Josephine sat on the small stone bench that had been her bed for the past two weeks. The cell that she shared with the little doe eyed girl, whose name she did not know, was small and empty but for the few furnishings. Two stone benches and a large wooden bucket. They had two blankets each, which were their only comfort save for the brown canvas smocks that looked like they were originally tea leaf sacks.
She had given up trying to make conversation with her cell mate, who now sat on her bench hugging her knees and rocking back and forth muttering sounds that Josephine could not comprehend. She had tried several times to comfort her but the little girl recoiled from her touch, hissing like a rabid cat.
If Josephine had to guess she would have said that her cell mate was seven years old.
Nausea swept up from her stomach to her throat. She swallowed hard to suppress it, making her head feeling dizzy and her limbs convulse briefly. She could not afford to be sick. No matter how bland and tasteless the soup had been, it was her only real meal of the day. The only other meal that she had had was watery porridge oats, which they had most mornings. Some days they would have bruised fruit, which she suspected was the unwanted fruit from the castle. Her mother would often give unused food to the family who served them in her house. Her mother was so kind. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. This was beyond her, she did not have her mothers steel. She was her father’s daughter in every way imaginable.
Crunch
She looked over at her doe eyed cell mate, rocking back and forth mumbling like a drunken tramp. Wretched child. She was not sure when she had began to resent her cell mate. Perhaps it was during her first week here. Josephine had vomited her meal onto the cell floor and had to turn away as her doe eyed cell mate scurried over on her hands and knees and began to lick up the vomit. She was the daily reminder of what Josephine would become if she remained here. If? The ‘ifs’ were fast becoming ‘certainties’. The only saving grace was that she had not had contact with a ‘visitor’ yet. According to one of the girls, the moment this happened she would never be released.
A scream pierced the quiet of the evening followed by another crunching noise. Who were they hurting now? Nothing was unusual here. What sick creature could create such a place? Josephine shivered. She was young but she was not so naïve as to discount the fact that pure greed was the source of this evil. In fact she could not be more certain of anything. Her father, a very rich and wealthy man, spent hours preaching to Josephine the evils of such greed. She did not know if her father knew the full realisation of his words. She doubted it. Her father would burn this castle to the ground and kill all of these ghastly visitors if he knew. If only he knew.
Another scream followed by a crunch.
Josephine placed her fingers through her white blonde hair and covered her ears.
Another scream followed by a crunch.
Her cell door was opened and two of the black robed guards stood expressionless, both wielding those dreadful two handed iron mallets. They were for building ships or wagons not for…. Were they the cause of the crunching noises she had heard? Were they killing the girls?
Another crunch this time without a scream.
Josephine feinted.
** ** ** ** ** ** **
Stone felt great. He looked over at his friend, who was also smiling. This was the best day in his life and he was sure Duke felt the same way. Today they would both probably die but that did not matter. Today they were living. Truly living.
They stood in front of a small wooden door at the very top of the steps. Stone tried to push it open but it would not budge. He looked at Duke and nodded towards the door. Duke grinned and drew up the huge metal hammer and slammed it into the centre of the door leaving a huge crack.
“Who is there?” Came a voice, which sounded really scared thought Duke.
“Hit it again, Duke.” Stone smiled. Duke drew the hammer up again and brought it down with more strength. The door blasted into pieces. Duke laughed and kicked the rest of the door into the room behind. A bald man stood pointing something small towards Duke.
“Mr Drake and Mr Stone, what happened to Grimand and the guards?”
“They absconded.” Stone said stepping into the room.
The bald man pointed the small thing toward Stone. “Stop right there Mr Stone. Move one more step and I will kill you where you stand.”
Stone stopped still his hand clenching the piece of glass, his thumb caressing it nervously. “How many guards are here?”
“Discounting the two you just killed. There are eighteen guards down in the cellars.”
“Eighteen? That is a big number. Do you think me and Duke could kill that many?”
“Duke? Ah your big stupid friend. No you could not kill that many guards, I am surprised you managed to kill Grimand.”
