It was easy for Maeve to wander through the fortress without arousing suspicion. No one thought that a powerless woman who had just given birth could pose any kind of a threat. The truth is, on her own she was no threat. But, it she found what she was looking for, she might actually have a chance at getting her life back.
Maeve did not have the slightest idea of where to start looking. She wandered aimlessly through the maze of corridors, searching for anything out of the ordinary that might be a clue. Her search was slow, for she had to stop often to calm a crying child or convince a guard to let her pass.
Rounding a corner, Maeve finally felt as though she was getting somewhere in her search. What she saw ahead of her was a group of about half a dozen guards gathered around a closed door to a room. *This has to mean something,* she thought and decided to check it out.
The guards all eyed her suspiciously as she approached, and they ceased discussing whatever it was that they were talking about.
“Um, excuse me, but what’s in that room?” Maeve asked nervously. She was not completely sure of what the guards’ reaction would be to her presence, and she was even less sure of what their reaction would be to her having the nerve to speak to them.
“Just a few prisoners that Master Tallan doesn’t want to have to see every day. He won’t even let us go ahead and kill them. He seems to think that they’re actually worth something alive,” the head guard answered.
“Could I go in and see who they are?”
“Why? Are they friends of yours or something?”
“No. I have no friends. Not any more. I’m just in need of a little entertainment,” Maeve lied. That should keep the guards out of the way.
“Entertainment? Oh, so Tallan’s just not the man he claims to be?” another guard laughed.
“Um, sure. Yeah. That’s it. So, can I go in and have some privacy?” Maeve was getting tired of this conversation.
“Anything you say, Mrs. Tallan!” they replied and hurried off, leaving Maeve with the keys to the cell.
*Couldn’t Tallan find anyone with half a brain to employ?* Maeve thought. *Those guys were dumber than dirt! I guess they take after their master.*
Maeve walked over to the door and unlocked it, hoping that she had found what she sought. Taking a torch from the outside wall and putting it in a sconce on the inside wall of the cell, Maeve’s eyes beheld this sight: a large, long haired man chained to a wall, a muscular, dark skinned man imprisoned in a cage, and an average, curly haired man sitting alone in a corner. Maeve’s jaw dropped in surprise and joy for a moment before she called out, “Doubar, Rongar, Firouz, is it really you?”
The guys’ faces also took on a confused look for a moment before they all shouted in unison, “Maeve!”
Firouz, the only one with freedom to move, came running to her and gathered her up in a hug. He did not notice her flinch as he put his arms around her. “My dear, are you all right?” he asked.
“Me? You’re the ones locked up in this cell! Oh, and you must hate me so much!” Maeve said sadly, tears clouding her eyes.
“Why would we hate you? Maeve, you’re our friend and we love you dearly,” Doubar said. “And by the way, have you seen Sinbad or Dermott? We were separated and haven’t seen them in over a month.”
“Well, you see, something happened...” Maeve found herself unable to continue for the moment. If she did, she would surely break out into tears and have no way of controlling herself.
Rongar gestured toward the bundle in Maeve’s arms. “Yes, Maeve,” Firouz said, “Whose child is that?”
“It’s, um, well, you see, this baby is mine... and Tallan’s,” Maeve explained painfully.
“What? But--” Doubar stopped as he saw the light reflect off of Maeve’s wedding ring. “You actually married that man!? How could you? I thought you loved my brother!”
“The decision wasn’t as simple as that, Doubar. He forced my hand. I wouldn’t have given in if it hadn’t been for... well, for his death...”
“Whose death? What are you talking about, woman?”
“You mean you don’t know? But he told me that he sent someone to tell you! Why wouldn’t he tell you... unless... unless it wasn’t true...”
“Maeve, could you please tell us what’s going on?”
“When Tallan gave me this,” Maeve pointed to a piece of black glittering jewelry around her neck, “I blacked out. When I woke up, he told me that he had killed Sinbad. I didn’t believe him at first because I’ve always been able to feel Sinbad’s presence before. But then, when I was taken back to my room, I couldn’t communicate with Dermott...”
“Are you saying that Sinbad is... is gone?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe not. I think... I think it all has something to do with this necklace,” Maeve said, “I’ve tried taking it off, but I can’t even touch it without being zapped. Maybe if one of you tried?”
