Chapter 11: Punishment of a Traitor

Warning: Violence, Torture and Crude words.

We tend to cling to images of people of one we knew them best, forgetting that they do change…

A small stream of light entered through the cracks of a closed window. It teased the tired captured Thanagarian, as she breathed in deep and heavy gasps from last night's failed attempt to escape.

And she mentally cursed herself for it.

She had been silently planning in her mind a route to escape, trading pain for an extra piece to add to her plan. Hro would come in every night to seek pleasurable time with her, as sadistic as he was, he enjoyed seeing her weak. He in dominance and she in submission. She thought of the comforting thoughts of how all this would come to an end once she runs away, while digging her hands into the pillow as he explored her.

And there and then she would feel the ring, the coolness of it sliding over her skin and glow black. She could only pretend it was a familiar green one, the one which had save her countless times and been there in her times of need. However she knew that there may be a possibility of her not being able to see that warm green ever again, and she'll die in the dark shadows of this one.

She remembered a few years ago, when she and John were together he often talked about life in the corps. How the ring had chose him right after the marines, how he trained under Katma, what the rings were powered by, and that there was more rings than the one he was wearing.

There were the pink ones like Sapphire star's, yellow like Sinestro's and much more. John even encountered an indigo one.

But the most deadly one being the black ring. None of the green lanterns has ever seen nor heard of a black ring bearer, so they all dismiss it as a legend of myth. Should one ever encounter one, it would be the end, or is it?

Shayera never really understood why Hro didn't just get over it and kill her, but each night after feeling satisfied with her. He would go outside the balcony and talk to himself. Or someone. The words they speak are foreign to her but it would often end with Hro hissing, his angry tone switched on as he grips the balcony, crumbling them like cookies. And then he bathes in dark light and takes off to take a soul or two.

It was perfect.

She didn't care if she was half dressed, wings broken and arms tied, with a swift move she jumps off the balcony and ran towards the forest.

The shadows dance beside her, and owls taunt her as she race against darkness, wings flapping wildly behind her.

Yes she could see it, lights at the far horizon. All she needs to do is run a little faster. And run she did, right into the cold sea waters. She was on a goddamn island. From there she realizes that there was no escape through running, only through flying. Or die swimming.

She ran back towards the forest, turns around to gain velocity. She jumps when reached the crashing waters and flapped with all her might despite her wings protest. She was depending a lot on her right wing, her only fully functional one. Sweat poured through her forehead as she struggled to stir herself to oblivion, the wind wasn't really friendly and she was having an agonizing time.

That was when Hro showed up.

He sped towards her, eyes burning with rage and body glowing in black aura. With one swift move he grasps her right wing and using his fingers twist the fragile bones that grant her flight. She cried out in pain she felt a pain surge through her system and with both wings failing, she fell right into the deep waters below.

Her body met with icy water as she plunge deep below, mind alarming her to swim upwards for air. She kicked her legs wildly in the dark sea, and pushes her way up into the surface. She grasps for air, her lungs painful and her hair soaked all over. She struggled to stay afloat.

But it wasn't enough for Hro. He spotted her and pushed her deep into the sea again, his arm tightening around her neck as she clawed at them. Air bubbles were rapidly escaping and her head was feeling dizzy. She could feel herself slipping away. She look into the eyes of Hro and hope death may come quick, as she let out the last air bubble and closes her eyes.

She woke to the sound of footstep approaching the door. The door flung open and in step her captor.

"Enjoyed the swim last night?" he asked sarcastically, eyeing her like she was meat and he the butcher.

Shayera remain silent even when Hro step close to her, gently rubbing the back of his hands against her cold cheek. She looks away from him as he made a trail up her wings and she tries not to flinch when he tightens the ropes. Each arm was bound to different sides, her wings were stretch out with a tiny metal claw embedded in the skin of each wing. Due to her shortness, her feet dangled in the air, her entire weight supported by the shackles and knots that bound her hand and wings.

If John was here he would have blown up Hro's head for laying a hand on her.

"What are you thinking about?" asked Hro, and when she refuse to make eye contact his vice like hands grips her jaw and turns her head roughly towards his face.

"Look at me!" he hissed into her face, anger rushing in from her unwillingness to look at him in the eye.

Eventually she did comply, her shimmering emerald eyes turn into slits as she glared him down and spit at him right in the face.

She was welcome by a back hand slap across her left cheek. The impact threw her back, the shackles and chains bounding her shook and left her swinging like a pendulum. He grabbed her by the hair, halting her swing.

