The prison was quite an isolated place, even for the Empire's prisons. It was surrounded by an empty moat, that after a prison escape in the winter some decades ago was only filled when the skirmishes between local lords were going on and they tried to free prisoners to act as free mercenaries.

The prison usually filtered out prisoners within a year or so, long punishments not really being a thing in the Empire- better to have the people of the empire able to contribute and not behind bars- or so the royals would say. That said there were some prisoners that had been there for a while, beyond what any but the oldest guards and staff could remember (they too had a high turnover, through death, mental illness and leaving after getting the experience to join the army and local militias).

The first was a war criminal Erik Banders from the last war the Empire had fought in, a large and muscular man that was chained to the wall at every possible point of his body. He had managed to kill a dozen guards and nearly escaped a number of times over the decades he had been imprisoned. Next was one who came and went, a repeat offender who called herself the Queen of the Fields. She got in trouble often and fast, once committing a crime so soon after release that the bed in her cell was still warm when she came back in. The last was a nameless prisoner, one who's crimes were unavailable to the prison- a political prisoner of whom all record had been stripped. The instructions for the prisoner were why the Prisoner was remembered. No shaving of hair from the face or body, minimal cleaning of the face and body, hair must be kept bald and a drip of water upon the dome will be administered to the Prisoner to ensure that the wind chills the Prisoner.

Most of the guards and prisoners avoided the Old Guard, who between the murderous rampages of Erik and the very annoying thievery of Fields weren't really much of a crowd one would wish to interact with.

Today, Garrison Garrison, of Garridad, no relation, was showing a fresh recruit around. An immigrant from one of the smaller countries that the bigger ones often neglected to include on maps. She was dressed in the guards' uniform, her long red hair tied up and tucked under the guard's signature beret. 

"Okay, Bevun, this is Prisoner... uh, honestly we just call them the Prisoner."

Bevun nodded, "No name then?"

"None I've ever heard."

"Any information?"

"Besides the weird punishment requirements, no."

"Weird how?"

"Grooming requirements. I mean the magic stuff is normal, we have the same for Erik, but seems rude to stop a prisoner from bathing. We take pride that our scum are the cleanest in the empire."

Bevun nodded. "And I am to?"

"Enter the room and feed them. They refuse to eat."

"Why not let them die?"

"Because it would be a waste of life and also the Prisoner has been here since a child so I think the warden has a soft spot. Even let's them have books to read."

"A child?"

"Yeah. Top rumor is their a bastard child of a local noble with a foreign one."

Bevun handed her caster and bag off to Garrison, nodded, and entered the room. In tattered clothes with a stench unbearable one pale and boney arm chained to the wall above them sat the prisoner.

Their body hair, more like fur than hair covered them to the point where one was unable to tell if a shadow on the shirt was thator  a rip. A pale bald head, with the slightest bit of growth hung down as the free hands dug a finger into the stone floor. Quite an impressive divot had been gouged by the Prisoner over the years. The prisoner's neck was red and scratched. Out of the corner of her eye she could see some books piled haphazardly, worn from use.

Bevun coughed, "Ahem. I am the newest guard, inmate. Time for you to eat."

The prisoner moved their head up, green eyes glaring at Zurah. They shook their head.

"Well, doesn't matter your opinion, you have to eat."

"I... do... not." The voice of the prisoner was weak and soft, like it was rarely used except to cry and scream.

"Sure, I get it- you wish to die. But it is my job to-"

"Just... let... me... die."

Bevun walked over and tipped the prisoners back filling their mouth with the mush she had been given and forcing them to swallow it like one would try and force a dog to swallow. After the Prisoner finally swallowed and relented, the pale free arm grabbed Bevun's back, sharp and jagged nails digging into her flesh.

"Unhand me." She said, and then relaxed.

Garrison worried rushed in. "Bevun, are you- ah shit, I forgot to warn you to... uh." He stopped as the prisoner smiled.

"Magic... ah... I see." From Bevun's back the smallest bit of magic rose up. It crackled a bit as if some force was sparking inside it. The prisoner smiled and touched it, and then....

