Chapter No. 23 Ascensus

Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

Grimsy hurried to the Royal Assembly chamber with the impetus of a man who knew what he wanted. To be summoned by his father meant that something important was about to take place and it involved him. Fulfilling his destiny requires resolve and patience.
Emperor Lord Grimsley's resolve involved no patience.

When the doors parted to allow his entrance, Grimsy walked up to the throne with a gate that exhibited three parts conviction and two parts trepidation.

His father stared at him with a grim expression for several minutes before releasing a long sigh. "I don't understand why your sister . . ." He fought back emotion. "Why did she betray me? Taka was first choice to succeed me." He waved his hand as if dismissing any argument. "I mean no disparagement, but you are not quite ready to assume the responsibilities of First Heir." He sighed again. "But it appears that you have been thrust into that responsibility whether you are ready or not."

Grimsy nearly pulled a facial muscle suppressing a smile. He had enough presence of mind to hold his tongue.

Lord Grimsley turned his face away. "You have a difficult task at hand, my son."

Grimsy cracked a weak smile before he set his jaw firmly. "I will do anything you wish, no matter how difficult."

His father looked at him through squinting eyes. "You will carry out your sister's sentence."

Grimsy looked back through concerned eyes. "What is the nature of her sentence?"

"Her living body is to be subjected to slow torture."

"What manner of torture, my lord?"

"The manner is your choice. The torment must last as long as possible. She is not to die quickly. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my lord."

"I realize that I am asking you to kill your sister, but you must do this. When your mother betrayed me, I was reluctant to end her life, but I had no choice, as you have no choice."

"I will do as you wish, my lord, but it pains me to do so."

His father shook his head. "I understand."

Grimsy bowed and slowly exited the chamber, trying his damnest to not appear eager or excited. These times are cause for cautious conviction.

Desiring sufficient time to think about what he was about to do, young Grimsy strolled slowly down long dark corridors in the bowls of the castle. His emotions vacillated between disgust and pleasure. On the one hand, he really didn't want to end his sister's life. She had provided him with excellent service and loyalty, but on the other hand, he felt excited about assuming his rightful role as First Heir and she was a dangerous liability. Better still, he had always had a certain fascination with tormenting her.

The instant Estard saw her brother enter her cell she rushed to him. "I knew that you would come for me, my brother."

Standing on her bare toes to kiss him, Estard easily sensed that her evil brother was not here to save her. The look on his face was more of resignation than of concern.

She wore the traditional clothing of female prisoners: a cotton rag that draped around her body.

After some experimenting, Estard had broken with tradition by wrapping the cloth around her body widthwise, covering herself from above her cleavage to her knees. Her main advantage in this was that she could tie the two halves together, freeing her hands.

He hugged her, allowing her head to rest on his shoulder. "I'm afraid I have bad news, my sister."

She looked up at him with wide eyes. "What news?"

He allowed her to step back. "I have been ordered to execute you."

Her face blanched and she blew out short breaths. "How are you . . . how will you do this?"

"The method has been left up to me, but I have been ordered to torture you to death?"

Her eyes quickly brimmed. "Oh, Grimsy, why you?"

"Father has raised my status to First Heir and has assigned me the office of Royal Disciplinarian."

She flung her arms up. "How can you end my life in such a horrible manner? I have done everything you commanded of me. I have offered my body to you with no reservations, and yet, you pay me back with pain and death."

"I have no choice. Your last service to me will not be easy, but it is necessary."

She cried. "For you, but not for me."

Grimsy sighed. "I realize that this is unfair, but it is fate. I urge you to freely give your body over to me."

She collapsed on a crude wooden bench. "And, what will you do to this poor body?"

"I'm not sure." He looked into her eyes with compassionate eyes. "Do you have a preference?"

Estard cried out her anguish. "I don't deserve to die like this. How can you be so mean?"

"Listen to me; there is no rule that says I have to make you suffer unbearable pain. I can take my time."

"Time to prolong my suffering. I always knew that you were cruel and heartless."

Grimsy paced back and forth for a few minutes before he stopped and pointed at his sister. "You did no less to Sir Guyan's son and many other poor devils."

His sister grimaced and bowed her head. "I took no pleasure in that horrible task."

"Ha! You enjoyed emasculating him. I know you did, just as you have derived pleasure in all of the executions you have done."

She turned a tear stained face to him. "So, this is to be my punishment for my many sins. Have mercy on me, my brother."

"I will try as best I can. But you must understand that I find a certain fascination in tormenting you. I don't wish to end your life, but I will derive pleasure in doing so."

Her face exploded with indignation and horror. "You would derive pleasure in killing your blood sister? I have done nothing to deserve this, and yet you do it with your own pleasure in mind. How could you?"

He held a finger to his mouth. "Be still, my sister, and accept your fate with dignity."

She stared at him through pained eyes before bowing her head and sighing. "Let's get this ugly business over with."

