a-game-of-stars-and-ink

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

Falling for So Long -4

Warnings: Emotional distress, fever, delirium, begging, hallucinating, high fever, infection, whipping aftermath, crying, cauterization.

Taglist: @whumpwillow, @befuddled-calico-whump

___

Echo sat beside the Tyrant’s Herald, trying to hush his frightened cries.

“Kazamir-”

“Please!” He wailed, struggling to sit up, letting out a frightened sob as Echo pushed him back down, holding him in place with ease, despite being under half his size. “Please! I can’t do this! Nononono, please- I’ll do better- I can- please.”

Echo sighed, the man was clearly in no state to listen to reason. It felt so wrong, watching this once terrifying enemy soldier pathetically squirming under her hands, distressed cries and whimpers sounding off from him every few seconds.

“Stars, please stop.” He begged.

“No one is hurting you.” Echo said quietly, as Kazamir smacked his head against the pillow with a helpless moan.

Echo grimaced, reaching out to put her hand against his forehead. He cringed back with a soft whimper, his chest heaving with panicked breaths.

He groaned, the sound weak and full of pain. Echo hesitated, then pulled the furs back, cursing as she saw the blood seeping through the bandages on his stomach.

She couldn’t fathom why he would be loyal, why he would fight, for someone who abused him like this. Why he didn’t run away at the first chance he got.

As Kazamir sobbed under her hands, Echo shook herself.

“Altina!” She yelled, wincing at how Kazamir flinched back, his grey-green eyes fluttering open briefly, clouded with pain and fever.

“Echo, what’s going on?” Altina said, looking so concerned that Echo almost forgot how she’d lied to her for years.

“He’s bleeding.”

Altina swore under her breath.

“That wound has been bleeding since we found him. It’s not gushing blood, but if it keeps up at this rate, he’ll bleed to death.”

“What are you gonna do?”

“I had hoped that the bandage would stop the bleeding. It obviously hasn’t. Which leaves me with no other option than to cauterize it.”

Echo winced. She’d never adjusted to the screams that came with cauterization. The smell of burning flesh and blood.

Despite her anger with the older woman, Echo unsheathed her sword, ignoring Kazamir’s flinch and stuttering plea at the sound. She held it out in offering. Altina gingerly took it, nodding in gratitude, before walking outside.

Echo had seen what was to follow enough times to know what to do. She called for Toran, a gentle giant of a man, to help her move Kazamir over to the wooden table in the center of the tent.

Once he was laid out, Echo fastened his wrists and ankles to the wood with leather straps, before she drew her dagger, and cut through the soiled bandages. Eyeing the vicious injuries, she decided against fastening a strap around his chest, opting to hold his shoulders down instead, so as not to break open any more injuries.

Kazamir whimpered, trembling all over. Echo carefully covered him with a spare blanket, and waited for Altina to return.

The blade of her sword was glowing red when the older woman returned with it, the air around it shimmering from the heat.

Echo removed the blanket from Kazamir, placing a leather strap between his teeth, before gripping his shoulders tightly, and pushing him down against the table.

Altina lined the blade up with the oozing wound, her face unreadable. Then she pressed the glowing metal down across the soldier’s stomach.

Kazamir reared up with a bone-chilling scream, straining against Echo, who struggled to keep him down.

*********

Altina grit her teeth, watching as the wounded boy on the table struggled against Echo’s hold, another scream tearing from him.

She held the the red hot metal against the wound for the span of ten breaths, before she drew back.

The boy slumped back to the table with a whimper.

His sides rose and collapsed as he heaved for air, tears streaking through the coating of sweat on his skin. He was shaking uncontrollably, his already labored breathing giving way to short, desperate gasps.

Echo helped her undo the restraints, before covering Kazamir’s legs with a blanket.

Altina rubbed a salve over his cauterized wound, before she had Echo prop him up while she rebandaged his torso.

Echo said nothing throughout the ordeal aside from the occasional word of reassurance to Kazamir.

After Altina had finished treating the Tyrant’s Herald, Toran carried him back to his cot.

“Mavaria said you have blisters, Echo.”

“I’m fine.”

“They need to be cleaned.”

“I can handle it.”

“Please, to ease my nerves.”

“Was that your excuse for lying to me all these years? To ease your nerves. To make sure I couldn’t seek out my father?”

