There is a minstrel, a handsome minstrel,

He strides into town, his lyre a-playing,

The yokels at the tarvens, the old and the young,

They sing a rowdy, their minds a-straying.

Night falls, and the minstrel's lyre,

Enchant the children of ol' Watersway.

O minstrel, handsome minstrel,

Over the walls and into the woods, lead the children,

The bullies, the naughty, the crybabies all,

Moribund, Moribund, they are off to the pyre.

The Minstrel of Watersway, a children's rhyme.

Galdis knew pride. Until moments ago Galdis had pride. Now, however, as he gazed morosely at the collapsed rubble that had been the portal room, the aegis that was his pride had more than a few cracks.

No, that was an underestimation. His pride was in itty bitty pieces. The Xerdian princess had given it a rather good stomping and it had shattered underneath her heels like glass.

A fellbeast approached and Galdis gave it a glare while rubbing at the fang he had been given simultaneously. The twisted creature cowered immediately and slunk back, terrified.

Galdis gritted his teeth and turned, watching as his subordinates dug through the ruin in a bid to find the princess. Alive preferably. Truth be told, it was all her fault. That girl had been impossible. Yes, the Rantiavums were known to be eccentric, but Ellen was not just eccentric - she was absolutely insane; suicidally so.

His heart had done a dozen plus flips when she'd jumped from the battlements at the Candor residence. It had been a twenty foot drop! Who braved that? The rational decision should have been to stop and accept being taken in. In contrast, Ellen had taken a look about her and instantly jumped off the parapet like it was the most obvious course of action. It made no sense; she made no sense.

When he had first met her at Xerdes, she had seemed like a responsible, if a bit free spirited, young lady. Now, Galdis had realised she was just a nutcase; an aberration; a realmsdamned menace.

Her leap from the battlements had clued him in, but it was the chase about the city lord's manor that cemented her impression as a mentally compromised little imp in his mind.

Thirteen grown men had chased her down, half of them air manipulators . Half of them as agile, if not more so, than the Maeser. And yet she had not been caught. She had not been faster than them, of course, but she had been horrifically suicidal in her methods.

She had cut herself upon the blades of her pursuers, squeezed through incredibly tight spaces, dove into hedges of bramble and thorns, and more than once leapt across terribly large distances. Many atimes her attempts to cross certain gaps with but a trifling regard for distance led to her plummeting from rather daunting heights; and yet she did so again and again like she expected a different outcome. It was sheer insanity.

Compared to her pursuers, the princess was rather petite, but by the gods she scared them something fierce. Watching the stunts she pulled scared Galdis. And it certainly did have him tone down the intensity of the chase.

For one, none of them were willing to dive into a bed of thorns after her. Secondly, they needed her alive. Not dead because she bashed her head against a pillar which, mind, she had slammed into more than once. Thirdly, so long as she was not allowed to enter the portal room they would catch her when she eventually tired. So they had simply blockaded her way to the portal and put in token effort in actually hounding her. And for a while, it had worked. Ellen had been kept sufficiently occupied, though now Galdis suspected that she had simply been playing their game of her own volition.

Once the other Maesers and her companion had made it into the portal room, the princess had gone absolutely feral. She laughed in the face of their blades, pushing past them and daring them to hurt her. They did not, of course, and she had rushed at the building with single minded focus, unheeding of anything in her path.

They had chased after her, eventually managing to block her path atop one of the taller buildings, and she'd had to struggle against the very wind for every step forward. They had intended to blow her off the roof and someone had been set to catch her when she fell. There was no way forward for her, and yet for the umpteenth time that night she looked at the assembled people and grinned like a fool. Then she'd let herself get swept away and fell. But not into the waiting arms of her captor. A small boost of air had her crashing into the window of the portal room as the ceiling came down.

Galdis felt his injury throb painfully. The Maeser couldn't have reached the portal, so it meant she had been buried underneath the rubble and was dead.

