2. Trust (broken)

Count Arganan was furious at the news of Dagran's betrayal.

So furious, in fact, that he himself went straight to Dagran's cell, intent on questioning him, maybe even beating him, and Asthar had to know what would happen.

Naturally, the General followed him.

The same went for Therius and Zael. But Jirall and Calista also followed, having heard of the news and curious about it.

Arganan walked into the cell quietly, looking to Dagran, who'd been stripped of both armor and weapons.

"I can't believe you." The older man started. His voice was low, but loud enough for everyone around him to hear. "Why would you do this? You did not just betray me, but you betrayed all of Lazulis."

Dagran didn't say anything, simply staring him down. Arganan, however, would take none of it, staring back.

"Well?" The older man questioned.

Dagran said nothing.

The Count shook his head, a frustrated sigh escaping him. "If you want me to do this the hard way, I will. I won't hesitate to—"

Dagran chuckled slightly. "Alright, alright. I'll speak." He had some lazy smirk on his face, looking up at the older man. "What do you want me to say, again? Why I would do this? Because—" His eyes narrowed, looking to Asthar, temporarily becoming dagger-like (just like before during their encounter, Asthar remembered), "That man ordered his men to go and destroy my home. My family. My friends in there. He deserved it."

Asthar shook his head, stepping forwards. He had to tell him what really happened. "Dagran, I—"

"I'm still talking!" The mercenary snapped, glaring at him. Asthar bit his lower lip, stepping back slightly. He had a feeling that Dagran was in no mood for listening, deciding to watch the younger man speak. "I would have blamed Asthar's death on Jirall, since we all hate him anyway. Might as well give him a better reason to be despised."

Jirall gasped, glaring at Dagran. "Y-you bastard! You..." He looked like he would run up to Dagran and strangle him, but Calista's eyes widened and she grabbed Jirall by the sleeve as if to restrain him.

"And," Dagran decided to continue, still smirking, "One more thing—"

Arganan seemed to decide right then and there that Dagran no longer needed to speak.

"Shut up," Arganan hissed, pressing the tip of his rapier against Dagran's neck, about to pierce skin. "I will kill you if I must."

Dagran merely smiled, before a laugh escaped him.

Arganan seemed to blink slightly in surprise. "What is it?" His expression hardened into rage, barely restraining himself from going and stabbing him straight through the neck. "Tell me!"

Dagran finished chuckling, a malicious grin on his face as he gave the Count complete eye contact.

"I don't think," Dagran started, "that you'd want everything to know this, but hear this. You'll never forget our perfect nights, Count, no matter how much you try." He laughed slightly, gazing straight into his one eye. "How you writhed underneath me in the sheets...it was one hell of a show and I loved every second of it and I know you did too."

Asthar heard Therius let a gasp escape him, covering his mouth too late. Zael's eyes were wide, pure disbelief, and almost equally so with Jirall and Calista.

"Wait..." The Outsider wielder looked to Count Arganan, whose eyes were widening in horror, then to Dagran, getting the hint. "What...?"

Dagran smiled. "You heard me, Zael. I fucked the Count of Lazulis. Did it to get his trust, get him to pay me the extra one thousand coins or so." Another laugh escaped him, until he was nearly crying due to all his cold, gleeful laughter. "You have no idea how I felt those nights. It was beautiful, at least to me."

Zael went silent, unsure of what to say anymore.

Calista looked to her uncle, and Asthar did also. The Count looked shaky, as if he'd break, dancing on the edge...

And then he broke.

A raw, wordless scream escaped him as he pulled back his rapier, stabbing forwards at Dagran, only to narrowly miss and stab the brick wall behind him. Asthar made eye contact with Arganan for a second.

He saw pure rage in the man's eyes. Pure, wild rage and horror.

Seeing him pull his sword back again, he knew in a heartbeat that Arganan would kill Dagran.

"Wait!"

Jirall (Jirall? Him? Jirall who was truly a coward?) rushed into the cell as well as Therius, the two pulling Count Arganan back. The older man yelled, flailing wildly, Jirall groaning as he was struck in the face and let go of Arganan. The older man pulled himself away from Therius also, but not before the white knight made him let go of his rapier.

"I-I...I..." Arganan backed up against the bars of the cell, jolting away from them immediately after touching them, as if they were hot coals, "I...I will be...in my chambers..." He backed out of the prison cell, nearly bumping into Calista, who grabbed his arm.

"Uncle—"

"L-let—Let go!" He pulled back forcefully, forcing her to let go. Covering his face and looking away from them with one hand, a shaky breath ecaped him. "I...no one see me. No one, no one..." He repeated, bolting down the hallway as fast as he could, forgetting his cane.

He disappeared into the darkness of the dungeon, and everyone was silent.

That was when screams arose, screams of a broken man.

"No one!"

Calista gasped, rushing down the hallway after him. "Uncle!? Uncle, wait!"

Jirall, startled by her sudden running, looked to where she was going before following.

Therius winced, looking to Asthar. "I-I'll go assist them, General," He managed quickly before rushing off after them, worry on his face.

