Lespada - Part 1: A Faint Recollection.

When I opened my eyes, I felt a soft and warm light dazzling me. I closed my eyes immediately while trying to come to my senses. I was slightly disoriented and my body was sore from the fatigue that assailed me from the moment I woke up. I managed to reopen my eyes and as the blurred shapes slowly became clear again, I was astonished to discover where I was.

"Where am I?" I cried to myself inwardly.

I was in a large square room with other beds next to the one I was lying in. The ceiling was high, it must have been three meters from my head, and was covered with a white marble-like material. The walls were also immaculate white and were decorated with relief patterns. There were also large windows over which tall, thin curtains hung, and these were gently swayed by the soft breeze outside. The suns shone outside and I could hear the singing of birds not far from me.

There was a mysterious nostalgia emanating from this place that reminded me of the past.

"It was like being back in antiquity... Am I dead again?" I asked myself doubtfully.

It is then that my gaze fell on the comfortable eiderdown that covered my body... Naked. Slightly disconcerted, I began to look for my clothes when I found them carefully folded on a chair next to the bed. My coat had been placed on the back and was gleaming in the light. My helmet was next to my head on a wooden bedside table.

Then a sound from outside caught my attention. It sounded like a kind of tenuous hubbub that immediately reminded me of something. Without waiting, I got out of bed and walked to one of the windows to find out for sure.

As I approached the window, I pulled the curtain back and looked outside. My eyes immediately widened as I saw the landscape in front of me.

Countless houses were scattered throughout a huge city. The majority of them were white and were built in the same way as the building I was standing in, although more modestly. In the distance, I could see high ramparts surrounding the megalopolis and tall towers dominating the city.

There were also many buildings of all sizes in the city. Some were immensely high while others were immensely wide, but all blended naturally into the scenery. I could also see strange arches built on several floors that crossed the city like highways but I had no idea what their function was.

The sound I had heard I discovered below. I could see that the streets were crowded and everyone was dressed the same way. Many animals were walking in the streets as well, but also individuals slightly different from humans. However, I noticed that the vast majority of them were enslaved by the Humans. The few who were not did not seem to be freer than their fellow human beings either.

However, this kind of scenery reminded me of the movies I had seen in my old life, where Greek cities rubbed shoulders with magicians and monsters. It was ultimately a beautiful landscape and words were lacking to express what I was feeling at that moment.

While I was lost in my thoughts, a person called out to me from behind. I turned around and saw a woman standing in front of me looking somewhat embarrassed. She was dressed in a large white tunic that reached to her knees like the Greeks of old, and I could see her face was reddened with discomfort as her beautiful gray eyes peered up and down at me. Her curly emerald hair was amazing.

"Does she dye her hair?" I asked myself curiously.

But it didn't look like it from her long, tapered eyebrows that were the same color as her hair. It seemed quite natural for her. That was the most surprising thing. I didn't think it was possible to have such hair color. I suddenly remembered that I was no longer on earth, or so I thought. So it was probably normal to see this kind of color in a person. However, I had to admit that the style of this woman was total to my liking. She had a shy and innocent look that made her even more attractive.

The young woman hid her mouth with her hand when she saw me and it took me a few seconds to understand the situation I was in at that moment.

"Sorry! I was just watching..."

The young woman immediately turned around while stammering some incomprehensible words. Curiously, they seemed to resemble those used by Myra. It was then that a dark realization dawned on me: could it be that no one spoke my language? I couldn't accept it. It couldn't be that way, there had to be at least someone on this damn planet I could communicate with. But, at this point, I hadn't realized that reality was even more violent than I had imagined.

After a few gloomy moments, I sighed deeply and went to get dressed without further ado. My attire was not the most correct in front of this person and I was not discourteous towards these ladies.

When I had finished, the lady turned to me and asked me something, but the only answer I could give her was my bewildered look. I shook my hands as a sign of incomprehension while shaking my head and the woman displayed a slightly disappointed look.

Then, as we both stood facing each other, a second, deeper voice was heard. We both turned our heads towards the entrance and I saw a beautiful woman standing at the doorway.

She had long cherry-brown hair that undulated like the waves, wearing a ponytail hairdo and eyes as pure green as the foliage in summer. She wore a refined black armor that made her look sexy and her long legs were covered with high boots that accentuated her eroticism.

If someone had asked me what I thought of her, I would probably have answered: a goddess. A goddess of war who came to earth to judge our poor fallen souls. But the look in her eyes was hard and piercing. However, despite her stern look, I was not the least bit frightened. I would even have added that it gave her charm.

