I wake up again with my head on the stone floor, curled up in a ball for warmth. My eyes are open but I see nothing. The candle is gone, it has burnt and melted away and now it sits in a clump of wax on the floor. I no longer have light, and I can't see a thing.
The chains rattle as I attempt to stand up, but I only bring myself to my knees. The number forty-four rings in my mind as I consider the last day completely wasted. I notice the little window is closed shut.
By now, the Aegunic has passed out of the air, engulfed by the carbon dioxide I had been breathing out all night. The air is heavy and humid, and I had woken up in a sweat greeted by almost unbreathable air. I knew I'd suffocate here if I didn't get the window opened.
I knew I couldn't open the slot myself since the chains prohibited me from even drawing close to the door. I'd have to get the attention of someone else on the other side. I couldn't sing, so instead, I screamed. Screamed with all the might my vocal cords proclaimed.
At first, it hurt. It seemed to tear at my throat and diaphragm, but the desire to breath was overwhelming and easy to obey.
The guard from the day before responds to my pleas. He comes rushing down the stone hallways, angry and eager to shut me up. "What do you want, siren wrench?" he curses at me when he opens the window, enraged annoyance burning in his voice.
When the window is open, I stop. Savoring the fresh breath of air as it gushes in. I don't say anything else. Not even to offer my gratitude.
The guard rolls his eyes at me but proceeds to tell me what's going on. "The Prince is coming to see you today," he informs me. Despite my thoughts earlier, my heart leaped for joy. "You've created quite a stir, girl."
I knew it wouldn't be who I thought, but I still had to take the chance and ask anyways. "Which prince?"
He smirks, a chuckle following soon after, "Which one do you think?" He asks me and turns away from the door, scurrying down the hall.
I wanted it to be Nik. I wanted him to storm in here and do something. Still, I knew he wouldn't. I knew he wasn't coming anywhere near me. Instead, the only other option could be Josson. From that information alone, I knew I had to brace myself for this encounter. Prepare answers, prepare lies to persuade them, just like I'd talk my way out of situations with my mother.
The same guard comes back from down the hall, a plate of food and water in hand.
He cracks the door open, and a ray of candlelight shines through. It's almost too bright for me to bear. I hurried to the door on my knees, the chains following me behind like snakes. The guard flinches as he places the food and cup down, even though the chains restrain me to get too close.
It goes down with a thud and he shuffles to close and re-lock the door. Glaring at me through the slot, he stiffens and commands me. "Eat," he orders before throwing a curse my way I didn't understand.
I could have used the water as a weapon, but I couldn't resist my urge to drink. My thirst was just as strong as my hunger and it needed something to submerge it after screaming. I gulped it down instantly, using some of it to wash my hands and refresh my face.
I took my hair out of the bun too, fearing it would become matted if I didn't give it at least some proper care. I use my fingers as a comb, using my nails to untangle the knots that had begun to form while in the style. Just as I remember, my hair reaches just right past my waist and mimicked the sway of the waves. I decide to leave it down despite how annoying it could be.
I studied the food although hunger was the only thing that echoed in my mind. They could have poisoned it, put more of the Aegunic in it to cause me to sleep or weaken me even more, ensuring I wouldn't do anything for my audience with the Prince.
I sniffed it at first, searching for that strange smell that was the poison, but it didn't smell like anything of the sort. Instead, it smelled...fresh. If I took another whiff I might even have been considered delicious.
The food before me was a simple meal of bread and soup but was cooked with tenderness to benefit me. I looked to the slide of the plate, and a spoon had accompanied the food they'd given me. I took the spoon in my hand and placed the plate in my lap. Stirring it gently, I saw the vegetables and meat hidden beneath the tasty substance. My mouth watered with hunger. I couldn't believe my eyes.
Despite everything else, they were feeding me with such care and affection. I looked around at my cell. With the food along with living space, the conditions were survivable and more than enough to keep me breathing. The humans wanted me alive, I realized. They wanted me for the value and information I held in my head. They weren't planning to kill me...yet. At that realization, a string of relief ran through me and I began to eat the food in front of my face, satisfying the hunger that had begun to inflame my stomach.
~
For the first time in two days, I'm taken out of my cell and allowed to walk the hallway I'd seen so many others pass. Even out of my prison, the chains are never taken off me and reside on my wrists and neck. Of course, I'm not walking freely and instead I'm being guided by the same two guards from earlier. They have my arms in a steady lock, pressing them against one another until I can no longer feel them.
They push me into a room in a deep part of the castle dungeon. To my surprise, it isn't another cell. Instead, it's a room filled with tapestries, a desk, chairs, and writing utensils. It must be someone's workplace.
