As soon as Mattias returned, Liliana gasped and turned around to see him.

‘Mattias?!’

‘Oh… hello, Lili’

‘You weren’t here a second ago!’ Mattias was speechless, he was clearly thinking of how to respond to what she said ‘Oh never mind, maybe I’m going crazy! I’ll go and get Patty!’

‘Nah, you’re not crazy’ Liliana went away from a while, she returned with Patricia.

‘Ah, you have returned! Where did you go?’ Mattias didn’t answer ‘Did you try to escape your cell and then decided to return?’

‘No…’

‘Then what happened? Did you turn invisible for a little while?’

‘You could say that…’

‘Ah! I am right! You’ve been studying magic, I see?’

‘Well, I guess so’

‘Well, it’s a least something you can occupy yourself while you’re incarcerated’

‘Patty?’ asked Liliana.

‘Yes?’

‘I was hearing about this woman who showed up about the murder, apparently our guards don’t protect us?’

‘Oh yes, they do. Just not regular people’

‘That’s so stupid!’

‘Oh, I agree. And if the guards don’t protect ordinary people, then they only exist to serve the upper class’ there was quite a long period of silence. Eventually Helga turned up.

‘Hello everyone’ she greeted ‘God, that was a pain in the arse’

‘You mean talking to that woman?’ asked Mattias

‘Yep’ she let out a deep sigh ‘Some people just don’t get it, you know’

‘Get what?’ asked Mattias

‘Well the best thing we could offer that woman is a shovel to dig her husband’s grave' she paused for a while  'Hell, we could even toss her in it once she’s dug it’

‘Ummm, Helga, please don’t kill me for saying this, but I felt really sorry for her. I mean… shouldn’t we find out who killed her husband?’

‘That would be such a waste of resources. Besides that, guarding the castle and making sure these peasants are put in their place is far more worthwhile. Besides, they now know not to mess with us. Fear is what breeds authority in our kingdom’

‘Yeah, thanks for your wisdom, Helga. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just rot in this cell for the night’ Helga was just gazing at him.

‘I have a request for you, if you don’t mind’ she then looked at Liliana and Patricia ‘This is between me and Mattias, by the way. I would like a private conversation’ the two left her and Mattias alone. ‘Mattias, I have a rough idea of what you’re going through, and I know it’s really tough’

‘Huh?’ he suddenly looked confused.

‘Here is my request, and this is something I beg of you, OK?’

‘Uhhhh… OK?’

‘You must not harm innocents’

‘Oh… right’

‘Please Mattias. The world can be a better place, even with you being the way you are. You have great powers, and you can use them for good’

‘Right…’ Mattias was silent for a while ‘Helga! A few moments ago you were talking about some authoritarian crap! What’s gotten into you?!’

‘You could say it’s a… front. For Lili and my daughter. I find this whole thing about guards protecting us first instead of the people completely abhorrent. But hey, that’s how my dad wants it’

‘You mean the king?’

‘Yes, I mean him’ she then turned around ‘Oh by the way, he’s going to be coming down here soon, just to forewarn you. But from what I was saying earlier, do you promise?’

‘What?’

‘You will not harm innocents’

‘Oh… well… I’ll see, I guess’ Helga started laughing.

‘I guess I’ll revert back to my bullshit self, then. See you later'