Rebellion: Prince of Dawn

Chapter 21.4: Go Your Own Way

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ILIAS VAN PAYNE

After our exhausting and near-death battle with Oyecomova, the military personnel that was sent to our fight's location rewarded us with an extravagant stay at their jail's most luxurious cell.

My fight with Clint and me and Jaime's fight with Oyecomova disturbed more than half of the town. Many witnesses turned their fingers to us, and because the story was unclear, the three of us were sent to jail until our innocence was proven by a clear and concise story.

Currently, Clint was housed in the cell beside ours (alongside the guy that was being puppeted by Oyecomova). The gunslinger was a quiet kid. He never once spoke a word during our fight nor during our stay in Orisa's jail. He simply stared out the window and watched the celestial bodies in the sky.

When we tried to ask him questions, he pretended not to hear.

Jaime was relentless in proving our innocence, but the soldiers wouldn't entertain it. They ignored her after every word. By the time the sun had set, she paced back and forth in her cell.

We have no money to pay for our fare, but that doesn't really matter. All we need is to explain our situation to Roxy and Roxanne. I don't doubt that they'll pay for our fare.

Once we get to Roa, Jaime and I can finally join the Adventurer's Guild. We will pay them over time.

What we can't miss is the strict deadline of Mrs Robinson's expedition.

If we do, we can't travel back to the village and ask them for money to pay for the next expedition's fare. That'll take too long.

An expedition only happens once a month and the poison ring in Jaime's throat will claim her life.

If we're not released before sunrise, we're left with no option but to cross the desert on foot.

Jaime didn't sleep at night. She went through many different emotions as if she were an actress practicing before a show.

We were still stuck in the cell by the time the lower arcs of the sun were well above the ground.

"I am so dead," Jaime cried. "The expedition left long ago. And it won't even matter if the twins waited for us or not. The next expedition won't happen until a month from now. I'm going to die."

I massaged her shoulders as she sulked in the corner. "We'll manage."

By noon, the stories of numerous witnesses had proven our innocence (along with the poor guy that was dragged into this). We were questioned for a quick couple of minutes before being allowed to leave.

As Jaime and I left, I glanced back at Clint. He watched us with eyes that expected their fate.

I pointed to him. "He's innocent as well."

"It says here he snatched your money," one of the soldiers said," which led to you two fighting."

"It was only a misunderstanding. We're strangers to this town so he was showing us around. That was when the tattooed elf stole our money. I got angry because I mistook him for a scammer that was helping the elf. After everything was sorted out, he helped me find Jaime. He was knocked out during the fight. I let my emotions get a hold of me is all."

"Hmm..."

"Sir, the story from multiple witnesses has already placed us as victims. If Clint was working with the elf, why am I vouching for his innocence."