A Meeting

I'm hurt, the Prince thought.

Seriously hurt, and I just might die in this pisshole.  Even if I live, that she-bitch bit me.

His mind reeled at the thought of the lycanthropy disease possibly coursing through his veins right now.  He pulled himself up into a sitting position, wincing at the pain in his stomach.  He removed his tunic and tried to make a bandage for his wound.

He sat and listened for a long time.  No sound other than dripping water and scurrying little feet met his ears.

Scurrying little feet.

He became aware that movement was nearby... tiny feet inching their way toward him.  He struggled to stand.

I'm damned if I'll be eaten by rats, he promised himself.

He felt the wall and found the door from which Ariya originally came.  With no choice, he ducked through and closed it.

The darkness in here was just as bad as in the hallway, but a faint gleam appeared somewhere to his left.  He drew one sword and felt his way toward the source.  A hallway... extending off toward some unknown light.  He edged closer and saw it was lichen dimly glowing.

He padded down this hall... saw another branch to the left, and instinct told him to follow it.  It ended without fanfare.

Mmm-hmm, he thought, and began to feel for anything to reveal a hidden door.

Immediately, he found a protrusion of stone, and he pressed it.  A secret door slid open, and the Prince found himself exposed to torchlight.  Warily, he looked around and saw the light coming through a door.  With a start, he realized he was in one of the jail cells in the Hall of Xis.

He edged closer to the door and looked out.  No one was there, but the torches were lit.

He traced his way back to the well and the platform left there so long ago.  Collapsing on it, he decided to rest a bit before trying to pull himself up.

With a start, he realized two things: one, he had dozed off here.  Two, the platform was going up.  He drew his second blade and waited for the light now above him to reveal its secrets.

In minutes, he made out a form... no, two forms, pulling the rope to bring the platform up.  Shapes became faces, and he saw four looking down on him.

As he came to a stop, he smiled. "Good evening, and welcome to Doomwatch."

The four faces looked at each other and drew their weapons.