Around late afternoon, Vernon had left the princess’s side to deal with an important matter. The king was about to assign the matter to be handled by another, and Vernon asked to be involved as well.
Prince Estevan wanted to get involved too, but the king rejected him saying he had no need to be involved on this one. The king knew what was being done with the captive in the dungeon and didn’t want Prince Estevan to get into it, considering that the princess was once friends with that girl.
On the way, Vernon recalled the princess. Based on his observations, he couldn’t fathom her. At first he thought she was just a plain princess who was not at all impressive, nothing to boast, no achievement, no nothing except for her unique appearance — setting aside her magic potential of course.
In short, she was unremarkable.
However, the time he had with her, Vernon’s impression of the princess had completely distorted. The methods she used to get what she wanted. Then there were some actions he couldn’t think of that led to a certain occurrence.
Adding all that, he concluded that the princess had a hidden side of excellence which might even surpass her brothers. However, it still remains to be seen.
But the way she always acts, it was hard to tell any excellence at all. Like, she was there for appearance’s sake. That in its way had also seemed to become a deception to the eyes.
A pair of knights guarding the entrance to the dungeon saw him approach. The knights recognized him and opened the door to let Vernon enter.
Vernon went down the stairs, at the edge he was greeted by a dirty stone floor, the ceilings dusty. The corridor consisted of jail cells on each side. However, they were empty since there were no prisoners to keep in the palace grounds. Well, until now.
Vernon headed towards the edge of the corridor to a certain room.
The torture chamber.
At the edge were another set of stairs going down, Vernon opened the door after going down those stairs and the stench of blood quickly assaulted his nose, but he wasn’t bothered by it, he was already used to it.
“Oh, Sir Vernon, you’re here.”
A middle aged man was sitting down on a corner, his apron smeared with blood. He had a short beard and mustache and bald head, his eyes gave the image of nonchalance despite the horrendous atmosphere in the chamber.
Then beside him was a woman wearing casual clothes, though almost looking formal. She had a sword hanging on her waist. Her average length black hair was tied in a ponytail, her dark eyes looked blankly at Vernon. Vernon knew she was one of the knights.
“Randol, you’re lazing around.”
“Oh come on, I’m resting, it's been a hard day's work, you know.”
It would seem he had indeed been working for almost a day.
“If you’re still working hard, then she has yet to spit out any useful information.”
“Yes!”
“Then she’s one tough woman.”
Vernon looked behind the man where tools were placed. There were whips, blades in different shapes and forms — some were like dogs’ teeth, U-shaped, some were tiny blades which almost resembled needles, and so on — then there were some pliers. Some equipment had already been covered with blood.
“Did she say anything whenever you ask?”
“Well, there’s the I don’t know line, the part about why they’re targeting the princess.”
“Hm? There’s no way she wouldn’t know — no, perhaps she doesn’t? She looked so eager to do it, so she must know.”
Vernon turned his gaze towards the center of the chamber and there he saw a girl.
A rope was hung to the ceiling then wrapped around her wrists, leaving her hanging in the air, her wrist had also begun to bleed and swell. Her naked body was left exposed as she wore no piece of clothing. But her body left nothing to be desired within the eyes of men.
Blood dripped to the floor. Lacerations were all over her body, waist, thighs, back, cheeks, throat, arms, bruises could also be seen clearly in this torch lit room. Her wounds were left untreated and dripping. Her body had also been smeared by her own blood all around as he was left hanging through her wrists, her feet unable to touch the floor. Furthermore, her fingers were all bent in weird angles.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
She was like a pig being butchered. But she was alive — although barely.
Vernon walked closer to her, never minding the horrendous state she was in. No, he just didn’t care. She was an enemy after all, a threat to the crown, and most of all, tried to kill the princess that was under his watch.
“Miss Allie, if you want to lessen your pain, answer this question — why are you trying to kill the princess? What’s the reason for it?”
The girl, Allie, hung her head low as all energy she had had already vanished. Her eyes couldn’t even open themselves. And there was silence for several seconds before her lips slightly moved.
“I….do...tt…”
“Hm, what is it?”
Vernon walked closer so he could listen to the weak girl’s words.
“I…. d-d-don’t….k-know…”
“I see.”
Is it possible she truly doesn’t know?
In that case, to the other question.
“You were related to Oryn, I saw how you two intimately interacted with each other,” thanks to the princess. “Therefore, I’m certain there are others out there, aiming for the same goal. Then tell me, who are your collaborators, allies, or friends?”