Firouz, being the only one who could do much of anything at the moment, moved forward to help Maeve try to get her necklace off. When he touched it, it did not zap him, so he tried to find a weak spot, something that would allow him to remove it. Then he found what he was looking for: a weak link. “Brace yourself, Maeve,” Firouz said and then pulled as hard as he dared without hurting Maeve. After a few moments of struggling, the necklace was broken and Maeve stared down at the shattered pieces on the floor.
A sudden rush of power came to her, and Maeve had to close her eyes in shock. “Lass, are you alright?” Doubar asked.
“Yes. It’s just that... My powers, they’re back. Firouz, could you hold my child please?”
“Of course,” he answered simply. Hearing those words coming from Maeve was a strange thing indeed. He took the baby and then said, “Might I ask exactly how it is that we’ve been here a month and already you are married and have a child?” A couple of quick fire balls freed Doubar and Rongar, and then Maeve began her tale.
“Tallan ‘proposed’ to me again at dinner, in a way that I couldn’t refuse. He threatened Sinbad’s life, and while waiting for my reply he gave me that necklace. It was such a dramatic change for my body that I guess I couldn’t handle it all right away, so I blacked out. When I awakened, Sinbad was gone and Tallan told me that he had been killed. When I heard that, I didn’t really care about much of anything anymore. I only half heard what Tallan was saying, and the one part that I did catch was that your lives depended on my answer to his proposal. How was I supposed to say no to that? And he,” Maeve said pointing to the child in Firouz’s arms, “Is the product of my wedding night.”
“Maeve, about Sinbad?” Doubar said.
“Wait a moment, let me try to reach Dermott.....” Maeve stopped in the hallway and closed her eyes in concentration. The guys stayed behind her; they had been following her as she walked slowly back toward her ‘room’.
*Dermott, my brother, are you there? Are you alive? Please answer me,* Maeve sent.
*Sister!* Dermott answered excitedly, *Are you alright? Where are you? What’s happened?*
*I’ve found Doubar, Rongar, and Firouz. Have you... have you seen Sinbad? Is he... alive?*
*Yes, he’s here with me, in the same room.*
*Can you tell me where you are?*
*We are right next to your room, Maeve. Tallan cast a spell on one of the walls so that we could see through it much of the time. We’ve witnessed much of what you have gone through. Maeve, are you sure you’re alright?*
*I will be just as soon as I see you two! I thought you were both dead!*
*No, sister, we are very much alive, though Sinbad’s hands could use some help.*
*What?*
*I’ll explain later.*
*Fine. I’ll be there in a few minutes, getting through this place with three men who are supposed to be prisoners might not be easy.*
*Take your time and be careful.*
*I will.*
“Maeve!”
“What? Is something wrong?” she answered.
“Your back: what happened to it?” Firouz asked. While she had been in her trance, she had evidently strained herself a little too much, getting used to having her powers back. A few of her latest wounds had reopened, and the guys noticed as a bit of blood started to trickle through the cloth.
“Oh, that. Um, nothing really, just a little accident with a whip.”
“That’s not nothing, Maeve,” Doubar said as he turned her around to face him. For the first time the three men saw the cuts and bruises that covered Maeve body. The raw places on her wrists where they were bound any time Tallan was in the mood; her bloody fingers from when she had scratched at the door, begging for food to be brought to her; the bruises on her face that bore witness to Tallan’s quick temper; the countless other injuries that appeared only out of his cruelty. “By Allah, Maeve! What have you gone through!?”
Maeve looked down before answering. “Tallan... gets angry, sometimes. Well, actually, a lot of times. He has his moods, and he takes them out on me. It’s a fact of life here that I’ve come to accept,” she said sadly.
“Well, you won’t need to accept it for much longer, because we’re going to get you out of here if we have to die in the process!” Doubar said. He started forward for a hug but then remembered Maeve’s whippings. He hesitated, but Maeve moved forward and he gently placed his arms around her and allowed her to cry a bit on his shoulder. When she pulled away, she saw that his eyes were wet, as well as the eyes of the other two onlookers.
Maeve, feeling uncomfortable with the silence, said, “I spoke with Dermott. Sinbad is alive, and he’s nearby my room. We should be able to find them pretty easily, as long as we don’t get caught.”
“Let’s go find him and get out of here!” With those last words from Firouz they all set off to find their friend and their one chance to get out of the fortress alive.