forum Opposite Sides Of History// 0/0 // Closed

Started September 12, 2020 by @gracehustle

tune

Romulus followed the girl quickly, pushing through the crowd to grab her by the arm. She was moving very quickly, and he wanted to reach her before she vanished. It was spontaneous and very sudden of him, not something that he would usually do, but he did anyways.

He was desperate for clues, anyway.

Finally, his gloved fingers managed to close around her lower arm before she could get into a part of the crowd that was particularly thick. "Excuse me," he said, "but may I talk to you for a few moments?"

Atria whipped around the moment a hand closed around her lower arm, her face full of a mix of fear and anger. Quickly she wiped away the look as she noticed the gloved hand of a guard. It was best to seem like nothing more than a dumb worker girl in any situation with a guard, and so that's the look she put on as she glanced up at him and softly nodded, never meeting his eyes.

It disgusted her to act like this, but it was safe, and so she didn't try to break every bone in the guard's hand, no matter how tempting it was to get him to let go of her. After another quick stolen glance, she recognized him as the guard she had told to leave. Well, that proved it. Karma was a bitch. And she couldn't get a break. She hoped this was indeed quick.

If this was the correct guard though, and she knew it was, it would be anything but short. He had saw her with the explosive, and this was going to be her fatal mistake.

Even though her expression changed almost quicker than blinking, Romulus still caught the barest traces of fear in her gaze. The barest trace of a smirk wisped past his features before vanishing. Even if he hadn't been following her for the past half an hour, he would have caught by now that she was part of the rebellion. And if he had been a better soldier, he would have had her arrested right there and then, but… this mission was important, and he needed as much information as he could get.

Even if it meant working with a disgusting rebel.

He sent her the typical soldiers' sneer, which he had gotten very good at with his experience. "I promise, it won't take long. If you cooperate, then I can let you go right away."

Seeing a soldier of the Queen, most of the people moved out of his way as he strode, still holding the woman's arm, to a quieter corner, where he could watch the people on the streets, but where he wouldn't be overheard or watched. As soon as they arrived, he let go and leaned against the wall, dropping the arrogant soldier facade and staring at her with his unreadable blue eyes. "You can drop the act now," he said in a flat tone.

As much as she wanted to curse him out and maybe dislocate a few of his fingers to teach him a lesson about touching her, Atria kept a calm composure. She walked along with him if reluctantly, to keep the act up of a young worker girl. At least she saved some of her dignity that way. But that didn't mean she wasn't thinking of strangling the male at any chance she got.

The moment he let her go, she crossed her arms, blatantly lying to his face with a mask of sweet sarcasm over her words, "I have no clue what you're talking about sir. What act?" Her words were dripping in sarcasm, and she meant for them to be that way. With the fake confused look on her face, she was doing no more than mocking him. They both knew what she was, but she wasn't going to say it out loud. "I'm just a girl trying to go home to her family from a shift at the metal shops."

It took self-control not to bolt away from him right at that moment, but she kept herself still, telling herself the right opportunity would come. Hopefully, before that damn explosive decided to blow up the entirety of the building she had left it at.

Romulus didn't flinch at her sudden change of behavior and words. While she spoke sarcastically, fake confusion evident on her face, his expression was completely blank, except for the slight raising of an eyebrow at her words.

"Is that so? Well, considering that I've been following you for the past half an hour, I can just tell that you're a simple daughter of a metalworker." His tone wasn't judgemental, just pointing out facts. "I don't care who you are or what you do for the rebellion. I need your help, and I'm not going to turn you in."

Probably, his mind added.

"A guard. Admitting to needing help? Unheard of," She replied with a roll of her eyes, biting back sarcastic comments, "I find it very unlikely that you'll keep your word and not turn me in. So no, I'm not helping you." Wether or not there was a chance she would be turned in, it would take much more to get her to even consider helping him.

Atria looked up at him, wiping the fake confusion off her face and meeting his eyes with a look of hatred and annoyance, "Now, may I go?" She was impressed by the fact that he had followed her for so long, but seeing as it was a guard, she wasn't surprised. Even if they were stupid, some of them had enough brains to decide to follow someone suspicious.

Once again, she bid her time at a chance of escape, glancing around at the people and waiting for a spot where there would be a large enough group of people that she could disappear into. That was the one thing she needed.

Romulus noticed that she was looking for a way out, and his lips twitched into a rare smile, although it was nothing more than amusement. He considered for a moment what to say, then shrugged.

