Through the Looking Glass

by Rebecca Lorino Pond

  She chewed her meager slice of bread in little bits at a time and had to stop herself several times from gulping down the water in the wooden cup. She wanted to try and save a few drops of the precious liquid for later but it was beginning to be too hard. She hadn’t eaten anything since lunch on the day she and Jakar had fought in the garden and Daniel hadn’t given her much water on the ride.

  After her bread was gone and her cup empty, she leaned back on the wall and closed her eyes again. She was so tired and her head continued to hurt. She would just take a small nap and hope it helped with her head.

  It felt like seconds later when Isobel jerked awake at the sound of someone yelling at her from above. “Get up bitch!”

  It was Daniel. She pried open an eye and looked at a dirty boot. “Leave me alone,” she mumbled. Next thing she knew she was being hauled to her feet.

  “When I say get up, you get up!” He fisted a handful of her hair and pushed her out of the cell.

  “You’re hurting me!” she said as she tried desperately to pull out of his grasp.

  “That’s the point!” He laughed at her.

  Up the stairs and down a long hallway Daniel navigated her until they reached a set of double doors. Daniel knocked loudly on the wooden door with the metal knocker. A voice from within called for them to enter.

  Daniel thrust her into the brightly lit room. She had to squint her eyes from the brightness since her eyes had yet to become readjusted to light. Tuloch stood in the middle of the large room and watched her as she drew nearer to him.

  “Ah, my guest has appeared. I hope the accommodations are to your liking,” he asked her sarcastically.

  “They’re a dream,” she responded with such loathing that she wiped the grin off Tuloch’s face.

  “Well, if you don’t like your room I can see if we have another available. Maybe,” he tapped a finger on his lips as he thought, “maybe in the cemetery? Would that be more suitable for you?” He strode up to her and grabbed her painfully by the chin to make her look at his face. “No? You might want to reconsider my offer after I finish having my discussion with you.” He jerked his head at Daniel who forced her to move forward until she stood between two columns.

  She had no idea what was about to happen to her until she saw the ropes hanging down each column. Her heart thudded loudly in her ears as she thought about what was to come. She broke out in a cold sweat and tried to jerk away from Daniel.

  “What are you doing?” she screamed as she fought Daniel. If he was going to tie her up he was going to have to work for it. She kicked out her leg in a vain attempt to catch him by surprise. Unfortunately, her kick landed only on his shin and only caused him to grunt. With one arm securely tied to the column, Daniel reached for the second rope while he held her by the free arm. She saw a prime opportunity to kick out again when he had his back slightly turned away from her. Just as he grabbed hold of the rope she swung her leg forward and made contact with his balls.

  She was ecstatic when her tormentor doubled over and howled in pain. But her happiness was short lived when she felt her body being turned around to face Tuloch. He back handed her so fast that she didn’t even see it coming. Her head snapped back and she bit her tongue, drawing blood. Her vision blackened for a time before it cleared enough to see Tuloch glaring furiously at her.

  “I will kill you right where stand if you do that again!” He shouted in her face, spit flying as he spoke. “Finish tying her up and be quick about it. I want to play with my little pet for a while.” He reached out and fingered a strand of her hair that had fallen over her face and in her eyes.

  Isobel hissed in pain as Daniel tied her free arm to the opposite column. She was positive that he had made sure to pull her as tight as he could before tying the end of the rope off. She almost had to stand on tip toes in order to relieve some of the pressure her arms and shoulders were experiencing. With her senses back, her eyes moved around to follow Tuloch’s movements throughout the room. She was no longer worried about Daniel doing anything to her because she automatically sensed that Tuloch was going to have that pleasure. She felt like she was going to throw up when she saw her captor pick up something off the long table that stood on the opposite side of the vast room. Pure terror washed over her when he turned around with the object in his hand and grinned at her.

  “You have caused me a lot of trouble,” he said as he inched his way near her. “I just don’t see how the fairies predicted that you,” his eyes roamed up and down her body, “were going to be the one to take me down!” He broke into a hysterical laugh in which Daniel joined. “After I am done with you, I will make it a point of informing the fucking fairies that their asinine prophecies are false!”

  Tuloch stopped in front her and she was able to see the thing he had picked up from the table was a flogger. It was brown and made of leather. The numerous thin strips of leather fell limply from the handle as Tuloch gestured with it as he spoke to her. Her heart skipped several beats at the thought of being struck with such a weapon. Her eyes widen in terror when he held it up close to her face so she could inspect the thing that was about to cause her agonizing pain.

  “Aww, what’s the matter, my lovely? Scared?” He rubbed the handle of the flogger down the side of her face. I was going to let it be a surprise but since you took it upon yourself to attack my man I decided I would let you see it.” Tuloch nodded his head once to Daniel who had come up behind her.