Stone stared at the bald man’s hand. What was that in his hand? “What is that?” Stone asked pointing at the bald man’s hand.
“This is a gun Mr Stone. It has two shots one for each of you. I point it at you like this and pull this trigger and BANG you are dead.”
“That sounds great.”
The bald man looked confused by this. “Yes, yes they are very good. Listen the only reason I have not killed you both is because I have sold you to the mines. Not much coin but it will buy me a new gown.”
Stone smiled, “A gown? Is that what you are wearing now?” Stone stared at the gown which had so many different colours on it that Stone could not take his eyes off it.
“Yes it is. I forget that you both have been here so long. You know almost nothing of the world outside, Mr Stone. The mines will be the best place for you.”
“How long have we been here?” Stone said his voice serious and cold.
“You both arrived on the same day eight years ago.”
“Does that mean we are eight years old?”
“Gods no. You are both about thirteen years old, which makes you useful at the mines and not so useful here. No boy has ever reached puberty in here in the fifteen years I have been in charge. Just you two and eh Mr Baker. Where is Mr Baker?”
“He absconded.” Stone answered with a smile. “What is puberty?”
The bald man looked annoyed. “It means you are becoming a man.”
“We are becoming men?” Stone was shocked by this.
“Yes and we have no need for men here. The girls of course are different, they are always useful.”
“There are girls here? I have only heard about them but have never seen one.” Stone said his hand fidgeting with the piece of glass.
“Of course you have not and you probably never will. Now tell your dumb friend to put the hammer down.” The bald man said looking agitated.
“Duke put the hammer down, please.” Duke dropped the hammer to the floor and looked really sad about having to do so. “Thanks Duke.” This made him smile.
“Now I need you both to turn around and walk back to your cells. I shall follow you both down so do not try anything or I shall have to kill you both.”
“Eighteen guards?” Stone asked.
“Yes, there are eighteen guards down in the cellar. Ten in the girls kuarter and now there are eight in the boys kuarter thanks to you and Mr Drake.”
“And you?” Stone said matter of fact, “That makes nineteen guards in the cellar?”
“Yes, your mathematics is quite right.”
Stone strode toward the bald man his piece of glass held out in front of him ready to do harm. The noise the gun made deafened Stone momentarily and a deep pain bit into Stone’s arm. Pain meant nothing to Stone. He did not scream. He did not drop his piece of glass. The gun made another noise almost knocking Stone from his feet. Blood ran down the side of his head. Pain meant nothing to Stone. He did not scream. He did not drop his piece of glass.
The hammer caught the bald man in the middle of his belly throwing him across the room into the wall behind him. Stone turned to see Duke clutching the hammer in both of his huge hands. His face looked worried. “I am okay, Duke.” Dukes face changed instantly into that smile that Stone loved so much.
Stone walked over to bench that had paper and other things that Stone did not recognise on it. He picked up the gun and looked at it. The metal end was hot and burned his hand when he touched it. Smoke came out of the end. He held the gun like he had seen the bald man hold it. And pulled the metal bit like the bald man had done. It made a clicking noise but nothing happened. Stone bent over the crumpled body of the bald man and pulled him onto his back. He was whimpering in pain. “How I make the gum make the noise?”
“Eh em em please do not kill me Mr Stone.” His eyes were scared Stone thought.
“How does the gun make the noise?”
“I will tell you if you promise not to kill me. I can show you how to get out of here and I can give you plenty of coin.” He fumbled through his robe and drew out a cloth pouch that was the same colours as his robe. “Here take this.” He handed the pouch to Stone.
“I have no where to put it.” Stone said looking down at the brown blood soaked rough cloth that covered his body but not his legs. “My gown has no pockets.”
“You want a gown? I have plenty on that shelf behind you.”
Stone looked up at the shelf at the gowns all various shades of blue. None of them were as bright and had as many colours as the gown the bald man wore. “I want the gown you are wearing.”
“Here have it….” The bald man struggled to pull the gown off and he looked in a lot of pain.
