Author's Note: Please review, it really encourages me and believe me I need
encouragement. I hope you'll enjoy this story and the facts are all
straight, please correct me if I'm wrong about anything.
Chapter 5 Prison
Marianna's hands were tied, for the second time, around her back. She was led roughly to the huge castle's doors. Next to her, many other men were also pushed firmly through the door. The stone doors closed loudly behind her, shutting out her destiny and her life. The prisoners found themselves in a large hall with paintings of strong men and delicate women on each of the walls. The floor was made of gray stones and a large chandelier hung from above, casting an eerie glow on the prisoners. Prisoner. The word brought chills up Marianna's spine. How could she be a prisoner? Is this what she wanted as an adventure? Marianna closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she stood on the castle's floors. Around her men were whispering prayers to the Lord and crossing themselves. These men knew that it was against the law to riot against the king and they could be killed or even tortured. Some of them looked at Marianna inquiringly, wondering why a woman was among them. The redwood door at the end of the hall flew open suddenly. A man strode out of it in rich clothing, in king's clothing. This man was the king. He was dressed in a light blue and gold threads designed the bottom of his tunic and his breeches. Rings decorated each finger and he wore elegant, doe-skin boots. He had short black hair and coal-black eyes that were filled with maliciousness. This was the man who ruined poor peasant lives and kicked them to the ground. His face was creased in lines of hardness and anger. King John eyed every man carefully, a sneer on his face. He spoke in a commanding voice,
"So these people rioted against their own king." He spat. The king walked with his hands clasped behind his back along the lines of peasants.
"We shall deal with you appropriately and accordingly. I see what foolishness there is in each of your eyes. You weak men have no right to go against me. You strange, poor men. You are like dogs. The-"He finally came upon Marianna and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Did I just say strange men? Well, what have we here? A woman among you dogs?" The men started murmuring angrily and Marianna stared defiantly at the king. She spoke with authority,
"You are calling these innocent men dogs? Well, what are you? You have taxed these peasants so greatly and treated them so poorly, no wonder they rioted against you. You are not a real king, no real king would do this to his own people." Shouts of encouragement escaped from the men and the king's army raised their weapons.
"What are you doing to your country? What are you doing to your people?" The king's eyes narrowed slightly in amusement and fury. Marianna felt anger rise in her throat at the man who stood before her. This was the man that hurt his people, the people that Marianna saw on the road, who worked day and night. This was the man who created sorrow and anger in every peasant man's heart. At this, Marianna spat on his face. This surprised not only the king, but also herself. The king wiped saliva off his face and said, with a voice caked in wrath,
"Yes, we shall put you in a special cell, a very special prison for people like you." He beckoned one of his men to come and the man grasped Marianna's arm firmly and simply dragged her away.
The king's guard pushed Marianna in front of him and Marianna shed tears of sorrow and animosity. She would be put into the dark dungeons of this castle, where traitors and murderers stayed for the rest of their lives. A door was opened and the guard pushed Marianna in. The place was lightly lit and shadows caressed the large walls. Marianna heard moans from people inside their cells and she shuddered. They walked along the dusty floor farther and farther. The guard opened another door, grinned and said,
"This is where the king puts his least favorite people." Marianna gulped and heard drops of water fall on the floor. This dungeon had no light at all and she tried to adjust her eyes to the pitch-black darkness. It was very cold and Marianna's black cloak provided no comfort. The one thing that Marianna couldn't stand was the stench. There was a smell of death and decay in every corner that tingled her nostrils. The only thing she heard were her boots thumping along the floor. The man opened a small iron door, protruding a long, mellow creak. Marianna was shoved into the tiny space. The guard took her bound wrists and clamped an iron chain around them. He then pinned her upon the wall and attached the thick chain to the wall. There, Marianna knelt with her arms above her attached to the forsaken wall. The guard said,
"Good night." And he shut the door behind him. He locked her in the cell and left Marianna kneeling there in sorrow. Why would a king put her in a dungeon, when all she did was speak the truth? But Marianna knew that she angered him and an angered king was never a good idea.
The only company Marianna had were the flea-infested rats that scurried around her. Sometimes she heard a prison cell clang shut above her, for some other prisoner. She was given no food and soon Marianna began to feel faint from lack of food and water. Her lips were parched and her throat was dry. Soon, her cheeks began to hollow out and her whole body quivered in fever. Finally after two weeks, Marianna fell into a blissful state of unconsciousness. Blackness enveloped her and she couldn't even think or speak. This was how it was like in a dungeon.
Marianna had feverish dreams of everything:
Her sisters were crowding around her and they all had smiles on their faces. Janine was speaking, "This is what happens when you speak out Marianna. You should learn to hold your tongue sometimes."
Her mother was pointing furiously at her room and shouting, "Now go to your room. I don't know why you find it enjoyable to go outside and get yourself dirty. Just go to your room and don't come down for supper.
Little Melody was staring at her and saying, "Why are you so pretty Marianna?" Marianna tried to answer her, but she couldn't. She couldn't even move.
The Duke of Torms was smiling at her and said, "Come with me Marianna, come with me and be happy." Marianna tried to refuse, but she couldn't. She was being dragged away, away from everyone...
