Tristan
My mother always told me that whenever I felt lost, the best compass in the world was my heart.
It was just some sappy way of telling me that when I didn't know which direction to go, I should always trust my gut.
I scoffed out a laugh as I looked around the cave/cell I was in.
Guess I missed the lesson on what to do when you're beaten up and broken chained to the wall in your biggest enemy's territory.
"What's wrong with you?" I heard Meggy speak looking disgusted.
She had picked up a rock and was drawing lines on the ground with the little movement she could muster up.
I leaned my head against the stone ignoring her as I looked up at nothing.
There was very little light in here but not absolutely nothing that I couldn't tell we weren't underground.
I don't know how long we had been here but so far the cave hadn't gotten completely pitch black.
I looked at the narrow entrance the guards had walked in and exited through when bringing in Meggy.
If I was to make a guess, it led straight outside somewhere. I couldn't tell why Ornyx would put us in what seemed like a less than secure holding but it's all that made sense to me at the moment.
But then again, it wasn't like Meggy and I were escaping anytime soon. Each of us were weak and at this point I think even Crystal's little cousin Parker could take me in a fight.
So I guess it was a good prison in a very sadistic way. If I had been at my full strength, I could see myself escaping in a heart beat.
But then there was also the fact that I had to consider what waited outside for me.
Maybe Ornyx had a whole army guarding this place.
Either way, stumbling into the unknown was just as dangerous.
"You look like your mind is extra busy." Meggy spoke.
I looked up and realised she was studying me.
I watched the ceiling instead of looking at her.
"Maybe it is." I muttered.
I heard her scoff. "Don't. Whatever it is, don't, they'll catch you before you make it two feet."
I lowered my head to see that she was still scrapping lines onto the ground.
"Where is he?" I asked her.
I saw her freeze.
Her grip tightened on the rock.
It had a sharp end from all the scraping I guess.
"You wanna meet his highness?" She asked sarcastically but I couldn't help but pick up the tension in her voice.
My chains made a clanging sound as I shifted to sit up.
I had been on the ground for so long, everything hurt and felt stiff.
"Why bring me here if he didn't want to torture me? Why waste the opportunity now that he has me?"
I had been wondering about this the whole time.
The war had been between the Shadow pack and the Union but everyone knew it was no secret that this had all begun with my grandfather and Lucien Van Cliffe. And since then, the bad blood between van Cliffes and Melrose's ran deeper than with any other packs.
Ornyx had a direct descendant of the Melrose clan in his grasp and yet he hadn't come to rub it in my face how easy it had been to capture me?
He sure had a lot to say over that video but here I was right now and he hadn't even come to gloat?
I didn't know whether to be offended or terrified of what he must have had planned.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head about that. He's probably just planning the perfect death. It has to be poetic after all these years. And public. I imagine he'll do a live stream for Crystal and the rest of your pack."
I gritted my teeth as I leaned back again and stared at the ceiling.
I tried to ignore Meggy and her words which I knew were just aimed at hurting me or trying to make me afraid.
And I hated to admit it but I was afraid.
Not of Ornyx. But of what he would make my family endure.
I wasn't the last standing Melrose. When he was done with me, he would go for my brothers... maybe even my grandmother.
I clenched my hands into fists. I was supposed to protect them.
I quickly perked up when I heard footsteps.
I thought something was finally happening.
They hadn't done anything to me yet being here not knowing what time of the day it was or what was happening was torture enough.
Roman walked into the space.
I clenched my jaw.
Looks like there was going to be some action after all.
Roman to my surprise simply gave me a brief glare before walking towards Meggy.
He had a glass of what looked like water in his hands as he knelt down before her.
"Hey." He spoke softly.
I couldn't make out their facial expressions clearly but I could tell Meggy was scowling at Roman.
She glanced at the up he held distastefully.
"If you were gonna bring me a bribe, maybe you should be offering something stronger."
I heard Roman sigh.
She was stubborn for sure. My lips were so dry I felt like I could peel them off. I knew she must have been in the same state.
I don't know how long it had been but neither of us had food or water.
"I went to him." Roman spoke in a low voice. Obviously not wanting me to listen. But that was kind of impossible in this setting. "I've begged for an audience for you. All you have to do is -"
"Does being a little bitch make you feel something, David?" She asked calmly.
I saw a slight smile on her face and couldn't help but snicker.
Roman turned and shot me a deathly glare.
I simply smiled and looked ahead.
He turned back to Meggy.
"Will you stop being so stubborn." He hissed.
"You mean brave." She spat back. She was obviously as drained of energy as I was yet she still put force behind her words. "Something you will never be."
Roman was quiet for a second.
The next thing I heard was the sound of glass shattering.
I looked up to see that Roman had stood up and was looking down at her.
The glass of water a mess not too far away.
"I'm offering you a chance. If you beg for leniency then maybe -"
"Ornyx will see reason? Then I can kiss his ass again and continue worshipping him? Acting like he isn't pure evil?"
"Meggy." Roman hissed. He looked around as if someone would hear them.
But I was the only other person here.
"I'm not doing that." Meggy spoke stubbornly. "I'd rather die with my dignity than go back on everything I've worked for."
Roman let out a scoff. "Everything you've worked for? Look where you are, Meg! Do you really feel accomplished? All your resistance friends are dead and you're next."
Roman took in a deep breath.
He got on one knee and looked her in the eyes. "Just - stop being so stupid and let me help." I could hear the plea in his voice as he stared at her.
"I'd rather die with honour." Meggy spoke in almost a whisper this time.
Roman got up. He tugged on his hair in frustration.
"Goodness Meg! You really think I can just sit here and watch you die? You really think Theresa can?"
Meggy to my surprise simply let out a laugh.
"Oh, Theresa, huh"
Roman was so still he seemed frozen until he spoke again. "She raised us."
"To be her husband's family's little pets." Meggy spoke. She leaned forward as far as the chains would let her. "The minute they're done with us, they just toss us away."
"She cares about you - still - even after what you did!" He yelled at her. "You could have been killed on the spot with the other resistance members but she vouched for you."
"You should have killed me then, David." She spoke breezily. "I would have died besides my real friends."
Roman stared at her for a few seconds without saying anything.
He then seemed to come back to his senses.
"I'm gonna leave now. Give you a bit more time to reconsider." He spoke.
His eyes met mine briefly as he turned to leave.
With how fast he pulled them away it became very clear to me that I hadn't been in his mind at all when he had come here. This wasn't about us or our bad blood at all.
"David." Meggy called in a softer voice.
Roman paused. He turned around slowly and I could see the hope in his eyes.
"When -" her voice cracked a little.
She cleared it.
"When it does happen - the execution." She seemed to be fighting back tears.
I watched as she swallowed hard. "Make sure my family isn't there."
I saw Roman's face drop instantly.
Was he... was he fighting back tears?
He turned away quickly and walked off leaving me wondering what kind of relationship I had been witnessing.