(*Cringe* Oh my god. Note that I wrote this at @The Slenderman's request, and she gave me full permission to use her character in writing this scene. Warning that the following post is somewhat graphic. Very graphic. Somewhat thematic. Oh my god, what did I do to our characters?!)
When Aery opened her eyes, she was tied up by her hands across from another prisoner... the other prisoner at least was clothed, and she had no such luxury. Then she did a double take when it registered who the other prisoner was.
"Oh my god, oh my god oh my god, Celaena." She gasped at the sight of the bloody hole on Celaena's face, where her eye had been. βCelaena, Iβm sorry. Oh my god.β
βAww, isnβt this touching. The two fearless assassins. I hope you know, Aelin that your little apprentice told us everything already. But Iβm sure thereβs more that you know about.β The female guard approached while the male guard was talking, and poured the silver flask of liquid down Celaenaβs throat. The older woman coughed and spluttered.
βSwallow it, Celaena, itβs a healing potion.β Aery said, softly. The male guard whipped around and pressed a knife to her throat.
βDidnβt have enough fun, now did you, darling? Just had to come back for seconds.β
Aery ignored him, instead focusing on Celaena. The potion was working on her, far faster than it had on Aery. The eye had already grown back in again, and most of the cuts had scarred over.
βNow that weβre all back in one piece, why donβt we begin again. Start with the princess Silverheart, why donβt we. It might make our other royal guest all the more talkative.β
Seeing Celaenaβs eyes widen, Aery forced a grimace. βIβll be okay, Celaena, youβll see.β
The woman laughed. βSuch bravery. To reward such bravery, I say we start with the lady Galathynius.β Aery tried not to flinch, but to no avail. The man, who had circled around behind her, whispered in her ear, βWe know how to hurt you. Youβll want to watch this, Iβm sure, but after that, my companion will take good care of princess Aelin, and weβre going to go off on our own.β He trailed his fingers up the side of her cheek, lightly kissed her collarbone. Aery froze, resisting the urge to kick him, knowing that that would do nothing for her, nor for Celaena.
The woman beckoned the man. He went to her. They whispered to each other; the woman giggled insanely. The man turned his back to the two prisoners, selected a weapon, then turned back to them, holding the baton heβd chosen in front of him. βI know youβve withstood whippings, Aelin, but what of full-on, broken-bone beatings?β
She met his gaze steadily. Didnβt flinch until after the first blow struck. Aery could hear the bones of Celaenaβs leg crack under the first blow, her arm shatter under the second. Blows on her ribs, her shoulders, her back and legs and arms. After the first five or so, Celaena didnβt even bother holding back her screams, and every scream was like a knife in Aeryβs heart. Iβve failed, Iβve failed, Iβve failed, and Celaena is suffering for it.
The beating went on for who knows how long, until the male guard, sweat glistening on the little bit of his skin visible under the mask and leather apron he war, lowered the baton. Aery was barely able to look at the woman who had become like her older sister. Blood trickled from numerous places where the pieces of broken bones had penetrated the skin. Most of Celaenaβs body was covered in the horrible, livid bruising, except her face. And she was glaring at the torturers with the most intense hatred Aery had ever seen.
But the man just chuckled, brushed it off. βYouβre strong, Miss Galathynius, Iβll give you that much. But youβve got your hamartia. I daresay I know what it is: You care too much. You can never step away when your friends are in trouble.β
The woman had been circling Aery, poking and prodding her like she was a piece of meat at the market. Finally she nodded slightly and stepped away, smirking. But the man took her place, and that was so much worse.
βIβd prefer to do this in a more private place, mind you, but I feel that Miss Galathynius would benefit from seeing this as well.β He pressed up against her, far too close. And at that moment Aery realized what he had planned, and kicked and flailed her legs at him. But it was in vain. He chuckled even as he pressed up against her, even as he kissed her, rubbing his hands up and down her body, and she flushed crimson as she realized that she enjoyed the attentionsβ¦
~~~
Of course that wasnβt the end of it. Of course it wasnβt. But Aery, shamed beyond belief, didnβt dare try to resist anymore. Celaena had started crying at some point during that wholeβ¦ affair, but they were given a few minutes to try to pull themselves back together before the next round of torments.
