Dreadlords Prisoners Dilemma

[Edric]

Edric walked slowly alongside Duncan, the sound of chirping birds and buzzing insects surrounding them as they made their way along the edge of the Rogue Dreadlord’s fortress. ”So…”

He hadn’t really had the time to ask, and truthfully he hadn’t wanted to either. Though he was never shy of questions for Duncan, Gilram, and even some of the others, this subject was one that he hadn’t quite known how to approach. Perhaps it was because he feared what the answer would be.

”What are you going to do to him?” Edric hadn’t known Wilhelm Anireth for long, hell, he barely knew the other boy at all…but there was an odd kinship the two of them had formed in their very brief time together. At the very least, he didn’t want to see the Prince turned into mush. ”I mean, are you going to torture him?”

He asked, causing Duncan to almost immediately stop.

The older Dreadlord gave Edric a look that he had seen a thousand times before. It seemed to say; Why would you ask a question that is so entirely stupid?

“Edric, the King is a puppet.” A frown touched the younger Rogue’s face, not entirely sure what that had to do with anything. “He is not inside the government, has no information pertaining to military movements, stations, or even the placement of Dreadlords beyond those surrounding him.”

There was a brief pause, and then Duncan sighed as he put the last pieces in place for Edric. “Do you think his wayward son, recently returned after a fifteen year absence is inclined to know more?”

Ah. Yeah that was a good point. ”Oh.”

Edric said as Duncan shook his head and continued walking.

“Besides, we have three people on hand who can read minds. We don’t really need to torture anyone.” Goosebumps ran over the back of the younger Dreadlord’s skin, but he kept him face the same even mask of simplicity it had been before. He had long since learned to stay away from those particular people when they made their way to the fortress. A glimpse from them might as well have been a death sentence for him.

”So what are we going to do with him?” Edric asked curiously, genuinely not quite understanding the purpose of even taking the Prince.

Duncan stayed quiet for a moment, then glanced over at Edric with a smile. “Well, I think we’ll start by being nice.”

Wilhelm Anireth | Chasmine

 

[Chasmine]

Since the initial debacle with the entity presently residing within the young Prince, Chasmine had once more been resting within the amulet worn around Edric's neck. Her attempt at possessing Wilhelm having been rather abruptly and violently rebuffed, the ghost of Chasmine Grey had said not a single word on the matter since. She was nursing wounds only creatures of her nature were capable of rendering.

Whatever it was she'd encountered had been powerful and she wholly unprepared for it.

So she slept, but now that they'd reached the safety of one of their headquarters again and the discussion recommenced, she was awake. Or at least, well enough to make herself aware to the topic at hand.

"May I suggest taking him some tea?" Chasmine's hollow voice offered, echoing from the amulet like a faint bell.

 

[Wilhelm Anireth]

"Where the fuck did he get a harmonica from?" Lars complained as Wil blew another melancholy tune. It wasn't that the Prince was bad at the instrument, it was just that he only seemed to know the one song. It was grating after a while. Karlos ducked his head - it was a tell of his Lars had learnt long ago. It was why he always won poker when Karlos was playing.

"Well 'e looked bored Sarg, an' well--"

"He looked bored?! He's a fucking prisoner, Karlos. We ain't meant to entertain 'im!"

Karlos ducked his head again and fiddled with his bladed spear.

"'e's still a prince though ain't he Sarg? Shouldn't be treatin' royals like that Sarg, whatever the situation might be," Lars ran a hand down his face and ran through a curated list, honed over the years, of why he shouldn't punch his friend. At this point in their friendship it had become more of a mantra.

Wil chose that moment to play the note signalling the start of the song once more. All that anger that had been heading Karlos' way suddenly rounded on the Prince.

"Oh for Kress' sake. Give me that!"

 

[Edric]

"Not a terrible idea, Chasmine." Duncan said and then raised a hand, stopping for only a second to look flumoxed, and then grab Edric's own palms. He forcefully held out the younger Dreadlord's hands, grabbing a loose brick from the crumbling wall behind him and placing it into his companions hands.

Confusion flickered over the Rogue's face, but Duncan offered only nonsense in response.

