The Dragon Prince - Soren x reader (f)

- Conflicted Council -

A day has passed within Banther Lodge. It has been a horrible period of time. Rayla and Callum can't seem to stop arguing. Soren and I don't know how to speak to our King without it being awkward. Everyone is stressed.

Runaan remains shackled in the dungeon. Technically, I think its a basement. But with the array of cobwebs and lack of any proper furniture, I refer to it as the dungeons.

Yeah... I'm very stressed.

This morning I'm on my way down to speak to Runaan. Again. It has been a sort of hourly routine, making sure that he is drinking water and eating what little Ezran spares him. Just as I'm about to descend past Spencer down the familiar steps, a voice calls my name. I turn swiftly on my heel. "Ezran?" I wonder. He hasn't been down here yet.

"I would like to speak to you, (Y/n)," my friend clarifies. I'm kind of glad we aren't crossing paths to visit Runaan. My steps retreat, bidding Spencer a polite smile as I turn to follow Ezran. We walk somewhere slightly more private, the hallway empty except for us. "You have been down there a lot," Ezran states.

"He's like my father after all," I make clear. It was not right thing to say. "Is this the part where you demote me?" I blurt out next in order to change the subject.

Ezran's eyes widen momentarily before he shakes his head. "No, (Y/n), of course not," my King says. Despite his mumbling, I believe the sincerity in his tone. "I'm sorry for the way that I behaved. I'm just..."

"You're just grieving," I finish for Ezran. Obviously I empathise with him. I wish I could make it easier but the situation doesn't give us many options. "It's not easy," I continue bitterly, filling the silence with conversation.

Ezran nods in sure agreement. Then his head quirks to the side. "How did you do it?" He wonders.

"Do what?" I retort. There could be many people, many scenarios and past events that he could be referring to.

"Am I correct with the fact that Viren was responsible for both your parent's deaths?" Ezran voices.

"My mom and my dad," I confirm. "Yes."

Ezran's lips purse in remorse. Despite our friendship, a heavy tension fills the space. "How did you not murder him as soon as you found out?"

My King's question is a genuine one, despite the bluntness of it. "I wanted to," I tell him in full confidence. I have an urge to repeat the statement, so he knows how truthful it is. But then I remind myself that I didn't kill Viren. Viren killed himself, in the end, for the greater good. "I don't know," I whisper. I could defend the fact that I didn't want to hurt Soren, or that I didn't want blood on my hands. But there was always a part of me that wanted to see that man hurt.

"Exactly," Ezran deduces with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Ezran-" I step closer to him but the boy mimics one backwards.

"Join us for the council meeting," he says curtly before added a gentle "please." I nod my understanding. It is clear that this conversation is over when Ezran promptly strolls away from me. I have a moment to take a breath before heading back in the direction of the dungeon stairs.

The descent is narrow and slim but I have been up and down enough times to be used to the pattern. Runaan looks up at me when I land on his level. He manages a smile. It has a bemused quirk to it, as if he knew that my previous visit wouldn't have been the last one. His hands are restrained above his head. They're attached to a chain in the pole that he sits against.

The sight doesn't get better.

"Why didn't you fight it?" I question. I have yet to be so bold. When I came in here before we spent a lot of time sitting with one another, no words spoken between us.