The Rebel and the Icequeen

A plan takes form

Queen Louises POV

Three very long days go by. I just can't get this Liam Cameron out of my head. What drives him? Isn't he afraid of death? Is his conviction enough to actually kill someone for it? I want to know all of that so much, but of course a queen is not allowed to conduct an interrogation or even to march down into the dungeons. I'm sure I don't want that either. During my time here at the castle I saw a lot of misery, illness and poverty, but I have never been in the dungeons. The stench is said to be terrible and many forgotten people are stuck down there. My husband, King Darion, is very strict and has anyone imprisoned, if not hanged, for even the smallest offense. I think he has long since lost track of who is behind bars there. I really want to know what happened to Liam Cameron. Did he already talk or confess?

I know that interrogations doesn’t just consist of nice questions, but is often followed by torture. Sometimes I have the feeling that they are not looking for the truth, but simply for the simplest way, which is to lock someone up and make them a scapegoat. Someone guilty has to be found to appease the people.

"Has the rebel said anything," I casually ask the minister on the third evening. He purses his lips and makes it clear that he really doesn't want to give me this information. I look at him expectantly, but do not show how important this answer is to me.

"No, Your Highness." I show clear disapproval on my face and look at the minister.

"I'm terribly sorry, we've already tried everything we could to get him to talk, but he remains silent." Now I have the answer I was looking for. So he actually didn't reveal anything. Or the minister doesn't tell me the truth, but this is rather unlikely.

"Well, that's a shame," I say, lifting my chin a little higher. I do not say more about this and the minister apparently has little desire to further dwell on his failure. I go into my chambers and feverishly wonder how I can get to Liam Cameron one more time. I could call him again for an audience, but the Minister and many other people would be there as well. It's not that easy for me to go to the dungeon, but maybe I could hire a healer to patch him up and secretly question him in the meantime. This last option seems best to me. The point is that he mustn't know who is talking to him there, otherwise he would just be silent again. If he thinks he is safe and nobody wants him harmed, maybe he would open up a little. I order one of the guards to take him up to one of the chambers and call for the healer I trust. The healer is nimble and very discreet, which is exactly why she is personally responsible for me. I have nothing to hide, but I prefer it when no rumors or wild slander are spread. I also prefer to have people around me who are on my side and who I trust.

Half an hour later I enter the chamber. I have shed my elaborate dress and changed into simple linen clothes. I have instructed the healer not to say a word and just take care of him. She just nodded without asking. Now Liam is lying on his stomach on a bed in the chamber. His hands and feet are cuffed to the bed and his eyes are blindfolded. When I step into the chamber and see his bare back, I almost have to throw up. His back looks really bad. He has apparently been whipped because his back is still bleeding and there are bits of skin hanging from it. Red strokes cover his entire back. The healer looks at me questioningly. I nod at her, take a deep breath and rebuild my inner protective walls. I've never seen anything like this before. My hands are trembling slightly, so I quickly put them in the pockets of the dress. If someone lives through something like that without giving anything away or justifying himself, then it not only shows courage, but also enormous willpower.

"Hello? Is there anyone?", Liam asks and the insecurity can be clearly heard in his voice. He pulls on the shackles, but apparently he quickly realizes that it is pointless. Next he tries to get rid of the blindfold, but it is firmly knotted at the back of his head.

"We're here to help you," I say in a disguised voice and his head pops up. He swears quietly and turns his head towards the door. Again he tugs at the shackles. Unsuccessful.

"Is that true or is it a new form of torture?"

"We are healers and we’ll look at your back if you are okay with that," I answer in a timid voice. Then I motion for the actual healer to come closer and go to work. She immediately begins to clean and treat the wounds. He winces every time she touches his wounds for the first time, but lets it happen without fighting any further.

"If you are healers, why am I tied up?"

"We were told you were dangerous," I reply with a still disguised voice as the healer does her work.

"I'm not dangerous," Liam says indignantly and turns his face in my direction. I step closer to the bed and kneel in front of him.

“Are you scared of me?” He asks in an incredibly soft voice, as if trying to calm down a shy animal.

"I'm not quite sure. They say you were a rebel and tried to break into the palace to kill the king and queen."

"Mhm," is the only thing he replies. I wait for him to say more, but when I figure that he won’t answer anytime soon I ask, "Is it true?"

"I think your fear is unfounded, since I am tied to this bed."

"Well, that doesn't answer my question," I ask again and am aware of the thin line I'm walking on. If he gets suspicious, he won't tell me more.

"You are very curious," he states.

"I've just never been this close to a criminal," I reply to lull him into safety.

"I'm not a criminal."

“But everyone seems to think so. If you’re really innocent then why didn't you tell them the truth.” He really fascinates me, but somehow this conversation seems to raise more new questions than it answers me. Is he actually innocent? Has he just accidentally been in the wrong place at the wrong time?

"They don't want to hear the truth, they just want to punish someone."

"You could at least try?"

“Completely pointless. They treat me like a serious criminal, and yet, at least until now, I haven't done anything. "

"But would you really kill someone?" I ask, holding my breath.

"I think it's better if I don't involve you," he simply replies, turning his face away from me. Apparently he doesn't want to give me any more information. Inside I swear loudly. I messed it up. Now I'm no smarter than before.

Hey, my lovely readers.

I hope you like the story so far. I would absolutely like to get some feedback from you. Do you like this chapter? Do you like the characters? What do you think happens next?

I am a fulltime university student and quite busy at the moment, so please have some patience with me. I try my best to update this story as often as possible.