Rowena took a slow breath, studying the sight before her. “Well.” Absentmindedly, she fiddled with the crown of flowers and feathers encircling her head. “I understand that you’re quite a tough one. Beatings didn’t work, so I’m not going to bother intensifying the torture. Not sure why torture is still being used, to be honest. You’re a demon; what is torture to you?” She spoke casually, and this question was rhetorical, not really a part of the interrogation.
“Perhaps I will just start this simply.” Rowena tilted her head, her eyes faintly catching the glow of the fireflies’ light. “Your little rebellion seemed to scatter in all directions when you were captured. Do you know where they went?”
Cicada's glare grew harsher at the comment about torture. Her species may be demons, but they were never, ever, consider torture a feasible punishment or worse. She remembers how her parents swore never to be like the rumors that surrounded them. Sure, they weren't great in other ways, but never was torture considered. As for the Day Queen's question, Cicada continued to glare at her silently. She knew where at least one rebellion base was, but not all of them. She had made sure no one knew where all of them were.
Somehow, Rowena found herself smiling, though she herself wasn’t sure why. She was alone with the supposed biggest threat to her kingdom, and though they had taken precautions, she at least thought she would be more nervous. Perhaps it was the Demon Princess’ comically unending glare. Perhaps it amused her.
“Still feeling mute, are we?” She said after a moment. “How unfortunate. Still, I’m going to move on. How many of your rebels and allies are still active?”
Cicada stayed where she was silent. Though her glare dropped to a more of a 'duh I'm not talking' look at the Day Queen. She wasn't going to spill anything about her people who were fighting so hard to put her back on her throne. Or at the very least the rights that they deserved.
Rowena simply stared back for a moment, then closed her eyes. Some more moments passed, and she opened them again, seeming to come to a decision. Wordlessly, she stood up, and walked out of the room. From everything she knew so far, continuing this was pointless. She had tried to tell her parents as such, but they insisted she question the Demon Princess anyway, and Rowena only agreed because of her curiosity. She had her own ideas about how to go about this that didn’t involve wasting endless hours in the dungeon with nothing to show for it.
The Day Queen slid the door shut behind her, and ordered for the guard to stay at his post. She shifted and flew to the higher parts of the Nidum, where the rest of the royal family resided.
Cicada watched as the Day Queen left before letting out a long sigh. She got herself resituated in the stupid bird cage trying to make herself at least somewhat comfortable. This was apparently her new place of containment, not that it was a downgrade or an upgrade, but it was certainly something. Not that the Day Queen was gone, she could at least make herself even more comfortable and work on getting out. Using what little energy she had, she created a small flame at the base of the bonds of her wings. Silently hoping the slight smoke it was creating wasn't going to alert the guard outside.
(Technically she would have to melt down the brace and wrap that’s covering her hands first, but eh)
(Oops, my bad. She's doing that instead. Fire is fire and animal matter is animal matter lol)
“I need to see the Night Queen.”
The young maid stood in the doorway, her wings folded behind her. She bowed, her watery eyes closing for a moment. “With all due respect Your Majesty, the sun is still in the sky and the Night Queen is asleep. It would be best to wait until this evening.”
“I’m afraid I cannot.” Rowena crossed her arms over her chest. “But rest assured that I will not keep her awake for very long.”
The maid sighed, then moved to let her through. Rowena entered, the large, darkened room casting shadows over her figure. The shape of a large bed— a nest, full of pillows, blankets, and feathers, was made out in the gloom. At first, Rowena couldn’t see anyone inside.
“Mother?” She whispered. A pair of yellow eyes flashed open in the darkness. Rowena jerked backward, but quickly recovered when she realized what it was. The eyes blinked, revealing the silhouette of a great grey owl. It hooted once, then shifted into the shape of an older woman, just past mid-age. Her elliptical wings spread out behind her, and a crown of feathers and pinecones encircled her head.
“Mother,” Rowena sighed. “Can you stop doing that?”
“Can you stop waking me up in the middle of the day?” The Night Queen retorted, tilting her head.
“My apologies, but I must ask you about something.”
“And that is?” The Night Queen raised an eyebrow, but other than that, her expression was unreadable.
Cicada could feel the heat being created from her hands as the bonds burned current a slight trail of smoke. The leather and bones were going to be a bit of a problem, but she pushed more heat into the fire trying to get it to burn hotter. She was well aware of the risk of being caught, but so far the guard hadn't done anything. She tried to catch a glimpse of the guard outside, but couldn't spot him. So she redirected her focus to the fire currently burning through the leather.
(Sorry, I just started college classes, so I will probably be slower to reply)
(No that's cool. I understand college, far far too well.)
For a brief moment, the minimal light that came from the small whole in the door to the room was covered up by the guard looking inside. There was a shift of movement, and then a pause that lasted some seconds. Then the guard opened the door and walked inside, carrying a bucket that sloshed beside his leg. Taking it in both hands, he dumped the cold water inside over Cicada, soaking her. Then he wordlessly turned around and resumed his post outside.
“Mother, have you been allowing the prison guards to torture the Demon Princess?”
The Night Queen raised an eyebrow. “Same as any other traitor or rebel. What of it?”
