Eryn awakens the next morning to her brother gently shaking her shoulder. "Eryn c'mon we need to pack." Her eyes flicker open as she groans and she sees her brother kneeling over her.
She sits up, stretching her arms out and feeling the joints in them crack and pop from the stiffness. The tent protected her from the elements but not from the discomfort of the hard forest floor. "How are your ribs?" She asks. "Feeling better?"
"Pretty much perfect now, thanks to you." Claudius says with a warm smile. He holds a hand out to her which she takes and he hoists her to her feet.
"And our prisoner? Any problems?" She asks.
He shrugs. "He woke up a few times and still wouldn't talk to me. Typical Noxian prisoner."
Eryn begins to take down the tent, stealing a few glances over to Darius as she does. For once he's not watching them. He's staring off into the woods, seemingly lost in thought.
Her mind drifts to their conversations from the day before. Darius had decided to hold his next question for later and wanted to be left alone for the night. Eryn tended the fire in silence for a few hours to stew in her thoughts and then slept, somewhat restlessly. Her dreams being haunted by familiar fears. Mageseekers chasing her and locking her in a petricite cell. Never to see the light of day again.
She's snapped out of her thoughts by a heavy hand on her shoulder. Claudius is staring at her, concerned. "You okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" She asks standing up to shove the folded tarp of the tent into the bag.
"You were thrashing about in the tent most of the night." He takes the backpack from her and slings it over his shoulder. She frowns at him but doesn't protest. "Mageseekers again?"
She sighs refusing to meet his gaze, feeling embarrassed. "Yes." She felt like a child, afraid of the boogeyman that lives under her bed. Except the knowledge that the boogeyman was real and could be lurking in any town in the kingdom is what keeps the dreams coming back.
He places his hand on her shoulder again and squeezes reassuringly. "When we bring this Noxian to justice we will surely be heroes. And you will be pardoned. You won't have to live in hiding forever sister." Claudius says it with such conviction it's hard for her to resist the smile creeping to her face. "I made that promise to you when I left to join the army and I intend to keep it."
She sighs and the tension seems to leave her body. She places her hand overtop his own with a small smile. "Let's get moving then."
They finish packing rather quickly after that. There is a small debate of what to do with Darius's armor. It was far too much to carry themselves and too risky to try to dress him in it. So they stashed it in pieces amongst their tree hidey holes, to hide it as best they could from Noxian scouts that could be on their trail.
Eryn did insist on keeping his axe with them. She was drawn to it, it was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. Noxian steel with elegant curves, and a skull carved into the center. It almost resembles the Noxian emblem. Claudius wanted to leave it behind as well, but she ignored him. He had insisted on wearing his own Demacian armor and carrying the heavier backpacks, so Eryn ended up strapping the axe to her own back. At the very least it'll be good for chopping firewood in the evenings.
Once packed the siblings turned their attention to their prisoner. Claudius takes a step towards him and Eryn holds her arm out to stop him. "I'll be the one to untie him."
"But-"
"If he tries anything I can knock him out easier at a close proximity. If I don't have a hand on him the energy drain is too ineffective." She interrupts. He scowls but nods in agreement.
Eryn was acutely aware of Darius's eyes on them the entire time they packed. She was growing used to that feeling. Of someone trying to dissect her every move. She notices how his eyes drift from her face to his axe now strapped to her back as she circles to the side of the tree he's tied to. His arms were tied tightly around the trunk and the ropes circled around his chest for good measure. She places a hand on his shoulder as she kneels at the side of the tree.
"I'm going to untie you now. You will sit still until I tell you to move or I will drain your energy instantly. And it will be more unpleasant this time since I'm well rested." She says to him softly. Her fingers begin to glow light green as she speaks, the magic rolling off her fingers like flames.
Claudius is standing nearby, a hand on his warhammer, ready to support his sister.
Darius meets her gaze, smirking. "I think this is the first time you've threatened me." He notes.
She doesn't respond to him, keeping one hand on his shoulder while her other hand begins to undo the bonds.
