Una woke up feeling a slight pain growing stronger with each passing moment. She rose, staring at the fuzzy foreground. She could hear a great clatter and looked down at her arms, bound with shackles and chains again. In her focus were her hands, bloody and bruised. She touched the area on her head that felt the most painful. On the back of her head was a raised knot that was tender to the touch.
"Ouch!" Una hissed as her fingers touched the bulging bruise on her head.
"I'm glad you woke up. I was scared you wouldn't." Una heard a very faint male voice laugh in the distance.
Her eyes focused across where she was sitting. There lay a man with his coppery hair in front of his eyes, but he had a soft smile on his face. She recognized him instantly by his gorgeous laugh.
"Laurel?" Una exclaimed.
"Hi, Una." He smiled.
Una tried to get up but found that her chains only allowed her to stand and walk out afoot.
"It's no use, Una," Laurel said, looking away.
"Where are we? Are you okay?" Una asked.
"I should ask you the same. They threw you in here against that wall, and I was terrified that they busted your skull open."
"It sure feels like it," Una said, touching the sore spot on her head.
"We're in a tower. It was explained that there are five towers in this castle. This is the largest but also the most unkempt. They keep the worst of their prisoners here, so I think it's amusing that they put me in here. Just look behind you. We're trapped." Laurel laughed with hoarseness in his tone.
Una turned around and nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of how high up they were. Una would plunge almost a mile off of a cliff to her demise if she were to slip somehow and fall if she tried to escape.
"We're on a very high mountain," Una said.
"Yes, the hidden wing of the castle, tucked next to an even larger mountain and near the edge of a cliff. Quite a bright spot if you ask me." Laurel smiled.
"How long have you been here?" Una asked, sitting down on the frigid floor.
"I honestly don't know. Like you, I woke up not knowing where I was. You have been asleep for a day and a half."
"Impossible!" Una said, clenching her fists.
She suddenly remembered Yvar's betrayal to her.
"How were you captured? Are you wounded? Do you know how Gareth is?" Una begged Laurel.
"A poisoned arrow hit me. They couldn't kill me anyways if they tried! They were going to use me as bait. It obviously worked now. It's kept you here when instead of saving me, you could have torn Amon's neck open by now. You should have saved your strength. You're too chivalrous for a lady, honestly. You played right into their trap trying to save me." Laurel said, pulling back his thin tunic to reveal a small wound on his hip.
Despite the circumstances, Laurel, as always, was smiling and laughing as if everything was fine.
"But Gareth is well. I sent him back to Wintacaster, hoping that you and Alaric would be there to help heal him. However, I was sent word that you have still not made it back. We knew there was no way you were dead. However, that was not to say that you were not lost. I was sent out to scout for you, but I was captured at the Mercian border. Obviously, I am unaware of his condition now. I have prayed diligently for his healing success. However, I fear that his wounds were too great. So where have you been?" Laurel asked solemnly.
"You went out in search of Alaric and me? Oh, Laurel, you have put yourself in jeopardy doing that! We must send word back to Gareth as soon as possible. The Pendragons are sending their strongest troops to quell all our armies."
"Well, what can we do now?" Laurel said, lifting his chains in his hands.
"We can break out of here," Una exclaimed.
Una and Laurel both heard snickering outside of the tower door.
"The lady has got a sense of humor!" Una heard a man say into their cell.
"Oh, that's another thing, there's no fucking way we can leave this place, Una. Honestly, this place would be easier to break into than it would be to leave." Laurel said in the direction of the cell door.
"Right ye are. Smart lad!" The man said through the small eye slit in the door.
Una really wished she had that dagger that Brita gave her at this moment. If only she weren't stripped bare, she could escape. She looked at the windows. They were large enough to crawl through, but below them was certain death if one of them was to fall.
"We can crawl through the windows!" Una said.
"Wow, I finally met someone who was more bloody mad thanking Amon himself!" The guard laughed, peering in with his icy blue eyes.
"Oh, will you shut your gullet, Hector? Let the woman learn." Laurel laughed at the door.
