Dirtied Hands (Private)

[クローバー (Clover)]

This is an RP between myself and jo_suzaku. You may look, but don't post in here!

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Summary: They were both criminals, forced into imprisonment for their involvement in the revolutionaries' demonstration. With the country's strict laws, they were both stripped of their homes and their livelihoods, their property sold off to charity, and any people they were living with forced to either move out or be sold into the human trafficking market. Without much to live for, they rotted in neighboring cells, communicating with each other through notes passed in between the bars. As time goes on, they help each other out through abuse from the warden and scrapes with other inmates, slowly developing a strong bond. However, as one of the pair's execution date gets moved forward, what will become of them? Will they escape together? Or will one have to go on? And what about the revolutionary movement? Loosely based on Fire Emblem Awakening. Takes place in a medieval AU.

 

Warnings: Violence, some torture, mentions of rape, OOC moments, possible character death, sex

 

Roles:

 

Me: Gerome

 

Jo: Inigo

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"Let go of me at once! That trial was in no way just!" Gerome yelled, struggling against the utter brick walls of men who carried him off to his cell. He had expected nobody to attend the recent revolutionary demonstration since the revolutionary group, called the Shephards, was small, but today of all days, they were able to assemble a good amount of not only members, but also supporters, and the guards finally took notice of them against their expectations. They had worked on this particular demonstration to reach the heart of the secretly pro-revolution king's advisor, Chrom, but before he could arrive, the anti-revolution guards took note and mobilized, imprisoning all who were present and forcing them into having to give up their livelihoods and life savings as a payment for a full pardon. Those who could not afford to accept those terms were sentenced to die in a mass hanging that would take place a day before the kingdom's bicentennial in a little less than two years from their imprisonment. The particular prison complex Gerome was hauled off to was almost completely full, with him serving as the final prisoner the establishment could handle. He could only look at his cell for a brief moment before the guards chucked him against the back wall. He braced himself for impact, his mask hiding most of his pained expression.

 

"The trial ain't just, 'e says? Well, life ain't just. We can't have li'l vermin like you 'round the kingdom. Enjoy yer last two years!" one guard said before chortling with his coworker.

"This isn't over yet! We will find a way to slaughter that beast you call king! Mark my words!" Gerome bellowed before slumping against the wall, drained of his energy. "Those morons don't know who's really running the kingdom..."

He looked around his cell and saw that it had a closed off area for a latrine, a cot hanging from the left hand wall, and a valve that he could pull to release water into the basin below to drink from. It was surprisingly more luxurious than he had imagined prison would be. He looked through the bars of his cell, trying to make out familiar faces, in particular his mother Cherche. The two of them worked at a facility that raised dragons for the royal guard's wyvern forces to ride before their imprisonment. He could only imagine the hell that the guards could be putting her through just by virtue of her being a female prisoner, shuddering at the potential things they could be doing to her. Putting the idea of potentially having a bastard sibling out of his mind, he looked directly across from him and saw that another man was sitting in his cell, seemingly idling his time away like he had been there for ages. Gerome could remember having seen a mop of heather grey hair like his among the many who had attended the demonstration, but he couldn't place the young man's name. Deciding not to think about it too much, he decided to lay down on his cot and contemplate the coming of his untimely end.

[jo_suzaku]

The guards walked off leaving an eerie silence behind. The prisoners had all witnessed yet another demonstration of how futile it was to be on the revolting side. As the doors at the end of the corridor were shut with a resounding crack, the silence was broken.

 

'Isn't that -?'

'What just happened?'

'Who is he?'

'He wants to slaughter the King?!'

 

Whispers started echoing all around the floor. News was passed from one cell to another. It seemed as if a celebrity was thrown into their midst. The man who was imprisoned had just filled the last cell in their complex. No one else was going to join them for the next two years unless someone died or was killed.

