A/N: You guys are going to HATE me for this chapter. You'll be           S H O O K  trust me. It does jump around a bit in the middle but that's just cause I don't have any filler. *shrug* Fair warning: the next few chapters are Going to be INTENSE (eh, kind of.)

"Xavier!" Zephrine screamed, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him up to his feet.

"Zephrine? Xavier?" Vana's voice carried out, calling their names until she appeared in the doorway, hands, dress, and face covered in blood. "There you are. Xavier, I brought you your gift. My apologies for not giving it to you sooner." Vana through something to them, and it landed with a wet crunch.

Xavier screamed, for there was the still bleeding head of King Leon, eyes and mouth open in surprise.

"Oh, and there's this." Vana tossed another, this one being Queen Ennis.

Xavier struggled to stand, clutching onto Zephrine for support. Tears fell quicker than his eyes could replenish them. His knees failed him, and he came crashing to the ground, dragging Zephrine along with him. His right bicep caught on a sword and ripped open as he was lifted up by a Callendan knight. Vana nodded, and Xavier was tossed into a cage big enough for just him, then Zephrine was thrown in as well, crowding the already small space.

"You really thought I was here for an alliance?" Vana took Xavier by the hair, launching his head back toward her. "You are as dumb as you look." She pushed it forward. "And Zephrine, don't worry, I'll see to it that your family and Seyr are well protected." 

Zephrine shook violently. "DON'T TOUCH THEM! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH THEM!"

"Don't worry, Caius will be safe. Rhys, I can't say much in his favor." Vana laughed, signaling someone up ahead. The cage began to move, getting farther and farther away from Viâna.

Xavier couldn't remember falling asleep until he woke up in Zephrine's arms. The cage was so small, only one of them could curl up, and Zephrine obviously decided Xavier would have that honor. Once he realized this was real, he broke down again, until he couldn't breathe,until he fell into sleep.

Day after day, he would be awake just long enough to eat. Once the sun came up, they were both given half a loaf of bread, a slice of meat, and a flask of water, and that was all for twenty-four hours.

After a good week, both Xavier and Zephrine were dirty, tired, and hungry. They were covered in their own fecal matter and sweaty despite the incredible decrease in temperature. Finally, finally they stopped, and Zephrine was yanked out of the cage first, out of Xavier's eyesight.

He was jerked out afterwards, allowing him a view of a large, dark castle that loomed over him intimidatingly. The view didn't last long, as he was stripped completely naked, they even took his socks, and tossed into the foot of snow beneath him. The cold wrapped its icy fingers around Xavier, threatening to strangle him. He felt someone wrap his hair around their hand and wrench him to his knees. Water as cold as ice was dumped over his head. He was then directed to the castle, where a man twice his size grabbed Xavier by the shoulders and threw him over his shoulder like he weighed nothing, and Xavier was too weak, too fatigued, and too cold to even fight back.