Aurora didn’t sleep that night, spending much of it on his back staring through the crack in the ceiling. He could see a sliver of the sky, a miniscule section wide enough only to see the muted light of a single star as clouds repeatedly shielded it from view. It was going to rain judging by the scent in the air and the rumbling in the distance but the sight of the star was renewing. The lack of sleep wasn’t unusual but the reason behind it was new entirely.

His breathing was ragged, shallow and occasionally broken by a wheeze that made Aurora’s skin crawl. As much as he hated to think about it, Aurora knew that Lucius wasn’t going to survive if his leg wasn’t attended to. He couldn’t bring himself to say it but the wound had only grown worse in the few weeks they had been in adjacent cells.

Just what that meant was obvious.

He was beginning to think she didn’t care if Lucius died, perished from the infection stewing in his blood. The thought made him sick, infuriated him and at the same time made him feel an overwhelming amount of guilt. Cruel was one thing but leave a boy, a child, to die like that was well beyond simply cruel. She was expecting him to die, counting on the fact.

Aurora’s eyes closed, not to sleep but only because he’d grown tired looking up at the single star above them. It had grown warmer, not much but enough to where Aurora knew the winter had briefly taken leave from the east. It never lasted but the thought of rain rather than snow was something he dwelled on often.

A crash rocked the prison, thundering around the walls and bringing Aurora’s eyes back open once more.

“Gunshot?” Lucius slurred, pulling himself up against the wall.

Aurora shook his head, sitting up and gazing up at where the star had been only moments ago. “No, it’s just thunder.”

He got to his feet, squinting in the darkness and scrambling to find something to collect the rain in. His feet struck metal and Aurora reached down, snatching the mug from the ground and setting it down beneath the crack. He smiled, hearing a metallic ping as the first drop fell and struck the bottom of the mug.

“Lucius, look.”

Aurora turned, peering through the darkness to where he could barely make out the image of the boy lying there. His face was pale, gaunt and sickly to the point where he was beginning to look, as horrible as it sounded, like a corpse.

“What is that?” he asked, sitting upright the rest of the way.

“Rain-“

Thunder cut Aurora off before he could explain, echoing through the walls and shaking the two prisoners. There was a breeze then, cool and slick with rain that fell down through the crack above them. Aurora’s eyes closed, breathing in the scent of water in the air and reveling in the feeling of the rain on his face.

“And what is rain?”

“I don’t know.”

“Water,” Aurora answered.

Through the thick walls, the roar of the storm outside was muffled but despite that, Aurora could hear the wind that ripped across the land. He never thought he’d miss the chill of the wind or the sting of ice against his skin. Even the nights where he ventured out into the most savage of blizzards only to return half frozen to death was something he would have given anything to experience again.

The cell offered nothing but silence and darkness, a numbness that he knew Lucius felt through his delirium, but for a moment as he stood there, rain slicking his hair back and washing over the dirt crusted lines of his face, he felt something more than that.

He blinked, looking down at the mug and seeing a small amount of water had already collected in the bottom of the mug. Though his own throat burned, Aurora knew Lucius needed it much more than he did.

“Thirsty?”

“A little,” Lucius croaked.

Aurora saw the boy jump with another blast of thunder. “Let’s hope this storm rips this place apart.”

Lucius smiled weakly.

Aurora lifted the mug, squinting to see it was just under half full before he moved to the bars between them. He set it down then, reaching as far as he could into the other cell in hopes Lucius could reach it without getting up from where he was slumped against the wall.

“It’s not much, but perhaps it will lift your spirits a bit?”

Lucius reached over, arms shaking and falling just short of reaching it. He stopped, hands falling to his lap and head dropping forward. “I…changed my mind.”

“You need it. We don’t know how long it will be until they come back. Take it, you need to drink it, Lucius.”

He looked up then, eyes dull and lifeless, before shuffling sideways with some difficulty closer to the bars between them. His quivering hands took the mug, brought it to his lips and then set it down again once the contents were drained in an instant.

“Better?”

