ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ᴍɪɴᴅ; ᴀ sᴍᴀʟʟ ɢʀᴏᴜᴘ ᴊᴜᴍᴘ ɪɴ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏ?

As they ascended the second and third flight of stairs, Ginger kept her eyes on everything around, committing everything to memory. It was always smart to know who to get out of new a place, in case the need arose. Of course she knew full well that if for some reason she did need to make a break for it that she wouldn't even make it to the first floor. She was fast, but Cheshire and every other gang member in the place were faster and more knowledgeable about the layout of the building. If they decided they wanted to kill her, she would be dead and that was that. The thought didn't scare her as much as it really should have. Just hours ago she was worried sick that her kidnappers would kill her but now that she was here and could literally taste her freedom, she knew that death was the not the worst thing that could happen to her. No, the worst would have to be returning to the nightmare that she just woke up from and seeing people die around her while she was forced to stay alive. She would be married off to Prince Detrick or maybe even that old King from the kingdom of Insha (just thinking about marrying either of them make her want to vomit),  and watch all their people die in front of her and be a model citizen and bare their children and- Ginger shook her head to keep her from dwelling on those thoughts. They only served to depress. 

She hummed in response to Cheshire musings and sent another prayer up to gods for Sidra, asking them to place protection around the girl. She followed him down the quiet hallway, keeping her steps light and her breathing even. While this place seemed like it could serve as a home for someone in need, it unnerved Ginger in a way she didn't like. It was too quiet and too still. It was like someone could reach out and grab her at any moment. She kept a little closer to her guide until they reached their destination. The first thing she noticed as the door swung open  was the red. So much red. She didn't like the red as scarlet was the color of blood and anger. She had seen to much of that color and her life time and she sure that Cheshire had as well, which made her wonder if he like the blood or if red was just his favorite color. She didn't have a single red dress or a speck of the color in any of her room's decorations. Her suite was her sanctuary and she wouldn't have it tainted by remainders of blood and gore and violence. She gulped slightly but entered anyways, keeping her gaze on the walls or the boy that was in the room. She smiled at him softly and flinched when he was yelled at by Cheshire. A scowl formed on her face and pity for the body washed over her. What had he done to deserve that kind of verbal lashing? She watched him fly past her with angry eyes and when he was out of the room, the door shutting behind him, she turned to Cheshire and glared. How rude of him. She didn't care if that was how things worked here or not, but the boy had not deserved what Cheshire had just given him. Despite wanted to snap back at him on the young boy's behalf, she kept her mouth shut and instead let her eyes to the talking for her. When the young man came back in with her clothes - oh thanks the gods, he brought her trousers- she smiled at him once again but this time more brightly, her green eyes warm, "Thank you."

She didn't move to take the clothes however until she knew that he was gone. She turned her gaze back to Cheshire who was sitting in a red chair (gosh the red was driving her up a wall) and frowned at him, but not out of anger this time. It was instead disappointment. She opened her mouth to speak her mind but then shut it. It wasn't worth it. She had to pick her battles and this one was not worth fighting. Sure it nagged her that the boy had been mistreated, but despite reprimanding the Black Raven in front of her, there was nothing she could do. She needed to toughen up anyways. Instead of that she smiled tightly and dipped her head a little to the side, the bundle of clothes heavy and warm in her arms, "They are perfectly fine Cheshire. Thank you. For everything." She squeezed the bundle of clothes to her chest as she stood there, not really sure of what to do now. Did he need to dismiss her or should she just leave? She didn't really know where to go even if she could just leave the room. She chewed on her lip lightly, waiting.

---

The ride had been a long one, since he could only go so fast with that criminal tied to his saddle. It had been a long one but a fairly easy one. She hadn't caused any issues and Bhan was beginning to think that his host of guards would make it back with no interruptions. Of course, she had to wait to start something until the King was watching. The Captain felt the tug on the saddle but didn't see her fall and one dismissed it was her trying to yank on the bonds a little. When the pulling persisted and he started to slip off, he was forced to look down at that treacherous vermin and snarled. She was trying to pull him off his darn horse. One was last was all it took for him to fall a little to far and it was only thanks to his quick reflexes that he laded on the ground on his feet and not his side. The moment that he was off his horse he spun on her and whipped the back of his hand across her cheek. He went red in the face and grabbed her by the hair, forcing her to look at him from where she was on the ground, "I should kill you for that."

But he couldn't because she had important information about Ginger. He released her (more like threw her head back) and turned back to his steed, tightening the straps and making sure that it would slip again. He mounted the horse and once again took off at a brisk pace, closing the little distance between his host and the King.

The princess was reluctant at first to leave the room, but the red everywhere was beginning to make her slightly twitching. So, Ginger walked lightly over to the door that Cheshire had pointed towards, eager to escape from his presence for a few minutes. He himself wasn't the issue- despite the fact that she still wasn't that happy with him for yelling- it was more of the fact that she was tired and annoyed with everything. Her brain needed a rest from interaction. She entered the private washroom and almost cried when she say that red was everywhere just like the office. She shut the door behind her and rubbed her eyes harshly, feeling stupid for her sensitivity. She took a deep breath and told herself that she was fine before opening her eyes and undressing quickly. She slid the silk nightgown over her shoulders, throwing it in a lump on the floor. The white blouse was on before she could blink, followed by the soft and comfortable trousers. The boots went on soon after she had yanked off those bandages that Sidra had put on her. She moaned in delight as she buttoned up the black vest, "Much better." Who knew that just changing clothes could improve her mood so much? She took the time to utilize the washroom to its fullest while she was inside and was just about done letting the water from the basin rinse over her hands when she heard a door bang and then... more shouting. Was that the only way they knew how to communicate here, by shouting? She muscle in her jaw twitched at the sound of a foreign man and Cheshire locked in a shouting match. She shook the water from her hands and gathered up the coat and nightgown off the floor, debating about whether or not she wanted to show her face at the moment. She might be killed for just being in the room. But then again, she couldn't hide in a washroom forever. Might as well get the introductions out of the way because death would come either way.

She pushed open the door when their voices quieted (she still had some sense of self-preservation) and kept her chin tilted towards the floor. This was not the time to show off her status. This was their territory and they were the bosses in this situation. She took in the other man quickly, his neat bread and the gruffness behind her words and actions along with his size, before allowing her eyes to go back to the floor. She swallowed and pulled the lump of dirty clothes to her chest as if they were a shield for her. The air was tense and she could tell that by her walking out of the washroom she had made it even more tense. Ginger dipped her head slightly and looked back up towards the two men with steady green eyes, "Am I interrupting?" Her voice was polite but also full of the knowledge that yes, she most defiantly was interrupting a conversation that had partially been about her.

Ginger had heard her parents and the servants talking about her many, many times as she had heard them talk about her brothers too. She was used to the fact that being a royal meant that people talked about you endlessly and most of the time, the things they had to say were not pretty and down right awful. However, she still didn't like being the subject of talk, even if the conversation was harmless. The princess bit her lip.

---

Bhan didn't let his mask slip as the King looked at him. Showing anger was never good when he was dealing with his sovereign so he put on a face of cool disinterest towards Sidra, even though he speaking to him that way in front of the King made his blood boil. The Captain snapped an order to one of the guards for Sidra to be taken away for questioning, "Use whether means necessary." But don't kill her, was the unspoken message and the guard saluted him before dragging the girl away to the room where her nightmares would begin. He was happy to see her go.

It was only after Sidra was out of sight that he reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew the crumpled up piece of paper, then held it out to the King, "Your Highness, her companion left this at Dr. Finnley's in the next town over. It appears to be a ransom note." He wanted the King to read it himself instead of just telling him about it. He knew that the man cared for his daughter... well at least in some weird, messed up way. What father showed his love by forcing their daughter to watch brutal murders? But it didn't change the fact that the man seemed to truly be concerned for Ginger. He had been irate when he had found out that she was missing and had spared no expense in getting her back. It was better then the Queen who had just gone about business as usual as if Ginger had never existed in the first place. 

