Յյ 𝔇𝔞𝔶𝔰 𝔬𝔣 ℌ𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔬𝔴𝔢𝔢𝔫 [𝔄 𝔗𝔚𝔖𝔗 𝔉𝔞𝔫𝔣𝔦𝔠]

𝟏𝟏 | 𝐉𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡

ᵗʰᵉ ᶜʰᵃⁱⁿˢ ᵒᶠ ˡᵃⁿᵈ

𝔖𝔬𝔫𝔤: 𝔗𝔥𝔢 ℭ𝔦𝔱𝔶 𝔬𝔣 𝔓𝔦𝔯𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔰 - 𝔗𝔬𝔱𝔞𝔩 𝔚𝔞𝔯: 𝔚𝔞𝔯𝔥𝔞𝔪𝔪𝔢𝔯 2 𝔖𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔡𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔠𝔨

Warnings: Major character death, brief mentions of blood, execution

♥♠♣♦ ——　☠　—— ♥♠♣♦

The dungeon was frigid. Frost crept over the dark slabs of stone, killing the weeds that had once sprung up between the cracks, persistent flora that had brought a bright shine of colour to the otherwise dark cell. Now, save for the haunting blue glow that shone off of the frost, the cell was always bleak. Charcoal, gunmetal, and onyx were three colours that the prisoners became very used to seeing as they sat on their sleeping rolls, trying to ignore the bite of ice that nipped at their toes through their worn boots. Save for a small pile of mouldy hay in the corner of each cell, there was no source of warmth for those in the deepest parts of the cavern.

Jade sat quietly, his back pressed against the stone wall as he stared at the iron bars that separated him from the hall that would grant him his freedom. Given there was a dead end at one end of the hall, and a large iron door that would prevent him from leaving at the other end, it was still more freedom than what he had, sitting there in the cell, awaiting his approaching demise. 

A rat skittered across the floor in front of him and Jade raised his eyes from his legs, watching as it paused in front of him. It seemed to contemplate him for a moment before skittering away, uninterested by the boy who had lost all sort of flesh and meat on his bone. Even a rat, that would eat anything if it was starving enough, didn't seem to think him even worth a hiss. Jade glared at the creature as it slipped easily through the bars, though he smirked when he saw it being snatched up by the prisoner next to him. With a cruel grin, decorated with a golden tooth that shone in the moonlight, the prisoner sneered at the squirming creature. Then, the man laughed, gripped the rat's head, and cracked its neck. The crack echoed around the dungeon and Jade scooted away as much as his chains would allow, though still watching as the prisoner consumed the meat.

"Disturbin' ain't it?"

Jade felt a sense of relief wash over him as he heard the voice of the prisoner on the other side of the bars. He turned, trying not to show his delight, and watched as the prisoner emerged from the shadows. Once, she had been adorned with clothes of elegance, albeit stolen, worn and frayed from the salty sea air and torn from battles. Now, she wore nothing more than her base clothing. A once off-white blouse, now stained with blood, rust, and age, torn at the shoulder, and a pair of tight-fitting black pants that offered no sense of warmth. 

"Y/N," Jade whispered, pushing himself off the wall. He tried to reach her, but the irons around his feet prevented him from doing so. They clattered against the floor with a sickening thud, reminding both the former captain and former right hand that they had been the victims of a mutiny, leaving them stranded in the Kingdom of Heroes. A place known for being rather... unkind to pirates that washed up on its shores. 

"Don't strain yourself, lad," Y/N sighed, pressing a hand against her forehead. For the past week it had been throbbing violently, so much so that when the guards made their rounds, casting eerie shadows about the dungeon with their torches, Y/N had taken to pulling down the scraps that remained of her bandana, not wanting her mind to scream at the sudden light. 

She got to her feet, leaning against the wall as she did so, and walked to the bars that separated her from Jade. She pressed her forehead against the bars, finding relief in the cool kiss of the metal, and her eyes flickered shut as her headache faded. It wouldn't last for long, especially as her body started to heat the metal to match her temperature.