- CASTLES CRUMBLING (A.S.) -

- 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 -

together we're the greatest.

THE SUDDEN BRIGHT LIGHT mixed with a deafening roar snapped Regina away from Skywalker's gaze, one that might have ended in something more had it been allowed to continue. Regina was immediately conscious that she was moving forward into said bright light—and that Padmé was standing right behind her, witnessing Regina and Skywalker gaze soulfully into each other's eyes. Regina felt a blush creep onto her cheeks as she thought of that.

The transport was moving forward rather slowly. As Regina's eyes slowly adjusted to the light that she was riding into, she began to see what lay ahead.

Outside the building she and her companions were in—presumably no longer that factory, as their long walk from there to where the chariot had been loaded had been fraught with barred doors—lay a ginormous arena. Said arena was jam-packed with Geonosians, all fluttering and shouting, screaming as Regina, Skywalker, and Padmé rolled into view.

Down at her level, Regina caught a glimpse of a scene that made her stomach flip. In front of her and chained to one of four massive pillars in the center of the arena floor, was Obi-Wan Kenobi himself.

"Skywalker," Regina said, catching Skywalker's eye before jerking her chin toward his master.

"He's gonna kill me," Skywalker groaned with gritted teeth. Regina sent him a pointed look.

"Better him than whatever they have planned for us," she retorted. She knew that wasn't an encouraging comment. But who could blame her.

"Regina's right," Padmé answered. "I shudder to think about what they have behind those doors." Regina followed her gaze to four giant doors, quite similar to the one she and her fellow captives had come through.

But now they were close to Kenobi.

The Geonosians following behind poked at the chariot with one of the spears, signaling the small group to exit. Padmé stepped out first since she was in the back, followed by Regina, then Skywalker. A Geonosian waited to escort each of them to their final destination.

Rough hands shoved Regina forward, leading her in the direction of a pillar, one of the two in the center. Regina could see Padmé already being chained to her post at the far end and Skywalker wasn't far behind Regina. The same hands as before pulled Regina's bound wrists above her head, and she could feel a chain being attached to the binders. The tugging intensified as the chain was pulled up by a flying Geonosian, and now she was presumably connected to the post at her back. She still had the cloth wedged between the binder clasps, and she could only hope that her captor wouldn't see it. As soon as she was tied to the post, the Geonosian fluttered away.

To her left, she could hear Skywalker and Kenobi having a small exchange, something sarcastic from Kenobi about Skywalker doing a "good job" at rescuing him. Regina knew he wasn't wrong, but something about the remark irked her; they had come to his rescue, after all.

But she had no time to dwell on the conversation. Though she and Skywalker had had a pretty hopeless chat minutes prior, she had no intentions of dying. Not today, at least.

Paying attention to her surroundings, yet focusing on the Force at the same time, Regina slowly began working at the cloth and the binders. Sliding the fabric through the clasp was a difficult job, but it had paid off. Slowly, subtly, Regina began working her right hand through the binder.

But then a roar filled the arena and Regina spared a glance to see Count Dooku appear from a balcony far above, accompanied by Nute Gunray—the Viceroy of the Trade Federation—and Poggle the Lesser, the ruler of Geonosis. As she figured previously, this was no ordinary arena. This was an execution arena, used for gladiator-type fights. And Dooku and his counterparts were there to watch their deaths as entertainment.