There was a bitter taste in my mouth as I lied against the hard ground. It was hard to remember how I was like this, my clothes torn and my thoughts eradicated into nothing but still thoughts.
"Winnow!"
Then I heard it, the voice of Lady Ellora, screaming.
I tried to get to my feet but, my body felt limp, numb even and I could hardly mutter a single word.
I could smell raw blood lying underneath my nose and knew that it was my own but I tried with every vein that still pumped blood throughout my body to sit up and turn to my Lady.
"Ellora..." My tongue barely moved to whisper her name. I trudged one hand forward as I took in the sight of her being held and dragged by two men, their garments wearing a seal akin to that of the empire. I looked at their covered faces as one held Ellora by her throat, slowly petting it.
"The infamous Ellora Torren, words are true of you my lady. You are just as pretty as our Empire said."
There was a shake to my thoughts as the way his voice laced with such devotion allowed me to realize that these were not men of the empire.
"Who are you?" My voice a squeak as I coughed.
They turned their heads to me.
"Ah, it seems she still lives, take care of her, Alton."
Before I could comprehend those words, I heard Ellora scream, "NO! Don't hurt her, please!"
I could hear the bastard who had his hands around her neck chuckle.
"Is that so?"
"Yes! Please, do not hurt her. She is already bleeding for crying out loud-"
I watched as he squeezed her neck tighter causing her to choke.
"Ellora..." My voice faded as I tried to speak.
Alton walked up to me, and I reached out for his shoe and gripped it, my nails digging onto the leather of his boot. The smell of filth and the sight of dried blood under the grooves of his shoe stuck to my fingers but all I could care to muster from my own being were pleading words.
"Please, not the Lady Ellora. Take me instead, she has done nothing wrong for the Emperor to destroy her home and capture her." I could feel a heavy limp in my legs as I moved to stand on my feet, my clothes covered in blood that I knew was my own.
"Foolish and dirty maid. It still hasn't bucked into your head who we are? The Emperor you once served is dead."
His words took a long while to reach my brain as I watched Ellora claw at the hands of the man who was downright strangling her.
"What?" I whispered breathless as a pain in the pit of my lungs emerged with each breath I took.
"The rightful Emperor, Kan has succeeded his position as rightfully being on the throne. Your Lady of House Torren supported your dead Emperor against Kan and shall be brought before him."
My eyes widened as I stared at the seal on his coat, they were the rebels the Empire had been warned of; a rebellion that succeeded and brought death to our Emperor.
"Lady Ellora has done nothing wrong, she has never associated herself with politics, must her father's decisions on the ruling of his house determine her death?"
I could hear a hiss as a hand found itself striking itself across my face.
"Know your place, maid. The Emperor wants her, and he will have her."
I fell to my knees, my body in agony already from whatever brutal onslaught they had already done to me earlier.
"Bastian, allow me to end her and get this over with, we have already secured that prim bitch."
I could hear the two of them muttering as I started to feel blood drizzling down the side of my face and it was not until I felt a strong kick to the side of my head did I fall sideways and lose my bearings.
"Winnow!"
"Shut up! Alton let's go. The bitch will bleed out and die, we have what we need."
I tried to move; I tried to stand but I couldn't even fight the fading of my senses as I closed my eyes and felt my body slip into a deep slumber.