[IC] Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

[sukikyoufu]

Take a bus, he really doesn’t know his Kingdom outside the Capital. Iris thought to herself as she thought back on his comment on how they could just simply take a bus back to the Capital. If only it was that simple. I’ve made my choice; I’ll have to live a life of constant running. I have no doubts my father would kill me for what I’ve done. Dark thoughts began to circle through her mind as she looked for a brief moment of piece, but Cas had other ideas. More questions, more questions that she didn’t really want to answer because it reminded her of the truth.

“I… I-I.” Stuttering to find the right words she couldn’t say she still had feelings for him because he would shoot that down, he wouldn’t believe her. “…Would you believe if I tell you my reasons?” Her voice was soft, but it had a hesitation to it as if she was nervous. “It doesn’t matter right now, I’m helping you escape because of what I believe, not their beliefs.” Shivering as her own adrenaline of running away started to subside she could feel the cold air, the hoodie wasn’t thick enough fabric to protect from the cold.

Pulling up her knees to her chest as she wrapped her arms around them, “He’s not my boyfriend…” Burying her head in her knees she felt tired, the stress was catching up to her and it was only the start. There was so much more she had to do, that she had to plan to get him out safely. “He… he wasn’t always like you know. My father.” Lifting her head up slightly she used her knees as a rest for it as she glanced over at Cas, “The rebellion was about help to all the districts beyond the Capital. They wanted access to healthcare, medicines. A chance to work their way up higher. It was meant to be about a better quality of life for everyone. That’s what I believed in fighting for…”

When did it begin to change? How did I notice it wasn’t what it was all cracked up to be?

“I guess, there is corruption everywhere. Whether he was hungry for power. Revenge as he believes your family is responsible for her death. I… I don’t know.” Sighing to herself as she used the wall behind her to lean against, “I was never going to be able to kill you in the Capital, it was a suicide mission from the start.” Speaking bitterly as she knew deep down had she not fallen she’d be in his cell awaiting her execution. Maybe I was meant to be a Martyr? Surely, he wouldn’t have done that to me… Thinking on it when her father relied on the alcohol more and more his motives became more sinister, but she still had blanks in her memory so couldn’t put it together fully.

Hanging her head low again she couldn’t make eye contact with him, not with what she was going to say. “I… liked you Cas, I never stopped liking you. It wasn’t a lie; it wasn’t some master plot to have you kidnapped or killed. I didn’t know who I was, I still don’t know fully… but I don’t want you to die. It solves nothing for anyone and only leaves more pain, a broken Kingdom.” Shifting in her position in the corner she tried to get comfortable, but it wasn’t easy, it was cold, and the worry was already eating away at her because she had to keep him hidden. I’m on a roll betraying everyone it seems. Thinking to herself as she looked at her wrist, the bruises a reminder of the fact she had done the right thing.

[Rogue Sloth]

When Iris asked if he would believe her answer, Cas shrugged. That was yet to be determined by the answer she gave. In general, he was a trusting person, prone to seeing the best in everyone before their flaws, so being betrayed by someone he’d not only trusted but had also started to fall for had been devastating. He wasn’t going to forget about what she’d done very quickly, and he was still gauging how much faith he could put in her after she’d led him on once. Thus far, he’d decided that she was genuinely trying to help him escape from the other rebels, but it was still hard for him to see anything beyond that when the image he had of her was overshadowed by the reminder that she’d tricked him in the forest.

Her claim that Ethan wasn’t her boyfriend made him raise his brows though. “If he’s not your boyfriend, then why did he tell me he was?” he probed her skeptically, scooting back on the bed to lean his shoulders against the wall. “And the last time he came up in our conversations, you didn’t deny that you’re together. Your story isn’t lining up.” He stretched out his legs on the mattress and placed the package of bread in his lap, continuing to eat while they talked. Privately, he knew he was interrogating her pretty harshly, but he had to make sure she wasn’t lying again. To keep from being duped a second time, he paid close attention to everything she was saying, hyper alert for inconsistencies that he usually wouldn’t have noticed. He had to learn to be more critical of the things other people said, so he wouldn’t be taken advantage of for being gullible ever again.

As she went on about the motives behind the Scourge, he listened quietly. Most of it was propaganda that he’d already heard before. The rebels claimed that there was rampant inequality in Aspiria and that they were going to dismantle the crown to bring better life to everyone outside the capital. In reality, he believed they just wanted to kill all the people who were better off than they were. It was true that the capital was the gem of the country. He would never deny that. They had the best technology, the best doctors, the best teachers and lawyers and security. But the luxuries high borns enjoyed wasn’t restricted to those who happened to be born to families with old money. Anyone in Aspiria could earn the title of high born through hard work and ambition. All the label signified was a net worth of above one million credits. He was sure there were high borns living throughout the other districts as well. Business owners, surgeons, entrepreneurs, and anyone else who had made a name for themselves beyond the walls of the capital. It was the beauty of the nation his ancestors had built, and it was what the Scourge was threatening to bring to ruin.

The prince parted his lips to tell her that the rebellion had always been corrupt, but his thoughts derailed when she went on to say that had always liked him. In spite of himself, the words made his heart flutter, and he silently chided himself for getting so excited when he still didn’t know if she was telling him the truth. Still, she didn’t sound like she was lying. He sat without speaking, processing what she was saying to him. What if he had it all wrong? The voice inside of him that wanted to believe her grew louder. Ever since he’d woken up in a cell, he’d been acting like a caged animal. Everyone was an enemy, and no one was on his side. Yet, here he was in a bomb shelter with a woman who’d been telling him over and over that she wanted to help him. He contemplatively chewed on the inside of his lip, suddenly worried that he’d let his fear of being humiliated again get the best of him.

“Iris…” he started, tentatively reaching out toward her silhouette with his good arm and then faltering. As much as he wanted to believe she was the same person he’d gotten to know in the capital, he couldn’t bring himself to look past the pain of her betrayal just yet. There were still too many emotions he needed to sort through. He sighed and retracted his hand, dragging his fingers through his messy, dirty hair. “I’m going to need some time to think,” he said in a hushed tone. A brief silence fell as he lapsed from the conversation before the quiet was replaced with a soft rustling.

“I’ll take that painkiller though,” he told her with a wince as he attempted to untie the cloth she’d wrapped around his arm. The fabric was damp with blood, but it didn’t seem like he was bleeding much anymore if at all. Hopefully that meant he was starting to heal.

[sukikyoufu]

“He was my boyfriend; we were dating before the memory lapse.” Iris sighed eyes focused on the bruises on her wrist knowing that wasn't the only bruise she had because her father had hit her, “But he is not my boyfriend anymore.” I don’t know what I saw in him, maybe I was just frightened about being alone? I don’t know… Rubbing her tired eyes she felt the headache, the interrogation was enough to make her hurt, but she wouldn’t complain not when Cas was in a worse state than she was. Tearing her eyes away from the bruises she looked over at him, her own heart breaking as he said her name, the way he reached out but then retracted his hand.

