Juno

The queen stood shrouded in darkness and wearing a cloak to cover her face. No need to alarm anyone that their queen was visiting villainous scum. She watched the caged woman for a moment. The sniveling weasel of a surface expert, Mortimer, stood cautiously behind her.

"My queen, d-do we really need to involve her? I-I do not believe it is the best course of action to include yet another traitor." Mortimer said, his quivering voice made the caged woman smile.

"What, are you afraid of what little ol' me might do?" The prisoner's voice cracked, it had been a while since she had talked. "Little Mortimer, you know why I am in here, right? It's because your dear Queen is-"

"-He knows why you are here, Juno! Everyone knows why you are here! It is because you are traitorous scum with intent to seal my crown!" Josephine glared, taking a step closer to the cage.

Juno shrugged, grabbing a book and slumping into her chair, luxuries many other prisoners did not have. "You have always been so dramatic." She said as she casually flipping the page. She had no intention of caring for Josaphine's presence. She knew why the queen had come.

"Let's go, mmmy queen, we do n-not need her..." Mortimer reached his hand forward to tug at her cape. The queen smacked his hand away. The surface expert snaked back, shame riddled across his face. But Juno could see underlying rage.

"We need you to find the Vyron and bring her home," The queen said, trying to push dignity into her voice. She had no dignity left and Juno knew it. She had known it for years.

"Why would I be interested in that? I stopped doing things for you years ago." Juno flipped another page in her book. She loved reading! It let her escape to a world where there were happy endings, love was real and mothers were kind. If only reality could be so generous.

The queen glared at her, but Juno paid no mind. "Are you not interested in your own freedom? Don't you want out of this dungeon?"

"A life in servitude to you is far worse than this dungeon," Juno said, keeping an even expression. It was hard not to smirk, it was a pretty good burn. "Am I right, Mortimer?"

"My queen I think we should g-" Mortimer started, the queen cut him off with yet another glare. More rage burned in the weasel's eyes.

"You want me to track down the Vyron, Adri, and kill her, yes? I am not interested." Juno rubbed her temple, it was getting increasingly difficult to focus on her book.

"No. I want you to track down Gore, and kill him. As painfully and slowly as possible." The queen said, enjoying the opportunity to surprise Juno a bit. Juno didn't take the bait.

"I still won't do it. He was pretty fun to talk to when he was down here. He may stink worse than sulfur but he was a good neighbor. Besides, why would I want to end your war before it even begins?" Juno flipped yet another page, pretending she was not interested in this conversation.

"You would see the dragons rise again? The same dragons who killed your father and sister? You would let them kill hundreds more?"

Juno couldn't hide her rage this time. She carefully placed her book on the side of the chair and rushed toward the metal bars to the metal bars. Juno's unkempt fingernails launched threateningly close to her mother's throat. "You are as guilty of killing them as any dragon! If they did not kill dad- your husband! You would have had to do it yourself! All for that stupid power of yours!" Juno pulled back, letting her nails dig into the flesh of her hands. Blood slowly dripped to the floor.

The queen was taken back by the sudden outburst. "I would not have killed him! You know I loved him!"

Mortimer shuffled forward again but was silenced by Juno's murderous glare.

"Do I know that? I think you were always power-hungry. it just wasn't as easy to see as it is now!"

The queen drew in a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. "I need you to take care of Gore, you are the only one with the skill needed to face him alone."

"Make your watchdog Marccus do it," Juno said. She walked back to her chair, crossing her legs. Her hands were still bleeding so she didn't dare touch her book. Rage still simmered within her. The queen didn't get it.

"Marccus will be dead soon," Mortimer spoke up. His hands rubbing feverishly together, a crooked grin across his face.

"You allowed this, Josephine?" Juno said, watching the queen's face carefully.

"I ordered it." It was the queen's turn to put on a poker face. "He was a threat."

Juno took a deep breath and shook her head. "Yes, I would know what being a threat is like."

"You would. Now, you are going to fetch me Gore's head. In return, I will allow you to roam the castle during the day." The queen pulled a keychain from her hip and held it up for Juno to see.

Juno let out a dry laugh, "Why would I help you? Why wouldn't I just run away? Go back to the surface? I want my freedom."

The queen glared at her, "If Gore takes over you know you will be killed, your bloodline is a threat to his power. Isn't your life more valuable? You will fetch his head for your dear mother, then we will talk about it more."

Juno knew what that meant. Josephine had lost more marbles than Juno had given her credit for. Still, she nodded. Might as well play on the queen's stupidity and insanity.

The queen placed the key in the lock. 

CLICK! 

With a rusty creak, the cell door opened for the first time in a long time.