Grey gets Ari's cloak. The storm will have made the castle cold and the dungeon will be the coldest of all. But Ari shakes her head.
"I won't take that to the dungeon. It's too nice and the smell will never come out." Ari is adamant. She'd rather go and be cold than ruin the lovely cloak Grey had made her.
Grey sighs and makes a more utilitarian cloak, just as warm but less pretty for her. Ari allows him to put this one on her. Then the three leave the room.
Alexis wipes her eyes. "Hey, what are those tears for Alexis?"Jeshua asks handing her a cloth.
"Thank you." She says as she wipes the tears with cloth. "It's stupid I know, I cry over the stupidest things. It's just, I can see how much the commander, I mean Lord Grey cares for Lady Ariele. It's obvious that he would do anything for her. I... it's stupid but I've always dreamed of that for me. But who am I kidding? I'm nobody and after my last employer, well no one will want me now." And so saying she starts crying in earnest.
Jeshua feels awkward trying to calm the girl down. "Hey, give it some time. Not everyone wants the same thing. You know why Lady Ariele is so protective of you? She knows exactly what you've been through. I don't know details but we were all warned to keep our distance when she came because of it. And Lord Grey, he's been looking a long time for someone. Sometimes all it takes is time. So don't give up. There's someone out there for you."
Alexis just shakes her head and although she isn't done crying gets back to work. There are still a lot of flowers to take care of.
Once the door is shut and she's sure that Jeshua won't hear her Ari starts laughing. Grey sighs as he takes his wife's arm and escorts her down the hall towards the dungeon. Taren still in the dark keeps pace with them but keeps glancing at Ari and Grey.
Grey finally gives in when it's obvious that Ari isn't going to explain. "I think Ari is playing matchmaker. She's made sure that Jeshua will be around Alexis as much as possible and Alexis is now protective of Jeshua. She's jumped to his defense fast enough, even terrified she defended him."
"Jeshua, loves women. People like him are suckers for women in distress and Alexis is distressed." Ari explains happily.
"So is that how you caught Grey?" Taren asks slowly putting two and two together.
Ari loses her mirth at that. "I hadn't thought to catch anyone. I was hurt and lonely, scared out of my mind. Truth to tell Grey terrified me at first. And he didn't like me. I just badly needed a friend. That Grey wanted more, well that shocked me more than anyone. No, it's because of Grey that I say this. The Aelven didn't love. They used, abused and threw away. Grey taught me that love isn't the same."
"No, Ari you taught me what love is. Being so forgiving after everything you've been through. Helping me even though you knew I didn't like you. Jaded though I was you were able to find my heart." Grey stops as Ari turns white and he fears that she's going to faint.
"Taren can do the interrogations, we'll stay in our room." Grey says and starts to turn around, but Ari won't let him.
"No, you promised Anna you would do this and I can be of some help. I'll be alright as long as you stay close. The smell hasn't changed any and it just takes me a bit to adjust to it." Ari has many memories of the dungeon she was sent there many times that first year for fighting away her rapists. "Just don't use any of the implements and I'll be fine."
Grey frowns, "I hadn't planned on using the implements. I'm just fact gathering right now, the instruments will only be used if necessary. I think that people will say whatever they think we want to hear just to stop the pain."
Ari shivers. Yes, anything to stop the pain. "Don't use the implements. I'll get whatever information you want." She says swallowing hard to keep the bile down. She doesn't want to even think about Grey using the instruments on someone. Or Taren or any of her new friends.
Grey frowns even more, "Ari, I've been around a long time. As a young soldier I guarded the dungeon. We all do, it's part of our duties. And as such we helped with interrogations as well. I have used the implements many times over the years. I've never cared for it but it is something I've done.
"But if you think you can get the information without their usage I'd prefer that." Grey looks at her and Ari looks at him. She'd never thought that he might have used those damn instruments. She feels even more faint.
"Taren she needs some water." Taren nods and rushes off to the water supply for the guards. Grey ushers her over to a nearby bench. The guards use it to eat when they wish a break from the oppressive atmosphere of below. They aren't welcome in the great hall until they've bathed, usually several times. The stench truly is pervasive and difficult to get out.
"I'm sorry Grey. I just need to rest a bit. It just jolted me. I should have realized that you've used those damn things on people. You are or were the leader of the guards." She shivers like someone had walked over her grave.
