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[h3][i]The previous day…[/i][/h3]
[sub]Collab with [/sub] [@Raylah]
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[color=gray]Eva sat on the carriage and watched Garret carefully maneuver through the growing crowd. The news about the assassination spread fast, and although no one seemed to know what exactly happened, everyone was eager to tell a story that was even more exciting to hear than the previous one. Before they reached the keep, she had heard about the king’s death (in one version the blood that poured from his slit throat was black and hissed as the sun touched it), about the deaths of the prince and princess, one crazy old man even yelled about groups of rebels taking control over the city. Eva shook her head, such thing was nearly impossible, but then again, such direct attack on the king’s life was also considered impossible just hours ago. And if two organizations with nearly unlimited resources couldn’t prevent such attack, who is to say that they haven’t missed something bigger?

It was a fear amongst the kingdom’s leadership, not just for the king, but for other people on high position, that an underground resistance exists. A group of rebels, dedicated to end the current dynasty and start a revolution. Moving unseen in the shadows, gathering strength and preparing for a final strike. There was never any hard evidence discovered actually proving the existence of such group, but the thought of it was never dismissed. Could this assassin be a part that group? Or just an individual who had somehow gotten so close to killing the king?
So many questions. But at least some of them will be answered soon. As the cart entered the castle gates, she noticed much more soldiers than usual, running around as a flock of scared chicken. There was only one that seemed calm as he headed across the yard towards her. She recognized him as a member of king’s personal guard.[/color]

[color=ed145b][b]“Good day to you as well, sir. I appreciate your offer, but I know my way around here and I am sure that you have more important duties right now, concerning the protection of the royal family.”[/b][/color] [color=gray]She nodded in his direction. That was a man she could respect. Simple, strong, following his orders without questions and loyal to the king. She waited until he left and then let Garret help her down from the carriage. Her climbing days were long over.

[hr]

The prisoner had already been brought to the interrogation room, sitting in a wooden chair, firm leather straps holding her wrists, ankles and chest in place. Eva didn’t let any emotion show as she observed the woman, noticing some older scars on her skin, no doubt products of fights, and a new bandage over her shoulder. One corner of Eva’s mouth turned up in a small smile. This woman will not be as easy to break as the commoners she had dealt with before. Garret has started the usual show, taking out all the instruments and lining them up on a large table beside the wall, well within the prisoner’s eyesight. A small fire was lit in a metallic bowl on the other side of the room, heating the air and providing dim lighting. Tips of the metallic tools inside were burning red, ready to be used. Eva hadn’t decided whether she was going to use them yet, she actually had something else in mind, but it couldn’t hurt to have them at hand.

Eva watched woman’s face carefully, trying to determine what is it she is most afraid of. For most people it was the fire – as soon as it had been lit, they couldn’t take their eyes off the instruments inside. Some people were more afraid of the knife and scalpel collection, others of the drills or pliers. At this point, Eva usually had the prisoner gagged, but felt in this case it wasn’t necessary. This woman is not going to beg for her life.  [i]‘At least not at start,’ [/i] she thought with a smirk.



Annabelle’s mind was spinning. She was not unfamiliar to pain, having experienced it from time to time during practice fights and hunting trips. Boars were very dangerous opponents. But this was something else entirely. Annabelle’s brother, Sebastian, had told her things about torture, how its supposed purpose was to look for information, but in the end was very unreliable. A man could break completely, become unresponsive and useless. Or, more likely, he would tell the torturer what they wanted to hear. In fact, what torture was good for was getting confessions, false or not, to stop the pain.

That was Annabelle’s lifeline. She needed to reveal something that the inquisitor wanted. Although Annabelle despised lying, it was the only way for her not to lose her mind or life.

The inquisitor was looking at Annabelle, observing. She was no doubt looking for her fears. Annabelle thanked her luck that this woman hadn’t gotten what would have truly terrified her. Had she brought in Sebastian, Isobel, or any other member of the Tyler family to torture in Annabelle’s stead, she was sure that she would break. But now that she alone was in danger, she could think, at least somewhat. The outlaw let her eyes wander around the room, through the torture implements. So many ways to cause pain, to cripple. But she needed something else.

It was then that Annabelle’s eyes turned to the brazer burning in the coals. Worth a try. The outlaw collected her thoughts, staring at the brazer, while trying to imagine her siblings in the torture chamber. The thought certainly caused her body to tremble.