(Yeah they are! I am still getting the hang of it though.)

"Nice to meet you Edward," her manners were showing. She probably shouldn't be that polite since Cheshire had said that he had found her in a fighting ring. However, Ginger smiled at the large man when he mentioned food, thanking the gods for the man right then. Her stomach felt like it was going eat itself and she so when she heard that soup was coming to her in a few moments... she couldn't keep the grin of gratitude off her face. Edward was probably her favorite person at the moment. When the man left, clicking the door shut behind him, she strolled over to one of the dark colored couches and sank into the soft cushions, "He seems like a nice man." She folded her hands in her lap from habit but she allowed herself to slouch. Her mother would have her hide for sitting so casually and unlady-like, but she couldn't really be bothered to care. All her mother cared about was reputation and Ginger knew that she didn't give a rip about her or anyone else in her family, least of all her father. It struck her that the Queen wasn't even missing her eldest daughter and was most likely rejoicing because one more person was out of her long, brown hair. Anyways... she had to strain to hear Cheshire's last words and even though she wanted to grin and call out  huge thank you to him, she just couldn't. The thoughts about her mother had hurt more then they really should have. The best she could do was a slight twitch of her lips, "Anything will be fine. I don't need much."

It was true; she didn't need all that she had in the palace. She would say that she needed a bed but that just wasn't true either; she only wanted a bed. All she really needed was a blanket, a warm room, and food and water. She didn't say much until the door opened and Thomas set their soup and tea down on the table, her mouth watering at the smell. Before the boy had left the room, the bowl was already in one hand while the spoon was in the other. After taking a deep breath and blowing on the thick golden colored broth, she lifted the spoon to her mouth, her stomach growling as she did. She moaned by the burst of flavor on her tongue and didn't hesitate in dipping her spoon for some more. Maybe it was just because she was hungry but this was one of the finest tasting soups that she had ever had. The princess was still shoving the warm broth into her mouth when Cheshire addressed her. She set the almost empty bowl back on the table and picked up the smaller cup of tea instead. She waited for a moment to respond to him, crafting her response in her head, "I was just thinking about how the lie you told was probably the most awkward lies that I have ever heard."

Ginger's eyes sparkled with mischief and none of the anger or disappointment from earlier. She was going to speak her mind about the way he had treated the help but when she saw the way that he had spoken to Thomas, in a calm and quiet manner, she realized that she didn't need to. He was well aware of his actions and saying anything would just make things harder for both of them. So instead of scolding of him, she had commented on the awkward way he had introduced her, "A coin counter huh?" It would have been so much easier for him to just say that she was a lover or maybe even a new servant. She smiled lightly and lifted the tea cup to her lips. It was every bit as delicious as the soup. She would have to find whoever made the food and tea and give them her gratitude and praises. With a full belly and warm clothes, she was feeling brave, "Why didn't you tell him who I was? They will find out sooner or later." If she knew any better, that man Edward would be the first to finally recognize her or figure out who she was through some mean. She sighed. He should have told them that they were romantically involved. It would have made everything easier as no one would be willing to look into a random women. Now everyone would be curious as to who this lady that was found in the fighting rings was. She took another sip of her tea, letting the hot liquid burn down her throat and settle into her stomach comfortably.

Bhan stood stock still as the King read the piece of paper, forcing himself to breathe evenly and deeply. Then, after his orders were made clear, he saluted his sovereign and bowed hastily , "Yes, Your Highness." He turned on his heels swiftly, marching away towards the dungeons, a smile forming on his face. It didn't matter that Ginger had left with them willingly, she was still gone and with a horrible, snobbish criminal that could get his princess killed in a moment. Then there was that whole thing about cutting her fingers (Ginger's flawless, beautiful fingers) or keeping her if the King was to refuse.

Over his dead body.

A muscled jerked in his jaw and his steps became heavier. He had been down this way many, many times but never had he come here... excited for what was about to happen. Normally he hated the act of torture, leaving the vile acts to the guards that were good at them. However, today was different. Today he was going to let his anger be released upon this female criminal because she knew where his Ginger was. He descended the stairs quickly and swept past the dark cells that were mostly emptied from yesterday's trials. He could hear the sound of the chains clinking together even before he entered the room and his scowl deepened. The guards looked up as he entered, "Is everything ready?" He kept his gaze from the girl on the floor who was already chained heavily and instead inspected every knife and chamber in the space.  

Ginger's left canine dug into the tender flesh of her bottom lip in an effort to keep the smile off her face, but it didn't work. She shook her head at the older man, "You should have just told Edward that we were romantically involved. That way there would be no questions asked." Her smile broadened at the topic. She knew that he had thought about it and had most likely avoided the conversation. Cheshire was usually so hard to get a read on and even now he was doing a good job of hiding the fact that this was awkward for him; however, the teasing edge of his voice, the sigh, and even the little, almost undetectable shift of his body was all enough to make her believe that he knew just what she would have told Edwards. Did this kind of topic make him uncomfortable or was she just imagining all of this? It could be speculation, but she didn't think it was. Out of mercy however she didn't say anything more about the whole 'romantic partner' thing and pressed herself into the plush cushions that seemed to shallow her whole, "But I'll let you handle it." She didn't know if she could have faith in him yet because faith required some level of trust and Ginger didn't feel as if she could put much trust into him just yet. It was too early to tell whether or not him, or anyone here, was trustworthy. Nevertheless, she did know that he would try to make this work out because it benefited him and the Black Ravens. The only one that this didn't seem to help in the long run was her. Sure, she would have a few days away from the castle and experience more freedom then she would for the rest of her life, but she was still expected to go back. This was only a dream; a wonderful, short lived dream.

The princess's eyes trailed Cheshire as he stood and moved about, mentioning the girl that they had indeed left behind and that should have been here by now. Deep down Ginger knew that she probably wasn't going to be strolling through those doors. This didn't keep her from hoping though. Once more, as if it would do anything, she offered a prayer to the gods to keep Sidra strong... and alive. There was no telling what her father would do to her in order to have even a sliver of information, "She'll come." She didn't feel like commenting on her father and the demands that Cheshire had laid out for him. That was something she didn't want to think about much. Would she ever be free from him? Her grin was gone in a moment at his question. One of her fingers found a frayed spot in the cushion and she tugged at it out of nervousness, making the seams pop and rip further. She stared up at him for a solid minute before she opened her mouth to respond.

"I thought it was obvious," she paused to swallow. She could just end the conversation there. She knew that it was the question of the hour and that Cheshire was immensely curious. He almost had a right to know at this point because they were in this mess because of her and her few minutes of dress up. Yes, dress up. She wore a costume and went played a very real game with very real people. It hadn't felt like that at all to Ginger but she could see where Bhan and her father and Cheshire were coming from. She turned her eyes to the ground and forced a small smile onto her lips, "The first time that I ever saw a fighting ring, I was with Bhan. I had... snuck out of the castle and was just wondering around town when he found me in a small restaurant. He had been doing a patrol as he wasn't Captain yet and was shocked to see me there." She laughed slightly, remembering the look on his face, "I told him I wasn't going back after a long conversation and I- I don't really know what he was thinking, I guess he was trying to scare me from every leaving the castle again, but he took me to the slums. Actually he took me to a fighting ring that was about to be busted the next day. I expected the blood and the screaming, but I didn't expect one of the fighters to be smiling." She scooted up in the couch, the smile turning into a slight smirk, "He looked right at me in the crowd, smiled and then punched the other guy so hard teeth fell out of his mouth. It was shocking but... it was foreign and new and just so uncontrolled. You see, in the castle, my life is so micromanaged and scheduled that there is never a spontaneous or candid moment. I-I feel like a prisoner most of time and that moment watching the fight was the first time in my whole life that I got a glimpse of freedom." The smirk was whole blown on her face now, "I am the only one that decides whether I die or live in the ring. I have control over that. I don't do it because I think it's a game, I step into that ring to experience a freedom that I have never had and never will have."