She approached us and said something to the green-haired woman and then she solemnly greeted us and immediately left the room, leaving us both inside. I took the opportunity to glance at her enchanting curves when my eyes met hers.

Suddenly, her gaze softened and, with a smile, she bent her hand slightly over her chest while talking to me, revealing a little more the breasts covered by her plastron.

"What can she be asking me?" I asked myself perplexed.

I greeted her in my turn but not being able to answer her, I remained silent. She who looked at me with a certain expectation tilted her head slightly while holding her chin with her hand when she understood that she would not get any answer from me.

"It seems that things are going to be more complicated than I expected..."

***

When Elisabeth saw the Human standing there, a multitude of questions jostled within her. What kind of person was he? How had he come to face a dragon? Where had he come from? She wanted to test him first and released her murderous aura slightly. In this world, some people had the ability to expel energy from their bodies when they achieved a certain level of self-control. Elizabeth was one of them.

As expected, the nurse shuddered slightly, but the man just looked at her with curiosity as if nothing had happened.

"No reaction?" she wondered in disbelief.

She then approached the nurse on duty and immediately dismissed her. She no longer needed her and preferred to be alone with the guest. The nurse, who was still slightly frightened, immediately took hold of herself and greeted both of them before retiring in a hurry.

Once this was done, Elisabeth redirected her attention to the man in front of her and took the opportunity to look at him.

"He doesn't look very manly," she thought at first, before reconsidering somewhat. "But he has style," she thought with a smile. "Besides, it's surprising that he didn't react to my aura. This may be the first time this has happened..."

She couldn't understand why the guest was insensitive to her combative energy, but Elisabeth left that aside for now.

" Good morning, my name is Elisabeth Aiglonoir. I am the Lieutenant General of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Lespada. May I ask what is your name, brave hero?"

Elisabeth stared at him with a perplexed air. Trying to fathom the intentions of this stranger.

"Does he not understand what I am saying or is he doing it on purpose?"

However, after a few moments, she could not detect anything in him. Decidedly, this man was really particular. As much as Elisabeth could let pass the lack of courtesy, she did not understand why he did not deign to answer her.

In the Kingdom, the army was made up of people devoted to the art of war and the control of weapons. Everyone had the right to join and many soldiers were women.

During their apprenticeship, recruits were taught resilience and obedience. One might have thought that men would surpass women in this area. However, the majority of the senior officers were women for the simple reason that the men would die first during the fighting but also because they excelled in intellectual tasks, unlike them.

Physically, women were less sturdy than men and therefore wore lighter armor than their male counterparts. Their training did not differ from that of the men and many gave up, but those who managed to overcome this difficulty often showed a strength of character superior to the men.

As a result, men were often taken to the front lines while women were left behind and served as elite units. However, it would have been naive to believe that the high ranks were simply unskilled and quick to bark orders at any time. Lespada made a special point of promoting the best people to the highest levels of the hierarchy when they demonstrated both military and personal qualities.

But Elizabeth's case was special. Extremely talented in combat as well as in the sword, she possessed a particularly sharp mind, which had enabled her to reach the position she currently held. Nicknamed "The Invincible Rose" by her peers in memory of those who had impaled themselves by trying to get too close to her, she was admired for her composure and sense of duty.

Flooded with glory, the young woman radiated with pride and tended to look down on others.

Slightly offended by the lack of tact of the man in front of her, the General snorted and clicked her tongue in disapproval.

She bowed slightly to the man and waved her hand toward the door. The man followed her gesture with his gaze and after a moment nodded his head and followed her.

***

I could see her face tensing up slightly as she spoke to me.

Was it because I wasn't answering her? It was most likely. This woman seemed to be full of herself. She had that proud look on her face, the same look that my ex had for me, and I knew from that moment what kind of person I was dealing with.

When she showed me the way out, I understood that she wanted me to follow her. Although she seemed a little strange, I didn't feel uncomfortable in her presence. Moreover, I didn't know what to do. I wanted to find Nyfeirg as soon as possible, but I had no way out at the moment and it was certain that as soon as I went out, I would be brought back here immediately.

We arrived immediately in a long and wide white hallway that ran through the huge structure I was in at the moment. The floor was covered with marble slabs forming geometric patterns. The walls, also white, had fine engravings depicting epic landscapes or battles in which Gods and Humans fought side by side against armies of bloodthirsty monsters. There were also tall, equidistant stone columns that rose from floor to ceiling and on which torches were set and were burning despite the presence of daylight. Finally, the ceiling was so high that I could not measure the distance between us.

