Dank and dark, it's where prisoners are kept. Stone walls, hard floors, locks and chains.

Mazi was still unbroken and refusing to speak anything but insults. He taunted the closest man about his mother's reputation.

After a long week of listening to Mazi and his nastiness, the men ignored him.

"I shagged your mother twice for a halfpenny." Mazi taunted.

One of the knights finally spoke. "It wouldn't surprise me. I know nothing of my mother other than she was a whore in a bar."

"You are too, but I don't go for ugly women." Mazi said.

"Hell, for all I know, you're my father."

"Any of my offspring would be stronger and more handsome than you." Mazi said disgustedly. "You probably can't even swim."

"You're not that much to look at," the knight scoffed, ignoring the other knight telling him to knock it off. "And yes, I can swim very well."

"Doggy paddle doesn't count." Mazi scoffed. "I bet you've never bedded any women, not without a purse of gold and a sack over your head."

He curled his armored hands as best he could. He wished Lord DeVale had given them to leave to kill the evil creature.

"You probably don't even know how." Mazi laughed. "Bring my land woman down here and I'll show you."

"I say we run him through and say he was trying to escape."

"If I wanted to escape I would escape." Mazi lied.

"Uncivil heathen," the knight uttered and went back to his duties.

"Do you have a wife? A girl you're sweet on?" Mazi asked. "Maybe I'll slip out tonight and give her a visit."

"I told you not to engage with him."

Mazi began describing what he would do to the knights wife or girlfriend. It was not bring her flowers.

Thankfully neither of the knights had girlfriends or wives.  They were wed to their work.

"And then she'll never look you in the eye again." Mazi finished.

"You don't honestly believe that I would put anyone with a woman they cared about in charge of guarding you, do you?" Xavier said from the doorway.

"Then why aren't you guarding me? You can't get a woman." Mazi sneered. "And you never will, once my king is here there won't be any women left for you land men."

"Nothing would delight me more," Xavier said, "But I'm overseeing the rebuilding of the keep right now."

"Better reinforce the beds." Mazi said.

"I will personally institute a castration policy for any merman found within this village."

"You won't have a chance to carry that out." Mazi said.

"You are terribly certain of yourself. That is if, in fact, any of your...people...make it past the guards who have been told to attack on sight."

"Anyone who gets in our way will be dead, and before you know if we'll be enjoying your women." Mazi said.

"We will bring about the extinction of your species."

"How are you going to do that when we're impregnating all the women?" Mazi asked. "Has Ila started to show yet?"

"You will be mowed down on approach. And as far as I know, no, Ila is not showing. But then, due to what happened during the attack on the village, I would wager the healer gave everyone herbs to prevent any pregnancies from taking hold."

"She'll be a couple months by now." Mazi said, unfazed. "When we plant a seed it grows."

"If it's been a few months then it should have been obvious to even you that she is not showing. Your seed must have been defective."

"If she's not pregnant by now she must be barren... A slut like her must be barren otherwise she'd have a dozen babies." Mazi muttered. "She used to work at the Crimson Dove you know, she can teach you things."

"Maybe her body doesn't respond to abuse and force. I don't need any tutoring, thank you."

"You don't have to force brothel girls, it's what they're paid for." Mazi said. "She didn't mind getting a little rough, enjoyed it in fact. Some nights-" Mazi smiled evilly, and proceeded to describe in violent, graphic detail what he would do to Ila.

"And not a scream out of her, not even a word of complaint. She enjoyed it." Mazi finished.

"I don't believe one word that is coming from your putrid mouth," Xavier spat. "I look forward to when you are no longer needed for information and can be executed.

"Just ask her." Mazi leered. "And offer her a gold coin."

Rage filled Xavier but he managed to contain it. "You are a liar."

"No, I had Ila every night I was with her. Except for a few nights I had to be away. Then I'd leave her gagged and tied up on the floor like a pig." Mazi smiled at the memory. "Once I was gone all night and most of the following day, she was so happy to see me when I came home. Her wrists and ankles were all bloody."

Sir Excessive Force put Aislyn in a cell between Mazi and Jack, who was barely recognizable as human after being dragged and did not look long for this world.

Mazi's face lit up at the sight of his new neighbor. "Aislyn, I've been wanting to see you. Have you figured out how long Nelek wasn't Nelek? Like the last time he bedded you, was it really him? Or even before that? How many times did you go to bed with Onyi or me, and how much better mermen are than mortals?" He leered.

Aislyn scrambled to the back wall of the cell, far enough out of the reach of either of the heinous beings she was between.

Jack moaned through a toothless mouth. Most of the skin had been scraped off his body, bones might be visible if he was not caked with dirt. His arms looked ruined.

"Did you and that whore landwoman compare notes?" Mazi asked, pulling on his chains, trying to get closer to Aislyn.

Aislyn curled herself into a tight ball, trying to block out Mazi's voice.

"Did I make you regret betraying my king? Cheating on your true husband?" Mazi asked.

Aislyn lifted her head, a crazed look in her eyes. "I would shut up if I were you. I just went quite mad and killed a man who was harassing me. It would give me even greater pleasure to finish you off."

Mazi laughed. "I'll bet it was a mortal land man, mermen are a lot harder to kill. Land men are easy, just like land women."

Mazi grinned. "All it took was a Nelek disguise and you let Onyi take you like that."

"I hope you burn in whatever hell you believe in," Aislyn hissed.

"Hell is for humans." Mazi laughed. "Ila was almost as easy as you. All Onyi had to do was buy her contract and that land woman would do anything for him, or me. I suppose she is settling for mortal men now. Must be a let down for her after-" Mazi waxed nostalgic as he leaned against the cell wall and described what inhumane things he did to Pinja as if he were talking about going on a picnic on a nice summer day.

"She probably would have screamed if she wasn't gagged but the burns only left a few scars on her back." He finished casually. "Of course she carried on like she was in pain for days. Weak landwoman."

A murderous rage bubbled inside Aislyn. "Why would you torture her? What is it with you people that you feel you have the right to take anyone by force?"

Mazi laughed until tears streamed from his eyes.

