Chapter 23: Second

Chimes of metal being dragged were clattering against the floor. Heads in the jails were rotated in the direction to see General Neo being captured by Dorian's guard.

He had an iron surrounding his neck, his hands and legs were chained as he was dragged harshly by the guards.

Dorian sighed from behind, Neo was such a stubborn man. It took quite some hours before they took him down, upon that, he had inflicted a wound on Dorian's face.

And the prince wasn't just going to let it slide like that. He wanted Neo to suffer the same fate as Lynx.

"Hold him down" He ordered the guards. They accompanied Neo into the cell and connected the chains holding him other chains.

Neo was kneeling in the center of the room, his hands were chained upwards, his arms raised in the air, above his head. His legs were chained to different parts, although he was on his knees.

The metal wasn't a simple one, if Neo tried to break or fight against it, it was going to plunge into his skin, thereby killing him slowly.

It was silver!

"Let's start with the procedures" Dorian spat, his lips curling into a malicious smirk that Neo had never seen before.

Neo's gray eyes saw some guards marching in with a large bucket of water. He could tell by looking at the steam, that it just came out from a boiling pot. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked back at Dorian. Wondering what the mad prince was going to do.

"Pour it over his back" Came the direct order.

The guards didn't hesitate before throwing the water on Neo's back. They took some steps away from him to prevent the water from touching their skin, because they also knew how hot it was.

The latter shrieked, feeling the water scalding his back. He gritted his teeth in anger and glared at Dorian.

"Oh?" Dorian's eyebrows arched up. "Still persistent, are you?" He inquired with a malicious laugh.

"You've got plenty of things coming for you" He spouted.

Neo clenched his jaw, his veins popped out due to the strength he was exerting on the chain. "You don't wanna do that" Dorian warned, a chuckle escaping his lips when he saw Neo growl because of the chain that plunged into his skin.

"I'll get you for this!" Neo threatened. Dorian saw that he, rapidly became humble because of the chain and another fit of laughter erupted from his lips.

"No you won't" Replied the prince. He raises his hands in the air, signaling some guards to rush into the cell. They dropped a wooden box in the corner of the room.

Each of them took a long red thing and mashed it against their hands. When Neo looked closer, he saw that it was- Red bell pepper. His eyes widened as he looked at Dorian.

"Start with the punishment"

Dorian ordered once again, he knew that this punishment was severe and no one could resist it. However, knowing how strong Neo was, Dorian doubted if he would cry. Yes, all that Dorian wanted was for Neo to cry and beg for his life.

But knowing the stubborn man, he wouldn't do any of that sort. He even preferred to eat a dog's vomit than to beg the prince.

One of the guards took up position behind Neo and began to hit him with a long hard metal, he also hated Neo and when given the opportunity to strike him, he did not hesitate to exert his strength on the hard metal he used to hit Neo. The sight of the man growling in pain gave him the satisfaction he desired .

Whereas Dorian still wasn't satisfied, he yearned to hear Neo begging him.

"The peppers"

Soon Neo felt a prickly pain in his back, he felt his skin and face blush because of the pain he felt in his back. All his resolve to not scream in pain crumbled down like butter that melts inside the pan.

A scream erupted from his mouth, but there wasn't a single tear in his eyes.

Since he couldn't control himself from shouting in agony, he could control the water in his eyes. He refused to give Dorian the satisfaction of seeing him crying.

The prince was infuriated, he was on the verge of taking a step when he heard a woman's voice behind him. He frowned his face and slowly turned to face Davina who was seething in rage.

"What's she doing here?" He asked himself.

Seeing the rage in her eyes, he displaced the vicious look in his eyes with a smile.

"Greetings... Your maj-"

Regardless, A slap reverberated in the dark dungeon.

Dorian clenched his teeth.

Davina grasped her fist in anger, her blue eyes glaring at him in rage. "Keep your greetings to yourself Dorian" she spat in disdain.

A while ago, her bodyguard had reported the incident that occurred on the lands in the east. Davina supposed that Dorian had gone there to create a scene and she was right.

He had informed her of how Dorian had displaced Zephyr's armies and how he took control of several cities in Ardenia.

The Queen caught a whiff of what was going on. She had wanted to inquire from Dorian about her son but she refrained from doing so since Dorian had been avoiding her ever since he was brought back to the castle.

She put the pieces together and understood that Dorian wanted the throne, to be the king, and to control Ardenia. Yes, him displacing Zephyr's armies proved that and the disappearance of her son proved it also.

Dorian was responsible for everything.

And when her bodyguard had also informed her about Dorian taking Neo to the dungeon, anger overwhelmed her being. She had marched to this place to stop Dorian, however, she was late.

Dorian had commenced the punishment and Davina had witnessed the cruel part of it.

"How dare you touch him?" she yelled in exasperation.

"Why? What's wrong in giving a general some manners since he doesn't have one!?"

"You're the one that doesn't have manners, your mother failed brutally in the aspect of teaching a failure like you... You have no right to touch Neo, why? He is my son's general and only he deserves to scold his men"

She said sharply and then moved closer to him. "You know why you would always be second to Zephyr?, that's because you have no manners, no heart, all you do is cause damage all around you!"

Dorian seethed in anger, there was nothing he hated most than what the woman had just spouted. He thought that she was a meek woman that doesn't know how to counter at all. But no! She proved him wrong just now.

He had to admit that she got more guts than his mother!

"I won't be second to Zephyr anymore, why?" Dorian laughed at her.

He also took a step towards her, just a small space resides between them as the duo glared at each other. Dorian detested to do this but the woman had just thrust his control.

"Your son wouldn't be coming back and guess what?... I'll be in charge from now on!" He bellowed.

He watched as Davina sucked in her breath, he could also see some fragment of water in her eyes but she refused firmly to let it slip from her eyes. He knew that his words had just hurt her but he didn't care.

She too just hurt him with the words she spouted a while ago.

Dorian motioned for his guards to exit the area, And he also left, leaving behind Davina who was goggling into space.