Chapter Two

Moonlight shined through the prison bars. Giving Lovino very little light to see what was actually on the tray in front of him. But from what he was able to make out, it didn't look too appetizing. A chicken leg with barely any meat on the bone, a slice of stale bread and some green mush he could only assume was vegetables. He played with the 'food' before finally pushing it across the cell room floor.

He placed his head in his knees, feeling completely over whelmed and annoyed with the situation he now found himself in. He was shoved and shackled in this hell hole about three days ago. Each day seeming to becoming longer than the last. He felt completely disgusting, still being in his light blue suit. Which had lost its cleanly glow, and was now more dull with some dust covering the sleeves and legs.

He remembered faintly being on a ship before waking up here. But only small, unclear pieces of the journey. It seemed that every time he was just starting to wake up, he would fall back into unconsciousness only 5 seconds later. Whatever they drugged him with, sure was effective. One thing that stood out and was always in front of him when he was awake for about 1 minute, was a flag. A flag that his entire family despised, the flag of the Kingdom of Deram. Their two kingdoms have been rivals since the beginning of time and the more Lovino thought about it the more it started to make sense.

Lovino looked up from his knees, a mean look plastered on his face. His amber eyes soon widened has they met small black once. The large rodent and Lovino had a staring off for what seemed like hours. Both waiting for the other to react somehow. The rat hissed at Lovino, breaking the silence and making the prince give a small squeak in fear. He jumped on the small thin mattress and bedframe that was suppose to be his bed holding his legs close to him. As the creature crawled closer to him, he went further into the wall behind him.

"S-shoo! Shoo, you little diseased ridden rodent! Go away!" he made a frantic 'shooing' motion with his hand hoping to scare it away. But it only seemed to have hissed louder at Lovino and came closer to the terrified prince. He looked around, finding an old cup by his bed. He wasted no time in throwing it at the rat, surprisingly hitting it dead in the head. The creature quickly scurried away into a hole, leaving Lovino alone once again and with his heart still pumping. He ran his fingers through his dark hair and leaned his head back on the wall behind him.

'Lord help me. I have to find away out of here somehow.' He thought for a moment before turning his attention to the metal bars over the stone window. He walked over to them, but not before checking about 20 times to see if there were any more...surprises running after him. He was annoyed to find the bars completely in place, not bugging from their place. 'Come on! Dammit! Guess I'm going to have to think a little more than that' he started to pace back and forth in the room, becoming deep in thought. 'Think Lovino think. You're Italian, you should be able to- wait a minute...' "I'm Italian.." he said out loud to himself. He smirked and began to formulate a plan.

Loud whimpering and crying could be hear coming from Lovinos cell. Curious, the watch guard walked over, keeping a hand on the handle of his blade just in case. He peered into the cell, seeing Lovino on the floor, leaning on the side of his bed and his back turned toward him. "Oi! What's the problem here!" he yelled. Lovino turned toward the man, tears filling his shining amber eyes, he made a slight pout face sniffling every so often. A few strands of hair fell in his face, he looked so innocent and small in the big cell. The guard felt his heart break. "O-oh sir! Could you please loosen my shackles, they hurt a lot and are pinching my skin! Please, please, please sir. Just a little!" He pleaded, exaggerating his accent a bit. The guard stood there contemplating whether he should or not, not wanting to get in trouble. But after a few more tears and 'please' from the captured Italian, his heart eventually gave in. "Okay okay, don't worry I'll help you." Lovinos face lit up "R-really! Oh thank you sir, thank you, thank you! You are so kind and nice!" he chimed happily.

The guard unlocked the cage walking over to the other kneeling down next to him. Lovino sneaked his hand under the bed, pulling out a secret cement block he had found and hidden. He slammed the brick across the man's head. Immediately knocking him unconscious. Lovino scoffed, returning to his normal demeanor with the drop of a hat "Idiota..." He searched the man, saying "there you are" when he found the keys to his escape. He unlocked his shackles, rubbing his sore wrists. He dragged the heavy man over to the bed "Geez! How much do you weigh!? Lay off the food and beer for a while, eh?"

A Turkish man walked through the long, almost empty hallway. Every so often turning his masked face to the few prisoners in their cells. All of which when caught under his gaze, shrink back in fear. He smiled at that, there was something just so satisfying about having this kind of power over people. He stopped at the one cell left secluded at the end of the hall. The one cell that mattered. He was confused to the fact that through his entire walk through here, the watch guard had not showed up once. He pulled out his keys, deciding to reprimand the man later. Looking up from the ring of keys to the sleeping person on the bed.

He was surprised to see that he didn't need a key, but rather the door was slightly ajar. He opened the door and quickly walked over to the lump under the cover. His blood boiled when he was met with a surprising sight. The guard seemed to have replaced the princes place in the cell, him now actually shackled instead. All though he found the lazy mans location, he still had the mystery to solve of where the most important person in their plans had disappeared to.

"Kahretsin! Kahrolasi salak!" he spat before running out of the cell.