"I never forced her to do anything." Mazi said when he finally recovered enough to talk. "Ila's a whore- you don't force whores to do anything, it's their job to do what they're told."

"Ila is not a whore. If she was, it was not of her own doing and it was unwilling." Aislyn had every faith in the girl.

"She's a whore, and is she ever willing! If she was unwilling she wouldn't have been so good at it." Mazi smirked. "She used to work at the Crimson Dove, has the brand and everything- that's what those red dove tattoos mean. The best whores are from there. They're all willing. She never resisted, never even said no, and whenever I asked her to anything she would do it without hesitating. She enjoyed it."

"I would guess that if they refused or appeared unwilling, they would be punished severely. One does what they must to survive until they find a way to escape. No, my guess is that Ila became an expert at faking it."

"Some things can't be faked." Mazi said. "She's a whore who loves it. I bet if she was in here with me now she would still do what I told her."

"And I say you are wrong."

"Have her come down here and I'll prove you wrong." Mazi said and called over to guard to bring Ila. "Hey! She is asking for a visitor!" He yelled to the closest guard.

"No! The only visitor I wish to see is Lord DeVale."

"I'm not doing him." Mazi looked disgusted. "Is he for you then?"

"To speak with, yes." Aislyn glared at Mazi.

The arresting knight went to find DeVale.

Mazi shouted to the remaining guard. "Why don't you let me share a cell with Aislyn? It's been two weeks since I had Ila and Aislyn has gone without for years, unless she cheated on the man she was cheating on my king with."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:15, Sat 14 May 2016.

"I wouldn't be with you if you were the last man standing," Aislyn spat.

"I do prefer swimming over standing." Mazi said.

"I would rather be a nun in a convent."

"I've had nuns in convents. I prefer whores like Ila though, they know what they're doing." Mazi said.

"I hope you are drawn and quartered while being set aflame."

"Sounds like you have some twisted fantasies." Mazi told Aislyn, then made a rude gesture.

Aislyn glared at him.

"So is Ila showing yet or is she barren?" Mazi asked. "The guards here won't tell me anything."

"And I won't either."

"So she's barren. Oh well. I had fun trying." Mazi said.

Aislyn wished she still had the knife.

"What about your daughter?" Mazi asked, his eyes glinting evilly. "You still owe me your daughter."

"I. Owe. You. Nothing." Aislyn began to hope Millie had run away to Portside.

"You promised me your daughter. Since you let the other one die, as well as most of your other bastards, I get this one, Mallie." Mazi said.

Xavier heard the exchange as he entered the dungeon. "Sit down and shut the **** up, Mazi. Who thought it was a good idea to place Mrs. Gerthrim between two bastards?" he demanded.

"It's the easiest cell to keep an eye on." Sir Excessive Force said awkwardly.

Mazi glared at Xavier. "You come at her beck and call. I've been asking for Ila for days but you still haven't gotten her for me."

"Release her at once," Xavier ordered. Tomorrow, Sir Excessive Force would find himself assigned to latrine duty.

He glared at Mazi. "I will never bring Ila to you so just stop asking."

"I think she is mad sir- she could be a danger to herself an others." Sir Excessive Force said, though he brought the key to the cell door.

"Then send me Aislyn's daughter. We're practically married." Mazi said.

"She's exhausted and has had extensive losses. Of course she's on the edge. And putting her next to Mazi was the worst decision that could have been made." Once the door was open, Xavier held out his hand. "Come, Aislyn. Let's go talk." He smiled gently as she cautiously approached and took his hand.

"What you are nearly is dead. It's the executioner's block for you, Mazi."

"You keep saying that but I'm still very much alive." Mazi taunted.

"The only thing keeping you alive is Lord Thornblade's absence. Once he returns, it will happen."

"I'll $&@() Aislyn's daughter before that ever happens." Mazi said.

"You step one foot out of that cell and the men have orders to cut you down."

"Maybe your men will already be dead when I get out of here." Mazi said.

Xavier narrowed his gaze. A plan began to form in his mind.

Mazi began to describe walking over the dead men's bodies and hunting down Aislyn's daughter.

For now, he quietly walked Aislyn away from the dungeons and toward the room he was using as an office area.

"She'll be able to see me right away, won't she?" He asked anxiously as they entered the gloomy dungeon.

"As soon as I can find...Aislyn?" he just about yelled, spotting her and Xavier coming from the dungeon area.

"My sweet sweet Aislyn!" He cried, running to her with his arms outstretched.

Aislyn froze, even as Xavier got between her and this guy making his way toward her. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Gerthrim is being taken for questioning." Aislyn peered around Xavier. "Who are you?"

He staggered back after nearly running into Xavier.

"I'm Nelek." He said, staring longingly at Aislyn.

"No, you're not. You're not him at all," Aislyn said sadly.

"I've been trapped on an island for such a long time I know I no longer look my best... But Luv, it's me." He said. "A couple good meals and your love and I will be good as new in no time."

"That's right- go to my king you adulterous slut!" Mazi catcalled from his cell.

In reply to Nelek (msg # 100):

"You are not my Nelek. Not in any way."  Aislyn managed a small smile. "And Mazi just gave you away."

"Who the hell are you to speak that way about my wife?" He glared at Mazi, then looked at Xavier. "Let me in his cell and I'll make him apologize to Aislyn."

"Like some weak mortal landman could make me do anything." Mazi taunted. "You can't even bed her- begging instead of taking."

He grabbed the bars and shook them angrily.

"Stop acting like you care. You're no more Nelek than he was." She turned to Xavier. "Let's go have our talk."

"Aislyn! Please. What do I have to do to prove that it's me?" He pleaded.

"You can't prove it, unless you have a good explanation for being a few inches taller than Nelek."

"I'm no taller than I've always been." He said. "You were wearing higher heels last time you saw me."

"Liar. Remove me from here, Lord DeVale or there will be another death." Her gaze was fixed on the dagger at his waist.

"My heart, it's me!" He cried.

"It's a conspiracy to drive me mad, and it's working," Aislyn cried out. "I know it is not my husband, my heart doesn't call out to him."

