Archive of Our Own

The Brigade Leader opens the door and starts walking up the stone steps. There are too many of them up to the top of the turret, but it's the best place for the prisoner to be. Safest to keep him out of the way. He doesn't seem to mind that much.

It's pathetic really. What sort of a knight is he?

When she opens the wooden door, the man looks up at her with those puppy dog eyes and beams. Never mind that he's shackled to the wall, thick chains and metal cuffs forcing his arms to hang above his head, or that he's not had a thing to eat or drink in days, or that he and his cell stink. His greasy blond hair falls around his face in waves and all he can do is smile.

"Welcome back, mistress of my heart."

"You're disgusting, Ancelyn."

"Yes, Freddie, I am. Disgustingly in love."

"Freddie…" The Brigade Leader spits on the floor at the nickname.  The knight knows it winds her up. She gives him the biggest look of hatred and disdain she can muster.

He grins prettily back at her. Curse his pretty face. "What tortures have you prepared for me this day, my lady? I have missed your wonderful company."

"Oh, glorious. Has anyone ever told you you talk too much?"

"Yes, my lady. You have. Endless times."

"Quiet!" she snaps. He's tedious. He's been tedious since he fell out of that wormhole and unleashed demons on them. "Do you have information for me today about how to get to your dimension?"

He shakes his head, his hair flowing around his head like a halo. Here, in the turret, she's stripped him of his armour and he sits in a simple tunic, simple breeches, waiting every day for her return like an abandoned dog. Pathetic. 

Somehow, no matter how many times she gets angry with him and throws him into the tower to suffer, he never breaks. He acts like it's a game. In a way, it is - an intricate game of cards where she holds the aces but he has the queen that can win the jackpot. 

If the Brigade Leader could just get him to open the wormhole… imagining the possibilities makes her dizzy. New worlds to devour. A fresh start for them all. New people to torture. 

Nobody would ever whimper as prettily as Ancelyn though.

"You know this, my lady, I am no man of science. I could no more tell you the enchantments of the portal than I could explain the mysteries of the universe. I know not how I come to be here, or why. And I should rather hope you know that, could I tell you, I would."

The Brigade Leader strides over to the knight, and slowly bends down, staring him hard in the eye as she does. He doesn't look away. He doesn't even blink, not until she grabs hold of the chain attached to the collar around his neck and yanks it, forcing him to look up at her. Annoying, how obedient he is. He takes his punishments anyway, but she might like him not to roll over quite as easily. 

It presents no challenge at all. 

"You're worthless to me," she snarls. "Why do I keep you around."

His only reply is a cheeky smirk, a boyish raised eyebrow. It's infuriating. She smacks him hard across the face then does the only thing she can think to do and kisses him hard, all teeth and clenched fists.

He melts into her and it makes her angrier. How dare he think he have any power here? How dare he attempt to charm her?

It's why she sends him up here periodically. To remind him she's in control. Not that he needs the reminded. He'd roll over whenever she asked. No, it's not for his benefit at all.

They're breathless when they break away, and the Brigade Leader throws the knight back against the wall. Ancelyn grins, "You keep me because you love me."

The Brigade Leader scowls hard. "You know that's not true."

Ancelyn shrugs, the chains around him clanking. "You may tell yourself that, Freddie, but I know the truth. Why else would you have married me?"

"Oh, shut up!" 

And before he can say another word, she's grabbing his chain leash again and kissing him, and true to her word, shutting him up in the most fun way she knows how.