Altina lowered her eyes.

“You heard that, then.”

“Did you ever have faith in me?” Echo asked, the strain in her voice making it evident that she was fighting tears.

“Of course I did, Echo. I wanted to protect you from him. That is why I never wanted you to seek him out.”

“You thought I’d turn out like him.” The girl said flatly.

“It was a concern, yes.”

Echo looked away.

“By the time you were ten, I knew you wouldn’t be like your father... I only kept the truth from you because I did not want to cause you distress... Does that make you feel better or worse?”

“It doesn’t make me feel anything.” Echo replied.

*******

It hurt. That’s all he was really aware of, all he could focus on.

Kazamir shifted, a moan catching in his throat. His stomach felt as if it was being whipped again. Maybe it was.

Distressed, he tried to sit up, only to collapse back down with a weak cry.

“He’s terrified.” A distant sounding voice said.

“Can you blame him?” Another voice replied.

“No. I never said I did.” The first voice was angry, defensive.

Kazamir shuddered, squinting as he tried to make out the blurry figures above him.

He again tried to sit up, only for someone to push him back against the bed.

“No, no, you’re going to break the wounds open again.” The second voice said, as he squirmed under the hand that pinned him down. “Lie still, just lie still now, good boy.”

“Mother?” Kazamir croaked out, unable to think of anyone else who would even possibly care about him. The haze figure above him shifted.

“Sssssshhhh, ssssshhhh, sssshhhh. It’s alright. Just rest.”

Kazamir wanted to protest. He was scared, he didn’t know where he was, if he was going to be punished further.

But wouldn’t they punish him further if he disobeyed now?

He wasn’t able to stifle his distressed sob, even as he dropped his head back to whatever had been cushioning it before.

He uttered a final, frightened moan, and sank back into darkness.

#Cauterization #fear #crying #delirious villain #delirious whumpee #feverish whumpee #fever whump #feverish villain #fever #sick whumpee #begging #whip wounds #whipping #delirium #scared whumpee #crying whumpee #restraints #Kazamir #echo #Altina #Mavaria

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

Introduction Post

I have seen some friends do this, and thought I’d give it a shot.

Hi, I’m Mal, I’m 22 (Yes, I need to update my bio). My pronouns are she/her.

My favorite tropes are

Fevers

Begging

Whumper turned whumpee

Reluctant caretakers

Lady Whump

Revenge Whump

My squicks are

Eye gore

Finger gore (Broken fingers or stepped on are fine. I just don’t wanna see thumb screws or nail removal)

IRL whump.

Children whumpees

#whump intro #community intro #Mal crawls out of her hole #whump community #whump #whumper #whumpee #caretaker

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

Falling for so Long -3

Warnings: Fever, infection, whip wounds, begging, delirious whumpee, afraid of caretaker, grief, emotional duress.

Taglist: @whumpwillow and @befuddled-calico-whump

___________

Echo struck the training pole hard with her sword, her teeth gritted in bitter fury.

‘Thank the Heavens you turned out like your mother.’ Altina’s voice rang in her ears. A polite way of saying. ‘Thank all that’s Holy you’re not like your father.’

She lashed out again, tears spilling over her lashes.

Her blistered feet hurt, her fingers were stiff from the cold, and she was soaked from the sleet, but she did not stop.

“Echo.” Mavaria’s calm voice reached her. “That’s enough.”

“Is that an order, commander?” Echo asked coolly, not turning to face the other woman.

“Yes. Go to the healing tent. I’m sure you’ve broken all your blisters open again.”

“With respect, commander, I can handle this myself.”

“Altina wishes to speak with you.”

“I don’t wish to speak with her.”

“Echo, she’s known you all your life-”

“She’s lied to me all my life. So have you.” Now she did turn, looking at her commander.

“Just go, Echo.”

Echo huffed, and stalked past the older woman, making her way over to the healing tent.

Aside from Orick’s- her father’s- herald, the tent was empty.

Echo slowly made her way over to Kazamir. He was shivering badly, mumbling under his breath, and there were tears streaking his face.

Echo frowned, cautiously putting her hand on his forehead. He shuddered violently, crying piteously.

"Please." He begged. “Please, I can’t-"

"Kazamir-” Echo started.