"Well, you've just heard one ask for help. Is it unheard of now?" He paused, as what he was about to say could be considered treason. "We both have a common enemy, and so working with each other would benefit your side greatly. I just want my damn job to be over so I can leave the country."

He was hoping this would be a good excuse. Most of it was the truth, which, as every good liar knew, was a key component for lying: mix it with truth.

"Hmmm…let me think about your offer," She replied, pretending to ponder the idea before glaring at him, "The answer is no. Not now, not ever. I think you and your big guard brain can think of a way to leave the country without involving me. Now, may I go? Believe it or not, I don't want to die minutes after I tried to spare your life."

It was a convincing offer, but she had a reason to loath guards, and she wasn't going to start siding with them now. She still had a hefty bit of revenge to finish first. Atria counted the seconds as she waited for the explosive to blow them to smithereens, but once again, it didn't happen. This time, she wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. At least it would save her from whatever fate this guard was going to assign her.

Atria knew there wasn't any more time to waste as the inevitable explosion drew closer and so she finally made a break for it. In one smooth motion, she took off under the guard's arms, making a beeline for the crowd of people and her salvation. If she could just make it there she would be fine.

She knows something. This woman was also the most infuriating person Romulus had ever met, and seemed to hate him more than anyone else had before… actually, that was a lie. He didn't blame him, though. He was working for the Queen, a bitch who frankly shouldn't exist. She made her people miserable, and the fact that he worked for her didn't make things easier.

She slipped under his arms and started to run while he was thinking. Romulus smirked, and then in one fluid movement, pulled a knife from his bag and threw it after her. It hit where he was aiming, pinning her jacket sleeve to the wall just before she entered the crowd. He strolled over to her, smirking.

Atria was almost to the crowd when she felt something fly by her and she instinctively hesitated, hearing what she assumed was a knife sink into the wall beside her. She glanced over at it and hissed out an inaudible string of curses. That bastard got her sleeve. Normally she would've just torn the fabric and continued on, but she didn't want to ruin her only jacket.

She glared daggers at him as he sauntered over, acting like the snobby idiot she knew all guards were. Atria grabbed the knife, attempting to wiggle it out of its spot on the wall. That stupid guard had a hell of an arm though, and she could feel just how far into the wall it was stuck.

"Leave me alone, I'll only warn you once more," She growled, any hint of her taunting or little girl attitude out the window. Cutting through her jacket was ground for losing an eye, but he had even exceeded that. He had put two holes in her jacket, through both sides of the fabric. And not only that, but he had the audacity to walk to her with a smirk.

The woman seemed even more angry with Romulus's actions, which he probably should mind, but he didn't. "You've already warned me several times to leave me alone, and threatened me. I've been polite this entire time, but if you choose not to, then I might have to resort to using fists instead of words."

Fighting wasn't an issue for him, but he didn't want to get there. She didn't seem to be willing to rip her jacket to get the knife out, so for now, she was pinned. He leaned against the wall, blocking her way to the crowded street, and looked her straight in the eyes, the fury in hers, which could make men twice her size back down, had no effect on him. He grew up getting looked at like that.

"You can work with me, or I can take you in. Simple as that." His voice was low, calm, and if it weren't for the threat in his words, it could have been taken as a conversation to someone.

"But now you crossed the line. Resort to fists all you want, it'll get you no further," She ground out, still trying to pry the knife out of the wall, "We both know those two options aren't the only ones anyway. I'll be more useful to you dead and thrown into the river, with my knowledge along with me."

Atria stood her ground, unnerved by his words, tone, or appearance. He was another snobby bratty guard, not worth more than a second of her time. But at the same time, this was the only guard that dared stop her. And so he deserved a few more seconds of her time, even if they were seconds she would spend slitting his throat. She was getting out of here one way or another, and it sure as hell wouldn't be because she agreed to work with him.

"Now, if you will, either kill me quickly or let me go, we're not both going to be alive for much longer if you don't make a quick decision," She continued, using the most condescending voice she could, "I think you have a few brain cells in there that could figure out that the building you spotted me at is going to go ka-boom any second. Maybe I was mistaken though. It's always a possibility that you don't have a brain at all."

"It probably would be," Romulus agreed, voice mild. "You'd certainly be better to everyone dead, but I will spare you out of the goodness of my heart. How lucky."

He didn't seem to care about her threat of the building blowing up. "I don't value my life. You might. You can cooperate, or you can get blown up with me. The choice is yours." She was working hard to her her sleeve free without ripping it, and he didn't try to stop her. "I know you have the information I'll need, and working together will be beneficial for both of us."

