He was still contemplating these possibilities when he heard Locke call out behind him.
�Something is most definitely wrong with our distinguished Prime Minister, Lord Edgar, do you not agree?� Locke was waiting at the doors to the inner chambers that lead to the throne room, looking out at Edgar with a smile of complete indignation. Edgar knew that everyone of the Returners had some personal quandary with the Empire or one of its generals, but why Locke had been so fervent with the Returners� cause was still quite a mystery to him though. Perhaps one day his friend would let him know the reason, but for now he continued to rely on the adventurer�s great tactical knowledge of the Empire�s whereabouts to always stay one step ahead in the political arena.
However, today would see an end to that charade, it seemed.
Edgar approached Locke and before he reached his dark-haired companion of many years, he had already made his decision. In the next few months, Figaro would make the turn to openly support the Returners. This would be a very hard decision for the people of Figaro to accept, but he knew without a doubt that they would stand with their king.
�Locke� please, take Terra to her room, and let her rest. We have much to discuss, you and I. A time for action is upon us, and the weight of this decision requires more than my weak shoulders.�
Locke opened his eyes in surprise at this remark and smiled sadly at his friend.
�Worry not, dear king,� he said softly, �we shall not let you have this battle alone. There are many who will fall behind Figaro now and we need only rally the forces as quickly as possible. All will be well.�
Edgar nodded tiredly and walked off into the darkness of the inner chambers.
Terra lay quietly in her hiding place, the absolute darkness oppressive and playing upon her nerves. No sooner had Locke slipped her into the little cubby and shut the trap door had the voices started up within her head. She could decipher little of what they were saying, but nonetheless she heard them. It had begun on her trip to Figaro with Locke across the plains, before they had reached the desert border� a very soft buzzing it appeared to be, not of a single voice whispered close to one�s ears, but of hundreds of voices raised in a cacophony of shouts and screams, heard from such a great distance that the words were impossible to make out.
She was able to screen out the voices easily during the daytime when Locke was with her and her activities kept her busy. At night, the voices were difficult to ignore, but once sleep took her, she was undisturbed. In this absolute darkness, however, the voices were her only companion, and she feared for her sanity. She grew more and more anxious with each passing moment, and after what seemed like an eternity of waiting, the trapdoor suddenly sprung forward, releasing a small sliver of light into the cavity, widening now to let in a burst of brilliant light. Once her eyes had accommodated to the intensity of the light, she saw Locke standing there with a grim look on his face.
�What is it, Locke? Has something happened?� she asked in honest concern, forgetting about the voices entirely.
�Something has happened, something wonderful and yet terrible. Come now, Terra, let me take you to your room, so you can finally rest easy.�
He helped her out of the tiny, body-sized closet hidden in the eastern wall of the throne room and helped brush off the many cobwebs that had collected in her hair and on her clothing. His hands worked methodically to remove the filth, but Terra could see that his mind was elsewhere.
They walked out of the inner chamber and into the fading light of the desert evening, the sounds of birds flying over head as they drifted along on the desert winds reaching her ears. She inhaled the crisp, arid air deeply now, finally able to relax enough to enjoy these simple things, and Locke looked over at her and smiled. He led her to the eastern edge of the courtyard where a pair of double doors opened into a small connecting hallway off of the main, inner sanctum. Another similar doorway was visible to the east as well, and Terra hoped that she would have time to explore the castle before they left again.
Looking forward, she saw that Locke had already disappeared down a flight of stairs up ahead and, hurrying to catch up with him, she ran out of the library at full speed. Down the stairs she went, Locke moving just fast enough to stay visible ahead of her. She followed him down to a small basement area used for storage that led out into the desert once again. From this perspective, outside the eastern wall of the castle, she could see a large towering structure connected to the main castle wall by a huge, ridged wall. Sand had been piled against the outer edge of the tower, though by what means, she was unsure, as the wind blew against the western edge of the castle.
Locke continued to lead her towards the tower entrance, and then turning back, signaled for her to come inside. On entering the cool interior of the tower, she saw that several small dormitories lined the first level of the tower.
�These are the living-quarters of the Figaro elite and their families. You will be quite safe in here, my friend,� Locke explained. She found an unused, single bedroom on the third floor of the tower with a comfortable bunk that called out to her. She yawned widely now, realizing how little she had slept in the past few days. This would be quite a comfortable respite as she had not been in a soft bed since leaving Arvis� cabin what felt like an eternity ago.
Locke had come into the room as well with her and he stood there looking at her as though trying to decide what to say.
�Don�t worry about a thing, young Terra, I will�� he paused mid-sentence, then looked down uncertainly at his feet. Terra felt a twinge of sorrow at seeing him this way and walked over to him, taking his hands in hers.
�I will protect you,� he said now, surety in his words as his looked up at her. �I promise you this.� Terra could tell that there was much hidden beneath those few simple words, and she knew not to ask anything of it at that moment. If there was something he needed to speak of, he would open to her in time.
�Locke� is it true that you are a thief?� she asked all of a sudden.
Locke�s eyes opened wide in shock at this and his head fell back against his shoulders as he bellowed laughter loudly to the roofs. Terra dropped his hands in confusion now, taking a few steps back and wondering what was so funny about this.
�My dearest lady, whom was it that told you this? I must know,� he asked with a laugh close behind these words.
Terra smiled now at his response, and pointed over her shoulder to indicate the castle behind her. Locke broke into another raucous gale of laughter, his mirth bringing tears to his eyes. Terra was openly amused by his response to her question, but still quite baffled as to the reason.
�Ah my dear� that is so typical of our kind and loving host. No, dear heart, I am not a thief and never have been. I prefer the title of treasure-hunter, if you please,� and he bowed quite dramatically before her. �Do not be fooled, Terra, by Edgar�s flashy exterior. He is truly an ally to the Returners and he will be of great help to us in defeating the Empire.�
Terra frowned at this statement.
�Locke,� she asked once again, �how is this possible? Am I not a general of the Empire? It was my belief that coming here would assure my safety as Figaro and the Empire were allies. Why would Edgar help me knowing that I have assisted the Empire if he is a member of the rebellion?�
Locke strode forward to her and took her hands into his own once more, pleading evident in his eyes.
�That is not true, Terra. You were not a general of the Empire. You were a pawn of that corrupt regime!� His face grew red with fervor as he spoke, and Terra marveled at his conviction. �You could never be truly a part of that evil horde, I know it. I feel it.�
Terra looked into Locke�s eyes now, knowing that what he said felt right, and yet�
�Locke, I�m confused. What should I do?� she asked.
Locke was taken aback now at her sudden show of dependence. He did not expect such a turn in the conversation and he was at a loss for words.
�I� I don�t know Terra. I wish I could tell you what you need to do, but you will have to make that decision on your own, I�m afraid. I am your guide, would you need one for now, but I cannot direct your feet upon the road you must take. I do know, sweet girl, that you will make the right decision. I trust your judgment.�
Locke smiled and, before Terra could say anything more, he turned upon his heels and strode out of the room, leaving Terra as confused as ever before.
How will I know which is the right way, dear Locke?
