Toy Soldier {ManxManxMan}

CHAPTER 2

It wasn't much of a friendly dinner party, more like a glorified interrogation. They patched up what wounds I had, badly should I mention, before strapping me into a chair in front of a table that was covered in food that honestly smelt amazing, taking into consideration all I'd had to eat for the longest time was stale bread and water that tasted like rust, but my wrists were tied to the arms of my chair, so feeding myself was out of the question.

There weren't many around the table, and I was troubled when Demi didn't show up as one of the guests, but oh joy, at least Blu was there. As were Roy, Vinet, and their newest pawn Grady Cooper, who took Rupert's place after Demi slaughtered him. We were the only ones at the table, and Cooper was greatly enjoying the food on his plate as his shifty eyes moved around to look at the others sitting at the table. There were a few extra soldiers posted in every corner of the room, standing still and silent like the Queen's Guards. Unnerving, but not as unnerving as the fact I was a forced dinner guest with no way to eat.

What was the point of me being at the table if they were going to strap my ankles and wrists to the arms and legs of the freaking chair?

"Well," I sighed out, waving my hands as much as I could with how bound I was, "This is just spectacular, the food is great, at least I assume it is, but see I'm going to have to be grabbing my friend so we can hit the road and go back to planning your downfall, so if we could just wrap this up?"

Blu chuckled, leaning back in his seat and lifting a wine glass unhurriedly to his lips, "Oh you are amusing, Mr. Bailey. I like that. See, when I brought Demi home, he was only thirteen, basically still a baby," he rolled the wine glass in his hand to make the crimson liquid spin, "The boy had no sense of fun or sarcasm, he was just scared. Yes, I admit, seeing that pathetic look was very entertaining, and he did in fact have a stubborn streak, likely inherited from that spit fire of a mother," he breathed in through his teeth and shrugged, "But, well, two years of training and he broke down like the Berlin Wall," he emptied a small sip of wine into his mouth and smiled, "Messy and violent."

I ground my teeth together, curling my hands into tight fists, greatly irritating the cuts in my palms as I swallowed the thick lump in my throat, "Are you telling me that to try and piss me off?" I asked, scoffing, "Because it's working."

"No, no, I wouldn't dream of it!" Blu assured, waving a hand, "I'm just trying to.... Enlighten you. This organization is only interested in bettering the world!"

"Oh yea, that's why you kidnap and rape children," I laughed, "Your head is screwed on the wrong way, just so you know."

Roy stood up and slammed his hands against the table, his chair scraping against the ground as it was shoved back, but Blu just held a hand up to pacify him and keep him from lunging across the table to snap my neck.

"Boss saves lives," he snarled at me, "You should be honored he's taking pity on the likes of you."

I arched an eyebrow, "I'm sorry?"

"Are you slow?" Roy asked mockingly, "Despite the fact you bet your lot in with the rebellion that wants to kill us, Boss is willing to look past it, give you a chance to change your mind and switch sides! He's a gracious leader who's giving you something you don't deserve!"

"Switch sides," I repeated, feeling so amused I grinned until my cheeks hurt, laughing as I dropped my chin to my chest, shaking my head, "And I'm slow?" I looked up at Roy, "There's a little something in the world called loyalty, shit stain. It's rare these days, few have it, but I'm one of the few," I nodded at the table, "Keep your promise of forgiveness if I join you, because I'd rather die and roast on a spit than betray my family."

"Awe, cute," Roy cooed at me, "You're in a tight spot, twink. You join us and get treated like gold, or reject us and become a prisoner, and if you try to betray us, well," he grinned, "Maybe later we can take a field trip to the playroom to see what Vinet's been doing with your friend."