Chapter 10: Whipped Cream on Cake

         Rowan and Eribella are escorted out of the chamber to be taken back to their cells, Rowan cut up from the lashings, wonders about the events that transpired. Against his better judgement Rowan asks, "Um Magi Braxen... How did you know if the guy was lying or not?" Braxen stops and looks down on Rowan from the top of the stair's landing, "Simple, I already transcribed the memories from him." Rowan questions further, "So you just wanted to double check if the information was correct?" The monocled magi scoffs, "Didn't need to, I just wanted you two to whip him." Braxen then kicks Rowan in his fresh wounds making him tumble down the stairs.

Eribella enraged almost attempts to swing at the Magi, "Heel." She freezes as Braxen kicks her too down the flight of stairs. "Now get up before I have you both strangle each other." Once they returned to the cell, there is a silent shock coming from the prisoners in the room as they see Rowan's whipped body. Braxen kicks Rowan to the ground, crying from the pain Braxen looks at the others. Igan shaking from the rage but is unable to do anything due the lingering effects from the spell as he has to watch the Magi kicking his friend repeatedly.

"Now just do as your told, next time I might leave you with a few less bruises, eh what does it matter." The magi leaves the room and closes the cell door, once everyone is able to move Igan and Kiri run to Rowan and Eribella to tend to them. Eribella holding herself rocking as Kiri and Ion try to console her. Igan propping Rowan up on his kneeling leg asking Cyon to chill one the of shirts and applies it to Rowan's wounds. Eribella is pleading for forgiveness with Rowan moaning to her that it's fine and that they had no choice in the matter.

As Kiri had a moment to look over to see if new runes had been applied, she did not see anything new but noticed that Rowan's cuts, and wounds were healing. They were repairing themselves too fast even, "Well at least your species can mend quickly." Rowan confused at the comment, "What do you mean? I'm gonna feel this for-." Shocked he feels where there should be a fresh cut, but is now gone, "Weeks... What the..." With a concerned look, Kiri examines Eribella once more and sees the bruising she has is still there.

Rowan starts to get up and takes the cold shirt to Eribella, "Here you will need this more than me. It's going to okay, I'm fine, you're going to be fine now..." The prisoners rest once more, time passes, unsure if it is even morning or still night out. Footsteps can be heard as it reaches the door, the door just opens and a handsome looking man steps inside the cell flanked with armed guards. The man looks to be in his early 20's, short blue hair, in a black with purple trim decorative uniform with a purple cape draped to his left side. The regal looking man scans the room, Igan poised to lunge till Kiri puts an arm out to signal to hold still.

Kiri stands up and walks forward, The blue haired man sees her and smiles, "Ah yes miss Clouse, I see that you are still doing well." With a foppish tone he combs his hair back with his right hand. Kiri sighs as she brushes the dust off her simple trousers, "As well as I can while in the company of the good Magi." She responds with a hint of disgust in her sarcastic tone. The man chuckles, "Well then, I have matters to discuses with you in private. come, come now." Like an owner to a pet he beckons her, with a practice bow eyes staring daggers at the man she walks up, then turns around to address the room. "I will return, I will be fine." The Door closes and darkness fills the room once more.

Moments later after Kiri and the man leave the prison, traverse through the town, to reach the castle in the center of town. The man tries to exchange pleasantries during this walk. He would ask tone deaf questions like "how have you been?", "are you eating well?", "My what a wonderful morning this is?" Through gritted teeth she would reply, "Just swell." "I'm held captive what do you think?", "Oh you know, only the best." "We literally don't need to eat anymore, so they don't feed us!", and "Ooooh yes... It is!" "What do you mean morning? I thought we were past dinner!" With the awkward back and forth throughout their walk they arrive at the castle, the man gestures a maid to escort Kiri to change out of her clothes into something else.

Time passes as Kiri is outfitted with a spare red gown with a native floral design on the bottom of the dress. She is presented with a dark auburn wicker like sun hat, then escorted to the garden. In the garden there is many well managed flowers native to this world of vibrant colors and types. At the center sit a fountain with a table and two chairs, The regal man sitting in one sipping from a tea cup next to his standing maid. The man mid sip uses his off hand to beckon Kiri come and sit. "Mmmh, yes fantastic, a much better look for you, tragic what they had to do to you're hair." He says with a condescending tone, Kiri pauses before sitting down, scoffs then sits, "Tragic but "necessary" as they say."

On the table there is an assortment of cakes and teas with a cup and plate already served on Kiri's side of the table. Kiri's patience wears thin, "So tell me prince Karr'sa, when should I be ready for war?" The prince about to start another sip but stops, "You will not be used as such, what made you think that?" Kiri nearly snaps but contains herself, "We had a deal!" He coldly responds, "And it is still in effect." Kiri not believing what she is hearing, "What other lands are left to conquer!? Your family already has a thumb in Pneumaria is that not good enough!?"

Karr'sa finishes his sip, "From how my dear sister is acting, no, not anymore, she is growing to become a sympathizer." Kiri exasperated, "My how I wonder? Maybe once you receive reports of villages on the outskirts. That both kingdoms swore protections for, all of a sudden are being invaded, and ravished by one of its protectors! That just, might not, be holding their end of the bargain!" The prince puts his cup down and raises a hand, "Calm, calm down now, your ruining the tea please." Karr'sa gesture to the cup at her side as Kiri's thoughts flood her mind that are anything but calm.

Kiri stares unblinking for a solid minute, the prince unafraid continues sipping tea. "Besides there are other outskirt baronies that are mismanaged anyways." Kiri breathes desperately trying to reach composure to get more information out of him as he continues. "No harm has been done to the Clouse Barony so you should not wo-" An audible ding is heard from the maid standing near the prince, as she reaches for a golden pocket watch from her apron. Karr'sa frozen looks at the pocket watch from the side of his eyes, then looks a Kiri's. Kiri looks at that watch then to Karr'sa, with a cold blank stare.

Kiri stands up, grabs the tea and splashes it on Karr'sa's face, then tosses her hat on the soiled prince. She marches off to one of the guards to be taken back to the prison, with the guards weapons raised. The prince, wet from the tea, waves the guard signaling that he is fine and to send her back to the cell.