Grimsy rapped on the cell door and a guard soon appeared.

"I will take the Lady Estard to the chamber now."

"Will you require assistance, my lord?"

"No. She is my responsibility. No one is to disturb us. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my lord."

Grimsy motioned to his sister. "Come, let us complete this unfortunate task."

Estard stepped into the corridor outside her cell. "You're not going to bind me in shackles?"

"No. There is no need for that."

As if on a casual evening stroll, brother and sister walked to a chamber down the corridor. Grimsy's boots hit the hard stone with sharp reports. His sister's bare feet slapped the stone with dull flapping sounds.

He turned to her and smiled. "I see that you have found a new way to wear the traditional dress of a female prisoner."

She smiled, but only briefly. "I hate wearing this detestable rag, but at least this way I don't have to hold it together."

Grimsy opened the door and motioned for his sister to enter. She did so but stopped near the entrance.

"I do not like this place," she said with a shudder.

Her brother slammed the door shut and latched it. His eyes examined her body thoroughly.

Noting his attentive eyes, she frowned. "I suppose you wish me to disrobe."

"No. That won't be necessary. I will permit you some semblance of dignity at . . . at least for the moment."

Her eyes flashed briefly with surprise and then filled with dismay.

"Despite what I had said, I'm not here to be entertained," he said, looking around the room.

The chamber held several instruments of pain: a large horizontal rack, several pillories, and a table spread with many tools of the torment trade.

"How about a whipping?" he suggested, holding up a handle grip sprouting at the tip with many rough leather straps.

She squinted. "It would take an eternity to succumb."

"Would you prefer the rack?" he asked, gesturing to a large iron table with what looked like a large winch at one end. Attached to the winch was a crank handle connected to gears. Restraints were attached to chains that wound onto the winch. Fixed manacles were securely fastened to the opposite end of the machine.

Estard examined the table surface carefully. She found it to be smooth but populated with small holes. "At least this bed is not sharp like the chair."

"The chair?" he asked, tilting his head.

"That damn chair of torment in the Inquisition chamber," she said, anger flashing in her eyes.

He laughed. "Oh, yes. It has interesting persuasive powers."

She frowned at him. "It wasn't the least bit funny."

"Sorry, my sister."

"Why have you not attended an inquisition?" she asked him.

A subtle smile invaded his lips. "To attend inquisition you must know who to bribe. The price of attendance is high."

"Figures," she said, deepening her frown.

"Why don't you lie in this bed," Grimsy urged her, patting his hand on it.

When she reached up to untie her covering, her brother stopped her. "You don't have to do that."

She gave him a suspicious look before jumping up to sit on the bed of the rack and then reclining on it. With reluctance showing in her eyes, she stretched her body out with her arms above her head. Grimsy locked her ankles in the fixed restraints and inserted her wrists into those connected to chains. After allowing her to adjust to the restraints, he slowly wound the crank to stretch her body slightly.

She grimaced at first and then complained. "You're hurting me."

He advanced the crank another turn and her grimace intensified.

"It's supposed to hurt," he said, grinning as he gave the crank another turn. "You're being tortured."

"You have no need to remind me," she said through clenched teeth. Sweet began to break on her face and she blew out short tremulous breaths.

Grimsy walked over to the table that contained instruments of pain and pulled a long needle out of hot coals, gripping the glowing spike with its wooden handle.

"I think I'll use these."

Her eyes widened and she began to hyperventilate. "Please, I beg of you, don't hurt me like that. Please."

He returned the needle to the coals and walked over to her with a sardonic grin on his young face. He scanned his eyes up and down her body for several minutes before he obtained a firm grip on the tie of her covering.

"I've always enjoyed feasting my eyes on your magnificent body, my sister."

A knock at the chamber door interrupted his attempt to bare her body. He walked over to the door. "Who is it?"

"I beg forgiveness for disturbing you, my lord, but your father, Lord Grimsley, requires your council."

Grimsy glanced back at his sister. "Can't it wait? I'm busy."

"He said it is an urgent matter, my lord."

Grimsy sighed and then opened the door just enough to leave the chamber.
"Guard this door. No one is to enter this chamber."

The guard was relatively young, but his face showed signs of weathering. He had a crooked nose, obviously the effects of broken cartilage, and deep seated eyes that conveyed long suffering.

"As you wish, my lord."

Grimsy hurried down the corridor. As soon as he was out of sight, the guard entered the chamber and rushed to Estard.

"You have me at a disadvantage, sir," Estard said to him.

He released the tension on the chain holding her wrist manacles and she blew out a breath of relief. She looked into his face to see eyes that hid unknown pain, not amusement.

"We have little time, my lady. We must leave this place with haste."

"Who are you?" she asked as he helped her up.

"I am your salvation," he said offering her a cloak.

She quickly wrapped it around her body.