Mosaic Windows

Chapter 35: Update on the Humans

CW: hostage taking

Ever since the dragon witch was freed, Fox was finding it harder and harder not to kill those that were on guard duty during the night. How did nobody see not one, but two traitors free it? How did anyone not see the dragon witch getting out of its cage until it already happened?

After they sent out a search to find the dragon witch and came back without it, Fox decided to have them pack up camp and head back to the castle. If the dragon witch was even a fraction as kind as it claims to be, it'll return home to make sure its "friends" are okay. Or maybe it'll return to reclaim its castle and treasures. Either way, it's their best shot at recapturing it.

They made their way back to the castle as fast as they could, sending a man ahead to warn those stationed there that the dragon witch was free. Fox would allow no rest until they got to the castle, and then there would be no rest until it was fortified and ready for an attack. With any luck, the man he sent ahead will be there before sunrise so those stationed there can prepare for an attack ahead of time.

Everything had to go smoothly, they cannot afford to fail against such a weak dragon witch. Their reputation would plummet! And his men were supposed to be an elite group in the monster hunting group. They have hunted worse creatures.

They were almost there by the time the sun rose, with the dragon witch being so hurt, there was no way they could have made it back to the castle in time. This small little hiccup will soon be smoothed over nicely.

~~~

Roman paced around the room, the shackles on his arms clinking against the chains. The hunters cleared out one of the guest rooms of everything but the bed. They threw in a few extra pillows and blankets since they decided to keep the four of them in the same room.

Yesterday not long after Virgil was taken away, Nico and Thomas had come to check on the twins since neither of them returned home last night or in the morning. They were in for a nasty surprise when they saw what happened.

Thomas demanded they turn around and vacate the castle, but the hunters reminded him that their organization can ignore orders from government officials, especially smaller ones like mayors.

Nico demanded to see his sons, and was allowed a moment. Roman and Remus explained everything to them and Nico all but attacked the hunters himself when he heard what they did. However, neither of the twins wanted their father to be locked up with them, so Roman told him to do what the hunters asked and return home. He promised that they would figure something out.

Unfortunately, it seemed when the hunters realized the twins were the sons of the mayor's boyfriend, it seemed like they were less inclined to release them than before. Chances are, they might use them as a bargaining chip to get Thomas to do whatever they want. And knowing him... it'd work.

So now all they could do was try to find a way out. Just in case they decided to climb out the window, guards were kept outside 24/7. It was annoying Logan, who spent his time sitting by the window waiting for an opening. But there was none, not even when the guards switched out. If they climbed out of the window, they would be detained again, if not shot.

Patton stayed by his side, but he wasn't looking out of the window like Logan. He just sat on the floor next to him, his red and puffy as he stayed curled up. The only time he got up or moved was when he ate little of the food given to them, or when he went to the bathroom. Which, Roman might add, had nothing in there that could help them escape.

Remus was also looking around the room for anything they could use. They needed to be sneaky, breaking down the door wasn't an option since they heard guards occasionally talking out there. Pleading with them did nothing at all. Patton had tried to reason with them plenty of times during the first few hours.

The more time passed with nothing for them to do, the more frustrated Roman got. Virgil was shot, he must be in so much pain! And he was moving further away from them, to who knows where to have who knows what done to him! It wasn't fair, he never did anything wrong! He didn't deserve this! How could anyone...? How could Janus have done this?

Well... it wasn't really that hard to believe. Remus stayed with him all night to make sure he did nothing to betray them. He wasn't exactly the most trustworthy. But... Roman had really hoped he changed. That his words got to the hunter. Of course it didn't, why did he think he could reason with the unreasonable?

Roman had washed off the red from his hands but he still could feel it. The bullet wound that Virgil got to save him. Why did he jump in between them? Why couldn't he just have let Roman be hit instead? Chances are, he's not in the best living conditions right now. Maybe... maybe the hunters already... He wouldn't believe it until he sees it himself.

"Maybe... maybe we can carve our way out through the floor," Remus suggested. He's been unnaturally quiet ever since he got bored of trying to annoy the guards.

"Underneath the panels are thick beams of wood. And then the ceramic ceiling of the library It'll take forever to carve through those, not to mention noisy," Logan told him.

"What about carving a hole in the wall? We could go to the other room or maybe we'll carve into the library?"

"Same problems, just vertical. We need to be smarter about this."

"No we don't, nerd, I just say we burst down that door and fight our way out!"

Roman smacked the back of his head. "There are only four of us! Who knows how many of them there are!" Then he said quieter, "If we're getting out of here, we have to be quiet and sneak out. You three can go to the town, but I'll steal a horse and go after Virgil."

Logan stood up. "I will not be going to the town, I'll be going after them too. We'll need to get food and supplies before we leave though... It'll be tricky going to the kitchen before getting out of here. It's on the other side of the castle after all, and who knows where the guards are stationed in the castle."

"Then let's just steal a carriage," Patton spoke up, still looking at the floor. Despite being quiet, everyone heard him since it was the first time he had spoken all morning.

"That... will work nicely. We just have to find one that hasn't been unpacked yet. Then we can send you and Remus-"

"I'm going," Patton said, finally looking at Logan. "I will not let them get away with hurting Virgil."

"I'm going too!" Remus said. "Where my brother goes, I go. Now we just have to figure out how to get these off." He lifted his wrists to show the cuffs.

"Indeed, maybe-" Logan was about to suggest an idea when the door opened.

Two guards walked in, two more staying outside. One of the guards on the outside told the fellow hunters, "Just keep an eye on them until Fox gets back here with more orders."

The door closed before anything else was said, and the four prisoners just looked at each other in confusion.

Remus, of course, stepped forward first. The two guards focused on him, one of them even lowered his spear at him. "What's the meaning of this?" Remus asked, unfazed by the threat.

"That is none of your concern," the guard who didn't point his spear at him said.

"Don't try anything funny," the other one said.

Logan kept his eyes on the guards and stepped back, sitting back down on the window ledge. Patton curled up tighter in himself, leaning towards Logan. The twins looked at each other for a moment before backing up closer to each other.

"I could take 'em," Remus whispered.

"Not before they stab you. Let's just wait this out," Roman told him. "We don't have any other choice."