  She felt hands on the back of her gown at the neck line then the sound of ripping material alerted her to why Daniel had been standing behind her. He didn’t stop until he had ripped the gown all the way down to her waist revealing tender white skin.

  “No, please!” she cried out and struggled to get loose. “Daniel, I thought you loved me at one time,” she said as Daniel pushed the split dress off her shoulders. She felt the cool air in the room touch the sides of her breasts that could be seen from the side.

  “I never loved you. I did what I had to do in order to gain your trust. You weren’t even a good fuck!” Daniel stepped away from her ear and came to stand in front of her with Tuloch. “She’s ready, my lord.”

  “Thank you, Daniel. It’s standard to administer twenty-five lashes to someone accused of a crime but I am feeling generous today. Let’s just make it fifteen unless you don’t cooperate then we will make it the full amount.” He chatted to her as he walked out of her line of vision.

  She hadn’t been prepared for the first strike and when it struck, her breath was instantaneously take away. The sting of the lashes cutting her skin was unlike anything she had ever felt before in her life. Unable to contain her scream, she let it out just as she heard the lashes coming in for another hit. Again and again the beast swung the vile weapon at her back, striking her up and down the skin on her back. She could feel the blood running down her back and soaking into her gown as she hung on to consciousness. She had no idea what the count was and prayed with everything she had that it would stop. Her backside was on fire and she could barely stand anymore, letting the ropes tied to her arms hold her up. Tears coursed down her face and dripped to the floor along with the drops of her blood. Her ears were ringing and she knew she wouldn’t be able to remain conscious for much longer.

  “Ah, that was such a wonderful way to release some of the stress I have been under.” Tuloch’s face was splattered with her blood. “Take her away!” he ordered and walked out of the room.

  She felt someone untying her arms and someone else holding her up. She would have fallen directly to the ground if it had not been for the one supporting her underneath her armpits. When she was free each man took one of her arms and dragged her back to her hell hole.

  They dumped her unceremoniously on the cold, damp floor then shut the door behind them, but she didn’t hear the lock click. A second later the door open back up and a woolen blanket was tossed in, landing too far away from where she lay.

  “Why in the fuck Tuloch ordered me to give you that, I
will never know.”

  Daniel’s voice sounded so far away. She stretched her fingers out in an attempt to pull the blanket to her. She cried out in pain as every little move she made sent stabs of pain and fire through her body. She had to get that blanket, she was shivering from shock and hoped that it would offer a bit of protection from the cold. Holding her breath, she pushed against the wall with her feet and slid her body forward enough to reach out and grab a corner of the material.

  She cried in relief as she pulled it to her and slowly wrapped her battered body in it while she still lay on the floor. Sitting up was out of the question even if she had wanted to. For now, she just wanted to sleep, sleep and let the pain go away for a while. She let her eyes flutter close at the same time she rolled to her stomach. This was going to be the only way she would be able to sleep.

  ******

  Jakar and his men slowly approached the outskirts of the Tuloch’s holding. It was heavily guarded in the front so they would have to find another way into the castle. Brock came up on side of him and whispered to him.

  “We need to send out a man to search for another way in. We’d never get pass the front gate.”

  “Have Lore and Vic go. They are the two most suitable for that. Have them strip off anything that might identify them as my men.” Jakar glanced behind him in search of the two men he spoke about.

  Brock moved away quietly. Jakar’s eyes roamed over the castle desperately trying to find some kind of breach. If they didn’t find a way into the fortress Isobel would surely die. He slid back on his belly until he was sure he wouldn’t be seen when he stood up. He made his way back to where he and his men were hiding in a large cave they had found in the side of the mountain they had come across.

  His eyes adjusted to the darkness of the cave and he was able to find his way deep into its mouth until he reached his men. A fire was burning in the center of the large room and the horses were tied to the odd structures that jutted out of the ground and rose several feet into the air.

  “My lord,” one of his men said and offered him a piece of the salted meat they had brought with them.

  He took it and bit off the tip. He chewed for a moment then had to spit it out. “I cannot eat,” he said. The chewed piece of meat sizzled when it landed in the fire. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

  “We’ll get her back, my lord,” his man said to comfort him.

  “I hope so. I hope so.”

  Jakar waited for hours for Lore and Vic to return to the cave. It was long after midnight when they appeared in the cave looking exhausted.

  “Well,” he wanted to know immediately.

  “It took us some time but we think we found a way in. On the east side of the castle there is a small opening that goes underneath the wall. Looks like someone has been sneaking in and out of the castle by the look of it. We’ll have to dig it out a bit more but that won’t be a problem.” Lore sat down heavily in front of the fire. “But we will have to wait for night to come. The hole comes out near the back door of the kitchen. We had just made it back through when the first of servants awoke to begin preparing breakfast.” Lore poured some water over his head to wash away some of the dirt that crusted his face.

  “It might be too late by then!” Jakar was at a loss. Leaving his wife in Tuloch’s hold for another day was dangerous. “Is there any other way into the fucking place?”

