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@guardaidan
"Where is Iliana!" Lachlan yelled to no one in particular. "If she is being held then so help me God heads will roll!"
Aidan flinched ever so lightly at his King's voice. "She- She's in the dungeons, Your Majesty. Along with all the servants that are thought to be involved." It was no easy thing to do, to stand in front of a mad King and tell him what he less wanted to hear.
Then I— decline your.. declining.
'Tis true. Anything, even the tiniest gift, would probably make her smile. Do you mind if I ask you which way the dungeons are? I've never had to go there before.
As you wish, m'lady.
I would nae answer that, Lady Anastasia. With all the respect I can muster, I will nae tell you which way. 'Tis not a place for a lady such as yourself.
"Guilty?" He raised an eyebrow before letting out a slow breath, "Everyone is guilty of something mi amigo." it was the only way he was living with this. He doubted more than one would be guilty of this crime, if any. But he didn’t need to say that.
Aidan stared at the ground, moving the bottle of wine in one of his hands. He was fidgeting, he realized. "We all are, yes." It was all so very infuriating. Perhaps it was not the first time any of the guards had had to assume this position with someone familiar... But, at least for Aidan, the reactions in the palace had made it seem different this time. "May God forgive us, then."
The Girl in the Cell || HAIDAN HOLLA ||
The voice wove in and out of her ears, a lilt to it she knew, that Scottish accent she had come to know so well living among the stone and false attentions of The Enemy. With effort, Hana shifted, raising her body up to a more dignified position, unable to straighten fully. She wheezed as she tried to breath, coughing up a gob of blood into her hand, and like some sort of macabre artist, smeared it on the stones to get it off her, a streak of red like a bruised comet among the dank and dark.
“しんじまえ.” She hissed through her teeth. Go to hell. They were good Christian souls, yes? They feared it oh so much, this place called Hell. And she wanted them dead, all of them dead at her feet, rotting in their fiery world. No longer did she bother with the words of the West, the English that every person used as the unspoken official language. No, she was Japanese. She was not like them, she would never be one of them, among them. Their language could go straight to burning with them. It was time she embraced fully who she really was, enough pretending that everything would be fine as long as she played by the rules. The time for rules was over. She was about to make her own.
"Why." She finally spoke in English voice hoarse and broken from the hours of screaming and crying, the begging that no man would ever make her do again. "So you can rip it from me? 嘘つき. Liar. Keep walking.”
Aidan steeled himself for her reaction, he was not naive enough to believe she would be the same as before, so it came as no surprise when she did speak. If he let himself be conquered by the alcohol he could probably laugh at the scene-- her foreign words with such a funny tone, her face smudged and contorted in ire. It would have been funny had he not know the true of what had been done to her.
Why. It was a fairly good question. She could refer to anything at the moment. Why was he offering her food? Which by the her next words, Aidan was sure it was what she was referring to. But perhaps it could also mean why in general. Why would he care? Why would he have allowed the torture they all underwent? Why. It was a fairly good question, he could give her that.
"No." He whispered, clearing his mind of all thoughts outside the conversation at hand. "No, I would nae do that. I merely ask... Because I know how it is under here." That he did. He had not been the victim of the tortures they endured, no. He'd always been the one performing them or watching them. Yes, he was fairly familiar on the way some soldiers treated those in the dungeons.
At the question he took a long drink from the bottle staying silent for a moment. “No.” he answered truthfully. “What we as guards have to do is a thread between life and death. Once a Guard proves himself unloyal there are too many things they know to be alive.” he let out a laugh, “You did as you had to. Do not blame yourself for if you do I am at blame for much worse.”
Another swig and Aidan allowed himself to sit, pondering on the answer Marcelo had giving him. It was truth-- they knew far too much, had seen more than was standard. They knew the weak points, as well as the strong. There was a moment of silence as both men drank and then Aidan's voice rang, "Do you think them guilty? The servants?"
Before Marcelo could take a drink himself the other asked a question. Pulling his eyebrows together he shrugged, “Of course you may. Speak freely.” he cared not for what people spoke to him now.