“I can’t!” He cried. “Please, no more.”

Echo watched numbly as he started sobbing.

“Your Grace- Please- I-I tried- I’ll do better- please-”

“Orick isn’t here.” Echo said firmly. My father isn’t here.

“Echo.” Altina’s voice was soft, tentative, yet it did not stop the rage that sparked inside her.

“What?” She snapped, standing and turning to face the woman she had trusted with everything.

“I understand you’re angry, but-”

“Nothing. But nothing. You lied to me for years, for my whole life. I trusted you.”

Altina sighed. “I thought it was kinder to let you believe-”

“That you didn’t know who my father was and that my mother was a tavern wench?” Echo snarled.

“Yes, Echo. I thought it kinder to let you believe that your father wasn’t a monster, and your mother didn’t bleed to death after giving birth to you.”

“What does that mean?” Echo breathed, and she saw regret flash across Altina’s face.

“Your father wounded your mother terribly. She had already lost a lot of blood when she was brought to me. It was a month before you were supposed to be born, Echo, but your mother begged me to do anything it took to save you. So I did what I had to to deliver you.”

Nausea washed over Echo as she understood what Altina was saying.

“Vallaena regretted nothing, Echo. She bled out holding you, her only child. “My sweet Echo.” She called you. She loved you.”

“And you didn’t tell me about this for years. You let me think that my mother didn’t want me. That she left me with you because she didn’t care about me.” Tears pricked at her eyes.

“You let me resent her all these years, when in truth, she loved me.”

Altina took Echo’s wrist in her hand, but Echo yanked back.

“Don’t ever touch me again.” She hissed. “Ever.”

“Echo-”

“Don’t.” Echo snapped. “Just don’t.”

With that, she turned away from Altina, and back to Kazamir.

___________

Altina said nothing as she left the tent, and went to find Mavaria.

“By the look on your face, I am guessing it did not go well.”

“No. I’m afraid not. I doubt if she’ll ever forgive me.”

“Don’t say that.”

“You know how she is. She holds onto the wrongs committed against her.”

“She’s grieving. Her whole life has just been changed.”

“I should have told her the truth long ago.”

“You had your reasons.”

“Mine.” Altina murmured in agreement. “Not hers.” The older woman buried her face in her hands.

“All these years, I had that little seed of doubt. That if she knew the truth, she’d seek out her father.”

“We all did.” Mavaria said calmly.

________

Echo backed away from the other tent. She’d wanted to Altina that Kazamir was hallucinating, begging and crying, and getting no rest at all.

Overhearing that conversation hurt more than she could say.

All this time, they thought I would turn on them? They never trusted me at all...

She felt sick at the realization.

I’m just a weapon, aren’t I? She concluded. Just the last card to play. Their own little soldier with a claim to the throne.

They’d just been using her.

Blinking back tears, she ran back to the healing tent.

********************

Okay, I promise there will be much whump in the next chapter.

#Whump #Emotional whump #fever #fantasy whump #medieval whump #sick whumpee #feverish whumpee #hallucinations #crying #begging

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

Falling for So Long -2

Warnings: Fever, infection, whipping mentions, scared whumpee, parental death mention.

Taglist: @whumpwillow and @befuddled-calico-whump

*******

Altina was the first to move, swiftly dismounting her horse, and striding over to the soaked, shivering man on the ground. Echo followed, dropping into a crouch next to Altina.

Kazamir shuddered, his breath hitching as Altina touched his shoulder. His eyes flew open, full of wild terror.

“I-I’m sorry.” He stuttered. “Y-your Grace- Please, I didn’t-”

“Hush now.” Altina said gently, as she cut the straps on his armor, and pulled away the chest-plate, and lifted his tunic, revealing deep wounds scored across his belly. Echo choked back a gag, not at the sight of the wounds, but the sickening smell that came from them.

Altina looked both shocked and angry.

“Are those from a whip?”

“Yes.” Altina said, anger edging her voice.

Kazamir groaned, lifting his head. His eyes were glazed over and unfocused. “Please... I’m sorry.” He gasped, dropping his head back to the wet grass. “I-I’ll do b-better. No m-more. Please...”

“It’s alright now.” Altina soothed, gently touching his forehead. He flinched away with a whimper.

