Taken Captive

Mai was placed into some kind of small metal crate for the night, cuffed with some large pair of bindings on her wrists, gagged and still with the thick bag over her head, she didn't know where or how long she'd been there now.

At least she'd slept a while, left alone to get as comfy as laying on metal bars would allow, as it was barely wide enough to curl up on the 'floor', but her sleepiness won over eventually.

Having previously tried to stand, she'd bumped her head on the short 'roof', so stayed seated on the metal 'floor' after she woke up, having her head resting against the side as she waited some time before she had a 'visitor' to her little cell.

A few 'someone-s' shuffled in before any started talking, but she immediately recognised the first to do so.

"You were so foolish to come back."

The pompous General huffed as he arrived.

"No idea what you hoped to do, but you're trapped in a box now."

He sounded happy that the young woman was treated so cruelly, as something whacked the metal around her, startling Mai a little with the loud noise.

He chuckled before going on.

"You in a cage, it's quite fitting. Serves you right! Dealing with those creatures... and conspiring to bring down your own kind."

Mai sat upright, away from the metal, just before another strike sounded against it.

"So now we know we're heading the right direction, since they wouldn't have come if we weren't..."

He apparently paused for breath, before going on again.

"And now we know they run in fear of our weapons, so we'll step forward with assurance. Then we can take them down, one after the other, till we're finally free of them all..."

All Mai could do was listen.

"We caught your little lizard friend trying to rescue you in the night, so we cut her down, made her scream and suffer for her arrogance!"

He boasted, trying to pry something from her as he waited for a response that couldn't come.

"What, no tears for your pet?"

Lygawa was sometimes pretty naive, but she'd never be so foolish or reckless in the night, so Mai didn't believe a word of it.

"Such a heartless wretch, no wonder you kept with those animals..."

He sounded to then eat and drink whatever he'd been brought unseen, before finally asking about her condition.

"You didn't break her jaw or something, did you?"

Have they forgotten they stuffed my mouth full of cloth...?

Mai only sat still inside of the cage, unable to respond.

The door eventually creaked open, and her bag was finally removed, before the material that stuffed her dry mouth and prevented her words was also kindly removed.

She coughed and tried spitting the nasty taste of it out of her mouth, as the bars were closed on her again.

A dozen men in their uniforms stood about as spectators, while the fat General chomped on food, rewarded with the only seat in the darkened tent.

"So traitor... what do you have to say for yourself?"

"I haven't betrayed anyone, and the Dragons are not your enemies..."

"You fool; you think we'll fall for that... They've always wanted death; we'll just beat them to it."

Mai sagged a little, realising no matter what she'd say, it wouldn't be received by the stubborn, self-absorbed and delusional General.

"Why did you want to see me again...?"

He looked curiously at her.

"Did you search her?"

The inept subordinates looked to each other with a shrug.

Mai was tugged out of the cage by the bindings, before being patted down all over, intrusively and roughly, before they found a single pencil and the gold pendant on the fine chain, from her green and white dress's pocket.

"That's all she's got on her, such a stupid woman."

Mai was pushed back forcefully behind the bars with a clatter, to have the door slammed shut on her again.

"What is..."

A few murmured, seeing the dangling gold pendant, which was nearly dropped by the lower officer, when he too recognised the circular markings on it.

"How did you get that?!"

The wide General spat furiously.

"An older gentleman wearing a crown gifted it to me - at his castle..."

Mai returned angrily, after being not very kindly treated again.

"It looks authentic..."

One of the other higher officers inspected the marked gold part of the necklace a little closer.

"Must have stolen it from somewhere..."

His officers looked to one another with hesitant eyes.

"It was given to me after the King said he would recall his troops, from their current dangerous actions."

Mai added truthfully.

The General stayed still glaring at her behind the metal.

"Lies."

However some of his men didn't look to believe his small refute.

The confiscated items were put on the small table to his side, but he no longer cared, getting up awkwardly to get closer to his perceived enemy.

"I'll have you executed for your many crimes girly."

He sneered just on the other side of the bars.

"But for now we'll keep you around - just to lure more of those beasts back, to their deaths!"

With that, he promptly waddled out, taking his entourage with him.

Some daylight flickered in as they left, but Mai was left alone for a time, just listening out for nothing in particular, but knowing her other housemates; she figured they'd be doing something about her imprisonment, sometime soon.

It didn't take too long then; as distant shouting, followed with what sounded like several explosions and cracks of thunder rang out all over, then running and panic from the many soldiers as at least two separate roars sounded from the skies outside.

Now don't be too reckless girls... I'm still down here too... so come get me please...

Mai looked about, trying to come up with a way for them to locate her, but the strange cuffs on her hands seemed to stop her utilizing her magic - even her rarer counter magic too.

Suddenly something shot in through the entrance, then slowly moved in the darkened tent, coming into view from the deepest shadows.

"Ryoniya? I didn't expect to see you..."

Mai was genuinely surprised to see her there.

"Huh, I am the strongest and quickest - I'd think it would have been obvious..."

She stepped closer to the cage and took in the view.

"Why have you not already feed yourself from here?"

She peered at the small thin barred container and Mai within.

"I think these special bindings prevent me using magic..."

Ryoniya actually smiled then, a cold and creepy sight, as she took pleasure in seeing Mai in a completely helpless state before her.

"I wonder what I should do now..."

Mai looked quietly on as she made no effort to free her.

"Perhaps I could tell the others I was unable to find you..."

The evilly smirking dragon stepped to the cage and tapped her sharp silver fingernails on the cold metal.

"Or that I was already too late to save your life..."

Mai resisted shuffling back, as it would have done no good anyway.

She did come to rescue me... right?