βC-celaena, Iβ¦ Iβ¦β Aery couldnβt even get the words out. βI-Iβm so ashamed.β She mumbled.
βDonβt be, Aery. But what were you thinking, coming after me like that?!β
βI wanted to help you, the way you helped me. A-and because of my f-foolishness, Silly and Ameβ¦ T-theyβ¦ someone took them.β
βWorry about us now, Aery, and then, so help me God, weβll tear the earth apart to find them, once we get out of here.β
Aery, much to her own embarrassment, began to cry. βWe wonβt ever get out of here, will we, Celaena?β She sniffled.
Before Celaena could answer, the guards came back into the room. One was dragging a hose.
βAerienna has had plenty of experience with this hose. It can be used to simulate drowning. But when one uses a different nozzle it has a grand number of other applications.β He unscrewed the nozzle and put a much longer, thinner one on. He walked up on Aeryβs side; she flinched away.
βOh, none of that manure.β He grabbed her head roughly and tilted it so that he had access to her ear. Then he put the nozzle into it, and the woman turned it on, and Aeryβs entire thought process was obliterated by the torrent of water. It drilled its way through her ear, tearing all of the delicate little membranes in there, building up the pressure in there. Aery screamed at the pain, jerking against the bonds. The guardβs grip relaxed and he removed the nozzle from her ear and let the water come rushing out. And then he went around to the other side and did the same to the other ear.
It was at that time that Aery noticed something wad dreadfully, dreadfully, wrong. When the pain inside her head built to that unbearable level, and she felt like she was screaming, but couldnβt hear anything. When the hose was removed from her ear and Celaena said something, her mouth was moving, her eyes were wide and she must have been shouting, but Aery couldnβt hear. But then, she supposed it was better that way, being unable to hear and thus unable to realize the pain that Celaena was in.
The guards came around the two of them, juggling knives that were glowing yellow-white, they were so hot. They opened a few gashes, which cauterized immediately and thus didnβt bleed much. Maybe it was the pain of what had been done to her before, or just the terror, but sometime during those moments, Aery felt a warm trickle, then a warm gush down her legs, and was instantly mortified as she realized what happened. Then she saw her own look of horror mimicked by Celaena, and realized that no, whatever else it might have been, those knives must have been poisoned, to make them lose control of their own bodies.
Maybe it wasnβt better, to not be able to hear, for after the thing with the knives, they blindfolded her, took a lash to her, until her entire body was torn up by the whip welts. She thought she was screaming, but she couldnβt even tell. Couldnβt tell what they were doing to Celaena, either, but probably something just as terrible.
To Celaena, it hurt twice as bad, because she was forced to hear Aeryβs sobbing, broken screams and groans, and yet still deal with her own torment. The knife wounds had been just superficial; but now the male guard approached her with a poker, glowing the same shade of brilliant yellow. He cackled even as he thrust it into the muscle of Celaenaβs upper arm, wrenched it around in there, enjoying watching Celaenaβs agony. She screamed and screamed, but why wasnβt she passing out?!
As if heβd heard her thoughts, the guard said, quite conversationally. βIt was in the drugs on the knives. One was a neurostimulator, to make the pain so much more intense than it would be otherwise. One sent a very specific impulse, which Iβm sure you figured out, and the third was designed to stop the flood of neurotransmitters that makes a person go unconscious when the pain gets too bad.β
Celaena cursed at the guard, only to gasp in agony as the poker was shifted through her flesh. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the female guard had switched to a baton on Aery, shattering a good number of her bones again as well. And then the poker pressed into the hollow between her shoulder blade and collarbone, and, in spite of the drug, the whole room went black.
For Aery, she hung on only a little longer. The last thing she remembered, after the baton blow that had cracked her pelvis and femur, was the handful of salt that was pressed right into the worst of the whip marks and lacerations. That burning stinging agony spread up her body, and as it did she fainted too.
