To drop down the chain (Raziel and Devxx)

[Raziel99]

And his father said that it couldn’t get worse. But it was getting worse. Misinformation among the spies, horribly outnumbered, and a few injured. He was the best they had? Mentally, maybe. The rest of them didn’t have the brainpower to think of anything besides rushing in blindly. The generals were the masterminds of strategy. But, with two of them dead, another three injured, and the rest in other battles in a desperate bid to keep the Illiya’s out of the kingdom, Alexander was left to organize the troops.

His experiences may not have been in battle – he couldn’t fight a warrior fair, at the very least – but Alexander had his own ways. Espionage. Poisons. Stealth. He had a smaller form than the warriors, standing at 5’8’’, his clothing every bit royalty and not a little bit knight-general. A small knife laid hidden at his hips through the amounts of clothing, easy to find if you could get through the folds of them. His face was angular like a hawk, and his blue eyes gazed from a sharp nose at those that sat below him.

The war should have been over already, but the numbers were too few to what he thought would be there. Hideously outnumbered and surrounded. Things weren’t looking good at the onset. Still, Alexander and the Lieutenants poured over a map of the area, moving little figures for a war game that was happening outside as they spoke. Options looked at as knights gave them a little time.

The tent ‘doors’ were ripped off, and several men came in a rush. The lieutenants stood with Alexander, but it was hardly a moment before he felt the butt of a sword hit his skull, and black spots formed in his eyes as he fell to the ground, eventually eating his whole vision….

The next thing that Alexander remembered was the rocking of some sort of wagon, and the smell of hay around him. He opened one of his eyes slowly and looked around. They didn’t notice that he was awake yet, but he was tied down, gagged, hands behind his back, and legs held together at the calves and thighs. Three men in the wagon with him, looking forward. He thought of trying to wiggle his way out when a shadow of their location came over them, and he saw the large stoneworks of the castle come over them. It was the first time that Alexander felt fear, as the castle of Illiya loomed closer…

 

[Devxx]

The figures moved quietly around the camp and they surrounded the enemy soldiers. A whole battalion of men had been pulled specifically for this mission and they were going to make sure it went off without a hitch. A figure in black armor stood out amongst the others as they raised their hand in the air before bringing it back down in a quick slicing motion. That was the signal the rest of the men had been waiting for as they charged towards the camp, their weapons raised to attack. The raid had been quick and the enemies had been completely caught off guard as they were rushed and attacked. The black figure moved along with the rest of the knights as they sliced down anyone who got in their way towards the tent. The mission had been to destroy the camp but the main objective was to capture the prince.

The tent had been easy to break into and the lieutenants had been easily disposed of when the black knight brought down their sword and knocked out the prince. The other men carried him on the back of the wagon and made sure that his hands and legs were bound together and that his mouth was gagged. Even though they had him captured it was still dangerous until they got back to the castle. The figure breathed a sigh of relief as they got to the shadow of the castle. The draw bridge came down and the group was led inside the castle.

The men lifted Alexander up off the wagon and dragged him none too gently towards the throne room where the king was currently sitting. King Thumil VII was an old man who had been quite a war dog in his day. The man was a brilliant general and made sure that only the best made it into the ranks of his troops. The King looked down at Alexander with a smirk as he motioned for the captain of his troops to move forward so they could discuss what happened. He also motioned for one of the other men to remove the gag from his mouth so he could speak.

"Sir, we have captured the prince." The knight said as they lifted up the helmet and bowed down on one knee. Anyone outside of the castle would have been shocked to see what was under that helmet. Most outside the kingdom thought of Illiya's black knight as a terrifying man whose presence alone would make normal men quake. Never would they have thought that under all that armor was a young woman, no older then her early twenties with pale gray eyes and long blond hair. Underneath all that armor Sabine looked like more of a bar maid then a terrifying warrior but her penchant for battle was unmatched by any man twice her size.

"Brilliant Sabine. I'm sure his father will be willing to negotiate when he learns what we have in our custody." King Thumil said with a chuckle as he motioned for her to rise. Yes, the prince would be an invaluable pawn in this war and if everything work out according to plan then it would end in a matter of a few short months.

"Well your highness, I hope you will find our company pleasant." The original plan had been to keep the young man locked away in the dungeon but plans had changed over the course of the past couple of days. King Thumil didn't just want to beat his enemy, he wanted to embarrass them and destroy them from the inside out. No, this young prince would feel the wrath that the king had towards the enemy kingdom.

"Sabine. Time and time again you have proved to be one of my best warriors. I believe a reward is in order. You may have the prince as your slave until we come to a conclusion with the enemy." Sabine's eyes widened in shock as she looked over at the man still bound and tied up. If this was the king's idea of a reward then she would have happily passed it up. Because of that stupid royal and his father she had seen many of her men die in battle and she would have been more then happy to see him rot in a dungeon. Yet she didn't have a choice in this matter and going against the King's wishes was not something one could do.