"You useless bitch, after all I've done for you after all we've been through… Why do you still hope? Hope that each day and night that someone will come for you, hoping that he will come for you?"

She remained silent, hoping Hro would not see her flinch slightly when he mentions John. It had been almost two weeks and he hasn't come for her. She wondered if he was looking for her. Is he missing her and thinking about her like she was? Was he searching under every rock and stone to look for her? Or was he spending each night warm in bed with Mari, thinking her disappearance as a blessing that she'll no longer be in his life. She misses him, and somehow she felt she would not live long enough to meet him ever again.

"It doesn't take a telepath to know who you're thinking of. He won't be coming Shayera, even if he does, I'll make sure to rip out his heart and serve it to you as a remembrance." He smiled, pleased with the thought of killing John.

"That reminds me, about your little… escapade last night, we don't take betrayal lightly," he says, his ring flashing black again. He closes the space between them and whispers in her ear:" Are you ready to face the consequences?"

At the speed of thought, a black whip with a silvery grey handle appeared in his hand. He quietly walks to the back, the long whip trailing behind him as he targeted he perfect spot to hit.

CRACK!

The whip landed on the place where flesh met wings, and she cried out in agony. She clenched her hands into fist and gnawed her teeth together. Not wanting Hro to feel the satisfaction he was getting out of this.

WHAPSHHH!

"WAS HE WORTH IT?"

CRACK!

He was using his full force. She was suspended by the wrists, feet barely touching ground, which helped to stretch the skin taut and increase the damage inflicted by the whip. It also centred Shayera's weight in her shoulders, further ensuring a painful experience. He merely smiles at the thought of the pain he was inflicting.

CRACK! WHAPSHHH!

"WAS SAVING THIS PLANET WORTH IT?" Hro continued to bombard.

WHAPSHH!

She yelled out loud. Her hands griping the ropes tightly as she rolled her head to one side, sucking in the horrendous pain she was suffering. Sweat poured down her forehead and she could feel of the pain eating at her. Her nerve clusters at her back were going haywire and her wings fluttered like a bird held captive.

"STOP THIS!" she cried with all her might, her heart racing, anger and humiliations flowing through her system like wild fire.

He paused, only to continue whipping and lashing for another ten times.

"You want me to stop?"

CRACK!

"You want to be free?"

CRACK!

"You want atonement and forgiveness?"

WHAPSHHH!

"I'll give you that!"

CRACK!

Shayera trembled in anticipation for the lashes, as tears of humiliation started to fall free from her face. She wept quietly as she felt him hitting the same spot over and over again. Her skin breaking and shredded, warm blood gash through and drip to the floor.

She lost count on the many times he'd hit her, her mind felt numb from all the pain flooding in.

He finally stops what he was doing at held her head up with one finger.

"You'll never break me" she whispered, her eyes displaying the fire of determination and will that never die no matter how hard people try to snuff it out.

"We shall see about that Shayera," he grinned. He took out a whole stack of photographs and threw them all onto the floor.

She recognises them instantly.

"Funny how when two people pledge to be together, they claim to be inseparable. Yet when one wanders off for space, the other one finds comfort from another."

She looks at the cut outs from various tablets and magazines, as the woman smiles at the paparazzi and arm in arm with a man who wore sunglasses. He too smiled, but tried to get away from the dazzling lights that blinded him.

It seemed no matter how discreet they were the paparazzi were still hot on pursuit, there were photographs of them shopping, jogging, eating and … kissing.

Many articles of them stating in big words they were the next super hero item alongside Black Canary and Green Arrow.

As her eyes wandered past those crisps papers she fell sight on a camera taken photo.

It was a photo of a dim lit apartment, the light coming from a lamp on the table stand next to it. And there were two occupants, embracing each other in bed, caught in a passionate lip lock.

Shayera grip the ropes even tighter when she saw what laid next to the photo, a wedding invitation with her name scribbled on it.

She can't help but let a few tear fall again, as she stared blankly at the invitation card , wishing with all her being it wasn't' true but it was and it will cme true soon. She knew it , he knew it.

" Not so great now is he?" spit Hro as he laugh and laugh, " He won't come to get you Shayera, he has someone better in store now."

With a swift move, he sliced the ropes bounding her as she fell to the floor in a thud. She glance at her one last time, promising for a surprise tomorrow and locked the door safely.

Shayera looked at the photos, tiny puddles forming on them as she laid atop them, and cried until she can't no more into oblivion.