Heart and Home~ Edmund Pevensie

Chapter 10| Torture

"She won't speak, my lord," The voice sounded from the top of the stairs, "I've tried everything."

There was rumble of footsteps as the men entered the dungeons. Automatically my pained expression switched to a neutral one at the sight of Miraz. He would not see my pain. The old man saw me and I almost grinned at the sight of my knife wounds on both his cheeks. He sneered in my direction before facing the torturer.

"What exactly have you tried?"

The man was flustered, "The usual trick, m'lord. A few knife wounds, starvation, dehydration. She hasn't spoken since she woke up."

"Well try harder!" Miraz's voice boomed. His expression was lived as he crouched down outside the bars of my cell. His anger sent chills throughout my aching spine, but I kept my face placid, "You will talk, little girl. And when you do, all will be revealed."

He exited the damp stone dungeon with his guards and the torturer following suit. Once the door closed I collapsed to the ground from my sitting position, the tears already spilling. My body curled itself into a ball, trying to take away the pain I felt in every corner. My stomach was ravaging, desperate for food. My mouth felt as dry as a desert and my arms and legs ached with several cuts. I knew they could do worse. I knew they were going to do worse, but that didn't numb the pain.

Edmund.

Somehow his name brought comfort. For a moment, I wondered if he had made it out of the castle. He didn't leave with the others, he had disappeared after he killed the archer who shot me. Was he dead? Were we never going to see each other again? He left you Amelia, an evil part of me whispered, but I countered it, No he didn't. He didn't have a choice.

My heart felt like tearing itself apart. So many choices. So many decisions I needed to make. Did he chose to leave? Was he forced to leave? Do I love him? Do I hate him? Do I want Caspian? Do I want Edmund? But the events of my love life didn't matter here. This dungeon didn't care who you were, it broke you down either way. The damp cold and the darkness left me wondering what it felt like to feel the sun on my skin. Warmth. Something I had taken for granted before they brought me down here.

I heard the main entrance open again, but I couldn't bring myself to sit up and act strong. So many hours spent down here. At first, it was easy to pretend that I was strong, but as the hours ticked by in the slowest pace, it got harder. I started to yearn for sunlight, for warmth, for people.

"Up, girlie."

I grunted as I pushed myself up. My green tunic was stained with blood and my brown pants were torn in so many places. I laid my eyes on the masked torturer, trying to build up my barrier again. His arms were crossed behind his back, and I knew he was hiding his new torture device.

"What do you want?" The words came out stronger than what I felt.

"Who are you?"

I'm afraid I can't tell you that you have the Silvanus. I remained silent.

"I said who are you?"

Silence.

He moved his arms, and from behind his back he revealed a blood-stained whip. My eyes started to water.

"Who are you?"

Don't break. Don't break. Don't break.

Silence. The torturer walked into the cell.

"Turn around, girlie."

I did as I was told and faced the opposite wall, gritting my teeth as I waited for impact.