Impaler

Gaunt

Angelina would doze intermittently and didn't know if it was day or night. Her cell was cold, and it was difficult to sleep properly. "You, woman." The young woman opened her eyes and looked around. She crawled toward the prison bars and saw another cell from afar. It was a disheveled man, his dark hair trailing down to his chin. His skin was filled with sweat and dirt; his appearance was gaunt, as if malnourished. His face and hands had many wrinkles due to the stress and lack of food. However, the man had dark green eyes that flowed in the darkness like emeralds. Even with his gaunt-like appearance, Angelina noticed some handsomeness in his appearance.

"Wh-Who are you?"

"I am Bioan. I have seen your arrival. Why have you been put here?"

Angelina sighed and couldn't help but feel sorry for Bioan. She wondered how long he had been locked away. "I was found in the Hoia-Baciu Forest, and they think I'm an Ottoman spy or something. I'm no spy. I accidentally got lost in the forest; I'm Angelina, by the way."

Bioan nodded as he smiled. "A pleasure. You wear the most unusual clothing. I have never seen such a thing."

"I know, it's a long story. Please believe that I'm not a spy but a traveler."

"A traveler? Is it dangerous for a woman to go on and about to travel alone? Women are most vulnerable and would survive alone in such cruelty."

Angelina wanted to tell him she was from a different era but thought it would complicate things. Vlad was still having a hard time believing her. She thought it would be best to keep it to herself until asked. "I have no family, and it would have been hard alone anyway. I made sure to be careful during my travels. I guess you can say my luck ran out."

"Indeed, I thought that you angered Lady Minah. She can be cruel as Vlad."

"R-Really? I guess misery loves company. I only met her for a moment. She didn't look...evil."

Bioan laid on the prison bars. "You only met her for a moment, but the more you stay, the more you see her true self."

"What about you? What are you in for?"

"I have been wrongfully accused of being with the Ottomans as well. I am but a soldier fighting for God's glory and our Voivode. I have also been under the command of Alexandrei, and he just accused me of something I would not have dared to do and be."

The young woman rolled her eyes when hearing Alexandrei's name. "Oh, you also worked for Alexandrei? I barely met him, and he seems like an ass."

The gaunt-like man let out a small laugh. He had been imprisoned for what seemed like an eternity, and it had been a while since he could express some laughter, even in the outside world. Bioan glanced at Angelina and couldn't deny that she was a beauty. "Alexandrei is a difficult man to be with. Soldiers dislike him, but he is our Voivode's second in command. We have no choice but to follow his orders if need be."

"I find it bizarre that Alexandrei would just accuse you out of nowhere. There has to be a reason why he would accuse you of being with the Ottomans."

"Indeed, word spread that there is a traitor among us. The Voivode and Alexandrei have been having a watchful eye, especially since there was trouble with the Saxons."

Angelina was about to speak, but then she and Bioan heard the prison door open and a couple of footsteps. Bioan motioned Amgelina to go back and did so. The footsteps were getting closer to her side, and she felt nervous before her cell was Vlad. "Have you slept well?"

"Not much. Is it morning already?"

"So, I hear. Have you thought about what you have done?"

The young woman was confused. "Oh, is it about Alexandrei? I felt that I did nothing wrong. I was only verbally defending myself."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "So you refuse to acknowledge your wrongs?"

"No, s-sir. If I have done something wrong, I would admit it without complaint; I refuse to be a hypocrite. I am being accused of being something that I am not. Is it wrong to defend my innocence? You saw my belongings, which you have never seen before. I explained what they are and where they come from. I am no spy, and I never disrespected Alexandrei. I am just a traveler in the wrong place and time."

It was momentarily silent as Vlad contemplated that Angelina had made a good point. When someone lied to him, he would know immediately. Even though Angelina was nervous, her eyes never wavered. "Bring her to the secret chambers." The guards opened the prison doors and forcibly took Angelina out. Vlad walked ahead and went to another entry in the prison that led somewhere else. Once inside, the room was even dimmer with feint fire torches. It was difficult to see, but one guard walked behind Vlad with a fire torch. Angelina heard soft groaning and then saw something in front of her. Her eyes widened as she realized she was in a torture chamber.

The young woman was horrified at seeing men sitting on the spikey chair; others were in an iron maiden. The walls also chained men; their bodies were whipped until they bled. Some had their hands tied and were dangling from the ceiling; the weight of their bodies extending their arms caused excruciating pain. "My god..." The sight of blood was everywhere, like a river of blood.

Vlad turned with a smirk. "Welcome to my little playroom, woman. This is where people disobey or betray." He grabbed Angelina's arm and pushed her onto the floor. Angelina fell into a small pool of blood. When she looked up, her eyes became wider when she saw a young woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties dangling from the ceiling with her hands tied behind her. The woman looked tortured as she was nude with lashes throughout her body.

"This is to show you that no matter if you are a man or woman, all of you are subjected to the same fate. If you lie or disobey, then this will be your consequence." Angelina had the urge to vomit. The tortured people, the stench, and the sight of blood were getting to her. Stand on your feet. You and I will speak in my study. There is much to speak about."

Angelina slowly stood, and two guards grabbed her arms and motioned her out of the chambers. Angelina didn't know what her fate would be.