70

Suddenly, loud movements echoed around the dark dungeon. As if a heavy metal door was being banged roughly. Moments later, Regan heard a sound of heavy chains clattering and dragging across the cold ground. After a while, it stopped and footsteps echoed around the creepy dungeon. He showed his face. Agnar.

"You piece of filth!" Regan hissed, "what do you want now?"

Agnar's smirk faltered, replaced by a cold, angry frown, "Shut up, you foolish rat. I came to see you. To help you," his voice was laced with wickedness and evil. Something she had become an expert to sense.

"You shut up!" she yelled, "You have no right to lock me here!"

Agnar's hands gripped the bars strongly, "Oh, so who has it? Who has the right? Sirius?"

"You're insane! I'm not working with Sirius nor with anyone else!"

"Yeah, yeah," Agnar chuckled evilly, "and by the way, I told your master about this. He seemed pretty mad. He's going to come and see how I'll tear his little pet apart." His words stung, but she wouldn't let him see it.

"I'm not working with anyone!" Regan once again protested, struggling to keep her voice steady. "And Sirius isn't my master. You're going to regret this, you asshole."

Agnar's laugh was cold and cruel, "Oh, Cornelia. I regret nothing. I regret nothing at all. You, on the other hand, might have a way out. If you be my....lover, my mistress, my pet, and if you are willing to obey me, I'll let you out." He looked at her up and down, "If otherwise, you'll die. It's not like I really care. And, I haven't given anyone second chances like this. So, what do you say?"

Her eyes widened in disgust at his words. "You're disgusting!" she spat, "I'd rather die than be your toy!" Every single word was dripping with hatred and disgust.

The prince's expression twisted into a mask of rage. "Fine!" he snarled, "Then you'll die! And Sirius will find out about this. I'll make sure of it!" With that, he turned on his heel and strode away, leaving her alone in the darkness once more.

Alone with her thoughts, Regan felt a cold shiver run down her spine. Agnar's words echoed in her ears. She tried to convince herself that she was strong, that she was brave, but the truth was, she was scared. Very scared.

Time dragged on, and the silence in the dungeon became deafening. She curled up into a ball, trying to find some semblance of comfort amidst the hard, cold stones.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she heard footsteps approaching. Her heart leaped into her throat as she waited, bracing herself for whatever was to come. It was Artemis.

"Artemis," Regan whispered.

Artemis's face was cold and blank. Like she was brought by reluctance.

"Regan, why are you here? How many times I told you to stay away from trouble? How many times I told you to mind your own business and not meddle with Agnar or anyone else?" Artemis said, her gaze reproachful.

"What do you mean by minding my own business? You're my business as well! Did you know Agnar was cheating on you? Did you know and did nothing about it?" Regan questioned, her voice desperate and hoarse from the dungeon air and lack of water intake.

Artemis didn't speak. She didn't move, she didn't flinch.

"I can't believe it," Regan shook her head, "how can you? How can you stay married to someone that treats you like that? Like you're nothing but a toy? Like you're just another one of his many conquests? You deserve better than that, Artemis."

Artemis's expression twisted into a wry grin, "And what would you know about that? You've never been in love. You don't know what it's like to care for someone so much that you can't see their faults. You don't know what it's like to be so consumed by them that you'll ignore everything else just to be near them."

Regan couldn't help but roll her eyes, "Don't talk to me about love. Love is love, and I know it when I see it. Yours isn't love. He just uses you for his own needs. You should see the truth. You're not in your mind. You don't understand what you're doing. You're not even living, you're just surviving."

Artemis took a step closer, her eyes narrowing, "You're just a little girl, Regan. You don't know anything about life, about the world. You're naive. And now you're here, in dungeon, accusing me of things I didn't do. Do you know what's going to happen to you? Agnar's going to execute you. He thinks you're Sirius's spy. He thinks you're Sirius's lover. He's going to kill you."

Tears welled up in Regan's eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "I don't care what he thinks. I don't care what you think. I know what I saw. And I know that you deserve better than this. You should leave him. You should find a new purpose."

