Chapter 8
Stuck in the Middle With You

The first thing that Norah noticed when she woke up from her groggy and dreamless sleep was that she was not in her cot. Instead, she found herself sitting in a chair with her head reclined back and a horrendous dull headache pounding against her forehead. Her eyes opened slowly, blinking to clear the fogginess in her vision as she adjusted to the soft orange light glowing around the room. She groaned softly and brought her head forward, the ache in her neck from sleeping in an uncomfortable position making it difficult to move it. Finally, feeling her last bit of sleep leave her she as she looked down; an unfamiliar pain etching into the skin of her wrists. A frightened gasp escaped her when she looked down to see that her hands tied by rope to each of the arms of the wooden chair she was sitting in. She tugged, trying to pull at them and only succeeded in the sharp fibers scratching her wrists.

"Hello, my dear," called a saccharine male voice.

The baker lifted her head towards the voice and sucked in a breath, startled to see she wasn't alone.

The lean muscular man across from her, sitting cross-legged on a table, smiled wickedly at her feeble efforts to get free. The room's walls were stone and the only light in the room was provided by the fireplace behind the table he sat and the various torches that hung on the wall; casting her captor in an ominous glow.

From her first impression of him she guessed he was Edenian— certainly an Outworlder— and it looked like he had been waiting for her to wake up for a while. His jet black clothing was the same color as his hair, all of it bundled into a top-knot, while the only color other black he had was a simple red belt cloth around his waist. He stared at her in amusement and Norah felt a nervous stone sink into the pit of her stomach, especially when she looked on the table to see malicious looking instruments behind him. She had never seen him before, and if she wasn't in the predicament she was in, might say he was rather handsome, but all she felt was terror flooding her.

He smiled sardonically at her, his eyes lit with humor, "I was wondering if you would wake soon." His voice carried a smoothing tenor, but she didn't feel anything close to warmth from it.

The man scratched his straight and sharp nose with the edge of his finger before he suddenly jumped from the table and sauntered over to her. His footsteps echoing slowly and methodically as he came to her. He gave her a smile as his brown eyes regarded her with a predatory gleam and she felt herself start to breathe a little faster.

Why was she here?

Then she remembered.

Bao...

He had led her into a trap.

The thought of Bao's betrayal sent a flare of anger through her and it was only when she saw the Edenian in front of her did she pull away from her momentary rancor towards Tama's son.

His eyebrow quirked at her as if he was pleased by her, like a hawk with a nesting dove. Norah gave him a pointed glare, as if challenging him to say or do something. His hand reached out for her and cupped under her chin, causing her to flinch away from his touch. He held her still with little effort as she felt his fingers prod at the bruise she had under her chin from hitting the table earlier. The girl hissed slightly as he smoothed his thumb along her jawline, her glare still fixed on him as he cracked a smile.

"That is a nasty bruise for such a lovely face," he commented with a grin, "Hopefully I will not have to add any more."

He let her face go with a slight flick of his hand and she let out a shaky sigh of relief when he did. Although he did not stop there.

"May I?" he asked and before she could protest, his hands reached behind her neck and unclasped the necklace she wore. He looked at it satisfactorily before he lifted it slightly at her. "My wife thanks you for the gift."

Norah fixed her narrowed eyes at him, "Why am I here?" Her voice meek but angry as she watched him walk back to the table, put the necklace aside, and jump to sit on it again with his hands clasped together in his lap.

"We heard that there was a new cup-bearer sitting in at Kotal Kahn's dinners," he relayed to her evenly, his eyes flickered over her body and she felt annoyance sweep through her when he did. "They never said it was a woman. Must say it is a welcome change from the others."

"What others?" Norah asked.

He shrugged nonchalantly, "The other cup-bearers that came before you"— he reached down and picked up a small pair of flat-nosed pliers and clicked them absently—"Many fingernails I have pulled in here."

Norah shrunk back in the chair, starting to understand the dire situation she was in. The Edenian shrugged lightly and tossed them to the side before he regarded her with a smile.

"But we shall see where the conversation takes us," he quipped, almost as if to himself. It was alarming how his eyes darkened from the humored glint he had and turned stormy in mere seconds; his face also copying his stare.

"So tell me," he began, his tone so serious it made her hold her breath. "What was it that filthy Osh-Tekk usurper had to say at dinner tonight? Anything that pertains to Lord Rain or Tanya would be most helpful to know."

Norah stared at him fearfully, her chest falling and rising as she scratched at the wood of the arm with her fingernails nervously. Bao had warned her something like this that would happen. About how being a cup-bearer also carried the burden of overhearing any political or strategical operations between the Kahn and his guards. She just didn't think that she would have been tortured for such information so quickly into her new occupation.

Her silence seemed to annoy the Edenian and he jumped up from the table with the same stern expression on his face. He closed the distance in a few quick strides, his gaze boring down at her like a demon's.