Eva stared at the prisoner, trying to guess her thoughts. Woman’s eyes swept the room, trying to find an exit, something to hold onto, or maybe a slightly friendlier face. Not finding anything, eventually her sight turned to the tools and instruments laid on the table. Eva could almost feel the woman’s heart, suddenly pounding faster and harder. No one was immune to fear. As Eva had guessed before, the prisoner couldn’t take her eyes of the fire pit, hypnotizing the glowing red tips of the metallic instruments inside, shivering a little.

The inquisitor had to suppress a victorious smirk. The situation was almost perfect. Almost, expect for the fact that Eva didn’t know anything about this woman. There was power in information, there was always something you could use against the person, something from their history you could pull out and exploit. Sometimes, when there was no other choice, even a loved one you could threaten. But this woman had seemingly materialized out of nowhere and without at least knowing her name, the inquisition had no way of getting any information about her.

Eva leaned forward a bit, letting her hair fall to her face to cover a painful frown as a cramp locked her thigh in place, sharp needles of pain pinching all the way up towards her spine. Looks like the good part of her day was coming to an end. After a few seconds she was finally able to stand up, leaning heavily against her cane. [/color][color=ed145b][b]“Some would say,”[/b][/color][color=gray] she said,[/color] [color=ed145b][b]“that an injury makes you weaker. In my line of work, however, it gives me certain advantages.”[/b][/color][color=gray] She slowly walked towards the fire, warming her hands above the flames. [/color][color=ed145b][b]“You see, I understand pain better than anyone. You would be amazed by how much pain the body can take before the mind shuts down. I can tell the exact spot right before that happens and I can keep a person there for hours.”[/b][/color]

[color=gray]She grabbed the handle of one of the branding irons, this one had an X shape at the end, and pulled it out of the fire. Even without being in the fire, the tip was still burning bright red. She knew the woman will expect her to ask questions first, that she would only start hurting her when those questions wouldn’t be answered fast enough. Many people seemed to believe they could get out of this situation completely unharmed. It felt good to prove them wrong.[/color] [color=ed145b][b]“So,”[/b][/color][color=gray] she turned to the prisoner and moved a bit closer. Garret moved behind the tied woman, ready to assist Eva in case she needed it. [/color][color=ed145b][b]“I don’t believe we have been properly introduced. My name is Eva Gallard and I am a part of the Royal Inquisition.”[/b][/color][color=gray] Without giving the woman any moment to respond, she pointed the branding iron at her healthy shoulder and pressed the hot tip against her skin.


A blood curdling scream left Annabelle’s mouth as the burning iron scalded her skin. Though she had expected pain, the actual experience was beyond expectations. Sebastian had told not to think of pain, because it would only make it worse. But in circumstances like this, it was difficult not to think of pain. Annabelle slumped on her chair, trembling. She took deep breaths, trying to speak [/color][b]”I… am Daisy… serf from Khunrith[/b][color=gray] She finally told. As she breathed in and out, she tried to think whether to tell it all now. The pain was incredible, but she needed to keep up the facade, at least a little longer.[/color][b]”And that is all you will ever know”[/b]



[color=gray]Eva waved the iron in the air, frowning at the pieces of burned skin attached to the tip. She put it back into the fire, pulling out another one. [/color][color=ed145b][b]“Hmm, so Daisy. A beautiful flower.”[/b][/color][color=gray] No doubt a made-up name. Khunrith? That was possible, she definitely didn’t have the typical capital accent. Although that could be just an act as well. [/color][color=ed145b][b]“I imagine such beauty like you must be very popular amongst the men. I wonder if it still will be true if we make some slight… adjustments to this lovely face.”[/b][/color][color=gray] She waved the tip of the branding iron in front of woman’s face. Garret tightly gripped her hair, preventing her from moving.
 
[/color][color=ed145b][b]“I could use this,”[/b][/color][color=gray] the bright red iron was now only inches away from prisoner’s eye, [/color][color=ed145b][b]“to take your eyesight away. But you couldn’t see what’s coming next, which would be such shame. So instead,”[/b][/color][color=gray] she leaned forward, whispering right into Daisy’s ear, [/color][color=ed145b][b]“after we will end our fun today, I will have you locked up in a tiny cell deep underground. And for the rest of your life, the only light you will ever see will be this.[/b]”[/color][color=gray] She waved the iron, smiling at the red it was seemingly leaving in the air. A short nod to Garret and he tore the front of woman’s shirt. [/color][color=ed145b][b]“That is unless you start TELLING ME THE TRUTH,”[/b][/color] [color=gray] Eva yelled and pressed the hot iron on the white skin right under woman’s collarbone.