"Fyr De'Tea Aggrellish!"​

Edric blinked at the incantation that spilled out of the older Dreadlord's mouth, but before he could say anything, the brick in his hand suddenly shifted. Flattening out within a matter of moments to become a large tray, upon which was placed a teapot as well as several cups seconds later. "Did you...did you just summon tea?"

The young Rogue asked, utterly bewildered.

"Transmuted." Duncan argued with a smile, wiggling his fingers. "There's more to magic than just killing people with it."

He said, rolling his eyes with a brief smile before he motioned for Edric to move along. "Come on, I hear Karlos and Lars fighting again."

Edric had more than a dozen questions, mostly about how Duncan had come to know such a transmutation spell, but asked none of them as they continued. A short trek to the two of them, or perhaps three, into the dungeon where Wil was being kept. The two young Rogue Dreadlord Guards once again finding themselves in some sort of argument as Lars plucked what appeared to be a Harmonica from the prisoner.

Duncan stepped inside, followed shortly by Edric carrying his now tray of tea. "Ah gentleman, well done Guarding."

The older Dreadlord said, knowing the two simpletons didn't get many compliments from the others.

"But that will be all for now." A flashed smile towards the two men were all the goodbyes they received.

Edric shot Wil what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

 

[Chasmine]

Unawares of the transmutation taking place beyond the comments of Ed and Duncan, Chasmine could only wonder at what was going on beyond the confines of the amulet.

"Did you...did you just summon tea?"

"Transmuted." Duncan argued with a smile, wiggling his fingers. "There's more to magic than just killing people with it."

"Indeed," she offered her agreement with the elder Dreadlord, "Duncan has many useful talents with magic."

She had seen enough of him performing small, and what others would categorize as mundane tasks, and found them to be quite wonderful in the grand scheme of everyday living. It made her feel better about all her own mundane little skills she'd perfected on her own beyond the classes of the Academy.

Like making tea mixes and medicinal remedies. How useful they had been to so many other Initiates. She wondered if anyone had bothered to clear out that which remained in storage in her dorm.

 

[Wilhelm Anireth]

"Hey!" Wil protested as Lars tore the harmonica from his hands. It had been the only thing keeping him sane - making the guards irritable. He'd been watching them for hours and the way Lars' shoulders had grown tighter and tighter with every round of the song. He'd had a bet with himself on just how many times he could play Not in Dornoch before the man erupted.

Lars looked as though he was going to do more than just take the harmonica when the door banged open and in strode the Dreadlords. A hissing from his ring suddenly filled his head. So the ghost was here too, was she? He warily looked from Edric to Duncan and back, attempting to guess which one she inhabited. He had no intentions of repeating that again and neither did the sorcerer who had bound himself to Wil.

"I told you I don't know shit," he glared, more so at Edric than Duncan. He'd thought Edric had been his... friend sounded like a dumb word now, knowing what he was - who he was. "Just let me go, my father probably hasn't even realised I'm gone. Doesn't have to be any trouble."

 

[Edric]

Duncan looked around for a moment, grabbing a chair that had been left by one of the Guards and placing it in front of Wil. "Yes my boy, I'm very well aware that you don't know shit."

The older Dreadlord said with a flash of a smile.

"I am not here to interrogate you." There was a friendly, almost jovial nature to the way that he spoke. In fact, Duncan had the friendliest disposition of anyone that Wil had yet to meet at the little encampment. There didn't seem to be a hint of grump about him. "I'd just like to have a conversation."

He looked up at Edric for a brief moment, then motioned to the tray in the younger boys hand. "I'm going to be honest, I don't know much about you personally. I know both you and your sister were sent off to Althhaven, but other than that? Not much. You've been rather sidelined haven't you?"

Duncan questioned, a tinge of sympathy in his voice.

"Believe it or not, I can well understand being overlooked." Edric frowned at the comment, not quite knowing Duncan's meaning. The man was, as far as the younger Rogue could tell, one of Gilram's most important lieutenants. "But first, tea?"

The Dreadlord said with a gesture towards Edric.

 

[Chasmine]

Edric would feel the amulet against his chest positively sting with cold.

Chasmine did NOT like being near Wil or the thing possessing him.

