Winter and Nathaniel

Chapter 8. Dirland

Nathaniel was taken to the Captains ship and put below deck. The brig was old and musty, old hay was shrewn around on the floor.

Nathaniel didn't know where the ship was going, but his best guess was Dirland.

As soon as the Captain's men left, Nathaniel's men proceeded to untie Winter. While some others quietly followed the Dirish.

Winter tried to think of a plan to rescue Nathaniel. But her mind was so full of worry it was hard to think straight.

Nathaniel was woken up by some banging on the door of his cell. He got off from the short cott in the corner, and looked out the barred window of his door, trying to find the reason for the ruckus. There were only two drunken soldiers stumbling to thier rooms. Nathaniel sighed, relieved that they hadn't arrived in Dirland yet. He ran his fingers through his hair, it had been such a long time since he had been to Dirland.

The men who had followed them had found where they were going fairly easily. Dirland.

Now Winter, Marie, and a few other of Nathaniels merry men. Were on a ship to Dirland. They had to wait a while for a ship going that way to leave, but now were finally on thier way.

Winter had never been to Dirland, but she hoped it would be fairly easy to find where they were keeping Nathaniel.

The Dirish ship made it to Dirland by the next morning. The Captain breathed, taking in the smell of fresh baked bread, and listnened to the rattle of kirmanock. "ahh" he sighed. Its good to be back.

His mind was brought back to the present when his men were unloading Nathaniel off the ship. Nathaniel was struggling slightly, to get the guards to loosen thier hold, so he wasn't as uncomfortable.

They made eye contact and Nathaniel glared at Captain morris, showing all his hate for the man. If it wasn't for him, Nathaniel could be back in camp enjoying Winter not being mad at him. Hopefully she had forgiven him by now.

Nathaniel's glare didn't phase the captain, having had prisoners as bad, and worse than Nathaniel.

As Nathaniel was taken off of the ship, the noise of kirmanock reminded him of the last time he was here. But this time he wasn't a guest of the nobles. He was a prisoner of the captain morris.

He was taken to the jail house, and the date for his trial was set. He would by tried at court for crimes against Dirland, in two days time.

Winter reached Dirland late that afternoon. She was surprized by the big city of kirmanock. cotages, estates, and warehouses went on as far as the eye could see. The different sections of the city were divided by class. The cleaner, more well taken care of parts, were where the nobles and merchants lived.

Then there was a place for middle class citizens, who weren't homeless, but weren't terribly rich either. This class was made up of fishermen, taylors, bakers, and other such people.

The worst part of the city, where most the garbage was, was where homeless people lived. They built thier little shantys and used newspaper to try and insulate them better.

Winter tried asking around there first, but the only information they had was that an abandoned house had some supplies that would help to keep them warm in it.

So she tried the middle class. too scared to try the upper ring of nobles, for fear they'd recognize her as Neric.

They found an inn and all scrounged around in thier pockets for coin, and found just enough to pay for a room there.

Once inside the room, Winter flopped down onto the bed face first and sighed. She had spent all her time, after stepping off the ship to Dirland, searching, and asking around for any Information on Nathaniels wherabouts.

Nothing. She couldn't find anything. She was exhausted, had used all her energy for what? that an abandoned house had supplies. she growled, frustrated with herself at how bady suited she was for the job at hand.

The men, after checking where the room wasin the inn, went downstairs for the supper that was provided along with the room.

Marie stayed behind and gave Winter a curious look.

"Now what are you planning?" asked Winter, knowing Marie only had that look if she was brewing some complex plan.

"huhh?" Marie looked up acting innocent "oh, nothing." she shook her head emphasising her words.

Winter shook her head slowly with an amused smile on her face. She knew that if it was anything she needed to know, Marie would tell her eventually.

The innkeeper had given them suspicious looks when they only rented one room, but gave them the key without asking any questions. They didn't have any money for another room, though it would have been nice to have one. The small room they had was crowded with the three men, Winter, and Marie. The men slept on the floor with some extra blankets the innkeeper had grudgingly given them. Marie and Winter slept on the bed. though, as hard as the bed was they might as well have been on the floor.

The next morning Nathaniel was woken up from his shallow sleeping by a loud banging on his cell door. "you have a visitor." the gruff voice of the guard sounded. He sat up wondering who could be visiting him. It was highly improbable that it was Winter, but he let himself hope.

A tall richly dressed man entered and stood before him. Nathaniel thought he recognized the man, but couldn't recall his name.

"Quit staring at me as if I were a stranger, don't you recognize your lord Chamerlain?" the man said with a smile, amused at Nathaniel's circumstances. The confused look on Nathaniels face dissapeared and was replaced by recognition.

"ahh yes, milord Chamberlain. Tell me, is it so hard to so much as step in to Dirland without my father knowing?"

The Lord Chamberlain smiled, the corners of his eyes rinkling up at the same time, making him look older than Nathaniel had remembered."On the contrary, your father does not yet know of your presece in Dirland, but will soon. I came to tell you I am the judge for your trial."

"So how much do you plan to torment me before handing me over to my father?" asked Nathaniel.

During his winters schooling in Dirland Knolls the Chamberlain was one of his only friends in the strict world of noblemen.

"I'll do whatever your father wishes" replied the dutyful judge.

Nathaniel shook his head with a smile "Is that the only reason you visited me this morning?"

"that, and to make sure my eyes weren't decieving me."

Knolls left with a nod, to tell Nathaniel's father of his son's arival in Dirland.

"So, my rebalious son decides to return." said the King mysteriously, once the information was given him. "clear my schedule for tomorrow. we're going to a trial."

Knolls bowed and went to do the kings bidding.