“Your plan was horrible,” Isabeau stated plainly. Ayleth scoffed as if she was offended and Isabeau’s credibility of her slowly began to drop, irritated with how poorly things had gone the night before. And… embarrassed.
“I thought it would work…” Ayleth pondered, “What went wrong?”
What went wrong? “Virtually everything,” Isabeau threw her hands down at her side, “I trusted you to come up with something serious. What kind of plan was that? I heard from William of the status of the Lord of Dent, your lie was terribly crafted. The whole plan was!”
Ayleth sighed. “Did… the other part of the plan work out?” Isabeau could feel her cringe from the other side of the shelf.
“Rumors couldn’t be more incorrect, she was disgusted,” Isabeaus cheeks reddened with the last statement. She didn’t care but… being rejected like that would make anyone feel this… embarrassed.
“Percival helped me devise this plan, he was sure it would work!”
“Well he should’ve been more affirmed before setting it into action,” Isabeau snapped, “you saw how I was before this. The only reason I came out was because I thought you’d offered me a real chance! I was naive and childish and so easily gave up something I worked so hard to build!”
“Calm down,” Ayleth chided, “we haven’t been completely found out or we would be rotting in a cell right now. I apologize sincerely, I shouldn’t have put you in on a half-baked distraction plan when we have more complicated things going on behind the scenes.”
Isabeau bit back some unfound fiery anger that pleaded to come through. “So it’s the same as before right?” Isabeau spat, “There’s more ‘behind the scenes’ that I don’t know about? How are you any different from where I was before.”
“Listen to yourself!” Ayleth urged, “Before you were supporting a cause that desired to suppress you, this is a cause designed to help! I am sorry, I should have taken into account your issues with being used before putting you in a situation you weren’t fully aware of. But it worked.”
Isabeau scoffed. “That mess is what working looks like to you,” Isabeau felt betrayed, she thought different of her role in this stupid coup; she thought she finally meant something more when she was just another pawn.
“It’s time I take you to meet the full cause, you trusted me so I should’ve trusted you,” Ayleth’s voice sounded genuinely apologetic, “there’s so much I can’t tell you in this open area. I will find a way to give you connections safely later. For now don’t give up on this, your mission in the meantime is to continue growing your relationship with the Princess.”
“Don’t break my promises again,” Isabeau pounded a fist on the empty shelf space, “my submissive front is simply a front. Do not push me to my limits again, and do not misinterpret who I am again.”
Ayleth didn’t speak, clearly waiting for something more.
Isabeau inhaled sharply, “I will continue my mission. Take me to meet the rebellion tomorrow.”
“No problem…” Ayleth mumbled, clearly conflicted. Isabeau turned to leave but paused upon hearing a thump on the other side of the bookshelf.
“Ayleth?” Isabeau questioned, the only response was silence. Confused, Isabeau made her way to the other side of the shelf. Grabbing the edge of the shelf with one hand, she peaked her head around the corner.
The Princess stood over a fallen body, sunlight shining out of the mosaic windows casting a glow behind sight. Ayleth laid on the ground unconscious, partially bleeding out of her temple. A shadow was cast from the Princesses stance, daggers in both hands and a smile dancing across her lips. Isabeau’s breath quickened fearfully, this didn’t make sense, the Princess couldn’t do this, she didn’t have the power, right?
“You look perplexed,” The Princess brought her eyes to meet Isabeaus, “what’s wrong my Lady?” She pouted her lips mockingly, tilting her head to emulate sadness.
“Y-You,” She could barely speak, oh God they’d underestimated this. Isabeau had no clue what was going to happen next.
The Princess chuckled, placing a foot on Ayleth’s fallen bodice while holding both daggers in the air. “I have so many questions for you, but, now I don’t have to beat around the bush,” She took a step over Ayleth, closer to Isabeau.
“This whole castle is on my side,” Another step, “it wasn’t hard to get any means authorized. People don’t like the word treason.”
Isabeau couldn’t run, it wasn’t smart. There were most likely guards all around ready to pounce.
“Well,” Another step, “I can only get away with so much. I promise it won’t take all day. I’ll be sure to keep up that promise with you.” She was mocking them. But she’d basically just told Isabeau that she only had so much power, obliging would be the best option; there was only so much she could do. Isabeau stepped forward with her hands up, but they both knew she couldn’t do much if she wanted to.
The Princess made an incredulous face before she shrugged, moving to tie Isabeau’s arms behind her back. As she tied them she leaned into Isabeau’s ear over her shoulder, tickling Isabeau with her breath. “You’re making this much easier for me than I expected!”
