Iron Maidens: The Good, The Bad and The Grumpy

[Applo]

Between a Rock and a Cold place​

---

Stillness. Quietness. For the first time what surely felt like days, everything was still and quiet. Gone was the creaking of axles, the grunting of horses, the clinking of chains and sporadic spine jarring jolts. The only noise now was that of the whistling wind and the sound of muted conversation. In the inky darkness that was cut by the light of a solitary caged candle, figures began to stir. Heads that had been lulled began to look around and a gentle hum of whispered questions began to grow. Then with a crack of an unseen whip the moment of stillness was shattered. This time though, the rocky motion of movement lasted scarcely more than a few score heartbeats before it ceased once more and the inside of the cart was flooded with blinding light and freezing air.

Warden Cassia Pius stared impassionately as the prisoners were pulled blinking and shivering from what they were quickly discovering was the relative warmth of the wagon that had brought them to her small fiefdom. Set high in the jagged snow covered mountains that had but a decade ago been orcish territory the prison she oversaw was far from her dream position in distant Caderia. At least it was a prestigious one. Being in charge of the empire's most secure prisons was an honor. What more could any good Kaleshian citizen want that to keep their compatriots safe by making sure the worst of scum that sucked the empire dry like parasites were kept behind lock and key. If only it wasn't quite so cold all the time.

Even with her near seven foot frame draped and wrapped in heavy furs, the warden could feel the biting chill of the mountain winds on her ruby red scales. How the prisoners, dressed in the rags that had been given in the desert heat of the empire interior felt wasn't worth imagining. Not that much imagination was needed; their faces and bodies said more than their mouths ever could. This moment of inspection of her new charges was the only moment Cassia ever felt any pity for any of them and she tried her best to make sure that the admittance of new prisoners was as swift as possible. Still it was good for the new inmates to know exactly what was waiting for them should they have any dreams of escape. There was a reason the empire had built a prison in the gods forsaken place.

"All prisoners present and waiting for your address Ma'am."

Cassia's yellow eyes flicked to the saluting guard who stood near a full foot shorter than her before she began a slow walk along the line of chained figures, snow crunching under her boots. Most of them were lizardfolk as she was but there were a few human and orcs in the mix. No doubt malcontents, terrorists and fools who couldn't accept the dominion of the Kaleshian empire. The only slight oddity was a horned figure at the end of the line but even they barely caused Cassia to pause for more than a heartbeat. Tieflings could hardly be said to be common, but she had seen more than her fair share. Demon spawn nearly always ended up here; it kept them and their tainted blood away from folk who might still be redeemed. The warden wasn't worried about that. The filth here were beyond redemption. Besides, most of the prisoners hated demon spawn at least as much as her. They rarely lasted long. This one wouldn't. Cassia had a plan to be sure of that.

Making her way back to her original position, Cassia looked along the line once more.

"I want you all to know something. Today is a warm day. One of the warmest we've had here this year. Remember that. The inside of your new home is far warmer than this. Follow my rules and your stay here will be more comfortable than any of you deserve. Break the rules and that comfort will be taken away from you. It is that simple. I am not cruel, but I will not allow my hospitality to be abused." Pausing the governor started to smirk as she looked all the prisoners in the eye one more time. "If any of you feel inclined to escape, the nearest settlement is two days ride south of here. My advice would be not to look for shelter that isn't there and try and avoid the wolves. Watching them tear apart a deer is not a sight I shall forget quickly."

Seemingly lost in thought, the warden appeared to stare at nothing at all for a few carefully calculated moments to let the reality of what she had just said sink into the prisoners mind before, without any announcement she clicked her fingers. Well trained, well practiced and frost covered guards sprung into action. Two by two prisoners were dragged into the large cave that served as the entrance to the prison by at least four guards until only two figures were left; the tiefling and a stocky, pale haired human. The guards that should have been dragging them inside were standing around staring at a clipboard.

"Is there a problem Sergeant?"

The shortest of the guards spun on the spot and ripped off a salute that would bring a tear to the most psychotic of drill masters.

"No problem Ma'am. There is just some confusion about where we are putting these two. The chit ere says they're to go in a cell that I thought was occupied Ma'm."

Taking the clipboard from the sergeant's hand, Cassia glimpsed at it as if she didn't know what it said before handing it back.