As if she just realized that she had said all of that to a total stranger, her face burst into red and she sank back into the cushions even more. Gosh, she had just made a fool of herself in front of him. She picked up the cup of tea quickly and lifted it to her mouth, trying to hide her embarrassment.

Bhan circled the girl that was already bleeding from the wounds inflicted by the whip. He pursed his lips a little as if in thought, "She'll break." He was certain she would. No person was too tight lipped; eventually she would tell him where the other man was planning on taking Ginger. After a moment of silence and a twitch of his lips from her comment (he would have to keep that in mind for later), the Captain pulled one of the knives down from the wall, twirling it once. He squatted in front of her, the knife hanging from his hand, "On the note that your friend left us, he said that he would remove one of the princesses fingers for every extra person that came with the ransom. That's great and all but I think he made a mistake. It's not the fingers that he should be removing but instead the toes." He tapped the end of the knife against her shoe lightly, "I've heard that if you remove even one toe that it will affect your ability to walk. Did you know that?"

He stared at her with calm but angry blue eyes before tilting his head back to address one of the guards, "Smith, do you know how many have to go before she won't be able to walk ever again?" The guard named Smith smirked slightly but shook his head, "I don't sir." Bhan tapped her boot again before saying, "Then I guess we'll find out." He stood abruptly, "Take her shoe off."

Two of the guards moved to carry out the order, roughly pulling on the boot that was protecting Sidra's toes from Bhan's knife.

"Pretty much," Ginger mumbled in response to his question. In a nutshell, yes she had. Everything she had done up to this point was for freedom. That was all she ever wanted, a chance to be free and out from underneath her father's grasp. And now that her chance was here and in her lap, she was not going to let anyone take it from her. Not even her father. She blew on the cooling liquid in her cup, her face still beet red. Ah, she hadn't meant to reveal that much to this man who she had technically met yesterday. He probably hadn't wanted to hear her story that had turned into a speech. Her face turned a darker shade of crimson and she shyly looked up at him as he spoke, her curiosity getting the better of her. When the door burst open, she jumped violently, her cup tumbling out of her hands and onto the floor. She cursed when she saw the small amount of liquid that was still in the tea cup soak into plush red carpet. Bending down, she picked up the still intact china but there wasn't much she could do about the tea. She set the cup onto the small table in front of her before standing to her full height, which wasn't really that impressive. She was short standing next to normal sized men and some women so being beside someone like Edward make her looked like a child. Even standing next to Cheshire made her look small and he wasn't near the size of his companion. She winced a little at the loud voice that filled her ears. Why was everyone so loud all the time? Did they not have any volume control at all?

She almost sighed as Cheshire once again stuttered and grasped for a lie. They had just gone over this and he still couldn't think of anything. Ginger looked at the two men and made a snap decision for both her and Cheshire's sake. He could tell her how much he hated her for this later. She made a small clicking noise as if she was disappointed but not really, "Oh dear, it seems we have been caught." She faked an amused smile and moving over to where her kidnapper was, she pressed herself into his side. Ginger forced herself to look amused and not at all embarrassed by the fact of what she was about to say and do. Oh what she did for her freedom, "Pardon Dante, Mr. Edward he doesn't know how to approach this situation it seems." She stuck out her hand for him to shake it but wrapped her other arm around Cheshire's muscular bicep, "I'm Pepper, Dante's lover." She forced her eyes to shine with slight amusement by also with a tinge of shyness, "I hope you can forgive the lie, I wanted to lie low for at least today. I'm sure you can understand."

The other thing about this was the fact that she had to make this seem real and not staged, though she felt like she was doing an awful job. Edward would probably see right through it in an instant but she knew that she at least had to try. Hopefully this man was thick and wouldn't think too much about his friend picking up a random girl and bringing her back to his business. It was all Ginger had to offer at the moment and Cheshire sure wasn't going to help out. On another note, she felt bad for using his real name because she had seen how he had reacted to it but that was another element of realism. She gripped his arm softly and lightly rubbed her fingers across his skin. Was this overkill? She didn't really know anymore, but it was all she could do to not blush. 

The Captain scowled down at her harshly, "Shut up." Typically the only person he let call him by his name was Ginger and his family, he didn't even really let his solider call him by name. Hearing Bhan come off of her lips so venomously was not unpleasant however, just odd... like he wouldn't want to hear it again purely out of principle. He ordered the guard with the broken nose to leave and have himself tended to. He didn't need anyone else's blood by hers on the floor and he didn't want to hear about it for the rest of the time. The two remaining guards looked amused at the companion's dismissal and snickered quietly to themselves. Bhan ignored them and went back to Sidra, "Shall we begin or do you want to tell us anything?" He grabbed her ankle in his strong grip and touch the tip to her big toe, "I think this one will be first."

The other guard kept her from struggling, tightening the chains and holding down her other leg while he was focused on the one foot. If she thought that he wouldn't do it, then she was sadly mistaken. He was so angry right now that he felt like he could dissect her and hang her by her own inners. He scowled at the thought though as it was incredibly dark. He sank the tip into her flesh to make a point, blood welling from the small wound, but waited for her answer. He knew what it would be but he had to wait nonetheless. If she decided to be a wise chicken then he wouldn't touch her; he wasn't that horrible.

XD)

Watching Cheshire stutter and try to keep up the act had got to have been one of the best things Ginger had ever seen in her lifetime. The amusement written on her face wasn't fake when Edward shook her hand. He seemed incredibly shocked by her confession as did the man that was supposedly courting her (she almost blew her cover when he said that because of the laugh that had threatened to bubble out of her mouth). She felt Cheshire tense under her touch and smirked. Oh yes, she would be holding his over his head until she went back in a few days. Who knew that the confident man in that she had thought would never loose his composure would unravel by a simple touch. It was only after she caressed his skin with her fingers that he relaxed. How odd. She kept the smile on her face and even released a small giggle when Edward bought the lie. She liked this man. For all this size and imposing presence, he really was a teddy bear, just like Cheshire had said earlier. She stayed silent as the two men talked, feeling as if she had done her part for the moment. She had started the lie and Cheshire was going to finish it out even though he seemed like he was going to have a heat stroke at any moment because of how red he was. The only moment that actually made a blush creep up the back of her neck was when Cheshire rubbed his fingers over her knuckles. She shivered slightly and bit her lip lightly as if she enjoyed the touch (which let's be honest, she did) and was simply amused by her Dante. Gosh, this was weird. Weird but surprisingly easy for her. She was a actor playing a part in one of the productions that she had seen in the theater. It was easy for her to slip into the role though she could tell that Cheshire was finding it incredibly difficult. Obviously, romance wasn't his strong suit.

Ginger leaned into his side when he curled his arm around her shoulders and she almost melted when he rubbed her arm lightly. For not really knowing what to do in such a situation, he seemed to know by instinct what would make her turn into putty. This was becoming dangerous. If she wasn't careful, she would confuse the lie with reality. Already she found her hip bumping into his just so she could be closer to him and she cursed herself for becoming distracted from the actual goal once more. He was just so distracting! She told herself that everything that was happening was just a lie and nothing else but it truly was hard to differentiate between reality and the part of Pepper, the women Dante Ludwig was courting.

