The next morning, a drop of dew fell on Kayn's forehead, startling him awake. He slowly opened his eyes, expecting to see a cloudy sky heralding an imminent storm. If that were the case, it would be better to leave quickly. But it wasn't the sky he saw; it was a stone ceiling dripping with water from the dampness. Kayn thought he might still be dreaming. The bars in front of him quickly made it clear he was in a cell.
"What happened here?" Kayn exclaimed, his voice echoing throughout the space. He tried to calm himself as he replayed the events of the previous night. They had fallen asleep in the forest after a good meal, and now they were imprisoned. It didn't make sense. Maybe the guards from Silstoner had captured them while they slept. He looked around for his sword, but it was gone; someone had taken it. Looking further, he saw Fenris snoring peacefully in a corner of the cell. He approached and shook him roughly. "Hey, Fenris, wake up!"
"Five more minutes…" Fenris mumbled, curling up on the cold floor. But Kayn had neither the patience nor the time for that.
"Wake up already, damn it!" Kayn shouted, making Fenris sit up groggily, rubbing his eyes.
"Is it morning already?" Fenris asked, his gaze settling on the cell's torchlight. Once fully awake, he was shocked. "Where are we?"
"In a cell," Kayn replied. The news didn't seem to bother Fenris much, who simply flopped back onto the floor.
"Fine, just wake me up when it's time to eat."
"I don't think you understand, Fenris. We're prisoners. They're not going to feed us here." Upon hearing this, Fenris bolted upright, clearly distressed. He grabbed the bars and began shouting desperately.
"Get me out of here! This is inhumane! You can't starve me! Help!" Fenris yelled, shaking the bars violently. Kayn grabbed him, trying to pull him back.
"Stop shouting! You're going to get us in trouble!" Kayn said, tugging on him. Seeing the commotion they were causing, a guard quickly approached. Kayn was surprised to see that the guard was an elf.
"Silence, prisoners," the guard ordered. Seeing him, Kayn realized it wasn't Silstoner guards who had captured them, but elves. "The king wants to speak with you. You'd better behave." The guard unlocked the door, and Kayn stepped out cautiously, holding onto Fenris to keep him from causing trouble.
They followed the guard down a narrow corridor lined with cells, all occupied by elves. It seemed they were the only humans in the place. After climbing a set of stairs, they reached a brighter area adorned with elegant tapestries. Finally, they entered a grand hall where an elf—clearly the king—sat on a throne. His silver hair and pointed ears marked his race's distinct features. Though he seemed young for a king, Kayn had no idea how elves aged.
As Fenris and Kayn entered the hall, the king fixed them with a penetrating gaze, evaluating them sharply.
"Are you the humans causing trouble in the forest?" he asked, his voice echoing through the chamber. Kayn spoke first.
"Of course not, sir. We're just humble travelers who happened to be sleeping in the forest," Kayn said, bowing his head and forcing Fenris to do the same. The guard who had escorted them interjected.
"That's not true, Your Majesty. These two humans made a fire in the forest. We found them sleeping beside the flames."
Hearing this, Kayn was stunned. He never thought they would be arrested for making a campfire. The king addressed them.
"Is this true?" The king's gaze bore into Kayn, making him a bit nervous.
"Well, yes. But it was just a campfire. Don't you think you're overreacting?" Kayn was still incredulous about the situation. However, his words only angered the elf king further.
"The forest itself is like a mother to us, and you set it ablaze. Do you think it's insignificant to harm our mother in this way?"
"What is this guy even saying? Has he lost his mind?" Kayn thought.
"Well, I—"
"Enough!" the king interrupted. "Arwin, Calawen, remove these filthy humans from my sight. Take them back to their cell."
Two guards stepped forward, grabbing Kayn and Fenris firmly by the arms. Despite resisting, they were overpowered by the elves' strength. Kayn thought he recognized one of the elves as someone he'd seen by the lake, but he dismissed the thought.
They were both led out of the throne room and back through the decorated corridors to the cells where they had been held. Once there, the guards roughly shoved them back inside and locked the door behind them.
"This makes no sense!" Kayn exclaimed, pacing the cell. "How can they imprison us over a stupid campfire?"
"And they're not even feeding us," Fenris muttered. Just then, the voice of one of the guards echoed down the corridor.
"Princess, what are you doing here?"
"Relax, Arwin. I just want to speak with the human prisoners for a moment," a sweet voice responded. "Could you leave us alone?"
"Of course, Princess," Arwin replied, retreating. Upon hearing this, Kayn seemed annoyed.
"Great! First the king, now the princess. Let's see what nonsense she has to say," he grumbled.
The princess approached confidently. Her blue eyes and long golden hair, which fell in soft waves to her waist, made her seem like a vision amid the cell's gloom. She wore a white dress with golden accents that highlighted her slender figure.
"Greetings, travelers. I am Princess Mariana Magnolia," she said, offering an elegant bow.
"And what do you want from us, Your Highness?" Kayn asked, sarcasm evident in his tone.
"I deeply regret my father has done this to you. He has some traumas involving fire. But don't worry, I'll get you out of here."
"Seriously?" Kayn exclaimed. "But why? You don't even know who we are."
"The forest told me. You saved some slaves and defeated a Virdrak," the princess said with a smile.
"So you can get us out of here?" Kayn asked, looking at her intently.
"It's not that simple. My father likely intends to keep you here for ten years," she said.
"Ten years…?" Kayn murmured, his face paling. His reaction surprised the princess.
"Oh, right. I suppose for humans, ten years is a long time," the princess remarked with a laugh. "But don't worry. I have a plan."
The princess pulled a key from her pocket and passed it to Kayn through the bars.
"When that clock strikes eight, use this key to get out of here. The guards always take a break at that time. That should give you enough time to retrieve your sword and escape unnoticed."
"You're the best, ma'am!" Fenris shouted excitedly, prompting the princess to gesture for him to lower his voice.
The princess bid them farewell and walked away from the cell.