Bathing in Blood

Bathing in Blood - Part 6

She was sitting in tiny iron-barred cell. Her golden hair was matted and streaks of dirt covered her face. She was crying loudly, screaming and clawing at the ground, trying to get out of the cell.

"Oh, do shut up!" Elizabeth yelled.

Natalia looked up. Upon recognizing her captors, she stopped crying and tried to crawl away to the farthest corner of her cell.

"Oh dear, look at you!" Elizabeth crooned, walked closer to the cell door. "All covered in dirt, and your hair is a mess! That won't do, will it Anna?"

Anna shook her head, her eyes filled with the excitement and adrenaline that she was feeling. "No, not at all Elizabeth. We must make this girl pretty once again."

Natalia spoke, her voice quivering with fear. "W-what are you going to d-do to me?" She could barely whisper it, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"Now, now, my pet, I wouldn't dare spoil the surprise. You'll just have to trust us." Elizabeth nodded at Anna. "Get her out."

Anna, having procured the key from the entranced jailor, went to unlock the cell door. Natalia began to cry again. "Quiet, you little wretch! The Countess does not like irritating noises." Anna pulled open the heavy iron door. She walked into the cell and grabbed the shaking girl by the arm, pulling her out roughly. "Here you are, Elizabeth. We have our little lamb ready to slaughter."

"Good, very good. Bring her this way. We shall take her into the back room."

At this, Natalia began to kick and scream. She dug her heels into the dirt floor, trying desperately to escape from Anna's vise-like grip. She had no success; the woman only held onto her arm tighter, and wrapped her other hand through Natalia's golden hair to hold like a leash. They walked through the narrow passageways, Natalia's screams echoing off the walls

"Oh, God! Shut her up!" Elizabeth shouted. She was getting annoyed. She turned around and marched over to the cowering girl. "You little bitch, be quiet or I'll silence you myself!"

This did nothing for Natalia. In fact, it only made her cry louder.

Elizabeth drew her hand back and slapped the girl in her face. "SILENCE!"

That did the trick. Natalia immediately went quiet.

"Let's go, Anna."

They continued their march, deeper and deeper into the dungeon. Anna knew they were nearing the back room, Elizabeth's "special" room as she liked to call it. It had all the necessary provisions for their little endeavours. And it was nothing like the rest of the dungeon; stone floors as opposed to dirt, royal red carpets, torches, and a fireplace that kept it warm. They had a slave that worked in the little room to keep it looking nice. The slave was an old woman who they had spared the life of in an exchange for eternal servitude. It was a comfortable arrangement.

Elizabeth knocked on the door exactly seven times, one long, three short, two long and another short one. That was the password that told the slave who it was.

"Good evenin', Ma'am," she croaked, her voice rough from the years of breathing in stale air. Despite her bad voice she still had a distinguishable Irish accent.

"Good evening, Addy. We have a guest."

Anna threw forward the girl she had been dragging. Natalia stayed on the floor, trembling, but not daring to make a sound.

"Take her to the baths and clean her up. Be quick about it too, we only have a half an hour before we must start the ritual."

"Aye, Ma'am."

.  .  .

Natalia was still silently shaking when Addy lead her away to a different room. She couldn't bring herself to speak in the presence of those two terrifying women, but with this old woman she felt brave enough to say a few words.

"Please, help me!" she whispered, terrified that the others would hear her.

"I'm real sorry for ye, lass. Truly I am. But there be nothin' I can do 'bout it."

Natalia began to cry once again.

"Now, ye better stop with that lass. The Ma'am hates it when they cry an' whine... an' Lady Darvulia in't tha' keen on it either. I cann't do much for ye, but I can say this; if ye keep quiet an' do what they says without complainin' they be more kind to ye. It'll end up better for ye that way, trust me lass."

Addy led the girl to a stone basin full of water. There she washed her face, scrubbing each bit of dirt away, and combed out her long hair.

"There. Much better. Now do as I say: keep quiet, no more cryin', do what they says an' pray the Ma'am is in a merciful mood this eve. If yer lucky she'll kill ye quick with no fussin' about, and ye won't have to suffer much. Understand, lass?"

Natalia could only nod her head.

"There, lass. Keep yer chin up. You'll be singing with angels soon, an' no more harm will come to ye. The worst of it happens after yer dead, I promise."

"Addy, is she ready?" Elizabeth called from the other room.

"Aye, Ma'am! I'll send her out now!" Addy pushed the girl towards the door. "Remember what I said to ye! Quiet, obedient, and pray that the Good Lord be with ye."

Natalia took a gulp of air before walking out to meet her fate.