Chapter 12~ A Shocking Cliffhanger!
*** I thought the title was quite good, myself! Hehe! I sincerely apologize for "polluting the minds of my readers" with my imagination. I got kind of carried away, as I explained to my friends. It seems to be getting to that time of month again (ahhh! Woe is me!) and I just wrote chapter 11, and then posted it, and then went back, re-read and literally screamed at what I'd wrote. Yes, now, this is the pivotal chapter. If you don't like it, make kind suggestions (even though I have the entire story planned out.) no flames, thanks! The song belongs to Leann Rimes. :)And if you don't review, I'm not finishing! (oh, trust me, you will want it finished after this!)***
"Well, it seems that we know nothing except what you've told us, Tortallan," he spat, with just as much distaste as the others placed in the words 'Lady Knight.' "And with too little information..." he continued gruffly, pacing around her in circles, "we can not win this war. So..."
"I'm not speaking a word." Kel said firmly yet warily, glancing around at the menacing faces surrounding the mousy man.
He just smiled and chuckled, almost good-naturedly. "Now, now, I thought our man Jordan here just taught you a very good lesson in manners. Shall we have you re-taught?" he asked her, a smirk on his face.
Kel heard her teeth grind together as she steeled her face. She was sure that her fear was plain in her eyes, though.
"I thought not," the man said, without waiting for a reply.
At that point, a short, plump man ran into the dungeons. Breathing heavily, he saluted the men with a smile and bowed low to Rathhausak.
"Sir," he panted, "news from the spies at the border, sir." He stopped to catch his breath as Rathhausak's piercing eyes came to rest on him. "It seems that the Tortallans at Mindelan have gained the advantage." Kel watched as Rathhausak's eyes flashed angrily, and smiled to herself. Of course they'd won! "But, sir," the little man continued as his Lord advanced on him, "we know where their fort is. Not too far from here. There's a chance that we can hit them by surprise in a week or so, because they're not expecting it." He glanced warily at Kel, a questioning look in his eyes.
"Don't worry, she's not leaving here," Jordan put in nastily, grinning.
The short man nodded and continued breathlessly, "Apparently, this "Third Company", as they call themselves, are of the King's Own, and the main fort has been getting a streamline of letters from the King himself. If we hit them carefully and by surprise, we can intercept the letters and find out where they're going next."
Kel's uneasiness escalated. I have to warn them! Dom, Raoul, all of them are going to be gone!
Maggur Rathhausak turned to Kel. "So, Tortallan...do you know where your 'Company' goes next, according to the King's letters? Do they need help on the border? Or by the sea?"
"I know nothing," Kel replied truthfully. The letters must have been sent to the Third's fort while she and the other four men were at Mindelan.
The mousy man was losing his patience. She didn't like the cold glare in his eye. He obviously had more power than any man in the place. Kel shuddered.
"Let me ask again," Rathhausak said deliberately, stressing each syllable. "Do you know where your Company is going?"
Kel shook her head emphatically. Rathhausak swiveled around, now plainly angry. At the snap of his fingers, two bulky guards were twisting Kel's arms around her back.
"This foolish whore is of no use to us," he said, his eyes dangerously narrow. Kel was seething. "Take her back to her cell. Lock her in. Don't give her any more food, or water. Tomorrow morning, we'll give her to Jordan and teach her a few more of his effective 'lessons'," Rathhausak commanded, his lips curling up into a slight smile as he saw the panic on Kel's face. "And," he added maliciously. "If she doesn't answer anything tomorrow after that...we can just kill her!" he said with ease, almost amusement.
"Sir?" It was Jordan stepping forward. "As a means of making her torcher more....enjoyable for me, may she be later given to me as a life slave instead of simply killed?"
Rathhausak grinned at him unexpectedly. "Jordan, you're one of my most faithful. You're also one of my most foolish. But, I like your ideas. No doubt she'll end up being more of a life whore than a life slave, but, either way, she will be yours alone."
The lanky man smiled a toothy smile at Kel, his eyes anticipating. She took a deep breath as the men shoved her back into her cell.
How in the world am I going to get out of here before they question me again and give me to that horrible man Jordan? Kel felt a chill down to her bone just thinking about him. I've got to warn Raoul and Dom and the King! Pacing, Kel repeatedly glanced at the small crack in the wall, from which she heard singing. Curiosity getting the better of her, she put her ear up to the hole.
" You can try, to resist
Try to hide, from my kiss
But you know -
But you know that you
Can't fight the moonlight
Deep - "
Kel gasped. It was their song. Her and Cleon's song. Humming as memories came back to her, she fought to recognize the hoarse but amiable voice in the next cell.
" In the dark
You'll surrender your heart
But you know -
But you know that you
Can't fight the moonlight, no."
She finished softly. Her knees felt like water as the voice on the other side paused.