The Princess stopped speaking as she finished tying, next tying Ayleth’s hands behind her back and throwing her body over her shoulders. It might not have been smart, but Isabeau spoke up nonetheless, “Where are you taking us?” She wasn’t happy with how her voice quivered.
She didn’t answer, opting for visuals by climbing up the shelf ladder and throwing Ayleth’s limp body on top. Her face was slack by the time she picked up Isabeau over her shoulder to take her up; what a psychopath, Isabeau thought.
“I can do this myself,” Isabeau struggled against her tough hold, kicking her legs out a bit.
“Hm,” The Princess laughed cockily, “with no hands? I can’t lie, it'd be an entertaining watch.”
When they reached the top the Princess threw Isabeau onto the hardwood, she grunted upon impact. “Oops,” The Princess made an exaggerated quilty face. Bitch, Isabeau thought.
Isabeau looked around at the alcove that had been hidden up here, in the back corner where they sat no one could see them; she was pretty sure no one could hear them either. The Princess began pacing, like she didn’t know what to do next.
“I haven’t really interrogated someone like this..” She was taking out and putting back various types of daggers.
“You have held a knife to my throat,” Isabeau stated, “twice.”
The Princess turned to her with a smile, “I know where to start, I’m going to try to avoid violence today. Please try to cooperate with me, okay?”
Isabeau sat silent, pretending to look off at a spot on the wall. Before she knew it the Princess was holding a dagger up to her face, peering into her eyes. “O-kay?”
“Okay,” Isabeau echoed, genuine fear contorting her face.
“Good,” The Princess backed up and began pacing once more, “while I would like to know more about this rebellion it seems that you aren’t the best source of information on the… what did she say? ‘Behind the scenes’?” She was trying to get beneath Isabeau’s skin, so Isabeau fell behind a line of defense she’d conducted years ago.
“I suppose so,” Isabeau said nonchalantly. The Princess looked slightly irritated but dismissed the comment with an eye roll.
“Not the smartest form of communication, considering I know all I need to know to have you two arrested and tried with treason. Anything else to say? Want to give me a little heroic monologue?”
Isabeau didn’t know what to say however, as if by God’s graces, Ayleth began to wake. Raising into a sitting position Ayleth blinked her eyes a few times, adjusting to Isabeau tied up beside her and the Princess stopped mid-pacing.
“Well this escalated quickly,” The Princess began checking Ayleth’s restraints who seemed… less amused about their situation.
“You cannot harm us,” Ayleth demanded, “we are guests of the palace and what concrete evidence do you have?”
“My word is enough evidence around here,” The Princess retorted, “I think you’ll enjoy the whole trial shenanigans.”
Ayleth swallowed a gulp before speaking, “If it is enough why leave one of the most trained warriors out of a mission?” Isabeau didn’t understand exactly what that comment meant but it seemed to strike where Ayleth intended, the Princess was pissed. It was a matter of moments before a dagger was at her throat.
“It seems,” The Princess spat, “both of you like to flare my temperament. Mind you I carry sharp objects.”
Fear showed just barely in Ayleth’s eyes, she continued regardless. “Then do it. Your threats are continuously hollow, but why? Do. It.” Ayleth leaned her head into the dagger just the slightest, almost cutting her skin on the blade.
It worked because the Princess pulled the blade back, flaming with frustration. “You both are cocky pieces of shit!” She threw one of her daggers on the ground, pushing strands of her hair out of her face. What a mouth, Isabeau thought.
But the Princess laughed next, “Somehow I have the blades, information, everything I need and it’s not enough…” She walked over to Isabeau, deciding to snap at her next, “You need to just mind your business and stay out of this. Why aid her? You’re weak, pathetic, a distraction, annoying, and not needed.”
“And you’re projecting,” Isabeau said, rendering the Princess to a silent hopeless anger, “Is it us you’re mad at? By the sound of it someone else is your puppeteer.”
“I’m the puppeteer? Have you noticed you’re a pathological liar, moving around and doing as you are told,” The Princess scoffed, “What do you want?”
“What do you want?” Isabeau echoed.
“I have the blades! I suggest you keep silent before I go beyond my restrictions,” The Princess sent her an acid glare, “And stay out of my head.” Isabeau backed down, not sure why she was even arguing with her like this.
“Hey!” The Princess yelled, Isabeau looked over to see Ayleth cutting herself free with the dagger the Princess had thrown. Ayleth froze guitily, then dropped the dagger with an awkward grin.
