• [Roger]

    After a long time of thinking, I decided to come save Trek and Jen. I entered the way Jen did and now I was in the rich fields, inside a tree thick with leafs. Guards with the same scythe spear came walking beneath the branch I sat on. I waited till they were gone then jumped up about three stories high and grabbed onto the ledge. I peered inside the opened window to make sure nobody was around before I hopped in. I sighed and thanked the night for shielding me from sight. The guys did always say that I was the worst thief imaginable, which meant I was the worst at sneaking.
    I looked at my surroundings. Soft creamy walls, pure white marbled floors, expensive gold vases and picture frames, indoor plants, and that’s about it. I gape—there’s nowhere to hide in here! The ceiling had bright lights shaped like sea shells that lit up all the hallways. Wait, hallways. I cautiously walked to the corner where four different halls intersected and glanced at each direction—empty. There weren’t any doors, either. Great, now how will I find them in such a vast palace? Maybe they have a dungeon here and that’s where Trek is. Jen could be there, too, but I highly doubt that. He could practically disappear with his speed.
    “Intruder!”
    I looked around—surrounded. Two guards blocked each hallway, holding a spiked club in one hand and a black mace in the other. Silver armor covered their bodies. They were slowly closing in on me, cautious.
    “Intruder!” they shouted again before they charged at me.
    “You’re mistaking!” I said, turning around. But it was no good. I had nowhere to run.
    They formed a tight circle, pointing their clubs at me. I raised my hand in defense but they ignored it.
    “Follow” they order.
    I bit my lip, staring at their razor sharp weapons. It was an idiotic idea to disobey, so I reluctantly followed. One guard stood to my left and right, three in the front and three in the back. They took me through the court yard and into a big silver door with a gold dragon on it. One of them opened the door, revealing a spacious room. The floor was carpeted red with slick bronze walls. There was a rich wooden desk all the way in the back. An old man was seated there. He wore red silk that had a dragon design on it, the same one that was at the door. A younger man with dashing blond hair, maybe in his twenties, stood to the right of him, leaning against the wall. A little boy with gold brown hair sat in a couch on the left side of the wall just in front of me.
    “Yes?” the old man said. “This better be important”
    “We’ve caught an intruder” one of the guards says.
    There was a moment of silence. “Speak”
    I felt everyone’s eyes staring at me. I didn’t even know what he meant by ‘speak’. Speak about what? Was he even talking to me? I took a deep breath to try to steady my voice. “I um…I was here because…” should I tell him I came here to look for Jen and Trek? If I did, they might have not known and would send guards to search for them. Then we’d all be in trouble.
    “Hurry” the old man was losing his patience.
    “I came here to look for my friend”
    He arched an eyebrow. “And who is this…friend?”
    “His name’s Trek” I left Jen’s name out in case he hadn’t been caught yet.
    The boy jolted up from his seat.
    “Sit” the man ordered, not taking his eyes off me.
    “But…father, I—“ the boy says.
    “Be quite and sit” his voice was acid. The boy hesitated before he sat back down. “Well you’ve come to the right place. Your friend happens to be here”
    “Really, where?” I said quickly. “Is he in one of the rooms? The kitchen, maybe?”
    “He’s in the dungeon”
    “But why would he—“ oh that’s right. I saw him in the carriage handcuffed.
    “You see, he kidnapped my son, Ennel” he gestures to the boy.
    “But there has to be some kind of mistake! Trek would never do that—well I guess he could but he’s just an idiot! He doesn’t know what he’s doing”
    “He’s dangerous”
    “No he isn’t!” I struggled as the guards held me back from charging at the old man. “Trek would never hurt anyone”
    “Is that so? Then explain why he had a weapon with him”
    “I…” I couldn’t say anything after that. I knew what I’d say would be wrong.
    “You see? Weapons are used to hurt people whether they’re enemies or allies” he paused. “Take him away” he said to the guards.
    I was dragged back to the court yard and down stoned stairs that went underground. It was cold and damp, stains and dirt flooded the surroundings. It was until I reached the bottom when I realized I was in the dungeon.
    “Move it” they shoved me forward.
    I stared at each of the cells, all occupied. Every prisoner was skinny, some really boney, and they wore dirty ragged clothes—poor people, I’m guessing. They didn’t seem to get angry as they stared—they where more like frightened. All huddled together for protection and cowering to the corner as if they were going to get tortured for being near the bars.
    I got deeper in until I reached a dead end. Then, before I could react, the guards took away my sword, threw me inside a cell, and locked it. I expected to land concrete floor but landed on someone, instead.
    “Sorry!” I say as I get up. “I’m really—Trek!”
    “Ugh…yeah” he grunts.
    I help him sit up. “So you really were here!” I paused, remembering, then pinched his ear lobe and pulled till he yelped. “Why were you thinking? Do you have any idea what trouble you caused? Now I’m stuck here too!”
    “I’m sorry you’re here but where’s Jen and Kert?”
    I let go and sighed. “Kert’s not with us”
    “Us? You mean…” he lowered his voice so that the guard that was guarding the entrance of the dungeon wouldn’t hear. “Jen’s here?”
    “Yeah, he hasn’t been caught yet”
    “He’s our only hope now, huh?”
    I lowered my gaze. “Yeah…” then I turned around to look out of the bars. I saw my sword in a weapon rack, along with Trek’s hammer. How do we get out? I hoped for the voice in my mind to say something, anything, but she wouldn’t speak. “Hurry up, Jen, hurry up” I say to myself. “Before something horrible happens”

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