The Hero Should've Known Better

Interlude 2

"How is my favorite Demon Lord doing?" Skarrol asked, stepping into the cell. "I haven't seen you in some time!"

Lord Luth looked up at Skarrol. The chains clinked as they swung from his hands.

"The last time you met me was yesterday."

"Well, yesterday or not, I've been given a job."

"Is this my sentence, to be irritated to death by you?"

"No, your food!"

The Harpy stepped over, carrying a tray with a jug of water and a pile of bread scraps accompanying a half-loaf of bread.

"Some bread and water! Well, the soldiers of the garrison won't allow me to leave to get the fresh stuff, so the leftovers are all that I have to give."

"More bread?" Lord Luth asked.

"Well, yeah," Skarrol replied. "Junil told me to. You need to stay healthy, after all!"

The Harpy held out the tray to the Demon Lord. Luth hesitantly took the stale loaf, and squeezed it in his hand to confirm that it was at least slightly less stale than the one he had eaten yesterday.

"Thanks, I suppose," he said.

"Don't forget your water, too!" the Harpy exclaimed. "I remember you mentioned not having enough water last time, so I brought extra water!"

Lord Luth glanced up at Skarrol.

"...Thanks," he said, with a hint of reluctance. The Demon Lord bit into the bread, crumbs flying everywhere as the stale bread gave way. Skarrol, in the meanwhile, watched him do so.

"How's the food?" the half-Harpy asked.

"Terrible," Luth admitted. "But edible."

Skarrol supervised Lord Luth as he chewed away. The Harpy looked to the side, and pulled a wooden crate towards himself to sit on.

"Do you wanna do any small talk?" the half-Harpy asked.

Lord Luth glanced up.

"I feel like I can't really refuse," the Demon Lord replied. "So no, I don't want any. But go ahead, because I know you're going to say something regardless."

"You know me really well already, and it's only been a day!"

"I'm just good at picking up signs."

Luth took several hearty gulps of water, then set the cup down. He looked at Skarrol again. "Well, what is it you want to talk about? Might as well get over it now."

"Oh, it's about your sister," Skarrol replied.

Lord Luth paused right as he was about to take another bite of bread.

"My sister? What about my sister?"

"Well, the Hero is after your sister. You know that, right?"

Lord Luth gave the Harpy a wary glance.

"...Yeah? Where are you bringing this conversation?"

"I'm just saying you might get to see her soon, courtesy of me triangulating the message you sent!"

The silence between the two persisted for about ten seconds as Lord Luth processed what Skarrol was saying. He then dropped the bread back on the tray, and took a deep breath.

"You told the Hero where my sister was?!" the Demon Lord roared.

Skarrol did not expect that reaction from him. The Harpy stumbled back out of instinct, the outburst of unexpected emotion instinctively looking for an explanation to placate the angered Demon Lord.