J
Juan1234
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1848 – Aftermath of the rebellion (2).
Temesvar, Kingdom Of Hungary, August 1848.
“… condemned to hundred lashes in public, on the naked body…”
Milena heard the reading of the verdict, far away (it seemed), addressing her and her companions, and the crowd and the soldiers. Even more far away (it seemed).
It was a typical hot, dry August day. There had not been much rain the last weeks, and a warm breeze created clouds of dust over the sandy square, where the Royal Landwehr militia used to drill. And was not even ten a.m.
Milena tried to chase away her scary thoughts. She was scared, really scared! Hundred lashes was not nothing. Twenty or thirty was the rule for a public flogging. She knew she faced the possibility not to survive it. One chance in four to be death this evening. No, there were no odds! There could be two or three or all four deaths! Lashes would be given by increments, even on a dead body! And even those who survived, still risked to die within a few days. It was not about chances, it was about individual strength.
The reading of the verdict was finished. The official who read it, took again position next to his colleague still standing in attention. They nodded to each other and then the latter ordered :
“Start preparations!”
The Landwehr men grabbed Milena’s arms more firmly.
“Out of your boots!” a workman ordered. With his help, Milena stepped out of her boots.
“Forward!”
“Release their hands!”
Her hands were free now…
“Pull out your dress…”
Obediently, she took her dress by the waist and pulled it over her head..
“..or the workmen will do it!”
Apparently, Mari and Danica were hesitating.
“PULL IT OUT!”
Mari uttered a protest. Then she and Danica obeyed. The blue dresses were dropped on the ground and taken away.
“Take off that gown!”
All four stood frozen for a moment. Under their gown, they wore nothing. They knew in advance, the sentence would be given on their naked bodies. But with the order given, they were seized by hesitation and shame.
“What’s the matter with you, whores!? Two months ago, you had much less trouble stripping in public! TAKE OFF THAT GOWN! NOW!”
The raised voice had its effect. In their two months of imprisonment, Milena and her companions had been drilled to obey orders. But it was nevertheless something they never got used to. Reluctantly, and terrified, they removed their gown. In the distance sounded approving and obscene shouts from the onlookers.
Hands grabbed Milena’s arm. Barefoot and naked, she stepped to the rack. The workmen, on their knees, positioned her feet against straps, attached to the lowermost horizontal bar of the rack, and attached them firmly to her ankles. The same was done to Mari, Soreena and Danica.
Standing with her legs slightly spread, Milena realized she stood now immobilized. It gave her fear. The surrounding suddenly became threatening. The crowd seemed to come closer and closer.
Standing on a ladder, the workmen attached her wrists to straps hanging from the upper horizontal bar. Then, they pulled on the straps, until her body was stretched out, and with her heels lifted from the ground.
The flogging would be carried out by soldiers from the common army and the Landwehr. No soldier should give more than ten lashes, so the whip would always be in the hands of an unwearied arm. It was not difficult to find at least forty volunteers to do it. Several units had lost comrades in the rebellion, so there was a lot of them eager to give a few captured rebels some physical retaliation.
The sentence would be administered in increments. First, each of the women would be given a series of forty lashes. The interval between each stroke would be about thirty seconds. This first series would hence last about an hour and a half. After a brief pause, the next increment would be given, again with a time interval. After another pause, another twenty would follow, with just ten counts as interval. There would always one get flogged, while the other three had to wait, immobilized, having to hear the suffering of their friend. The whole punishment would take hours. It would be a long day for Mari, Soreena, Danica and Milena.
And then, there was also this weird twist, the judge had added to his verdict….
(to be continued)
Wow, another great start!! This feels very real, official, and methodical. My favorite.1848 – Aftermath of the rebellion (2).
Temesvar, Kingdom Of Hungary, August 1848.
“… condemned to hundred lashes in public, on the naked body…”
Milena heard the reading of the verdict, far away (it seemed), addressing her and her companions, and the crowd and the soldiers. Even more far away (it seemed).
It was a typical hot, dry August day. There had not been much rain the last weeks, and a warm breeze created clouds of dust over the sandy square, where the Royal Landwehr militia used to drill. And was not even ten a.m.
Milena tried to chase away her scary thoughts. She was scared, really scared! Hundred lashes was not nothing. Twenty or thirty was the rule for a public flogging. She knew she faced the possibility not to survive it. One chance in four to be death this evening. No, there were no odds! There could be two or three or all four deaths! Lashes would be given by increments, even on a dead body! And even those who survived, still risked to die within a few days. It was not about chances, it was about individual strength.
The reading of the verdict was finished. The official who read it, took again position next to his colleague still standing in attention. They nodded to each other and then the latter ordered :
“Start preparations!”
The Landwehr men grabbed Milena’s arms more firmly.
“Out of your boots!” a workman ordered. With his help, Milena stepped out of her boots.
“Forward!”
“Release their hands!”
Her hands were free now…
“Pull out your dress…”
Obediently, she took her dress by the waist and pulled it over her head..
“..or the workmen will do it!”
Apparently, Mari and Danica were hesitating.
“PULL IT OUT!”
Mari uttered a protest. Then she and Danica obeyed. The blue dresses were dropped on the ground and taken away.
“Take off that gown!”
All four stood frozen for a moment. Under their gown, they wore nothing. They knew in advance, the sentence would be given on their naked bodies. But with the order given, they were seized by hesitation and shame.
“What’s the matter with you, whores!? Two months ago, you had much less trouble stripping in public! TAKE OFF THAT GOWN! NOW!”
The raised voice had its effect. In their two months of imprisonment, Milena and her companions had been drilled to obey orders. But it was nevertheless something they never got used to. Reluctantly, and terrified, they removed their gown. In the distance sounded approving and obscene shouts from the onlookers.
Hands grabbed Milena’s arm. Barefoot and naked, she stepped to the rack. The workmen, on their knees, positioned her feet against straps, attached to the lowermost horizontal bar of the rack, and attached them firmly to her ankles. The same was done to Mari, Soreena and Danica.
Standing with her legs slightly spread, Milena realized she stood now immobilized. It gave her fear. The surrounding suddenly became threatening. The crowd seemed to come closer and closer.
Standing on a ladder, the workmen attached her wrists to straps hanging from the upper horizontal bar. Then, they pulled on the straps, until her body was stretched out, and with her heels lifted from the ground.
The flogging would be carried out by soldiers from the common army and the Landwehr. No soldier should give more than ten lashes, so the whip would always be in the hands of an unwearied arm. It was not difficult to find at least forty volunteers to do it. Several units had lost comrades in the rebellion, so there was a lot of them eager to give a few captured rebels some physical retaliation.
The sentence would be administered in increments. First, each of the women would be given a series of forty lashes. The interval between each stroke would be about thirty seconds. This first series would hence last about an hour and a half. After a brief pause, the next increment would be given, again with a time interval. After another pause, another twenty would follow, with just ten counts as interval. There would always one get flogged, while the other three had to wait, immobilized, having to hear the suffering of their friend. The whole punishment would take hours. It would be a long day for Mari, Soreena, Danica and Milena.
And then, there was also this weird twist, the judge had added to his verdict….
(to be continued)