The next morning started differently. Alexandra was awoken to the sound of many feet in the hall, accompanied by a loud hammering. Putting her dress on, she carefully peeked her head out into the hall. There were a great many workers, all dirt-covered, trudging up and down the halls with tools, pieces of pipe laying on the floor. Confused, she made her way to the kitchen where Selene was already preparing the Lederan's breakfast.
"What's going on?" She closed the kitchen door after her.
"New pipes to bring steam from the factory at the other end of Lerwick," Selene did not like all the activity disrupting her orderly day, "they need them to power more of the machines."
"What machines?"
"Mostly the ones in the front courtyard," Selene explained, "the mud problem is getting worse and the Lederan fears that the valued citizens may actually try to rebel. They need the extra steam to power the machines so the soldiers can restore full order to the town."
"Those machines were brought here to help the people, to free Lerwick of its trouble," Alexandra remembered what she had learned in town, "the Lederan is planning to turn them on the people now?!"
"If there's trouble of course." Selene did not concern herself with things she could not affect. "I just can't wait for everyone to leave, they're dirtying the walls and floor. I know their lives are terrible in the factory, but the Lederan will not be happy until everything is cleaned again, that just means more work for everyone else."
"It's terrible," Alexandra felt sick, "these machines are here to help, not keep an insane man in power!"
"It's true that they're mostly mining and excavation equipment," Selene went on, "but they can also be used for fighting, anything can it seems. The Lederan rules here, everyone just needs to get used to that, there's nothing we can do. There's nothing at all we can do."
She must have ingrained that into her own psyche in order to stop falling into despair. Alexandra realized that she once again could not reach the woman.
"I have breakfast to make."
Alexandra was angry, she could believe there was even more pain in store for the people of Lerwick.
She picked her way through the hall and waited for Arportia to awake. Her ladyship was displeased when she did wake up that there were workers in the palace. She refused to leave her room. She took her breakfast and told Alexandra to go away and keep herself busy, she would summon if she wanted her.
Alexandra was thankful for the day off at least and quickly beat a retreat from the room, and bounding back down to the stairs. She began walking the halls as she was excited there were new faces at last. She watched them tear out pieces of wall and lay in new metal pipes to bring more steam to all parts of the Lederan's palace. From one of the windows she could see a lot of work being done in the front courtyard, where all the machines sent to help the town from Avindr sat unused up to this point.
The corridors were filled with activity, Alexandra liked it, it had been getting lonely day after day. It reminded her of the Market District with lots of people moving all around; she felt a bit of longing to be back in the city. She could not believe she would ever wish to be back in the slums or begging in the Market, but all that seemed better than the gilded cage she now found herself in.
Turning down one corridor on the fourth floor, she saw the back of a head that looked familiar kneeling down and working on hammering a pipe into place on the wall. It was the scruffy brown hair she had seen every morning for the last few years waking up in the slums back in Avindr.
It was her friend, she was sure.
"Luca?" she could not dare to hope.
The head turned.
"Alexandra?" A smile broke across the boy's face.
She ran over and embraced him, falling down on her knees.
"I never thought I'd see you again! I can't believe you're here."
"I've been hoping to see you, I heard you were a servant here now. I've been looking all over for you while we're up here doing the piping."
"How have you been?" She knew she would not like the answer.
He gave a weak smile.
"I was sent to the only working factory in the entire town. We make steam, incredible amounts, but it all gets piped up here, none of it to the town, those pipes are shut off. It's grimy and smelly there, but I'm okay. It's hot too, all the steam engines running all the time. We sleep on the factory floor between the machines, it's less comfortable than the ground in the slums. Who would have thought that was possible."
"What have they been making you do?" She hoped it was not as bad as Zooey's position.
"Just ordinary factory worker, stoking the fires, watching the gauges, all that kind of stuff."
"I am so sorry." She held him close.
"For what? It's bad, but all the guys there are pretty cool, they hate what's going on. They've been teaching me a lot about steamworks and metalworking actually, I've been learning a lot. They're all stand up people. I even told them I was an Oonskat. They laughed and said they didn't care, we're all equal in the factory."
"I'm just so glad you're okay."
She did not want to let him go.