The rays of the two suns shining in the sky passed through the large cells and gave a mysterious aspect to the place. I was frozen in this way, while my eyes widened in amazement before this magical spectacle. The woman who was guiding me suddenly stopped when she noticed that I was no longer following her and turned towards me while staring intensely at me. Feeling her gaze on me, I came back to myself and we resumed our walk.

As we walked down the long hallway, I could see that many people wearing fine clothes were staring at me with curious and suspicious expressions. They were all wearing jewelry, either around their necks or on their fingers, in an ostentatious manner. When I met their eyes, they would turn around and whisper secretly.

Another thing I noticed was that while they were clearly showing their doubt about me, the woman before me was quite different. As she walked by, the eyes brightened and people moved aside with deep respect for her.

It was obvious that she was adored and esteemed among them, unlike me, who passed for an eccentric. While comparing their clothing to mine, I realized that I was a real fairground phenomenon in the crowd. Then I looked ahead of me.

"Still... I wonder who the hell this woman could be to attract so much admiration..." I thought as I was watching her hair swinging in time with her measured walk.

As I obediently followed my guide, my attention was drawn to laughs coming from outside. Turning my head to my right, I could see a beautiful garden inside the palace with fountains and trees and flowers. It was a kind of paradise enclosed in this large building and extended over a large area. Everything seemed peaceful and when I looked at a particular place, my face froze.

Sitting on a bench was a slightly potbellied man with his head tilted to the side. A woman was sitting beside him and I noticed that she had the same pointed ears as Myra. So I concluded that she must also be an Elven. Not surprisingly, she was wearing a metal necklace at the end of which a chain hung down and came into the hand of the man next to her. Her clothes were damaged and there was no doubt about her position in society: that of a slave.

"Myra was not lying," I whispered, frowning.

This unpleasant situation might have gone unnoticed if I hadn't lingered for a few moments. At the same time, my eyes widened under the shock caused by the scene in front of me. The slave had his hand on the fat man's crotch and was frantically stirring something.

"What the... Don't tell me that's what I'm thinking about..." I cried out in amazement.

The Elven was... Masturbating him, in front of everyone and without any embarrassment. Although she showed a naughty look towards her master, I doubted that she was doing it for pleasure. However, the only pleasure I could discern was that of the master who was happily enjoying this little daytime treat.

The problem was that they weren't the only ones doing this while I noticed another couple sitting further away. This time it was a middle-aged woman who was delighting in her slave's bosom and groping it avariciously under the disgusted gaze of her slave owner.

As I had stopped in front of this delirious scene, the armored lady also stopped and, seeing what I was staring at in the garden, frowned slightly before turning her heels and continuing on her way as if nothing had happened.

I watched her walking away in disbelief. Was this a normal situation in this palace? Although sex didn't bother me, I was reluctant to flaunt my intimate moments in front of passers-by. A certain feeling began to swirl within me as I looked away and followed my predecessor again.

At the end of the hallway, we turned to our right and entered another long, wide one. This time we found ourselves in a huge room with tall columns on the ceiling and a roof even higher than before. A large alley crossed the room, from the entrance on my left to a series of stairs on my right.

The light coming through the windows flooded the room, making me think of those cathedrals that were in a certain country on earth. However, the place was not a cathedral, but rather a reception hall rather than a place of prayer. Without waiting, we walked to the stairs on the right side of the room with a sure step.

As we passed by, passers-by who were conversing fell silent and looked at us with a curious look. Some were dressed differently from the nobles who were in these places. Perhaps they were merchants? Or emissaries?

We arrived shortly afterward at the foot of the stairs and the soldiers who were posted in front of them performed the military salute when they saw us approaching.

When we passed them, they glanced at me suspiciously but nothing more. We climbed the stairs to a platform that led to a large, luxuriously decorated corridor. On either side of it - a corridor that was so wide that a dozen people could have been brought in at a time - I could see sculptures, paintings, and even armor being proudly displayed to the eyes of the visitors. It was clear that the ruler of this country loved to display his wealth. The corridor was plunged into darkness and only the torchlight could see clearly.

At the end of the corridor was a huge two-doorway, heavily guarded by four knights wearing shining blue armor. When we stopped in front of them, the knights stood at attention and the woman exchanged a few words with them, and then two of the knights executed themselves and opened the door.

I noticed in passing that my guide's expression had tensed up somewhat as we entered the room-or should I say hall.