The guards sat me down in a chair on the other side of the desk, facing the wall. "Hands on the table," the guard commands. I do as I'm told and my chained wrists find residence on the wooden surface. They watch them intently, expecting me to do something. When I don't live up to their expectations, they send a signal and the Prince comes in through an opposite door I assume leads to the rest of the castle.
Immediately, I saw Josson's copper eyes glitter with interest. He sees me nothing more than a creature to study and learn rather than a person. That very thought worried me even before my interrogation began.
Josson doesn't dare sit down. Instead, he circles me, studying me attentively before coming to stand before me. He stares me up and down again, I have to wonder if he doesn't know where to begin. "What's your name, siren?" he finally says.
I almost want to lie again and the words almost slip from my tongue. I would have said Arya if I didn't stop myself but I didn't want to bring my late cousin into any more of these games, she didn't deserve to be involved. Instead, I began to ponder what would happen if I did tell him my name. No title attached to it or anything, just my name. It might not have been as bad as I thought, but I stay silent.
Josson smirked, amused by my stubbornness. "I see," he utters and bits his lip. "I'll ask you again. What is your name? Your real name."
I don't even mutter a word.
"Surely," Josson begins to say and nods to the guards who exit immediately, "This wouldn't be easy. Not for me," he pauses again, coming around from the desk to meet me by my side. I only watch him as he gawks at me. "And definitely not for you." He turns my chair to face him directly, my chains dangling from the desk.
Josson gets closer to me, staring into my eyes with a certain emotion I don't quite understand. He's trying to intimidate me, make me frightened of his very presence but he hasn't quite mastered that skill, and I've faced greater beasts. I don't flinch.
Josson waves a hand, sending the guards out the door. "I'll give you a third chance," Josson proclaims and grabs my chin to face him directly. His hand tightens. "What is your name?"
Josson meets my eyes and I meet his. My expression is still and emotionless, I was still deciding if I would reveal anything or not. He let's go of my chin.
My hair began to crowd my face the more we remained still, and Josson proceeded to tuck my locks behind my ear with his hand. A sparkle of curiosity submerged his eyes. "You sirens are strange things," he started to say. The hand that tucked my hair went to my face, and he started to caress my cheek, "Strange, beautiful things..."
I couldn't keep still anymore. My body burned with aggravation, I knew exactly the kind of Prince I was dealing with and I wouldn't keep standing by and enduring. I shuffled my chains around to stop his hand from going any further, "If you knew any more about my kind, you'd be wise to step away from me." I reply. It's one of my first threats, even I myself didn't expect to say that. "Besides, what would your brother say if he knew?" I didn't know where that came from, but it was the only defense card that slipped off my tongue, despite knowing the horrid answer.
Josson surprisingly does as he's told and backs away, a laugh slowly forming in his chest. "My brother," he begins, "doesn't care for fish." Josson draws close to me again, almost cornering me in the chair. "Besides," he repeats, turning the impact of my words against me, "you don't actually think he'd come back for the girl who seduced and betrayed him, do you?"
Josson had gotten close enough and in range of my leg. I don't even blink to miss the opportunity to stomp on his foot and do so easily with the might of an elephant. I don't care that my fury was displaying itself for him to see. He had crossed the wrong line. "I didn't seduce him," I state, "but of course you wouldn't understand the difference." I directly mean to imply his loveless relationship with Valora.
He winces, either from the physical or verbal sting; I can't exactly tell which. "Listen, siren," Josson commands, "I'll give you a day to rethink your answer. And if you fail to provide me with the truth," he pauses, eyeing me up and down, "No one is here to protect you now, and you belong to me and any order I may command you to."
I have to restrain myself from asking anything more, but he interrupts me before I even get the chance to speak.
He knocks on the door to the dungeon hallway, and the guard comes rushing in. He scoffs, "Don't test me," he warns before the guards guide me out of the room and back to my cell. I couldn't make any promises, I hadn't had a good history with obeying other's warnings.
~
The next morning I awoke with things out of place and unlike the days before.
My bread comes to me moldy, old and rotting on all sides. The fruit comes the same way, and no water is given to accommodate my thirst. Instead, I try to eat around everything, gentle to consume the things that would only strengthen and benefit me.
Not long after, I hear the locks open and the two men burst into my cell, I don't put up a fight as they pick me up and lead me to a room completely different than before.