Garrison awoke in a pile of rubble, his armor dented and his head ringing like a bell. A fellow guard pulled him up. 

"GG, are you okay?"

"Yes. Could be better. Where's Bevun? Where's the Prisoner?"

"Escaped."

"The prisoner took a guard hostage?"

"Err, more like Bevun was actively helping break the prisoner out."

"What?"

"Yeah, I can't believe it either. The Field Queen also escaped but Erik was captured before he could get his feet loose, besides them we've lost a couple dozen prisoners."

"How?"

"Well, the prisoner somehow broke the draw bridge mechanism, and it was covering the pit ring for a good thirty minutes."

"Uh, can you escort me to the infirmary, I think I might have a concussion."

________________________________________________________________________

The Prisoner dived into the lake scrubbing themselves with the bar of soap. Beside the Prisoner bathed Bevun, her ram horns sticking out of head. It had been a few hours since they had escaped from the prison. 

"So... I'm called Zurah. Do you have a name or?"

The prisoner stared at their reflection in the water. "Ugh. I have a name according to the Warden, but I dislike it. So, call me Nana... it's better than my given."

"Oh... so then, I need a partner in crime, and you clearly need runes."

The prisoner laughed, "Yes, I need... someone who can do the runes I... need. And by the look of your back, I'd say you... are... that."

Zurah spent the next hour carving the runes she had once placed on her own pack onto the prisoner's back. Years of hair growth fell off the prisoner's body and face and her vocal cords shifted to a tone and style much more pleasing to the prisoner's ears.

"The head hair and the you-know-else will take a while."

"Thank you." Nana smiled.

"Hey, no need. Damns am I glad that weirdo was right you'd be chill. Right, full introduction now that were clean and dressed. Zurah Harken. Rune User and let's call it, Adventurer. Now, uh... do you have a last name?"

"Let's use... Kathe."

"Like the playwrite?"

"Sure. It sounds cute."

"Well, can't blame you if I changed my last name, I'd make it cooler."

Nana laughed. "So, now that I am in your debt, where to Z?"

Zurah smiled. "Well, let's take a visit to the capital.'

"Why?"

"Perhaps I wish to rob a certain object from the academy for a friend of mine. One that was stolen from her tribe. You have no issue with that."

"Unless the friend is a member of the Go'fe'tr-r'ca tribe no."

"She's not. Wait why?"

"Oh, they're just the rival to the tribe that traded with the prisoners. It's a pride thing."

"Anyways, here." She placed a wig from her overstuffed bag onto Nana's head. It was a muddy brown and styled into a braided ponytail. "This will help until your hair grows out."

The two began walking. 

"Really, you had books and stuff in that dingy cell."

"Yeah, warden gave me them and set me up a secret hatch. Honestly the guards could have been worse. Probably helps that the longest serving new me as a toddler. I was a cute baby.”

"So... when did you realize that you were you know?"

"Ten years ago. You?"

"Since I was like eight for the main, four years ago for the idea that I didn't like being the old me but the chains that my new me had were a bit restrictive. Now, Boys or Girls. I like anyone feminine really."

"Girls. Or anything not male."

"Oh. So... any prison crushes?"

"No. Too depressed by the fact I was hair except for my head."

“Soooo, what exactly was that move you did.”

“Oh, magic does that with me unfortunately.”

"Noted. Now, why exactly were you in prison Nana?"

"Fuck if I know. I can barely remember my life before it. Since I was a child. An absolute dumbass toddler baby."

"Yeah, I hear you. I grew up elsewhere before a witch from Feenruhe adopted me after my parents kicked me out. Barely remember them. Trauma and what not."

Nana laughed. "So, have you ever been to the capital? I read about it, but I really can't picture a city that large."

"Once. It's a frighteningly compact place and even more frighteningly sectioned. The royal castle is in the middle of the hill it lays on and it has a forest separating the emperor from the rest of the royals."

"Twins, that sounds like ass."

