Dreams of a Warrior Queen
Scream
“We will not leave! This is our home and your king has betrayed us!” Danica said, her voice seething with rage. Her mother had tried being diplomatic with the general but he would not listen. He said they were to give the kingdom to Rome. Danica was tired of listening to her mothers forced calm, and she could no longer keep her own. The generals light brown eyes glittered with menace and his hand whipped across her face. At first Danica didn’t understand what had happened, the sting brought tears to her eyes as she realized she’d been slapped. An angry sound was torn from both her mothers and her sisters throats. Her mother was restrained though she tried to launch herself at the general. They had ignored Andra, most likely thinking she was too small to damage and too frightened to try. Danica watched as Andra moved’ only she caught the glint of silver as she unsheathed a familiar dagger from a strap at her thigh. Danicas’ breath caught in her throat as she watched her younger sister stealthily move behind the soldier who was restraining her mother.
Andra had been careful not to draw attention to herself. The anger that boiled beneath her façade of calm was like none she had ever felt. The events leading up to then came rushing at her like a tidal wave, her beloved father’s death, the injustice thrust upon her mother and sister, being frightened of the future and a man striking her sister. A red haze glazed over her thoughts as she moved in for the kill. With one fluid motion she had thrust her fathers’ dagger between the young soldiers’ ribs and twisted it up. The man fell limp at her feet instantly, the dagger still in her hand slid noiselessly from the soldiers back.
“You little whore!” General Paulinus shouted. “Seize them!”
Boudicca watched as her two daughters were tied and gagged. She herself was bound to a wooden pole her back facing her people who were called to watch as they stripped her down to nothing. Two soldiers stood behind her daughters as Paulinus spoke. He told the people they were to watch as their queen was shamed and her daughters were made to pay for the promising young soldiers’ life. Then he spun around and with a twisted smile he nodded at the soldiers. The first whip was blindingly painful, Boudicca screamed as it came down again and again. The relentless whipping and blinding pain as skin was opened and blood spilled down her once flawless back. Boudicca felt the anger well up inside of her. She felt helpless but refused Paulinus the pleasure of hearing her scream, so she cried silent tears instead. The pain was excruciating, and she wondered what fate awaited her young daughters. That’s when she heard Andra’s scream.
Andra had been careful not to draw attention to herself. The anger that boiled beneath her façade of calm was like none she had ever felt. The events leading up to then came rushing at her like a tidal wave, her beloved father’s death, the injustice thrust upon her mother and sister, being frightened of the future and a man striking her sister. A red haze glazed over her thoughts as she moved in for the kill. With one fluid motion she had thrust her fathers’ dagger between the young soldiers’ ribs and twisted it up. The man fell limp at her feet instantly, the dagger still in her hand slid noiselessly from the soldiers back.
“You little whore!” General Paulinus shouted. “Seize them!”
Boudicca watched as her two daughters were tied and gagged. She herself was bound to a wooden pole her back facing her people who were called to watch as they stripped her down to nothing. Two soldiers stood behind her daughters as Paulinus spoke. He told the people they were to watch as their queen was shamed and her daughters were made to pay for the promising young soldiers’ life. Then he spun around and with a twisted smile he nodded at the soldiers. The first whip was blindingly painful, Boudicca screamed as it came down again and again. The relentless whipping and blinding pain as skin was opened and blood spilled down her once flawless back. Boudicca felt the anger well up inside of her. She felt helpless but refused Paulinus the pleasure of hearing her scream, so she cried silent tears instead. The pain was excruciating, and she wondered what fate awaited her young daughters. That’s when she heard Andra’s scream.