Another four days pass, the fourth day marking a whole week without any food. Luckily they'd had something to drink. A washbasin filled with dirty water in the corner of Ares' cell, which they were able to fit through the barred window.

As the two brothers sleep on their beds, they hear the cell block door open down the hall.

"Hear that?" Ares whispers.

"Yeah, what's going on?"

The boys listen as they hear footsteps move down the hallway, towards the large wooden table near their gear.

They watch as a tall man walks in front of their cells, and asks, "Well where the hell did you put it?"

"Me?! You were the one who had it last!" a shorter one replies as he walks behind him, looking for something on the tables lining the walls.

"I don't even play dice poker, why would I use your set? Probably left it in the bushes somewhere, you use it as a pillow when you're on duty."

"I ain't goin' another week without it, I know it's in here," the shorter one replies as he bends down on a knee to check under one of the tables.

The two guards pause as they watch another guard rush through the door, a mountain of meat, with a club at his hip. The man sees the two gawking at him, and asks, "Where the hell have you two been, you missed one hell of a tavern brawl!"

"Sorry sir, we've been looking for my dice-set, have you seen it?"

"Mitchell's had it, been using two sets to cheat all week, bastard beat me this mornin', that's what started the brawl. I threw the table when he won the last hand, six high straight, three times in a row!"

The taller guard asks, "What happen'd then?"

"Arnold grabs it off the ground and starts beatin' the shit out of Paulson with it," the large man replies. "Sorry mate, but I saw it break in two."

The short one finally stops looking, "Damnit, that was my grandad's box..."

Before the shorter one gets a chance to walk out the door, the tall guard says, "Might be able to find a box inside one of these here cells, prisoners play too right?"

The large one turns to the two guards, "I'll help you look mates, ale's on me when we get back."

The three guards start searching, the meaty one, clearly the leader, then walks over to Bryn's cell and peeks inside. He looks through to see Bryn's brown eyes staring back at him, and then proclaims.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Mates! Found somethin'!"

The short one runs to the wall, grabbing the keys to Bryn's cell, "Did ya find a set?!"

"Better."

Ares watches through the small window as the door to Bryn's cell flies open. Bryn looks up to see the two guards file into his room, the tall one following in shortly after with a piece of bread in his hand.

Bryn just stares at the bread and asks, "So uh, got anymore bread?" Bryn is interrupted by a club to the side of his head, and falls to the ground. The meatier guard yelling out, "Shut up!"

As the guard lifts his arm to hit Bryn again, Ares yells out, "Hey! Touch him again and I'll fucking kill you!"

The guards look over to Ares, and the short one exits to grab the right key off the wall. The remaining guards exit Bryn's cell as he is once again locked inside, left bleeding on the floor. The guard comes back with the key, opens Ares' cell, and they all head inside.

Ares starts to back up against the wall of his cell as the guards approach him.

Fuck me

The club-wielding guard lifts his arms to swing at Ares, but he dives under the guard's arm and kicks the guard in the back, making him go face first into the stone wall.

The other two guards quickly grab Ares and force him to his knees, the first guard finally gets up, still recovering from hitting his face on the wall. Wiping blood from his nose, "You little bastard." He begins to deliver repeated blows to his new prisoner's back, no way for Ares to defend himself with both of his arm's held above his head.

Bryn sits up and crawls to the barred window, and reaches out for his brother, "Let go of him! Get off him, please!"

The two guards let go of Ares and start making there way back to Bryn's cell, but the leader stops them, "No, this hurts him more than any beating."

The leader beats Ares until he crumples to the ground, covered in blood. The guard asks, "Why are you here?"

Ares lets out a little laugh, trying to ignore the pain, "Oh I heard the dungeon was nice this time of year, it's a little drafty at times, but it's great here, really enjoying it."

The guard begins to wail on Ares again, "Why are you here!?"

Bryn answers for his brother, who was beginning to drift into unconsciousness, "What the fuck do you mean 'Why are we here!' You threw us in here a week ago!"

"Who's we?"

"The guards, Prince Hans. He threw us in here... Right before the winter thawed."

"You're lying! You were sent by Hans to kill the queen! We know you're Assassins, we can tell by the insignia on your robes."

Ares interrupts, spitting blood as he says, "No, he's telling the truth."

The taller guard walks out to the chest where Bryn and Ares' gear was being kept. He pulls out Ares' hidden blade and starts to examine it as if it was just another piece of armor, looking for the insignia. Ares looks over to him, "You shouldn't play with that." The guard ignores him and continues to examine it. He accidentally draws the blade and it tears straight through the guard's ring finger. He screams in pain as he tries to stop the blood from pouring. Ares lets out a laugh, "Told you."

The leader of the guards raises his club up above his head, and yells, "You hurt one of my guards! Now you're gonna pay!"

Before the guard delivers another blow to Ares, a woman's voice yells out, "Stop!" Everyone in the room turns to look, stunned to see the queen walking towards the cells.

Under his breath, Bryn mumbles, "She's alive... Ares was right."

The queen with authority in her voice, "What's going on here! Why are you beating these men?"

The guard struggles for words, "Uh.. Uh... They're a danger to you and the princess."

Elsa sees the two bloody brothers lying on the ground and raises her voice, "They sure as hell don't look like a danger!"

Elsa walks into the cell and gets on her knees, helping Ares up off the ground. As she sits him against the wall she sees his wounds, "God... You're hurt bad..."

Ares with his eyes locked to the queen's, quick to reply, "...and you're beautiful..."

Elsa fails to stifle a small giggle and a blush, but answers, "...and you're covered in blood."

She turns to the guards, "Leave, now! These men are to be released."

The guard begins to step towards the door, the shortest one doing the same, "But your majesty..."

Elsa cuts the guard off, "That's an order."

As the guards finally exit the dungeon, the tallest one in tow, clutching his hand, another female voice is heard, "Elsa? What's going on?"

Elsa, still at Ares' side, turns to see her sister walking towards them. "Oh Anna it's nothing, you shouldn't see this."

Anna looks to see Elsa sitting next to Ares, and sees Bryn in his cell, covered in blood. She enters and helps him up onto the bed, "This one's hurt too Elsa..." she says as she turns to Bryn, "Are you okay?"

Bryn, amazed by the princess' beauty, "Uh... I… I… Um..."

Anna giggles and begins to wipe the blood from his face, "Awkward's a cute look for you."

Bryn with a little smile on his face "I uh... I'm fine... It's fine... Thank you." but his smile disappears as soon as he realizes his brother's still hurt, and asks, "Ares are you alright?!"

Elsa replies "Yeah he should be fine, he just needs to be cleaned up."

Elsa turns to the older brother, "I'm really sorry, you can imagine how hectic the past week has been. I just found out you two were down here."

"Yeah our week has been pretty far from normal as well." Ares rams his fist against the side of his head. Idiot "Ugh, I'm really sorry your majesty, I haven't eaten in a week... It's okay."

Elsa in a softer tone, "Well how about we get you two cleaned up, back in your gear, and you and your brother join Anna and I for dinner? As our royal guests," she adds.

"T-that sounds great."

"And you two are welcome to a room in the castle for as long as you need, and don't worry, you'll have a much more accommodating room than the dungeons could offer."

"Thank you so much your majesty."

"Please, call me Elsa, now let's get you two cleaned up," she says as she helps Ares up off the ground.

Anna helps Bryn up, and as the group begin to ascend the steps, Bryn asks, "So uh, what's for dinner?"