Ziglarean cocked a brow and stared up at David. "I don't know how I can be of help. I have been degraded, not fed, and chained up in irons for days. You know what iron does to wizards." He held his wrists and showed David. "Your men, who are under your orders have made this as difficult as possible."

David bent over and grabbed the lock between Ziglarean's hands, shoving the key into the slot and releasing the man's hands from the shackles. "Look," he said, moving to unlock his friend's feet as well. "I didn't know that the wizard they had captured was you, otherwise I would have given different orders. Not that I'm condoning this sort of treatment." He sighed, standing up once the shackles on Ziglarean's feet were properly dealt with and looking at his friend's face. "I have a lot to deal with, and my father used to just keep certain people in charge of certain things so he didn't have to be bothered with things constantly. I am sorry that you were treated this way, but had I known things would have been different."

David sighed again, running his hand through his hair and placing the keys back in his pocket. "I'll fetch you some steel bindings so you can regain your strength. I can not let you out and risk an uprising, you understand?"

Ziggy snorted and rubbed his wrists and ankles absently. He sent a tiny amount of healing magic to the welts, just enough that the soreness would wear off. He looked up at David and sighed. "I don't know what you're planing at, but once my strength is regained I will be a force to be reckoned with." His eyes flashed slightly and he swallowed. "What exactly are you planning David? Do you really think I will be of help to you?"

David nodded and picked up the iron chains, moving swiftly about the dungeon now and yelling back to Ziglarean as he spoke. "Why do you think all these wizards are down here and have not been sent to the gallows?" He asked, reappearing in front of Ziggy's cell door, holding something that resembled iron, but wasn't. "Mock iron chains to reduce suspicion." he said, tossing the surprising light chains towards Ziggy's open arms. He motioned around the room with his arm. "Cells to impersonate a hatred of magic."

He bent down around a corner and gestured to someone out of sight, flashing the unknown person a smile before he moved back towards Ziggy's cell. He walked back through the open iron door with a tray in his hands. "And three square meals a day for strength. When the guards aren't present of course."

Ziglarean sighed and looked up to David. What on earth was this man doing? Was he building some sort of wizard army? "I don't know what you're doing but I want no part of it." Ziglarean swallowed at the sight of the tray however. He hadn't eaten in so long, at least it seemed that way. "I am a peaceful person, I will not be part of some sickening wizard army that you're creating."

David shook his head wildly, almost desperately. He couldn't refuse him. He just couldn't. He placed the tray down on a nearby step stool before beginning to speak. "No, no. It's not like that I. I need you, Z. You're the most powerful man I know and I need you by my side. I never should have left it with you the way that I did, but I was a boy and I didn't know any better." He paused briefly, then moved, kneeling before his long lost friend and looking up at him with pleading eyes. "I need you to help me get out of this.....this sick vortex in which I have found myself. They hover over me. Night and day. And when I try to banish them or cast them off, they find ways to keep themselves grounded."

Ziglarean cocked a brow as he looked up at his old friend. "Your damn guards broke my staff. I was the most powerful man that you knew, now I'm just a damned sideshow attraction." He turned his head away and snorted slightly. "What do you mean they're hovering over you? Who are? Or what are?"

David shook his head and swallowed hard. "No, I'm sure they didn't. They're under explicit instructions to keep things of that sort in the cellar." He gazed up at his friend, his eyes still filled with hope. "My advisers. They've taken over everything. The only thing I really have a say in anymore is executions, and I loathe that process."

Ziglarean turned his head to stare at David. "They what?" He whispered. HIs eyes narrowed. No, no, he had heard stories of David's kingdom from the next town over. This man was ruthless, and he absolutely refused to work for David until he had proof that he was still the man that he remembered. "I will not help you until you are able to prove this all to me." He muttered. "It could be a ploy."

David looked around wildly, as if something in the cell would have aided him. "How can I prove it to you?" he asked, holding his hands out in front of him. "It's not as if I can let you out of here. They'd do something positively horrid if they ever found out what I was up to before I'm ready."

Ziglarean shrugged and looked down to his wrists. His magic was still far too depleted to do a full healing spell. He sighed to himself and whispered a minor incantation that lessened the redness a little and brought his pain and stinging down. Then he looked up to David. "That is for you to find out 'old friend'." He almost spat the words. "Do forgive me if I do not feel able to trust you just yet."

David nodded, completely understanding the man's point. He hadn't been the best friend, or even the best ruler, and he knew that somehow he would find a way to convince Ziglarean to him him. "I will do my best." he said with a slight bow, and turned to leave the cell, grabbing the iron door as he turned back towards Ziglarean, beginning to close it yet again. "When the guards aren't around, ask Mila for whatever you need. You can trust her."

Ziglarean snorted. "What, is she one of your wenches? No thank you. I would rather starve." He crossed his arms over his chest and turned his head away. His heart was pained at saying such cruel things to his old friend, but again he didn't know how well he could trust the man. His wrists and ankles were still stinging horribly, and he knew that if the wounds were not taken care of before they were infected he would succumb to iron poisoning.

He shut the door with a grim look on his face and sighed, locking his friend in the cell once again and turning to walk away. He paused slightly, turning his head over his shoulder and glancing back at Ziggy. "I know I haven't been the most trust worthy person in the world, but I do care about you Ziggy. I care about everyone, and I never wanted things to be this way." he halted his speech, taking a deep breath. "And Mila, is not my wench. Nor will you starve." His eyes became tinted with a slight hint of sadness as he spoke and turned his head again. "She's my daughter."

Ziglarean cocked a brow at the nickname for him slipped from the King's lips. He turned his head to look at the man and swallowed when he saw the sadness that seemed to have taken over the man's form. But then he froze and cocked his head to the side. "You...you have a daughter?"