"It's because we've been apart so long." He said. "Don't you feel my heart calling to you?"

"I feel nothing but hatred," she sneered.

"I feel nothing but love for you." He said.

Xavier scowled. "Enough! She's said you're not her husband. Put him in the cell," he ordered his men. He led Aislyn from the dungeon.

He was put in a cell. "Aislyn!" He cried.

Once he was satisfied that the false Nelek was secure, Shawn hurried after Xavier and Aislyn, wanting to know just what was going on.

"Our son knows who I am!" He called. "Why can't you?"

Lek ran downstairs, hoping to see his parents reunited to make things right again.

He stood before the cell door, occasionally calling for Aislyn.

"Papa!" Lek cried. "What are you doing in there?"

"It was determined that he is not Nelek," one of the guards explained. "In fact, the Merman even called him his king."

"I am Nelek!" He shouted. "He is a liar, he tortured my family for months!"

"I know he's my father!" Lek exclaimed. "Where's Mama?"

"Mrs. Gerthrim also denied you." He harrumphed. "Like we would take the word of the likes of him," he sputtered, indicating Mazi.

"Lord de Vale, Captain Spenser and your mother have gone upstairs to a conference room."

Lek charged up the stairs. Mama was terribly mistaken! He had to set this right. "Mama!"

Difyr walked into the dungeon with a basket of healing supplies. She eyed the barely recognizable Jack in his cell. He looked like he was dying, but if he had lasted this long maybe he would live.

"Guard, I have to treat the prisoner." She called to the closest knight. Then she spotted him, in a cell next to Mazi. "Nelek?"

"You know it's me!" He stuck a desperate hand out of the cell. "My wife refuses to acknowledge me! We have both been through so much apart, she can't recognize me. She's my heart. You have to help me!"

Difyr nearly dropped her basket. She walked over to his cell but kept a couple steps away from him. She stared at him. "Aislyn does not recognize you?"

He shook his head. "But you're a healer- you can help me! She must be in some sort of hysterics, you can give her something to calm her down so she'll know me."

I certainly wouldn't recognize him by the way he talks. Difyr thought, taking another step away from Nelek's cell and towards Jack's.

"I will see Aislyn and see what I can do." Difyr did plan on seeing Aislyn, though probably would not follow Nelek's treatment plan. "But first this patient needs me. Guard!"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:09, Thu 26 May 2016.

"Hey healer! Is Ila showing yet or is she barren?" Mazi called.

Difyr ignored Mazi as a knight let her in Jack's cell and made sure Jack could not attack her. Difyr son saw that the guard's protection was unnecessary. Both of Jack's arms and legs had been broken, his right arm looked like a sausage with broken bone sticking out of it. His hands looked shattered. He hardly had any face left, just one eye that still had some meanness left in it. He had lost a lot of skin being dragged. Difyr could not imagine how much pain he was in.

And for once she did not feel bad about a patient being in pain. She was not gentle as she felt his bloody throat for a pulse.

"You have a very slim chance of surviving." Difyr said, her usual compassion gone. "And with all the permanent damage done to you might not want to survive at all. There's a concoction I use to treat pain, too much can be fatal. If I had a patient I cared about in your condition I would give him enough of this concoction so he would sleep and never wake up- it would be merciful. After what you and your men did I have had to treat a lot of people for pain- people who did not deserve to suffer. Between that and your people raiding my stores I find I have a very short supply of this medicine. So you will have to go without. Guard- hold him while I reset his limbs- that right arm will have to come off, can you send for a very sharp sword and someone with a strong stomach? And maybe something to plug my ears, this will get loud."

The pain was unbearable, Jack did not think it could get any worse. The healer was there, telling him how she was not going to give him anything for the pain. Jack closed his eye to try to block her out. He regretted burning jars of the healer's herbs. He was regretting torturing so many people.

But when he closed his eye he found himself in that dress shop. Only he was the one on that table, everyone he had ever killed or hurt was there, holding him down. Except for Pinja. She was holding the scissors.

Jack learned that any pain could get worse. He screamed and screamed.

Liadan stomped into the dungeon, her eyes blazing with fury.

"Let Ais out you drek eating momzers!" Liadan demanded.

"Who? Oh. Mrs. Gerthrim. Lord De Vale and Captain Spenser took her up to the war room to talk to her. They didn't want her down here either, and wanted to evaluate her emotional condition."

"Interrogate and torture her in private you mean- oh what the hell is this?" Liadan noticed the man resembling Nelek in the cell.

"I doubt it. Lord De Vale and Captain Spenser both said she needed treatment more than anything else. That? He came in with the Captain and Mrs. Gerthrim's son, claiming to be her husband. She denied him, he aggravated her and upset her all over again."

Difyr looked up from putting the last bandage on Jack. She did not know if he would die soon, or live to be executed. But he was conscious and had to be miserable. A part of Difyr hoped he would last until minutes before his execution, save a rope or an axe from needing to be cleaned.

"Why hasn't anyone told me about Aislyn before now?" Difyr asked, picking up her basket.

"Treatment? Oh I know what that is code for, disgusting swine." Liadan swore and tore up the stairs to save her friend.

"You were treating that bit of garbage and Lord De Vale wanted to speak with Mrs. Gerthrim before bringing her to you."

"This piece of garbage might last long enough for a noose to be slipped over his neck." Difyr said. "Or he might die five minutes from now." Difyr shrugged. "I had better brew some tea for her. Tell Xavier I want Aislyn sent to me immediately."

The knight nodded toward one of the other men, who went off to find Lord De Vale.

"I'm going to do to her daughter like I did to Ila." Mazi said. "Hey healer, did Ila tell you about the time we-"

Before Difyr knew it the sharp knife she used for surgery was in her hand. She realized she had become very bloodthirsty for a healer today.

"I should cut out his tongue." Difyr said to the guard. "Has he been confessing to torturing Ila all this time?"

"No, he's mostly been bragging about how great he is and how certain he is that Ila is carrying his child," the knight replied. "He's a right pain in the arse, it really is a shame there's no way to shut him up. No way that doesn't involve harming him, anyway."