"Things are going to get bad for the town," Luca suddenly warned her, "the guys were saying all these pipes have to be for all the unused machines they've got stored up here. If they activate all those with the current Lederan in charge, there's no hope of ever getting Lerwick back to normal."
"And we'll be trapped here forever." Alexandra saw their deadline quickly approaching.
"Yeah, looks like that way."
Her mind turning, Alexandra had a thought. "Wait a minute, how much steam will be coming up here?"
"Tons, more than I've ever seen, the whole factory's worth."
"What would happen if someone flipped all the controls to full?"
Luca thought for a moment, then he saw what she was thinking about and his eyes widened. "Things would get pretty crazy."
"So crazy that we could get away, the commotion will distract the guards!"
The first ray of hope reached her heart after so long.
"Yeah," Luca was imagining it in his head. "They wouldn't know what was going on!"
"But, would you be able to? They'd stop you at the factory I'm sure."
"No they wouldn't," Luca now had a mischievous grin, "all the workers would like nothing better than to kick out the Lederan and get back to their families. They'd help I'm sure."
"When do they finish the work on the pipes?"
"Tomorrow; the group I'm with finishes sealing the pipes in and then the other workers on the factory turn the steam on and send it up here."
Alexandra was thinking fast, "we'll have to do it tomorrow then."
"Okay, but be careful," he cautioned, "there might be some little explosions up here. I'll tell the guys the plan when we're taken back to the factory tonight. They're good, they'll be able to do it. This is the last chance for this town I think, they'll see that."
"I have one more favor." Alexandra knew she was asking a lot of her friend. "Is there any way you could sneak a sword up here? Could you even get one?"
"Getting it's no problem," he assured her, "my fellow factory workers have managed to arm themselves quite well actually despite we're always being watched by guards. We're searched pretty thoroughly before we're allowed in here though, but I could probably only get one in."
"That'll be enough." Alexandra was formulating the plan. "When you get here tomorrow, stash the sword in the last storeroom on the left on the third floor. I'll retrieve it as soon as I can and when the pipes are ready we'll be counting on your buddies to crank it on all the way."
"Got it." Luca was excited, they'd finally be getting out of this horrible place.
"Don't do anything dangerous. If you think you're in danger of being discovered, just forget the plan."
"I won't fail you Alexandra. Our shift is ending, they're going to start rounding us up to take us back to the factory. I'll see you as soon as I can tomorrow." He was determined
"I can't wait."
Escape, a distant hope was now closer than ever.
"But what about Zooey and Sophia?" Luca worried about his other two friends also trapped somewhere in the building.
"I know where Zooey is," Alexandra calmed his worry, "and we'll find Sophia. We're all leaving together."
She gave Luca one last hug, then he scurried off with his tools before he would be missed. The workers filed out of the building under close guard and were marched all the way back across town to the factory for the night. Alexandra watched them go through one of the top-floor windows, picking Luca out of the crowd. He seemed so small when surrounded by the large farmers and metalworkers, but he was laughing and talking with his fellow citizens-turned-slaves. It was good that he had found friendly people, people who shared in his captivity and resentment at the greedy Lederan.
Alexandra decided to rest for the remainder of the day, Arportia having decided to pitch a fit and stay in bed all day to avoid having to see any of the 'filthy workers'. Alexandra knew tomorrow would be hard, she would need all of her strength and wits about her if they were to succeed. She worried for Luca still, he had the difficult task of talking a group of factory workers into revolt against their oppressors. She was sure there was much anger on their part towards the Lederan for sure, but the question was if they were willing to risk it all and rise up, their own families were hostages in this town and could easily be used against them. Laying down on her bed, she felt sleep thankfully coming quickly, her eyes shutting on hopefully the last day she would spend in the fortified palace of the deranged Lederan.
The next morning Alexandra awoke early. Perhaps it was the anticipation that today was the day, or perhaps it was the noise from workers laying pipes inside the wall again. She got up and dressed quickly in her purple dress and headed straight away for the kitchen. She had to step over pieces of stone and pipes on the floor, ducking under pipes jutting across the corridor and pieces of the ceiling that had been temporarily removed.
