I mustered up all the courage and asked, "Who is madam Esmerelda?"

The man's eye shifted from the window to me.

"Our queen. Your queen."

"Does your queen meet anyone like that?" Theo asked with a disgusted face. 

"He's not anybody. He's the traitor. He's committed treason."

Theo looked at me; we both were confused. Caleb moved a few inches away from me.

"Why did you refer to him as master then?"

Theo had always been brave in the most unpredictable way. In 6th grade, he and his friends were the most popular kids in school. He was the leader, and I, the outcast. I saw him at the arcade one day. He approached me and recognized that I was in the same grade as them. I thought I was going to get bullied. But he asked me if I'd like to play with him. I agreed out of fear. He and I had great fun that day. And he'd stuck with me since then; his friends abandoned him, and he became an outcast as well. But he never seemed to mind that. 

"He's the heir, after all. And he hasn't yet been sentenced."

It's a dream or a way too elaborate prank. Theo was sitting opposite me, his eyes locked into mine. I knew he wanted to communicate something. But my mind was too cluttered to take any hints.

"Why are we here then, Sir? I don't think Theo and I are at fault; we don't even know you all. I had just met this guy today itself."

Half of Caleb's words were hard to understand, with him sobbing heavily.

"If that's the case, you should've been in prison. Why did you tag along? I thought you were master's friend."

"I am; I mean, not as good as Theo, but I am."

He moved back those inches closer to me.

"What's your master's name? What's his name?" Theo asked the man.

"Sylvester. Sylvester Bough."