Inside a circular room filled with tables covered with reports, half eaten food and some swords and daggers strewn about, sat a man in his early forties. His skin tan from several years of standing guards outside in the blistering sun normal in the late spring and throughout the summer in their city. The man seemed to had battled with sleep for several days now but the dark bags under his eyes told of the last time he got sleep was a long distant memory in their trying times. The cause for his sleeping fatigue and general headache was imprisoned just thirty meters to the right. Just a few days ago the city lord had been ordered to keep a highly confidential target inside their local prison in wait for the soldiers sent from the capital to arrive and escort the target towards the capital for a proper execution. When the prisoner arrived they had been shackled with heavy metal chains and a sack covering their head, leaving just the bottom part of their hair to be seen. The man, Captain Ferrin, looked towards the closed door at the end of the hallway. The massive iron door stood as a wall between the city of Pailin and the thing inside. Beside the iron-wrought cell door two guards stood stalwart on each side. Bearing the city guard emblem, a silver sword with a rose on the hilt, on their chest and their signature color, a dark blue the color of a stormy sea with a few medals pinned on the sash of their breastplate.
'I can't believe we actually captured it' he thought to himself in solemn contemplation.
"Ehm,sir? Why are you calling the prisoner an it?"
A shy voice spoke beside, bewildered for a moment Captain Ferrin realized he probably spoke his thoughts aloud to his before quiet companion. Looking towards his left he met eyes of a young man, perhaps sixteen or seventeen cycles old. His ash-brown hair a rats nest on top of a small face with an explosion of freckles on his nose ridge and cheeks. His dark brown eyes shifty and uncomfortable as he several times sneaked a few glances towards the cell door.
"Percy, wonderful to see you, any news from the city lord of the entourage sent from the capital?" Ferrin asked.
"No sir, some of the other guards estimate another week before they arrive."
"Lords above, do we have to keep it here for another week!? I haven't had proper sleep in days!" Ferrin exclaimed in mock anger, his tone insincere as he understood the travel time between the capital and an outer city such as Pailin usually took two to three week of you were lucky. Nonetheless he would happily celebrate with a few ales in the tavern once the burden locked up in their city is once and truly gone.
"Sorry sir, but I have to ask again, why are you calling the prisoner an it?" Percy asked nervously, fearing his captains anger for repeating his unanswered question.
Captain Ferrin thought about it. From the years of ghost stories his mates and serenades from bards in the taverns he could himself understand the distinction between the two things. But perhaps the younger guard haven't visited the taverns as frequently to hear the horrible tales that has been sung in their names. Or perhaps he haven't seen the prisoner since they arrived a week ago from one of the nearby cities farther away from the capital. If he remember correctly the prisoner was caught after a horrible battle between three squadrons of soldiers from the city of Rubin. From the report he got a fourth of the soldiers sent to capture them were killed and most of the survivors walked away with major injuries. He had thanked the gods above that the prisoner had been sighted a few days travel away from his city of Pailin. If the ghost stories were true, he was just happy it was one of them, and not all. Then they wouldn't have been as lucky.
"Young Percy, do you know what is currently behind that door, with two of my best people beside the door that is locked with 3 different padlocks and a wooden beam?" The captain asked in return.
Percy thought for a moment, a contemplating look on his young face, as he answered that he had heard several rumors from the other guards but haven't heard any concrete facts of the prisoner and the reason a regiment from the capital is sent to transport it towards the capital.
"Well, as it is another whole week before they arrive you can see the prisoner for yourself." He said as he moved toward the cell. Percy hurried to catch up with captain Ferrin as they together crossed the underground prison hallway, some daylight passed through the small openings where the wall meet the ceiling. After a few moments of silent walking they arrived before the door, the guards gently tapped their spears on the stone floor. Percy quickly noticed a metal hatch at the center of the door, around two meters from the floor. One of the standing guards understood the reason for the arrival and grabbed a stool that was hidden behind one of the side hallways that connected their current position with the other side of the prison complex. Placing it in front of the door Ferrin nodded a thank you before gently placing a gloved hand on the young guards shoulder.
"This is your choice son, you don't have to know if you are unsure."
Percy nodded in appreciation before taking a big gulp and took a shaky step onto the stool, grabbing the hatch with one of his hands he opened it, peering inside the prison cell and saw perhaps the most confusing thing in his life. Inside the room there was nothing of value, no bed, no window, just a bucket, a few wooden trays with empty bowls and spoons. But the horrifying sight was the chained woman at the other end of room, her white robe in tatters, ashen from fire related causes. Her wrists, ankles, waist and her upper chest chained to the wall in a cris-cross pattern to keep her as securely as possible. Her head was leaning forward so he couldn't see her facial features but the snow-white hair draped down her face down to her thighs. Percy was wondering to himself who this person could be for the entire city guard to be nervous and for the capital to send so many soldiers to retrieve a single prisoner.
Suddenly the prisoner looked up towards Percy, scaring the ever living lights out of the young boy. Scrambling back of the stool he gasped for air before nervously looking towards the captain.
"What happened son?" Ferrin asked with a confused expression, having his conversation with one of the guards interrupted by the sudden action of Percy.
"Sorry sir, but the prisoner just moved and scared me."
"SHE DID WHAT?!" Ferrin lashed out, concerned by the event.
"I don't know sir, I just looked around the room and saw the girl sitting there wrapped in chains before she looked up towards me, I couldn't see her expression due to my sudden reaction"
Ferrin looked over Percy for a moment before sharing a glance with the two guards. "Have either of you made contact with the prisoner whilst they were locked inside the cell?"
"No sir, per the orders of the high captain none have made contact with the prisoner except for one of the servants that goes in and feeds the prisoner once a day."
"And have the servant noticed any unusual reaction from the prisoner?"
"No sir, she explained that the prisoner has been quiet, her head always down with her hair covering her face whilst she fed them."
Sighing at the confusing situation he took it upon himself to see what has happened and walked towards the stool and peered inside. And what he saw was the same girl that had arrived a week ago looking toward him. He saw a young girl maybe fifteen or sixteen cycles old, white hair flowing down the side of her hair, some parts matted and some stray hair covering her face. But the disturbing part was her eyes. Black tendrils snaked their way around her eyes, reaching down to her cheekbones. Her eyes a startling crystal blue with what looked like runic symbols as irises.
"What in the light?" Ferrin exclaimed as a sudden explosion shook the prison complex, dust and debris rain down from the ceiling. Gathering himself against one of the walls he could hear fighting in the near distance and the sounds of continued explosions made him alert.
"Percy, with me. Anderson and filt, you two stay here. If what I think is happening we have to hold the line till reinforcements arrive." Ferrin gave his orders and rushed towards the entrance. A panicked Percy rushing just a few steps behind. "Sir what is happening!?" Percy exclaimed.
"Her sisters are here …"