"The document is correct. That cell is designed to hold more than one person. No reason they shouldn't go in there. I'm sure its current occupant will be glad for some company."

"Ma'am, that prisoner…" The confidence that the sergeant had had just moments ago seemed to falter slightly. Questioning superiors was apparently not something he was comfortable with. "That prisoner is the one thats been in the sky cells all month. They get out today Ma'm"

"I am aware of that sergeant." Cassia smiled as she thought about the prisoner that was causing her guards some consternation. "I'm sure that there won't be a repeat of the incident that forced me to put them there and now they have served their punishment, it would be cruel to keep them isolated. Best we give her some new companions to meet."

Finally the light of recognition dawned in the sergeant's eyes and a smile spread across their face before they saluted once more and turned to the huddle of other guards and prisoners.

"GET THOSE PRISONERS INSIDE THIS MOMENT LADS!" WHATCHA WAITING FOR?"

Cassia laughed quietly as the last prisoners were bundled away. Today would be an entertaining one; she was certain.

---

After being led deep into the depths of labyrinthian tunnels of the prison, both the human's and tiefling restraints were removed while they were pinned against a wall before they were unceremoniously shoved through a small metal doorway into the dark room beyond. As the heavy metal door slammed shut the darkness became even deeper and much like the wagon the prisoners had arrived on there was only a single candle to fighting the gloom. The spluttering yellow light was just barely enough to reveal two cots, one bolted to each wall, and nestled in the straw by the door, a single large bucket.​

---

@Kuno @Lillian Gray

 

[Lillian Gray]

There was something on the tip of her tongue. Some witty last retort she had wanted to snap at the guard before he forcefully shoved her inside her new cell. Was someone there already? The walls were cold and grating against her speckled skin, but she smiled despite the discomfort. Didn't know who was watching. But before she could open her big fat mouth, they were gone. The door to the cell slammed shut and the only light was that of a single candle which illuminated the lackluster furniture and a single pail.

Rowan didn't really like to share. Not unless it was a warm bed.

The tiefling woman stood in the dim, with her arms crossed over her chest as she huffed in annoyance. She was of average height, the light not so forgiving as to reveal much about her other than her speckled tan and pale skin. Two gnarled horns sat atop her head, the slight curve accentuated by the single light source. Had they been able to see, the woman's new cell mates may have noticed her lavender colored eyes or ever present smirk on the edge of her lips. She would never admit the fear or frustration she felt being locked away in a room with no windows, no company, and certainly no way out. She remained as passive as she could appear, dusting off her clothes and adjusting a few stray strands of platinum blonde hair so they remained behind her horns.

Rowan adjusted the body of her poorly sewn tunic and cleared her throat before speaking, "Good evening, or is it day again?" She smiled in the dark. "Or are you the silent, brooding type?"

 

[Kuno]

SILPH TANNER

---

Be it by blade or by hammer, by her own hands or another's, through the sun-soaked realm of Cadeira or the biting cold of the North, Silph would have her revenge, either in this life or the next.

Angry was too simple a term to describe the brutish human woman. "Angry" was the talk of yesterday; like fiery coals left in the frigid winds of North Diane, much of her indignant rage had cooled into a hard, bitter knot in her chest. She would save that pain for later. For now, right now, she couldn't afford to be distracted. Her time would come later; at this time, there was no room for blind hatred. She needed a clear head now more than ever.

Escape was ever present on her mind. Soon after the guards had cast her in this cell, Silph found herself still at the cell gate, peering out into the inky darkness. It wasn't so much a matter of the breaking free. The bars were at best iron-wrought, and the blacksmith, endowed with the strength of Akadum, gave little regard to her ability to push through. No, it was the prison itself that poised a problem. Like a black, endless pit, the prison corridors yielded an untold amount of rooms and pathways leading down or up, an elaborate labyrinth designed to deter ones just like her.

Still. She had both time and patience. It would just take--

A throat cleared behind her. Silph turned slowly, staring balefully at her forgotten roommate.

She was a spawn of hell. Both outside and in there, Silph had seen the horns, the twisted twin marks of her kind. A peculiarity even among lizard men. The question of how or why she had ended up in such a place was easily dismissed by a rather ignorant assertion: she was a demon, was she not?

Nevermind that she herself had been cast in the same prison with her. Silph's imprisonment was a trial of injustice. But this one? Only the gods knew. And she didn't care to ask.

