Chapter 9 Story Time in The Cell

By the time I woke up, I was in my room. Locked up with Custard. I couldn't get out and walk around in the castle. Nope. I was a prisoner. Sort of. But every now and then I get visitors. Servants bring me food, clothes, then clean the room. The princes would visit me too, but I refused to talk to them. I wouldn't even look at them. They would just sit somewhere in my room and talk about how they are helping the queen figure this all out without risking my life. But every time they come I know that they have no luck cracking the captured rogue. I know that they are just worried for me, but how can they do that when they don't even know what the enemy plans to do to me. Or why they want me dead.

Three days passed and all I did was read and play with Custard. I also figured out that Custard liked ear scratches. Not to mention that I discovered that we have a physic link. I discovered this when I was too lazy to call out to him and just spoke his name in my mind and heard him grumble in annoyance as a response.

My familiar has an attitude. That or he's just as moody as me from being locked away.

On the fifth day, after the princes's visit I realize that I have to talk to that rogue. Which means I have to escape. The spell casted on my room is so that I cannot leave. I have been doing my study for the past days and I learned that such spells have loopholes - Yes, I do study. If the spell requires me to keep my presence in the room, then perhaps I can cloak myself. It is just a theory but I tried it anyway.

Since Custard was also locked up with me, I tested my theory on him. The cloak that I wore when I was away was still in my closet. I brought it out and wrapped it around him and by the time dinner came, I asked Custard to try going out of the room carefully when the servants brought me my meal. It worked.

Now I just have to lay out a plan. One thing I observe is that everyone here has a schedule. I have time for my meals, baths, and visits. And I was able to lay it all out easily. My only problem is how to get the key to my room from them. I bet that the princes would have it since they would be my last visitors for the afternoon before it would be handed to the servants. My plan is for Custard to steal it from the outside.

It was the 8th day and it was time for the princes's visit. I just need to figure out a way to make a hole in the pocket where they keep the key so Custard can pick it up on their way out. I know my plan has a 40-60 chance of working, but seeing how limited my power is, it is the only best option that I have.

The door to my room opened and I wanted to curse my unlucky stars of who's pocket I have to destroy to get the key. PRINCE Ace, on behalf of all the good things in the world.....f^&* you.

Prince Ace removed his coat and placed it on the coat rack by my side table as he sat on a nearby chair. "The others are busy. So I am stuck with you as you are stuck with me." He said.

I groaned and gripped the small knife I have hidden under the bedsheets. How the hell am I suppose to do this!? This guy has the eyes of a hawk! He would figure out that I tried to rip his coat pocket before I even have a chance to do so. Geez, this means that I have to postpone my plan for another day. Damn it! I barely slept last night preparing for this day.

"UGH!!!" In my frustration I accidentally knocked the book on my table and it hit the ground with a loud thud. Ace immediately ran and picked the book up. "What the hell are you doing!?" He yelled. "Books are precious artifacts for learning and you just throw them away because I am keeping you company!?" He flared up in anger and he inspected how much damage I have caused on the book. In that moment, I realized that I am not so unlucky after all. PRINCE Ace is a bookworm.

And what better way to piss off a bookworm than to drop books?

Emphasis on the word books.

My drama queen mode was now on. "For goodness sake! It has been eight days! EIGHT DAYS." I got up from my bed and started heading towards my bookshelf. It breaks my heart thinking what I am about to do, but I have to keep my priorities straight. "You guys found nothing and now I am stuck here with you. This is hell in real life!" I let out a frustrated grunt and - with all my might - I pushed the bookshelf until it fell on the floor. PRINCE Ace let out a curse as he ran towards the fallen shelf to rescue the said books. Making sure that I bought myself enough time I kicked a few books as far away from my target as possible.

"You guys can't do anything right!" I tried to sound angry as I hastily and quietly made my way to his coat and tore off the stitches of the pocket. I made sure that I left a few stitches that would hold it for a while so it wouldn't be too obvious.

