I was bound and dragged to the throne room, and by the way Robert dragged me, I could tell he has been wanting to do that for a very long time. I could've fought, could've taken them down with what magic I had, but it would've been pointless, they were more than twelve and I was unarmed, and I had no intention of revealing my true nature.
The throne room was dark, the moonlight shone through the barred windows, and the candled chandelier provided the rest of the illumination. Armored guards stood tall, their hands at the hilt of their swords, on the right side of the dais stood Duke Herbert, and my mother, and on the right side of the dais, stood Melissa, Nathaniel and Frederick. Ramiel sat upon the crescent throne wearing a red attire, the moon crown sat atop his brow.
Robert forced me to my knees, and I faced my brother, his face was stone cold and expressionless "I have brought the traitor, your majesty" Robert said. My heart raced, not in fear for myself, but for Cynthia, had they found her?
"Very well-done Bane," my brother responded, then fixed his gaze to me, I held his stare, unwilling to back down "Yesterday, a druid girl escaped Frederick's grasp, witnesses say they saw a female figure and male carrying this girl to an unknown location. Do you know anything about this sister?"
Though cuffed, I made an effort to stand, Robert wanted to push me back to my knees, but Ramiel raised a hand to stop him "Is this why you sent your dogs to put me in chains brother? To ask me if I know anything about your missing captive?" I chuckled, hoping to make my performance believable, perhaps they only suspected me, and had no proof, perhaps Cynthia could be saved.
"I wasn't even in the city when it happened," I moved closer to the throne, but the guards unsheathed their swords and pointed it at me. "Tell your dogs to stand down, and we'll have a proper conversation"
Ramiel chuckled darkly, a sound I'd never heard leave his mouth before "You're in my throne room sister, surrounded by my men, men that would cut you down should I command it."
I stole a glance to my mother, her face held no expression, she only watched. "Since you have chosen to lie to your king, I'll tell you the facts. You arrived at my city after sunset, you spent the night at the waning moon, there you liberated the druid girl, how you did it though remains a mystery" my eyes flew wide and my heartbeat quickened, Ramiel smirked and spoke again "Do you really think I don't have spies in my city?"
I lowered my head, feeling the stinging pain of defeat, I knew we shouldn't have stayed at the inn, but at the same time I'm glad we did, I'm glad I saved Cynthia, and if the price for doing something good was my imprisonment or death, then so be it "We have the girl you know" I lifted my head quickly and looked at Ramiel in disbelief, "Frederick's hounds picked up her scent.
You are my sister, but I still remain your king, so I am going to present you with two options. Tell us who helped you and I will spare you, or don't, and not only will I imprison you, but I'll have no other choice but to sentence you to death, along with your accomplice" he mentioned nothing about letting Cynthia live.
My throat felt like it'd been washed over by a wave of sand, I held my throat to make sure I wasn't chocking "Ramiel please, I'll take whatever punishment you wish, but please let the girl live" from the corner of my eye, I could see Melissa smirk, she was enjoying this, but I couldn't care less. I have never spoken to Ramiel like this before, but I could stomach it if it would save her life.
"You know I can't do that. If I let her live, I look weak. The girl will die" Ramiel nodded to Robert, and I immediately understood, it was an order to kill. Rage like no other coursed through me and a wave of power threatened to let loose, I wanted it to, I wanted it to destroy everyone in this room, Ramiel included "Find her personal guard and Baron Acrisius, they're suspects as well"
"NO! Leave them out of this!" I yelled, I reached within myself, but felt an invisible force suppress my power, preventing me from using it. I looked frantically around the room to whom exactly could suppress me when my eyes landed on Duke Herbert, my eyes locked on his pendant, the ruby glistened softly in the darkness "You…"
I tried to lunge for him, for anyone, but was held by the guards, my fist connected with one's jaw, and I kicked the other in the stomach.
"Hold her!" Herbert bellowed.
Tears began pouring from my eyes, tears of rage, tears of pain "Ramiel please, she's a child"
"She's a filthy witch" Ramiel responded. I looked to my mother once more, hoping she would speak some sense into him, to Nathaniel, to anyone, even to Melissa, but got nothing from any of them, they all stood there like statues.
I thrashed again, trying to break free from my captors "Ramiel if you kill her, I will hurt you, if you hurt Acrisius or Amenadiel I will hurt you. I will…"
My words were swallowed up as I felt hard metal hit the back of my head, I turned my head to see Robert's gauntleted hand connect with my cheek, then again, then again, till I felt the coppery tang of blood in my mouth, then darkness.
She was dead, I could feel it. I didn't know how long I had spent in this cell, how long the coldness of the floor bit at my skin, Cynthia was dead, and it was my fault.
I didn't move, couldn't, I could only picture Cynthia's decapitated body hanging from one of the castle walls.
I promised her I would get her out and I failed, tears poured slowly from my eyes, and I began sobbing, I couldn't hold it in anymore, the pain, it was too much. I wondered if they had gotten Acrisius and Amenadiel too, if Ramiel tortured them to hurt me or killed them outright.
Exhaustion began settling into my bones and my eyes became too heavy, too heavy to keep open, I let it take over as I closed my eyes into a terrible slumber.
The rattling of the bars of my cell woke me up, but I couldn't move, wouldn't. I turned my head left to find Herbert staring at me with a very uncomfortable smirk "How the mighty have fallen, once self-proclaimed heir to the crescent throne now rots in the black cells" he chuckled, a sound that made my hairs stand.
"I suspected you know, that you were a witch, and after your first visit to Sundara, I confirmed it, your aura shifted."
"You possess magic yourself don't you Herbert? Yet you prosecute those who are like you. Hypocrite" I said the last word with so much hate I could taste it. He chuckled once more, the sound echoing in my cell.
"Dearest princess, there is no one like me, and though your brother is the one that kills witches, It serves my own agenda. But you, I can sense the power you possess, you will be very useful" I didn't have the strength to think about what twisted agenda he was following, or whatever he meant by how I could be useful, so I remained quiet. "I shall return, then you and I shall have a longer discussion"
"Go to hell Herbert" I spat.
He chuckled lowly "Been there" then walked away.
A day had passed, no one brought food or water, my brother's orders no doubt, or Herbert's. Either ways, it kept me weak enough for me not to use my magic, so I slept, hoping it would be enough for me to get my strength back.
The slumping of bodies woke me up, a shadowed figure struggled to open the door to the cell, no doubt trying to find the right key. The door was opened with a creak, and the figure stepped into the dim light. "Come on, your highness, we have to go"
He came for me, Amenadiel was alive, and he came for me.