Silph's arms crossed heavily against her chest. The single flame captured the fiery expression on her face, blue eyes striking even in the gloom.

"Consider me such, demon."

 

[Applo]

---

As the north women's words hung heavy in the air, only the sound of something crawling through the matted straw covering the floor and the spluttering of the room's single candle broke the silence. Then came the sound of heavy boots and something scraping over stone followed by a growing orange glow that obscured whatever was behind it. It wasn't until the approaching group was nearly at the new prisoner's cell door that the figures behind the torch became visible. Guards; one much bigger than the other.

It was the smaller of the pair that was leading the way, torch in hand and when they reached the cell door, the burning shaft was thrust through the door, lighting up the cramped room in a way the candle never could as well as finally illuminating the face of the lacertilian holding it.

"Get back from the door filth." Despite the obvious reptilianess of the guards features, there was something strikingly rat-like about them as well as his beady eyes scanned the room before the torch was withdrawn and placed in a holder on the other side of the corridor.

"You get the door big guy, I'll deal with the troublemaker."

For a moment a mask of concern passed across the large of the two lacertilians' faces.

"You sure that's a good idea. I thought we was to-"

"Hey big guy, you're the muscle here, not the brains. Remember what Gov said. Besides, I aint no idiot. Not gonna let this skag-brain free. Just take off her shackles. She can deal with the cuffs herself. Now you're gonna open that door or what?"

The answer seemed to satisfy the larger lizard and he began to fumble with a bunch of keys on his belt. From behind the came the metallic jangling of chains hitting the floor and then without any warning, to loud, sharp fleshy cracks before the weasely tones of the smaller lacertilian filled the corridor once again.

"Wakey wakey bitch! Got some new friends for you. The Gov sends her regards." Appearing around the side of his large companion, the rat-faced lizard picked the torch they had been carrying back up. "Ok they're ready. Sling em in there and lets get the fuck outta here. Stinks worse than a dung heap down here."

---

When the sound of the guards retreating had died away, the cell was once again left in silence. The woman that had been quite literally thrown into the straw between the Rowan and Silph was dressed as they were, only their clothes were far more ragged, and like their auburn hair, rigid with ice. Bruises, both fresh and old seemed to mottle every inch of the woman's skin and a fresh wound leaked blood across her face. Despite all this, the most striking thing about the woman was revealed as she slowly opened her eyes; emerald green and ruby red irises that glowed in the gloom stared blankly up at the ceiling before slowly sliding to Silph and then onto Rowan.

In an instant, the woman went from limp as a corpse to ridgid, the chains of her handcuff ringing as the links were pulled tight. Glowing eyes cut to the restraints and there was a short irritated sounding snort. Suddenly the woman's legs kicked violently up into the air before slamming back down and the newcomer used the momentum to launch herself to her feet. There was no hesitation in her movements and in less time then it would take to blink, the red-head had her chained hands around Rowan's neck and her jewel like eyes an inch away from the tieflings freckled skin.

"Who sent you?" The words were barely more than a hiss from between lips hard set into a snarl.​

---

 

[Lillian Gray]

Rowan smiled. It was an unusual reaction to having someone else's hands around her throat, but it wasn't a totally unfamiliar situation. There were usually less clothes involved and a lot more liquor. She gripped the woman's chains and held on to them without trying to free herself, both lavender eyes staring into her unusually paired orbs. Green and red. Then, she released them.

Interesting.

"Fallen so low, have we?" Rowan chuckled. "I think you have me mistaken for someone else." It was becoming uncomfortable to breath. The tiefling pulled her foot up and poised it against the stranger's chest. With a hard shove, she released herself from the chained grip of the stranger and was once again able to breathe. Rowan cleared her throat with a ragged cough and glowered down at the stranger.

Rowan wasn't the wisest, but she was well educated. Growing up proper gave her that much. She knew just enough to understand what the color in the Aasimar's eyes was. But what of the other? She couldn't say. All Rowan wanted to know is how such a pious being could end up in the jails of Caderia. Had she stolen a sweetroll? Damn shame. Rowan couldn't say she cared about the crime. It was downright amusing to see an Aasimar behind bars with her own horned self.

An Aasimar and a Tiefling, sharing a cell. Now that was the start of a crude joke.

"What's wrong with you, sweetheart? Wake up on the wrong side of the cell?" Rowan scoffed. "Get up, let me look at you. You're a bleeding mess."

