Chapter 11~ Prisoner
Disclaimer/Notes: nothing is mine. Zip, nada. Except for the plot and
Jordan Acklebuck (you'll see!) My wonderful loyalist is away rightnow, but
she'll be back, so she wanted this chapter before she got back! I am not
sure if this chapter's rated PG-13 or R, so don't complain, okay? Jackie~ you're a sweetie too =) and Manda~
forgiven of course! (use Midol next time! J/k!) I'm guessing about…mmm…5
chapters after this one (wow!) but I might not finish this story because I have
ideas for a few others. (if you want it finished….you know to R*E*V*I*E*W*!!!!! or else!)
Kel's eyes smarted as she thought of how stupid she was to have run right into him. Now what? She thought angrily at herself. He's got a Gods' cursed weapon to your neck, you fool! She pursed her lips, contemplating the moves she could make. Suddenly she swirled, her right leg crouched into a swift kick to precede a punch. He was too fast for her. When she kicked the longbow out of his grasp, the man muttered quickly and formed a gray shield of Gift around himself. As Kel let her punch fly, she felt a wave of sickness pass over her. Hitting the shield her captor had produced, she dropped like a stone, conscious for scant seconds before her head hit the grass.
Kel awoke on a hard stone floor. Breathing deeply, she calmed her mind, pushing out all the obvious questions at hand, like Where am I?…which she already knew. It was apparent from the mold on the walls and the cold, unflinching iron bars in front of her. She was a prisoner. Her head spinning, Kel weakly pushed herself up. Her arms wobbled. She immediately, upon instinct, scanned the room for a noticeable escape. There was none. Of course not, the girl thought tiredly. Remembering why she was so weak and dizzy, Kel scowled. The dark cell was empty apart from an unsturdy-looking wooden plank of a bench that lined the wall. High above her, the knight noticed a small window with a ledge protruding from the brick wall. It was impossible to reach, being at least two and a half times her height.
Kel grabbed the iron bars in a feeble attempt to stand. She ended up back on the floor a few seconds later, her ankles extremely sore.
"Not getting very far, are you?" came a cackle from down the hall. Glancing upwards into the darkness, all Kel could fathom was the undeniably frightening smirk on her captor's face.
"Don't you worry," she muttered under her breath, "I will."
Hearing her, he grinned. "Well, my little lady knight's got spunk, does she?" he snorted derisively. "That won't last you long in here." The lanky man gestured around her cell.
"Now," he continued, leaning against the wall behind her bars, "seeing as how we'll be spending so much time together…I suggest we get properly 'quainted."
Kel glared at him, not bothering to answer him as he rocked back and forth, a mocking smile playing at his lips.
"I, my sweet," he paused dramatically, "am Jordan…Acklebuck" he added as an afterthought. "And you are?"
"Not 'your sweet'," Kel retorted, biting her lip to refrain from a ruder answer. His now-amiable features returned to their normally harsh structure as Jordan looked her up and down. Then he laughed coldly, holding up a bowl.
"You see this soup? Well, sharp missy, you ain't getting it until you give me your name and full status."
Kel closed her eyes, trying to control her anger. I need food, she realized suddenly. Apart from the fact that her stomach was growling, her head was still spinning and she felt weak from exhaustion. She sighed and lay back against the hard stone floor, dozing.
This time, she awoke to whistling from outside her cell. The man…Acklebuck, was sitting patiently and looking at her with the bowl of soup in his right hand. Glancing up at her one solitary window, Kel realized it was night time. Shivering uncontrollably on the floor, she dragged herself over to the stiff iron bars surrounding her cell.
"Okay," the girl sighed finally. "Kel. Keladry of Mindelan."
A sudden grin took over Jordan's face as he stood with the bowl.
"Knew you'd come 'round. Status?" he prompted.
"Lady Knight of Tortall and noble."
Her captor smiled, two gold teeth showing clearly in his wide mouth. "I'll go warm up your soup. Now, don't be surprised if they quiz you in the morning on Tortall's strategies. If I were you, I'd be sure t'answer them quick before they start in with the torture," he advised solemnly, heating the bowl over a small gray fire.