"Thank you your highness." Sabine said as she bowed to him. This was going to be a very annoying day.

 

[Raziel99]

Everything was going too fast for him, the events flying by him as he tried to get a sense of the reality that was happening around him. He had to slow it down, look at the minute details like he taught himself to do. The ultimate techniques of stealth, as he called it. As his mind slowed down the scene in front of him and he absorbed it, plans upon plans formulated in his mind, wheels within wheels.

The king was rather cocky, thinking that the war would be over in his favor in a short time with such a high profile hostage. The shock of who the infamous Black Knight stunned even Alexander, who’s mind rolled over briefly alternate realities. She had the look of a wench that he would be more than willing to bed over a night of drinking when he wasn’t as pushed as he was as of recently… But those were thoughts that he couldn’t allow. And considering who it was on the outside, on the armor, it was a easy thought to shred.

He had been silent during the whole… rousing… speech that the king had given, and at the crash that the Black Knight would be taking him over as a pseudo-slave, the world crashed back into normal speed in Alexander’s head. He still didn’t have anything mapped out: no plans, no inventory, nothing. He had to see what was left on his person, to see if he could make a break in the long run from the castle.

“A little cheery, aren’t you, Thumil?” Alexander retorted, crawling onto his knees, picking his body up off the floor. “Though you can’t think that using me as a hostage would help you, now, would it?” His eyes narrowed down to daggers, as he pushed forward, moving onto his side. Anyone that wasn’t watching for the smallest detail would have simply thought of it as a aggressive – though pointless – lunge at the king. But, Alexander was checking his side for the hidden dagger. His eyes stayed on the king, but mentally recoiled as he figured the blade was gone. They must have checked him down as he was unconscious. No matter. He got up again, two warriors coming and grabbing at his shoulders. He shook his chest, not hearing the familiar jingle of the small poison bottle hidden within the heirloom necklace he wore.

“My death would be meaningless, should you threaten it.” He growled, pushing forward, his eyes only showing hate, this time landing on his other side before being pulled up to stand, unmoving. “Make me a martyr. Do it.” He knew he wouldn’t. A martyr would be very bad for their victory, doubly so if it was the prince himself sacrificing himself against the king of the enemy nation.

But being wheeled off into whatever hell the Black Knight had ready was not going to be all that terrible. The last lunge his leg press into the two thin pieces of wood that was in his pants. Probably mistaken for eating, but the wood held two small lockpicks. He could kill half the castle with them if he was pressed for weapons…. Not that he wanted to use such a useful tool in that manner.

 

[Devxx]

Sabine watched the events unfold with a critical eye and her hand on her blade. She wouldn't hesitate to cut down Alexander if he made one more threatening move towards the king. Yet her worries were for naught as the guards held him back and Thumil laughed as the prince's protest. "My dear boy, I have no intention of making a maryr of you." The elderly warrior said with a laugh as he looked down at the prince. No, his wits in the battlefield were also present when dealing with politics and he knew better then to kill the prince before him. "I'm sure you'll find out soon enough that there are many things in this world far worse then death." Even though he had a smile on his face, that tone would send shivers down the spine of any mortal man.

He looked over to Sabine and an unspoken promise passed through them. He wanted her to break the prince and leave him as a cowering fool. No one dared speak to him like that in his own castle and he'd be damned if some weak little boy would challenge him. She was to bring down his arrogant attitude so when he was finally released back to his home land he would be little more than a shell of a man. King Thumil was not a forgiving man and ever transgression against him must be paid in full.

"Now get him out of my sight." The king said as the two guards lifted the prince up off the floor and carried him out of the throne room. They had a secure room in the east wing made especially for him where Sabine would meet him once she was done. The girl sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time as she gave her attention back to the king so they could discuss the rest of the battle. This was going to be one very annoying day.

-----------

After finished their meeting Sabine went to her own room and grabbed a few things before going to visit the hostage. There were two armed soldiers outside his room in case he tried to escape. The room itself was little more then a closet with only enough space for a bed and a dresser. The only light came from the three windows which were a good 25 feet off the ground and had bars on them. All in all it looked more like a prison cell then a room. Not even bothering to knock she entered the room with a small bundle in her hands.

"You realize that if you had any sense of self preservation you'd stop talking." She said curtly as she entered. This bit of advise was not given to protect the boy but instead to protect her. If he kept mouthing off then she'd be the one who'd have to hear about it. "The king isn't known for making idle threats so I suggest you learn some manners."