Aidan thought of how to ask his question, taking a minute before voicing it. "I stood watch as they were being tor- questioned. Does this make me as much a monster as those who harmed them? Does it make me less of a man to be happy I am serving my country accordingly when there are helpless people hurting?" The young guard looked into the other man's eyes, waiting to hear his response.
As I adore and care for all of you, as well. I understand, cousin. Your duty is to Scotland and I will never judge you or say anything of it. I am just glad and Thank God I was found before anything else happened. The Duke is burning in the pits of hell and that, although it may be horrible to hear, gives me some relief.
'Tis not horrible but reasonable. After what he did, I fear his death was not hurtful enough, may God forgive me for those words.
As Aidan returned Marcelo nodded to him taking one of the bottles. “I have heard the new English Queen released the English servants.” he shook his head. It felt as if he would rather not know all royals in this moment.
Aidan uncapped the bottle in his hand, taking a swig before replying to Marcelo. "She did... I- Couldst I ask something of you?" Another swig followed, the young guard anxious to let his thoughts be numbed by the wine.
The Girl in the Cell || HAIDAN HOLLA ||
Hana was battered, hardly able to move a single muscle. How did she look, she wondered, laying there in broken repose? Certainly not like the proud woman of the line of Koizumi she had been mere hours prior. A doll, perhaps, an abandoned doll thrown and tossed aside carelessly and callously by those she once served. What a humorous image, she had to admit. Limbs akimbo, gathering dust to wait out the centuries with glass eyes staring at the same damp spot of mold growing on the ceiling. What else was there to do in order to wile away the time before something happened. It was the waiting, Hana decided, that was most certainly the worst of it. The torture as well, of course, but the waiting. The building up to the great crescendo, or perhaps simply an anti-climactic puttering out of screaming. Others still made sound, but Hana was careful not to. She was past the point of screams, past the point of caring what was done. Hana was disgusted with herself for her cowardice, disgusted with them for what they had done to her.
This was war, this was utter and absolute war. And Hana would see the wretched world burn to ashes.
Poetics were interrupted as a sound reached her ears, senses heightened in the dark. Good, for that allowed her to hear most distinctly, and yet terrible, for all she could hear was the sounds of pain coming from those she knew and worked with. Meant she could feel every cut, every bruise, every broken piece of her. Hana sincerely doubted she would ever walk with the same grace again, the same posture. She did not feel a young girl of 18, but an ageless entity made of nothing but rage and ugliness. And she embraced it fully. There was something freeing, in the idea that beauty had fled her. Something powerful. She wondered briefly if she would scar. Of course, she would. Of course she would. The proof would last.
But the sound, yes, the sound. She moved her head slightly, as much as she could, to peer into the darkness, trying to discern just what exactly was the source.
It was hard for them all-- harder for those being held in the dungeons, of course--, but still hard for the rest of them. Aidan thought what he felt as being part of the guards, the very same people who were damaging these servants, and tried to think what their Kings had felt upon making their decision. The only realization he had was that everyone was wrong; love didn't blind anyone, it was fear that did. A fear so powerful that it was impossible to see any reason behind it-- a fear, he was sure, many were feeling and why would their Royals be the exception to it?
With such a situation at hand, Aidan could barely sleep. It was not that he was lacking of free hours, it was simply that his mind would not settle enough to allow him a moment of rest. He entered the kitchens, the effects of the alcohol he had drunk earlier with Marcelo still present on his system, in pursuit of some food. It was then that he heard some of the other guards, one that had been in duty a few mere minutes ago, go about the prisoners. Did they have enough water? Food? Are they treating them with a little misericord as the Holy Father would have? In that moment he decided he would check for himself. Claim to only wanting to see the spectacle to those still taking guard outside their cells.
Quietly, focusing to not let the alcohol clouding his thoughts take control, Aidan made way to the very place he had been wanting to escape earlier. It was not hard to convince them he only wanted to hassle them-- the fellow men that were left were bored out of their mind and could not care more about a servant, much less to a group of them. Once he reached the first cell, the still body of Hana in it, he crouched and lowered his voice for only her ears. "Are they giving you enough food, m'lady? Water?"
