I really do appreciate you remembering it and wanting more. If you weren't asking for more, I'd assume nobody cared that much, and forget about it. Thanks for your support! (Hoping for better luck finishing shorter things... See "Every Life Must End" and my new "The Guilty"...) I'll be back here eventually, though.Not continued, @Juan1234 ?
The new story reminded me on the old story, Juan.I really do appreciate you remembering it and wanting more. If you weren't asking for more, I'd assume nobody cared that much, and forget about it. Thanks for your support! (Hoping for better luck finishing shorter things... See "Every Life Must End" and my new "The Guilty"...) I'll be back here eventually, though.
We may go dormant a bit, but we never forget.I really do appreciate you remembering it and wanting more. If you weren't asking for more, I'd assume nobody cared that much, and forget about it. Thanks for your support! (Hoping for better luck finishing shorter things... See "Every Life Must End" and my new "The Guilty"...) I'll be back here eventually, though.
“The emperor is slain! Everyone to your homes!”
I have often speculated on whether boredom would be a problem in this situation. The pain might make it hard to be really bored, but the experience would drag on, I think. Still, it's nice they give Kirana something to watch while she hangs.The seconds ambled leisurely by, each one mocking her pain and shame, each competing to last longer than the others.
And that's going to be bad for someone, I suspect (besides the emperor, I mean ).“The emperor is slain! Everyone to your homes!”
Well, you may remember that her brother Muneth has been in the city, and he noticed that Rego was fond of Kirana, and quizzed him on whether he might be next in line to the throne. Rego didn't really want to talk, but Muneth told him to "be ready." Does that help? Sorry, I know it's not really fair to drag a story out this long in RL...Glad to see you back.
For those of us with old brains, and too little time to repeat read the whole story, could you work into the next chapter the significance of this for us again?
Well, you may remember that her brother Muneth has been in the city, and he noticed that Rego was fond of Kirana, and quizzed him on whether he might be next in line to the throne. Rego didn't really want to talk, but Muneth told him to "be ready." Does that help? Sorry, I know it's not really fair to drag a story out this long in RL...
Thank YOU for sticking with this story!Thank you, Juan.
I'm glad you impaled me. cuz I love that too !Part 34
In an instant Rego was back on the battlefield. The fire returned to his blood, the strength to his legs, the clarity to his head. He gripped his sword, and in the confusion and trampling of the road, in the deceitful and shadowy light of Yupar’s pyre, he was once more at home. He ordered the soldiers he could see:
“You! Find Quintus, Aurelius, Marcus, and Cornelius. Have them gather their men and meet me here.” A decisive nod and the soldier was sprinting toward the city gate. “You! Get these people into the city.” Again the obedient nod, and the soldiers began corralling the crowd toward the gate. Then to Brutus: “You! Put out the fire.”
“And if I will not?” returned the crucifier. Rego, who had barely looked at him, now turned to him with mortal danger in his eyes, held his sword point to the man’s throat, and responded in a low, seething voice:
“You will.” Brutus understood and obeyed.
The fire out, and the crowd’s attention diverted to their own safety, Kirana found modesty in the darkness. The chilly night breezes would not allow her to forget that she was naked in the open air, and the cold nails gave no respite for the night, but it brought her some comfort to have the privacy of being unseen as she continued her naked struggle with the cross.
Then there was a hard knock from behind, and her cross shuddered, making her cry out in pain. Again! This time she felt the spike sliding through her left foot, outward. Then quick, fidgeting hands grasped the nail from the front and removed it. It felt like a dream – even more than the rest of the day had felt. Kirana could not believe what was happening. The pain the procedure caused her prevented her from expressing the gratitude she felt for her rescuer, barely seen in the darkness. Instead her chest and belly heaved huge sighs and sobs. Pain? Relief? Grief for Yupar? She didn’t know. She didn’t know anything anymore.
When the nails through her feet had been removed, the nails in her wrists bit twice as hard as she hung from them alone, but soon the patibulum was lowered, and she sat at the base of the stipes while Rego and two of his men silently un-nailed her wrists as well. She was still sobbing too hard to speak.
“Can you stand?” asked Rego, whispering and throwing his cloak over her body. Her “no” was almost audible as she wept and tossed her head from side to side. Rego thought for a moment, then continued with his regained military brevity and confidence: “The emperor is dead. I suspect your brother killed him. We will take you to safety. When this is over, if I am emperor, you will be free. If not,” here he paused, the soldier leaving his voice, “well, they may forget about you.”
Kirana was regaining control of herself. She nodded. Rego gave a little whispered grunt, as much as to say “alright?” then scooped her up in his arms a gently as he could and carried her toward a torchlit pavilion his men were erecting as his headquarters.
We do seem to be rescuing our heroines these days. A bit of a trend it seems. We used to just throw them onto the midden of completed literature.“The emperor is dead. I suspect your brother killed him. We will take you to safety. When this is over, if I am emperor, you will be free. If not,” here he paused, the soldier leaving his voice, “well, they may forget about you.”
Oh, I'm so glad you're happy with it, Yupar! Feels a little risky putting friends in stories.I'm glad you impaled me. cuz I love that too !
So Rego surprises us, he's not as entirely useless as we've come to think of him but really ... what is he expecting!?! She might want to jump for joy but that will have to wait“Can you stand?” asked Rego,
as an incurable romantic I don't mind the occasional rescue...We do seem to be rescuing our heroines these days. A bit of a trend it seems. We used to just throw them onto the midden of completed literature.
We do seem to be rescuing our heroines these days. A bit of a trend it seems. We used to just throw them onto the midden of completed literature.