"Yep, all the more reason why I think I am right if I steal a bit more and cause some extra chaos while there."

"How long until we get there?"

"Two weeks. Don't worry, I know the best path. Good inns, good food."

"And how will we pay for it? Like do they use money the guards and books talked about or like a barter system like the prisoners used."

"Holy shit, you really haven't been out of prison in forever."

"Since I was like three, I'm told."

"Well. Let us get a move on."

_______________________________________________________________________

"Uncle?" 

"Yes, Brio?"

"You forgot to sign these papers."

Lord Galahad shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Again. Cysgod forgive me for slander against a fellow but I really wish Gerry hadn't taken a vacation and left me with his work, I'm slipping up in my own."

"Also, the Professor needs you to pick up her dresses from the dressmaker."

"Ah, it is almost time for the ball, isn't it. You wouldn't mind doing that for me would you?"

Brio sighed, "Of course Uncle."

"My thanks."

Brio exited his uncle's office and made his way down the hall of portraits. It took some effort to stop himself from wiping his finger on the lower part of each frame and covering his finger with dust. His feet hit hard on the stones, echoing in the long chamber. Sometimes he wished uncle's office was moved. Its placement was fine for getting to the house early but to get into town was much more of a hassle.

He gave a few nods to his fellow students, and he walked through the main hallways, stuck in weekend classes or detentions. Brio himself had wanted to take classes on the weekend, but he really never had time with his other schoolwork and helping his uncle and other council members out. 

Brio made his way down the pathway directly to the middle of the city, one of few paths built exclusively to make traversing downward easier for the citizens of the upper ring. Any buildings it passed were windowless and from the back and the only time a lower ring citizen could be seen was from a few roofs when eating lunch or drunkenly swearing at the stars at night. Brio hung to the wall, not really wanting to risk walking to the building out of a fear that somehow someone would see him. Plus it was brighter by the wall in this section of the city anyways. That said it wasn't particularly bright today there either, a white curtain hiding the sunlight. A bit droll yet still dull type of atmosphere.

The alley opened out into a fountain square, situated in the middle of a few apartment buildings. The dressmaker was a short road down from them. Brio stopped to toss a coin into the fountain while making some insignificant wish. Leannan would have made fun of him for still believing in wishing fountains, and he did admit it was childish- however it was good for his mental health to believe some goddess would make his next paper an A+ or clean his room for him. 

He moved on, a few people who recognized him tipping hats and nodding as he passed by. He returned them in kind, smiling at them. As he walked, he heard a voice call him.

"Oh! You! You're Lord Galahad's kid, right?"

Brio turned to see who had addressed him. A brown skinned man with wavy hair and a fanciful white dress uniform waved at him from a table outside a cafe. He smiled as Brio approached.

"You are?" Brio asked.

"I'm hurt. You don't recognize me? I mean I know I'm just a principality's Prince but still. Salem?"

"Oh, I didn't recognize you without that awful haircut."

"I really hope you're jesting Brio."

"Anyways, why are you in town?"

"Oh, just some business father wants me to attend to. Got here early, just to see the Capital."

"And?"

"Well, the rooms at my hotel suck, the food is mediocre, and the streets are confusing. I was lost for an hour yesterday and only a block from my hotel."

Brio laughed, "Shouldn't you have an attendee?"

Salem patted his caster well, "They presumed this would keep me safe."

"And yet."

Salem shook his head. "Brio, what are you doing out? I heard you're a recluse now."

"Excuse me for trying to keep up with my studies and training under my uncle."

"A Rune User could be better served in a position other than High Defender, friend."

"Do they pay as well, your highness?"

"Point taken."

"Well, I'm getting my aunt's dress picked up, you are free to join me."

"Oh, the Ball! I heard it was soon."

"Unfortunately. I kind of wish that the summit hadn't been delayed, I hate the balls here. Way too stuffy and divided."

"I agree, though even that ball would be stuffy compared to the ones in my kingdom."

"Unfortunately, we cannot afford a week of everyone being drunk."

"I mean you could, but a lot of people would fall off the streets."

