Torture

Bruises

The food rounds that evening gifted me with a new dress. With no privacy and little energy to muster a full-blown illusion once more all I could do was turn my back and change my dress away with my back to the onlooking cells. I flinched as the material of my old dress brushed against my bruises as I removed it. The pain was yet another reminder of my previous encounter with the guards earlier that day. My new toga was simple enough, the light blue material fell to my ankles with simple straps across my shoulders giving a circular neckline. Greatfull for my new found modesty I pulled my hair to one side as I took a seat on my bed staring at the slop I had been served.

"Zeanna, wasn't it?" Loki asked causing me to turn around, gladly leaving the grotesque meal alone. "Yes?" I replied more like a question than an answer, surprised that he actually knew my name. "Beg my pardon for looking but were you always covered in those bruises?" Loki asked nodding towards my battered body. I too looked down at my body, staring at the purple marks across my skin. I shook my head in response. "Why?" I questioned. "Because something's not quite right darling" Loki finished as he sat on the floor, leaning against a wall with a cup between his hands. I was surprised with the man's change of tone and concern. Why on Earth would he worry about my well being when days before he gloated about killing a handful of Midgardians. I picked up my tray of food and placed it down, untouched, and ready to be collected.

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm very much okay" I stated as I walked back over to my bed. "Are you telling me that, or yourself?" Loki replied still focusing on the cup in his hand. I paused thinking of how to respond. Was I okay? Of course I wasn't. Before I had the chance to answer Loki's riddle, Cadoc walked towards my cell. "Well don't we look tasty" the guard grinned as he stared at me through the force field. Once again I cowered to the corner of my cell. "Princess... don't be shy give us a twirl. I want to see our handy work" Cadoc cooed through gritted teeth, looking at the marks across my arms. I looked towards the guard. He was utterly vile, he had tiny scraps of hair that covered his head and a gappy smile. The man was verging on obesity. His skin was grubby and tarnished with sweat. The thought of what he'd done to me made my blood curl. "Leave me alone, please" I pleaded shaking my head and looking to the guard. The guard smirked and shook his head slowly. "Afraid I can't princess, the pay just isn't good enough, we have needs you know" he made a rude gesture before walking away and laughing crudely.

I was sick to death of crying but it's all I could muster to express my fear and pain. "Zeanna" Loki called, I ignored him continuing to wipe the tears from my cheeks. "Zeanna" he called again. I turned to him with red puffy eyes. "Guards have no right to speak to a sourced in that" he said with a stern yet concerned expression. "I'll have something done about it"he finished. I nodded grateful for his odd take on the matter at hand. "Thank you Loki" I replied with a sad smile. If only he knew the true cause of my bruises and the guard's crass words.