Filed to story: The Chosen Saga Novel PDF Free
“While that was entertaining to witness, I have plans. Get out.” Donal gestured everyone out of the wagon. Once Korine was out, she turned with a look of dread on her face. She helped Araiya out of the wagon and then they turned to a place they had come to know very well. “Welcome to the Arch, everyone. Ladies, I believe you know your places. Let’s go.”
Araiya and Korine headed up the dune first. Araiya was already shaking; she knew what was about to happen. “It’s okay, I got you. I am here.”
“I don’t think I will survive it this time, Kora.”
“You will, we will.” Korine wrapped her arms around Araiya and whispered. “I got you; I won’t let you down this time.” They stopped at the arch.
It was a very basic name for what occurred here. The arch was made of sandstone and looked pretty docile, until you noticed the hooks built into it. “Come on ladies. We don’t have all day.” Donal chuckled. “Well we do, but I have something exciting planned.”
Korine and Araiya approached slowly. They blamed it on Araiya’s back, but they were just dreading the next step. When they arrived, Donal had Araiya chained up. He had the soldiers pull her tight, trying to straighten her back, but it refused.? The soldiers shook their head in defeat, but Donal would not be stopped.
“Korine, my darling, come here.” Donal walked over to Araiya and looked over the bent woman. Korine walked over and stayed silent. Donal gestured two of the soldiers over and they placed a pillow and blanket on the ground. Right under where Araiya now hung, bent. “I need her to see, so I had to adjust our plans. Lay there please.”
Korine laid down at Araiya’s feet and stared up at her sister. She was terrified, they both were, but they just stared at each other.
Don’t look away.
I am here.
We will be okay.
I will not leave you.
Korine whispered the same things over and over to the shaking Araiya once Donal walked back to the group.? Korine watched on as a soldier walked behind Araiya and she kept whispering it, over and over, as the first crack of the whip sounded.
Araiya bit her lip. She knew making noises only made the punishment last longer. If she held out and only screamed after a long time, then it was shorter. Donal liked feeling like he had made her scream, not if she screamed instantly, then he dragged it out.
The whip sounded again and again. Blood dripped down her chin from where she embedded her teeth to stop from screaming, but oh, she was screaming.
She was screaming in her mind, in her soul. The whip carved her into a new person every time, soon she would be someone she no longer recognized. But she held firm on her lip, and she stared at Korine. She listened to her sister’s words.
Don’t look away.
I am here.
We will be okay.
I will not leave you.
Over and over, and then before she could scream, Donal held up a hand. Everything had grown so quiet, but still Araiya stared at Korine. Her back, she could only assume, was a fleshy mess once again. Araiya hung there, still bent over as Donal walked closer.
“Stay where you are. I just think Araiya here should have a better view of everything, so her bent over does not work for me anymore. I want to see her face for the next bit.” Donal walked to the chains that held her up and wrenched them down. Araiya let out a guttural scream as her arms were yanked above her head, and her back was straightened. She felt a few places that were fused together by Shavon’s healing tear and pop, causing her to scream again. Blackness creeped in and Donal’s voice was gone. All sound was gone. The world faded to the abyss.
Araiya awoke to the sound of the whip and the taste of the metal barb across her torn flesh. She screamed herself into alertness. The world burst with colour and sound.
“Good to see you’re back to the land of the living. I need you awake for this part.” Donal once again laughed and walked away. The white blanket had turned dark red with Araiya’s blood. Korine had speckles of her blood on her clothes and skin. She looked as if she was freckled, but the shade was too bright, too vivid red. It was unnerving, but as Araiya looked her over, she was unharmed. Her eyes unmoving.
Don’t look away.
I am here.
We will be okay.
I will not leave you.
Korine went back to whispering, and Araiya let a single tear slip. This woman in front of her was her salvation. She couldn’t even remember hating her now.
Don’t look away.
I am here.
We will be okay.
I will not leave you.
Araiya remembered a night after Jon had attacked her. She was bleeding from her head and was confused. He had touched her, and when she had tried to fight him off, he hit her for the first time. He had run, worried she had made too much noise with her screaming, but Araiya had laid on the ground bleeding and confused. Then a figure appeared in white, a vision from the Goddess, or the Goddess herself had come to save her. Araiya smiled. She was only ten and did not know any better.