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.