The room, like most of the dungeon corridors, has solid stone walls and floor. Although it has that in resemblance, this room is like no other. Swords and weapons clamored everywhere among the wall, equipment and devices sat on the table, dried blood was splattered on the floor, and a single chair stood in the middle of it all. From that, I knew exactly what was happening and used all my might to try to break away from the guards and run. Yet, they never let go, their grip never even diminished as I struggled with them.
They sat me down, tying my hands back and my feet to the pillars holding the chair. I try to wiggle and protest my way out of it. I shout curses at the guards, spitting at their feet and faces as they only carry out their orders. I can't help it, all I'm focused on is escaping this horrible Hell before it even started.
"Stop squirming," I hear Josson announce as he seems to come out from out of the shadows, "This could have been much easier had you not refuse to open your mouth."
He stands before me, the trace of the prince that he is threatening to remind me to behave. Except, he isn't my Prince, and the two of us hold the same rank, despite the ignorance of the other. I wasn't about to take orders from him, much less obey. Instead, I spit at his feet, enjoying the small bit of pleasure it gave me to see him cringe.
He shakes it off, disgusted. Josson calls in another man, dressed in a black apron and suit covered by blood with an eye patch to complete his look. "Sir Hernias will be attending to you today," Josson smirks at me, conniving and cold, "I hope you don't mind."
Hernias looks at me and grimaces at my weak attempts to fight the lock of chains. "She's a feisty little thing, ain't she?" Hernias says, his almost broken Bavian accent shining.
"You wouldn't believe it," Josson confirms, and shifts his head to the side, giving Hernias clearance to fulfill whatever orders his Prince has instructed.
Hernias picks up a chain from the table and walks over to the fireplace, hanging the chain over it with a stick. I see it start to burn bright red over the flames, and suddenly the shade changes until it gets lighter and lighter. I squirm even more, but I'm chained to the chair, and guards are holding me down with all their might. I think I see Josson grin.
I start to think about the blazing red chains on my skin. How it would boil me like an egg, how it would burn and scar against my body, and the unbearable pain I would face under the torture.
Sir Hernias pulls the chain away from the fire, and it glistens bright red. I'm breathing heavily as my body buries itself in fear. I try to consider the importance of my information as he draws near. What good what my name do to them anyway? It was just a sliver of information that really wasn't that important to sacrifice, not if it cost this. Hernias gets closer with every breath I take. I find myself closing my eyes, bracing myself for impact until my wave of stubbornness passes and my very being is drowned in its own fear.
I have to open my eyes and his hand that the chain is close to mine. I shout, "Wait!" I yell and the room everyone in the room stops suddenly. "Wait," I say under my breath.
Josson comes closer to me, smirking at me brightly. "Are you ready to speak?" he asks and I nod. Hernias backs away and frowns. He was eager to see me suffer.
I bit my tongue first, still hesitating. Josson isn't patient, he grabs my chin, holding it violently in his grasp, "Speak!"
"My name is," I begin, deciding for one last time if I should use an alias. "My name is Aelila Corearien."
Josson glares, "I don't believe you." I almost start to protest but then he continues, "There's something more. I want your whole name."
I bit my lip. Would it make my situation better or worse to tell them exactly who I am? If I told them I was a Princess, they might consider my life more valuable, and I might actually survive long enough to escape. On the other hand, things could escalate in a different manner. I decided I'd take my chances.
"I am Princess Aelila Evamei Corearien," I tell them, but Josson isn't satisfied with that. "Second-born daughter to the Siren Queen," my mind screams at me. I decided to plant a seed of doubt. "And The Disgraced Siren Princess."
At that, the room fell silent. Josson licked his lips, sucking up the information like a leech. Josson chuckles, no doubt laughing at the title I presented. "A disgrace!" he laughs, rubbing it into my face, "surely, you deserved that title!" At this point, I didn't care that he was belittling me; I had planted a seed doubt and now they'd think less of me. Underestimate me even, and that was exactly what I wanted.
"Your mother sent a walking humiliation here to carry out her dirty work, eh?" Hernias adds onto Josson's laughter.
"Why are you here anyway?" Josson asks although I'm sure he knows the answer. "What's your mission?"
I glare at him, my chains rattling as a fight in my seat, "I'm sure you can figure it out," it comes out like a rude remark. "Meanwhile, shouldn't you be trying to find out who tried to kill the King?" I ask, turning the conversion. Josson snarls at me.
"Lock her back up," he commands, "I'll deal with the Princess later."
The guard unstraps me from the chair and Josson leaves. They threw me back into my cell that night, and I was greeted by yet another small lit candle.
From the gesture alone, I can tell that Valora was here, and she sends her deepest, falsest regards.
She hopes to see me suffer. She hopes to see me burn, just like the candle in front of me that would eventually crumble.