Draco didn't want to admit it but he was scared. The axe swinging above
him from the left to the right was inviting a slow and painful death. Of
all things they had to choose a pit and pendulum. This included a sharp
edge that would dig into his skin, which brought a painful memory. . .
FLASHBACK
"Come here, boy! Don't be a coward," Lucius ordered as he tried to ensnare Draco to come. Draco was only thirteen at the time when it happened. Thirteen meant weak and weak meant pain.
He was backing away from his Father and wished with all his heart that there was no wall behind him when he hit it.
"Father, please. Please have mercy on me," Draco pleaded while looking, or rather staring, at the dagger that his Father was holding in his left hand. He was left-handed like Draco. It was hereditary: everyone born to the family was left-handed.
The dagger was long and this, with a razor-sharp edge. Draco's heart started beating harder and he began to tremble when the moonlight that ushered through the window eagerly caught the metal, making it shimmer unpleasantly.
"You will have to learn someday that mercy is a weakness which is just what you showed today. Just like love is a weakness, just like tears are a weakness." Draco had given his pocket money to a poor seven-year-old in town earlier that day. She was dressed in old and rough material and her big brown eyes tempted Draco vastly. It somehow infuriated Lucius.
"I'll never do it again, Father, I promise!" Draco begged. If his Father wasn't so close to him, he would be on his knees, begging for mercy. Tears started streaming down his face, which Draco regretted to the most afterwards.
"Ah, tears. Son, I will have to strengthen you, harden your heart." His Father raised his dagger while Draco's eyes followed them in regret and fear. It was simply a beginning of a fear of knives, sharp edges and other cutting things.
He never cried since. . .
END OF FLASHBACK
. . .Despite his fear, Draco kept a straight face.
"Tell us," a deep man's voice spoke. Draco didn't dare look at him. His eyes were fixed on the axe, not capable of taking his eyes off it. "Where can we find what you stole from the Yeungese?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Draco stated truthfully through gritted teeth.
"Where is the ship!" The man commanded.
"Yeah, right. We took your ship, carried it over the countryside and hid it in the bushes. We camouflaged it so you couldn't find it. Mwa ha ha ha ha." Draco replied sarcastically.
"This is no time for games, boy! Where is it?!" The man demanded again.
"How would I know? I'm Yeungese. English."
"But you are part of their tribe. Where is it?"
"Besides, what use would it be to you?" Draco posed suspiciously.
"No, not to us. . .to the Plymouth village, it would. They need it for transport, you see. They need to pay taxes and such to England. The English tax people demand another ship and leave theirs for cleaning and fixing," the man explained.
"What's in it for you?" Draco requested.
"Stop asking stupid questions, boy and tell us where it is!!!" The man was getting very angry. No, furious was a better word. "Either tell, or die a slow painful death, with an axe digging into your skin slowly and painfully.
By that time, the axe was only a good twenty centimetres away from his chest, getting lower and lower, very slowly. . .
"I don't know where your ship is, and hell! I don't even know what you're bloody talking about. I can't find out because they'll be on the run by now, and I know that won't go to their winter place, because everyone knows where it is, so please, could you let me go now?" Draco stated desperately.
"I know you are familiar with something of use to us. I can see it by your bravery. You do not cower."
Draco snorted. "Puh-lease. If anyone from my family were being tortured to death, they'd do it with style," Draco explained in a tone that said 'everyone knows that'.
Draco gripped the sides of the wooden table he was chained to forcefully and howled a howl of pain as the axe dug deep into his chest.
*****
"Ginny, dear, would you make some butter?" Jennifer asked Ginny while mixing a disgusting-looking dough. It looked like a ton of flower mixed with a little water for flavour. It was the day after Ginny's arrival and she was already as busy as her mother was when all her children were at home: cleaning clothes, cooking meals, all for nine people.
Ginny had to have her hair down so no one would see the fox's head painted on her cheek. It was hard to hide it but she had to.
"Sure," Ginny replied and fetched the milk. She took a sort of club that was used to stir it. "Err. It's been a long time, Jennifer. I've forgotten how to do this."
"Alright. I will make the butter. Will you so kindly knead the dough?" Jennifer enquired of Ginny and started making the butter. Ginny went over to the dough and put it on the table. She started kneading the solid bread dough with great difficulty.