"We've been friends for the past few days. He's actually quite humorous and knowledgeable." Laurel added.
"Aye, and you be my favorite prisoner thus far!" The guard Hector laughed.
"Then he should have noticed that this old tower has large foundational cracks, right through where our chains are bolted," Una said with a smirk.
Laurel stared at Una inquisitively.
"Wait, please don't." Laurel implored Una.
"Watch me." Una laughed, standing up and turning to the bolts in the wall.
"Una!" Laurel shouted.
Hector tried opening the door, but the other guard yelled at him.
"What are you doing!? That woman is as keen as a snake. If you open the door, she'll slither right out after she breaks loose. Besides, anyone who exits through those windows couldn't possibly make it. It iced last night, and she'll fall to her death, so let her go. God, do you not have a head?!" The other guard said as Una put her foot on the wall and wrapped the chains around her wrists.
"Right," Hector said as he watched Una position herself against the wall.
"Come on!" Una said as she tugged as hard as she could in an angle to loosen the bolt.
Una pulled back, nearly scaling the wall, but Laurel and the guards watched as Una was slowly removing the bolt out of the border with ease.
"Ah, there we go!" Una said, feeling accomplished as she freed one of her arms.
"What the hell, Una!?" Laurel laughed, watching her try to pry out the other bolt, but this one seemed nearly impossibly since there was no crack running through it.
"Ah, give up already. You aren't getting out of this tower alive." The other guard laughed.
"I'll die trying." Una scolded as she pulled on the chain with all her might.
She could feel her knuckles buckle against her own strength pulling and twisting the cold iron chains.
"Ahh!" Una cried out as one of the chain links busted open, and Una fell back.
"Yes!" Una said joyfully as she stood up and examined the broken length.
"You know, you said this was the most neglected tower, and I can see why. It aids to the aesthetic of the overall hopelessness and doom you feel. However, we are no ordinary prisoners. A weak link will eventually bust the entire chain. These rusty old things have been weakened over time, like the tower. It's quite easy, Laurel." Una said happily as she pulled on the bolt again, trying to stretch the broken link.
It eventually opened wide enough for Una to slide the other links out of it, and her other arm was freed.
"Now then," Una said, putting her hands on her hips but feeling her head wound throbbing again.
"Get up," Una demanded laurel.
Laurel stood and sighed.
"Please, Una. Do you know what we are up against?" Laurel frowned.
"Too much to let you rot here," Una said, walking over to his side and grabbing his chain.
Una saw that there was an even larger crack on his side.
"You're telling me you could have freed yourself this entire time, and you chose to wait for me?" Una laughed.
"I knew you would help me bust out of these. Why expend unnecessary energy?" Laurel laughed as Una slid the bolt out of the wall like a hot knife through butter.
"Are you serious?" Una laughed in delight as she found that the other chain followed the same crack.
"You can do that one yourself." Una laughed as she walked over to her window and looked out again.
"Okay, there is a ledge here. If we can follow it down, there is a large band of dead ivy root that we can climb down."
"I've heard you're smart, lady. But that's foolish." Hector said.
"Shut up! We aren't supposed to speak with them!" The other guard shouted at Hector.
"I'm going to go call more guards. You are no more a guard than lazy cat watching a mouse feast on stored away harvest grain!" The man said, trotting away.
Una watched Laurel bust himself out of the wall as Una eased herself out of the window. She had to be extremely brave, for heights were one of her secret fears. It all happened when one-day Yvar and Una were pretending to be fairies on the top of a very tall oak. Una slipped on some moss as she tried to climb down, and she fell before Yvar could grab her. She broke many of her sternum ribs but was minor compared to the wounds she was inflicted with before. Still though, since then, Una has never been the same when at precarious heights.
Una felt her hands tremble, and her breath quickened. She almost felt lightheaded, but there was no time for petty fears. She had to do this. She had to save Laurel and herself. She had to get the word out to Gareth as soon as possible before the Pendragons would overtake Bryttania.
"Come on, Una." She said, trying to console herself.
"Here." Una felt a gentle hand on her forearm.
