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The meeting wasn't planned, but it's hard to say it wasn't expected.
Running through the paths of the castle, I forced myself to stay calm. Schpood was inside, with his guards, and he was my only defense against the people of Island 1. To be fair, he wasn't the most reliable one, not a first glance, but I had to hope. That's all I had left, really.
The group was shouting, trying to tell me to stop running, resisting, delaying my fate. "You're under arrest," they repeated, over and over as if I were a stray cat who didn't understand. Their metal armor scraping against the dry dirt, grinding down the durability just to catch me for a crime I didn't commit. With planted evidence and a bribed judge, the trial was doomed from the start, and I remember it well.
One of the voices were familiar. Zekor4. A representative of the Commonwealth and someone who wholeheartedly believed the prosecution. The diplomat. A rough, grueling voice that was so direct it made my heart sink. Thinking back, it wasn't so bad. But at the moment, they were the most devastating lies I would've never thought I'd be responsible for.
"You." He scowled, "killed our leaders. You, destroyed our island."
It rang through my head, like a sharp bolt of lightning. I hated thinking back to that moment. That whole trial, really. Running up the stairs, past the Westhelm guards, I couldn't have been any more innocent. But the people made up their minds before it started.
no.
I don't have enough time to be upset.
"Saps!" Schpood's voice rang out, rough and loud. I did not hesitate to run and jump behind him and his guards. After all, can't have more crimes on my back. Turntapps was there as well. Seems like they were talking beforehand, but came outside due to the commotion.. or the complaints from tired citizens.
As soon as I did, most guards build up a wall of shields, separating the angry hunters and the rulers from each other. The group murmured to each other. Zekor glared at me. It took every last nerve I had to keep a straight, unfaltering look behind the floppy piece of paper on my face.
Zekor knew that the last step to getting what he wanted was to get Schpood to hand me over. As much as I wanted to believe that Schpood wouldn't just, y'know-.. get rid of me. But I had a bounty to my name. Money. Power. Killing me would get the respect and maybe trust of Island 1, and that's everything in politics. Alliances and enemies, peace and war, they don't come without sacrifice.
"Schpood, come here, please. Let's have a talk, a chat." Zekor asked gravely. Schpood only stared and nodded from where he stood. Zekor pressed further. "Are you, a friend of this.. criminal, behind you?"
There was no time to be angry, I reminded myself.
"Hey! hey.. keep the allegations separate from the truth! Ya hear?" Schpood interrupted, waving his arms around. "Why don't you come inside, let's discuss this properly."
Oh boy, here we go.
To say the walk to the meeting room was intense is an understatement. Every step I took, despite being surrounded by guards, felt dangerous. One wrong move and I'd have an arrow through my skull. Or a sword through my chest. It was the equivalent to walking on a mine field, but all of the mines are just rocks, and you can't tell the difference. Was it even a mine field at all?
Needless to say, once we made it, Zekor wasted no time pleading his case.
"We can put all of this.. fighting, behind us." He stated, low and heavy. "
The room was silent, or maybe I was too paranoid, because all I could focus on were the dull, violent hatred deep within his eyes. He would have no remorse, no guilt, for something as cold as murder. That might just be what unnerved me the most.
"I propose a trade, an offering just as equal to what I ask of you. You, Schpood, give me Saparata. The Commonwealth, in return, will give you Knight Arcturus. Call it even, a criminal for a criminal." The hunter offered, his voice sincere, but almost ominous.
It was a good trade, I had to admit. Knight Arcturus was a runaway traitor who conspired against Schpood. He was the head of architecture too, which left Schpood enraged and betrayed, well.. that's what the guards said anyways. A traitor for a "traitor". A deal so good it may have made Schpood think a little too hard for my liking, as he stood in silence for quite some time.
"Arty for Saps, you say?" He repeats, deep in thought. Then he shook his head slightly. "I mean though, where would this happen, even?"
I took a sharp breath. It was definitely not a good sign for me if the details mattered so much.
Zekor looked away from me for a second to think. "You let us take Saparata now, and then afterwards, we can kill Arcturus for you-"
"No! No.. don't kill him!" The ruler interrupted brashly, "he needs to fight in the Colosseum!"
Zekor sighed, before a breathy chuckled escaped his mouth. He grinned, a grin far to wide for such task. "Alright," he replied, smugly, "we can make that work as well."
Another beat of silence. A bead of sweat dripping down my face. Schpood seemed to be in a state between uncertainty and awareness. I couldn't tell if he was convinced. Please, for the love of Ish don't be convinced.
"…So you're saying you know where he is?" Schpood asked, as if he were offended by the previous statement.
Quiet. Zekor looked confused, and a bit uncertain. "I-"
"It's very interesting, because your leader, SitzKrieg, said he didn't."
The room broke into a hushed murmur. I could hear the knights near me whisper words of confirmation. The group of hunters seemed worried. Distressed, even. But Zekor fought through it, keeping his dark, straight face.
He sighed before trying to reason again. "Look, he comes back every now and then. We will find him for you."
"Really?" Schpood shot back. "Is that so?"
"Why would I lie?
Schpood scoffed. He looked like he was holding himself back. Or he was shocked by a simple, yet I guess effective point? I really don't like keeping up with the politics, even if that's what I'm engulfed in. When Schpood spoke again, he was calmer, smoother. Collected, but wary.
"So you'll find him for me?"
"Schpood," I interrupted, and all heads turned towards me. I held back a gulp before continuing. "Don't do this.-"
"Look, Schpood," Zekor began again, rudely cutting me off. "I have to be honest, I am quite shocked that you are defending this criminal to your left. Either you accept this deal right now, or, I tell everyone back home that you harbor Saparata from consequence. They will all declare war on you, and this will be the end, of Westhelm."
God damn these points are good.
I stepped back, looking outside and around, I would surely need another escape soon. There was no politically correct reason for Schpood to keep me around. He would sacrifice power. He would sacrifice allegiance and trade. All to keep the world's more wanted player out of the calloused hands of death. That, itself, doesn't seem worth it. To lose so much or lose barely anything. He said he believed me to be innocent, and I am! But the risk? Was it worth taking?The silence was deafening, and all I could hear was the clicking of a clock in my head, reaching to a stilling halt-.
I had to break it.
"How much am I worth to you, Schpood?" I asked, so quietly that I fear it was too pathetic to change his mind.
Schpood chuckled, then he smiled.
"So, just to make the terms of this deal very clear, because, well, of course I want to be accurate!" He grandly began, as he walked around the room to the nearest window, dramatically looking outside. The clock in my head began ticking again. No frickin' way.
"You expect me to hand over an innocent man in exchange for a terrorist?" He asked, pacing back and forth until he got back to his place. He chuckled again. "Is that really your offer?"
Zekor stammered a bit over his words, looking around. "He is not innocent-"
Schpood snorted. "Alright, then." He smiled, just as unnatural as Zekor's, before walking up to him, standing in his face. While I couldn't directly see his eyes, I knew they were as cold as the tundras. Zekor's own confidence fumbled.
"Get out. Now."
Zekor stepped backwards, and his militia did the same, before heatedly turning and leading his men out of the halls. Muttering nonsense and empty threats. Yet Schpood stood tall and proud, alongside his soldiers and allies, unwavered by their threats. I walked up to Schpood, and personally, I think this might be the dumbest decision I've seen him make for his civilization.
But he was smiling, and I felt like it was mandatory to smile with him.
Even if it was stupid, it was right. And for once in these trying times, I felt safe alongside others.