The man sighed. Everything had been going awry since night fell. For one, those who had taken refuge in Candor manor should have either been turned, or fueled the growth of the scourged. Thankfully, the plan for the other holdouts had gone rather splendidly, and all of them had joined the numbers of razatches and fellbeasts prowling the island.

Galdis gritted his teeth in frustration. He was no gambler, but if he had to take a side, he would bet Ellen was the sole reason their plans for House Candor had encountered a hiccup; the girl was that much of an aberration. The question, however, was how. How had she found out there were razatches gathered beyond the walls?

He had written off Ellen as a problem after he incapacitated her with the drug and it irked that she had proved herself this much of a nuisance. And in the drug lay the lynchpin to all his woes. Ellen should have slept for at the very least a full day. As it were, she'd just had a good night's sleep and woke up spirited.

Galdis sighed and whistled for his subordinates.

"The girl is dead," he declared as they gathered about him. "Let's get going. There are other things that need doing."

As he strode away from the wreckage, he wondered how their ally would react. He had stressed repeatedly that he wanted Ellen safely seen off, after all.

Aside from that, Galdis got ready to be flayed alive by his father.

......

She gasped awake, every part of her in protesting in pain. She stifled a whimper, curling into herself, seeking to find some form of comfort. Breathing slowly, inhaling the dust in the air, tasting it at the back of her tongue. Whispered words floated into her ears and she turned about in the darkness to face its source.

"Who's there?" She croaked, her voice little more than a whisper.

The voices paused and after a while, someone laughed. A hand reached out to her face, prodding her cheeks, and almost poking into her left eye.

"Cut it out," she growled, slapping the hand away.

The person laughed again.

"Ellen's alive. She's going to use up air too so maybe we have ten or so hours before dying from asphyxiation," the person stated, sounding despondent yet mirthful.

It was a familiar voice.

"Valerina?" Ellen called.

"Yes?" the girl replied, sounding amused.

Ellen felt about her and came upon what could, generously, be called a wall. She pulled herself into a sitting position against the wall and sighed.

Someone snorted in laughter and Ellen's gaze snapped to the side.

"Gabriel," she stated.

The boy continued to laugh.

"Something funny?" Ellen snapped at him, trying her best to make out his figure in the darkness.

"You have something on your face," he stated.

"What?"

"I said; there's something on your face."

Ellen's hand shot to her face.

"Where?" She asked. Something light brushed against her skin and she rethought the question. "No, rather, what is it?"

"A centipede," Gabriel replied.

"Ew, ew, what the heck? Get it off! Get off!" She scrubbed at her face, and then at her hair when she could not find the abominable insect.

"It's fallen to your dress," Gabriel supplied helpfully.

Ellen screamed and patted down her dress quickly, kicking with her legs as well.

"It's around your shoulder now." Gabriel was still struggling to hold back his laugh and Ellen found it abominable as she quickly devolved into a cursing, scratching mess.

"Ellen," Gabriel called moments later.

"Ellen," he called again when she refused to answer.

"What?!" She snapped at him, still trying to find the insect. "Is it gone?"

"Ellen, I can't see in the dark."

"What?"

The princess slowed, then blinked as the implications of his words sank in.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"But I felt something..." She insisted weakly.

"That was me," Valerina said, snorting with laughter.

"Why you..." Ellen began before cutting off and balling her fists in anger. Valerina and Gabriel burst into laughter and she picked up pieces of stone from the ground and began throwing it in their general direction. "Damn you lot! Nether take you!"

One of the stones struck metal and Valerina quickly shuffled forward to grab Ellen.

"Don't... don't throw stones," she said, still wheezing with laughter. "Alver's impromptu lance is the only thing stopping the wreckage above from crushing us. It is a delicate balance. Don't move it."

Ellen's eyes narrowed in a glare which did nothing to stop Valerina's laughter, and she released the stones in her hands. Moving in anyway hurt, so she might as well let them off.

