Marcus let go of her hips, but in her weakened state, her legs betrayed her. She slumped and the horrible torture implement penetrated her. Her eyes bulged, she made a litany of gasps and hisses and then she shrieked in agony and unbearable humiliation.
She hadn't really chosen it, but it would be anal impalement. Gradually, most of her body weight concentrated on the cornu. For a moment, it was just more than the unfortunate Queen could bear.
'Bastaaaaards !' She howled. 'Why don't you just kill me ?'
When she regained some resolve, she felt blood running down her inner thighs and it gave her an idea. In a desperate move, she tried to impale herself even deeper with all the strenght she could muster, hoping to puncture her intestines and hasten her death. But the cornu wasn't long and pointy enough for that. All she could manage was to cause herself new, grevious pain. She convulsed and screamed again as the legionaries were cheering and mocking her.
Some calm returned on the Circus. She just half-hung, covered in sunburns, the relative silence only troubled by her anguished breathing, her moans and the occasional scream. She was watered every hour and altough she experienced some short periods of unconsciousness, the cornu left her very small chances of being delivered from her ordeal soon. The slow bleeding of her back, wrists, feet and anus would finally kill her, but it still could take several hours.
Dusk was coming, now, and Tullius had fully understood that she was never going to submit, never allow him to grant her any kind of mercy. The legionaries were beginning to leave the Circus and send back the townsfolk to their homes. He decided it was time to move on, too.
'Lyvonie!' he called.
'Yes Dominus'
A slavegirl of breathtaking beauty advanced, respectfully bowed her head and awaited for Tullius'orders.
Lyvonie was a Gallic girl who had been captured 3 months ago by Tullius'legions. He immediately made her his personal slave and she proved to be an obedient, eager to serve and playful girl. A wonderful price for a conqueror. But now, her almond-shaped emerald eyes were tearful, her face full of horror and disgust. Attached to the General's service, she had been forced to attend each and every part of this terrible day. The Queen's scourging and her cruel execution an humiliation, the horrible torture of the councilor... She seemed completely lost and upset.
'Go back to the Queen's appartments and have a warm bath ready for me. I'll need it. I'll join you soon.'
'Yes Dominus, at once.'
She hastily left the scene, obviously relieved at being allowed to escape this place of horror.
'Poor thing', he tought, 'this was not a spectacle for such a sweet girl. And not for me anymore !'
He went to the cross and once again spoke to the suffering woman in a low voice.
'It shouldn't have ended this way, Your Majesty. I didn't want this to happen, but you left me no choice. I'll remember you as the
bravest woman I ever met.'
He rose his hand as if to stroke her left leg, but refrained himself. 'No, I will not lay a hand on her, I promised.' He turned back.
'If she's still alive at dawn, put an end to her misery', he said to the Decurion in charge of the night watch.
'Break her legs, sir ?'
'No, she surely doesn't deserve that. Use your pilum. Swift and clean'.
'As you command, Sir', said the man, a little bit surprised.
Tullius had a last look at Barbaria, shook his head and headed for the conquered appartments with a small party of soldiers.