 

[Wilhelm Anireth]

Duncan's words struck a sensitive spot and Wil found his teeth grinding together. Side-lined was the best way to summarise what his parents had done to him, even since returning home, but that didn't make it any less painful to hear. Not the heir. Not even really the spare, not with his sister. He was just... a problem, as his father liked to keep reminding him.

He glanced to Edric then back to the offered tea. It could be poisoned...

"So you just came here to insult me, is that it?" he scooted further back into the cell so he could keep the pair of them in his line of sight.

Find that girl, the sorcerer hissed within his mind. Do not let her touch you again.

 

[Edric]

"I'd really only be insulting you as much as I've been insulted myself." Duncan pointed out as Edric stood awkwardly holding the tray of tea.

"As I said." The Older Dreadlord smiled. "I can well understand being overlooked."

With an absent wave towards his companion, the man continued. "Unlike Edric over here, I was hardly the star of my class. Among my peers I was considered the runt. Most of the Proctors thought I wasn't going to make it, more than half of them never even bothered to teach me a single thing. Just assuming one of the others would end my life on the tower."

His eyes flickered over Wil, taking an estimation.

"I was thought to be of little worth. Weak, a magic only for memory." He mused for a moment. "It's awful, isn't it? Feeling like an afterthought."

 

[Chasmine]

And this... this was the story Duncan had told to her when she initially arrived after tracking the presence of Gilram across Arethil's leylines. This was why she had grown rather fond of Duncan. The pair of them shared a great deal between them where the Academy was concerned. Everything he had just told the Prince was something she could say, without any changes, about herself.

Except for the fact that she had, of course, died before graduation.

"It is awful..." Chas quietly echoed Duncan, mostly to herself.

 

[Wilhelm Anireth]

Wil didn't like how easy it was for this Duncan to hit him in one of his most vulnerable places. He tried not to show how much the older Dreadlord had struck a nerve by folding his arms and plastering on his signature lazy smirk. Just an airheaded Prince, too focused on drinking and gambling to have any real thoughts of his own. To be anything more than a mild nuisance for his parents.

"So this is an attempt at converting me to the dark side is it? Don't see why you're wasting your time folks. I have no magic, no power. I can't offer you anything. As you so kindly pointed out, my parents would rather I didn't exist - would certainly make their lives easier. Probably couldn't even get you a decent amount in ransom money. Best to just let me go really."

 

[Edric]

Duncan let out a long sigh, signaling that he was likely growing more than a little tired of rebellious and obstinate teenagers. Not many who had defected with Gilram were known for their patience. In fact, he was one of the few who had any sort at all. If it was Erodin sitting in his chair Wil would likely already have half his soul split from his body.

Not that the psychopath would ever be allowed near any of the children. If Duncan had his way, both he and his wife would long since be dead. ”I don't want to ‘convert’ you.”

The Older Dreadlord corrected, deciding not to point out the obvious flaw in Wil’s logic about ransome. Even if he was entirely unwanted, which Duncan very much doubted that he was, the boy still carried the title of Prince. The Republic couldn't afford to just leave him out to dry, not when they'd tried so hard to pin some consistency on the Monarchy.

No, Wil would fetch quite the ransom, but that wasn't being left to Duncan.

”It’s very unlikely that anyone here would ever trust you, except maybe him.” Duncan jerked his thumb at the fool carrying the tray of tea. ”And as you so helpfully pointed out, you have no magic.”

His eyes stayed trained on Wil, but there was something unspoken in the Dreadlords eyes. As though he knew what he should not. ”But, that hardly means I can't use you for my own ends.”

Duncan said, refreshingly open with his motivations.

”To which end, I am going to actually let you go.” The Older Dreadlord said, letting out an over exaggerated groan as he pushed himself up from the chair. Stretching slightly and making his way towards the door, glancing back towards a shocked looking Edric before continuing. ”To a point, anyway. I wouldn't really try to leave the fortress grounds. The Falwood really doesn't like us, and it'd be pretty embarrassing having to tell people we lost the Prince of Vel Anir when he got smashed by a tree.”

The Dreadlords chuckled to himself, then motioned to his fellow Rogue. ”Show him around, would you Ed?”

He said, not really making it seem like a question before he began to whistle. Departing the dungeon before anyone could really ask him any questions.

