A Case of Black and White

[CastlesInTheSky]

Gambling, gambling, gambling. The stakes had been impossibly high and he had finally lost. Now it was time to pay the price, the highest price. Paying a price for a man he did not know. To the law enforcing body, it was a case of obvious right and wrong.

They didn't know that they weren't hanging the man who deserved it.

After Windsor had woken up after passing out from exerting so much energy from that incident a month or so ago, he had been himself coughing and sputtering, feeling as if he had just gotten beaten half to death. A flood of guards had come in. There was a great deal of shouting and commotion, the general consensus of a conspiracy. The guard captain remained asleep but quite alive, and the healer had said one thing;

"I housed her. It is my fault."

From that moment on, his mentor and best friend was an enemy to the government. He had been taken away, quickly and roughly. Windsor had been ignored after the general commotion that he was alive. The whole thing had taken a long while to be digested by the legal system and there was a fair amount of uncertainty about it. One day, Windsor had been informed that it had emerged as a hanging. From then on, he felt like the most low dirt there was. It was all his fault. He was able to visit his friend once, only for a few minutes and with a guard standing nearby, listening.

"Oh Azaldi," he had said miserably, "Why would you do this? It's not your fault. You have a wife! You could have lived happily." Azaldi said to him, "You can't have your cake and eat it too, nor can you have your perfect life and truly live."

'Why does everything he say have to sound so cryptic? This is horrible. It's all my fault.'
Azaldi only ever said things when he really meant them, and only when they needed to be said most. Rarely was a word spoken in simple conversation. Windsor felt miserable, sorry for himself and everyone else involved. He thought of Tiraris as well. What had become of her? Was she alright? He had no way of knowing. Not a way. He hoped she was doing well, much better than him, as he stood by helplessly, watching the hangman take his friend up to the place in which he would die. Azaldi remained strangely calm, while Windsor stood and tried to make himself not look as depressed as he truly was for fear of being accused of sympathizing with an enemy of the government. 'Why me, why him?', Windsor thought sadly.

[GoblinFae]

Tiraris weaved her way in and out of the throngs of people gathered in the square. Public executions had never brought her any amusement. 'All this show and ceremony for something I do with less time and energy.'

She pulled her cloak tighter around her ensuring that the hood hid her recognizable hair. It had been a month since she had been injured and saved. Her side from time to time gave her ghost pains but other than that she was fully functioning again. She had managed to escape the guards that night and smuggle herself into, of all places, Arca. There she had collected her payment and been able some more suitable clothes befitting her station.

She wondered if Winston was here today. 'He said his home was in Arca, or did I imagine that?' Some of her memories of that week with the healers were foggy and distorted by the pain she had experienced. Focused in her thoughts she was not watching where she was going and ran into another person. She quickly apologized stopping in shock when she saw just past the stranger a very miserable looking Windsor. "Dyre."

Moving out of his line of sight, Tiraris looked to see what Windsor was mooning over. 'Probably found a girl and she rejected him.' Following his gaze she saw it was directed to the execution platform. A closer look revealed the prisoner to be, 'the healer! Oh poor Dyre, he truly looked up to him.'

Moving closer to the platform she listened intently as the healer's crimes were read off. 'He is sentenced to die because of me.' Her heartstrings twanged as guilt took over. 'If I help him I endanger myself. It is unfortunate that he must die. My debt was to Windsor and that has been paid.' She began to walk away when she saw a woman sobbing. "My husband!" she wept leaning on another woman.

'That is right, he has a family. It was his home I was hidden in. I owe him my life as much as I owe Windsor. The debt must be repaid.' Swiftly she began to assess her options. She could not run in brashly. This would take cunning and a perfect execution. There was no room for error.

Scaling one of the building's walls, she pulled herself onto an upper level corridor. From there she had a perfect view of the entire square. Looking into the crowd she spotted Windsor again. 'Wish me luck Dyre!' With all her strength she threw her dagger slicing the noose just as the floor dropped out from under the healer's feet.

[CastlesInTheSky]

Windsor heard a voice say a name, not his, but got some strange feeling it was intended for him. He almost glanced around, but decided not to. He was too depressed to care for much at that time.

