Viki racked her brain for a way to deliberately get caught and thrown into the dungeon alongside her brother, Tom. As a young girl, her actions would likely be dismissed as foolish, providing the perfect cover. However, one hurdle remained: she needed a hiding spot for the bottle. Her first thought was to tuck it between her developing breasts, but their size betrayed her intentions and made it an obvious hiding place. Trying her shoe proved equally futile, as the bulge it created was too conspicuous.

 

The notion that darkness might conceal the bulge never crossed her mind. Undeterred, she continued searching for alternative options. Eventually, she decided to conceal the bottle in the back of her pants, pressing it against her lower back. The snug fit ensured it wouldn't slip off easily, and her shirt concealed the telltale bulge.

 

With the bottle hidden, Viki set off toward the entrance of the city dungeon. Located in the basement of the town hall, the dungeon was accessible from outside, but gaining entry required passing through the guard room. Navigating the city's streets, even under the cover of darkness, posed little challenge for her. She knew the labyrinthine paths like the back of her hand, able to traverse them blindfolded if needed. Evading the guards and strategically positioning herself near the city hall required some careful maneuvering, but she eventually neared her destination.

 

Unfortunately, there were no guards in sight. Thinking on her feet, she decided to take the risk and intentionally make herself seen while entering. Approaching the stairs on the side of the building, she descended slowly, the heavy wooden door obstructing her path. Reinforced with an iron plate, it emitted muffled sounds from the other side, piquing her curiosity. Eager to decipher the conversation, she strained her ears.

 

"I'm telling you, she is the best, and the ale? Amazing. It's not like the piss you can get in the 'Salty Sturgeon'," someone's voice reached her.

 

"Oh, how I envy you. You are free. My hag would kill me if I even approached the door to the 'Keg'," another voice replied.

 

With a gentle grasp, Viki tested the door handle and cautiously pushed. It creaked open, revealing a narrow crack between the door and the wall. Dim light spilled out, offering a glimpse into the interior. Eager to explore further, she widened the opening, revealing an unobstructed pathway illuminated by a faint light emanating from a nearby table. The stairs ahead descended into an abyss of darkness.

 

She pushed on, disregarding the sudden cessation of conversation. As she proceeded, her eyes fell upon a man seated at the table she had noticed earlier, engrossed in a card game. The presence of a light source there was evident, as his face glowed with surprise upon catching sight of her.

 

"Shit," she muttered, her heart pounding, and she hastily retraced her steps to flee.

 

"Hey!" the man shouted, lunging to pursue her.

 

Panicked, Viki rushed up the stairs, her foot landing heavily on the ground, slightly jarred by the bottle concealed in her pants. The sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears, and before she could regain her composure, a strong hand grabbed hold of her ankle.

 

"Come here!" the guard bellowed, pulling her towards him.

 

He was a tall and robust man, easily hoisting her up by the leg. Viki attempted to kick him, but he swiftly seized her other limb, rendering her efforts futile. With no other recourse, she contemplated punching him, though it would only result in injury given his protective breastplate.

 

"What the bloody hell... What were you doing here, love?" the guard inquired, a smirk forming on his face.

 

The guard found the situation amusing, evident in his demeanor.

 

"None of your business!" Viki retorted defiantly.

 

"None? Do you want to spend the night in a cell?" he taunted.

 

"Fuck you!" she shot back.

 

"Just get the fucking kid in and throw her in the dungeon!" someone yelled from down the stairs, their voice echoing through the dimly lit dungeon.

 

Viki's view was obstructed by the guard who had a firm grip on her, preventing her from seeing the person who had shouted.

 

The guard holding her effortlessly spun her around before she could react and tightened his arm around her neck.

 

"You're the thief, aren't you? You came here for the boy we just caught, didn't you?" he interrogated. "It's the girl Jo was talking about! The one that escaped him!"

 

"Just get her into a cell, Jeff!" another voice commanded impatiently.

 

With forceful guidance from the guard, Viki descended the stairs and entered the dungeon. The flickering light she had glimpsed earlier emanated from a collection of candles nestled in a large bowl of melted wax. Seated opposite the man who had apprehended her was another guard, his chair rocking back and forth against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.

 

"Just throw the rat in and close the bloody door!" he grumbled.

 

"She might have something on her, I need to check," Jeff said, his hands now probing Viki's body.

 

His touch immediately gravitated toward her breasts.

 

"Aren't the whores from the 'Keg' enough for you? You bloody bastard! Leave the kid alone," the lazy guard interjected.

 

Jeff shot him a disdainful look and forcefully propelled Viki forward, down a second set of stairs, snatching keys from the wall along the way. The descent led directly to a row of cells, each housing curious onlookers whose forms remained shrouded in darkness.

 

Approaching one of the doors, Jeff flung it open, shoved Viki inside, and swiftly closed it. She tumbled to the ground, her body thudding against the cold stone floor. Meanwhile, the guard ascended the stairs.

 

"Viki?" a whispered voice reached her ears almost immediately.

 

She recognized it as her brother's without hesitation.

 

"Yeah," she whispered back.

 

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, his tone laced with disbelief.

 

"I came to save you," she replied, picking herself up from the floor.

 

A few other inmates occupied the cramped cell, huddled in the corners, clearly trying to find solace in sleep. Tom was confined to another cell directly in front of hers, gripping the bars. Though the darkness obscured his face, Viki could sense his fear.

