Chapter 24

Deanna was still frozen to the spot, and the conversation became a blur. How had he found her?
That was the question that her mind kept repeating, over and over again.
The conversation continued in the other room, and, once she had her wits about her again, she assumed he had passed sentence and put them in the dungeon.
She turned and went back to her room, the reason she had come was completely forgotten. She walked with determination she had to find a way to get to the dungeon.
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Cadman was letting loose a string of curses as he tried to break the bars of their cell.
"Cadman, just let it lie." Alroy said calmly from where he sat on the tattered bed, his head resting on the wall; his eyes were closed.
"How can I let it lie?" Cadman demanded. "We're stuck here until that ass upstairs decides 'what punishment is most suitable for trespassing,'" He mocked the kings voice. It was a very poor impersonation.
"You're not going to help anything if you get us killed by the guards." Alroy responded. He seemed almost abnormally calm.
"Why are you so calm, Alroy?" Finn asked from where he was sitting in the corner, watching the room warily.
"This so called 'king' is no such thing, he's a Baron that got dishonored and so he went to an out of the way forest, built himself a castle and called himself a king. He's a worthless little brat who threw a temper-tantrum simply because his daddy wouldn't die."
They all looked at him, surprised at the hate in his voice. He opened his eyes to look at them.
"What?"
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Deanna was sitting on the bed again, trying to come up with a plan to get to the dungeon, since she figured they wouldn't let her just walk in, would they?
There was a knock at the door and Deanna stood to open it.
"The king requests your presence." The guard said, his face stern and he looked like he didn't have any laugh lines at all.
"Lead the way." Deanna said as she closed the door behind her.
The guard lead her back to the throne room, where the king still sat upon the throne.
He smiled when he saw her.
"Hello," He greeted. "I hope you found your rooms comfortable."
"Indeed," She said, wondering when he'd get to the point; she didn't think he'd called her out here to discuss her sleeping arrangements.
"It has occurred to me, though I fear I have addressed the matter too late, that you have not yet had a tour of my palace."
She blinked in surprise. Well, she thought, this is lucky.
The king had called over a young maid, who kept her eyes averted. "Alissa, could you give Miss..." He paused. "Oh dear, we've spent a few days together and I don't even know your name."
He had an apologetic light in his eyes.
"It's alright, I'm afraid we're even in that respect," Deanna said. "My name is Deanna."
He smiled. "My name is King Devron." He turned back to the maid. "Please show Lady Deanna around the palace."
The maid bowed and walked towards the door, Deanna followed her.