"Let me go first," Laurel said with a smile.
"Are you sure?" Una asked.
Laurel shook his head.
"Usually, it's ladies first, but I've been scouting the tower for some time, so I know of some better and stronger vines.
"You knew we were going to escape?" Una asked, crawling back in.
Hector saw Una and Laurel but said nothing.
"That's why I waited on you, or else I would have already escaped if I had known you were dead or trapped somewhere else." Laurel laughed, jumping up in the window.
"That's comforting." Una gulped.
"Thank you for your help showing me that vine earlier, Hector!" Laurel waved.
"God's speed, and kill every last one of the dragons for me," Hector uttered back.
"Will do!" Laurel uttered back, hanging out of the window.
Una stood back in wonder.
"Come on, Una," Laurel said, putting out his hand for her to grab.
"Right," Una said, grabbing on to it.
"This is going to be scary, but I need you to really focus and listen to me. Look down at your toes, but not your feet, or you will fall. Don't turn to the side, and for the love of God, don't look behind you." Laurel said in a somber tone.
"I understand," Una said, feeling the cold of the air hit her again.
"Now there is a vine here, grab it," Laurel said, taking her hand, but Una was reluctant to let go.
"Trust me," Laurel said.
"Okay," Una said nervously as Laurel grabbed her hand and guided it over to a very thick ivy root on the wall.
They could both see where Una had pulled the bolt out of the wall. It wasn't the foundation, but the ivy that had grown through the cracks and had weakened the wall.
"Okay, I'm going to need you to trust me, but I need you to let go of the window, okay?" Laurel asked softly.
Una trembled and shook, closing her eyes.
"I can't." Una declared.
"Why? Don't you trust me?" Laurel asked.
"I trust you more than myself," Una said back.
"Then let go!" Laurel said.
"No... I can't... I....I'm scared." Una admitted.
Laurel smiled up at Una. She was human, after all.
"I am too, Una. I hate heights, and spiders and blood, and everything a warrior has to encounter daily. But these are the things that make us stronger. If you can conquer your fears, you can conquer anything in life." Laurel said, grabbing Una's hand again.
"Now, let go of your fear. Your love of Gareth should be stronger than your fear of heights, right?" Laurel asked.
Una shook her head, still closing her eyes.
"Let go!" Laurel said.
"There she is!" Una looked up, hearing a voice at the door.
They started to Unlock it. They were coming for them. Una had one hand on the vine and Laurel, and the other was still clutched to the window.
"Hurry!" Laurel pleaded.
Una gulped and shook.
"Let go," Laurel shouted.
Una leaped faith and released her hands.
"Ahh!" She screamed.
"I got you!" Laurel said, grabbing Una and violently crushing her against him to hold her tight.
"You're safe. You're alright!" Laurel said breathlessly.
"Thank you!" Una trembled.
"Come along. Follow the roots down. You know how to climb well. Stick your feet and hands in any angled groove to get a good grip. If you feel unstable, shout at me or grab me, okay?" Laurel said slowly and clearly.
"Are you okay, Una?" Laurel asked.
Una shook her head.
"I think I am," Una said.
"No, either you are, or you aren't. Anything in between could get you killed." Laurel said.
"I am secure, but I am absolutely terrified," Una admitted again.
"Good, you're learning to fight your own demons." Laurel smiled.
"There!" Laurel could see a guard next to a few men, pointing down at them.
Laurel looked up and met the eyes of a man staring down at Una, who looked just as terrified as she did.
"Let's hurry," Una said softly.
Una slowly opened her eyes and found herself clutched to the extensive root.
"Okay, I will be just below you, so if you feel like you are going to fall, do it. I will catch you." Laurel said, patting Una's back as he scaled down behind her.
Una was desperately clutching herself to the root. Her hands shook, and they felt sweaty. Did she have enough strength to do this? Physically yes, mentally, she was feeble. She dares not to look up to see the men.
"Shoot them down!" Una heard the words.
"They're going to shoot us down!" Una cried as she hurried herself to climb down.