“Echo, get a blanket from one of the saddle bags.” Mavaria’s voice made Echo jump slightly. She hadn’t heard the commander approaching.

She stood quickly, and went over to her horse, digging a blanket out of the saddle bag.

She trotted back over to the two older women, offering Altina the blanket. Altina took it, grim-faced, and gently pulled Kazamir upright, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders, but not before Echo saw the awful scars criss-crossing the man’s back.

As Altina started to gently pull him to his feet, he seemed to panic slightly, struggling to stand, and failing miserably.

“Please, I can’t.” He whined, slumping over in Altina’s grip. Echo moved forward, catching his other arm.

Altina ground her teeth.

“Altina-” Mavaria started.

___________

“He’s been abused for years.” Altina growled. “And now that monster sends him into battle after a whipping? These wounds were not treated.” She fumed.

“Why his stomach?” Echo murmured. “Isn’t the back more common?”

Altina sighed. “Yes, it is. But a stomach whipping is, some say, more brutal, more painful. So Orick must have been furious to do this.”

After Echo helped her lift Kazamir onto a horse, and tied his legs to the saddle so he wouldn’t fall, Altina looked down at the girl.

“When we get back to camp, I will treat him. Then... there is something you need to know.”

*****

It was well into the morning by the time they finally returned to camp, though, given the darkness of the clouds, one would never guess this fact.

Altina strode into the healing tent, followed by Echo, and another soldier carrying Kazamir inside.

Immediately, Altina set to work, treating the injured boy shivering on the cot, and avoiding Echo’s eyes.

For 21 years I’ve been avoiding this. I let her become a soldier, let her build her life on lies. Heavens, please let her forgive me.

Kazamir jerked and cried out as she began to clean the half clotted blood and hints of pus out of the vicious slashes on his stomach.

"Please." He begged, his voice hoarse. "I won’t fail again... please, your Grace..."

Altina gently touched the boy's boiling forehead, sighing at the small, pathetic squeak he uttered as he tried to pull away.

"Sssshhhh, just rest." She said quietly, as she went back to cleaning his wounds. Deliriously, he whimpered, using what strength he had left to resist, still weakly pleading for mercy.

Echo knelt next to him, her hand shaking slightly as she gently petted his soaked hair.

The Tyrant's Herald whimpered at her touch, but by now, seemed to exhausted to even shy away.

It took well over an hour for Altina to clean and bandage his wounds.

When she was done, she beckoned for Echo to follow her outside.

"It’s time I told you the truth, Echo. About your parents."

"What about them?"

"Your mother, she didn't die of a fever. She was already mortally wounded when she was brought to me. But she begged me to save you."

Echo said nothing, but she looked saddened.

"She loved you, Echo. She bled to death holding you, and smiling." Altina took a deep breath. "But she wasn't a seamstress, my dear. Your mother, was Queen Vallaena."

Echo took a step back, shock written all over her face. "That can't be." She breathed. "That would make my father-"

"The very same brute who inflicted the fatal wound." Altina said. "King Orick."

There was a stunned silence, so Altina continued, gently taking Echo's wrists in her hands.

"Your mother tried to save a young soldier from punishment. That’s why your father, Orick, turned on her."

"No! It's a lie!" Echo cried, yanking her wrists free. "That’s not true!"

"I'm sorry, Echo. I should have told you sooner."

Echo shook her head, tears streaking her face. She turned to Mavaria, who had rushed over upon hearing her shout.

"Tell me it's not true." She pleaded.

"It’s True, Echo. I'm sorry."

"All these years, you lied to me. Why tell me now?" She sniffled.

"Because, thank the heavens, child, you turned out like your mother."

Echo stepped back, her breath catching. Then she turned, and ran back into the tent.

Altina started to follow, but Mavaria shook her head.

"Let her go, Altina."

"I fear I just did." The older woman replied.

#fever #infection #begging #female caretaker #male whumpee #whumper turned whumpee #delirium #death mention #parental death tw #grief tw #murder tw #painful wound cleaning #fantasy whump #villain whumpee #feverish whumpee #sick whumpee #medieval whump

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

Falling for So Long

*Deep sigh* New Medieval Whump Series.

Characters:

Echo - A 21 year old female soldier in King Ilium’s army. She has brown hair and silvery-blue eyes.