Brio chuckled, "Yeah, we have strict public intoxication laws for a reason. Though some people get away with ignoring them."

"So, you are going solo to the ball, or do you have someone?"

"Why would I take someone to a ball? Even if I cared about that kind of thing, I wouldn't torture a date like that."

"Oh. Shame, you could sell being a Galahad to get some money to court a son or daughter of a foreign noble."

"I am not the actor of my family unfortunately."

The duo arrived and entered the dressmaker, and after a short conversation returned outside, dress in a bag over Brio's shoulder.

"Is that really what your aunt is wearing? A bit garish, isn't it?"

"You ask as if I would know."

"So, where's the other Rune User?"

"Leannan? She got an invitation to Feenruhe. Took my cousin and her girlfriend with her as well."

"I'd console you on your loneliness, but you like it don't you."

"In that I can actually work and study yes, but it is a bit odd not having one of them around to argue with."

"You can argue with me."

"You aren't as dumb as them."

Salem laughed, "Your bluntness is always surprising Brio."

"So exactly what is your business here, your highness?"

"Oh, I'm meeting someone. Want to hire them for something. I'm here to set up some things for a trial to see if they're worth the price I heard they work for."

"Oh. You have told other people about this right?"

"A few. To help with the set up. In letters of course. Most no. I want them to react naturally to a theft of a national treasure."

"A what of a what?!" Brio placed a palm on his head. "Salem, I know the emperor has a tendency to hire unsavory characters to serve him, but I think even he would be mad if you hired a thief to steal a national treasure from the castle."

"Well, it wouldn't be stolen. I'd give it back after exposing my test to everyone."

"Uh huh. And why hire someone to do this."

"I am not yet able to say. Let's just say I'd prefer someone of her skills to prevent something if it does come to pass."

"Oh good, so you don't even know if you're hiring her for something you need."

"Well... even then her services are quite recommended."

"Okay, what's her name?"

"Zurah."

"You're fucking around."

"I am quite serious."

"That loud ditz is a thief of renown? Good renown?"

"Yes, apparently so."

"So, when is she arriving?"

"A few days. She told me she was stopping to get herself a partner slash apprentic slash and I quote person to laugh at my jokes hopefully."

"Oh twins, two more idiots to deal with."

"I just need you to play along and perhaps prevent Lady Deirdre from you know."

"I cannot promise to be able to stop that woman. She is the pride of the empire after all. I've seen her stopped without orders one time."

"Well, a promise to try is enough."

Brio and Salem made their way up towards the Academy, through the back alley. Brio took Salem around to the back and runes at the secret passage. The two slouched over and made their way through the passage and emerged into the light of the High Defender's office. 

Lord Kaga glanced over at them from his desk. "Brio, Prince Salem."

Salem bowed, "Lord Kaga."

"Brio, you can leave her dress with me."

"So, you can pretend like you got it for her personally?"

"Of course, my boy."

Brio tossed the dress on a chair and turned to Salem. "Well Prince, it is lunch time."

Salem nodded and followed Brio towards the cafeteria.

_____________________________________________________________

Leannan sighed, spinning around in her chair as Mors paced around the room. 

"Why the fuck do we need to write a goddamn twenty-page paper our first week here?"

"Is it that bad?"

"Yes, some of us aren't able to just rush a rough draft through last minute like you. The fact you claim to have gotten A's and B's that way is shocking to me."

"I can't believe your complex goes even to that."

"I'd be like this even without the mental issue my parents gave me."

"Yeah, Ruskalykans are often nerds."

"Oh, I'm a nerd? And not the girl who got a scholarship here?" Mors held onto Leannan's chair.

"That's nepotism. You know who my adoptive mom is."

"Is it nepotism if both sides hate each other?"

"Pettiness?"

"So, have you even started the paper? We have six days."

"I've thought of my subject."

"Which is?"

"Deitralich von Epoch."

"Never heard of her."

"Exactly. More room to bullshit."

"Twins fucking dammit."

Leannan grinned, "And how is your paper going?"