The healer, meanwhile, stood on the platform and awaited his end. How crazy the world was. He was being killed for a crime he didn't commit. Ha! It all seemed terribly ridiculous as he stood on the platform. The only regret he truly had was the pain he would cause his wife when he was gone. It hurt him deeply to see her sobbing from within the crowd. Though he knew they both believed in a better place to go beyond the world they lived in, it didn't seem right, none of it, in the end. In his mind, he thought that at least he would die in a cause that saved a life.

With no last thought in particular, he dropped down through the floor.
However, there was no noose.

Falling with a thump on the ground, he got up and realized that he had been saved. Tossing the broken ropes aside, he dashed into the crowd at full speed, ducking and disappearing into an alley with all the speed and agility of a man, well, on a death sentence.

The crowd was in a noisy uproar and people were everywhere, going this way and that, ending up hindering the guards from moving faster. He took a man's hat on his way to escape, the man turning but seeing nothing when he tried to find out where it had gone. The healer slipped further and further away from the crowded part of the city. Having been a thief a long time ago, he still knew a thing or two about hiding and running away.

Windsor, while the healer escaped, could not see where the man had gone. A spark of utter relief flickered within him, but he was lost as to what had happened. Who in the world had just done that? Who could have done that? What?

He hurried through the crowd, trying to figure out what was going on. The uproar was loud and the people were all blocking the way for him to see anything. He walked around, scanning the crowd this way and that. He was so relieved that his friend wasn't dead that he almost completely ignored the truth that the man would have to hide for quite a long time.

[GoblinFae]

'It is not over yet.' Tiraris watched the crowd, losing Windsor in the chaos. 'He is no longer my concern,' she thought trying to find Azaldi. Seeing him grab a passerby's hat and flee to the alley she swiftly began to follow. Guards were closing in on him and she needed to get to him first. 'I am not letting my efforts go to waste,' she thought as gained speed.

She moved about on the upper levels trying to get ahead of Azaldi. Seeing her chance she jumped to an opposite building and dropped down into an alley. As the healer ran by she grabbed him and slammed him against the wall. Her hand came up to clasp over his mouth and she quietly shh'd him. She listened as the running footsteps came closer, pressing her body firmly against the healer's. "Not a sound," she whispered in his ear as she adjusted their pose to resemble that of a lover's embrace.

When the guards saw them and continued on she grabbed his hand and dragged him through the streets. They had to stop twice more before they made it to the relative safety of her current residence. Once inside she removed her hood, revealing her face and red hair. "It seems I left some loose ends last we met."

[CastlesInTheSky]

Azaldi sharply breathed in as he was shoved against a wall, frowning slightly. However, his eyes opened wider in surprise when he saw who the person was in front of him. The woman from a month ago? Ironic. He stayed quiet as always as he went along with the act, watching the guards go past out of the corner of his eye.

He was led through the streets and eventually found himself in her house. He glanced around himself, wondering what was going to happen next. As she spoke, he looked at her, his dark eyes studying her cautiously but deciding to trust her. He nodded slowly. He sat down, assuming a thoughtful pose. He studied the ring on his hand, sighing deeply.

While the two of them were in the house, Windsor was still amongst the crowd outside, trying to find where to go. The healer's wife bumped into him and they spoke to each other with a glance. Where was he? What had happened? He led her to his house and they discussed what had just happened.

[GoblinFae]

"I need to go," she addressed Azaldi, "and you need to stay here." She watched as he fingered his ring. "I am going to get you out of here, but you have to trust me, as I once trusted you. You will be safe here until I get back." She gave him one last look before hurrying back out into the streets.

She walked unhurriedly to the square, even stopping a guard to ask if they had found the despicable criminal yet. Arriving back at the beginning again she spied the two people she was looking for. 'How convenient for me that they are together. Saves me the trouble of tracking them down.'

She walked up to the pair placing herself with her back to Windsor and her face to the woman. "I am sorry for your loss madam," she said leaning forward and embarrassing the sobbing woman. In the brief hug she whispered that she knew the location of her husband but she must follow her quickly. "Come with me dear, you look like you could use a nice hot cup of tea." The healer's wife glanced at Windsor before nodding her head and following Tiraris.