Gone was the imposing black knight and instead stood a young woman. She had changed out of the heavy armor and instead wore a simple pair of trousers and a loose blue tunic. She'd look almost doll like if it wasn't for the dagger that was strapped to her side. "Here, change. You look ridiculous." Sabine said as she threw the gray bundle at him. It contained a pair of trousers and a shirt, the kind that the rest of the slaves wore in the castle. With what he was going to do he wouldn't need to be dressed in royal garb.

 

[Raziel99]

The final words of the king did nothing to send a shiver down his spine. So it was to be torture. He could deal with that. Any marks made on him would be repaid twofold, either by him or his father and army. The weak appearance hid what he could do even without a dagger and poison. No, he wasn’t exceptionally strong. No, he wasn’t highly skilled with a sword like his brother once had been. But, he was fast and stealthy if need be: the underhand to his father. He would be surprised if Thumil had a form of torture that he didn’t know about.

They had – rather unceremoniously – thrown him into a makeshift cell, it seemed. At least there was some light, even if the room was cramped beyond compare. There were two guards outside his room, armed, probably with permission to use force. Stone walls, a bed and cabinet, and only his hidden lockpicks to do anything. Breaking out wouldn’t be easy, though it could be possible… His eyes wandered down to his hand, and saw the nail that was longer than the rest. Good, they didn’t deal with that. And with that, he came up with a small improvised weapon, sitting on the bed and slowly grinding the nail to a sharp tip.

Though he was soon interrupted, his nail only half sharpened when the female knight came into the room, with what may as well have been a curse. “If he kills me, he jeopardizes his part of the war, whether or not it is public or private. If he tortures me, there will be retribution for each abrasion.” He slowly moved his finger from the wall, the side of his finger irritated form rubbing against the stone. He would have to finish that later.

Clothes were tossed to him, dull grays meant to take out the power of the people using them, make them feel less human. He studied the shirt for half a moment before slowly tearing it in half, away from the seams. “My clothing will more than suffice, thank you. But if you could be useful and get me some food, I haven’t eaten anything since you smacked me across the brow with your hilt.” His eyes narrowed slightly to show contempt, but he wanted to see how far these puppets would dance, just to see what stories he could share when he returned home, eventually triumphant in the face of a enemy that thought them better than others.

 

[Devxx]

Gray eyes narrowed in a glare as she listened to him prattle on about what he thought was going to happen. Royals in general had a habit of annoying her but this one was really getting on her nerves. They sat in the comfort of their own castles and had no idea what was really going on in the front lines. She had fought in the war for five years and knew just how things were going on the battlefield. What she had seen was nothing an adviser could tell him, no matter what he thought.

"Are you finished talking?" She asked with a bored expression as she leaned against the wall. "It's true that you're more valuable alive then dead but if you think you're getting out of here with no scars you are sadly mistaken." She was expected to rough him up quite a bit and there were plenty in the castle who would be more then willing to hurt him as well. The dungeon master in particular had told her that if Alexander was giving her any trouble that he would be more then willing to take him off her hands for a bit.

"Your forces are outnumber, your generals are either dead or spread thin and you're losing most of your valuable allies. Despite what you may think your majesty I know that we will win this war very soon and your kingdom will be brought to the ground." A cruel smile played on her face as she looked at him. Yes, losing their prince would be the final nail in the coffin of their demise. Thumil was a warrior through and through and he knew how to win a war. With her leading his troops they would finally end this once and for all.

"I don't think you truly understand what is going on here. Those clothes were to protect you among other things. I won't always be there to look after you and if you draw attention to yourself there are those here who would be very willing to rough you up." It was a true enough statement. She wasn't going to babysit him and if he got himself in trouble she wasn't going to bail him out. Hell, she'd probably sit in the background and watch with amusement.

"So either you wear those clothes or you go naked, either can be arranged." Her hand went to the hilt of her dagger in a way to show him that she was completely serious about all of this. Sabine had spent most of her time in the barracks with other men so it wasn't like she was shy or modest about it. "And if you want food you will ask nicely or you'll get nothing. Don't forget that you're the slave here." This man was getting on her nerves more and more with each passing moment.

 

[Raziel99]

Apparently beating it into her head the way he was wasn’t going to cut it with the black knight. He sighed and laid back as she brought her dagger out in a threatening gesture. He waved it off. “So you say that you’re doing it to ‘protect’ me. I’m pretty sure otherwise.” He tilted his head up, taking a short gaze at the dagger before tilting his head to look deep into her eyes, unflinchingly. “I’m sure you would love to have me naked, wouldn’t you? To have one of royalty bare and beneath you, at your mercy, to do as you wish. It doesn’t matter if it makes a bastard child or not, it’s just the thrill of having so much power over someone that is normally higher than you, hmm?”

