✭

Of course, Astoria had hidden that little fact from Mia. They could have been long gone already.

“Well,” she said slowly, her gaze flickering up to Amelia. Lazily, Tori tilted her chair backwards, her feet landing on the table in front of her, legs crossed at the ankles. “Never in a Fereldenprison, but prisons in general? Yes.” Peeking out of the sock on her right foot was the sling ring, and Tori wondered how long it would take for Amelia to notice it. It was time for her little game to end, unfortunately. The longer they were locked up, the harder it would be to escape.

It was silly to have stayed as long as they had, if Astoria was being honest with herself. A voice at the back of her mind had whispered it was a bad idea, but of course she hadn’t listened. Where was the fun in that?

“And how about you? Do you have any experience with Ferelden prisons?” Astoria was fairly certain she knew the answer, but at this point, she was just trying to kill time. All she wanted was a few more jabs at the other woman, then they could leave.

Amelia frowned, sitting back in her own seat so Astoria’s boots weren’t in her face. That’s when her eyes caught a glitter of something shiny, glimmering under the cold lightbulb of their cell. The sling ring. Finally, Tori’s too-casual, too-relaxed air made sense to her. Amelia had to smother a grin. Of course the witch was already two steps ahead.  If there was one thing Amelia would never fully grasp, it was magic and all its peculiarities. She was fine with that, of course. She had her strengths and people like Astoria had theirs. The sling ring was a convenient measure to get in and out of places, and before now, Amelia was considering just breaking these handcuffs, kicking down the door, and fighting their way out. It wouldn’t necessarily be the hardest thing they’d ever done, but it would be messy, and Fury had specified in their subterfuge. Then again, getting caught kind of negated all that. Either way, Amelia was pleased that Astoria had managed to hang onto the ring. She wasn’t even mad that Tori had kept it from her until now. Sure, they could’ve escaped four hours and thirty-three minutes ago, but who’s counting? Keeping a cool head was more important than letting annoyance get the better of her. Besides, she couldn't deny that outsmarting the guards was a much more satisfying prospect. “No,” Amelia answered. Once she spotted the sling ring, she didn’t look at it again. In case anyone was watching them, she didn’t need to give away their little secret. She tilted her head, smiling slightly. “Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll get the chance to find out.” Another bang on the door, the metal echoing in their small cell. “I said be quiet!” Amelia cut Tori a mocking look, heedless of the warning. “What do you think? Should we stay for the night? I heard the Continental Breakfast here is to die for.” 

They wouldn’t decide her fate.

As they spoke, her mind went into overdrive, trying to file and store everything as fast as possible. She didn’t smile back at Howard, simply nodded once, but she was more than relieved that they weren’t going to hurt him. She didn’t trust that he could take anything they could dish out. Granted, she could say the same of herself, but she was the one who’d left her cell.

To be honest, some of (most of) (ALL OF) tony’s talking points made a lot of sense. She was dangerous. Or she should probably be considered as such. She’d always been chained up when she left her room, where she couldn’t fit her wings open. And her young friend seemed very… idealistic. She understood that she wasn’t going to hurt them, but she understood she was different.

“I… HYDRA. That is what we are to call them?” she looked to all the people around her, looking until someone gave her the indication that she was on the right track. “The scientists. I call them scientists. I was created on accident, they were attempting to achieve a different result from my donor DNA. I was not expected. But they kept me there, ever since I was… very small. Created. Birthed? Born.” The word took her a second, but she did get there. “they will want me back. I do not wish to cause you…” she made eye contact with just howard, now, her back turned to the adults. She didn’t care about them. “harm. I do not want you in trouble because of me, you’ve done enough.” He’d been willing to let her go when she’d asked. She decided he was good. “i’m sorry they created me. it wasn’t something i had control over. i take it they aren’t well liked here?”

“I do not know what to do.” Turning back to the adults, she took a second. “if you’re not going to hurt us, put down the guns.”