Edric, for his part, stood there with a look of utter confusion painted across his features. Brows furrowed and lips pressed to a thin line, his hands suddenly shoving the tea tray forward. Tossing it onto Duncan's now empty chair before making his feelings known. ”What the fuck was that all about?”

He complained.

 

[Chasmine]

Duncan was so nice.

But Chasmine was not so certain if letting him loose among the others was a good idea. In this cell he and his inhabitant were contained. Now that she knew of it and its nature, it made Wil much more of a threat than anyone would ever guess.

"Edric..." she hushed to him, "I don't trust him."

 

[Wilhelm Anireth]

Well that made no fucking sense. Wil resisted the urge to rub his temples as Duncan left but grunted in agreement with Edric before he could stop himself which made him scowl in the young lads direction. He couldn't like the other Dreadlord anymore. They might have been friends during the tournament when he was Lord Whats-his-face, and even when he had discovered he had lied he'd been willing to forgive, but kidnapping?! And setting his weird ghost girlfriend on him.

He eyed the other man up distrustfully then leapt to his feet.

"You heard the man, I'm free. Open it up. And can I please get a Kress damned drink?"

 

[Edric]

Chasmine's hushed whisper echoed in his head. "Why?"

Edric asked in what he thought was a quiet enough tone for Wil not to hear, his voice little more than a murmur.

"He's fine, Duncan doesn't seem to think he's much of a threat." Plus, he was pretty sure that if it came down to it he could snap the Prince's neck on his own. He hadn't even gotten to fight Wil's friend, but Edric had always been good at sizing up those around him. "It'll be okay."

The rogue assured Chasmine, turning back towards his charge and gesturing towards the door that Duncan had left open.

"Come on." Edric said, determined not to spend any more time in the dungeons than he had to. "We'll get you something less...bricky."

He contended, stepping out into the daylight and leading Wil into the greater fortress. The huge stone tower standing isolated among the forest of the Falwood. As they came out from below, more than a few people greeted them with friendly words or curt nods.

The grounds almost reminiscent of a university.

 

[Chasmine]

Chasmine fretted in silence. Were she alive and whole, it would have clearly shown on her face through the lines deeply forming on her face.

Alas.

"Duncan doesn't know about his ... passenger..." she whispered back to Ed.

 

[Wilhelm Anireth]

"Bricky?" Wil repeated beneath his breath. Did the guy think humour would soften him up for... whatever the hell it was that Duncan guy was planning. The prince frowned to himself as he followed Edric out of the cell. That man was the real brains in the operation which made him the dangerous one. Sure, Edric could probably crush his head with whatever voodoo magic he possessed, but Duncan could destroy him no doubt in other ways.

"I'd really like that drink," he said a little louder as they crossed a courtyard. Looked like the same pompous shithole Kezzie had studied in, though he definitely got the feeling more people here might kill him for a laugh. Wil shrugged to himself; if he got a drink first dying might not be so bad.

 

[Edric]

Edric tried to conceal the stumble in his step as Chasmine's whisper rang through his mind. Goosebumps rolled up the length of his spine, trickling across the hairs on his neck until eventually coming to a stop upon his scalp. He tried to keep his footing even, his lips pressing to a thin line. "THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN?!"

He whispered through clenched teeth.

It was shortly becoming obvious that this ghost shit was extremely obnoxious. A world beyond the world, veiled in more secrets than you could ever hope to ask for.

"Yeah!" Edric said enthusiastically to Wil. "You and me fucking both."

The Rogue grumbled, letting out a sigh and cutting towards the left of the tower. There weren't any official bars at the outpost of course, mostly because no one had any money, but with this many people over age about there was always a place to drink. That was where Edric took Wil now, a bar, of sorts, on the lower falls of the fortress.

A retreat, if one populated by people who could kill you with a breath.

 

[Chasmine]

Chasmine's presence shrunk at being swore at and went silent.

 

[Wilhelm Anireth]

Wil cast the Dreadlord an odd look and subtly took a step further away from him. It was never a good sign when a man began talking to himself, even worse when that man held magic. Best to keep as much distance as possible between them to give him the healthy advantage of escape should he need it.