“I understand. I’ll try to answer any questions you have, but I still don’t remember everything.” Smiling slightly as she returned to the supplies in the bag to get the painkiller and the first aid kit, so she could tend to the wound properly. Picking up the second bottle of water she moved to where he was on the bed sitting on it beside him hearing the creaks in the springs with her added weight, “Let me sort out that wound properly.” Passing him the second bottle of water and painkiller she put the first aid kit on her lap opening it up, it had proper bandages, antiseptic wipes with alcohol in and it even had a dressing which would keep the blood flow in and on its way to healing.

“A-Ah... please, let me.” Hesitating slightly before she started to untie the cloth that was on his arm rather than have him do it, she didn’t want him wasting more energy that he no doubt didn’t have. “It will be best to take the medicine after I’ve redressed this. It... it will hurt.”

Taking out the alcoholic wipes she cleaned up the wound once more, making sure to get the blood that surrounded it. Iris tried to be careful, but she knew it would hurt him, the wound wasn’t just some grazed knee after all. After a few more gentle touches she inspected the wound best she could in the dying light, biting her lip as she debated on if it was enough. There wasn’t more she could do for him or the wound, passing him the alcoholic wipes she sighed, “You can use them to clean up the blood on your hands. Just try not to move much for the next part. Please.”

Although the wound had now been cleaned, she took out the bandages and the dressing from the kit, unwrapping the dressing she pressed it against the wound biting her lip hoping she wouldn’t cause more unnecessary hurt. Wrapping the bandages around the dressing she tied it up neatly holding it in place. It now stood a far better chance of not getting infected. Sighing with relief she pushed herself off of the bed and back to the corner she had made herself somewhat comfortable in before. She didn’t want to overstay her welcome with him, as much as it was nice to be close to him in that brief moment.

Rubbing her arms from the cold she leaned back against the crumbling wall, her head now throbbing as she tried to relax. What was best for them now was getting some rest before they made a start at getting back to the Capital, she felt the exhaustion. Lack of sleep, food and now the cold. “I eh... I’m sorry I couldn’t fit any blankets in the backpack. It will get cold.”

[Rogue Sloth]

“Thanks,” Cas sighed, appreciative that Iris was willing to give him time to process everything. He needed to decide for himself what to do and who to trust, seeking a balance between his old habits and the new impulse to push everyone away. Neither one was healthy. Believing all people were good had landed him in a rebel holding cell, and running away from them had driven a wedge between him and the only person outside the capital who had proven that she was on his side. He needed to find a middle ground on his own, learning how to read others better and make informed decisions about who was trustworthy and who was not. It was the only way he could start to regain confidence in his assessment of the world around him.

For now, that meant not brushing aside her betrayal as if everything was perfectly fine between them. Even if he believed she wasn’t against him anymore, he had to lay down some boundaries or he’d relapse into his old patterns of only focusing on the good things she’d done since they’d first met. He knew himself well enough to worry that if he did that, he’d let his feelings get the best of him and put himself in a position to get hurt all over again.

So, when she climbed up next to him on the bed, he tensed and cleared his throat awkwardly. “Sure,” he murmured, letting his hand fall into his lap so she could take over untying the cloth. If he knew more about taking care of his own injuries, he might have protested, but she seemed to have more experience with wounds than he did. Although he couldn’t see her very well in the windowless room, he could feel her fingers moving deftly to remove the makeshift bandages from his arm. Idly, he wondered if her knowledge came from living with her father. If Regis wasn’t afraid to hit her in front of someone else, who knew what he could have done to her behind closed doors? The thought stirred a pang of anger inside of him. He still couldn’t believe a man could be so heartless that he would be willing to lay his hands on his own daughter.

Unable to see what Iris was doing, Cas hissed through his teeth and arched his spine sideways when Iris suddenly touched the alcoholic wipe to his arm. The chemical stung fiercely enough to make his eyes water, but he forced himself to sit still while she cleaned the torn skin, reminding himself that a little pain now was better than a severe infection later. He wanted to keep his arm when he got back to the capital. “Thanks,” he sniffed, rubbing the tears from his eyes with the heel of his left palm. He took the remaining wipes from her to clean the dried blood off his hands and exhaled deeply, relieved that she was done cleaning the surface of the stab wound. His inflamed skin still burned residually in response to being irritated, but the discomfort was mild compared to what he’d felt a few second ago.

He scrubbed his hands meticulously, trying to get rid of as much blood as he could even though he couldn’t see his progress in the dark. One wipe was used to clean up the brown-red streaks on his left hand, three more were used on his right, and he opened one more after that to start working his way up his left forearm. It was then that Iris pressed the dressing to his arm, and he cringed, biting down on his lip and curling his fingers into tight fists at his sides. The touch of the patch stung just as much as the alcohol had. “Fuck,” he gasped, hitting the mattress twice with his right hand as an outlet for the pain. As she bound the dressing in place, he held his breath, only letting it out once she was done.

“Sorry,” he mumbled with chagrin, embarrassed by how much he squirmed when she’d treated him. He glanced up toward where he guessed her face would be as he felt her get up from the bed. “I’m not used to…” He trailed off, unsure how to finish the sentence. Not used to being stabbed? It felt like a weird thing to say, so instead, he latched onto the subject she chose. “It’s fine. It’s just one night,” he shook his head dismissively, reaching for the other food item she’d given him earlier to find out what it was. Upon opening the package, he was struck with a sweet smell that made his stomach growl desirously. It was a pie.

“Do you, um, have any utensils for this?” he asked, turning to the last place he’d heard her voice. As hungry as he was, he hoped they at least had forks, so he wouldn’t have to dig into the pie with his hands like a savage.

[sukikyoufu]

It was hard not to flinch when Caspain had hit the mattress twice, she knew it was not directed at her, but the anger only reminded her of her father and Ethan. Both of them had temper problems, unrivalled anger and she knew that wasn’t Cas, he had a kind heart. Well, unless I destroyed that too. Hopefully he hadn’t noticed her flinch, not in the current circumstances where there was barely any light, plus she was now back in her corner away from him. Hearing the apology leave his lips, she shook her head although soon cringed realising he probably hadn’t seen and it only made her feel like an idiot, “Please, don’t apologise. Whether used to it or not it’s still painful. It’s a natural reaction.”

A part of her wanted to bring up when she had been in the hospital, how frustrated she herself had gotten and smashed the mirror but she closed her mouth feeling it was best not to bring it up. It would only remind her of what she had ruined between them. Looking down at her leg she felt her fingers touch the fabric on where her wound was reminding her of how this all started, it had mostly healed now but she still felt the pain of it. The twinge it would have when she used it more than she should, or how it would have this odd pulsating feeling like it had a heartbeat of its own. She didn’t have the crutches here to support the weight so the pain was becoming more consistent, but she was getting better at masking it. Plus, she had much bigger things to worry about.

Trying to get somewhat comfortable in her corner she had resigned herself too she nearly missed his question, it took a few moments for it to register and she felt her face heat up in embarrassment. Utensils? Oh… oh no. I should have thought. What an idiot. Biting her lip as she pulled the backpack to her rummaging through it for something he could use, frowning when all she felt was a pocket-knife amongst the other items, she had deemed important to bring. I don’t have a fork… or spoon. Could he use the knife? Cringing at the thought she pulled it out sliding it over to him on the floor, so she didn’t have to move nor him. “All I have is a pocket-knife. I didn’t know… I didn’t think, I’m… I’m sorry…” Sighing softly as she hung her head in defeat.

I’m useless. Iris thought to herself as she began to doubt everything, doubt the fact she could get him back to the Capital in once piece. Doubting how she would get them food and water, places to sleep. I didn’t think this plan through at all and his life is on the line. Would it even be possible to make it back to the Capital in one day? It’s going to be quite the journey and we still have to avoid my dad. I wonder… what his reaction would be.

[Rogue Sloth]

At least Iris didn’t sound like she was judging him for handling his injury so poorly. Cas leaned into the wall behind him, relaxing as the soreness in his arm faded to a dull throb. He’d never been stabbed before, and he hoped he’d never have to go through it again. Once he was back in the safety of the capital, he planned to thoroughly review the security in place as the mansion with his guards. He was going to make sure no rebels ever got that close to him or his father again. Additionally, he wanted to review the border security with the military to figure out why it had been so easy for the rebels to get in and out of the capital through the forest in the first place. The only thing that had stopped Iris from reaching him when she’d snuck in was a random bear trap, and her companions seemed to have made it much further without any trouble at all. There was a blind spot in their defenses somewhere that the Scourge was taking advantage of, and he intended to find it.

Hearing the scrape of something sliding across the floor, he glanced down from his perch on the bed. “It’s not that big a deal,” he shrugged his good shoulder even though he knew she couldn’t see the motion. “A knife is better than nothing. Thanks.” The words he spoke could have been misconstrued as sarcastic, but there was no hint of insincerity in his voice. After everything he’d been through so far, he was just glad he didn’t have to eat with his hands. He did, however, hope they would be able to stay someplace nicer tomorrow if he couldn’t get back to the capital right away. It had been a little over half a week since the last time he’d showered, and laying on a basement floor every day had left him feeling grubby. He hoped they could move to a hideout with running water, so he could scrub away the dirt that had been collecting on his skin and hair.

Bending down, he picked up the pocketknife Iris had passed to him and ran his fingers over the edges as he sorted out how to open the blade. It wasn’t as easy in total darkness as it would have been if he’d had a light, but he managed to figure it out without any help. Carefully, he touched the edges of the weapon, determining which side was the sharp one, and then used it to cut the pie into six pieces.

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have eaten an entire pastry by himself. The Maydestones, like most other high born families, had a private dietician who outlined their ideal meal plans to keep them healthy. Of course, the specialists couldn’t force their clients to follow their guidelines—the woman who worked for the royal family was constantly pulling out her hair because of the prince’s drinking habits—but in general, he took most of her advice without too much fuss. If she knew he was about to inhale a whole pie for his dinner, she might have had a heart attack on the spot. Nevertheless, he was starving, and the sugary treat was delicious, so he ate without holding back and set the empty tin on the floor when it was gone.

With a full stomach for the first time in days, he laid down contentedly on his good side and folded his arm beneath his head. Compared to the cold, hard floor of the Nox-Fleurets’ basement, the broken mattress felt like a cloud. He closed his eyes, enjoying the way the soft surface bowed beneath his weight instead of bruising his shoulder and hip. Thoroughly exhausted from the long day, it took less than a minute before he had drifted off into a deep slumber.

--

“Is everyone in position? We’ve only got one shot at this. If anyone fucks it up, I’ll shoot you myself,” Jacob hissed tersely into his headset. He and the rest of his team had been sitting on a run-down old house in Tongsen for the better half of the afternoon. The scouts had tracked Regis Nox-Fleuret to this location the day before and confirmed that he hadn’t left overnight. Judging by that, they had determined that this place was either him home or his base of operations. Maybe it was both. In any case, they were closer to taking down the leader of the Scourge than they had ever been before, and they were just as close to finding their missing prince. If they played their cards right, they could kill two birds with one stone and end their troubles with the rebellion for good.

Jacob glanced up at the sky and then down at his watch, checking the time. Just before he and the rest of the team had arrived to finish the job, they’d received a report that Regis had left the building in his car. Right now, they were waiting for him to return, so the sting wouldn’t be a bust. It was the boring part of a mission when the timing went wrong. They’d done nothing but sit idly for hours, watching a motionless house. The most exciting thing that had happened was when two people in hoods had walked out toward the beginning of the stakeout. They were probably rebels too, but since he and his team had come here specifically to apprehend Regis, he’d given the order to stand down and let the small fish walk. Taking down the leader and finding Caspian was more important than stopping every Scourge member they came across out here.

Fortunately, it seemed like they were about to do just that.

I’ve got eyes on the target. Jacob perked up as a soldier’s voice crackled through the headset. In the next moment, he watched with delight as the familiar beat-up vehicle rolled into view and parked just outside the house. Regis was finally back.

Gotcha, he grinned and stood up in the alley he’d chosen as his hiding spot. “Right, men, get ready to move,” he ordered. “It’s time to cut the head off this snake.”

[sukikyoufu]

Thankful that the knife was seemingly enough Iris tried to relax, it was difficult of course because this was an entirely new situation to her. Listening to the sounds she could tell he was eating, that not long after he had finished and seemingly settled to get some rest on the bed. It was hard not to still feel guilty, the mess she had dragged him into. This was entirely her fault and there was nothing she could do about it now other than get him back to the Capital. Something I don’t know if I can do it. I don’t know what I have done… all this mess I’ve caused.

Frowning as she curled up into a foetal position in the corner of the floor, trying to make herself as small as possible hoping it would make her feel safe. It didn't work however, she could feel the tears leave her eyes and there was nothing she could do to stop it; her small form shook slightly in the corner as she tried to get some rest. Silently crying to herself in the corner as she felt alone with no one that she could turn too, no one except her friend who she had no means of contacting now. The exhaustion had caught up with her, unable to physically keep herself awake as she fell into a restless sleep nightmares plaguing her dreams.

--

It had been hours but the sound of a backfiring car had returned home. Regis had finally come back home, alone and somewhat intoxicated as he sought means to sate his anger. The Prince had royally pissed him off, his daughter had gotten involved again and he was fuming, it felt like his whole plan was falling apart in his hands with no means of saving. Speaking with the members they had decided it was best to kill the Prince and that was what he was intending on doing. The car came to a halt parking outside the premises, a tired old hand reached towards the glove compartment pulling out a gun. The very gun he was going to kill the Prince with.

Moving out of the car he made his way inside his home, unsteady on his feet as he looked around his home. “Iris?” Calling out as he felt like something was wrong. Something wasn’t right and it felt empty, looking into the front room he couldn’t see her there. A part of him thought perhaps she had gone to sleep; it was no matter he was here to kill the Prince.

Grinning to himself as he made his way towards the basement, he flicked a light switch that illuminated the room. A pool of blood on the floor reminding him of how he had harmed the Prince already, but then he slowly realised that his prisoner wasn’t there. “What?” Confusion swept over him as he moved further inside the basement as if he was hiding somewhere. “Hell no… I swear to fucki…”

Eyes widened as he turned on his heel his gun drawn as he realised, he wasn’t alone. Soldiers had been behind him and he wondered just how long they had followed him. Heart hammering away in his chest as he started to shoot at the soldiers, if he could shoot them, he could run. He would not go down like this. Regis would not die here, not without killing the Prince first. “YOU’RE TOO LATE. HE’S GONE. YOUR PRECIOUS MONARCHY DESTROYED.” A crazed voice called out as he wildly shot at enemies knowing he was all alone in this very house.

[Rogue Sloth]

As soon as Regis disappeared through the front door of the house, Jacob signaled to the soldiers and jogged quietly toward the building. He drew his revolver from its holster at his waist and held the weapon tensely in both hands below his hips. Usually, he didn’t involve himself in matters beyond the walls of the capital. He had been a soldier in the army twelve years ago but had since been assigned as a personal guard to the royal family. He’d always been a hard worker, and after a decade of loyal service to King Atlas, he’d been promoted to the position of captain of the royal guard. His range of expertise had thus been limited to the palace, and he rarely found himself in a situation that required him to prepare for combat. However, that didn’t mean he was incapable of falling back on the old habits he’d developed when he had been a soldier.

Sporting a bulletproof vest for protection, he turned his gun’s safety off as he led the way into the house with the other members of his team directly behind him. He’d been prepared to break the door down, but to his surprise, it seemed like the rebel leader had left it unlocked. The man was either very confident that he was safe here, or he was unexpectedly forgetful. Either way, the oversight allowed him and the other men to slip inside without drawing attention to themselves.

Moving slowly, Jacob remained on high alert for movement, his dark eyes flitting back and forth over the room they had entered. He’d expected to find more people here than just Regis, but it seemed like the leader of the rebellion was more solitary than they had thought. There was no one else in the house.

He signaled again to the others to keep quiet, stalking toward an open door where he could hear Nox-Fleuret’s voice coming from a basement below their boots. There was nowhere for the rebel to go at this point, but they didn’t know if he was armed. There was also a chance that Caspian could be down there with him. They needed to proceed with caution to make sure that none of the soldiers or their prince got hurt. So, he guided them downstairs as silently as he could manage until the underground room came into sight.

Their efforts weren’t enough. Almost as soon as he made it to the bottom of the steps, he stiffened as Regis whirled around and began firing his gun. He quickly hit the floor to avoid the wild spray of bullets and fired a shot in return, striking the seemingly crazed man in the knee on the first try. He guessed that Regis was used to hiring others to do his dirty work for him, because none of the projectiles had hit their marks. His words had left an impact though.

While the soldiers rushed forward to apprehend the fallen rebel, Jacob stood up and took his first real look at the basement. When he did, he felt his mouth grow dry. “Jesus…” he whispered, his gaze traveling over a cell that was thoroughly covered in blood. Some of it had pooled and congealed near the back wall, while some of it had been streaked and spattered on the floor as if whoever it belonged to had been fighting for his life. He stepped over to the row of bars, scrutinizing the sight with a concerned frown. The only thing missing was a body, but he was smart enough to deduce that the blood had come from their missing royal.

“What the fuck did you do with the prince?” one of the soldiers behind him yelled at Regis. The team had disarmed the rebel and pinned his arms behind his back to prevent him from getting away.

“Where is he?” another man pitched in angrily, standing inches away from Nox-Fleuret’s face.

Jacob turned around and stepped over to join the group with a frigid expression painting his chiseled features. If the rebels had killed their future king, he was interested in knowing as well.

[sukikyoufu]

Feeling the shot in his knee he cried out in pain as the bullet collided with his skin, dropping to the floor as the gun was kicked out of his hand. It didn’t take long for soldiers to apprehend him holding him roughly in place, struggling against the soldiers that held him. His knee pulsated in pain, blood pouring out of the new wound he now had. Growling as he tried to push the soldiers off of him, still fighting even though he knew he wouldn’t escape this. A part of him had wondered what would have happened if he had returned with back up, if he had his men guarding this house but even, he knew that meant he would have lost more people for the cause.

A malicious grin crossed his face as he heard the soldiers shout at him, demanding to know what happened to the Prince. In truth he didn’t know what had happened, all he knew was that his daughter and Caspain was gone but he wouldn’t tell them that. He wouldn't give them hope. All they had to know what that their precious Prince was dead, he doubted that his daughter could get him back into the Capital. They would no doubt die for survival. He had to believe that.

“Dead. I killed him. Want to know how I did?” Keeping his voice cold and calm as he looked back at the cell, there was enough blood to convince them that he was dead. “Quite the little trusting Prince, through him a damsel in distress and he wants to help. Pathetic.” Spitting at the floor he would take his daughter down with him. He knew she had broken him out, he knew her kind heart had ruined the rebels. Stupid girl couldn’t do anything right. Thinking bitterly to himself as he felt a punch collide with his face, apparently, they were quite touchy on the subject of the Prince.

“HAH. Don’t like the fact MY daughter stole your Prince. Brought him to his death.” Regis growled eyes flaring with anger, he was desperate to inflict pain. To get back at these people that thought they were better than him.

The malicious smile did not leave his face, the look in his eye was that of a crazed man and you could smell the alcohol on him, he reeked of it. “I bashed his head against that very wall, you see all that blood. His skull smashed with each hit. The cries of pain, calling out for help, but no one came.” A cruel laugh left his lips, he was living out his best fantasy. That he had killed the very Prince, the monarchy that ruined his life and now his family. They had taken his wife and now his daughter, the last thing he had in life apart from the rebellion and he had become quite the desperate man.

“You let your Prince die in this hell hole, with no one.” His last words were cold, but the minute he spoke them he felt another fist collide with his face so hard it knocked him out. Body slumping against the soldiers that were holding him in place.

[Rogue Sloth]

For a man who had been dodging the Aspirian military successfully for years, Regis was surprisingly talkative. Jacob holstered his gun and folded his arms over his broad chest, listening with downturned lips as the rebel leader not only told the team that he’d killed Prince Caspian but also how he had gone about doing so. He marveled that they hadn’t been able to take down such a disorganized man sooner. Although, the stench of whiskey on his breath was a helpful hint. The guard wrinkled his nose in disgust while one of the soldiers struck Nox-Fleuret across the jaw. He’d never captured a prisoner who could be so frustrating and useful at the same time.

That Regis was willing to give away his daughter as an accomplice to his crimes was somewhat surprising. Jacob drummed his fingers against his bicep in thought until he realized the girl Caspian had brought back to the palace was the same person the rebel leader was talking about now. She hadn’t just been a member of the Scourge; she had been a blood relative of the rebellion’s leader. He ground his teeth in vexation. If the intelligence team had been quicker at labeling the identities of their enemies, this whole mess could have been avoided. It was because they had been too slow to identify the members of the Scourge that their prince had gone missing—and was likely dead.

As Regis went on to describe the brutal way he’d murdered the future king, Jacob glowered at him venomously. He didn’t need or want to know such details. Prince Caspian may have been his charge to protect, but the guard had been fond of him personally as well. If they’d had the chance to get to know each other better, they may have even become friends. So, hearing that the prince had been battered to death in the basement of a bloodthirsty sadist twisted his stomach into knots. Despite the breach in protocol, he was silently pleased when the solider who’d punched the rebel the first time hit him again.

“That’s enough,” he said, forcing himself to act calmly even though he wanted to shoot Regis while he was down. He strode over to the rest of his team and curled his lip in a sneer of disdain as his eyes landed on the unconscious rebel leader. What a pathetic bastard. It was almost shameful that the monarchy had been tormented by a lunatic like this for so long, but at least they’d caught him now. He glanced over his shoulder at the bloodstained cell, feeling a wave of sadness wash over him. If Nox-Fleuret really had taken the life of their prince, the boy deserved to have a proper funeral.

“Take him with us,” he ordered the soldiers, turning back to face them. “We need to find out what he did with the body.”

--

That night, Caspian didn’t sleep any better than he had in Regis’s basement. He dozed in short bursts, waking up intermittently with a racing heart as he feared his escape had just been a dream. Each time, he sat up on the bed with a start, staring at the void of darkness as he scrambled to determine if he was still in his cell or if he had actually gotten away. The sensation of the mattress beneath him was what grounded him and coaxed him to lay back down to keep resting. There hadn’t been a bed in his prison.

By the time morning rolled around—or what he guessed was morning, since there were no windows in the bomb shelter he could use to check—he was feeling a little better than he had the night before, but he was still exhausted from his sporadic sleep. He rolled from his back to his right side, shivering slightly against the cold. The hoodie Iris had given him to keep warm had helped, but without a blanket to cover him, he could still feel the cool air creep through the fleece fabric and cause gooseflesh to rise on his skin.

At least it’s cold air in a shelter and not in a cell, he thought, trying to be optimistic as his arm pained him again. Squeezing his eyes shut, he clutched the limb in his right hand and waited for the ache to subside. In addition to the stab wound, the bruises that had formed from the beating he’d taken yesterday made the rest of his body hurt as well. He had a feeling he was going to be sore for quite a while.

[sukikyoufu]

Barely enough sleep to function Iris had tried to relax herself, not let her thoughts get the better of her but she had now betrayed what little family she had left. Even though she knew it was the right thing to do, she knew he wasn’t the same man anymore, but it didn’t excuse the fact it was another person she cared about betrayed by her hand. It had to have been early hours of the morning when she couldn’t try anymore, feeling around for the empty bottles of water she took them in hand to at least refill them. It was something to do and she was certain that Cas would still be asleep, or not even notice she had disappeared.

There was a river not far from the shelter she had ventured too, limping as her leg agitated her more today but her whole body felt stiff from the floor. Kneeling down on the grass by the river she used the sleeve of her hoodie to cover the cover the bottle so only the ware would fill into it. It was better than having big lumps of dirt or leaves inside, sure it wouldn’t be the best tasting water, but it was better than nothing at this point. Plus, she was incredibly thirsty having not had any herself last night. Taking the chance to down a bottle herself she filled it back up so they would have two for the long day ahead, she had to get them back to the capital.

Rubbing the back of her head she placed her hands in the running water and began to scrub her face, hissing as she touched the bruise from the hit forgetting it had been there. There were hardly any mirrors around for her to even care about her appearance right now. “We must both look a mess.” Whispering to herself as she took the time to let the cold water freshen her up if only for a little.

Falling back into a seated position she looked up at the sun rise sighing, it was another day and it was full of uncertainty. The beautiful sight didn’t make her forget about anything, it only reminded her of how alone she truly was. The cool morning breeze sent a chill down her spine, she was susceptible to the cold because of the lack of sleep and lack of adequate clothing to protect herself from it. Rubbing her arms trying to warm them up she cringed forgetting the wet patch on her sleeve from filling up the bottles, dropping her hands she shook her head figuring it was time for her to go back to the shelter.

I will have to face him.

Rising to her feet she grabbed the bottle stowing them into her pockets, it had only taken a couple of minutes. Pushing open the door to the bomb shelter morning light seeped into the small cramped space. The light revealing just how dingy and run down the place was. Dust coated practically everything and there was no huge space in the room, holding her hand to her mouth as she coughed letting the dust settle, she moved inside realising Cas was awake.

Instantly the guilt hit her, eyes watering at the sight. Bruises were covering his skin and that wasn’t to mention his stab wound, he looked nothing like the Prince of Aspiria in his current state and that was her fault. “H-Hey… I.” Reaching into her pocket she handed him a bottle of the water she had secured this morning with shaky hands, her skin was pale and the bruise on her own cheek had turned a deep shade of purple, blackening in some places. “I got us some water. Food is still something I’m working on, but you may have to wait until later… I…” Looking away sighing she hobbled to her corner placing the other bottle of water in the back pack.

[Rogue Sloth]

Moving was unpleasant, so Cas laid on his side with his eyes closed as he slowly woke up. He hoped they could stop by a pharmacy to get more painkillers soon. Even if the detour delayed his return to the capital, he felt like the tradeoff was worth it as long as he could dull the soreness in his whole body. At this rate, he doubted he would be able to move very quickly anyway. Yesterday, he’d kept up with Iris fairly well because he’d still had enough adrenaline left to push through the discomfort, but after a night had passed, he didn’t want to do anything other than curl up and sleep for a month. Every time he shifted his arms or his legs, his bruised muscles burned in protest. The worst of it emanated from his abdomen, where Regis had punched and kicked him so much that it was even painful to draw breath.

With no distractions to keep his mind off the aching, he wallowed in it for a while until the sound of a door opening drew his attention. Lifting his head, he blinked against the soft light—confirmation that it was indeed morning—and stared bemusedly as Iris stepped into the bomb shelter. He hadn’t heard her get up, so he’d assumed she was still sleeping nearby. Tediously, he managed to get one arm underneath his side to push himself into a sitting position on the bed. As he did, he took a look around the room while the door was still open, curious to see the place they had just spent the night since it was been too dark to examine yesterday.

The bunker was expectedly filthy for a place that hadn’t been needed since the last major war decades ago. No surprises there. He glanced down at the mattress he was seated on, which was just as dusty. There was even a thin layer of dirt covering his clothes after he’d slept on it, but he had been grubby before he’d laid down, so he couldn’t bring himself to care. What he was more interested in was checking over his injuries. He unzipped his hoodie and shrugged it off his shoulders to get a better look at the bruises covering his upper body. He had some on his arms, mostly around his shoulders, and he could feel a few on his legs, though he didn’t take his jeans off to look at them while Iris was in the room. Taking a steeling breath, he lifted the hem of his shirt and then blanched as his gaze fell on his stomach. His skin was mottled with dark shades of purple, blue and green, courtesy of Regis’s boots and fists.

Well, now I know why it hurts so bad, he shuddered, letting the fabric fall back down over his torso. As Iris approached him, he looked up at her and then down at the bottle in her hand. “Thanks,” he said as he took it, lacking the hostility that had tinted his voice before. Because he had survived the night, he felt convinced that he could trust her. It still hurt that she had taken advantage of his trust in the capital, but at the very least, he believed she wouldn’t lead him to his death. He just wished he could get rid of the pit that formed in his stomach whenever he looked at her face. Whether he liked it or not, he’d developed a crush on her in the capital, and he couldn’t erase the memory of kissing her before she’d betrayed him. There were so many feelings tangled up in everything that had happened that he had a hard time figuring out how to look at her now.

Taking the cap off the bottle, he lifted it to his lips to drink some, doing his best to ignore the foul taste. Purified water was something he would never take for granted again when he got home. “I can wait until later,” he assured her when she said she couldn’t get food right away. “I’m not even hungry yet.” For the first time in half a week, he hadn’t woken up famished, so he had no qualms with waiting a little longer for his next meal.

Unable to stomach any more of the bottled water for now, he put the lid back on and let his eyes wander over the room again. He wasn’t sure what to say to Iris now that the conversation had lulled, so he was trying to distract himself from the awkwardness. However, as he did, he noticed something that made him furrow his brows confusedly. “Where did you sleep last night?” he asked, glancing up at her with a frown. He hadn’t realized it last night, but there was only one bed in the shelter.

[sukikyoufu]

When Cas had lifted the hem of his shirt she couldn’t look, she had seen the discolouration. The dark shades of purple, blues and greens and it made her stomach churn. There was no doubt he had been beaten; she hadn’t known the lengths her father had taken to harm him, but she dreaded to think what would have happened had she not stopped him. He would have killed him, he would have been dead had I not stepped in, I thought he was going to kill me. That look in his eye. Shaking her head from her thoughts her hands were on the backpack, holding it to stop the tremble.

“Good.” Whispering more to herself when had confirmed he could wait for food, in all honesty had he said no she didn’t know what she would have done. There was no way she could get food, not looking as they did as questions would be asked and then it would be reported to her father as he had a hand in everything now. They couldn’t get caught by him; it would guarantee his death as well as hers. Feeling a wave of cold wash over her, she rummaged inside the backpack for anything they could use right now, perhaps she could take him to the river to clean himself up a bit? They both still looked a state, but she had managed to wipe the dirt from her face this morning.

“Huh?... O-Oh… Well I…” Hesitating a little as she caught his question on where she had slept for the night. A part of her felt embarrassed, but then they couldn’t exactly share, and she wasn’t about to force him on the floor. “I didn’t really sleep. It’s fine.” Waving it off like it was nothing as she kept her gaze firmly on the backpack not wanting to look at him. “I just kept myself over here, it’s fine. I’ve slept on worse anyway and you’re injured…” Rambling slightly but her own words caught her attention; she had slept on worse.

Her eyes glazed over signalling she wasn’t all there; another memory had returned of her and her father. A younger version of herself was holding her fathers hand looking at their home, it was in flames and she could see them clearly, she could feel the heat of this memory. She was watching her home burn down with her father, the flames licking at the wood. Thick smoke emitting from the building as she was led away as a child. They had nowhere to go that evening, not that late in night and not whilst their home burned to the ground. They had made it into town, both silent on their walk and she remembered clear as day sitting in an abandoned doorway of a business that was no longer there. Of course, she had fallen asleep there, she was young tired and didn’t understand whilst her father kept watch.

Touching her head with her hand she sighed before doing up the backpack and placing it on her back, “Sorry. Let’s get out of here. We need to keep moving so they can’t track us and find some food.” She could feel the pain of her empty stomach, she needed to eat but moving was their top priority and maybe they could make good headway back to the Capital today. “There is a river not far from here if you’d like to clean up a bit?”

[Rogue Sloth]

When Iris said she hadn’t really slept, Cas felt a pang of guilt blossom in his chest. She’d done so much to help him escape from her father, and in return, he hadn’t even thought to make sure she was faring alright once. Belatedly, he noticed that the only trash in the room had come from the bread and pie that he’d devoured the night before too. He didn’t have to ask to know that she must have skipped dinner. Uncomfortable with the revelation, he shifted his weight on the mattress. It didn’t matter that he was injured. Even if she’d insisted that he take the bed and eat all their food, he still could have considered her wellbeing before he did so. He was chagrined that he had been so selfish. This was no way for anyone to behave, let alone a crown prince who was supposed to become a respectable leader one day.

“I’m sorry,” he sighed. “I didn’t realize you didn’t have your own bed or food.” An apology couldn’t turn back time, but he hoped she could hear the sincerity in his voice. Moving forward, he intended to pay more attention. If they weren’t able to get back to the capital by the end of the day, he wanted to make sure her needs were met alongside his own. It was the least he could do to repay her for everything she was doing for him. She’d turned against her own father to help him escape, and now she was running with him to make sure he got home safely. It was more than most people were willing to do for someone else, especially someone they didn’t know well.

When she said they needed to keep moving, he nodded and forced his tired body up from the bed. As expected, every part of him ached with the motion, and he grimaced, hoping the stiffness would fade once he started moving around a little more. That always seemed to work when he was sore after an intense workout, so it wasn’t too much of a stretch to guess that it might be the same for what he was going through now. If climbing out of bed wasn’t the worst part, he was going to be in for a very long day.

“Sure,” he shrugged his right shoulder at her offer to go to a river. Out of all the places she could have named in the middle of a city, a river seemed an odd choice for cleaning up, but he remembered what she’d said about how many rebels there were in this district. They probably couldn’t go very many places in broad daylight without risking someone recognizing him and alerting the other members of the Scourge. He shivered at the thought of coming this far only to end up back in Regis’s house of horrors. If washing his face in a river meant he could avoid that awful fate, then he wouldn’t complain.

He picked up his jacket from the bed and put it back on, pulling the hood over his head with his good hand. The fleece wasn’t as comfortable anymore because of the blood that had dried on the inside, but it would help him hide his face, so he wore it anyway. “Once I’m done cleaning up, we should get you something to eat,” he said decidedly, walking with her to the door. “Is there a grocery store nearby? I don’t mind waiting outside if you want to go in and buy something.”

[sukikyoufu]

Hearing the sincerity of his apology only made her feel worse, she didn’t expect him to care about small things like that for her. Not after what she had done to him, but there was a little hope that maybe she hadn’t ruined everything between them. Something she quickly pushed to the back of her head because she knew she still liked him, those feelings hadn’t and wouldn’t change. Regardless Iris did not care if she had the bed or some food for night. It was nothing to her right now, she only cared for his well-being and getting him back to safety like she had promised. She wanted to tell him it was okay, that she wasn’t fussed by what had happened, but she didn’t want him to think she was ignoring his apology.

Thankful he was ready to move she moved to the entrance of the bomb shelter, glancing back just checking she hadn’t forgotten anything. Even though she was tired she pushed her tired limbs on and started to lead him towards the river, it was through a part of the forest and clearly no humans touched the area as it was overgrown. Moving away from the path they soon came in front of the river where she had been earlier to fill up the bottles, it wasn’t anything fancy, but the river was somewhat clean. It hadn’t been mass polluted like most of the others.

“Yeah.” Nodding at the idea of getting herself some food she smiled knowing it wouldn’t be an easy task, she had no idea on what she would do. No money meant she couldn’t just go into a small business to pay for something and she didn’t want to steal. Taking a seat on the grass again it was far more comfortable than the stone floor in the bunker, she took the time to relax a little whilst Cas could clean himself up. “It’s… not that simple.” Sighing softly as she looked up at the morning sky noting the clouds which could mean there was rain headed for them. “We don’t have many grocery stores… and well… I don’t have any money.” Cringing at the mention she did not have any money on her, there was nothing in her home. No savings, no pennies that she could just take and use to get them more supplies. Her friend hadn’t supplied money in the bag of goodies, but then money wasn’t easy to come by in these areas.

“I can survive without food for a little. At least we have water for now.” Iris smiled as she tried to make a positive out of a terrible situation. There had been a few times she had gone without food at home and she was certain she could get something for them before the point of feeling weak. “I’ll see what I can do about painkillers, but we don’t have any pharmacies. All medical goods are usually stolen.” Leaning towards the river she put her fingers into the cool running water, playing with it to distract herself from the harsh reality on the fact she didn’t have a fully thought out plan yet.

“I… I will do my best.” Sighing as she looked down, fingers still playing with the water as she vowed to do her best for them.

[Rogue Sloth]

As Cas stepped out of the bomb shelter with Iris, his gaze wandered to the closest buildings nearby. Even though it felt like they had traveled far the evening before, it seemed like they hadn’t left the run-down part of the district yet. Everything manmade that he could see looked old and damaged. It obviously hadn’t been taken care of by maintenance workers for quite some time. The sight wasn’t very reassuring to him, since it meant they were probably still far from the capital, but at least it meant they had a decent chance of staying hidden from the rebels. He didn’t think the members of the Scourge would spend very much time in an area like this if they didn’t have to.

Turning away from the city’s edge, he followed Iris into the trees, walking carefully to keep from tripping on any roots or brambles. He was already sore enough as it was, so the last thing he needed was to fall and give himself more bruises. Fortunately, he didn’t have any trouble aside from the lingering ache from his preexisting injuries, and he made it to the river without stumbling. He knelt in the grass beside the water’s edge and rolled his sleeves back to keep them dry. Before he could dip his hands into the cool liquid, however, he paused at the sight of his own reflection.

It was slightly distorted by ripples, but he could still make out his face as clear as day. The Cas he saw staring back at him almost looked like a different person though. His hair was bedraggled, and his usually clean-shaven jawline was peppered with stubble. Across one cheek, a dark bruise had formed where Regis had punched him; and across the other, he could see a long, thin cut from the glass shard that had grazed him when the rebel leader had smashed his bottle. Smudges of old blood mixed with dirt painted his skin in random locations, starkly visible against the naturally light tone of his visage.

I look like a hot mess, he cringed, understanding now why Iris had suggested he clean himself up. He cupped his hands together and dipped them into the river, bringing some of the water up to his face to scrub away the grime. At the same time, he listened to her explain that she couldn’t buy groceries because she didn’t have any money. The revelation was mildly surprising to him, since he’d thought she would have at least a few credits to get them by while they were on the run. However, he supposed she must have been in too big of a hurry to think about grabbing any spare change on their way out. It was an inconvenience, but he was sure they could manage even if they had to beg on the streets a little to secure a meal.

“We’ll figure it out,” he assured her, checking his reflection again to make sure he’d cleaned off as much blood and dirt as he could. Once he was satisfied with his work, he dried his face with the sleeve of his hoodie and turned toward her. The mention that pharmaceutical goods were usually stolen brought a frown to his lips. “No taxis and no pharmacies? You keep saying you don’t have some of these things, but I don’t get it,” he shook his head. “That just doesn’t make any sense. Maybe this area doesn’t have any, but what about the nicer parts of this district? If Tongsen doesn’t have any pharmacies, how does anyone buy medicine?”

[sukikyoufu]

“What’s not to get Cas?” Iris whispered looking down at the ground shaking her head, “Everything outside of the Capital is dying! Everyone has been left to fend for themselves here. There was never any development for us, no financial aid. No food, no water system. We are lucky that we even have few businesses that can provide food.” She could feel her body tremble, her voice sounded broken as she tried to explain to him that it wasn’t what he thought it was outside of the Capital. “I can guarantee you there has been no one outside of the Capital who has been able to make it past border security.”

Placing her head in her hands as she couldn’t look at him, she didn’t want him to see the hurt in her eyes or the tears that were threatening to spill. “This area doesn’t have any grocery stores, no pharmacies. It has one butcher, one bakery and one blacksmith who doubles as a carpenter trying to keep this area running. They barely make ends meet because the others can’t find work. The other areas may not be as bad, but they have the same. The same few businesses with the exception of an odd grocery store. It’s all riddled with death… with crime…” Feeling herself choke at her own words her hands curled into fists, blades of grass being pulled within her fingers as she tried to calm herself.

“We haven’t had a working hospital in years, there is one on our outskirts, but it has become a cemetery housing the dead. Hiding the bodies because there is nowhere else to put them.” Her heart felt heavy as she spoke her words, explaining just how different life was outside of the Capital. A part of her wondered if he would just tell her it was all lies, she was making up, but it wasn’t. There was no deception in her voice, no fight. It sounded like she was broken and tired of it all.

“It doesn’t matter… you will see it all with your eyes as we make our way back. Hopefully by then you would have healed so border security recognises you. Or they’ll shoot you were you stand.” Pushing herself off of the grass she turned her back on him to head back into town, thinking on what the best route was to take because she had to keep them hidden from her father.

“Cas… when you get back home… I.” Shaking her head stopping herself from talking she sighed, “It doesn’t matter. Let’s start walking.” Pulling the hood on her own hoodie she shoved her hands in her pockets to move back into town. She was going to ask him to take a look when he got back home, to see what the Capital was truly doing to the lower districts, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask it. It didn’t feel right, not right now. For now, she had to focus on pushing them forward closer to their destination, she kept her pace slow knowing he was in pain. She didn’t want him pushing himself more than what was needed right now.

[Rogue Sloth]

When Iris asked what he didn’t understand, Cas just stared at her. ‘All of it’ seemed like an appropriate response, but he could tell by the look on her face that responding argumentatively would just make things worse. So, he said nothing while she went on the reiterate her belief that every district outside the capital was suffering. At first, he didn’t engage much because he assumed she was just spouting the propaganda of the rebellion again, but the strain in her voice gave him pause. As hard as it was to believe, there was a small part of him that was starting to wonder if there was more going on than he knew about. They had walked for quite a while yesterday, yet all he’d seen for miles was old, dilapidated buildings and homeless people. At the very least, he had to concede that the percentage of poor citizens was much higher than he’d thought.

While she continued, he shifted away from the edge of the river and stretched out his legs, leaning back on the palms of his hands. A contemplative expression had settled over his face, and he listened a little more closely to what she was saying. He just couldn’t understand how it could be true. He’d looked at the numbers himself. Aspiria was well-off economically, so how could there be so many jobless people with no access to the most basic necessities? He wanted to believe she had been misled, but it was getting harder to hold onto that stance when everywhere he looked, he was surrounded by poverty. If they didn’t come across a single well-to-do family by the time he returned to the capital, he was going to have a lot of questions for his father.

“They won’t shoot me,” he disagreed with her assertion that the soldiers working border patrol would kill him. “I may not have any identification on me, but they know my face.” For better or for worse, everyone in the capital knew who he was. When he was there, it was sometimes frustrating because he couldn’t get away from all the people who wanted to talk to him or take pictures of him in public. Now that he was stranded in the middle of the twelfth district, however, he was glad that he was so easily recognizable. Every soldier in the kingdom of Aspiria knew who Atlas’s only son was.

When Iris trailed off, Cas glanced at her curiously, wondering what she had been about to say. Before he had a chance to ask though, she changed the subject. “Do you think we’ll be able to get back to the capital today?” he asked as he forced himself to stand up from the ground. Based on her comment about his wounds healing before he made it home, he had a feeling she was going to say no, but it was worth asking about anyway. At the very least, he hoped she could give him a timeline, so he’d have a better idea about how long it was going to take them to get to the inner-city border.

As they walked, he could tell she was setting a slow pace to help him keep up with her. Although no words were exchanged about the subject, he was silently appreciative of her effort. “So,” he mused, thinking of another question as he considered everything she’d said to him so far. “If you don’t have any money, and if there isn’t a grocery store nearby, where did the food and water you gave me last night come from?”

[sukikyoufu]

“I will try to get you back today, but we have a lot of ground to cover.” Iris sighed softly doubtful she could, “but it’s unlikely we will get there today. Not with your wounds. You will need rest or there won’t be much of a Prince to take back.” Glad he was happy to have the subject changed and not focus on how grim life was outside of the Capital, it was something she hoped he would see. Hoping he would look into it when he got home, if she didn’t make it at least she knew she had tried to make things better for them. That’s what the cause was meant to be about, not killing.

Feeling them go deeper into the city this time she continued at a slow place, not rushing as it would look unusual amongst the others who were just casually walking around. The people had worn down clothes, some didn’t even have a pair of shoes to wear but she didn’t look at them. Not making eye contact with a sea of people that could react differently was the best in this case. “Ah… well. A friend. My best friend actually. Something I managed to remember yesterday.” Feeling herself smile slightly as it meant she wasn’t fully alone, she had someone that wanted the best for her and was willing to help. “That bag I collected, they gathered the items and hid it there for me to collect. So, I could get you out. They are probably the only other person here that wants to help.”

Rounding a corner, she stopped holding her arm out for Cas as she caught sight of someone she hadn’t expected to see. The one person she hoped she would never see again and her heart stopped at the sight of him, “We can’t go this way.” Hissing her words as she casually turned away hoping Cas would follow, it was none other than Ethan standing at one of the gates talking with a few people, the gates to move onto another district. It seemed as if he was waiting for them to turn up.

“Shit.” Grimacing to herself as she led Cas towards some run down housing estate, a park was located in the middle but there was no working slide, no workings swings or anything for the children and it just had an eerie feel to it. “That’s the only way to the next district, we need a plan.” Biting her lip as she started to think to herself on what she could do, he wouldn’t stay there forever. He would have to move on wanting to see if they had made it further into other districts. “We may have to wait, keep scouting until he leaves? They have weapons… we don’t.” So, going in for a full-frontal attack would be a suicide mission, it was going to have to be the waiting game for them.

Fiddling with the sleeves of her hoodie she felt tense, she had never had to do something like this before and it was an entirely new situation to her. “I’m sorry I didn’t think of a full-on plan. I should have prepared for this.”

[Rogue Sloth]

Cas deflated slightly when Iris said it was unlikely that they would make it to the capital today. Even though he’d seen it coming, it was still disappointing to know that he would have to keep waiting to get home. He missed his bed, good food, his friends, and even his father. After coming within an hour of losing his life, he wanted nothing more than to return to what was familiar and put the kidnapping behind him. He was sure he wouldn’t leave the mansion for at least a week when he got back. The world was more unforgiving than he’d given it credit for, and he wanted to hide away from it long enough to rediscover some semblance of normalcy.

Following her back into the city, he kept his head down to lessen the chance of anyone recognizing him. He wasn’t sure if the people outside the capital would be as quick to spot him as the high borns in the capital were, but he didn’t want to find out. There was no way to tell if any of the men and women around them were part of the rebellion or if they were even sympathetic with the Scourge’s cause. Right now, he had to assume anyone could sell him out, and he couldn’t afford to be thrown back in a cell a second time. Or worse, killed on the spot. Just the thought of it was enough to leave a bitter taste in his mouth, and he kept close to Iris, using her as a second set of eyes and ears.

When she answered his question, he glanced up at her from beneath his hood. For some reason, the mention of a best friend surprised him. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because when they had met, she hadn’t had any memories. Her life had been a blank slate; no friends or family or any other people to mention. It was also weird to him to picture her living in the Tongsen slums rather than somewhere in the capital as he’d first imagined. He was still getting used to the reality that she wasn’t a high born.

It also didn’t slip his notice that she’d avoided using pronouns when she spoke about her friend. He studied her quietly, unable to keep himself from wondering if the person who had helped them was a man or a woman. He hadn’t known that she’d had a boyfriend when he’d gotten close to her, and even though he’d told himself that he needed to keep his distance now, he found himself hoping that there wasn’t yet another man in her life who was important to her. God, stop it, he chided himself with a wince. She’s the daughter of the Scourge’s leader. It doesn’t matter if she’s close to another guy… It’s not like he would be my competition. Despite the mental reminder, he felt his face warm up at the thought of competing for her attention, and he fixed his gaze on the ground, trying desperately to will the ruddiness away. Apparently, it was going to take longer than half a week for his residual feelings to fade.

“It’s good to know I’ve got at least one more ally out here,” he muttered, doing his best to keep the reflexive jealousy out of his voice. Even if he wanted anything to happen—which he didn’t, now that he knew she was a rebel—nothing could anymore. Assuming he survived long enough to get back to the capital, he was going to be Aspiria’s next king. He had to mingle with women on his own class, potential partners who didn’t deceive him about who they were and who weren’t associated with the enemies of the crown. Any chance they had of being together had been squashed the instant she’d told him that her last name was Nox-Fleuret.

Trying not to feel discouraged by the fact, he wasn’t paying enough attention to realize that Iris had stopped walking. He stepped into her outstretched arm and jumped, realizing abruptly that he’d been spacing out. Gathering his wits, he followed her gaze to the gate up ahead and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he recognized one of the men standing in their path. It seemed like the other rebels had caught onto his disappearance already and were trying to hunt him down again.

He quickly pivoted on his heel and followed Iris away from the gate, murmuring a string of swears under his breath. If Ethan spotted him, he already knew he wasn’t in good enough shape to run. “Are you sure there’s no other way we can go?” he asked, glancing sideways at her as they headed for a housing complex. He really hoped they weren’t going to be delayed because of her ex-boyfriend. “What about that friend of yours? Do you think he can help?” Even though he knew he had to stop looking at her that way, he couldn’t help himself. He had to dig subtly to figure out the gender of the person she called her best friend. Besides, it was a practical question too, because he genuinely wanted to know if her friend was willing to help them get out of the district.