Pleadings From Below

Monotone Cries

The harsh, warm morning sun rose, spreading light onto the large city, the one in which those ominous beings dwelt in.
Where Crownwood Kingdom resided.

The brightness seeped through the cracked windows, various of the residents awaking with contagious yawns. Atleast, the middle and high ranks.
The entirety of the lower ranks had been working nonstop overnight, putting as much effort as they could in. As always, being quite frank.
Although, much more work always seemed to be stacked upon 4th, alongside 2nd and 3rd. Through the gossiping of the higher and middle ranks, and the general cruelty in that horrid place, there was really no avoiding the inevitable fate of being hated as one of the helpless lower ranks there.

2nd wiped his brow as he continued on with his given tasks, his eyes consistently darting back to the quietly ticking clock, waiting for a meeting to occur. Sure, those were just as awful to endure, but god, the man could barely move, he was so exhausted.
He bites the inside of his lip and clenches his fist. He was downright done with this. His eyes slide over to the nearest door, as the room was fairly large. Was it worth it? It felt so. 2nd seemed to be one of the few who never broke his tough facade. It appeared impossible to ever instill fear in him. Everything was buried behind layers of defensiveness, anger, and bitterness, any true sense of softness drowned and long gone.
He hesitantly approaches the door, the second long movement feeling like centuries.
He goes to to make a run for it, but freezes in his tracks as the sound of a rough thud reverberates through the entire building.

2nd's eyes widen. What was that? Hopefully going to check would be an excuse to get a break. He bolts out of the room and ventures down the many sets of stairs until he makes it to the first floor. It catches his eye that a few others have came to check out the commotion aswell. For some reason, a crowd of royals were standing around aswell. He pushes through a few of his rarely seen co-workers until he makes it to the sight : A large gaping opening where there once was a window and a frame. Presumably, someone had escaped. A lower rank.
Not the most shocking, it was actually quite impressive to 2nd that someone even had the guts to do something like that. He definitely understood, he felt done with this too.
He tries to get any info he can from nearby conversations, but everyone's whispers and exclaims drowns the other's out. Everything was totally unintelligible. He sighs, rolling his eyes, waiting for something to happen next.
After a while, the crowd all synchronously silences themselves and glances behind as they hear an immediately recognizable sound. Not just any footsteps, but those of the one and only.

Queen Mei.

People push and pull themselves out of her way as she struts through, a look of disbelief apparent on her expression. She has an absolutely disgusted demeanor, a building anger beginning to practically radiate off of her.
The crowned and fancily adorned lady stays silent a while more before speaking up, her voice loud and stern,
"Who dared to ever leave this place?! I know one of you must know."
Everyone looks at one another, shifting weights uncomfortably as they simply stare back at their ruler. No one... knew.
Infuriated, Mei huffs, stomping her foot like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum.
"One of you go and find out! Useless abominations!" She yells, gritting her teeth afterwards as she turns around swiftly and leaves off, a threatening aura following her.
Even though her presence was a short ordeal, every person there knew how serious this situation was. Someone needed to go interrogate what had happened.
Back with 2nd, he pauses, deep in thought as he examines the happening. He considers everything in the moment, before stepping forward, feeling his heart thumping, despite hiding it.

"I'll go find 'em. Whatever." He sternly mutters.

A few people gasp, some murmur and snicker, and the rest just stare.
Before 2nd could go on any further, to go out, he senses someone reaching out and cocks his head in that direction, seeing 3rd running out to him.
The decorated man frowns and stands beside 2nd, keeping him from going farther.
"Are you crazy? You can't do that! At this point, you're half gone and barely functioning! And you expect yourself to go find someone for this entire place? As a lower rank, too?" 3rd whines.
2nd's brows furrow, his eyes narrowing, as he snaps back, "I know what I'm doing, I've done things like this before. I'm not just incapable. Plus, I have a good idea which idiot had a bright idea to try gettin' outta here.".
3rd gets quiet, just gazing weakly at 2nd with deep concern. 3rd was typically the obnoxious guy around, but things had gotten tough in the workplace of a kingdom, as of late.
"I'm coming with you." 3rd states, his voice barely audible.
2nd glares, but sighs without resistance.
"Fine. But I'll do you one better. Before we're finding anyone together, you're gonna go get the other moron we unfortunately work with." He conditions, his tone firm.
3rd, who would normally protest, just nods, and scurries off.