Tiraris walked on a few steps before stopping and facing Windsor. She was careful to keep her face hidden within the hood. "Are you coming boy? Or are you just going to leave your poor mother to suffer and grieve alone?" she called to him.

[CastlesInTheSky]

Windsor was surprised to see someone come up and talking to the healer's wife. Perhaps it was a friend of hers. He had no idea what was going on behind the scenes. Windsor gave her a look of sympathy as she was leaving with the other woman.

As he was addressed he stood straighter, nodded and hurried to catch up with them. While they were walking, he was mostly silent with an occasional comforting word to the healer's wife. They continued along and they eventually reached the house and he held the door courteously for them and then allowed himself in, closing the door firmly behind him.

What he saw within surprised him greatly; rather, who he saw. He said, quietly, "What are you doing here?"

Azaldi looked up, startled to see him there, then caught sight of his wife. He stood immediately and embraced his wife, whispering something to her so only she could hear. Windsor looked away from them, looking curiously at the woman who brought them in. Who was she?

[GoblinFae]

Tiraris smiled as she watched the husband and wife embrace. She turned away, making a pretense to search through her dresser drawers for something. She wanted to give them as much time as she could. She did not know when they would be able to see each other again. She hoped that she would be able ensure it as soon.

She glanced over to Windsor catching him watching her movements. Pulling out a map she walked over to the couple. "Forgive me but time is limited. If I am to get you out of here, I need to be prepared to leave tonight. Do you have family Azaldi? Anywhere you can go? A family member in another province perhaps? Know that I will do everything in my power to get you to safety." She lowered her voice adding, "I owe you that much."

[CastlesInTheSky]

They stayed joined in an embrace until she began to speak, in which Azaldi remained to have his arm around his wife protectively, as if something would come in any moment and sweep her away from him. Both looked at the map carefully. His wife pointed out a spot on the map. It wasn't close to the border but wasn't extremely far either. "We've gone to see them a few times before; on the river, in Jadenshine." Her voice was still full of uncertainty and the thickness given on by the crying earlier.

Windsor looked at the map, keeping a distance as to not disturb their conversation but close enough to see what it was. He didn't hear her murmured comment, or at least didn't understand it.

[GoblinFae]

Tiraris nodded her head already beginning to think of scenarios and solutions. "I assume you two wish be together in the end. But, first you will have to separate once more. It will be a very temperate thing if I can help it. Madam as you are no fugitive of the law I suggest you pack up and head on ahead by usual roads. No one will think anything of your distress and shame. Azaldi and I will travel behind and meet you there. It will take us some more time but will be no more dangerous than it is for you. Have no worries, I will get your husband back home safe to you." Tiraris was trying her best to reassure the healer's wife. Inside she knew the chances of them actually surviving were very slim.

"It is getting late now. You both should go home before the guards stop you and start asking questions." She said addressing the two visitors. She let the couple have their space and say their temporary goodbyes as she made her way awkwardly over to Windsor. "Take good care of her, son. She is going to need your support and reassurance. But, all will be well," Tiraris told him. She made sure to keep her voice neutral and her face hidden in shadow. 'I never thought it would be this hard to see him again.'

[CastlesInTheSky]

Azaldi went on to say his goodbye to his wife. It was strange for him; he had just said his goodbyes to his wife a few days ago in preparation for what he had thought would be his death, and now he had to say goodbye again. It was overwhelming to have to part again for the both of them, but as they looked into each other's eyes they knew that they would see each other again and be happy, in a home, someday. They wouldn't be on the run forever.

Windsor studied the hooded woman for a moment, not seeking to know her identity anymore. He thought it was none of his business, having no idea that he actually knew her. "Thank you. I will take care of her as well as I can." He looked off into space. "Not that long ago, I had to do something similar..." He mumbled something and glanced at the curtained window, as if he could see through it and see the person he spoke of. "I wonder where she is now...", he mused.

[GoblinFae]

Her lips twitched slightly as she heard him speak of her and her situation. "Life has a way of paying us back for the things we do," she said as the pair exited the room. 'I am right here Dyre,' she thought ironically. 'I am going to fix this, just you wait and see. I may have messed up last time but, I will not let that happen again. You can count on me for this. That is my promise to you "dear heart."'

