Locked Away *Obi x OC* (COMPLETE)

What Are You In For?

I wake up from a nightmare and cover my mouth to block the scream that escapes. It's dark again so I can't see Obi but I can hear him abandoning whatever he was doing to come to the bars to check on me. I let out a shaky breath before lying to him. Whether he believes me or not, that's on him. "You're lying to me." Smart man.

"It's perfectly normal to wake up screaming while living in a prison cell."

"Leira-"

"Obi, I am fine. How are your escape plans coming along?" I ask, hoping to change topic.

"I-It's going very well actually."

"You're lying to me."

"If you can lie, I can lie. Are you hurting?"

"I'm a bit sore," I admit as I force my body to stretch. "It's manageable though. Did anything notable happen while I was asleep?"

"No other visitors. I just worked on ways to escape."

"Obi, why did they bring you here? I heard your ranting when they brought you in, but did you really kill their boss?"

"Yes I did. He kidnapped my sister and brought her to an auction to sell her, so I took care of him."

"Where is she now?"

Obi is quiet for a moment and my heart sinks even before he speaks again.

"As soon as I killed him, I was swarmed and she disappeared in the crowd. I don't know if she got away."

"I'm sure she did." I may as well give him a little hope. "You're a good brother for protecting her."

"It may have been the only good thing I've done for her. Did you have any family, before..."

I feel a pang of sadness in my chest that I suppress by clearing my throat.

"I- uh, yeah... I have a daughter, actually... When I-" I stop to take a slightly shaky breath. "When I was brought here, she had just turned five."

"What happened to her, do you know?"

"Her father had her, unfortunately, but he's dead so now I am not sure."

"Her father, was he the man I killed?"

"I-I'd rather not discuss it further, please."

Obi thankfully lets the topic die out so now I have a chance to try to collect myself before I fall apart. It's taken a lot of time for me to push thoughts of Mariena from my head but they still come back. I hate that I had to leave her and that she was left under his control, but it wasn't exactly my choice. Mothers will do what they have to do to protect their daughters. I just wish I had succeeded. I only made it worse. It took months for me to stop beating myself up over it. I did the best I could... I just hope she's okay.

"Thank you for killing him." I mumble, breaking the silence between us.

"I only did what I thought was right."

"It was right. I'm only sorry that you got caught. You did a good thing for the world Obi, now you're going to waste away down here until you're sent to be killed."

"Leira, I just had a thought. That man was their leader, so if he is dead and they have no leader, why did that man come down to hurt you? Why didn't they just leave?"

"Because their leader had a boss. He was affiliated with the castle, controlling the prison here. His association with the auctions was separate. He and his men involved in the trade all are soldiers for the castle. To the castle, you killed one of their soldiers, to the men, you killed their boss."

"Why does that man target you?"

"Norye and his brother Eirall are the reason I am here. Norye uses my imprisonment as a perpetual punishment for what I did."

"What did you do?"

"I killed Eirall for trying to touch my daughter." I answer simply. "Then, I attacked and critically wounded her father because he was angry for me killing him."

"I'm proud of you."

"Thank you."

"Leria, if it's the last thing I do, I'm going to find a way to get you out of here so you can find your daughter."

"Obi, that's sweet but-"

"No. It's going to happen one way or another."

"Then I will let you hold on to your hope." I shiver and wrap his coat tighter around myself. "Are you cold?"

"No, I'm fine. Are you warm?"

"Y-Yeah." I lie and he sighs.

"Leira?"

"Yeah?"

"I promise I'm not going to try anything, but would you sit by the bars?"

I look over though I can't see anything. I haven't been near anyone or had contact with them beyond Norye. Can I trust Obi not to hurt me? What is he wanting to do anyway? Well, I'm going to die someday anyway, if he does anything, perhaps I'll just get to die sooner. I hesitantly move closer to the bars until I can feel the cold metal touch my arm.

"I-I'm here. Now what?"

"I know you're skittish, but don't freak out, okay?" His voice sounds close to me and I jolt automatically.

"O-Okay, a little late for that."

He chuckles softly and apologizes. "It's not much, but I thought that perhaps staying close to each other like this we may be able to keep each other a little warmer."

"That makes sense..."

I do feel slightly warmer than I was, though it's not much. Winter is the worst, even when I was on the outside.

"Hey Obi?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."