Alexia and beagle waked down a lonely road on the path back to the city. The road was a midnight under the cloud, yet beyond is the dawn. As the sun sets, its rising is already promised to the land, to the green shoots who wait in faith.

They walked down a baren path with no sign of end in the distance.

Alexia: *Yawn* Night sure did come quickly.

Beagle: Indeed. The day went by fast.

Alexia: So, are we going back to the inn?

Beagle: Well, I don't even know if we can go back to the inn. We certainly can't even pay for another night due to the fact that you spent all of our gold.

Alexia: Teehee. Sorry about that.

She smiled.

Alexia: T-This sure is a long walk back home. Was it this long when we came this way in the first place?

Beagle: Yes! That why I was so exhausted.

Alexia: I Guess I must have been so excited that I didn't notice!

She giggled.

Beagle: I think that's the first time I've heard you giggle in awhile, milady!

Alexia: Well It's the little things that make me laugh, Beagle.

Beagle: Heh. Do they?

Alexia: -It's funny I think being on the run has been the best thing to happen to me for awhile! I love the freedom and democracy that it gives to my life.

Alexia said. The words she had just said, brought a smile to Beagle's face.

Beagle: That's lovely coming from you, Princess.

Beagle: It's only been a couple of days, But It does feel like you've changed quite a lot, Milady.

Alexia: Maybe so. Being outside makes me… Liberated.

Beagle: Yes, Indeed. It's such a shame that you spent so many days in that castle. But I Like said we shouldn't shouldn't dwell on the past.

Beagle exclaimed.

The two soon came up to a split on the road with three directions going onto different paths, leading into the forest.

Alexia: Huh. Which way did we come from again?

Beagle: I think it was the leftmost path-

Alexia: - I don't think that's right. I would've remembered seeing that green tree stump other there.

Alexia said.

Beagle: I remember it. So I think we did come this way.

Alexia: Well I don't. Woman's intuition is above all else. So I say that we did not come that way.

Beagle: "Women's intuition" Has gotten me in trouble more times than I can count.

Alexia: Oh hush. I think we should go right!

Beagle: We came from the left, So we should-

?: Need some directions?

An ominous voice came out from behind them. The voice was male and sounded coarse, rough and old. The closeness of the voice signified as a man came out of the woods.

The man is somewhat too tall for his build; were he a few inches shorter he would be all the more handsome for it. It was as if he stopped growing only to be stretched on one of those medieval racks a half-foot more. His face was mostly obscured by a red scraggly beard that clung to his skin like winter ravaged ivy tendrils. How odd to see those half-familiar features devoid of warmth, like they were stolen.

Six More men came out from the trees, All with daggers and longswords in their hands and armor covering their borders

Beagle: Who are you fiends!?

Beagle said as she pulled out his sword.

?: Beagle,Beagle,Beagle. Do you not remember me, Your own Commander?

Beagle: ….!

Beagle's face went dark as he realized who the man was.

Beagle: Commander Greyhound…!

Greyhound: That's right. Although I'm not a commander anymore, I'm more like a mercenary.

The man stated.

Alexia: (Greyhound…..!)

Alexia remembered hearing that name from a long time ago….

When the war between aetreon and tinland was raging on, She remembered greyhound for his cruel and unusual way of prosecuting the war. *

He was a ruthless commander who would do anything to achieve his goals. Even if it meant killing the innocent or pillaging the lands they covet. Her father had dismissed him because of his boorish behavior and lived on the outskirts for the rest of his life…. Until now.

Beagle: What the hell are you doing here?

Greyhound: Quiet! I'll be the one asking questions here.

He said as he looked at his men.

Greyhound: But if you MUST know…

Greyhound: I've been hired by the king to take you both down.

Alexia: "Take us down?"

Greyhound: -Meaning you'll both be coming with me.

He paused for a moment and spit.

Alexia: H-How did you find us?

