The False Princess

Chapter 9

Edited

The dungeons are dark. And creepy. Did I mention that they are really dark?

I've never been more scared in my life.

But I never will reveal where my pendant is. Ever. Gai won't kill me. I'm too valuable. He won't kill me. He can't kill me. But I'm sure that he can-and will-cause me pain.

Gai enters the dungeon.

"Where is the pendant?" He sneers angrily at me. I don't want to get myself in deeper trouble, so I just stare at him. I won't give up my pendant. Gai sighs dejectedly, then says something inaudible to his guards. They all look at me with a mixture of pity and disgust. I swallow nervously, and smile wanly.

Guards roughly grab me, and force me to stand on a tall chair. They string my arms behind me. For I second I wonder if they're going to hang me. That would suck. But then they attach the chain hanging from the stone ceiling to my bound hands. My arms hang behind me-almost at shoulder height. It's uncomfortable to put it mildly. But not painful. Gai looks at me with disappointment.

"Just tell me where it is! You'd save yourself lots of pain." He whispers in my ear.

I'm incapable of words, too scared to function, but I manage to shake my head 'no'. He purses his lips and barks a order to the guards.

"Gai-please!" I murmur. I'm not below begging. Gai just looks at me again. I can see what looks like sadness etched into his face.
Why would he feel sad?
But before I can contemplate this newfound fact, he kicks the chair out from under me.

The amount of pain I feel in a millisecond is of astronomical proportions.
My shoulders pop out and hang awkwardly, my full body weight putting pressure on my dislocated shoulders. I scream so loudly I think my throat may rip. It hurts so badly I almost want to die. Through the blaze of red fog, blurring my vision, I think I see Gai exit the dungeon. I'm alone. All alone. I scream again, crying out to the heavens for mercy.

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I don't know how long it has been. My shoulders throb with my heartbeat pulsing through my body. I have to focus on my breathing. Focus on my breathing. I try and think through this rationally, but my mind just doesn't cooperate. It hurts too badly. So I let it drift again.
.........................................

I hear a creak. Light spills in. Somebody wipes a cool cloth on my forehead, wiping away sweat from my burning forehead. They pour water into my mouth. Cold, delicious water. Then they leave. And I'm alone. Again.

............................................

All I can think about is the pain. It hurts so bad that I wish I could be unconscious. I wish I could die. But I can't. I just hang there-completely helpless.  It hurts like crazy. Like having red hot coals put inside you. Like being stabbed. Like breaking your leg then being forced to run 50 marathons on it.
I hate this.
.........................................

I drift in and out of consciousness. I vaguely wonder about the other girls, but I can't be bothered to think about anybody-or anything else. It takes effort to think. It takes effort to breathe. It takes effort to even want to breathe.

................................

The door is slowly opened. My head is hanging on my chest, and my mind is slow. One person grabs my waist, and the other undoes the chains and ropes. I flash of pain rips through my joints, but I'm too weak to cry out. I can remember falling into soft arms. That's when I pass out.

................................

"She's brave. You have to give her that. She'd make a good princess."

"Shush Mufar-she's stubborn."

"Look she's waking up."

My eyes slowly flutter open. Gai and Mufar are looking at me.

"You are very stubborn. Do you know how long you were down there?" Gai says. I stiffly and painfully shake my head. My mouth doesn't seem to work properly.

"Three days."

I can barely register those words. I begin to drift off again. I am vaguely aware of being picked up, and cradled.

"Don't worry. I got you." A voice says. Derrin's. Of course. Forget about the drama-right now I, just happy to see him. I rest my head against his shoulder.

"Thanks." I think I whisper. I want to tell him everything. About Briss. But I can't choke anything out. Everything hurts too much.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry" I murmur, black spots appearing in my vision. My eyes feel irresistibly heavy all of a sudden.

"Hush. It's ok. I forgive you." He whispers.

That's when I give into the temptation, and close my eyes.