The guards cut them down from the ropes and laid them in the middle of the open floor, closely pressed against one another. It was almost tender, in a terribly macabre way. And even in their unconsciousness, the two women leaned against each other to try to draw each otherβs warmth into their bodies.
When Aery opened her eyes, she was tied up by her hands across from another prisoner... the other prisoner at least was clothed, and she had no such luxury. Then she did a double take when it registered who the other prisoner was.
"Oh my god, oh my god oh my god, Celaena." She gasped at the sight of the bloody hole on Celaena's face, where her eye had been. βCelaena, Iβm sorry. Oh my god.β
βAww, isnβt this touching. The two fearless assassins. I hope you know, Aelin that your little apprentice told us everything already. But Iβm sure thereβs more that you know about.β The female guard approached while the male guard was talking, and poured the silver flask of liquid down Celaenaβs throat. The older woman coughed and spluttered.
βSwallow it, Celaena, itβs a healing potion.β Aery said, softly. The male guard whipped around and pressed a knife to her throat.
βDidnβt have enough fun, now did you, darling? Just had to come back for seconds.β
Aery ignored him, instead focusing on Celaena. The potion was working on her, far faster than it had on Aery. The eye had already grown back in again, and most of the cuts had scarred over.
βNow that weβre all back in one piece, why donβt we begin again. Start with the princess Silverheart, why donβt we. It might make our other royal guest all the more talkative.β
Seeing Celaenaβs eyes widen, Aery forced a grimace. βIβll be okay, Celaena, youβll see.β
The woman laughed. βSuch bravery. To reward such bravery, I say we start with the lady Galathynius.β Aery tried not to flinch, but to no avail. The man, who had circled around behind her, whispered in her ear, βWe know how to hurt you. Youβll want to watch this, Iβm sure, but after that, my companion will take good care of princess Aelin, and weβre going to go off on our own.β He trailed his fingers up the side of her cheek, lightly kissed her collarbone. Aery froze, resisting the urge to kick him, knowing that that would do nothing for her, nor for Celaena.
The woman beckoned the man. He went to her. They whispered to each other; the woman giggled insanely. The man turned his back to the two prisoners, selected a weapon, then turned back to them, holding the baton heβd chosen in front of him. βI know youβve withstood whippings, Aelin, but what of full-on, broken-bone beatings?β
She met his gaze steadily. Didnβt flinch until after the first blow struck. Aery could hear the bones of Celaenaβs leg crack under the first blow, her arm shatter under the second. Blows on her ribs, her shoulders, her back and legs and arms. After the first five or so, Celaena didnβt even bother holding back her screams, and every scream was like a knife in Aeryβs heart. Iβve failed, Iβve failed, Iβve failed, and Celaena is suffering for it.
The beating went on for who knows how long, until the male guard, sweat glistening on the little bit of his skin visible under the mask and leather apron he war, lowered the baton. Aery was barely able to look at the woman who had become like her older sister. Blood trickled from numerous places where the pieces of broken bones had penetrated the skin. Most of Celaenaβs body was covered in the horrible, livid bruising, except her face. And she was glaring at the torturers with the most intense hatred Aery had ever seen.
But the man just chuckled, brushed it off. βYouβre strong, Miss Galathynius, Iβll give you that much. But youβve got your hamartia. I daresay I know what it is: You care too much. You can never step away when your friends are in trouble.β
The woman had been circling Aery, poking and prodding her like she was a piece of meat at the market. Finally she nodded slightly and stepped away, smirking. But the man took her place, and that was so much worse.
βIβd prefer to do this in a more private place, mind you, but I feel that Miss Galathynius would benefit from seeing this as well.β He pressed up against her, far too close. And at that moment Aery realized what he had planned, and kicked and flailed her legs at him. But it was in vain. He chuckled even as he pressed up against her, even as he kissed her, rubbing his hands up and down her body, and she flushed crimson as she realized that she enjoyed the attentionsβ¦
~~~
Of course that wasnβt the end of it. Of course it wasnβt. But Aery, shamed beyond belief, didnβt dare try to resist anymore. Celaena had started crying at some point during that wholeβ¦ affair, but they were given a few minutes to try to pull themselves back together before the next round of torments.
