The Exiled King's Guard

Chapter 23: Running Again

I woke up to the loud noises of a guard making his way to my cell. I had long since realized that this was a special part of the dungeons reserved for scum like me. No regular rapists and murderers made it to this despicable area. I pretended to be asleep. I had learnt the hard way that being unresponsive was the best way, though I often found it hard to emulate. The sting of last time’s lashes was a good reminder though. My dress had torn through at the back long ago, but what I was most surprised by was that the guards hadn’t tried to defile me. I guess the fear of dark magic was bad enough that there hadn’t been more than some groping by a few specially perverted guards. Ah well, whatever the reason, it worked very well for me.

I had established a routine in my head to keep my sanity. The guards brought me food once a day, though why they hadn’t left me to die is beyond me. I couldn’t possibly have any use for this mad king and his insane daughter, could I? But anyway, new food meant a new day. I had counted seventeen days on my wall, with a sharp piece of stone. I had decided the food was safe enough so far, and I tried to eat small quantities throughout the day, so even if it was poisoned, I was never ingesting it in larger quantities, giving my system time to clear. Then came my routine of trying to reach the opposite wall panel. I tried throwing pebbles and trying to fashion a stick out of nothing. Now I was biding my time to be thin enough to pass between the bars of the cell. I have heard when you are dying, sarcasm is the first mental faculty that leaves you. Given that mine is thriving, I can’t be close to death.

Every few days, a guard would come in trying to get me to confess to my sins, and on multiple occasions I asked when they became preachers, which would earn me some lashes. It almost seemed like they were looking for some information from me. What they wanted to know was beyond me. I was so far removed from this magic business all my life, I wouldn’t even know how to lie about it. But that was what was keeping me alive so far, and I wasn’t going to complain.

I had drawn a map of the exit route with my writing stone, because one day I realized the route wasn’t so clear in my head anymore. I knew then the isolation and confinement was slowly gnawing at my brain and if I wanted to remember, I had to write things out. I had written down a bunch of gibberish and some names and dates of family members. I told myself it was to conceal the actual information I needed to remember. The soldier in me refused to acknowledge I needed them for support. For some semblance of humanity.

“Here!” the guard loudly plunked my food through the bars and when I didn’t react, banged the cell bars with his sword to wake me up. This one was scared, the bold ones would come in, try to rile me up or touch me so that I would react, give them a reason to inflict pain. But I was in the mood to mess with him today. They knew by now I hadn’t tried to run when they opened the door and I knew they couldn’t do serious damage to me. Someone up in the palace was keeping me alive and relatively unharmed.

I decided to get up in slow motion, showing some leg, trying to remember the lessons in sensuality that had been deemed necessary for me in my lady-in-training days. I knew I looked pathetic and, under normal circumstances, I would never think to make a fool of myself like this. But I had nothing to lose and maybe just maybe, this scared guard would let slip some useful information. As I looked towards him, I realized, somehow, I had managed to attract his attention for a second.

“What is it today? A five-course meal?” I asked in a lazy taunt. He just glared at me.

“Oh come on! Don’t I deserve a good meal for once? I have been here for sooo long!” I tried again in a whiny voice. They had been playing me for reactions, today I wanted to turn the tables.

“ Shut up witch! You are a prisoner, you should be grateful I am giving you food!” he replied sharply, and then turned to leave.

“ Too cowardly aren’t you?” I put in, knowing this angered most self-respecting soldiers. “ Scared that the dangerous dark witch will seduce you. Put you under a spell?”

He turned, anger simmering in his eyes. Aha! I smirked at him and waggled my eyebrows. He stalked to the bars and spat, “ you don’t scare me a bit, you don’t even look dangerous.”

“Oh really? Are you sure about that? Because you were running away just a second ago”, I challenged.

I could see from his expressions that I had successfully riled him up. I was probably about to get some lashes soon, but I could still play a bit more. Wordlessly, he moved to the panel which disabled the electric shock mechanism on the door lock, and within seconds he was inside.

“What did you say witch?!” he said menacingly, unclasping the whip these guards always had on them.

“ Oh, shouldn’t you be tying me up first? Making sure I am as helpless as possible before you t*****e me?” I said with a confidence I wasn’t feeling. Maybe I wouldn’t get him to talk, maybe it would just be extra lashes and a wasted attempt. He moved forward menacingly, cracking the whip at his side. I backed towards the wall, trying to delay the inevitable. He was only one step away as my back hit the wall and I winced as the open wounds came in contact with the cold stone.

Just then there was a loud noise, some kind of alarm. The guard was momentarily distracted as he looked over his shoulder towards the noise. Taking my chance, I mustered all my strength and lunged. Grabbing his forearm and hurling him around towards the wall. I well placed blow and the whip dropped from his hand. His eyes widened in realization and I knew I only had a moment. Pinning him as best I could to the wall, I punched him straight in the face, his head hit the rock with a c***k and he went limp. I stood there like that for a few seconds, unable to believe what had just happened. Without releasing my grip, I turned to see the wide open door, waiting for someone to come and punish me. A whole minute went by and nobody came. The alarm had long since stopped, but there was no extra activity in the cells.

My brain started whirring at top speed. I let the guard go and he fell to the ground. I looked at my map, memorizing the escape route again. As I went about disarming the guard and taking his weapons for my own. I decided the sword was too bulky for me right now, so I took a few daggers and the whip. Suddenly, I was struck by an idea. He would be out cold for some time, so, in a split second decision, I undressed him and wore his clothes. This could help me hide for a bit. Tucking in all the weapons, I gathered my courage and stepped out, waiting with baited breath as if somehow there would be another alarm, or a trap of some sort. But nothing happened, so without waiting for a second glance, I made my way into the corridor.