Aliana lay wondering what it was they thought she was after. She had been sent by her county which was South of Morral County, the county she was sent to spy on. But the two questions that remained lingering in her head were how they knew she was a spy in the first place. Secondly, she also wondered why they seemed rather over zealous in torture. Aliana knew there was something else they were hiding and it definitely wasn’t what she had come for…

One week earlier, in the county of Soriset.

Aliana sat quietly in her chambers tuning her bow. Her chambers were plain with few belongings, only essential belongings that anyone would have. A bed, closet, nightstand and her weapon rack. The floor and walls were a fine wood that was neatly cut and seemed to give the room a calming atmosphere. A small iron chandelier hung from the ceiling with four candles brightly lit leaving the room finely lit with shadows that jumped back and fourth under the chandelier.

“Aliana…” A heavy and scratchy male voice came from the door. Aliana stopped with her bow. “…the Duke requests your audience.”

“Yes Mark, I’ll be there in a moment.” She put down her bow with care and quickly strapped on her buckled leather boots. She left her room and swiftly moved down the long wooden halls leaving only the silence of a ghost behind her. Aliana entered the small throne room entrance to see the Duke standing to greet her.

“Aliana, I’ve a mission for you.” Always straight to the point Duke Carrison was. Never lingered on a subject, he simply started and finished.

“Yes my Duke, what can I do for you?” Aliana replied ready for anything.

“The Duke of Morral Country to our North has been operating with more military recently and we need to assure that he is not massing military to attack any surrounding counties, that would be in violation of the Highlands Treaty, but of course you already know that. Now, I need you to set out whenever possible and infiltrate the Dukes castle and find out whatever information you can.”

“Duke, do I have any restrictions?”

“Yes, do not kill any civilians and do not kill anyone who is part of the castle staff. But if it comes to the point were you need to take the life of any guards or soldiers, do so, but be discrete.” He stood up and moved towards her. “And may the Gods look over you shoulders and guide you.” He said putting his hands on her shoulders. “Good luck; you’re the best I have.”

Aliana set out that night to the Dukes castle in Morral County without question.

Present.

Aliana still didn’t question her Duke, she had known him for eight years now and she has never failed him. She knew she couldn’t do that now. After an hour or so of thought she finally closed her eyes and slept.

It only seemed like a moment of sleep and she was awoken by an Orcs fist coming down on her belly. She let out a scream as the burns from yesterday pained severely. She kicked her feet up and slammed her heel into the Orcs eye throwing him back. She tried to jump up and found herself being tackled by another one of the brutes.

“She’s quite a fighter; she’s not going to give up so easily.” The Orc who had been kicked in the eye said standing up. “You’re going to pay for that you bitch human.” He said slapping his giant hand across her face. “We’re gonna bring you out to the cesspool today for that.” She tried to struggle but she felt her headache coming back after the Orcs slap. They carried her out of a different passage this time and finally they came out of what looked like a sewer exit. She turned her head every which way to see where she was and saw a murky area of waste. She then noticed a large arched support going over a pool of waste and a cage attached to a chain hung over it.

The Orcs both forced her into the cage after they pulled it over to the cesspool’s side. Aliana looked over to the sewer exit to see the female wood elf from yesterday standing there with an insidious smile on her face. “Alright, drop her in.” She shouted.

One of the Orcs cranked a wench and the chain let down quickly plunging Aliana into the waste. She pulled herself to the cage top trying to grasp what air she could before the cage went any deeper. Closing her eyes and mouth she felt the sickening cesspool creep up her neck and finally covering her head. The horrible smell seeped up her nose making her gag and want to take another breathe but she held tightly. She realized that the burns on her stomach didn’t even have time to heal or even skin over at all.

After about a minute she felt the waste move back down as the cage emerged from the ooze. She gasped for air no matter how bad it smelled.

The two Orcs laughed and the wood elf still has the same look on her face. Aliana knew that the elf was enjoying watching this.

“Human! Are you still going to withhold your information?” She shouted.

Aliana still gave no answer knowing it wasn’t going to help at all. The elf motioned for the Orcs to drop the cage again.

It was later when Aliana awoke in her cell she knew she must’ve passed out at one point. Either the smell or lack of air she didn’t remember passing out. She suddenly realized she had been stripped naked and had been washed down. She stood up and saw she was in a different cell this time. It was slightly warmer and well lit. The throbbing in her head still hadn’t gone away from earlier and it had gotten worse since the cesspool.

Aliana clean sack clothes clothing was on the floor next to the door and she quickly inspected them and put them on.

“I see you’re awake.” A male voice calmly said. “You have quite a tolerance. I personally had you relocated to a new cell and cleaned; I know you have no information yet. Oh, pardon me; allow me to introduce myself, I am Duke Waltz, Duke of Morral County. Now, may I ask your name or do you wish to leave it at that.”

Aliana hesitated for a moment and decided to answer. “I do not wish to answer.” She replied.

“Alright, now, I am curious…what was it that you were sent here for? Please tell me, if you do I will make sure that you are more…comfortable than where you are now.”

“Military production, you’ve had an increase in the number of men in the county.”

He chuckled and the door to the cell opened. “Indeed I do, but possibly not for the reasons you think.” He said looked her over with dark brown eyes. His grey hair was lined with strands of black hair which was brushed back over his head. He stood at least six feet tall and was a slim man. He wore grey clothing that was both fancy and modest. “I do wish to apologize for the…over reaction of some of my cell keepers. They are quite devoted to their work, but sometimes more than they ought to be.”

“You have no guards.” Aliana replied noticing nobody was with him. “I could snap your neck right here.” She said gritting her teeth.

“Indeed you could, but I felt as if I should show that I have some trust with you. You simply came for one thing, to get information, not to kill or sabotage anything.”

“And what if I am?”

“Well then you could’ve already snapped my neck by now.” He chuckled again and stepped back. “Would you mind following me miss?” He gestured.

Aliana knew he wasn’t going to try anything. Unlike the wood elf and those Orcs, the Duke didn’t have a deluded aura about him.

“Oh, and by the way, since you’ve already been through enough, maybe…” He sighed. “…you deserve to know why I have the extra forces in the area. Come, you will learn why.”