Kazamir - The Tyrant King Orick’s herald. (”Kazamir” means “Destroyer of Peace”) He is 25, and has a reputation for being arrogant and vicious. He has black hair and grey-green eyes.

Altina- A kind healer in her sixties.

Mavaria- A veteran soldier in her early forties.

Tagging @whumpwillow

Warnings: Fantasy war, battlefield, death, whipping, fever, infection, vaguely referenced animal death.

*****************

Echo tightened her legs against her horse’s back as she raised her sword. Around her, the sounds of battle seemed to fade into the background. A hard jolt went up her arm as her sword collided with the blade of an enemy soldier.

Battle never got any easier. The clang of metal on metal, the dying screams of soldiers and horses, the stench of blood and sweat and fear that hung heavy in the air.

She twisted in the saddle, driving her sword forward, grimacing at the sticky spray that coated her gauntlet and helmet.

“Echo!” Mavaria’s voice shouted. “Fall back.”

Echo hesitated, before turning her horse around, following the rest of her battalion into the trees.

At the edge of the forest, she halted next to Mavaria.

“Go, Echo.”

“I’m staying with you.”

“Get out of here! I’ll be along as soon as I’m sure the others know to follow.”

Echo remained where she was.

“Dammit, girl.” Mavaria snapped, giving her horse a smack. Echo cursed as her mount took off, nearly throwing her out of the saddle.

Tightening her grip on the reins, Echo turned her horse back, going in an arc, intending to circle back to her commander.

_____

Kazamir wrenched his blade free, his lips twisting into a grimace at the sickening pain in his stomach.

Mentally, he cursed himself for being so stupid. He should have known better than to question the King, especially before a battle.

His grimace warps into a snarl as he surveys the battlefield, eyes locking onto on of the enemy commanders.

Mavaria. One of King Ilium’s favorites. Even his mistress according to some. Kazamir tightened his grip on his sword, and urged his horse towards the older woman, who was currently following behind her retreating troops. The soldiers she valued so much that she put their lives before hers.

She couldn’t see him coming, not at this angle, it would be easy to kill her, and it would put him back in favor with King Orick.

He bared his teeth in a vicious grin, levelling his blade.

He was almost to the Commander when another horse collided with his, Kazamir cursed as he was knocked from the saddle, lashing out blindly, he grabbed the enemy soldier by the wrist, and dragging her off her own horse, and to the ground with him.

The impact with the ground sent a spike of nausea-inducing pain through his stomach, and spots danced before his eyes. Gritting his teeth, Kazamir rolled onto his front, and pushed himself onto his hands and knees.

The soldier who’d unseated him was also getting up, grabbing her sword from where it had fallen a few feet away.

Kazamir grit his teeth, and lurched forward, driving his shoulder into her back and tackling her to the ground.

She writhed and bucked beneath him, but he was bigger than she was, and he had her pinned firmly.

The pain in his abdomen was enough to make him feel ill, and he swallowed hard to keep from being sick.

Silvery-blue eyes glared up at him, and Kazamir managed a sneer.

“Thought it might be you.” He said, voice tightly controlled. “Echo, is it not?”

The girl did not reply, she just regarded him with those stunning eyes, colder than a frozen ocean. She did not correct him, however, so he assumed he was right about her name.

One of Mavaria’s soldiers. He had encountered her once before, during a very tense political meeting right before the war had started, nearly a year prior.

He only remembered her because during the brief negotiations, he’d thought that she seemed like the most unpredictable of the soldiers. The one most likely to try an attack.

Nobody seemed to have heard the attack, and both of the horses had bolted after the retreating forces, leaving the two of them alone.

Kazamir wasted no time binding the girl’s wrists with leather cord, before yanking her to her feet.

“Walk.” He barked, and reluctantly, she obeyed.

They had barely made it a mile before he began to feel overheated and ill. No matter how hard he tried to shake it off, it clung to him.

Dizziness struck as pain once again flared through his stomach. Kazamir stumbled, and went to his knees.

______

Echo didn’t know if Kazamir had tripped or just lost his footing, but she didn’t wait around to check, she immediately took off in the direction that the others had gone, hoping she could make it back to the camp before the rain turned to sleet and she froze to death.