His muscular arms once tied tightly against the bark fall slack at his side as the rope releases them. He rolls his shoulders, relieved to be released of the tension, but otherwise sitting still. She clenches her grip on his shoulder, a firm reminder of her presence. "Stand up and take a step forward."
"Whatever you say, Lady Mooreheart." He replies in a mocking tone, low enough that Claudius can't make out the words. She feels the blood rush to her face in anger at the quip and is thankful he's not facing her so he can't get the satisfaction of seeing the reaction he got out of her.
He then stands up, it's the first time since their battle she's seen him at his full height. He towers over her with broad shoulders. Her hand trails from the top of his shoulder to his forearm as he does and she can feel how toned his muscles are. She gently takes his wrist and begins the process of tying his hands behind his back once again. She leaves a long stretch of rope dangling there to act like a leash.
As she's doing this the motions remind her of her nightmare. How similar this was to the mageseekers shackling her in her nightmares and how she just had to let them or risk being killed by them. The comparison made her feel nauseous and she pushed the memory away. She's not like them, she reminds herself. Darius has killed countless Demacians. He's her captive due to his choices he made. Not due to circumstances of his birth. Well, despite the "being born in Noxus" circumstance…
"Eryn are we ready?" Her brother's voice snaps her out of her thoughts. She hadn't realized she had finished tying the rope and was just standing there, staring at the bonds. She glances up and sees Darius looking at her over his shoulder, a quirked eyebrow as he eyes her curiously.
She clears her throat. "Yes sorry. Let's get going."
They begin their march through the woods. Claudius holds the rope as he leads the way. Darius walks beside him a few paces back and Eryn brings up the rear. They walk in relative silence, the only sound is the crunching of branches beneath their feet and the melody of the forest. It's a warm summer day, and Eryn is thankful for the shade the trees provide as they march.
They only stop when it's close to sundown. When they do Eryn can feel the dirt on her skin that was caked on from the sweat, and her exposed forearms sting from the sharp branches that had swiped at her. Her shoulders were stiff too from the weight of the axe strapped to her back. But she can't rest yet.
Claudius places the gear he was carrying down and pulls out an old hunting bow with a few arrows, before declaring he was going hunting. Meanwhile Eryn begins the process of tying Darius to a tree again, which follows a similar process to the one from this morning. When she's done she offers him a sip of the waterskin which he accepts, although begrudgingly. She lowers it and sits beside him feeling somewhat awkward. "Are you hungry? There's some berries leftover still I could-"
"I'm fine." He cuts her off.
She glares at him, annoyed at both his stubbornness and rudeness. "Why won't you eat?"
He closes his eyes and leans his head back against the tree. "It's not your turn to ask questions." He replies simply.
She sits there and expectantly waits for him to ask one. But he doesn't. So she stands up and finishes making camp. She sits on the other side of camp in silence.
Claudius returns with two squirrels and a rabbit, smiling triumphantly. He hands a carcass over to Eryn and sits beside the fire. They begin the process of skinning the creatures, letting a comfortable silence fall over them.
When Claudius finishes one of the squirrels and begins to roast it over the fire Eryn hears her stomach growl. The scent of cooking meat wafts over her and her mouth waters. She was suddenly acutely aware of how hungry she was.
Claudius glances over towards Darius, who was pointedly avoiding looking in their direction. "Change of heart yet, Noxian?"
He turns his head to face them. His eyes flicker between Eryn and Claudius before settling on Eryn. "Ask her."
Eryn feels her veins run cold with anxiety. She locks eyes with Darius, wondering what he's plotting. "What does he mean by that?" Claudius asks her, keeping his voice low so Darius can't overhear. Meanwhile Darius is watching her, waiting to see what she would say. She wonders what he's expecting her to do, to divulge the truth of their talks to her brother or to continue to keep them to herself. Whatever he expects, it's clear his end goal is to try to sow discourse between them…
She swallows the lump that had formed in her throat and steels her nerves. "He's on a hunger strike. The threats won't work because we wouldn't be able to get him to eat if we wanted to." She says as she continues to skin the rabbit in her hand. She breaks eye contact with Darius but refuses to look Claudius in the eye.