The boy nodded, shoving the mug closer across the floor. Aurora collected it again, frowning as it set it back in the same place as before. “How is your head?”

“Hurts,” Lucius mumbled.

“No, is the fever gone?”

He didn’t answer, leaning his head against the stone. “Feels cold…I don’t know.”

“Can you say my name?”

“What?” Lucius asked, squinting at him.

“What is my name?”

The boy frowned. “You know your name.”

“I know. Can you say it for me?”

He was quiet for a moment, shaking his head. “Rory.”

“And what’s your name?”

“Why are you asking me…questions?”

Aurora swallowed, smiling meekly. “I think I’m starting to forget things. Will you remind me? The cell, it’s getting to me.”

The boy’s eyes rose, a smile passing over his lips. “You know my name. It’s Lucius.”

“Thank you.”

Aurora sighed, looking down where the mug was before moving to rip off a section of his shirt, finding it tore away easily from the rest of the fabric. The mug filled quickly and he poured the water carefully, trying not to spill any onto the ground, before he moved to hand the scrap through the bars.

“Take this. Put it on your forehead,” Aurora instructed. “Keep leaning against the stone if you can, alright?”

“I’ll try,” Lucius murmured.

Aurora cleared his throat. “Lucius, do you think anything is growing?”

“It’s too cold.”

“No, it’s raining. Have you ever seen the east when spring comes?”

Lucius shook his head.

“Did you know rimethorn blooms?”

“No.”

Silence.

“Lucius, where are we?” Aurora called.

“Dying,” the boy mumbled.

“No, you’re not dying and that’s not what I asked you. Where are we?”

“I don’t know,” Lucius grunted.

Aurora was quiet for a moment, trying to think of what to say, anything even remotely hopeful. “Yes, you do. Where are we?”

“Prison.”

“That’s right and we are going to get out.”

Worry was the first thing on his mind as he watched Lucius, seeing his eyes slip closed and hoping the Dravara would come soon. He looked up again, careful not to kick the mug over as he stood where the rain could reach him, washing pathways down his face that hadn’t been touched by anything nearly as soft in a long time.

It could have been that way for hours but it was only when the door to the prison opened, washing light over the darkness that pooled in the air. Aurora turned, head snapping downward again as he reached down to lift the half full mug into his hand.

“I’m surprised. Normally cowards such as yourselves would hide away with a storm like this raging outside. Strange to think they would venture down here,” he called, bringing the mug to his lips.

“Silence prisoner,” a voice snapped.

“I don’t even get a name now?”

Aurora could see five of them clearly, five shadows lurking just outside the wall of bars in front of him. A bowl skid across the floor, some of the contents spilling out onto the floor before it came to a stop. He was cautious, unsure as he walked forward and collected the bowl from the ground only to find it was filled in a vegetable broth.

It was lukewarm but Aurora wasn’t about to refuse something he’d been starved of for far too long. It was simple, practically tasteless but it was heavenly even the broth itself was hardly anything more than glorified water. The bowl was empty then and Aurora walked to the bars, hanging his arms outside and contemplating a decision he’d regret for the rest of his life.

However, it had been a while since he’d had any fun.

The bowl whipped across the room, striking one of the figures in the back before it went clattering to the stone floor. Aurora was grinning when the man turned, mouth dropped open in either shock or rage as he strode forward.

“Did you honestly strike an officer? You are a prisoner of the Dravara and will act as such!” the man snapped, eyes burning like embers.

Aurora crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I’m trembling in fear. Shouldn’t the Dravara with all their honor and prowess be helping someone in need? Or are you planning on letting him die?”

Lucius’ eyes cracked open and through the glaze, Aurora could see terror festering.

“He’s a traitor to the Dravara and will be treated as such-“

“You just love saying that, don’t you?” Aurora laughed mockingly. “As such!”

With a jingle of keys and a click of the lock, the door was thrown open and the Dravara stepped inside. Aurora stepped backwards, a reflex, but the man was less than threatening to begin with.

“Am I free to go?”

