Willow was exhausted as she alighted from her prison; the world beyond was unfamiliar and she felt as someone lifted her into their arms as if in a trance. She felt herself being carried quickly through a blur of yards and halls and rooms before finally being forced onto a cot. Willow laid there, presuming she wouldn't be permitted to leave this room. She couldn't have gone far she supposed: her wrist and ankles were still bound.

Soon, she was joined by a pretty, young woman who introduced herself as Rose. “I was told you were injured on the way over. You have not been checked by a healer, have you?” she asked as she untied the ropes around Willow's wrists and ankles. Willow hissed as she tutted, surveying the damage. Her wrists had been rubbed raw for weeks and, Willow being so weak, hadn't been able to heal. They would be ugly scars one day, too late to heal correctly. Rose hadn't yet seen her ankle.

“I bit him,” Willow confirmed.

“Why would you hurt someone trying to help you?” She accused, eyebrows raised, disapprovingly.

“If the person who hurt you repeatedly suddenly turned and claimed they were a healer, would you want them touching you?” She retorted.

The woman turned white but moved on. “Would you allow me to check the damage?”

“No, I'd rather not if I get the choice,” Willow quipped. “Although last time a choice was offered it was still ignored, so I imagine my opinion actually means little.”

“What happened last time?” Rose asked, seeming curious, but reluctant.

“I refused, so they pinned me down and tried to force me. So, I bit the healer.”

Rose paled further and excused herself hastily. Willow laughed internally. What were they expecting? Willow had been silent forever. A bit of conversation, however snarky was fun. She'd also noticed her voice was gruffer than it had been, although she wasn't sure if that was the lack of speaking or any damage to her throat.

From outside the door, Willow heard Rose yelling accusations at someone. Willow wondered if she was mad, they had damaged the 'goods' or if it was her sharp tongue that had offended. Maybe they were supposed to break her. When Rose returned, she was red in the face and her eyes narrowed angrily.

“Please allow me to see your throat, Willow. I can't prescribe a remedy if I cannot access what is wrong.”

Willow narrowed her eyes. “How do you know my name?”

Rose eyed her. “Did the Betrayer's not explain your circumstances to you?”

“Clearly not. They did try to tell me they meant me no harm and that they were taking me somewhere safe. But after a person is kidnapped, you tend not to listen to such platitudes. White Flower fed me and spoke to me for a time but after they injured me, she stopped trying.”

Rose sighed. “It is not my place to explain, and I don’t know all of the particulars either way. However, I do need to look at that throat and maybe your weight. Your voice sounds like it’s been damaged from the burns, and I shudder to think how little you've eaten.”

Willow cringed away from the woman's approach, the bed below her creaking. For the last stretch of time, she had been desperately hiding her injuries, which were more numerous than even her captives knew. She suspected a break in one of her ribs and another in her right wrist. She'd had to reset everything back into place manually, but the effort had exhausted her. Her internal ability to heal has reduced the swelling a little but without proper food, she’d healed more slowly than usual.

She had no reason to trust this woman any more than the Betrayers with her injuries. She didn't want them knowing about any of her vulnerabilities. Who knows what these people would do to her? She watched as the woman sighed and departed.

Willow relaxed back against the headboard. Now that she wasn't in constant movement, she felt a little odd. She wondered how long she had been held in that caravan. Where was she now? The weather had begun to cool some time ago so she assumed autumn had passed her by.

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When Rose returned once more, she came bearing a tray with cold soup and water. Willow was so sick of cold soup but felt it was still for the best on her throat. Willow hadn't given up on starving her way out of enslavement but also knew her body could not heal without food.

Rose departed and Willow picked up the bowl of soup. It was heavily spiced and smelt appetising...

Except...

Just, Willow made out the scent of something else: Sleeping Draught. They were trying to drug her too! Willow sniffed the glass of water; it was in there too! Willow set the tray down on the floor. 'they'll have to force it down my throat if they want to knock me out!'