In front of us was a large spherical room. I had already been impressed by the enormity of the palace, but what I saw here was far beyond anything I had ever seen before. The room we were passing through at that moment was so large that the throne I saw in front of me looked ridiculous in comparison. Yet, even this one was oversized.

The floor was covered with a shiny material that reminded me a little of glass, but it was even more resistant. The walls were richly decorated, even more so than those I had seen before, and the ceiling was a huge fresco depicting figures or gods. One of them caught my eye, a woman whose face was hidden by a veil and who was holding a lyre in her arms. She was incredibly beautiful and was looking far ahead.

There were also large openings through which the light was passing and this was reflected on the fresco above our heads.

As I looked down at the throne, I could see a man sitting comfortably on a huge seat, and in front of him were two slaves kneeling.

***

"Hmm... Keep it up..." the King murmured with delight.

Sitting on a solid gold throne, a plump and ugly man enjoyed the service. He no longer had much hair on his head, and he had an unsightly face on which a boil was naturally born. His bright blue eyes gazed with delight at the gentle creatures at his feet.

Kneeling in front of him, two erotically dressed slaves sensually licked the monarch's proudly erect sex in front of them. The one on the left was the eldest, she had beautiful vermilion hair and bewitching red eyes, and her opulent breasts moved with every movement.

The Elven on the right had amethyst blue eyes and hair and had slightly pale skin. She was also beautiful and cared for the King as best she could. However, neither of the Elvens seemed to be willing to engage in this kind of practice, but they had no choice. It was either that or be killed or worse.

Since these beings were only sex objects to him, the King didn't give a damn about their feelings. They were just slaves in the end. They were only there to satisfy all his desires.

Being the monarch of the kingdom, Gaius had a lot of power and therefore enjoyed many privileges, including this one. He had bought these two women in a very selective luxury store where there were many items, including these slaves, for people with well-stocked purses. But these women were not mere slaves. They were the most exquisite and beautiful creatures that the Kingdom had. Of course, the common man could never afford or even come close to such fine food in his entire pitiful existence.

The moment the king laid his eyes on them, everyone knew that they would be reserved for him. Indeed, no one would dare to retort to the almighty sovereign of this country that what he coveted was not de facto his. And the two slaves had also understood that their fate was sealed.

At that moment, the King was far from these considerations. He was moaning delicately like a newborn swine. When he opened his eyes, he noticed Elizabeth accompanied by a man with a strange style, but the King had better things to do at this moment than to worry about them. What mattered to him was the soft sensation of the Elven's lips slipping over his sex.

"Lieutenant General Elisabeth, Report !" she said solemnly as she knelt before him.

The King did not react. He was not at all interested in her.

"Accelerate my beauties... Yes... Like this... Suck me, my beautiful one... With your tongue, a little deeper... I'm coming... I... Come!!"

Just before releasing his semen, he grabbed the head of the blue-haired Elven and pushed his cock deep into her mouth, releasing his arousal into her body. The shocked Elven could do nothing but endure the odious sensation in her mouth and throat as the King sneered viciously.

The blue-haired Elven felt her innocence and soul being savagely violated as the monarch's seed flowed down her throat. She clenched her fists with all her might while hoping that this moment would end as quickly as possible. She wanted to kill this man, she wanted him to disappear from her life instantly, but alas, this wish would never be granted and she knew it. She would never get it.

It was not the first time she had participated in this infernal orgy; it was a ritual that had become regular since this Human had bought her.

Since she had been captured by the slavers, she had been taken away from her homeland and brought to the Kingdom of Lespada. In her great misfortune, she had met her red-haired friend and the two of them quickly befriended and supported each other. They had become inseparable and hoped that a good Human could take care of them, but their hope had been shattered when they saw the worst creature coming to take them to his huge estate.

Thankfully, the blue-haired Elven was reassured when she learned that her friend had followed her as well. Moreover, life in the castle was lavish: they lacked nothing, they had access to the most beautiful outfits - even if they were only there to satisfy their master's perverse desires, they could eat the most succulent food and enjoyed certain freedom as long as they remained within the castle grounds. But the counterpart was that they had to bend to all the sexual inclinations of this infamous Human who subjected them to the worst of tortures.

Her friend was at his side and knew what a traumatic experience she was going through at the moment. So, as if to reassure her, she affectionately caressed his hand and grabbed it tenderly. For her part, the blue-haired Elven, who could no longer stand the awful feeling, moved aside and coughed violently, almost suffocating at the same time.

