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Dusk sat in the dim light for some time, he wasn’t sure how long with nothing to mark its passing. It reminded him of his days in the mine, working away by torchlight. His eyes adjusted quickly, but he found it harder to keep still. The cell was small, too small to move about or do more than pace three steps. There was a chamber pot in one corner and the rest was covered in straw that Lex was still passed out on. Dusk had moved the cloth to cover him up and placed some straw over his body to keep it warm. A large bruise had blossomed on his abdomen, but his breathing seemed regular.
To Dusk's relief, Lex finally began to stir. The first thing he did was lift a hand and place it gently on his stomach, sucking air through his teeth as he touched the darkened flesh.
“Lex,” Dusk spoke gently. “Are you alright?”
“Water...” he replied hoarsely.
“I don’t have any Lex. They haven’t brought anything down yet.”
“Where are we?” he asked, opening one eye weakly.
“We walked for a day and a half southeast to their hideout. They took everything and locked us up.”
“Help me.” Lex reached out a hand as he tried to sit up. Dusk took it and pulled him up as Lex cried out in pain. “Fuck! Gods above us, that hurts! Why’d he have to hit me so hard...”
With another cry, Dusk helped Lex to his feet. He swayed on the spot and Dusk wrapped an arm around him to steady him. “You’ve gotta keep your mouth shut Lex. Another blow like that will probably kill you. I was starting to think you weren’t going to wake up at all.”
Dusk helped him brace himself against the bars so he could make use of the chamber pot. Silently Dusk let him dress and laid him back down in the straw, trying to give him as much cushion as possible. Just as he was trying to convince Lex to get more rest, he heard one of the wooden doors bang open and heavy footsteps thumping down the stone stairs. He quickly stationed himself facing the cell door and cast his gaze down at the stones, wanting to appear as subservient as possible.
“He’s awake,” Rami’s warm baritone stated as he looked at Lex who was glaring at him.
“Yes sir. Just sir.”
“Make sure he keeps quiet this time. The boss isn’t a patient fella.”
Dusk saw a metal platter come to rest on the stones just outside the cell. Next to it Rami sat a large pitcher of water too wide to fit through the bars and a small tankard.
“You’ll have to share,” he said gently. “I snuck ya more food. You’re gonna need your strength. Don’t tell anyone and eat it quick.”
Dusk looked up into the dark brown eyes of the fat, balding man that stood in front of the cell. Although he was one of their captors, Dusk felt a strange gratitude towards him. He knew Rami was putting his neck on the line to take care of them, but somehow he felt more like a pet than a human captive. He wondered how a man like him had gotten mixed up with this gang of ruffians, but he didn’t dare ask the question. Rami was still dangerous, even if he was treating them kindly. Being kind and being good were two totally different things, even Dusk with his minimal worldly experience knew that.
“Thank you sir.”
“Stay quiet.”
With that Rami turned on his heel and headed back up the stairs, his heavy boots echoing away until Dusk heard the door shut. Quickly he poured water into the tankard and pulled it through the bars, bringing it to Lex’s lips. The man was already asleep, but the cool liquid brought him awake immediately and he began to drink greedily. It took some time, but Dusk managed to feed him small bites of bread and cheese until he was satisfied and slipped back into sleep once more. Dusk finished his own meager meal and laid down in the straw next to Lex, throwing a few handfuls over them both. It was warmer than the woods the night before and it was merely moments before he drifted off to sleep.
***
The next morning Dusk was rudely awoken by the sound of a club being pulled across the bars. He jerked awake, sitting up in the straw ready to run. On the other side stood Nolan, dragging a broken piece of wood on the iron bars with a giant smile on his face.
“Rise and shine! The boss needs you this morning,” he growled. “Seems like it’s time for you to earn your keep.”
Dusk stood and turned his head downward, leaving Lex stirring in the straw. Nolan turned the key in the lock and stepped through the open door, running his fingers across Dusk’s chest as he circled him like a grimy vulture.
“Did you sleep well, pet?” He asked as he leaned in close to Dusk’s neck and gave his hair a long sniff. Dusk felt a hand in the center of his back suddenly shove him hard and he tripped out through the cell into the open room. He righted himself as Nolan locked the door behind him and came up, wrapping a hand around Dusk’s waist. “I hope you did. Going to be a busy day. Lucky boy.”
Nolan led Dusk to the top of the stairs, through a door, and down a series of hallways, his dirty hands always touching and wandering. It made Dusk sick to his stomach. The mines had been a terrible place and there were plenty of things that he heard rumors about, but this was the first time he’d ever been on the receiving end of such affection. It was much worse than he anticipated. It made his skin crawl and even though there was fabric blocking Nolan’s wandering hands, he still felt dirty, like he needed a bath.
After a few minutes of meandering down the almost frozen passageways in bare feet, Nolan finally stopped at a door and placed a single, wet kiss on the back of Dusk’s neck before he knocked on the door as if nothing had happened.
“Enter!” the gruff voice of Brand called out.
