Well, here I am, sat on a stone bed in a jail cell. I bet mother would be proud.

I've been stuck here quite a few hours now and I guess its probably early in the morning. At least I've had some free eye candy, with Aria decorating this otherwise drab and depressing cell.

And actually, worst comes to worst, I should be able to escape. I was searched, of course, and stripped of my breastplate and most of my things, but those guards were pretty awful, and didn't realise there is a secret tiny pocket in this tunic I got from Douglas. I have one vial in there. It's just the case of setting light to the wadding somehow, and standing well back from the iron gate.

Aria is pacing and I haven't told her this yet, though.

Its fine, however, as there is still a guard directly outside looking uncomfortable and tired. We probably can't make a move immediately, but I'm sure this guy will be changed soon.

"So… Aria?" I speak. I don't really care if the guard listens. She turns to squint at me.

"Why is this case different? To me, it seems like circumstantial evidence." I question.

She sighs.

"It's the specific law. A relative of his is dead. Even a hint of a testimony in this case requires a review. So they can legally detain me. Damn that frog faced asshole!!"

"Arara... please watch your mouth, Princess." A voice appears from outside the cell, giving me and her a start.

Jeez, is this guy a ninja? Surely not, considering his size. His face has flaps, and I can certainly notice the resemblance to a frog. A fat bulldog, maybe, if you were being kind.

Aria recovers, bows, and says "I... apologise, that was crass of me, Viscount Remus."

She didn't sound very sincere.

"I see the rumours of your lack of manners are actually not exaggerated." He sniffs. "Arara, it is such a waste of your lovely face..."

He leers his eyes all over her, so I instinctively step in front of her.

"Arara, what a rude man. Who would you be? The princess is not old enough to declare a knight protector."

Aria suddenly grasps me in a hug from the side.

"He is my lover, naturally." She smirks.

He recoils in horror and I consider the same. Is it really a good idea to tell this man that, Aria? However, a part of me also feels very smug for making her mine.

"You..." He glares at me.

Well, cat's out of the bag already.

"Yes, me. I'm Aria's lover. We had plenty of fun just before your guards came, actually."

His face scrunches and looks hideous.

"In any case, ~Viscount~ Remus, you cannot restrain me here. I am innocent." Aria states, emphasising his title.

"Ararara, I can, in fact. My guards say you killed my boy, Isaac! I am truly distraught in sadness." He snorts.

"Please. Isaac was a drunk waster and you know it. You disowned him, and it was through sheer chance he went as long as he did!"

Wow, she doesn't pull any punches as usual. His eyes light up.

"So why the hell would I need to kill him? He'd clearly top himself anyway in a few years, you fat old sod!" Aria rolls her eyes.

He snarls and chomps down. Well... he may be competent in state-craft, but he is easily taunted.

"How can you know how a parent feels, you whore!" He shouts.

"Perhaps I will know sooner than you think, seeing as I am a whore." She calmly snarks in reply, snuggling up to me with a grin and placing her hand on her midriff.

Yikes. That was an amazing response but it did remind me how irresponsible I was earlier. He starts shaking furiously.

"Bah! Bitch! You can rot in there until you d..."

"You will cease your threats to an innocent, Viscount. I will personally inform the council of your actions if you proceed down this route." A commanding female voice suddenly pronounces from down the corridor.

He swerves around, looking furious, but then suddenly quails.

Someone I didn't expect appears.

"Ahem! Ararara, it seems I lost control of my tongue, Countess Cairne. I was surely contemplating releasing them." He stutters.

"Then perhaps I will overlook your potential treason. I have considerable evidence which frees these two from suspicion. You must release them." Kurono states, puffing out her chest.

Wow. If I didn't already know she was a raving lesbian after Yuuzu, I might have fallen in love.

The Marquis has an eye twitch, but turns to his guard.

"R-release them." He splutters.

...

...

...

"Ararara. Now, countess, I hope you truly have evidence worth our t..."

Out of nowhere, there is a slight whistling crack noise and she literally smacks a severed head on the table in front of her in this study. I jump. Holy frack!

The Viscount Remus also nearly falls over backwards.

Right, yep. Of course. Void mage.

The head has white hair and greyed skin, with strange greyer patches in places. It has small horns and is crusted in blood from the eyes and mouth.

Oh. This was the demon that attacked me? What killed it?

Aria recovers quicker than the viscount.

"Urr... yes. This is the demon I was fighting." She nods.

Hmm. Strange. This one is different somehow. Despite the damage I get the feeling it was almost pretty, once. Urk! What am I thinking about a severed head!?! I want to vomit.

"Ahem! S-so you have the head of a demon... my guards would never let such a thing..."

Kurono slaps a letter on the table.

"The letter of assignment from the demon lord Cultivator. He speaks of this ones shape-shifting and infiltrating Hal-Castemour. I had a scholar of demon languages confirm this. Feel free to have your own man look at it. Any further objections, Charles?"

His mouth works like a blowfish.

Well that was something. I'd like to slam the desk and shout 'TAKE THAT!' whilst summoning blue speed-lines and pointing my finger. But I think the reference would be lost and I'd just look like a dumbass.

Thanks Kuro-chan! I guess my tenure in jail was short after all...