“You will shut your mouth or I’ll make sure you don’t speak another word.”

Aurora frowned, bending his knees to match the height of the man standing before him, grinning still. He heard the Dravara outside the cell laugh, something of a melody.

“Are you trying to be funny?” the man snapped.

“Well, your friends certainly think I am.”

The blow struck him in the jaw, teeth clacking together painfully as the taste of blood danced on his tongue. He reeled backwards, shaking his head and stumbling to face the man in front of him. Blood dribbled between his teeth as he smiled, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

“Do you need to be reminded what you are?”

Aurora only frowned then, shrugging, before the officer swung again. He was able to sidestep, sticking a foot in the Dravara’s path and sending the man sprawling and swearing to the ground. His hands folded behind his back, smile returning. “I apologize deeply, but what was I being reminded of? I don’t remember.”

The man was on his feet again, red faced and wiping the blood from a split lip on his sleeve. He didn’t try again, turning and walking back from the cell towards the door.

“If you were remaindering yourself that you’re no better than the floor I piss on, you did a marvelous job.”

He stopped, fists clenching at his sides.

“Or was there another message you were trying to convey with that fall? I really am confused. Would you care to explain?”

Aurora ducked sideways as he swung again, hands still folded behind his back. “Are you even trying? I’m starting to doubt if you could hit me even if I stood still. Would you like to try?”

He stayed where he was, watching as the man stalked forward.

“I don’t need to prove anything to you.”

“Rory-“

Aurora raised his hand, silencing Lucius.

“Are you afraid you’ll miss?”

The man’s arm cocked backwards then and Aurora turned his face to the side, smiling even as he glared. He would have kept his word, most likely, had it been any other situation but things were different then. It should have hit him square in the nose, sending him straight to the floor in a gush of blood and snapped bone. However, Aurora’s hand shot forward to snatch at his arm, twisting it behind his back before driving a knee into the Dravara’s stomach.

Aurora stepped backwards as he was helped to his feet, for the first time considering the consequences of his actions. They could hurt him, beat him bloody and bruised again, but he didn’t even consider the stable boy just beside him.

“You dirty bastard!” the injured Dravara spat, blood dripping from his lip. “That’s all you’ll ever be, a menace!”

“If you intend on offending me, start by telling me something I don’t already know.”

“Take care of him for me,” the man snapped to the others behind him.

“I’ve had worse odds,” Aurora quipped.

He saw Lucius pull himself up by the bars, staggering to his feet and resting his weight entirely on one leg. “Leave him alone.”

“Lucius-“

“It’s not his fault…he’s here. He’s good.”

A snort sounded from the same man from before.

“Shut your mouth, pup. Do I have to teach you a lesson in respect too?”

“If my lesson is as good as his, I won’t…stand a chance,” Lucius mumbled.

As soon as the last word left his lips, Aurora shot forward. He was caught by two of them, hauled backwards into his cell easily as the others advanced towards the cell just beside him. A fist was slammed into his stomach and he doubled over, feet slipping on the wet stone beneath him.

“Leave him alone!” Aurora gasped. “He’s delirious! He doesn’t know what he’s saying!”

He was struck again in the gut, silencing him as his arms were wrenched further behind his back. “Do what you want with me. Leave the boy alone!”

Lucius glanced over at him, eyes glazed just as they were before but missing something, void of something Aurora had seen the very moment the boy arrived. He pulled himself up further, relying heavily on the bars between the two of them to keep himself standing. But he stepped away then, legs wobbling beneath him.

“He taught me what it means to fight. Officer,” he paused, voice steadying, “Aurora taught me to be strong.”

“Lucius, stop!”

The stable boy turned to face him, falling against the bars with an outcry as his leg gave out beneath him. He pulled himself back up again, arms shaking as he stared back at the Dravara.

“He’s brave. I can be brave too.”

“Please-“

“Shut up!” one of the Dravara snapped, kicking out at the back of his legs and sending him painfully to his knees.

Lucius swallowed. “Do your worst. I’m not afraid anymore.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 27