Arthur felt a bit out of sorts, he had been betrayed by someone he knew would double cross him a the first opportunity. Why did he trust her? Arthur thought as he sat in his damp cell. It seemed just as run down as the rest of the dungeon, the bars were rusted and the door to the cell was only held on by a single hinge. Only the armed guard who stood watch over Arthur stopped him from attempting to break out of the cell. Arthur hoped that when her lady set off for the Barons Keep she would take most of the competent fighters with her, it would make his escape much easier. Arthur strained to hear what was going on above him, it was now morning and soon she would set off on her suicide mission. Arthur knew he would need to go back to the Inn to collect his armour, he hadn't felt right after taking it off, her lady must have made him leave it behind so he would be easier to take care of when he refused to help her.

Arthur heard footsteps from the stairs behind the guard, her lady Els Weimaer appeared in front of his cell. She had changed her clothing to suit her new warrior attitude, she wore a simple black gambeson with a short sword strapped to her waist and wore an iron circlet on her head.

"Come to gloat" asked Arthur not moving from his position on the floor.

She looked down on him with a pitying look on her face, "no, I've come to apologise, I realise that it might seem that what I did was unfair but you have to understand my si-" Els began to say before Arthur cut her off.

"I don't need to understand anything, we had an agreement you help me and I help you Pyp might die out there now thanks to you" snarled Arthur as he glared at Els.

She shook her head theatrically "You did yourself no favours, attacking one of the city watch, Rodrim was incensed he was demanding your head for disrespecting me. It was all I could do to convince him to let yo-".

Arthur was paying no attention to what she was saying "disrespecting you! From the start you just used me so you could get here safe, you had no intention of helping me. All of you nobles are the same you don't care about anyone but yourselves and everyone else is just disposable to you" Arthur spat savagely standing up as he spoke, slamming into the bars in front of Els.

The guard came rushing forward prodding a wooden baton through the bars screaming at Arthur to back down. The baton connected with Arthurs nose with an audible crack, he stumbled backward cursing at the guard. Els try to keep her face a mask of calm but when she spoke Arthur could see the anger in her dark green eyes.

"I thought we could be civil about this Arthur but you have let you're anger cloud your actions, and to think I came down here to let you go" she sighed "when I return from the keep I will help you find Pyp, a Weimaer always upholds an agreement but more pressing matters exist in Finepoint".

"And why should I believe you" asked Arthur bitterly poking at his nose delicately, another guard entered the room and whispered something into Els's ear.

"I have to go now Arthur" she said not answering his question "don't try anything stupid".

With that she turned and hurried up the stairs. Arthur knew his chance was coming soon.

It didn't take long for an opportunity to appear. Once the majority of the city watchmen had gone with Els the guards that watch over Arthur became much less impressive. They were barely armoured and barely paid attention to the cell, many of them were the old and injured, they were rotated around often as they could not concentrate for long. Arthur bide his time, he knew at some point the guard would fall asleep. The current guard was looking promising, a plump elderly man who had spent 30 minutes tearing apart a large cooked chicken. His bald head was rolling forward resting onto his over sized stomach, almost immediately he began snoring heavily. Arthur approached the damaged gate and began to force open a small gap in the frame of the cell door. Though the cell was heavily damaged it was still made of cast iron and soon Arthurs muscles burned with the strain. He slowly pushed his body through the small gap, the rust staining his gambeson. Arthurs ears pricked, he heard a shuffling from the stairwell, someone was coming he needed to hurry. Using all his strength he launched his self out of the cell, landing heavily on the floor he looked up at the sleeping guard. The sound on Arthur landing on the ground hadn't disturbed his rest but the noise from the stairwell was getting louder. Arthur looked around for a weapon but found none except a dagger at the guards waist. The dagger was straining against the girth of the mans stomach and Arthur didn't want to try his luck with two armed guards so he would take care of the approaching guard silently. Arthur stood slightly out of sight and waited, soon the door flew open and hit the wall with a loud crack. Arthur pounced on the man in the doorway, one hand wrapped firmly around his mouth as the other snaked around his throat. Arthur clamped down hard on the neck as the man flailed around desperately trying to break his grip. Slowly his movements became more sluggish before his eyes shut, Arthur gently lay the man down in the corner of the room. He needed to get out of here quick, he pulled a dagger off the new guards belt and headed for the door.

As he moved up the stairs he came to a small door which led to a small bunk room, eight men lay on beds of straw they were all swaddled in bandages. Light shined through small windows and Arthur cursed his luck, dawn was not the best time to sneak around. A women in white walked into the room and tended to the wounded, Arthur waited until she left and quickly walked through the room. He decided the best way to walk through the room was to look as natural as possible.

"Oh sorry sir" said a woman in white as she bumped into him.

"It's fine" said Arthur moving his face away from the woman.

She caught his arm and said "are you hurt sir" putting her hand up to his face, "You're bleeding".

Arthur must have cut his face getting out of the cell "it's fine I'm sure it will stop soon" he said trying to walk away from the woman.

"Look at your gambeson it covered in blood, come with me I'll sew up you're cheek" she pulled him along the hallway and into a new room. It must have been the kitchen as it was bustling with activity, Arthur kept his eyes on the kitchen women looking for any sign that they had recognised him but they all seemed to be engrossed in their work.

"Sit here sir" said the woman.

"Call me Arthur, I'm no sir " said Arthur all the sirs were beginning to annoy him.

