The Fjerdan Experiment

Chapter 2: Prison Break

I walked into the club and all eyes were on me. I looked around the club and saw a man in a top hat joking at one table. I smiled to myself. I walked over and gently tapped his shoulder. He turned around and almost fell of his chair. His eyes wide in shock. "Well, don't just sit there Fahey. I need clothes, I'm shivering here." "Right." He said standing up, "Follow me." He said. I tried to take another step but I was weak. I stumbled. He put an arm around my waist as he held me up and took me further inside. I took a deep breath as I sat down. Soon enough two people walked into the room. "Princess." "Gaia!" Kaz Brekker and Nina said at the same time. "I am feeling cold." I told Nina who wrapped her arms around me and tried to increase my body temperature. I could feel myself feel better.

"You have been gone for five years. Where have you been?" Jesper asked. "It's a long story." I said. "You should rest. We'll discuss this after you've recovered." Kaz said. For once in Kaz Brekker's eyes I saw softness. I smiled at him and thanked him. Nina had got a hot water tub ready and clothes. "I can do this myself." I told her. "I can help." She insisted. "Please Nina. Let me do this on my own." I told her. She waited her eyebrows furrowed in worry and then nodded when she realised I was genuine.

I let the warm water relax and warm me more. I stayed there cleaning myself off all the grime. I changed into a shirt and pants. I went and sat on the bed to wear my shoes but, the bed felt so soft that I laid down to embrace the comfort. Before I knew it, I was asleep.

I woke up and looked at the sun shining through the window. A blanket covered me. I got up with more energy than before. I walked over to the window and opened it. I put my hands out and felt the warm sun energize me. There was a knock on the door and it opened with Nina holding a plate of food. "You haven't had food in 18 hours." She said with a small smile. "I fell asleep?" I asked. "Yes. Kaz had come up with the food when he saw that you were knocked out." "Did he cover me with the blanket too?" I asked. "I suppose it wasn't Jesper or me. We also just never spoke about it with Kaz." I smiled as I sat down and she handed me the plate. "Thank you for the food, shelter and the rest. I needed it." She smiled sadly at me. "What happened?" "I'll tell you'll down with everyone." I took the first bite of the waffles and moaned into it. "I have missed Waffles." I said as ate the rest of the breakfast. I sighed with the food in me. We walked down and the club seemed to be closed.

"Why's the club closed?" I asked. "Well we need to talk to you." She said. We saw the crows sitting at a table. "Gaia!" Inej said as she ran upto me and hugged me. I held her tightly. I missed her. I was soon enough tackled by Jesper and Wylan in big hugs. We sat down there was complete silence. They all stared at me. "The awkward silence is killing me." Jesper said. I smiled and then dropped it. "I was kidnapped by Fjerdans. They..." I didn't want to tell them about the experiments. So I lied. "They tortured me and I suppose tried to keep me hostage until, they could find a way to kill the Darkling. I... They believed I would know something about it but, I didn't. Luckily for me in their lab there was an explosion and I was knocked out. So they believed I was dead and for that thankfully was able to use that to my advantage. They threw all our bodies into the valley of with a stream. But, I was saved my the dolphins instead of the sharks. Or rather they might have helped the dolphins I don't know. I was out for the count. When I woke up I was here sleeping on a fishnet. The two fishermen were no doubt terrified. But, as soon as I found out I was here in Ketterdam I knew I was... I needed to you find all of you." I said.

"It's good you did too." Kaz said. "Why? Do I have a reward on my head?" I asked with a smirk. "Yes. 10 billion kruge." I was shocked. "Who paying?" I asked. "Prince Nikolai." Inej answered. "But, they haven't seen him in years." "No, but he made sure people knew he was alive and that well, there was a reward for you returned safely back to Ravka atleast." Nina answered.

I smiled. "Well, if I need to get to the palace. Then we need to cross the shadow fold and we also need to find me something like my old suit." I answered. "But, you need to recover, Princess." Wylan said softly with worry in his eyes. "I know. I'll be here for a few weeks before we make our travel." I said.

