Silent Cellmate

8. Punishment

Ash's POV:

Since my stutter has been reduced, Loki and I have spent the past few days talking almost nonstop. Though I do appreciate the fact that he carefully avoids any heavy topics, I hope he eventually realises that I can handle the dark parts of our lives as well.

Everything was perfect until the day that Arvid and Garth arrived at our cell. We hadn't noticed them standing there until we both felt our cuffs interlock. The barrier was dropped and I was promptly grabbed roughly by Arvid.

"The AllFather wishes to see you to ensure that you are truly suffering for your crimes" he growled at me. "I doubt he will be impressed by your state of health and happiness".

I instantly looked at Loki who was trying to mask his worry, but I could see straight through it. Our eyes stayed locked until I was dragged out of view of the cell.

I could hear Arvid and Garth speaking to one another but I was too fearful to register the words that were coming out of their mouths. I could only think about what may lie ahead of me.

We reached the throne room all too soon. The grand gold doors were promptly opened and I was shoved inside. The sound of those heavy doors clanking shut behind me made a shiver go down my spine.

As I looked up, I could see Odin glaring down upon me from his throne. I slowly got to my feet and lowered my eyes to the ground trying not to think about what he may do seeing me looking so well.

"So I throw you in a cage with a monster, and yet here you stand before me completely unscathed" he seethed. I wanted to scream that Loki was not a monster but I stayed silent and kept my head down.

I heard him approach me slowly but I didn't move a muscle. Suddenly he grabbed my hair and yanked my head back.

Staring straight into my eyes he whispered "you are only alive because my wife pleaded with me. You deserve to be dead, and if that beast in the cell with you won't make you suffer, then I will do it myself."

He dragged me by my hair to one of the pillars and chained my arms painfully above my head. I was forced to stand on my tiptoes with my face pressed against the smooth surface. If I let my feet drop it felt as though my arms would be ripped from their sockets.

For a few minutes, nothing happened. I could hear Odin walking across the room but I was too focused on staying on my toes to pay much attention.

Without warning, I heard a crack and white hot pain began to spread along my back.

I cried out but the whip just kept coming down over and over. The pain was unbearable, my legs had given out and I was sure that one of my shoulders had dislocated.

The torture continued on for what felt like hours, but in reality, may have only been a few minutes. After a while, my vision began to darken and I slipped into unconsciousness.

Loki's POV:

Ash has been gone for hours now and I have no clue what is happening to her. All I can do is pace as my imagination runs rampant.

I want her back in my arms where I know she is safe. Mother may have pleaded for her life, but I didn't trust father in the slightest. I worry that I may never see her again.

I halt my pacing as I hear footsteps approaching my cell. I see the same guards that took my Ash away smirking at me from the other side of the barrier. In a matter of moments, the forcefield is dropped and they chuck something into my cell. As I look at it I freeze in horror realising that it's Ash.

I hear the guards laugh and mutter something before closing the forcefield and walking away. I instantly drop to my knees beside Ash, almost afraid to touch her.

Her shirt has been torn to shreds and her entire back is covered with deep bleeding welts from a whip. Both of her shoulders are dislocated and her breathing is ragged.

I immediately place my hand on her back and dump all my power into healing her. I stop for a few minutes to catch my breath. My power is already so drained that I decide to fix her shoulders manually.

I am incredibly thankful that she was unconscious for this part. It made the work a lot easier as her body was fully relaxed, not to mention she wouldn't have to go through more pain.

Once I was sure that her arms were fixed I started healing her back again. I pushed far beyond my limits and felt weak and dizzy.

I just dumped more and more power into healing her before my vision went black and my head hit the floor.