Minutes passed as Eldran heard the agitation outside the tent, armor clinking while heavy pieces of wood were set down with dull thuds.

  Vaelric entered the tent again, accompanied by two guards, and sat down on the chair.

  “Cover him, let’s not spoil the pleasure just yet, but gag him first.

  I don’t want to hear him for the moment,” he said with a wave of his hand.

  One of the guards stepped up to Eldran and shoved a piece of cloth into his mouth, wrapping another strip of fabric around it so he could not spit it out.

  Then he picked up a large piece of cloth lying on the ground and threw it over him, cutting off his view of everything that followed.

  A few minutes later, the guards opened the tent canvas again and entered with Zephyra at their side.

  They struck her sharply behind the knees, forcing her to her knees while they held tight to the chain around her neck.

  Vaelric stood and approached Zephyra, then bent down once he reached her height to look her straight in the eyes.

  “Well then, the time is up, my dear.

  Have you decided to talk now?” he asked in a calm voice.

  Zephyra did not answer, turning her head away so as not to look at him.

  Vaelric seized her cheeks and forced her face back, but Zephyra spat in his face.

  Vaelric released her and straightened without delay, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a silk handkerchief to wipe his face.

  “Even to the end you remain just as cold, you wound my poor little heart, you know.

  I truly wanted to give you another chance.

  Do you remember that night?

  When you begged me to stop, while my hands roamed that soft body,” he went on.

  He snapped his fingers and pointed toward the cloth, the guard beside him pulling it away in a sharp motion.

  Eldran and Zephyra saw each other for the first time since the attack.

  “Well then, and now?

  I’m in a good mood at the moment, so we can still come to an arrangement,” Vaelric said.

  “Go to hell, filth, I will tell you nothing,” Zephyra shouted.

  “Perfect, I have to say I expected that answer.

  I warned each of you, and apparently my proposal seems to suit you.

  So we’re going to move on to serious matters,” Vaelric replied.

  He gestured toward the tent canvas, the guards tearing the fabric aside and leaving a wide opening to the outside.

  Eldran then understood the source of the clinking he had heard earlier, several soldiers stood outside awaiting orders.

  “Very well, let the festivities begin.

  Bring me my meal, I’m starting to get hungry,” Vaelric ordered as he sat back down.

  One of the guards walked away and vanished from sight, and silence settled inside the tent.

  Eldran’s eyes grew wet, Zephyra seeing fear in her husband’s eyes for the first time.

  “Well then, what are you waiting for exactly?

  For me to show you how to do it perhaps?

  Start, we’re not going to spend our whole lives here,” Vaelric said calmly.

  “Don’t panic, my love, no matter what happens, stay strong…” Zephyra said then, her voice strangely calm and gentle.

  One of the guards grabbed Zephyra by the hair and threw her out of the tent, the guards outside understanding what they were to do now.

  They untied Zephyra’s hands and pinned her to the ground.

  Eldran began to scream, but the cloth muffled his cries as he watched his wife given up by a single order, without the slightest scruple.

  “Sorry, did you want to say something?

  Or perhaps you’d like to take part?

  Anything is possible, you know, you just have to ask,” Vaelric said as he looked at Eldran.

  Eldran closed his eyes so as not to see anymore, refusing to answer Vaelric.

  “Oh no, no, no, my boy, you’re not going to pretend, you can believe me.

  Take care of him and make sure he misses nothing, look at what your silence is doing to your wife,” Vaelric went on, laughing.

  One of the guards stepped up to Eldran and wrapped an arm around his neck, forcing his eyes open and turning his head toward Zephyra.

  Tears began to flow as he heard his wife’s protests.

  “Let me go, stop.

  You have no right, let me go,” she said coldly.

  “Come now, come now, this is only the beginning, my dear.

  I warned you, you will relive that night again and again.

  Unless, of course, you tell me what I want to know.

  I might shorten your suffering then, we are not barbarians after all,” Vaelric explained.

  But no answer was given, and he made a gesture to the guard to continue.

