"...I want to learn!" Insisted Isabelle.
The general had first gone to talk with his right hand woman, who'd been talking to Isabelle. I suspected he also asked Isabelle about me. At my request he brought me a cup, some water, a strong stamina and mana potion. He stood waiting, by protocol, he must be in the tent with us.
Isabelle couldn't be argued with, she wanted to be the tent to learn. Hopefully she'd get scared off and leave, I didn't really want her seeing this side of me.
"Isabelle, you're my friend, I love you... please, I don't want that to change."
"Harvey , I love you too— But I've seen you kill without hesitation. I've heard you moan in your sleep and, in moments you thought you were alone, I've seen that distant stare to nowhere.
I know you have a darkness in you— So shut up and show me!"
I ratcheted in a deep breath. I eyed the tent, thinking of what I had to do. I really hoped she'd freak out and leave.
"You've an excellent poker face, keep it on the whole time— General you too, listen. Stand back and say nothing, I must be in complete control. If you stand silent and watch, that will unnerve him. Your apathy will make him lose hope, so Do Nothing.
Oh and if what you see gives you nightmares, just remember you wanted to be in there. Now Isabelle, pour me half a cup of water and in there find a surface, mix in three drops of each potion, I'll indicate if i think he needs more. Both of you clear on the ground rules?"
Isabelle nodded a few times in quick succession, she was... enthusiastic? While the general huffed, gesturing for me to lead the way with a subtle, sarcastic bow.
. . .
I'd been told the only name he'd provided was Trench, likely a nickname with a story. He was sat dozing, tied by the waist, ankles and wrists to a sturdy chair with arms and a head rest. Someone's belt held his head up by the forehead, perhaps they'd forgotten the straps meant for this chair.
He had been stripped of everything but his tight leather trousers. He was lean and muscular, reminded me a lot of Cobra the goblin prince of getting ass kicked. He had long greasy hair and the remains of eyeliner, earrings had been torn out by the amateurs who'd tried first. The fingernails that remained were painted black.
Trench the bohemian mercenary, or maybe pirate, also had toenails missing and had been beaten.
"Observe, that the ones before me had punched and slapped his head. Question, do you think clearly with a beaten head? Two more drops of each potion please."
There was a smell of urine competing with the smell of blood. The inside of the tent was cool.
I found his finger and toenails on a nearby tray of torture tools. I took them and with healing magic, re-applied them all. He didn't wake, only stirred and murmured. I healed his other wounds and stood back, holding my hand out toward Isabelle.
Having forced the liquid down his gullet while pinching his nose, he sputtered and coughed awake.
"Wrah, ah, ahhh, ah!" His pupils dilated and almost immediately sweat started to bead on his skin. He shook and convulsed.
"That woke him up, but it will also keep him awake, keep him from fainting while I work."
I was really hoping that seeing Trench wake up, would be enough to make Isabelle gag and run out of the tent.
"What the hell!? Fuck! What did you just give me! Woah, I am so fucking MMM! Right now!" Screamed Trench.
"Shut up Trench and look at me."
His eyes dart around, eventually settling on me though not very steady and often blinking.
"Who were you bringing the girls to?"
"Fuck you, I ain't saying shit."
"OK...
A great philosopher once said "Times of war, call for men of cruelty." To protect those I care about, I will be cruel."
I took a bite block, like miniature rolling pin, and pre made blindfold or gag, from the tray. I sealed the block into his mouth then unsheathed my hunting knife, moving to behind him. I undid the belt around his forehead and, despite his jerking about, moved it to around his neck.
"Do you like music Mr Trench?"
I took a hold of his hair and started cutting. I removed his hair for multiple reasons, he seemed vain, to dehumanise him, and to humiliate him. As I cut and shaved, I sung.
In the quiet whispers of the night,
A gentle breeze through leaves, so light...
Promises of peace, a calm embrace,
Awaiting you, a sweet release— Heaven's promise!
Hallelujah... Hallelujah, Haaaalleluuujahhhh!
Comfort comes, no more pain.
Hallelujah...
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
In the hereafter, you won't beee alone.
From the shadows of your fears, you'll see the light!
A promised land where worries dissssaaaap-pear!
Heaven's embrace, our final peace.
Hallelujah... Hallelujah, Haaaalleluuujahhhh!
Comfort comes, no more pain.
Hallelujah...
I carried on, taking all his hair off. I sung to unsettle, to create an image of me. He'll think I'm mad, he'll fear me, he'll take my words seriously. I'd been taught that to get into someone's mind was the key to interrogation, once inside, they would tell you everything.
I held his head steady to take off his eyebrows. Pushing his forehead back I scraped up his neck removing stubble. His scalp was already mottled pink, his eyes watering from the razor burn. I removed the gag while pushing his chin up, shaved his cheeks.
Hallelujah... Hallelujah, Haaaalleluuujahhhh!
Comfort comes, no more pain.
Hallelujah...
Comfort comes, no more pain.
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
...hallelujah...
"Who were you bringing the girls to?" I asked pulling the bite block out.
