Beneath the purple mist

We have a spy

The two of them sat at the breakfast table for a long time, reminiscing about the past.

"I never asked you, how come my mother selected you to be my servant? I remember you had a higher position before that." Aleksei asked.

"I volunteered, a-actually." Trottler told him with a smile.

"Why? You gave up a position as the seneschal just to put up with my antics?" the shock in Aleksei's voice made Aleksei laugh out loud.

"Well, I was the one who took care of you b-b-before you were aware of who you are in this world. I remember carring you around the castle as a baby. To give your m-mother some rest since you wouldn't sleep unless you were carried." Trottler said, still laughing. "And so once the post for your private servant was opened, I just thought I'd do it. There was no real reason, I just wanted to do it."

After a small pause, Aleksei spoke in a gentle voice. "I'm happy you did. And I am, so very terribly sorry for all of the shenanigans you went through with me."

It made both of them laugh and just then the door that lead to the stables outside opened.

Ayana stepped in with a wide eyes and a concerned look on her face. Her breathing was fast and uneven, but she seemed extremelly happy.

"My king." she said and bowed slightly before speaking again, rushing and stumbling over her words. "We have- Ezume and me- we- found important information. It was- a bird shifter send to spy the island. A-and Ezume- trying to make- the spy talk. Come, fast." she managed to say it all in a few breaths, leaving out some words but it was unerstandable enough.

"Calm down dear girl, breathe." Trottler said and brought to the table to sit down first.

After she had some tea and her breathing calmed down, Aleksei posed a question. "Did the spy talk?"

Ayana shook her head quickly "No, spells aren't working on her. Ezume is brewing a potion right now that could be useful, but so far nothing made her talk." she told them and looked up at Aleksei, knowing exactly what he would do next.

For a moment he was the demon prince again, the one who tortured and killed for fun, the one who found joy in the suffering of his enemies. Well, the last part was still true.

"I will make her talk, but bring her here." Aleksei said and used a spell to change his clothing into a cotton shirt with a leather jacket and trousers. Something that could be easily cleaned of blood.

"Of course, but why, my lord?" Ayana asked, a tiny bit confused for the moment but it clicked before Aleksei even spoke.

"I don't need anyone down there to hear the screams." Aleksei said and turned to Trottler "Prepare the dungeon."

"Right away m-my lord. Sorry." Trottler said and got up, using the title more out of habit then anything else at that point.

"You don't need to come back when Ezume brings the spy. I don't think you would want to see that." Aleksei said.

"Yes, my lord, but please... I beg of you to stop the generals, they think the kids should see it go down. They say if they're unable to see torture take place then they have no chance in a war. Oh dear, kids in a war... Please, your majesty, please tell them it's not nesecerry." Ayana begged him, her eyes tearing up slightly.

"Calm down." Aleksei said and placed his hands on Ayana's shoulders "The kids don't need to see that. You're right. And if things go according to my plan they won't have to kill anyone either." he told her, talking slowly to calm her down.

Ayana let her tears spill as she hugged Aleksei before even thinking. "Oh thank you, thank you so very much, my king. My king!" she yelled once she realised what she was doing.

The poor girl fell onto her knees before him "I am so, so, so terribly sorry. Please forgive me-" she said in a rush but Aleksei pulled her up to her feet and hugged her, seeing how much she needed it.

"You needn't apologize." he told her.

If he were any good he wouldn't have lied to her, wouldn't have convinced her that the kids will be safe, but he wasn't any good. He was a rotten, bitter soul who would do anything to get what he wanted, no matter the price. He promised Theo once that he would set the world ablaze for him without letting him get burnt by a single flame, and he will keep that promise.

In a few minutes he was in the dungeon, a blonde girl was tied to a chair in front of him and was smiling as if mocking him.

"I wouldn't be smiling if I were you." Trottler said from behind her as he secured her binds.

"Ezume, did she say anything to you?" Aleksei asked.

"No, not ever her name, just some snarky comments." Ezume said from where she stood by the bars of the cell.

Aleksei nodded before looking at Trottler with a wicked grin, he was enjoying the thought of getting to do this again "How long do you give me to break her?" he asked.

"I think you're rusty, my lord. At least ten minutes more then your usual used to be." Trottler laughed before realising he adressed Aleksei with a title again.

"As if. I was trained to withstand torture of all levels, both mental and phisical. You won't break me even if you try for years. I'd rather die then give out my army and my people." the girl said, she seemed no older then twenty. So young and so full of determination that Aleksei was going to shatter.

"I see that you are a ghost, that will be fun. Did you know you can torture a ghost to the point where they fade out to be almost invisible, and then they feel everything they felt in the moment of fading out. Including pain." Aleksei said while cracking his knuckles.

"That's a myth." the girl said but the small change in her tone made it clear she didn't fully believe that.

"I won't try to convince you otherwise, I will just show you." Aleksei shrugged and approched her, his palms full of tiny flames waiting to bite someone's skin.