Reyna Feldman, a twenty year old Jewish girl from the tiniest of villages in France, is on the run. Captured by German soldiers while trying to escape over the border, she's taken to an internment camp in Freiburg, Germany, where she meets SS Philli...
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Happy November! :D I wanted to drop in your feed and give you a little update today! After a few requests for this chapter, here it is! Phillip's POV from the day after Reyna and Lieutenant Muller's scene in the study! Let me know what y'all think!!
Flashback - Phillip's POV
Phillip strode across the grounds, his sights set on one thing and one thing only.
He'd heard the screams first. They had been blood curdling, and he'd known immediately who they belonged to - that something was horribly, horribly wrong. He'd bounded up the stairs, taking them two and three at a time and ripped the door open.
His heart had nearly stopped at what he'd seen ... It had taken everything in him not to draw his gun and fire it into the back of Lieutenant Muller's head right then and there. Everything in him not to grab him by the throat and strangle him to death.
But he'd kept it together - for her.
Once Muller had left, he hadn't been able to stop himself from looking her over head to toe, his eyes scanning frantically for the smallest trace of injury. The bastard had ripped her dress nearly clean off, and the sobs that had shook her entire body had cracked something in his chest. But he hadn't found a single bruise or cut - a small mercy.
There were wounds there he couldn't see though. He knew that. And he hadn't the faintest idea how to treat those wounds - didn't know if he even could. He'd mentioned sending for a doctor - that was the only thing he'd been able to think of. She hadn't wanted that though. Had only wanted him.
So he'd held her while she slept, propped against the headboard at a horribly awkward angle that would surely leave his neck and back aching for days. He hadn't dared move even an inch though, for fear of waking her. Even though sleep evaded him, she'd looked peaceful for the first time that night, so he'd been content to watch her, her chest rising and falling with each slow breath she took.
He shook the memory away, mustering up every ounce of steely composure within himself. It wouldn't be enough - the punishment he'd issue Muller today. It would never be enough for what he'd done. But it would be something - and he had to do something.
He'd decided to seek him out during morning patrol instead of having Muller brought to him. He wouldn't bring him back into that house - back into his study where Reyna lay sleeping just a room away. Not that he had been able to bring himself to set foot it the study that morning anyway. The thought nauseated him - filled him with rage to his very core. Lieutenant Muller would never go near her again if he had anything to do with it.
"Lieutenant," He said, his eyes falling on their target. Lieutenant Muller stood before two privates, barking out a string of orders to them. Turning on his heel to see who'd called his name, Muller faced him.
"Sturmbannführer," He straightened, standing at attention a long side the two privates until Phillip waved a hand that said, 'at ease.'
"A word," He said, ignoring the two soldiers. "Oh no," He held up a hand as Muller attempted to walk away to a more private location. "Here is just fine."
"Sir," Muller began, clasping his hands behind his back. "About last night-"
"Let me stop you there," Phillip interrupted with a raised hand. "You broke into my quarters, helped yourself to my alcohol, and had Ms. Feldman brought there under the false pretense that she was meeting me."
"Sir," He tried to interject.
"Two weeks of night patrol," Phillip cut him off.
"Sir."
"And no weekend leave until further notice," He added.
"I'm not some rankless grunt you can order about," Muller spat, dropping the polite tone he'd held moments ago.
"You're lucky I don't strip you of your rank entirely," He said, not bothering to hide the disdain in his voice anymore.
"You can't do that," Muller challenged. He was right. He didn't have the authority to do that. It didn't stop him from doubling down on the threat.
"Keep running your mouth and we'll find out just what I can and can't do," He shot back. When Lieutenant Muller made no attempt to challenge him again, he turned around to walk away.
"Did she put up as good of a fight when you had her?"
"What did you say?" He asked, his tone deathly calm. Turning around slowly, he faced him again.
"You haven't done a very good job breaking her in, have you?" Muller continued on, a satisfied smirk on his face. He had baited him - had wanted to get a reaction out of him.
"Ten lashes." If he wanted a reaction, he'd get a reaction.
"What?" Muller blinked.
"Ten lashes," He repeated through gritted teeth. "For your mouthing. Now."
"You can't do that," Muller argued, his smug demeanor faltering. "It's not befitting of an officer."
"Neither is your behavior," Phillip shot back. "You two," He pointed to the two privates who'd been lingering, pretending not to eavesdrop. "Escort Lieutenant Muller to the courtyard."
Obeying the direct order without hesitation, they grabbed Muller by the upper arms, and pulled him away.
Exhaling sharply, Phillip looked up at the sky. Shit. He'd lost himself. Had let his anger get the better of him. Lieutenant Muller was right. Lashing wasn't a punishment typically handed out to anyone with a rank. It was unorthodox at best, overstepping entirely at worst. It was too late now though. He'd given an order and he'd see it through - personally.
Clenching his jaw he turned and made his way to the courtyard. A crowd had began to gather at the spectacle of it all. Liza DuPont stood amongst the crowd. Word would've undoubtably reached her by now of what had happened. If not from that officer she had entangled herself with, then Luca. He met her gaze briefly, glancing away when her eyes widened at whatever she saw in his, a knowing look dancing across her face.
He blinked, mastering his expression before turning to Muller, who'd been stripped of his jacket and shirt, his bare back exposed.
Muller stared back, his expression stone faced. Taking hold of the whip one of the nearby soldiers had extended out to him, Phillip nodded towards the wooden post that stood behind Lieutenant Muller, a silent command for him to turn around and face it. He turned, bracing his forearms against the wood.
Wordlessly, he raised the whip and swung. It connected with Lieutenant Muller's back with a loud smack.
Memories from the night before flooded to the front of his mind - Reyna's screams - Her ripped dress. He sucked in a breath, fighting to keep his anger in check.
Another smack reverberated through the courtyard as the whip struck again. Then another, and another. The crowd was silent as he delivered all ten lashes.
It took everything in him to hand the whip back to the soldier once he'd finished, but he did. Lieutenant Muller, to his credit, hadn't made a sound during the punishment and if it wouldn't've been for the numerous witnesses, Phillip probably would have kept going until he did.
Without so much as a word or glance towards Lieutenant Muller, he turned on his heel and left the courtyard.
—————————————————- Let me know what y'all think! I really enjoyed writing from Phillip's point of view!
