Treasures - Book 4 The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter 9

Jobyna felt the darkness gripping her as if in a strangle-hold. She struggled helplessly, feeling she had been firmly chained, wrists and ankles, to the stone floor.

A heavy, ice-cold block of stone pressed against her chest and she could scarcely breathe. Everything drifted away.

A voice brought her back to the present, "Jobyna, daughter of Chatelain of Chanoine, where is your brother, Luke? Where?"

She tried to see who was speaking but her eyes felt blindfolded. A searing pain in her chest brought the word 'torture' to her mind. Is this what torture is like? she thought.

The word, 'hallucinating' seemed to be floating around the room, sounding out in her mind; someone spoke, "She's hallucinating..." another voice, deep and cold, said, "Well, do something to stop it!"

Someone forced her to drink. It seemed hot, pungent; she was sure it was drugged, and the idea of poison caused her to shake her head. She fought against the firm hands that held her. Liquid was poured between her parched lips and she choked as she swallowed.

The next two days were filled with torture for Jobyna. She felt as though a hundred horses trampled her. Pain captured her body as though she was bound with thorny vines; everything, everywhere, ached...

Questions were thrown at her, one after the other; she determined not to answer.

Someone removed the hot blindfold from her eyes and she caught a glimpse of the man who had been standing over her, interrogating, questioning. He wore a purple hood with holes cut for the eyes. His dilated pupils were angry and glowed like rubies.

Jobyna reached out her hand, which was now free of the chains, and she tried to pull off the man's hood. Before she could retract her hand, a sword flashed and severed it. She sat up, screaming, her body burning up. They were burning her; she had been thrown in a fire; the flames licked at her hair, her eyebrows and lashes; perspiration coursed from her body.

A cold blindfold was placed over her eyes, it felt too heavy, like ice.

Again, there was blackness.

Jobyna could see a beautiful garden with lovely lilac lilies, growing everywhere, just like the one she had found in the valley. A voice was entreating her. Through a delicate mist rising from the lily field, she saw her mother, beckoning. "Jobyna, Jobyna, come, daughter, come." Father was standing beside her, holding out a bunch of lilies for Jobyna to take. Jobyna hesitated. Where was Luke? She looked around. Luke must come. She must find Luke. The garden faded slowly into a lilac mist. She was lost and must find her way out of the haze. It choked her! She couldn't breathe! The sharp pain was there again; she could feel it, like a knife, stabbing every time she gasped for air.

~~~~~

It had been dark when Elliad arrived at Kings Castle with Luke's horse in tow. Companies of his knights and soldiers were sent to hunt for Luke.

Two hundred soldiers had searched every nook and cranny of Westbrook and the abandoned horse at the inn was connected to the boy from descriptions of Luke. It intrigued Elliad to find the supplies, with the sword, the bow and arrows, the plain dagger, the food and clothing Luke had purchased.

Residents of the town confirmed sightings of the boy.

Supplies in the pack on the horse had been traced to the shops he had visited.

Elliad was traveling towards Mayhew to search further when a messenger brought to his ears the news of Jobyna's capture. This cheered Elliad greatly and he turned to ride to his self-appointed home in great eagerness.

"Well done! Good work!" Elliad was pleased with Julian. The fat man had briefed the king as soon as he arrived at Kings Castle.

Julian presented Elliad with King Leopold's Testament, telling him of Jobyna's drawing of the seal. Satisfied Julian's pirated catch was safe and secure; Elliad took his time enjoying a sumptuous meal, scheming how easy it would be to make this 'Daughter of Chatelain' talk. A little pressure would achieve much, especially with one so young. He deliberately took his time to add to Jobyna's misery, her solitary confinement without food or drink.

It was late when he sent Julian and his K.E. men to escort Jobyna to him.

This was Julian's moment. Promotion and reward were already his.

King Elliad had praised and honored him by announcing that he sit next to him at the banquet tonight.

Julian gloated now as he marched down the stairs to bring the prize catch to Elliad. Jobyna was to be presented to Elliad in the throne room before being escorted to a dungeon. How much more glamour there would be if this was Luke! But that would come, Julian believed, nothing seemed out of his reach.

He was not prepared for the great disappointment he received upon reaching Jobyna's cell.

The men could not wake Jobyna. Due to the exposure and exhaustion she suffered, she was blue with cold. The physical and emotional distress of the last week, the lack of nourishment, the tiring journey and the soaking she received that afternoon finally took its toll.

She lay on the stone floor of the room, looking like a rag doll. The men couldn't make out if she was breathing. Nothing they said or did brought the faintest spark of life to her frail form. Julian went empty-handed, red-faced, to the throne room to inform Elliad of this set-back.

Their little game was spoiled and Elliad felt humiliated as he trudged to the holding-room to see her for himself. He, the king, was going to her, the prisoner. What an anti-climax! The importance of the girl and what she knew came home to him as he entered the cell.

In a rage, Elliad turned on Julian, "Idiot! Imbecile! Haven't you a brain in your fat head? What made you leave her here in this cold room in soaking wet clothes? Don't you know anything? If she dies, I'll have your head!"

Elliad barked out orders and Jobyna was carefully carried to a room where an open fire burned fiercely. He called in his doctors and threatened them with all sorts of maladies if they did not save her life.

Pacing the floor all night, Elliad could not believe what was happening, when so much was in his grasp.

"How dare this disposable creature be sick like this!"—he yelled at his attendants.

The doctors told Elliad there was not much hope.

Jobyna's condition grew worse as each hour of the night passed causing him to become more agitated. She might die, but he wanted to be the one to decide when; certainly not before he obtained what he wanted from her.

It's ironic, he thought, to have to work to save her life before I end it. I must have the information about the seal to the kingdom of Frencolia from her. I must find the treasures mentioned in the testament. I'll do anything to get her well enough to talk!

Heated lambskin rugs were placed around Jobyna's still form and special medicines were prepared and administered to warm her from inside. A woman from the city was called in, one who was considered an expert mid-wife and specialized in children's ailments.

Elliad offered her great rewards if she saved Jobyna's life.

The mid-wife massaged Jobyna's arms and legs with warm oil, working to restore normal circulation to the cramped limbs, shaking her head and muttering, "It's all a waste of time. She's scarcely alive and has little strength to pull through anyway. You give me a corpse to work with; what more do you expect than that she remains a corpse?" she asked. Looking straight into Elliad's metallic eyes, she said, "I can only try, Your Majesty, but I'll take no blame, not a tad!"

The next few days were blustery and cold.

Heavy rain pelted the ground; rivers and streams grew to bursting point. Few ventured out in weather like this; doors and shutters were secured and home fires stimulated to burn brightly.

Jobyna's condition remained critical, adding to Elliad's selfish depression.