His mind seemed to have gone off on itself. On one hand, in another situation, he would have pushed it a different way, if he was home at the castle town taverns with a serving wench. One would never pass up the opportunity to have relations with royalty. But on the other hand, here was one of the enemies, who would just as soon slice his throat. And, who knew what she would do if she DID have his child, from taking over the kingdom and merging it, to making it her own and kicking out his family. It was about now that he shut his own mouth on the subject.

“I would be thankful if you got me another shirt.” He said begrudgingly, as he started to peel off his clothing. The shirt first, leaving the weightless chain around his neck, then his pants, fishing out the two slender pieces of ‘wood’ and putting them to the side before laying back nude, looking up at her. “It will be the cold months soon, and I’ll need something to put on my upper body.” Now may be a good time to escape… No. It would be better to wait when it’s just her out there with me. Many less guards to deal with.

 

[Devxx]

"I assure you that of all the things I would like to do to you, the top being putting your head on a pike, that would be the very last thing to cross my mind." She spat out in disgust as she watched him. She had to deal with many of those kind of comments when she was training and even when she first started yet as she rose through the ranks people started learning that she was a warrior before she was a woman. Alexander was really annoying the hell out of her and she was already trying to think up ways to hurt him without actually killing him. Hell, maybe she could just trip him down a flight of stairs. Or at the very least gag him so she wouldn't have to listen to him talk anymore.

Her eyes traveled over the walls as he got undressed as she wondered if she could convince the king to let him rot in the dungeon instead. Cocky bastard, I hope you freeze she thought to herself as she looked back at him. Walking over to the door she opened it and asked one of the guards to go and get her a slave's shirt. They gave her a curious look but decided not to say anything about it. Right now she didn't trust the prince on his own and would have to keep a sharp eye on him.

"You do realize that things will go a lot better if you stop being a pain. Frankly I have absolutely no desire to be your babysitter and every minute I spend with you makes me regret not killing you when I had the chance." She stated matter-of-factly as she started pacing the room. Warriors were so much easier to deal with then royalty. With them all you did was pull out your sword and battle it out to see who was the best. The victor would walk away a hero and the loser would admit defeat. That was how things were supposed to be, not this insane game of politics that they all played. Right now she was beginning to feel more like his slave then the other way around.

 

[Raziel99]

He had figured as much. “I’m sure you would love to see me dead at this point. Hell, I’m sure you would have enjoyed that before, because of this inane war. But my death would have a two-fold effect on you. Not only would your precious king put you further under his thumb, but more of your knights would die from the renewed efforts of my kingdom. Not that you seem to mind killing them in the droves in your massive land grab for your king.” It was the first time that he went off on a small talk without a cause to provoke, and he laid back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling.

His body stretched out, surprisingly lithe for a man, though with the obvious muscles hiding beneath the skin. He was no warrior, no, but he could move if need be. Training for years did that to one. And as he lifted his head up to look at her again, feeling the waves of aggravation, he knew that he would have to lie low on it for at least a while longer. “Fighting over who started this war would be useless.” He said in a low voice, looking back up at the high ceiling. “Many people have died as per the orders of their lords. We all were a part of that: Us, our kings, the knights, anyone that listened to high ranking people. Sure, my death would be valid for the blood that is on my hands, and my fathers.”

He stood up, facing away from her and pulling the pants on, tying them at the hips, the light shining on a bright white, long, very thin scar down his back, before he laid down, closing his eyes. “My duty is still to my father, my king. And I may not be a warrior, but anyone that underestimates me will pay for that.”

 

[Devxx]

"And my duty will always be to my king, my country and my men. I will do everything I can to protect them and I regret nothing I've done for them." Her tone was even though a bit defensive. Both sides were responsible for a war that had gone on for far too long and taken the lives of far too many people. Yet she was taught to always be loyal to what the king said and do everything in her power to help the kingdom. That was why she had willingly become the black knight even if it came with a price.

Sabine couldn't help but notice the thin scar on his back as he got dressed. For a minute she toyed with asking him where it was from but decided against it. They all bore their own scars from battles and from life and it wasn't really any of her business where he got it from. A knock on the door pulled her attention away as a guard entered with another shirt. Taking it she handed it over to Alexander and hoped he'd put it on without any more complaints. The king had expected her to break him but all that she was doing was letting him get under her skin. Being in this tiny room was starting to annoy her and she wanted some fresh air.

"Get dressed and follow me. I have work to do and you're going to help." This wasn't a request, it was a demand. She wasn't going to let him get in the way of her work. They still had many things they needed to prepare for the coming battles and she needed to go over the supplies. Waiting for him to get dressed she opened the door and started leading the way down the hall and towards the stables. The two guards started to follow before she dismissed them. Right now she needed to focus on the task at hand and that would be easier to do without the men breathing over her. Besides, she should be able to deal with Alexander on her own.

