Broken Souls

A Game

Fílos = Friend (Greek)

Kiera stared down at the dark stone floor as she sat there, slouched against the cell wall with the shadows enveloping her like a thick cloak. She was facing the cell door, able to see everyone or anything that passed by, although it was barely possible for them to see her in return as she remained against the opposite wall.

She caught the small flint stone in her hand as it came back down, sensing its rough edges as she turned it over in her hand and rubbed her thumb across the surface. Once again, she threw it in the air and caught it for the hundredth time, a cycle of entertainment amidst her silent home. As much as she had hoped for it to calm her nerves and find some occupation, it hadn't. She was still feeling the anxiety inside, rushing like a wicked storm in her chest.

It had been hours since she had been thrown in the cell and there was more than one reason for her panic. She was anxious because of the room, having always had claustrophobic fears nagging throughout her life, although the cell door eased her a little with the spaces between the bars; it gave her a feeling that she wasn't entirely locked away. But she was also experiencing a great deal of anxiety because of what had happened, and how Thranduil would see her now.

It was no surprise to her that he had zero trust in her at the moment, otherwise she would be sitting in her chambers. Her heart ached for the broken bridge between them, but she pushed away the reasons why. She couldn't possibly have any interest in him, and neither could he have in her, it was simply a lost cause with no chances.

She didn't know what to do. She could either tell Thranduil what she knew about him and Middle-Earth and risk being killed or banished, or she could keep quiet and be imprisoned forever — and then be killed or banished. It was a no-win situation. Perhaps she could negotiate with him, but that seemed to be an impossible feat.

"God damnit!" Kiera groaned and threw the stone towards the cell door, ignoring the sound of it hitting the steel before skipping off the ground in the hallway. The sound of rushing waterfalls was the only quiet music for Kiera as it bustled a few corridors away. She had seen how the dungeons had both multiple levels and enough space to have a river pass through, but she had been placed in a more secluded cell, away from the open space and only a quiet hallway with a guard or two as company.

She rubbed her face exhaustedly and stared up at the cell ceiling, seeing nothing but pitch-black shadows. Maybe she could actually negotiate. But what would she negotiate with him on; the amount of information she should give him in turn of freedom? That sounded like a failure already. Her freedom in turn of all her information? That was all he wanted. Kiera felt like her mind was making somersaults across the earth as she tumbled from one thought to the other and she had not a single idea of how to sort herself out.

She buried her face in her hands in a desperate attempt to find peace, to shut everything out and ignore her fears for just a little while. Of course, it was to no avail.

But she heard something. A different sound, not footsteps or armor clinking, but a quiet chip. Kiera looked up and stared out through the cell door, still hesitant to approach and leave her safe hiding spot. She didn't speak as she heard another chatter, and then she realized what it was.

"In here!" She hissed quietly, inching closer to the door and peering out through the spaces to see where he was. "Mojo!" Kiera called in barely a whisper, sticking her arm through the door and waving her hand to catch his attention, listening intently for any guards who might have noticed.

Fortunately, she heard no footsteps and when she laid eyes on the little monkey, she smiled in relief and moved back to let him jump through the bars. "Hey, little guy," she whispered and cupped her hand as she leaned back against the farthest wall again. "What are you doing down here?" She asked in the softest whisper, the monkey chattering back just as quiet, as if he knew he couldn't be too loud down here.