“...”
Vernon waited. However, several seconds passed, then a minute later, there were no movements.
“You do not wish to speak?”
“...”
“This won’t do.”
They needed the information since they were still in the dark about their enemies. Furthermore, the princess emphasized obtaining information from her.
He recalled the face of the princess. Somehow, reporting that he didn’t get any important information made him anxious. It was an unexplainable feeling.
He couldn’t give up like this. Somehow, he feared disappointing the princess, which made no sense. But, it was his instincts telling him that.
“Bring her down and heal her.”
The two other people moved in.
“Ayana, get the chair.”
The knight, Ayana, pulled a chair, while Randol stepped on a wooden box and untied the girl. They let her fall to the ground with a thud. Ayana, who had brought a chair with an armrest, lifted up Allie and had her sit down.
When Ayana held out her hand towards the girl, a green illumination came forth. Gradually, Allie’s wounds began to heal, and her fingers were slowly restored while Randol manually straightened some — the girl shouldn’t feel a lot of pain while the spell was being cast on her.
Vernon went and grabbed a chair to sit in front of the girl.
“You have experienced it already, but I will say it personally. As long as we are not satisfied, we’ll keep hurting you. We will heal you, but after that, the process will start again. If you’re close to death, we’ll heal you again, and it continues.”
This was what was happening to Allie the entire day. Whenever she was on the verge of death, they would heal her completely until as though nothing happened to her. But that only signalled a new cycle of suffering.
Time passed, and she was fully healed. She looked up towards Vernon, her eyes still weak, but she should have been physically restored somewhat.
Hm, she should be fed.
It wouldn’t do if she would be too weak and tortured again. The princess, after all, didn’t allow her to die.
Was it because of mercy?
The princess didn’t know they were doing this to Allie, so perhaps the princess just didn’t want Allie to be killed while being “interrogated” — the kind way of interrogating. Unbeknownst to her, this only meant that Allie would suffer.
“Well then, you seem alright now, then shall we begin once more?”
Vernon crossed his legs as the torturer, Randol, and knight, Ayana, strapped Allies legs and wrists on the heavy chair. Allie rattled around trying to set herself free but to no avail.
“Alright, Ayana, you start!” Randol said with visible excitement.
“Understood… Girl, better speak while you still have a little breathing room.”
She sounded indifferent, but Vernon imagined she might have some reluctance in her heart to do this to this girl. If this was another person and that was older, she might not have felt anything.
“Who and where are your allies?” Ayana asked.
“...”
“No response huh. Very well then…”
She grabbed Allie’s index finger and instantly pushed it all the way to the back letting out a cracking sound.
“Aaaaagh!!!!”
“Another one.”
Ayana folded another finger.
“Mmmaaaaagh!”
Allie’s cries of despair loudly, deafeningly, echoed in the entire chamber. In this place of torment, where mercy was fiction, and salvation impossible. Even with her tears, or blood, it wouldn’t stop until those in power decided to stop.
Not even the princess can save you here.
Vernon watched the process without averting his eyes.
“Answer now!” Ayana shouted.
She snapped another finger.
“You know, the finger snapping is getting old for her now. Let me get something.”
Randol moved towards his tools and grabbed something. It was some sort of trap.
“A bear trap?” Ayana asked.
“Yeah, this is pretty painful on humans, except this one I made myself. It will bite even digging through the bones a little.”
“Don’t get caught yourself.”
“Don’t worry, I’m fine. Alright little missy, we’ll go for the leg!”
Randol crouched down and positioned the trap next to Allie’s calf.
“Alright, three, two —”
The trap snapped in an instant, digging through her skin and muscles, biting to the bone.
“Gghhhaaaa! K-Kill me! J-Just kill me!”
She begged loudly as tears welled up from her eyes.
“No can do, missy. This is what torture is for, keeping you alive until you speak.”
“N-No….”
“I’ll get the other trap!” Randol cackled.
Even with this much pain, it’s impressive she still wouldn’t talk, despite her age.
She must have strong emotions towards her friends.
Then, Vernon watched as the girl screamed and cried in agony. Healing her when the damage was too great, and starting anew. This was like hell to the girl, but her screams reached no one outside.
Not even her friends.
How unlucky that she was the one to be captured alive. Perhaps it would have been best that she killed herself before capture or when she realized that she had failed.