Prison Of Smoke

Chapter 1: Death

By the time the guards had called my name from outside my cell, my fingers had already traced the lines etched into the stone wall dozens of times. "Eleanor Hildred, that is your name, right?" A guard adjusted his helmet, standing upright at my barred door. From the sound of his slightly uncertain voice, he was probably new here. Lifting myself from the thinly layered bed slowly, I sat up and stretched out my arms, only being satisfied once I heard the pops.

Groaning, I stretched my legs out from the bed, and more pops. What else needs a good stretch? Perhaps my torso? Maybe even my hips? Maybe even my-

"Woman, are you Eleanor or not?" The guard squinted his eyes at me, steadying his ax at his side. Oh, they were always all bark and no bite. Constantly thinking they are better than us peasants, but they only have armor and a title.

"Listen," I walked up to the cell door, grabbing onto it, pausing, "What is your name?" He glared down at my pale hands and then back at my light gray eyes. "Balton, but you never answered my question-" I leaned forward a bit, a grin eating at my face. "Listen, sir Balton, if you were so kind as to, oh, I don't know, release me from this cramped room, I would answer your question."

He snarled, gripping at the bars with one hand, getting closer to my face. "What a grand deal, but I rather have hot candle wax poured into my eyes than release a murderer, like you, into civilization." He hissed, spitting into my face. After getting no response from me, he smirked, leaning back. One point for this guy.

As the guard, Balton turned to leave me, I released my hands from the dirty cell bars. Being sarcastic would not get me anywhere, and I knew that. Sighing, I pushed my brown hair out of my face, shaking my head.

"Yes," I mumbled, resting my eyes.

The guard paused for a moment and titled his head to look back at me. "What was that?"

"Yes," I said louder, through my gritted teeth. "Yes, what?" God, I could hear his fucking grin from here, that fucking bastard. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I sighed, "My name is Eleanor Hildred." I heard the shuffle of his metal armor slowly making his way back to my cell. Opening my eyes, I refused to look him in the eyes, taking the floor as a better view.

He stood there for a few seconds, testing my patience. "Good, the wardens need you."

I lifted my head, lifting my eyebrows in question. "They need me? Well, never thought I would hear this in my life." The guard simply scoffed, pulling out a key from his pocket and unlocking my door.

The door made a screeching noise, before fully opening open. I took a step out, already in a much better mood from being released from that tiny cell. If I was in there for any more seconds, I was sure I was going to go insane. Unfortunately, my freedom was limited, as he slapped cuffs onto my, already sore, wrists.

"If you try anything, or try to escape, I will be forced to-" "Forced to kill me? Yeah, I know. Trust me, I won't, I want to hear what the prison wants from me." I crossed my arms over my chest as we headed forward.

Every time I had walked these same hallways, the cells seemed to have new people within them. It was no surprise really, everyone got imprisoned for minor things and major things; anywhere from cussing out a guard to killing an entire family.

There was a salmon pink half-orc, we had known her as Fist. She had gotten the name by punching ten knights after one-too-many drinks at the local bar. That was a sight to see, I would pay someone to watch it happen again. By the Heavens, large buff women were godly.

Next to her cell was a green and red Lizardfolk, known as Hissy Tooth. He called himself that actually, claiming that it only took a hiss to knock down anyone. Of course, when we asked if he could show us, he said that it would cause utter chaos in the prison. Bullshit. Who the fuck goes by Hissy, anyway?