The Warden's Awakening

Chapter XV - Capture and Hold

Senara was being dragged along a stone floor by her hair, through a hood that had covered her while she was The heels of her feet dragged against the stone, scraping some of the skin off the bottom of them. She tried to struggle, but nothing came of it. The arms holding her were rather burly and strong, like Desh Wood. She tried to use her other senses to find out where she was. She smelt damp air and her screams echoed off of the walls. Was she underground? There was water around her, as she could hear it running alongside her. Where in Sann was she?

After what felt like an hour longer of dragging, she heard a door open, and she was forced into a chair. Ropes were tied around her waist, feet and hands to keep her from moving. Expertly tied, as a matter of fact. Was the captor a sailor?

The door closed behind her, and she heard it lock. No movement was heard behind her, and she thought it was safe to try and remove her hood. She leaned forward, and shook her head. The loose hood came off, and she looked around her. All she saw was stone. There was trickling water from the ceiling and spots of mud all over the floor. It was cold, and damp, and she still smelled must and rank wetness.

The dungeon under the central castle in Agalor.

It had not been used in a long while, as the hall of barons had served as the prison, and seat of government since long before Darkhelm came to power. Senara had visited there with her mother when she was little. It was a way to scare Senara from doing anything illegal. Senara had simply enjoyed the trip and the experience of seeing a castle from the old order. It had fallen into disrepair and then some.

She tried to move, but her body was tied very well to the chair, and she was only given a few inches in either direction. Casting camouflage here would not help her, as the ropes would appear to be floating. Unless....

She tried to focus on herself at first with a cast of camouflage, and succeeded. She then tried to expand her cast to the chair and ropes themselves. Normally, one would need permission to cast one of the twelve on them, but as the rope and chair could not have free will to chose either way, so by default, the cast would work without high risk of possession. She concentrated her will and asked the Other for aid. In seconds, the chair and ropes all appeared as though they were apart of the room. Not invisible: anyone who walked close enough could see what little light there was bending around them, but to those walking by quickly, or those too stupid to check, she was gone.

Not that it helped her: she still could not move.

Seconds later, she heard someone at the door. She retained her camouflage and remained silent as the wooden door opened to reveal someone. Who was that? She had never seen this man before.

He was short, shorter than Senara was by a few inches, yet looked roughly her age, if not a but older. He had a small, unkempt bead growing around his lips, with eyelashes that were as bushy as his hair was short. His nose had a long scar across it that almost seemed to cut it in half.

"Where is she?" he said aloud, looking around the room for her. That was a strong Stordem accent. The "e's" were "ay's," Another man entered the room with burly arms and an eye patch over his left eye. This had to have been the one who tied her to the chair.

"She was right here. I tied her here myself."

"Are you sure we're in the right room?"

"Yes, Sixth from the door. This is the right place," the sailor said.

"Hrn, bring me a lantern." the unknown man ordered. Damn it to Sann, that would not help her camouflage situation. The light would be broken at some parts of the room, and a trained eye would notice that. Not to mention her shadow would still appear. She needed to think fast.