  After a few minutes, one of the guards returned accompanied by other soldiers.

  They set a pitcher of wine on the table, fruit in a basket, and a plate with meat and a few vegetables beside it.

  “Ah, about time, thank you kindly,” Vaelric said, waving them away.

  He poured himself a glass of wine and began to drink, then paused mid-gesture.

  “Gentlemen, please,” he murmured.

  The guards turned toward him, confused by his words.

  “At least do it properly, you look like you’re handling a toy you’re afraid of breaking.

  I want her to lose all resistance, for every feature on her face to become incapable of the slightest emotion,” he went on coldly.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Vaelric then picked up his knife and fork, cutting a piece of meat which he took with a bit of vegetables and put into his mouth.

  The juice of the meat ran slightly from the corner of his mouth, the sounds of chewing mingling with the sounds of the scene.

  He spent long minutes finishing his meal, beginning to hum a small cheerful tune, waving his hands like a conductor between each bite.

  Eldran, for his part, tried to avert his eyes.

  But his gaze was constantly drawn back to Zephyra, unable to look elsewhere.

  Zephyra turned her eyes toward him, no longer having the strength to utter a single word.

  Her breathing was ragged as her gaze slowly lost its light.

  Her thoughts tried to flee the present moment to protect her, but every shift brought her back to where she was.

  After three hours, Vaelric stood and approached Eldran, looking into eyes swollen from crying.

  He seized him by the cheeks, turning his head as if it were a puppet.

  “Hm, you’re still resisting, aren’t you.

  I don’t think the same can be said for your wife, look at her eyes, she’s completely empty.

  Even a corpse would have more emotion than her at this stage,” he said, releasing him.

  He then approached Zephyra, the guards stepping aside.

  Vaelric bent close to her and heard her whisper.

  “Stop, please, I want it to end now.

  Let me die, I beg you,” she said in a very low voice.

  Vaelric sighed as he heard her, folding his arms over his knees.

  “You would like that, wouldn’t you?

  But as far as I recall, I gave you the choice.

  Now you no longer have it.

  I decide.

  I told you that you would regret it, didn’t I?

  You had more fire earlier, where did your spirit go?” Vaelric replied.

  Tears began to flow from Zephyra’s eyes, her throat tightening as she heard those words, sobs breaking through her breathing.

  “Oh please, really?

  Both of you crying over so little?

  But perhaps now you will finally tell me where she is?

  Otherwise we will start changing methods,” he went on.

  “I’m starting to tire of watching this, I have other plans.”

  But no answer came from Zephyra’s mouth, only her sobs continued, chopping her breath into fragments.

  “Well, well, well.

  So be it then.

  Gentlemen, you may withdraw, and thank you for your service.

  You and you, stay here please,” he ordered, pointing at two of the guards.

  The other soldiers gathered their belongings and returned to their camp, laughing and talking about what had just happened.

  Vaelric stepped closer to Eldran again before turning back toward the two guards he had chosen.

  “Cover her, and bind her hands.

  Then sit her down on the chair, please,” he went on sharply.

  The two guards obeyed, covering Zephyra with the cloth torn from the tent before lifting her and placing her on the chair.

  But as they were about to step away, the King cleared his throat.

  “Who gives me such idiots, seriously?

  Tie her properly, you fools, better to be careful.

  Honestly, what do they even teach you during your training?” he muttered in exasperation.

  The two guards bowed in apology, and one of them immediately complied, fastening Zephyra’s wrists to the chair.

  Vaelric stepped closer to her, took the cup from the table and poured wine into it.

  He sat on the nearby chair, resting his feet on the table.

  “A little drink, my dear?

  You must be thirsty, no?

  All those tears must have dried out that little body,” he asked, holding out the glass.

  But Zephyra did not answer and made no movement, her empty gaze fixed on the ground without the slightest reaction.

  “And they dare call me a monster after that, hm.

  Very well, untie him and set him up, it’s time to finish this now.

  And remove what’s in his mouth, I want to see if he’ll keep his silence,” he went on, setting the glass back on the table.

