Enter Abyss

Chapter 40; When bad things get worse.

The cell was dank and dismal-- worse than the one Pip had been subject to when she had first arrived.

Funny enough, Mordren had also been the one who had put her there in the first place.

Putting her head in her hands, Pip tried to figure out where it had all gone wrong. Granted, it wasn't her first time doing such a thing and she came much to the same conclusion that she had last time; Mordren had changed.

Or, rather, he had never really changed-- he simply had manipulated her into fighting for him, using her gifts as tools.

Pip wasn't actually sure that he loved her either.

All those nights spent in the warm embrace of his arms could have meant nothing. Another facade to lure in, keep her trapped.

By Garamire's ancient spectacles, Pip had done it again, hadn't she? She had given in to her heart so soon after she had promised she would never love again. To be fair, she wasn't quite sure she loved Mordren-- not after last night's spectacle-- rather, she simply liked the power he had and the way he had seemed to care for his people.

That or the way he had beaten her in a fight that one time.

It was humilitating, really. And the fact that he had managed to control her so easily... it hurt her beyond measure.

She had betrayed her loved ones, abandoned them, all for a man who only used her to gain power. And now, she would have to do it all over again; fighting against Archer so Mordren could keep the throne.

Gritting her teeth, Pip was debating whether she would be strong enough to rip the cell door off the hinges to escape when she suddenly heard a gentle knock.

"Go away." she spat, thinking it to be Mordren.

Surprisingly, it was Meera's voice who answered her. "Pip? Whatever are you doing in there?"

"Oh, you know, redecorating-- like one does."

From the other side of the door, she heard Meera snicker slightly, and a reluctant smile came to her lips; there weren't many who put up with her rude sense of humor.

"What are you doing down here?" Pip finally asked, relieved to have someone to talk to to, distracting her from the bleakness and boredome of the cell.

"I come down to feed the prisoners. Often times Mordren forgets about them."

Pip shuddered. Lovely. Why, it was not several days ago that the king had told her that the prisoners were being taken care of, that they were being fed. How many other things had Mordren lied about?

Shifting uncomfortably, Pip wanted to ask if Meera had happened to bring any food for her when the dungeon suddenly echoed with loud footsteps, coming closer and closer to her cell.

Pip leapt to her feet when she heard the sound, and a moment later the cell was flooded with light from a torch as the door swung open. 

Rough hands grabbed Pip by the wrists and shoulders, dragging her from the darkness and leaving her blinking in the sudden brightness of it all.

To her left, she heard a coarse voice bark something in the Abyss language and a second later, Meera screamed.

Whipping around, Pip saw a guard backhand the poor girl across the face, sending her stumbling back again the wall of the dungeon.

With an enraged growl, Pip lunged at the man, only to be held back by several more guards. Thrashing, she watched as Meera shakily propped her self up on one arm, holding a hand to her face.