A Whisper of Night

9.2 || SCIROCCA 🍃

           

They know, Scirocca thought, terror tying her stomach into knots. They know Melia had some part in Zalyne's and Luka's escape – she'll be punished – they're going to find out about me –

    "Thank you," Sirok said grimly. He nodded at Mossbeard. "My daughter and I will take your leave now. I believe we can show ourselves out."

    Sirok grabbed her wrist and dragged her from the room.

    "Why did you do that?" Sirok hissed, the instant the door shut behind them. "You know how much we need this egg! Why wouldn't you sacrifice yourself for our kingdom, for our people?"

    She did not respond, instead counting her footsteps as they strode back. In a few months, she'd be back here, wed to the wrinkled old Mossbeard....

    "You disgust me," Sirok snarled. Scira felt a faint tingling in her toes, a sense of numbness. "Do you think I have a good life? Do you think I'm happy with all of my choices? Do you think I get to have choices half the time?"

    One-hundred-one, one-hundred-two....

    "I swore I'd never say no to my parents," he spat. "I have never embarrassed them. I took all of their decisions with neither protest nor complaint. They did what they did for the good of the kingdom, and so will I."

    They reached the entrance of the Labyrinth. The guards moved aside, and one handed Scirocca back her sword.

    Melia, she thought. Melia....

They reached their horses and started back towards Aitma. The entrance to the Labyrinth stood atop the Mountain of Maize, a rounded hill surrounded by a ditch and garrisoned with five dozen novice Alchemists.

Two of the Alchemists stepped aside to let them pass the drawbridge - two more closed the gates behind them as they left the Labyrinth behind.

Sirok did not say a word on the way back, his hands tight around his reins as they galloped through the trees. Why is he so angry? she wondered numbly.

And then she realized that this...this was the first time she'd said no to her father's face. No to a suitor, no to the suitor he needed the most.

    They entered the city and reached Aitma Hall. Sirok dismounted and strode towards the entrance at a breakneck pace, Scirocca running to keep up.

Scirocca flinched as an earsplitting wail pierced the air.

"NOOOOO!" screamed a woman. "NOOOOOO - I didn't do it - PLEASE, NO!"

    The entirety of Aitma Hall had gathered to watch Melia's interrogation. The innkeeper knelt on the ground, her blood a crimson pool before her, her hands bound as she moaned with pain. And behind her...a lump of fear welled in Scirocca's throat. A dozen crimson-clad guards stood in a line, hands tight around whips and knives.

    "What is the meaning of this?" Sirok demanded. The people leapt aside at the sight of him, muttering and gasping and pointing. Scirocca followed, muscling her way through the crowd. "Why are you doing this to my subject?"

    "Your Majesty," said the soldier with the whip, sinking into a low bow, his voice thick with Scorvald's guttural accent. "This woman has admitted to aiding two of Queen Lleona's fugitives. She says someone brought them to her. We're trying to figure out who."

    "You mean you believe her?" Sirok scoffed. He reached the front of the Hall and took his place atop the dias. "Under the whips and knives of a torturer, anyone will say what they need to - "