Work Text:
This was not how this was meant to go. They were meant to be on their way to Scaleswind, not locked in the cells of werewolf royalty and they certainly were not meant to be meif’wa. The guards had taken Aphmau, leaving Elwynn, Katelyn, and Laurance in their separate cells. For all they knew, Aphmau was being told their deaths were all planned for this afternoon. Elwynn already felt as though they might, being stripped of all their clothes and thrown in cells, separated from one another, and the creeping fear that she’d done it again. Part of her wished she had just stayed a nomad, maybe they wouldn’t be in this situation then. She seemed to bring bad luck wherever she went. Though, Laurance managed to get her part of the way there when it came to breaking that belief. The situation, however, only brought all those thoughts back to surface.
The breathing of a fourth person in the room seemed to catch Katelyn’s attention, in turn catching Elywnn’s. A woman, likely no older than twenty, sat in the corner of the cell next to Katelyn’s. She seemed just as scared as they were, though she’d clearly been here longer. For a moment, Katelyn had a look of recognition. Maybe she should leave the fire fist to sooth the girl on her own. For now, she’d make sure Laurance was alright.
“Laurance! Are you awake?” She hated hearing her voice shake, but she needed to know he was alright.
“Mhm, I’m alright just… Are you alright? And what about Katelyn and Aphmau?” If she thought she sounded awful, the shadow knight sounded worse.
“I’m just fine. Katelyn is as well, they took Aphmau hours ago though. Just… I know you’re worried but get some rest, you need it.”
As if on queue, guards entered the room and dragged Laurance out despite Elwynn and Katelyn’s protests. The silence after the door slammed was louder than anyone would think. The pair of women stared at the door, unsure of why they would take him. He’d looked so broken and tired, he needed rest not to be dragged away by the werewolves holding them prisoner.
“Katelyn, what do we do? What are they going to do to him?”
“I don’t know right now, but Aphmau’s got a plan, I know it. Just sit down and help me find a way to get out of here for right now. Laurance’ll be okay.”
Right. Katelyn was right, he’d be okay. After all, Aphmau had gotten them out of worse situations before, she’d get them out of this one. Did she really believe that though? Not with her luck. They’re likely out there turning Laurance into a laughing stalk as they planned the execution of the group. With her mind racing to the darkest thoughts, she began to search the cell for some way out. Maybe she could distract herself from their impending doom, or at least, help distract Katelyn from it before she decided to try to rip the bars apart herself.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
Hours went by before Laurance was thrown back into his cell, still and silent. He was alive, that was clear but something was deeply wrong. The guards seemed to be chuckling to themselves as they locked the shadow knight in. Elwynn watched the pair carefully, hoping to find out something at least. Nearly immediately, she regretted it. The words they spoke made fear course through her veins.
“Say your goodbyes, it’ll be your only chance before your execution.” With that, the guards left, leaving the four prisoners in the silence.
Execution. The word rang through the former nomad’s mind. Laurance was to be executed. Murdered. He was going to be murdered. The love of her life, the person who made her believe she wasn’t a burden, was about to be gone for good. Maybe she really was a curse and a burden. The closest people to her always died, did they not? This time was no different. She’d let herself get close and now Laurance was about to be ripped away.
Before she knew it, the tears were steaming and her breathing was unsteady. The last time she felt like this was… oh. It was then, wasn’t it? The weeks after the loss of her sisters. The cold might have gotten to her then, she was inconsolable and some even seemed to think she’d gone crazy. Crying in the freezing snow, that was her life then. Even on the move, avoiding attachment like the plague, most nights were spent crying in the snow. If they got out of here alive, she’d likely return to that. Wandering through the tundra with a new loved one to grieve.
Time didn’t seem real as she cried. At some point, Katelyn had taken a seat next to her, the bars separating them. Laurance was speaking but she couldn’t hear it. Oh, Irene how she wished she could. Maybe it would give her the chance to say goodbye to him. For now, she couldn’t hear a word and the comfort of Katelyn close by didn’t help at all. The echoing footsteps of Laurance being dragged away was what snapped her out of it.
“Laurance! Stop! Don’t take him!”
“Don’t worry, we’re all gonna get out of this somehow, Elwynn.”
His smile was the last thing she saw before they dragged him through the doors. He always was one to put on a smile for others when they needed it, but this one? It didn’t seem like just a comforting expression. He had a plan, and as long as her bad luck didn’t get in the way, maybe they’d all see him again and make their way to Scaleswind. Until then, the three still in the cells would have to wait in the dark, hoping Aphmau and Laurance could pull through and get them out of here.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
Falling into the seat the guards shoved him towards, Laurance listened to all of the werewolves around him. He had to find a way to get everyone out of this, but the sound of all their heartbeats were so loud he could barely think. He managed to put together that they were fully intending to execute him right after the wedding. Why else would they have brought him out here so soon? The thoughts he could gather were stuck on Elwynn and the way she had broken down back in the cells.
