She heard the sounds of the cell door being opened then rough hands grabbing her from her cot. She made noises through the gag and struggled in her restraints, but to no avail. There was a familiar voice which said 'Prepare her!' They wrapped something round her neck and attached it to something on the wall. Then they put her down and she was forced to kneel. The armbinder ring was hooked onto something behind her. She heard the sound of something being put down in front of her. Then she felt sharp blades digging into her scalp and cutting off her long dark hair, which was the same colour and lustre her mother's had been a few years ago, before her mother's ailment started taking its toll. Finally the cutting stopped, the footsteps retreated and she felt cool air on her scalp and something running down her head and face. It dripped from her into whatever had been placed in front of her. Was it blood? She could feel the wall behind her through the arminder if she moved her arms out far enough, but moving very far made the thing around her neck tighten and restricted her breathing even more. She thought about letting it all end by strangling herself and indeed she tried to, but the sound of rushing feet and being picked up and hit painfully several times in the stomach and face with cries of 'Oh no you don't. You're needed alive!' made her think again. So at least there were people watching her. Not that she could see very much through the blindfold, just shades of darkness and light, but she was important to them somehow. They had fed her once shortly after she'd arrived, if you could call removing the plug from her gag and forcing horrible tasting soup down her throat being fed. They replaced the plug afterwards, giving her no chance to speak, so she'd got a bit of rest before current events transpired.
She could feel the steel shackles round her wrists inside the armbinder and also there was something else wrapped round her arms and hands inside the armbinder which rubbed against her skin. Her legs and feet had been wrapped in heavy boots and she felt it difficult to walk in them. If she had any thoughts of escape, they were certainly very limited!
Eventually, after moving about to ease her uncomfortable legs as much as she could, for she didn't know how long she'd been here, and the dripping had slowed and finally stopped, she heard footsteps again. It sounded like a single pair this time and a dark shape bent down in front of her and lifted up the container. His voice said 'The idiots! This sample could be contaminated!'. He moved to one side and put it down somewhere. Then the shape placed more containers round about her and said 'Now my dear, let's see what you're made of then' That voice! It was Ancano! She mumbled through the gag and started shaking and crying in fear. He said 'Now now, none of that. I don't need you to say anything. Just comply and be good and it'll be over soon'
What did he want with her? Her parents had been powerless to resist when he had taken her! She didn't know how long she'd been kept in restraints and in this cold dark place but she would not give in! As long as she had breath left in her body, she would get answers! She stopped her crying and whimpering and prepared herself for whatever came next. Then she felt her clothes being slit and sharp pains all over her body, like she was being cut and felt her blood dripping out! The pain started anew and she screamed into the gag for a long time...
She heard her name being called and woke up. She saw someone in yellow robes bending over her and launched herself from her cot and landed on top of them. The person cried out as they landed on the floor and she heard a male voice shout 'Restrain her!'. As she slapped at the person on the floor she heard running feet and several pairs of arms lifted her up off the floor. She flailed with one fist and heard it connect with something soft 'My dose! She broke my dose!' she heard, and she kicked out with one foot into someone's crotch. He slumped to the ground with a gasp. But there were too many of them and she was pushed face first to the floor and had her arms pinned behind her and locked in iron shackles.
Over the tumult she heard a familiar voice in the cell next door shouting 'What are you doing? Danifae! Danifae! Calm down! Don't you understand? She doesn't like being confined, after what she's been through! Listen to me!' It sounded like Zora! Although she couldn't see her friends due to the cells being next to each other in a line she could hear a lot of shouting from that direction but as Zora's cell was next door to hers, her voice could be heard more clearly. It sounded like her friends were trying to calm the guards down. She heard the male voice saying 'Get her up on her feet! And you lot! Be quiet! BE QUIET!' he thundered and the noise eventually ceased. As Danifae was hauled to her feet she saw a man with a substantial moustache and dressed in fine clothing glaring at her outside the cell, surrounded by several guards. They helped up the person in the yellow robes, who turned out to be a woman. She was dressed as a priestess and she cast healing spells on the two guards Danifae had felled.