'Alright, Custard. Once this mean elf goes out, make sure to follow him out. Wait for him to lock the door and pocket his key again. If the key doesn't fall I left a hanging strand that you can pull to unravel the stitch at the bottom of the pocket. Then once you have the key you slide it to me from the bottom. Okay?'

Custard grumbled in response.

'Hey hey. None of that attitude! We need to work as a team, remember?'

"You don't have to bring out all your frustrations out of the books you brainless monkey!" Ace insulted me just as I finished unraveling the stitches of his coat.

I was too focused on fixing the coat to make it look untouched that the only insult I could backfire was "Your mom is a brainless monkey." I realized my mistake so I quickly moved away from the coat just in time as Ace glanced in my direction.

"Seriously?" He questioned me with an eyebrow raised. "You come up with nothing and start insulting my mother?"

I wanted to hit myself for being this stupid. But what can I do? There is no turning back now. "Oh so what? You're going to cry?" I started mocking him. "You gonna come cry to your mommy, PWINCE Ace?" I smirked because I know that I struck a nerve when I reminded him of how he got turned into a kid.

Ace let out a disgusted sigh. "Do you even hear yourself?"

"Oh boo hoo. PWINCE Ace gonna cwy to his mommie. Boo hoo hoo."

"You are painful to watch and hear you know that, right?"

"Oh he doesn't wanna be bullied. Poor baby! You want a cookie?"

"You are annoying."

"You are annoying."

"Now you're acting like a kid."

"Now you're acting like a kid."

"Honestly, being locked up turned you from a brainless monkey to a broken parrot."

"Your schedule is a broken parrot."

Ace shook his head. "I cannot even insult you without being disgusted by your comebacks. I am out of here."

"Oh yeah. That's right. Go to your mom and tell her that PWINCE Ace needs his nappy nap, because Rose hurt his feelings."

I picked up his coat and made his way to the door. Using my physic link with my familiar, I ordered him to follow Ace.

"The only thing that you are hurting are my ears. I think it would be best to put you on a leash tomorrow and have you walk around the castle to socialize."

"I don't want to hear the word socialize from someone who doesn't even socialize himself!" I managed to yell at him before he closed the door. "I got the last word!" I sang to myself. I think he is right though. I need to talk to someone other than Custard or else I'm going to go crazy.

Custard was trying to communicate with me through our link. And you know what he says? 'Master, I got you the key. The door. Under.' At least that is how I translate Custard.

"Oh what a good boy, Custard." I said as I picked up the key and unlocked the door. Custard entered back to hand me the cloak so we could exit together. Once I got past the spell that was binding me to my room I could not help but lay down on the floor and curl up like a baby. "Ugh yes! I miss the outside world. Well not really outside. Just outside my room. AHHH!"

'Master! Please stop...' Custard grumbled beside me.

"You are such a killjoy."

I am going to spare everybody's time on how Custard and I reached the lower cell prison. Easy. Just take the stairs going down. Duh.

As we reached the lower cell I found out that it was heavily guarded. Oh don't you just love it when you thought that you got everything planned out and something out of the plan just pops right out? Me? I just love it.

'Okay, Custard. You go left and I go right. There's only two of them.'

'Master, do you really think you can take one of them out? You can barely kick off your shoes . No offense, master.'

'So can you take them both?'

'You haven't even figured out how to make me grow...'

'So both then?'

'Master, you command me. Not the other way around...'

'Hey! You're hurting my feelings.'

'Why don't I just become their distraction while you sneak in, Master?'

'B-but. It's too dark. I don't wanna.'

'You can do it, master!'

'Okay fine! But promise me that you will catch up.'

'I promise.'

Custard, nuzzled my leg for good luck before he ran towards the cell guards. He started barking at them a few times to catch their attention.

"Hey. What are you doing here?" One of the guards demanded. In response, Custard went and nabbed at the guard's leg. The guard grunted and attempted to strike Custard with his spear. Custard, my good little boy, decided that he wanted the spear. He grabbed it just as it swung towards him and pulled. Now Custard had the spear and was tempting the guard to chase him. To be sure that he can get the two of them to follow him he raced to the other guard and tripped him off of his feet using the spear he got from the guard. When the guard was down, he jumped on his chest and started scratching his face before running as far away as possible. The guards, of course, got pissed and ran after him.