Returning to the sight of it, he felt useless. He could have made up another lie to get Aphmau out of the wedding, maybe then Elwynn wouldn’t be back in the mindset she’d had when they met. He’d find a way to get them out of this and prove her train of thought wrong. He’d finally gotten her to believe she wasn’t a burden nor a curse and this would not take all that away from her, not when just days ago, she was the happiest he’d seen her.
Maybe he’d gotten too lost in thought. Looking up, he was greeted with Aphmau at the altar with the prince. Something about this was desperately wrong, besides the situation as he knew it. A few of the guards were making their way towards the castle dungeons. Right, why would they only execute him? Why not all of them? Not a moment passed between the realization and his transformation. Screaming and howls were all he could hear as Aphmau made a run for the dungeon. Blood was the last thing he saw before blacking out.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
Rushed footsteps brought the three women to attention as Aphmau ran for the keys. No one spoke, questions would have to be saved for later. Grabbing the closest things to clothes they could find, the three followed the lord out of the dungeons, finding their weapons hung on the walls as they ran. Screaming was echoing through the castle, falling silent as werewolves fled and the women made it to the garden.
Part of Elwynn expected to see the werewolves standing over the shadow knight’s body. Instead, they found the shadow knight standing over the corpses of werewolves. He seemed so animal, not a sense of that humanity she’d been fond of. She’d never seen this happen before, Laurance was always suppressing the shadow knight side of himself. If she didn’t know him, she might have feared him and ran the other way. She couldn’t leave him here though, and she knew him better than she knew herself.
“Laurance! We need to leave!” Elwynn’s shouts seemed to fall of deaf ears as she grabbed the shadow knight’s wrist. “You got us out, come back to us so we can leave.”
Frankly, she didn’t expect her words to work. The sight of Laurance nearly collapsing as the shadows faded caught her off-guard. That shouldn’t have been that easy, should it have? Maybe she meant more to him than she realized, but just as the questions, it would have to be a conversation for later. Helping the brunette keep balance, Elwynn followed the others, making their escape from the wretched werewolf palace.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
Running through the woods, all she could think was that he was alive. Laurance was alive and they’d all escaped. He’d lost himself for a moment but he’d come back and that’s what mattered. They’d have to take a moment to make sure he was alright, but it would have to wait until they were safe. Aphmau, Katelyn, and the other prisoner ran ahead of them, clearing the way. No one knew where they were running, but they wouldn’t stop until one of them thought it was safe.
Eventually, they’d ended up in a clearing, surrounded by towering trees. The moment they’d decided it was safe, Laurance laid in the grass, Elwynn taking a seat beside him. Katelyn seemed distracted by the girl they’d been trapped with, Abby was her name, at least that’s what she’d understood as Katelyn ran off after her. Aphmau was busy searching through the bags they’d gathered for better clothes, some food, and water.
“Are you alright? I was worried we wouldn’t get you back for a moment there.” Elwynn’s gaze fell on the man, he looked half asleep but those artificial meif’wa ears were at full attention. Even when he was exhausted, he still did his duties as a guard.
“I’m not hurt, and you’re all safe so.. I’m alright. Are you alright? Not thinking you’re a curse again, are you?” Soft laughter came from the pair as Laurance sat up, pulling her into a hug.
“Oh, shut up! I’m worrying about you, it’s not worrying about me time!”
“Elwynn, I’m alive. We’re all out of there and safe, I’ll be fine.” A gentle kiss on the other’s forehead followed.
“Alright, but I’m still going to worry. I was terrified we lost you for a moment there.”
“You won’t lose me. I’ll be around until, Irene forbid, one of us dies. How are you feeling though?”
She stayed silent for a moment, squeezing the shadow knight’s hand before she spoke. “You proved me wrong, you got us all out of there. We didn’t lose you. I’m doing amazing.”
Quiet laughter erupted from the pair as they planted kisses on one another’s face. They made it out alive, no one was executed, Aphmau wasn’t forced into a marriage, and they were miles away. They’d be on their way to Scaleswind again soon, they were back on track. Though, the journey would likely take longer now. They were on foot now and everyone still needed to get their bearings again. Katelyn likely wouldn’t be complaining, that woman had the worst sea sickness anyone could imagine.
Eventually, Katelyn returned, following Aphmau over to the pair. They’d have to get moving again soon, but first, making sure they were all fed was a higher priority. The food they’d given them in the dungeons was only enough to keep them alive for another day. Elwynn and Laurance kept watching one another, making sure the other was alright. They listened as Katelyn explained the girl in the cells with them was in fact, the Abby she’d known before the Irene dimension. Aphmau seemed alright, although she wouldn’t let any of them worry over her just yet. They’d all made it out alive. Laurance was alive, Elwynn hadn’t been right, she wasn’t cursed, and they would make it to Scaleswind by the end of the week.