Treat Me Like A Criminal (Cenred)

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Yassia did not exactly want to listen to what Cenred had to say, but she caught herself perking up her ears nevertheless. After all, he said he had found out things about Leon, things Yassia didn’t even know herself, things she yearned to know. It was a very unusual and not the most pleasant way to gather information, but she guessed she had to do with what was offered. You had to be realistic about these things…
What was it he found out? Yassia thought she sensed a certain air of angry irritation about him. So something irked him. Bad news for him? Did that mean it was good news for her? How she wished he would spill already - -

Her thoughts were cut short by Cenred suddenly slamming his fist hard against the door. Though she had vowed to herself to no batter an eyelid no matter what this cruel king would throw at her, he quite achieved his goal if he had meant to startle her. Yassia couldn’t help but flinch and shrink a bit into the wall, exhaling slowly to regain her composure. At least he was hitting the door, not her. At least he was at the far end of the room for now, not anywhere near her with this rage. Yassia felt she needed to count her blessings.
Only when she was sure her voice would not tremble all too much, she dared to reply, as calm as she could.
“I failed to mention it, because I didn’t know it”, she told him simply. “I just know his name and that he is my uncle, nothing else. He has never seen me before, he doesn’t even know I exist.”
Her fear was suddenly mixed with a certain kind of detached relief. So her uncle had made his dream come true. How very fortunate for him! She ought to be proud…

Had that been wise, mentioning it? Leverage that wasn’t known as existing wasn’t good leverage at all. Had she just signed her own death warrant with this show of honesty, because Cenred had no longer use for her?
Though, if she was completely honest with herself, Yassia didn’t care right now. Wouldn’t it be better if this was all over soon? To die quickly instead of rotting away in a cell waiting for a ransom that never came? Or was there something else Cenred had in mind?
“You like to sprout threats, don’t you?” she scoffed, clinging to her last ounce of dignity. “Just that you seem to overlook it’s hard to not step out of place if you don’t know what this place is!”

Was she beginning to bargain with him? Was that really her talking? No, she was just fathoming her chances. She was by no means giving in!
“You’re the man for scams and extortion”, she shrugged and crossed her arms, mirroring his stance. “I’m just an airhead princess, head filled with dresses and jewelry, so forgive me if I can’t follow your reasoning. You need to be more precise with me.”
She might not be the most cunning woman on earth, but even she did know you never ought to play with open cards. Being underestimated was sometimes a sharper weapon than lashing out, showing all you got.

[Deleted]

Well this was new. Even pretty little Yassia had no idea of her uncle and his role that he played – nor did he actually know that Yassia existed. Perfect. At least if he had to kill her there and then, then Uther’s toy soldiers wouldn’t trespass to kick up a fuss.

“I don’t think that he ever will know by the way things are looking here,” he told her.

When she mentioned about threats he could only laugh. “I wouldn’t describe it as spouting…flourishing however…” he started, “Besides, if it keeps you in your rightful place and amuses me then im not about to give up with any threats that I may throw your way” He told her and leant back against the door again.

Cenred raised his brows as she then came out with the facts that he was a man for scams. “Only when I know I can do it for a price – anything else and im not interested” he shrugged, “and if you think that small talk and flattery will get you out of here then you’re wrong – all I want is for you to just play your cards right. I’ve told you that I want information from the inside of Camelot, you do this and I will let you live. Betray me in any shape or form and then you will know what has hit you”.

He wasn’t about to let her go, he’d give her a few days to think this over. He’d have someone watching her anyway. His spies were everywhere. With that he banged a fist on the door and the guard opened it. “Our guest has some thinking to do – give her some food and watch her every move” he muttered the last part quietly, before looking over his shoulder at Yassia.

“Pleasure doing business with you”

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Would she ever be able to figure this man out? Every possible scenario Yassia could think up and prepare for, Cenred had knocked on the head just minutes after it had formed in her mind. What did he want with her? He was constantly moving back and forth between threatening her life and offering her some escape route on his terms. Way to obscure your own plans! If he was planning to keep her on her toes constantly, he was surely achieving his goal. How was she supposed to deal with this continuous up and down?
“You think?” she asked and cocked her head. “And here I was thinking your whole precious plan depends on me being who I am… my bad apparently.”

