Author Note: I'm just going to go ahead and let you all know that there are implied mentions of torture, drug use and a bit of violence. Least important of all; there is also a flashback at the end.

I don't believe I have yet thanked you all for the follows/favourites and positive reviews, so let's just get that out of the way ;) Thank you!


Ruby and I parted ways once we decided to meet at the edge of the forest later that afternoon, so naturally I did what I usually would around this time and resumed my duty as one of the Guard. The lack of people I encountered in what was generally a bustling part of the village was disconcerting, especially when I had expected the crowd from earlier in the morning, baying for blood as due for the missing children.

What I did not expect was finding that crowd huddled within the market, surrounding the executioners platform, nor the Queen standing before a man whose face was yet within my view; though I had a fair idea of who to expect as such a physique was - regrettably - hard to ignore.

Seeing a familiar face, I pushed through the throng of villagers until I stood beside him and nudged him with my elbow. "What's going on?"

His eyes flashed with excitement when he turned his head to me with a grin. "Her Majesty is entertaining her subjects, love."

Bile rose in my throat with the realisation of what that meant and while I had often heard of the Queens "entertainment" I had never seen it and had no desire to do so now but as I made to leave, he grabbed me by the arm. "You claim allegiance, Captain and she has already seen you, I would stay and pretend to enjoy the show if I were you."

Yanking my arm from his grip, I snarled. "Well I'm not you, Killian and I'd appreciate it if you kept your hands to yourself." Clenching my jaw, I glanced toward the platform to confirm the Queen had indeed seen me before I turned abruptly on my heel and left the square.

The cheers I could hear from behind me as I walked away made my head spin, I would never be able to understand the sick pleasure people got watching someone else be tortured.

It was the challenge in her eyes that made the decision even easier for me than it would have been otherwise, and when the static sensation across the back of my neck was accompanied by the bone chilling scream of a certain former Corporal, I knew she wasn't happy with my departure.

Whatever punishment I had to face for my choice would be worth it, if the alternative was being witness to the Queen's cruelty.

xxx

"I was wondering where you disappeared to." I jumped at the sound of her voice from behind me, only barely managing to suppress the expletive on the tip of my tongue as I turned to face her before falling to my knees. I may not agree with her methods or even understand them, but she was still the Queen and I, her Guard Captain.

I bowed my head with a murmured, "My Queen." and waited.

As she circled me, it brought to mind how a zebra might feel when being appraised by a lion the moment before it sinks its teeth into its neck. I had to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing, the thought wasn't far off how I was feeling. "Tell me, why did you leave the market place?"

Inwardly, I sighed as my eyes closed and I tensed in preparation for her reaction to my words. "I cannot abide torture."

Suddenly her fingers were in my hair, pulling my head back and forcing me to meet her gaze as my eyes snapped open to see her leaning down with a snarl. My immediate response to being handled in such a way was anger, to force myself from the ground, to look her in the eyes and snarl right back- but I had spent three years being trained, conditioned to show respect, that the Queen's will is Law and that that law was never to be questioned, never challenged and if one failed to remember that, then their life would be forfeit. To all outside appearances, my expression remained impassive and while I had no doubt she knew of the anger I was feeling, the visible swallow I took upon realising my life was very much at risk- had her lips curling into a smirk.

"Are you telling me that your little slight against me was brought on by your own weakness? That your comfort is more important to you than my will? Do you think yourself superior?" I flinched as the last word was punctuated with a less-than gentle tug of my hair.

"No."

Another tug. "To which question, Captain? Be more specific."

"All of them, my Queen."

"Then why, pray tell, did you think it acceptable to leave?"

"Because I could." It was stupid, it was ultimately the worst possible thing I could have said. When the electric heat entered my body through the hand still clenched in my hair, I sorely wished I hadn't as I concentrated all my willpower into not releasing the scream that tore at my throat.

Words were murmured in my ear, her tone angry and demanding as she commanded me to release what was rightfully hers, what she was earning, what I owed her for walking away.

By the time she was the one to give in, it felt as though every muscle in my body was on fire. My stubborn refusal to relent, to give her what she wanted was paid for with the pain of having kept my jaw clenched so tightly I wouldn't be surprised if I'd done lasting damage.

And just when the thought she was done came, it disappeared as I was flung through the air by some unseen assailant. I tried to brace myself for impact, knowing the stable wall behind me would hurt the moment I hit it and it did. The force with which my back met wood was enough to completely knock the wind from my lungs, I could feel the process of at least one of my ribs breaking and while it hurt enough for that scream to finally be vocalized, I didn't possess the breath to do so.

"Is your pride truly worth this much, Captain?"

It was only when I raised my head to hear her words that I realised I had yet to slump to the ground as I should have, and it was then that I experienced the true fear for my life. This was too familiar, the pain, the loss of control, the forced submission. Panic widened my eyes and despite the reasoning trying to be heard from my mind, my body struggled against the bonds that bound me and prevented the use of my limbs.


"Hold her down." I squeezed my eyes shut, my arms and legs flailing in an attempt to keep them from sedating me. My instinct had failed me, I wasn't supposed to be caught. There was meant to be plenty of time for me to evade them, this shouldn't be happening.

I could feel the needle sinking into my skin and I screamed, still struggling against the hands pinning my ankles and wrists to the bed. Haven't I been through enough? Was my childhood not one of the worst? Why was there always someone trying to hurt me? Didn't I deserve better? better than a lifetime of endless pain and suffering.

It was an accident, an anomaly that couldn't be explained, that's what they said. So why, why did it feel like I was being punished for her death? She was a bully, she had tormented me for months. I was a kid, fifteen fucking years old. No one had ever taken care of me, no one cared what I went through. The foster parents I was with at the time were more interested in their drugs, I was malnourished and weak, it made me a target and I was sick of it.

One minute she was sneering down at me, threatening me and the next, a light- faint but visible from where I lay. It was coming from me, I don't know what it was but the sneer-turned-grimace now on her face made it obvious it wasn't something I needed to be afraid of.

Yet I was, in fact I still am. I felt like a mutant, the family I was with sent me back and then they kidnapped me. Two years I spent in this hellhole before that same light saved me once again, two years of tests and now it was about to happen all over again.

The last thought I had before sleep consumed me was that I just wanted to go home.