Thank you all for the messages and reviews, some valid points mentioned will be clarified next chapter.
Don't hate me! That is all... * hides *
Graphic torture – if this really bothers you skip the whole chapter and PM me for a recap.
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"Come, it is time to see to that traitorous amazon of yours," Regina announced, waving to catch Red's attention, the wolves having stayed to finish their breakfast but rushing over when summoned by their queen.
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When Red, Greta and Belle had joined the queens and their entourage Regina led the way through the palace halls and out of the side entrance and into the courtyard there. Emma now recognised this as the punishment yard, where the men who harmed her had been put to an agonising death and she re-assessed the area as the queens' party came to a stop in a vacant space directly opposite the prisoner.
Today it was not as packed but the slave recognised many faces lined up around three sides of the perimeter, not full ranks of soldiers but there were the queen's lieutenants present, Braxas was there and the people Emma recognised as being the most high ranking in the palace. Quality not quantity it seemed. Except the entire amazon contingent who appeared en-mass along the far edge of the courtyard, armoured up and standing in tight formation, a salute raised to the queens as they entered the space.
"Welcome." Regina called out, walking out to where Thera, the amazon was chained, cuffs secured to the the floor of the raised platform in the centre. She stood tall as the queen approached, unsure what her fate would be. It didn't look good, the presence of an ominous looking wooden frame standing behind the prisoner was not reassuring.
"This one has been accused of treason but the circumstances are not black and white. The accused is a sworn soldier in my army and yet thought she aided a slave to escape. My slave was injured whilst outside the palace, with my permission, yet the amazon provided a small token of assistance in bringing her back to me, returning with information rather than running away. But I believe that these things were done because the accused has feelings for my pet!" The queen sneered, there was silence as their ruler was speaking but all present were listening intently.
"In this case I decree that the punishment fits the crime," Regina continuing to orate as she paced in front of the prisoner. "Pet!" Emma was startled to be summoned but left her place by Red's side and strode across the cobbles to her mistress. "As you were the one injured what punishment do you deem fit?"
Gabrielle was not the only one to be surprised by the question. Regina was asking her slave for advice. Regina rarely asked her advisers for advice, Red was the only person the queen really listened to, although Gabrielle had been consulted occasionally but more when her friend was a novice monarch.
"So?" Emma frowned as she faced her mistress. "What would you do?" Regina questioned, waiting for her pet's response, studying the blonde intently, eyes searching for those minuscule signs that may give a clue to the slave's thought process.
"I would free her, Mistress," Emma eventually replied, her answer causing a ripple of sound to travel the courtyard. The slave had dared speak to the queen that way? To request the prisoner's freedom? What confused those watching was the way the slave held out her hand, as though waiting for something to be passed to her.
"Emma, no!" Red murmured, pained.
"What's happening?" Greta asked, picking up on the worry in the wolf's voice.
"Emma is an idiot!" Red growled.
Regina looked down at her pet's outstretched hand before lifting her eyes, green orbs staring right back at her. A nod of understanding and the queen's hand was enveloped in purple smoke, when it cleared the contents was passed to Emma.
"Mistress," Emma offered a half bow before leaving the queen and walking the short distance to Thera, taking the two shallow steps in one stretch of her long legs. The slave waited by the prisoner until the queen flicked her fingers towards the amazon's chains and they fell with a rattle to the floor, the noise overly loud in the now silent courtyard.
Red watched as Emma spoke to the prisoner but everyone heard the outcome of the conversation.
"No!" Thera cried, stepping back from the slave. Two of the queen's guard began to move forward to apprehend the the amazon but Regina held up her hand to halt their progress, not wanting them to interfere.
"Do it!" This time it was Emma's words that rang out for all to hear.
The crowd stood watching the confrontation, few understanding what they were seeing.
"Do it or I will do worse," the queen joined the exchange.
"She's not bluffing," Emma confirmed as she held the amazon's eyes. "Do it and we both have a chance. Refuse and she will make you." The blonde pressed the items she was grasping into the amazon's palm, closing the prisoner's fingers with her own.