βC-celaena, Iβ¦ Iβ¦β Aery couldnβt even get the words out. βI-Iβm so ashamed.β She mumbled.
βDonβt be, Aery. But what were you thinking, coming after me like that?!β
βI wanted to help you, the way you helped me. A-and because of my f-foolishness, Silly and Ameβ¦ T-theyβ¦ someone took them.β
βWorry about us now, Aery, and then, so help me God, weβll tear the earth apart to find them, once we get out of here.β
Aery, much to her own embarrassment, began to cry. βWe wonβt ever get out of here, will we, Celaena?β She sniffled.
Before Celaena could answer, the guards came back into the room. One was dragging a hose.
βAerienna has had plenty of experience with this hose. It can be used to simulate drowning. But when one uses a different nozzle it has a grand number of other applications.β He unscrewed the nozzle and put a much longer, thinner one on. He walked up on Aeryβs side; she flinched away.
βOh, none of that manure.β He grabbed her head roughly and tilted it so that he had access to her ear. Then he put the nozzle into it, and the woman turned it on, and Aeryβs entire thought process was obliterated by the torrent of water. It drilled its way through her ear, tearing all of the delicate little membranes in there, building up the pressure in there. Aery screamed at the pain, jerking against the bonds. The guardβs grip relaxed and he removed the nozzle from her ear and let the water come rushing out. And then he went around to the other side and did the same to the other ear.
It was at that time that Aery noticed something wad dreadfully, dreadfully, wrong. When the pain inside her head built to that unbearable level, and she felt like she was screaming, but couldnβt hear anything. When the hose was removed from her ear and Celaena said something, her mouth was moving, her eyes were wide and she must have been shouting, but Aery couldnβt hear. But then, she supposed it was better that way, being unable to hear and thus unable to realize the pain that Celaena was in.
The guards came around the two of them, juggling knives that were glowing yellow-white, they were so hot. They opened a few gashes, which cauterized immediately and thus didnβt bleed much. Maybe it was the pain of what had been done to her before, or just the terror, but sometime during those moments, Aery felt a warm trickle, then a warm gush down her legs, and was instantly mortified as she realized what happened. Then she saw her own look of horror mimicked by Celaena, and realized that no, whatever else it might have been, those knives must have been poisoned, to make them lose control of their own bodies.
Maybe it wasnβt better, to not be able to hear, for after the thing with the knives, they blindfolded her, took a lash to her, until her entire body was torn up by the whip welts. She thought she was screaming, but she couldnβt even tell. Couldnβt tell what they were doing to Celaena, either, but probably something just as terrible.
To Celaena, it hurt twice as bad, because she was forced to hear Aeryβs sobbing, broken screams and groans, and yet still deal with her own torment. The knife wounds had been just superficial; but now the male guard approached her with a poker, glowing the same shade of brilliant yellow. He cackled even as he thrust it into the muscle of Celaenaβs upper arm, wrenched it around in there, enjoying watching Celaenaβs agony. She screamed and screamed, but why wasnβt she passing out?!
As if heβd heard her thoughts, the guard said, quite conversationally. βIt was in the drugs on the knives. One was a neurostimulator, to make the pain so much more intense than it would be otherwise. One sent a very specific impulse, which Iβm sure you figured out, and the third was designed to stop the flood of neurotransmitters that makes a person go unconscious when the pain gets too bad.β
Celaena cursed at the guard, only to gasp in agony as the poker was shifted through her flesh. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the female guard had switched to a baton on Aery, shattering a good number of her bones again as well. And then the poker pressed into the hollow between her shoulder blade and collarbone, and, in spite of the drug, the whole room went black.
For Aery, she hung on only a little longer. The last thing she remembered, after the baton blow that had cracked her pelvis and femur, was the handful of salt that was pressed right into the worst of the whip marks and lacerations. That burning stinging agony spread up her body, and as it did she fainted too.
The guards cut them down from the ropes and laid them in the middle of the open floor, closely pressed against one another. It was almost tender, in a terribly macabre way. And even in their unconsciousness, the two women leaned against each other to try to draw each otherβs warmth into their bodies.
