Dearest Raina,
You must forgive me for being so terribly negative and hopeless. You told nothing but the truth in your last letter and I am only sorry that I did not see my plight clearly from the first. I see now that I positively put myself in the position of the victim and very wrongly expected my rescue to come from outside means, rather than from the resources I had so clearly been given.
When I finally aroused in myself the energy and will to change my situation, things went smoothly and quickly. I told Sol of my ideas and after perfecting them in their little flaws, we had a neat and hopefully clean plan.
We began by taking apart our already broken cots and setting them around the stone walls in various positions. We both took up a leg from our cot and after a gleeful glance at each other, set to making the most beautiful and advantageous noise known to man.
I felt my body lighten and my mind lift as I jumped around the room, hitting the wood against the stone wall as I raised my voice in mindless screamings and songs.
Sol sang possibly the most annoying and terrifying songs I have ever heard, but I loved every note of it.
We went on for possibly three hours, never resting even as our voices grew hoarse and our legs mechanically moved us across the small room. But no matter how loud we screamed or how hard we hit the scraps of wood across the thick walls, we came no closer to our goal than if we were lying peacefully in bed.
At last our arms sank to our sides and our voices rasped out the last notes of The Sailor and the Seal. We fell down on the cold stone floor and I felt the tears come to my weary eyes.
But my soul was so energized by the exercise and high hopes that my tears came not out of despair, but desperation.
Our faithful guards had failed to respond to our noise and we had no way of opening the door. But my mind wandered with fantasies of escape and I refused to give up.
I dragged myself off the cold ground and pulled Sol up with me. He glanced at me in confusion, but readily accepted the fragment of wood I thrust at him. I motioned for him to remain silent and stand at the ready.
My throat protested at the strain of yelling but I used what little strength I had to force it out of me.
"Y'ata, I give up! I'm ready to talk! Just let me out of here!" Sol looked at me with a mix of sympathy and confusion. I dare say I sounded very convincing as I cannot own that that was not exactly what I wanted to say.
There was silence for a few minutes, then we heard the creaking of the guardroom door and finally our prison door groaned inward and a few small wisps of fresh air came floating in.
The first person to enter the door was not to be Y'ata and I angrily knocked the breath from his large frame. But luck was with us and Y'ata came next, unaware that his predecessor was snoring lightly as he lay prostrate on the floor.
All my anger and frustration came crashing down on Y'ata's head and he was out cold before he had time to defend himself. I was not sorry that I was using unfair tactics and Sol and I rushed out of the room and through the many more comfortable rooms as we made our way to our freedom. The guards we bumped into soon had bumps on their large heads and were dozing in la-la-land. Things were going more smoothly than we had even dared to hope and we were in the front room before we came into any trouble at all. But this trouble more than made up for the lack of trouble along the way.
King Gioto stood calmly in the doorway, surrounded with his personal guard. Sol and I stopped as quickly as our momentum would allow us and quicker when we were grasped by the strong and capable men of the King's guard. My eyes didn't leave those of the King's and we stood in a silent battle for a few moments. My breath was coming in great gasps and I began to feel the effects of my days of hunger and no exercise.
The King was the first to break off the staring contest and I smiled in triumph as I saw his shoulders twitch, uncomfortable under my scrutiny.
But my gaze was also broken off as I heard the voice of my old acquaintance.
"Your Majesty," Gi came running up beside the King and grabbed him by the arm. He did not notice my presence and I was not impatience to attract his notice. "Your Majesty, they have escaped." These last words were said quietly and I barely caught them but I noticed the King's face flush as they were said and his arm came roughly out of Gi's grasp.
"Escaped? They? What can you mean? We had only one prisoner."
It was Gi's turn to flush and he did so beautifully. The group around the King had respectfully drawn back. "Sire, the Princess has also gone, along with the Spy."
The King began to tremble and he wiped his brow. "Are you certain?"
"We have searched everywhere, your majesty. They are all gone." Gi again grabbed the King's arm as he swayed to and fro. But the King quickly righted himself and jerked Gi into a small adjoining room.
When they came out a few minutes later, they were more composed and the King again turned his attention to me.
"Warrior I'taira. I'm afraid I have some more pressing matters than your little escapades at the moment but I'm sure you won't mind if I return for you in the morning. Gi will kindly escort you to your room." He swept grandly out of the room leaving half of his men and the now sober Gi.
My eyes swept the face of that man once so handsome in my eyes and I took in every little fault of his features.
But I had not time to ponder his perfection. We were headed towards the direction of our "room" and I was determined to at the least delay our arrival there.
Sol saw my frantic glances around the rooms we were passing through and merely nodded his head. But that was all the support I needed.
As we went through the guards room, I jerked myself out of my captor's hands and flew towards the nearest sword. By the time I had hold of my sword, Gi possessed one also. We were facing each other and my eyes narrowed in consternation. He was the last person I wanted to fight after weeks in gaol.
But I was in for the biggest surprise of my life. As I thrust forward at my supposed opponent, I lunged into empty air. Gi had turned and thrust out at a different opponent - one of the guards.
Thus commenced the battle, Sol, Gi, and me against a group of ten well trained Warriors. But it was surprisingly quick and decided and almost before you could say Big Bandits Have Baggy Blue Bandanas, we were outside in the fresh air.
I looked at Gi in amazement and he laughed at the stunned look on my face. Sol patted us both on the back and we started off in search of Luc, the Princess I'talia and the spy Benk.
As we went along, Gi told us his story.
The King had caught Luc and the princess on a lucky chance a few days back and had held Luc prisoner, planning on executing him for the capture of the Princess. Gi said he did not know the full details of the escape but he believes that the Princess and Benk aided Luc in his escape and went along of their own free will.
As to Gi himself, he would not give us all the particulars, only saying that he has long been distressed by the acts of the King and looking for a way out. He has confessed to some bit of admiration for myself and did not find himself disgraced in any manner by joining with me.
I cannot tell you much else. I suppose the King will know soon enough who has betrayed him, but for now we are safe. Y'ata was still out cold as we made our second escape and I can only hope that the bump on his head is big enough to keep him in the Tower for some while.
For the moment I do not know what I wish to accomplish in the long run of the rebellion. All I know right now is survival and I'm afraid it will be that way for some time.
But I wish you well and safe. And I cannot help but constantly pray for my friends Luc and Benk and even the Princess. May we all be safe from people such as Y'ata and the King.
I continue to be wary of Gi even after all he has done for us. That is the price you pay for staying safe. But no matter who is loyal to, I will always be grateful to him.
Yours always,
I'taira