"Yes," The word was barely audible but Emma gave a nod of approval and positioned herself so her back was against the wooden structure, forming a wall behind her. All this time Emma had felt the queen's eyes on her, now she looked up, sure enough her mistress was staring right at her pet as two thick leather straps wrapped around and tightened themselves about the slave's waist and chest, pinning her to the board. At the same time the slave's shirt and pants disappeared leaving her half naked under the straps.
Emma exhaled and took a moment to position herself before dropping her chin in a pose Regina recognised well. Everyone assembled watched as the queen joined the amazon on the platform, seemingly giving the prisoner instructions.
"Ready, pet?" Emma met her mistresses eye and nodded.
"Yes, Mistress."
"Begin, draw it out ," a wave of her hand and Regina gave her consent to the amazon.
Thera was pale and her hands shaking as she approached the queen's pet. Emma was staring at a point beyond the amazon, she was staring right at the queen, Thera concluded as she followed the blonde's line of sight.
"I'm so sorry," the amazon's whispered apology did nothing to dull the pain Emma felt as the stiletto was pushed into her left shoulder, embedding in the muscle. The rush of adrenaline made the slave light headed but she did not cry out even as a steady trickle of blood began to seep from the wound. Emma bit her lip until it too was bleeding, bracing herself as another knife found a home in the opposite shoulder.
Regina watched her pet, struggle with the pain, this was not a lash of the whip or the cane, this was serious mutilation. A nod and she gave her permission for her pet to use whatever coping mechanism she wished to survive the ordeal, as soon as this was picked up by the slave, a shudder passed through the blonde's body and her gaze went vacant as Emma withdrew into herself. Mind and body separating.
Gabrielle gasped as she saw her amazon stab the slave but immediately understood the purpose of the punishment. To be forced to inflict pain on the one you had tried to help, admired? That was cruel indeed, especially for an amazon who valued their honour so highly. What had shocked the amazon queen, as well as the rest of the audience, was that the queen's slave was willingly partaking, had instigated it even.
It was disrupting a lot of opinions that had formed about the queen and her relationship with her new pet. Some were disappointed that Emma really was just a toy for their monarch, others realising that their queen has not softening her ways because of the mysterious blonde who she seemed to favour so much and who was well liked in the palace. All who watched admired the slave and were witnessing her true strength for the first time.
Thera hesitated with the third knife but as soon as she did Emma threw her head back and gasped for air as her throat was constricted by her collar. The amazon turned a panicked look to the queen who was simply standing there, lip curled, watching, unrelenting until Thera rushed forward and pierced the slave's flesh between her bonds, the knife grazing her rips as it embedded in the muscle there, point coming to rest in the wood behind.
Emma nearly blacked out from the pain and lack of oxygen but as soon as her collar loosened she sucked in a lungful of air, wincing as the action aggravated her latest 'accessory'. Thera looked down at the knives still in her grasp.
Five left.
The amazon was a trained warrior and knew where to cut to kill and where would not cause permanent damage, or so she hoped. Emma didn't deserve this, it was all her own fault, Thera berated herself. Why had she -? Thera launched forward with a cry, aiming for the slave's hip, knife sliding in with ease, its thin, delicate tapered blade and sharp point making the task revoltingly easy.
Emma centred herself and hoped that the amazon would finish the job without further incident. The choking had broken through her zone and she was in a lot of pain, the blood loss was not a concern yet, all the wounds bleeding but slowly because of the blades blocking the flow. Regina watched her pet check out again but allowed it as the fourth knife found a home in her thigh, away from the artery that ran through there, the amazon was being careful at least but it would not lessen her pet's pain.
Knife five also went in the slave's thigh, but the left as the right side already held a blade. Knife six on the right of Emma's ribs.
Two left.
Emma had regulated her breathing to the minimum and felt the pain but it was not incapacitating her, being pushed out with every breath until more rushed to replace it. Regina watched, fascinated by the resilience of her pet. She had yet to cry out.