Picking her way past the numerous workers and guards watching them clogging the halls, she finally arrived in the kitchen. There were used utensils in the sink, Selene had already come and gone with the Lederan's breakfast.
Good, she would be at peace while preparing hopefully the last meal she would have to for Arportia.
She made sure she finished the breakfast preparation early so she could go visit the last storeroom on the left on the third floor. Hurrying past the construction that was rapidly finishing, she made sure no one was looking and ducked inside the room. Stashed behind one of the many bags of flour against the wall was a short-sword, just as Luca had promised. It took some doing, but she managed to stash it under her dress at her back. She straightened the fabric out, took a few test steps to assure the weapon would not fall out, and exited the storeroom.
Next, she hurried back to the kitchen, picked up the plate she had made previously and hurried up to Arportia's. She was worried that her weapon would be discovered on her person during the day, but she could not risk leaving it in the storeroom with so much activity going on in the residential wing.
Arportia was still asleep of course when Alexandra arrived. As customary, Alexandra stood waiting at the foot of the enormous bed, waiting for her ladyship to awake. Twenty minutes or so later, there were finally signs of stirring. The young lady blinked several times, then looked to make sure Alexandra was there. Seeing she was, she gave her maidservant a big smile.
Arportia ate her meal and then looked at the closed door.
"Are they still out there?"
"Who?" Alexandra guessed she was talking about the workers, but wanted to be sure.
"The grimy little fleas."
"The hard-working factory men?"
"Like I said, the grubby little earthworms," Arportia snorted. "I wish they'd stay down in their mud. This palace is mine."
Alexandra remembered the timetable Luca had given her. "They'll be done sometime after mid-day I believe."
"I'll go out when they're done. Go and come back as soon as they have left and their smell is gone, only then will I leave this room."
"As you wish," Alexandra played nice, no benefit to letting the facade down yet.
She retrieved the now-cleaned platter and backed out of the room. Dropping the used dishes in the sink in the kitchen, Alexandra then roamed the halls watching the construction work finish. She was anxious, she was sweating, she could feel the short-sword hidden in her dress. It was a reminder of the dangerous escape attempt that was inching ever closer. When she walked, the cold steel would hit her legs, but she made sure not too flinch, lest one of the guards become suspicious and decide to search her.
After searching up and down several corridors she finally found Luca. He was holding up a pipe near the ceiling while several other workers connected it.
"Hey," she whispered as she came close.
"Hey Alexandra," he was happy to see her, "don't worry, this is David and George, they're cool. They helped me with, uh, the present I brought you."
"Much obliged," she thanked the other two men with a small bow of the head. "How long until things happen?"
"Half an hour," Luca answered, "we finish the piping work and word is sent to the factory by runner to turn the steam on. Don't worry though, the guy at the lever at the other end is our friend. It's going to go full blast and this place won't know what hit it. David and George helped me get everyone in on the plan. There's a lot of people there waiting to go back home."
"That's not a lot of time," Alexandra was surprised at how efficient the workers were, "okay, will you be ready when things start happening?"
"We got this," Luca nodded, "there's a lot of more of us than guards. Everyone at the factory is ready too."
The day seemed to go by as slow as possible from then on out. It was later in the afternoon before the last of the pipes were in place. Luca managed to pass Alexandra a message via the other workers that the time was coming. As Alexandra was walking past a group sealing a pipe in place, one of the workers whispered the message. Upon receiving the warning, Alexandra put the next part of her plan in motion, whispering a response back, she sent a message back to Luca and hurried up to Arportia's room.
"Yes?" Arportia was reading a book in bed, she was annoyed that her reading had been interrupted..
"Most of the workers are finishing," she was trying to hurry Arportia out of the room, "I've arranged so a path will be cleared for us and we can cross through the main hall to your favorite viewing spot without seeing any of the workers for the guard's afternoon swordplay."
"You are very good! I'm glad you have come around finally my doll." Arportia was pleased to say the least. "Oh! Let's hurry then! I would not want to miss the sport, I would be sad for the rest of the day!"
"We'd had better hurry then your ladyship," Alexandra urged her on.
They hurried down the stairs, across the main hall, and back up the opposite stairs. Arriving on the balcony, they found Zooey had already been brought into the yard. Arportia was excited; they had not really started yet and she was eager to see the entire fight.
