AN: Don't own them so don't sue me!

Chapter 14

Steph leaned against the carriage wall. She was chained to the carriage and locked inside with no chance of escaping. It was still dark outside but morning was coming. She looked out the carriage window, which had bars on it. She saw the fading stars and the crescent moon disappear behind the clouds. Several tears fell down her already stained face. She felt pain in her stomach and the back of her head from when the guards hit her when she was struggling and screaming. But nothing hurt more then the pain in her heart.

It was like her heart had been ripped out of her and then tortured to dust. She felt empty and alone like she did before. She couldn't feel anything but sadness and loneliness. "Rob…" she said tears burning her eyes. She shut her eyes and then buried her face in her dirt-covered hands. It had been a day since it happened and like the night before she cried herself to sleep. She knew Rob was gone but not only that she was going back to her "master".

When Stephanie awoke she heard the sound of the driver slowing down. She clasped her hands together and bit her lip. She then heard the door being unlocked and opened. She then felt one of the guards grab her roughly and unlock the chains around her wrist and ankles. She was then roughly dragged out of the carriage and into the huge manor.

She was dragged through the quiet hallways knowing that she would face the owner of this horrible place. But she didn't care. It didn't matter because all she wanted was Rob. She wanted him back and to be in his arms. She wanted to be safe in his bed with him, talking through the night and waking up with his smile. It didn't matter anymore because he was gone and she'd never see him again.

As she was thinking that she felt someone grab her chin and forced her to look up. She saw the hypnotic eyes of the Undertaker. Steph stared at him. Then she glared past him at Becky with anger in her eyes. She wanted to lung at her but she had no strength in her to. She then heard The Undertaker say, "EVERYONE TO THE COURTYARD!" Everyone but her, the two guards, Undertaker, and Becky left. He was yelling at Becky and before she knew it Taker grabbed her roughly and said, "You my dear will receive forty lashes for insubordination."

He grabbed her and dragged her outside. He then took her outside but not before ordering one of the guards to get his whip. He then pushed her to the ground and chained her to two stakes. Stephy sat on the cold ground with her legs bent at her side. Taker then ripped the back of her dress open revealing her back. Steph looked up at him with no emotion what so ever as several drops of rain began to come down. Several people began to run for cover when Taker shouted, "STAY WHERE YE ARE!" Then a guard came bringing a large black whip. "This is a warning to all of ye!" he said. He then lifted the wretched girl's head by the hair and said, "Beg for forgiveness and I'll make the punishment leaner." He looked at her. Trying to break her down.

Stephy listened to him in anger. She then sucked all the saliva in her mouth and then spat strait in Taker's face. The people standing in the courtyard fell silent and stood in shock. Sara on the other hand smiled with delight. She hid her face behind her paper fan and watched. Taker walked behind Stephy and unraveled the whip. Then he cracked it once for practice and then light lighting he brought it down against her back.

Stephy jerked forward. Her eyes shut tightly but no sound escaped her lips. He then waited as blood seeped through and as rain dripped down her back making her grow cold. He then once again brought it crashing down. It hit her down the spine. Then he waited and saw the blood seep through. The reason Taker was waiting long between each whip was to make sure she'd feel each and everyone of them. She felt so much pain in each whip. She closed her eyes and bit the inside of her lip. She felt more rain pour down her and now she was sitting in mud. The mud mixed with blood causing the wretched girl to look worse then before.

After what seemed like forever Taker gave her the final whip. He walked in front of her and wrapped his whip up. The young girl's back was soaked in blood. Each whip she received was brutal, each one large and long. The rain poured down washing away the blood but more dripped down even though. Her clothes were filthy and she looked horrible. Her fists were clenched tightly around the chains to brace herself. Taker used the whip to lift her face up. She looked coldly at him but he seemed please. "A little more then forty." He laughed. Steph remained silent. "Next time you'll think twice wench." He said. "Now apologize." Stephy remained silent but stared at him. Taker waited but no response escaped her lips. He grabbed her by the neck and squeezed. "You are a stubborn bitch!" he swore. "You will break!" he then slapped her face and then turned around.

The guards watching went to unchain her but Taker stopped them. "Leave her." He said. "But M'lord!" said a guard. "I SAID LEAVE HER!" he roared. The guards gulped and nodded. Then as Taker went inside the rest of the servants and guards dispersed. The only person to remain outside in the rain with Stephy was Becky. Becky saw her back instantly gasped. She ran over to the girl as fast as she could with her ankle swollen and fell to her knees.

"Oh Steph… I'm so sorry!" she cried. Stephy looked at the girl without emotion. "I didn't want this to happen! This shouldn't have happened!" Becky rambled. Stephy stared and Becky felt her blood grow cold. "Stephy…" she began but then Stephy said softly yet cold, "You killed him." Becky gasped and looked utterly confused. "What?" She asked in confusion. "You told that bastard… you told him… his guards killed him… they killed him… and I'll kill you!" Becky gasped and backed away as Stephy stared in her eyes making Becky grow cold. She backed away and then went back into the manor.

It seemed like hours that Stephanie was out there. She felt her body grow cold. Her teeth chattered and any pain from the whipping she received was numb by the cold. She then watched as two guards came and unchained her. The carried her by the arms into the manor and into a room where she was to be cleaned. Several female servants washed her and placed her in just a white shirt. They then carried her into the master's chambers and chained her to the side of the bed. She sat on the floor staring at nothing. Then he came in.

He walked in smugly looking at her. He headed toward her and when he reached her he touched her back pressing firmly against it. "Have you learned yet?" Taker said. "You cannot escape me." Stephy ignored him and the pain he was causing her. All she could think of was Rob. The way he was killed. The way the guards mercilessly shot their arrows into him and then the way he fell off the cliff. It all seemed like a bad dream. Taker massaged her neck and then cupped her face with his large hands. He pulled her up onto the bed as far as she could go because she was still chained. "Tell me what I want to hear." He said. Steph ignored him. He then grabbed her chin.

"TELL ME!" he shouted in anger. "Submit to me! YE BELONG TO ME!" Stephy looked up at him. "I'll never belong to YE. You can whip me, rape me but I'll never give you anything." Taker stared at her cold brown eyes and then kissed her forcefully but did not receive anything back, not even retaliation. He then slapped her across the face and got up. "You will submit to me!" he said. He then picked her up by the hair and forced his kiss on her. Using his tongue this time. He then let go and watched the wretched girl look away. He then walked away but Stephy wouldn't let him see. She wouldn't let him see how embarrassed she was. How he could take her and how he could never see how much it hurt someone.