The Prince's eyes lit up at the sight of a variety of bottles behind the crude bar. In his past he had drunk in far worse shitholes, and had drunk far less tasteful liquors. Clearly these Dreadlords were accustomed to finer things. No doubt stolen given the state of a few of them but really theft felt quite low on the criminal charges that could be levelled against those in whose company he found himself.

"Ah, whiskey - perfect," he reached for a bottle and glass.

 

[Edric]

”Chasmine?!” Edric whispered hastily. ”Chasmine?”

He repeated her name another time, none of the urgency lost as he and Wil made the trip. The fortress wasn't exactly huge, but every now and again he would take a corner faster than his ‘companion’ or slow down just enough so that he could hastily whisper the ghost's name. Stress clear on his face for just a moment before he once again took on a calm visage as he escorted his new friend.

The Rogue whispering one final time as Wil and he reached the bar. Lingering at the doorway while the Prince rushed across the open ground and snapped up one of the bottles of whisky. ”Chas come on, I'm sorry.”

He whispered quietly, a hint of desperation in his voice now. Paranoid eyes glancing up at the Prince.

”What did you mean?” Edric asked as he looked up towards his companion. ”Does Wil have a ghost in him?”

The question came as he finally stepped onto the platform, moving across the open space towards the table that Wil had chosen. His eyes wearily flickering up and down the Prince as he snapped up a bottle of clear liquor from one of the tables he walked by. ”Always preferred…”

He glanced at the bottle and frowned. ”Yeah I have no idea.”

Edric said with a loud sigh, throwing himself into a chair and complaining.

”Why does everything have to be so complicated.” He lamented, rubbing at his face. Commiserating with Wil about a problem he probably didn't even know he had.

 

[Chasmine]

No answer from Chasmine. In fact her presence had wilted from the amulet entirely.

Instead, elsewhere in the castle headquarters, she sought out the presence of Duncan. It occurred to her that even if she did tell Edric, there was very little he could actually do about it without outright killing the Prince. Chas had no attachment to the Prince, but it seemed a rather unnecessary move on someone who was otherwise inconsequential to the big picture. Edric hadn't the right kind of critical thinking required for making these sorts of decisions, and ultimately Wil's fate was in Duncan's hands.

So it seemed prudent that she tell him first, even if it meant leaving Ed hanging in frantic limbo for a while.

He'd be fine.

"Duncan?" came Chasmine's gentle voice echoing into the chamber she'd found him in, "May I speak with you?"

 

[Wilhelm Anireth]

Wil took a seat opposite with a good view of the door and a nice thick table between them. Just in case. He set the two crystal cut glasses down then poured whiskey into both when Edric didn't stop him. Reclining in the armchair he let out a soft sigh of relief - sitting on the cold stones had given him a terrible ache on the old butt cheeks. He resisted the urge to massage some life back into them and instead contended himself with a sip of the whiskey.

Wasn't the worst thing he'd tasted.

"You didn't have to kidnap me," Wil pointed out with a grumble then took a larger sip.

 

[Edric]

”To be fair, I wasn't trying to kidnap you.” Though even Edric knew that was a poor excuse. It hadn't been long after their return that he'd realized he did actually feel sort of bad for taking the Prince back against his…will.

Not long after that, he'd also realized that if taking Wil had been the original mission he probably would have told Gilram no.

Not that he could have vetoed it, but it was a stark and strange revelation. The fact that he liked someone enough to not…do this to them was a mark for Edric. Six months ago, he would have thought himself soft. ”Sorry.”

He offered Wil in rare apology. Staring at the drink in front of him.

A long sigh escaped him, and he reached out to grab the drink. Downing what was likely a very expensive pour in one quick gulp; the only way he knew how to drink.

”If it makes you feel any better.” He offered, apparently unbothered by the liquors burn. ”I'm not thrilled about being here either.”

Edric admitted quietly on the empty terrace.


As the conversation between Wil and Edric began, so did Chasmine and Duncan's. The older Dreadlord turned his head, apparently unsurprised by the appearance of the ghostly Rogue. “Of course.”

He said as he continued to peruse the shelf within the fortresses little library. His eyes scanning the spines of books as though he were searching for one in particular.

“You can always talk to me.” Duncan continued. “You know that.”