"You better tell me now," he demanded, looking as if he was losing all his patience already, "Or you will not have any teeth to eat with when I am done with you."

She honestly did consider telling him for a moment, however, the more she thought about it, the more she began to understand that this Edenian was obviously a supporter of the Ex-Kahnun and the rebels. Norah felt anger fill her at his words and she started to replace her fear with stubbornness. Truthfully, she never did enjoy Mileena as Kahnum, and although she had no desire for politics, approved of the new Emperor they had on the throne of Outworld now. Unlike Mileena, Kotal Kahn cared about the people and put their interests' firsts— Mileena certainly never did that. As she thought more about whether she wanted to betray the Emperor she preferred, she could hear Bao's words echo in her mind once again.

Do not breathe one word of what they say. No matter what they threaten you with. No matter what they do to you. You choose death instead of revealing what they discuss.

Although she was still furious with Bao, she heeded the words he told her and looked at the Edenian with a determined expression.

She would not say a word.

He shook his head while a frown grew on his face. "How very disappointing."

Norah's head whipped to the side faster than she could register from the slap that came and she felt her cheek stinging horrendously from the force. It wasn't the first time she had ever been slapped by a man, but she had to admit, his palm sent more pain through her than anyone that came before him did.

He slapped her again, this time on the other side of her face and like before, her head flew to the side. The female Outworlder turned her gaze back to him, tiny needles of pain piercing the flesh of her cheek and shot him with a look of pure resentment.

The Edenian towered over her, "Tell me what Ko'atal's plans are and I will not have to strike you again."

She said nothing and he backhanded her across the face, enough to rattle her teeth. She cried out in pain this time and felt her already damaged jaw erupt in pain from it. Her head leaned back against the back of the chair as she looked at him, her mouth clamped in silence, but her eyes fuming with hatred.

"You will tell me eventually," he seethed darkly. "They all do."

"I will be happy to disappoint you," Norah spat, her jaw pulsing with pain when she talked. At this rate at least she wouldn't be able to talk even if she were willing to tell him anything or not.

Her words angered him and she saw his face twist in an ugly scowl as he laid a brutal punch to her exposed stomach. Norah howled in pain; the wind knocked out of her as her head snapped forward from the sheer intensity of the hit. As she felt the bruise form on her stomach, air filling her lungs with fire, she lifted her head up, moaning in pain. But if he thought this the first time that she had endured such punishment he was wrong and he could ask Rhen to confirm if he had his doubts.

"Are you quite sure you want me to continue?" he asked politely, although the sarcasm in his voice was obvious.

"Yes..." Norah breathed out sarcastically, a slight flicker of fear running through her. She honestly did not know this man's limits and she was afraid to push them. Nevertheless, if she was to die in this horrible little room with the horrible Edenian in front of her, she would not die a traitor.

He punched her across the face with enough force to knock the chair over and send her landing hard on her side. Norah grunted in pain when she landed on the cold stone floor and sent waves of pain in her side. It only distracted her momentarily from the terrible pain on the side of her face, as the baker heard his footsteps behind her. He picked up the chair, dragging her along with it to set it back on its legs. As soon as the feet of the chair hit the ground, he grabbed the back and pulled it along with him. The legs of the chair groaned loudly against the floor as she felt herself leaning into the back as he pulled it closer to the table.

Sitting back on the table with her in front he leaned forward and looked at her quizzically.

"I am interested to know why you are so loyal to Ko'atal," he asked softly before he jabbed her in the face. This time she tasted blood on her lips, and ran the small crack opening on her bottom lip with the tip of her tongue.

"He is not the true heir to the throne of Outworld," The Edenian told her, his voice growing deeper as he punched her again. She whimpered in pain, her skin burning.

"He stole the throne from Mileena like a rat steals food from a plate," another brutal punch to the stomach and Norah howled involuntarily.

"And you support his mutiny?!" Another slap, more pain and more blood on her lips.

"Of course you would— you Earthrealm bitch!" His eyes seethed with anger and another punch to face snapped her head to the side; her head bobbing as she felt her eye closing from the swelling.

He grabbed her by the hair and she looked at him tiredly, barely able to make out the scolding look he gave her as he used her hair to hold her head up. She winced as she felt her hair almost tearing from her scalp from his hand. She did nothing but shot him a disdainful look with the eye that was still open.

"Say something or you will regret what comes next!" he yelled, his voice heavy with exasperation.

Through the cloud of pain that blurred her vision, she managed to form a limp smile on her face.

"I am... an Outworld bitch..."

He pulled on her hair harder and she yelped in pain, his hand ripping out hair in her scalp: "You are willing to die for that Osh-Tekk fool?! That traitor that sat in Mileena's court and has no right to sit on a throne that does not belong to him?!"

A grimace formed on her face from him yanking on her hair, but she managed to find her voice although each word produced embers of pain in her bruised torso. "At least he... cares about Outworld... and the people— Ah!"

