Trapped

Water was thrown onto Rhea's face and she sputtered awake to the sight of men surrounding her, swords drawn and faces taut with fear. Squinting against the low light, Rhea tried moving her arms but they wouldn't budge. She realized she was bound to a chair, hands tied behind her back.

"Untie me!" she demanded to the men in front of her. One stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face. Rhea felt her bottom lip split open and tasted blood on her tongue. She spat on the floor and sneered at the man.

"What is your name?" the man inquired. Rhea remained quiet and eyed the man curiously. He wore a brown tunic with puffy sleeves that were tied at the cuff and his blonde hair was tied behind his head reaching just below the shoulders. Gray eyes sat upon high cheekbones with a straight nose between. The man's lips were shrewd and despite his handsome face, Rhea knew the man was nothing but trouble.

Rhea was trained to withstand interrogation be it from authorities or from lawless syndicates. She refused to give any information regarding her in case they would use that information against her. The man lowered to eye-level and grabbed Rhea's chin. He turned her face side-to-side and smiled slowly.

"Understand the position you are in," he said. "Answer my questions and I may release you."

Rhea scoffed. "Why am I here?" The man straightened and walked to a table on the side of the room. From the table, he grabbed an object and walked back towards Rhea. She eyed the thing in his hands and furrowed her brows.

"I'm a fair man," he said while toying with the object. "I'd hate to use force to get answers. So let's make this a fair trade. I'll tell you why you're here and you answer my questions."

"Doesn't seem very fair with me tied up," Rhea retorted.

"Humor me," he replied and dragged a seat in front of her to sit. "So let's at least be civil. No snide remarks, please. A lady shouldn't speak in such a way."

"She shouldn't be held captive against her will either."

"Fair argument." The man smiled and leaned back in his chair with hands folded on his lap. "Since I seem to be committing many social errors, let me be the first to introduce myself."

"No thanks. I'd rather not know." The man continued as if she hadn't said anything.

"My name is Rhoderick Halvard, Crown Prince of the Mysta Kingdom. You may refer to me as your royal highness."

"More like a royal pain in the ass," Rhea said under her breath.

"What was that?" Rhoderick moved closer with his ear leaning in her direction.

"You obviously have trouble listening to others," Rhea replies, staring straight at the wall behind him. Rhoderick leaned back and gave a chilling smile before smacking Rhea across the face. Her teeth cut the inside of her cheek and blood trickled down her chin.

"Might I suggest you cooperate, else you will feel more than just a tap on the face." Rhoderick got up from his seat and walked around to stand behind Rhea. He began inspecting the shackles on the wall. Some were rusted and others still had the stains from his previous captives.

"You haven't asked anything worth answering," Rhea said as she lifted her head slightly in defiance.

"You are a Keeper, no?" Rhoderick went back to the table and lifted a thin dagger from it. It was Rhea's dagger, the one that was given to her by her mentor.

"Give me back my belongings," she said as she carefully watched Rhoderick slip the dagger from its sheath. He pivoted the point against his index finger and then threw it at Rhea's head. Rhea managed to avoid the dagger and it stuck harmlessly against the back of her chair.

"Are you a Keeper?" Rhoderick picked up another one of Rhea's daggers and inspected the engraving on the sheath. Plum blossoms adorned the bottom portion. When Rhoderick pulled off the sheath, black glistened against the light showing a polished granite dagger. It was more for decorative purposes than for use, but Rhea took a liking to it and bought it from the dealer.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Rhea replied as she stared at Rhoderick playing with her adorned dagger. He walked closer to Rhea and abruptly shoved the hilt into Rhea's ribs with a force that broke her bones.

"Do not lie, wench! You used the Earth to defeat that Fiara. We had all seen it!" Rhea gasped in pain as she tried to hold in her cries. She saw stars dancing in front of her vision and felt bile rising in her throat.

"If you've seen it, why ask?" she gasped out and almost groaned when each breath brought more pain.

"I only ask for confirmation," he said as he backed away from her and placed the dagger back onto the table. There was a knock on the door and Rhoderick's face twisted into annoyance. "I told you not to bother me when I am interrogating the prisoner!"

There was a muffled voice. Rhoderick worked his jaw with irritation and spun around to open the door. During that moment, Rhea took the chance to grab the dagger with her teeth and then turned her body slightly to drop it in her hands behind the chair. She began to work at the ropes quickly, and as soon as she felt the rope loosen, she broke free and ran for her weapons on the table ignoring the pain.

