Girl At War

Capture - 7

"I AM NOT!" Eloyse shouted. She bit her lip, trying to control her temper. With her hands tied, it would do no good. In a low voice, she said, "I. Am. Not. A. Spy."

"You've said that." the leader sighed, getting frustrated. "You're lying."

Eloyse narrowed her eyes, "I know I've said that. You've said I've said that. You've also said I'm lying more times than I've said I'm not. How many time do I have to tell you! Just because I am riding through this pass does not mean I am a spy! I am looking for my brother! You-"

The leader cut her off. "Tie her over there until she decides to talk. Later we might torture her to find out what she was looking for."

Eloyse muttered a few choice phrases as she was jerked to her feet and shoved over to a tree. She knew better than to fight with nearly fifteen enemies around. She closed her eyes and leaned against the rough bark her captors, at the moment a man and young women, tied her feet and wrapped ropes around her and the tree.

"Wow, you must think I can just phase through ropes or something..." Eloyse grumbled as she felt the third strand pass across her body.

"Quiet." one of them snapped. Eloyse gave an exaggerated sigh and rolled her eyes. She played with her fingers, crossing them and trying to cross all four at once. Her capture had been easy, ridiculously easy. Even now she cursed herself for being so relaxed. She had been high and tense entering the enemy territory, but as she neared the other side she had gradually lost her awareness, believing herself safe. And so now she was here. They had just come out of the ground, it seemed, and had her surrounded in a moment.

They left her to her self-pity then, going to their fire. Eloyse thumped her head against the tree in frustration. She spent more time going in circles in her head, tracing patterns in the trees and clouds, before she awoke to the fact that if she was to help Shyden, she would have to get herself free. Nobody knew where she was.

Eloyse eyed her captors. They had spent about fifteen minutes scouting around before deciding that Eloyse had told the truth that she was alone. She inwardly berated herself. Why on Hopea had she told them she was alone? That was just inviting them to be at ease, instead of keeping them alert, watching for somebody who was with her.

Now they were talking around their fire, laughing and joking amongst each other. There were some young people, some almost young as Eloyse. The oldest appeared to be about thirty-five, and he was quiet, hanging back from his more energetic counterparts.

Eloyse scanned the area, hoping to see Damian. He'd bolted when Eloyse had been ordered, at the risk of death, to step down from the horse and move away from him. When somebody had moved forward to take the reins, he'd lit out at top speed. Regalis hadn't however. He'd nervously circled around and been caught by one of the team members. Even now he stood with the other horses, dozing contentedly. Of course. Who expected the "backup horse" to worry about his owner being captured, interrogated, and tied to a tree? Well, on that note, he'd had all those expect the interrogation to happen to him.

A little tingling sensation in her fingers drew Eloyse's attention to her hands. They were pale. She made a fist, and found it difficult. She frowned to herself. Merena had explained how Malental's circulation was more delicate than other people's. It was caused by their healing powers, always vibrating through them. The powers were blocked by constriction on the skin, even if it was light. Eloyse realized that she had never worn tight clothes, and for good reason. She was genuinely worried now, recalling the whole of Merena's lecture: too long constricted, lose the powers in that area. She began panicking, knowing that her hands were ninety percent of the power behind healing.

She narrowed her eyes and aggressively stared at the group until they became aware of her. They gradually fell silent, looking over at her.

"What's the matter?" One asked, suspicious.

Eloyse instantly flipped to an injured expression. "You're cutting off my circulation. I can't feel my hands."

They rolled their eyes and turned away. Eloyse gritted her teeth. Going against her proud nature, she begged and whined until someone begrudgingly got up and came over. They loosened the ropes on her hands slightly, very slightly. But it was enough.

Her "rescuer" had scarcely returned to the fire when the call came: move out.

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When Eloyse was left alone again, it was in a bare room with handcuffs. They had taken her to a large building, nearly a whole day's ride from where they'd been stationed. There, she'd been taken to a room, handed over to a smartly-dressed man, and handcuffed by him. Then she'd been seated in the chair she was sitting on, and told to "stay put or you'll be sorry, darling" and the man left.

Given time to actually think, Eloyse drowned herself in thought. Nobody still believed she wasn't a spy, so she saw no reason to stay with these people anymore. Therefore, an escape was in order. She sunk herself in her plans for nearly an hour. Finally she roused herself, yawning broadly.

Done figuring out how to escape, she turned her interest to the items in the room. It was plain. A picture hung on the wall opposite her. A desk was beside her, with papers scattered all over it. Some were recognizable as blue prints, others full of scrawled writing. There were no windows, and her chair and the desk chair were the only other things besides the desk and picture. Boring room.

Eloyse idly stared at the blueprints and plans. One in particular looked like the final in a series of drafts. Across the top of it proclamation in neat handwriting,

Tach Aria Yelkan

It was in Kaheric, and Eloyse automatically translated it.

Weapon of the High Ones

Odd thing to write. With nothing better to do, Eloyse studied the blueprints until she could look away at the wall and draw them in her head. Tired of that, she moved to the picture on the wall. Also Kaheric. Did everybody in here speak that ancient language?

The door opening caught her attention. She barely had time to gather herself and turn her palms over in an effort to hide the blue glow. It came from having all her power in only her hands. The man walked in, shutting the door behind him with a pronounced click.

He walked over to the desk, shuffling through the papers. Upon seeing the finished blueprint on top, he glanced sharply at Eloyse, then tucked it underneath other papers. Eloyse didn't appear to see, but she watched him from the corner of her eye. He poked through more papers, then stalked around the desk to his prisoner's side. Eloyse shifted slightly, to better reach him. He stopped next to her, sneering.

"Do you know what we do with snoopy enemies?"

"No." Eloyse's calm seemed to disturb him. He moved closer, a look of triumph in his face. In one quick movement, Eloyse reached forward and touched him on the side.

The man stiffened, and Eloyse concentrated harder. His face went blank, and he fell. Eloyse slid out of the chair and found the keys to her handcuffs in his pocket, right where he'd put them. She unlocked them and cuffed his hands behind his back. He was in a state of temporary paralysis. Eloyse had used her talent to deaden his main nerves, and she found she rather like the result.

She had never tried something like that before, but apparently it worked. Only problem? Eloyse was tired. She felt drained of much of her energy, which she had known was her Malental power, but now that fact was driven home at her unbelievable tiredness. It took a lot of power to actually effect the spinal nerve.

She looked at him, and seeing the absolute fury in his eyes, she smiled slightly. He would recover in a few minutes. She got to her feet and went to the door, hoping desperately she wouldn't meet anybody. She was in no condition to fight. Well, maybe she could fight. Already she felt more power coursing through her. She perked up, and went forward with a spring in her step. Perhaps she'd live through this after all?

A thunderous booming noise crashed through the entire building. It was so loud, it shook the building and threw Eloyse to the ground. She shakily staggered to her feet. Her mouth felt dry. Her heart pounded. Another powerful boom rolled across the area.

Maybe she wouldn't live through this....after all...