"It's not torture- she likes it. She's a whore. One of the best whores, from the Crimson Dove." Mazi said. "And I am great, especially compared to weak landmen like you."

Difyr tightened her grip on her knife. "If I cut out his tongue it may prevent anyone from extracting information from him, right?"

"He's not been particularly cooperative anyway."

"I will ask Xavier about it." Difyr put the knife away.

"Best ask Lord Thornblade. Lord De Vale is only keeping Mazi alive for the information. He would just as soon run a sword through him as look at him by now."

"I will." Difyr nodded and headed up the stairs.

Liadan stormed into the dungeon.

"Okay, let me at a couple of these momzers."

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Into this momzer's cell." Liadan said, pointing at Mazi. "He has a lot of hurting coming to him, and it's overdue."

"Lords Thornblade and De Vale shall dole out whatever punishments they  deem proper for his offenses."

"I'm capable of doling out punishments." Liadan said, glaring at Mazi, her eyes full of hate.

"But your punishment would not be legal and in the name of the king."

"The King can go to hell. This is between me and this mermomzer." Liadan said.

"You will not see the prisoner. Turn around and go back upstairs with the rest of the citizens."

"Hell no." Liadan said stubbornly. "Give me the damned key of I'll pick the lock."

 The Knight grabbed Lia's tunic and headed toward the cell furthest away from Mazi and fake Nelek. He opened the door and tossed her in. "Stay in there until you cool down." He turned the key in the lock and walked away.

"$&@#*( momzer!" Liadan shouted. She pulled out a fork and began working on the lock.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:26, Mon 13 June 2016.

Shawn arrived with his prisoner, Cort. "Once you have him in a cell, I'll find Difyr to treat him."

"Hey, $&@*(!" Liadan called Shawn. "Let me out of here."

Shawn struggled to not grin. He couldn't imagine how Lia had gotten herself thrown in the dungeon. Wait. He could imagine countless ways. "Speaking to someone that way is not particularly enticing for having favors granted. I'm also not in charge of the dungeon. I'll be happy to let Aron know where you are. When I see him."

Liadan swore some more. "Just give me the damned keys!"

"I don't have keys. I'm not in charge of this dungeon." He watched the knight settle Cort in one of the cells and walked away, ignoring Lia's screaming at him. Finally, after all the years of enduring abuse from her, he was getting a bit of revenge.

Liadan vowed revenge, then resumed picking the lock with her fork.

Liadan almost had the door unlocked when a tine from her fork broke in the lock. Liadan swore and tried to pull the tine out with her fingers- it was stuck tight. Now even with a key it would not open. Liadan felt a cold fear creep into her as she backed into the far corner of her cell. Old memories pushing their way to the surface.

A starving child, caught stealing food. Whipped, a day spent under the sun in the stocks taunted by cruel people. Taken from the stocks when the sun set, half carried, half dragged to a filthy cell. Welts already growing infected. Parched with thirst. When water was finally brought the guard dashed it on the floor. Kicked her.

Liadan curled into a ball, covering her head, whimpering.

With the heavy axe on his shoulder, Wulfsen entered the dungeon.

Xavier entered behind him. Instead of heading toward the mermen though, he paused. "I hear whimpering. Feminine whimpering."

Wulfsen heard it too. He looked into what he thought was an empty cell, but saw a woman curled in a tiny ball in the far corner.

"Who is this?" He demanded of the guard.

"It's the crazy Buckley woman. Came down here demanding to be admitted to see the mermen. She wouldn't listen to reason or leave, so I did the only thing I could do. Now the crazy one broke some thing in the lock and my key won't work to let her out."

Wulfsen swore as he looked at the lock. "Did anyone think to send for her husband? Or a smith to fix the lock?"

"I can't leave my post to find anyone. My lord."

"As if you're much help standing here staring at a woman who is clearly having some sort of mental break." Wulfsen said angrily. "Go get Aron Buckley and someone to fix the lock and a couple knights who can do more than stand around."

The knight glared. "But the other..." he turned and left the dungeons. If he'd have left his post, he'd have been in trouble too. It wasn't his fault he was on duty all alone. He sent three knights that he passed and went searching for this Aron Buckley and a locksmith.

"Why was only one man assigned to guard here?" Wulfsen sighed in frustration and examined the lock. "Hopefully all that will need to be done is to pull this piece of metal out."

"There were three. Maybe one was ill or went for food or something."

"One of us should have been informed of the new prisoner too." Wulfsen said, peering in at Mrs Buckley. "What happened to her?"

"I do not know. The last I had seen of her, she had been off to find Mrs. Gerthrim after learning of her arrest."

"It doesn't explain why she is like this." Wulfsen said.

"I suspect it has to do with her childhood. I've heard she was basically a street kid and the guards abused her," Xavier explained.

"I wish Mr Buckley would get over here." Wulfsen studied the door, trying to determine the best way to dismantle it if the lock could not be repaired.

"Someone said Lia was in trouble here?" Aron said from the doorway. "What's going on?"

"I guess she was trying to get in with one of the prisoners so one of the men put her in a cell. Apparently she tried to pick the lock but what she had been using broke off in the lock. I sent a man to find a smith." Wulfsen said. "She is having... a sort of spell. We are going to get her out as soon as we can. Can you calm her?"

Liadan was pressed in the far corner of her cell. She only looked half her size, she was curled into such a tight ball. She shook all over.

"I can try." Aron hurried over to the cell, his heart nearly breaking. He sat down beside the bars. "Lia? It's Aron. I'm right here, Cupcake."

Liadan only whimpered. She was years away.

Aron knew better than to try to touch her. "Lia? You're safe, we're looking for someone to get the door open. No one is going to harm you." He motioned for Wulfsen and Xavier to sit down, that way they wouldn't seem too threatening if he got her to come back. "I won't let anyone harm you, you're safe."

"We could break down the door if a smith doesn't show up soon." Wulfsen said.

"Maybe there's a way to remove the hinges?" he asked hopefully.

"Hopefully that will work but they are rusty." Wulfsen said.

"Rusty? Shouldn't they be able to be broken off then?"