Mors pointed to a pile of books behind her. 

"You could write faster if you didn't have to read all that."

"You could get a better grade if you read more."

A pair of knocks came at the door and then swung open. Lara and Deidre waltzed in. Deidre sat on Leannan's bed while Lara slammed down a bag of sandwiches onto the desks.

"What's with the pile of books?" Lara asked Leannan.

"Mors is a nerd."

"Can you stop already." Mors pouted.

Leannan began to babble while apologizing.

"Well, I see they're fine." Lara told Deidre.

"This is fine?"

"Well, they aren't bored at least."

The two adults waved by after making sure the orders hadn't been messed up.

"Unlike us."

"I'm fine."

"Well, I'm not."

"Aw, is my city girl bored in a small town?"

"You lived in the capital with me."

"Yes, but the idea of living in a cottage in the woods appeals to me."

"You'd die if you lived in the woods."

"You don't know that."

"You need people to survive. Can't use that charm of yours if you're isolated."

The couple exited the school and made their way back to their apartment. Lara and Deidre slammed down on the bed and snuggled together. 

"I am not kidding La, I am bored."

"I mean that's good right? If you had something making you excited that would mean the Bloody Knight would come out."

"I meant like something to do not that I wanted someone to kill."

"Isn't that what you usually want to do?"

"Fuck you." Deidre squeezed her girlfriend's arm enough to make Lara wince.

"Ow ow, sorry, sorry."

"You better fucking be."

Lara cracked her neck and sat up, "I suppose we could check out the local theater."

"I said I was bored not that I wanted to be more bored." Deidre complained.

Lara scowled, "Good, get up we're going."

Deidre complained as Lara dragged her out the door. They made the short walk to the local theater. It was a modest building, in the middle of a road, surrounded by storefronts on each side. Lara pushed the doors open and entered inside. From the doors that lead to the seating they could hear some muffled voices.

"-it, Uma, it is not that hard a line."

"Maybe for you Miss Lyrica, but I wasn't born when people thought the word 'Jean-Hocked' was slang that was cool. What do half of these words mean?"

"Uma, this is literally the easiest monologue any of you have to read. And it's Jane-hot, as in hot as Jane the famous character in 'A Wingless Bird' not whatever it is you said."

"And the most boring. Plus, Jean isn't that hot."

Lara opened the door and snuck into the back of the theater with Deidre, slinking back into the seats. On stage five girls around the age of Mors and Leannan were standing with single pages of lines while a woman that was terrifyingly close to their own age for her position with braided brown hair and a nice tan glared at them, a glare made worse by the large scar that stretched from just above her left eyebrow, across her lips ending just where her head and neck met. A tight suit dress gave her the signature look Lara was used to theater directors having, but with her scar it made her look more like a crime boss.

"You know I could just put you back into the regular course, and you wouldn't get to not being in school most of the day."

"Fine, but can we do something else. We've been reading monologues all week. Can't we do songs or something fun?"

Miss Lyrica puffed air out, "Fine. I suppose you are in need of improv, especially those of you who want to write plays as well. Go take a quick five and be ready to work."

The girls sat down and began to chat while sipping on water that they had hidden on the lip of the edge to the band pit. Their teacher glanced over to the audience and noticed the heads of the two eavesdropping visitors. Her head cocked to the side for a moment before she motioned for them to come up. Lara happily dragged her large and bored companion with her. 

The teacher greeted them with a smile that seemed to shake as they approached. "Oh, thank twins, someone that isn't a parent, the brats or the landlady. Welcome to Feenruhe's Historic Leavenworth's Theater. I am Lyrica Protothea, what brings you here?" 

"Oh! I'm Lara Ka- Lara Galahad heh. This is--" Began Lara.

"Twins, I asked what you were here for, I know who you are."

"You do?" Lara asked.

"Yes, Lara Galahad, and Deidre Kaga. I know who you are, why the fuck are there people from the capital in fucking Feenruhe?"

"Well, my friend got like an invitation to study here and well she invited Deidre here to serve as protection and me because like magic no work-y."