 

Inigo was sitting on the floor of his cell, reading, when the man was brought in. Startled he looked up as the man was thrown into the opposite cell, protesting at the top of his voice. The minute he insulted the King, Inigo chuckled quietly. Here was a man who seemed like he would fight right until his dying breath. Shutting the book, Inigo closed his eyes for a while, remembering the time when he was brought in. He cringed, as the scenes of the night he was captured played out in his head. He would often get up drenched in sweat, as the images of that night still haunted him while he was asleep. However, it seemed like almost a lifetime ago. Out there, he had been a leader. In here though...

 

He stood up and went right upto the front of his cell, leaning on the right corner wall so his face was half hidden in the shadows. The prisoners were now all talking loudly, those nearest to the newbie's cell were either cat-calling or bombarding the poor guy with questions about the revolt. Smirking, Inigo spoke up firmly but loudly, "How nice of you to join us. Let me tell you though, there's no way you're going to slaughter that bastard in here." He stretched out his pale left hand before him, opening and closing his fist. The scars on the palm of his hand had still not healed. The guards here were cruel. But the prisoners were not saints either. Spending time locked up in a cell changed people. Inigo wondered how the man in the opposite cell would turn out to be.

[クローバー (Clover)]

Gerome's attention was drawn to the man across from him as he spoke. Amid all the cat calls from women and men alike and the invasive questions about the revolution efforts, at least someone had enough sense not to immediately butt into his personal business. However, the other's flippant attitude about the whole ordeal pissed him off beyond belief. Didn't this other man have anything to live for? From his clothes, he could tell that he wasn't from the slums or a particularly poor background. At the same time, he didn't look particularly rich or luxurious about his spending habits. If he seemed to have things to live for, why did he almost treat being in prison like a game? Though his mask did a good job of concealing most of his emotions, it was written on what parts of his face were not covered that Gerome felt like he was horribly wronged.

 

"It's true that I physically can't do anything, but I won't stop fighting. When they take me and the others to the gallows, I will continue to remain firm to what I believe. And what I believe is that this 'king' we serve is no king at all." Gerome responded, rubbing his back as the pain from the impact with the wall reasserted itself. "If I'm not mistaken, I saw someone like you at the demonstration. It's unusual to see a man as young as yourself with heather grey hair, let alone any grey hair at all."

[jo_suzaku]

"It's true that I physically can't do anything, but I won't stop fighting. When they take me and the others to the gallows, I will continue to remain firm to what I believe. And what I believe is that this 'king' we serve is no king at all."

 

Inigo's mouth curved a litte. His gut feeling was right. Most of the prisoners here were just...boring. There was no other word for them. They did as they were told and kept quiet when they had to. Being a rebel, he had got into far too many tiffs with the nasty guards when he had just been captured. Sadly, no one had come to help him or rescue him. Day in and day out, he would fight with the damn guards and try getting people to fight with him quietly. Staging a breakout was what he had intended to do. However, one of the cellmates had betrayed him. When the guards got a whiff of his grand escape plan, he was thrown into isolation for an entire week. Inigo shuddered a little at that thought. When he came out though, people avoided him and he never really found out who had spilled the beans on him.

 

He stared at out of his cell, watching the man in the mask intently. Was he the answer to his plan? If he really meant what he said, then he probably would be willing to help. But how should he ask him for his help without alerting the other prisoners was something he had to work on.

 

"If I'm not mistaken, I saw someone like you at the demonstration. It's unusual to see a man as young as yourself with heather grey hair, let alone any grey hair at all."

 

Inigo laughed dryly.

 

"Well, Mister High-and-Mighty, if you really want to know, I was one of the people involved in The Suicide Mission. I don't think you would have even heard of it because it was kept well under wraps. We were just a handful of revolters picked out to do the dirty work by the higher-ups. You think your fighting only against the King? Tch. You're too naive."

[クローバー (Clover)]

Gerome paused. This man seemed to know much more than what he took him for initially. The Suicide Mission was only ever spoken about in passing, and it shocked him that this man had been directly involved. At first, he was just a youthful face who was probably caught up in the hype of the efforts, but hearing that he was entrusted with something so dangerous changed his views. Now, he was interested. He knew that the king wasn't the only enemy; if anybody wanted to go anywhere near the king, they'd have to deal with the guards, other workers hired by the king, and the rest of royal family. However, it all seemed to boil down to the king in the end. Gerome had to mentally double-take before responding, not only for the sake of privacy, but also for the sake of not looking like a total moron.