Artemis laughed, a bitter, humorless sound. "And where am I supposed to find that? In this kingdom? I'm trapped, just like you. Just like everyone else." She turned away, her shoulders slumping, "I don't have the key to get you out of here, sister. I'll talk to Agnar again and try to convince him to forgive you, but..." Her voice trailed off, her gaze drifting on the ground.

Time passed slowly after she left. Regan sat down on the floor, trying to ignore the pain in her body, the cold air that seeped into her cloak. At least, she was grateful for the thick cloak she was wearing. Otherwise, she would have frozen times ago.

Slowly in her position, she fell into a deep slumber. Times later, other kind of footsteps waked her up. She saw a guard approaching the metal door of her cell.

"Get up," the guard spat, "you're free."

Regan rubbed her eyes, assuming as if she was imagining something. The words were so foreign that she found it hard to imagine them as true.

"Didn't you hear, girl? You're free." The guard repeated.

"Why? Why are you freeing me?" Regan asked in uncertainty, slowly walking near the bars.

"Orders from above," the guard blankly answered, "Now, you should hurry. Prince Natsu awaits outside."

The girl's eyebrows furrowed as she stepped out of her cell, silently grateful from being released. However, she couldn't help but be skeptical as well for what was happening.

The guard slammed the iron door closed and motioned for Regan to follow. She followed and there was the younger prince from morning. He was emotionless and blank, as always.

"Your highness," the guard bowed, "what should we so now?"

"Leave." Natsu ordered, not even bothering to look at the guard as he dismissed him. Once they were gone, he turned his cold gaze to Regan, "Look, you're lucky for this. Now, you should leave and never turn back here."

"But why? Why am I being released?" Regan asked, still confused.

Natsu sighed, "Let's just say it doesn't matter. Or let's just say it won't do you any good to know. Orders are from above."

"Artemis?"

"Not Artemis. Artemis didn't save you. She has no power here," Natsu coldly answered. "Look, just leave and never come back." He said as they meet with a dark blank corridor.

"Where am I supposed to go? I can't leave Artemis. I can't..."

"Artemis doesn't care," he calmly said, "you should help your own self."

"I don't know anything about that kingdom, nor do I know anyone else." Regan said, worry and confusion evident in her face.

Natsu didn't speak. His eyes were forward, lost in thought, "I've been in something similar. Once, I was on a trip with Agnar. He left me alone, with the beasts. I didn't know the ways, I didn't know the lands. I knew nothing. I was hopeless. And then, I made it. I survived. You know, you're a survivor, too. Grown by the wolves or not, you have what it takes to survive. You just have to find it within you."

The cold seemed to envelop Regan, making it difficult to breathe. She swallowed hard, trying to gather her thoughts, to find the strength within herself that Natsu spoke of.

Finally, she said, "I... I don't know. I just don't want to leave Artemis."

Natsu stopped walking. He turned to face her, his expression softening slightly. "Look, Cornelia. Artemis has her own path. She made her choices. And whether she wants to admit it or not, she doesn't care. You should follow this as well."

Regan didn't speak, she was lost in thought as well. What were the above orders that Natsu was talking about? What was it that she didn't have to know? Where was Artemis? Where was she going?

Natsu finally led her to a grand set of icy doors, adorned with laces of the same patterns. The doors opened themselves, immediately allowing the cold wind to swirl inside with its unimaginable pressure.

"The storm," Natsu whispered, "you need to leave. Forget your friend. Look after yourself. And don't think to get revenge from Agnar. Here, there's no justice, no remorse. You'll only find death." His voice grew distant as he disappeared into the blinding white.

Alone, Regan stood at the entrance to the fortress. She could feel the wind howling, the snowflakes stinging her face. The cold air threatened her body, making her shiver uncontrollably. Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling down her frozen cheeks. She didn't know what to do. All she wanted was to go back to Artemis, to figure out the matter or just find peace somewhere.

She grabbed the rolled piece of paper from Iris. She had kept it in her pocket. Clenching it tightly, she knew she had to help her own self as always. She had to go to The City of Lights.