Blood and Gold: Chapter 17

[jiminee]

Yes its up (a bit) early! THINGS! THINGS are learned in this chapter.
Edit: Yep the title is fixed c;
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“Okay I need to know.” Nebris says, looking at Vechs and Blame.

“Fine fine.” Vechs recounts the story of finding Blame in the desert and getting to safety, being trapped and then entering the blackness of the mine to find it a safe path back to the underground.

“We found the secret tunnels connecting to the mines,” Vechs says, looking directly at Etho. “Well, one of them at least. But if I’m guessing correctly, I’d say that all of those old mines are part of the Underground.”
Etho shifts nervously and stands up. “Okay. You are right. The Underground was formed way back in the early days of Corax.” He sighs. “This is all stuff you would be told later but, I guess since you found it out… I’ll tell you. It was originally a miners’ union… those working in the mines wanted a secret meeting place outside of the government’s knowledge, and it was mostly all innocent. But when the desert had been run dry of resources and the mines fell into abandon, the Underground was found by thieves. They and other criminals found it to be an excellent place to share secrets, and do business, and eventually the sort of guild formed that you all joined today.”

“Bdubs told me that,” Zisteau says from the corner. “He also told me about the tunnels under Corax, and the specific one that factors into his plans.”
“There are tunnels under the city too?” Nebris asks. “Wow.”
“Yes,” Etho says. “Dug by the Underground members later, those ones. Although it should be noted that a lot of the criminals back in the day were ex-miners, so they knew what they were doing.”
“It explains how Bdubs was able to follow us to the top of the city without being seen,” Zisteau remarks.
“That bakery must have a secret tunnel leading to it!” Aureylian bursts out. “Bdubs uses it to get into the city.”
“Anyway,” Zisteau said, “I should tell you all the plans. But tomorrow, I’m tired. And Vechs and Blame have had a big day too.”
“I’d suggest you go down to the river to wash off,” Aureylian says. “I mean if you want…”
Vechs nods. “I better go quick before it gets dark.” He pauses, and glances at Blame. “You coming?”
Blame nods once, and the two set out again.

Vechs is impossibly weary, but he has sand caked into seemingly every inch of his skin, and the river is a tempting offer. The two men meander through the trees for a while until the Weya glimmers in view, a welcoming sight after the dry heat of the desert and tunnels. Vechs strips to his underwear and lays his clothes on the bank before diving into the water.
Blame has taken off his shirt and slowly wades into the river, keeping a distance from Vechs as he puts his head under and combs sand from his hair with his fingers. When Blame comes up for air again, Vechs notices angry red stripes running across his back, and inhales sharply.
“Blame,” he says, wading forwards. “Did they hurt you?”
Blame turns quickly, and Vechs sees pain in his eyes. Vechs waits for an answer, digging his nails into his own thighs under the water. He feels hurt because Blame has been, and because he didn’t know.
“Blame.”
“Vechs, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. But… yes. In Feretan they did whip me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?!”
“I didn’t want you to know,” Blame says. “But, I guess you should know.” He wades to the river’s edge and pulls himself up to sit on its bank. “They tortured me for information.”
“Oh, Blame…” Vechs moves closer to sit beside Blame. The day is cooling now and Vechs shivers from the cold air on his wet skin.
“It’s lucky they thought I had any useful information, or I might have been put to death immediately.”
Vechs goes colder, looking out at the flowing river. He doesn’t want to ask if Blame told them anything: he wants to believe he was trustworthy and kept quiet, but still, the curiosity nags him.
“You’re wondering if I did tell them where you went, aren’t you?” Blame says.
Vechs stares at his feet dangling in the water.
“Listen, it was beneficial for me to keep my mouth shut. The longer I kept quiet, the longer they kept me alive and I could formulate a plan to escape.”
“How did you escape? You never told me that.”
Blame smiles grimly. “I thought I wouldn’t get out. But as you know, Feretan is a bit old fashioned, and that includes the shackles I was chained to the wall in the cell with. In that I found one of them was a tiny bit loose, and if I wiggled it for long enough it loosened more. I was terrified of being found out, but whenever the wardens came around I lay as still as I could so nothing would seem amiss. It took a few days to get it loose – and in between this I was withstanding regular torture so they would keep me there – but when it finally came away from the wall I had to act before someone noticed. Using a bolt sticking from the wall beside me I prised the shackle off my hand and then used that to get the other one off. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get out after that until the warden came around and looked in my cell. I ran and grabbed him by the collar through the bars before he could react, and,” Blame pauses, shaking slightly, “I took the knife he had on him and killed him, then reached through to grab his keys. I reached through the bars and unlocked my cell. I ran out of the cell block, knowing I was likely to be caught any moment then. There were guards stationed all around the prison, as you know, and there was still the outer wall to escape. I had nobody to help me by distracting yet… I did it. I ran to where I knew there were footholds in the wall, the same place you three had escaped about a week before. There were guards, and – and I killed them. And then I climbed the wall and ran like hell. I don’t know how I did that Vechs, I really don’t.”

