Lyanna's eyes widened with fear as the gravity of her situation started to sink in. She had be accused of being a witch sympathizer which held the same sentence as being a witch. She looked at Elara and felt panic build in her throat. She had only heard rumors of the horrors endured by those accused of witchcraft, but seeing Elara's broken body before her, Lyanna knew that the tales were not exaggerations. The bruises that adorned Elara's face and the deep gashes that marred her skin told a story of cruelty and violence.
Tears welled up in Lyanna's eyes as she realized the danger she was in. But now, she too was labeled as a sympathizer, guilty by association. The mere act of reaching out to comfort Elara could incriminate her further.
Lyanna's mind raced as she weighed her options. Should she withdraw her hand and retreat into the shadows, protecting herself? Or should she defy the authorities and fight for justice, risking everything?
"You're no witch, who are you?" Elara called out dryly from her own confines, her voice echoing slightly off the moist walls. She didn't move from where she leaned against the wall, observing Lyanna through piercing blue eyes that had long since adjusted to the murk.
Lyanna's head snapped up at the sound of Elara's voice, her caramel eyes locking with Elara's in a silent exchange. In that moment, their mutual recognition of peril needed no words; it was as clear as the inevitable storm brewing beyond the prison walls.
"Dressed like that, you're not from Verdantia either," Elara continued, tilting her head slightly to study the disheveled princess. A strand of her knotted hair slipped from its braid, framing her face.
"Indeed," Lyanna replied, pushing herself up with an elegance that defied her shackled state. Her gaze never wavered, even as she brushed the dirt from her once pristine gown. "I am Princess Lyanna from Crestfall. I didn't catch your name."
Elara let out a dry chuckle, the corners of her lips curling into a bitter smile. "Names don't hold much meaning in this place," she said, her voice laced with a hint of resignation. "But if you must know, my name is Elara."
Lyanna's heart sank at Elara's words, realizing the depth of the suffering the young woman had endured. But even in the darkness of their surroundings, a glimmer of hope flickered within her. She was not alone in her fight; someone else had defied the forces that sought to silence them.
Princess Lyanna clenched her fists, determination coursing through her veins. "Elara, I may be a princess by birthright, but I refuse to stand idly by while innocent lives are crushed beneath the weight of false accusations," she said, her voice firm and resolute.
A spark ignited in Elara's eyes and a laugh echoed through the cells, "Oh my dear little princess, I am not falsely accused of anything and I am most certainly not innocent."
Lyanna took a step closer to the bars separating them, her expression sobering. "So... You really are a witch?"
Elara replied, her eyes locking with Lyanna's curious stare. "Yes," she said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice, "but unfortunately, my schedule is too packed to entertain you with any parlor tricks." Every word she spoke dripped with sarcasm.
Lyanna couldn't help but be intrigued by Elara's defiance. She had expected fear and resignation, but instead, she found a woman who refused to let the weight of her circumstances extinguish her spirit. It was a quality that Lyanna admired and hope to embody herself as she faced the same perilous fate.
A glimmer of a smile tugged at the corner of Lyanna's lips. Despite the bleakness of their situation, Elara's sarcasm and defiance injected a spark into her weary heart. She had expected fear and desperation from a witch, but instead, she found resilience and a sharp wit.
Lyanna's hands trembled with fear, but her voice remained strong and determined as she spoke. "You can save your tricks for those who actually deserve them," she said.
The iron door of the dungeon creaked open, its harsh groans echoing off the cold stone walls. A shadow loomed in the threshold before Aurelia Thornwood stepped into the dimly lit cell. Her grey eyes were storm clouds ready to burst, her lips a thin line of barely restrained fury.
"Witch," she began, voice dripping with venom as she circled Elara like a predator. "I suppose I'm suppose to say that I hope you have learned your lesson about trying to break out of here, but let's be honest," she grinned as she grabbed Elara by the throat and pulled her up off the floor into a sitting position. "I enjoy the chase."
"Well, you know, It's nice to be able to stretch my legs every so often," Elara retorted, forcing herself to shrug, feigning nonchalance even as her muscles tensed for whatever came next.
Lyanna's heart hammered against her chest as she watched through the bars, powerless. The air grew thick with tension, and the princess clutched the cold metal until her knuckles turned white.
Aurelia pulled Elara in close enough that her breath brushed against the witch's cheek. "You're going to tell me where they are hiding," she hissed.
"Who?" Elara asked weezing through Aurelia's tight grip, tilting her head slightly, her braid falling over her face. "The rats? They're not very talkative, but they don't eat much."
With a swift movement, Aurelia released her grip and backhanded Elara across the face. The sound cracked in the quiet dungeon, and Lyanna flinched at the brutality. Elara fell to the floor, a fresh thin trail of blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
"Your defiance is pissing me off." Aurelia's words held a promise of pain yet to come.
"I will die before I betray my people," Elara spat, the metallic taste of blood on her tongue. Her piercing blue eyes locked with Aurelia's, an unspoken challenge between them.
"Where are the damn witches hiding?" Aurelia demanded, grabbing Elara's chin and forcing her to look up.
"Not here," Elara chuckled, her voice laced with sarcasm despite the throbbing in her jaw.
Aurelia paced the cell, her frustration palpable. "You think you're strong. Unbreakable. But everyone has a breaking point."
"Perhaps," Elara conceded with a shrug as she sat back up, watching as Aurelia's hands clenched and unclenched at her sides. "But you won't find mine today."
"Defiant to the last breath," Aurelia sneered, stepping away. "We'll see about that."
As the oppressive sound of the departing footsteps faded, Elara allowed herself a moment to touch the tender spot on her cheek. 'This isn't over,' she thought. 'Not by a long shot.'
In the adjacent cell, Lyanna remained still, the haunting image of Elara's resilience etched firmly in her memory. There was no mistaking the glint of determination in those blue eyes—a silent vow that they would not be broken, not by Aurelia, not by anyone.