Passing it over to Kel through the bars, Jordan chuckled almost kindly.
"Here's a bucket of water and a loaf 'o bread," he said.
Kel drank the soup in a flash, feeling the warmth return to her body. Her energy boosted, she started in on the water, not noticing Jordan's eyes on her.
"You' a virgin, aren't ya?" he inquired innocently.
Her head snapped up immediately. Measuring him up with her eyes, Kel decided he wasn't one to do her much harm…yet.
" I might be, I might not. Why do you care?" Kel answered calmly. His cloudy expression cleared. He's a moody one, isn't he? The knight thought. You'd best keep a civil tongue around him! Would not want to see this one mad.
But Jordan only gave a half-smile. "It's written all over your face that you're scared I'm gonna try something with you. I could, you know…." At this, a sly grin spread over his gaunt face. Kel shuddered involuntarily, not meaning to show that she, in fact, was afraid of that. " – but, I'd be put in the dungeon for rapin' a prisoner," he finished sadly. "Too bad, because you look like a good one to me." Kel swallowed her disgust. Lying back on the floor once again, she slept.
"She's the one," came a voice from above. "Knight from Tortall, she says she is." At this there was a laugh from various people. "Nay, she really is," came the same voice again. As Kel opened her eyes drowsily, she saw her blonde-haired captor standing directly over her in an uncomfortable position. Looking around her, there were seven or so men watching as he spoke. With a jerk, Kel bounded up, but her hands caught on something, and she watched as Jordan's shadow fell over her, a leer on his face. She was trapped. Not to mention, handcuffed to the outside bars of her cell, the girl realized as she tried to turn. How in Mithros's name could they do that while I was asleep? She wondered idly, panic not yet setting in. Kel jumped as Jordan's rough, callused hand brushed her cheek, a strange expression of excitement and pity on his face. She spat, hitting him square in the eye. She took the time he was swearing at her to get on her knees and glare at the laughing men.
"You were right about this one, Jordan…she has got spunk," one man said from outside the edge of the circle.
Jordan got up, his oily hair hanging over his face. His face was etched with embarrassment and fury. Sauntering over to Kel, he faked a laugh as pushed her down onto her back and sat between her legs. He ran his fingers between the ripped folds of her Own tunic, massaging her thighs and letting his hands move freely. Kel tensed up, her fear re-surfacing. Panicking, she tried to push him off her, but some of the other men in the circle around her started laughing, so Jordan continued. A mean smile took shape on his lips, and his green eyes glittered with mockery as he teased her. Kel felt her heart speed up and her stomach lurch nervously, but with anticipation. Hating her captor for making her feel this way, she tried to block out the sensation that was overwhelming her. It didn't work. Jordan snaked his hands up her now nearly-bare body, a real laugh escaping his twisted lips as he saw the longing on her face. Rubbing down her chest, he grinned his enjoyment as well, not missing Kel's half-stifled groan. Reaching her neck, he suddenly stopped, and slapped her face harshly. Kel pursed her lips, cursing the fact that she couldn't just kill this man right here. Scanning the men, she wasn't surprised to see their cruel laughter at Jordan's antics.
"Keep your spit in your mouth," whispered Jordan viciously, rising from her, his face flushed. As Kel lay on the floor, breathing heavily and trying to regain her composure, a small man approached her. When he stepped forward, the shouts and hoots that Jordan had received halted abruptly, and he had everyone's attention. His dark eyes gleamed maliciously. He was much shorter than the rest of the men…though possibly in his 30's. His mousy brown hair covered his forehead, and tiny beads of sweat glistened on his nose from the moist prison air. Kel could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he advanced on her. Lips curling into a vindictive smile, he approached her.
Maggur Rathhausak, Kel thought immediately, and braced herself.
***I'm sorry! I couldn't
decide whether to make Jordan nice or mean. I mean, he did get shot by Kel at
Northwatch, but he seems a little too nice for a scanran. I couldn't make up my
mind, so I made him mostly both. R*E*V*I*E*W* IF YOU WANT THE REST OUT SOON!
Now, the next chapter is probably the pivotal turning point in the story,
so….!! Get your reviews out! ***