He gripped the back of her neck uncomfortably, his nails digging into the skin at the back of her neck as he scoffed at her. "Do you really think he cares about you? You are nothing to him. You are a slave brainwashed by a false idol that spouts empty promises of a united Outworld. You will tell me eventually... they all do."

Norah didn't reply. With his grip still on her neck, he pushed her roughly to the side and allowed her to fall on her bruised rib-cage with the chair coming with her.

He stepped over body to add insult and she heard him close a door that she was not aware of until now. The baker waited for several minutes and when she was sure that he was not returning anytime soon, she let out a sigh of relief. Even with the chair and her weight pinning her down and digging into her arm uncomfortably into the floor, she was glad he was at least gone and offered her something of a reprieve.

She let her forehead rest on the floor as she breathed with exhaustion, her face twisting and scrunching every so often from the agony that he had stamped on her face and stomach. She looked down towards the skin of her stomach and grimaced when she saw the red bruise that was already starting to darken.

Norah felt her arm starting to grow numb from where it was pinned to the floor and the chair, but managed to rock the chair back and forth until she was able to pull herself back up to her feet and set the legs of the chair down. Her head rolled back as she waited in solitude in the room for him to return.

An idea ballooned in her mind when she remembered the table that held the instruments that he hadn't used on her yet. Her eyes scanned over the menagerie of torture devices, passing by a pair of pliers no doubt for her fingernails, until her good eye landed on a small set of knives varying in size and dullness, as well as a dirty piece of cloth that she was not sure of what the purpose was.

She looked away from the table and tried not to think too much on when he was planning to use them on her. Instead, Norah looked to her other side and saw the door she hadn't seen before. It was a simple wooden door with a small viewing window with bars across it. She had heard him bolt it closed when he left. For a moment she thought she saw someone looking through it, but pushed it aside when she waited and didn't see anyone try and sneak a glance again. However, she had to be sure before she made her move.

She waited for an eternity it felt like with nothing but her thoughts and her bruises to keep her company, and reflected on her situation; both furious and despondent. Was it because she was a woman and they thought they could extract information quickly out of her? She felt somewhat insulted by the thought and scoffed silently. Why had Bao betrayed her like this? Was he a rebel working undercover? For some reason, the theory didn't seem right to her— why kidnap her if he could easily feed them information? In fact, the more she did think about why she was here the little did it make sense. Something did not seem right about this interrogation despite how real it felt.

Norah looked at the table with her one good eye on a knife. Looking back at the door, she decided now was the time while she still had the opportunity. She scuttled over to the table by lifting the chair she was tied to and leaned it as close to the surface of the table as she could. The chair hindered her and she could barely feel the knife out of reach. She grunted, her abdomen flaring in protest from her movements as she reached as close as she could.

She felt her fingertips slice against the blade, but she ignored it and grabbed the knife and sat the chair down; letting out a woody groan in protest. Norah had the knife by the blade and managed to shift it until she had her hand on the handle. She sawed at the ropes as fast as she could with the little movement the ropes gave her— her eye still on the door and her ears perked for any noise— and went as hastily as she could.

Eventually, the ropes slackened and she was able to tug them free. Immediately she worked on the other side.

As soon as the final rope slackened, she shot up from the chair with the knife in her hand and ran towards the door— hearing footsteps approaching. The girl hurried over to the door and placed herself as flat against the wall as much as she possibly could. Just like she had hoped, the door swung open almost hitting her in the face, but concealed her from the Edenian that came back into the room carrying a bucket full of water and extra rope.

He stopped when he saw the empty chair and Norah took the only opportunity she had while he was distracted.

She ran for the exit, the knife in her hands, but he was devastatingly much faster.

She managed to make it outside the door when she felt him grab her hair from behind and pull back hard on it. Norah cried out in pain, her hand reaching back instinctively as she felt him drag her back inside. She could have sworn she saw someone outside the door, but her attention was elsewhere at the moment.

She swiped blindly for him with the knife, turning towards him, but he managed to catch her wrist. He twisted it; her other hand clawed at his hand still buried in her hair. The woman let out a groan of frustration when she had to release the knife when he reared her head back farther. Still holding her wrist tight in his hand he jerked at her hair once again, earning a cry of pain from her as she was forced to look up into his gloating expression.

"You think you are the only one to free themselves of the chair?" he questioned sarcastically.

"Maybe you should not keep the knives so close by," she shot back to him, although her voice couldn't hide the fear she felt engulfing her.

In a flash, he tripped her and had her face down on the ground with his knee digging painfully into her back and the hand still in her hair pushing her harder onto the floor. She grunted in pain as her face pressed into the dirty stone floor uncomfortably; tasting the grime on her bloody lips. Norah fought against him when she felt his hand leave her hair and start to grab for her arms to pull behind her back.

Norah groaned in anger when he managed to twist them painfully enough for her strength to falter and felt the rough fibers of the rope bite into her wrists again as he tied them together.

