The office of the captain of the guard was not as clean and official looking as Aaron would have thought it would. Instead, the floor was dirty like any other inn or tavern, and the shelves holding books of presumably laws and histories needed dusting months ago.
A door creaking upon and the guards standing to took Aaron out of his observational thoughts.
"I hear you've information pertaining to the king's tree." A seasoned voice said before Aaron could even see the person it was coming from.
"I wasn't aware his majesty was looking for it."
The captain of the guard sat at the desk in front of Aaron, with a weighty clank of his armor.
The captain was an older man, older than Aaron had ever seen serving in the guard. But he was not too old that he would be useless with a sword or spear, at least that's what Aaron guessed based on his little knowledge of warriors and the arts of combat. His hair was falling back, and most of it seemed to be on his face, as his beard ate what looked to be his entire mouth and lower face while still being well groomed.
"Everything belongs to the king when it's on his land. That includes you and I. And you are to address me by sir."
"Yes sir. Were you knighted sir?"
"Aye. After the last war."
The captain finally took his face out of the parchment he was looking at since he entered the room, and his gaze rose to Aaron with an outstretched and armored hand.
"Sir Fredrick, captain of the city guard, at your service."
Aaron greeted Fredrick's hand with his own.
"Aaron, sir."
"So Aaron..."
The captain took a more relaxed position in his chair as he leaned back slightly.
"...my boys tell me that you can tell me of the king's tree he's searching for."
"Yes sir, that's correct. But sir, I, uh, I-"
"You what? Come now son, find your tongue."
Aaron swallowed and continued.
"I thought I'd be meeting the king. Seeing as he's the one looking for the tree."
Fredrick slowly leaned forward, placing his hands and elbows in front of him on the desk, blocking part of his face.
"Sir." Aaron added worriedly.
"Son..."
Aaron no longer heard a relaxed tone in the captain's voice he had heard before.
"Did you really think you'd be brought before the king himself? That his majesty has time to answer every other beggar and vagabond? Honestly, think to yourself."
Aaron slumped in his chair, somewhat disappointed.
"That's fair I suppose, I hadn't thought of it like that. My mistake sir."
Fredrick let out a faint chuckle.
"S'quite alright son, ye don't know these things. Now, what can you tell me of the king's tree?"
"Very well."
Aaron recounted his encounter with the tree, up until he entered the void. He made sure his wording was as close as it was to his earlier description, as to not be assumed to be lying.
"I see." Replied Fredrick, once Aaron had finished his story.
"Well, your story does fit what descriptions and details we've been given. While my guards were right to question the legitimacy of your story, the tree opening up is not something we've made know to the public."
"So tell me, what did you see when you walked in?"
Aaron took a breath to ready himself, as he wished to forever forget what he witnessed, let alone tell it to someone.
"I didn't see it really, it was more like a dream, even though I was awake."
"It was blurry at first, but I could eventually make out a throne room. I've never seen the king's throne room, so I couldn't tell you if it was his. The throne, sat in the middle, burst into flames."
"As the flames kept burning, I could hear the sounds of metal clashing with metal, the cries of horses and the yelling of men. The sounds went quiet as the throne was finally burnt into a pile of ash."
"Not too long after, the ash started to turn into bones and skulls from what looked like all peoples, and took the shape of a new thrones. This was when I heard the sobbing and screaming of women, children and men alike. Blood started to leak and pour from the eye holes and crevices of the throne."
"The sounds of the people started to fade away when the blood began to fill up the room, as if they were drowning or something. The blood started to drain, when the sound of some horrible creature I'd never heard the likes of-"
"Enough!" Called captain Fredrick.
Aaron paused his tale.
"Did you really come before me just to bore with old women's stories?"
Aaron was taken aback, as this was not one of the many reactions he had planned for.
"But you said you wanted to know, you said you knew the tree had something inside, you-"
"Treasure, son, the tree would hold treasure. Not whatever it is you told yourself. No wonder you can't remember where you found the tree, you were probably so drunk out of your skull you mistook the sun in the sky for a wizard's spell."
The captain stood up.
"Take him away, he's as useless as everyone else who's come in spouting lies in search of free coin."
As a guard placed a hand on Aaron's shoulder, he turned his head about, confused and worried.
"But it's not a lie, that's what I saw."
"C'mon, let's go." The guard with his hand on Aaron's shoulder said.
Aaron was pulled up from the stool he was sitting on, and in the direction of the door.
"No, no, please, you can't do this to me!" Aaron cried in desperation.
"I was promised coin..."
Aaron turned his head to Stellan who had also been in the room, hoping that a modicum of good would surface during his time need.
"You! You promised me coin should I give information!" Aaron pleaded.
Stellan smirked.
"I don't remember promising anything to you."
Aaron was left without thought, without hope. He had finally mustered confidence within himself, and for what? All that was left in him and his life was a boiling anger.
"Damn you! Damn you all! You're all a bunch of liars and thieves, as bad as they come!"
The captain almost instantly rose from his chair. His expression remained calm, but his nostrils were flaring like an animal possessed.
"To the dungeons with him. Maybe within a month, he will learn when to stay his tongue."
Stellan took Aaron by his other arm.
"Aye sir." He said through a toothy grin.
The captain returned to the work on his desk, as Aaron was dragged out the two guards.
Aaron said nothing, his mouth agape. He said nothing, for he had nothing, and had lost what little he did.