𝔽𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 ℂ𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕟 || 𝕂𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕒𝕥𝕠 𝔸𝕪𝕒𝕥𝕠

41. New Friends To Replace Old Ones

The dungeons of Narukami Palace were much better kept than the cells Kanari had been trapped in. Though the walls were similar stone bricks, they were obviously well maintained. Grime-free, the floor echoed as her metal heel tapped against it. The appearance of the corridor she was navigating varied greatly from the one she'd just been rescued from two weeks prior, but the smell was horrifyingly similar. The dungeons stank of rusting metal and blood; the latter of which was a scent that was nigh impossible to get rid of. Stone that is stained with blood cannot be easily washed away with mere water. 

Still, Kanari continued on through the hall, following the directions the receptionist at the entrance had told her. Her feet took her to a cell at the end of the corridor, barred with metal poles. The indigo-haired woman sitting inside didn't give any response as Kanari walked up to her, choosing instead to stare at the grey wall. 

Unlike the room Kanari had been trapped in, this place was well lit, another sign of its high maintenance. Sara's sullen face was illuminated by the sole lightbulb hanging from the ceiling, casting sharp shadows with its stark white light. Dark circles stood out against her pale skin, giving her a ghostly look. It was evident that she hadn't been eating much, from the barely touched tray of food on the floor. 

"Sara," began Kanari, her voice crisp. 

There was no response whatsoever from the former general, and for a moment Kanari was reminded of herself. She knew what it felt like to be trapped in a small space with nothing but your own thoughts as entertainment. For even the most introvertive individuals, complete isolation can easily turn into a living nightmare. Humans are pack creatures, after all. If your thoughts were only allowed to bounce within your own mind, then madness is just down the road.

"Sara?"

Still nothing.

Kanari had prepared herself for this. She had practiced what she would say to Sara. She knew that there was a very large chance she'd get no response from her. She told herself she would try to be lenient and calm so she could find out what she wanted.

But despite that, she still cracked.

"Why are you just ignoring me? What did I do wrong? What happened? I'm sorry if I did something wrong. Can you please just tell me what made you throw away everything you stood for?" She exclaimed, anguished. A hot feeling bubbled in her chest and droplets adorned her eyelashes as she blinked. Such an emotion had been occurring a concerningly common amount the past two weeks. 

Sara still gave her no reply, choosing instead to stare blankly at the wall before her. A brief silence, thick with broken bonds, filled the air before Kanari continued her passionate tirade. 

"Sara, I was your friend for the good part of four years, can't you just acknowledge me for a second? Have I become so despicable in your eyes that you can't even look at me? Please, I just want to know why you did those things." She sighed. "Aya— His Majesty was— He was going to cut your tongue off, but I asked him not to. Your sentence is just imprisonment, now. Can you please just talk to me?"

That certainly caught Sara's attention, for her eyes widened as Kanari finished speaking. Slowly, she turned her head in Kanari's direction, though still not meeting her former friend's eyes. 

"Please," begged Kanari, getting down on her knees, so that her face was on the same level as Sara's.

"What are you doing here?" Sara finally croaked, her once smooth voice hoarse from disuse. 

"I came here to talk to you."

"What's there to talk about?" Sara said, shaking her head. "It's over. We're done. You're still royal advisor, while I'll be here rotting away for the rest of my life."