“Tell me how to use this thing you called a gun.”
“If you promise not to kill me.”
“I promise.” Stone said smiling excitedly.
“On my desk there is a little wooden box with metal balls in it. You need those.” Stone picked up the little wooden box which had been painted blue. He opened it and inside were hundreds of little metal balls. “They are very expensive and quite rare. Not many people can afford to own a gun.”
“Expensive.” Stone said trying out the word.
The bald man looked confused. “You pull those bits back. No the metal bits on the top of the gun.”
Stone pulled on them and was excited to see two holes revealed. “Do I put the metal balls in these holes?”
“Yes. But only one in each hole.”
Stone poked a ball in each hole which he found very difficult to do at first.
“Now close the metal bits.” Stone did as he was told. “Now watch where you are pointing that please….” Stone pointed the gun away from the bald man. “Thank you… now pull the right trigger.” Stone did and the gun made a loud noise. A piece of the stone wall broke away.
“Whoaoa.” Stone said excitedly.
“Pull the left trigger Mr Stone.” Stone did as he was told and the gun made the bang again. “You can only fire two shots at a time before you have to reload two more balls.”
“Expensive.” Stone exclaimed.
“Yes they are so be careful with it please.”
“Do the guards have them?” Stone asked.
“No not the guards in the cellars but the guards in the castle do.” Stone had some of the other boys talk about the castle in the past. He had no idea what it was other than it was the building above the cellars somewhere. “You also need keep the powder topped up. But you only need to do this after about fifty shots.”
“Keep powder topped up.” Stone repeated.
“It is on the table next to the box of shots.” Stone picked up a large pouch and loosened the string. He stuck his finger inside and pulled some of the powder out. It was dark grey. He put his finger in his mouth and licked it. It tasted very strong, stronger than anything Stone had ever tasted before in his life. A bit like the taste of blood, Stone thought to himself. “Do not eat it, the stuff is bloody expensive.”
“Expensive.” Stone repeated the word again.
“You pour the powder into the hole in the top of the gun.” Stone pulled the metal bits back again revealing the holes. “No not there. Here give me the gun and I will show you.” Stone handed him the gun and the bald man unscrewed something from the top of the gun. “You pour it in here, Mr Stone.” Stone took the gun back and poured the powder into the small hole, pouring quite a lot of it on the bench and not very much of it in the hole. It took him a little while to learn how to screw the stopper into the top of the gun. “And now it is all topped up. Try shooting it again, Mr Stone.” Stone placed two of the shots in the holes in the back of the gun.
“No.” Stone did not feel like he needed to know anymore about the gun and he was also felt a little confused about why the bald man was being so nice now. Stone pulled his blood soaked brown gown over his head and give it to the bald man. “Where this.” The bald man looked like he was going to argue but then looked down at the gown and started to pull it over his head. Stone pulled the colourful gown on and smiled to himself. Duke was grinning. “Do I look good, Duke?” Stone picked up the blue wooden box of shots and the pouch of powder and placed them in his pockets, with the pouch of coins.
Duke pulled his dirty brown gown off and threw it on the floor. “Duke. I be good.”
Stone reached to the shelf and took down a sky blue gown and handed it to Duke. Duke dropped his hammer on the floor and pulled the gown over his head and stood looking at Stone. “You look great, Duke.” Stone said. They both looked great. This was the best day of their lives.
** ** ** ** **
Josephine came round. Cold water ran down her from her face and onto her naked chest. She looked about herself shocked. She was no longer in her cell. Her wrists were chained above her head to the stone ceiling. Her feet were held apart and chained to a wooden block at her feet. Gods above no. Her soul screamed out. She was completely naked in a room she had never seen before. The guards placed two lamps on the table across the room. One of them stopped before her and cupped her breast in his right hand. Josephine tried to pull away from him but the chains held her still. “Be good for the visitor.”
“Take your hands off her, Trunt. Ballion does not like us touching his merchandise.”
“Screw Ballion, I would love to stick my **** in this one.”
“Well it would cost you three months wages to do so, so forget about it.”
