142 KINDNESS RETURNED

In their heated argument, Zoe wasn't aware of how cold the night breeze is in Terra. 

But now that they were nearing the location of her imprisonment, her hairs were standing up in fright.

"You can do this, Zoe Cheng. This will all be just for one night. Lord Liu will wake up soon."

She cheered herself as she brushed her arms.

Her eyes stared at the building that looked like an old man with the moonlight shining on his craggy, tumble down face. Moss clung in the shade of the ancient walls like a scraggly beard. 

At their speed, it didn't take them long before they reached Terra's dungeons.

The royal guards didn't recognize them as Raigon was still in disguise. 

But as soon as they saw his tag as he revealed it to them, they scurried on their feet to form a line and bow to him.

"Your Highness!"

In a fraction of a second they opened the gates and allowed them to enter.

Zoe was expecting to see small box-like rooms which appeared as coffins, with only the small window and the narrow space under the door lighting them up.

But instead, she saw a fairly large room with a barred opening with thick metal bars. There was a single bed with a pillow and blanket, a table and a chair. There were even books piled up on the wooden table.

She was also anticipating a foul smelling rancid place but because it is clean and there were few prisoners inside, it was a tolerable place to sleep in for the night.

"I thought there were itchy hays and cockroaches, your Highness." 

Zoe blurted out with a long face as they continued to walk down the hallway. 

She made all effort to be prepared mentally, emotionally and physically for the kind of torture she will be in.

'Is he just messing with me now?'

Raigon snickered at her reaction as he walked beside her.

"Why, do you want to sleep with them, milady?"

"N-no, sire."

"Don't worry, you haven't seen your room yet." Raigon's lips stretched into a grin.

Zoe tightened her lips and grimaced. 

"Me and my big mouth."

Raigon heard it and chuckled inwardly at his prisoner as he was amused by her innocence.

Even though he didn't really want to bring her to this place, he knew that it is the proper and responsible thing to do given this situation.

Zoe distracted herself by observing her surroundings. 

The few prisoners that were there didn't look like prisoners as they were wearing decent clothes and were doing normal things like sleeping, eating and reading at the table. 

"This doesn't look like a prison house at all." She thought out loud.

Raigon's eyes darted on what she was talking about. He nodded and explained Terra's justice system.

"We really don't have heinous crimes in our City to punish them with tortures like the other parts of the world. Our citizens are also family oriented and we believe being isolated from them and hurting them by bringing shame to the family are enough for them to contemplate on their wrongdoings."

"Wow. That's an odd way to bring order to a land. Do they work?"

"I think so. Being isolated is a cruel punishment in and of itself. You have no idea how much time had passed even if it was night or day with no sound, furniture, cloth or people to talk to of any kind. It will disorient anyone even in the most prestigious room to even remember his own name."

Zoe nodded her head in agreement as she also saw that the place is too large for the few prisoners who are in it. "Seeing this place with almost empty to none prisoners, maybe it is really effective."

She continued to follow Raigon as he climbed upstairs. 

Zoe drew in a deep breath as she observed that the rooms here are more exclusive as they were closed with a guard on every door.

"Is this where I will be imprisoned now?" She asked him with wide eyed wonder.

"Yes." Raigon answered her in a curt fashion.

He stopped at probably an empty room and like the royal guard downstairs, he immediately obliged to open the door as he showed him his tag. 

Both of her hands flew to her mouth in disbelief at the room she was seeing.

The bed was king sized and soft, and seemed to be made up with the finest cotton sheet material. There were also cushioned sofas and chairs around a low table with a vase of fresh flowers as its centerpiece. 

And there is a huge book shelf as high as the ceiling which anyone wouldn't finish even after a lifetime.

Zoe glanced at the guard who seemed like a waiter providing room service around the clock, attending to the whims of the 'guests'.

She shifted her gaze at Raigon. His eyes were dilated and crinkling at the corners and seemed to be stating to her, "Surprise!"

"This floor is exclusive for the affluent families. And since you made such a heroic deed a while ago deserving of honor, even if your identity is shadowy at the moment, I will be placing you here."

He said in a serious as-a-matter-of-factly tone.

Zoe tightened her lips to prevent a wide beam from stretching her face.

But as soon as the royal guard closed the door, Zoe scuttled her feet and jumped in joy. 

She danced around the room and finally threw her weight on the bed.

"I can't believe this! No itchy hays and rats! I keep having second thoughts to run away but this way better than our old cabin!"

Raigon cleared his throat which made Zoe jump to her feet and bowed at him.

"Your kindness is overwhelming, your Highness."

Raigon bowed at her. "It is your kindness that brought you here. Thank you for saving Lord Liu with the best of your ability, Lady Asha."

Zoe's heart melted at his response, not because of his being a Crown Prince and endowing her with such a privelege, but because he appreciated her effort as a doctor to save a life.

"A guard will bring you food in a few minutes. You can take a rest for now."

He knocked on the door as a cue for the royal guard that he was about to leave. 

But as he opened the door, a loud scream was heard throughout the corridors. 

******************************

It pays to be kind.

Maybe not right away,

But someday.