When the gondola finally reached its platform, the woman who the others had adressed as their leader, picked up Nina over her shoulder and then said ina gruff voice, "alright, you two, move it." Kray and Ryu were roughly shoved from the Gondola, and lead from the platform. Ryu tried to protest as he watched himself and Kray being led away form the woman who was walking off with Nina, but a small cough from Kray who shook his head, told him to relax. Ryu listened and let himself and the Woren be led to a rather large looking tree in what appeared to be the center of the village. Out of the corner of his eye he could see one of their guards walk over to the tree, then pull a hidden switch. There was a creaking nose, followed by a rather prominent THUD. When he looked at the Tree again he realized that a door had opened up.
Something was brought to his attention as he looked around to see if he could figure out what had happened. Of everyone staring at them, none seemed to be men, in fact as they had been brought up he had observed only more women dressed in various type of skins and garments, but nothing like dresses.
From behind him a command of "Go." snapped him back to his current situation as the guard behind him began shoving him toward the steps roughly.
"Alright, alright already." Ryu murmured, walking toward then down the steps, "Don't need to be so pushy about it..." The guard behind him didn;t reply, only kept walking as they descended downward. After about three or four minutes, Ryu couldn't tell he hadn't been keeping track of time, he and Kray were led into a damp room. Looking around it was obvious it was a series of jail cells around the room. There was very little light, and the torches that flickered around the room seem to be the only source of light.
"Cozy little place." Kray laughed and grinned at the women, trying to downplay the gloomy atmosphere as he was led to a cell. Ryu smirked as he was led over to another cell across from him. it was small, he could tell, but it seemed cozy enough. "At least they have a bed." he joked back to Kray as he was pushed into his cell, the door closing and locking behind him. Looking around, Ryu surveyed the cell. The bed he had thought so fondly of was nothing more then a pile of leaves, the wood of the tree being the matress. Turning he gripped and shook the bars. They were made of wood, but when he tested them they seemed to have the strength of steel. "Magic?" he muttered under his breath as he removed his hands. He could feel the tingly sensation that most magically tempered or enhanced material gave off. He then turned and looked at the bottom of the stairs where they had come down. There was no guard, and the women who had led them down here were now gone.
Kray laughed, as he lay down on his bed of leaves, "They probably think these cells will be sufficient to hold us." he had that confident and cocky smirk on his face that said "I could bust out of here with out even breaking a sweat."
He couldn't help but smirk back and laugh at his friend, "You're right...after all they have no idea who they're messing with do they?" he then frowned and then plopped down onto his own pile of leaves, "but even if we did, we'd still have to find Nina..." His smirk died from his face and it was replaced with a worried look of concern, and a tad bit of anguish.
Kray knew what his friend was thinking and immediately changed the subject, "Hey, did you notice how there only seems to be women in this town?" he folded his arms and looked at Ryu intently.
Ryu nodded, "yeah, nefore we were led down here." he replied quietly, "you said these "Amazon" type women were a myth, but, they seem real to me." he couldn't help but laugh a bit, "after all we've got the bumps to prove it." he rubbed his back where he had landed after being knocked to the ground. Kray chuckled and Ryu grinned a bit, then they fell silent for a few minutes. Ryu broke the silence again, "so whats our move, they have Nina, our weapons and provisions..."
Kray looked at Ryu then propped his head on his arm, "all we can do for now is wait, they kept us alive, so that obiously has to mean something. They probably will want to interrogate us, thining we're Imperials is probably the only reason why they DIDN'T kill us." His tail twitched, and Ryu could be heard making a grunt, a way of voicing his displeasure Kray knew all to well. "I know I know," the Woren replied, "but its kept us alive, and its better then you turning into a dragon and massacering the whole lot, don't you agree?" Ryu said nothing, only spread out and laid down on the leaves sprwad out, letting a small sigh escape from his lips. "I'm glad you agree." Kray chuckled and laughed, "don't worry we'll get out of this mess, you'll see."
"Now you're starting to sound like Nina." came Ryu's reply in a half hearted chuckle. Kray laughed then turned over and nestled itno his bed of leaves, soon falling fast asleep. Ryu watched his friend from his own cell then closed his eyes murmuring, "Don't worry Nina...we'll rescue you soon..." Witht hat he closed his eyes and was soon fast asleep.
Nina awoke after what seemed like hours of uncoconciousness groggily, her head pounding, her vision bleery and swimming. Holding her head she murmured as her eyes struggled to focus on somethign and make her surroundings a bit more coherent, "where...where am I?"
Suddenly a voice in the room; was it a room? she couldn't quite tell, spoke, "relax, you had a nasty bump on the head, get some rest..." She felt hands push her back down onto something warm and soft and she let out a sigh, closing her eyes again, letting conciousness fade from her again. She dreamed as she slept. She dreamed of a giant Dragon, squaring off another, ones scales a brilliant white, the others the darkest black. They fought ferociously, causing many wounds on each other, until exhausted they both collapsed. She tried running toward them only to have the sky grow black around her and close in on her, as the black dragoin rose fromt eh ground, gripping her in a death grip. She let out a piercing scream, but novbody heard her and she slowly began to suffocate, the darkness overwhelming her.
