Beyond the kingdom ~ @Strongholdqueen 

strongholdqueen:

Riza found these halls to be overwhelmingly dreary. The lights that lined the walls barely illuminated the stone, the little flecks of warmth dying almost immediatly beyond the bulbs and lanterns. The flickering was rather fitting, and out of the corner of her eyes she could see they were in time with her steps as she made her way down the main corridor.

She veered off to her left. The staircase she took spiraled down to the main holding cells. The ones up above held nondescript prisoners and far more plentiful, but the ones below amounted to such a small number she could count them on one hand. 

The keys at her hip jingled as she walked and she reached for them upon reaching the gate that officially divided the sectors of the cells. By muscle memory she picked out the correct key, slipped it easily into the lock, twisted her wrist and opened the tall metal gate. It creaked with an unpleasent screech, announcing her presence to the lonely prisoner and single guard at his post.

Enough warning had been given that this prisoner was vocal. But Riza had enough experience with her post that it was easy to ignore the protests. She could hear him protesting, the same way he had been before she departed with her superior to give her a briefing of her duties.

Keys hung on a hook a ways from the cell, she made her way down the shorter hall. Soon she was at the cell, relieving the temporary guard of his duty and resuming her post. Back facing the prisoner and arms crossed behind her back, she prepared herself for the words that would certainly be plentiful while she stood guard.

It was too easy to know he was glaring at the back of her head, probably willing it to burst into flames at any moment. Part of her felt some sort of sympathy. He was roped into a conflict that wasn’t of his own making, a hostage being set into motion by higher powers. 

But damn was he a brat. Riza wasn’t sure how much more of this she could take for just one day as she felt a pounding headache develop. It was satisfying that she was likely trumping his assumption that wooing her was going to be his key to escape. If that’s how he operated in life, letting people act in his whims, then she let the smile quirking her lips slip for just a moment.

How long? She might have ranked in a position that allowed some command, but she was far from the higher rankings to allow any knowledge of their plans.

“I am not at liberty to say." I don’t know.

「炎」— ;

The prince snorted at her answer, almost attempting to annoy her just to get her to face him. He wanted attention and chances are he’d get himself kicked in the crotch just to have it. Meaning, no matter what, he wouldn’t shut up till he got something of a glance from her. Even then that would be something to it, making him want to continue until he could her entire attention. 

"I’ve heard those words before.” He replied, crossing his arms over his chest and lowering his head, gaze on the ground. “Don’t think they can fool me. You’re really not one of the higher ups here, are you?” He continued, an arrogant smirk eliciting from him. 

“I’m surprised they let you take on the task of retrieving me from the library. Although, whoever ordered it, remind me to thank them. I wouldn’t of lasted any longer in there being forced to study alch-…” He fell silent. That could be his way of getting out of there. If he bothered to actually read any of it. 

Well, he had. But his father had had something to read to him like he was an insolent child. However, what he had of that knowledge was how to draw a flame symbol and some aiming tactics he had picked up. He groaned, attempting to make it quiet and eyes glancing around the cell, looking for somewhere clean he could fall or sit to have hos royal tantrum. 

As he failed to do so, his chin fell against his chest, eyes closing and sighing aloud, the volume no matter any more. She could hear it for all he liked, all of his whining and moaning might just get her attention. Silence then lasted about a minute before he spoke again. 

“Tell me who, from your little gang of bandits, ordered me here.”

He ordered, the sentence coming out in a half snarl, angrily. He was the prince and he wanted information. And if no one was going to tell him, then he’d puff and huff until someone got annoyed at him.