Chapter 226: Traps and Trapped

Within The Dungeons

***

The Dungeons stank of death and rodents, there's water dripping down from somewhere, making the entire place damp and stuffy. But that was also our water source, especially when her guards oh so conveniently forgot to feed or give us water.

Sitting in the rags my previously beautiful clothing has become I ponder on whether anyone would be coming for Audwin and I. No, I'd think not.

The only person that would bother to think of my whereabouts would be the boys, my growing sons. Unfortunately they can't do anything about my unjust imprisonment, they are just as powerless and perhaps even more as I am.

Audwin and I have been subjected to this humiliation for over seven nights now, of course I never expected to be trapped in here this long.

The first thing her goons and thugs did was strip me of every single magical item on my being and then proceed to lock my mana. By this point I'd seen the parallels between what is being done to me now and what I put that white haired elf through.

Not like she didn't deserve it, she absolutely did, trying to challenge my power in the city, trying to threaten my sons, trying to be something other than a slave. I think I should have just killed her.

Although, I'm sure if I did Maylin, that woman, she wouldn't let me breath this long.

Audwin has lost much faith in me. He tried his best to free me of my bonds, tried attacking the mana lock. It threw him back with so much force he got knocked unconscious.

It will take much more than a rock or a kick to break this thing open. As long as there's mana being produced in my body, it will steal it away.

I wonder what she's using my mana for though. Lightbulbs maybe. This place is so large it must take and incredible amount of mana to light it all up all day and all night long. Not that there's much light in the Dungeons, all we have are torches.

"Do you think she'll be punished?" Audwin speaks. He hasn't spoken a word to me in two days. I'm grateful to hear his voice. "When grandfather finds out? I mean....she can't keep us hidden forever, she can't keep us locked away forever. Do you think she'll be punished?"

His voice breathes desperation, desperation not to be freed, no, I suppose he has already come to terms with the fact that he may see the end of his life in these damp, rodent infested dungeons, but rather a desperation, a longing to be avenged in some form or another.

Unfortunately, I doubt even that will come to fruition. The Marquess is part of the House that the Queen is from, the influence they project just being near the King, the true power of House Ire is unsurmountable.

A little whisper into that perverts ear and I bet he'd kill Grandfather even. 

"Yes, of course she will pay, one can't cross House Ire or any of its branches and be set scot free Audwin, its only a matter of time."

He smiles and sighs a thankful, relieved sigh. One that pains me so.

We fall back into our silence and reverie, taking naps or walking around the cell until something happens. Something rarely ever happens.

In the seven days we've been locked up in here we've only ever seen something happening twice. And in those times it was the same thing, what else could happen in a Dungeon other than some poor sob being deposited in it?

Our only other source of entertainment were the guards discussions, though they rarely linger long enough for us to get the full scope of it. 

As it stands it seems today will be just another boring day stuck in the Marquess' dungeons.

Or not.

The bars of our cell slide open, woken from my nap I groggily look out, wondering if they've finally realized that we need food and clean water down here.

There are two men, both holding buckets and their faces are wide with grins.

"Wakey Wakey!"

Before either one of us can properly form a reaction the contents of the buckets are splashed all over our bodies. Cold, frigid water soaks me from top to bottom. But it seems they aren't done, the two drop the buckets and produce another from somewhere.

My eyes widen and I jump to my feet, Audwin is quick to do the same as we share the same realization, "Wait! Stop! That's cold!"

The two guards share an amused look and simply drop the buckets of water at our feet, there's soap at the bottom of the bucket.

One of the guards pulls out from a bag some clothes and tosses it onto the floor, "Get ready, the two of you, you're headed to the Marquess."

***

We washed up and slid into the clothes we were given. Once set free I embraced the choking feeling of having mana flow through my pathways after so long.

The excessive use of these mana lockers can cause pathways to shrink or even close, with its removal my mana is pushing against those pathways now, spreading them wide and violently too. It hurts but its the good kind of pain.

The Marquess has seen fit to dress us up in stark grey, dull clothes and leave us barefooted. For now I'm simply grateful to be out.

I'm not quite sure what got us out but whatever it is, I have a feeling it won't last. Audwin shares this sentiment with me and as such, we decided that by whatever means, we must find away to communicate our location to someone.

Which means we have to find a way to get our belongings. 

Bearing with the pain of my pathways being spread open for the first time in a week, I seat impatiently outside the familiar wide doors of the Marquess' chambers. Once I'm able to perform even a single spell I'll make an illusionary copy of Audwin and have the real thing slip away to find our things.

It's a simple plan based off the fact Audwin won't be doing much talking in whatever conversation the Marquess wants to have with us and even if he's asked a question I'm sure I'll be able to pull off an auditory illusion as well.

At least I hope so.

"Anything yet?" Audwin asks. I shake my head in response, the mana needs to circulate around my pathways at least once before I can even think of performing a spell.

If I try to cast before then...well, I can expect never to use magic again.

We sit there like ducks for a few more moments, the guards at our side watching vigilantly over us. 

Unfortunately for us, the Marquess can't keep us waiting any longer. The doors swing open and that smug man from before walks in, papers in hand and eyes on the papers. He stops and deigns to look up at us.

He scowls, "The Marquess will have you now." He spits out the words as though the Marquess seeing us is the worst thing in the world.

"You're lucky I can't use magic right now." I spit right back as the guards forcefully pull us up and drag us out to the long hall way of that leads to her.

He scoffs and wears a satisfied look as he watches us being pulled away, "Or what? You'll confuse me with your cowardly illusions again? Ha!"

I don't get to have a word in as he turns and walks away just as the doors close behind us.

"I can walk just fine thank you!" Audwin yells and yanks his arm away from the guard pushing and dragging him forward.

The other doesn't wait for me to do the same before letting go of me. 

Together we journey down the long hallway of wealth and fortune and arrive at the large doors that lead into the room that is but a product of spatial, arcane magic. The kind of magic that's restricted to the wealthiest of the Kingdom, of the world. 

I've gotten my hands on a sample of the thing before, a ring used to make portals to one location and one location only. It belongs to Grandfather though, and I had to return it after I used it to escape from Maylin and that thorn Necromage.

Such a thing would come in handy right about now that I can't muster up a spell. 

The doors swing open and once again I hear her slithering voice, "Welcome, Serue, Audwin. How'd you like your stay in my dungeons?"

Her voice seems to come out from nowhere and everywhere, just as it did last time. I sigh and answer, "Not a very pleasant place to stay."

She chuckles, her evil, sinsiter laugh rings out through the vast room, bouncing off all the furniture and ornaments and even the statues of herself in nude.

"Then I think you'll like the deal I have to offer you."

It takes me a second but I wear a smile, I finally know what this is about. 

I look to Audwin and with a prideful smile I tell him, "There won't be a need to escape any longer Audwin, we have her right where we want."