 

[Applo]

---

A quiet groan escaped the aasimar's lips as she hit the straw covered floor. Everything hurt. Her skin felt like it was burning in the warm air after being exposed to the cold for so long; the patch work of bruises that covered her body ached constantly; and most significantly a web of white-hot pain was spreading across her back from the fall. She hadn't thought the demonspawn would be that flexible. Reva cursed herself for the underestimation as she looked up at the fiend standing over her. The hellspawn should never have had a chance the chance it now had, she should have en-

"What's wrong with you, sweetheart? Wake up on the wrong side of the cell? Get up, let me look at you. You're a bleeding mess."

The words took Reva by surprise. Those that had come before this one hadn't spoken at all before they'd died. Why this one was so confident compared the rest she had no idea. She also didn't care. In the fiends arrogance they'd left her an opening, and she was going to take it.

With a thin scream the aasimar kicked out at one of the tiefling's ankles while her other foot hooked behind the creatures other ankle and pulled it out from under them. For a horrible moment Reva thought her foe would keep their footing, but that passed as the creature hit the floor as hard as she had. Before the thing had a chance to recover, Reva scooted backward until she felt the cell door behind her before using the iron bars to pull herself up onto her feet as she looked over to the cells third occupant. Were they with the tiefling or not?​

---

 

[Kuno]

SILPH TANNER

---

It was hard to tell what exactly ensued in their light-starved cell. Strange enough that the guards had added yet another occupant to their cell, but Silph was wholly caught off-guard by the sudden flurry of movement from the newcomer. The strange woman looked first at the demon, then at her.

Their eyes met, and Silph's breath caught in her throat.

It was not so much the odd glow of her eyes that disturbed Silph as it was the madness that rimmed them. She stared, eyes darting about frantically between the two like a cornered, wounded animal. At last they settled upon the demon.

The mad woman pounced.

The scuffle between both demon and stranger was as quick as it was violent. The savagery of it stunned Silph, and she watched as the beaten woman, with a wild scream, swept the demon's legs out from under her. Away she scuttled to the other corner of the cell, and Silph's eyes followed her in disbelief.

Ai Akadum. Was she really to be left alone with these people?

"Enough," Silph went, intervening at last. "Enough."

Draped in shadows, she approached the fallen victim, her hand slipping around the other woman's arm. Mindful that her grip was not too strong, she lifted her cellmate back up, returning the wild-eyed prisoner's stare with a wary look.

"Crazy woman. We are all prisoners, yah? Why do you do this?"

 

[Lillian Gray]

Rowan allowed the stranger to help her with a scowl still present on her lips, meant for the Aasimar on the ground. Unprovoked and full of rage, she'd make a charming cell mate. The tiefling was well aware of what she appeared as to others. Dark, demonic, the root of all evil across the country. Whether or not she was responsible was wholly debatable. Some misfortune on the road? Aye, she might have been responsible. But Rowan was not the creature the Aasimar was making her out to be. She could see it in her glittering eyes, somewhere past the insanity.

"It's alright." Rowan smirked, wiping some dirt from her chin. "She wants to play hard to get? That's fine by me, so long as I don't wake up with her hands around my throat in the middle of the night." Rowan winked, chuckling before taking a few steps back and sitting on one of the rigid beds.

 

[Applo]

---

In the corner of the cell, Reva stood locked in place, her gaze riveted on the hellspawn and their human ally. In front of a face that was a mask of pure confusion, her fist were clenched ready as she waited for the assault that she knew to be coming. Except the tiefling was sitting on the bed and its human friend was merely staring at her. Neither had weapons or even their fists raised. Reva didn't understand what was happening.

The tiefling with it's twisted gnarled horns had to be a spawn of the thing that haunted her dreams and whose other children had hounded her, along with mortals that followed them for almost as far back as she could remember. They had never shown any hesitation in attacking her or, given her any quarter. Violence, that Reva could understand. Violence was easy. Automatic. It came as naturally as breathing to her. Her body knew what to do, and all she had to do was let it. Why this was so, Reva had no idea; not that she cared. It had nearly always been enough to deal with whatever problem was in front of her. What was happening right now, this was beyond her understanding. That scared her. The tiefling had said she was playing hard to get and something about how they didn't want to wake up with her hands around their throat. Was that a threat? Was that their plan? Wait until exhaustion claimed her and then attack?