"What happened?" She sniffed. "Where are we?"

"Beneath the wreckage of the portal room," Valerina responded, still snorting in laughter. Ellen's finger twitched but she held herself back. "Prince Alver's lance is the only thing keeping the rubble above from coming down on our heads."

Ellen sighed. She had seen Camilla within the portal when she crashed through the window so she was most likely gone. Ellen yawned and stretched out as much as she was able. The various injuries she had picked up over the day stung but thankfully there did not seem to be a bone out of place.

"Damn. So we're stuck here?" The princess murmured.

A continuous thumping sound came from the wall to her right and she perked up. A small pile of stone was pushed aside and a hand broke through the space. It swung about for a while, trying futilely to push at the surrounding rubble. The rubble did not move and the hand flopped down tiredly.

"Help?" Voscov called from the other side.

For a drawn out moment no one moved. Then, eventually, Ellen nudged Valerina, and gestured at the area with her chin.

"Go help him."

"No," Valerina stated flatly. "Gabriel? Help a fellow Maeser out?"

"No," Gabriel replied instantly. "I'm too wrung out for it. Ellen should be able to handle it well enough."

"I'm tired," Ellen countered, a grin splitting her lips, and returned to watching the silhouette of Voscov's arm. "How long do you reckon he has to live?"

"I am dying as we speak," Voscov said drily.

"I doubt that," said Valerina. "The cadence of your speech is still the same."

Voscov's arm moved slightly but he didn't reply.

"Since he's going to die anyway, there's no need to let him take precious air, is there?" Ellen asked earnestly. "I say we kill him off before he can take more."

"Alright," Gabriel intoned as though he had been waiting just for that statement. "Those in favor of killing Voscov now, indicate."

"Aye," Valerina said immediately, a grin in her voice.

"Aye," Ellen echoed.

"A unanimous vote, then. I am truly sorry Voscov but unfortunately you have no friends here."

"I can make a radiant crystal," Voscov said.

The other three paused, considering. But they were yet to get a real rise out of him which was their true goal, and so Gabriel said:

"Light or no, it doesn't matter when we would be dying in a few hours or so. But let us make it a vote in the spirit of fairness. Light or air; which do we prioritise?"

"I have a very potent healing ointment with me," Voscov said before any of the girls could speak. No one spoke and Voscov continued; "since I would be dying anyway, I might as well go through miss Valerina's bag. I do desire to perish with its content."

"Don't you dare!" Valerina all but roared.

"A dying man has an excess of bravery," Voscov retorted drolly.

"Fine! I'll help!" Valerina huffed and went silent, but Ellen managed to make out her silhouette turning to gaze at her.

"I'm not helping," Ellen said before the girl could speak.

"Why not?!" Valerina demanded in a whine.

"I am tired, and everything hurts."

"Well, it won't hurt for much longer," Valerina tried to reason.

"That is because I am not going to be alive much longer," Ellen said flatly.

"Oh, damn you," Valerina cursed. "Just agree would you?"

Ellen was about to speak when Valerina dove at her, sending the both of them sprawling. She pushed back and they turned and tussled for a while, Valerina swearing and Ellen cursing back at her with as much vitriol as she could manage.

They caused little ruckus, the both of them being tired and hurt, but in little time Valerina came out on top, pinning Ellen's hands to the ground and claiming a seat atop the Maeser's head.

"Get off me!" Ellen yelled.

"Just bloody help, would you?" Valerina asked, sounding irritated.

"He got you to care, and not me. This isn't fair!"

"Well, I'm not interested in playing fair," Valerina retorted. "You can't possibly expect me to dig away at stone alone, do you? Sorry but I am not one whit ready to do so."

"Then what about Gabriel then? He's a man - and clearly a better choice!" Ellen sputtered in indignation.