"Not that rusty." Wulfsen said. "Rusty enough it's a wonder the door could even be opened."

"Hmm," was all Aron said then returned to speaking soothingly to Lia.

Liadan did not hear him. She was busy reliving her worst moments.

"No." She whispered.

"No one will harm you, Cupcake. I'm right here with you to keep you safe," Aron promised.

"Where the hell is he?" Wulfsen muttered impatiently.

 Her father stood over her, foot raised for another kick. As his foot swung hard into her shoulder he morphed into four guards, all kicking and cursing her for a useless thief. Liadan wrapped her head in her arms, tears running down her cheeks. An iron hand grasped her arms. Liadan looked up and saw that the guards were now Galina's men. She thrashed.

"Aron!" Liadan yelped in a small voice and thrashed.

"I'm right here, Cupcake. If you can hear my voice, just follow it. Safety is only a few inches away," Aron said softly. He was torn. He didn't want to leave her side, he wanted to be the light at the end of her dark tunnel but he ached to grab Wulfsen's axe to knock the hinges off. "Can't that axe take the hinges off?" he demanded shortly.

"I was worried the noise might make her worse." Wulfsen said, but he went over to the door and began striking the hinges with his axe.

Wulfsen may have a point, Aron thought, but time was of the essence. He kept speaking softly to Lia. He slipped his hand between the bars but still didn't touch her. "You can reach out for my hand, Lia."

The noise did make Liadan worse. She shrunk away from Aron's hand, her arms tightening around her head.

Wulfsen had to hit the hinges several times before he broke them enough to tear the door free. He stood back to allow Aron entry.

Aron got to his feet quickly and entered the cell. He sat down next to Lia. Close enough that she could feel his presence, but he still didn't touch her. "Lia? The door is off, Cupcake. I'm right here beside you, ready to take you to our room."

Liadan shivered. She peered up at Aron from between her arms, looking at him as if she didn't believe it was him.

"Aron?" Liadan threw herself at him- it was hard to tell if she was going to attack or embrace him. She grabbed him by the arm and throat then pressed her ear against his chest so she could hear his heartbeat. Liadan buried her face in his chest and wrapped her arms around Aron. Her shoulders shook.

Aron wrapped his arms around her and pressed kisses to her head. He lightly rubbed her back as he held her. "It's me, Cupcake, you're safe."

He looked up when the knight returned with a locksmith.

Liadan looked up and wiped the tears from her face. She puled out a fork and violently lunged at the first man she saw- the locksmith.

The locksmith jumped back at the same time that Aron grabbed Lia to pull her back.

"Momzer!" Liadan was not over her prison induced flashbacks and was taking it out on every man in sight, besides Aron. "Let me go! I'll kill them all!"

"No one here harmed you, Cupcake. Everyone was trying to find a way to get you out."

"That sotah's men!" Liadan pulled against Aron's arms. "You know what they did to me."

"I know what they did to you. But please believe me that none were here."

Liadan blinked hard, coming back to where she was. She turned back to Aron and buried her face in his chest again.

Aron held her close. "How about we get out of here and go sit in the garden for awhile?" he suggested.

"I wanted to kill some momzers." Liadan said shakily.

"There's no one here for you to kill," Aron said softly.

"There is." Liadan sniffled. "Jack. Mazi. That other fake Nelek."

"You need to take care of you. Wulfsen and his men can take care of those in need of punishment."

Liadan shook her head. "I have business with these mermomzers, it's overdue."

Aron scowled at her then looked to Wulfsen.

Wulfsen sighed. ""Jack is as good as dead, and I was about to execute Mazi because he never told us anything useful."

"There, you see? Wulfsen is taking care of it and you won't have blood on your hands. I don't think you could live with yourself if you kill them."

Liadan shook her head. "I've regretted not killing a merman for years."

Aron sighed.

Wulfsen blinked, Liadan Buckley was a strange one.

"I don't think you're strong enough to decapitate him." Wulfsen said nervously.

Aron took a step back when Wulfsen made that comment.

"I don't need to decapitate him. Just let me stab him enough times and he'll die eventually." Liadan said.

Wulfsen looked to Xavier and Aron for help. "I can't let you execute him."

Liadan turned red with anger. "That sick momzer hurt Ais!"

"Mrs. Buckley, I promise he will pay for everything that he and his kind have done. But your husband is right, you don't want the toll that executing someone will place on your soul. It will happen and he will lose his head."

Liadan shook her head. "I won't regret it at all. I'll just remember what he did to Ais and Ila, and what he wanted to do to Tala and wish I killed him sooner."

Tala? Who's... "You might believe that will work, you might even convince yourself that you are not regretting but killing...it leaves a weight on the soul, and you won't even realize why it is there."

"I've killed momzers that deserved it before and it's not their deaths that are weighing on me, just that they lived long enough to hurt anyone." Liadan said.

"Lia, you are in no condition..."

Liadan bristled. "I'm fine."

"After your... spell... you should see the healer or medic." Wulfsen said, thinking Liadan needed to be heavily sedated.

Aron scowled. "You were very out of it, Lia. I didn't think I was going to reach you. I think we should go somewhere quiet and give you time to calm down. Wulfsen and Xavier are more than capable of taking care of this."

Liadan felt like she was being ganged up on and she did not like it.

"I'm here now. And I know who he is, and what he did." Liadan said stubbornly. "Nothing would calm me down more than to kill him."

Aron knew it was time to put his foot down. If she pushed it and actually did it, Wulfsen would imprison her and there would be no getting her out. Aron dropped his arms. "So be it. The children and I will not be waiting for you. You will lose everything."

"Aron..." Liadan was hurt. "Didn't you see how young Ila is? She can't be older than our Yehudit. Don't you know what that momzer did to her? She's so young and had to go through so much. And Jack... He and his people killed so many and did unspeakable things. Brighid..." Liadan brushed away angry tears. "And this new fraud is another of those mermen. Tabor's people. Remember how he manipulated Ais and everyone around her? He turned her against her family and me. Then he tossed her aside like trash and shattered her heart. Remember how broken she was?"

