War of Winter (Iron Fey Fanfiction)

Chapter 27 - Lashes, Lashes, We All Fall Down

           Crystal swallowed and struggled to keep her anger under control as she was led out of her prison tent by two roguish guards who kept pinching her arms too tight. It was near dusk and a large group of fey had gathered to witness her "public humiliation". 

   She couldn't imagine what Titania had planned for her. Probably turning her into a deer or something stupid like that. Despite everything, Crystal's hands trembled a bit. Somehow, she knew that this circus Titania had planned would be much, much worse than being turned into a deer. 

   The fey snarled and jeered at her as she was pushed through the crowd gathered. One goblin poked a stick hard at her calf and she snarled, kicking it in the face. The guards only shoved her forward, growling a "keep going, girl" at her. 

   She felt her breath catch in her throat as she saw the tall, sturdy pole in the middle of the circle the fey had created. Her mouth went dry and she suddenly knew exactly what Titania had in store for her. Speaking of said Queen, Titania elegantly stood across the circle, looking down upon her like she was a dead bug underneath the Queen's slippers. 

   Titania held up a hand and the crowd quieted immediately. "Tonight, we are gathered to witness a very honorable event!" The crowd jeered and snarled while Crystal rolled her eyes. Hypocrites, she thought. Every Summer fey here was just as bloodthirsty as they accused Winter fey of being. 

   "You are all probably aware of our guest, the lovely Winter girl from across the field," Titania said, speaking as if Crystal barely existed. "Most likely stopped by to pay her respects." She smiled and Crystal swore she heard thunder rumble. "Now, it is time we return the gesture."

   Crystal swallowed as the guards, taking that as their cue, pushed her forward towards the pole. Where was Rowan? she thought. She didn't want him getting caught up in this mess, and she knew he wasn't stupid enough to try and engage Titania alone but...

   She only hoped he'd escaped back to Winter's side of the field. She could take care of herself. She hoped. 

   Tying her wrists tightly to the pole, the guards then, to the crowd's delight, took hold of her thin shirt, and ripped the back open, pushing it aside to reveal her lean back, already decorated with a few scars. 

   Growls emanated from the crowd and Crystal clenched her teeth as the air hit her exposed skin. "She is to receive fifteen lashes, since I am feeling particularly generous. I am also not as much of a downright savage like Mab."

   Crystal curled her lip in disgust and glared at the Queen. How dare she insult the Winter monarch like that? Titania didn't even flinch at Crystal's icy glare. "Don't make it thirty, dear girl," the Queen said, her face as serious as a summer lightning storm. 

  Crystal felt her heart speed up as the largest guard picked up a lasher, the tail filled with tiny pinpricks of the Needle flower. Her back would be stinging like hell for weeks. She braced herself and wished they'd just get it over with. 

  "Wait!" a new voice overrode the cacophony of shouts and snarls. 

   Crystal swore and looked over her shoulder-

   -and almost vomitted. Lukas stood there, his golden hair shimmering in the firelight of torches a few fey held. "Let me do it. Since apparently my identity was stolen, I think this bitch should receive a well given thanks from me," he spat the secret word like it tasted foul in his mouth. 

  Crystal let out a breath of relief. It wasn't Rowan. His accent was all wrong. Lukas's accent and tone were rougher, more like the accents of fey from the deserts in the south. His face was also all wrong. Like a monster had crawled in and replaced the once probably decent faery. Or perhaps he'd always been like this. 

   Crystal said nothing as Lukas - the real Lukas - took up the lasher and didn't hesitate, bringing it down upon her back like it was the best thing he ever did. It probably was, to him. Fire laced up her skin and she clenched her jaw, squeezing her eyes shut. Only fourteen more to go, she thought. 

   Lukas growled and struck again, harder this time. Still, she kept quiet. She'd endured worse. Lukas seemed to be wanting to get a scream or cry or any sort of sound of pain out of her, but she refused to give him the satisfaction. It felt like years went by as Lukas dealt out lash after lash upon her back, earning cheers from the crowd and a look of satisfaction from Titania. 

   Crystal made it a point in her mind to kill Lukas the next time they met on the battlefield. She could feel blood dripping down her back and she knew she looked terrible. She hadn't noticed before now that tears were streaming down her face, most likely from the pain. 

    Finally, Lukas dealt out the last lash, and Crystal let out a long breath, the lump in her throat threatening to explode. She'd forgotten how painful getting lashed was. It felt as if her whole back were on fire and she desperately wanted, at that moment, to jump in the coldest lake in the world. 

   She only registered the guards untying her wrists and the crowd somewhat dispersing as the show wrapped up. "You got what you deserved, bitch," one guard snarled in her ear, his wet lips brushing her ear. He grinned and slapped her shoulder, hard.

  Right where an open, bloody lash sat. 

   Now, she did cry out and act on instinct. She remembered turning and shoving her fist into the guard's nose, the guard then backslapping her, causing her (only in her wounded state) to fall to the ground. Black was beginning to tint her vision and she desperately let oblivion take her. 

   Just before she went under, her heart lifted with relief as she saw a figure with black spiky hair and divine blue eyes racing back toward's Winter's side, the body of the soldier who'd assaulted her in the woods thrown across his saddle.