"How would you know that without-"
"I offered him food." She cuts him off curtly.
"Eryn-"
"Interrogation can wait until we hand him over. Our superiors can torture him or whatever they want to do to get information, but for now he needs to have enough strength that he won't die on this trip." She snaps. "Whatever information we could be getting can wait. What matters now is to prevent him from becoming deadweight. So don't try to lecture me about being too nice to a Noxian. I'm being practical"
Claudius looks like he wants to argue more. But he sighs and sits back down next to her. She's still not looking at him, but she can hear him shifting around uncomfortably as he calms himself down. "You have a point. I'm sorry. But, you should have told me instead of going behind my back."
Would you have listened? She wonders to herself but doesn't say out loud. She's still annoyed with him, but this is the most he's conceded in an argument in a long time. So she decides she will take the small victory. "I'm sorry too." She feels guilty for not telling him everything and she tries to push that feeling away.
Claudius smiles at her warmly, content with the outcome. "Let's stay on the same page from now on."
Eryn nods in agreement. Part of her is screaming to tell Claudius the rest of the truth, about everything she knows about Darius. She resists though, knowing it would most likely be the end of their talks. He's trying to make her choose between her brother's trust and access to Darius. If she plays this right she won't have to choose…
Eryn takes first watch again, and waits until her brother is asleep before she even risks a glance at Darius. When she finally does she sees him eying her expectantly. They hold the gaze for what seems like eternity until he breaks the silence. "What did you tell him?"
"You're on a hunger strike, and to stop making a fool of us by threatening you when you clearly don't care."
He chuckles, and it's not like when he laughed at Claudius's threats the day prior. When he laughed then, it was sharp and mocking, meant to prod Claudius into anger, almost sounding forced. Here the low rumbling chuckle was genuine amusement. It was brief and fleeting, before he continued to ask questions. "Interesting. Still not telling him the truth."
"That is the truth. You're being stubborn and won't eat."
"I mean the full truth. What will happen when tomorrow I tell him how you've continued to talk to me behind his back? Or how much you truly know but haven't told him?"
She breathes deeply before answering his question with one of her own. "Would you still be playing this game with me if my brother got involved?"
"So you value keeping my trust more than your brother's."
"I can mend things with my brother. We're family."
"Are you sure you want to be testing that theory? That your familial bond can withstand colluding with the enemy?"
"We are not colluding."
"What would you call this then, since it certainly isn't an interrogation?" Eryn doesn't have a retort even though she wishes she has one. He looks so smug, like he's the one in control here despite being the one tied to a tree.
"I think that's enough for your turn." She says as she stands up, grabbing the leftover roasted rabbit. It had grown cold by now, but she had insisted on leaving leftovers for their prisoner. She now sits down directly in front of him holding it up. "What do I need to do to get you to eat?"
Darius laughs again, but this time it's the sharp mocking laugh he typically has around Claudius. Eryn glares, not enjoying that tone being directed at her. "That's what you want to use your turn on?"
"We will reach the caves tomorrow night. Claudius isn't sure how long we'll be in them but food will be scarce. I'd like to make sure you're not going to become deadweight." She explains and waits for his answer. He takes a moment to think about it before responding.
"Untie me and let me feed myself."
Eryn's eyebrows raise in surprise. "Absolutely not."
"You were so confident in your magic being able to knock me out instantly earlier, why not now?" He was taunting her again and she balls her hands into fists.
"Why not just eat the food tied up, what's the point?"
"It's degrading."
She scoffs. "You're too prideful. That's why you're starving yourself?"
"You could do with having more pride. It keeps weaklings from walking over you."
He's smirking at her. He's trying to take back control of the situation. Feel like he's in charge despite being the captive. Eryn weighs the risks. The longer he's out of the bonds the more time he has to try to overpower her somehow and escape. But if she doesn't do this she knows this hunger strike will continue and he risks becoming not only a danger to himself, but to her and Claudius by becoming deadweight they have to drag around. She sighs, placing the rabbit in front of him, before swiveling to the opposite side of the tree trunk and begins to undo his bonds.
