✶ CHAPTER 10 - QIBLI ✶

CW: abuse

Qibli was sitting in a small, cold, and dingy cell. He was pressed up against the freezing cold wall, trying to distance himself as much as possible from his mother, who sat across from him. She glowered at the floor, occasionally looking up to glare at Qibli with cold eyes. Whenever she did this, he did his best not to meet her gaze.

Metal handcuffs were clamped around his wrists, heavy and depressing. Qibli stared blearily at the barred wall, watching for movement outside the cell.

They had been temporarily put into the cell until Queen Glacier was able to send them back to the Sand Kingdom, where Queen Thorn could deal with them. They had already been waiting for seven hours, and Qibli's exhaustion was taking over. He was hungry and tired and cold and scared and didn't want to wait any longer in the dank hole that was a prison cell.

Qibli's attention was caught by the sound of conversation echoed through the jail hall. Queen Glacier appeared down the hall, a while away, talking to the occupants of another cell. Qibli knew that Tundra and Narwhal were the prisoners in that cell. The Ice Kingdom queen was interrogating them from outside the bars.

"Qibli," hissed Cobra from across the cramped room. 

He clenched his jaw, eyes rooted to the floor. He gave no acknowledgement to her.

"Qibli, I can help you."

The boy felt tears pricking in his eyes and hot rage boiling in his stomach. You've never helped me. You're a manipulative, lying bitch.

Cobra stood to her feet and took a step towards Qibli, leaning in towards his ear. Qibli didn't move. "I can help you get out of here and escape, look," she proposed, and held out her hands. The handcuffs around her wrists were opened.

"Leave me alone," he mumbled hoarsely, forcing the words to leave his throat. 

"This isn't a request," his mother warned. "This is a command. Help me out, and I'll free you," she hissed. "Those guards are no match for us, weapons or not."

I can't let her free. I also can't trust her to keep her side of the deal. But could I trick her?

As Qibli thought in silence, Cobra became visibly impatient. "Qibli, now," she urged. "This is our chance. We have no other."

Qibli turned away from her and shook his head. "No," he whispered. "I'm not doing this."

"There is no option," Cobra reminded him threateningly. She took a step closer to him, hovering over her son, cowering in the corner.

His body shook with fear, eyes rooted to the ground, too scared to look anywhere else. Then the woman raised her hand, grabbed Qibli by the collar of his shirt, and slammed him against the wall.

He yelped and fell to the ground, bringing his knees up to his chest. Tears blurred his vision as the memories rushed back to him with full force, making Qibli touch his scar self-consciously with a shaky hand. He traced the dent over and over, choking on his sobs, which flowed steadily out from his eyes, unable to be controlled.

Cobra threw a punch to his face, barking curses and insults at him. Qibli cowered lower, crying out in pain and terror. He could hear shouting in the background, past the ringing of his ears and the blood rushing in his head.

The cell door swung open as the guards piled in, hauling Cobra back with all the strength they had. They held her down, forced her hands into cuffs, and set her at the other side of the small room from Qibli. Two guards crouched by him, guiding the beaten boy to his feet with steady hands. One guard pressed a wet cloth to his face, wiping away his tears and blood.

Qibli hadn't even realized that he was bleeding, but when he saw it on the cloth, he noticed the metallic tang that sat in his mouth. He coughed, letting the blood spew out of his mouth, dripping down his chin and spattering onto the hard floor. The guard wiped his mouth, resting a comforting hand to his back, murmuring reassuring words that Qibli could not hear. 

He wished it was Winter holding him. He wished that Winter could be here, telling him that everything would be okay and that he would love him no matter what. Qibli let out a sob, falling to his knees, and huddled himself in the cold corner. He shoved his head into his knees, rocking back and forth, imagining Winter's voice in his ear, comforting him. 

⋆ ☆ ⋆

When he awoke, Qibli was not aware that he had fallen asleep. He was outside of the cell, and outside of the dungeon as a whole. Relief rushed through him, allowing Qibli to feel a little better before things would get worse.

It took the boy a moment to notice the tall woman across from him, standing regally with her arms folded together. Queen Glacier watched him with unreadable eyes. He dropped his gaze to the ground, feeling guilty, ashamed, and nervous.

