“Come here you.” grumbled the brute. He wound up and released a fist at Bruno. Bruno, still stunned, pulled back just in time to miss the deadly knuckle spikes, but not enough to miss the edge of the gauntlet. Suddenly everything went black…
“Guhhh, uhhhh” said Bruno tiredly. He had a splitting head ache. He realized he was laying on a hard bed. He tried to get up, but quickly realized that his chest was strapped to the bed with heavy leather belts.
“Now now honey, just take it easy.” Said and elderly lady. She pressed his forehead back down to the bed. He tried to resist, but found that his hips, ankles, and wrists were strapped down too. The only thing he had control over was his neck. He whipped his head left to right and noticed next to him was Matar. Matar was similarly strapped down. His shirtless body had bandages wrapped around his middle.
“Oh don’t worry about him honey. He’ll be fine as long as he’s in my care. Good ol’ Maggy takes care of people. Now just drink this and go back to sleep.” She poured a syrupy sweet grape flavored liquid down his throat and he fell back asleep.
He awoke again to a harsh and horrible smell. BLEGHH! It smelled like days old pee. Ammonia? After that rude awakening, he started taking inventory of everything he noticed. Firstly, everything was dark. His hands were bound behind his back and he was sitting upright in a chair.
“Well well well, if it isn’t the Queen’s ants. Want to know how I know? We found a dagger with the Queen’s Royal Emblem on it on the boy. Let’s see, if I had to guess who you are… Hmmm an escort mission? The boy here is a diplomat’s son. And you must be some hapless sacrificial soldier. A nice gesture. I’ll be sure to let the Barron know that the Queen sends her regards; right after I dispose of your bodies. Speaking of which, Czawlytko here tells me that you know of a certain mine. Now… we can do this the hard way or the hard way. I won’t kill you, and you tell me where the mine is. Deal?”
Bruno heard Matar stifle a scream.
“I don’t enjoy doing this. I hate getting my hands dirty. Czawlytko why don’t you take over.” Said the center man slowly and purposefully.
“With pleasure”