Ciriin
The last guard stepped up the stairs of the dungeon, finally. Pairs of eyes that had gotten used to the darkness threw each other meaningful glances.
This is it.
"Has the wedding started?"
A prisoner asked in a casual tone, just in case a guard is still eavesdropping on them.
A beat late, another prisoner answered. "Dunno, ya think we're esteemed guests or something?"
Forced laughter filled the cells. Then maddening silence as they waited. But they have waited for so long. Ever since the prince's bethrothal was announced, the guards had boasted about how they all would be guarding esteemed guests from kingdoms all across the land instead of filthy prisoners on the wedding day. It was definitely suspicious, but why would they take the risk to prank prisoners on such an important day? In any case...the prisoners wouldn't miss this chance regardless.
Batari Arutala felt the gazes weighing on her lanky frame with expectation. She nodded solemnly, and took out the prison keys she got with ways she didn't even want to recall.
She unlocked her cell, then the cell next to hers, then another, then another. Grateful taps fell on her thin arm as the prisoners fled one by one.
"I worried they were dupes," an old woman grinned to her as she exited her cell. "Lucky kid."
Tala grinned but didn't stop opening the other cells. "Worrying about the Kingdom's witch? Must be old age getting to ya, Ma'am."
The old woman were silent for a minute. "If any of us were to make it, it must be you. Don't spend too long helping these hopeless pieces of shit and help yourself. After all..." her words trailed off, but Tala knew. She was a symbol of hope for the empire's criminals. The master escapist. Dark magic user.
At least that's what they believe.
She scoffed at the thought. "Yeah, yeah, worry about yourself," she winked at the old woman. The old woman grinned back at her and ran off. "Then, see you again, kid."
Tala opened the last prison cell.
"I owe you," a burly middle aged man tapped her shoulder with his large, warm hand and ran off. "Damn right," she replied.
"Aight, enough playing Goddess," Tala muttered to herself as she ran up the dungeon stairs. She winced at the daylight greeting her on top of the stairs. In front of her was a large hall. "Now where's that goddamn exit?"
Frankie
Lucan knew this day was coming, they day he was essentially palmed off by his parents to join the kingdoms.
He felt nauseous all day, he didn't want to marry this stranger! Sure, he had courted her 3 times but she seemed so stuck up, so set in her ways that even their brief interactions set him on edge.
His hands clenched into sweaty fists as he watched the woman walk down the aisle toward him, the world spun around her- Yes she was beautiful, but this wasn't right.
Lucan knew it was now or never, before she even made it to him he bolted. He didn't know where he was running, or what he was going to do. The distant screeches of his mouther drowned out with the thumping of his chest as he flew through door after door, in this moment he was thankful for his vigorous training, but also a little concerned that not one guard had stopped him yet.
He didn't have time to think about that, a smile- rather a grin slipped onto his lips as a nervous laugh escaped him. He stopped deep into the building to catch his breathe, hands on knees as he bent over.
Ciriin
Tala ran through the halls. Cursed be the sun elves, those pretentious twats, everything was covered in gold and the sun light seemed to bounce off every wall. Moon elves are not built for day time. The brightness was an attack to her every senses, especially after spending months in the dark dungeons. Her body had grown weak in captivity as she couldn't move much inside her tiny cell. The lack of nutrients and poor hygiene didn't help either. She stank like piss and was as dirty as a sewer rat.
Her head was pounding painfully. There was another door ahead. Perhaps this time it's the exit instead of another overly decked room. She ran through it.
"Fuck," she muttered under her breath. A male sun elf was there in front of her. It was too late for her to stop her steps and not get noticed.
She scanned him quickly, looking for any information she could gather and use to her advantage. His build, his demeanor, his clothing, if he brought any weapon.
Frankie
Lucan was busy in his thoughts the moment a door swung open. He rose to his full height, expecting a guard or worse- his mother to have found him.
His hand instinctively reached for the ornamental gold sword that lay draped down his left leg. Though it would be rather useless in battle it was still intimidating.
His lips pursed to speak, feeling the traditional makeup used to mark ones checks during celebrations tighten. "Who-" his sentence cut off prematurely by the sound of distant tapping feet, running no doubt.
He made brief eye contact with the frail looking girl, he was too panicked to notice any kind of smell or noticeable detail that would link her as a prisoner, just that she clearly didn't belong here!
Lucan's eyes flashed to an ornate door across the room, he knew these halls like the back of his hand. In a hurried tone he spoke "I wouldn't be caught here" as he walked to the door.
Pushing the door open, he glanced back to see if they odd looking girl that he had never met before but somehow felt like he knew was following.
Ciriin
He's absolutely gorgeous. That was the first thought that popped into Tala's mind as soon as he straightened up. Tala always hated the sun elves, but this one seemed so...majestic. Perhaps because she hadn't seen anyone so clean or without a disgusted look towards her for quite awhile. She imagined marrying him would look picture-perfect. A fugitive can dream.
"What are you doing?" Tala demanded, following the sun elf who seemed to know where he's heading. "You know that sword is useless right?"
It was not much in battle, sure. But Tala knew, against her malnourished self, especially when the one handling it was a larger man than herself who seemed to be quite fit, it could gave her serious damage. He wasn't pointing that thing towards her but she just had to bluff a little bit to be sure. And also by keeping a bit distance behind him.
