#aarid

“Nothing will come out of this bravery except more pain.” Aarid paced in a slow circle around Rheld, hands clasped behind his back as he stared down at the collapsed man. “Spare yourself this agony.”

“I-I will not-I will not betray my king.” Rheld croaked, throat dry from lack of water.

“Look at me.”

Rheld forced his eyes open and they barely focused on the face above him. His tough facade had long since crumbled and there was no hiding the fear on his face.

Aarid smiled at the sight and crouched alongside his captive, setting a hand on the tense, bloody chest. Rheld winced at the contact and the shiver of pain that came with it.

“Tell me. When is King Roland going to strike? I know he’s planning an attack on me.”

“I d-don’t know.”

Pressure was put on Rheld’s chest as Aarid leaned some of his weight into his hand. Rheld clenched his jaw with a groan as the whip lashes flared with pain under the cruel touch. It felt like fire brushing across his skin and he struggled to keep a clear head.

“Yes you do. You’re his lieutenant, of course you know.” The calm, smooth coaxed. “Tell me and I’ll let you go.”

Rheld forced a short laugh and a small, pained smile crossed his face. “We both know that’s a lie.”

Aarid leaned harder into his hand, drawing a shout from Rheld. A humorless smile twitched the corners of Aarid’s lips upward as he stood and moved to the small table that held bloody weapons and tools.

While his torturer’s back was turned, Rheld bit back a scream as he rolled onto his side and then his stomach. The pain from the simple motion was overwhelming but the sight of the half open iron door drove him forward.

He stretched out his arms and planted his hands on the ground, using them and his toes to inch forward across the ground. A static settled over his mind as the rock scraped and pulled at his wounds but he forced himself to be silent, lest Aarid heard him.

Bit by bit he slid across the cold, hard floor of the dungeon toward that spark of freedom. He could do it. Just a little further.

“Going somewhere?”

A foot settled onto the small of his back and Rheld shouted as Aarid all but stood on him.

“We’re not done yet.” Aarid shifted until it was his knee pressing against his prisoner’s back, and brushed his fingertips across the back of Rheld’s bare shoulder. “Looks like I missed a spot here. Let’s fix that.”

“Pl-please...” Rheld squeezed his eyes shut as tears filled them, unable to finish forming his sentence.

“Please? Are you asking me to cut you?”

“N-no. No.”

The tip of a sharp knife settled against the unmarred skin, making Rheld inhale a shuddering breath.

The blade didn’t break skin, not yet. Aarid was letting the anticipation build, letting the thought of what might happen add to the pain.

At first Rheld had been strong and fearless. He took what was given to him with strength and with smartass remarks. Aarid took it as a challenge and delved into the deepest reaches of his twisted mind in order to inflict as much suffering as he could in order to break him.

And it worked. In the course of one day Aarid has shattered Rheld’s resolve. He learned that if he teased the lieutenant , bringing the threat of pain without delivering right away, then Rheld would scream at the smallest of cuts.

“What is it you want? Tell me.”

“Let me-let me go. Please. Please ju-just...”

“You’re pathetic.” Aarid leaned down closer to Rheld’s to talk more directly into his ear and be heard above the sound of the ragged gasps. “You’re a leader of men, what would they say if they saw you now? Begging for your life?”

Rheld swallowed hard, trying not to listen. He knew what this was. Aarid was trying to get into his head, to get him to despair. It wouldn’t work. He would fight this. He had to.

“If you want to leave, then get up and walk out.” Aarid offered, standing and moving to one side.

Knowing it was a trick but taking the bait anyway, Rheld tried. He put his hands under him and strained to lift himself. His entire body shook with effort and he grit his teeth against the pain, gasping as he did so.

Once he was on his hands and knees he felt as if he couldn’t move anymore. Aarid didn’t stop him, though, and that gave him just enough hope to muster the last ounce of his strength. With a grunt he lifted himself to trembling legs, wavering in the air as his limbs threatened to give out from under him.

The door was only a few yards away. Light began to glimmer in his mind and he steeled himself and took a small step.

He collapsed to the ground, landing hard. His legs were simply too weak to support him.

Aarid ‘tsk tsk’ed’ and shook his head as he went to close the door with a clang. The key clicked in the lock and then was pocketed, sealing Rheld in the dungeon.

“Looks like we have more time together after all. King Roland chose a poor man for his lieutenant . I wonder if any of the others would hold up better than you?” Aarid mocked. “I imagine anyone would be stronger than you.”

“S-st-stop.” Rheld whimpered.

Aarid once more knelt on the lieutenant back and set the tip of the knife against his shoulder. Rheld’s breath hitched in his throat.

The blade slowly sank into his skin, dragging downward to make a deep cut a few inches in length. Rheld squirmed under the blade but was unable to escape it.

“Tell me the attack plans.” Aarid asked again, setting down the knife and placing his hands on Rheld’s shoulder with his thumbs on either side of the cut. “And I’ll let you go.”

Rheld struggled with the decision. The past two days have been absolute hell and the promise of freedom from this torture was tempting beyond belief...but he had sworn an oath to his king and honor prevented him from giving in to the enemy. He stayed silent.

Aarid pressed down with his thumbs and then slowly pulled the cut apart, widening and stretching the wound to horrific lengths until it was gaping.

Rheld screamed and then sobbed into the floor. A haze clouded his brain and he couldn’t focus on any one thing. His thoughts were broken and made no sense even to him. A darkness pulled at the edges of his vision, threatening to send him into unconsciousness and he desperately longed for that relief.

It wasn’t meant to be.

“I think that’s enough for today.” Aarid said, rubbing his bloody hands together and a soft, light glow appeared between them.

The healing magic swept over Rheld, gently stopping the bleeding and closing his wounds. As that was taking care of him, Aarid dragged his captive into one of the cells to lock him in. 

Thanks to the magic, Rheld grew strong enough to sit up against the wall and lift his head to look at his torturer. His body still was racked with pain but it wasn’t nearly as bad as it was when his wounds were open and raw.