Return to Kinthaldith

A novel by Meredith Skye

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After breakfast, they woke Jesh in the morning, which he had missed. They'd actually let him sleep longer, as it was midmorning. He followed Natt outside, who gave Jesh a pitchfork and had him begin unloading hay from a wagon. He worked slowly without thinking, numb to the cold, trying to save his energy.

He'd been there about an hour when Lord Risser found him. Natt was with him. "You incompetent fool!" Risser shouted at him, and Jesh wondered what he had done now. Risser ranted on for a while, and Jesh realized he hadn't heard what he had said. He felt dizzy, and it was hard to concentrate. "You left my horse without brushing him off or drying him. You didn't give him any grain. Now he's sick, and his hair is matted. You didn't even give him any water!"

Water. Of course. Jesh had forgotten that.

He stared at the angry prince. "You seem more worried about how you treat horses than how you treat people."

Lord Risser scowled at him. "We'll go to the Arbitrator." Natt urged Jesh to follow as Risser left. They followed him back towards Lujen's building, and Jesh found himself hoping that he would get another nap.

They found Lujen there, making some tea on the stove. Lord Risser described Jesh's crime in great detail.

Lujen looked at Jesh, who stared at them in hopeless silence. "Have you nothing to say in your defense?" Lujen asked.

"What would be the point?" Jesh asked bitterly. He began taking off his tunic.

"Thirty lashes this time," insisted Risser.

"Ten," said Lujen, unmoved by the fury of the young prince. "Plus two hours confinement."

Lujen gave the punishment in 10 measured strokes. After Risser and Natt left, Lujen got a cloth and some warm water. He washed Jesh's back and examined it carefully before applying a dose of oil that stung and then put some ointment that soothed it. Jesh said nothing. The Arbitrator led him back to the same small cell as before. Jesh eagerly lay on the mattress and slept, pulling the warm blanket around him.

Natt came for him in two hours, took him back to the stables, and left him unloading the hay. Jesh knew he had missed lunch again. The winds began to blow, and a light rain started, which didn't help Jesh's cough.

As he worked, Jesh suddenly felt that someone was looking at him. He turned around and saw the cloaked figure of a woman standing in the distance, watching him. It was Kyelea. She had a basket under her arm like she'd been doing errands. He moved toward her to talk to her, but she turned and disappeared into the house.

Was Kyelea right? Was Jesh as good as dead? Instinctively, Jesh thought about the wristband Grayan had given him. He still had that. Perhaps he should call Grayan and ask for a rescue. But Jesh couldn't overcome his fear that Grayan was dangerous--that he had helped murder Lord Demmin. He had the motivation, but there was no evidence.

Jesh kept working for several hours and finally collapsed in a dry pile of hay under a roof. Warm and comfortable, he snuggled down under it and fell asleep.

When he awoke, it was cold and late at night. He realized he had missed dinner again. He got up and made his way to the Stable House. Natt and the others were still up playing cards. Natt just grunted when he saw Jesh arrive. Jesh found his corner and slept.

Jesh woke up in the middle of the night and found that he was crying. He couldn't seem to stop. Thoughts of his years of Prent crowded in on him. His sister's tears haunted him. He remembered the only girl he had ever kissed and despaired at the senselessness of his own life. Finally, he fell asleep again.