She makes sure she always has a hand placed on his arm, always prepared to knock him out if he makes a sudden move, as his bonds loosen again and his arms fall free. She maneuvers so she's sitting directly at his side, one hand resting on his shoulder. He rubs his hands over his wrists, relieved to be free of the bonds even for a short time. His wrists have turned a dark pink from the ropes rubbing at his bare skin for the past two days.
Eryn watches as he picks up the rabbit and pops off one of the limbs with ease and begins to eat the meat off of it. She lets go of a breath she hadn't noticed she was holding, relieved that he doesn't seem to be attempting an escape. She doesn't relax completely. She knows if she does he will feel it and seize that opportunity. But for some reason she takes comfort in the silence they're sharing. She doesn't want to admit it, but part of her likes being this close to him, less than an arm's distance away, feeling his muscles tighten and contract at the small movements he's making.
He finishes the first limb and begins to move to the next, stealing a glance at her before biting into the meat. "What were your nightmares about last night?" He asks between bites, breaking the silence.
She feels heat rise to her face, embarrassed that it was so noticeable to both her brother and Darius. "You want to spend your turn on my nightmares? Who's asking meaningless questions now?"
He gives a small chuckle. The low, rumbling, amused one not the mocking one. She can feel the sound reverberate through his body. "I'd like to know what could be haunting you, someone who has the raw magical power to instantly knock any man unconscious."
Only one at a time, and only if I can get my hands on them, and half the time it knocks me out. Eryn corrects him in her mind, but not out loud. She knows better than to be divulging all her weaknesses to him. "Mageseekers." She responds simply.
He seems satisfied with her answer and doesn't press further. There was nothing deeper than that. No deep-seated psychological issues haunting her. Mageseekers are enough to terrify any Demacian mage to give them recurring nightmares for a lifetime. "Leave Demacia then." He suggests and she scoffs.
"And go where? Noxus? You may not have Mageseekers but they're replaced with vultures. Assassins and thugs waiting for you to make a misstep, to falter, to grow old, to show weakness. Then they strike and take everything you have. Is that not right?" There's venom in her voice now and her grip on his shoulder tightens. He's trying to manipulate her right now, to soften her to Noxus. Hoping to gain her sympathy. She's not going to fall for it, or his propaganda speeches.
"You could easily prove your worth, you're strong. You'd be the one they fear." He replies simply, as if that would absolve her worries.
"I shouldn't have to bestrong to not have to live in fear. And I don't want others to fear me. That's not freedom either. Mages aren't free here in Demacia, but no one is free in Noxus."
He's glaring at her now, the rabbit bone in his hand snaps as he clenches his fist. "Maybe I was wrong about you. Demacian ideals have made you weak."
"How so?"
"Noxus gives all a chance to thrive. If you don't take that chance, you're too weak to be of use anyway."
"And I am weak for having compassion for those who are not fit to fight for their lives? What is the use of being strong if it is not to protect those who are weak?" She sees he wants to retort but she keeps going, not giving him the chance. "What will become of you one day Darius, when you grow old and are no longer of use to the Noxian war machine? Are there not those who are just circling you, waiting for you to falter so they can strike and take your place? Casting you aside like a useless scrap of meat?"
Rage flashes across his face as she lectures him. "That's enough Mooreheart. You do not know of Noxus so what gives you the right to speak of it?"
"Then tell me, is what I said untrue? Would I be free in Noxus if I was weak and defenseless?" She demands and doesn't answer. She takes his silence as confirmation. "That is not freedom then. My nightmares of Mageseekers would just be replaced by faceless figures, lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike and take everything I hold dear. Petricite shackles replaced by steel blades plunging into my back."
Eryn takes a breath and still silence washes over them. She can see every fiber of Darius is clenched and tense. His eyebrows furrowed deeper than she's ever seen and his lips are curled almost into a snarl. In her hand resting on his shoulder she can feel how tense he is, how he's holding himself back right now. The only thing that seems to be keeping him from lashing out right now is the silent threat of her magic. She breathes out slowly before breaking the silence. "Hurry up and eat. I believe our conversation is over for tonight."