"Stand… up and… fight me… hellspawn." The chain that hung between Reva's fists started to jangle. The aasimar's whole body was shaking as fatigue and adrenaline fought an unseen but pitched battle in her muscles. Less noticeable, but far more captivating was the growing darkness taking over the woman's eyes; sporadically a little would spill over and run down the twisted face like inky tears. For the most part though the darkness seemed to pool, flooding Reva's eyes until every hint of what they had been was gone. "I SAID… FIGHT ME YOU STUPID BIT-"

In a flash, everything about the aasimar changed. The fists dropped; the shaking stopped; the face twisted with hatred and fear softened and the darkness that covered the woman's eyes disappeared so quickly it would be easy to think it had been imagined. For a moment Reva was still, then slowly her head twisted so she appeared to be staring at the wall next to her.

"Are you sure? They are a-" Stopping mid sentence, Reva was silent for a few seconds before nodding gently as if she was agreeing with someone and then turning to face Silph and Rowan once more. "They say you can stay. That I need you to stay."

Who 'they' were, got no elaboration. Looking a lot smaller than she had a few seconds earlier, Reva all but fell to the floor, her knees drawn tightly against her chest as she stared silently at the wall beyond her new cell mates.​

---

 

[Kuno]

---

Silph's gaze flitted between her two cellmates. Each of them had, in some or form, laid claim to a part of the cell: the demon to her bed, the mad woman to her bleak corner, and lastly Silph, who settled with marked slowness on the remaining bed. She could not help but stare at the woman with the strange colored eyes; she was, to put it lightly, decidedly not human, though what she could have possibly been escaped the Diane woman. The well of blackness in the woman's eyes had unsettled her. She sat rigidly upon the bed, watching the conversation the woman held with...

They? Involuntarily, her eyes tracked to where the other prisoner stared, finding nothing. Her brows furrowed. Who is this "they?"

She supposed it didn't matter. The ravings of a mad woman were just that, nonsensical and useless prattle. So long as the woman didn't have another fit of violence. As the other prisoner finally settled down onto the floor, Silph at last relaxed, scooting back onto her bed until her skin met with the frigid cold of the wall.

She was not as cold as she should have been. Another blessing of Akadum: the warmth of the forge stayed ever present in her body, a constant boon. Yet another reason why she loathed Cadeira and their long, damnable summers. Even now the heat lingered beneath her skin, though the brittle cold of the prison proved a worthy contender. Silph glanced at the thin blanket draped at the end of her cot, it's purpose made null and void. Gradually, her eyes drifted back to the prisoner in the corner, contemplative.

It took little thought. Though spurred by compassion, she threw the blanket rather forcefully at the small woman's feet.

"Here. You will catch cold there in your corner."

 

[Lillian Gray]

"That one has something wrong with her." Rowan addressed the blonde on the other bed. "You'd be better off leaving her be to freeze in the corner." She glanced at the Aasimar. Something about her gave Rowan an odd feeling. Aside from the usual hatred between holy and satanic, she seemed off. It was something in her eyes that bothered Rowan. It wasn't natural, when compared to what she knew of the Aasimar, that was.

Who had she been talking to anyways?

Rowan shivered and pulled her own itchy throw up to her shoulders. If she didn't break out of here by sunup she was going to freeze herself. That was the attraction of the North for some. They enjoyed the bitter cold in their bones. Lunatics, all of them. There was no pleasure in ice and snow. At least the cold kept her on her toes, Rowan thought, but it dulled her reflexes. She yearned for a hot bath. For anything but the damnable cold. The faint light was the only warmth they really needed, but Rowan didn't plan on having to fight the both of them for that small comfort. Already she was trying to think of how to play them both and not leave the cell a frozen corpse.

She was used to well lit rooms, usually in brothels or inns, with the company of a stranger to keep her warm. These strangers? She wouldn't snug up next to one of them unless she had to. Rowan felt as if the feeling was mutual, considering their introductions.

"Since none of us will be sleeping, we might pass the time by not trying to strangle each other?" Rowan suggested sarcastically. "My name is Rowan, and I'd appreciate it if we didn't have to go through that song and dance again."

 

[Kuno]

---

The demon's initial words were met with an affirmative grunt. She was right; their fellow cellmate was quite insane, and perhaps the both of them would have been better off with one less occupant. But in Silph's heart, she knew the sentiment was wrong. Half-crazed or not, no one deserved to bear the full brunt of the North's cold unprepared.