"It is always good to bring extra rope. Don't you agree?"

The baker gritted her teeth angrily at his remark until he felt her pull her roughly up to stand, his grip on her tied wrists.

He dragged her to the chair and with a forceful shove sat her down on the chair with her hands still tied around her back. She didn't bother getting up; there was no point when the both of them knew she wasn't getting out of the room without him stopping her. She breathed slowly, panic flooding her when she heard him pick up the bucket, carry it over to the table and set it down.

He regarded her with a dark frown of displeasure and reached for the dirty cloth that sat on the table. She looked at him warily, unsure what he was thinking as he ran his fingers over the fabric— taunting her almost.

"I will give you three more opportunities to tell me what it is you know," he informed with an annoyed tone. "If you still refuse to tell me what it is you heard... well, I think you know."

Norah flashed him a look of complete hatred; yes she knew.

He reached for her, grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her to the ground hard, so she was on her back. She groaned in pain, her wrists prodding into the arch of her back uncomfortably. Before she could sit up, he had the bucket of water in his hand and the dirty cloth in the other and straddled her stomach. She twisted underneath him, trying to use her legs to throw him off her, but his weight held her down.

"I hear this is something they do in Earthrealm quite often and that it is very painful," he told her nonchalantly, she seethed in anger at him; her teeth bared.

Her vision darkened and she felt the cloth placed over her face. It smelled awful, like body odor and she twisted underneath the stench and his hand pressed into her face.

Norah screamed in protest and could barely make out her Edenian torturer through the fabric and saw his silhouette start to tip the bucket towards her face. She choked on her scream when she felt the water start to bleed through the fabric and enter her mouth.

Her reaction was instantaneous and she felt herself begin to gag on the water. It spewed out of her mouth painfully, hit the fabric like a barrier, and pushed the water back into her mouth. Norah thrashed underneath him, her wrists burning from the ropes as she pulled against the restraints and dug her heels into the stone. She would have screamed if the water weren't drowning out any sound except the gurgling coming from her. Her throat and chest burned as the water continued to flow forcefully into her mouth and fill her sinuses. Norah's face grimaced in excruciating pain as she tried to search for air that was blocked by the water and cloth.

After what seemed like hours Norah heard the empty bucket drop to the side and he removed the cloth from her face and allowed her to breath.

Water spewed from her mouth, coating her chest and face as she spat as much as she could out of her mouth as she could muster. Much to her surprise he lifted slightly off her stomach and tilted her head with his hand to the side, allowing her to cough out the rest onto the floor as she rolled onto her side.

As she gasped for air, the water rolling off her face and onto the floor, she felt tears leave her face despite one was swollen and shut. She whimpered pathetically, sobbing out of fear slightly as she still felt him straddling her side.

"Like drowning on land isn't it?" she heard him remark above her.

She wanted nothing more than to hit him, to punch him across the jaw repeatedly like he had done, but she didn't have the energy or strength. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that he looked towards the door briefly before he sighed slightly and turned back to her. He looked down at her coldly before she felt him lift of her and walk over to place the empty bucket on the table.

Norah remained on her spot on the floor and waited.

No matter what they do to you. You choose death instead of revealing what they discuss.

She sucked in her breath and looked towards the Edenian that was looking over what he had on the table. He didn't seem impressed with what was on the table and looked back at her and flashed a grin as he scratched his nose.

"Two opportunities left," he reminded her despairingly. "Are you sure you do not want to tell me?"

Norah breathed heavily and shook her head. The Edenian clicked his tongue at her; disappointed by her answer.

"I hear a broken nose is also quite painful," he told her plainly. He picked her up from the floor by her wrists and carried her over to the chair.

Norah looked at him, her head bouncing until it rolled forward, her chin on her chest. Almost with a dark sense of humor, he calmly placed his hands against the sides of her head, lifted it up and tapped his finger against the top of her nose like he do to a child. He smiled when her head stayed level and nodded in satisfaction as he took a couple of steps back before swinging a right hook at her face.

She heard the snap of her bones breaking before her vision turned white and flashed black. The next thing she could see were multi-colored dots dancing across her vision and her face set on fire from the horrendous pain she felt across her face. Norah thought this was worse than the water torture he had done before mainly because the pain was unrelenting and swarmed her vision; making it nearly impossible to gain focus. She felt something warm against her mouth and when she spat for air, she realized it was her blood she was feeling.

Finally, her vision cleared and she heard herself whimpering from the pain. As she finally managed to open her good eye, she saw him standing above her and it was then she realized she was on the floor with the chair on its side as well. Once again he looked in the direction of the door, let out a sigh and shook his head at her.

"Such a shame," he tsked with a click of his tongue. "You did have such a lovely nose. Are you ready to tell me what Ko'atal is planning?"

Norah spat out more of the blood that ran from her nose and bowled into her mouth. She honestly didn't hear a word he said and continued to sob in pain on the ground pathetically. Even if she did, she still wouldn't tell him a word. Bao's words ran through her mind continuously like a mantra and she held on to them like a dying man would to last seconds of life.