Occasionally Marianna would scream in her unconscious, but no one could hear her. She was simply a prisoner and she would die a prisoner.
Chapter 5 Prison
Marianna's hands were tied, for the second time, around her back. She was led roughly to the huge castle's doors. Next to her, many other men were also pushed firmly through the door. The stone doors closed loudly behind her, shutting out her destiny and her life. The prisoners found themselves in a large hall with paintings of strong men and delicate women on each of the walls. The floor was made of gray stones and a large chandelier hung from above, casting an eerie glow on the prisoners. Prisoner. The word brought chills up Marianna's spine. How could she be a prisoner? Is this what she wanted as an adventure? Marianna closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she stood on the castle's floors. Around her men were whispering prayers to the Lord and crossing themselves. These men knew that it was against the law to riot against the king and they could be killed or even tortured. Some of them looked at Marianna inquiringly, wondering why a woman was among them. The redwood door at the end of the hall flew open suddenly. A man strode out of it in rich clothing, in king's clothing. This man was the king. He was dressed in a light blue and gold threads designed the bottom of his tunic and his breeches. Rings decorated each finger and he wore elegant, doe-skin boots. He had short black hair and coal-black eyes that were filled with maliciousness. This was the man who ruined poor peasant lives and kicked them to the ground. His face was creased in lines of hardness and anger. King John eyed every man carefully, a sneer on his face. He spoke in a commanding voice,
"So these people rioted against their own king." He spat. The king walked with his hands clasped behind his back along the lines of peasants.
"We shall deal with you appropriately and accordingly. I see what foolishness there is in each of your eyes. You weak men have no right to go against me. You strange, poor men. You are like dogs. The-"He finally came upon Marianna and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Did I just say strange men? Well, what have we here? A woman among you dogs?" The men started murmuring angrily and Marianna stared defiantly at the king. She spoke with authority,
"You are calling these innocent men dogs? Well, what are you? You have taxed these peasants so greatly and treated them so poorly, no wonder they rioted against you. You are not a real king, no real king would do this to his own people." Shouts of encouragement escaped from the men and the king's army raised their weapons.
"What are you doing to your country? What are you doing to your people?" The king's eyes narrowed slightly in amusement and fury. Marianna felt anger rise in her throat at the man who stood before her. This was the man that hurt his people, the people that Marianna saw on the road, who worked day and night. This was the man who created sorrow and anger in every peasant man's heart. At this, Marianna spat on his face. This surprised not only the king, but also herself. The king wiped saliva off his face and said, with a voice caked in wrath,
"Yes, we shall put you in a special cell, a very special prison for people like you." He beckoned one of his men to come and the man grasped Marianna's arm firmly and simply dragged her away.
The king's guard pushed Marianna in front of him and Marianna shed tears of sorrow and animosity. She would be put into the dark dungeons of this castle, where traitors and murderers stayed for the rest of their lives. A door was opened and the guard pushed Marianna in. The place was lightly lit and shadows caressed the large walls. Marianna heard moans from people inside their cells and she shuddered. They walked along the dusty floor farther and farther. The guard opened another door, grinned and said,
"This is where the king puts his least favorite people." Marianna gulped and heard drops of water fall on the floor. This dungeon had no light at all and she tried to adjust her eyes to the pitch-black darkness. It was very cold and Marianna's black cloak provided no comfort. The one thing that Marianna couldn't stand was the stench. There was a smell of death and decay in every corner that tingled her nostrils. The only thing she heard were her boots thumping along the floor. The man opened a small iron door, protruding a long, mellow creak. Marianna was shoved into the tiny space. The guard took her bound wrists and clamped an iron chain around them. He then pinned her upon the wall and attached the thick chain to the wall. There, Marianna knelt with her arms above her attached to the forsaken wall. The guard said,
"Good night." And he shut the door behind him. He locked her in the cell and left Marianna kneeling there in sorrow. Why would a king put her in a dungeon, when all she did was speak the truth? But Marianna knew that she angered him and an angered king was never a good idea.
The only company Marianna had were the flea-infested rats that scurried around her. Sometimes she heard a prison cell clang shut above her, for some other prisoner. She was given no food and soon Marianna began to feel faint from lack of food and water. Her lips were parched and her throat was dry. Soon, her cheeks began to hollow out and her whole body quivered in fever. Finally after two weeks, Marianna fell into a blissful state of unconsciousness. Blackness enveloped her and she couldn't even think or speak. This was how it was like in a dungeon.
Marianna had feverish dreams of everything:
Her sisters were crowding around her and they all had smiles on their faces. Janine was speaking, "This is what happens when you speak out Marianna. You should learn to hold your tongue sometimes."
Her mother was pointing furiously at her room and shouting, "Now go to your room. I don't know why you find it enjoyable to go outside and get yourself dirty. Just go to your room and don't come down for supper.
Little Melody was staring at her and saying, "Why are you so pretty Marianna?" Marianna tried to answer her, but she couldn't. She couldn't even move.
The Duke of Torms was smiling at her and said, "Come with me Marianna, come with me and be happy." Marianna tried to refuse, but she couldn't. She was being dragged away, away from everyone...
Occasionally Marianna would scream in her unconscious, but no one could hear her. She was simply a prisoner and she would die a prisoner.