A brittle draft breezed into the cell. Silph felt the prickle of cold on her skin and responded accordingly. Wrapping her thick arms about herself in a tight hug, she leaned in, all but curling up into a ball. It helped to keep the heat trapped within her center. With any luck, she would be able to sleep like that.

If she was able to sleep at all, that is. The other woman was right - she doubted even she, though of stolid constitution, would be able to catch any rest that night. There were far too many things pressing on her mind.

At Rowan's words, Silph raised her head. Out of the three of them, Rowan seemed the most inclined to conversation, though for what purpose, she couldn't say. The blonde woman threw a tentative look in their cellmate's direction. Satisfied that she was still settled, she met Rowan's eyes readily.

"Silph,"The Diane woman replied, "and agreed. No more of this. Better to save our strength-"

She stalled, staring with sudden keenness. Did she dare share her schemes for escape? She was of the mind that both would equally pursue the same goal, though she held little trust in either of them. At least the demon was of sound mind, though- she was...well…

By the gods, to think she'd be in such odd company.

Well. Some help was better than none.

"I plan not to be here long," She finally finished, her words heavy with caution.

 

[Applo]

---

Wrapping the discarded blanket around her, the Aasimars' eyes shifted from the wall she had been staring through and onto Silph and Rowan instead. Why she needed them, the hellspawn especially was beyond her so she gave up trying to understand it. She lived one step, one breath, one heartbeat at a time. Life was too confusing for anything else. Everyone always seemed to know more about who and what she was, and always seemed to want something from her. Only the voice that spoke to her and no one else wanted nothing from her, and she had grown to trust it. It hadn't been wrong before. If it said she needed these two, then she did; even if one was clearly the spawn of the thing that haunted her.

"They said I needed you. Both of you." Having given all the answer she intended to to Rowan's request, Reva closed her eyes, rocked sideways and all but fell into the straw that covered the floor of the cell. "Lots of people plan not to be here long. They all stay or die. You will see tomorrow."

Wriggling into the straw slightly, Reva started to let her mind wander into the terrifying abyss of sleep.

"I'm Reva."

---

It is a near universal experience that new arrivals in a prison often fail to sleep much on their first night in their new home. The loss of familiar surroundings; the fear of what their fellow inmates might do and the noise all conspire to make sleep all but impossible. Silph and Rowan had to deal with it all. The noise that rolled through the prison was particularly intense, partly because the source of a large part of it was so close at hand to the pair.

Not long after the Aasimar had stated her name, she began to whimper and cry, incomprehensible fear filled words dropping from her lip. Not long after that she began to thrash about on the floor, screaming as if her flesh were being pressed by red hot metal. And then the woman was silent and still once more. Over and over this cycle repeated itself all through the night whenever the strange woman appeared to be asleep.

Morning was announced by an armour clad guard repeatedly whacking a stick against the bars of the trio's cell door until a ruby scaled hand reached out of the darkness and grabbed the implement.

Cassia Pius stared at the occupants of the cell with a bemused smile stretched across her face, only speaking once she was sure she had the attention of all of its occupants.

"I hope you all slept well." The slightest hint of a snigger betrayed the Warden. "I apologize for this wake up, but I have found it best to have unusual prisoners like yourselves exercised and fed before the rest of the inmates. It helps avoid… unpleasantness. These gentlemen will guide you from here. I must continue my rounds"

From behind the warden, another three Lacertilians lurked in the gloom, all as armoured as the one that had woken the trio. Once the warden was gone, they burst into the cell with a noticeably less tact and diplomacy their superior had shown. Rowan and Silph found themselves at the end of heavy looking clubs, while Reva was simply lifted off the floor by the chains around her wrists. The trio were then pushed, shoved and ragged through the maze of dimly lit corridors until they emerged into a cavern that was practically radiant with sunlight in comparison and scattered with other distinctly no Lacertilian figures.

As yet another heavy door slammed shut, Reva picked herself off the floor where she had been dropped and looked sheepishly at Rowan before switching her attention to Silph.

"You want to see why people don't escape? Come this way."

Without waiting to see if she was being followed, the Aasimar paced slowly through the cavern towards large open sunlight, stopping only when she reached the edge of what her cell mates would quickly discover was a very high cliff. In front of her stretching as far as the eye could see was, what in other circumstances would be a beautiful panorama of snow clad but otherwise barren mountains.