No matter what they threaten you with. No matter what they do to you. You choose death instead of revealing what they discuss.

Lying on her side she saw him look towards the door and a strange expression crossed his face. His face softened, almost in a professional manner and he nodded at something before he looked at her, sighed and stepped over her.

She heard him leave and she was glad although she knew he would be back. The baker swallowed nervously; she had no idea what the last opportunity was, but she was not going to give into it. Norah still held on to the theory that there was still something very strange about this interrogation and she saw it in the looks that would creep over his face when she thought he wasn't looking.

Her head snapped up when the door opened and she saw him walking in with a cold branding iron; answering her question about what the last opportunity was.

Norah sulked on the floor as he closed the door and walked the branding iron towards the fireplace, placing the brand's end into the coals. She honestly couldn't imagine how much pain it would bring and she shivered when she realized she was about to find out soon enough.

The Edenian looked at her with a grim and stern expression as he walked over to her and picked her up by the wrists. He all but held her up and he used his other hand to grab her around her bruised waist and lifted her until she stood in front of the table. She wobbled where she stood, overcome with pain to stand up straight and watched as he grabbed a knife and sliced the ropes she had around her wrists free.

"One last opportunity," he said in a hushed whisper, she flinched when she felt his breath at her ear from behind. "Tell me... and you will not have to endure what is next."

His words were distorted and she could barely make them out through the fog that encompassed her. He came around her and walked towards the fireplace and lifted the brand out of the fire. She saw the tiny red mark blazed brightly with red and she swallowed nervously, almost feeling the smoldering heat from it where she stood. The brand was a simple, barely the size of a coin, with a half cut circle with a small prong that ran horizontally from one of the edges; almost like a handle of a cup.

"Are you sure you are ready to die for your Emperor?" he asked her gravely, his tone stern.

...You choose death instead of revealing what they discuss.

...You choose death...

...choose death...

She found her voice through the veil of overwhelming pain and she felt perversely pleased with her answer. If this wasn't a test, she would die at least with dignity and if this was indeed as strange as she thought it was, she would at least call him out on his bluff. Either way, she was content with what she told him.

"I... I choose... death..."

Norah could have sworn she saw him smile and not at the thought of causing her pain but almost as if he was very pleased with her answer; that she had said exactly the right thing. He still came towards her with the brand in his hand however and pushed her to the ground with his free hand.

She stumbled down, hardly with any strength left in her and felt him roll her over onto her stomach with his foot. She stayed on her position on the ground and felt him grab her left hand and place her palm on the ground before she felt his foot hold the same hand down to the stone floor. His other foot pressed her forearm flat as well, her arm completely at his mercy. She looked at him and waited for what they both knew what he would do next; although she didn't expect the words she heard come genuinely from his mouth for her.

"My dear, you said just what I wanted to hear. Sorry about this. It will sting I'm afraid..."

Norah shrieked in agonizing pain when he brought the brand down on the flesh on the top of her wrist. She could feel the heat melt and bubble of the skin and felt it sink past the layers of her flesh as he kept her hand pinned down with his foot. She let out another chocked scream, tears falling down her face, when she felt the brand lift off and saw the steam swirl around her wrist from the brand. He released her, took a step back and let her pull her trembling and burning hand against her chest, waiting for the blistering agony she felt on her wrist to subside.

Her hand vibrated as if it had just been attacked by volts of lightning and she felt her screams taper off into pained whimpers as she writhed on the floor on her back. Her entire body engulfed in pain but the most horrible of it in her wrist that felt as if it was melting off the bone. Fresh tears pricked her eyes and she rolled on her side to sob into the floor with a mixture of pain, frustration and fear— mostly out of pain.

Norah felt him pick her up from the floor gently under her arms and she allowed him to despite the tremendous amount of fear and anger she felt towards him. The battered woman looked at him, and for the first time since waking up, looked at him with utter confusion.

He looked at her with absolute regret and smiled sheepishly at her. "I am truly sorry about all this unpleasantness."

The guilty look and the sincere way he had apologized completely befuddled her and she wondered if she had missed something.

The door opened and she finally got to see who it was that was on the other side this entire time.

For the first time since they met, Matlal looked at her without disappointment or malice and stared at her as if he had been pleasantly surprised to see her standing there. Norah was about to ask him if he was there to kill her when her eye landed on the scar he had on one of his wrists.

It was the mark she had branded on her.

She also noticed that he was also missing the smallest of his fingers on the same hand that had the brand on... much like Bao.

"Congratulations," Matlal relayed with a nod, like his appearance his voice was the same as the Emperor's, "You may live to see another sunrise."

Realization hit her the moment he had told her those words and after she glanced once again at the brand on his wrist. It all crashed upon her like a wave at a shore and she felt slight elation when she realized that this had all been a test. Bao leading her to a trap, Matlal standing outside the door and even the torturer himself who looked like the enemy... all a test.