"We have a job in East Ravka." Jesper said, "We can take you then." Kaz glared at him clearly not wanting me to know. "What job?" I asked anyway. "Kidnap Alina Starkov. The Sun Summoner." Inej answered. "I'll get ready by then. But, before that I am not going any where without my favourite Fjerdan. So where is Matthias?" I ask. "Hellgate." Nina answered sadly. "We'll get him out of there." I said putting a comforting arm around her. "We've tried and failed. Pekka Rollins owns Hellgate." "How?" "Well, he owns it from the inside. He is in for murder that Kaz put him for." I nod my head in admiration to Kaz. "Well, nevertheless. Matthias is going to make a trip with us to Ravka soon enough." I said.

Weeks had passed. Inej had got me a suit that looked like the one I had before. I decided to go Hellgate. There was a fight. I stood by the cage and saw Matthias standing there. Pekka Rollins on the top. I looked around and saw a guard in the corner. I walked up and followed him down a dark hallway. I caught up and knocked him out. I wore his uniform over mine. I waited until the fight was over and night had fallen. I went to Pekka Rollins' cell. He was awake writing something in a diary. "Wha'd want?" he asked harshly. "You to pay a price for a friend of mine." He scoffed. I smirked before removing my helmet. I saw his eyes widen in shook. "You're the--- You're the--" "Yes I am." I said before gave him a round kick knocking him out. I rolled my eyes at how easy that was.

I walked away to the warden's cabin. "What are you doing here. I told you find Mike he is lost. We might have a fugitive or spy in the prison." "Well, actually you have the princess." I said. He gasped as he tried to reach an emergency button. I threw a knife and it held his hand down. "Shut up and sit down!" I instructed. He whimpered in pain. I walked over to his desk. "This is the official document that the Prince of Ravka signed and quoted that Matthias Helwar has been pardoned. But, you didn't listen when it was first sent a few months ago did you? Playing a little part in Pekka Rollins shit plan are you?" I asked. He gulped. "Well, let me tell you a little secret. Pekka threatened killing your brother on a trip in Novyi Zem?" He nodded. "He already killed him. You poor brother never even got to get on the boat." "What?" He asked softly. I knew he was hurt. "Pekka Rollins killed your baby brother. I have a letter he sent to his assassins." I said. "You can hurt the two assassins and Rollins starting tomorrow morning. They will be hand delivered by the police. If, you release Matthias Helwar this instant." "Give me the pen." I handed him the document and gave him the document.

He signed it and I pulled out the knife from his hand. I wrapped it in a bandage. He looked surprised. "What? I am not a monster you know?" I said. He nodded and led me to Matthias' cell. As it opened I saw Matthias sleeping. I walked in and lightly shook him. But I seemed to have startled him as he grabbed my throat and hold me against the wall in the air. "Matthias... It's me." I gasped out. "Princess?" He asked as he let me go. "What are you doing here?" "She released you. You are free to go Helwar." He said. Matthias looked at me in shook. I nodded my head with a smile. Matthias was given some clothes and we walked over to the boat I had stole.

"Now princesses have boats?" He asked. "Well, I stole that one. Plus I had been kidnapped by Fjerdans for over a year almost recently." "What? Again?" He asked. "Yes. Plus don't make it seem like that happens a lot you know. It only happened once before this." I said. "They hurt you didn't they?" He asked. "Yes." "How bad?" "This was more torture than use me as distraction at night to blemish my virtue." "I'm sorry Gaia." He said softly as he rested a hand on my leathered hand. I looked up at his sad eyes and sadly smiled at him. "I am free, alive and very okay." I leaned up and hugged him. He held me tight and I melted into the comforting embrace of the burly, comfortable man that Matthias was. "Well, we better get going. We only got a few hours before we catch a train." I said as I climbed into the small boat I had. "You travelled in that?" He asked. "Yes." I said. "Well, how are we getting out. Where are oars?" He asked confused sitting in the boat. "Oh I didn't need them." "How did you row the boat. Do I need to do it?" "Oh, don't be ridiculous Matthias. I just rescued you need to just sit back and relax." "And you are going to row the boat by magic?" He asked. "No. Princesses don't row boats. Well, they might but, I don't. I have someone who does that for me." "Who?" He asks. "Well, Olivia, Steve, Ray and Mabel of course." I said. We were moving. Matthias was in shook and he looked down. "Are those dolphins?" He asked. "Yeah and on the security detail is Martin and Caleb." I answered. "Whose the shark and whose the whale?" Matthias asked. "Martin's the whale." I answered. "You're still an animal whisperer I see." He says. "Yes I am."