"Hey, hey. Leave being a man out of this," Gabriel said immediately. "And besides, my leg is stuck beneath a truss or something of that manner."

"Then we'd both stay here then," Ellen said stubbornly.

Valerina bit her lips, trying to figure out how to get the girl to co-operate. At this point, Ellen was just being stubborn for the sake of it. What could she give the Maeser to make her willing to help?

"I am dying as yo-"

"Suck it," Valerina snapped at Voscov. They all knew that he was not dying any more than the three of them were.

"How about this," Valerina began, addressing Ellen who was beneath her. "There's a healing ointment in the bag. You would get priority in using it if you help out."

Ellen seemed to ponder over the offer and eventually gave in with a resigned groan. Valerina got off her and they both pulled themselves to their feet and stumbled toward Voscov.

Ellen fell to her knees before the opening and slapped the limp arm. "Get this thing out of here," she said. "And don't touch my ointment, you socially inept dumbass."

"It's my ointment, not yours," Valerina corrected as she knelt beside Ellen.

"Semantics," Ellen replied, waving at her dismissively and beginning to pry the rocks around the hole free. Valerina joined her and in a few minutes they had widened the hole enough that Voscov was able to fit his shoulders through. The prince passed Valerina her satchel and began to squeeze through the opening. Ellen and Valerina helped pull him through, leaving them panting at the end of it.

"Voscov," Gabriel called as the prince got settled. "There's something on your face."

The prince silently pondered his words, then replied: "It is currently dark and I am not the type stupid enough to fall for such an obvious lie."

Somehow Ellen felt insulted.

Voscov ruffled through his clothes and pulled out a small crystal. He cradled it, gently feeding his manipulation into it. A soft orange light bloomed, spreading through out the pocket of space and chasing the darkness into the crevices and corners.

"That's better," Ellen sighed. She glanced about and spotted Gabriel relaxing leisurely against a slab of marble, his legs folded one underneath the other with a hand cradling his knee. His lips were quirked in a small smile that got under Ellen's skin.

"You lied!" Ellen exclaimed suddenly, jabbing an accusing finger at him. "Your leg is underneath no truss!"

Gabriel considered lying - he truly did - but in the end decided that appeasing Ellen was rather very low on his priority list. So instead he raised a brow and said; "Bite me."

For a moment Ellen glared at him, equal part spiteful and incredulous. Gabriel returned her glare and they entered into something of a staring contest. She gave up first, disregarded Gabriel's snicker, and flopped onto her back tiredly.

"So, how much time do we have?" She asked wearily.

"Hours," Valerina replied as she riffled through her satchel.

There was a slight lull as the statement sank in, then Ellen snorted with laughter. She realised why Gabriel was smiling - and why Valerina had burst into laughter when she'd realised Ellen had survived.

"Funny, isn't it?" Gabriel asked.

"Weirdly enough, yes," Ellen replied, barely holding back another snort.

"What is it that you find funny?" Voscov asked.

"Oh, it's just... well. We are all going to die even after everything we'd done." Ellen propped herself up on her arms, her head lolling back to stare at the ceiling overhead. "I did some crazy things to get here," she muttered.

"In what way is that funny?"

"It's not. But what else am I to do? Cry?" She glanced at the taciturn prince from the corner of her eye, shooting him a melancholic grin.

Valerina chucked the jar of healing salve at Ellen and it struck her elbow, making her recoil in pain.

"Watch it, Val," she hissed.

"I don't care enough to," Valerina replied blandly. "Get those on your wounds and perhaps you would be able to survive a few more minutes."

Ellen picked up the jar and tentatively began applying it over the countless bruises, cuts and abrasions littering her body.

A comfortable silence enveloped them, broken occasionally by Ellen's hisses of pain. It took quite a bit of time but eventually she was done and passed the jar - now half empty - to Voscov. The nasty opening running across his belly was open, the bandage over it soaked and spilling thin rivulets of blood.