Good, I will hold you to that. Now, you have me all excited for the next time I visit. I am sure she will want me to catch up on everything. Although I know she will be distraught to hear of most things, which is why I will keep things to myself. [smiles warmly] Thank you, Aidan. You, Your family, my brothers and father are all I have left.
I will write to my sister and let them know of it, for they will be glad to see you as well. My dear cousin, you dinnae have to speak of what you wish not. You know very well that we all cared for you and my aunt very deeply, and that you shall always be welcome to out home. I wished to tell you this before, but unfortunately I couldst not ignore my duties, but I am sorry, dear Lizzie, that I was not able to prevent what happened with the Duke.
Then you truly are a great man, to find such an honest love for defending your country. Now if only some men were inclined to feel half the loyalty you did to their countries, I expect we wouldn’t have come to such a standstill. Your King is a very lucky man Aidan, and I envy the devotion you show to him — as I can only hope that God hears you out, for it seems my own prayers fall upon deaf ears.
It is but another great honour to have you think that of me, Lady Jane. And I am sure they do not-- we only must be patient.
They… peed on you?— [He just shook his head. A lame attempt at trying not to laugh at the young man.]
Oh, that! Why yes, I suppose that’s their own private business. Do you not like that sort of… action?
Aye, m'lord. It was possibly the worst thing to ever happen to me-- and at such a young age for I was merely five summers old.
I like it as any man would but... I fear I dinnae like imagining any member of my family performing such acts.
"Lizzie?" The kind guard’s reply uncovered the tiniest bit of hope and relief in the girl. Addison had not dare let herself hope that anyone, even her new and close friend, would demand her release. Elizabeth was a Queen now and she had duties she must perform; duties that King Henry would have to decide and agree on as well. It took a few long seconds, but Addison slowly took Aidan’s hand and got to her feet. She was unsteady, and as they neared the light of the hallway her bruises and dried blood became apparent. It hurt more than anything she had physically endured to know that her fellow servants and maids watched as she was escorted out. It was still not the freedom she had always craved, but it was more than the hell she had been staying in. Addison followed Aidan until they were out of the dungeon, trying her hardest not to lean on him too much.
"The same, m'lady." Aidan visually relaxed as her dainty hand met his, carefully helping her stand. The young guard didn't hesitate in supporting the young woman as much as he could; even going as far as to wrap an arm around her waist in the hopes to alleviate her of her own weight. Once he was sure they were far from the other, Aidan dared whisper softly, only for her ears, "For what is worth... I am sorry, Lady Addison. I truly am." He continued on walking, praying the others would soon meet the same fate as the woman beside him, yet aware that the possibility was fairly slim.
But I find that the guards especially should be addressed with respect, for it is at their protection that I am able to walk these halls without such impending fear. Though if it pleases you, it is no hardship on my part to refer to you as something more familiar. As I have spoken to your King, Aidan, whereas I am entitled to respect him for his position, it seems he is at a no greater standing than my own King for all he thinks of this war — and I mean it in no offense. Just… disappointment. But you are but truthful and wise to think so, as if it were in my power I would find a way so everyone did.
Those are very kind words, my Lady. I, for one, can assure you that is my pleasure to do so, for the honour to serve my country is one of the best a man could have. It is but a real shame that things have gotten so out of hand, I must confess. I, like you, wish them to have never reached this, but alas it was not meant to be. As far as my King... I believe him to be the best for Scotland, and admire him so for all he has done. My opinion of him, I'm afraid, would nae change in the near time. I will pray for it to happen; perhaps, out Holy Father will grant us this.
Aidan, don't let who I am now stop us from being those we once were. I am your cousin first and foremost. You are my family. She will be glad, I am sure of it and once this plague is over, I will visit her. I only wish I could have said my good byes but everything happened so suddenly and I was not able to even pay my respects at her funeral. I wish your family nothing but good health, Aidan.
[laughs] Very well, dear cousin. I shall never forget it. She would be most delighted to see you, I know this. Do not fret, my dear, for I will come back with you and visit the place of her burial. We both shall pay our respects, for my aunt was hold at a very high place in my heart. Amen, Lizzie, amen.
