Four Years Later (A "The False Prince" Fanfic)

Three

I wake up with chains around my wrists and ankles, much like the one's in Vargan's camp all of those years ago. It's a dark room, and I can just barely make out that the walls are made out of brick. I look around, trying to get a sense of my surroundings, but nothing is familiar to me.

"Mott?" I call out. "Fink? Where are you?" I need to know where they are. Hopefully they weren't killed. I find myself praying that they're just in another room.

Then I hear the clanking of metal as someone opens the sliding metal door to my cell. It's the leader from before.

"So are you enjoying your new cell?" He looks around. "Personally, it's not my taste of style."

"Neither mine." I say back. "What have you done with my friends?"

"Aw, your precious friends? They're visiting the people who I offered you the opportunity to see. You'll probably join them soon, right after you get your punishment."

"And what is that?" I steel my voice.

He punches me hard right across the jaw. "This." He slices my shirt off of me, and takes off my boots and socks. Then he continues to beat me and kick me. I take it all silently, remembering my time in Vargan's camp.

It hurts, and I want very badly to fight back, but I know that will only bring me more pain. He kicks and punches me over and over. Then he kicks me where my leg was broken all of those years ago. I scream in pain.

It had gotten a lot stronger. I could use it for everything, and it would only give out when I used it really hard for days on end. But the man kicked just right, and I fell, screaming and my hands latched to my flesh, trying to dull the pain.

He laughed evilly, and kicked it two more times. Then the pain was too great, and the last thing through my tears I saw was him standing over me, laughing.

While I was knocked out, I could sense that I was being moved. I didn't know where, I just hoped that it wasn't for another beating. But then, my sense of reality faded, and I was left in a nightmare.

I was getting beaten again, but this time Imogen was right there beside me. They were punching her too. I screamed for them to stop, but whatever I said, they didn't listen. Then finally they said as my final punishment, I would get to watch her die. I scream her name as they drive a sword right through her stomach.

I feel someone shaking me, saying my name. I open my eyes to see Mott shaking me awake, looking at me in terror. I'm in a bed, I can see that much through my tears. I'm screaming and sobbing, and my chest is heaving.

Then I struggle to get myself off of the bed and I run to the nearest bowl and throw up into it. I cannot lose Imogen, just the thought of it happening makes me sick, literally. I sink to the floor and I cover my eyes with my hands, trying to quiet my sobs.

"What's wrong with him?" I hear a female voice ask in alarm.

Fink answers her. "He has nightmares sometimes."

"Oh." She says in reply.

I feel someone put a hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright?" An older masculine voice asks.

"I have to be." I answer back. This is no time for weakness.

"Why didn't you tell us that you still had nightmares?" Mott asks reapochidly.

"Because I was sick and tired of everyone asking me if I slept at night! Besides, the castle physician never did help me. I don't share my life story with everyone." I said harshly.