The Boy in the Field (24 page)

“I understand, but if you're going to do something to Ethan, I
want to know.”

“Fine.” He took hold of your wrist again. “Come on.”

You followed him through the gates where neither the Serloran
nor the Kinn soldiers stopped him. A man checked his papers at the door and
asked your business in the chambers, but gave no hindrance when Noah said you
had important information for the council. Once you were inside, Noah's
attitude changed.

“Call him,” Noah said to one of the door guards, taking the
knife from his belt and holding the blade to your throat.

“What are you doing?” you asked, your voice little more than a
whisper.

“You wanted to see. I tried to stop you.”

The door guard stepped inside the room and a minute later,
Ethan came out. He paused when he saw you, his mouth agape.

“On your knees,” Noah said. “Now.”

Ethan raised his hands. “You don't have to do that.”

“Knees. Now.” He pushed the tip of the knife under your chin.

Ethan sank to his knees, the two guards at the door binding his
wrists. Another stepped forward to take hold of you as Noah let go, marching
you behind Ethan to the holding cells in the building's basement. The door to
the council chamber clicked shut as Noah went inside. A second later, you heard
screaming, the clash of steel and furniture being overturned. You tried to look
over your shoulder, but the guard shoved you around the corner and towards the
stairs. The noises began to fade.

The basement was dark and the guards took the only torch as
they left, leaving you blind. You reached out, but felt nothing around you,
only the cold stone wall and the metal bars of the cell. Every sound echoed,
Ethan shuffling and groaning. You called out to him.

“Ethan?”

“What happened?” his voice came from somewhere to your right.
“How did he find you?”

“He was in our house. He had a knife to Noah's throat.” You
fought the urge to cry or scream when you said his name. “I thought he was
going to hurt you.”

“Where is he now? Our Noah?”

“I left him at home.” You wiped your eyes. “He's all on his
own. I'm an awful mother, aren't I? If anything happens to him...”

“Does Noah know? This Noah, I mean. Does he know that he's...?”

You nodded even though Ethan wouldn't see. “He knows.”

“Then believe that he will be okay. Believe that Noah will go
back for him.”

“If anything happens to him, it will be my fault.” You shuffled
across the cell and put your head against the bars next to where you thought he
was.

* * *

It was some time later when you heard another cell door creak
open and then slam shut. A minute passed and then the door squeaked again and a
torch flared into light. Noah stood the other side of the bars, the front of
the uniform soaked with blood. In his hand, he held a bundle of grey fabric

“Take off your clothes,” he said, looking at Ethan.

“Why?”

“Because I said so and I’m not the one inside the cage. Now do
it.”

Choice:
174. Tell Him It’s Okay
or
175. Tell
Him Not to Do It

“Ethan’s not coming home, sweetie.” You sat down with him in
your lap. “He’s gone away. He loves you and he misses you, but he can’t come
home.”

“Why?”

You shook your head. “He’s a long way away.” You smoothed down
his hair, brushing it away from his eyes. “When you’re older, you’ll
understand.”

The Serlorans took power in Kinel the moment King Sadin died,
claiming they would flush out the traitors and rebels before a new monarch was
crowned. The people looked at you like it was your idea. Sometimes, you
received threats. Once, you woke in the night to find a gang of kids outside
the house, smashing your windows with rocks. That night, you pulled Noah from
his bed a second before a half-brick landed on the pillow where his head had
been. Clutching him to your chest, you hid in a cupboard until morning, waiting
for them to leave.

As the days turned to months, they lost interest in you,
ignoring you rather than openly attacking you. Months became years. You began
to think it was all over, until you awoke one night to someone pounding on the
door. You ran to Noah’s room and told him to hide before you went down the
stairs.

Wrapping your robe around yourself, you moved to the front of
the house, taking a knife from the kitchen counter as you did. The banging
caused vibrations through your hand as you turned the key in the door. You
pulled it open, lunging at the visitor and pressing the knife against his
throat.