Rowena sighed. “Okay, look. I would prefer if they did not do that. Alright? I’ve met with researchers and judiciary experts from many of our provinces, and…”
“Rowena, please, save it for this evening. I’ve heard this from you before.” Queen Eris looked ready to go back to bed, burrowing further into her nest.
“I’m just saying, torture has proven to be a poor method acquiring accurate information and evidence from prisoners. And besides, it doesn’t even yield anything with her. She’s a demon who’s lost everything. Everything except her precious cause. She’s going to do everything to keep her forces together, so what is even the point? I went to see her, and she was—“
“Rowena.”
She quieted, but something simmered just underneath her skin. She was so close. If she could convince her mother…
But Queen Eris’s gaze was cold. “It was unsuccessful, yes? Well, listen to me. I have an idea.”
Cicada sputtered as water was dumped on her and she continued to sputter as it dripped down her face. She frowned heavily and glared at the guard as he stepped out. He may have put out the fire she had made, but she had done enough damage to her bonds to use what little physical strength she had to break the bonds on her hands. She twisted her right arm up one way and her left arm the down other way until the remaining bones and leather snapped. Her wings bonds were wet at the moment so she doubted she could stoke a fire and burn them away at the moment.
After several minutes passed, something covered up the light coming through the door again. It slid open, and Rowena burst through, her wings spread behind her as though she forgot to let them completely fade into her human body.
“Alright, change of plans,” she announced without preamble. Her gaze was hard, almost annoyed. She walked further in and faced the Demon Princess, looking her up and down. “We are getting married.” She nearly spat the words out before turning to face the door. “Can someone please get a towel for her?” She called.
Cicada watched as the Day Queen entered and her eyes widened at the proposal. No demand. Her face morphed into a heavy frown as she stood in the cage. Her wings begged to flare out, but the bonds kept them tight in their place. Cicada didn't know what was worse, the demand this pretentious bitch just made, or the tone in which it was said. Her hands gripped the cage's bars as she growled out, "What do you mean 'we're getting married'?"
“What do you think?” Rowena crossed her arms over her chest. “We’re entering a legally binding contract that says we are partners. Well, not right now, of course.” The guard came with a towel and handed it to the Demon Princess through the bars of her cage. Rowena held out a finger. “For the record, it wasn’t my idea.”
Cicada took the towel and let it drop to the bottom of her cage. She had no intention of drying herself off when there were other things to worry about. She looked up and down at Rowena with a sneer, "I know." It was clear the Day Queen wasn't the one who came up with the idea by the tone in which she shared the marriage demand with Cicada. This means that the rebellions theories were at least partially confirmed, the Day Queen seemed to be no more than a puppet at the moment for the Night Queen. Instead, Cicada decided to attempt to turn the tables on the Day Queen, "You clearly don't want this, so why demand it of me?"
Rowena’s wings twitched. “It’s not always about what I want, princess.” The finger drifted to her lips as she paused to think. “You know, perhaps I could call it off if you gave me information…” she shrugged. “Who knows. Anyway. You are going to stay in this room for a while as preparations are made. I do not have a date yet, but normally pairs are given anywhere from two months to a season for the courtship rituals before the wedding.” Her voice wavered at the word courtship. “Naturally we are on the shorter end of the stick, so to speak. But sometime before that, you will be relocated to another room in the palace.” Her eyes gleamed in the faint light. “Perhaps somewhere near mine.”
Cicada snorted at her proposition of getting information in exchange for getting out of the engagement. As unhappy as she was with the situation, and trust her, she was very unhappy, she could at least make her captor just as unhappy as she was. The Day Queen wasn't getting out of this as easily as she may want. However, at the mention of courtship rituals, Cicada felt all amusement leave her. Of course, she would have to do the stupid bird rituals for this forced engagement, but none of her own. It made her, sad. She had always hoped that once she got her throne back she could settle down, get married, and celebrate according to her people's traditions. But that wouldn't be happening. She kept up the brave face though as she looked at the Day Queen, "Fine by me. We are to be wed after all."
“Glad to see you’re following along,” Rowena nodded. She sighed, then turned towards the door. “Well. I’ll update you as preparations are made, but that’s all I have to say. I’m sure you’ve gotten tired of me by now.” She pushed the door open and stepped out of the room. Closing the door, she spoke to the guard a little before flying off.
Cicada watched as the Day Queen left and let out a long sigh. She sat back down at the bottom of the cage as she leaned against the back bars gingerly. There was nothing Cicada could do at the moment except to wait a moment to escape, but with her hands free and a towel in her prison, she could at least clean herself up. She reluctantly grabbed the towel and began to wipe away some of the grime that had accumulated on her body that was now wet from the unwelcome water.
After a few minutes, guards entered the room. They waited for Cicada to finish drying off, then opened the door to the cage, only to bind her hands behind her back again and cover them with a firm, woven wrap, before closing the cage again and leaving.
(Sorry it’s short)
(It's fine.)
Cicada attempted to fight them as they put wraps back on her hands before she realized that once again, they were made of flammable material. However, after her last attempt soaked her, she wasn't going to set them aflame so soon again. Once the guards left Cicada sat down on the floor of the cage and let her eyes shut. With a heavy sigh, she began to murmur prayers to the gods to give her the strength to push her through the trials she was soon to face.