A test to see if she would reveal to anyone under the same circumstances the conversations between the Kahn and his guards.

And she had passed...

"I am sorry about this my dear, but it must be done," the Edenian next to her said before he suddenly grasped her broken nose. Her eyes twisted in pain as she felt the bones in her nose grind themselves back into place by his fingers. She heard them crack as she groaned into his hand. She felt a fresh trail of blood run out of her nose when he did and her nose throb painfully as he finished setting in back into place. Another wave of pain flared and she felt herself grow woozy from it; shifting tiredly where she stood.

"Are you fit to walk to your room?" Matlal asked her, his voice carrying slight concern as he looked at her battered appearance with a grimace.

"I...think so..." Norah could barely answer him and when she moved to walk she almost fell to the ground, the Edenian next to her catching her and holding her up. Norah saw him nod in understanding and frown humorously at her stubborn pride.

He came towards her and before she could protest that she could walk, he scooped her up by sweeping his arm under the crook of her legs and picking her up. Her left arm, still burning from the mark, stayed pinned to her chest as her right arm draped across the back of his neck naturally as he used his other hand to support her back.

The baker caught the Edenian lifting the still smoldering brand to near his face, looking at the muddled end now crusted over with the remains of her charred skin pulled from her wrist, and gave a sideways grin before he turned his back to them.

"A pleasure, my dear," was all he said, almost as if he didn't regard them to even be present in the room, and turned back to the fire to set the poker inside the flames.

Her head rolled onto Matlal's chest at it's own accord and she closed her eyes, letting him carry her back to her room with her head swamped with dizziness.

He walked with her in silence for a moment until she heard him say something and she looked tiredly up at him, "W-What...?"

Matlal gave a breathy huff, as if humored that her lack of consciousness caused her to mishear him, "I was saying that Mr. Black will be most displeased to see you at dinner tomorrow. I do not think he enjoys your company. How disappointed you will make him."

At the mention of Erron Black's name Norah's fuzzy mind flashed back to what he had told her at dinner; the strange comments he had said before he left. That was what he had been referring to; he had expected her to fail.

Despite how much her face hurt, she pulled it up into a victorious smile at Matlal's words. Erron Black would be in for shock. For the first time since she had met the former Earthrealmer that regarded her as nothing more than dirt under his shoe, she was looking forward to seeing him...

"I must also express my apologies to you," Matlal said, pulling her from her thoughts. "I thought you incapable. You have my respect."

Norah felt herself swell with pride at his words.

"Although..." Matlal gave her a pointed look, almost as if he was somewhat displeased, "I am surprised Hulin chose to break your nose instead of removing a finger."

Norah furrowed her eyebrows as much as she could, also surprised now that she considered what he was saying.

Matlal shook his head, "Do not ponder too much on it. You have earned your mark regardless."

She nodded her head, "Thank you..."

He nodded his head back to her and led her down the corridors towards the kitchen staffs rooms. They didn't pass anyone on the way to the room and she was glad. Norah felt somewhat embarrassed being carried to her room in such a way, but she was thankful for the small lift nonetheless; she doubted she would have made it back to her room without assistance.

As they turned the corner to the hall where her room was, a door swung open and Bao come rushing out when he heard Matlal's footsteps. Norah glared at him, still furious with him even though she understood now that he was just doing his job. She noticed he breathed the biggest sigh of relief he had in him when he saw her.

"Thank the Elder Gods," he praised as he came towards them, but grimaced when he saw her broken nose and swollen face.

"Norah, I am so sorry about what I did. It is something that all of us must pass," Bao babbled, he suddenly grasped at the leather cuff he wore constantly and presented his mark. "See? Matlal and I also had to receive marks. It is to show the Kahn you are capable of holding your silence."

Norah and Matlal gave each other a look and she saw him roll his eyes at Bao's attempt to sway Norah over with his blubbering apology. The baker laughed inwardly at his look and nodded at him to put her down. The Kahn's doppelganger lowered her gently as Bao continued to go on and on without realizing that they were not listening.

Norah held up her uninjured hand. "Bao... I understand. Stop apologizing... please."

He immediately shut his mouth and nodded, still looking as if he felt tremendously guilty for his part in everything. Matlal nodded his goodbye and turned to leave to his room as Bao helped her into her's.

Carver and Bert, being woken up by Bao's stammering, accompanied the Outworlders in Norah's room to see how she was, and both grimaced at her beaten appearance. They left mutely from her doorway before they came back with water, a cup, a bowl of herbs and clean rags.

Bao helped her onto her cot and she grunted in pain when she felt her stomach flare from the large purple bruise that colored her skin with an ugly hue.

"You're one tough kid," she heard Bert tell her as he wet the cloth and handed it over to her. She took it from him with an appreciative nod and placed the lukewarm cloth to her face, shrinking at the touch to her swollen eye before moving it to wipe the dried blood from her nose and chest.

