Through the worst

If someone asked if there was a way to escape the imperial palace's heavily guarded jail, then the answer will obviously be negative. Each cell in the basement of the imperial palace was designed to be unbreakable and without a way out. In addition to that, they made sure that it was guarded by a lot of knights night and day when there was a criminal locked up. It wasn't common to see someone locked inside the prison of the imperal palace, because the empire already had a big jail used to imprison all kind of criminals. Only the most evil one or those who attempted to assassinate the imperial family were locked in the imperial jail until the execution day. And of course, without fail, all the people residing in the imperial palace knew that every person that stepped their foots on the imperial jail would undeniably die by the next few days. That's why the palace was noisy from all the workers gossiping about the fact that the young woman named Eleanor, who was treated like a princess up until today by the emperor, was now resting in the imperial jail.

The person that took the decision to put her there, didn't seem to feel right about it, because after telling them to escort her, he has been in a terrible mood and he destroyed his work office. Alphonse hurried to be near him and called for Valeria who was in charge of stopping him from going berserk. After been called by Alphonse, she hurried toward Francis with a worried and terrified expression.

"Francis! calm down..here's your medicine. Take it and you will be fine." She said with a voice that betrayed her fear and handed him the medicine with trembling hands. Though she was feeling a bit happy deep inside that he forsake the woman she couldn't stand.

He was sitting on the ground against his office desk that was now in a terrible state and looked at her with his red pupils. She was scared yet she still sat near him to hand him the medicine, few people could stay and bear his intense glare after his pupils changed from golden colored to a bloody red one. But her behavior in front of his dangerous state showed that she was used to it, yet this time she didn't know why but she feel like he was more dangerous than the other times.

'what's wrong with him? before, he often had this kind of attack but it was never to this extent...He was able to control himself but now it is like he is going out of control. I guess it is because he must be greatly troubled emotionally but why?! what is the cause...wait! don't tell me it is because of this woman?! No! never! it can't be.' Her expression went dark after she suspected what may have caused his anger outburst but she didn't want to admit that fact. She approached him slowly and touched his forearm to try and calm him like she did before. But her concern was responded with a murderous glare toward her and the next minute she was pushed harsly resulting in the medicine falling from her hand and rolling on the carpet toward Alponse. Francis didn't utter a words his breathing going hastily, he gritted his teeth and squeezed his fist to control himself. Alphonse hurried Valeria who was in a shocked state to go out of the office and he picked up the medicine bottle.

"Sigh! If you are going to act like this...why did you treat her that way?"

Alphonse was the only person whose presence Francis could tolerate because he was his only brother. Hence still looking at the ground, he frowned his forehead and answered,

"Like I had a choice..."

"You are the emperor, you could have just locked her in her room until we investigated this..."

"BUT YOU SAW IT TOO!!...what is there to investigate she clearly showed us....that she is a witch..." He interrupted him as he shouted the evident fact that was torturing him from inside.

The two stayed silence for a long while because to them the situation was really tricky. They couldn't accept the people called witches because when they were little the scar they got deep inside from a woman they knew and loved made their life a continuous path full of torns and pains. And as if fate was enjoying their misfortune, the woman they hold dear is one of the race they have sworn to exterminate, a witch.

Alphonse closed his eyes and sighed as he thought about the course of event that happened today. He looked at his brother that seemed to torture greatly over this matter and worried about him, feeling guilty over the fact that he only cared about Eleanor's situation. He opened the medicine bottle, sat beside him and handed it to him as he finally broke the silence,

"For now, let's take care of you brother, shall we? here take this."

Francis looked toward his little brother and his shoulder seemed to have slightly relaxed as a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He took the medicine and they stayed like that, sitting on the carpet beside each other in silence. Looking like too kids that were exhausted from all the naugthy things they did.

At the basement, the two young woman were alone and wispering quietly about their talk. Lise wasn't convinced about Lea's idea of escaping the palace and she couldn't figure out how she could manage the impossible.

"So? are you ready to tell me what you want from me?" Eleanor asked while looking at the girl with a serious expression.

"Wait!...first, tell me why you are in this cell with me...I thought that you were his majesty's guest."

Eleanor looked down at her hands and said,

"I brought this upon myself, you don't need to worry about it.."

"What do you mean by that? you have to tell me, otherwise I can't trust you!...who know if you are their spy and want to get information out of me. Also, you didn't look like a criminal went they brought you here."

"Sigh! They were about to behead you so I intervened and told them about the fact that I was a witch too so that I could be here with you. Of course I need your information, since I am in this situation because of you."

"Hein?....But why will you do that? risking your life for a person you don't even know..."

"Heh! I could say the same about you...since you are here for the same reason."

"Ah! well, I had my reasons..." She said with a troubled expression on her face.

"And don't you think that it is time to tell me those reasons, because I want to know too and I couldn't let a person get killed just because she is a witch. I couldn't let that happen."

The young girl looked at Eleanor with her clear gray eyes and nodded before putting forward her hand while saying,

"My name is Lise, Lise Grey. Like they say, I am a witch but a good one. Even if I happen to often do some mischief, it is not that bad. I am happy to meet a new friend."

Eleanor smiled sweetly and took her hand as she replied,

"I am Eleanor, someone that discovered she was a witch not too long ago and I am happy to meet you, miss Grey."