 

"I've only ever heard of it in passing. The details were kept confidential, and anyone who tried to spill anything was offed immediately and quietly disposed of is all anyone's ever said to me about it." Gerome recalled his only knowledge of the event. "But you have a point. The king really isn't the only one. I just wish we hadn't been blind to that looking back."

As the chatter seemed to die down after the other prisoners realized that the newest addition wasn't reacting to anything other than the man across from him, Gerome mentally breathed a sigh of relief. The pressure in his head was pretty uncomfortable right now as well as the pain in his body. He figured it would all subside tomorrow, but he didn't know what the prison would do now that it was at full capacity. Now that he was in slightly less pain, he was able to focus more on the man in front of him.

 

"My apologies, I think I forgot to introduce myself in the ruckus that went on today. I'm Gerome." he said.

[jo_suzaku]

Inigo lowered his head slightly. The man's name sounded vaguely familiar. He racked his brains trying to place the man but nothing struck him. If only he could see his face, he thought. It was common for a man to hide his identity in these troubled times. Inigo wasn't too sure if he should give out his real name or not. Because of the events that occured in the past, he never trusted people very easily. This man seemed friendly and his will power was strong. But how long would that last? Was he just pretending to be a traitor. Or was he really one? Behind these bars, it was a whole different world. It was especially tough on people like him who were used to giving orders and not following them. After a rather long pause, Inigo decided to tell Gerome the truth.

 

"No need to apologize. I am Inigo." He looked up, making eye-to-eye contact with his fellow prisoner. "You better get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a long day. You're going to wish you had never got captured in the first place. I know I'm being very blunt with you but that's how it is here."

 

He stretched and made his way back to the corner where he was sitting earlier in order to finish the chapter he was reading. Two guards came by at around quarter to ten and yelled, "Cell check." All the prisoners had to stand at the bars of their cell and give a count while the guards walked by. Inigo lazily flicked through his book. His cell was the last one at the end of the corridor. When it was almost his count, he walked to the front, quietly gave his count and headed to bed. At exactly ten o'clock, the other guard screamed, "Lights out". All the lamps were turned off and the entire floor plunged into darkness. The only light now available was the moonlight streaming in through the barred windows. Inigo closed his eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

[クローバー (Clover)]

Before Gerome could ask more of Inigo or comment, a guard arrived to count the prisoners. He looked down the hall and imitated the others who stood at the bars and counted off as the guard got to their cells. Even more quickly than earlier, the lights were turned off, the moonlight streaming in from the barred window of the cell. Gerome returned to his cot, looking up at the dark ceiling. His mind drifted back to the questions of where his mother was or what she was doing. Her safety was of utmost concern for him. However, he couldn't help but think about Inigo and the way he talked about the revolutionary effort. He looked like a naïve youth, but spoke like a seasoned warrior. He even knew about the notoriously confidential Suicide Mission. Gerome could only wonder what more the other knew about the history of the revolters' effort. Another part of him considered trying to make an ally of Inigo, but he didn't want it to take over his interactions with him. For now, he knew Inigo as someone he could trust more than the other inmates. However, all of that seemed to have to wait until tomorrow, considering how lights out had been announced. Gerome slowly drifted off into a fitful sleep, partially due to his thoughts and partially due to Inigo's warnings about what was in store for him.

 

Mother... Everyone... Please be okay. We'll find a way, I swear. he thought.

[jo_suzaku]

Inigo was up at the crack of dawn. He stifled a yawn and got up slowly. Tilting his head, he stared at the sleeping figure in the cell opposite him. It felt good to have someone to talk to. He hadn't slept very well but he could only imagine how his new neighbor would have slept. First nights were the worst. However, everyone's ability to grasp the reality of the situation varied. For him, it had taken a few days for it to sink in. Even so, he still stood out among the prisoners. Sighing, he grabbed his book from the table and continued to read from where he left off till it was time for breakfast.

