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Dungeons — The Citadel
Dark, without any windows of note, only the tiny slits in the upper part of the wall that allow some air to drift into the cells, to lessen the stench with the salty scent of the sea close by. Torches at the walls offer flickering lighting, and each cell offers little protection of privacy, with a front of bars through which water and food will be passed when it is time for the daily meal.
A sturdy door, when unlocked with the required key, opens to the stairway that leads up to the citadel proper.
Andre arranged for the Lady Elin to meet him and walk to the Citadel together. It was a good opportunity to show her the sights of Marsilikos and point out a very nice tavern by the port where they can enjoy a meal later, if she so wishes. But for now they have something more important to do. With young Gal being held up elsewhere, they are led down to the dungeons by another guard on duty. "I know it's not very pleasant, but we won't be here long.", Andre tries to reassure his companion and heads towards Kalisha's cell.
Elin hasn't been unguarded, of course. One of her retainers is tagging along, the familiar face of Einar, her bodyguard André may remember from their previous encounter. That bodyguard will hang back as soon as they enter the dungeons, not at all interfering with the city guard on duty, even if their objects of focus diverge. Elin is clad in the more comfortable and practical attire of riding skirts with leggings worn beneath. A leather vest sported above a shirt with only a bit of Gotlandish embroidery. Her blonde hair is gathered and worked into a long braid, and her dark grey eyes look about curiously, gaze wandering over the interior of the dungeons. She looks intrigued more than appalled with the rather sobering sight of thick stone walls, iron bars and cells. "It is not that different from what our own dungeons look like.", she confides towards André, eyes narrowing as they note they are headed for one of the cells.
The time spent in the shadows of the dungeons have not been treating Kalisha well. While she did receive those tasteful gifts from Lord Andre and a pleasant young guard Gal, she has started eating less and less of it. These few past days the meal has been packed on the small table beside her bed. It was not touched. Andre who has been paying a visit now and then to this young foreigner would notice that Kalisha has changed since the last time he saw her. While one can not see the shadows under her eyes because of the amount of ink, she looks more slim and more pale. Her dreadlocks appear to be tangled and the hair are sticking out quite untidy. There are some scratches on her skin. More specifically, on her arms as if a cat would have clawed her skin.
When a pair approaches the cell of Kalisha, they find her laying on the ground with her arms spread to the sides. Her eyes are staring into the ceilings and she mumbles something in that foreign and unfamiliar language to Andre.
"Kalisha?", Andre calls out softly to the girl, "I've brought you a visitor… Lady Elin from Gotland.", he introduces the blonde stranger and gestures for her to approach. THen he takes a step back so that whatever needs to happen, can happen.
<FS3> Opposed Roll — Elin=Subterfuge Vs Andre=Perception
< Elin: Good Success (5 6 4 8 8 3 5 8 6) Andre: Failure (5 6 2 6 1)
< Net Result: Elin wins - Solid Victory
The name is called by the charming Flatlander prince at her side, and Elin raises a brow, looking expectantly towards the bars and what lays beyond, the cell with the strange creature sprawled out on the cold stone floor. "Hello there," she utters in d'Angeline, before adding a few words in her own foreign tongue, the tone of her voice friendly and helpful.
It takes about three minutes for Kalisha to react to Andre's voice. She sits up and then pushes herself to stand. She slowly turns around to face the visitors. Her head leans to the side as her deep blue gaze studies the woman in front of her. Her eyebrows raise up and she starts to prawl almost like a cat closer to the bars of her cell. She focuses undivided attention on the grey eyes of Elin. Then a young woman takes a step back almost as if she has seen a ghost. She does have to lean her hand against the wall to hold herself up. "You…" She lets out a shaking whisper. Kalisha's eyes start to run around as if she would be following moving images in front of herself. They look up and down, and to the right, and to the left.
Then suddenly a young woman springs forward. Nothing more but a pure anger can be seen in her eyes. Kalisha wraps her one arm around the metal bar but she extends another through the bars trying to reach for Elin. "Oh, take a step closer! I am going to strangle you. I am going to tear your heart out of your chest! Oh, come, my dear, come…" She is not shouting. She is not screaming. She is more hissing like a completely mad snake. Her body tightly presses to the bars as she tries her best to reach for the visitor.
Andre's eyes widen at the reaction and he automatically looks towards the guards - the local dungeon guard and Elin's own Einar. But he holds back for now, waiting to see how the Gotlandish lady will handle the situation, considering there are protective bars between her and Kalisha.
