Edward
Robert Cromwell
Astoria

The echo of Robert's footsteps sounded down the hall as he approached, looking for the queen he'd heard went off to talk to prisoners. _Very active ruler._ He mused walking the halls before approaching the sound of voices. _A poet and a pirate..._ he heard a feminine voice echo. "Found her." He muttered before finding a open cell door, Anya in a cell with a prisoner _by herself_. He took a double glance around himself to make sure he didn't accidentally walk past a guard or something he saw none. 

"Your grace." He said as a greeting, his hand instinctively resting on his sword hilt. "Apologies, am I interrupting something?" He inquired.
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Astorian Ports

Footsteps fell behind her but she only really remembered that after the fact. Robert addressed her, and she flinched, her hand retracting from the prisoners wrist as if _she _ had been the guilty one. 

"No." She said firmly, and turned towards him. "I wasn't aware you were here." She said, her voice low.
Edward
Robert Cromwell
Astoria

He nodded, "I was told you were personally seeing to a prisoner. Decided it might be important enough for myself to see him too."

Robert placed his hands on his hips after brushing some stray iron colored hair out of his face, hiding the inquisitive look of him trying to piece together why she was in a cell, alone with a prisoner, with her hand on his wrist. "Though it seems I came a bit late in the interrogation."
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Astorian Ports

She gave him a hard look, and gave a slow nod. "I'm finished here. We can return home." Anya clarified, and cleared her throat. Her palms wiped along her skirts, suddenly very aware of where her skin had touched Arin's. 

"I want them both kept under lock and key, until things blow over."
Edward
Robert Cromwell
Astoria

"Of course, your grace." He acknowledged closing the cell door behind her as she stepped out of the cell. He gave the prisoner a last look, to commit him to memory, then turned to Anya. "I'll escort you back."
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Astorian Ports

They were quiet as they left, and she glanced over her shoulder to him. "If you're going to say something, say it." She started, hating the feeling of being scolded.
Kevin
Arin Cragton
Astoria Jail

Arin looked as the queen left, and put his head between his knees. Honestly, he was exhausted. He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep. 

A beautiful woman looked down at him. "Arin. You have always had such a silver tongue. Shame you must waste it on these mortal women." She said, before fading before his eyes. He watched as the scenery changed, now showing him a city in ashes. Women and children screamed as the flames licked at their feet, and the smoke wafted through the air with all of the tenacity of a sleeping dog. He begged himself to wake up but his horrors had only begun. 

After hours of dreams each worse than the last, Arin woke up, drenched in sweat. The door to his cell opened a crack, and bread and water was slid inside. Arin muttered his thanks and began to eat, ripping the hard bread as best as he could. He didn't know how long it would be until he got more water so he saved it, and began to do what he could inside of the room. He worked like he would on a ship, using the strength of his upper arms to push his body upwards, his legs straight up in the air. He did this several times, until he could no more. Afterwards he just laid on his back and kept his legs in the air, using his abdominal muscles to reach his toes repeatedly. He had to stay in shape, even if he wouldn't be in here for long. The metal piece forming around his teeth could pop out, revealing two small wire-like pieces used to undo locks like the one on the door. As soon as the guard left he popped out the wire pieces and took his time, popping open the door. He put out the torch and walked out of the cell, popping the wire pieces in his mouth behind the front bottom teeth.

He snuck out of the hallway and followed his previous footsteps back to the small room where they put his gear. He fit the dagger back in its holder, and grabbed his clothes and got dressed, tying up the boots and pulling tight the gloves. He opened and snuck out of one of the windows. He dashed like crazy as far as he could, only stopping when he reached a clearing of sorts. 

He walked slowly, following a path he did not know. After almost an hour of walking, he looked up and saw a very lavish home, and he approached slowly, only stopping when a voice shouted "OI! What business do you have on royal property?" A guard shouted at him in a manner that was unbecoming to a royal guard. Arin shrugged and ran, outpacing the guard easily, and ran smack into another one. He blinked as a large hand grabbed him by the neck, and lifted him, before receiving a hard blow to the stomach. He was kicked and beaten for a moment, before being clanked into irons and dragged into a large hall, and he was locked into a small ring on the wall. Arin was dazed, trying to make sense of his surroundings. He was sure this house was only a noble's home, but the man had said Royal. That could only mean... "Oh fuck."
Edward
Robert Cromwell
Astoria

"A large portion of my job is to keep you alive." He commented, looking at her with a raised eyebrow, "You seem to make that part rather hard for me. Why were you in a cell _alone_ with a prisoner who'd been brought into a closed port. There _is_ a plague going on outside. That's the least of it, you were _alone_, forgive me, but you don't seem to be the strongest of women I've met. What would you have done if this pirate overpowered you, took you hostage, or killed you or something." He asked, his voice holding an edge to it, but staying as respectful. "I appreciate your direct initiative in affairs, or whatever you were doing, but if something happens to you, a lot of things fall apart. You are one of a small group of people that're keeping this young kingdom together. Something happens to you, all of this could start to unravel. So all I ask, if you're going to go and meet with prisoners or to foreign countries, take someone who knows how to use a sword with you at the _least_."
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Astorian Ports

The redhead was silent as he spoke, walking in step with him. His voice was surprisingly... Soft compared to what she would have expected from the man. If she had found out Mikhail had gone and done what she had done, she would have made his points and a thousand more, much louder. "You're right." She told him when he finally made his request. They were walking back towards Zahrada, a half hour walk if taken at a comfortable pace. Her carriage was waiting, but she didn't want to climb into it, it felt like eons since she'd been able to just _walk_ amongst the Underground. She missed how close it had felt in those cliffside cities. 

"I suppose I was eager for something to do, and wanted to get my eyes on an accused pirate to assure it wasn't a Maith spy." She explained, and pushed her hands through her loose hair. "I've felt stir crazy locked inside the palace. I'll be sure to bring an escort next time." Boy did that feel like a lie, but she said it smoothly.
Edward
Robert Cromwell
Astoria

"That's all I ask. There's guards all over the city, just pull one to keep an eye on things. No offense, but I don't think there are many people you can fend off by yourself. Unless you're hiding some combat training from me or something." He mused, walking with her, "So did you find out anything from him? Did he turn out to be a pirate?"
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Astoria

"No offense, but I would have more combat training if someone actually fulfilled my requests for training lessons." She remarked, shooting him a sideways glance that was meant to be more joking than harsh. Sometimes she couldn't read Robert, and it seemed that kindhearted jests occasionally got a small smile from it. If the stars were aligned properly, that was. 

"He's not infected, at least in no way I detected, physically or magically. As for piracy, I don't really believe his story, but I don't really believe his second one either. He claimed to be captured and to have escaped. It just makes me more anxious he might try something to get out of that cell before we're ready to release him."
Edward
Robert Cromwell
Astoria

A light smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, "I suppose I could find a particularly poor squire to help train you. Perhaps a one-handed squire, so you'll have a somewhat more even fight." He jested back, though coming from him it sounded almost serious. 

"I'll have a handful of guards and send them down there, might even wake up Daemon and have him pull and night shift detail." He mused, the opportunity to fuck with Daemon always a good one.
Joseph
Anyanka Durkhan
Astoria

Her lips parted in a scoff, and she rolled her eyes. "Fuck you, Cromwell." She breathed, though her tone wasn't harsh. "I can handle any man you send my way, guaranteed." It was a bold statement, but she never said how she would take them out, just that she could.