She did as Laurel instructed and carefully found angled grooves while she balanced, bracing herself against the root.
"No!" Una heard a voice call out from the window.
"You're doing fine, Una! Keep going!" Laurel said to encourage her, even though the tower was at least a hundred feet and then to fall from the cliff was indefinite.
Una suddenly slipped and slid down the root.
"EEK!" Una cried as she slid.
"You're okay. You're okay!" Laurel said, patting her leg.
Una was able to snag a root with her foot at the last second before crashing into Laurel. Laurel suddenly realized something terrible about the root. It was winter, so he assumed it was some sort of deciduous plant that died back. However, as he looked down at the roots, he discovered the leaves of the ivy. It was an evergreen that had died. They were crawling down a dead root.
"Una, I'm going to have to ask you to start scaling back up. Can you do that for me?" Laurel said as calmly as he could.
"Why?" Una asked.
"Just do as I say, please, Una. Trust me!" Laurel said firmly.
Una did as she was told and started to make her way back up the roots toward the guards. She couldn't understand why Laurel asked her to do this again after all the stress she had gone through was going down. Now she must go back up, and for what reason? She dare not turn around but abided him and moved up, slowly but surely.
He realized that the attached root arms broke away from the wall as they scaled closer to the base. The closer down they got, the more the roots broke away from the wall. Laurel was practically hovering over the endless abyss but said nothing as to trouble Una.
"Oh, no," Laurel said with a solemn voice as he realized that the root arms of the climbing root were quickly approaching Una.
Una soon realized this as she made her way up close to the window.
"Um, Laurel, we have a problem!?" Una screeched as she heard the snapping of the roots.
"You're fine. Just go back up to the window. I'm close behind you!" Laurel lied as he was dangling over the tower edge.
He wouldn't be able to swing over to the ground, Laurel realized. He couldn't make it back up without the root collapsing on him. He was helpless.
"I'm glad you didn't go first," Laurel said with sadness in his heart at this realization.
"Um, Laurel?" Una began to scream as a man jumped down above her on the root and grabbed her arm.
"Laurel!" Una screamed louder, still not looking.
Laurel said nothing but nodded his head at the man looking down at Una and him. He knew he wouldn't hurt Una. He was the one who said no to the archers that were going to shoot them down. Laurel smiled at the man, and the man nodded and closed his eyes as he pulled on Una.
"Let me go! No!" Una cried.
"Let the man take you," Laurel said.
"Are you crazy! No!" Una insisted.
"Do as I say, please, Una," Laurel said, closing his eyes as a tear fell from his cheek.
He knew he wouldn't make it back up.
"Why, what is happening?" Una asked.
"The vine won't hold us. It's breaking away from the wall." The man shouted.
Una recognized his voice instantly. She slowly tilted her head up and saw that Yvar had his arm snuggly holing Una.
"Yvar!?" Una exclaimed.
"Give me your other arm," Yvar demanded.
"No!" Una said, clutching to the vine as it began to snap away from the wall in front of her and now above.
"Ahh!" Una screamed as she dangled out from the wall.
"Stop moving!" Yvar shouted as she grabbed the root before it could sever entirely from the tower wall.
Yvar strained to hold both of them up. Suddenly more guards came and pulled with Yvar, trying desperately to save them.
"Una?" Laurel said softly but staring up at Yvar.
"I want you to kill all the dragons, okay?" Laurel asked.
Una tried to twist her head back, but Laurel scolded her.
"Don't you look!" He shouted up at her.
"What are you doing!?" Una said, feeling tears in her eyes.
"I can't hold for much longer!" Yvar said, feeling his muscles being overexerted.
He wouldn't let Una fall, not again. He would catch her this time.
"Take good care of her, please," Laurel said up to Yvar.
"I give you my word, a warrior's promise," Yvar said back down to him.
"What's happening!?" Una exclaimed as tears began to fall.
"Una?" Laurel began.
"It's going to be a while until we meet again, I'm afraid. I hate that we didn't get to spend much time together, but I want you to know that you mean so much to everyone. You are loved beyond words, so never hate yourself ever. I want you to be happy, always. You deserve it."