"If it helps any, I haven't used or haven't had them used on anyone for a very long time. Some of the guards haven't even been taught how to use them. I hope that Taren will keep it that way, but it's no longer in my hands." Grey finishes as Taren comes back with the water.
Taren seeing the protectiveness Grey is displaying hands him the water to give to Ari. Ari takes it and smiles at Grey, then looks at Taren, "Thank you." Then she takes a sip.
She looks up, "You guys put mint in your water?" Ari is puzzled as to why they would make the water taste better especially for the prisoners.
Grey reacts first and knocks the water from her hand. He then delves into her and is relieved that the amount was so little that her body will have no problem taking care of it. Meanwhile Taren takes off running down the dungeon.
Grey waits there grimly. He's afraid of what he'll hear. Ari sits and surmises that the water isn't normally flavored with mint. "Ah, Grey did I just drink something I shouldn't have?"
"Mint flavor is often used to cover the taste of a common poison. The small amount you sipped won't hurt you. You might not even have any side effects, but the guards and prisoners will be a different story." Grey is livid. He may have recently resigned as Commander but he still considers the guards as his. As for the prisoners other than the information they could have given him he could care less. They either tried to kill Ari, him or acted in a manner that could have been harmful to them all.
A grim Taren returns. "The guards are dead. But they hadn't given the prisoners their water yet, so they are still alive."
"Ah, Grey, sorry about the guards and all, I'm sure that they were good guys and what not, but, didn't Jeshua say that two of your guards were absent from their post earlier? Could they have been the ones to poison the water? I mean who would question another guard?"
Taren is shaking his head. "One of the guards was a friend to one of the guards under arrest. Best friends since childhood I believe."
Ari doesn't say it but, if someone was willing to let a castle full of innocent people die, including one's best friend, then they wouldn't have a problem with poisoning that person ahead of time. Might even see it as a gift.
Grey and Taren confer. Taren nods and goes back to the main part of the castle. "He's going for reinforcements and an antidote."
Okay this last loses Ari completely. Why would they need an antidote for the dead? Grey smiles without humor. "The water vessel needs to be cleansed. It would take too long to replace and we have other worries of more importance."
"Why don't you just purify it?" Sounds simple to Ari.
"That's what the antidote is for." Grey says keeping his gaze searching for trouble.
"You won't need that Grey, I can do it." At least she's pretty sure that she can do it.
Grey shakes his head. "The dungeon was built so that magic can't be used."
Now it's Ari's turn to shake her head. She can feel the magic pulsing below. "No, I'll be able to purify it. Take me to it please."
Grey sighs. He doubts that she can but he takes her outstretched hand and pulls her up. "As you wish my lady."
Grey escorts her to a dank room with the sound of water dripping, endlessly dripping. She'd never been to this part of the dungeon on her world. She sends her little lights up and dozens light their way. Grey had been about to light a torch but sets it down unlighted. She shouldn't have been able to make the lights.
They come to the large cistern of water. Ari now sees the problem they'd have of replacing it. The stone cistern was huge. "It will take some time for Taren to find sufficient antidote to fill this, Grey." She starts pulling in the latent magic she feels throbbing around her. The pressure makes her ears ache and she tries to pop them.
She then has her lights jump into the water and slowly they turn blue. Once they do Ari turns to Grey, "The water is purified now. But I rather liked the mint flavoring so I left that. Much better than the dank taste it usually has." And she dips her hands into the water and brings some water to her lips. She drinks it before a horrified Grey can stop her.
He grabs her and delves into her frantically but finds no sign of the poison, not even that which she'd ingested earlier and there's no way her body took care of that already. He stares at her with wonderment.
"You did it." He says unnecessarily.
Ari looks at him a touch hurt that he doubted her but mostly trying to hide her laughter at his shock. "Of course. I said that I would didn't I? You should have some too. It's very refreshing." She says then adds before taking another drink. "You should do something about this magic buildup. It's not safe. You took care of the stuff in Anna's rooms yesterday, you think you could do something about this today?"
Grey finds himself nodding without even thinking about it. But what could he do with this much build up. He'd always thought he had a hard time breathing down here because of the smell. He hadn't realized that it's the magic.