She sighed so softly that only Cheshire could have heard it and waved to Edward as he left, the smile still on her face. When the door clicked shut, she knew the jig was up but she didn't pull away until he had withdrawn himself from her. She burst into laughter and went red in face, backing up from the man that she was now courting for the next few days. She put a hand over her mouth, trying to smother the laughter but not being very successful as the sound of her amusement still leaked out into the air. This was just too funny to her. The suave man that she had first seen at the harbors only yesterday was a blubbering mess in front of her, why wouldn't she laugh? When her laughter had turned into lights giggles, she whipped the tears of mirth from her eyes and said, "Indeed."

She let out another short laugh before crossing her arms over her chest, her eyes gleaming with pride, "I told you it would work." The high of pulling off something like that still lingered in her blood and she winked at him. Who knew that she had it in her? Defiantly not her. She figured that she would be the red hot mess and Cheshire would have been the confident one in a situation like this. Ginger smiled at him, her eyes twinkling with mischief, "We should have done that from the start." She turned her back to him a moment later to grab her cup of tea, when she remember that it had spilled all over the floor. She curse lightly at the stain that was appearing.

There is was again, his name. Bhan winced at the way she said it and sentence she had used it in. He didn't have to do this? Yes, yes he did because Ginger was out there somewhere, probably being hurt right now. She had always been clever and using a kidnapping as a way to leave the castle was just like her. But he had no way of knowing if she was safe or not. For all he knew, she was lying dead in a ditch somewhere. It didn't matter what that ransom note had said; he didn't trust that man as far as he could throw him. He pressed the tip deeper into her toe causing blood to spring up and trickle down her skin. He had to do this, he had to get her to talk. For Ginger's sake.

But he knew that this wasn't what she would have wanted. If she knew what he was doing and what was about to do, she would hate him forever. Pain expanded in his chest at the very thought of her turning away from him in disappointment. Bhan tightened the grip on his knife. Gosh, why did she do this to him? He hated that she left without him; she knew just how much he loathed this place as well. Why couldn't she have waited until he was ready? He would have taken her away in a heartbeat. No, he couldn't be selfish. All that mattered was that she was away from her murderous father and that she was safe. If this girl and her companion could keep her safe, then he would be fine.

A muscle in his jaw feathered and before he knew it, he withdrew the knife and stood to his feet. The guards looked up in surprise, "Sir?" He tossed the knife away and turned a strong gaze towards them, "Let her go." When the guards didn't move, he snapped loudly, "Let her go you dolts!" The two guards released Sidra quickly and stood.

"Leave." He waved his hand at them and they left reluctantly. One of them glanced back once to sneer at the girl as if he thought that she was going to get something horrible thrown at her. Bhan simply waited until the giant metal door shut behind them to talk. His face softened marginally at her, "Just... just tell me one thing girl. Is she safe?"

Ginger smoothed down the hair that Cheshire had rustled, the smile on her face only getting bigger. The fact that he was embarrassed was written all over his face. She snickered at him, feeling as if for once since she met him, she had the upper hand. She would have to remember that flirting was his weakness. What other things were his kryptonite? The princess was filled with the urge to find out. Dante Ludwig - oh wait she couldn't call him that in private- Cheshire, was an interesting man and the thought of getting to know him more warmed her insides in a comfortable way. Unlike the man in front of her, Ginger was more accustomed to these feelings as she had felt them before in some way, shape or form. She knew it wasn't something extreme like love, but instead a blooming friendship and maybe even a slight crush. She had felt those feelings when she had first met Bhan years ago. It was a desire to be something more then just acquaintances, to have inside jokes, and see him at his high and lows, anger and all. It wasn't until much later that she knew that she was in love with him, but it seemed like the gods were feeling particularly cruel when they brought her and the captain together as little ones. Bhan hadn't ever shown any signs of reciprocating her love and even if he had, Ginger had come to terms with the fact that she could ever have him. Sure he was technically a noble but he was also only a guard at the time. Not to mention the fact that her mother and father would be livid if she and Bhan had eloped or something crazy like that. They would have made sure he was dead before they even got out of the country. So, Ginger had given him up and had been going strong for over a year and a half. Sometimes she still thought about him and her heart ached but it was getting better. The love didn't go away however. Actually, it turned into a different type of love for him; one that cared for him but not in a romantic way anymore.  She liked to think she thought of him as a brother but her heart wasn't totally convinced by that just yet.

Even still, Cheshire's question made her blush profusely and she scowled at him. That had been a low blow, "I don't have a 'thing' for Bhan. Geez." If he had asked her that two years ago, she didn't know how she would have answered. Ginger sighed and rubbed her eyes, suddenly feeling very tired. The thought of going somewhere or doing anything was almost repulsive to her at the moment, but her curiosity must be satisfied. She listened to the list of the places she could go and hummed as she debated on where she wanted to go. Did she want to go the gambling hall or the library? Why are she even debating? Obviously, she wanted to down to the fighting rings because that was where her heart lie. She smiled up at him, swallowing a yawn, "The princess would like the beast to take her to the fighting rings please." Her eyes sparkled and she moved towards the door quickly, "I don't think you should keep me locked in here all day."

She opened the door without waiting her him to respond and quickly took on her role of Pepper again, smiling at him over her shoulder, "You coming?"

Bhan narrowed his eyes in response to the girl's command. Yes, she was correct that if they wasn't any evidence of him mutilating her to get information, then he would lose his job at best, be killed at worst. But she didn't really believe that he would risk himself or Ginger for her did she? Just because she had told him that  his princess was safe didn't mean that the anger had totally dissipated. He stared down at her, feeling quite conflicted on multiple levels. Ginger wouldn't want her to do this, but she wouldn't want Sidra harming herself either. He rubbed his eyes and groaned, "Can you just shut up for a moment? I need to think."

He couldn't give her the knife. He just couldn't. And despite how much he wanted to do it himself, he wouldn't be able to face Ginger when she saw that horrible phrase etched into her friends skin. However, if he didn't then that would only make matters worse for them both. He knew that some of the guards would not hesitate to inflict every kind of pain upon her and if the King had found out that he didn't do anything to her... his head would be on a spike within the hour. He sighed deeply and retrieved the knife from where he had thrown it. He was going to have to do it. He scowled at the girl and shook his head, "I need you to turn around and when I start, scream as loud as you can."

(I'm sorry that this is so short! DX)

Ginger laced her fingers through his, her palm warm against his, and put on her most relaxed smile as they entered the gambling halls. She wanted to seem as if she belonged here, that she knew what she was doing because if she didn't, the Black Ravens would eat her alive in a heartbeat. The gambling was booming with life, men and women alike calling out in joyful or angry voices. The atmosphere was the same as when she came into the building, warm, inviting, and the smell of ale in the air. She brushed a piece of hair away from her face as she looked around, but all to quickly Cheshire had ushered her away from the gambling halls and down the stairs to the fighting rings. As they descended the stair way, she looked up towards Cheshire and said, "I'll have to go play a few rounds tomorrow. It seems like fun." Some of her maids - yes her maids - had taught her how to play poker and some of the other games that were usually found in a gambling tavern and she was feeling lucky at the moment. Her mother had been appalled by the fact that she had learned how to play such "unsophisticated" games. Ginger had continued to play anyways. The men would probably never expect her to be good at the cards games (she had hustled her brother out of his money once) and she knew that if she played her cards right, she could win. 