Elisabeth was watching the scene with an intense murderous urge inside her. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists firmly without showing her disapproval. She wondered how such a pig had come to power when it had never done anything worthy of such a reward. Even though she did not like the Elvens, as a woman she could only sympathize with their plight. She felt defiled in body and soul as a patriot. Had she found herself in this situation, she would most certainly have killed herself in order not to have to endure such disgrace.

When the King had finished his business, he immediately dismissed the two Elvens and they left immediately without ado. They ran down the stairs past the two guests and disappeared behind the door.

The King put his robe back on his lap as if nothing had happened and deigned to look at his guests.

***

"Elizabeth, you know I don't like to be interrupted at times like this," he says irritated.

"My deepest apologies, Your Majesty," Elizabeth replied flatly before continuing. "I have come to bring you great news..."

She looked at the man accompanying her before she opened her eyes in horror.

The king did the same and his face contracted slightly.

The man who accompanied her was staring at the King with an icy gaze. His eyes displayed no sympathy for the King and it was very likely that if he could, he would have jumped down his throat at the slightest opportunity.

For a moment, Elizabeth's heart trembled. A feeling tinged with stupor and exaltation invaded her completely. But she immediately came to her senses and tried to answer.

"Forgive him, Your Highness. This man is not from our country. He does not know our customs. Be merciful!"

The king stared at the man for a few moments before looking at Elizabeth again.

"Anyway... You said you wanted to tell me some good news? Speak, I am listening!"

"Your Majesty... I present to you the hero who took down a Scarlet Dragon in the vicinity of Campadeira fort."

The King's face immediately lit up upon hearing the word "dragon" and flashed a big smile. He didn't give a damn about the so-called hero.

"Is it true? This is good news, Elisabeth!"

"I only did my duty."

"And so, where is that dragon?" asked the excited King.

"It is in the warehouse, Your Majesty," Elizabeth answered concisely. "You can see it as soon as our men have it ready."

The King could no longer contain his joy. He rose and rushed down the stairs. His face was so radiant that it was almost disgusting. He approached the hero and looked up and down at him.

"My brave man, you are the hero of Lespada! In the name of my people, I, King Gaius, thank you warmly! You will be properly rewarded," exclaimed the King with a broad smile.

He held out his hand in friendship to the man who had just brought him a priceless gift on a silver platter.

Suddenly, a loud "clack" sounded in the room and Elisabeth, who had been observing the scene, was stunned by what she had just witnessed. Against all expectations, the man had not grabbed the King's hand but had simply pushed it away violently, creating astonishment in his interlocutor.

For a few moments, the King's eyes flickered frantically while he was still in shock from this inappropriate gesture. Then, after coming to his senses, his face immediately became impregnated and he shouted: "How... How dare you touch me like this, monkey! Guards! Arrest this man at once!!!"

Within seconds, the gates opened and the guards outside rushed in as soon as the King's orders were uttered. They surrounded the man in question while the King had fearfully stepped aside.

"Elizabeth! What is the meaning of all this? What is this boor that you have presented to me?" yelled the king incandescent with anger.

However, Elizabeth was unable to answer him. Her mind was still plunged in amazement.

" Who is this man?" she asked herself.

The soldiers rushed to subdue the aggressor and forced him to kneel down immediately. He struggled but to no avail. However, he did not take his eyes off the King and showed the same air of defiance towards him.

"What..." cried the disoriented King. "Why do you still look at me like that? Guard! Take him to the jails. That's where he belongs!"

One of the soldiers knocked the man out with a punch to the solar plexus without him having a chance to retaliate. Then he was taken by the arms out of the room in silence. Elisabeth watched him disappear without saying a word, her mind still under the effect of the shock caused by this unexpected situation.

When the door closed, the King cast a dark glance at his Lieutenant General, sighed, and approached her to stop only a few steps away.

"Elizabeth, I hope you have a good explanation to give me," he exclaimed in a disgruntled tone.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for this unfortunate event," she replied immediately while kneeling down. "I did not expect this man to dare raise his hand to you," she added with some measure. "Had I known he would react this way, I would have prevented him..."

"This man is a savage, nothing more!" he cried out in a thunderous voice. "He deserves the death penalty, nothing less!"

Elisabeth sensed that things were getting complicated and before she realized it, she had replied immediately.

"Your Majesty, would you allow me to submit a personal request?"

Even she was not entirely sure why she had reacted in this way. Although she did not let it show, she was very uncomfortable. She hoped that the King would not detect it in her.

The King raised his right eyebrow slightly and looked suspiciously at Elizabeth.