"Laurel, what are you talking about," Una said, clutching to Yvar as she felt his muscles begin to spasm and twist in unnatural ways.
"I'm going to go meet my love again as I promised. I told Ingrid to wait for me, and she promised me that she would. She told me she would wait till the end of time." Laurel's tears blinded his amber eyes.
"I want you to do the same, Una. Live a life that you are proud of that is full of love and laughter." Laurel began to cry.
Una could hear him cry in his voice, and she began to sob, realizing what was happening.
"Thank you for everything, Una," Laurel said, realizing his fate was sealed, but he was ready.
"Don't you do it! As a queen, I order you to stay there. We're going to pull you up, okay?" Una begged him.
"No, Una," Laurel said as he watched the last portions of the roots tear away from the wall.
Yvar bent his head down and felt his own eyes swell with tears. He didn't want Una to perish. He saw himself at the end of that vine, where her friend was. He wanted them to last and not break away. He realized at that moment that he was her friend, holding Una back. Without him, Una could live on, and she could finally be free of her torments.
"I love you, Una, and I wish we had more time. You don't realize the beauty of time until you have none left. Don't ever waste it on those you don't love, Una. My work here has been finished. You are alive and safe, and that's all I've ever prayed for. My prayers have finally been answered, and now I may go in peace. Forgive me, Una." Laurel cried.
"Laurel?" Una cracked.
"I want to see you laugh more. Be the reason why people smile. You're too pretty to have some much sadness in your eyes. You're going to make it, I swear! Just keep going. You're almost there." Laurel said as he felt the vine starting to collapse.
"You don't have to do this. I'll let go!" Una begged as her grip loosened.
"Don't be a fool, Una! Let him go! He's doing this for you!" Yvar shouted at Una.
Laurel looked up at Una one last time. She was beautiful in the fading light of day. He had so much he wanted to tell Una.
"Laurel." Una cried as she looked away from Yvar.
"I'll see you later, Una," Laurel said with a smile and did not hesitate as he released his hands from the vine, saving Una before she would kill herself.
Una felt a massive weight being released at the bottom. Yvar watched with his eyes crying and his mouth grimacing as he saw Laurel free fall from the tower, down the cliff, and into the thick fog below, all still with a smile on his face.
"No!" Una cried as the entire vine split away from the wall, but Yvar caught Una and pulled her up into the window.
They all fell back to the floor as Una was slung around through the window. Una instantly stood up and looked out of the window, trying to jump out to find another vine.
"No, stop!" Yvar said, pulling her back.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Una cried.
"Una, stop! He's gone!" Yvar said with anger and tears in his eyes.
Whereas Laurel fell away from Una to save her life, Yvar was standing there, impeding her from doing the very things Laurel had asked her. With Yvar around, he knew she would always lament and be tortured by their past. He tried desperately to separate away from her, but he found himself being pulled to her even more strongly than before.
After last night, after he betrayed Una, he realized his love for her was so strong. It nauseated him to think about her dying by his hand. If anyone deserved to die, it would be himself. He would rather die, like her friend, than to watch Una cry any more. There was nothing more sorrowful than seeing the strongest and most joyous person on earth cry. It tore Yvar apart seeing her this way.
He would wander for a moment if she cried for him like that, of what she said about him ripping her heart out was correct.
"He can't be gone!" Una cried.
"Laurel!" She cried out the window.
"No, no!" Una pleaded.
"Laurel!" She wailed and sunk to the floor.
She saw her sword hilt being clutched by Yvar in front of her.
"You!" Una seethed with tears in her eyes as she looked up at him.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this!" Una cried as she pushed Yvar off his feet and grabbed her sword from Yvar's scabbard.
"Catch her!" Yvar shouted as Una darted past the guards with her sword and flew down the tower stairs, killing every guard in her path.
She had unadulterated rage in her heart. She was headed for the heart of the castle. She knew now that she would harvest King Amon's head with her sword and cast his body off the mountain just the way Laurel went.