After she was sure she had shaken Kazamir off of her trail, she slowed to a walk, discouraged by the fact that she could see her breath in the rapidly cooling air.

She jumped at every noise, half-expecting Orick’s herald to catch up to her at any moment.

By the time night fell, her body ached with exhaustion, and she was sure her feet were more blisters than untouched skin, but she trudged on, trying to ignore the chill that had sunk into her bones.

_____

Kazamir staggered, bracing himself against a tree. After regaining his feet, he had tried to go after Echo, but it quickly became apparent that he’d lost any chance of finding her again.

So he’d continued his trek alone, doing his best to make it back to the battlefield. By now, he was hopelessly disoriented, and, despite his best effort, his strength failed him, and he collapsed, uttering a weak cry at the pain that bolted through his abdomen.

It didn’t matter. There was no one around to hear him.

___________

It was nearly dawn by the time Echo met up with a patrol led by Mavaria herself.

After cutting the binds on her wrists, the commander had given her a half-hearted scolding, and helped her onto one of the unridden horses.

Upon hearing of how Echo had escaped Kazamir, Mavaria had asked her to retrace her steps. It would be worth it to capture him if possible.

“You must be tired, Echo.” Altina said, riding beside her.

“Is that concern I hear?”

“For a little stray like you? Never.”

Echo bit back a laugh. Altina had delivered Echo when she was born, and had been a steady presence in her life ever since.

“Aww, you weren’t at all worried about me, old woman?”

“Didn’t they ever teach you to respect your elders?”

“Oh, so you admit you’re an elder?”

“Wise up, young one. I was old when you were born.”

This time, Echo did laugh, and Altina did too.

The mirth was short-lived. After crossing a small stream, the smile dropped off Echo’s face as she took in the sight of the figure lying collapsed on the forest floor.

This time, Kazamir didn’t seem so frightening.

#Medieval whump #fantasy whump #sickness whump #sick whumpee #villain whumpee #feverish whumpee #feverish villain #sick villain #death mention tw #war tw #battle tw #death tw #blood tw #fantasy war

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

You know how canaries were historically brought into coal mines, because if the mine was full of carbon monoxide the canary would die first and the miners would be able to escape before they died too?

I just found the greatest thing.

This is a canary resuscitator.

When the miners notice the canary getting sick with carbon monoxide poisoning, they can close that circular hatch so no more gas gets into the canary cage, and open the valve on that oxygen tank to keep the canary breathing. In other words, they made a spacesuit for birds.

By immediately giving the canary access to clean air, the miners can save it from the poison. The bird lives. To be clear, this is not for economic purposes, this was specifically created because the miners felt bad and wanted to save the bird.

Isn’t that just the perfect demonstration of what humans are like? We started sacrificing small creatures to save ourselves, and then felt bad and spent our valuable resources on saving the critters too. Because yeah the canary was the only way to test for CO, but it’s a living creature too, dammit!

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

Oh c'mon Kit. We both know it would be more like "where your clothes at."

If Krauser kidnapped me, I'd beg not to be taken back. Like fuck, I wouldn't want to be rescued.

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

Favorite tv shows 1 of ? • Peaky Blinders (2013 - )

Get to know me meme / requested by @maziekeen

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

Happy Hanukkah from Jack Kirby!

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

Cillian Murphy gets so excited about music and then he sounds so exceptionally Irish and it's fucking adorable.

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

Run with the Wolves - Chapter 5

Warnings: Past Noncon mention, past Lady whump mentions, past torture mentions. Death, Gun violence, blood.

Tagging @whumpwillow, @befuddled-calico-whump, @the-three-whumpeteers, and @whumpilicious.

Jake squinted through the blowing snow, trying to make out the shape of the object ahead.

“I think it’s a jeep.” Jamie murmured.

“I think you’re right.” Jake shuddered, creeping forward. He had a gut feeling that this jeep wasn’t abandoned.

And sometimes, he hated being right.

The first man came out of nowhere, hitting Jake hard from the side, driving him into the ground with enough force to crack ribs.

Jake lashed out, doing his best to punch the man, but only succeeded in a glancing blow to the side of his head.

His ribs were on fire with each breath, but Jake grappled with his assailant, though the bigger man barely seemed to take notice.

He pulled out a knife, and Jake barely managed to catch his wrists. He strained, trying to keep the knife away from his throat.

