Underestimate Me

Rowen winced as he heard the familiar sound of Josselyn’s yell. Evelyn’s head twisted in the direction that the sound came from. “You should go.” Evelyn shook her head in response. He averted his eyes from her. His knees felt numb again as his legs tingled from the position they couldn’t get accustomed to. He regretted rubbing his wrists raw, but would not admit it.

“They are coming for you,” Evelyn stated. Her eyes followed something just over his shoulder.

Rowen did not have to ask who. His chest tightened as he realized what Josselyn and Meredith fought over. Meredith would be back for him…

“Where is Aldith,” Josselyn’s voice met his ears, but he refused to turn towards the sound. If she wanted to ignore him, maybe it was high time he ignored her! Evelyn’s eyes turned away from Rowen to a place where a new fire had been built. “I need him in that tent.” Rowen didn’t see the direction indicated, but he saw Evelyn nod as footfalls faded behind him.

More questions. Rowen’s nose scrunched before realization hit him. Josselyn would be a part of this interrogation. He cringed with his own anger, not noticing Evelyn loosening his ankle bindings. She didn’t say much, just guided him into a tent on the opposite side of Josselyn’s. Rowen stumbled with the ropes around his feet, but he was determined not to fall like he did the first time Meredith led him into questioning.

“Just tell them what they want to know. They’ll leave you alone,” Evelyn pleaded as she pushed him into an uncomfortable chair. He moved to relieve the pain rolling up his spine, but nothing seemed to help the pain in his chest.

“If I give her what she wants, I will be dead by morning,” Rowen informed Evelyn without a hint of amusement. She frowned, sending cold chills through his burning body.

“For the last time, my leader is not cruel as you think she is.” Her glare was harsher than her frown, and he couldn’t cover the shiver that crept down his spine.

Evelyn opened her mouth for another round, though Rowen couldn’t tell if she meant to scold him or show concern, but it quickly closed again as the tent opening slid back. Aldith slipped in first, taking a seat next to Rowen, followed by Josselyn, who managed to sit directly in front of him. He did not want to look at her, or feel her presence so close to him; that’s the lie is tried to convince himself of, but deep down the excitement of her being in front of him could not be quenched. The hatred that he felt towards his ignorant emotions caused his jaw to set sending shockwaves of pain through his cheek. He relished the sensation.

“Why is there blood on your hands?” Aldith asked as she looked at his writhing fingers.

Rowen shrugged. “Why am I here?” His eyes never left Josselyn.

“Who has your father sent after you?” Josselyn’s voice was cold and detached.

“How am I supposed to know; I have been here, with you!” Rowen’s words caused Josselyn’s nose to crinkle as if she just smelled something rotten.

“I know, you know, who your father’s second reserves are. Tell me who I am dealing with!” She demanded.

“I should tell you, when you think I wanted you dead to begin with.” Rowen rolled his eyes. “Even if I did know, I wouldn’t tell you!”

Her eyes turned into slits as her leg began to bounce a little. Rowen took note of her fists curling around the sides of her thighs and allowed himself a small smirk. Could he win this game she wanted to play?

“I am trying to protect my family,” Josselyn growled.

“By getting mine killed?” Rowen hissed. “What shall you do if Merek returned to Elrik without me? Do you know what will be done to him, and I won’t be able to protect him because I am tied to a pole at your whim!” His voice was growing in strength. The louder it got the scratchier his throat became. He clung to the pain. “Besides, who is going to protect Rebecca?”

Josselyn’s knuckles turned white as her eyes closed. She took one deep breath after another trying to calm herself. Rowen did not want her to find peace; not when he could not find it. “She will be condemned to a life of nothingness after my father finds this out, and if he is sending reserves you can be sure he will.”

“Silence,” Josselyn hissed. Her nails dug into her palms and Rowen could almost see the familiar crimson color of blood. He wanted to be happy about her pain, but he found himself trying to reach out to her, to comfort the pain he caused her. Rowen could not comfort her though, he was bound and chained. He suddenly felt grateful for Josselyn’s incessant need to chain him up.

“You wanted me to talk…” Rowen trailed off. His voice fell flat as he watched the muscles in her jaw tighten just as his had when he felt nothing but hatred for the things she would not let go.

Her arm flew back in the air, prepared to strike, but she did not. He watched her stumble from the tent opening before he lowered his head, allowing his lungs to breathe through the pain of his broken ribs. Aldith held her seat and waited for his eyes to rise to meet hers.

“That is not the way you talk to someone you are supposed to care for.” She watched as the confusion swept over his face. “How can you be kind to Laila, Evelyn, me, and even that young girl who took you to have your bones broken while treating Josselyn with such indignation?”

After her speech she removed herself from the tent. Her shadow merged with another outside of the opening as swift whispers filled the air. None of which Rowen could understand, but he let his thoughts fall on what Aldith preached. It matched what Evelyn told him earlier. He could act this way because those women did not accuse him of being a cruel man though they knew next to nothing about him while the woman he spent most of his teenage years loving, the woman he called his best friend, thought him capable of the unthinkable.

Josselyn wanted him to be cruel, and Rowen only wanted to give her what she wanted.