "Can a man have some privacy to neaten up, then?"

"Nay, put a blanket over yer shame - hope that it teaches you to use the toilet next time. We gave you one, you know."

The Advocate buries her face in her hand, shaking her head. When she looks back up at me, her eyes are forest green again. "So uncivilized, Camden. As I would expect from two boys speaking Rhivendish."

I laugh. I didn't even notice we'd lapsed into it. I wonder when that started happening? As it is, I'm surprised she's returning speech in our language. I grab a blanket and tug it over myself, appreciative of the fact that I didn't have that damn accident in the bed I've been given.

"Keep talking." The bitch certainly doesn't let up any more than Camdhegn does. "I've seen to it that you're free to speak."

That she has, which is rather an alien feeling for me. I'm used to that absolute control Nul holds over my tongue - without it, my words feel strange and alien. "Which topic would you prefer?"

Camdhegn takes the lead on questioning now, his hands clasped over his knee. "Ebrellin-i is of interest, but I will be grilling you further on the Armed you've been assigned to steal away from us. The Poets as well."

"Heh. Funny you mention it like that. I can talk about all three at once - Ebrellin-i stole more Poets than I did, though his track record with Armed is sorely in need of improvement. He tended to avoid them more than capture those pieces. Seemed to have a bloody stupid fear of them, as if they were a real threat. Poets, though, he loved to collect. He'd have his fun being diplomatic, getting drawn, playing his little Court games. Then he'd tire of them, eventually, and off I'd take them. Bloody hilarious, watching them the moment they'd realized he was really just out to catch them. Those collars were so useful. Elricht certainly looked cute with one on. Ahh, yes. He was one of the first, you know. Never made it to the proper post he'd been sent off to, not that anyone could tell from the letters I mocked up."

"Just what did Ebrellin-i do to them?" Camdhegn's just adorable when he tries to hide how tense he is, and how much he wants to kill me for hurting his brother. If there's anything I enjoy from being in here, it's playing with those stifled emotions of his. He looks like he's trying to swallow a rat while keeping his mouth closed.

"Seduced a few, gave em presents, had tea. Then wrapped his collars around their necks, and it was my turn to deliver them to where they truly needed to be. Poor thing, I think he missed his pets after I took them away. He always wanted more." I feel the next question coming on, and go ahead and answer it. "The Poets went to Lady Thelea. That's her own pet project, much as Ebrellin-i sometimes is. Well, he's everyone's pet project, really. It's hilarious to watch him bow down before the throne of Nul. To watch him dance for the Court there, to answer the Calls. He'll sing, if the canary boy's ordered to. He is always so pretty--"

"Where is Elricht now?" Ahh, Camdhegn's cutting that little avenue short before I can probe Katherine's emotions. Pity, I was going to have fun with that. The opportunities that the Elricht topic brings to irritate Camdhegn are too rich to pass up, though.

"Elricht? Ah, I never did say, did I? He's almost Lady Thelea's favorite pet now. Nul favors him as well, but agrees not to look upon him too much. We don't want to break the poor lad. He's too useful as a Poet, and as a tool. We think that maybe we can break your Seal without breaking you, Jhe Camdhegn." I smirk. "And if that's not possible, well now - if it just so happens you die, Seal Guardianship will pass to Elricht, and we'll simply break him. Then, well - there'll be the Old Man for Radia to contend with. Try your armies against that monstrous one -- well, you won't, would ye? Ye'd be dead, not even in the ground then. Legend has it that should ye fall and allow the Seal to be thrown into contention, the Old Man will eat yer soul. I just wonder if that will be true." Camdhegn's anger is flaring up so much that his hair is almost standing on end like a cat's. As it is, now that he's taken his seat again. he's clenching both hands around whip and pen, as if to control both - or summon them to control him.

"Go on," says Katherine's voice, cool and calm. It prickles at my temple, and there's a strange glow from her face that I'm afraid to look at. Her eyes have likely turned again. Advocate. Fucking freak. I start to speak before she tries another of her tricks.

"Elricht is kept safe. Thelea would like him to be her little Court boy, to serve her as one of her pets. She trains up many pets - where do you think Ebrellin-i got his taste for those hobbies, after all? But little Elricht, he isn't very pliant when it comes to that. Mostly he's kept locked up, safe with her. Sometimes he's brought before Nul to punish him, soften him up a little, and remind him why he should behave himself as all good little Poets should. It's funny - ten years now, it's been, and he's still holding up. He's tired, though. Starting to get rattled, but that steel remains. I suppose he's waiting for his little brother to rescue him. I wonder how long he'll be kept waiting, eh?" My eyes flash. "You should go and get him, Camdhegn, before it's too la--"

I snatch my hand up to my throat. It's closed up again, but this isn't Nul. I look up at Katherine, who is making a close-fisted gesture. Little fucking minx, she's commanding me not to speak! Her glowing eyes regard me, and I'm grateful that my bladder's empty already. "That's enough, little Nul-servant. Tell us of the other Poets now."

I shrug, try to play it cool, and try to break my gaze away from the Advocate's. It's not working. Fuck. "As I said, Lady Thelea's pets. She wishes to use the Poet craft to Lyiannethe's own ends. To bend and break them and make the writing and art serve her. She is succeeding, to some degree, and at times it's funny to see just how successful she's been in breaking them. Not everyone can have the will that Elricht has, after all." I smirk. "Even the Jherent o'Radia's eldest son."

Katherine's hand tightens around one of her blades. The long one, the 'merciful' one. "What?"

"Ah, you thought the Cruxradia Poet was away on his mission, doing his duty? Oh no - Edward is at her beck and call. She has him eating from her hand now. He's besotted, it seems - truly broken, almost as much a puppet as Ebrellin-i. Hilarious, to see one of Cruxradian blood kneel before her, follow her every command." Ahh, I've got her now. Her eyes aren't fading back to green yet, but I think she's riled by this. Good. "He's practically her consort. She prizes ones of the royal Radian family line, you know. She worked very hard to collect him. They make quite the handsome pair." I cock my head. "I wonder, has he written you letters home, in all this time? I wasn't given his quill to copy out letters like I was for Elricht. You see, it simply wasn't necessary."

"Shush." Camdhegn steps in for her now, rising. That whip of his coils on the floor. The hairs on the back of my neck prickle as I feel it aiming for me. "That's enough for now. Your information has been more than sufficient, Jhe Fayegeaux. Tell me, though," he regards me through those square-rimmed spectacles, the gaze somehow freezing me just as the Advocate's did, "what is it about your diary that would provoke you to give up this much information?"

I say nothing. I clamp my damn jaw shut.

"Speak." Damnit, the Advocate's gotten her wits back around her, and the command's loosening my jaw.

"I don't know. Don't bother asking me questions I can't answer, foolish Briarseal."

"Aye? How can that even be the truth?" I think he might be asking Katherine that instead of myself, but somehow I'm prompted to answer the question, still.

"That diary's full of things I don't fucking remember. I don't read it. I just keep it safe. If I don't think Nul should see it, there must just be a reason for it, and it's enough to turn traitor for it. I don't have any better explanation for it, and I won't give you one, no matter how hard ye beat me."

They're quiet. They stare me down, for awhile. Then they turn and leave.

Fuck it all. I don't have a change of pants with me.