A deafening blast echoed in his ears, and suddenly, the weight disappeared from on top of him.

Gasping, Jake sat up. Bela was standing a few feet away, still in her shooting stance. After a moment, she lowered the smoking muzzle of the handgun, and headed over to Jake.

“You okay, team leader?” She asked, offering a hand.

“More or less.” Jake groaned, as she pulled him to his feet. A glance to his right confirmed that Jamie had handled the other soldier, with the help of Kodiak. Rain jogged over, a worried expression on her face.

Jake turned his attention back to Bela, who wasn’t even wearing a coat, just the tank top and flannel pants she used as sleepwear.

“We heard the commotion.” She said, and started to head back towards the barracks, even as Rain began to ask him questions about how badly he was hurt.

*******

Zayne had woken to the sound of a gunshot. Panic had immediately flooded his system, and he’d lurched to his feet, only to immediately collapse to the floor, not strong enough to get anywhere.

The door opened, and he scrambled back, biting back a sob of fear.

“Shit.” Bela’s reverberating voice made him flinch. She dropped into a crouch beside him.

Zayne jerked back as he noticed the gun in her hand.

“Hey. It’s okay.” Bela was saying, her raspy voice now having lost it’s furious edge. She noticed where he was looking, and in one fluid motion, she emptied the gun of its ammo cartridge, and then set the empty weapon down.

“It’s okay. There was just, um, a problem outside.” She said, her amber eyes holding his. “It’s been dealt with.”

Zayne shivered, and Bela sighed.

She sat down next to him, and put one of her cold hands on his arm. Zayne flinched in surprise, and she drew her hand back.

“Your hands are cold.” He mumbled.

“Yeah. Sorry.” She suddenly seemed very interested in her boots. After a moment, she spoke.

“I never knew what you did for me. Before, I mean.” She bit her lip. “I didn’t realize that you’d set me free.”

Zayne was about to answer, when she spoke again.

“You’re not a monster. I was wrong about you. I apologize.”

“What? Why do you need to apologize? After everything I did to you. I’m the one who’s sorry.”

Bela regarded him with her amazing eyes. Finally she spoke. “It will all heal.”

Zayne closed his eyes.

“How can you... be so accepting?”

“Have you ever been raped, Zayne?”

He shook his head, squeezing his eyes even tighter shut.

“Then you don’t even fully understand what you saved me from. It wasn’t just my life. You saved... well, I suppose my soul. You saved who I am.”

“If I’d known... I would have freed you sooner.”

“I know.”

He opened his eyes, looking up at her.

The door opened, and the rest of her team came in. Zayne shivered, and felt Bela’s arms wrap around him.

#whump #whump writing #blood #tw rape mention #past noncon #gun mention #gun violence #fiction #past torture #broken ribs #fear #whumper turned whumpee #redemption arc #lady whump mention #past lady whump #death mention tw #death tw #fictional death

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Run with the Wolves - Chapter 4

Warnings: Vivisection aftermath, past noncon mention, past lady whump, fever, delirium, begging. . Death of a teammate mention.

Tagging: @whumpwillow​ @whumpilicious​ @befuddled-calico-whump​ @the-three-whumpeteers​

Note: There is a part where Bela is referred to as a ‘child’ by Jake, and just wanted to clarify that Bela is an adult.

The characters ages are as follows

Bela- 22

Kodi- 23

Zayne- 26

Jamie- 27

Rain- 28

Jake- 34

Bela was woken by someone mumbling. She blearily sat up, blinking the sleep out of her eyes.

“Y-you shouldn’t have done th-that to her...” That was Zayne’s voice. “How c-could you...?” He moaned.

Bela climbed down from her bunk, and padded over to where Zayne lay.

“Zayne?” She asked quietly, the damage to her voice still evident despite the low tone.

“Don’t touch her.” He groaned. “I’m not letting you near her again. Not after what you’ve done to her.”

“Zayne...” Bela whispered, knowing that he was talking about her. Trying to protect her.

This is why he was vivisected. She felt sick. Because he, my former captor, former interrogator, tried to protect me.

Her whole world was thrown off balance by this. Everything she’d thought she’d known about him was crumbling.

“Left the cell unlocked.” He mumbled.

Bela froze.