 

[Raziel99]

“Not regretting death makes you blood thirsty. Regretting death makes you weak and unfit. I did not ask you whether you regretted what you have done in the war. I simply stated that the casualties of this war were beyond our ultimate control as long as we stay loyal to those above us.” He grabbed the shirt swiftly from mid air, sliding into it with little effort. Tucking the chain underneath the collar, he didn’t look too much of royalty now. Maybe this wasn’t the first time in this sort of clothing?

When she turned around as she ordered him to come and stand like a obedient man as she did her work, he grabbed the two wood shafts and hid them in his pant leg before following. The castle parts were a little dingy, definitely needing cleaning. It wasn’t long before she sent away the knights, and they were in the stables.

He looked around, and figured that this would be a good place to cause some havoc. He bid his time, doing what she instructed him to do, for about a half hour. When she seemed to think he was being complacent, he acted. With no prying eyes, he untied all the horses with nimble fingers, silently undoing locks. When all the horses were ‘freed’… He ran to the front doors, kicking them open before going into the stalls, smacking the horses on the rear and jumping the short walls, getting them to run out of the stables…

 

[Devxx]

For the most part things had been quiet and she had thought he had finally learned to be quiet and let her work. She examined the horses one by one with a chart in her hand as she made some marks here and there for specific horses. In total there were about 12 stallions in the stable at the moment considering most of them were still out with the captains and generals out on the battlefields. Usually the stable hands would be able to handle everything by themselves but every now and then she would look them over just to make sure they were up to par. You always had to be careful and make sure the horse was in top shape so that it wouldn't slip up during a battle and cost someone their lives.

Of course she should have known better then to trust Alexander and soon enough she was cursing herself for not keeping a closer eye on him. The horses ran past her as he untied them and opened the gates and set them free. Within minutes the alarm was sounded and dozens of men came running out into the field to try and bring them back under control. A few were caught in a short amount of time but most had run off into the surrounding forest and it would be hours until they were found. Of course that asshole would pull something like this. It was her own fault for getting so engrossed in her own work and not paying enough attention to what he was doing. She was going to pay dearly for her mistake and she'd make sure he'd get what was coming to him too.

"You're going to regret that." Sabine said icily as she grabbed him by the collar and shook him roughly. Right now she would really like to run him through with her blade but that wasn't allowed and that was probably the kind of reaction he was expecting. No, if she was going to break him she'd have to go about this in a completely different way.

-------

"Sabine. You were supposed to watch him and control him not the other way around. I'm disappointed in you." Thumil said as he watched her bow before him. Most of the horses had been caught by now but the very idea that a hostage prince had managed to make such a mess infuriated him. This was his black knight for god's sake and she was having trouble controlling a slave. This wasn't how things were supposed to happen. He had heard that Alexander was exceptionally bright but he had thought his knight would be more then a match for the young prince. Word had already been sent out to his father of his capture and they couldn't risk anything happening now.

"I'm sorry sire. I promise it won't happen again." She said, her head still bowed in shame as she grit her teeth. Alexander had made her look like a fool in front of the king and she wasn't going to stand for it. No, she'd make sure he paid dearly for what he had done. "See that it doesn't." Thumil said before waving his hand to dismiss her.

Walking out of the throne room she called over the captain of the guards responsible for watching him. "He's going to pay for this." She said with a glare as she walked over to him. "I want your men to bind his arms and make sure he is secure of all weapons." Already a plan was formulating in her head and she had every intention of carrying it out to the t.

 

[Raziel99]

“Regret what?” He said as she roughly grabbed him by the collar and shook him. “After you knocked me upside the head and laid me out unconscious for god knows how long, I suppose it’s fitting that you can’t ultimately control me without making me go unconscious.”

Even with the turmoil, he was slightly surprised with the speed that he was led and thrown bodily into his room. Slightly.

He bid his time by sharpening down the other edge of his nail, finish just a little in time to have the captain come in and tie his hands down. He hid the nail in the palm of his hand, felt himself being patted down. They didn’t find anything, and they left him lying on his bed. For a moment, he thought that he could – and should – cut through the bindings on his wrists. After a moment of thinking, though, he figured it would be a bad idea, one of two weapons he had being found and removed too quickly. So instead he sat and waited, back against the stone wall.

Thankfully, it wasn’t long before miss Black Knight herself was pounding in his door. “Well, look who it is.” He said in a low voice, not even bothering with looking up to her. “I’m guessing that you found the horses. At least most of them, anyway. And in a handful of hours, no less! And while you and your men are out on such a… important venture, I’ve been sitting here, starving to death because my oh-so-gracious jailor refuses to get me food. You CAN starve to death, you know.”