  One guard released Eldran and removed the cloth from his mouth, while another came to help free him.

  They each grabbed his wrists and began dragging him along the ground.

  But Eldran looked toward Zephyra, managing a brief gesture to meet her eyes.

  “Forgive me, my love, if only I hadn’t been so weak.

  I’m sorry, all of this is my fault,” he said, his gaze filled with sorrow.

  “How touching, really, listen to him.

  But I don’t recall giving you permission to stop doing what I asked,” Vaelric replied coldly.

  They resumed, dragging Eldran to the place where Zephyra had been before.

  They laid him down on the ground and strapped him to the wooden board, completely restraining his movements.

  “Filthy scum, every one of you.

  I hope the gods burn you without end, that your deaths will be brutal.

  Even monsters have more mercy than you,” Eldran shouted.

  “Funny you should mention that, because that is exactly what I’m going to give you.

  You’re about to admire the kindness of animals in all its splendor,” Vaelric replied.

  A metallic sound rang out, drawing closer as barking became clearly audible.

  Panic seized Eldran as his eyes darted everywhere, struggling against his bonds while his breathing quickened.

  A large iron cage stopped near him, three massive dogs inside, held back by heavy chains.

  The guards pushing the cage grabbed metal rods, their tips sharpened.

  They began prodding the dogs, which started barking furiously, saliva spraying as they thrashed.

  “You still don’t want to talk?

  No?

  Suit yourself then.

  Open the cage,” Vaelric said with a sigh.

  One of the guards unhooked the latch with his rod and opened the door, the three dogs turning at the sound and bursting out in a frenzy.

  They immediately spotted Eldran and lunged at him without hesitation.

  “What a shame, truly.

  He would have made a fine captain.

  What you force me to do, honestly, all you had to do was talk.

  But don’t worry, it will all be over soon,” Vaelric went on, stroking Zephyra’s hair.

  But Zephyra did not react to the caress, tears beginning to flow again as Eldran’s screams rang out.

  “El… Eldran stop, please, I can’t take it anymore.

  Stop now,” she whispered in a short breath.

  “Yes, you’re right, Zephyra, he needs to stop screaming.

  It’s amazing how his tongue suddenly loosened, isn’t it, him who didn’t utter a single word to end your ordeal.

  My poor dear,” Vaelric replied.

  He remained there for several minutes, until Eldran’s screams faded away completely, the silence broken only by the dogs’ growls and the wet sounds they made.

  “Alright, bring them back.

  They mustn’t overdo their meal.

  I don’t want them getting sick from eating trash.

  Put them back in the cage and take them away,” Vaelric ordered.

  The guards pulled the cage back and threw chunks of meat inside, the dogs straining to return to their task before turning and throwing themselves onto the meat in the cage.

  The metallic noise moved away, leaving complete silence over the scene.

  “Ohhh, finally a bit of peace.

  I admit, silence has a soothing side, don’t you think?” he asked, turning toward Zephyra.

  But her head slumped to the side, no strength left to do anything as her breathing weakened.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you like this.

  Your silence is truly remarkable, I respect that, truly.

  You chose not to speak, and given your state, you won’t be telling us anything anymore, my poor thing,” he went on.

  He stepped closer to Zephyra, drawing the dagger from his belt, stroking her hair with one hand while sliding the blade along her throat with the other.

  “I told you I would make him pay for taking care of that thing, that he would regret his choice.

  Go rest now, but know this, I will end up finding her.

  Sooner or later she will join you,” he whispered in her ear.

  His hand holding the dagger flicked in a sharp motion, Zephyra’s head falling forward as her breath fought to grasp even the smallest trace of air.

  Hoarse sounds escaped her for a few seconds until, in one final spasm, life left her body.

  “Return to the camp and pack everything up, we’re going back to the capital.

  Everyone is to be ready to leave in two hours,” Vaelric ordered.

  They left, abandoning Zephyra and Eldran as they were.

  Rain began to fall over what remained of the village, like the tears of two souls who had left this world together.