Nolan pushed the door open and wheeled Dusk in. Brand nodded, waving his hand at Nolan, and he left, shutting the door behind him with one last gawk.
“So,” Brand began, once the door had latched. “Have we learned our lesson about being sneaky?”
“Yes sir. It won’t happen again sir.”
“Good. Another infraction and I’ll break your arm,” Brand stated nonchalantly. “There are a few things that need doing. This room needs to be cleaned from top to bottom.” He gestured about. The room was filthy with piles of dirty clothing, soiled bed sheets, and a fine layer of soot covering almost everything from the fireplace to the opposite wall. “Clean it. All of it. There’s a bucket at the edge of the cliff to pull water up from the river.” Brand walked over to Dusk, leaning in. “If you even think about running, my men have been ordered to shoot you on sight.”
Brand threw his black fur cloak over his shoulders as he walked to the door and pulled it open. “Oh and one more thing. If anything is missing, anything at all,” he pulled a finger across his throat.
“Yes sir.”
Brand waved casually as he walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Dusk looked about, trying to figure out where he should start. He didn’t know the first thing about cleaning, but he didn’t think it could be much harder than mining salt all day long. He noticed an old broom leaning in the corner covered in cobwebs. There seemed as good a place as any to start. He pulled it free of the webbing and began to sweep, stunned at the amount of dirt and soot that covered the stone floor.
***
The next week found Dusk doing similar tasks for Brand from dawn until dusk. At first he’d struggled to pull water from the cliff side, but after repeated exposure, found it easier to handle as long as he didn’t peer over the edge. After he’d finished cleaning Brand’s room, which took longer than expected, he was instructed to do more general maintenance on the crumbling fortress. He washed clothes, scrubbed long neglected pots, removed rubble from the courtyard, and even had to give Brand a foot massage, which was a horrific and smelly experience. The servant life was harder than Dusk had anticipated. The multitude of tasks that needed to be completed was astounding, and they took just as much physical effort as mining salt, if not more.
At the end of each night Nolan would return him to his cell where he’d nurse Lex to the best of his abilities. Within two days Lex seemed to be back to his old self, although still sore and unable to move quickly. His bruise had gone from purple to a sickly yellow green and Dusk saw that as a good sign. It meant he was healing at least. Every night they whispered in the dark, when no one was around, about ways they could escape. As far as Dusk could see, there was no way out without being shot. The fortress was always guarded, day and night and the turret was never unmanned for even a moment.
While Lex was still confined to his cage day after day, Dusk continued to gain the trust of Brand. By the fifth day he had already complimented Dusk on his good work twice, which seemed out of character, before he left with a small band of men. On the seventh day Brand and his men returned wheeling a large cart from across the grasslands and into the bastion. Inside the cart was a hammered copper tub big enough to fit a man even of his stature. Brand ordered it brought to his room and was placed in front of the fireplace. Once there he ordered Dusk to fill it for his personal use.
In the end, Dusk had to push the tub close to the fireplace and build a roaring fire against the side of the metal to heat the cold river water to steaming, but when Brand finally arrived, he was pleased with the sight.
“Excellent. You never fail to impress me, boy,” Brand laughed, clapping a meaty hand on Dusk’s shoulder.
Dusk looked up to see a dark-cloaked man standing behind Brand. His face was shrouded by a heavy hood. All he could make out was the thick gray stubble on his jaw and the ashen colored hands with perfectly clean nails that he clasped in front of him.
“Well! Don’t just stand there gawking like a ninny, finish up!” Brand barked, gesturing to the tub.
Dusk went back to moving the hot coals away from the tub. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Brand turn back to the man in the black cloak and address him.
“So you want our help huh? We aren’t a charity. What are you willing to pay?”
“Yes we would, very much so,” the man replied in a soft baritone. “I’m sure you and your men would benefit from gold, but we’re also willing to trade in supplies or weaponry.”
“We can get our own things on the road, but gold spends everywhere.’
“Of course. Gold it will be then.” The man bowed his head slowly and gestured wide. “We need you and your men to rid Alamond of it’s infestation.”
“You mean the goblins?”
“That’s correct.”
“Why? What do you want to do there?” Brand scoffed. “Nothing there but a buncha junk and goblin shit!”
“Our reasons are our own, but for this job we are willing to pay in excess of five thousand gold pieces if you can eliminate them all in a timely manner. I’ll also be accompanying you.”
“That’s a big job. I’ve seen this clan myself. We’ll do it for six thousand.”
“Six thousand it is, if,” he held up a thin white finger, “you can provide me with lodging while I’m here. And food of a decent quality.”
“It’s a deal!” Brand guffawed, spitting in his dirty hand and holding it out to shake. The man looked at it, considered it for a moment with disdain, and then shook it for less than a second. “Good, good! We’ll get started tomorrow. Nolan!”
Nolan immediately popped through the door. “Yes sir?”