Before she shut the door she offhandedly added, "one day that woman will pay you back just as she promised you she would." She then closed the door and locked it. Dropping her hood she walked over to Alzaldi and knelt before his seated form.

"I know I told your wife that we would leave tonight but that was more for her nerves than the actual truth. We cannot leave until tomorrow night. I do not have any time otherwise. I am sorry." She truly was. She did not like lying not even for a good reason. 'Lies always come back and bite you in the ass.'

"Alzaldi," she said softly placing her hand on his knee. "What happened after I left? How did Windsor take my leaving? Please, I need to know."

[CastlesInTheSky]

Windsor didn't reply to her comment, but simply nodded and continued along in silence. Perhaps she was right. He gently led the healer's wife, Zahira, out of the house and to the destination at a steady pace.

After Zahira had left, Azaldi turned his attention to Tiraris. His eyes weren't suspicious anymore. His expression was softer now, kinder. He took a moment before replying.

"Shortly after you left, he awoke. Guards burst in and almost took him away. I blamed it upon myself to prevent him from getting hurt. He spoke to me while I was in my cell, I got an idea of his feelings about it. He was upset and distraught about my execution, mostly, but I knew he was upset about you a lot as well. He...admires you, thinks you are strong and intelligent. He misses you and thinks you think lowly of him."

His voice was soft, a bit rough from its lack of use.

[GoblinFae]

Tiraris nodded her in understanding, "Thank you for telling me." She rose from her position and moved over to the room's only chair, preparing to sleep in it. "You should get some rest. We do not know when the next time we will be able to sleep," she said pointing to the bed he was sitting on. "Good night!" She blew out the candle and curled up in the chair.

Her mind with the things Azaldi said. 'Oh Dyre if you only knew. I think very highly of you. You risked your life for me several times over. You protected me even when you knew who and what I was, what I am. You put up with my tantrums and my stubbornness. How can I think lowly of you?'

Suddenly a thought popped into her head. "He loves you, you know. He views you like a father. Your sacrifice had a much bigger impact on him then you give him credit for," she spoke aloud in the dark. She listened to the silence for a while before whispering another good night. 'If there is a god, please help me save this man. I owe him that.'

[CastlesInTheSky]

Azaldi made himself comfortable on the bed, understanding what she meant. Hiding away was never easy. He knew that, he had once had to hide away before, but that was a story for another day.

For once, Azaldi had not thought of it that way. In most situations, he thought about every person's angle of it, musing about their thoughts and what they felt about it. He hadn't thought about Windsor seeing him like a father. Perhaps the thought had occurred to him that it would be that way, but it had never stuck. As he had said himself, the things most precious to a person always seemed to be what one never noticed on their own. He was proud to have Windsor as an apprentice and a friend. They were family not by blood but with heart.

He drifted off to sleep, dreaming of running endlessly.

[GoblinFae]

Tiraris woke early the next morning. Her rest had not be fulfilling; she was still exhausted and now was sore for efforts. 'That is what you get for sleeping in a chair!' her mind screamed as she popped her back into alignment. Azaldi was still asleep so she decided to go out and get some supplies. She would discuss travel when she got back.

It was market day and she could not be happier for the way things were turning out. She had been able to get all the provisions they would be needing as well as some gossip and rumors about the new patrols being set up in search of Azaldi.

Just as she was leaving the square she ran into Zahira and Windsor. 'Just when things go well. She is going to make a scene if she is not careful.' Zahira was very shocked to see the young woman after being told they would be leaving that night. "I thought you were leaving last night," she said worriedly.

"No worries Zahira dear. My mother insisted we stay one more night. I really must be going though, my brother is waiting for me just outside the city gates and you know how he gets," Tiraris lied quickly. 'Please buy it Zahira. You only make my life more difficult if you insist on things.'

Zahira nodded and then handed Tiraris a loaf of bread. "For your journey. I know how much your brother likes fruit bread."
"Many thanks Zahira. I will see that he gets it," Tiraris said as she backed away slowly. "Good day to you, to you both," she called acknowledging Windsor's presence briefly as she bowed her head, bidding farewell.

[CastlesInTheSky]

That night had been hard for the both of them. Windsor stayed with Zahira, not wanting her to feel lonely on her own in the house she had always shared with someone. She and him knew each other well enough, from when he was apprenticing from the healer. She was always kind to him when he came to visit. It seemed, though most unbeknownst to him, that debts were being settled by almost everyone at the time in one way or another, with earnings one held in heart rather than hand.

