Chapter 4

Aarden lazily toiled behind his horse. He gazed across his freshly plowed field. Spot wound in between Aarden’s legs. They had both taken to farm life. Aarden wiped the sweat fro his forehead as he saw Vale riding across the field.
Aarden smiled and waved as Vale dismounted. Vale brushed the road off and accompanied his friend back to the manor.
“It’s been a month,” Aarden said as he drank from a dipper. He refilled it with water from the bucket and handed it to Vale.
“Booruck was finally accused of your benefactor’s murder.” Vale drank deeply and then refilled the dipper.
“I know. He was released on the horse thief charges, but was arrested immediately afterwards. He requested me to visit him regularly.”
Aarden led Vale to a small banquet room and sat down across from him at a table. A servant brought in some bowls filled with a stew.
“I need your help Aarden,” Vale finally said. “My foster parents have asked me to leave. They were concerned about my relationship with ‘the murderer.’ I left with just what I have here.”
“Of course you can stay here. All that I have is yours-.”
Vale stood up, violently shoving his chair under the table. “I don’t want to stay Aarden.” Vale began pacing.
“Then where are you going?”
Vale stopped and smiled, excited. “I’m getting out. I’m going through the Wall. There has to be a better life for me outside of Durvy.”
“The Wall is sealed. There’s no way through.”
Vale hurried back to the table and sat down. “Booruck knows a way out.”
“So you want to go with me to talk to him?”
“Booruck is innocent Aarden. We need to help him.”
Aarden looked at his friend disheartened. “They will find him guilty. He has no defense and there’s so much prejudice against him.”
“I’m not talking about a court battle. I’m going to help him escape, but I need your help.”
“I can’t do that Vale.”
“Booruck has been inviting you to visit him so that you can know the layout of the prison. We’ve been planning this since the arrest. The only thing we don’t have is you.”
It was Aarden’s turn to get up and pace. “My mother would never forgive me.”
“You know he is innocent Aarden. If you don’t help, it’s as if you helped execute him.”
“I don’t know that-.”
“You don’t even have to come to the prison. I’ll rescue him; you just have to have our horses ready for the escape.”
“I can draw out the layout for you, but I can’t come. I’ll leave my manor open; you can use it as a hiding place.”
“And you’ll go back to Distrus…”
“I’ve been meaning to go back to see mother. And no one will get hurt?”
“Of course, we will do our best, but sometimes, things happen.”
Aarden sat down silently across from Vale. The two stared at each other; then Aarden finally nodded. Vale nodded with him and jumped up again. Spot, who was curled up under the table, yelped with the movement and scurried to the top of the table. Vale suddenly stopped.
“Come with us Aarden.”
“What?” Aarden looked up, nervous.
“Come with us; there’s nothing here for you. You’re an outcast like us.”
“What about my mother?”
“What if she finds out? What if everyone finds out? You’ll be imprisoned, executed.”
Aarden stared blankly at Spot as he absently scratched his head. The Ingot purred appreciatively and looked between Aarden and Vale. Finally noticing the untouched bowls of stew, Spot began slurping them up. Aarden finally smiled at his pet and looked up at Vale.
“I can’t.”
Vale finally nodded and tried to wrestle his stew from Spot.