TYRANNICIDE - Part 3

Jekyll led the tyrant to the cells next to the blacksmiths’ workshop. Everyone was ordered to leave at once. Phoenix was still tied up and unable to move his arms an inch.

“C’mon Jekyll. This is no way to treat a man. Free him at once. The chain should he enough”

Phoenix’s arms were freed. But a chain tethered him by the leg to a corner in his cell. He could flex all he wanted but couldn’t reach the man he wanted to get his hands on. King Faray motioned to Jekyll to bring out Claressa. She stood next to Jekyll with her arms tied. Jekyll held her by the neck while the king paced about making his irritable speech. Valeria, Wendy, Feliks and little Greg could only look on from their cells.

“I guess you’re all wondering why I invited you here. Especially you Phoenix. The titan.” He pointed and gestured with his hands with the confidence of a man who owned the world. And he kinda did.
“Well a little bird sang to me about how you’ve been making threats to avenge your good old father. Under different circumstances I’d be with you on that but you see Phoenix your father had a long cork that wanted to reach under my wife. My queen. Do you have any idea how insulting that is? A man I picked up from nothing, gave everything. And that's the thanks I get”
“Perhaps your wife wanted more than that pinky you call a cork” Phoenix jumped in.

A couple of Jekyll’s men giggled lightly but fell silent when the king turned around.

“Well you can shoot your words at me Phoenix. I get it. You’re angry. I can let those slide. After all only one of us between me and your father stands here today. What I won’t have is you shooting arrows at me. You dare threaten your king you threaten your own life”
“I am not threatening you. I am promising you. You will pay in full”
“Okay Phoenix. Perhaps I should put things into a better perspective for you”

Faray clapped his hands and Claressa was forced onto her knees and leaned forward. Two of Jekyll’s men walked in carrying a red bowl with long handles. The bowl wasn’t painted red. It was red because it was hot. Silver was heated in the bowl to almost 1000°C till it melted before casting in a mould. The red bowl contained hot silver at over 900°C. The two men stood on either sides of Claressa with the bowl over her head.
“Do you get me now Phoenix?” He grabbed Claressa's hair with his nails and forced her weeping face to look up.
“Don’t you dare. She has nothing to do with this”
“She has everything to do with this. And so does everyone here. Would you rather is use little Greg instead? I’m not a monster Phoenix. Maybe you’re but I am not.”

Little Greg had slightly the least idea of what was going on. Valeria and Wendy were already in full blown tears. They had just lost a father and now their father’s killer was here tormenting them and torturing their mother. Feliks tried to be strong for his mum and sisters but he couldn’t hold back the tears. They slid right out of his left eye. Their pleas fell on deaf ears.

“Let me show you Phoenix”

He motioned for his men to overturn the bowl emptying extremely hot molten silver onto the middle of Claressa’s head. The silver slid down her head eroding away her hair and scalp as it went till it reached her forehead and started dripping onto the ground. Claressa cried in pain. Starting off quietly and building up to a very loud deafening scream. It was like giving birth through her skull. The pain was excruciating and unbearable. King Faray stopped his men. It was enough damage for the day. Enough damage to make a woman bald. What would a bald woman look like anyway?

King Faray took one last look at Phoenix through the mesh of the cage. Phoenix had one wet eye and he looked on at what was happening to his mother in utter shock and anger.

“Atta boy. You get it now. I always knew you were wise Phoenix. That should remain a reminder of what can happen if you cross me. There’s more where that came from. Stay wise my boy. Your mother should keep you busy for now. Alright then. See ya”

The king turned at once and marched out. Jekyll was left with angry prisoners one of whom was injured. He had to get rid of them without killing them. Send them back home. Despite their anger they didn’t care about Jekyll or the even king. They cared about nursing their mother.