"Speak, I am listening," he said with restraint. "What is on your mind?"

"If you allow me, I would like you to entrust me with this man," she suggested solemnly while staring at the ground.

"What's wrong with me?" she wondered, her eyes widened. She didn't understand what had driven her to make such a request. But she wanted this man to survive at any cost.

She did not understand what had led her to make such a request. But it was clear that she wanted this man to live.

The King widened his eyes slightly and frowned before answering.

"You wish me to spare this man..." the king said in a deep voice before thinking for a few moments. "Don't tell me that you are planning...?"

Elizabeth did not answer. She knew only too well that it was only a whim and that there was no reason for the king to accept. After all, she was just a simple commoner, not a princess, let alone a queen. She had to know how to keep her place.

The King considered Elizabeth for a long moment while scratching his chin. Time passed and the seconds seemed to have become hours for her. A bead of sweat formed on her forehead and ran down her face.

"This is not like you, Elizabeth," he finally replied while eyeing one of his gold rings. "Where has this Invincible Rose gone that so thrills the hearts of the people and makes those of her enemies tremble with fear? If one knew that this same person had been infatuated with a savage, what would they say? What's more, a savage guilty of lèse-majesté..."

Although his tone was gentle, his words carried a lot of implications. Elizabeth knew she was powerless, but she remained silent. She was even beginning to regret her inappropriate behavior and feared that she might even lose her head.

The King did not take his eyes off his subordinate for a moment, he knew that he was in a position of strength.

He could even have taken advantage of it if he wanted to, but he was not so foolish as to antagonize one of his best officers. After all, he had to know how to blow hot and cold on his allies to make them understand who they were dealing with, but also to thank them for their good and loyal service.

Elizabeth's heart was beating heavily. The silence that had set in was heavy and only reinforced the feeling of oppression that was overwhelming her.

A few seconds later...

"But on the other hand, what would a King be if he did not know how to recognize the devotion of his subjects?"

Suddenly, Elizabeth felt a huge weight being lifted from her heart and a slight smile appeared on the corner of her lips before disappearing without anyone knowing.

"I grant you the right of life or death over this man, do as you wish... But he will be given a hundred lashes and locked up for three days! Pray that he survives until then! Now go and give my orders," proclaimed the King as he sat on his throne.

"I thank you deeply for this, Your Majesty," replied Elizabeth, displaying a face without emotion.

She greeted the king and then walked away briskly. When she was outside, she immediately headed for the gaols where the man she was looking for was most certainly locked up. She knew she wouldn't get a second chance, she had to make sure the man survived if she wanted him to be of any use.

She crossed the long corridor quickly, went down the main stairs, and reached the jails in the lower layers of the castle.

It was a dark and gloomy place, without windows or fresh air. The worst criminals were locked up there and only the top brass was allowed to go there. But as Lieutenant General, Elisabeth was allowed to come and go as she pleased. When she arrived at the bottom of the grand staircase, rocked by the sole glow of the torches, she approached the first heavily guarded security door.

"Tell me where the man in black is," she ordered.

"Do you mean that criminal brought in by the royal guards, Lieutenant General?" the soldier asked slightly perplexed.

"That's right, where is he?" she asked in a gloomy voice.

The guard swallowed when he saw the General's menacing look and did not dare to question her any further. He pointed to the cell of the man in question and then opened the door, through which she rushed without delay.

In the long, dark corridor one could hear various groans. There were women, men, and children as well. Lespada was not known to be kind towards its people and many persons, sometimes innocent, found themselves imprisoned because they had been deceived or because they had found themselves at the wrong time in the wrong place. But Elisabeth didn't care about any of this, the only person she was interested in was that man at the end of the corridor.

When she arrived at the gates of his cell, she observed the man lying on the ground, still unconscious. A cold glow reflected in her eyes as she looked at the prisoner's face.

"Who are you, Traveler from afar," she murmured in a strange tone.

She stood there for a moment, when a man approached her, slightly confused.

"Uh, Lieutenant General, what can I do for you?"

When Elizabeth turned to him, she saw a man with a deformed face and an ungrateful physique. He was bare-chested and was wearing a simple pair of canvas panties. His creepy look and his wobbly gait made him even uglier and revealed the deep darkness of his soul: he was the jailer.

"The King ordered that this man be locked up for three days and whipped a hundred times," says Elisabeth placidly.

" Very well, Your Lordship... This humble servant will obey zealously," he replied with a mischievous snigger.

Elizabeth hated this man whom she found horrible and vulgar. She approached the jailer and grabbed him by the throat in a threatening manner.