"Her hands," Regina ordered and Thera whipped round to stare at the queen, appalled by the request. There she was sure to do permanent harm to the slave, the bones and tendons all needed for proper function.
"No?" Regina purred, stepping up to the amazon who dared defy her.
"Arrrrgh!" Emma screamed as the knife in her left shoulder began to rotate unaided, tearing into the muscle, no meditation able to cut off that kind of pain.
"Stop!" Thera called out and it was the word in many minds but none dared to vocalise it.
Gabrielle knew that although what she was witnessing was sick, twisted, it meant that her amazon would probably not be put to death. To interfere would undermine her friend's authority and possibly disrupt the peace between their kingdoms, any war with the dark kingdom would wipe out the amazons.
"She won't let Emma die." The amazon queen caught Red's soft words to the young wolf, who was looking as anguished as Red. The platitude was confusing though. If Regina cared enough about her slave not to let her die, why was she subjecting the woman to this torture?
"They think alike," Red glanced to the amazon queen who looked troubled. "It is how Emma would have punished the girl if she had been in the Queen's position. Maybe not with knives but the principle is the same. They understand each other." Red left it there, the explanation brief but all that was needed.
"Thera is familiar with knives and would do less damage than with the whip," Greta added, understanding things better than Red gave her credit for. "I will take care of Emma like I did when she was sick," the young wolf pledged, Red reaching up and clasping the pup's shoulder in a silent gesture of thanks and affection.
"She didn't bring her back from the dead to kill her again," Greta added almost silently, Red tightening her grip in acknowledgement, hoping the pup was right.
Belle was aghast, the whole event greatly disturbing the young amazon. Yes, she had heard the dark queen was a brutal and deadly woman but to see it first hand -. And the way the queen's slave was willingly taking the punishment? After last night Belle had assumed that the queen liked the blonde. Belle liked the blonde, the way she had touched her, calmed her had drawn her to the other slave. And yes, she could now see why Thera had wanted to help the slave, would go to such lengths to make sure she was safe. Foolish but understandable. Something about the slave's, Emma was her name? Something about Emma just drew you to her, Belle thought, straightening as the showdown came to an end, Thera hanging her bead before approaching the blonde slave.
Emma was fully alert but shaking and sweating from the excruciating pain she had just been caused. Thera looking almost as pale and also sweating stepped forward and raised Emma's right arm above the height of the blonde's shoulder to minimise the blood loss through the wound before hesitating. No, if Emma passed out it could do more damage if her hand took the weight of her arm so Thera lowered the limb, the slave unresisting, until it fell naturally by her side.
Emma had her eyes locked on her mistress, who was returning her pet's gaze with equal intensity. When Thera pushed the knife into her hand Emma let out a silent scream, feeling the bone and muscle part for the cold blade. Thera stepped back, panting and fighting the urge to vomit, hoping she had aimed correctly and not severed any vital tendons.
"Finish it," Regina growled, needing this to be over -, so she could move on with her day.
Thera nodded and with one last effort rammed the final knife through Emma's left hand.
"Easy, she's alright," Red still had her hand on Greta's shoulder, preventing the young wolf darting forward as the slave slumped in her bonds.
Regina stepped forward, fingers gently lifting her pet's chin. Out cold. The queen sighed and let the blonde's head drop then took her time examining each wound, each bloody and raw, oozing truckles of crimson, all except the one on her shoulder , that was pumping blood out in slow rhythm. Regina dipped her finger into the thick fluid, rubbing it over the tips before bringing it to her mouth and tasting her pet's blood, always a pleasant experience she mused.
"She stays there until sundown or until she dies, whichever comes sooner. You are to stay and watch her bleed for you then a month in the dungeon," the queen declared with a sniff as she addressed the amazon before turning her back on her pet as she gracefully swept down towards where her entourage was waiting.
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Next on The Collar
"Shhh, rest. You have a few hours left until sunset, " soft words soothed the slave and Emma gave a brief nod before shutting down again, trusting Greta to watch over her. Greta didn't have the heart to tell her friend that it was barely after midday and still around six hours until dusk would arrive.