"Why thank you for your generosity," She hissed, eyes narrowing as she tugged and rocked the dagger back and forth, determined to get it out, "Working together will help you, is the right term. I'm not naive enough to believe you want to help me."

Atria could tell her time was at an end, and it was a split-second decision to finally lie to him. "Fine, you convinced me. I'll help you," She said in the most exasperated voice she could muster, burying down her tells so it could pass as truth. The last thing she wanted to do was help him. If anything, she was going to lead him on a wild goose chase. "Now, get this damn knife out of my sleeve so I-we can get going."

Romulus tilted his head and looked at her. "You know, for a moment there, I was almost convinced," he said conversationally. "But then your stutter gave you away. Work on speaking smoother if you're going to lie to an official's face."

He thought for a moment. She clearly wasn't going to cooperate with him here. Well then, so be it. He made a show of grabbing the knife from her sleeve and pulling it away, so that it didn't pin her to the wall, but with his other hand, he brought the hilt of another knife down on her head, knocking her out. "Well, let's get you out of here," he said.

"Sorry that I'm quite worried for my life, I'll work on that next time," She growled, working out the knife. Atria didn't want to take his help as he reached for the knife, but she surely didn't want to touch him, and so she pulled her hand away, a look of distaste visible.

It was weird to think that he was going to let her go, and something in her told her that she wasn't going to be able to leave, but she ignored that feeling. The imminent feeling of danger was quickly replaced with one of very faint hope. That was until she felt something hard hit her head and instantly was out cold.

Atria crumbled like a brick when she passed out, and even if she couldn't think about it, she was completely in the hands of the guard.

Romulus carried the body of the rebel woman away. Behind him, he heard the building blow up, and the force of the explosion knocked him forward onto his knees. He was careful to make sure his prisoner didn't get hurt, even as his own knees smarted from the force of hitting the ground.

He brought her to one of the many outposts. Places that were hidden from the queen, so that people like him could work to find the princess in peace, without being stopped or found out by her officials. He left her in a cell, and went back to his men.

They were swarming around, looking for the rebels still, and didn't seem to notice his disappearance. With a smirk, he called them to order, and made them look elsewhere. And as they did the work, grumbling, he thought about what he would ask that rebel woman.

Atria didn't wake up for who knew all long, and when she did, she knew she was somewhere quite far from where she was supposed to be.

She groaned as she opened her eyes, a throbbing pain coming from her head. It was safe to assume it came from whatever that stupid guard had hit her with. The guard. Her eyes widened at the realization that she had been caught. Cursing under her breath, she forced herself to sit up, blinking as she took in where she was.

"Oh you're so very dumb, Atria," She hissed to herself. Clearly, this was a cell. And she was inside, not dead. That had to count for something, it meant she had survived the blast, and that the rest of the plan could be set in motion without her. With however long she had been out, the rest of the plan could've been through and done with already.

Sighing, she pulled herself to her feet. Now was not the time to think over what was going on with the rest of the plan. Right now, she needed to find a way out of here before she was joined again by the guard.

Finally, as the sun started to set, Romulus called a halt. These idiots had found nothing of value, and he wondered again what he had done to deserve leading them. They were worse than trash, little boys who thought war and death was all fun and games. They were prissy little nobles, and he had actually heard one of them complaining about a sliver.

It was ridiculous.

"Get back to the barracks, you fools," he told them, eyes like ice. "And tomorrow morning, I want you all up before the sun rises, running laps." There was a murmur of complaints, and he added sharply, "And whoever doesn't comply will be cleaning the toilets for a month."

There was immediate movement, and the soldiers all rushed to comply. With a sigh, Romulus watched them for a moment. As one of higher status in both nobility and the army, he had his own quarters. He desperately wanted to go to the place and sleep, maybe take a bath or something, but he had other work to do.

He made sure his men were listening to him, and then went to the outpost where he had locked the rebel woman. He was let in immediately, and when he went down to the cells, he was surprised that she was still there. Although, the guard that had been watching her cell was knocked out.

He leaned against the wall. "You're still alive?" He asked, as a way of greeting.

Atria was going to go mad if she was stuck in this cell any longer she decided. Within the first long hour, she had almost managed to get out. But not quite. She had managed to pick the lock, and had almost been out before she was caught by two more guards. With her escape plan ruined, one of the guards had stayed behind to watch her, and she had been on her best behavior.

Until several minutes ago that was.