“Aye the rich bastards have all the fun.”
“If he hears we have been talking in front of this one, then we will be cutting stone in the mines before this week is over.”
The one called Trunt reached behind Josephine. She felt his large hand, the size of her bottom, skueeze really hard. “Say anything about this and you will have a little accident.” He stared into her face, his eyes a horrible brown and his breath stunk of fish and cheap spirits.
“I wont…. I promise I wont.” Josephine spluttered. She felt his hand move further behind her a finger touching between her legs, then he pulled away and they both left the room, slamming the door behind them.
Tears washed down Josephine’s face. She was drowning in her thoughts. What had happened to her parents? She was going to spend the rest of her life here, in this hell. She was naked. This is not how she had dreamed of her first time with a man. What had happened to her parents? She wanted to cover herself up, she had not been comfortable with her body since it had started to change. Her breasts were not large like the other ladies of her house. Her house… what had become of her servants. The family who had served her family for several generations. She felt guilty. She had not even once considered their fate the whole time she had been here. Was their grandchild in the cellars too. The revulsion swept over her. It did not seem that long ago that the little boy had taken his first steps. What had happened to her parents? She was going to have a visitor. Would he be gentle? She despaired. Would she spend the remainder of her life in this nightmare? Please father, come and save me. Please. I was a duchess. I was going to be the best duchess in the empire. My father had told me I would be. Where is my father? He was meant to protect me. And my mother… my poor dear mother. We did not deserve this. Her heart broke inside her.
** ** ** **
This day was so great, Stone thought to himself. He and Duke were men now, according to the bald man who called himself Ballion. They both had new cloaks and Stone had a pouch of coins and an expensive gun in his pocket. Stone wanted to see this Ballion ‘absconded’ but he had made a promise.
Ballion seemed to have read what Stone was thinking, “You can not kill me. The guards will have heard you firing the gun, Mr Stone. They will be on the way up here as we speak.”
“You tricked me.” Stone said angrily.
The one called Ballion’s face went white. “No…no I did not trick you… What I mean is that you will need me to show you how to get out of here, Mr Stone.”
“Good because I do not like being tricked. I am a man now.”
“Yes you are.” The one called Ballion said with a pretend smile. Stone wished that he had not made that promise, but he needed to know how to use the gun. “I can show you how to escape the cellars but I am not sure how you will escape the castle as it is heavily guarded.”
“We are not trying to escape.” Stone said, it was something that the boys often had to say to the guards. Which made the guards smile and leave them alone. The one called Ballion did not smile though. He looked worried.
“If you are not trying to escape then what are you going to do?”
“Kill eighteen guards.” Stone said happily.
“What?” The bald man looked scared.
“How many guards are in the castle?”
“Eh what? Em about hundred, who knows? A lot.” Stone thought that this Ballion man looked very scared. “You promised not to kill me, Mr Stone. You made a promise.” Stone wished he had not and his mind struggled with this promise he had made. He was not sure what it meant to break a promise.
“We will go down to the cellars, Ballion. You go first.” The man named Ballion got to his feet slowly. He looked like he was in a lot of pain and he held his belly where Duke had hit him with the hammer. He did not look as good wearing Stone’s brown robe as he did before when he wore the brightly coloured robe that Stone now wore. Duke picked up the lamp from the bench and smashed it against one of the shelves that had papers on it. They caught on fire straight away and Stone marvelled at the different colours of fire.
“What you doing?” Ballion said trying slap out the flames with his bear hands. “These are the files of every child in the cellar and all of my clients..”
Stone could not read and so could not understand why the bald man was so upset. “Take us down to the girl’s cellars. I want to see what a girl looks like.”
“We can not let these files burn, we can not..”
“Now!” Stone was surprised to hear himself shout and smiled to himself. Ballion shuffled across the room and out through the broken door. Stone kept the gun pointed at his back the whole time. The flames were spreading across the room toward the shelf where the robes were neatly folded. Stone did not want to see them all burn as they were so nice. He grabbed a dark blue and one hung it over his shoulder. He now had two nice robes, a pouch of coin and an expensive gun.
