20

Captain Kennard and his men reached the road at mid-afternoon. Ranee gave them no more trouble other than stumbling occasionally from exhaustion. Hyd stopped talking, hanging from the pole being to painful on his wounded shoulder. He concentrated on staying conscious, which was not easy as his wound had started seeping blood and he was becoming weaker by the moment. Eadward had regained consciousness only once, groaning in pain and then passing out again. At least Hyd knew that his brother was alive.

They had come out of Hyd’s holdings and entered the road on Sucat’s property. They moved more quickly now that they were out of the forest with no trees to hinder their progress. Captain Kennard moved the men who had been leading the line to the back of the line to cover their retreat, in case any of Hyd’s men shoulder some how find them and follow. He had one man run ahead to announce their coming and to have horses brought to make the last part of their journey go faster. He wanted to be back at Briefadel before nightfall.

The man returned with reinforcements and extra horses. Captain Kennard mounted his horse and had Ranee handed up to him. He placed her in front of him, taking up the slack on the rope around her neck. Hyd and Eadward were left tied to their poles. The poles were now between horses. The party set off and the jarring of the horses was painful in Hyd’s arms and legs. He could not help crying out in pain. Eadward, still senseless, made no sound. Ranee, exhausted, fell asleep, her head slumping on Captain Kennard’s chest.

Captain Kennard, his men and his prisoners returned to Briefadel as the sun was setting and without further incident. They rode into the yard in front of Briefadel hall to find Sucat waiting on the steps to the main door.

Captain Kennard woke Ranee and handed her down to a waiting man who had to hold her up or she would have fallen. He dismounted and took her by the arm leading her to her husband. Captain Kennard handed Sucat the end of the rope that was around Ranee’s neck. Sucat smiled at her and she shivered. Sucat tugged on the rope until Ranee fell to the ground at his feet. She sat there, head bowed in subjugation. Sucat used his free hand to stroke her hair. He grabbed a handful and forced her to look up at him.

“You look a bit worse than the last time we had seen each other,” he said. “No matter. I did not marry you for your looks.”

He bent down to her and kissed her on her bruised and swollen mouth, shoving his tongue between her lips. She gagged and turned away from him, retching what little she had in her stomach. He laughed at her and pulled on her rope.

“I quite like this lead you have made for my wife, Captain Kennard. I thank you for the gift.”

Sucat held tight to Ranee’s leash and turn his attention to what was happening in his yard. He watched as Hyd and Eadward were lowered to the ground by their poles. He enjoyed the sight of his cousins being trussed like animals. Neither man was conscious. He ordered men to toss buckets of water on them to see if they would revive. The water woke Hyd and Eadward up. They lay on the ground groaning.

Sucat waked over to where Hyd and Eadward lay on the ground. He had to pull on Ranee’s rope to get her rise and to follow. She stumbled and fell and he made her crawl behind him. He stood over Hyd and stared down at him. He placed his booted foot on Hyd’s wounded shoulder grinding his heel into the spot where the blood had soaked through the bandage. Hyd ground his teeth in pain but did not cry out. Disappointed, Sucat went over to Eadward, pulling Ranee behind him on her hands and knees. Sucat kicked Eadward in his side where he was wounded by the sword. Eadward paled and passed out. Hyd yelled out and tried to rise but he was kicked down by men near him. Ranee began to cry.

Captain Kennard stood by and did nothing. He knew things would get worse for the three prisoners.

Now, all of Sucat’s people stood around the yard, watching. Jyll had come out of the hall, watching the spectacle with a smile on her face. Sucat reached down and lifted his crying wife to her feet. He walked Ranee over to Jyll and handed Jyll Ranee’s rope. He kissed his mistress, then kissed his wife. Ranee tried to turn away but Jyll held her rope tight causing blood to flow on her neck. Sucat bite Ranee’s lip then force her to her knees.

He turned back to the yard and addressed his people.

“I am Sucat, Baron Briefadel, and I rule here absolutely. My every wish is law. See these people here and remember how I deal with people who fight and disobey me regardless of who they may be.”

He pointed to Hyd and Eadward.

“Take my prisoners to the basement and chain them in separate cells.” He stood next to Jyll with Ranee between them. He stroked Ranee’s hair.

“We will deal with them in the morning, meting out their punishments all day long for all of the trouble they have caused me.”

Hyd and Eadward were dragged out of the yard, all of the people looking quietly on, no one able to move or do anything. They were all afraid of Sucat’s cruelty.

Sucat ordered everyone back to their work. He called Captain Kennard over to him.

“Send your men to their food and rest, Captain,” he said. “It took you a long time to resolve this matter, but I do like the outcome. You may go, too.”

Sucat stood watching as everyone dispersed. He waited until the yard was empty, then he told Jyll to have his dinner prepared. She did not wanted to leave his side, but after a harsh order from him she went off to the kitchens to make sure the food was ready for him and his men.

