The High Queen Book Two

Chapter 11 - Barely Alive

Third-Person POV

One Week Later

The constant tapping of rainwater hitting the stone floor from the grated jail cell window. Shockingly, Tilly had managed to stay alive to both the young girl and the Telmarines. With only a sip of water a day, hands chained above her head, dangling from the ceiling, and cuts and bruises littering her body. The Queen knew she couldn't last much longer at this rate but still held a little hope.

"How is she not dead yet?" Miraz asks tensely from outside the cell door.

"We've done everything possible besides stabbing her through the heart," Glozelle answers having the other guards nod behind him.

"Well, I'm tired of her anyway." Miraz rolls his eyes. "We're almost ready to attack her people, so she can't do much damage if we let her go."

"My Lord, my not sure-"

"Are you questioning me, General?" The man shakes his head dismissively but shrugs. "She may be a good swordsman, but-"

"I would wager that she is a better swordsman than this or any world has seen." The Lord glares heavily but bangs open the door, turning his fiery eyes to their prisoner.

Staring down at the floor silently, the metal door clang doesn't falter her composer, nor does Miraz's glare.

"You made a mistake taking me." She mutters quietly, not looking into his eyes.

"Why is that?" Miraz mocks, not caring what she says at this point.

"Because if you let me go, I'll be back with them to fight against you. No matter the damage you do to me, I will still kill you."

"I do not doubt that." He smirks in an underestimating way.

"But if you kill me, the Narnians and my family will be filled with so much rage towards you, you won't stand a chance." Miraz lifts Tilly's head up with two fingers making her stare him dead in the eyes.

"We will let you go, but not before we have our fun with you." Miraz laughs as, for the first time in a week, a flash of fear can be seen in the High Queens' eyes. With her hands tied, feet bound and exhausted, she stood no chance against Miraz or his men if they were to try anything. But when she finally looked up and saw the guard coming at her with daggers, she could only hope she would leave this cell with physical cuts, not mental ones.

Cold tears stream down the battered and bruised Queen, her breaths laboured, and each one feels like ice shards piercing her lungs, but besides that, the Queen of Old never felt better. After Miraz's words, Tilly worried what the guards might do, but to her luck, they only beat her. Although that didn't sound great, the young Queen had only one thought at that moment, and it scared her. That was the possibility of them violating her. In the many years of her life, past and present, only Edmund had seen her in such a vulnerable state. And Tilly wants it to stay that way. So, the tears that track down her cheeks may be cold, but they are sweet with relief as Miraz, Sopespian, and Glozelle drag her closer to Aslan's How. "Here's fine." Miraz stops up front beside a large, based tree. Taking a quick glance to the left, Tilly could see the faint outline of the Narnian's camp, peering through the slight gaps in the tree branches. Miraz took notice of the same thing and began directing the two men on what to do. "General, tie her to the tree. Tightly." He growls out as the man nods, yanking the young girl so her back roughly scraps against the bark, leaving more wounds to heal. "Sopespian, take the white flag and tell the Narnians we've brought them a gift." Miraz smiles evilly at the girl, who watches Sopespian grin his awful smirk before riding off to speak with the Kings and Queens of Narnia.