They followed the man named Ballion down the stone steps, who moved really slowly. He was moving too slowly, Stone thought and became frustrated. Duke must have thought he was moving too slowly too because when they got the bottom of the first set of stone steps, Duke grabbed a hold of Ballion’s brown gown and threw him through the broken window.
“Absconded.” Stone said with a grin. Duke grinned back. Today was the best.
** ** ** **
The door opened and a man entered wearing a green cloak that the gentlemen wore for riding with black trousers tucked into brown riding boots. Josephine struggled with her chains but knew it was pointless. He stood before her his hood pulled over his head casting shadows across his face. He just stood there looking her up and down. “How can you do this? What kind of man wants to hurt children in this way….” Her protestations were cut short by a back handed slap across her face.
“I have paid good coin to have you first, do not spoil it with your silly little girl noises. I am really not interested in anything you might have to say.” He took his brown leather gloves off and place them on the table.
“You probably do not remember me. I used to work with your father.”
“My father? Is he alive?” Josephine asked momentarily forgetting her situation.
“You worry about your father’s health whilst you are strung up naked in this **** hole, the play thing of any man with enough coin to slide his sword into your scabbard. Oh how noble you are sweet little Josephine.” Hearing him say her name stung her deep. This man knew her. This man knew her.
He took his hood back from his head. “Rickard….” But he was such a gentleman. He had always treated her like a lady. People always spoke about Rickard as being the finest example of nobility. He was kind. He was a kind man.
“Oh how I have imagined your little body writhing beneath me. I have to say that on first viewing you do not disappointed. I never imagined you would have hair between your legs yet. Not thick like a woman’s though. Soft and so fine.” He said moving over to her and caressing his hand gently between her legs up to her stomach. “Like a child’s. Not that I would have been disappointed had you remained hairless.”
Josephine was desperate, “Rickard take me from this place. Please take me from this place? I will do anything for you, I promise.” She stared into his green eyes, she had once thought they were stunning but now they were like snakes eyes. How had she not noticed the cruelty in them before now?
“Ah little Josephine you seem to have forgotten your noble upbringing. I shall have to punish you for that….forgetfulness now.” His hands grabbed roughly between her legs entering places they had no right to enter. “You are a whore now. Why would I want a whore?” Josephine lost the ability to speak. Her whole body froze and stiffened up. She was being violated. She was being raped by a friend of her father’s.
** ** ** ** **
Stone and Duke made their way down the stairs back toward the dining room where they took their meals. Stone had no idea where he was going. He only knew four places in his life. The room where they ate their meals, the cell he shared with Duke, the yard where they spent most of their day and the room where he spent most of his nights. There were visitors here now, he thought. For once in his life the thought of visitors excited him. It was like a dream. Tonight he would be visiting them.
A black cloaked guard was making his way up the stone steps toward them. “What the hells is going on?” He sounded angry. Stone took out the expensive gun and pulled the right trigger like the man named Ballion had taught him. BANG. The guard fell backwards down the stairs. Stone grinned with joy. It worked, the gun worked.
The guard lay groaning and clutching his chest at the bottom of the stone steps. “How many visitors do we have tonight?” Stone asked calmly.
The man groaned and when he spoke it sounded like he had water in his throat. “None in the…the boys wing tonight.”
“How many in the girls wing?” Stone asked.
“Four.” The guard answered blood spraying out from his mouth.
“Thank you.” Stone said smiling. He nodded to Duke and Duke grinning drove his hammer through the guards head. They both stood and looked down at what was left of the guards head. “We should have asked where the girls wing was.” Stone said the smile momentarily leaving his face. “Not to worry Duke, I am sure we will find it. “ Smiling again they made there way through toward their cell.
Two guards rushed out from the corridor that led to their cells. “No.” Stone shouted pointing the gun at them. They dropped their hammers and put their hands in the air. Wow, Stone thought, this expensive gun was special. He did not even have to pull the trigger.
)). 