“If you think I’m—” You stopped, staring into a pair of tired,
yellow-brown eyes. “Ethan?”

“I was afraid you would not still live here,” he said. “May I
come inside?”

Choice:
170. No, Go Away
or
171.
Invite Him Inside

“Ethan’s gone on a very special mission for the King.” You sat
him in your lap and put your arms around him. “He can’t come home until he
finds all of the treasure that was stolen by the sky pirates.”

“What are sky pirates, mummy?”

“Oh, the sky pirates? You don’t know about sky pirates? They
sail the skies on the clouds. They’re fearsome and deadly and that’s why it was
too dangerous for Ethan to take us with him. But he’s keeping us safe from them
and when he’s got all of the King’s treasure back, he’ll come home. But there
are a lot of pirates and a lot of treasure, so it might take a very long time.”

“So he’s being a real life hero?”

“That’s right,
hani
. Just like he always has been.” You
smiled.

For the rest of the day, Noah pretended to be helping vanquish
the sky pirates, leaping around the house, grappling with invisible foes. It
made you smile to watch him and gave you hope. Little Noah idolised Ethan; if
he could cope with him being gone, so could you.

* * *

The Serlorans took power in Kinel the moment King Sadin died,
claiming they would flush out the traitors and rebels before a new monarch was
crowned. The people looked at you like it was your idea. Sometimes, you
received threats. Once, you woke in the night to find a gang of kids outside
the house, smashing your windows with rocks. That night, you pulled Noah from
his bed a second before a half-brick landed on the pillow where his head had
been. Clutching him to your chest, you hid in a cupboard until morning, waiting
for them to leave.

As the days turned to months, they lost interest in you,
ignoring you rather than openly attacking you. Months became years. You began
to think it was all over, until you awoke one night to someone pounding on the
door. You ran to Noah’s room and told him to hide before you went down the
stairs.

Wrapping your robe around yourself, you moved to the front of
the house, taking a knife from the kitchen counter as you did. The banging
caused vibrations through your hand as you turned the key in the door. You
pulled it open, lunging at the visitor and pressing the knife against his
throat.

“If you think I’m—” You stopped, staring into a pair of tired,
yellow-brown eyes. “Ethan?”

“I was afraid you would not still live here,” he said. “May I
come inside?”

Choice:
170. No, Go Away
or
171.
Invite Him Inside

“I’m sorry I had to do that to you,” Noah said when you went
to see him the next day. “It was the only thing I could do to save Ethan.”

“I don’t understand.”

Ethan crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not sure you want
to.”

“Ethan?”

“He’s not one of ours,” Ethan said. “He’s a magister. From
Serlora.”

Noah nodded. “I’m sorry I lied to you.”

“A peace treaty was signed yesterday,” Ethan continued. “It
stops Serlora sending anymore soldiers. It makes them remove the ones they have
posted here. Don’t you think they would want to stop that, however possible?”

You stepped away and shook your head. “I knew he looked too
much like you. That’s why he was trying to take Noah.” You looked back at him.
“You were trying to get into the chambers and you needed my son to get Ethan
out.”

“I’m sorry.”

“And what then?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“What then, Noah?” You gritted your teeth and shouted. A nurse
nearby shushed you.

“I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“No. Just my family.” You turned away and left the room.

* * *

You didn’t see Noah again. Ethan stayed later at the medicium
to speak to him, but you went home to your son. Little Noah was bemused by the
whole incident, but he soon seemed to forget about it. With the peace treaty
signed, Ethan spent more time at home. Things got better.

The End
(Back to start)

“We don’t have to do anything.” Ethan put his arm around you.
“He might be Noah’s father, but he held a knife to his throat. He’s just a
kid.” He smoothed down Little Noah’s hair. “If he was hurt, I’d report him.”

“Why don’t we?”