“What a shit show…” The Princess muttered, picking her dagger back up, “Guess we’ll have to do this the ugly way…” Her face became enveloped in focus as she lifted up Ayleth’s skirt just past her thighs, cutting a whole through her undergarments.
“So you do swing this way!” Ayleth yelped as she kicked her legs out.
“Oh shut up,” The Princess blurted, tying her ankles together, Lord knew where she was getting this rope from, “this is for interrogation, slices on the thighs are indiscrete…”
“You’re actually going to cut me!” Ayleth sounded like she would faint, “Wait wait just ask the questions and I’ll share as much as possible.” Ayleth smiled as large as she could.
“Not how it works…” The Princess grunted as she pulled the ropes, “Also where did these stupid rumors arise from…” She mumbled the last bit.
“My Princess I prepared a whole monologue for this please just listen to me first,” Ayleth pleaded. Isabeau remained silent, deciding it was better she let the diplomat handle this situation.
“You missed the point where I would listen,” She began taking daggers out of various secret pockets, laying them out in front of her.
“But you did listen once,” Ayleth insisted, “I know what you want and I told you I can help. Especially now that you are loosened from his reigns.”
“How do you know of him,” The Princess had suddenly decided on a dagger, now pressing it to Ayleth’s thigh, “How did you find out about Landervik?”
“Ok, let’s be civil here,” Ayleth was visibly sweating, “I heard of how often he went to the Kings side throughout war council meetings. I also saw the way you looked at eachother, nothing but hatred between you two.”
“Makes sense...What else do you know of him?” She made a small cut, not enough to hurt Ayleth. It was more like a prick.
“Please listen to me my Princess, when I say we can help you I don’t mean that halfheartedly.”
“Well you’ve done a shitty job of a coup so far, feeding a high rank spy false information, leaving a bread crumb of trails,” The Princess shrugged, “not the greatest reputation.”
Ayleth exhaled, “It was poorly executed on purpose, but I can’t tell you anymore until you join our cause.”
“You will,” The Princess dug an actual cut this time, “tell me what I wish to know.”
Isabeau could see Ayleth felt that one, but she had just gritted her teeth in silence. What fortitude, she thought. The Princess was clearly fed up with this entire situation, probably because her power flaunts mean nothing anymore. They both knew she couldn’t step out of her line. That’s why she was needed, because she wanted to step across the lines that hold her badly.
“Don’t be afraid to scream,” The Princess smirked, “I had the library locked up just for you.” She tried to mock Ayleth’s smiles, her face looked odd doing them. Isabeau stifled a laugh, but the Princess took notice.
She turned, standing to walk over to where Isabeau sat. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing,” Isabeau said, letting her masks be her salvation. “Ayleth is right though.”
“Oh, no honorifics I see,” The Princess made her way to squat in front of Isabeau, “I’m curious as to how you think her rebellion is of any use to me?” The emphasis on ‘her’ was to piss Isabeau off, she let it slide right off her.
“We are the same-” Isabeau barely spoke before she was cut off.
“Shut up.” The Princess put the dagger behind Isabeaus ear, becoming more creative with her placements.
“We are,” Isabeau continued, “both stuck in a duty we never wanted nor chose, conditioned to think that we need to thrive like that. Your situation is more extreme than mine, I won’t try to understand it. But I know how scary it feels when someone presents an out, it doesn’t feel real, they’ll catch you, it’s not right.” Isabeau leaned in to touch her forehead to the Princesses, maybe she could emotionally connect.
“We are the same.” The Princesses eyes went wide at the contact, causing her to propel backwards, accidentally cutting Isabeau on the way. Isabeau let out a yelp from the pain, unable to control her shock. She might’ve been insane but the Princess looked… conflicted. The Princess began gathering her knives.
“Take a risk with me then,” The Princess bargained, “give me your plans and outlines. If they are less idiotic than I presume I’ll consider joining the cause. It is to put me on the throne though so I suggest you give me this if you even imagine my cooperation.”
An arrogant smile sat on the Princesses face as she began cutting the rope off of Ayleth, letting them go.
“You’re just using this for the information,” Ayleth snapped, “you don’t actually intend to join the cause.”
“There is no cause without me.” The Princess started off towards the ladder.
“Wait,” Isabeau said before her mind caught up with her actions, “you don’t have to join us yet, just turn a blind eye to this. We will help you with your viking sympathizer witch hunt in exchange for your silence. You can bring back information to please whoever Landervik is and if he shows you what I think he will, you are free to choose whether you join our cause or reveal it.”
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