“Natalie, stop! Just let me leave!â€
Roen struggled to stand, leaning against the wall next to her for balance. But her precarious stance did not last long as she was roughly shoved down again by the miqo’te Sultansworn.
Natalie’s eyes only grazed her for a moment, before it returned to the towering form of Dennthota looming over her, but Roen could see the unwavering stubbornness in her gaze.
“No, Roen. You do not believe in your own worth. This is what you’re worth.†Natalie crouched in a defensive stance.
Dennthota’s only warning was a subtle tensing of her jaw before she reached out and tried to snatch Natalie’s sword from her sheath.  Their close proximity had brought it within easy reach. Natalie did not stop Denn from grabbing her sword, instead she yanked on her arm to pull her down even further, ramming her armored pauldron against the Roegadyn’s head.
Dennthota reeled back from the impact, but she still managed to grab the Sultansworn’s sword from Natalie’s hip. She shook her head to clear her senses, then spun the sword in her hand. “Well then, shall we get serious?â€
“Natalie! Do not do this!†Roen shouted, struggling to right herself in the chair.
“If you’re worth nothing, then neither am I,†Natalie growled. She was not going to budge against an armed opponent.
“What the hells?†Another voice broke the tension as three more figures entered the room: Stanzie, Siben, and Remi stood at the entrance of the headquarters, looking stunned. Stanzie, who had spoken, and Siben... those two Roen knew well enough; the miqo’te woman and the hyur male had helped her in the past. The third, a miqo'te female, Roen had met briefly before. Remi belonged to an alliance company to the Night Blades called Grim Echo.
“What’s going on here?†Siben Farnesworth stepped up next to Stanzie. He was frowning openly, although his attention was mostly directed towards the Roegadyn bearing a sword. The Roegadyn and he exchanged an uneasy look between them.
“Nothing. This does not concern any of you, save Roen, Kage and I.†Natalie glared at all of them. “Now leave us be, and take that one with you.†She jutted her chin towards the Roegadyn. Dennthota had paused as well, perhaps hesitant to attack with company about.
“As a ranking officer within our own building, it does concern me.†Siben’s eyes finally went to Roen and the manacles. “Why is Roen chained up?â€
“Because I did it.†Natalie said stubbornly.
“On whose authority?†Siben arched a brow.
“Mine.â€
“In an official capacity?â€
“No.†The Sultansworn’s tone was getting more recalcitrant.
“Because I say so?†Remi snorted. “Definitely takin’ the attitude of the city in that ‘Sworn uniforum I see.â€
Siben crossed his arms, meeting Natalie’s gaze squarely. “So start talking.â€
“I will not.†Natalie snarled.
Stanzie, whom Roen has always known to be patient and amiable miqo’te, stepped up to Natalie and Roen, her voice in a low growl. “You will all tell me what is going on.â€
“I will not.†Natalie met Stanzie’s intensity with one of her own.
"I'm sorry, Roen.†Kage pleaded, stepping in between them, his cheeks red and his eyes glistening with tears. “I know you hate me for this. I messed up. But please! You can't expect me to let this go when you think you’re not of any worth or that your life may be forfeit! How do you expect us to take this?"
Roen looked to Kage with sympathy, and in that short moment did not see the yellow vial that Siben withdrew from his coat. But she saw when he hurled it at the double main doors. It shattered with a pop, creating a large sticky splatter that spanned the width of the doorway. Â
“Well, now no one is going anywhere. That glue is not going to dissolve for awhile.†He said nonchalantly, turning back to the rest of the group. “So we have plenty of time to figure out what’s going on.â€
Stanzie looked alarmed by Kage’s words, staring back at Roen. “Why are you trying to convince us that you are worthless and deserving to die?"
Roen shook her head. Her words were starting to be spun out of control. “No! I… I just meant... I just have matters that I must deal with, that I cannot speak of. Natalie, Kage, Kayah… they want to help, but I do not want it! I can take care of this. I do not need to involve any of you.â€
“There seems to be mounting evidence to the contrary, Roen.†Siben crossed his arms again.
"How can you expect Natalie and I to not get involved when you're willing to give up being Sultansworn forever?" Kage had tears streaking down his face.
“Because I made my choice, Kage.†Roen said soothingly, trying to comfort Kage with some semblance of reassurance. “I will live by it.â€
Stanzie stepped up closer to her, her expression easing. “Too late for that now. You have people that care.†She glanced to Natalie, Kage, and the rest. “You can’t expect them not to help.â€
“Nat, will you unbind her?†Siben pulled out a chair and took a seat. “She's not getting out that door for a while, we can offer her some modicum of decency until we get this sorted out.â€
Natalie seemed to relent as well, as she studied Siben. “You promise to keep her from leaving? Until this is all… resolved?â€
Siben thumbed towards the door. “That isn’t going away for at least another bell at least.â€
Natalie nodded and came to stand in front of her with the keyring in hand, her gaze locking the hyur’s. “Now, Roen. The secret must come out.â€
Roen struggled to stand, leaning against the wall next to her for balance. But her precarious stance did not last long as she was roughly shoved down again by the miqo’te Sultansworn.