Greyhound: Ain't exactly hard to find a princess. Even with that Half-assed disguise you have on, Your face is indistinguishable. Next time If you go on the run at least try to put on some makeup, dear.

Alexia: ….

Greyhound: -But that doesn't matter. Regardless, You're coming with me.

He threatened.

Beagle: Like hell we will!

Beagle pulled out his sword swiftly before he was countered by greyhound's swift movements.

Greyhound: Settle down!

Greyhound moved his arm quickly into a throwing position and launched the dagger in his hand as fast as he could. The dagger flew through the air and impaled itself into Beagle's left shoulder, causing him to bleed.

Beagle: Gah!

Alexia: Beagle!

Beagle fell on his knees in shock. His face turned to that of sheer pain as blood began to trickle down her torso.

Alexia went over to him and held his wound with her hand.

Greyhound: *Whistle* my aim is as good as ever.

He walked over to alexia with a thirsty look in his eyes.

Greyhound: Now listen here, Princess. I know you have a short attention span so I'll make this quick!

Greyhound: Either you come with me or I kill your knight !

Alexia: …!

The words hit hard on alexia's heart.

An ultimatum that crossed the boundaries of life and went straight to insanity. A life or death decision she had to make.

Beagle: D- Don't listen to him, Milady! Just run away!

Beagle exclaimed with a shear in his voice.

Greyhound: No one asked you.

Greyhound once again, took out a dagger from his pocket and threw it hardly at beagle. This time it hit him in his right shoulder causing more blood to spill out.

Beagle: Argh..!

He cried.

Alexia: Beagle..!

Greyhound: The next time that he speaks, I'll aim for the chest.

Alexia: Please stop! We'll listen to what you have to say!

She pleaded.

Greyhound: I'm tired, Princess. Now we can make this easy by you just surrendering and coming with me or we can do it the hard way. The "big hound" way as I call it.

Alexia:

Greyhound: I want your answer now! I'm getting cold.

Alexia paused and looked at beagle. This would no doubt decide his fate and be one of the hardest decisions she would have to make in her life. She felt tormented as The choice to leave the castle in the first place was such an Arduous decision to begin with, and now she had to decide the fate of her knight - Beagle? How cruel life was!

Was it even a choice to begin with? She was surrounded by fiendish thugs with longswords who could kill her or beagle at anytime.

Alexia: You'll let beagle go?

Greyhound: Of course, I am a man of my word.

Alexia looked at beagle who was cowering in his own pain, unable to even speak now.

Alexia: Fine, I surrender.

Beagle: ...!

She held up her arms in a sign of Obedience and submission.

Greyhound: Wise choice princess.

*Swip*
A long slender rope wrapped itself around alexia's arms and cuffed them together. Once the rope had been canary yellow, not softly romantic, but instead a nineteen eighties angry neon. Either it was new a long time ago or it had been used for the dirtiest tasks imaginable. The outside was a sickly greenish brown, the only hits of the original colour shining through like poorly cleaned up glitter. In a way, It represented alexia's defeat.

With her body and legs soon being bound up, She was at the mercy of the cruel commander greyhound.

Greyhound: Lord Caesar will be very pleased with this, Alexia. He missed you very much…

Alexia: I doubt that.

She said in a hoarse voice.

Greyhound: Don't be so coy, love. I'm sure he'll love to hear all about you're "adventures" over these past few days! Hahahah!

He laughed maniacally.

Mercenary: Boss, What do we do with this lot?

The mercenary said, Referring to beagle.

Greyhound: Leave that pond scum where he is! We've gotten what we came here for.

Greyhound fiendishly licked alexia's right cheek and whispered lewd sounds into her ear as he escorted her down the right pathway. She didn't mind being dominated like this, if she could save the only friend she back, Alexia's escape was short lived and even shorter scathed. Her mind wandered to the simple times before all the nonsense she had been swept up into to…..

What would come next? Who knows….

End of Act 2