"If you get out, you have to survive that. I lasted half a day before I was brought back. Most just die."​

---

 

[Lillian Gray]

Rowan didn't sleep.

Between the freezing cold and the Aasimar's weeping, she couldn't get comfortable enough to doze off. It was more irritating than anything else. Falling asleep in an unfamiliar place didn't bother her so much. Every night she seemed to find a new bed to cozy up to, with a new stranger by her side. These strangers were not exactly welcome company but Rowan didn't have much of a say in the matter. So, no, it wasn't the place that gave her any problems, but the woman in the corner and the biting temperatures. She was starting to hate the North.

The stick against the cell bars was almost a welcome distraction. At least it wasn't as shrill as the Aasimar's crying and screaming. If Rowan had to listen to another night of it, she was certain she'd put her foot to the other woman's throat until it stopped for good.

A lacertilian pointed a club at her nose and she sighed. "Don't worry sweetie, I'm too tired to do anything fun." She grumbled. Still, the lizard shoved her from her cell with brute strength and forced Rowan and her new companions down the hall. Keeping track of the twists and turns they took was meaningless. There were too many paths and too many guards. If they were getting out, it surely wasn't through this maze.

Rowan followed Reva, despite all of her instincts telling her not to. Why trust the crazy bitch? From the moment they'd been forced to share a cell hardly over twelve hours ago, she'd nearly been strangled, kicked, and now Rowan's instincts were telling her to push the Aasimar off the gorgeous cliff side view and be done with it.

The Tiefling at least had the common sense to recognize that the view was breathtaking. For more reasons than one.

She sat down at the cliff's edge and gazed over the horizon. Everything was covered in a thick layer of powdery snow. It was, of course, foolish to believe that it was so soft. There was likely several meters of frozen ice beneath the top layer and maybe some dirt hidden down below. What trees she could see were stripped of their foliage entirely, leaving the vast wasteland colorless and vague. The Aasimar was right. There was no surviving that unless you could conjure up flame on the spot.

"I don't suppose either of you are secretly a fire mage?" Rowan smirked.

 

[Kuno]

---

Silph found the sunlit cavern to be a criminal assault upon her eyes. They had not gone rested for more than an hour at most; the strange one - Rena, Reva, or whatever nonsense she was named, had seen fit to wrestle with her demons all night. Twice the Diane woman had been forced awake by hellish screams. At the third rousing, Silph had all but given hope of catching any sleep and instead turned to her thoughts, staring at the pitch black ceiling in quiet contemplation.

"Gods' teeth," Silph grumbled. The guard's rough pushing and pulling had left her right shoulder needlessly sore. Rolling it a bit, she stepped further into the natural atrium. Her eyes swept over the area, noting the other occupants.

Hmph. They had decided to separate lizards from non-lizardfolk. Just as well. She detested them just as much as they no doubt did her, and she did not desire to engage in needless brawls there. At Reva's words, Silph begrudgingly followed behind. They reached the edge of what seemed a towering, snow-crested cliff, and the Diane woman peered over the edge. She wondered how many bodies had pitched forth - unwilling and willing alike - down into the endless pit. It did not look climbable, something she noted with some disappointment. Silph assessed the snow-capped mountains blankly, inclining her head towards the mad woman as she spoke.

"If you get out, you have to survive that. I lasted half a day before I was brought back. Most just die."

"I don't suppose either of you are secretly a fire mage?" came Rowan's snarky reply.

At bot, she gave an unladylike snort.

"Pft. It is like home, yah?" Shrugging a large shoulder, she stepped closer to Reva and Rowan, regarding them with a cool gaze. "You are like these lizard folk here. Frail. Brittle against cold. I am not."

There was no animosity behind her words, only a blunt, if not ignorant, assessment of the strange women before her. She cast her eyes once more upon the snowy tundra. Intimidating, yes, but none more so than the carefully crafted prison they found themselves in. She placed a hand on her hip, using the other to gesture vaguely in the direction of the mountains.

"How did you get out?"

 

[Applo]

---

"The last one I shared a cell with, She worked in the kitchens. I hid in the cart they put the swill in" Ever so slightly Reva pivoted towards Silph, eschewing the hellspawn from her vision. They said she needed it but it still made her uncomfortable being so close to the horned one. "When the guards took it out, I uh, fought them and took their keys. Then we walked out.