 

The meals were served in a big hall at the end of the corridor. The prisoners had to march in a single file and there were guards always supervising them. As they walked towards the hall, Inigo was deep in thought. He didn't know whether he should say anything to the new comer or he should wait until they grabbed their meal. It wasn't like he wanted to test Gerome but he preferred to stay aloof. Since majority of the inmates teased Inigo, he didn't want to drag Gerome into the fray. He acknowledged the man and that was all.

[クローバー (Clover)]

The guards didn't need to wake Gerome, since he was up long before them. His work as a dragon breeder made him get up early by force of habit. However, it seemed that Inigo was up even before him, reading a book. He seemed pretty engrossed in it, from what Gerome could tell. Putting his mask on after washing his face, Gerome got ready when the guards came to escort the prisoners to get their food. After another head count, their cells were unlocked and they were made to walk in a single file line to the dining hall. Gerome felt like he was a solider in the military being made to march in an orderly fashion. He was careful to follow the guards' orders as not to get himself in more trouble than he already was in.

 

As they reached the dining hall, Gerome was impressed at what he could see. He didn't expect there to be as much as there was, even though it was meager compared to a normal dining hall. It seemed as if this prison didn't try to starve their inmates, unless this was a good façade for terrible food. Gerome mentally prepared himself for the worst. From the way they were lined up, Inigo's back was to him. It shocked him that Inigo was about the same height as he was. His build was pretty similar, if not slightly more slender, than his more muscular frame that he had created in his line of work handling dragons. It took Gerome a while to realize that he was lost in his thoughts, when someone behind him gave him a sharp shove to get him to move forward as people began to get their food after being checked by the guards for any contraband items. He was caught completely off guard, suddenly colliding with Inigo from behind of all ways. The force wasn't enough to topple both of them over, but it was definitely jarring for both. Gerome wanted to angrily beat the face of the person who pushed him in, but his better judgement told him to endure it and just act like it had been normal.

 

"S-sorry." he said awkwardly, making sure to keep the line moving. "Someone walked into me from behind and pushed me."

[jo_suzaku]

The sudden collision startled Inigo. Luckily in that split second, he managed to hold onto the side wall so that both, the person who bumped into him as well as his own self, didn't go tumbling down to the floor. He also nearly avoided crashing into the person standing in front of him. Once he regained his balance, he spun around to see who had collided with him only to find himself face to face with Gerome. On hearing that someone had pushed him, Inigo nodded. "That's alright. Lucky we didn't hit the floor." He turned back and continued moving down the line, grabbing one of the trays off the counter.

 

They were now moving sidewards, while a few guards were serving them, or rather, throwing food into their trays. Inigo lowered his voice as he spoke to Gerome. "Look, I'm not too popular with the guards nor the prisoners here. I thought it's only fair if I tell you -" He was interrupted by one of the guards. "Stop your chit-chatting and move along now, lads. You don't want to hold up the line." Inigo sent an apologetic glance towards Gerome, glared at the guard but did as he was told. Once he was served, he walked to the end of the hall, carefully avoiding a few of the prisoners and their catcalls. He sat in his usual seat and looked over at Gerome, wondering if he was smart enough not to follow him.

[クローバー (Clover)]

Unfortunately for Inigo, the fact that the prisoners didn't like him only intrigued Gerome further. Against the other's asking, he followed him to his table after getting his food, which was just some grits and hastily prepared french toast with a slab of butter on top. It wasn't like there were any other places for him to sit anyway. Some free tables were next to prisoners who looked like they could snap his spine if they so desired, and others were next to people whom Gerome thought belonged in an insane asylum rather than a regular prison. Joining another table with others on it would probably be a no-go, since it seemed like the other prisoners were interested in either bedding with him or slitting his throat. So, he brought his food to Inigo's table.

 

"What happened, then? Why aren't you on good terms with the prisoners and guards?" he asked, knowing full well where this could take him. He knew that involving himself in something of this nature would probably bring hardship later, but he was willing to take the risk. It seemed much easier than having to fend for himself against gigantic meat walls or deal with the guilt of having an illegitimate child.