“Oh, great star… I didn’t think the rumors going around the manor were true.” Princess Alice entered the dungeon by herself.

  “Rumors are going around?... Things are looking worse than I thought.” Veyric said.

  Princess Alice chuckled, crossing her arms.

  “Why yes, they’re spreading like wildfire amongst the knights at least. My father said not to come down here, but my curiosity got the better of me as you can see.” She said.

  Alice approached the bars of the cell, flipping her brown hair behind her. Veyric was sitting up against the wall, hugging himself while staring into his lap. Alice tilted her head and placed a hand against the bars.

  “Who are you?...” Veyric asks.

  “I’m the princess. Princess Alice.” She replied.

  “How long have you been down here?” She asks.

  “I don’t know… The days feel the same down here.” Veyric quietly responded.

  “Are you… Okay? Sitting in isolation is not ideal for anyone.” She said.

  “I’ve been better.” He said.

  “Would you like anything? Water, food, a book—something, anything?” Alice asks.

  “... What’s your deal? Looking to get something out of me?” Veyric asks.

  “There’s nothing you can offer me that I don’t already have. I’m showing you hospitality because I think my father has plans for you.” Alice replies.

  “He has plans for me? Like what?” Veyric asks.

  “I don’t know… He and the council will have to decide at some point. I wouldn’t be able to tell you when that will happen.” Alice said.

  “He and the council have to decide my fate? What if they decide just to execute me?” Veyric said.

  “... I’m afraid of that possibility, but you’re not like anything I’ve read in books. The only information we have left about dragons is how fearsome they were.” Alice said.

  “If the only information left about us is that, then my future is grim,” Veyric replied.

  “Don’t be so pessimistic. I’d say you have a fair chance of convincing the council.” She said.

  “I’d rather not talk about convincing a council of people. You said you were being hospitable, right?... Could I have some food, water… And maybe someone to tend to my wounds?... I think they might’ve gotten infected.” Veyric said.

  “Wow… That’s terrible. I’ll have someone tend to you right away. Just try your best not to be intimidating.” Alice said.

  “Try not to be intimidating? I couldn’t even if I wanted to… I’m in too much pain for that.” Veyric said.

  “For a man in pain, you’re dealing with it well. I’ll be back in a little while. Try not to die and don’t tell anyone I was here, please.” She stepped away.

  “Wait!...” He stood up and walked to the cell bars.

  She halted her next step, turning to face the cell again.

  “Why are you doing this?... You gain nothing from it.” Veyric asks.

  “I know I gain nothing by helping you. It’s just that I don’t believe in this. Choosing to lock you up in a dungeon like a monster is cruel, especially when I know that my father believes in the greater good. The longer he keeps you a secret, the worse it’ll look. The moment word gets out of your existence, Leviara will be in a state of disarray.” Alice explains.

  “So, you’re worried?... Why are you worried? You don’t know me.” Veyric said.

  “Whether I know you well or not doesn’t matter. The lines between order and lunacy rest with you. Do you think you can stomach that?” She said.

  “I… I don’t know.” He replies.

  “Well, I hope you can. There’s not much of a choice for you.” She said before walking away.

  The sound of her shoes reverberated throughout the dungeon before the doors creaked shut, the room growing dark, and the torches' flames diminishing.

  Laughter burst from within a tavern, mugs being raised into the air, jokes flying, and the fresh aroma of food drifting around. Peering in on the warmth of the tavern was Yuko. She scoffed at her fully bandaged arms while walking to the doors of the tavern with a small bag in her hand. Yuko pushed open the doors, weaving through the crowds of people and servers, walking towards a man behind the counter. His back was turned to an assortment of wines, while he used a stool to reach the higher shelves.

  “Ah, let me see… Where was that one again?” The man said to himself.

  “Hey, I need a room,” Yuko said.

  “Sorry, I cannot provide you with that service at this time. Go back to the whore house.” He said, waving his hand.

  Yuko’s eyebrows furrowed, and her jaw clenched.

  “You all right in the head?... I said I want a room, jackass.”

  “And I suggested that you go back where you came from.” The man said.

  Yuko sighed, vaulting over the counter and tipping the stool over with her boot. The man yelped as he crashed down on his side with a loud thud. The tavern was choked into silence, and all eyes landed on Yuko—her blood red eyes gleaming down at the bald middle-aged man.

  “Oh, Gods, my back!” He coiled around in pain.

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  A few servers rushed over to the counter, hesitant to approach Yuko any further.

  “She wants a room! Just get her a room, and then please!... Oh, please help me up, ladies!” The man said.