They passed a few people on their way down and the glances towards them made her want to laugh. She was slowing piecing together the puzzle that was Cheshire. He just have never had a public relationship and even if he had before, it was long enough ago that seeing a women with him made people raise their eyebrows. Whenever someone let their gaze linger on them to long (especially if it was a woman), she would flash them a smile and inch closer to her fake boyfriend. All of them had smiled back at her as if they knew what she was trying to convey and moved on. Her acting plus the whole 'special guest' thing from Cheshire himself was keeping anyone from asking any questions just yet. But it was just the first day after all, she could be bombarded once she had been here for a few hours. She had already started coming up with a story in her head just in case anyone was to ask but she could cross that bridge when she got there. Ginger heard the fighting ring before she saw it. The sound of the fighters hitting each other and the noise from the onlookers was music to her ears and instantly the smile on her face got bigger. She didn't stray from Cheshire side, but when he moved to the back of the crowd she frowned and looked up at him with a pout, her eyes confused, "Why are we in the back? I can't see anything." She knew that she sounded whiney, but she hadn't asked him to bring her to the ring so they could stare at the head of the man in front of her. She knew that he didn't want to draw attention to themselves but she really wanted to see the fight. She sighed and returned her gaze back the ring, ready to give up, "Oh well. It's better then nothing I suppose." She couldn't see much but she could still hear the sound of the men's fist hitting their opponents flesh and every so often, if she stood on her tiptoes (gosh she hated being short), she would be able to see the punches connect and the blood fly from their mouths.

A wave of longing to be in the ring washed over her and she bit her lip. She hardly doubted that Cheshire would ever let her get back in there, not with the ongoing circumstances. It was too risky, but it didn't stop her from wanting to race to the front and slip under the ropes of the ring so she could fight. The ring called out to her as if it was where she belonged or as if she was addicted to the thrill; the blood rushing in her ears and the sense of weightless of her soul. Freedom. Unconsciously, she squeezed Cheshire's hand as she strained to see the ending of the fight, the man that she thought was going to loose coming out on top. She always loved a good underdog. A piece of black hair got in her eyes and she quickly brushed it away, enthralled by the scene in front of her. She gripped his hand harder.

--

Bhan frowned at her when she commented on his manners, "I don't need manners when I am talking to a criminal." Of course he had had lessons in etiquette but the only people that he really needed to display them to where the royal family (that was a given of course) and any other law abiding citizen of his kingdom. The girl in front of him did not deserve to be talked to politely and even if she did, it was a waste of time so he wasn't going to do it anyways. He took two steps towards her exposed back and in one quick motioned grabbed her shirt and tore through it with his knife. The sound of the material ripping was grating but he didn't allow himself to linger. Before he could change his mind he was pressing the sharpened tip into her skin and carving away.

He was almost like giving her a tattoo expect much more bloody and gruesome. The blood was everywhere, on his shirt and his hands and all down her back, making it almost impossible to see what he was doing. Bhan's stomach churned at the sight and he had to clench his jaw to get through it. Her pain must have been horrible and he was sure that she didn't have to fake her screams. He didn't take his time and tried to make it as painless and quick as possible, but he had to do a convincing job. It took him too long to crave the horrible words into the young lady's skin and when he was done, he dropped the knife that was being to be hot in his hand. He stepped away to survey his work, his eyes wide and his heart heavy.

Bless Beslow... He cursed violently and ran a blooded hand through his hair. How could anyone ever bless the place that would do this to someone and even worse things to other criminals. How would be ever face anyone after doing something like this? Why did he have to be so soft? She would have been better off to have her toes cut off; it would have been less degrading. Another curse left his mouth, the anger returning but this time directed towards himself the people that he had vowed to protect.

Ginger kept a tight grip on his hand as he pulled her through the crowd, not wanting to be separated from him here. She would be swept away and she was sure that no one would recognize her yet expect Edward so getting back to the third floor would be almost impossible. She was forced to take her eyes off the ring and she would have asked where they were going if she thought he could hear her. The cheers were only getting louder the further back they went, almost becoming deafening. She kept as close to her escort as possible and when they reached the ladder she raised an eyebrow at him, but ascended the ladder anyways. His hands were firm on her waist and when he leaned down to whisper in her ear once more, his breath tickling her ear, a shiver ran down her spine. Was it just her or was he being much more... sensual in the last few minutes? If he was acting, then he was doing an phenomenal job. If not... well Ginger didn't really know what to think if of that. She was glad that she was in front of him in that moment, just so he couldn't see the blush had tinted her cheeks a nice rosy red color. Her hands didn't come off of the railings as the wood was wet and she didn't want to fall to her death. The view was about as good of a view one could possibly have and instantly she was smiling from ear to ear, "It's absolutely perfect!" She could see the two fighters and every punch and kick that was thrown with crystal clear clarity. She pulled him close and planted a kiss on his cheek, "Thank you!"

She pulled away, the smile still on her face, but her eyes slightly panicked when it registered in her brain on what she had done. She bit her lip and returned her gaze to the fight, trying to distract herself from the man at her side. What in the world had she just done? A blush crept up her neck and overtook her embarrassed face. Oh she knew that this was incredibly dangerous. She knew that she wouldn't be able to handle it, the whole acting like they were a couple. It hadn't even been thirty minutes yet and she was already messing everything up. if it wasn't for the fact that Sidra was most likely being beaten in the capital and Cheshire still needed her for ransom, she would throw herself over the railings to end her misery and embarrassment. It might only be a kiss on his cheek but it was it still a kiss. Her grip on the railing tightened and she swallowed thickly, the embarrassment pressing down upon her shoulders like a weight. She couldn't even bear to look at his feet. What if he was mad at her? She would be mad at herself if she had done something like that.

There was a thump from down bellow and the next moment the crowd roared with life. One of the men lay prone on the floor of the ring, knocked out from a blow to the side of the ear. Ginger switched her attention to the fight because that is why they came up here in the first place, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, "Already?" The fight had just begun really; it hadn't even been thirty seconds. It wasn't exactly surprising since most fights didn't take more then two minutes but this one seemed much shorter then the others. Even her fight with Rex yesterday (had it really only been yesterday?) had taken longer, or at least she thought it had. The man that had won stood over the other and raised his arms in triumph, making the crowd scream louder. Well at least he hadn't tried to kill the other man.

---

Craving that phrase, that blasted phrase into Sidra's back was quite possible the worst thing Bhan had ever done to someone. He stood behind her, his eyes never leaving her mutilated back and the jagged words that were now imposed over her tattoo. Her back had been the best place for the branding because of the raven tattoo but it still make his stomach crawl. His hand had betrayed him and his mind had failed him. He should have just cut her toes off. The bile rose in his throat and he had to force himself to look any from what he had done to her to keep himself from throwing up his stomach contents. A few more curses flew from his mouth before he went silent. He couldn't even imagine what she was feeling and thinking in that moment. If the situation hadn't be so fragile then he might have risked himself to help the girl that had given Ginger freedom. Sidra, like so many others in his kingdom, were collateral damage and very much victims of a cruel and oppressive ruler. How many times had this girl been taken advantage of by her government? Probably plenty if she had been forced to turn to the rings to make an income. And now... now his name could be added to the list of people that had done her dirty. His lips pressed into a thin line.

The anger that he had felt disappeared, replaced by shame. They would both have to live with this for the rest of their lives. While Sidra had the physical scar to live with, Bhan would have the mental one. While she would see the words in real life, he would see them every time he closed his eyes, "Oh gosh..." He stepped away from her and headed towards the exit, his stomach turning and the smell of blood making him dizzy. He had down some horrible things for the King, but this... this was something that he would never forgive himself for. Writing those words was just plain wrong. He left the room without another word because he knew that nothing he could say could change what he had done. 