When everyone was gone, he squatted down next to Ranee and wiped the silent tears from her face.

“Things have not gone as you would have liked, have they my wife.”

Sucat kissed Ranee’s forehead. She flinched back from him. He slapped her.

He kissed her on the cheek that he had just slapped. She tried to turn her face. He slapped her again.

“Do not ever turn away from me, wife. You are mine to do with as I want. Learn this now or your life will get much worse very fast.”

He kissed her on the mouth. Ranee forced herself to remain still.

“Ah, very good,” said Sucat. “You are learning quickly. It will not be long before you are begging for my attentions.” He grabbed at her breasts. Renee tried to fight him off and he laughed at her. He pinched her nipple hard and she cried out in pain as tears sprang to her eyes.

“Enough of our little play, my dearest. I am hungry.” Sucat stood up straight and pulled on Ranee’s neck rope so that she stood too. By pulling and jerking on the rope, he led her into the hall. Many of his men were already there waiting for him to enter and sit so that they could all be served the night time meal.

Sucat slowly walked his wife over to the head of the table and his chair. He moved the bench next to him away from the table and made Ranee kneel next to his chair. He sat down, keeping a hold of the rope around her neck. She swayed as she kneeled next to him. He announced that his men could sit. Everyone was very quiet. He knew it was because they were all afraid of him and he smiled. He called for the food to be served.

He had the cooking staff make a feast for this night. He had known in his gut that Captain Kennard would be returning this day and Sucat wanted to celebrate the capture of Ranee, Hyd and Eadward and the death of Ranee’s father, the Margrave. Ranee still did not know that her father was dead and he relished the thought of telling her. He knew she would not mourn his passing as he had not been a loving father but he knew that Ranee would realize that all of the Margrave’s holdings would pass to Sucat. As part of the marriage contract Sucat had become the Margrave’s male heir and while Sucat could not become the next Margrave as Sucat was not born royal, he would acquire all of the Margrave’s land and gold. Sucat no longer needed to keep Ranee alive. He had what he wanted. But he would keep her alive as long as he found her entertaining like he did this day. She had allot of fight in her and a strong will. Sucat would enjoy breaking her spirit before he killed her.

He was served his favorite foods by Jyll but Sucat ignored her. He had his new pet and he would tease Ranee by waving bits of food in front of her face. After the first two times when he had acted as if he was feeding her but then he pulled the food away she no longer tried to eat the food he put in front of her mouth. When she tried to turn her face away, he slapped her. She knelt by him, face forward, stomach grumbling with hunger. By the end of the meal, she had collapsed to the floor and would not rise no matter how hard he tugged on her rope.

He called Jyll over and had her force ale into Ranee’s mouth. Then he had Jyll put meat and bread on the floor and had Jyll force Ranee to eat the food off of the floor. Ranee fought Jyll but she did not have the strength to fight for long and she was so hungry that she gave up and ate all of the food placed before her.

When Renee was done eating all of the food on the floor and Renee had forced her to lick the spot clean, Sucat ordered everyone to their pallets for a good night’s sleep. He had many plans for the morrow’s entertainment and he wanted everyone well rested so they would not yawn through the day. He pulled Ranee’s rope and had her stand. He took Jyll by the hand and he led both of his women up to his bedchamber.

He had Jyll tied Ranee to the bed with her noose and he had Jyll tie her hands and feet behind her so she could not escape. He wanted to spend the night raping Ranee but she was too dirty for him and he was horny and cleaning her would take too long. He would save that pleasure for tomorrow night. Ranee lay on the floor at the foot of his bed.

Jyll began undressing him in front of Renee. When Renee closed her eyes so she would not see what they were doing Jyll kicked her and told her to keep her eyes open. Jyll and Sucat had sex in front of Ranee and she tried to block it from her mind. When they were done, Sucat told Jyll to leave. She argued with him and he slapped her, telling her never to talk back to him. He wanted to sleep alone with his prize at his feet and he did not want to share this time with anyone. Jyll left very angry and the way Sucat treated her especially in front of Ranee, but she kept quiet. She would pay him back somehow at another time.

When Jyll was gone and the door bolted from the inside, Sucat picked up a knife and went over to Ranee. He stroked her cheek.

“I forgot to tell you a bit of news you might find of importance, my dear.” He sliced her leggings up the side of her body and turned her so that he could slice them open on the other side. He turned her on her back. She was too tired to struggle in any way.

“You father, the Margrave, died today.” Her eyes opened wide but she did not say anything. Sucat cut open her tunic up the front. He pulled all of the clothes away from her, leaving her lying on her back, naked.

He stood over her looking down at her.

“So you see you are completely at my mercy.”

Sucat grabbed his penis and began stroking himself. He came all over her naked body.

“Completely at my mercy,” ha said.