Yassia couldn’t deny she was getting extremely fed up by this, anger slowly crowding out the fear. That man really got some nerve, thinking he could play her like a harp! That she would spring when he said so, that a bit banging on the door and a knife would bring her down to her knees! She was made of far more than that! A descendant of proud royalty probably far older than his own filthy ancestry! Raising her chin proudly once more, Yassia stood at the wall, looking daggers at Cenred. Forgotten was the choking fear she had just felt a minute earlier, forgotten was all caution she had sworn herself to. It might be foolish to let go of the cunning she had planned to use just a moment earlier. It most definitely WAS foolish. But there were times when reasoning with Yassia was to no avail.

“Small talk and flattery? I think you got me wrong there”, she scoffed. “I was merely stating facts, but apparently reason is lost to you. So that is what I’m supposed to do? Spying for you in Camelot? I’ve got only two words for you there, King Cenred: Dream. On!”

Apparently Cenred didn’t expect her to agree, at least he was smart enough to know that. But he also knew that time was on his side. A few days? Everything in Yassia cringed at those prospects. Spending one night down here already felt like being sentenced to hell, but a few? Balling her fists and taking slow, levelled breaths Yassia tried to fight down the choking panic. At least he had talked about food and water, so he was not planning on starving her into agreement. She would not put that past him.
“Rot in hell!” she muttered after him, sliding down the wall to sit again. She might need her strength for what was to come.

With relief she watched him go, finally rid of his troublesome presence for a while. Would it really be days until he showed his face again? Suddenly this prospect seemed not so good anymore, however much she despised him. His company might be better than just that of the rats after all… if not by much.

[Deleted]

Something would have to be done about her. Cenred knew what she said as he exited the dungeons to leave.

“You could have thought of something more original…” he called back as the door closed and was locked by one of his guards, “Oh wait…silly me, you still have time to.”

He sat in his chambers later on pondering on how his methods could be used to make Yassia see that this was an opportunity that could not be turned down. She hadn’t even reached Camelot and already she was defending it and it’s people. What was it about Camelot that had everyone’s hearts melting whenever the name was mentioned, with the exception of people with magic of course. It made Cenred sick.

He called in a guard later on that evening.

“The prisoner is to have dinner with me tonight, whether she likes it or not” he instructed, “You either give her a choice – eating with me, or sharing with the rats”.

As the guard left Cenred got up to look out of the window. He knew that Yassia would have to give in sooner or later. He was becoming bored with her and her little games now.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

More original??! Well, he had some nerve that king wannabe! Let him sit a few hours in a damp cell and then come up with something extraordinarily witty! She could have insulted him most creativly in her own mother tongue, but what would be the use in calling him the severed backside of an Ailanthan pallid-spotted mountain mutt, when he wouldn’t get the knack of it? Exactly! No use at all! He should be glad she was talking in terms his poor brain could grasp!
“Laugh all the while you can”, she called through the closed door. “We’ll see who will be the last one laughing!”

Then she settled on passing the time without going crazy. Something Mircea had told her suddenly crept back into her mind. Sometimes, he had said, when the old Josep talked about battle, and how you would feel the night before it, he said it was best to occupy your mind with something completely else. Do not let your mind go running in circles about what could happen the following morning or if it would be your last day. With such thoughts come fear, with fear comes paralyzing panic, and with palsy comes death. If you can’t keep your thoughts occupied, then do something. Talk to someone, or if you have no company, excersize yourself. Walk, run, do shadow fights if you must. Everything that keeps your mind from conjuring paralyzing pictures.

As Yassia was not in the right mood for shadow fights, she settled on a few different tasks, including trying her throwing skills on a few bold rats with a single pebble she had found in the straw. It was no weapon against anything human, but it worked well for those horrible little beasts and after a few succesful target practises they kept their distance.
Minutes trickled past and already Yassia could feel hunger creeping onto her. Where was her promised food?
Just like an answer, suddenly the door lock rattled and she saw it open. A guard stepped through, but instead of bringing something in, he beckoned her out.

