Sara rode swiftly as she fled from the attacking Woads. A village began to come into view and she pushed her horse on. The black horse wheezed and snorted, silently begging for rest. The Woads had stopped chasing her some miles back, but she didn't stop until she reached the village.
"Who are you?" a guard called out to her as she neared the gate. The villagers watched from afar.
"My name is Alaura," she lied. She dismounted as a rather short and fat man came through the gates. A man came from beside her and offered to take her horse. She reluctantly handed him the reins.
"My name is Marius," the small man said. "What is your purpose here?"
"Pleasure to meet you," she replied kindly. "As for my purpose, I only wish for a place to rest. Please." He stood there as if waiting for something.
"Bow to him," one of the guards hinted at her.
"I will not bow to him," she said flatly.
"Then you will pay the price. Lock her up at once," Marius ordered. Sara wasn't going anywhere. She had thought she would find refuge here, but obviously she would only find trouble. Several guards grabbed her from behind. She kicked and struggled.
"Let me go!" she screamed. "I did nothing wrong." Her blue eyes were blazing and her blonde hair hung in her face.
"You defied our master and you will be punished," the guard said emotionlessly. They bound her hands tightly with rough and scratchy rope. She was forced into a stone building and was practically pushed down the stairs. Two monks appeared from what seemed like out of nowhere.
"See that she learns her place," the guard said as he shoved her towards them. One of them caught her and drug her to a cell. She couldn't stand and there were no windows.
She searched for some sort of escape route, but after awhile she realized that it was no use and she sunk to the cold, hard, and stone floor.
&&&
She didn't know how long she sat there. A monk came in to get her and she decided then and there that she could get away from this man. He looked to be about maybe 5'4". He grabbed her still tied wrists. She tried endlessly to get away, but he was stronger than he looked. She finally got free of his hold and made for the exit, however, another monk appeared in the doorway.
He grabbed the struggling girl. "Make sure she doesn't escape again!" the other monk commanded. He only nodded and again took her and led her into a room. A table sat in the center with several devices surrounding it. The monk took the hanging manacles and cuffed them on her ankles and wrists.
"Are you a Christian? He asked evilly.
"No," she spat.
"Pity," he said as he suddenly drove a dagger into her side. She gasped at the unexpected pain. She would not give him the pleasure of hearing her cry out. He pulled a whip off a hook in the wall. "You are going to hell."
"I'm already in it," she shot back. He brought the whip down on her fiercely. Lash after lash was laid upon her. After what seemed like an eternity she was finally shoved back into her cell. She had no idea how long she had been kept there. It all seemed to be a dream. Prisoners were brought in, but none were ever taken out alive. She saw a small boy once and her heart went out to the poor soul. He could not have been any older than eight.
Fulcinia had been sneaking her food and water, but hardly enough to even begin to satisfy her hunger. She grew weaker by the day. She couldn't even sit up due to the wound on her side. The monks weren't too gentle either. They had dislocated her shoulder trying to force her into telling them things that didn't even matter, but she was silent. She never spoke to anyone, not even the girl in the cell next to her.
She knew she wouldn't get out of here alive. She just lay there, staring out of her cell, wondering if she would ever see the stars or feel the rain again. She knew that it was her destiny to die here in this dismal place, but perhaps fate had other plans.