He’s the one who let me escape? She’d always assumed that it was just an oversight. Or a faulty lock.

She’d taken Mark with her, even though he was already dead. She couldn’t stand the thought of leaving him in that place.

“Hey.” She murmured, gently tapping his shoulder, trying to free him from whatever nightmare he was trapped in.

“N-no. Not the knife again. Please.” He whimpered.

“Zayne. Wake up.” She said it firmly this time. His eyes fluttered open, glazed and unfocused.

“Don’t... No more.” He rasped.

“No more.” Bela agreed, and went to Rain’s bunk. She gently shook the other girl’s shoulder.

“Bela? What’s going on?” Rain asked, voice heavy with sleep.

“Zayne. He’s delirious.”

Rain sat up at that. She said nothing, just stood up, and went over to the injured man. Bela followed silently, a small smile tugging at her lips as she noticed Jamie and Kodi were in the same bunk, snuggling.

“Fevers often spike at night.” Rain was saying.

“Mhmm, I know. However, he thinks he’s back with Neavters.”

“I thought you didn’t care.”

“That was before I found out why this happened.”

“You mean that he defended you?”

“He let me go. I... I think he left my cell unlocked.”

Rain gasped softly at that.

“Bela... this changes so much.”

“No. It changes everything.” Bela replied.

“What changes everything?” Jake’s voice made her jump.

“Zayne... He left my cell unlocked. Let me escape. It all makes sense now.” Bela whispered, hugging her arms.

“When I was outside, dragging Mark with me... I tripped, over a branch. Zayne saw me. He must have. He looked right at me. Then he just walked away.” She shook her head. “I convinced myself it was dark. He didn’t see me... I don’t think that’s true. Not now.”

Jake nodded.

“Rain, can you manage this?”

“Yes.”

“Then I have something I need to address. Bela, come outside please.”

Puzzled, Bela tilted her head.

“I need to speak to you.”

She nodded, and followed him outside, into the pre-dawn twilight.

A light snow swirled in the air and dusted the ground.

“How did you get the scars on your throat?” Jake asked. “I know it was during your time as a prisoner, but how did that happen?”

Bela studied his face, saw the truth in his eyes.

“Why are you asking? You already know.” She murmured.

“I think I do. But I need to be certain.” Jake told her. “Was it when Neavters-”

“Yes.” Bela whispered hoarsely. “It was. He held a knife to my throat, while he was... the whole time.”

Jake nodded. “And that’s why you never spoke of it?”

It was Bela’s turn to nod. Miserably, she looked away.

************

Jake tried to quell the rage that bubbled up inside of him.

Poor child.

He shook the thought away. She’d hate that sentiment.

I don’t want to be seen as a victim. Her words echoed in his head.

And in truth, he didn’t see her that way. She might have been the strongest person he’d ever met.

“Right. That’s all, Bela, thank you.”

Bela nodded, and headed back inside.

Jake followed, still lost in thought.

Zayne let her escape. Which puts everything in a different light.

Zayne had always been known, and feared, for his arrogance and cruelty. For years, everyone had assumed that no line was too far for him to cross.

Obviously, they’d been wrong.

Entering the barracks again, Jake paced over to where Rain and Bela were watching Zayne, who seemed to be at least semi-conscious by now.

“Zayne?” Jake asked, dropping into a crouch. “Did you let Bela escape.”

“I had to.” He moaned. “Or Neavters would have done it again. It was too much, I couldn’t let it.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Jake saw Bela close hers.

“Why couldn’t you let it?”

“It’s wrong.” Zayne whispered. “I couldn’t-” Tears started down his face. “Couldn’t let it happen a-again.”

“Zayne.” Jake murmured, but Zayne didn’t seem to hear him.

“Couldn’t let it happen again.” He mumbled, and his eyes rolled up white.

A portrait of Bela I did in Meiker (And touched up in photoshop)

#Bela #Zayne #Kodi #Jamie #Rain #Jake #Run with the Wolves #Fever #vivisection #rape tw #noncon mention #past lady whump #knife mention #rape mention #delirious #delirium #sick whumpee #whumper turned whumee #redemption arc #or at least the start of one #begging #death mention tw #escape

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

[a-game-of-stars-and-ink]

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Instagram; hunterraiehorror