Captured By The King

Thirty-one • Beaten

Queen Felicity Lowell's Point of View

"Start, Jonathan."

It was the same voice, the same man, the demon who did all those cruel things to me. The creature who touched my body and left me to starve and thirst for days. Those things did not matter anymore when I heard another name. My brother.

Dominic pulled out the blindfold on my eyes and the tape that covered my mouth. I don't know how much time it took me before I could see. The darkness was my solitude when I was alone and now that it is gone, I became even more blinded by the newfound light.

Then, the air that touched my lips. Instantly, it became dry. I tried to lick my lips but in failure, even my tongue could not move. So I let myself inhale the air, reminding me that I am still breathing, alive, and fighting.

But before I could even think of more ways to survive, I heard a whooshing sound which came before a burning and painful sting on my stomach.

I blinked rapidly to register what was happening before me. First, it was all a blur, a shadow of two men. One of which was sitting down and the other was standing in front of me, holding an inanimate object.

Then, another whipping sound that hit the other side of my abdomen. I wanted to curl from the pain, clutch my skin until it fades away but the pain in my arms was the reminder that I was tied and helpless.

More and more lashes landed on my body. I thought that the ones that came before the other hurt the most but as he whipped me continuously, the pain grew unbearable.

It frustrated me that it was still hard to see. This time, they weren't a blur, the men turned to look glassy which meant one thing, the tears that welled up in my eyes were threatening to fall because of the pain. I shut my eyes closed because I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of my hurt.

Blood was now starting to drip all over my body. He landed the torturous object on my stomach, my legs, my thighs, and the ones that hurt the most were on my back.

I didn't beg him to stop, I didn't cry nor did I flinch. I just stood there, emotionless. What have I done to deserve this treatment? I was never cruel, right? Then, my eyes finally adjusted, I saw the man before me, someone whom I never expected to do such a thing.

After my vision cleared came the sounds. I thought I was deaf already but the sounds just turned to be muffled, a result of plain silence for days. "Count, Felicity!" He screamed while the other man chuckled. I couldn't see his face because he sat on the shadow.

How could he? "How could you?" I whispered to him, hoping that he would cease his motion. The tears were still a prisoner in my eyes, I couldn't show any signs of my weakness even if my own brother was the one to cause it.

"Damn it, Felicity! This won't stop until you start counting!" He screamed over and over again but my voice seemed to be far gone. I just looked at him, feeling numb, thinking how bad I was to him that led him to turn his back against me.

All those years, I only wanted a family that will love me for the way I am. I had a brother that only cared for me when he could beat me up and tell me, "Get back up and be a warrior!" Even if I fell a million times, he never stopped until I stood up again, that was how he told me, "I love you, Felicity."