Cheshire didn't make any sense to Ginger at all. He was so different from any man that she had ever met before so everything that he said and did was just... odd to her. She didn't know what to make of the fact that she had been kidnapped by him and taken to the gang that he was apart of. Then, when she had kissed him on the cheek, he hadn't scowled or laughed or even shrugged her off, but instead had gone red in the face and was now telling her that she could call him by his real name. That was not what she had expected from the Cheshire that she had come to know in the last few hours. After all, he had yelled at the help to call him Cheshire and not Dante at all. She like this side of him, open and honest and oh so easily flustered. It make him more seem more human, like he wasn't as smooth or confident as he tried to make himself seem. He was a mystery... a mystery that she wanted to solve. Her lips twitched up in surprise, delight, and obviously relief that his face wasn't red from anger or annoyance and she leaned up against the railing, feeling much more at ease with the situation now. He had managed to make it much less awkward for her and for that she was thankful. She bit her plump lip slightly as she looked at him, now ignoring the commotion going on in the ring, "All right. Just sometimes." Her voice was soft, barely loud enough to be heard over the crowd. This moment felt so personal and she was afraid that if she spoke too loud, she would shatter the moment into a million pieces. She turned her gaze back down to the crowd where they had already found two new fighters to battle. To her surprise, one of the competitors was a girl... a blond headed girl. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw her and strained to see if it was her missing companion, but it was not. This women was too tall, too tan, and didn't look a thing like Sidra despite the color of her hair. Ginger released a audible sigh and melted into the railing in disappointment.

Deep down she knew that Sidra had been caught, but a girl could hope right? Sidra was as good as dead if she was in the royal dungeons being tortured. Ginger knew what they did to those men and women, she had seen to brutality again and again. Only certain people made it out alive, but they were always so broken that she wished the guards had just killed them to spare them their misery. Once, she had seen a women come out intact, no missing limbs, no words etched into their skin, but they things that the guards had done to her mind were horrendous. Ginger found out that she had ended her life only hours after leaving the palace. She shivered at the thought of Sidra becoming like that woman. She wouldn't be able to bear it if Sidra ended up dying because of her. 

The taste of metal in her mouth woke her from her thoughts. She had bitten down on her tongue unconsciously and she swallowed the liquid quickly. She shouldn't think of such things or else she would end up crying again. She had always been such a crybaby and Cheshire had already seen her cry once before, there was no need to show him again. Maybe she just need some sleep. Truthfully he hadn't slept in almost two days and it was taking a toll on her mind and body. She rubbed her eyes and went back to watching the fight, but decided that she needed to talk to keep her mind off of Sidra, "So Dante... where you ever a fighter?"

---

Bhan wallowed in one of the quest rooms for at least an hour. He didn't care that he wasn't doing his job because even if he was roaming the hallways and doing his duties, he would have done a horrible job. it took him much longer then he expected to clear his mind and regain at least some of the calmness that he needed to go before the King. Once he was sure that he could look at the man without killing him, he had gotten up and had made a beeline for the throne room, wanting to get his nightly report over as quickly as possible so he could go back to room and sleep. Well, not sleep. He already knew that he wasn't sleeping tonight. No, he would lay there staring at the ceiling, the image of that girl's back haunting him. He had tried to reason through why he had to do it and why it was necessary but no argument that he could come up with helped. It was wrong, plain wrong and there was no logic that would refute that. 

No one talked to him as he marched down the hall. His mask was in place but she countenance spoke volumes. He would have to get that in check before he went before the king. He came to the doors of the throne room much quicker then he should have and opened them without a moment's hesitation. He had heard that the King had sent the letter, refusing the boy's demands, but was still anxious to hear it from the man himself. Was he not concerned with the fact that his daughter was in danger? Bhan didn't let his anger show as he crossed the room with practiced steps, coming to stand in front of the King. He saluted him, "Your Majesty."

Ginger's ears took in everything he said, though it wasn't much. She was not surprised by the fact that he had been a fighter at one point; it seemed like almost everyone in the slums had dappled in that business at some point. He was tall , almost a head taller than her, which could defiantly be an advantage in the ring and a fast thinker which was a necessary trait for any fighter. Hearing that he had once been a fighter made her strangely happy because was something that they had in common. There wasn't really anything they could relate over besides their mutual hatred for her father and the way he was ruining the country. Oh and not to mention, brutally torturing her people. Now she could start another conversation that didn't involve her actual life. It also pleased her to get to hear how he got his nickname. So he smiles while he fights huh? It was an amusing thought but it too did not shock her at all. Seeing Cheshire fight would probably be hilarious and quite entertaining. Why did she have a strange urge to challenge him? She smiled as she gained yet another piece to the puzzle that was Dante Ludwig, "It all makes sense now." Her voice took a teasing lift. However something inside her was wary when he mentioned that he had a connection to the palace. Many people lived or worked in the palace so it shouldn't have made her pause, but it did. He made it sound like he had bad memories there (well who didn't?) and he didn't want to have any ties to her home at all. Why? What had happened there? She furrowed her brow, debating whether or not to pry into his life. She sighed through her nose and met his teasing gray eyes with her curious green eyes, "Yeah I do. If the Beast doesn't mind me asking that is." She hesitated for a moment, "Did you live at the castle... at least for a little while? You don't have to answer if that's too personal." She added the last bit quickly, hoping to give the man in front of her a way out if it wasn't a subject her wanted to explore.

Ludwig, Ludwig.... had she heard that name before? Names of servants, maids, nobles, and a few guards filled her thoughts, but she didn't remember ever earing about a Ludwig. It was defiantly a name that she would remember if she had heard it because it was unique. Despite it ringing a faint bell in the back of her brain, she could not for the life of her pin point why she could possibly remember it. Cheshire was possibly a few years older than her so it was possible that he had lived in the castle as a young boy, before she was ever born. She might have heard it in passing if he had been in an important family which would make sense as to why the name was familiar. Who was Dante Ludwig? She sighed in frustration inside her head. It was always one step ahead and too steps back with this man. Would she ever figure him out? Did she even want too? She wasn't sure. Ginger couldn't bear it if her father had been the one to orphan this man like she suspected he had by just the little she had heard of his background. Who was she kidding, most of the orphans in this city had lost their parents because of the King... this wasn't a new thing. Hopefully, she was totally wrong and he had never even placed a toe on the palace floor before the trial a few days ago. She chided herself mentally because she really needed to stop assuming the absolute worst in these types of situations.

---

Bhan started with the boring stuff that he always had to report on. Things like how guard rotations had changed again or that the pottery and vase thief had struck again. Honestly, he wasn't sure how they hadn't caught whoever it was yet. This was the third case of missing decorations in the last four months. But that was the least of their worries at the moment. Once he finished with the basic report, he began with the juicy tidbits that he knew the King had wanted to hear, "I did order them to leave only because I wanted to see if she would give the information with only one person in the room. Of course she didn't and I proceeded with the session without the other guards." He cleared his throat, "She had a Black Raven's tattoo on her back so I took the liberty of... erasing it." More like destroying it but the King knew what he meant. Bless Beslow was one of the worst things that he could do to someone even if it wasn't the most painful or damaging. Hopefully the King would be appeased by this long enough so he could figure out what he was going to do. The King had given him permission to of whatever he wanted, even if it wasn't legal. This was troublesome for Bhan who had already started hatching a plan to sneak Sidra out of the castle. He didn't even know why he was actually thinking about it because it was suicide. Treason was punishable by death, but it didn't take a brain surgeon to know that Bhan would not die immediately. His punishment would be worse then Sidra's if they were caught.

"Do not worry, Your Majesty.  She will break; I will make sure of it," his voice was low and confident, the exact opposite of how he was feeling. He stood there, quiet, waiting to be dismissed. His head was pounding and all he wanted was to lay his head on his pillow and think about what he was going to do. Maybe some god somewhere would have mercy on him and just put him out of his misery... maybe they could do the same to Sidra and let her die in her sleep. That would be mercy because tomorrow... tomorrow would be worse then today had ever thought of being.

