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[Eclyse Christian]

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“Are you finished?” Kaylor asked, his eyes cold and darkened.

Eclyse rose from her meditation at the Shrine of Valor with a gentle nod. “Aye Sir. As ye wished, so have I done.”

Kaylor leaned away from her, against the stone pillars, and watched her for a moment, then straightened himself and turned his back. “Take off your armour.”

“Aye, Sir.” Eclyse wondered at his command, but obediently unclasped and unbuckled, removing her armour from beneath her clothes, watching his broad shoulders curiously as he tensed, squaring his back against her. She folded the soft leather pieces and slid them into her pack on the ground, then rose again, ill-at-ease at the sensation of only flesh and cloth to protect her. She took a step closer to Kaylor’s back and spoke softly. “Done, Sir.”

Kaylor turned again and leveled his gaze upon Eclyse. She had never seen such darkness in his demeanour as she did at this moment. Deftly, without another word, he drew his axe from his back and let it fall. The swing grazed her shoulder, stunning Eclyse as she deflected the rest of the blow with her hands. She felt her flesh open up, and blood poured down over her chest, soaking her deep green doublet.

“Sir! Please!” Eclyse pleaded, holding her hands up before her as he raised his axe again. Eclyse turned and fled to escape his next blow. The axe fell soundly in the center of her back, knocking her to the ground. Eclyse cried out desperately and scrambled to her feet as she heard Kaylor’s heavy footfalls behind her.

Something wasn’t right. Her body was not cooperating with her urgent attempts to flee. She stumbled against a stone pillar to steady herself as the world swam dizzyingly around her. She could hear and feel her thudding heartbeat in her ears as she struggled to escape the hand of her Knight. She could only wonder why he had not felled her already, but she resisted the urge to look behind.

Eclyse ran blindly until she reached the sheer face of a cliff rising far above her. There was no way out. She turned and saw Kaylor approaching, his weapon drawn and raised. So this is how it feels to die…

Kaylor blocked her escape and regarded her closely, his midnight eyes darkened and brooding. Eclyse stumbled again, her long ebony waves falling into her face, then she fell to her knees on the rocky earth. She grasped at the gaping wound on her shoulder, the blood pouring over her hands. The thick scent like rust and salt overwhelmed her as she lowered her gaze to her blood-soaked hands, then looked back up to Kaylor. He stood, stolid and unmovable, watching her. His shadow darkened the sun.

With a gaze of bewilderment and betrayal, Eclyse uttered a soft and broken “Why?” Then the darkness pulled her under.

[Kaylor]

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I leaned back against the jagged cliff, averting my eyes so as not to compromise her modesty. I'd ordered Eclyse to doff her armour and she'd obeyed me without hesitation. She was less than a heartbeat away from a lesson in Valor I was certain she'd not soon forget. The edge of my axe was not only well sharpened, but tainted with an unguent which would quickly weaken and lead her into unconciousness . . . . .
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*Even if you be otherwise perfect, you fail without humility. ~ The Talmud*

[Eclyse Christian]

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For what seemed like hours, she held her breath in the darkness. Her world rocked to and fro with the motion of a ship at sea. When at last it calmed, she found herself alone, vulnerable, unable to move, to find her way, or even to scream. There was nothing here but pain, betrayal, and cold solitude.

“Get up.” A voice pierced the darkness and reached out to her. “You think passing out helps your cause with me?” The voice was spiteful and harsh. “Get. Up.”

Like a long plunge toward the surface from the bottom of the sea, Eclyse rose, desperately hoping for a glimmer of light. At last she fought her way free of the darkness, and took a deep breath, groaning as the pain ripped her from the solace of her darkened world. Suddenly she wished she had not been awakened.

Eclyse found herself dizzy, confused, and nauseous. Her eyelids might as well be made of lead. “To your feet, Squire. Stand up.” The command was stern and angry. She forced herself to look up, and found Sir Kaylor standing directly in front of her. Eclyse was crumpled against a wall, and slumped. She struggled to get to her feet, but found her wrists shackled, and chained to a smooth marble wall.