Rhoderick was still speaking to whomever was at the door but turned around when he heard the sound of metal being scraped from its casing. Rhea stood at ready with her sword in hand and one hand placed gently over her ribs. Rhoderick stared at Rhea for a long moment before shooing his subordinates away and giving Rhea his full attention.

"Now what is this?" He tilted his head at an angle and rubbed at his stubble. "I had looked through your supply of weapons and found them most fascinating. Now tell me, how had one such as yourself came upon such extremely interesting treasures?"

Rhea remained quiet and kept her sword pointed at Rhoderick. The feat proved painful and her arm had begun to shake, but she pressed on, refusing to let down her guard. He took a step closer and Rhea swung out almost nicking him in the chin. Rhoderick raised his hands in mock surrender but his demeanor was relaxed and it unsettled Rhea.

"I know you are in pain," he said. "You are shaking. So, let's be civil and talk without all this hostility."

"You're a sick bastard," Rhea spat out and took another swipe at Rhoderick successfully scoring a shallow cut across his torso. It began to bleed and Rhoderick's calm demeanor grew hostile.

"You dare try to harm me!" He unsheathes the broadsword from his waist and brings it down upon Rhea. Rhea desperately dodges the swing and makes a break for the door. She runs past the guards and hears angry shouting as she weaves through the maze-like hallway.

Rhea's breathing grows heavy as she fights her pain back with every breath. Her vision fades in and out but her will drives her to move forward. She didn't know where she was headed and hated the thought of running blindly in unknown territory.

Finally, the narrow halls opened into a larger space and she saw before her two large wooden doors that were opening, revealing the bright blue sky. She ran with all her might towards the door and when she finally noticed the men entering, it was too late.

"Capture her!" Rhoderick yelled at the man before her. He wore black armor with a gold sun stamped in the middle of his chest. His cape was a maroon color and he was just taking off his helmet when he encountered Rhea.

General Kin Luptador held an arm out in automatic response to the Crown Prince's order. Rhea skidded to a halt and held her sword up in a last effort of defense.

"Out of my way," Rhea choked out. She began seeing double and stumbled forward. The General stepped forward and caught Rhea before she hit the ground. He looked down at Rhea and then at Prince Rhoderick who approached him red in the face.

"Good work, General." Rhoderick snapped his fingers and two guards came forward to take Rhea away. At this point, Rhea had collapsed and was unconscious so there was no struggle when they apprehended her.

"Who is she, your Highness?" Kin nodded to the figure being dragged away.

"A girl we found roaming outside the walls," Rhoderick spat out as he inspected the tear on his tunic.

"Alone?" Kin doubted anyone would be stupid enough to go outside the walls with the Fiara roaming about.

"No use worrying about an aberration," Rhoderick said as he sighed deeply. "She was able to kill one of those things on her own."

"She's a Keeper." Kin stared down at his hands as he remembered the feel of her body falling against his. She was feverish, that he could tell, and she was injured heavily.

"Her gift was unusual," Rhoderick scowled, "I've never heard of a Keeper controlling plants."

Kin pondered over the words but thought nothing of it. It was a long time since Mysta has had any Keepers. Who's to say the limits on a Keeper's ability? Kin shook his head and was about to leave when he stepped on something. Looking down he noticed the strange sword that the woman had had before she collapsed. Kin stooped down to pick it up and held it out to inspect in the light.

"What a strange blade…" he muttered to himself.

"Hmm?" Rhoderick looked at the sword in Kin's hands. "Oh, that. She had a slew of those blades on her person. I had witnessed her do some acrobatic feats with those swords that would amaze even Uri Jethine."

"I doubt the Royal Entertainer can be easily impressed." Kin handed the blade to Rhoderick.

"Keep the thing. She's not going to need it any longer." Rhoderick gestured for one of his guards to bring him his cape.

"What do you mean?" Kin looked down at the sword and was curious to see what the other blades would look like.

"She is now property of the Mysta Kingdom," Rhoderick chuckled as if relishing in her misery. "As a Keeper she cannot carry any weapons on her person unless issued by the Master of Arms."

"What will become of her?"

"If anything I hope she dies a slow painful death," Rhoderick sneered as he remembered the tear in his tunic. "Breaking her ribs wasn't enough for me, but alas, my father would be upset if I killed a Keeper. Might as well let the Fiara do the work."

Kin watched Rhoderick walk off laughing in the annoying way that Kin hated. He stared down at the blade and wondered about the woman. He was upset to find that Rhoderick had injured a Keeper but could not voice his opinion for fear of retribution. Everyone knew not to cross the Crown Prince and Kin wasn't about to do so now for fear of the harm it might do to his younger sister. Pocketing the blade, Kin walked off to his quarters.