"Special questioning?" Lila raised an eyebrow, a hint of disgust in her tone. "Humph, of course, everyone will believe that. All men are pigs."
"Haha, not all. Look at me. I have been with you so long. Did I ever do such a thing about such things with you?"
"Waaa.. what are you saying. You pervert!" Lila immediately screamed, her face reddening as she threw a pillow at Riku.
Riku dodged the pillow, a smile forming on his face, which totally did not seem to belong on Orin’s face.
However, Riku soon said in a serious tone.
"Wait here. Keep the door barred. Do not open the door to anyone. In case the prison break is discovered and there is an alarm, do not worry. Even if someone comes in, just stay seated on the bed. I have cast an invisibility spell here, so no one will be able to see you here."
Lila’s face became serious as well.
"Okay, take care, Riku. Come back soon."
He gave her a quick nod, then slipped out of the room, leaving Lila in the inn.
Soon, Riku reached the village prison – a squat, sturdy stone building near the edge of the square. As he’d observed, one guard, a heavy sleeper, was slumped against the door, snoring softly. Another one was sitting next to him, reading some kind of a book.
Riku, disguised as Orin, swaggered up with a convincing air of authority. "Oi! Brenn! Still warming the doorpost, are we?" he called out, his voice a perfect match for the guard he was impersonating.
Brenn jolted awake, scrambling to his feet and nearly dropping his whittling knife. "C-Captain Orin! Didn’t see you there! Thought you were off duty."
"Change of plans," Riku-as-Orin grunted, jerking a thumb towards the cell. "Chief wants another word with the girl. Sent me to fetch her."
Brenn frowned, scratching his head. "Now? In the middle of the night? What’s so urgent? She’s for the pyre at dawn anyway."
"Don’t ask me," Riku-as-Orin shrugged, affecting a knowing, slightly lewd wink. "You know the Chief. When he gets an idea in his head... or wants some ’special questioning’ done before the main event..." He let the implication hang.
Brenn’s eyes widened slightly with understanding, then a smirk spread across his face. "Ah. Right. ’Special questioning’." He chuckled.
"Say no more, Captain. Wouldn’t want to keep the Chief waiting for his... information." He fumbled for the large iron key ring at his belt. "Just... try not to be too loud in case you go at it as well, eh? Some of us are trying to get some shut-eye before the... festivities."
"Shut up," Riku-as-Orin said with an angry wave. "Just open up."
Brenn unlocked the heavy wooden door, the rusted hinges groaning in protest. It creaked open.
Inside, on a thin straw pallet, Elara lay curled up, shivering. The crimson marks on her skin seemed to glow faintly in the oppressive darkness. She flinched violently as Riku-as-Orin stepped in, a small, terrified gasp escaping her lips. The sight of ’Captain Orin’, one of the men who had dragged her to the post, filled her with fresh terror.
"Wh-who’s there?" she stammered, scrambling back against the stone wall. "Please... don’t hurt me..."
"Quiet," Riku whispered, letting his voice revert to its normal tone. The illusion around his face flickered for a moment, revealing his true features in the dim light filtering from Brenn’s torch outside. "I’m not here to hurt you."
Elara stared, confusion warring with her fear. "You... you’re not...?"
"A friend," Riku said softly, "or at least one who doesn’t want to see you burn. We need to leave. Now. Can you walk?"
She nodded, still trembling, but a tiny spark of hope had ignited in her eyes. "Y-yes."
"Good girl," Riku said. "Stay close to me. And be absolutely silent."
He led the trembling Elara out of the cell. Brenn, who had turned his back respectfully to give the ’Captain’ his privacy for the ’questioning’, merely grunted as they passed.
"Chief’s got peculiar tastes, if you ask me," Brenn muttered to the empty air as Riku and Elara slipped into the night. "Taking a cursed one for a tumble... Still, not my place to judge." He yawned, then settled back against the wall, already half-asleep again.
Riku and Elara moved through the sleeping village like ghosts. Soon, they reached the inn where Riku had put up.
You made it!" Lila breathed, relief washing over her face as she saw Elara, pale but alive. "Is she alright?"
"Shaken, but safe for now," Riku said quietly. "Thankfully, there were no unseen difficulties," Riku said as he slowly shed the Orin disguise, the illusion melting away to reveal his familiar features.
Elara stared at him, still trying to process the night’s events – the terrifying captain transforming into her rescuer.
Lila gently guided Elara to sit on one of the beds, offering her a waterskin. "Here, drink this. You must be exhausted."
Elara took it with trembling hands. "Thank you... both of you. I... I thought I was going to die."
"Not while we’re around," Lila said with a reassuring smile, though her eyes still held a trace of the fear she’d felt waiting.
Riku pulled up a stool, his expression serious. "Elara, those crimson marks... do they hurt?"
Elara touched a patch on her arm gingerly. "Sometimes. Not always. But when they do... it’s like a sharp, burning sting, deep inside." She shivered. "And I feel so tired, all the time."
"I see," Riku murmured. He looked at her, his gaze softening. "Elara, I’m not a master healer, but I have some knowledge of restorative arts. Would you... would you mind if I tried to help with those marks? To see if I can ease the pain, or make them fade?"
Elara looked up at him, surprise flickering in her weary eyes. The villagers of Oakhaven had only wanted to burn her. This stranger, who had risked so much to save her, was now offering to heal her. "You... you would do that? Even though they say I’m cursed?"
"I don’t believe in blaming victims, Elara," Riku said simply. "And I’d like to try, if you’re willing."
A small, hesitant nod. "Okay. Please."