"You sick fuck, what the fu-Mmph!"
I finished tying the gag, turn to Isabelle and held up three fingers, hidden from Trench's view.
"Another drink for Trench please, before I show him the consequence of not answering me."
She blinked, lets out a long rattling breath, while nodding. Having used her back to hide the extra ingredients, she presented the cup to me.
Trench drank greedily, and gasped for more only to get the bite block and gag put back in place. Again he bucked and tensed as the mix of potions kicked in. I realised as his head slammed against the headrest, to move the belt back to over his forehead.
I sighed aloud. I can't use my scalpel, maybe if it had been just the general, I could've use Deception after. I pulled out my utility knife, it offered a little more control than my oversized hunting knife.
"Get closer if you want." I gestured to Isabelle, careful not to use her name in front of Trench.
"I'm going to make an incision in his arm, precise and deep. You'll see how with little effort, I'll inflict such exquisite excruciating pain, he might confuse it for pleasure. Get me those retractors please, like inverse scissors with angled forks."
"Mm! MMM! Mm, M-M-Mm!"
I opened up his bicep, deep enough to reach the bone, and carefully sliced away muscle to reveal my target.
"Look... That is the radial nerve."
I held the wound open with my fingers for Isabelle who paused, forcing herself to look before pulling back. I switched to the retractors I'd been handed, forcing open the wound before using the simple latch to lock the tool in its expanded form.
"I'm not going to cut it, merely play it like you would a lute. Watch what happens at the slightest poke"
"NNgh-NN-NNnnn!"
The veins on the sides of Trenches neck looked about to burst. I stared into his eyes, waited for him to appear lucid before winking.
I ran the tip of my knife down the nerve.
His whole body tensed, and jerked at the sensation of burning, needles and cold all mixed together. His body was unable to process the overwhelming pain. He would've fainted were it not for the potion cocktail. His eyes looked as though they might fall out, opened wide but unseeing. He gripped the chair's arms so tight his fingernails bled.
I waited for the heavy breathing from his nose to slow before removing the gag and bite block. What little drool there was, seeped from between his dry lips. The smell of feces filled the tent, his body had relaxed.
"Who were you bringing the girls to?"
"... Prince Pavan Lakshman...and... friends..." He uttered.
The general raised his head upon hearing the name. "Known to have a varied and large harem, he tried to take a duchess once, played it off as a misunderstanding. From what I've heard he has women from all over, and unfortunately, some already from this kingdom. He has friends of similar tastes, they compete, and sell to each other— the ones they don't want for themselves."
The retractors are removed and the wound healed. I left the now alien looking Trench to rest. My work was done.
"General, if you want more information from him then I recommend putting him somewhere dark and noisy, under a workshop maybe, to deny him good sleep.
Make him uncomfortable, chained in an odd position, you understand? Surround him with masked people who say nothing to him.
Only drag him into bright light, in order to ask one question at a time, calm and controlled. Whatever he says drag him straight back to the dark and noise."
The general was starting to glaze over, but I continued.
"A sense of routine is something you shouldn't afford him. Be unpredictable. Let hours or a day, or more go by between some questions. Just once, put him in back into the dark, count to three and pull him back out.
Make his world about answering questions. Reward him with scraps, he'll come to think he deserves no better. Break him, and you will get your answers."
The general had the side of his hand against his nose, but the disgust in his eyes wasn't for the smell.
"I don't want to know where you learned that... get out of my camp."
. . .
Returning to the tavern, I was carrying Layla, she had fallen asleep in the camp's makeshift monastery having sought solace from the priestess there.
Audovald jumped up, despite clearly toiling all day, he offered to carry Layla up the stairs. I let him and while doing the handoff, requested an hour alone in our room. He didn't question why, I felt so mentally drained, I had no strength for all but the feeblest mask.
"Get away from me— Piss off! Some time alone. Please!" I snapped at Isabelle who tried to follow me, despite already been told I wanted to be alone.
I didn't look at her, my racing heart and mind deafened my ears to any response.
The door slammed shut behind me and I collapsed onto my bed. Turns out switching back to such dark deeds wasn't so easy. I didn't want my hands near me, though washed, I saw the blood. The metallic smell was deep within my nostrils.
I grabbed my pillow and shoved my face into it, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...."
Rolling about, I ended up on the floor where I felt I deserved to stay. I sat up against the bed and rocked back and forth, eyes clenched shut, as though that offered the slightest help against the onslaught of mental images.
I felt my shoulders being grabbed, I must not have locked the door, I fought as I opened my stinging eyes. Isabelle slapped me, HARD then grabbed my chin and shoved her lips against mine. We kissed for a second before she pulled back, biting my bottom lip, stretching it forward before releasing it.
"Times of war, you said. This is a war, a war against the fucking sickness that is slavery. So man the fuck up and help me, teach me. I want the last thing that Pavan degenerate sees to be MY CRUELTY."
She forcefully snogged me one more time before shoving my head back and walking out the room... Well, that was interesting... I wilted like a dead flower, curling up into the fetal position.
