They were all fascinated by him, he knew. He was almost royalty. Maybe he was royalty; he was a Rahl. They had probably never seen anyone as important as him before, and were in awe.

"You said they don't feed us." He waved what was left of the limp rat at their silent stares. "I'll not starve." He pulled off the tail and discarded it. Animals ate rat tails. He was hardly an animal.

"You're not just an oaf," crooked-teeth said in a quiet voice filled with contempt, "you're a crazy bastard."

Oba exploded across the room and had the man by the throat before anyone could so much as gasp in surprise. Oba lifted the squealing, kicking, crooked-toothed criminal up to where he could glare eye to eye. Then, with a mighty shove, Oba rammed him against the wall. The man went as limp as the rat.

Oba looked back and saw that the others had backed against the far wall. He let the man slip to the floor, where he moaned as he comforted the back of his shaved head. Oba lost interest. He had more important things to think about than bashing this man's brains out, even if he was a criminal.

He went back to his place and lay down on the cold stone. He had been ill and might not be fully recovered; he had to take care of himself. He needed his rest.

Oba lifted his head. "When they come for me, wake me up," he told the four men still silently watching him. It amused him to see how fascinated they were by having nobility in their midst. Still, they were common criminals; he would have them executed.

"There's five of us and only one of you," one of the men said. "What makes you think you'll ever wake up again after you close your eyes?" There was no mistaking the threat in his voice.

Oba grinned up at him.

The voice grinned with him.

The man's eyes widened. He swallowed and backed away until his shoulders smacked the wall; then he shuffled sideways. When he reached the far comer, he slid down and pulled his knees up close to himself. Whimpering, tears running down his cheeks, he turned his face away and hid his eyes behind a trembling shoulder.

Oba laid his head down on his outstretched arm and went to sleep.