Instead of fearing for his life, Mazi began cheerfully describing some of the sadistic thing he did to Ila.

He lost his head, the joy he had been experiencing at watching Liadan suffer in a cell was lost instantly and replaced by rage. "That faithless slut found a new lover fast enough!"

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 244):

"There are people better equipped to handle executing someone. You're a mother, your children need you but obviously your priorities are elsewhere." Aron's shoulers slumped. "I love you, Lia," he said as he turned to walk slowly toward the door.

"Aron!" Liadan ran to catch up with Aron. "The only way our children will be safe from these momzers is if they're dead. Didn't you her what he just admitted- boasted- about doing to that girl? Mazi escaped this dungeon and knights once, how do you know he won't escape again?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:27, Tue 28 June 2016.

"Because they know what they are doing. There are more of them, did you ever stop to think that if you are the one that kills these two, your actions will make our children targets for revenge? No, you didn't. You never think past your blood lust. I'm going to collect our children and get out of here. One of their parents have to protect them." Aron turned and walked out the door.

"They'd already be targeting us." Liadan followed Aron. "Remember how much Tabor hated me because I was the only one who saw through him and spoke out? The mermen already want our children."

Wulfsen turned to Xavier.

"Let's get this over with." He hefted the axe.

"But the others would want them for revenge. He would have them murdered to hurt you. No. No, Lia, I'm collecting the children and we're leaving. I love you but it's over. I can't be with someone who will allow our children to be made targets."

Several knights entered quickly, passing Lia and Aron. Xavier pulled his sword.

In reply to Aron Buckley (msg # 252):

"Aron, I don't think you get it." Liadan said. "It's not just Tabor and Mazi- all the mermen will be targeting our children because I opposed Tabor all those years ago. It doesn't matter if I kill Tabor and Mazi or not, the mermen still want them because I'm their mother. They already want revenge and to hurt me."

"You don't understand. If you kill Tabor and Mazi, if they get our children it won't be quick deaths like it would have been before. Our children will be tortured. Those mermen will make your past look like it was a cakewalk. They'll will drag it out for days."

In reply to Aron Buckley (msg # 255):

"You think they were going to be merciful before?" Liadan asked in disbelief. "Mazi tortured Ila for who knows how long, and for no reason besides him being a twisted momzer. I have to make sure they die."

"You're free now, it's your choice. I'm going to get a wagon and gather the children."

In reply to Xavier DeVale (msg # 253):

"Stick out your hands." Wulfsen ordered Mazi.

In reply to Aron Buckley (msg # 257):

"Damn it Aron, we have to discuss this." Liadan said.

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 258):

Mazi kept his hands out of reach and made a rude gesture.

"Before I go I want one last girl." Mazi said. "Ila, or one of Liadan's daughters. I've dreamed of breaking one of them."

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 259):


"There is nothing to discuss. It is over. I'll always love you." Aron left the dungeon area to find the children.

Liadan swore and followed him.

----to the Buckley room

In reply to Mazi (msg # 260):

"I was going to resharpen the axe after banging off those hinges. But now I guess I just won't cut your head off quickly and cleanly." Wulfsen nodded to a knight with a crossbow. "Take out his knee so he won't try to run."

The knight took careful aim with the crossbow and fired a bolt at the merman's knee.

"Damned land man!" Mazi fell against the cell wall. He gritted his teeth and puled the bolt from his leg. "You're just jealous because you've had to pay or marry every woman you've been with. You're weak and hide behind your toys instead of facing me like a man!"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:24, Wed 29 June 2016.

"Here's where you're hiding." Yehudit limped into the dungeon. "Wulfsen, I have to talk to you!"

"Give him anoth-" Wulfsen was interrupted by Yehudit. "Now is not a good time, Yehudit. But I will be happy to talk to you after this is taken care of."

Xavier jolted. "Yehudit, you can't be here right now. You don't want to see this. In fact, you need to find your father, I think he's taking the family to safety."

"The gods have granted me my last wish!" Mazi shouted, leering at Yehudit. "Slap her in some of those chains and put her in here. I can take care of the rest."

Liadan Buckley be damned, Xavier would take his chances with her. He wrapped his arms around Yehudit and lifted off her feet to carry her from the dungeon area.

"Gai tren zich!" Yehudit snarled something at Mazi she had heard her mother yell at someone when she did not know Yehudit could hear her. She hammer punched Xavier in the groin. "I have something very important to talk to Wulfsen about Sileas, it will only take a minute."

"Sileas? Is something wrong?" Wulfsen asked, holding a hand up at Xavier.

Xavier stared in disbelief. "Really? REALLY? NOW?" he demanded, water streaming from his eyes as he battled the pain. He glanced at the knights. "Take out the knees on both of the mermen. Both knees. Unbelievable."

"There will be if you don't listen to me." Yehudit said, her hand poised to punch Xavier in the family jewels again if need be.

Wulfsen nodded to his men. "Immobilize them both, I don't want any more escapes." Wulfsen offered his axe to Xavier. "Here, let her go. I'll talk to her and get on with executing that bastard."

"Wulfsen, now is not the time," he growled. He wished he had someway to make the girl unconscious.

"This is about Sileas." Wulfsen said. "I'll always make time where she is concerned."

"C'mon, just give a dying man five minutes with the girl. It's not like she's all that pretty but if I'm going to die I should be allowed one last-" Mazi's next words were obscene.

"Sileas...Sileas would not appreciate you giving these prisoners a chance to escape in her name."
This message was last updated by the player at 00:48, Wed 29 June 2016.

"Gai cocken ahfen yam!" Yehudit shouted at Mazi, then scowled at Xavier. "Isn't Wulfsen like in charge of you so you have to obey his orders?"

"Don't open the cell until I'm back." Wulfsen said.

In reply to Yehudit Buckley (msg # 281):

"Not when they're stupid and clearly indicate he's lost his mind."

Wulfsen gave Xavier a stern look. "Lost my mind have I? Then maybe I shouldn't be involved in executing a prisoner in the first place."

Xavier glowered. "You know damn well what I meant."

