Deviation from the Script

"What happened?" said Astra, worriedly. This part was not ringing any bells.

"My arm!" said Lord Fred, holding it with his other hand. "I think I pulled a muscle with that mighty blow. I can't possibly swing my sword now."

"What?!" said Astra, incredulously. "No, that isn't what happens! You can do it, swing your sword and break the chains. Use your other hand!"

"That is my sword swinging arm. I can't use the other one. Don't be ridiculous," said Lord Fred, his muscle screaming in pain. "D'agh this hurts!"

Astra swore loudly and for a long time. Lord Fred promised he would return after getting some treatment, leaving her alone again. Hours turned into days, and before she knew it...

Astra wasn't sure whether she had been hallucinating, or if all that strange stuff at the Enterprising Inn and subsequently had really happened. Well, there was no use worrying about that now, she decided. The endless silence was really on her nerves. However she had the strong feeling that Fred - she hoped that she hadn't only hallucinated him - ought to have recovered from his injury and should be appearing at any moment to free her.

The worst thing was the boredom, she had decided on that long ago. About fifty yards down the tunnel, a torch attached to the wall gave just enough light to prevent her from being in total darkness. Watching its flickering was the nearest thing to sensory stimulation that she had available.

More silence. She realised that she couldn't tell if it had lasted minutes or hours. Maybe it was days. No, it couldn't be days, she decided, as she didn't feel hungry or thirsty. Unless the dragon had cast a spell on her to prevent her becoming hungry or thirsty?

"Hello!" she called eventually, more to break that oppressive silence than with any expectation of a reply.

1. As expected, there was no response.
2. But there was an answering "Hello!" Then she saw a flickering torch flame in the distance, the torch presumably being carried by the person who had answered her hail.
3. Astra realizes that she has slipped back into the old pattern again. "Shit!" she exclaims.

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