The Black Cells

[Poach]

The Black Cells

The primary prison in King's Landing, located among the lowest levels of the Red Keep, and so named because once the door to a cell is shut, no natural light enters the room. Prisoners are either lucky enough to have something to burn for light, or suffer in the pitch black. Many die down here, either from the cold and the damp or from starvation, as the dark, winding corridors often mean food rounds miss out some cells, sometimes by accident, sometimes not. More prominent prisoners are interned near the entrance to the cells, where the prison wardens have their offices and mess halls, while those of lesser importance are housed deeper and deeper within the facility.

Current prisoners of note
- No one of note. A large number of vagrants, rogues and villains.

[Poach]

Alyn had been in the pitch dark for days now... he thought. Time was hard to measure when sunlight wasn't available and meals were provided irregularly. The only disturbance in this world of solitude was the occasional sounds coming through the doorway: often simply footsteps and muffled conversation as wardens passed the door, other times less savoury sounds of screaming or beatings.

At some point, the door opens, and a blinding light confronts the prisoner. His eyes adjusting, he is able to make out a hazy outline of a man and then, as his focus is regained, he sees he is actually looking at a Blackguard, for some unknown reason. Alyn knew in general of the Blackguard: the King's own army, they were found in force at the Dragonpit and Red Keep, venturing out only into Flea Bottom after the Goldcloaks apparently stopped policing there some time ago. People they arrested tended not to be seen again, and their methods in Flea Bottom were known to be heavy-handed and intolerant.

The man has a book in his hand, reading something. Several more Blackguard can be seen behind him in the corridor, accompanied by one of the Goldcloak wardens.

"Are you Alyn?" the man asks.

[Mary The Quene]

Broken and lonely and after observing the man he spoke, first speaking unintelligible words, but then after a small break Alyn regained the strength to speak clearly again.

Yes, i am Alyn, but soon nothing more than a dead man.

He had no idea why this man visited him, obviously unaware of what happened outside these damned cells.

[Poach]

"Imprisoned for spying on the Lord Commander of the Goldcloaks on behalf of House Tully." said the man, shaking his head and tutting, "Do you realise how serious your crimes are? Spying on a man of such high office? What we must do under such circumstances?"

[Mary The Quene]

Alyn almost shouted from the pain he endured during the torture. But he kept silent before answering

I was being told this was for the good of the realm, they told me he plotted revenge for what happened in the Riverrlands, you know with the Frey's and stuff, they told me he was getting desperate and would make plans. They said i had to discover that, for the stability of the realm they said.

Bah, i know better now. Hes spitted out blood from his mouth as he was lying.

[Poach]

"Oh, they told you that, did they?" asked the man, snapping the book shut and walking towards Alyn. Kneeling before the man, close enough that he could feel the warmth of the torch, he continued his line of questioning.

"Tell me, did you find any evidence of such a plot?" he asked in a mocking tone, "Was Bracken the murderous schemer he was painted as by the people hiring spies to watch him?"

[Mary The Quene]

Broken and his skin covered with blood everywhere he looked to the guard again.

Does it really look like i am lying? A broken and helpless man, i have been defeated by Jonos distrust, what do i have to gain by lying?

I must say Jonos was a smart man, he distrusted me, a smart move, however he said i would have to stay in the area because he could have need of me later, undoubtedly for his plans that he was forging.

[Poach]

The man laughed a cruel laugh.

"He put you in the Black Cells because you were part of some plan of his?" he asked, "What plan might this be? Seeing how long you'd keep believing that, maybe?"

[Mary The Quene]

Last time before he arrested me, he asked me to stay in the area so that he could possibly make use of me in his plan when the time was ripe.

Alyn almost collapsed

I do not know what happened that led to my arrest, he must have been informed by others there might have been spies, i see no other way for the sudden change in attitude. The coward abandoned me when it became too hot under his feet.

Alyn looked up again.

Tell me, is Jonos still commander? asking the guard unaware of what happened outside.

[Poach]

[OOC: That question is too close to metagaming for me to answer it. I'm letting you out now anyway but I can't see why your character would have any reason to believe he's not still the Lord Commander. You're asking that because OOC you know he's not.]

"Alright, take him lads." he said, rising and leaving the cell. Two more Blackguard came in and shackled Alyn, hauling him to his feet and dragging him out of the cell. Was this his execution?

They approached a door and opened it up, the light of the sun flooding in. The warmth felt good even if it was blinding, and he could hear... people? His eyes adjusted as the shackles were removed from his hands and a thud on the ground to his side looked to be a sack, which would turn out to be his belongings. The Blackguard went back inside the prison, shutting the door behind them. Alyn found himself alone on one of the side streets that ran next to the Red Keep, the door behind him evidently being one of the entrances to the Black Cells.

He would find out in a tavern nearby while buying a meal large enough for two men what had happened: the assassination attempt, the Blackguard taking control of the Goldcloaks, Jonos' death...

[Mary The Quene]

Alyn was surprised to see daylight again, he had no hopes anymore of seeing the sun ever again, but yet he did. Despite the pain he endured he could make small smile before he picked up his belongings, once he took back what is rightfully his, he hobbled to the nearest tavern. Many of the visitors were shocked by the scratches and wounds visible on his head. Regardless, Alyn ordered a very large meal, with whatever money he still possessed. He took a chair and waited for his meal to be delivered, wary of whatever may come he inspected the room for any potential enemies from his chair. He noted a strange man.

[Poach]

The meal was brought out by a woman, probably the tavern keepers wife, and placed before him.

"You look pretty beat up, son," said the woman, "You get robbed or something?"

[Mary The Quene]

Alyn made a small smile, a ''robbery'' he thought, it was better to keep silent about the black cells. he started to eat

If it was only a robbery, milady. Please take a seat, lady, you have wine, yes?

He gobbled his meal like a maniac

Tell me, what happened during these days? My ''work'' made me to busy to listen to the latest news

[Poach]

"Ha!" she said, taking a jug of wine from her serving tray and pouring Alyn a mug, "How could you have missed it? Daemon's black soldiers are everywhere! Word is the Goldcloaks tried to kill the King: the Blackguard were marching whole columns of them into the Dragonpit!"

She leaned in, speaking in a staged hushed tone, "They're torturing them for information, I hear!"

[Mary The Quene]

Interesting, interesting. He said with a sinister smile, so Jonos stupidity saved his skin.

Milady, surely these traitors must have a conspirator commander, what happened to the traitor commander? He ofocurse referred to Jonos Bracken, the man who humiliated him.

[Poach]

"Some say he's dead, some say he's in the Dragonpit." she said with a shrug, "Blackguard are all over the Goldcloak headquarters, can't get anywhere near it since all this kicked off a few days back. None of their officers are around any more. I know the wife of one, lovely girl with a newborn, her husband's a new lieutenant but they took him too. Poor girl's worried sick, she's tried to go to the Dragonpit but they don't let anyone not in their army in..."

[Mary The Quene]

Interesting, interesting milday. Alyn stood up and gave the woman a small amount of money

Thanks for the good food and the latest news. I must leave milady, ''work'' is waiting. Alyn knew enough, he made small bow for the woman before departing, away from Kingslanding, away from the Dark cells, but his wounds will never go away.