"Let me talk to her. This won't take long." Wulfsen said.

He glared again but stepped aside.

Wulfsen led Yehudit to a room off of the dungeon.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Wulfsen asked.

Yehudit grabbed Wulfsen by the ear and held a rusty but sharp fork to his throat.

"Sileas loves you, really loves you, and after all the stuff she has been through she does not fall in love easily." Yehudit growled, twisting Wulfsen's ear. "You better love her as much as she loves you. If you break her heart or hurt her in any way I will make you hurt in ways you have never imagined. You got that?"

Wulfsen' mouth went dry and he croaked a few times before finding his voice.

"I'd never hurt Sileas." Wulfsen said hoarsely, "I love her deeply."

"You better not hurt her. I want you to make Sileas happier than she has ever been. If you fail her you'll regret it." Yehudit gave Wulfsen's ear a warning twist before releasing him. She put the fork back in her pocket. "So you're going to execute some of those scum? Can I watch?" Yehudit asked lightly, as if talking about the weather.

Wulfsen rubbed his ear, how could something so small cause so much pain? He shook his head. "I don't think your father would want you to see that, and you probably will wish you hadn't seen it. Go... Find Sileas and let her know I'll see her after the execution."

"Fine." Yehudit said sulkily and began to limp away. "Remember what I told you, if you hurt Sileas you'll wish you were dead."

Wulfsen's ear was still red when he returned to his men.

"See?" He asked Xavier. "It only took a few minutes. Let's get on with this."

Xavier bit his lower lip to keep from snickering when he saw the reddened ear. "I'm ready. Let's kill us some mermen."

"Mazi today." Wulfsen said. "This new one tomorrow if seeing his friend's disembodied head doesn't loosen his tongue."

"Make him suffer," Xavier said,  hoping they had no more distractions.

"Oh, he will. The axe was dulled breaking that door down." Wulfsen said. "Is there enough room down here or should we take him outside?"

 "We need to make it work down here. Outside there's a chance of escape or mermen to reveal themselves and mount a rescue."

"It's cruel to kill a man before he's had one last woman!" Mazi protested.

"I don't look forward to hauling his carcass upstairs." Wulfsen said. "Not that he would cooperate alive."

"We can always burn his carcass."

"We can't burn it down here." Wulfsen said. "Anyways, it might do some of his victim good to see his body, to know he's dead and can't hurt her anymore."

"We can place his head on a spike for the same effect."

Mazi was beginning to realize his mortality.

"C'mon, you don't want to kill me. I can set you up with women. Really pretty women. Not just landwomen like you're stuck with but some real mermaids." Mazi wheedled.

"True." Wulfsen frowned at Mazi.

Xavier rolled his eyes. Like he needed any help in finding female company. He decided it was best to ignore the merman. He fed on any sort of reaction.

"Shut up Mazi!" He snapped and grabbed at Mazi.

Mazi ducked his king. "I did everything you told me to and more. You said I'd be saved when we conquer this place. Well I'm not being saved, these land men are about to kill me! I've got to save myself."

Wulfsen watched the mermen. It looked like Mazi was abandoning his loyalty to try saving himself.

"You are strictly forbidden to speak of them." He said. "Traitors burn in hell."

"I won't go to hell if I don't die!" Mazi cried. "We have a bunch of women, some are merwomen but a lot are landwomen- human and elves- we either bought or captured them. They're all beautiful."

Wulfsen scratched his chin. "Maybe we'll execute the new one."

"Just execute them both. It's obvious we'll get nothing out of either of them."

"Where are these women?" Wulfsen asked.

"An island, I'll draw a map!" Mazi pleaded. "All these women are barren but beautiful."

"You mean they were kept like you kept Ila?" Wulfsen asked coldly.

"We need to have children to continue our bloodlines. So we got a bunch of women and keep them on an island." Mazi shrugged. "Since they've failed to give us any children- not even daughters- they're no use to us but you might enjoy them."

"You are disgusting." Wulfsen said. "Get some parchment and a quill." Wulfsen ordered a knight out loud, then in a low voice, "And get me a whip."

The knight nodded and hurried off to get the items Wulfsen had asked for. He wasted no time and handed them off to Wulfsen.

Wulfsen then the quill and parchment at Mazi. "Draw the map."

Mazi painstakingly drew a detailed map. He blew on it to dry the ink. "If I give this to you, you won't kill me for imitating Nelek?"

"I won't kill you for imitating Nelek." Wulfsen said. He wasn't lying but he knew of other offenses to execute Mazi for.

Mazi handed over the map.

"What do I have to give to get a woman in here with me?" He asked.

Wulfsen snatched up the map. "There's nothing you can give us that we'd let you abuse another woman."

Wulfsen glanced at the map, it looked legitimate. He knew some of those islands, but the one Mazi had marked... "This island is inaccessible, there's a reef all around it."

"We don't need ships." Mazi said.

He reached through the bars and grabbed Mazi by the throat. He began violently bashing Mazi's head on the bars. He was changing, filling out with more muscle and his hair was turning blond.

"I don't think we're going to get the chance to execute him. I suddenly wish we had a cannon in here."

"Damn it!" Wulfsen swore. "Stop him." Wulfsen ordered his men and turned to Xavier. "We have to be the ones to kill him, otherwise that bastard won't get the message that we will kill him if he doesn't cooperate."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:22, Wed 29 June 2016.

The knights clearly felt outmatched. They hurried over, drawing their swords. "Release him and step back!" the head knight demanded.

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 329):

"I wish we had a weapon that could be used from  a distance. Good thing we didn't let Mrs. Buckley did this." Xavier pulled a throwing dagger and looked for a clear shot.

He stopped banging Mazi's head on the bars and now was trying to break his neck. "I'm killing the traitorous wretch. He spent too much time on dry land."

Wulfsen handed the map to one of the knights. The other merman clearly was going to kill Mazi in a second. He unlocked Mazi's cell and strode inside. He sunk his axe into Mazi's guts.

"That's for raping Ila." Wulfsen said coldly. "And trying to abduct Millicent Buckley."