"Listen to me," she whispered in his ear. "Make sure that man lives or the last thing you'll see will be my blade piercing your skull... Do you understand?"

The jailer immediately froze and goosebumps spread all over his body. He knew how dangerous this woman was and did not dare to go against her orders.

"Yes, yes... Whatever you say, Your Magnificence!"

"Well..." Elisabeth smiled coldly. "I will return in three days, try not to disappoint me... And above all, not a word to anyone else..."

The jailer shook his head frantically and the General left, his mind calmed. For his part, the jailer looked at the new prisoner with curiosity.

"Why does she want him to live? Who is he," he wondered before going back to his business.

***

I awoke slowly and was immediately assaulted by a pain in my stomach, so intense that it was like being pierced with a spear. Fortunately for me, I found that I had only a few bruises and no open wounds.

"Ah yes... the palace... the slaves... the King... and that woman..." I muttered in a derisive tone as I recalled the list of recent events.

Once my mind and thoughts were clear, I noticed that I was in a different place than before.

It was a small, dingy, sweaty cell with no windows and the only light source was the torches hanging in the hallway. There were other adjoining cells and I could see that almost all of them were occupied. Sometimes the cell was occupied by two people while others had only one, like mine.

I let out a soft, sinister laugh from my throat. Come to think of it, this was not the first time this had happened to me. I had made a habit of ending up at the police station and ending up in a cell.

I still remembered the disdainful tone with which the lieutenant spoke to me every time he saw me.

"You again? Aren't you done playing cowboys?" he would ask me.

"I'm telling you it's not me," I would retort angrily. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Come on, we know damn well that you and your little band of shit were involved in that fight. Stop fucking with me!" he said sarcastically.

"Damn it, call my lawyer! I don't plan on getting busted by a crooked bastard like you!"

The Policeman had gotten angry and pounded his fist on the table while insulting me by various names. Then, in anger, he had given me a right that had slightly stunned me before sending me to the cell promptly.

It was a pretty good time and I realized that my life was a mess. But it was my life, I liked it that way.

Lost in my recollections, my gaze was drawn to the cell opposite.

Inside was a man looking down at the floor in despondency. He was young and dressed in fine clothes. He must have been a nobleman or something and I thought at that moment that even though people were born under a lucky star, they did not escape from prison after all.

Suddenly, the man looked at me and, as if he thought he saw the Messiah, approached the bars and tried to talk to me as if we knew each other. The problem was that I didn't know what he was talking about and I was powerless in the face of the situation.

Tired, I ended up sitting down and completely ignored him. What else could I do? The young nobleman who saw that I had ignored him took offense and raised his voice, but finally returned to sit down as well after a few minutes of desperate struggle.

Time passed without me being able to determine whether it was day or night. I was thirsty and hungry, but no one was bringing food to the prisoners. Then, when I was about to fall asleep from boredom, the cell door opened and a disfigured man approached me with a whip in his hands. Several soldiers accompanied him, and my intuition told me that they were not there to talk about cooking.

While scrutinizing my environment, I was looking for a way to prevent the terrible fate that was coming, but I had to admit that I had no way out. So I decided to fight for my survival. As soon as I threw myself on the man, the guards accompanying him violently repressed me. My head hit the ground first and my world turned upside down. Soon after, I was forced up and undressed before I felt a horrible pain spread over my back.

The whip slammed violently against my skin. It was unbearable pain and the burning sensation that accompanied the blow spread over my back. I tried to pull myself out of the grip of my torturers, but the men beside me did not flinch. In my language, I cursed them, spit on them, but nothing helped. They remained insensitive to my request. Without further ado, a second whip sounded in the cell, making me scream in pain. The pain intensified and I felt my spirit slowly fade.

A third following blow made me stop my desperate fight, then a fourth blow fell on my back, a fifth, a sixth...

After thirty strokes, I had stopped counting. After sixty blows I had stopped feeling the pain and when the last blow reached my bloody back, I collapsed to the ground. The guards left the cell one by one and my executioner looked at me warily. It was as if he was trying to evaluate me when he had just beaten me to death.

"Seriously, dude... you... you... gave me one of those beatings and you still dare to look at me like that... you're really the worst kind of trash..." I thought before I fainted.

I was awakened much later by the icy water that had just been thrown at me.

As I awoke from my torpor, I stared at the jailer from my cell with hate in me. I wanted to kill him so badly, but I couldn't do anything about it. The man, on the other hand, watched me with the same circumspect look. He didn't seem the least bit affected by my situation and just stared at me with his arms folded.

