When Sarah woke within the Dungeons of palace, she hadn't known that she had been unconscious for hours, chained up against the wall. She only knew that she was extremely weak. All of her energy, nearly all of her being, had been drained in the fight within the walls of the throne room. Never before had she encountered such strength in so many warriors.

Sarah's body fashioned an "X" upon the stone against her back, and opened to a dank room. The iron that bound her wrists, her ankles had been welded to the stone – they were fashioned well, the workmanship was exquisite. Her heart deadened as she realized she could not release herself from her confines. Only a table furnished the bare surroundings. Her room was lit from the glow of the lamps outside her cell, and gave Sarah a small comfort from the Dark.

A cursory glance down her hanging body was sweet relief : she was fully clothed, the blood that covered her fighting suit was dry, she was no longer bleeding, and she could feel all parts of her body. Her ribs were cracked, of that she was sure. It was possible that she had internal bleeding. Yet she was alive. She sent a prayer of gratitude to the Gods, thanking them for the generosity of her condition. As long as she was whole, and more importantly, as long as she was breathing she could fight, she could exact her revenge.

The guard placed at her cell paced the length of the hall. He had watched her from the other side of the iron bars for the length of an hour, filled with rage. This girl had dared to shame him upon the floor of throne room, his face marred by her blades. Blood still encrusted his face, his eye swollen shut. His rage no longer simply bordered violence, but was manifested fury.

He would make her suffer, his plan already forming as he began to unlock the door to her cell.

It was the sound of the unlatched lock that drew Sarah's attention to him, and fully roused her awake. She realized, with a start, that he was broadcasting his anger. The only experience she had with such broadcasting had come from her grandfather – and only then when he was particularly enraged by rogue fae. Her grandfather had taught her to control her emotions well enough that only rarely he and Toby could ever discern her true feelings. This fae, however, had no desire to mask his emotion. Torrents of rage crashed into Sarah's body – soon she would be violently ill.

One look at him was enough for Sarah to understand – he was going to cause her pain, in the worst ways imaginable. The slow smile appeared drugged to Sarah, as it came upon his face with such leisure. Her gaze dropped from his face to the bulk against his side. The cloth sachet under his arm was gently placed upon the table, almost as if with tenderness. The smile remained on his face, increasing as he unrolled the cloth, revealing gleaming implements of torture.

His voice was rough, harsh. The leisurely, relaxed smile on his face remained.

"You think that you, a mortal, reserve the right to mark me, to mark a member of the King's Guard, as freely as you did? I will exact my price for your grievances against me… I will enjoy every second." The last had been spoken with heat in his voice. Sarah knew…..she knew what he wanted to do to her…….he was going to rape her mind, rape her body, leave her crushed within the stone cell….

His fingers gently grazed his instruments, as if remembering past uses, past victims.

"I will rip you from the inside as I violate your body and break you. You will bleed for me, cry for me, scream for me. You will cry out for me as I destroy you – you can do nothing."

Shining silver winked in the failing light of her holding cell.

"Gods…..help me….." She prayed as the terror welled within her, attempting to send out magicks to release her from her shackles, but the iron was steadfast, and ignored her efforts.

Sarah despaired as none of the spells became effective. Spell after spell was sent, her attempts at physical strength were pitiful. She was too weak – she had expended too much energy, there had been too much blood loss.

She regressed into a state of sheer panic.

"Anyone…….please……" Another unanswered prayer from Sarah's lips.

Nobody was coming for her, nobody would be coming to help her…there was only one option left to her… This filth, this piece of shit, wanted to take her life, take her mind. She would be damned if he took her body too.

A hideous smile graced her lips as she knew what she could do. Always, it had been only a final option. She had never attempted such a feat, but it was her only hope to stop his assault. At this strength, it would cost her her life. Even so…… It would be perfect. In her mind's eye, Sarah coaxed from a small pile of twigs an even smaller flame.

"You smile at Death?" His voice was enraged.

"Death does not come for me, He impatiently he waits for you. He can taste your death upon his tongue – you have not long left to live." Her anger at her vicious captor was fueling the flame, her voice reflected her fury - a striking discord with the emotion storming inside her body – silent prayers sent to the Gods for courage, for strength.

The small flame had grown into a fire.

He came to stand directly before her, and Sarah found herself looking into madness. Never had she seen, never had she experienced true insanity. It was all she could do to steel herself for the small glints of silver in his hands.

She hadn't known that he had begun to cut her, the flachetes were so sharp. Only until Sarah could feel the blood run down her body in rivulets did she realize that he had begun his work. He was systematically reopening all wounds on her body, slicing through all the mending flesh creating many wounds anew. He was going to make her suffer, truly suffer. "Gods, please…..hear my prayer…" It was the last of her silent pleas.

Her fear only encouraged her rage. Sarah hated being afraid.

The fire had grown to roaring proportions; Sarah could feel the heat begin to lick along the veins throughout her body, her blood seared against her skin.

With joyous laughter, she knew her spell was gaining strength. Distantly, she knew she was tapping into the power of her grandfather, but Sarah didn't care. She intended to kill the fae in front of her now, and leave his body blackened by her flames. Never before had she commanded so much power – Her laugh was unholy. Her eyes had bled to kohl, a black so rich, she wavered across the demonic plane. She was drawing energy to kill him, to destroy him…

Painfully, he slammed his body against hers, smashing her into the stone of the wall. The flachetes were drawn across her stomach, across her hips. He pressed the blades into her skin – marking her body. His voice was oily as he whispered against her hair.

"You think that you can hurt me?"

Sarah was forcibly made aware of his arousal against her thigh, as he manipulated the flachetes against her lower belly. She was repulsed, revolted, disgusted, ill.

Her smile was feral; she would make his death unbearable.

"I spared you earlier; it is you who came asking for death." She voice was monotone, emotionless.

"You think you can kill me?"

"Yes."

The stones behind her head split from the concussion of his slap. Sarah was aware of movement, only vaguely so that he was unfastening his pants.

In her mind, Sarah felt the fire explode. She released the fire from her body and against her skin she could feel the heat of the room rise. An orange inferno began to burn up the walls of her cell, burn the space between her and her captor.

Sarah was drowning in flame.

For all her efforts, Sarah's spell wasn't going to be fast enough – he was going to take her body, take her life before she could burn him alive.

Fear, desperation laced her plea as she knew that her spell had taken too long to take hold. "Please? I cannot let this happen…."

His hand now moved towards her clothing, the other to the long dagger placed on the small table. Sarah knew she no longer had any choice. She had to survive. She had to make it back to her family.

Sarah tilted her head back to catch the tears that were forming, trailing down her face as softly, she called out his name.

"Jareth…"