“Sir?” Eclyse whispered as she looked up into Kaylor’s severe gaze. She wrapped her hands in the chains that held her fast, and pulled against them for leverage to stand against the wall. Kaylor reached beneath his belt and withdrew a whip, holding it menacingly before her.

The colour drained from Eclyse’s face as she looked from the whip to his immovable visage. “No, please Sir. What have I done wrong?”

Kaylor glared at her, his eyes cold and darkened. “Breathe?”

[Eclyse Christian]

---

Without preamble, Kaylor raised the whip, lashing it across Eclyse's left shoulder. She flinched and shuddered at the searing pain, but gritted her teeth silently.

"Is this because I hugged ye after th' joust?"

"Don't be stupid,” he growled, bringing the lash down upon her opposite shoulder in reply. “Make sense, woman."

Eclyse bit her lip to keep from crying out. "Then what have I done??"

"Aye, Eclyse, what -have- you done?" He raised the whip again, and Eclyse searched her memory for anything that might answer his question.

She tried to wrench away from him, but found no hiding place here. No help, no safe haven. No help...

The realization began to dawn on her that he had warned the night before that this was coming. If only she'd understood. "You must prepare for situations where you find yourself alone, no one to aid you.”

The recollection of his words brought her back to the present situation and she leveled her gaze on him, steeling her nerve. "I was unprepared, Sir. Ye told me what I--" Another lash seared across her upper torso and she crumpled against the wall.

"Stand!"

Again she pulled against the chains and dragged herself to her feet. “Ye tol' me to be prepared, Sir--.”

Kaylor brought the butt of the whip against her cheek, his gaze threatening, his voice harsh. "I know what I said, squire! Tell me what you have done."

Another lash across her midsection doubled her over and at last she screamed out in pain. Kaylor winced, but only stepped back and glared.

"You said to be prepared, Sir, an' I wasn't!”

Kaylor smirked at her and slashed across her right arm with the whip, splitting it open from elbow to wrist. "That's your weapon arm, aye?"

Eclyse was doubled over, her arm cradled against her, blood soaking her doublet and skirt. She looked up at him, a feeling of utter betrayal and hopelessness racing through her.

"Here." He handed the whip into her left hand, stepping deftly beyond the instrument‘s reach. "What can you do with this now?"

Eclyse stared at the whip for a moment, bewildered. Then, carefully, she wound the lash around her right arm, closing the wound and bolstering her strength in the injured arm. She wound it downward, and grasped the butt of it in her right hand to hold it in place. At very least, this keeps it out o' -yer- hands...

[Eclyse Christian]

---

Kaylor watched her narrowly, arching a brow. The whip securely wrapped around her arm and out of commission, he approached her again, pulling a dagger from his belt. He wielded it before her, appearing to consider his next move. He was close...Too close. It was intimidating her. And she'd had enough.

With all her strength, she made use of the weapon in her hand, striking him hard across his face with the whip's handle. He regarded her, seemingly stunned for only a second. Then he shoved her back against the wall, slamming her head against it and placing his blade against her throat.

"Where is your valor now, Squire?"

Eclyse's deep green eyes grew wide with fear. She stood quietly for a moment, near trembling. Then, instinctively, she leaned into the blade, feeling a trickle of blood run along its edge and down her neck.

"Kill me."

Kaylor stared at her incredulously. "Why?"

Eclyse screamed her command. "Kill me or let me go!"

"Why is it worth dying?" Kaylor repeated, pressing the blade deeper into her flesh.

"B'cause I'd rather go down on my own terms than cowerin' in a corner. Sir." She stared into his eyes deeply, intently. "Now, kill me. Or let me go."

A look of intense relief flashed through Kaylor's eyes as he lowered the dagger. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tarnished brass key, unlocking the shackles. "We need to get you to a healer."

Eclyse sighed heavily and stumbled forward, rubbing her right wrist gingerly with her left, still cradling her arm. "I can tend m'self Sir, I've stitched up worse."

Kaylor regarded her with an unreadable expression for a moment, then rephrased his statement. "I'm taking you to a healer." Without giving her an opportunity to argue, he caught her up in his arms and carried her from the tormented cell, down a darkened hall, and out into the fading rays of twilight.