The Skabelse

Little Piggies

Warning: slightly graphic

Rowan dared not to flinch as he slowly dragged the blade down her check, not yet breaking the skin. She knew he was testing her, trying to see just how far he could go before he really caused her harm.

He trailed the wicked blade to her jaw, then under her chin to her throat. The cold silver threatened to cause goosebumps to surface.

"Can you get on with it already? I'm getting rather bored," Rowan said with a smirk, knowing it would anger her torturer. He grunted and dug the tip of the blade right above her collar bone, instantly drawing blood. She did her best to not show pain as he repeated the action at the crook of her neck.

"Are you ready to give me what I need?" Blanche asked impatiently.

"So soon? I thought we were having fun?" Rowan retorted smugly. Blanche let out a sound of annoyance and motioned or the man to continue. Rowan quickly looked at Bjorn and gave him an assuring nod. He returned it, but couldn't wipe the dread from his face.

He then slowly grazed her arm, and sliced off a small portion of skin. Rowan clenched her teeth and seethed, causing specks of spit to fly into the air. Then the man cut another slice, this time from the delicate skin on her inner-bicep. She couldn't help but to cry out in pain this time, and balled her hands into fists.

"Want to try again, Gladeswoman?" Blanche asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Rowan closed her eyes tightly but said nothing.

The large man then walked to the table and sat the bloody knife down, switching it out for a pair of pliers. "Let's see how the little piggies are fairing, shall we?" he said with a malevolent grin.

Rowan's eyes popped open at his words, then looked to the pliers in his hand. Her blood ran ice cold as she could only imagine what he planned to do with them. She struggled to get free, but it was no use.

He removed her boots and tossed them aside next to Bjorn, who watched wide-eyed as Rowan squirmed in fear on the wooden table. He wanted to tell her to remain strong, but knew he didn't have to for she would.

The man waved to pliers around, knowing that he was getting somewhere with the silver-haired woman. "She would break soon, they all do," he thought.

"Blanche, are you familiar with the nursery rhyme This Little Piggy?"

Blanche simpered as he realized what he was about to do, "Why yes I am, Lucian."

Her guard, Lucian, bowed his head and turned back to Rowan, "And are you?" he asked.

She narrowed her eyes at him, "I don't think I am, Lucian," she said weakly, spitting his name as if it were poison.

"Let me enlighten you then, princess," he shot back, mimicking her tone.

Lucian grabbed her left foot with one hand and her big toe with the other, all while grasping the pliers in his fingers. "This little piggy went to the market," she said slowly, wiggling her big toe with his thumb and index finger. "This little piggy stayed home," he sang, moving on to the next toe and wiggling it, "This little piggy had roast beef," he continued, "This little piggy had none," he said with a smile. When he got to her pinky toe he grasped it tightly and clamped the pliers onto her nail, "And this little piggy cried," he paused, yanking the pliers back along with her nail. She screamed in agony clenched her teeth as Lucian continued, "All the way home!"

Bjorn grew slightly nocuous at the sight of her bloody and raw foot. He couldn't imagine what it must have felt like.

Lucian continued again, but this time ending on the nail next to her big toe and pulled upwards slowly. Rowan cried out, not caring that tears were falling down her dirty face.