I drew the magic cloak around me as I scoffed. Geez, if Custard can taunt them that easily just imagine what an actual human can. Security here is lacking.

Once I saw that they were far away, I took off and searched every cell to locate the rogue. The place smelled of blood and rotten flesh that it makes me want to puke. I could hardly see where I was going too since the only light that this place has are torches.

Seriously, they have all the wizards and witches in the palace and they cannot even provide a proper spell to brighten the place?

"If I were a killing rogue where would I be?" I whispered to no one.

"Probably in an underground cell wondering if the person outside is the princess or not." I stifled a scream and immediately turned to where I heard the voice. It was coming from one of the cells. I grabbed a nearby torch light and hesitantly approached the bar walls separating me from my assassin.

Once I get a good look at his face I have to look away or else I'll puke. Even though I only got a brief look at him I cannot forget how dirty and bloody he is. He was wearing nothing but some old ragged shorts that were wet from both urine and blood. His nails, some of them were removed from scratching the stoned walls. His face was bruised badly with a lot of dried blood that you can hardly tell if those are his hair of blood.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of having you visit a lowly rogue as me?" He said and I could just hear him smile in amusement at my presence.

"You know why I'm here." I had to cover my nose and mouth so as not to smell the odor of this place. "I heard that you are under a spell to only talk to me in case you were ever captured and couldn't kill yourself. Now tell me. Why is it so important that only in my presence must you reveal your true objective?"

"Once upon a time-" He started.

"Oh for goodness sake I do not need a damn story!"

"Sorry, your highness. But all of these do not make any sense unless you learn of the sins your ancestors have committed."

"What sins?" Now I looked at him in curiosity.

He smirked. "Sorry, your highness. Can't tell you without telling the whole story. Now, I suggest that the princess sit since it might be a long tale."

"No thanks. I prefer standing." I said nothing, the smell of pee, blood, and rot around the place.

The man scoffed. "Suit yourself." He says. "Once upon a time. King Varon had a loyal and trustworthy adviser. His name is Ferius, whom you might now know as the king of Tereu."

"He's....the rogue King. Was he a tamer?" I whispered.

"Very good, your highness. And yes he is. But as of now his status is a bit complicated. As you may know, the Tamers were the most powerful race a long time ago. Their familiars come in different forms and shapes. Some have cobras, others have leopards, and others have griffins."

"Griffin? As in a mythical creature?"

"Not a myth. You cannot see them anymore because they are extinct." He said. "Ferius is a greedy man. He knew that if they wanted to, they can conquer the whole kingdom. All he had to do was convince the king to see the gift the gods gave them."

"Let me guess. King Varon refused?"

"Always on the good side, right? But yeah. Your great great great great grandfather refused and threatened to strip Ferius of his title as chief. Ferius was so furious and called the king a coward. He was lucky that his head did not roll on the ground at that moment. So you can only imagine that Ferius still didn't give up on conquering the lands. He gathered men from every race who would be willing to accompany him on his conquest. He found witches that could help him give more power to his familiar: Qioura. His lion." He sighed. "He asked them to merge Qioura with the other spirit animals he had stolen from other tamers. By stolen I mean severing the bond of a familiar and it's Tamer by killing the tamer." I flinched. I felt sorry for the other familiars back then. I only just got used to Custard and it would pain me to imagine if someone abused Custard like that. "The witches were successful, of course. Now Ferius has the perfect weapon to kill Naga, king Varon's familiar. They created a chimera that only Ferius can control"

"I have heard of this before." I said knowing fully well how the story would end. "You guys destroyed Gija. Massacred an entire kingdom. Killed my ancestors. Or so you thought." I whispered the last part with a smirk. "This is a waste of my time. You're just telling me what I already know." I started to leave.

"But don't you wonder what happened to the king Varon and Naga? How did they die? And of the chimera?" The rogue taunted, stopping me from leaving.

"Go on." I ordered.