"You know, I just had to wear a suit to my job interview..." Carver joked, frowning as he looked at her. "I'm glad they are not going to chop your head off, though."

She looked at Bao for an explanation and he answered, "Anyone that does not pass The Marking is executed. They cannot be trusted if they reveal what is said."

Norah nodded slightly, her entire face still throbbing with pain. She saw Bao start to mix the herbs in the water while Bert took care of wetting his set of herbs and placing them between the two wet cloths.

Bao handed her the cup. "For the pain," he told her.

She wrapped her fingers around it as he assisted and he held it up for her, helping her to tip it into her throat. She gulped the water and herbs down and she breathed out a pained sigh. Norah saw Bert reach for her marked hand and she hesitantly let him take. He cleaned up the blood as gently as he could on her wrist and she saw the guilty look on his face when she couldn't help but hiss in pain when brushed a spot too tender.

"I'll take care of the bread tomorrow— I'll even make the loaves for the little itty bitty psychopath so you can rest easy until you got to do your cup-bearer thingy," Carver told her with a smile.

Norah smiled at him, incredibly thankful for his gesture until she hissed in pain again from Bert's ministrations; luckily he was done. "Also for the pain," Bert said to her as he picked up the cloth full of herbs. She nodded, bracing herself. The baker whimpered lightly when and she bit into her hand to muffle it as Bert laid the cloth on the top of her wrist.

"I'm sorry kid," Bert told her quietly, "But it will help to avoid an infection."

She inhaled a shaky breath, her pain already subsiding slightly as the herbs worked their way into her system.

The baker saw Carver flash her a smile and said: "When you see Black tomorrow, rub that mark in his smug fucking cowboy face."

Norah smiled at him as they helped her to the cot, the cloth still on her wrist and watched them leave shortly after that, letting her get her much needed and deserved rest.

Norah wasn't certain how long she had been asleep but when she woke up, she didn't recall feeling as stiff or sore when she first drifted off to sleep.

Despite her whole body felt as if it had been trampled by a crowd and she groaned softly in pain when she willed her body to move to sit up. Her face felt both incredibly numb and overwhelmed with pain at the same time and she grimaced when she tried to move her jaw. She barely made it halfway up before she opted for rolling onto her side and let her pain throb all over her body as she tried to get as comfortable as she possibly could.

No matter how horrendously sore she felt, she was very pleased that she had survived the torture without saying a single word. Although the more she considered it, the less pleased she felt with herself when she realized how easily she had accepted her death and the thought almost depressed her at the same time. In the back of her mind, however, she knew she didn't keep her silence for the sake of the Emperor. Instead, it was from her stubbornness and self-loathing she felt that no one would miss her.

She pushed the dour thoughts away when she saw the cloth that was resting on her branded wrist and how it was not true.

Bert, Carver and even Bao... they cared for her. She saw it last night. They thought of her as one of them despite that she was not an Earthrealmer. Why did they care so much? She certainly didn't feel as if she deserved any of their friendship.

For once she felt warmth that she might have people to call friends and could find herself relying on.

She did not feel alone.

Norah grimaced and reached for the cloth that sat dried on her wrist and pulled it off slowly. She hissed as she pulled the cloth up, the fabric sticking and pulling at her skin that was glued to her flesh by the caked blood. Finally, she lifted it and grimaced when she saw the nasty red brand on her wrist covered in blood and looked as if it was already starting to heal. It was disgusting to stare at, but she couldn't pull her eyes away from it as she felt it pulse painfully as if it had a heartbeat of its own.

It would scar like on Matlal and Bao's wrists eventually and she frowned at the thought of bearing this mark for the rest of her life. Still... it was much better fate than an execution.

Norah's eyes landed on her table and in the darkness she saw a small bundle of clothing sitting there waiting for her. After debating for a while of whether she wanted to get up or not she managed to pull herself to her feet and limp slowly to open her door to let light in and walked over to the table.

She frowned at the new set of purple clothing that sat on the table for her. However, what she hated the most was the note and the gold cuff that had almost got her a trip to the beheading block, sitting on top of the clothing.

Norah knew who the note was from but picked it up and read what Tama had written for her.

A gift for all the trouble you endured and something to cover the brand.

-Tama

Norah crumbled the note angrily in her uninjured hand, and without thinking, swiped the gold cuff off the pile of clothes with a furious flick of her wrist and listened to it clatter into the hallway.

"Aaahh!"

Her face immediately twisted into pain and she grabbed her forearm; pain barreling up her arm from branded wrist that she accidently used to knock the gold cuff off.

After the pain had dissipated, tears at the brim of her eyes from her stupidity, Norah closed the door to her room after lighting the candle for her room and left her employer's gift untouched in the hallway.

Erron was pleased to admit that he was looking forward to dinner and allowed himself a grin as he approached closer to the Kahn's dining hall.