 

[Devxx]

She clenched her fists as she felt her blood boiling as she walked into his room. He was just sitting there as smug as ever as she entered. Just looking at him made her want to start removing appendages but that wasn't really an option right now. No, when dealing with Alexander she'd have to change the way she went about handling things. Reacting to him with brute force would accomplish nothing and would probably just serve to play right into his hands. This was a different battle entirely and her battle plan would have to be very unorthodox when dealing with him. Of course now she wasn't going to take any chances with him after the stunt he had just pulled. He was a lot smarter then she had thought him to be and she wasn't going to make the mistake of underestimating him again.

"Starving to death would probably be a godsend to you." She said as she walked over to where he was sitting. "Do you really think that after what you just did I'd come in here with food?" He couldn't possibly think that she was actually going to humor him and feed him. No, he was just being the same annoying man he was before.

She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up so he was standing up. She might be smaller then him but years of training had made her strong enough to compete with most men. She pulled his collar down so they were face to face while her body was up against him giving him very little personal space. "You did something very stupid and now I'm going to have to deal with that." There was a smile on her face now though it was anything but friendly. In fact there was something quite unsettling about the way she was looking at him.

"So tell me Alexander, what exactly do you think is going to happen to you?' She was honestly curious as to just how he saw the situation. He seemed to pride himself in his mental prowess but would he know just what she had in mind for him. Chances were he'd just give her some snarky comment or start complaining but it would still be a chance to see his point of view on the situation.

 

[Raziel99]

“No, I didn’t expect you to return to here with food. And no, I would rather not starve to death. I have heard that it is a very painful way to die, and not very easy to reverse once it’s fully set in. Though explaining that to you probably will make you more likely to do it anyway.” He would have crossed his arms over his chest if they weren’t bound behind his back. Alas…

It was a sudden surprise that she yanked him up to stand, then down to her level, her body nearly pressed against his, eyes meeting, and for a half second his eyes flashed a hint of worry before shielding themselves behind steel determination once more. She was serious about injury this time. She wanted revenge for the trouble he made her take.

“What do I think is going to happen to me?” He said, almost sarcastic. He knew that she already had some sort of demented torture ready in her mind, and she knew that he knew this. So why would she say such a thing? “I have a myriad of torture ways in my mind, many probably worse that what you have already thought up for me. So why would I give you more interesting ways to dispose of me, or otherwise harm me? Surely you don’t believe you can buy cooperation with fires and pain.”

 

[Devxx]

For a minute she actually entertained the thought of letting him starve to death. Maybe by the third day he would actually be too weak to speak and she could finally get some peace. Sadly a half starved prince wouldn't be a very good hostage and as much as she might want it there was no way Thumil was going to go for it. She'd have to get him some food eventually but that didn't mean she couldn't push her limits just a bit more before feeding him.

"No, I don't believe I can buy your cooperation with pain. If you were another warrior all I'd have to do was beat you in battle and it would be settled. Unfortunately it doesn't seem like that will work either." There was still an unsettling smile on her face as she pulled him closer so their faces were only a couple of inches apart. Admittedly what she had in mind for him was unorthodox and wouldn't have been her first choice when dealing with him but it was becoming more and more appealing by the minute. Maybe it was all about power, the ability to use it and manipulate it to get what she wanted. True that she couldn't change his mind and make him do what she wanted willingly but that didn't mean she couldn't exert some power over his body.

She pressed her body closer to him so that he was pretty much pinned between her and the wall. "So tell me your highness, how much control do you think you have over yourself? Mind and body." She whispered in his ear as her other hand snaked around his neck and pulled him closer to her. It was almost too ridiculous to be possible but here it was. The enemy prince pressed up against the wall with the black knight pinning him there. Her fingers twirled a lock of his hair as she waited for him to answer.

 

[Raziel99]

“You think that I cannot fight? Pah. I can probably defeat most of your warriors as long as they weren’t armored.” It was a rather big boast, though not completely untrue. If they were all separated in different rooms, he would have the constant, unfair advantage of surprised. But if they all were watching in one on one… Every trick that he had would soon be exhausted, and he was sure he would eventually be beaten down.

A sudden rush filled him as she pushed him against the wall, pushing her body against him, and instantly he knew where she was going in this form of… torture. Torture? He was interested in seeing how far she would go with this. Her lips near his ear, whispering, almost sounded lustful… And he couldn’t help as he felt his blood begin to boil. “I believe I have a good control of my body and mind.” He whispered back, a low, husky tone that he hoped spiked some sort of desire in her, if only to throw her off. “Another time and place, I’m sure I would greatly enjoy this… torture… that you are trying to insinuate.” The slight smirk was audible in his voice, even in the deep thrull of wish in it.

“So make your move, Black Knight. Let’s see what you are capable of.”