Lovino kept his face hiden in the over sized cloak he had thankfully managed to snag off the knocked out guard. Cursing softly to himself about how it was too big, then the rain adding extra pounds wasnt helping the slightest. He needed a boat, and he needed to leave this god forsaken place as fast as he could. He finally arrived at the desolate docks. 'Maybe I could steal a boat. Its not like I cant pay them back' he pondered. He soon furrowed his eyebros at the idea though. 'Then again there is the problem of I dont know how to drive the damn thing. Or which direction I should even be going!"

He wiped his face of some rain water, pushing his bangs out of his face. 'Im so screwed. Im gonna die here. This is it. Might as well dig my grave now. They'll write on my head stone'The Idiot Who Didnt Think EVERYTHING Through''

"Big brother, do you need help with those boxes?" Lovino turned his gaze to the source of the soft voice. He saw a little blonde girl, with a violet bow in her hair holding a umbrella over her head. She stood there watching who he assumed was her brother, lift boxes onto a ship. "No Lily. Trust stay under the umbrella. I dont want you catching a cold." He said not even minding his blond hair sticking everywhich way to his head. "How long will the trip take?" she asked sweetly again. "The trip from Deram to Maydia is about a week and a half to two weeks. So make sure you have everything." he said sternlly to her.

Lovinos heart raced in excitment. Its like God had decided to save his sorry ass and cut him a break for once. Lovino wasn't going to go ahead and waste the opportunity. So he stood up tall and straightened himself out best he could. He didn't want to look like some criminal trying to escape. It was awkward enough having to ask two complete strangers for a ride home, he didn't need them thinking he needed to be in a padded room. He cleared his throat, and turned on his charm. He walked up to the boat calmly.

"Um, excuse me? I-" within mere seconds, Lovino found the barrel of a shotgun pointed towards his head. He put his hands up completely surprised by the mans sudden action. "Who are you, and what the hell do you want?" Lovino shifted his eyes over to the little girl, who seemed completely unfazed by the whole situation.

"U-um. Well...I heard you were setting coarse for Maydia."
"What of it?" he pressed the barrel of the gun harder into the others forehead.
"I'm in desperate need of a ride home. I would like to request that I come with you-"
"What makes you think-?!"
He lowered the gun quickly to grab what Lovino had tossed to him.
A solid golden pendant laid in his hand. Something those morons forgot to take away from Lovino before they shoved him in a cage.
"Let me rephrase that. I'm in a desperate need of a ride home, and I demand to come with you." he said a bit more sternly.

The Swiss man examined the pendant carefully, his eye widening a bit when he realized it was real. Money was hard to come by for him and his sister, that was one of the main reasons they were leaving this place. This would surely feed them for months. He could maybe even be able to finally get Lily a decent birthday gift this year.

He extended his hand towards the other. "Basch Zwingli, this is my sister Lily. You are to stay as far away from her while on this voyage. Understood?" Lovino nodded in understanding, shaking the other mans hand. "Lovino Vargas" he smiled warmly at the girl behind Basch. Causing her to smile and giggle back, and her brother to send a death glare to their new passenger.

"Sir! S-sir!" a boy in rags was running, trying his best not to slip on the now wet stone pavement. He stopped and panted in front of a familiar Turkish officer. Who was now accompanied by three other soldiers. "Officer. S-Sadik" he panted. Sadik turned to the small boy looking down at him with a small sliver of disgust. "What is it boy. What did you find." "I-I found the prince sir. Just as you asked me." The older man's eyes widened and he took a firm hold of the boys shoulders. "Well?! Spit it out boy! Where is he?!" "He is probably long gone sir, he was all the way at the docks. I ran as fast as I could, but they were already setting sail by the time I got ba-"

SLAP

A few tears spilled out of the boys eyes as he rubbed his now burning red cheek. "You're pathetic. I should have just thrown you in a work house like a originally planned. I don't know why I thought you would be of any use to the king!" The small child was scared. Shaking a bit fearing where he would end up if they no longer found use for him. "I-I saw who he left with sir!" he tried to explain "I-it was that Swiss boy and his sister! The one's that help Mr. Johnson in the parlor!" Sadik showed slight interest in the new information "A-And I know the perfect man to catch them!"

Sadik entered the crowded pub, pushing past drunken men. In order to find this man and gain his help, he needed to follow the instructions givin to him to the T. He dodged flying fists and empty beer cups. The sound of loud laughter and music filling his ears. He scanned the back of the room, finding a secluded corner, where a singal calm man sat. Sadik was surprised that he wasnt a mess like the rest of the building but didnt want to question it too much. He calmly took a seat across from the other. The mysterious man looked up, a blank expression plastered on his face. "Im not going to beat around the bush with this because I have very limited time and patience at ths point in time. Ive heard you get the job done when its given to you." He tossed a heavy back of gold coins on the table.

Then man placed it in his hand, weighing it. "And I need the best. If you do this well, picture seven giant chests filled with these. Sailing away with you on your ship." The man opened the sack, running the gold through his fingers. He leaned more into the light his dark green eye's shined and strands of curly dark brown hair fell in his face. His messy hair was pulled back in a pony tail and an evil grin spread across his tan face.

"And if I may be so bold enough to ask senor, what is my target~?"