That girl had been nothing but a pain in the ass since he had met her and he reveled in the fact that he was finally, and indeed, rid of her by now. He knew of the evaluation that the cup-bearers undertook after their first day. Besides the kid and the double that served for the Kahn, Ferra and him usually had someone new every night since the old man had died.

He allowed himself a smile as he opened the door to the dining room and felt it immediately vanish from his face at who he saw who was behind Ferra and his chair.

The minute he walked in and her me bruised and swollen face looked in his direction, he had a hard time not pulling the gun from his holster out of reflex at the ardent smug smile she shot at him. He glowered back at her felt his hand clench in anger as she continued to look in his way with the unrelenting self-satisfaction.

He felt Ermac and Reptile staring at him with perplexity, and he willed himself to walk over to his side of the dinner table. The gunslinger felt his nails digging into the flesh of his palms, and the closer he got, the more her smiled widened at his displeasure.

As Erron rounded the table, approaching his chair, she had the nerve to tilt her wrist slightly towards him and show him the red branded mark on her wrist; a single green eye drinking in his enraged look with pleasure.

So you wanna get shot? Is that it?

He considered it, he truly did, until the Kotal Kahn walked in and he had to turn away from her and take his seat. He noticed the Kahn looked at her momentarily, turned to his double who nodded his head in approval in regards to her, and watched as Kotal nodded his own head; satisfied with her passing the initiation.

Erron's lip curled up slightly and he fumed where he sat as the others dug into their meals. He didn't touch his food, nor did he move his goblet for her to serve him water. Black barely heard anything that was said between the Kahn and the others as he boiled angrily in his seat and refused to touch his plate; he had lost any appetite he once had walking to the room. He had been looking forward to finally getting rid of her off his back. But she was as persistent as a horse fly that refused to die no matter how much he swatted at it; she kept coming back and biting him relentlessly.

His shoulders rose up and down as he breathed angrily through his nose, when he could still feel her triumphant look at the back of his head. She loved that he had been wrong and the more the meal carried on, the more heated he felt.

His fists clenched angrily at both sides of his plate, his jaw starting to hurt from how hard he grounded his teeth together. The light-hearted conversation that the others were engaged in didn't help either and he felt a flare of anger at the laughter that would drift over the room that added insult to injury.

Black noticed that Ferra waved her cup at her and he turned his irate look in their direction. She poured the water in Ferra's goblet, saw he was looking at her, and flashed a pompous smile his direction.

Hot air blew out of his nose indignantly as he scowled and looked away. There were so many venomous words that came to mind, but the Kahn's presence anchored them inside, and with no outlet, felt his blood boil.

After what seemed to take hours, the Kahn finally left, and as soon as the door closed, Erron jumped up from his chair; knocking it backward in a fit of anger, stormed out, and slammed the door behind him.

He walked down the corridor with quick and irate strides until he found the training area he was looking for— desperately and suddenly feeling the need to shoot something.

Although no matter how many bullets he wasted, he never felt his hatred leave him.

After Bao had shown her what was needed in regards to feeding Torr— which included going to the slaves dining hall for leftover food that had been discarded and putting it through a slot in a door that led to the outside— she and Bao walked back to their rooms with their meals for the evening; Bao carrying the pot of stew and Norah carrying the bowls with her good hand.

As they walked across the palace with their carry, they could hear the sound of Black firing off his gun somewhere in the distance. Each time she heard the gunfire her smile widened; every shot was a confirmation that she had finally got the best of him.

Bao gave her a worried frown at her pleased demeanor and he flashed her pointed look: "I hope you enjoyed giving Erron Black grief tonight because after what I saw I guarantee he will start making your life a living hell. I warned you about antagonizing Black."

Norah scoffed slightly at Bao's words, her stubborn pleasure faltering slightly, "He has already made my life a living hell. I doubt he can do much worse."

Bao stopped and waited for her to acknowledge him, which she did with an annoyed frown. "Are you sure you want to find out?"

More gunfire echoed throughout the palace and Norah sighed at his words.

Perhaps she had gotten a little too carried away with her small victory. Still, it didn't take away any truth from what she had told Bao; he had made her life a living hell since she had met him and deserved it. Bao resumed walking with her and Norah thought more deeply about having Erron Black as her enemy as she heard the sound of the gunshots dwindle off the closer they got to the kitchen.

Perhaps she could tread more carefully from now on since they did have to see each other regularly. She groaned inwardly at the fact that she would have to proceed with more caution around him. She wanted nothing else than to see how dissatisfied she had made him over and over each night at dinner.

However, it was still Erron Black and she knew he had certain boundaries she did not want to cross. He could still kill her if he wanted and after tonight she knew she was getting close to crossing the line; she had never seen him that angry with her before.

Didn't mean she still didn't need to repress the feeling of the complete and utter satisfaction she felt tonight when she finally realized she had finally won once against the mercenary she hated.

After she had eaten, she went to bed with a smile on her bruised face.