*** hmmm...who could it POSSIBLY be? Review or else you'll never know!***
*** I thought the title was quite good, myself! Hehe! I sincerely apologize for "polluting the minds of my readers" with my imagination. I got kind of carried away, as I explained to my friends. It seems to be getting to that time of month again (ahhh! Woe is me!) and I just wrote chapter 11, and then posted it, and then went back, re-read and literally screamed at what I'd wrote. Yes, now, this is the pivotal chapter. If you don't like it, make kind suggestions (even though I have the entire story planned out.) no flames, thanks! The song belongs to Leann Rimes. :)And if you don't review, I'm not finishing! (oh, trust me, you will want it finished after this!)***
"Well, it seems that we know nothing except what you've told us, Tortallan," he spat, with just as much distaste as the others placed in the words 'Lady Knight.' "And with too little information..." he continued gruffly, pacing around her in circles, "we can not win this war. So..."
"I'm not speaking a word." Kel said firmly yet warily, glancing around at the menacing faces surrounding the mousy man.
He just smiled and chuckled, almost good-naturedly. "Now, now, I thought our man Jordan here just taught you a very good lesson in manners. Shall we have you re-taught?" he asked her, a smirk on his face.
Kel heard her teeth grind together as she steeled her face. She was sure that her fear was plain in her eyes, though.
"I thought not," the man said, without waiting for a reply.
At that point, a short, plump man ran into the dungeons. Breathing heavily, he saluted the men with a smile and bowed low to Rathhausak.
"Sir," he panted, "news from the spies at the border, sir." He stopped to catch his breath as Rathhausak's piercing eyes came to rest on him. "It seems that the Tortallans at Mindelan have gained the advantage." Kel watched as Rathhausak's eyes flashed angrily, and smiled to herself. Of course they'd won! "But, sir," the little man continued as his Lord advanced on him, "we know where their fort is. Not too far from here. There's a chance that we can hit them by surprise in a week or so, because they're not expecting it." He glanced warily at Kel, a questioning look in his eyes.
"Don't worry, she's not leaving here," Jordan put in nastily, grinning.
The short man nodded and continued breathlessly, "Apparently, this "Third Company", as they call themselves, are of the King's Own, and the main fort has been getting a streamline of letters from the King himself. If we hit them carefully and by surprise, we can intercept the letters and find out where they're going next."
Kel's uneasiness escalated. I have to warn them! Dom, Raoul, all of them are going to be gone!
Maggur Rathhausak turned to Kel. "So, Tortallan...do you know where your 'Company' goes next, according to the King's letters? Do they need help on the border? Or by the sea?"
"I know nothing," Kel replied truthfully. The letters must have been sent to the Third's fort while she and the other four men were at Mindelan.
The mousy man was losing his patience. She didn't like the cold glare in his eye. He obviously had more power than any man in the place. Kel shuddered.
"Let me ask again," Rathhausak said deliberately, stressing each syllable. "Do you know where your Company is going?"
Kel shook her head emphatically. Rathhausak swiveled around, now plainly angry. At the snap of his fingers, two bulky guards were twisting Kel's arms around her back.
"This foolish whore is of no use to us," he said, his eyes dangerously narrow. Kel was seething. "Take her back to her cell. Lock her in. Don't give her any more food, or water. Tomorrow morning, we'll give her to Jordan and teach her a few more of his effective 'lessons'," Rathhausak commanded, his lips curling up into a slight smile as he saw the panic on Kel's face. "And," he added maliciously. "If she doesn't answer anything tomorrow after that...we can just kill her!" he said with ease, almost amusement.
"Sir?" It was Jordan stepping forward. "As a means of making her torcher more....enjoyable for me, may she be later given to me as a life slave instead of simply killed?"
Rathhausak grinned at him unexpectedly. "Jordan, you're one of my most faithful. You're also one of my most foolish. But, I like your ideas. No doubt she'll end up being more of a life whore than a life slave, but, either way, she will be yours alone."
The lanky man smiled a toothy smile at Kel, his eyes anticipating. She took a deep breath as the men shoved her back into her cell.
How in the world am I going to get out of here before they question me again and give me to that horrible man Jordan? Kel felt a chill down to her bone just thinking about him. I've got to warn Raoul and Dom and the King! Pacing, Kel repeatedly glanced at the small crack in the wall, from which she heard singing. Curiosity getting the better of her, she put her ear up to the hole.
" You can try, to resist
Try to hide, from my kiss
But you know -
But you know that you
Can't fight the moonlight
Deep - "
Kel gasped. It was their song. Her and Cleon's song. Humming as memories came back to her, she fought to recognize the hoarse but amiable voice in the next cell.
" In the dark
You'll surrender your heart
But you know -
But you know that you
Can't fight the moonlight, no."
She finished softly. Her knees felt like water as the voice on the other side paused.
*** hmmm...who could it POSSIBLY be? Review or else you'll never know!***