 

[Devxx]

She smirked against him as she continued to run his hair through her fingers. It seemed like he had finally gotten the point of what she was trying to do and it didn't seem like he was going to fight it as much as she thought he was going to. It was still the same battle but the battlefield had changed from a battle of words to a more physical one. He was still as arrogant as ever but she'd just have to see what it took to finally get that stupid smirk off his face. Slowly her lips moved from his ear and brushed down his neck. She still had him pressed up against the wall with his hands tied as hands started to move along his shoulders and arms, getting a sense of the muscle beneath.

"You do realize that pretty much everyone outside this castle thinks I'm a grown man." There was a little chuckle in her voice as she started to kiss his neck. "What's your father and kingdom going to think when they hear what kind of games you've been playing with the black knight." It was a fair enough point to bring on. Whenever she left the castle she was always either in her armor or would never mention the fact that she was the knight so no one knew otherwise. Besides, in this society people were hard pressed to think that a woman could possibly stand up on her own and lead an army to victory. No one would believe otherwise or they would claim it was all a trick because it hurt their pride to much to think that they were bested by a woman.

Sabine's hand trailed down his chest and she found herself regretting that she actually gave him a new shirt. It looked like this one was going to have to get ruined too considering she had no intention of leaving him with the use of his hands. This might be her plan but she wasn't dumb enough to give him free range of all his mobility. His whole purpose was to cause trouble and escape and who knew what would be going through his mind while she was otherwise preoccupied.

 

[Raziel99]

“Who said that I would be spreading such words?” He said, his voice a little louder now that she moved her ear away, though it still held those husky tones. “Maybe I’ll keep these moments to myself, and nobody would be the wiser that my ‘torture’ was something I highly enjoyed? Maybe when I’m taken from this hellhole, I’ll make it so you are forced to come as well, either as knight or woman? Either way, it’ll be hard pressed to spread that I was with a MAN.”

His head lowered, and he purposefully nipped at her shoulder. It wasn’t nearly hard enough for him to damage her. In fact, it was almost playful in the way he did it. “And maybe I suspected that you were a female all along, being as fast and silent at you are in armor.” It was a complete bluff, the first time in a long time that he lied completely through his teeth, but he was rather good at it, seemingly serious.

“Untie me. I have no reason to run. Not with two guards outside the room. Even if I got you as a hostage, I doubt the king would save you to let me escape. He wants this war to end in his favor. Not that I wish you harm… as long as I don’t get it in return from you.” It was a dangerous promise. He saw something there that may not actually be there. But she didn’t really ‘punish’ him for getting her in such trouble with the stable incident mere hours before. Maybe it was about time to start showing some sort of niceness to her.

 

[Devxx]

"Heh, I doubt that. Half my troops still think I'm a very effeminate man just so they wouldn't have to worry about being led by a woman." It would be kind of funny to see what kind of reaction his father would have if that little bit of news was let out. She traced his jaw line with her tongue as her hand kept moving over his body. A small chuckle escaped her as he nipped her shoulder. It seemed like this was one torture he was willing to participate in.

"Right, after what you just did I should have such faith in what you say." She said as she quirked her eyebrow. Admittedly there was no way he was going to get out of this room alive and she could probably handle him on a one on one basis but that didn't mean she wasn't hesitant about letting him free of his bindings. He was tricky and probably had a few plans up his sleeve that could get her into even more trouble. Still, it would make this whole thing more interesting if they stood on more even ground instead of her obvious advantage over him. Wrestling with the idea for a bit she decided that maybe it would be worth the risk just this once.

Taking the dagger out of her hilt she turn him around so that his front was too the wall and she had a better view of the bindings. They were simple rope ties meant to be effective but not pretty. With one quick slice the shredded ropes were on the ground in a clump and his hands were free. There would be some slight bruising considering the captain wasn't exactly gentle but it shouldn't be anything too bad. "I do hope you know that if you try anything stupid I won't hesitate to stick my dagger somewhere very painful." She threatened as she leaned into his ear before kissing him there.

 

[Raziel99]

“I am not saying that you should have faith in what I say. But, have I been wrong yet?” He half held his breath before she turned him around, chest against the wall, cutting the rope bindings off his wrists. He turned back around, hands rubbing his wrists from the soreness before he felt her whispered threat and kiss against his ear.

“Oh, you have nothing to worry about.” He whispered back, nipping at her earlobe before slipping out of her grasp, lying back on the bed. “I’ve played with the idea of taking the control, as little of the actual event would change if I did. But, this is supposed to be ‘punishment,’ so I think it would be best to leave you in your power.” He did grab her by the shoulder, pulling her down on top of him, leaning his head up slightly and whispering huskily in her ear. “But I won’t hold back if you go too slow.”