Uma looked up from the circle, "Does having a name beginning with L and ending with A make you unable to use magic or something."

"Uma, shouldn't you be getting ready to act and not eavesdropping?"

"Ooh, how does your work? Mine just like repels from me, which isn't usually bad but sometimes I can't lock doors. You."

"Go boom."

"Sick."

"Yeah." She seemed annoyed at Lara. That or something else.

"Hey, Miss Lyrica, we're ready."

"Okay. Deidre you can sit, but I think I'll borrow Lara. After all not always I can use an actual actress to help these idiots."

Deidre happily sunk into a seat as Lyrica motioned Lara over to her.

"Kay, kids are you ready?"

A mumble of yeahs and "we literally went to school with you stop calling us kids." Answered back.

"Good. Work on this, Lara can watch you, she's a renowned actress in her own right. Now, I need to threaten a child."

The others nodded a little confused as Lyrica left.

Back in the dorms Mors was reading one of her many books as Leannan spun around in her chair. The heard a click on the door and then the door blew forward smashing into the wall with a thud. Mors jolted towards her headboard while Leannan face grew pale.

"Lea, didn't we have a deal?" A voice asked.

"Fuck." Leannan began to draw magic from her inker towards her finger.

"You know if it was just you, I'd be fine. After all we are working together now, despite your actions in the last few resets. But bringing Deidre and a Lara here?" Lyrica turned her head towards the bed, "Oh and you also drug Mors into it, this time? Incredible. Are you trying to get us to fuck up so bad it makes Lord Halington killing the Y're'ka look like someone forgetting a name?"

"Okay, why are you here, how are you here?"

Lyrica shrugged, "I went to school this timeline, and this is one of the places that don't ask who I was before- which is useful when I don't fucking exist Lea."

"I mean you exist, you just died as a baby here."

Mors interjected, "Excuse me what the fuck."

Lyrica turned to her and stared before returning to Leannan, "I take it she's blind."

"Why would I tell her anything, besides us and those psychos no one else knows about the new resets."

"I don't know why would you attempt to kill me despite saying you wouldn't, Leannan."

"I have apologized for that, it is necessary for what I want to do."

"I know. Why those two?"

"Okay, yeah. That is bad now that you're here. But like I thought if I was gonna bring Lara for magical experiments with her abnormality I should also bring her girlfriend." Leannan blinked and thought, "And I have made it worse."

"So fucking much. Look I can play nice, but I'd prefer you personally fuck off when you graduate."

"Fine."

"Well, I'll see you two in Rune History tomorrow."

"You're a teacher?"

"Yeah. Oh, and the summit is going to be back on apparently next month."

"That's new."

"And now that we have two rune users they can send one of you."

"Can't they send you?"

"Ah yes just let me show off Galia where Zurah can see. That's not gonna cause issues. I'd prefer she doesn't know her ritual half worked. Thankfully in our favor, but still."

"Fine, I'll deal with it as if they ask. Where is Galia anyway? She's usually louder."

"Oh she's asleep, I had her grade papers all night."

"We're fine right? I don't wish to have you attack anyone. Especially the lovers."

"I won't."

"Also don't try and break them up. Make nice with them. I know you'd want to."

"Oh, so it's fine if I make it a polycule this time then?" Lyrica joked, a normal smile on her face.

"Please leave."

"Fine, I need to get back to the theater kids anyways."

"Again, how the fuck are you a teacher."

"How are you a cult leader?" Lyrica asked before leaving.

Mors turned to Leannan and stared at her for an explanation. "What the fuck."

"Hm? Oh that's a friend of mine."

"That is not a satisfactory answer."

"I assumed so."

"Why do you know a Feenruhian."

"Lyrica is from the Empire, actually. She's I guess an agent of the empire that doesn't actually have to answer to the empire?"

"That sounds like how one would describe a terrorist."

"No it's more her... abnormality that makes an issue. You can see the wood that formerly made up our door."

"Should we like get someone to fix that?"

"Probably."