She had gotten quite sick of the sneers from the guard, deciding if she couldn't get out, then she was going to at least be left alone. That had been simple enough to deal with. Leaving the guard leaning against the cell door, out cold from her hands alone.

Atria had used the remaining time of peace to plan, sitting against one of the walls with her head leaned back and eyes closed. She looked calm on the exterior, her lips barely moving in what seemed like a prayer to whatever higher beings she believed in. In that moment, she didn't look much like a rebel, just like a scrawny girl with too much pride.

"And very sadly, you still seem to be alive as well," She grumbled back when footsteps could be heard outside her cell, "Maybe it was foolish to think I could die in peace."

Slowly, her eyes opened as she glared at the guard from earlier. Yep. Still alive looking, and even more disappointingly, not even injured. Dammit. The idea of having him just kill her now floated into her mind. Though that would mean she would never get her sweet revenge for the new cuts in her jacket. Dying wasn't an option just yet.

"Here to apologize and let me go?" Atria asked, a too-sweet tone in her voice, "Awww, I'll thank you in advance."

"It was foolish," Romulus agreed. "I tend to be careful with my own life, when I'm out." The wall against his back was rough, and parts of it dug into his back. It hurt, but he ignored it. It was nothing compared to some of the injuries he had gotten before.

He smiled at her, but there was no joy in it, no amusement. It was a cold, mocking smile. "Well, I hate to break it to you that I can't apologize. I was born unable to do so, which sadly affects my relationships with others." He surveyed her with cold eyes. "You know you could have avoided the whole imprisonment if you cooperated."

"Even more than your general disgustingness?" She questioned in a taunting tone, "I didn't know revolting guards like yourself even had relationships with others."

Atria pasted on a copy of his smile, cleaning out under her fingernails as she continued. "You know, I did think you were a little bit smarter as well. Not that I'm surprised. Dogs like you aren't usually taught much. Cooperation would've led me to this situation. I just chose the faster path."

She didn't look up as she closed her eyes again, leaning her head back against the wall. Even if every once of her hated the brick wall of a man outside of her cell, he was quite fun to piss off. She could make quite a fun game out of getting under his skin. Maybe then she could speed up the process of inevitable death as well. There was no way she was getting out of here alive after all.

"Not necessarily," Romulus responded with an indifferent shrug. "Although, with all of the trouble you've been causing, you wouldn't have found any of the right men, who actually keep their promises when it suits them. Figures, with the original work you've been doing lately, to the Queen's troops." The word original was hissed through his teeth, as if it was something that tasted disgusting.

He watched her with his cold eyes. He knew that it was a far hope that she would listen to him, or agree to work with him, and frankly, he didn't care. But if he could get as many clues from her as he could, maybe the stupid quest from the queen would finally be over, and he could do something more important, like protecting the borders.

She mockingly bowed from her spot on the floor, a dangerous grin appearing, "I'm glad you're a fan of my work, I try my hardest to ruin the lives of people loyal to the queen."

Atria could feel the tension growing between them, between his annoyance, and her own growing hatred of the brick of a man before her. But instead of hating the tension, she was ready to embrace it. It was a welcomed feeling, different than the faint worry that had started to become a companion to her.

"Now that we both got our little rant, I think it's time for me to take my leave," She continued, standing up. Brushing off her hands on her dirty pants, she looked to him with a mocking smile, "I want nothing to do with you or what you inevitably ask me to do, you have nothing to hold over me as a prize to make me help either."

"Well, I could kill you," Romulus said casually, as if discussing the weather. As a rebel, the threat most likely didn't hold any sway over her, but he was ready to do it. He really was. He had gotten probably as much information from her as he was ever going to get, which was to say none.

He watched her for a moment, face expressionless. She probably didn't know his real aim, but then there was no reason for her to know. It didn't have anything to do with her, and even if he told the rebel, she would most likely turn around and stab him in the back, telling on him to the very authorities she was fighting.

After all, the enemy of an enemy is a friend.

"I don't doubt you would," She replied carelessly, waving her hand as if to swat him away, "That threat is nothing new. Think up something original if you want to threaten me."

Atria leaned against the wall she had been previously sitting against, carefully watching the guard with nothing more on her face than boredom. It was strange to be talking to a guard, even if the talking was mostly mocking each other. Especially since it was the only guard she had talked to yet.

"Now, if you're done waving around empty promises, I want to know why you're here?" She questioned, taking control of the situation with a new, smug but small grin, "I take it, you have something you want out of me? As no other guard has spoken to me, and I was thrown in here without so much as cuffs or a proper, smart guard?"