Chapter Twenty-Nine - Aide Me (No More)

                                    

                                          
The doors got opened and the sounds of whiplashing finally stopped. Emaia glanced around the room, as the guards dragged her inside. And that's when she saw. 
                          
Aide was chained to the wall in a set of long shackles, that made it possible for them to yank him around. He was lying on the floor, shirtless, face down and with whiplashes all over his back. Purple blood stained the floor and walls, and lied in a pool around him. He wasn't moving. 
                          
Emaia gasped from the sight, but refrained from screaming. A man with a whip in his hand stood bent over Aide, watching his breath. Emaia noticed the whip had six thin lashes, all of which were imbedded with small glinting diamonds. They were torturing him.
                          
"Well-well, if it isn't the lost daughter of the Roche family!" A smooth voice chimed. Emaia now directed her eyes to her front, and saw a man she had come to know too well over the past many years. 
                          
"Ragnar," She growled, while guards brought her up to his throne. They pushed her down on her knees.
                          
Ragnar stood up from his throne and walked up to her. He hadn't changed much since she last saw him; He still had the same black oily hair, which was beginning to gray, and a full beard that she remembered from her last visit to the Capitol. She remembered having caught him forcing a maid up against a pillar, and having brutally kissed her. When the look of disgust formed on her face, Ragnar's murky brown eyes landed on her. "It's been a long time, dear Emaia. I see you've grown up to a beautiful young woman."
                          
Suddenly Emaia caught the sound of a slight groan. Her eyes shot to Aide, who was starting to move on the ground. He turned his head to look at her, his eyes blurred and blood running from his mouth. He was weak. Their eyes met for a brief moment. 
                          
"Pitiful, isn't it?" Ragnar observed. "To see what has become of the elves. The history books describe them as such strong, powerful creatures, yet as we captured this one, all we had to do was burn him with a little gold, and he was putty in our hands," Ragnar chuckled. "But enough about them. Tell me, sweet Emaia, how have you been?"
                          
Emaia snarled her lip back, and forced herself not to look at Aide. Instead she turned her attention to Ragnar. "What a coward you are, Ragnar. Hiding inside your castle while your men fight your war," She spat. "I expected more."
                          
Ragnar chuckled shortly, then leaned down towards her. "You've grown feisty. What a shame. A woman of your standard should know better than to speak against a man."
                          
Emaia scoffed. "A man of your standard should know better than to speak against a woman of my standard."
                          
Ragnar formed a slow grin on his lips. "I like you. You're dumb, but in a good way. I'm going to enjoy this."
                          
Emaia just narrowed her eyes. She didn't want to know what 'this' was. She knew whatever he had planned for her, it couldn't be good. 
                          
Ragnar stood up again and snapped his fingers. At his command, the guards pulled Emaia to the opposite wall from where Aide was chained, and shackled her to the wall as well; Only her cuffs weren't long, they were short, and pinned her against the cold stone wall. 
                          
From across the room, Emaia saw Aide trying to get to his feet. The man with the whip kicked him to the ground with a simple foot and made him topple over. He was weak. He had lost too much blood. 
                          
"So," Ragnar begun and walked down the stairs from his throne. "I see you've joined the rebellion, dear Emaia. Whatever made you do that?"
                          
Emaia looked back at Ragnar, who was approaching her. "Because I want the world to be a better place. I want it to be free of pests like you," She growled and eyed him up. "You're the sickness in this country."