Nina shot out of bed sweating profusely, and panting. The dream had felt so real. She felt her forehead gently and then looked at her hand, it was damp with sweat. She then took a moment to take in her surroundings. It was a rather arge room, lit by soft torch light. Looking at the bed she was in she could see it was covers made of various animal skins, and a matress and pillows of what felt like some type of feather down. Her eyes wandered across the room some more. It was quaint, allowing enough for what looked like a mirror made of homespun glass, which she found breathtaking beautiful, and furniture of wood, covered in animal skins for comfort. She found herself smiling a bit, as the room gave her a sense of belonging and homeliness.
Suddenly a voice spoke that made her jump, "I'm glad you like my room." Nina followed the sound of the voice over to the door, where a yopung woman stood. Nina could tell it was the same woman that had knocked her with her staff earlier. She stood, tall by Ninas standard, about almost five foot nine or so. She was well toned and muscled, but she still showed signs of femininity about her, and didn;t go too over board on the fact that she obviously worked out a lot. Her hair was a raven black, long and beautiful, and aroud it was some sort of ring, inset with what looked like jems. Nina could have sworn it was a crown. Her eyes were grey as tempred steel, yet soft and warm. However there was one thing that caught Nina unawares, she looked almost her age, if not younger. Nina tried to hide her astonishment as she walked into the room and sat down next to Nina on the bed, "how are you feeling?" she asked, looking Nina over carefully.
"F...Fine...I...I guess..." Nina stammered a bit nervously. She was not used to being looked over or studied, as most of her subjects back in the castle usually averted their gaze or had their heads bowed when they adressed her father.
The woman smiled heartily and stood, "good, I am glad to see that you are feeling better!" she then chuckled, "I am sorry I had to hit you so hard back their, but I had to make it look like we were going to take you captive as well, less those Imperials try and kill you." she walked over to her dresser drawer then pulled out a comb, walked over and sat behind Nina as she began to brush her hair a bit roughly, yet suprisingly gentle for such a warrior woman like herself.
"I..Imperials?" Nina stammered as she blinked, then it dawned on her, she was talking about Ryu and Kray! "But they're not Imperials! Please whoever you are, release them immediately! Its a mistake!" she turned, her eyes pleading and desperate.
The woman stopped her brushing and looked at her, and After a moment of silence she finally spoke, "Surely you jest!" she said, a serious look on her face, "the only people who come through this forest now-a-days ARE those Imperial scum! They kidnap my women then either sell them into slavery or...worse..." her beautiful face darkening. "Any good traveller knows to take the route through Imperial territory and AVOID this forest."
"W...worse?" stammered Nina a bit frightened by her hosts quick and sudden change in demeanor, "and your women...are you their queen?"
"Yes, much worse, and yes I am their queen." she replied proudly, standing to her full height and looking at Nina carefully, "my name is Andraia, Queen of the Azonias!" she looked at Nina proudly, "I was the first adopted of my mother, Thesia, who took me in when i was but a baby after Imperials murdered my parents as they fled through this forest...I was raised among these women, and taught their ways, now, seventeen years later, I now wear the mantle that was my mothers," she took off the crown and looked at it, "after she died trying to save some of my other sisters from Imperial raiders." she closed her eyes and shook her head, "The Imperials took so much from me...and I will punish them, each and every last one, without mercy!" her grey eyes flashed with anger, making Nina jump a little from fright. Then she looked at Nina and smiled gently, "you however winged one, I offer you this, join us, live free of those who would opress you and fght them tooth and nail, I shall make you one of the sisterhood, and togther we can lead us to victory over the Imperial opressors!"
Nina looked at her then sighed, "I..I know what you must be going through, the Imeprials are evil yes, but...I am already on my own journey to fight the Imperials." She closed her eyes, "and those men who you imprisoned are my friends...I cannot stay...why not come with us? To fight the Imperials evil WITh us, I'm sure Kray and Ryu..."
Andraia cut her off and laughed harshly, "team up with those who are so eager to sell us for a few measly shiny coins?!" she rolled back her head and started laughing outloud, as if finding what Nina said funny. Nina did not say anything, just closed her eyes and let her laugh. Adfter a few minutes hse finally stopped and looked at Nina, "Those Imperial men will pay for their crimes." she said firmly, "it is a shame we will have to kill them, especially the...blue haired one, he is a fine warrior." she purred and smiled, "pfull of fire and fight, perhaps he could be persuaded to...mate with one of the others before his throat is slit, after all, Imperials are still imperials no matter how fine a specimen they may be."
Nina looked at Andraia, horrified. She was going to loose Ryu, and she couldn't prevent it. She saw the look of determination in Andraia's eyes, determination that came from years of pain and hurt, and tears began to well up, not just for the fact she was afraid to be alone, but because of the pain that those grey orbs the bore into her own had experienced. She couldn;t take it anymore and suddenly collapsed and started sobbing, "no...please...they...they're not...they're my friends!"
Andraia looked at Nina as she sobbed on the ground, then said quietly, "they have used magic to addle your mind sister, do not fear, they will be dead soon...and the curse shall be lifted." With that she turned and left, leaving Nina alone, and to her own tears, which were now running down her cheeks freely.