Broken Hero

Chapter 4

Elsa's POV

In all my time working with the army, I'd never found out what happened with wartime prisoners.  We never had any, at least, not while I was around. But I imagined that our worst cells were nothing compared to what the Kumachi did with their prisoners.

Two of the soldiers, the one who'd captured me and one of his buddies, escorted me. On the way to the temporary war camp they had set up we passed the section of wall Jack was on. Arrows were raining down on the defenders. The wall was completely surrounded. And there, leading a group of desperate soldiers, Jack!

"Jack, they're on all sides!" I shouted. One of the soldiers yanked me to the side and slapped me. I glared at him as my eye started watering.

"You will remain silent," he hissed. He turned to the one who was supposedly master of my fate. "Raul, are you sure this will be worth it?"

"Oh it will," Raul responded. He smirked. "Care for me to explain, or would you like to tell him yourself?"

I didn't respond. That part my training with the army had covered. When captured, reveal nothing. Don't even speak.

Guess I already failed that part, I thought ruefully. But I won't do it again.

"We'll make it a surprise for the whole army, then," Raul decided.  We continued walking.

The camp they'd set up was a fair distance from the wall, but I could still see it peeking through the trees. So close, yet so far.

"Keep moving!" the soldier ordered as he shoved me forward and farther into camp.  There were rows and rows of tents, too many to count.  How long had they been planning this attack?  The defenders had no chance against this many attackers!

Raul shoved me to the ground next to a tree and before I knew it they had tied me to it.  In moments I had no means of escape.

---

They didn't give me anything to eat or drink for the rest of the day.  The camp was deserted for most of afternoon and stayed that way well into the night.  By nightfall the familiar pangs of pain were clawing their way back up my leg again.  I could tell they were there to stay so I tried to just deal with it.  I was just dozing off into an uncomfortable sleep when someone tapped my shoulder.  I glanced up as the pain returned in full force.  Raul was kneeling nearby holding a sack in his hand.  He grinned.

"Hey little lady," he said.  "Brought you something."

He shook the sack.  I didn't respond.

"If I untie you, promise you won't do anything stupid?" he asked.  "Otherwise one of the others might hurt you."

He paused to let that sink in.  Still, I kept my mouth shut.  But I offered a small nod.  If I was going to get any chance of escape, I had to act agreeable.

Raul flicked his wrist and a throwing knife appeared in his hand.  He leaned forward and cut the rope that tied my hands together before tossing me the sack.  He returned to his previous position and began sharpening his knife.  I poked open the sack.  It had a ration of food and water, just enough for one soldier's meal.  Poisoned?  Probably not.

I debated trying to make a break for it.  Could I make it to the wall?  Maybe.  But even if I did, the wall was surrounded by invaders.  How would they let me up?  And to even get to that point I'd need to escape Raul.  I'd seen how quick he was at throwing knives.  My chances were slim, especially with my leg acting up and little nutrition.  With no other option I started eating the bland bread from the sack.

"So, when should we share with the army the little bargaining chip we've got here?" Raul mused, examining his knife.  "Tonight?"

He glanced around the empty camp and shrugged.

"No, tomorrow maybe?"

If he was hoping for me to speak up, he was sorely mistaken.  It was taking all the energy I could muster not to react to the pain in me.  No reason to give him another bargaining chip, even though I still had no idea what his first one was.

"Pretty, useful, and silent.  That makes you very valuable, for a girl."

He was just asking for me to attack him.  If our roles were switched, I threatened silently.  Raul was grinning again.  He stood up, put away his knife, and tied me to the tree again.

"You just wait.  You're turning out to be veeery valuable.  Very valuable indeed."

He marched away to one of the tents.  I didn't know what made him think I was so valuable to the army, but I couldn't imagine it was anything good.

Oh Jack, how did we get to this? I wondered silently as I stared at the wall in the distance.