"It wasn't my fault, really!" Tak argued, peeking back towards the massive man behind her. "I don't know, it must have just slipped or something!" She argued, though the man stood firm.
He'd heard it all before, if not from her, then from others in her shoes. He shook his head in disapproval, deciding to amuse her for just a moment. "It slipped off the shelf... and fell into your bag?" The guard asked sarcastically, clearly unamused by her antics.
"Ya! It happens all the time!" She argued her side, convinced that she could win him over.
"Does it now?" He asked, his voice low and accusatory now, a hint of a smirk spreading across his stone-cold face. "And how often would you say this happens to you?"
She laughed awkwardly, realizing her mistake. She figured right about now would be a good time to shut her mouth for a bit. She was in enough trouble as is and she really didn't need to dig herself a deeper hole.
She followed him down the dark dungeon corridor, flanked on either side with empty jail cells. He stopped in front of one before pulling a large keyring out of his pocket. She looked past the man as he flicked through the ring, fiddling with the large metal door every few seconds. It was a dark and depressing looking room, decorated only by the dirty cot that hung from the far wall. The grimy, windowless walls of the cell almost reminded her of a pit you'd throw someone down and forget about. The gravity of the situation finally dawned on her. Yes, she stole something, she'll admit that now, but did she really deserve something like this, just for a few little slip ups? The man swung the door open, its hinges squealing like a dying animal. He gestured towards the open cell, her new home for the time being, waiting for her to step into it on her own accord. She didn't move, she couldn't, she could only turn and look up towards the man, her eyes silently pleading for mercy.
He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "It's only for two days." He reminded her for what must have been the tenth time by now. "We're really letting you off easy. You know that, right?" He nudged her into the room, her dramatics beginning to grade on him. She stumbled in, her fate now sealed. It was too late for her now, she'd die in this place, she could already see it. She turned towards him, the door already shut firmly behind her "You know, if you hadn't tried to bite me I would have just let you off with a warning." He informed her, turning away from the downtrodden Kobold and walking further into the prison.
"Ya? Come here and I'll do it again..." She grumbled under her breath.
The rusted cot groaned under her meager weight as she sat on it, defeated. She shifted uncomfortably, testing its questionable construction. It sagged and squealed under her tiny Kobold frame, making her a bit self-conscious. Maybe she really shouldn't have stolen all those sweet rolls. Still, stuck here for two days for something so small was a bit of an overreaction.
She sighed, falling backwards onto her cot. She stared up at the ceiling, watching the water that dripped from between the cracked stone bricks. She sighed again, already growing bored and desperate. She closed her eyes, trying to find solace in her own mind instead. Her memories of freedom, though fleeting since her violent and unjust incarceration, kept her going, pushing her onwards during this low point in her life.
She thought about her family, friends, home and hobbies, all these warming thoughts carrying her through the cold day. She laid like that for what must have been hours, only stirring once her stomach growled, hunger pangs hitting her hard. She looked towards the bars, expecting some sort of food tray to be lying on the floor, just like she'd read in her books, but to her surprise, she found the floor empty, only dirt and stale water decorating its dark surface. Had he really forgotten to feed her? Was she actually going to die in here? She could already feel her body withering away, her bright red scales losing their gorgeous luster. She got up, the cot creaking in protest at her sudden movements before stumbling over to the bars. She peered out, spotting the guard sitting at a table further down the corridor. He read some kind of book, seemingly oblivious to her existence.
"Hey!" Tak yelled out towards him. "I think you forgot to feed me!" Her voice was hoarse and desperate, scaly hands gripping the bars.
He sighed, visibly deflating in stature. "You've only been in there for ten minutes!" He yelled back, not taking his eyes off of his book. "Lunch is in a few hours!"
Ten minutes? She wouldn't survive another ten. She needed to get out, now, no matter the cost. She looked around for an exit, a crack in the security or an oversight during construction that she could exploit. There was nothing besides her and the smooth brick walls that surrounded her. She looked outwards, towards the guard. He was her only lifeline; one she would have to use to her fullest advantage.
"Can you come here?" She called out towards him again. He set down his book, looking down at the table in front of him. He massaged his temple with his fingers before standing up. He seemed eager to talk to her, something she could use to her advantage.
"What do you want?" He asked as he drew closer to her.
Tak panicked a bit. She didn't actually have a plan, and was hardly expecting to make it this far so fast.
"I was wondering... Maybe you could let me out of here?" She asked. "I've learned my lesson, sir." She added, certainly sealing the deal.
He smirked, looking down at her. "You know I can't do that." He told her, turning to walk away again.
"Wait!" She yelled, startling the man. "Maybe there's something I can do to change your mind?" She asked, pulling down on her dirty prisoner garbs to expose her red, scaly shoulder. She wasn't exactly sure what she was doing, but she'd seen a Vellin woman do it once, and it apparently worked out for her. He stopped, crossing his arms and cocking an eyebrow at the Kobolds new brazen strategy.
"Y'know, bribery is illegal, right?" He asked, rhetorically of course, though that didn't stop her from blurting out the first thing that came to mind.
"What are you gonna do? Arrest me?" She asked, cackling at her own joke. "Besides, it seems to be working. You're still standing here, aren't you?" She teased, still not exactly sure of what she was doing.
He sighed, running his hands through his hair. He could feel a headache coming on. He couldn't handle her stupidity anymore, and as long as she was stuck down here, he'd be stuck watching over her. He was already considering letting her go early because keeping her here just wasn't worth the effort. She wasn't much of a criminal, a public nuisance at best, but he still had to put his job first. He looked back at Tak, ready to share the bad news, only to find her grinding her small body against the bars, her rump swaying back and forth. It was another trick she'd picked up from one of the late-night taverns in town. He could feel his head pulse. The headache was here now, and with her constant yapping, it would stay until she was gone. At Least he would get some sort of payment for letting her go. Tak's eyes lit up when he reached for his keyring.
"You won't regret this!" She squealed happily.
"I already do." He mumbled, pushing the door open and letting the Kobold walk free.
She breathed in, stale air filling her lungs. She'd almost forgotten what freedom tasted like, damp and disappointing. She trailed behind the guard as he led her to the table he was seated at earlier, a bounce in her step that she hadn't felt in a while. It was a small guards room, a table, chair and a few shelves with what looked like stale food for the prisoners. He stopped at the table, turning to face her. She could see him fiddling with his belt now, but she didn't pay him any mind as her eyes scanned the room around her.
"Have you ever done something like this before?" He asked absentmindedly, too focused on his pants to notice her wandering eyes. "With a human, I mean..." He added, his belt finally giving way.
She laughed. "With a human? No. I usually hang around other Kobolds." She told him, turning to face him. "Speaking of, what are we do-" Her question was cut short when she came face to face with his cock. She took a surprised step back, her heart jumping in her chest.
"Backing out?" He asked, somewhat disappointed. "Listen, if you don't want to, I can just let-"