Rose came back several hours later and Willow laughed as her eyes bugged out and she dropped the fresh clothes in her arms.

“You’re not going to eat?” She asked, aiming for nonchalant and managing annoyance.

“Not when my food is drugged. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you.”

“Of course not,” she claimed primly, her annoyance at being caught obvious as she knelt, collecting the rough cloth.

Willow studied her for a moment. “How much do you know of me?”

“I know your name.”

“None of my particular skills?”

“Only that you can use a little magic...” Rose froze. Slowly, Willow watched as two and two were put together.

“It was a magic based potion, so you could smell it, couldn't you?”

Willow smiled. “All I require is clean food and water and a little time. I do not need any further help.”

Rose shrugged, defeated. “Fine.”

After returning with clean food, Willow happily ate, hoping the extra food would aid in healing.

“These are clean clothes. I was told you have not changed clothes since you... left home. Will you need a hand?”

“It's green,” Willow stated, nose wrinkled.

“Yes? This is the Resistance; we wear whatever colours we choose.”

Willow panicked. “I can't wear colours! What if the King found out!?”

The woman soothed. “The King won't know. It's fine...”

“I cannot wear green!” Willow insisted, shrilly. “I will not!” her eyes darted about, finding no windows, and finding small comfort in that.

The woman tried to convince her it would be fine, but Willow, too afraid of even the thought of the King finding out, was defiant. Eventually, the woman had to take the clothes out of the room to calm her. She even tried to slip Willow another Sleeping Draught which only further exacerbated the situation and Willow threw the glass of spiked water at a wall.

“How dare you! You people bring me here against my will and when I fight back you drug me! You’re constantly claiming I should trust you, but you have never done a single trustworthy thing! My voice is permanently fucked! My wrist and ankles will have permanent scars I cannot breathe for the pain! Do not dare think that I will act in compliance with you! Bring me a bucket of water and leave me alone!”

Rose stuttered, attempting to do damage control, but Willow was too angry. Magic swirled weakly around her, reacting to the uncontrollable emotion Willow felt.

The woman ran. She returned terrified several hours later with both a bucket and a change of untreated clothing. “We found some herbs to remove the colour,” she murmured, eyeing Willow warily.

Willow knew she should probably apologise. This woman had become her new jailer however and Willow shrugged off her guilt.

In this way, Willow continued for two weeks. She was forbidden from leaving until Rose was satisfied. The woman also refused to explain Willow's predicament. Willow even overheard her denying someone access, claiming healing was more important. This frustrated Willow to no end and led to the disintegration of any relationship Willow could have with the woman. She felt like a prisoner and so acted like one. Why converse with her jailer?

Rose tried, as had White Flower, to gain Willow's trust, even asking what was required. When Willow's requests were denied, she continued to ignore Rose's presence. This obviously annoyed Rose, but Willow was stubborn. She had tried to gain trust in other ways, bringing her progressively nicer food and magical supplement potions. But Willow had been suspicious. If she had taken any of the available options, it would give away what injuries she was treating. She had seen further annoyance from Rose that day and even a few nasty words. Willow had reiterated that she only needed clean food and the woman had left in a huff.

At the end of those two weeks, however, Willow felt fine and so demanded discharge. Rose had attempted to prevent this, claiming she would have to do a check to determine this.

At this Willow had stared her down. “If you think I will ever allow you to touch my body then I may as well die because I will never leave this room.”

Rose had been forced to relent, disappointed that she had been able to get Willow to open up to her.

Willow suspected Rose had been ordered to gather as much information about her as she could, by getting close to her. In all honesty, it shouldn't have been that surprising but after the Betrayer's failure at this tactic she wondered at them trying it again. Maybe they thought she might talk to a woman her own age, but either way it had been unsuccessful.

When she was discharged, Willow decided to test this theory and said “You should be overjoyed. No longer reporting to your higher up's that the girl's too stubborn for you.” Rose had flinched and turned red.

Willow knew she was right.