"So. . .how long are you planning to stay?" Jennifer asked Ginny after a short, awkward silence.
"Oh, I dunno. I'm looking for someone, that's all," Ginny retorted.
"Eh? Who are you searching for, child?" Jennifer was a curious person, Ginny had learnt only by knowing her for a day. She was easy to talk to, but sometimes she got a bit nosy.
"His name's Draco. He's my only hope of getting home," Ginny said truthfully.
"Draco. . .isn't that Latin for Dragon?" Jennifer asked. Ginny turned around vigorously.
"W-well, i-it could be." How could this woman know Latin? From what Ginny remembered in muggle history, at this time, people didn't get education at all. . .except for important people, of course.
Jennifer seemed to read her mind. "Oh, you are wondering why I know these things," she said. "Well, I was a rich girl, I was. The Baron's daughter, back in England. Only fourteen. Orlando and his family worked for my Father. Orlando was my Father's personal servant. We bumped into each other one night when both of us could not sleep. It was in the kitchens. When you cannot sleep, eating helps, did you know that?" Ginny shook her head. "Well, we started talking and found that we had much in common. We liked to be free. Carpe Diem, I used to say." She saw Ginny's confused look. "It means cease the day.
We started meeting regularly in secret. We eventually fell in love when I was fifteen, he eighteen. I was engaged to the Duke's son. Handsome as he was, I did not love him. When I told my Father this, he was furious." A tear started making its way down Jennifer's cheek. "He threatened to have me executed. I got scared.
At the same time, Orlando's parents wanted to come here. They were not happy in my Father's service. A cruel man he was. So, I went with them. I crept out in the dead of the night and stayed at Orlando's house for the night. The next morning we ran to the Mayflower, the ship, before my Father would realise we were gone." Jennifer looked up at Ginny and smiled. "But this was all those years ago. I am twenty, now, a woman. My Father has surely found that my sister is a good replacement. She was as cruel as he. But anyway, what's your story?" Jennifer asked finally, before more tears would stream down her face.
"Well, it's kinda private. I came here by accident. Draco was sent to bring me back and now I've lost him. That's all I can say," Ginny told Jennifer.
There was another silence. This time, no one spoke for ten minutes when suddenly Alexander came in. Ginny felt warm in the pit of her stomach and she began to get nervous.
"Hello Jennifer. Hello Ginny. So, Ginny. How's life?" Alexander sat down at the opposite Ginny.
Ginny felt the blood rush to her cheeks as she answered. "It's alright, I guess. Just a bit depressed."
"And why is that?" Alexander leaned forward.
"I just lost somebody. I'd rather not talk about it," Ginny stated.
"Alright then. No pressure," Alexander said as he leaned back in his chair. "We are going to visit the Mahanett tribe this afternoon. Are you up for it? Or would you rather stay here with Jennifer?"
"Why on earth visit a tribe?" Ginny asked him peculiarly.
"Well, we need the information that they have so far, do we not?" Jennifer cleared her throat and Alexander looked her way.
"She is not from Plymouth. She does not know," Jennifer told him.
"Oh. If that is the case, I shall tell you the story on the way. We shall be taking horses."
*****
The journey to the Mahanett tribe took a good two hours. Ginny was put on Alexander's horse and they went quite fast. Alexander told her about the stolen ship, how it was gone one day.
When they arrived, the chief told Orlando that there was a man that wouldn't give any information, although he had it.
"I know he has information. He is brave. And he therefore does not give any," the chief had said.
"Show me to him, I shall try," Orlando, being the older one, had said.
They showed them to the man, but Ginny was left outside a small barred window in the big hut, with Alexander. It was made of stone and Ginny didn't know how they could make something as strong as that at these times.
Little did she know she was being watched. . .
*****
Draco sat in his cell looking out the small, barred window. The powwaw hadn't been able to heal his wound on his chest, but it wasn't deep enough to kill him. It was only capable of making him weaker. He could barely move without wincing in pain.
He heard footsteps outside. A little later, he noticed two pair of feet and two voices. A woman's voice and a man's voice. The man could be little more than eighteen and the woman probably about sixteen or seventeen, judging from the voiced and feet sizes.
The people started talking again. He recognised the feminine voice. Ginny. Before he could say anything, two pair of arms seized his upper arms and he was taken away.
A/N: That was that chapter. Please review. OK, you probably know that reviews are my only strength blah blah blah etc etc etc.!!!!!