"What do you want?" I cried angrily. "You're not done with me, are you?"

The man opened his eyes with a bewildered look. Of course, he wasn't the only one, since the other prisoners were also giving me a strange look. I was like a beast that had been locked up and was roaring with all its strength. Of course, a Human could never understand a beast talking to him in its language.

After a while, my tormentor seemed to have had enough and went away.

"What's the matter? You're already giving up, fatso! Haha, I'm tougher than you think!"

I had no way to physically hurt him, but I could always vent my anger on him. After shouting a lot of ignominies, I finally shut up while I was panting in rage.

Time passed again and the jailer came back to me. I was now calmed down but my hatred was not diminished in any way. Yet I was surprised by him when he threw bread and a jug of water at my feet.

"What the hell is this shit," I asked as I looked at the stale piece of bread.

It was so hard that I could have knocked someone out with it. The water didn't look any better and a foul smell was coming out of it as I carefully sniffed it. I had no desire to swallow these things. However, my stomach was more honest than I was and I was forced to curb nausea that overwhelmed me as I bit into the bread.

Much later, as I was seeking sleep despite the indescribable pain in my back, a noise drew my attention in the cell across the corridor. The jailer had arrived in front of it, along with several soldiers.

"Another one?" I thought sarcastically.

However, the following thing shocked me completely. I had imagined that this young man was going to be beaten to death like me, but when I heard his cries of despair before he was slain, I understood that he had met a fateful destiny. I understood that life down here was insignificant.

Was I going to suffer the same fate? Where were Nyfeirg and Myra at the moment? Were they looking for me or did they run away? These questions became more and more difficult as time went by.

Then, when no more noise was heard from the cell next door, the young man's bloody body was carried away before the jailer closed the door as if nothing had happened. I was stunned to look at the traces of blood spilled on the ground in dismay as a morbid silence settled over the prison. The other inmates didn't dare to say anything and some had even urinated on themselves in fear. This smell mixed with blood was horrible, yet the prisoners did not dare to say anything even after the jailer left.

Time passed again and a new cycle began. From time to time, the jailer would come and observe us calmly before leaving as he had come. At other times, he would serve us this filthy food. Sometimes the guards would come and empty the jars in which we did our necessities. Some people tried to escape but ended up being killed or beaten so that they could not move a finger. Besides, we did not have access to sinks or showers to wash ourselves and a foul odor was spreading throughout the prison. My back was hurting more and more and I couldn't sleep.

Several days must have passed, but how many exactly? I couldn't say. The only thing I knew for sure was that at one point I saw the woman who had accompanied me before the king reappear.

She was standing in front of my cell and looking at me with a certain pity, then, without warning, she began to beat the jailer, who was totally unaware of the situation. The latter begged her to spare him and that he would not do it again, at least that's what I imagined. Blood was running from his head and he would curl up into a ball to show his submission to his torturer.

Seeing this scene made me giggle slightly, which caught the eyes of the woman who stared at me in surprise. She blushed slightly and took on a more serious tone. The jailer was panting while recovering from his wounds but did not show any inclination towards this woman. She must have been very high ranking for a man with such a large body as his not to dare to retort to such a frail woman.

The woman looked at him and ordered him to do something. The man groaned immediately and stood up with great difficulty, then he grabbed the key ring he was carrying on his hip and, with trembling hands, he opened my cell. The woman did not enter but ordered him to do something else and the jailer entered with a chain in his hands, at the end of which a harness was hanging.

"What does he still want with me?" I asked myself, all the while squinting with suspicion.

The man walked towards me while holding the harness firmly, but I had no intention of submitting. When he was just a step away from me, I rushed up to him and tried to strangle him, but I was pushed violently against the wall and my injuries caused me to lose my strength.

"Fuuuuck !!!" I shouted angrily.

The man grunting slightly tied my neck even though I was trying to fight him and tied my hands and then suddenly moved away from me. I then saw his gaze turn to this woman and noticed that she had the chain in her hands. The door was wide open and nothing was stopping me from getting out of the cell.

"What does this mean?" I asked myself as I tilted my gaze between the jailer, the cell, and this woman.

The woman made a sign of the head, telling me to follow her, and the jailer moved aside to let me pass. What was the meaning of this scheming? Was I going to become the slave of this woman? Moreover, I was restricted in my movements and the only thing I could do was to obey. Perhaps I could use this opportunity to run away?

The only thing that mattered to me right now was to get out of that damn prison and say goodbye to this godforsaken place.