Natalie’s eyes only grazed her for a moment, before it returned to the towering form of Dennthota looming over her, but Roen could see the unwavering stubbornness in her gaze.
“No, Roen. You do not believe in your own worth. This is what you’re worth.†Natalie crouched in a defensive stance.
Dennthota’s only warning was a subtle tensing of her jaw before she reached out and tried to snatch Natalie’s sword from her sheath.  Their close proximity had brought it within easy reach. Natalie did not stop Denn from grabbing her sword, instead she yanked on her arm to pull her down even further, ramming her armored pauldron against the Roegadyn’s head.
Dennthota reeled back from the impact, but she still managed to grab the Sultansworn’s sword from Natalie’s hip. She shook her head to clear her senses, then spun the sword in her hand. “Well then, shall we get serious?â€
“Natalie! Do not do this!†Roen shouted, struggling to right herself in the chair.
“If you’re worth nothing, then neither am I,†Natalie growled. She was not going to budge against an armed opponent.
“What the hells?†Another voice broke the tension as three more figures entered the room: Stanzie, Siben, and Remi stood at the entrance of the headquarters, looking stunned. Stanzie, who had spoken, and Siben... those two Roen knew well enough; the miqo’te woman and the hyur male had helped her in the past. The third, a miqo'te female, Roen had met briefly before. Remi belonged to an alliance company to the Night Blades called Grim Echo.
“What’s going on here?†Siben Farnesworth stepped up next to Stanzie. He was frowning openly, although his attention was mostly directed towards the Roegadyn bearing a sword. The Roegadyn and he exchanged an uneasy look between them.
“Nothing. This does not concern any of you, save Roen, Kage and I.†Natalie glared at all of them. “Now leave us be, and take that one with you.†She jutted her chin towards the Roegadyn. Dennthota had paused as well, perhaps hesitant to attack with company about.
“As a ranking officer within our own building, it does concern me.†Siben’s eyes finally went to Roen and the manacles. “Why is Roen chained up?â€
“Because I did it.†Natalie said stubbornly.
“On whose authority?†Siben arched a brow.
“Mine.â€
“In an official capacity?â€
“No.†The Sultansworn’s tone was getting more recalcitrant.
“Because I say so?†Remi snorted. “Definitely takin’ the attitude of the city in that ‘Sworn uniforum I see.â€
Siben crossed his arms, meeting Natalie’s gaze squarely. “So start talking.â€
“I will not.†Natalie snarled.
Stanzie, whom Roen has always known to be patient and amiable miqo’te, stepped up to Natalie and Roen, her voice in a low growl. “You will all tell me what is going on.â€
“I will not.†Natalie met Stanzie’s intensity with one of her own.
"I'm sorry, Roen.†Kage pleaded, stepping in between them, his cheeks red and his eyes glistening with tears. “I know you hate me for this. I messed up. But please! You can't expect me to let this go when you think you’re not of any worth or that your life may be forfeit! How do you expect us to take this?"
Roen looked to Kage with sympathy, and in that short moment did not see the yellow vial that Siben withdrew from his coat. But she saw when he hurled it at the double main doors. It shattered with a pop, creating a large sticky splatter that spanned the width of the doorway. Â
“Well, now no one is going anywhere. That glue is not going to dissolve for awhile.†He said nonchalantly, turning back to the rest of the group. “So we have plenty of time to figure out what’s going on.â€
Stanzie looked alarmed by Kage’s words, staring back at Roen. “Why are you trying to convince us that you are worthless and deserving to die?"
Roen shook her head. Her words were starting to be spun out of control. “No! I… I just meant... I just have matters that I must deal with, that I cannot speak of. Natalie, Kage, Kayah… they want to help, but I do not want it! I can take care of this. I do not need to involve any of you.â€
“There seems to be mounting evidence to the contrary, Roen.†Siben crossed his arms again.
"How can you expect Natalie and I to not get involved when you're willing to give up being Sultansworn forever?" Kage had tears streaking down his face.
“Because I made my choice, Kage.†Roen said soothingly, trying to comfort Kage with some semblance of reassurance. “I will live by it.â€
Stanzie stepped up closer to her, her expression easing. “Too late for that now. You have people that care.†She glanced to Natalie, Kage, and the rest. “You can’t expect them not to help.â€
“Nat, will you unbind her?†Siben pulled out a chair and took a seat. “She's not getting out that door for a while, we can offer her some modicum of decency until we get this sorted out.â€
Natalie seemed to relent as well, as she studied Siben. “You promise to keep her from leaving? Until this is all… resolved?â€
Siben thumbed towards the door. “That isn’t going away for at least another bell at least.â€
Natalie nodded and came to stand in front of her with the keyring in hand, her gaze locking the hyur’s. “Now, Roen. The secret must come out.â€
