Chapter 75: Whipped

(Becky's POV)

I flinch as I see my true love getting whipped for failing Drago again.

Every groan from Eret releases tears from me.

After about ten lashes, Eret collapses.

I want to go over to him, but Gustavo holds me back like he did when Eret was branded.

"Stand up! STAND UP!" Drago bellows.

"Please, Drago. Don't do this. He's had enough."

I feel the bloodied whip across my face, and a mix of my own blood and Eret's trails down my cheek.

When I'm free to go to Eret, I go over to him, taking a rag with dirty water with me.

It's the best I can do.

I dab at the whip marks as Eret inhales sharply.

I'm grabbed from behind and Drago has his way with me in the captain's quarters.

When I emerge from the captain's quarters, Eret's and my small boat is waiting for us.

Still shaking from the ordeal with Drago, I help Eret to our little cabin on the boat.

Shaking still, I continue tending to Eret's marks, though there's little I can do.

"M'lady, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, No-Name."

"You're shaking."

"I said I'm fine."

No-Name backs away from me, having never heard me raise my voice at anyone before.

"Yes…yes, ma'am."

"No-Name, I'm sorry."

"No, ma'am. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried."

"Thank you."

"Will you be alright?"

"I'll be just fine. It's Eret I'm worried about. He might need stitches."

"Whatever you need, m'lady." I flinch at the name.

"M'lady?"

"Get me some medical thread, some ale, and a needle, please, No-Name."

"Yes, ma'am."

I work carefully and quietly as Eret lays on his stomach as I tend to his lash marks.

But I'm still shaking from the ordeal with Drago. After Eret's stitches are done, I go into a corner and begin to sob. Why are the gods torturing us so?

"M-M'lady?"

No-Name sits next to me and allows me to sob into his shoulder.

"Everything will be alright, m'lady. You'll see. Try and get some rest. I'll look after Eret."

"Thank you, No-Name, and I'm sorry for shouting at you."

"I've heard and dealt with worse, m'lady."

That's when I bolt up in a cold sweat.

It wasn't a nightmare…it was a memory.

I look to my right and see Eret fast asleep. It's nearly daylight.

Still shaking, I get sick into the wastebin, and begin to hyperventilate.

"Love? My love, are you alright?" Eret begins to rub my back to try and help me breathe again.

I feel my baby stirring inside of me, and I lean against Eret.

"Are you alright, darling?" Eret asks again.

"It was horrible. You got whipped by Drago…and Drago had his way with me and No-Name called me 'm'lady'."

"A memory, then. Not a nightmare."

"Uh-huh."

"Can I do anything for you, love?"

Before I can open my mouth, I hear a knock on our door.

"Mama? Daddy? Is everything okay?"

Eret helps me up and helps me back to bed before opening the door for our sweet jewel Ruby.

"Your mum just had a nightmare about you-know-who…a memory, really. Are you alright, my little love?"

"I heard Mama getting sick and I thought something was wrong with the baby."

"The baby's okay, little love. I felt them move when I helped Mama get back into bed. She just got a bit overwhelmed, that's all."

"Okay. I'm going back to bed."

Ruby heads back to her room.

Just four more months of her being an only child.

Eret closes the bedroom door and sits on my side of the bed.

"You okay, hon?"

"I don't know. Why would I have that nightmare almost a decade and a half after Drago's defeat?"

"I don't know, my love. I really don't know. The best thing for you to do right now is to go back to sleep. Would you like me to hold you?"

I nod at my husband and Eret gets on his side of the bed, all the while I'm following him with my eyes, like I do whenever I have a bad nightmare like this.

Eret holds me as close to him as possible and I fall back asleep.

I just hope I can survive the next four months.