Vechs just looks at him. He berates the part of him that ever thought Blame was dead, ever doubted his resilience and strength.
“You had good reason to think I was dead,” Blame says. “But… do you know, I think there’s only really one reason I had the determination to escape.”
“And what’s that?” Vechs asks softly.
“Fear, Vechs. Because I knew I was going to die if I didn’t get out, and… and I fear death so much. More than anything else. I feel like I’m always running from it.”
Vechs presses his hands into the grass by his side, saying nothing but mulling over the revelation in his mind.
Silence falls as the two stare at the river, reflecting the distant light of Corax city in its flowing surface.  After a while, both get up and slowly put on their clothes.
“Remember, Vechs,” Blame says as they turn back towards the hideout, “what you promised you’d do for me.”
Vechs nods, and no more words are said as the night falls.

Nebris begrudgingly agrees to share a bed with Vechs, refusing immediately to do so with Etho. Zisteau insists on keeping his sleeping space to himself, arguing that as the leader, it’s only fair. After some deliberation, Blame agrees to share with Etho. He goes to sleep immediately, taking up most of the space, and Etho relegates himself to the tiny space left.

“If you have a nightmare,” Nebris says to Vechs, “please don’t kick me or hit me in your sleep or something.”
Vechs glares at him and says nothing, staring at the ceiling as he falls asleep. He doesn’t say that he thinks the nightmares have stopped for good.

Morning comes and Zisteau gathers everyone in the main room to speak to them about his plans. It seems quite crowded now, and they all squeeze around the table. Zisteau begins to speak.
“So Bdoubleo has big plans to get into the palace. Big plans. As we now know, there are tunnels that run under Corax, through the hill into the very heart of the city. Bdoubleo has his eye on a tunnel that runs almost right under the palace itself. More digging needs to be done, and that is one of the reasons he needs our help.”
Blame nudges Vechs. Vechs stays silent, listening as Zisteau talks.
“Bdubs acquired what is apparently a floor plan of the palace by doing some very shady deals. So I have no idea if it’s legitimate or not but he assures me that the person he got it from is trustworthy,” Zisteau continues. “So we’re planning to dig right into the treasury, take as much as we want, then set a decoy explosive that will serve to cover the tunnel by bringing down rubble, and disguising where the hole is so that it doesn’t get discovered.”
“That sounds risky,” Etho frowns.
“Everything we do is risky,” Nebris replies, with a grin. “But it has great reward.”
“There’s a lot less chance we’ll get caught this time,” Aureylian says.

Vechs takes a deep breath. “We shouldn’t do this.”
“Vechs, what are you talking about?” Zisteau asks, fixing him with a hard stare. “Do you have a better plan?”
“No, I think… I think we should not do this at all.”
“Why not?”
“The risk is too great. We could lose our lives this time,” Vechs says, looking at the table in front of him. “I know this is Corax, but it’s still dangerous.”
“This isn’t like you, Vechs. I thought you were excited to do this,” Aurey says with concern. Are you ok?”
“I’m fine, Aurey,” he says. “I just think this is a really dangerous idea.” Vechs’ fingers tremble and he places his hands on the table.
“You should have told me about your concerns earlier on, Vechs,” Zisteau says. “I’ll consider what you said.”

He actually did it, Blame thinks, looking at Vechs. He did what I asked. Despite this, Blame isn’t happy with Zisteau’s response. He knows Zisteau will probably go ahead with the plan, but it was worth a shot.
Blame knows who to go to next. Although his backup plan is even shakier, at least he has one, and he’s proud of himself for that. He’d thought Vechs wouldn’t pull through with his appeal to Zisteau. Blame looks at Vechs again. Vechs is staring at the table, dejected as Zisteau continues outlining Bdubs’ plan. Blame can read Vechs so easily, it’s like his thoughts are projected about his head. He thinks he’s failed Blame, even though Zisteau said he’d consider what he said. He still thinks he needs to win back Blame’s heart. He’s still in love with Blame, despite everything. Blame would call Vechs a lost cause.
He shakes away his own trailing thoughts, automatically cutting them off before they go places he doesn’t want them to. It’s so easy for Blame to do this now: he’s been training himself to from the moment Vechs left him in the prison courtyard. It’s a reflex now.
But are they just thoughts, Blame can’t help but think even as he stops them, or feelings?

Comments

[ruddiestbubbles]

No Blame, there not just feelings, you still love Vechs!

Great chapter! Still hoping for Nebtho, but that's probably a lost cause 😐

[the_mysterious_m]

Might want to fix your title. I still have to get caught up with this.

[(Anonymous)]

this is jimmy from mobile: I'm aware the title needs fixing, but I can't do it from mobile, I'll have to fix it in the morning! so sorry ^^;; - jiminee

[scara]

Good chapter Jiminee.

Was good to see Blame and Vechs talk and spend some time together that isn't trapped in a sandstorm risking their lives. Also nice to hear about Blame's escape :)

[(Anonymous)]

This was a nice chapter! :)
Curious as to if Guude shows up again, or if he'll find out about the underground, and how he'd react.
-Scott

[(Anonymous)]

That's right, Guude is a character in this story! I'd forgotten about him... That makes for an interesting unpredictable wild card.
-Observing Anon

[tdscott8]

I don't think he's going to play too big of a role, if any, but I am waiting for him to learn about how much Bdubs has been doing things behind his back.

[jiminee]

c: