The sudden almost violent lurch of his stomach awoke Bryce with a jolt. His heavy head barely managing to turn away before it was emptied across the floor. Eyelids fluttering open after a few moments of simply breathing, Bryce finds metal bars and stone walls with torches decorating it before him. Darkness is parted with each flicker of flame, though it still wasn't enough to offer a proper light to see.
His vision swam as he tried to shift from where he lay on his side, golden eyes narrowing when not even a paw twitched. He could feel his muscles flexing under his fur, though no movement from any of his limbs happened. Byrce's lips parted into a silent snarl, his entire body stiffening moments later when the sound of soft footsteps echoed in the distance. His ears flicked forward as another sound filled the air, a slow rhythmic heartbeat that felt familiar to him. Heavy golden eyes open slowly, whatever energy he'd had before seemed gone. A silhouette stood before the bars that he couldn't reach, the scent of wildflowers invading the air and silencing the growl he hadn't been aware he'd been making.
"Oh my dear pup, what's been done to you?" Is whispered softly, Bryce's heavy eyes fall shut once more as a wave of pain races along his body. The lingering scent of copper clings to his fur, a sharp jolt racing along his side doesn't make sense to him. The feel of warm fingers caressing his paw has Bryce upright in seconds, teeth barred and hackles raised. The flickering flames allow him to distinguish long silver hair and a violet gown, pale skin and a matching pair of eyes finally drawing a picutre in Byrce's foggy mind. "It's alright, relax my pup." His grandmother Sylvia soothed as she continued to pet his paw, Byrce slowly convincing his body to relax when she makes no further moves.
He must've fallen asleep after some time, when he wakes he finds his Grandmother gone. A plate of food is where she had been before, he makes no move to reach for it despite the aroma that wafts into the air. He cant tell time and after listening and hearing nothing other then his slow hearbeat, Bryce settles to sleep once more. He awakens to gentle fingers gliding along one of his hind paws, his whine is soothed by a gentle chuff before darkness takes him once more.
"They can't! He's just come home!" A voice hisses sharply, the spicy scent of anger reaching his nose. Quick footsteps are heading in his direction, another set that seem to drag a bit are close behind.
"Drea! We can't be down here! The only reason Grandmother was allowed was because-" Another voice respondes to the first, Byrce's eyes open as both stop before his cage. The heaviness that clings to him must be from the wolfsbane Bearded-man shot him with. Both silhouettes crouch down and for a moment silence fills the air, Bryce moves his head away so he's staring at the farthest wall.
"Where have you been By? Were you really the one that kidnapped Thea?" At the mention of his friend Byrce lifted his head and snapped his jaws. Both silhouettes startled at his reaction, the flickering flames showing him glimpses of features like they had his Grandmother. The shorest had short brown hair and slightly tanned skin, a white shirt and black pants accompanied with black boots. The other had silver hair and pale skin, a light blue gown were visible. Andrea reached forward hesitantly to glide her fingers along his paw, Isaac settling on the ground with crossed legs. 'I told you he'd never do that, the King has lost his mind." Andrea snapped with a shake of her head, Bryce merely flicking his ears.
"But why blame Bryce? He's just returned-" Isaac is cut off by the sound of footsteps echoing agaisnt the stone walls. Both still and listen, Byrce snorting softly as his Grandmother draws closer.
"That's exactly why Issac, he's just come back after so long missing. Not to mention what happened at the gates...the king is frantic as it is." His grandmother offers as she stops beside them, Byrce lifting his head as best he can at the last part. His mind refused to focus formore then a few seconds, head shaking as if to clear it Byrce chuffs softly in question. All three focus on him, Andrea drawing her hand away as she stands.
"We'd better go back Izzy, mother will be searching for us soon." She says with a bow, Isaac gets to his feet as well after a moment pf hesitation. They wave goodbye and leave with whispers indicating their conversation, grandmother Sylvia settles on the floor where Issac had been.
"Something happened the moment you entered the grounds." She began softly, Bryce chuffing once to encourage her to continue. "We're not sure what caused it but your power began lashing out this way and that, your eyes clouded over and you just began attacking anyone ypu could. Before we knew it you were out cold and covered in new wounds." She finished with a frown on her lips, Byrce remained still as the words swam within the fog of his mind.
He could recall the sound of screaming.
The smell of fresh blood.
"There's...more my pup." His grandmother continued after several long beats of silence. "Thea's father has ordered for your death for kidnapping the princess. If we don't he'll declare war." Her tone was clipped and underlined with a snarl, Bryce felt panic beginning to claw at his stomach. It made sense if what he could remmeber coukd be trusted, he had after all been the last one with Thea aside from Zane. If what his grandmother was saying happened then all the more reason Thea's father would want his head, he couldn't have been thr perfect scapegoat. "What worries me is your wounds, you're not healing and you're freezing." Grandmother Sylvia states with a shake of her head, her fingers finding Bryce's hind paw once more.
He's left alone with the promise of food, his grandmother's scent fading as Bryce slips into sleep once more. No one else comes until the day he hears metal dragging against stone, a weak snarl escaping his dry throat. "Up we go." A voice barked harshly, the sound of cage door opening filling the silence. A whine escapes from his lips when a hand grips his head and lifts it upwards, something frigid snapping around his throat a moment later. He's dragged against frigid stone, the guard never stopping despite the lack of fight. Soon enough -time seems have no meaning anymore- he can feel fresh air agaisnt his face. Voices reach his ears, his eyes opening a fraction to take in his new surroundings. People are gathered within the courtyard, his gaze focuses on a figure dressed in black. A platform sits infront of a set of stairs that lead to the throne room is located, he's lifted up the wooden stairs and set on his side.
"We are here today to say farewell to our once noble prince." A voice he didn't know began to speak, his focusing shifting to his chest where an ache had began and refused to leave. The feel of a hand in his fur draws his attention to the person before him, all he can see are sky-blue eyes. He feels a frigid blade against his throat, his lips parting in a silent snarl.
"I'll have a plan ready my pup, just wait and trust me." Grandmother Syria's words echo within his mind, the hand around his neck vanishing as the blade touches his fur once more. Swallowing the lump in his throat Bryce goes limp, his ears catching the silence of those gathered. He hears the parting of air as the blade is raised once more, another fainter sound drawing his attention away from the threat of death.
Another swing of the blade.
The sound of a ticking clock becoming louder.
The breeze around him smelling of rain to come.
The touch of metal against his fur once more.
The ticking ceases and what sounds like drums bwgin to fill the air. A strangr sensation fills his sroamch, as if he's being lifted into the air. He barely has time to open his eyes before everything is twisting and turning, time seeming to stop as he tries to breathe. He lands on his side in a heap of limbs, the sound of a door opening audible despite the ringing in his ears.
"You made it. Let's get you inside." A gruff voice registers in Bryce's ears, his body gently lifted from what he can smell is grass. Darkness pulls him under once more and he lets it, when he wakes he'll ask what just happened and how he isn't dead. For now, he just wants to rest.