Dropping to the floor, Reva let her legs hand over the edge of the cliff, swing back and forwards through the fresh air as she lay back and stared at the metal cuffs that bound her wrists.

"I spent two months in the sky cells for that, I think. It is hard to remember. I got less for killing someone who tried to stab me.​

---

 

[Kuno]

---

Sky cells?

Were she a more curious woman, and she would have asked her prisoner-in-arms what nonsense a sky cell was. Quite obviously a torture cell, no doubt; she imagined a cage hanging aloft over the mountain's edge, leaving its occupant bereft against the winds cutting against the mountain's side. Perhaps too cruel a machination. Perhaps too lenient. You never knew with the lizard; for beings who so craved the sun's warmth, they were unapologetically cold-blooded when they were of the mind to be.

Well. Either way, she did not intend to find out...at least not physically. Back to the issue at hand.

All but disregarding Reva's last statement, Silph persisted on with her line of questioning. "What kind of supply routes go here? Do you know? They must have some means of receiving goods, yah?"

 

[Lillian Gray]

Rowan scoffed at Reva's remark. Two months for attempting to escape? She wasn't surprised. There was law and order to be upheld. Killing a man simply meant there were less bodies to account for. Escaping meant a search. She was hardly surprised to hear how the lizard's handled prison affairs in the harsh North.

She didn't voice her opinions, instead listening to the two exchange a curious conversation. Rowan wanted out, and most were not exactly keen on assisting someone of her kind. So long as Reva or Silph didn't think her possessed, there was little reason not to work together. No?

Rowan sat, but far from the ledge, behind the other two prisoners.

 

[Applo]

---

"Umm, I guess so." For a moment, Aasimar's face was a picture of confusion as her mind made an unfamiliar mental leap. "We have food and coal and the warden has a strong firewater from the capital. I think there is only one road. I thought there would be too many people watching it when I tried."

The train of thought that Silph and started in Reva's mind was apparently quickly derailed by the chain hanging between her wrists. Without warning the heel of the red-head's right hand slammed into the base of the left's thumb and when it was removed, the targeted digit hung loosely, clearly dislocated. With ever so slightly ragged breaths, Reva brought one foot up from over the cliff edge, curled it up in front of her until it met the chain and then with a pained grunt kicked upwards.

The clang of metal hitting stone drew a few glances from some of the other prisoners but nothing more. Arms spread either side of her, Reva's face stretched into a grin as she caught her breath. The fact that she had a dislocated thumb on one hand and hand cuffs bound to the other didn't seem to bother her. For a moment she swung her arms back and forth over the floor, leaving almost wing like patches in the dust and frost that covered the ground.

"From the top of the mountain you can see lights. I tried to head for those."​

---

 

[Lillian Gray]

Rowan smirked knowingly at Reva. There was a certain kind of satisfaction upon breaking out of fetters, whether placed willingly or not. There was pleasure in pain and Rowan knew it full well. She recognized the look of relief on Reva's face, and let out a quiet chuckle before rising to her feet to sit down next to her. It seemed the Aasimar had a whole world to discover.

Once they were out of prison.

She still had half a mind to push Reva off the damn cliff so she wouldn't have to suffer another restless night, but, she refrained. When everyone else already thought the Tiefling to be immoral and unholy, Rowan felt little need to reaffirm their beliefs with violent actions. At least most of the time. She still drank, gambled, and enjoyed all of life's comforts with a little too much indulgence. They could still think her immoral for that. But what did she care? It was too difficult to change the minds of a million men when she was one Tiefling.

Reva was growing on her, and murder seemed like a poor choice on the road to their developing friendship.

"Give me your hand." Rowan sighed. She turned, kneeling on her hands and knees with the cliff face just inches from her side. The cold air was just another blatant reminder of where they were. Alive, but in the frozen North. Rowan shivered faintly and turned her attention back to the Aasimar.

She curled one of her hands around Reva's fingers and gripped her thumb with the other. Before there was any time to object, she snapped her hand down and heard the satisfying crack of the joint popping back into place. Rowan rubbed her thumb over the back of Reva's hand and tried to avoid looking her in the eye.

"You're better off tossing the chain somewhere a guard can't find it." Rowan suggested. "Or they'll wonder how you got them off at all."