He pushed her up slightly, and slid out of his shirt with a speed that made one wonder just how accustomed he was to such clothing. “Now, as you were going…”

 

[Devxx]

"I don't expect you to." She said with a grin as she looked down on him. It was funny thinking how the day had started and how they had ended up. Just this morning she was about ready to throw him off of a very tall tower and here she was straddling him. Admittedly this probably wasn't what the king was expecting when he had deemed that the prince become her slave but that wasn't really bothering her at the moment. Besides, if he was her slave she should be able to do whatever she wanted with him and she had every intent of doing so.

Licking her lips she leaned her head down to his neck before she started sucking and biting it gently. Her hands slid over his arms before raising them above his head and pinning them there to give her easier access to his body. She slid her body over his so her clothed chest rubbed against his naked one. Sabine did plan on teasing him for a bit just to see how his body would react to her own. "See, now don't we get along a lot better when you stop being an ass." She said jokingly as she left marks on his neck. She had promised him in the beginning that he wouldn't be leaving the palace unmarked but this probably wasn't what she had meant.

Her ass rubbed against his crotch from her position of sitting on top of him. Getting bored of teasing she kissed up his jawbone before finally claiming his lips in her own. Red lips pressed against his as she pushed deeper into him deepening the kiss. There wasn't anything romantic or innocent about the gesture, it was all about claiming power over the other.

 

[Raziel99]

He forced no sound to come from his lips as her fingers and lips played over his body and neck. The soft kissing and nipping along his neck would be enough to drive a normal man into heat. But, he wasn’t a normal man, at least mentally. “Yes, we do get along better when you stop provoking me.” He said, in an equally teasing tone back to her. Where he was surprised with his hands held together up above his head by both of hers. He didn’t bother to struggle – whether by accident or purposefully, she had a finger resting on a pressure point on each of his wrists, able to numb him if he just struggled against them.

She was good with her teasing. Very good at her teasing, her clothed chest making his back arch a little against her, her ass’ grinding against his length making him hard rather easily. Even through the rougher kiss, he wondered, though shared, deepening it, pushing forward to show that it would take much more than this to make him subservient… though there was a slight tinge of something more in his response.

“Considering that you… masquerade as a man in armor, it wouldn’t be such a stretch to think you were unaccustomed to the non-violent gift, then?” He said after the kiss, his eyes looking directly into hers. He would get a answer either from her lips or her eyes. Eyes weren’t good at hiding things.

 

[Devxx]

She chuckled slightly at his comment as she kissed him deeper. His body was responding to her and she could feel him get hard under her. Breaking the kiss she sat up and let go of his hands which were probably sore from the rope and being pinned. It was kind of funny having the enemy under her. An arrogant prince who earlier she had knocked out and brought to the castle as a hostage was now squirming under her body.

"I don't masquerade as a man. it's simply that no one assumes I could be anything other then a man." She said simply as her finger started to lightly trace over his chest and stomach. It was true enough anyway. Never had she actually said she was a man when someone asked her while she was in armor. It was just that whenever they say the menacing figure in black armor they just assumed it was a battle hardened man under it. Her hands rubbed over his chest, teasing the skin beneath. Surprisingly he was better built then she had expected. Admittedly he wasn't built like a tank but the muscles were lithe and his body seemed to be made more for speed and endurance then brute strength.

"You could say that." Sabine said, her eyes turning darker as if she was thinking back to something she'd sooner forget. "My body can be hurt in ways yours' cant so before I became the black knight it was a priority for me to try and block as much of those ways as possible." The memory wasn't exactly something she liked to think about. It was dangerous to be a woman on the battlefield and even more so if she got captured. An enemy would use any means necessary to get information out of her.

 

[Raziel99]

He was well aware of the different disadvantages that a woman had that a man didn’t. But thinking that this powerful yet soft woman that held him under her having it forcibly taken away from her just so she could do what she wished… His own eyes darkened at the thought of it. “Where is this man that did this deed.” He said, his voice a tinge darker than it had before. He did not take such abuse lightly.

He sat up, his eyes, though darkened by the thought of this man, still burned with a fire, now kindled and fueled with a greater need than just to take her punishment. His hands slid down her body, teasing her hips before slowly pushing her shirt up. “You must understand that some men aren’t the forceful barbarians that you must be accustomed to in combat.” He said in a low voice, slowly lifting her shirt to the bottom of her breasts, but stopping there. He knew better than to force her to this now, and that she would probably have second thoughts about following through after remembering that tragedy.

“I am not a barbarian knight.” He said in a low voice, kissing her shoulder, then neck, before hovering a inch away from her lips, eyes on hers. “Nor am I a butcher of men, nor a gruff old king. It was my choice to become knowledgeable of the body and its weaknesses – in torture and otherwise – just as it was my brother’s choice to be a knight. I offer not of pain to you, unlike another would. Relax and let me uphold that offer, just as I uphold your right for retribution done unto you.”