He did not expect them to really kill Mazi. He dropped Mazi. But instead of stepping back he charged for the cell door.

Xavier hurled his throwing knife at Tabor. He didn't know if it would work, he was like a raging bull at the moment. He motioned for the knights to fire some crossbow bolts at him.

"Take out his legs!" Wulfsen shouted, pulling the axe from Mazi's belly.

The knights each fired their crossbows, the bolts heading straight for Tabor's knees.

He hit the stone floor hard. "Damn you!"

Mazi slumped on his knees, his life painfully ebbing out through his hands. He could not believe he was dying like this.

Wulfsen thought about Ila and considered leaving Maxi like that, but he knew he couldn't live with himself if he let someone die slowly like that. He raised the axe and brought it down hard on the back of Mazi's neck.

Xavier stood silently his sword still at the ready. Part of his attention was on the other merman.

Wulfsen picked up Mazi's head and carried it out of the cell. He showed it to the other merman.

"You had best cooperate with us or your head will be rolling on the ground too." Wulfsen said and ordered his men out of Tabor's cell.

The knights left the cell. "What do you want us to do with the body?"

"Take it outside and burn it." Wulfsen said. He threw some rags into the surviving merman's cell, and a bucket of water. "You can patch yourself up, I'm not putting my medic at risk for you."

The knights grabbed the headless body and headed outside with it.

"Humans know nothing of the healing arts. I need salt water. I need the sea." He said and began painfully working the bolts out of his legs.

"You're lucky to get clean water." Wulfsen said, taking the map back and looking at it. "Maybe I'll get you have something for the pain if you tell us how to safely get on this island Mazi was talking about."

"I'm telling you nothing." The Nelek disguise had faded away, he was now undeniably Tabor.

"It appears he doesn't care if his head is parted from his body."

Wulfsen shrugged.

"I've had enough killing today, but if he's not talking tomorrow I'll lop off his head too. Maybe give him some encouragement to speak after his knees start feeling better." He nodded to the whip and handed the bloody axe to one of his men.

"Aye, let him think on what he just saw, he knows now we mean business." He waited for the knights to take the axe. "I need to speak with you on an unrelated matter, and it may be nothing."

"All right, what is it?" Wulfsen asked as they left the dungeon.

"Before Sileas left for Portside, she asked me to bring her anything left in the old Lowell manor. She felt there might be an answer to fighting the mermen among Master Lowell's books or things. Surprisingly, the manor had been left untouched," Xavier began as they stepped outside the dungeon.

"There were very many strange manner of things, I suspect he may have had mystical, if not magical, powers. But that isn't what bothered me. Among the things, in a trunk, was a small box and a letter addressed to Sileas. It was my understanding Master Lowell was murdered long before Mrs. Spenser wed Shawn. I set it out where she would easily find it, but it's troubling me. How did Master Lowell know of her and further, why would he leave something specifically for her?"

"That doesn't make sense." Wulfsen said. "Are you sure it was from Master Lowell?"

"It was underneath a stack of papers on his shelves. The writing appeared to the be the same. I'm sure she's already found it in her room, so we can't ask Mrs. Spenser about it," Xavier replied.

"Even if it was in a box, Mrs Spenser lived there and lived with Mr Lowell. There's a chance she has seen the letter or even knows what it's about." Wulfsen reasoned. "Maybe he knew someone else named Sileas, my Sileas isn't the only one with that name."

"True." Xavier lifted his shoulder slightly. "There may be others named Sileas but it's not that common of a name. Not like Mary or Emma or something like that."

"It makes the most sense though." Wulfsen said. "It's not like he could have known her. He died so long ago, Sileas would have been a small child in Portside then."

"I know. It's very puzzling," Xavier said.

"I'm going to go talk to her now. I'll ask her about it." Wulfsen said, curious but not overly concerned.

"All right. I'm going to see deliveries of building supplies are going."

"Wait, I don't know where Sileas is staying." Wulfsen said. "Could you show me?"

Xavier's eyes twinkled. "She didn't tell you where her room is? Are you quite certain she wants you visiting?" he teased.

Wulfsen blushed. "We are betrothed."

"Oh? You would have thought she would have revealed where her room is to her betrothed," Xavier laughed. He couldn't help it. It wasn't often that he had the opportunity to tease his friend, he was usually on the receiving end. "Well, come on then."

"It never came up." Wulfsen muttered and followed Xavier.

Xavier chuckled as he headed toward Sileas's rooms.

Lek managed to slip down during a shift change in the guard. He tried the door to Jack's cell, but of course it did not open. No matter what others told him, he wanted to kill this man, even if he looked like he was already dead. Lek grabbed the bars and pulled as hard as he could, sweat ran into his eyes before he let go of the bars. He wiped the sweat away with his sleeve and glared at Jack when his vision cleared. He grasped the bars again.

"Are you dead or are you still there?" Lek asked in a low, angry voice. "Either way I bet you're getting what you deserve." Lek was furious that he could not reach Jack, then was hit with inspiration. "Pinja is happy, she's practically forgotten everything you've done to her. She's not hurting anymore and is moving on in her life. We-we're to be wed. We had already been engaged before your family came and we're not letting what happened get in the way." Lek babbled out his fantasies. "I love her, and I'm going to make sure she's always happy."

Feeling that he had managed to hurt Jack, even if he could not physically beat the scum up, Lek turned and left. He did not notice that the bars he had pulled on had bent outwards slightly.

Wulfsen was still yawning and cracking his neck as he went down to the dungeon. He frowned at the bent bars, had they always been like that? They were not bent enough for anyone to escape but even so...

Wulfsen called over a guard to cover him. He drew his sword, unlocked Jack's cell and went inside. Jack was very still. He looked dead but Wulfsen knew he had to make sure. He grimaced, alive or dead Wulfsen did not want to touch him- Jack was such a disgusting person. Wulfsen forced himself to touch Jack's neck, no sign of life, no pulse, but he was barely cold. He had not been dead for long. Wulfsen stood up and wiped his hand on a corner of his cloak.

"Get this trash out of here before he smells it up any worse than he already has." Wulfsen said and headed out of the dungeon.