The woman began to clean Arthurs face in silence, he must have made her uncomfortable.

"What's your name miss?" Asked Arthur.

"Mira" she replied "hold still Arthur this might hurt".

The hot needle quickly stitched up the wound in his cheek.

"You're quite good at this" said Arthur impressed with her needle work. He looked over at her, she was wearing a white apron over a short gray dress, she had a pretty heart shaped face with long unbound blond hair and light blue eyes.

"I was a member of the Peace's healing sect, we mostly did charity work for the poorer members of society with the city falling into chaos I've had plenty of time to practice" said Mira.

"How did you end up here in the dungeons" asked Arthur.

"Well when all of this started happening I hid in the cage of the dove with most of the city, then those things broke through" she trembled slightly "I managed to get away and was found by some of the city watchmen they brought me here" she said avoiding eye contact with Arthur.

She really was beautiful thought Arthur as he said "I see they brought a lot of women back here".

Other than the armed men of the watch Arthur had only seen serving women. It didn't surprise Arthur, men do horrible things during war and he doubted it was any different here.

Mira finished stitching up his face and leaned in close and said softly "you're the prisoner they took yesterday aren't you". Arthur stiffened.

"Don't worry I'm not going to tell the guards but I need your help" her husky voice tickled Arthurs ear.

Arthur knew she was trying to manipulate him into helping her but by the Dove it was working thought Arthur.

"They treat us like cattle here, we have no freedom here they force us t-".

Arthur interrupted her and said "what do you want me to do".

Mira looked taken aback "you will help us" she asked.

"Yes" said Arthur if he refused she would just take him to the guards.

"Well I just need you to distract the guards while I gather all the women together" Mira explained.

"Will you go out the front gates?" asked Arthur.

"No there is a collapsed wall through the back but the guards keep a close eye on it".

"Now for the distraction" said Mira.

"I just need to give them a reason to gather in the courtyard" said Arthur standing up to leave.

"Go gather as many women as you can I have an idea" said Arthur, Mira nodded and moved to speak to the women working in the kitchen. Before he left Arthur asked Mira "Have you seen my sword?".

"sorry Arthur I haven't" replied Mira one of the serving women kept glancing over to Arthur not saying a word "What is it Grace" said Mira.

"He's the one Derwin took" she mumbled "Derwin kept it in his room" Mira moved over to comfort her but Grace moved over to Arthur and said "please kill that bastard".

Arthur thought of Els and the brave men she took on her quest, the Dove has cruel sense of humor, Arthur found himself nearly concerned for her safety in spite of her betrayal.

"His room is on the second floor overlooking the courtyard" said Grace, Arthur nodded and set off down the corridor.

Arthur couldn't help but find his current situation ridiculous, it was the second time he had strayed from finding Pyp. This was the last time thought Arthur, after this nothing would stop him from finding Pyp and escaping this forsaken place. He came to a set of stairs leading up to the balcony, a few men lingered around down in the courtyard as Arthur slowly made his way across to the row of doors. Which door though Arthur, he opened the first door slowly cringing as the rusty hinges squeaked. The room was empty but clearly lived in, the sheets on the bed were messily pulled apart and the ground was littered with worn clothes. Arthur glanced around the room eyes open for his sword, he moved on to the next room when he couldn't find it. Finally he found his sword hung up on a nail in the final room, Arthur felt much better with the comforting weight at his hip. He walked back down the stairs and moved back down into the corridor, he was about to set off in search of Derwin when he heard.

"WHO TOOK MY SHIT!".

A door slammed behind him and boots pounded on the stone floor.

"YOU!" Arthur realised that he had been spotted. Derwin rounded the corner, weapon drawn, and charged at Arthur.

He chased Arthur until both of then were in the courtyard, his escape had been blocked by two men with halberds leveled. Arthur drew his sword and turned to face Derwin, this was his opportunity he thought as he shouted.

"What are you going to do, sneak up on me again you coward".

Derwin bristled at the insult, "can't stand and fight like a man, is that why you were left here with the cripples" Arthur laughed at him noticing more men crowding into the courtyard.

"Men seize him" Derwin shouted.

"To scared to accept a duel Derwin" shouted Arthur brandishing his sword "doesn't surprise me I doubt a mere city watchman knows which end of a sword does the killing".

That did it, Derwin drew his own sword anger plain on his face.

"I'll show you what a city watchman can do!" he shouted before rushing forward.

Arthur held his ground longsword weaving a defensive pattern around him block all of Derwins clumsy strikes. He had to keep this going as long as he could, he thrust forward and landed a heavy blow on Derwins armour sending him tumbling backwards. The small crowd that had formed around them jeered at Derwin as he fell, he quickly got to his feet and charged at Arthur again. He was persistent but not particularly skilled he thought as Derwin overstepped on a swing and Arthur kicked his legs out from under him. More laughter came from the crowd, Arthur noticed Mira lean out from the door way and wave at him. Arthur needed to end this quickly and escape in the confusion, Derwin was still on the ground and Arthur stood over him and drove the point of his sword into his throat. Derwins eyes went wide with confusion as he began to gargle on his own blood. The crowd stopped laughing quickly and stood in stunned silence at the violent death of Derwin. Arthur turned and ran past the two men with halberds, the men quickly snapped out of their trance and ran after Arthur shouting curses. He reached the gate and stopped in disbelief, in front of the gate was rows and rows and possessed stood silently. Without a word the lead row raised their weapons and charged.