“He’s still my brother. And he’s injured. If you accuse him of
hurting your son, you’ll end up in jail for stabbing him.” He sighed. “This is
the only way I can protect you both.”

You nodded. “I guess.” You bent and picked up Noah. “I think
you’ve had quite enough excitement for today, little man. Maybe we should get
you bathed and in your jimjams and we’ll curl up in bed with a book or two,
yeah?”

Noah pouted. “No. It’s too early.”

“I’ll make you paper ships,” said Ethan.

Noah sat up on your hip and grinned. “Can we play pirates?”

Ethan lowered his voice and closed one eye. “Aye.” He reached
out to take the boy from you. “Now I’ll be takin’ this scallywag and we’ll be
goin’ away on t’ bath. Arr!”

He jogged through the house, holding Noah above his head. The
little boy squealed and giggled. You smiled. Even on the worst days, Ethan and
Little Noah could always make you feel better.

The End
(Back to start)

It had been four months since that night with Noah. There had
been nothing he could do to prevent your arrest, but he had ensured your cell
was relatively comfortable, even if the food was making you sick. He also put
your case forward for appeal.

The day before your court date, the prison medics called you in
for a thorough health check. There were four of them, all prodding and poking,
asking all kinds of questions and performing all manner of tests. The most
senior of them said that health played a strong role in release appeals.

The judge reviewing your case seemed to be a stern, unemotional
man and you doubted your defender would have much success persuading him of
your value to the Empire. The medics had given you no indication of their
findings. You didn’t expect to leave free.

“On what grounds do you wish to appeal?” the judge asked,
looking to your defender.

“The defendant
has
given comprehensive evidence to her
handler, Magister Magnus Vapasi, who I believe has submitted a statement to
you. She played a very minor role in the rebel’s Liberation group and has done
everything in her power to assist our investigation. She is also several months
pregnant.”

You turned to stare at him. “I’m what?”

He showed you the medic’s report. Pregnant. It explained the
weight gain and the sickness that you had experienced since being incarcerated;
you had assumed it was down to the stodgy prison food. You looked back to the
judge.

“Ordinarily, I would not even consider such a case,” he said.
“However, several highly respected magisters have submitted statements on your
behalf as well as your guards, who say you are a model prisoner when not in the
infirmary. Therefore, I see no harm in reducing your sentence to time served.”
He stood and clapped twice. “You’re free to go. The court is dismissed.”

Noah met you at the door to the courthouse and escorted you to
a room in a nearby inn where you would stay for the next few nights. You heard
that after the magisters made their move, Ethan fled, changing his identity and
selling everything both of you owned, leaving you with nothing. You sat on the
bed and smiled at him, wondering if he already knew and if it was a part of his
plan.

“They’re sending me home soon,” he said, breaking the silence.
“All the trials are over and my job here is done.”

“Are you leaving me?”

“Only if you don’t want to come with me.” He sat beside you. “I
can look after you.”

“You know it’s yours, right?” You put your hand over your
stomach.

He nodded. “I’ll look after you both. Just say you’ll come with
me.”

You had nothing left to lose. Ethan was gone. Your job was
gone. You had no home and nothing to keep you in the city.

You smiled. “Why not?”

The End
(Back to start)

You shook your head. “I’m not sleeping with you, Noah.” You
took a step back from him. “If this is my last night of freedom, there are
other things I need to do.”

Ethan was gone when you got back to the apartment. You
searched, but had no idea where he might have gone. From the look of the house,
you assumed he was on the run, trying to escape the magisters’ raids.

It didn’t take them long to come for you and when they did,
there was nothing you could do to stop them. Noah wasn’t there; you didn’t
blame him. If the roles had been reversed, you wouldn’t have wanted to watch
him being taken away either.

One of his colleagues put his hand on your shoulder. Yours felt
heavy. Your knees hit the floor. The lights went out.

Instruction:
178. Verata