Fair Maiden - Alcina x Fem Reader

24: Bitter Beginning

"You know the drill." Bella begins. "Lay down-"

"Yeah, yeah. On my back, chains go around my waist, arms in the shackles." You finish for her. You've been doing this long enough that you could repeat the process with your eyes closed.

"I didn't ask for the attitude." Bela huffs. She adjusts all the chains and supports, strapping your body to the metal table. Once she finishes, she begins to turn the crank. The gears squeal as the table begins to shift forward, becoming parallel with the walls. You're suspended upward, the only thing stopping you from falling on your face is the leather straps and metal cuffs securing you to the table.

"How many more times do we have to do this?" You sigh.

"Actually, this is the last." Bela informs you. "That being said, I have to drain a little more than usual. Which means more cuts, more blood, and unfortunately for you, more pain." Bela's face beams with a little smile. You know she enjoys this.

"Great." You grunt. "Will you just get it over with?"

"Gladly. I know you think I enjoy this, but I don't. Not because I don't like torturing you, but because I know mother isn't fond of this." Bela sighs. "She's struggling, you know. I don't know how a human servant could somehow mean so much to her."

She pulls her sickle from her waist, revealing it's metallic blade. She scoots the bucket under your hands, ready to catch the blood that leaks from your wounds. She cuts the bandages apart, peeling them away from your tender flesh. Blood instantly begins to pool, dripping into the bucket below.

"Hold still." Bela warns. "This isn't going to be pleasant."

The sickles blade meets the skin of your shoulder. It's cold sends a shiver down your spine. Bela presses it into you with it's pointed hook. You wince a little, not expecting it to go as deep as it did. Then, you feel it pull down. The sharp blade trails the length of your arm, all the way down to the back of your hand. The pain is excruciating, but you clench your jaw and hold in screams. A river of blood rushes from your arm, streaming like a crimson waterfall into the bucket. Bela moves to the other side, repeating the motion she had just done. This time, you whimper in pain.

"I'm sorry. I can only be so gentle." Bela whispers. Her blade continues to drag under your skin, severing it's surface. Again, a waterfall of blood trickles down. "On to the next."

Your eyes widen. "What do you mean the next!? There's more!?"

"I suggest you bite down on this." She stuffs a bloody rag into your mouth and pushes your lower jaw up against it.

Bela places a bucket below each of your feet. Again, her blade meets your skin. Your teeth grind against the cloth as muffled yells of pain fill your mouth. She slices down both of your legs, not once, but twice. Four streams of blood pour out from the length of your legs. Blood tickles your feet as it flows into the buckets. Your jaw is so tight against the rag that blood drips from it as well, falling down the front of your body. Tears swell from your eyes and plummet to your chest. You can feel your whole body throb in pain as the blood escapes it.

"You'll be here a while. Don't be surprised if you pass out." Bela says. "The pain will subside eventually."

You can't respond with words, only hushed whimpers blocked by the cloth. Bela goes to pull it from your mouth, but you turn your head.

"Alright. I'll leave it." She sighs, seeing your pain. "Mother will retrieve you later."

Bela leaves you, suspended in the air and blood pouring out. It doesn't take much time for you to become dizzy. You struggle to keep your head up. Your eyes slowly close, head bobbing down as your strength leaves you. In an instant, you're out cold.