When she was done, she turned to Danifae and slapped her hard across the face, twice. Spitting blood, she went down on one knee, feeling dazed. The priestess gazed into her eyes and said 'There's something not right about you. You were in a frenzy during your sleep and the guards felt alarmed enough to call on me to see if I could aid you. Whatever possessed you to attack like that?'
Danifae looked up and said 'I don't like being confined. It brings back bad memories' rattling her shackles as she did so.
'I take it you weren't treated very well during your confinement?'
'You could say that. Ralof aided me and I in turn aided him later when I found him injured. He'll vouch for me'
Just then the mustachioed man interrupted. 'Enough Jora! The Jarl wants to see her now. He'll decide what's to be done with her and her friends'
'Yes steward. As you command.' As she did so, she cast another healing spell on Danifae's bloodied face. 'Can't have you going to the Jarl looking like that, can we?'
Danifae smiled at her and said 'I'm sorry I attacked you and the guards. I have terrible nightmares about that time and I mistook you for someone else'
'Well, it's nothing that a few healing spells can't cure. But you're a feisty one that's for sure.' She turned to the steward and said 'Jorleif, I recommend we keep her in the shackles for now, at least until the Jarl wants it known what's to be done with her.'
Jorleif nodded at Jora and said 'I'll take your recommendation under advisement. Bring her. You come along too, Jora. The Jarl might need your advice regarding her'
So Danifae was escorted out of her cell. As she passed the ones her friends were kept in, Zora called out to her. 'Danifae! I've been so worried! Are you alright?' She reached out through the bars towards her, tears in her eyes.
Danifae started crying too, seeing the desperate looks on her friends' faces. She turned to the steward and asked him 'Please, may I go to them?'
'For a few minutes only'. He indicated to the guards to let her through.
She went to Zora and Zora hugged her through the bars. Danifae said 'Forgive me if I don't return the hugs. I'm kind of restrained at the moment' rattling her shackles.
'How can you make jokes at a time like this?' cried Zora.
'You seem to manage it. You're always there to lift my spirits in the dark times. Let me return the favour. And don't squash me too much please'
Zora fell into fits of giggles and let go. Danifae nodded her head and went to the next cell, where Larkspur was. He was leaning against the wall.
'You ok Larkspur?'
He smiled and said 'As cells go, this is certainly not the worst I've been in. Also having two lovely lassies either side of me makes it bearable'
'Well, just be sure you keep those lovely lassies out of trouble until I return'
Larkspur feigned an innocent look and said 'Who me, get them into trouble?'
'Yes!' said Danifae and Zora together and they both laughed.
The final cell held Lydia. She was sitting on her cot. When Danifae walked up to the cell door she got up and asked 'Anything I can do for you, my Thane?'
'Look after these two. I know you've been to Windhelm before so you're more knowledgable about it than any of us'
'It was a long time ago, before the Civil War, my Thane. Things have changed in the city since I was last here. I'm sorry I didn't do a better job of protecting you' she said, bowing her head.
Danifae smiled at her and said 'You did wonderfully, as well as could be expected. You may have saved my life when you deflected that thrown dagger.'
Lydia looked up, looking a bit happier and said 'Thank you, my Thane'
'One more thing Lydia'
'Yes, my Thane'
'You can stop calling my 'my Thane' all the time. Danifae is sufficient'
'Oh! Yes my Th...err...Danifae'
'That's better!'
Unnoticed by them during this exchange Jorleif and Jora exchanged surprised glances.
'Time to go' said Jorleiff from behind her. Two of the guards grasped her by the arms and escorted her to the stairs, shackles clanking. Danifae said as she left 'I'll return for you all soon. Be good and obey the guards!'
It was with weary legs that she climbed the stairs to her meeting with Jarl Ulfric and her fate...
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Comments
I hope Jarl let's them go.