  “Don’t help this old prune get up. Let him figure it out on his own. Now, my room?” Yuko said.

  “Yes! Um, right this way.” A young-looking woman led her from behind the counter and up a small flight of stairs.

  “Ha, would you look at that? She’s a spunky one.” A blonde-haired man said.

  “She might be more fun than the ones next door, yeah?” Another man added.

  “How about we visit her? Plenty of fun is to be had.” A third one at the table said.

  The men snickered and stood up from their table, heading towards the stairs. They navigated through a narrow corridor of rooms, stopping outside of one of the doors. The blonde-haired man put his ear up to the door, listening in. The sound of a grating hiss came from behind the door. The blonde-haired man knocked on the door. The grating stopped, and footsteps softly thudded behind the door. With a soft pull, the door opened.

  “Can I help you?” She asked, crossing her arms.

  “Mmm… Aren’t you just one fine-looking woman? Where are you from, sweetheart?” The blonde-haired man said, stroking his beard.

  The other two in the back ogled her.

  “I’m not a fan of whatever this is.” She swung the door to close it.

  “Ah, ah—hey, come on, why don’t we all have ourselves a little fun?” The blonde-haired man stopped the door from closing.

  “Get away from my door,” Yuko said, tapping her foot on the ground.

  “Easy, there… Just let us—” The blonde-haired man was kneed in the groin. His breath was stolen from him as he crumpled to the ground, eyes nearly popping out of his head from the pain.

  “You bitch!” The second man yelled, reaching for her.

  Yuko’s hand moved in an unbothered motion—backhanding the man across the face. He staggered against the opposite corridor wall. Blood began to trickle out of his nose and onto his upper lip.

  “Mind fucking off? I’ve had a long night and I don’t want to add corpses to it.” Yuko’s crimson colored eyes gleamed, and the third man swallowed hard.

  The other two helped the blonde-haired man up to his feet, guiding him back to the staircase. Yuko’s door slammed shut, and she sat back on the edge of the bed. She picked up a small whetstone and continued to sharpen her blade, the grating sound continuing.

  The men trailed back down into the heart of the tavern, finding their seats.

  “You lot are fucking stupid. You've seen what she’s done to the old man—What makes you think she’d hesitate for you buffoons? None of you has a heart of gold, and you’re all far from handsome.” A young man said.

  “I’d like to see you do better…” The blonde-haired man said, stirring his stew that had gotten cold.

  “Foods gone cold…” He added with a sigh.

  “If you’re done being sad about not getting your prick pulled, how about we talk money?” The young man added.

  “Let me hear it.” The blonde-haired man said.

  “I was passing by the great council building, and I heard the knights talking about dragons. A dragon hybrid, to be specific.” The young man said.

  “You damned runt, those things went extinct years ago! We can’t make money off of a dead fucking species!” The blonde-haired man said.

  “Yeah, dead? Bullshit. The knights said they were keeping one below a dungeon somewhere! It’s got to be true. Who just brings up old history like that? And they looked scared out of their minds!” The young man said.

  “You probably misheard them. Ay, buy me a fresh bowl of stew and I’ll try to get you in the adventurer’s guild.” The blonde-haired man said.

  “Fresh bowl of stew? You’re a beggar.” The young man got out of his seat and walked away.

  “Dragons, he says—Get a load of that.” He mocked.

  “He might not be wrong, I think I heard something like that going around in the underground.” The man with a bloody nose said.

  “Cut out the lies, would you? I’m growing rather annoyed about it.” The blonde-haired man said.

  “All right, whatever you say.” The man with the bloody nose said.

  In the morning, Yuko exited her room at the crack of dawn, walking down the stairs. The man she kicked off the stool last night was there rearranging the wines again. He spotted her from the corner of his eye.

  “Hey! Good morning. Sorry that we got off on the wrong foot last night. I hope you enjoyed your stay and that we can have your business again in the future.” He said.

  “Got off on the wrong foot? Is this how you talk to a woman when she can kick your ass?” Yuko said.

  “Oh, no, no! It’s just that… We get a lot of women next door who take up a room to sell their services inside my tavern. I just thought you were one of them. It was a complete misunderstanding on my part.” He explained.

  “A misunderstanding? All right. Hey, keep those creeps away from your tavern, or you’re going to have a whole lot of problems.” She said.

  “To whom are you referring?” He asked.

  “That blonde-haired fucker and his group. They knocked on my door last night, and I had to show them they chose the wrong gal. Anyway, hope you figure it out.” Yuko said while hauling towards the exit of the tavern.

  The man swore he saw her enter with a bag, but before he could say anything, she was already gone.