Please please review and stay tuned for the next chapter!
Toodles!!!
FLASHBACK
"Come here, boy! Don't be a coward," Lucius ordered as he tried to ensnare Draco to come. Draco was only thirteen at the time when it happened. Thirteen meant weak and weak meant pain.
He was backing away from his Father and wished with all his heart that there was no wall behind him when he hit it.
"Father, please. Please have mercy on me," Draco pleaded while looking, or rather staring, at the dagger that his Father was holding in his left hand. He was left-handed like Draco. It was hereditary: everyone born to the family was left-handed.
The dagger was long and this, with a razor-sharp edge. Draco's heart started beating harder and he began to tremble when the moonlight that ushered through the window eagerly caught the metal, making it shimmer unpleasantly.
"You will have to learn someday that mercy is a weakness which is just what you showed today. Just like love is a weakness, just like tears are a weakness." Draco had given his pocket money to a poor seven-year-old in town earlier that day. She was dressed in old and rough material and her big brown eyes tempted Draco vastly. It somehow infuriated Lucius.
"I'll never do it again, Father, I promise!" Draco begged. If his Father wasn't so close to him, he would be on his knees, begging for mercy. Tears started streaming down his face, which Draco regretted to the most afterwards.
"Ah, tears. Son, I will have to strengthen you, harden your heart." His Father raised his dagger while Draco's eyes followed them in regret and fear. It was simply a beginning of a fear of knives, sharp edges and other cutting things.
He never cried since. . .
END OF FLASHBACK
. . .Despite his fear, Draco kept a straight face.
"Tell us," a deep man's voice spoke. Draco didn't dare look at him. His eyes were fixed on the axe, not capable of taking his eyes off it. "Where can we find what you stole from the Yeungese?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Draco stated truthfully through gritted teeth.
"Where is the ship!" The man commanded.
"Yeah, right. We took your ship, carried it over the countryside and hid it in the bushes. We camouflaged it so you couldn't find it. Mwa ha ha ha ha." Draco replied sarcastically.
"This is no time for games, boy! Where is it?!" The man demanded again.
"How would I know? I'm Yeungese. English."
"But you are part of their tribe. Where is it?"
"Besides, what use would it be to you?" Draco posed suspiciously.
"No, not to us. . .to the Plymouth village, it would. They need it for transport, you see. They need to pay taxes and such to England. The English tax people demand another ship and leave theirs for cleaning and fixing," the man explained.
"What's in it for you?" Draco requested.
"Stop asking stupid questions, boy and tell us where it is!!!" The man was getting very angry. No, furious was a better word. "Either tell, or die a slow painful death, with an axe digging into your skin slowly and painfully.
By that time, the axe was only a good twenty centimetres away from his chest, getting lower and lower, very slowly. . .
"I don't know where your ship is, and hell! I don't even know what you're bloody talking about. I can't find out because they'll be on the run by now, and I know that won't go to their winter place, because everyone knows where it is, so please, could you let me go now?" Draco stated desperately.
"I know you are familiar with something of use to us. I can see it by your bravery. You do not cower."
Draco snorted. "Puh-lease. If anyone from my family were being tortured to death, they'd do it with style," Draco explained in a tone that said 'everyone knows that'.
Draco gripped the sides of the wooden table he was chained to forcefully and howled a howl of pain as the axe dug deep into his chest.
*****
"Ginny, dear, would you make some butter?" Jennifer asked Ginny while mixing a disgusting-looking dough. It looked like a ton of flower mixed with a little water for flavour. It was the day after Ginny's arrival and she was already as busy as her mother was when all her children were at home: cleaning clothes, cooking meals, all for nine people.
Ginny had to have her hair down so no one would see the fox's head painted on her cheek. It was hard to hide it but she had to.
"Sure," Ginny replied and fetched the milk. She took a sort of club that was used to stir it. "Err. It's been a long time, Jennifer. I've forgotten how to do this."
"Alright. I will make the butter. Will you so kindly knead the dough?" Jennifer enquired of Ginny and started making the butter. Ginny went over to the dough and put it on the table. She started kneading the solid bread dough with great difficulty.
"So. . .how long are you planning to stay?" Jennifer asked Ginny after a short, awkward silence.
"Oh, I dunno. I'm looking for someone, that's all," Ginny retorted.
