"Hey, it's you." Joedan said as he looked through the bars of the cell.
Planting himself against the bars, Joedan looked into the cell across from them to see none other than Ralph. Turning back to the others, Joedan motioned to the others. One by one they all stepped towards the bars and got a good look at Ralph.
Ralph still lay with his back towards his cell door but he heard Joedan when he spoke. Ralph thought he could just pretend to be asleep and they'd leave him be. He had no desire to talk to any of them, not anymore.
"Hey, Ralph," Joedan said again.
"Ralph, Ralph, R..A..L..P..H," he said dragging out his name. Ralph tried to cover his ears, but Joedan just spoke louder.
"Ralph!"
"What?" Ralph shrieked, finally turning towards Joedan.
"What ya up to?" Joedan said, smiling cheekily. Ralph turned back around. This idiot. He did not have time for this.
"Stop pestering him, Joedan," came the gruff voice of Commander Griff.
"Ralph, do you know what's going on out there?" Joedan tried again.
Ralph stayed quiet for a bit, until he turned back around. Taking a long hard look at Joedan, "The count is running the show now. For better or worse, I got wrapped up working for him, and now he no longer sees any use for me, hence my being here." Ralph said, turning back around.
"Do you know what the count is planning?" came the voice of Griff.
"He plans to publicly execute me, that's what." Ralph said, bitterly.
"Execute you? For what?" Joedan asked.
"He has used me and is pinning the kidnapping of Amelia on me." Ralph said.
"That dirty dog," grumbled Joedan. "Anything else?"
"He plans to marry Lady Amelia in three days." Ralph said before turning back over.
"He what?" the group shouted.
"What do you mean he plans to marry her?" Joedan asked.
"What happened to Lady Amelia? Is she on board with it?" Joedan asked, hating himself for asking, but his doubts were nagging him.
"I guess so, lover boy. Guess she didn't quite have the same feelings for you as you thought." Ralph knew it was mean, but he was gonna die in three days, he didn't really feel like being nice.
Joedan slunk back from the edge of the cell door. Holding his head, he ran his fingers through his hair. She's marrying him? He couldn't handle this. How could she do such a thing? Why would she choose him?
"Does he have something against her?" Joedan asked, his desperation showing. Commander Griff placed a hand on his shoulder trying to offer him comfort.
"Why would I know that?" Ralph asked.
"I thought I would finally be out from under his thumb and then I would have my chance to take him down, but the slimy oaf outsmarted me again."
"That's the thing with being under someone's thumb, we think there's this destination we can reach where we'll finally be free from their oppression, but that destination never arrives. That's the power of oppression," said Trevor.
Everyone was shocked and turned around, caught off guard by Trevor's insight. Trevor looked back at the group, "Oppression only really ends when you decide you're not gonna be held down any longer, consequences be damned."
Stepping towards the cell door, Trevor spoke across the hallway, "You allowed your fear to control you."
They saw Ralph flinch, knowing the words Trevor had spoken had struck deep. Trevor stepped away from the door and reclaimed his seat at the back of the cell.
"You said three days?" Griff asked.
"Yeah, three days. I lose my head and the count gets the girl. One fell swoop. Hooray, everybody." Ralph said, gritting his teeth.
"That means we still have time," Griff said.
"Joedan, I'm gonna need you to take your feelings and find a box to put them in. I can see no possible way Amelia agreed to this unless there is an outcome far worse if she doesn't. You know Lady Amelia, you know her heart, and I need you to defend the version of Amelia you know." Griff spoke firmly.
"If I need to smack ya upside the head, I can do that, too?" He asked, jokingly, but not really as he raised his hand in Joedan's view.
Caleb spoke next, "Well, we need a plan. We can't do anything stuck in here."
Joedan looked across the hall at Ralph's form as he processed what Griff had said to him. What he needed right now was to have faith in Amelia. They were friends. Perhaps something more? He thought, regardless, she deserved his trust right now.
Raising himself up, straightening his back, he crossed his feet as he took another look around the room. Griff stared back. Trevor had his head back but one eye open.
Caleb leaned over, brushing his shoulder against Joedan's, "What'll it be farmer-boy?" He prodded.
Joedan shoved him back, smiling in spite of the jibe. These were his friends. This group had each other's backs. He didn't realize when it happened exactly, but he could see it clearly now.
Just as Joedan was settling his emotions, footsteps sounded down the hallway. All ears honed in to hear who it might be, listening for the tell tale signs of a jailer with jingling keys. A man stepped to the front of their cell. A man Griff had seen on numerous occasions. A man with a sour, stone face. The man stared at Joedan, offering up nothing.
Joedan stared back, he had never seen this man before. As the encounter continued it started to get awkward as Joedan waited for the man to speak but he didn't. After what seemed like forever, the man looked once at Ralph across the hall, and then back to Joedan,
"I," he said. The word was dry, scratchy.
"Know," the man paused, like he had to gather his strength to speak even a sentence,
"Where,"
Joedan followed, "You know where?"
"The," the man said. "Duke."
Joedan beat the man to the finish. "You know where the duke is?" He asked, standing to his feet and turning to face the man. The man nodded.
Griff stepped up, placing an arm on Joedan's shoulder. "Are you saying what I think you're saying, Henry?"
Henry nodded. "Well, I'll be…" Griff dropped his face, palming it and shaking it back and forth.
"I never thought I'd see the day."
Joedan, not understanding the context, looked at Griff imploringly, "Care to spill the beans?"
Griff pointed a finger at Henry, then looked at Joedan, "You don't know who this man is?" Joedan shook his head, still clueless.
"This is the Count's driver." Griff said with steel. All the men in the cell stood to their feet, making their way forward to the cell door.
Henry shook his head. The group looked around at each other.
"What do you mean no?" Caleb asked, irritation clear in his voice. Henry held up three fingers.
Joedan got it. "Three days?" Henry nodded.
Griff turned to Henry, "You aim to break up the wedding?"
Henry smiled.