Obvious

Silver and Ethyn watched Rose and Rhodri leave the king's chambers. Each had messages they wanted to give, but could not.

As the door shut, Ingrid looked at Borit.

"I will make it look like an accident," she stated, jerking her head towards the Guardian.

"No," Borit shook his head. "It would be suspicious. Plus, I've succeeded in killing him once and tried twice more since then, but the cockroach just won't die. I have found torturing him to be far more satisfying."

Ingrid grunted, clearly her mind was not one with the Commander.

Silver shot a glance at the male soldier holding him. The man had not said a word and had barely reacted to anything that was going on.

The burly man smiled at him viciously, and Silver saw he would get no help from the soldier. He was obviously on Borit's side and not the king's. Nothing that was said would leave the room.

'Probably a criminal masquerading as a soldier like Ingrid.'

Beside Silver, Ethyn had had enough. His hands were not bound like his friend. He had the ability to fight back.

Even without his sword, Ethyn was very strong. And Borit and Ingrid had gone too far.

The knight pressed his elbow into Ingrid's chest throwing her off balance. Then he punched the guard holding Silver, hoping it would be enough for him to take his sword. From there he planned to unchain the Guardian so they could make their escape.

The bulky soldier looked dazed for a second, but as Ethyn's hand shot forward for his blade, the sword slid from the shaft by the hand of its owner.

At the same moment, Ingrid pulled a dagger hidden in her belt and wrapped her arm around the knight's neck. Ethyn struggled against her, ready to overpower the woman when he felt the knife cut into his skin.

Blood trickled down onto his collar.

"Stop!" Silver boomed. He looked up at the Commander, his eyes flashing. "Do whatever you like with me, but you will not hurt him."

"You don't have to worry about me," Ethyn was offended that Silver was coddling him.

"Actually, that is exactly who he should worry about," Borit pulled out his own sword and put the tip under Silver's chin. The Guardian gritted his teeth. "I want to torture him, and you are the perfect way to make things extra painful."

Borit reversed his grip and twisted the pommel such that it landed right in Ethyn's stomach. While the knight still had on his armor, the metal on metal clash managed to rattle his ribs.

Ethyn grunted, the knife once again making a second thin cut on his neck above the first.

"Don't take off too much skin, dear Ingrid. There will be plenty of time for all that very soon." Borit looked out the window of the king's chambers. "I could get used to that view…"

Ethyn opened his mouth to respond that it would only happen over his dead body, but Silver shushed him before he had the chance.

"I believe it has been enough time, Commander," the Guardian said stiffly. "Perhaps you should escort us to our guest room."

Ethyn's eyes opened wide. What was Silver doing!?

"Anything is nicer than being in this man's presence." Silver shrugged in answer to the other man's condemning look.

"You won't be thinking that way for long. A little time in my special little purgatory and you'll be begging for me to release you to death." Borit grinned. "But you are right. We should go. I would hate for the king to return and have to look at your ugly faces again."

Borit swirled his finger in the air, and both soldiers shoved the prisoners into a forced march.

In the hall, more men awaited him. Ethyn realized that even if he had taken down Borit and the other two, the battle to escape would have just begun.

That's not to say it would have been impossible. Even now the Guardian would have had an easy time disappearing into the shadows. So why wasn't he?

Silver took each and every push without comment. If Ethyn didn't know better, he would think his friend had no spine. Was this all part of some elaborate scheme?

If Silver was going to act, he needed to do it soon. They were nearing the lower levels of the palace and approaching the dungeon.

The knight held his breath, ready for whatever move was about to be made. His body tensed, but nothing happened.

The two guards at the dungeon's entrance saluted their Commander. And Silver...walked calmly forward. He seemed like a lamb moving toward slaughter.

As they approached the cell, hands shot out from the bars and grabbed a hold of Ingrid's uniform. "Please, I need some extra food and water," the prisoner begged.

Ethyn looked at the man. He was almost naked and had a pathetic look in his crazy eyes.

"Ask the fairies to help you," Ingrid retorted, ripping her clothing away from the man.

"They don't want to leave me down here. I'm sure a pretty girl like you...OW!" Borit, who was a step behind Ingrid, bend back one of the protruding fingers until it snapped.

"I told you they wouldn't help," he screamed as he pulled back his hand. "You'll just have to wait until I can kill and cook a rat."

Ethyn pitied the poor man. He was obviously crazy. The knight wondered if they really didn't feed prisoners or if the lunatic was being dramatic. He supposed he would find out soon...if he lived long enough.

The door to the next cell swung open and both Ethyn and Silver were pushed inside. Unlike the cells on either side, the space here was cramped. That was probably why Borit had chosen this particular place out of the whole dungeon. The only space was upwards toward the strangely tall ceiling.

Such a confined space would keep both men contained and give them limited mobility to mount an escape.

"Now. Hand it over." Borit stood in the doorway of the cell.

"I gave you all my weapons…" Silver's eyes hardened in defiance for the first time that day.

"But you didn't hand over those papers. I need to know what else is in that handy little garment. Now." Borit smiled viciously. "You know what will happen if you don't."

"Don't give it over. He cannot take it from you." Ethyn whispered.

Borit had tried to take it once. The clash had ended with a nasty shock to the commander's hand.

"Fine." Silver unclasped the cloak and ran his hands along the length of the garment. "I'm sorry," he said to the tenebrous cloth. He looked up at Ethyn, as he held out the cloak with a shaky hand. "I am sorry," he repeated to the knight.

The cloak changed hands, Borit gripping it so tightly that it shocked him. But he didn't let go. He doubled his grip, and sparks flew.

But the Commander didn't seem to notice. "Your legacy will live on Guardian, just not in the way you hoped. See you at the trial."

Borit left with his cronies in tow.

Ethyn gritted his teeth. "You know he is going to use that and frame you even after you are dead. He will make you a villain."

"I know," Silver said.

The Guardian looked across the way at the sleeping form of a prisoner. He hadn't stirred during the whole ordeal. Perhaps, like Silver, he was hoping for an escape from this place that might never come. Or he had already abandoned all hope.

"I don't get it. We could have done so much and you just let Borit have his way. Why?" Ethyn wanted to scream, but the echoes made even whispers loud.

"Isn't is obvious?" the lunatic chirped from the other side of the wall. "Borit's got his girl!"