Alexandra tried to act normal, but nervousness had a grip on her, she could not wait, the time was almost now. They did not shackle Zooey to the ground, apparently wanting a livelier time for this practice session.
"Good," thought Alexandra, noticing Zooey's state of mobility, "that'll help."
The guards began their assault one by one as usual. Zooey was looking good, not a scratch on her strangely enough. She knocked back the first guard with ease and dodged the attack of the second with a sidestep and quick jab. All the while this was going on, Alexandra knew she had to be prepared. She could already see small wisps of steam rising already from the exhaust pipes that protruded from the outside wall of the building facing away from the town. That meant the message had been sent to the factory and the steam was coming, only it was a lot more than anyone was expecting. She grabbed the handrail in preparation for what was about to happen.
Another guard came at Zooey, but she ducked under his horizontal swing and gave him a nasty uppercut that sent him down. Very faintly Alexandra could hear machinery, all the equipment in the front courtyard must be powering up. Even though they were generally just mining and construction tools and larger machines, they could be deadly when used the wrong way. She knew the Lederan was planning on using those machines to cement his total control on the town. When he did so, Lerwick would become a defended island unto itself, even more than it already was.
There was a low rumbling that was growing louder and higher in its pitch. More and more steam now puffing out of the exhaust pipes. The floor began to tremble. The guards noticed, they stopped their attacks and stood there confused. The pipes on the roof billowed excess steam, heating up at the same time, the top rims turning a bright red. The trembling of the ground became a movement, and the movement quickly became violent shaking. Steam was shooting out of the exhaust pipes now as the system was overloaded.
"What's going on?!" Arportia fell backwards.
The guards in the courtyard were also stunned, most of them hitting the ground or trying to hold on to something so to stay upright. The entire building was shaking violently now, the overloaded pipes running through the entire building. Chunks were falling out of the walls, doors were falling off their hinges, windows were shattering. Alexandra held tightly to the handrail and was able to remain standing.
This was it! It was now or never. She braced her foot on the side of the balcony and hiked up her dress. Dislodging the sword still hidden there, she extricated it from the fabric and held it aloft.
"Zooey!" she yelled over the chaos.
Zooey searched for the source of the voice before finally putting her gaze upwards, seeing her on the balcony several stories above. Alexandra waited for her to see her and realize what was going on then tossed the sword down to her. Zooey reached out and caught it as it fell down. She swung it around with the motion from its fall and brought it up just in time to shatter the wood of one of the guard's practice swords that had crept up on her. Seeing she was now holding a lethal sword, the guard dropped the fragment of wood he was still holding and made a hasty retreat over the shifting ground, falling down several times as he tried to run.
"Try to get out!" Alexandra called down to her, "the workers are going to try to take out the Lederan!"
Zooey nodded and ran out of the courtyard, kicking two stumbling guards out of her way and cutting through the door with her sword. With Zooey safely out of the courtyard, Alexandra tried to figure out her next course of action. She looked down to see Arportia looking up at her, terrified.
"Don't kill me," the brat begged, her voice a pathetic whimper.
The urge to punch the girl was very strong, but she didn't give in to that desire now matter how good it would have felt.
"Don't be silly," Alexandra let her disgust show in her tone, "I'm not like you."
Leaving Arportia on the ground, Alexandra ran back inside the building, trying to use the wall for balance.
The scene was even more chaotic inside: pipes were exploding from the walls and ceiling, shooting steam into the halls. Inside was hazy, the steam could not dissipate fast enough. Pieces of stone were now littering the once-clear carpets, having fallen off the surrounding walls. Wooden support beams from the ceiling also lay shattered on the ground. She did not see any guards, they must have all been at practice or rushing around to try to find out what was going on in the factory.
She quickly descended the stairs and was momentarily in the main hall. Some of the pillars which lined the hall had toppled over into several pieces on the floor. Glancing to the back of the hall, Alexandra saw that the Lederan was not present. Turning the opposite way, she could see guards rushing out into the front courtyard, all with weapons. Outside the open door she caught a glimpse of a crowd assaulting the front gate.
"Must be Luca's friends."