Voscov thumbed the jar and looked at Valerina.

"Help?" He asked.

Valerina sighed, pulled out a roll of bandages and trudged over to him. As she fixed up his wound, she glanced curiously at Ellen who seemed to be setting herself up to doze off.

"How did you come to have so many injuries?" She asked the silverhead. From what Valerina could see, none of the litany of injuries Ellen had were fatal or debilitating in any way. They could develop into something more if not properly treated, but were not immediately urgent, which was... weird. She had seen Ellen fight, and nothing about it was safe or particularly skillful.

So, perhaps, what she actually wanted to ask was how Ellen had no deep wounds despite the things she'd down.

"She's just incredibly lucky," Gabriel spoke.

"No, I was not lucky. I simply made the best judgement at all points," Ellen corrected him.

"Jumping from a twenty foot tall wall is never the best option. It is referred to as attempted suicide," Gabriel shot back.

"Wait. She jumped from a twenty foot... what?" Valerina asked, dumbfounded.

"A wall. It was just a wall," Ellen defended. Even she was aware that jumping had not been the best of ideas it seemed.

"A very tall wall."

"How did she survive that?!" Valerina asked Gabriel, surprise evident in her tone.

"She caught herself on a window on the perpendicular wall. So she did not jump down the whole twenty feet but about ten instead."

"What in the realms... Ellen, you're nuts."

"No, no. See, it was a completely rational decision..."

"I always have suspected that she was mentally challenged," Voscov added quietly.

"Don't you start!" Ellen snapped at him.

"I am already done," Voscov pointed out. "Do you realize my point? Mentally challenged."

Gabriel and Valerina laughed , and Ellen accepted her defeat and withdrew grudgingly.

The hours passed. They told a few stories, complained endlessly about the unfairness of everything, and finally fell silent when the air thinned and they began to struggle with breathing. It truly began to sink in that they would be dying, and for the most part, they were resigned to it. But that was for the most part.

Gabriel, for one, was not yet resigned to his impending fate. He contemplated releasing the first of the shackles he had placed upon himself. It would have less than satisfactory consequences, but dead people did not get to deal with consequences. He glanced about him, playing out how things would go in his head. If he did not want to kill those with him, he would have to wait until they fell unconscious before acting. However there was no guarantee they would succumb before he did.

While that could be worked around, however, Vit needed to be in better shape before he unleashed the shackle. He could force it, but he would rather not. And unleashing the shackle did not guarantee he would be able to escape.

"Gabriel," Ellen coughed, getting the boy's attention. "Do you have any idea which side is less clogged by wreckage?"

Gabriel's mind spun. What did she want with that information? To try a way out? But sheer air manipulation was unable to move the mountain of rock and marble in their way.

Regardless, he pointed silently to a corner - the same place he had intended to burst through when he unleashed the shackle.

"It is still heavily blocked even so," he cautioned.

Ellen nodded with a smile.

"I just wanted to know." She got to her feet, wobbling slightly due to vertigo. Everyone's eyes followed her as she walked over to the area Gabriel had pointed out.

"What are you planning to do?" Valerina asked, sounding tired and unwilling to put up with any sort of nonsense.

Ellen disregarded her question as she came to stop beneath the rubble.

"You know guys, I don't quite believe in destiny. But there are some things that are inevitable - take death for example. And so it is okay to die. But..." Her gaze travelled up the wall of crushed marble and stone. "...aside from why you die, how you die matters too. And I am not going to die due to asphyxiation." She laughed. "Not in a thousand years."

Air pellets warped into existence around her, bigger than any they had witnessed before, drawing air currents from around the chamber into themselves with wild abandon. The others began to raise a clamour but Ellen disregarded them.

"Not in a thousand years," she murmured, and her manipulation snapped forward.

Her pellets whistled onward with a shrill wail, and Ellen gazed upward at the wreckage of marble and stone and mortar... and she laughed in its face.