 

The guards' conversation resumed, their words audible in the background, but Viki paid little attention.

 

"Are you stupid? You only got yourself caught," Tom scolded.

 

"Shut up, Tom. I tried to help."

 

"You shouldn't have."

 

"Can you shut up?" someone interjected, their voice filled with annoyance.

 

"Now what are we going to do?" Tom asked, disregarding the other prisoner's comment.

 

Viki sighed and surveyed the dungeon before retrieving the hidden bottle. No one paid her any heed, so she discreetly pulled it out.

 

"What are you doing?" the young boy whispered, unable to discern her actions.

 

"Nothing," she replied, unwrapping the bottle from the blood-stained cloth and turning to face her brother.

 

"I told you to shut up!" someone hissed, causing both Viki and Tom to hear faint rustling.

 

"Quiet there!" Jeff bellowed, attempting to restore order.

 

From the neighboring cell on her left, a fellow prisoner grasped the bars and leaned closer, trying to catch a glimpse.

 

"Psst. Is that a bottle?" the person inquired.

 

"It's not," Viki replied, her voice barely audible

 

"I said quietly there!" the guard yelled once more.

 

"What do you have there?" the whispered voice persisted. "Rum? Moonshine?"

 

"Leave my sister alone!" Tom growled, his protective instincts kicking in.

 

The light source from above shifted, casting dancing shadows across the dungeon for a fleeting moment.

 

"Hide it," the prisoner hissed urgently.

 

In a moment of panic followed by hasty deliberation, Viki sought a spot to conceal the bottle, a place where it wouldn't be easily noticed. Jeff's impending descent compelled her to act swiftly. She ended up shoving the bottle between her breasts, desperate to keep it hidden.

 

The guard appeared at the top of the stairs, slowly making his way down, clutching a candle in his hand.

 

"Do you want to get beaten up?" he admonished. "I said quiet, didn't I?" He positioned himself between the siblings, who were now confined to separate cells and glared at Tom. "Go to sleep, boy, or I'll whack your ass so hard you will remember it for the rest of your life."

 

Tom stepped back, releasing his grip on the bars. Then Jeff turned his attention to Viki, clearly intending to say something, but his words froze momentarily as he opened his mouth. He moved the candle closer, his gaze fixated on something.

 

Sensing danger, Viki retreated into the shadows, attempting to conceal herself.

 

"Come here!" Jeff demanded. "What do you have there?"

 

"Nothing," she replied, complying with his command and taking a step forward.

 

"Closer!" the guard growled.

 

She cautiously took another step, and Jeff reached through the bars, gripping her and pulling her closer to him.

 

"What the bloody hell is this? Where did you hide it?" he interrogated, revealing the bottle he had retrieved from under her shirt.

 

Viki remained silent and quickly retreated as soon as he released her.

 

"You kids are the vermin of this town," the guard spat on the ground, his anger palpable.

 

He shot her a resentful glare before turning to ascend the stairs.

 

"Congratulations, you dumb wench," the prisoner taunted. "You just lost it."

 

Viki smiled to herself, her expression concealed by the darkness. She sat on the ground, removing the wire from her hair.

 

Meanwhile, Jeff returned upstairs, carefully examining the bottle. "What do you have there?" his friend inquired.

 

"I don't know," he replied, placing the candle inside the bowl. Opening the bottle, he sniffed the liquid, a wicked smile creeping across his face. "I think it's rum," he chuckled.

 

"Did the kid have it?" the other guard asked. "Give it here, let me check."

 

"Yeah, she did," Jeff confirmed, handing the bottle to his companion.

 

He took a sniff and then a sip. "It's bloody rum," he declared.

 

With that, they shared the drink, resuming their interrupted conversation. Viki waited in silence, motionless, as she discreetly retrieved her lockpick. She listened intently, straining her ears for any sign that the poison had taken effect.

 

It took some time. The guards began with a gargling sound, as foam gathered in their throats, obstructing their airways. There was also a rustling noise and muffled shouts as they stood up, attempting to call for help.

 

Then came the resounding thud of two bodies hitting the ground, accompanied by the clash of metal and stone.

 

The prisoners heard it all and gathered by the bars, their curiosity piqued as they stared expectantly at the stairs.

 

Viki wasted no time. She hurried toward the lock, swiftly inserting the wire. Closing her eyes and biting her lip in concentration, she attempted to pick it.

 

"What did you do?" Tom asked, his voice filled with concern.

 

"Shh!" she hissed, urging him to remain silent.

 

"Did you poison them?" the prisoner who had earlier insulted her asked, his tone filled with curiosity.

 

She ignored the question, fully engrossed in her task of picking the lock.

 

The entire prison seemed to hold its breath, captivated by her actions. After what felt like an eternity, she finally managed to unlock the door and swiftly moved forward, handing the lockpick to Tom.

 

"Hey, what about us?!" shouted a desperate prisoner.

 

Ignoring their pleas, she focused on her mission. Racing up the stairs, she located the keys hanging on the wall, snatched them, and leaped back down.

 

"Free yourselves, you fools!" she yelled, tossing the keys into another cell.

 

Her brother had already liberated himself by this point. The men sharing his cell wasted no time and hurried past the two siblings, seizing their chance to escape the dungeon.

 

Grabbing Tom's hand tightly, they both dashed into the encompassing darkness of the night.