The revolt at the factory had apparently worked and now the enraged former captives were attacking the Lederan's seat of power. The soldiers were trying to keep the gate closed and fend off the attackers as best they could. Some of the guards were trying to activate the machinery in the courtyard, but most of it looked damaged because of the sudden rush of steam to them previously. The guards she could see looked scared, panicked, disorganized.
She took the opportunity of everyone else being busy to cross the hall and make it back into the residential wing. The guards who usually were stationed at those doors were also absent, probably trying to quell the rebellion. The residential wing was just as a mess as the opposing wing, debris flying everywhere. Alexandra waved a hand to clear the air in front of her as she tried to avoid stumbling over the many chunks of wood and stone on the ground.
Then she finally saw her destination: the stairs down to the lower levels, the ones where the servants lived and worked. The stairs were shaking, as the entire building was still rumbling, but Alexandra managed to get down to the level that led to the servants work area. Stopping at a door that was half-hanging on its hinges, she saw a weapons cache inside.
"Must be an emergency supply for the guards," she reasoned.
Leaning inside, she quickly selected a short sword from the many dislodged ones that had spilled out of their crates onto the floor. She did not have to hide her weapon now but brandished it boldly before her.
Stepping back into the hall, she could see a door at the end a little ways ahead. Rushing ahead, dodging fall pieces of falling ceiling, she pulled on the large brass ring on the door but it would not budge! She threw her weight into it but there was still no movement!
"They must keep the servants locked in down here."
Bracing her feet on the ground, she leveled her sword and charged the door. There was a moment of resistance but then the sword slide through the door. She then pulled her weight the other way and pulled it back out. A few more exhausting moves like that and she had weakened a small square portion of the door. She then flipped the sword over and began hitting the weakened part with the strong sword handle.
There was finally a crack!
The wood began giving way. A few more hits and there was a puncture large enough for her hand to slip through. She fiddled with the lock on the other hand, her fingers seeing it for her. The latch finally came through and she was able to push the door ajar.
It was dark inside, the rush of steam pouring out of the broken pipes must have extinguished most of the lights. It was cold here as well, for this room was in the foundations of the building. Even the incredible amount of steam shooting in could not warm it enough for it not to be noticeable. Up above she heard a loud crashing sound.
The metal front gate had given way to the onslaught. The farmers and metalworkers had entered the building and were now fighting the guards. Ignoring that above her, Alexandra pressed forward into the murky blackness ahead. She passed many open storerooms and kitchens but had not seen anyone yet. Several rooms she passed had bunks sticking out of the walls very close to each other. It looked horrible to sleep here, there was no privacy or room for that matter. A light finally pierced the darkness in front of her and she headed down her present course towards it.
Coming into a large room she was surprised at what sight waited to greet her. It was a large rectangular stone room, many furnaces lining the walls giving off the light she had seen and in the center of the room were tables with everything from food to armor being repaired strewn across them. Huddling on the floor under and around the tables were all the servants, at least sixty or more. Mostly women, there were some old men in the group it looked like, ones that were too old to be of any use at the factory. They were all wearing dirty sackcloth clothing, soot-covered and scratchy.
They looked terrified, they looked scared, no one said anything.
She frowned, why weren't they escaping? Then she heard it: a small noise to her right. Sounded like a foot on the floor switching stances.
"That's why," she thought.
Stepping backwards quickly, a sword came swinging down right where her head was a moment before. Bringing her own weapon around and down she snapped it to the ground and lunged around the corner. She came upon a surprised guard. He must have been tasked with keeping the servants there at sword point. The guard's eyes were wide with surprise, he was sure he had killed her just a moment ago, expecting his sneak attack to work.
He fell against the wall, staring at the tip of Alexandra's sword. She motioned with the sword for him to begin running. He nodded and took off back down the hall as soon as he could.
Turning back to the servants, she pointed at the open door, "this place is under attack by the townspeople, now's your chance!"
There was a pause, then the servants started hurrying out, most in tears. They rushed past her, ignoring the steam pouring out of broken pipes or falling pieces of rocks, determined that they would not be separated from their freedom again. Women, children, old men, all ran out the door.
