Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-11457306-20140706152951/@comment-11457306-20140711233654

Tegan jumped awake toward morning, gasping, her heart pumping. She knew she'd been having a nightmare, but it was already fading. She reached for it, struggling to remember. It was important somehow, but the harder she tried to remember it, the more it faded. She turned her head toward the landing outside the cell and jumped again when she saw a shadowy figure there, staring at her with glowing eyes.

Sysene stood just outside the cell, looking in. She beckoned.

Tegan's heart pounded in her ears. She almost couldn't hear the Dunmer's whisper.

"Cautus put you back in with him."

"Yes."

"You will not consort with him or I will have you killed."

Tegan was surprised at the Elf's bluntness and it showed on her face. "I have no intention of doing so."

Sysene seemed to want to say more, but bit her lip instead. Tegan decided to go for broke. "You love him."

Sysene's steel gauntleted hand reached through the bars and took Tegan by the throat, yanking her forward to slam her head against the bars. Tegan grunted.

"Who told you that?"

Tegan struggled to get the words out past the steel grip. "No one," she whispered. "Why else would you be telling me to stay away from him?  What is it you expect to do with him in here?  Watch him from afar?  You are as much a prisoner as he."

Sysene squeezed. Tegan choked, trying to  breathe, but she did not try to pry the fingers loose from her throat. She was taking a huge gamble, she knew, but they had to have help. This was the one weakness she could exploit, if it worked.

The Elf suddenly released her and Tegan gasped, trying to draw in breath as quietly as possible and not to cough. She didn't want to wake Bjolmar. If he did wake, hopefully he would lie still.

"What do you know?" asked Sysene. With that instinct which all women have, Tegan deduced what the Lieutenant was asking.

"He knows," she rubbed her throat. "He is...curious.  He also knows nothing can happen in here."

Booted feet were heard coming down the walkway. Sysene looked over her shoulder in alarm and then moved rapidly away in the other direction. Tegan turned back to her plank and doubled over in a fit of coughing. Now we shall see.