There was also a sense of pure fear and dread sitting in his stomach, like a cold, hard rock. He was worried that Queen Glacier would forbid him from ever seeing Winter again for his punishment and for the wellbeing and safety of her subject. 

"Prince Qibli," she started, not sounding mad, but almost patient instead. "If I must be honest, I do not know what to do with you. I do trust that you will not harm Prince Winter. I can see that you love him. But I do not trust that you are safe to keep around here, especially because my kingdom now knows what you have done and are capable of."

Qibli dipped his head and remained quiet, hands clasped together like he could maintain an innocent composure.

She hummed in thought, lips curved into a majestic frown. Her placid eyes scanned him, trying to figure out what to do. Qibli tried his best to stay patient. If he were Glacier, he wouldn't have any idea what to do with himself either.

A knock sounded from the door. Glacier and Qibli glanced up, and the queen walked over to open it.

Qibli's heart did a little jump in his chest as he saw the boy. He wasn't sure if it was fear or not, but he was unable to look at Winter.

The prince walked in and sat down next to Qibli. Qibli stared at the ground, swallowing and working his hands around nervously. Winter kept his gaze on Glacier. "Your Majesty, may I speak?"

Glacier walked back to her spot in front of the two boys, hands resting on her hips. "Yes, you may, Prince Winter."

"Your Majesty, Prince Qibli truly means no harm," he started, hesitating a little to place his words properly. "He was manipulated into this by his family, and he completely had no will to harm me or anybody else. Qibli and I have spent our time together in secret because we are in love. Lynx and I have never loved each other. Qibli has risked so much just to be with me- so please, let him free. He can leave the Ice Kingdom and I can go with him."

The queen's eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise. "You're willing to leave the Ice Kingdom to join Prince Qibli?"

As Winter nodded, Qibli whipped his head around to face him. Winter met his gaze, looking completely sure of himself, offering a reassuring smile.

"Winter, you don't have to do this," Qibli whispered. "You don't have to leave your home for me. You belong here, in your kingdom. I would never want to take that away from you."

In reply, Winter reached out a hand to rest on Qibli's knee, shushing him. "I'm sure, Qibli," he stated. "I'll be happier with you than without you. I belong with you, not my kingdom."

Qibli could feel his eyes burning as the joyous tears began to build up. "You're a big sap, y'know?" He joked, wiping away the tears before they could rain down harder. He sniffed. "Thank you."

"All right," interrupted Queen Glacier suddenly, straightening up as she finally came to a decision. "Prince Qibli, you are released from prison. I will allow you to stay one more day in my kingdom before Queen Thorn comes to claim you. I would advise you to stick with Winter and stay away from my subjects. They will not be keen to trust you."

Qibli nodded. "Thank you very much, Your Majesty," he said sincerely. "I understand that I will have to be careful around here."

The regal queen simply nodded, and gestured a hand to the door. "You may leave."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," murmured both Qibli and Winter as they politely took their leave through the door. Qibli fiddled nervously with his hands, eyes trained on the floor as he walked alongside Winter. The other boy placed a hand on his lower back, linking them close together.

Their walk was shrouded in silence. Conversation wasn't necessary. Once they reached the hallway full of spare bedrooms, Winter removed his hand from Qibli's back and stepped aside. Qibli stopped, turning back to him.

"Sorry, Qibli," Winter apologized, definitely noticing the sadness in Qibli's eyes. "I have to go talk to Lynx and Snowfall. Maybe Hailstorm, too."

Qibli could feel his heart sinking lower with each second apart from the prince. A part of him was going back to hopelessness, making him worry that Winter was mad at him, or really didn't want this relationship. Had he changed his mind? Was this a lie? A set-up for Qibli to be arrested?

Winter took a step towards him, caressed his cheekbones carefully with his thumb, and gave him a gentle peck on the crown of his hair. His lips lingered there for a second, then he pulled away with a million emotions in his gaze. "I'll be back. See you soon."

Qibli glanced down at the cold floor beneath. His voice was bleak when he spoke. "See you."

And Winter was gone, down the hallway.

He stood there, considering going to his room, but his heart was feeling heavy. He needed to wash his sorrows away, not wallow in them.

So, Qibli left down the stairwell and into the ballroom, over to the bar, and grabbed a bottle of liquor.