<FS3> Elin rolls Dodge: Great Success. (6 5 6 8 8 4 7 7)
Elin lets out a startled sound of surprise, when the captive woman elects to launch an attack of sorts. But she evades those arms springing forth between the bars with elegant ease. "Oh my," she says to André with a soft exhale. "Your friend is quite the temperamental sort." To Kalisha she turns with a raised brow. "I have no idea why you want to strangle me.", she says softly, in accented d'Angeline. "I don't know you." Einar had pushed himself off the wall in the moment, Kalisha jumped towards the bars. He gives Elin a look and mutters something in Gotlandish, his gaze, alert, to say the least. "You don't speak my language well. So I suppose, you must be a Skaldi. Are you a Skaldi?", Elin inquires, her demeanor and tone friendly enough.
"You know very well, who am I and I speak very well!" Kalisha hisses in Gotlandish tongue. Her fingers wrap into a fist when she is not able to reach for Elin. She brings her hand back and then her eyes find Andre. Her demeanor changes slightly since she respects Andre and considers him a friend. However, it is absolutely clear that if she would have a chance, she would skin someone alive right this moment. "Andre…" And then her eyes find Elin again. One has to keep an eye on the enemy. "Don't listen to her. I can see Loki in her eyes. I have seen those grey eyes before. Oh, I have seen them! She is nothing more but a wicked usurper! She has slaughtered hundreds of people and do not trust her! She is a thief and a liar!"
Andre looks VERY confused now, eyes wandering between the two of them. "I… uh…." No, he has nothing. He pauses and clears his throat. "I'm sorry, she upset you, Kalisha. I hoped she might be able to help. She identified the pendant you gave to Monsieur Gal after all." His eyes move to Elin. "Perhaps we should go, Mylady."
"Oh. I can see, how this woman got herself into trouble," Elin jests lightly, her grey eyes attentive as they linger on Kalisha, studying her for a moment. "If her behaviour can be indication, accusing me of lies as the slip so easily over her own lips…" At which she turns to regard André. "I wouldn't be surprised if her attack on the d'Angeline noblewoman was a similarly malicious ploy. Or… and this I think more likely. She's a poor creature that has lost her mind." Lifting her chin. "I forgive you for exposing me to this woman's taunts. Nothing of what she says is true. How odd for someone who claims to have lost their memory to accuse people they have never met before in their entire life. I will pray to Odin, that there may be herbs that can help her through and out of her particular derangement." A nod then. "We should go." She looks towards Einar and shakes her head. "And I shall elect not to be offended by your friend's behaviour, my lord."
"Of course, Andre. Of course she recognized the pendant! She has hold me as a hostage for months after slaughtering my whole family when they came to /my lands/ and claimed for the life of /my people/! USURPERS!" Kalisha growls. She even shows her teeth at Elin almost like an angered panther. "No, Andre, no! Don't go anywhere with her! She is not a lady, she will use you. She will manipulate you and she will leave you for dead once she will no longer need you! Please, Andre! You know that I wish only good for you!" Kalisha spits the words out fast when Andre shows a wish to leave with Elin. However, when Elin speaks her own words, Kalisha can not hold her anger, "Oh, I am going to send you to Helheim. I am going to send your father to Helheim, your mother to Helheim and your brother!!! Odin knows it!" She bumps with her palms into the metal bars of a cell. She does that a few times to make a stronger point.
Oh dear. "Don't worry, I have no intention to be left for dead.", Andre tries to reassure Kalisha and gives her a look. "I'll be back later.", he promises and begins to follow Elin out of the dungeon. "Perhaps she is mixing you up with someone else, Mylady?", he suggests to the Gotlander, "Has there been a war between Gotland and Skaldia recently?" Of course he -should- be knowing that, but he can't keep up with every little drama abroad.
"I've been patient and endured all of her taunts," Elin remarks softly towards André. "But I will not hear any more of her insanities. It was you who asked me along, and I've obliged you. I have other things to see to, and when I'm at leisure, I prefer to do things I enjoy. Being in a dungeon, in the unpleasant company of lunatics isn't one of them." It looks as if she were ignoring Kalisha, not going into the things the captive foreigner tosses at her. There is sympathy though, when she casts one last look over her shoulder, before she moves to depart. "I am sorry for you, poor creature. I can see why these people put you behind bars.", she tells her in d'Angeline. Those dark drey eyes meet the crazy stare of Kalisha, and Elin's shoulders lift in a shrug. Before she leaves through the door and heads up the stairs.