Timeless

26

"With all due respect sir, what in all the hells is going on?" Jeshua says angrily. A woman he respected is dead and a man he admires is going to die for her death.

Taren sighs and gestures for Jeshua to move down the hall far enough that they wouldn't be over heard by the guards. "Lady Ariele was dying. But if she sacrificed herself than she could save the castle and all the people. Otherwise we didn't stand a chance. Fully one third of our guard was working for the enemy. Apparently that many servants as well. And now it seems that half of the tops did too. Won't that just blow Anna's temper into all kinds of trouble.

"For the sacrifice to work Grey had to be the one to kill Ariele. You saw the people drop after she was killed? Those were the traitors. The curse should take out the enemy as well. With one death, hers, Ariele will save the castle." Taren explains sadly.

"No, sir, with respect, it will be two deaths. Even should Lady Anna find a way to save him, Lord Grey won't live after this. Not for long he won't." Jeshua says angrily. Now he understood what Lord Grey didn't want him to hear.

"He knew what he was going to do beforehand?" Jeshua is dumb founded at the idea.

"We planned it the other night. Ariele stipulated that Grey be held in his room or she wouldn't do it. Grey was tormented by the idea and Lady Jaylen erased it from his memory after it was all set. I'm sorry Jeshua but we were under orders to not talk about it." Taren doesn't think Jeshua would have let it happen had he known.

"Pretty smart idea. I would have done my best to stop it had I known." Jeshua admits. Even if it meant everyone would die.

"I can't stand that anymore. Excuse me Jeshua." Taren goes to his brother's door.

"Grey let me in." Taren could if he has to break the enchantments on the door, but he wants them there for Grey's protection.

The distressed cries are swallowed and he hears a shuffling sound before Grey's now unrecognizable voice was heard telling him it was safe to enter.

Taren goes in and sees some water. "Grey drink this." He hopes the water will heal Grey's voice. Not that it will matter since he'll die shortly after the trial.

Grey too weary to fight takes the cup of water offered to him and drinks. Taren urges him back to the bed and helps him to settle. Then he hits Grey with a strong sleep spell before Grey has a chance to react. He'd made sure that the door hadn't fully closed so he could leave when he was done.

"Dream happy dreams Grey. Oh my brother, I wish you hadn't had to go through this." Taren say as he covers his brother up. He sighs and picks up the tear soaked dress and gently lays it next to Grey.

He slips out of the room and makes sure the door shuts tight. "Thank you sir. We would have done something if we could." The one guard says. Hearing Grey in such agony had been hard on them.

"Has there been any trouble?" Taren asks rubbing his eyes trying to get the painful dry sensation out.

"No, sir. No one but messengers, you, Jeshua and that maid you brought up. Is it true that there were traitors amongst us sir?" The other guard asks.

"Yes. A great many. As well as traitors among the servants and tops. There will be many grieving this night." Taren says and moves away from them returning to Jeshua.

"What did you do to silence him?" Jeshua asks. Personally he thinks a knife to the heart the kindest solution.

"I sent him to sleep. I know you don't approve Jeshua. But it was Ariele's and his decision. She wanted her death to mean something and save lives. He wanted to do this one last thing for her. And I think he did it so that he could join her in death.