Don't start what you can't finish

3

"Slightly damaged," Virgil had said. "A slightly damaged prince." Is what he had said.

I was long past slightly damaged now. Cuts littered my limbs, whip marks stretched across my back, bruises stained my ribs with blacks, blues and purple, his favourite. Virgil, it seemed, had gotten a bit carried away with his little toy. The only part of me that was untouched was my face, which he had deemed too pretty to mar.

I turned over in the flimsy cot I'd been provided, wrist shackles clinking together. I was so cold. So tired. So hungry.
I just wanted to go home.

The door opened and light cascaded throughout the cell, foreign and bright. I groaned lowly, sitting up and blinking against the yellow glow. "On your knees, my little prince ." I froze. "On your knees," he repeated, the warning in his voice all too clear.

I swallowed and nodded, sliding off the cot and lowering myself to the ground. I kept my gaze averted, my chained hands in front of me-just as Virgil had taught me to do. "Your parents still haven't come around." Virgil stated as he walked closer, his eyes assessing the frail, battered body of mine. The used-to-be Hero of the Nation, now nothing more than his toy. He clicked his tongue. "Such a disappointment. You'd think they'd want their son back by now."

I shuddered, hands clenching as I worked up the courage to meet his vicious gaze. "I-,"
"Ah ah ah." He grabbed my hair, yanking hard enough to pull a few strands out as I cried out. "What did I say about talking without permission, my prince?"
I stifled a whimper, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. "I'm sorry," I muttered, cheeks burning red with humiliation.

Virgil made a sound of approval before dropping me and surveying the dingy room he kept me. "Since my offer hasn't been accepted yet, I suppose I can finally put you to good use." He began to pace, tucking his hands behind his back. "Perhaps a bit of interrogation? How to infiltrate the palace?" Dread pooled in my gut. "Or maybe," he stopped walking and raised his brows ever so slightly, "maybe we can put on a bit of a show. Who wouldn't want to see who their lovely saviour and hero is? The nations hero, who they've wanted to know the face of for so long...After all, there is a reason why I didn't bother to mess up your lovely features."

"No!" I protested, panic overwhelming my usual discipline. "No...please, Virgil. You can't-,"
He grabbed my chin roughly. "Shut it," he growled, then let go and straightened. "We'll commence the surprise reveal tomorrow, what do you think?" I could only stared at the floor, tears running down my cheeks not wanting another beating.

"Tomorrow it is." Virgil slid a hand into his pocket and tossed a strip of cloth to me. "In the meanwhile, you might want to wear this. It'll make the whole thing so much more fantastic." He turned and left without another word.

Through the dark, I picked up the fabric with a trembling hand and studied it.
It was my old mask...
Bluebadger19