“Take our guest to our best room and tell whoever is in it to get out. Make sure he has a warm fire and plenty to eat. He’s our new patron.”
“Right away sir!” Nolan opened the door wide and gestured to it, “If you’ll follow me, sir.”
Slowly the man let his hood down, revealing a clean shaven head that shone in the firelight and a short gray beard that was well manicured. He looked to be no older than thirty, but the gray lended him an air of maturity. His eyes were his most striking feature, a light green that almost seemed to glow and sparkle on their own.
“Thank you for your hospitality,” he said with one last bow of his head. He looked up and met Dusk’s eye for a moment before turning away. Without a sound he swept across the room and out the door, Nolan pulling it shut behind him.
Brand sighed to himself with a large smile on his face. Then he clapped his hands together loudly and gestured to Dusk, “Now help me out of these! I’ve waited too long for this bath already!”
Dusk helped Brand pull off the grimy layers of leather armor and clothing that he had never seen changed. The stench of sweat and body odor poured over him, but he stifled any reaction. Once everything had been removed from the hulking man, Brand slipped himself into the steaming water, sighing in ecstasy as he sank in.
Dusk piled the clothing on the chest at the foot of the bed. He laid out the belt and the armor flat on the wooden surface. Pulling out a rough linen cloth he began to try to scrub some of the dirt and residue away from the surface. Out of the corner of his eye Dusk saw a faint glimmer and he turned to look. There, on a roughly wound cord around Brand's neck, was the dragon’s eye. Brand opened one eye warily towards Dusk and he looked away, busying himself with scrubbing the leather again.
“You can do that tomorrow. Leave me in peace. Nolan!”
The thin man slipped through the door silently once more, holding his head up for orders.
“Take him away. I’m done with him for the night.”
“Right boss.”
Nolan came forward and took Dusk by the forearm, dragging him towards the door. A thought struck his mind and Dusk pulled the door shut behind him, something Nolan usually did.
“What are you doing?” Nolan snapped.
“Shutting the door sir,” Dusk replied calmly, stopping the door short of latching, as if he were worried he was in trouble. He knew better than to give into the reactions of any of the men.
“Are you so eager to work?” He lowered his voice and leaned close to Dusk, “I’ve got another job for you that’s a lot more fun than serving that oaf all day.” There was a sly grin on his face that could only mean trouble. “Come with me.”
Dusk tried to look interested, leaning in slightly at the whispered proposal. Nolan led him down the passageway as usual, but not to the cell block. He pulled Dusk along, holding him by the forearm. He could see the iron key still dangling around his neck and the wickedly curved dagger that he always kept on his belt. If he could distract Nolan long enough, he could get them. He just hoped he’d get the chance.
The passage turned left abruptly and came to a dead end where blocks had collapsed. It was cold and damp, the only light source being the torch Nolan held in his upraised hand. He spun around and pushed Dusk up against the wall, a hand firmly on his chest.
“You’ve been playing so nice to the boss, doing every tiny thing he asks for.”
Dusk could see the look in his greedy little eyes and feel the tension in his touch.
“I think it’s time you did old Nolan a favor too.” He watched as the man reached down and began tugging at his trousers. Adrenaline spiked through Dusk’s system as he realized this was moving faster than he anticipated. This far away, no one would hear if he yelled, not that anyone would care if he did. He watched Nolan struggle with his belt with one hand, still holding the torch aloft, the dagger bouncing at his side. And then an idea struck him.
“Sir?” Dusk said in the gentlest voice he could muster. “Nolan, sir, why don’t you let me help you.”
Nolan looked up, his belt halfway undone. He wore a surprised look that quickly melted into a greedy smile. He pulled his hand off his belt and held it up, beckoning him forward. Dusk stepped forward and pressed his body against Nolan’s, his hands reaching down to the belt. He looked into Nolan’s eyes, trying to look as wanton as possible. Having no experience with such things, he hoped he was convincing. Nolan leaned forward and ran his tongue over the exposed skin at Dusk’s throat. The smell of his breath was nauseating.
“If I’d known you wanted me so badly I would have brought you back here sooner. The boss is right, you are cooperative.”
Dusk smiled and leaned in, his hands still working at Nolan’s belt. He felt the belt come loose and the leather drop to the floor as a wet tongue slipped inside his ear. The slick sound made his skin crawl, but he had what he wanted. Wrapping an arm around Nolan’s waist he pulled the man close.
“Thank you,” he whispered. “You’ve given me just what I wanted.”
Before Nolan could register what he’d said, Dusk thrust the knife upwards under the groping man’s ribs and gave it a sharp twist. He heard the breath leave Nolan’s lungs as the man fell backwards, unable to speak. His head struck one of the fallen sandstone blocks, a resounding crack echoing down the hallway.
Blood pooled quickly and Dusk snatched up the fallen torch before it sputtered out. Reaching down he ripped the iron key off the dead man’s neck. He stared at the corpse, the eyes still wide open. It had taken mere seconds for him to bleed out and it had been immensely satisfying.