"You're running too? Why? You sure look like a noble-" she made gagging noise, "-to me. You're the prince's wedding guest? Don't tell me..." He's absolutely gorgeous. That was the first thought that popped into Tala's mind as soon as he straightened up. Tala always hated the sun elves, but this one seemed so...majestic. Perhaps because she hadn't seen anyone so clean or without a disgusted look towards her for quite awhile. She imagined marrying him would look picture-perfect. A fugitive can dream.
"What are you doing?" Tala demanded, following the sun elf who seemed to know where he's heading. "You know that sword is useless right?"
It was not much in battle, sure. But Tala knew, against her malnourished self, especially when the one handling it was a larger man than herself who seemed to be quite fit, it could gave her serious damage. He wasn't pointing that thing towards her but she just had to bluff a little bit to be sure. And also by keeping a bit distance behind him.
"You're running too? Why? You sure look like a noble-" she made gagging noise, "-to me. You're the prince's wedding guest? Don't tell me..."
Frankie
Lucan had taken this exact route to sneak out many times as a teen, he yanked the door behind them as she made her comment about his sword.
He cocked her an almost dumbfounded look. He was clearly being chased, he wondered why the first thing that popped to her mind was his useless sword and not that there could be some kind of grave danger!
"Obviously I know that" He grunted as he shrugged off the heavy golden adorned jacket, revealing a plain white buttoned shirt. The top two buttons peeking open to reveal the vague shape of his tattoos.
Alongside his coat he shed the useless sword, and ornamental jewelry that felt like it had a choke hold over him. Her words plastered into him, how did she not know who he was? At first he was almost offended, but in a way it was a breathe of fresh air.
"Nevermind me." he paused as he continued down the new hall without looking back. It was basically a dead end aside from one door that lead to a modest bedroom and a large window at the end of the hall.
"Who are you?" he poked, "And when was the last time you showered?" he screwed his nose as he stopped before the window.
The girl before him didn't seem awfully fit, maybe she wouldn't keep up with his sprint across the courtyard- but he wasn't one to judge. "I don't know why you're here or what you're running from.." he tapered off. Starting to put two and two together between her clothes and hygiene. "But I couldn't care less" he announced rather manically as he unlatched the window.
Ciriin
Tala shook her head at him questioning who she was. Her wanted poster was everywhere in the country back when she performed her second jailbreak last year. It was everywhere on the time of her first arrest. Over the murder charge of her sun elf ex-husband. She thought everyone would know her. Her pride was hurt.
"What's the use of being handsome if you're ignorant?" she clicked her tongue, then added to herself. "And what's the use of being a prisoner if you're not infamous enough?"
She didn't mind the shower comment, it was true that even she did not remember the last time she bathed.
"You're awful crafty for a sheltered soft meat," she observed him unlatching the window. Shoutings of the guards were starting to get nearer, but not near enough that she could hear what they're saying. "My friends are waiting for me, wanna come?"
She jumped off the window after him. On the other side of the field, the burly prisoner she freed last was riding a carriage while frantically looking around. He was visibly relieved as they made eye contact. He flailed his arms at her erratically and he turned his carriage to race to them.
Tala did not wait for the sun elf's answer. She grabbed his arm and began to run towards the carriage.
Just as her hand touched his arm, someone shrieked from the window above.
"THE WITCH HAS TAKEN THE PRINCE!"
Frankie
Lucan brushed off her comments initially, clearly she was well known but he was fairly sheltered and busy. Always attending training and classes, his younger brothers duties included arrests and managing prisoners. But not him.
He didn't have long to think about her question, by the time they spilled out of the window there were voices yelling everywhere and she had already grabbed his arm, clearly he did not have to go with her but he saw this as his opportunity to finally flee for good.
He clambered into the carriage behind her with a heave "Oh. That's why you got so shitty that I didn't recognize you?" He smirked as he tucked his hair back.
Of course he had heard of the Moon Witch, who hadn't! There were many tales wether they were true or not- passed around the kingdom, told to young children to help scare them straight.
But looking at her now, it was hard to imagine her to be such a criminal. Even if she wasn't filthy and hungry looking he couldn't quite imagine it.
But that was Lucans niave side peering through, he liked to see the good in people. And much to his parents dismay he was a hopeless romantic, he romanticized every part of his life even though he knew he was destined to an arrange marriage.. until now!
Ciriin
The carriage was filled with five prisoners already, three humans and two moon elves, all men and each one dirtier than the last. There was only one sitting spot on the carriage floor.
"You made it, Witch!"
"Who the heck is this?"
"You made off with a rich boy?"
"Saucy lass you picked there, sire!"
The prisoners laughed heartily, adrenaline were rushing on all of them and made everything funnier.
She cheekily grinned at them. "You were doubting ME?" She beamed at Lucan with a smug smile. "So shitty that you know me, prince look-alike!"
Lucan took the remaining empty spot. Tala stood unsteady on a small space inside the carriage.
"Why aren't ya sitting on yer boy? You guys fighting?"
"He's not my‐" she started, but was cut off by the sudden jerking movement of the carriage.
"They onto us!" The burly prisoner shouted from the front. A fireball flew past, barely grazing the carriage side. Soldiers on horseback were trailing them.
Sun elves are immune to fire, but the carriage mostly consisted of moon elves and humans.
Tala lost her balance and fell face first to Lucan's lap.
Spring 
Day 
Flood