Oh gosh... Ginger swallowed thickly. His father was the captain before Bhan? No wonder he hated her father and the palace and probably her whole family for just existing. Her friend had told her about the man that went before him and how he had been brutally tortured for weeks and then beheaded. The exact reason why that had happened, no one really knew, but it really didn't matter. No one deserved that. She had put the incident out of her mind as it had happened while she was still a young child and because no one talked about it out of fear, it made sense as to why she hadn't recognized the name the moment she had heard it. An apology was thick on her tongue and she was a heartbeat away from saying it, but the thought that he didn't want her pity or apology stopped her. He hadn't told her so she could feel horrible and pity him, well at least she didn't think he would do something like that. After all, she hadn't been the one to kill his father but she was guilty by association. Dante Ludwig had every right to hate her and everything that she represented. He had lost his father and home in one foul swoop. But he hadn't just been orphaned and left homeless, he had been forced to participate in the rings and horrible, degrading acts just to feed himself. Her eyes trailed to the floor as hate for her father overtook her once again. Just in the last few days, she had generated more loathing for her family then she had in the last few years. Usually she just felt depressed when she heard these types of stories but apparently she had just had enough. Everyone in her family (except her baby brother of course) deserved something worse then death for what they had done... including her. Sure she hadn't actually killed anyone but she hadn't down anything to stop the murders either, which was almost worse in her book. Even now, one of the people that had rescued her from her prison was most likely being beaten and what was she doing? Nothing. The hatred towards her father turned on her and started to eat at her insides. Tears burned hot in the back on her eyes but she refused to let them fall. Crying didn't solve anything. Besides, if any one had the right to cry at the moment, it was Cheshire, not her.

Ginger should have never asked about his past. She couldn't even look at him for all the shame she felt at the moment. He should have never have told her.

When he started to walk away and looped his arm through hers, she resisted the urge to flinch away. How could he even stand to be around the daughter of the man who killed his father? How could any of the citizens stand to look at her? Honestly, she understood why her people couldn't stand to even her father's or any royal's name. Suddenly she felt dirty. Only bad things came from her and she longed to pull away from the man that had only been kind to her. She didn't deserve his kindness or compassion or even his smiles... no she could fell much better if he just yelled at her and ended her. At least then she could stop seeing others get hurt. Herself being in pain was one thing but the executions and the burnings and the beheadings... they were going to send her to an early grave.

Ginger clenched her jaw as they descended the stairs, trying to block out the rush of emotions that plagued her. In an effort to stabilize herself at least a little before they were in front of people again, she pushed down the thoughts ands negative emotions deep inside of her, locking them away for another day. Maybe just going to sleep would help clear away some of the more... violent thoughts. Don't let anyone see you upset... She pressed her lips into a easy and practiced upward curve, Bhan's voice flittering through her thoughts. That's right, she could cry and scream and break things in private, but in public she was to be composed and most importantly for the moment, in love with Dante Ludwig. She couldn't have people thinking that something had happened up on the cat walk could she? She took a deep breath and cleared her mind, slipping into her role as Pepper when they appeared back in front of the crowd. Ginger would have shied away from Cheshire, but Pepper pulled him closer and said loud enough so he could hear over the yells and laughter of the crowd, "A bath after dinner would be lovely." She smiled up at him before fixing her eyes back on the exit, the desire to be in a tub of warm water and alone for a few minutes making her head buzz.

---

The sight of the King smiling when he mentioned how he tortured Sidra made Bhan's blood boil. He kept his face calm and collected however, not wanting to give away just how much he hated the thought of lifting a finger against the girl again. The King wanted him to be the one to break the girl but if it was up to him, he wouldn't have anything to do with her torture sessions. It was fun by any stretch of the imagination and the King knew he hated doing it so of course he would make him over see it all. When the King was finished he saluted him and said sharply, "Yes, Your majesty."

He turned on his heels and marched swiftly out of the throne room, feeling as if he was going to suffocate. He opened the door and clicked it shut behind him before making a beeline for the guards quarters. The hallways were mostly empty except for the a few maids and servants rushing about and he didn't make eye contact with any of them. he was tired and he needed to think. What was he to do? He couldn't bare the thought of doing anything worse then what he had already done. He knew every technique, every way to break bones and yet, he had never put any of them into action before today. What to do, what to do? He entered his room and stripped the clothes off of his back, groaning from weariness as he did. He ran a hand through his hair and thought about a bath, but decided against it when he spotted the bed. He changed into night clothes and collapsed against the slightly rough sheets that felt like the softest silk in that moment. He lay awake for hours like he knew he would, thinking about everything. Ginger was the main subject of thought and how she was faring but frequently his mind went to the other girl that was lying on concert floor with the words Bless Beslow etched into her back. He rubbed his eyes, a headache forming behind them.

The morning came to soon.

Ginger's forehead heated from the kiss that he had placed there when he left the room and she struggled to keep the blush from creeping onto her cheeks. The help was looking after all. She smiled softly and whispered a 'good-bye' before the door shut. She felt flustered again but her strides down the hall were confident and soon she was entering the private bedroom. Despite it being dark, she could make out the bed and a wardrobe, but there wasn't much other then. It was pretty bare and she breathed a sigh of relief at the simplicity. She was almost expecting it to be extravagant, but it wasn't that way at all. It almost felt like her room in terms of the furnishings. There was a faint light coming from another room and a silhouette of a thin girl appeared in the doorway, "I drew the water for your bath miss." She didn't sound very old and when Ginger got close enough to make out a few facial features, she knew that she couldn't be any older then fifteen. In spite of her age, she was almost as tall as the princess - who was twenty years old mind you- and very pretty with high cheek bones and wide baby, blue eyes. Ginger smiled at her and dipped her head slightly in appreciation, "Thank you." The girl nodded and stepped around her to leave the room but froze mid step and looked over her shoulder, "Um... is there anything else I can do for you?" 

Ginger considered the question for a moment and shook her head, "Not that I can think of. You're dismissed..." she trailed off since she didn't know her name. She vaguely remembered Cheshire saying how the help liked it when you knew their names and when the girl's eyes lit up, she knew he was right, "Oh! I'm Ally." The princess grinned, "Thank you for your help Ally." The girl basically skipped from the room and shut the door behind her quietly. Ginger's grin softened as she watched her go and she entered the washroom a moment later, the heat from the water enveloping her. The small mirror that lined one of the walls was already fogged up making impossible for her to see herself clearly in it. The tub was filled with steaming water and she was stripping off her clothes and slipping into the bath before she knew it. The hot water made her skin turn pink and drew a shiver down her back, but she didn't mind at all. She felt the tension basically disappear from every muscle in her body, making her sigh in contentment. Ginger didn't allow herself to think as she sat in there and instead forced herself to relax and just feel good for a few moments. She wasn't sure how long she remained in the bath but when she stood and wrapped a towel around herself, her toes and fingers were pruney and the water was lukewarm. Quickly she dried herself off and changed into the nightgown that was sitting by the tub. It wasn't the silk that she was used to, but it was soft and warm which was more then she could ask for at the moment. Without her trousers and blouse, the room was slightly chilly and  she couldn't get under the covers of the bed fast enough.

It was strange, being the bed of some random man, but she was so bone weary that her body shut down before her mind could wonder. She slept soundly, despite the fact that her dreams were plagued with images of executions and blood. The nightmares weren't anything new as she had lived with them for years and when her eyes opened for the first time that night, her breathing fast, she groaned, rolled over and went right back to sleep. She awoken sometime later to the door being opened and then the groan of the bed under Cheshire's weight. She shifted to where she was laying on her stomach and breathed deeply, trying to sleep. It wasn't the first time that she had shared a bed with a man, well kind of. Her and Bhan used to share a bed all the time when they were younger and sometimes her older brother would sleep in her room, but that was before they hated each others guts. Even then, they weren't grown men at the time. Somewhere in her brain, she vaguely recognized the fact that he was laying beside her, but she was already asleep again before she could dwell on it too much. A few hours later, her body woke itself up and she sat up in the bed. She rubbed her eyes with a moan, the sunlight that streamed in through the window giving her a slight headache. She heard Cheshire move next to her and she looked over to her right, her sleepy eyes taking in his face. He seemed so much more relaxed and the way that his red hair fell down into his face gave him a youthful appearance. She smiled slightly but was interrupted by a wide yawn.

