The Monarch

The Escape

The guard cursed, unsheathing his sword, quickly hitting the jailer on the head with the hilt.

The jailer falls to the floor unconscious.

"You just couldn't keep your mouth shut."

"...WHAT?!" She looks even more confused.

The guard took off his helmet, and Alek smiles. "I told you I'd come get you."

Bridgette gasps and squeals clapping. "ALEK! ALEK! Who's the kid?" She points to the boy on the ground.

"Guard trainee." Alek opens the bars. "I don't know him personally."

She jumps on him in a hug and swings around laughing. "Thank you! But Crainer isn't so bad..."

"Not bad just honest. He would have told someone as soon as you spoke up." Alek checks around, making sure no guards were coming.

"Yeah sorry..." She lets go of him and twiddles her fingers, smiling. "I didn't really like anyone at the moment."

He chuckles. "It's fine, but we're not out yet." Alek puts back on his helmet. "I need you to pretend you don't know who I am. It would have been genuine before but... Too late for that."

Bridgette giggles. "Sorry..." she nods. "Alright. I'll try." Her face goes blank and she forces her ears to lower as she stands at his side.

Alek grabs her, holding her arms behind her back. He walks her up the stone stairs. Alek moves silently, nodding to fellow guards as he passes.

Bridgette continues to be silent, keeping her mood empty.

He was halfway down the staircase when- "What are you doing?" Rose hisses, speaking up from behind.

Bridgette tenses, and gulps, holding her tongue.

Alek turns, holding Bridgette at a distance. "The girl agreed to show where the princes were. The king personally asked me to find them."

Bridgette glances at Rose and looks away.

"She agreed? Why?" Rose smirks, her eyes however doubting the story.

"It wasn't hard once you find the weakness. And her's was my pleasure." Alek said, trying to sound like a creep, using an armored hand to squish her cheeks.

(THE LITTLE-)

Bridgette tenses more and trembles. She gulps and tries to hide her disgust.

Rose rolls her eyes. "That's enough, I'd rather not hear about your encounter. You may go."

Alek begins taking her again, frounding beneath the helmet.

Bridgette, feeling slightly relieved yet also sick, lets him.

Alek walks her past the maze back to where Kogan was, the guards not paying attention to them. Alek took off his helmet once out of sight.

"I'm so sorry." Alek says quickly , his eyes showing it.

"No problem." Kogan says.

Bridgette looks down, her ears lowered for real.

"No I was talking to Bridgette." Alek tells Kogan. He turns back to her. "It was the first plan I thought of that was guaranteed for us to get out. There was no more room for complications. You understand I would never, right?"

Bridgette steps back. "Rose doesn't know that..." She looks away, avoiding Alek's gaze and trembling. "After that show, she's going to think that's the only way to get things out of me!"

Alek's eyes widen.

"ALEK!" Kogan hits him upside the head.

A: (XD)

Bridgette jolts. "D-Don't hurt him! He didn't know!"Kogan pouts.

"That was a mistake... I... I'll make it up to you I promise!" Alek says internally panicking.

She looks away again and pouts. "Sure." She folds her arms "I'm not too comfortable about what you DID either."

"I wasn't either!" Alek holds his hand to his chest. "I could never after that maid tried- Look just, I'm sorry okay!"

Bridgette glances at him. "... Admit you're an uncivilized backwoods man, and I might CONSIDER forgiving you..."

"I'll say anything you want! I'm an uncivilized backwoods man! And I'm sorry!"

"... Now say you're a nugget..." She folds her arms and turns to face him with the face of a queen. "And a silly goofball."

L: (That's so hard to imagine while she's saying that)

"I'm a nugget and a silly goofball!"

A: (Hehe)

Bridgette stares at him before smiling a bit "Fine. You are forgiven. And it's okay! Because we're safe!"

Alek sighs with relief. "Thank you and I promise, I won't let anything happen." He smiles lightly. Kogan grins.

Bridgette nods "Good. Now bow to me!"

Alek smiles. "I always bow to you." Instead he gets on one knee and kneels before her.

Bridgette smiles and pats his head. "Good. And..." She looks confused "What was that about the maid?"

Alek looks up. "What?"

Kogan looks confused as well.

"You said, 'not after the maid' and you cut yourself off. What did you mean?"

"Yeah." Kogan Joined in. Alek sits down.

"No I didn't..."

"..." Bridgette shrugs. "Fine then."

Kogan keeps his eyes on Alek for a moment longer. "Alek what didn't you tell me?" He presses.

Alek looks at the ground. "It's not important."

Kogan frowns. "If you didn't tell me it's important!"

"Kogan please..." She places a hand on his chest but turns to face Alek. "Alek... you said you would tell me the truth in everything... Now tell me about the maid..."

Alek avoids looking at her. "I know I said that but..."

Bridgette walks over and turns his head to face her, gently. "Tell me... and I'll tell you about Timber... And what I've done..."