Annabelle breathed faster. She wasn’t sure herself if she was actually panicking, or it was part of her own performance, it was all getting mixed around. Screw facade. Annabelle started speaking. [/color][b]”Fine, it’s too late anyway”[/b][color=gray] The outlaw put her head down, like she was ashamed, [/color][b]”The cart was sabotaged. The king was out in the open, and I would have killed him if if wasn’t for that loyalist.”[/b][color=gray] She gave a painful chuckle [/color][b]”Who would have thought there are still people ready to die for the King. But it doesn’t matter. I’m just one death in the Undaunted’s arsenal. And now that Akarath is in chaos, the Blood King is as good as death, along with the Unworthy prince. It’s too late.”[/b]


[color=gray]Eva took a step back, trying to put the information together. She didn’t think the woman was lying. Not telling the whole truth yet, but that fanaticism with which she spoke was genuine. For now, she had to set aside with the ‘Undaunted’, as the woman called her group, it was an important information, but there was something more pressing. She said ‘it’s too late anyway’. Shivers ran down Eva’s spine, her mind racing, attempting to decipher the threat hidden underneath those words. The carriage was sabotaged, that could only have been caused by someone from the king’s court, most likely from the Vanguard, as they have been guarding the king on his travels. Since this crazy woman had been arrested, the security measures will not be as strict as they would have been if the assassin had gotten away.

But who, who would be in such position to sabotage the cart, and even harm the king in case the main plan failed? And prince Aaron for that matter? Eva knew that he had just returned to the city, he will probably be with his father now. Both targets at one spot, unsuspecting of a traitor moving nearby. She had to force this woman to say the name. Maybe something more aggressive will erase that smile off her face.

Eva set the iron aside, letting it heat in the fire again, and reached for a small knife. It was a slightly bent skinning knife, razor-sharp. [/color][color=ed145b][b]“You see, this way the hot iron can only get to upper layers of the skin. As that burns, it creates a thick layer that protects the muscles beneath. So, if I want to go deeper…,”[/b][/color][color=gray] she drove the blade expertly under the fried skin, cutting a piece off, revealing the bare flesh. The wound quickly filled with blood, pouring down onto the remains of woman’s shirt. Eva stepped aside and reached for a new iron, this one was pointy, designed to go deep inside the body. [/color][color=ed145b][b]“I want the name,”[/b][/color][color=gray] she whispered and moved the hot tip so close to the wound that the blood began to sizzle.



Another scream from Annabelle. The pain that combined cutting and cauterizing was incredible. [/color][b]”FENROS!”[/b][color=gray] She screamed like a madwoman [/color][b]”FENROS!”[/b] [color=gray]The outlaw trembled from the pain, [/color][b]”Fenros the Undaunted. Bodyguard of the Queen. He who whispers to her ear.“[/b] [color=gray]There was a new smell as Annabelle tried to catch her breath. She wasn’t sure what was the cause of the smell, nor if she wanted to know. Everything was spinning.


Eva froze, gasping for air. Thousands of thoughts were whirling around in her head, but the most important was that the king was in terrible danger. Bodyguard to the queen? As far as she knew, Fenros was a bodyguard assigned solely to protect princess Eleanor, not the queen. Maybe the woman was just confused, or her information wasn’t entirely correct. But how else would she know Fenros’ name? It made perfect sense, he had access to the entire royal family and he most certainly had time and opportunity to sabotage the carriage. And he was moving freely around the palace even now. Eva threw the iron back into the fire, causing a geyser of sparks.[/color]
 
[color=ed145b][b]“Take her back to a cell. We will finish this conversation later,”[/b][/color] [color=gray]she growled at Garret. He raised an eyebrow – normally she would continue the interrogation to make sure the prisoner wasn’t lying. But the situation was too dangerous, the king needed to be warned as soon as possible. [/color][color=ed145b][b]“And you,”[/b][/color][color=gray] she leaned towards the woman, [/color][color=ed145b][b]“if you are lying to me, I guarantee you that I will be listening to your beautiful screams for hours and hours,”[/b][/color][color=gray] she whispered. The prisoner seemed like she was about to pass out, but Eva knew she could hear her. The inquisitor headed out of the room as fast as her leg allowed her.

Annabelle, still delirious, felt the rough hands take her from the chair and carrying her to the cell, before roughly throwing her inside. As she heard the lock clicking behind her, Annabelle somehow found strength to crawl to her so called bed, before losing herself to blissful unconsciousness.[/color]