Dagran started laughing again, a sick grin on his face. "That will teach him." He murmured, loud enough for Asthar to hear. "His passion is his weakness, that saying is true...in this case, he's lost control. And how wild he goes when he loses control..."

Zael nearly growled, looking to him. "Dagran! Why...?"

Dagran looked straight into his eyes, and the Outsider wielder went silent.

"Because," Dagran whispered as Count Arganan was heard screaming in the background, "You're nothing but a pawn to me."

Asthar's blood went cold at that.

Asthar winced as he heard screams and banging noises coming from Count Arganan's bedchamber, and he was more than sure that Lady Calista was wincing at the sounds also. One thump, then a yell, then another scream, a bang...

The General swallowed slowly, looking to Calista quietly. "W-will he be alright in there by himself? What exactly happened to him back there? I mean," He hesitated, "He just seemed to fall apart as soon as Dagran mentioned aloud that they had an...intimate relationship."

Calista looked down, a sad sigh escaping her. "He's not alright, that's for sure. I-I guess it's something my uncle has kept secret for so long, and I understand why. Homosexual relations in Lazulis aren't exactly common here, General. And..." Her eyes seemed to give a bleak expression to them, her voice nearly cracking.

"It...it seems like my uncle's gone insane. I don't understand..." She looked to the door of his room. "He's refused to eat or drink, and...he tried to harm himself a few times already. I'm...worried." She looked to Asthar, eyes nearly tearing up. "C-can you look after my uncle for now, General? Please?"

Asthar nodded quietly. "Of course, Lady Calista. I will." He managed, trembling slightly. Calista nodded quietly, walking down the hallway.

How could have Count Arganan gone that far straight into insanity, and so quickly? He tried to think of it.

The Count had everything under control—Calista, this castle, the entiriety of Lazulis, really. He was a Count, a highly respected position...a position only a noble would usually take.

And nobles cared much for reputations.

And seeing as Calista had told him just earlier that homosexual relations weren't common in Lazulis, well... Asthar had a feeling that such relationships weren't too welcoming among the circles of nobles.

It didn't help that there was the pressure of the war between Lazulis and the Gurak, either.

And although Asthar hated to admit it sometimes, the Count did crave control.

But, Asthar decided, realizing that Arganan's bedchambers were now silent, there must be more than that. A horrific guilt? Some other secret...?

Or maybe there was just that. Anyone could crack under pressure if they let it get to them.

Asthar knocked on the door gently, before turning the doorknob and entering the room.

"Count Arganan...?"

He would be met with the sight of a ruined room. The curtains were in disarray, barely hanging off their hinges, papers shoved off the desk and clothes ripped and lying on the floor. Arganan himself lay on his bed, curled up in a ball. If Asthar listened carefully, he would realize that Arganan was crying, but softly. He was in no better state than his room, his own clothing wrinkled and partially torn, and there were bandages wrapped about his right arm of flesh, most likely from trying to harm himself earlier.

"Count Arganan?" Asthar repeated, closing the door behind him. "Are you alright?"

Arganan slowly sat up, turning his head to the left to meet his view. "Do you think I am?" The older man whispered, and Asthar realized that Arganan's left side of his face was not just only scarred, but also missing an eye. It was not from his self harm, but from the war that took place years ago, during the same war when Dagran's village was destroyed...

Asthar slowly approached the Count, looking to him sadly. "No, I don't think."

The older man laughed softly, a sad grin on his face. "I'm ruined, Asthar. Terribly ruined..." He whispered softly. He suddenly thrust a book into his hands. "Give it to Zael, and tell him to give it to her. She needs to know the contents of this."

Asthar frowned, taking the book from him. He wanted to say, "Is there anything else I can do for you?" but instead the words that escaped him were, "What is in this book, exactly?"

Arganan simply smiled sadly at him, before he used the back of his right hand to wipe at some of his tears. "The truth." He responded, matter-of-factly. "The truth is in there. I'm sick of running away and I know I'm going to hell for all I've done. I might as well let her know."

Asthar's eyes widened, and with one hand he grabbed the Count's hand firmly.

"Count," Asthar started, "Don't kill yourself. Please. It won't do any help to anyone, especially your niece."

He saw the Count flinch as soon as he touched him, but he didn't do anything to push Asthar away. He gazed right back at him, unmoving for a moment. He then sighed, trembling softly, and Asthar let him go.

Asthar tried to grin at him comfortingly, but found it hard to. "I'll come back later, Count."

He saw the older man nod softly, lying back down in the bed again, and Asthar walked out quietly.

"How is he?"

He looked to his left to see Calista again, a grim expression on her face.

Asthar took a deep breath, before giving the book to her. "Your uncle told me to give it to Zael before giving it to you, but since you're already here..." He bit his lower lip slightly. "He said that it contained the truth."

Calista nodded, taking the book from him. "I'll look at it. Thank you, General."

Asthar couldn't help but think that maybe the Count was trying to build up the relations with him and his niece again. Somehow. In some way, Arganan was trying, since that was all he had left.