Alexandra nervously searched the crowd with her eyes as they rushed past. Where was she? Was Alexandra too late?
Then she saw the pair of beautiful amber eyes she was looking for.
She gripped Sophia's hand and ran out with the crowd. They ran as hard as they could down the hall, up the stairs, and out into the main hall. The building had stopped shaking, the steam having run out at the factory by now. It was not needed anymore though, it had served it's purpose and the damage had been done. There was still some fighting going on, but the citizens of Lerwick severely outnumbered the guards. The guards were losing, most were surrendering, but there were a few holdouts.
Ignoring the fighting going on around them, Alexandra and Sophia led the servants in a mad dash for the partially-opened main doors to the hall. A guard bearing a long and sharp lance suddenly appeared in the gap, blocking their access. Alexandra raised her sword to challenge him, but there was no need. A blow came from behind and he collapsed unconscious. Standing behind him in the open door was Zooey.
"Come on!" she waived them over, "Luca's out here with me!"
Making their way outside, the scene was even more chaotic out there. Pieces of metal littered the ground, the remnants of exploded machinery. There was still fighting out here in spots, but the group ran headlong for the front gate and freedom.
Just as Alexandra and Sophia ran, a large metal bolt suddenly shot down from above in front of them. It collapsed the ground, several of the people fighting in the immediate vicinity fell into the hole it created.
Careening to a halt and looking up, Alexandra saw that one of the mining machines had indeed become active and now one of the Lederan's men was piloting it. It looked like a small tower, exposed gears along its side and underneath it. On the front was a large rack mount of metal spears longer than a person, and a long barrel above that right above the pilot's seat. The gears on its turret turned with a heavy clanking and she could see another bolt being automatically loaded inside from the rack on the side.
"Zooey!" she motioned at the machine.
"I'm there!" she nodded with a grin that showed her teeth.
Alexandra dodged to the right and Zooey to the left. Making a daring leap, Alexandra was on the machine and clamoring up towards the operator's seat. The guard saw Alexandra and pulled a dagger, ready to meet her and stop her advance. Alexandra quickly climbed over the turning gears and pulled herself up to the pilot's seat. He jabbed with his blade and Alexandra let go and fell backwards. She caught herself on a rail just a foot below but she had accomplished what she had wanted.
Zooey was behind the guard now, she grabbed his tunic and pulled him out, throwing him all the way to the ground. Taking her sword, Zooey drove it into the levers with all her might. The machine sputtered and came to a halt. With the immediate danger gone, they ran full-tilt to the gate once more.
Luca was waiting for them, outside, a sword in his hand and waving them on.
"Luca!" Alexandra was very pleased to see he was okay.
"Hey!" His adrenaline was running from the battle, "let's get away from here and back into the town."
"Won't they need help?" Zooey was still wanting to fight some more guards for payback.
"It's pretty much over," he disappointed her, "there just cleaning the Lederan's place now, almost everyone's surrendered now."
Sophia looked upwards. "The sky, I haven't seen it the whole time we've been here."
Alexandra looked at the ground, it was her fault that Sophia had been locked underground, Zooey was used for target practice, and Luca had been made a factory slave.
"C'mon, Haespethis promised a warm meal when we got there," Luca knew that would spur them on.
"Warm meal?" Zooey was paying attention, she had just had gruel to eat the past two weeks.
"Yeah, I stopped in to make sure they were okay after we took over the factory and were on our way up the hill to come here."
"Sounds good to me," Zooey licked her lips, "I've had enough fighting anyway. For today at least."
"Let's go!" Luca happily led his friends away from their prison.
Alexandra did not say anything, she could not even take her eyes off of the ground as they walked. She was scared, scared of what her friends must be thinking about her. All of their woes were because of her, and her defiance to the social system in Avindr, her defiance of her betters.
Sophia knew something was wrong and tried to catch Alexandra's gaze, but she had it set firmly on the ground. She had nothing to say to them, as she thought nothing could make up for what they had been put through while Alexandra slept in a comfortable bed and ate full meals.
It was fortunately not a long walk back and before long, just as dusk was falling, they arrived at Hausperg's home.
