16: Salkatar Prison, Sarania

Day 12

"That's not what the queen does", King Erik said.

"She can do whatever I want her to do.", Alora picked up the Queen and rammed through King Erik's line of white pone pieces knocking them to the ground.

"Alora!", King Erik said playfully, "I do not think a queen in chess has those absurd abilities."

"Well queen Zelrus is no ordinary checked queen, father dearest."

"Queen Zelrus?", he raised his eyebrow.

"She's the strongest Vampire in the checkered land.", Alora said, "She has God like powers and has the ability to control minds."

"You need to check your history my dear."

King Erik picked up his King piece and at his end of the board. He gazed upon it's finely crafted stature rubbing it with his thumb slowly.

"Then this is King uhmm", he hesitated, "Josikasinki the legendary Fairy King of the North."

"Josikasinki?", Alora raised her eyebrow in doubt, "That's the most absurdly ridiculous name I've ever heard father."

"Don't let the name fool you little one.", he placed the King in front of Alora's lined up pieces. "Just like the fairies, he embodies everything that his people are in dramatic tenfold. Strength, courage and most importantly honour virtues that I want you to embody throughout your life."

King Erik held onto the checked chess board. He shook the board slowly and made thunderous rumbling sounds with his mouth.

"Oh no, The mighty Fairy King is causing the earth to shake.", he flipped over the board tossing all the chest pieces to the ground. They were scattered everywhere. Alora's jaw dropped.

"Game set match. I win.", he said.

"But you cheated father!", Alora said, "Fairies don't even cause Earthquakes."

"I don't think I did.", he smiled at her, "And vampires never used to control minds."

"But ah urgh.", she fumbled on her words in frustration, "Let us play another round then. No cheating this time father."

"You have your rematch my formidable opponent."

One of the many King's advisors barged into the room. He was an older fellow and very slender for a Saranian man his age. His heart was racing and could barely catch his breath. He panted like a dog that had been running in the desert for hours without a drop of water to quench it's unbearable thirst.

"This is not the time as you can see I'm spending the very few minutes I am allocated with my daughter.", King Erik said, "I clearly remember you in particular drawing up my schedule."

"Its a-an Em-er", he panted trying to catch his breath, "Emergency."

"Can it wait?", he said, "These are the only moments i look forward to these days. I intend on enjoying them."

"A Vallath army has been spotted in the desert coming north of the wa-"

"That's enough.", he interrupted the advisor, "Tell everyone to meet in the war room."

"Understood your highness.", the advisor walked out of the room.

"One crisis after another, first the endless protests, the famine and now this. They were right Sarania is really on fire.", King Erik told Alora, "We will play another time. I have to go."

"This is the third time this week you've cancelled mid game, father."

"But this is the third time this week you've left me mid game."

"At least we got to finish a game this time."

Alora slumped her shoulders. Her blank facial expression told the story of sadness to her father. He grabbed his King piece and placed it in her open hand.

"I promise we will play that rematch.", he said.

The box door opened, the bright light that Alora had gone on without for three days awoke her from her sleep. She opened her eyes and it was a female guard with a helmet that covered nearly her entire face except her beautiful eyes and her soft mouth.

"Come on get up.", the guard said, "The warden wants to see you."

Alora rubbed her eyes and yawned. She stood up from the dust filled floor and stepped outside. The light smacked her right in the eyes, she squinted at the light. The guard grabbed her by her handcuffed arms and started to walk to the warden's office.

"What does he want with me?", Alora asked.

The guard did not utter a word to Alora. She continued dragging her to the warden's office. A fellow guard passed her by.

"I see you are handling the warden's favourite prisoner.", the walking by guard said.

"Well you know how he is sometimes.", the guard responded, "I can't seem to catch a break."

"None of us can.", he laughed walking away.

"Bitch.", the guard said.

They continued walking to Warden's office. It was straight ahead then suddenly, the guard took a left turn to an empty cell block.

"Where are you taking me?", Alora asked.

The guard and Alora stood at an empty cell. She let go of Alora and reached for the string of keys she had on her belt. She went through the bundle of keys and found the cell key. She opened the cell and pushed Alora inside.

"What the hell are you doing?", Alora's face lit up in anger. "Don't take me like that!"

The guard walked into the cell and held onto the door. She looked around to see if anyone was coming, there was no one in sight. She closed the door and locked it shut.

"Uncuff me now!", Alora shouted, "This is ridiculous. Where the hell is the Warden!"

The guard let down her helmet and her beautiful hair dropped down with it. Alora looked at her and to her suprise it was Layla.

"Layla!", she shouted.

"Shhhh", Layla placed her finger on her mouth silencing her. "Don't want you blowing our cover yeah?"

"Our?"

"I'm here with Thomas. It took a lot of convincing but yeah he is here somewhere."

"How did you?"

"It's a really long story that I will explain when get out of here.", Layla said, "We don't have a lot of time to talk."

"Kai is de-"

"Yeah we know. We saw what she did to him. The whole thing."

"I'm sorry.", Alora sat down on the empty bed, "I tried to save him. I really did."

"It is not your fault but listen.", Layla said, "We are breaking you out tomorrow before the mage comes to get you. I need you to be ready Thomas and I will come up with a plan, you just look pretty."

"Wait I can't leave.", Alora said, "I don't know if Walna is okay, she needs to come with us."

"I'm sorry we can't do that, we came to save you and that's it."

"But she will die here!", she raised her voice, "That's if she isn't dead already!"

Alora and Layla heard loud footsteps in the distance growing louder by the second.

"I will find out if she's okay for you but I'm not too sure if we can break her out."

"Fine."

Layla put the helmet back on, she went to the cell door and unlocked it. She grabbed Alora forcefully and they walked out of the cell.

"I will come get you in the morning.", she whispered into Alora's ear.

Another guard was passing by. He was a very big and intimidating man.

"This guy has been on my ass for the longest.", she whispered, "I'm sorry for this by the way."

Layla handed Alora to him.

"Found this one wondering about.", Layla said, "The warden said you and I mean you specifically. Only you. Specifically you should take him uhm I mean her to the box."

"He knows my name?", the guard responded.

"Of course why wouldn't he talks about you all the freaky time.", Layla drew closer to him and said under her breath, "If I'm being honest he trusts you the most. Even more than me and I'm like his third favourite."

The guard smiled and grabbed Alora by the arm.

"Alright let's go missy.", he dragged Alora to the box.

Alora looked back at Layla. She held her wrist high and tapped at it.