Ginger sung her legs off the bed and set them down on the floor, stretching as she did so. The joints in her feet popped loudly as she headed towards the washroom to take care of her business. Something near the door caught her eye however and she switched course. An envelope. She bent down to pick it up, her stomach dropping at the sight of the royal seal, "Father..." With a glance over her shoulder to see if Cheshire was still sleeping, she popped the seal and withdrew the piece of parchment from the envelope. Her eyes devoured the words with fervor, her stomach rolling. So... he had Sidra and he wasn't going to send the money. Her hand tightened on the paper as she stood to her feet and breathed deeply. Cheshire was not going to be happy. She went back over to the bed and place her other hand on his arm, shaking him lightly, "Cheshire..."

---

Bhan was never late for anything, but according to his watch that he kept on him at all times, he was late by almost five minutes. And the thing was, was that he didn't even really care. He took his time in getting dressed and slipped his boots on as if he had all the time in the world, before walking down the hallway of the guards quarter at a leisurely pace. He less time he spent torturing that girl the better. The trip to the dungeons was too short and soon he was entering through the doorway of Sidra's "room", his mask back on his face. He couldn't afford to do this with his emotions today, or they would both be found out. He nodded towards the two guards that were already in the cell, but went past them and to the wall with all the knives and other torture devices, "I hope you are ready to talk today, because it would make this easier to everyone. No pain for you and no hassle for me."

Bhan pulled down a pair of sharpened scissors from the wall and turned towards the guards, "For her hair." You wouldn't believe how many women had given pieces of information just by cutting their locks. It had never ceased to amaze him how much females cherished their hair. The guard took the scissors from him and got to work, clipping the girl's beautiful blond hair. Bhan didn't watch but instead turned back towards the wall of knives and whips, thinking about what he wanted to do. What would cause the least amount of pain for her, but would also look like he was really trying to drag an confession out of her? He selected a long, thin pole from the wall and approached the girl, but addressed the other guard, telling him to pull her bare legs out in front of him. He lifted the pole, his eyes cold but almost... apologetic, "Tell me where the princess is, girl."

Oh the worst thing ever is when your nice long, beautiful reply gets deleted. DX)

Ginger gasped slightly when he trailed his fingers over her face, leaving a trail of heat and a blush on her cheeks. Her whole body went rigid at the touch and she simply waited for him to stop, not knowing what else to do. Sure, she could have pulled back and just gave him the letter, but by the time the thought crossed her mind and she stopped thinking about how adorable to looked when he was half asleep (she really needed to get her priorities start), he was already leaning into her and taking the piece of paper for himself. She chewed on her bottom lip and watched as his face shifted from confusion to white hot rage in .2 seconds, reality hitting her once again. No words were said as he breezed past her and Ginger simply stood there, a headache making her head throb. Maybe she should have just stayed in bed this morning. A few more hours of sleep would have done her a world of good, but being more rested didn't change the fact that Sidra was the in palace dungeons being brutally torture. Her father would make good on his word and beat her to an inch of her life if Cheshire didn't give her back. But the King wouldn't lift a finger against her, oh no, he would have a guard hurt her or... or he would have Bhan do it. Her head pounded violently at the thought of her best friend torturing her new found friend. Bhan wouldn't, couldn't do that...  He had spoken out against the methods many times and she knew that he had never partaken in a session before. However, he would be angry. So, so angry at her kidnapping and if her father forced him to... Ginger had to sit down on the bed - which was already cooling - and pressed her hands to the side of her head to quall the horrible pressure that was building behind her scull. If Bhan even touched a hair on Sidra's head she would never be able to look at him again.

The princess didn't want to cry again, but she did. She didn't cry for herself though, no she had had enough of crying for herself, but for Sidra and Bhan and Dante Ludwig for what he was going through too. She laid back on the bed and let the tears stain her cheeks and the bed sheets. She let the anger and shame roll off with the tears and when she was empty, she stared up at the ceiling, "What am I going to do?" She whispered it like a plea into the thin, morning air as if she was asking any god who would listen. Obviously, she couldn't stay here any longer, because Sidra was going to die if she didn't go back. But even if that knowledge, her bones refused to leave this little sanctuary that she had stumbled upon. A horrible voice inside her head said to not even consider rescuing Sidra and to leave her to die. However, her conscious battled with that voice telling her to be selfless and sacrifice herself for Sidra. Somewhere deep down, she knew that she had to go back, that she had to try and get Sidra out of her living nightmare. It might not matter; her father might still kill the Black Raven even if she was to return, but she knew she had to try. It just wasn't right for her to remain here and leave Sidra to die.

Ginger calmed her breathing and wiped her tears away as a new wave determination filled her body. She would return to the castle and make sure that Sidra returned to the Black Ravens in one, fully healthy piece. She stood up and despite the headache that still pounded against her scull, her felt lighter. The princess left the room quickly and made a beeline for Cheshire's office because that was were he would probably be. Once she arrived at the door, she opened it and then shut it behind her quietly. She wasn't prepared for the anger that rolled off of him in waves. The anger was almost palpable and when she opened her mouth to tell him what she had decided she choked it. She pressed her back against the cold wood of the door and watched him pace back in forth. If he didn't stop he would wear a hole in the lush carpet. She would have stared at him for hours if the towel around his hand hadn't caught her eye. She felt sick again as she looked closer at his shirt where there was a few drops of red liquid, "What did you do?" Her whisper was fierce and accusing. He hadn't hurt himself had he? She knew that he cared for Sidra very much but she didn't think that he would hurt himself over the news. Obviously, she was wrong. She approached him cautiously and slowly as if he was an agitated animal and when she was close enough, she reached out with her left hand. This time, her whisper was soft, "Please don't tell me you hurt yourself." She looked up at him with a worried gaze, her green eyes concerned for him.

--

Bhan rolled his eyes and struck the girl - no Sidra - as hard as he could muster, the cane making a whizzing sound as it cut through the air and slapped against her bare legs. It left a bloodied strip on her skin and since it didn't look nearly painful enough, he hit her again in the same spot. That time the skin split grotesque and he let out a satisfied grunt at the sight. Caning was by far the least brutal torture technique but it still hurt and it still scarred. Bhan should know as his back was filled with thin stripes from where his father had punished him, "You only time you need to speak is if you are telling me where the Princess." He tapped the end of the cane against her cheek and smirked down at her, "Understand, Sidra?" 

He struck her again and again and again, leaving gashes on her legs and blood on the cane. He scowled at what he was having to do but at least he wasn't striking her back or rear end. When her legs were a crisscross of red lines, he squatted down in front of her, staring into her eyes, "If you would only tell me where they are keeping the princess, I wouldn't have to do this. You know that this is light compared to what I could do but I'm trying to give you a chance." He sighed and picked up a piece of blond hair that littered the floor. It was such a shame; her hair was beautiful, "Just tell me Sidra. This could all be over if you just tell me where she is."

He didn't want to do anything else to her, he didn't want to have to use the furnace that was already being heated in the other room, but he would if he had too. He really didn't have a choice in the matter. She just wasn't being every helpful at the moment. Why wouldn't she help them both out and just tell him where the princess was being kept?