"Eh? Who are you searching for, child?" Jennifer was a curious person, Ginny had learnt only by knowing her for a day. She was easy to talk to, but sometimes she got a bit nosy.
"His name's Draco. He's my only hope of getting home," Ginny said truthfully.
"Draco. . .isn't that Latin for Dragon?" Jennifer asked. Ginny turned around vigorously.
"W-well, i-it could be." How could this woman know Latin? From what Ginny remembered in muggle history, at this time, people didn't get education at all. . .except for important people, of course.
Jennifer seemed to read her mind. "Oh, you are wondering why I know these things," she said. "Well, I was a rich girl, I was. The Baron's daughter, back in England. Only fourteen. Orlando and his family worked for my Father. Orlando was my Father's personal servant. We bumped into each other one night when both of us could not sleep. It was in the kitchens. When you cannot sleep, eating helps, did you know that?" Ginny shook her head. "Well, we started talking and found that we had much in common. We liked to be free. Carpe Diem, I used to say." She saw Ginny's confused look. "It means cease the day.
We started meeting regularly in secret. We eventually fell in love when I was fifteen, he eighteen. I was engaged to the Duke's son. Handsome as he was, I did not love him. When I told my Father this, he was furious." A tear started making its way down Jennifer's cheek. "He threatened to have me executed. I got scared.
At the same time, Orlando's parents wanted to come here. They were not happy in my Father's service. A cruel man he was. So, I went with them. I crept out in the dead of the night and stayed at Orlando's house for the night. The next morning we ran to the Mayflower, the ship, before my Father would realise we were gone." Jennifer looked up at Ginny and smiled. "But this was all those years ago. I am twenty, now, a woman. My Father has surely found that my sister is a good replacement. She was as cruel as he. But anyway, what's your story?" Jennifer asked finally, before more tears would stream down her face.
"Well, it's kinda private. I came here by accident. Draco was sent to bring me back and now I've lost him. That's all I can say," Ginny told Jennifer.
There was another silence. This time, no one spoke for ten minutes when suddenly Alexander came in. Ginny felt warm in the pit of her stomach and she began to get nervous.
"Hello Jennifer. Hello Ginny. So, Ginny. How's life?" Alexander sat down at the opposite Ginny.
Ginny felt the blood rush to her cheeks as she answered. "It's alright, I guess. Just a bit depressed."
"And why is that?" Alexander leaned forward.
"I just lost somebody. I'd rather not talk about it," Ginny stated.
"Alright then. No pressure," Alexander said as he leaned back in his chair. "We are going to visit the Mahanett tribe this afternoon. Are you up for it? Or would you rather stay here with Jennifer?"
"Why on earth visit a tribe?" Ginny asked him peculiarly.
"Well, we need the information that they have so far, do we not?" Jennifer cleared her throat and Alexander looked her way.
"She is not from Plymouth. She does not know," Jennifer told him.
"Oh. If that is the case, I shall tell you the story on the way. We shall be taking horses."
*****
The journey to the Mahanett tribe took a good two hours. Ginny was put on Alexander's horse and they went quite fast. Alexander told her about the stolen ship, how it was gone one day.
When they arrived, the chief told Orlando that there was a man that wouldn't give any information, although he had it.
"I know he has information. He is brave. And he therefore does not give any," the chief had said.
"Show me to him, I shall try," Orlando, being the older one, had said.
They showed them to the man, but Ginny was left outside a small barred window in the big hut, with Alexander. It was made of stone and Ginny didn't know how they could make something as strong as that at these times.
Little did she know she was being watched. . .
*****
Draco sat in his cell looking out the small, barred window. The powwaw hadn't been able to heal his wound on his chest, but it wasn't deep enough to kill him. It was only capable of making him weaker. He could barely move without wincing in pain.
He heard footsteps outside. A little later, he noticed two pair of feet and two voices. A woman's voice and a man's voice. The man could be little more than eighteen and the woman probably about sixteen or seventeen, judging from the voiced and feet sizes.
The people started talking again. He recognised the feminine voice. Ginny. Before he could say anything, two pair of arms seized his upper arms and he was taken away.
A/N: That was that chapter. Please review. OK, you probably know that reviews are my only strength blah blah blah etc etc etc.!!!!!
Please please review and stay tuned for the next chapter!
Toodles!!!