Burule had been in eager lookout at the top-story window and ran to announce that their friends were coming back. By the time they reached the door, Haespethis had already opened it and stood there smiling at them, tears on her face and arms held open wide.
"Look at you all," she wept, "you're all back!"
She reached forward and somehow managed to wrap her arms around all them, pulling them close to embrace her. They stayed for a moment, everyone back together again, safe and sound.
"Okay, okay," Haespethis had to force herself to let go, "come on inside or else you're dinner will get cold."
They stepped inside to the greeting of a warm meal, a feast even. There was warm bread, cooked meat, clean water, actually fresh milk, and greens. Berule was stoking the fire and Burule was bouncing off the walls, excited the others were back. Hausperg was sitting in a chair at the table, looking sheepish. He had sold them out after all, but to save his family. Alexandra was angry at him, but she could not question his reasons for what he did. Zooey had already given him a dirty look but had now turned her attentions to the loaf of bread she had dumped on her plate. After what she had been forced to eat while a prisoner she could not wait to taste real food again.
Soon they were seated and having a lively and joke-filled conversation over dinner. Alexandra had perked up a little, she felt warm again, surrounded by her friends. Luca was telling about all the friends he had made at the factory, all the workers there enslaved citizens of Lerwick. They had taught him while he was there about metalwork, he seemed to have picked up quite a bit. Zooey meanwhile was more than happy to tell of her adventures. She was forced to sleep in a small stone cell, eating nothing but gruel once a day. Her eyes shined as she told about how the guards would practice on her but she would always put up a fight. Alexandra chimed in and attested to how fiercely Zooey had fought on every occasion.
"They'll remember me," she said proudly, stuffing another helping of vegetables in her mouth.
One thing did bother Alexandra though, Zooey looked completely unharmed. Several times, Alexandra had witnessed Zooey take fierce hits that left cuts and bruises, but her skin was clear as she sat with them there at the table. Maybe the bruises weren't that bad? Maybe the afternoon light had made them seem worse? She could not bear to think about it.
"What about you dear?" Haespethis was talking to Sophia, "what did that monster make you do?"
"They put me with the rest of the servants in the underground levels," Sophia recounted, "cleaning the building, making the meals for the guards, fixing their clothing sometimes. Oh, we also minded the furnaces. I wasn't anyone special there, not like Alexandra: they chose her to be the maidservant to the Lederan's daughter!"
Despite the circumstances, Sophia's voice was somehow proud for her friend.
Alexandra's heart broke.
"They wouldn't let us out of the underground area unless we were cleaning. Everyone was pretty scared when the steam pipes went all crazy, but that all turned out for the best."
"That was us." Luca was very happy with his days' work.
"We sure taught them!" Zooey said between bites. "That's what they get too."
Luca acknowledged her masterminding of the plan.
"You were the best Alexandra!"
"It was, I, uh," she did not know what to say.
She knew that she was the one who had been the catalyst for the plan that led to them being able to escape, but it was also her fault they were there. She did not feel she deserved any praise, especially from those she made suffer.
"Yeah," Zooey did not bother waiting to finish chewing her food, "you should have seen her! She yelled at me and tossed this sword down!" Zooey got up and started reenacting the event to the amusement of everyone, "and I caught it and scared off this idiot who was trying to get me!"
"I can't believe you kids," Berule sighed, taking a sip of ale, "I can't believe you made all this happen. You're all crazy and brave beyond anyone I know."
"Yep," Zooey was aware of this, her pride shining through.
Haespethis laughed, "well we're just happy you're all back safe and okay. We have some beds upstairs all ready for you. As soon as you're done with dinner, upstairs and get a good night's rest."
That sounded good to Alexandra, she was ready to put this day behind her.
They stayed at the table for another half-hour, talking and joking, telling stories, all relieved that the nightmare was over. When the plates were cleared, Haespethis gathered them and put them in the sink, she then made sure everyone got into bed and was tucked in. In one of the rooms upstairs, there were four beds ready.
As the four friends each got in the bed, each felt at ease. They had spent every night together in a small hovel back in Avindr, now they were back together, the four of them. Even though these beds were not as luxurious as the one she had slept in at the Lederan's hall, Alexandra thought it infinitely better, and she drifted away immediately in a peaceful sleep.