"Like you said. Ferius succeeded in destroying Gija, but not without a price. King Varon wanted to make sure that the abomination be stopped. So, with the help of a few witches of his own, he casted a spell on Ferius. With the help of Naga, king Varon was able to seal the Chimera inside Ferius. A curse that would slowly eat him as time passed. King Varon used his royal blood as a protective seal that cannot be undone. Of course, king Varon knew that it was impossible for Ferius to undo the spell since the only blood relatives he had were either or escaped to another realm. A realm where no one can enter because it is protected by Queen Elizabeth."

"But," I paused. "I'm king Varon's relative." I whispered. Suddenly realizing what kind of danger I'm in. No. Not just me.

"Is....is King Ferius planning on using my blood to release the Chimera from him!?" I demanded. The man in front of me laughed maniacally. "Answer me!"

"Dead or alive, as long as he can get enough of your blood to release his Chimera." He smirked. "Well about time you got here. I was bored trying to distract her. I'm bad at telling stories."

It took me a while to realize that he wasn't talking to me. A hand suddenly grabbed me from behind and covered my mouth when I started to scream.

"The way you deliver your story was horrible." The man behind me says. I couldn't see him but I know that he was wearing a palace guard's uniform. The palace has been infiltrated!

"At least it's true. Hey, are you bringing her back dead or alive?" 

"Alive. I guess. The king would be pleased to kill her himself."

I can't. They can't bring me back to Tereu. I refuse to be a means for the kingdoms' destruction. I thought back to my parents and sister in my realm. I haven't even told them how much I love them back when I had the chance. I took my time with them for granted. I thought I had all the time in the world. I had not even fully bonded with my family. Back on Earth I was selfish. I wanted to be alone and could not wait to live on my own and away from them. When I was stripped away from my world I got to live that life. But it was so lonely without them. Probably because I did not thank them enough. I need to go back. I have to go back. I have to survive until I can return to them.

By any means necessary.

Using my finger nails I dug them on the face of my attacker. The man behind me screamed as I drew blood. I took that chance and drew the blade that he was carrying from it's sheath and lashed at his right leg. "You can't take me. None of you can. If I can help it." I said and felt another presence lurking in the shadows. Growing and ready to strike. Perfect.

Even on his bleeding knee, he was laughing. "How cute. You think a small girl like you can stop a big angry vampire like me?"

'Master.'

I smirked. My confidence grew more and more as I felt the familiar link behind him. I hadn't felt it since that one time in the forest. Scary, but I know that he can take them. And he is my ally and my familiar. "I can't. But he might." I pointed behind with my sword. The man grabbed the fallen torch light and came face to face with a grown and ferocious white wolf.

The man gasped in fear. "You see." I said moving around the man to stand beside Custard. I gently stroked his raised hackles knowing fully well that he is my ally who would protect me. "Your friend here told me that Tamers are the most powerful race a long time ago. And I want to know why and how?" My eyes narrowed.

"I'm sorry, your highness. I-I'll leave. I will never harm you again!" The man trembled in fear as he looked at Custard.

"You serve the rogue king. The very person who killed my blood relatives. They took the familiars from their tamers to create a lethal beast that can destroy kingdoms. The king wants my blood and you ask me to spare you?" I scoffed. "You killed my friend's guards!"

"Mercy!" He pleaded. It was weird. Custard looks like a wolf. Larger than a werewolf. This guy is a vampire - an undead. How is it that he is so afraid of him?

"Why are you so afraid of my familiar?" I asked. If we're being honest, Custard is larger than the twins when he is grown. When the man did not respond, I asked the man in the cellar. "Why are Tamers so powerful?" The man in the cell was shaking in fear and would not even look at me.

"It's not the tamers, but the royals of Gija! You, the royals of that kingdom, are an abomination!" He spat. Then I heard the other man scrambling to his feat. As I turned my attention back to him, he threw the torch in my direction. Custard, with his massive tail, flicked the torch away from me and lunged at the man, who was now running for his life.

"W-wait. Custard, don't!" I was too late. Custard aimed for the throat of the man.