In the morning, Zahira insisted they go to the city and see him. Taking pity on her due to the fact that she had almost lost her husband and had been suffering as much if not more than himself, he decided to go. He figured nothing ill could come of it, after all.

Zahira nodded, accepting the lie. It was okay if they were delayed a little in her mind. She had made the bread the past evening.

Windsor watched her leave, feeling like the woman seemed so familiar. He wanted to call out to her, but soon she was dissolved within the crowd and she was gone. He walked back to the house with Zahira, discouraged.

Soon, he tired of sitting around and decided to go on and see what the others were up to. Zahira stayed at the house while he went along, pushing through crowds to get to the house he wanted to enter. He walked in, not concerned about interrupting anything but still quiet and looked at the other room.

What he saw startled him; a woman with a head of red hair talking to Azaldi about something quietly. That hair. It couldn't be. It wouldn't be. If it was...

"Hello?", he said, staring at the woman and walking in further.

[GoblinFae]

Tiraris had made it back to the room without anymore run-ins or problems. When she got back Azaldi was awake and sitting quietly waiting for her. "Zahira gave us some bread," she said holding up the loaf trying to smile. He nodded taking it from her and set it down beside him. He just watched her as she went about arranging things "just so."

"You better eat. You are going to need your strength for tonight." He nodded back to her sullenly. Feeling pity she moved over to him bringing the map with her. She placed it on the floor between them and then took the bread in her hands. She broke it into pieces giving half to Azaldi and keeping the other half for herself. As they ate she explained the route she had planned for them.

Tiraris heard the quiet intruder and tensed. She kept speaking but moved her hand from the map to the hilt of her sword. The move would have been hidden from the intruder by her cloak. Whoever it was would never see it coming.

It was Azaldi's hand on her own that stopped her. Looking up at him she understood his look of warning as he looked from behind her to her shoulder. She let go of the hilt slowly, standing and raising her hood back up, hiding her crimson locks from sight once more. She sighed when she saw who it was standing there. 'I cannot say that I am really surprised he showed up. He always did have a knack for rushing into things rashly.'

"What are you doing here boy? Are you trying to get us all killed? You cold have been followed. There could be guards waiting right outside this door ready to slaughter us the minute we step out. Use your head!"

'Please leave Dyre. Do not get mixed up in this again. It was bad enough last time. I cannot protect you both. My debt to you has been paid.'

[CastlesInTheSky]

For the moment before she had started to speak, he kept staring at her hair. It was a tone of red that rivaled a cut gem in its sheen; hadn't he seen it before? He must have. As his mind searched for an answer, she turned and spoke.

Windsor hadn't expected a warm welcome, but he flinched slightly at her tone of voice. Soon enough, though, he was studying her carefully, for a moment thinking he knew her. But of course he didn't; he wouldn't know anyone like that. Of course not.

"I was careful to make sure I wasn't followed. I thought I had due cause to speak with you; I wanted to know, and Zahira wants to know, why we didn't leave last night. Don't blame me for being a bit wary, I've had my share of close encounters of the unfortunate kind lately."

[GoblinFae]

"Security is always tighter the first night, despite the chaos that ensues after an escape. The guards already believe him to be gone. They continue with their patrols on the off chance that he returns or that the citizens become frightened about a criminal on the loose. Furthermore, I did not wish to upset and worry Zahira by telling her we were staying. I know what I am doing boy, trust me."

Irritation was falling off Tiraris in waves. If she was not careful and Windsor continued to protest she would lose control and cause something to explode. 'Because explosions are perfectly discrete in the stealth business.'

Tiraris let out a slow, calming breath, staring him down. She crossed her arms and widened her stance. Her entire body was a wall of strength and resistance. She was not about to take no for answer. Tiraris was going to have her way if she had anything to say about it. "You should leave now. The less you know, the safer we all are. I would hate for your friend to die because your petty heroics. I have no qualms about abandoning him in the face of adversary," she warned. The fact that her words instilled deep lines of guilt in her gut went unsaid. 'Would I really do that? Let us hope we do not find out.'