Essek & the Mighty Nein One-shots

What is a Friend Worth?

(Aka; Essek gets caught for his crimes and is to be executed, but those Mighty Nein aren't about to let their friend get killed that easily soo... time to barter for your friend's life! Also, Verin and Essek have a brother moment. The angst is a little heavy so be warned)

(Word count: 7190)

Essek knew he would get caught, there was always that small voice in the back of his head that sung warnings to him. That voice had made him cautious, forced him to cover his tracks, ensured that he was as careful as possible.

... But he always knew he would get caught.

He knew he'd experience the inside of a cell from the prisoner's point of view, though it was surreal to be tortured by the people he had worked with for so long. He knew all of the methods by which information would be pried from him, Light, he'd delivered quite a number of those methods himself. It didn't lessen the pain to know what was coming, though it did quell his terror.

He'd admitted to it all: the betrayal, the thievery, the treason -  and he admitted it without them having to pry it from his broken spirit. Why should he try and hide his sins? It was only when they asked if anyone else knew of his actions that he clenched his jaw and stayed absolutely silent.

He closed his eyes and found himself within the hold of a boat, creaking in the sea, surrounded by those he had the gall to call friends after all he had done. He remembered his confession to them and the look of hurt betrayal in their eyes. His forehead burned like it had when Caleb had pressed his lips against it. The hand that Jester had held was burning. His ears and cheeks were prickling with shame and horror at the realization of the danger they were in if he admitted what happened within the hull of the Balleater. Essek couldn't help but chuckle as he recalled the stupidly inappropriate name of their ship that just spoke to their chaotic energy.

A hand grabbed his hair and jerked his neck back, and he hated how he grunted in pain for it. He was tied to a chair and his inquisitor had yet to make him bleed, but seeing as their patience had been so short, Essek knew it would not be long before he was in pain.

"Did anyone else in the Dynasty know about your involvement with the illegal smuggling of the Luxons?" the harsh voice of his questioner rung in his ears and Essek bit his tongue to keep himself grounded.

He couldn't lie, not with the spells that had been cast, but he wasn't going to tell the truth. Instead, he closed his eyes and prepared himself for the worst.

"I alone deserve to be damned," was his only response... and that was true.

Caleb, Jester, Veth, Caduceus, Yasha, Fjord, Beauregard... none of them deserved to suffer for what he'd done. The only crime they'd committed was forgiving a twisted wretch like himself.

He replayed his time with them like a never-ending mantra in his mind as they tortured him. He clung to their smiles, their laughs, promising himself that for all that he had done in this world, he could die knowing he'd protected them. Essek would die knowing they were safe. No amount of pain or suffering would take their names from his lips.

He thought of Beau as they beat him. Her "swagger" step that she'd tried to teach everyone. He strange vendetta against owls and hypocritical view of assholes. He would remember how she would smile as she play-punched someone, and that would make the blows hurt a bit less.

He remembered Fjord when they waterboarded him. Essek could recall the smell of salt that always clung to the half-orc like a constant reminder of the sea. He thought of how commanding Fjord had looked on a vessel; like he was born to be on the sea in command of a ship listening to the seabirds squawk overhead and smelling the salty brine of the waves against the bow. That... that would make the sensation of drowning a little less scary when he was shoved under the water once more.