“My master desires you to join him for dinner”, he spoke with a (very much failing) attempt to sound all courteous. “Huh…” Yassia growled, not moving. „What if I don’t desire to join him?“ The man grinned and showed a line of nearly rotten teeth. “I think he foresaw that, and told me to tell you, it’s either with him or with the rats. And I can tell you they’re fast and feisty when it comes to defending food.”
Yassia fumed inwardly. So it was either dinner with Cenred or the possibility of no dinner at all. Not really any choice.

Slowly she moved forward, glowering and hissing as the guard grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back, holding her firmly. “Just so you don’t try anything, puppet. Wouldn’t that be a shame if you got lost on your way to dinner. Who knows…” he lowered his voice and cackled. “Maybe our king will even have you for dessert, you’re spicey enough.”
With her head held high, Yassia just ignored the roaring laughter of the two guards behind her, and stepped into the familiar big room in front of them. She would not be put off by a bit of saber rattling and immodest talk! Not her!

[Deleted]

Cenred knew that Yassia wouldn’t take the dining with the rats’ option. His thoughts were right as he could hear footsteps and voices from outside far down the hallways. He smirked. So she’d made her choice. After all – no Queen wanted to share her food with rodents, even if she may think that this option were the same.

He was already stood with his back to the doors when he heard them open. He smiled to himself.

“The prisoner for you, sire” the guard announced. Cenred turned on his heel to face him.

“The prisoner does have a name you know” he smirked, “I apologise for my men’s actions towards you my lady – but I can’t take any chances you know” he told her as Yassia was brought into the hall. Cenred knew that she would be more determined than ever – and her tongue as sharp as the newest sword.

“Come, sit” he gestured to the vacant seat at the other end of the table. One of the guards would make her if she didn’t. She probably wouldn’t eat either; she’d think he’d poison her or something stupid like that. Poison was such a cheat’s way out of a situation. Cenred rarely used this method – unless it was entirely necessary.

He sat at the other end of the table and filled his goblet. He’d need a stiff drink or five to get through this evening.

“Well? What are you waiting for?” he looked to the guards that were just stood there, “Bring the lady and I some food!”

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

In her mind, Yassia had played possible scenarios of this dinner to come, leaving out the most horrific for her sanity’s sake and settling on those who were still unpleasant enough. They would eat, and she might have to wonder if he would poison her. Then he would talk again about the little options she had, that she would either rot in her cell, as he didn’t care at all who she was, or she would have to work for him. But seriously, how would he even go about that? As soon as she was set free, how was he to make sure she would follow the orders he had given her? The thought raised her spirits considerably. Even if he would make her swear any oath on the planet, no oath given under pressure was binding. She just had to make sure she would not show any of this mental superiority lest he drew the right conclusions.

Cenred’s strange courtesy however was enough to trip Yassia up. What was happening here? Did he try a new approach now? Make her trust him through a show of kindness and chivalry. Well, if so he maybe should have started with that earlier. Right now he was so far out of Yassia’s good books, he might be somewhere in a library in Ailantha itself. And a few slimy words wouldn’t change that.
However, she couldn’t deny being puzzled. With arrogance she could deal, with cruelty and indifference as well… but this?
“What do they say, like master like man”, she replied in a sickly-sweet tone that rather should convince herself she was still on the war path, more than to vex him.

When she hestitaed for a moment, one of the guards increased the pressure on her shoulder to make her sit down, but it was not done overly brutally, just as a little reminder she didn’t really have a choice in all of this. So she sat down opposite of Cenred and tried to give her face a nonchalant expression. This was a farce but glowering wouldn’t get her anywhere.
While she waited for the food, Yassia saw it fit to break the silence. There were a few questions on her mind after all.
“So, what is this all about? Me being your ‘honored’ dinner guest? After our previous encounters I must admit this is a little surprising to say in the least.”

Civil language and tone around this man?! If that wasn't confusing, Yassia didn't know what was. She felt like sliding over black ice with nowhere to grab hold onto. Where would this lead?