  “No, I’m sorry, my lord,” Lore answered with regret.

  “We have no other choice but to wait.” He walked off feeling hopeless. There was no telling what that monster was doing to Isobel even as they spoke. It was going to be a very long day and he needed to get some rest. He needed to be at his best when he went in after his wife. Nothing was going to stop him from finding her. Nothing.

  ******

  Isobel drifted in and out of consciousness. She had no idea what time it was much less what day. Only the periodic sounds of the door shutting awoke her enough to let her know she was still in the dreadful cell.

  This time when she awoke, she noticed that whoever had come into the cell last had been sympathetic enough to place the cup of water near her head. Her hand was shaking so badly when she reached for the cup that a few precious drops spilled from the cup. This time she didn’t ration the water as she had been doing. She drank it all done in three gulps. It felt wonderful on her sore throat as it travelled down to her stomach. The small activity expended the little bit of energy she had and she had to let her head drop back down as the darkness consumed her yet again.

  ******

  The guard who had brought in the water for the prisoner watched through the small window as she struggled to drink. He knew he shouldn’t have given her the water but she was so pitiful. His heart had gone out to her when Tuloch’s men brought her back down and shut her in the cell. Even though he had only gotten a quick glance at her wounds, he knew that Tuloch had gone too far, even for such a cruel man.

  He despised being under Tuloch’s rule. At the moment he didn’t have very many options open to him. He could either work as a guard in the dungeon or he and young sister could starve. Since both of their parents had died two years ago he had been the sole provider. His sister, Chloe, was not yet old enough to marry, so he was the one who had to provide for her, not that she was a burden to him. If it were up to him he would never let his sister marry any of the men in Tuloch’s land. Most of the people under Tuloch’s control had already been established in the south when the dictator had stormed in and taken over. The people were threatened with beheadings if anyone was caught trying to leave. Not only would the escapee be beheaded, the entire family would suffer the same fate.

  So, the dungeon had been his only option. He wasn’t going to chance getting his sister killed. He hated Tuloch and what he had done to south Aslog. The south had once been a beautiful, prospering place before Tuloch took over his father had told him once. Now the bastard cared for nothing but filling his pockets and his belly. He bled his people dry and imposed strict demands on them. Half of the food they grew was to be delivered to the castle and God help the one who took the chance of keeping more than half of his crop.

  He looked into the cell one last time before he went upstairs to be relieved for the day. When he came back for his next shift he would bring with him some of the salve his sister made to help heal wounds. He just couldn’t be caught doing it or it would be his head and his sister’s next to hit the chopping block.

  Chapter 24

  Jakar waited until it was fully dark before he gave the order to head out. The horses would remain hidden in the cave with one man staying behind to attend them. He stepped to the mouth of the cave and smiled for the first time in days.

  The weather would aid them this night. There was no moon and the clouds were heavy in the night sky. He could feel the light mist that was falling when he stepped out into the opening. A flash of lightning bolted through the air followed closely by a roll of thunder. It wouldn’t be long before the heavens would open up on top of them.

  Jakar quietly led his men around to the east side of the castle. It was going on nay midnight and most of the lights in the castle had been extinguished. A bark from a dog sounded off in the distance right before the rain began to pelt down on top of them. Within minutes the entire group was soaked through. Now was the time to make their entrance under the wall.

  Brock waited in the bushes near the wall with the men while Jakar and Lore more forward to the hole. Brock waited for a signal from his brother before he sent another two men out to help with the digging. The sound of the rain and rolls of thunder masked the sounds of the dirt being displayed and tossed to the side. When Jakar, the largest of all the men, was able to slip under the wall Lore gave the signal to Brock to move to the hole.

  The back of the castle was completely dark. Nothing moved as they all crawled under the wall and waited for directions from Jakar. Once all were present Jakar used hand signals to direct the men to their given positions. T
wo men would stand guard near the hole but out of sight while Jakar took the rest into the castle.

  Vic was the first to test the kitchen door to see if it had been left unlocked. Tuloch would be feeling pretty secure in his home and wouldn’t think that Jakar had enough guts to make a move on his land. The door creaked as Vic pulled it tentatively. Vic gave the all clear sign after sticking his head into the kitchen for a quick look.

  Jakar moved first into the kitchen, sword ready to slash at whatever moved. The ashes in the fireplace still glowed from the day’s work and gave them just the right amount of light to see by. Step by step, he pushed forward, opening a door slowly when he came across one. He didn’t have a clue to where the dungeon would be but in his castle it was secluded in one of the towers.

  The sound of a cough alerted them that someone was near. Every man stopped where he was and didn’t move a muscle. Light footsteps were walking away from where they were hiding. They all breathed a sigh of relief when the signal was given again to move. The group of forty men spread out to cover all doorways as the group crept through the castle.