You try to struggle but they drag you down to the dungeons, imprisoning you among the poor and desperate. As they leave, you can hear the whimpers of those around you, begging for death. No one speaks of freedom. Glancing around, you narrow your eyes. You had never thought of the kingdom to be this bad.
You remember you mother as she was and can't stop the tears from falling. Fear rests in your bones and you wonder if you might die here. It occurs to you that you'll never see Rose again. As this adds to your fear, you feel yourself slipping into sleep.
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"Stronger, Arthur. Do not fear you will hurt me. I assure you, you will not," Rose says, smiling at you. It was late in the week and you were back to fighting. She didn't let you use a sword yet, proclaiming you needed to build up your strength first.292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDH8bXnQyo
"I dunno, Rose. I don't want to hurt anyone."292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtadgVnKJSN
"Except the king."292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5KldUfxiB
"Well," you smile, "perhaps him."292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDWmI9hpbT
Rose sighs and sits down, motioning for you to join her. "Have you ever heard the story of Eva the Tiger?"292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NHf9jxUCS
"No," you say, interested and confused.292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnkbQsPw3m
"Once," Rose began, "there was a very powerful tiger. He was the leader of his clan and he wore the mantel proudly. But he did not have a son. All he wanted, more than anything, was a son. So, on a fine day much like this one, he went to the witch. He asked and he begged and he bartered and eventually, she agreed to give him a son. But only on one condition. The tiger must name the son Eva."292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2bTahSjXh
"Why Eva?" you ask.292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4aGKLOb7Q
"Shh and listen," Rose replies. "Anyway, the tiger refused, hating the idea but the witch refused to budge. She had made her choice. So, the tiger agreed. When he got home, his wife had given birth to a beautiful tiger. And named him Eva."292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡde7k5MIMFt
"That witch really must hate tigers."292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtD7N7D3y0M
"No... You see, Eva wasn't allowed outside of his father's cave. The father was deathly scared that he would be teased and abused by the other tiger cubs. So, Eva grew up sheltered. However, there comes a time where every tiger is foolish. Eva wandered out of the cave one night and made his way to the tiger square, which was where the tiger cubs hung out. 'Hello', he told them, 'I am Eva the Tiger'.292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4DLDyAo4Q
"No one laughed or judged. They played with him and told him how his name sounded so cool. After all, the name Eva meant life."292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NWfnxYPnk
"Really?" you ask.292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvN0Ztr5XLS
"Yes. Now, Eva made it back to the cave by sunrise but the father could smell the earth on him. He demanded to know where his son had gone yet Eva wasn't saying. That night, when the father went to bed, Eva snuck out again. And so it went. For three nights in a row, Eva snuck out. On the fourth night, his father stayed awake and then followed the creeping tiger.292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2II4u4Mv5B
"That night, he discovered something. There was nothing to fear. For his son had courage. And courage is not the absence of fear but rather the knowledge that something is more important than fear."292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpPQ8889CE
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You snap awake, sure of something. No matter what they do to you, you will have courage. Your mother and Rose are more important than fear.292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHJlSUWuBO
The next day, they bring you to what they call the chamber. There's a man, sharpening a blade with a dirty smile on his face. Next to him, a machine is hooked up to a screaming woman. You don't recognize her although her interrogator is calling her Dahlia.
The hook you up to your own machine and wait, patiently. Soon, the man comes over.
"Where is the sword?" he asks, blunt and emotionless.
You reply with a vulgar word you had heard Rose use one. He smiled and turned on the machine. Pain wracks your system and you yell, barely resisting the urge to cry. When it's over, when he turns it off, you stop resisting and let the tears fall. This is the worst pain you've ever felt.
"It stimulates the nerves," he says as you weep. "Electrocutes them one by one until their dead. You know what happens then?"
You shake your head.
"You die," he says, smiling in anticipation. "Now, I'll be nice one more time. Where. Is. The. Sword."
You grin. "If it was up your ass, you'd know." He turns on the machine.
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A) Bow under pressure and tell them where it is, saving your mother.292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIj2PEqUMy
B) Stay strong and watch your mother get tortured with you.292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkojXHj5To
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A/N: I'm sorry it's so late in coming. I've been a bit busy and things have been hectic in my family. However, better late than never! Here it is!292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAVeQPs7HC