"What will happen to the two guards that died?" Ari asks. What she was really asking is what will happen to her body when she dies.
"Well mostly young guards are stationed down here so we'll bury them I guess. Older guards, those of us that have lived longer than normal humans, when the magic no longer sustains us we disintegrate. The older we are the less that remains of us. We had one gentleman that was so old that when he passed there weren't even any bones left. Then we take what is left and put it to the proper place. Bodies we bury in along the back wall. Bones we inter in the catacombs which are below the dungeon."
Grey notices her silence, "Come, Taren will be looking for us shortly." He thinks that it's the dungeon that is causing her silence, but Ari wasn't even thinking about the dungeon.
They meet up with Taren who is visibly angry. "There isn't enough antidote I'm told. Especially since they don't know which poison they have to make a universal and it will take time." They start down as Taren continues his tirade ignoring Grey's attempts to say anything.
Finally Ari has had enough. "The water is purified. Now can we get on with it?" She's getting a headache from the smell.
Taren stares at Ari only remembering to walk as they start pulling ahead. "Wha-how?" This last was directed at Grey.
"I don't know. She seems to be able to get around the safeguards. Or maybe the safeguards have weakened over the centuries. I don't know. But when we are set we should check them out. The last thing we need is a prisoner revolt while being attacked from above." Grey has an idea, but the kitchen isn't going to like it. Oh, well. This much energy needs to be disbursed and he knows how to do it. He thinks.
Ari seeing what's in his mind smiles approvingly. Even as he escorts her into the interrogation room. This place turns her stomach, but not as much as the next room over does.
Grey sets a stool down for her use and grabs another for himself. Taren sighs and goes to the guard room for another. The last stool is fastened to the floor for the prisoners to sit on.
Grey notices how much the smell still bothers her so decides to do something about it. "Better warn the guards to go a ways up the stairs. I think it's time the dungeon got a thorough washing." He then sits Ari up on the table and makes sure that her dress doesn't drag.
Taren swallows and runs to the guard room and warns them. Taking one look at Taren's face they take his warning serious and head up the stairs a ways.
"Ah, Grey, the moldy straw and what not will clog the drains. We'll have nasty swirling water flooding all the rooms. But I approve wholeheartedly to your idea."
"You're right Ari." Grey thinks for a bit then gets a nasty smile. He sets his spell in motion. Then he laughs in delight. He explains what he did to let Ari in on the joke.
"I sent the nasty vegetation to our enemy and lit a fire that he won't be able to put out. Since the vegetation is not dry, it'll smoke and smell up his camp something awful." Ari smiles in approbation.
Next Grey sends currents of water mixed with vinegar through the dungeon. He hears cries of shock and anger from the rooms occupants but that just makes him even happier. And if some of them hurt from vinegar getting in their wounds that's just too bad.
"Grey if they are left in wet clothing they'll die from sickness." Ari reminds him gently.
"So?" Grey really doesn't care but at Ari's reproachful look sighs and sends currents of air through the dungeon to dry things out. "Happy?" His voice is a little petulant.
"Grey I've never been happier than I have been the last couple of days with you. I didn't ask for this but I thank you for it. It makes it much easier to breath.
"But," She stops when Grey looks at her in exasperation. "Never mind." Grey has lessened the magical buildup significantly, perhaps not back to naturally occurring levels, but enough that it wasn't so dangerous.
"What is it Ari?" Grey says resigned.
"The prisoners will need a blanket for warmth and should have clean straw. And Sheila should have something to wear." Ari hadn't forgotten his former mistress.
"I'll give them a blanket and I'll have the guards bring in fresh straw, but I refuse to give that bitch any clothes. I don't doubt that she planned to kill you after killing me. I won't reward her for that." Grey vehemence is so strong that Ari shrinks away from him.
"Okay Grey." Ari says trying to suppress the fear she got from seeing him that angry. She knows absolutely knows that he won't hurt her but she still got scared.
"Sorry Ari. I let my anger run my tongue. But I won't give her any clothes. Let her go to trial as she is so that the whole court can she her for what she is." Grey says no longer angry but tired. "Let's get this over with."
He helps Ari get down and reseated then goes for Taren.
When Grey and Taren return they right their stools and seat themselves. Grey stays next to Ari and Taren keeps himself in the background. Ari adds more of her lights thinking the room is too dark.