Alice glanced over at Peter as they were being “escorted” to the Dueglesteiner camp in a barred carriage. She was surprised that they didn’t make them walk, but was glad to have a break from all the walking and running that they had done that afternoon.
Peter looked ashamed that he’d been caught, but Alice didn’t fare any better. She shouldn’t have used the knife until they were caught. Then they could escape. Now, that was the only thing she could think could get them out of here.
The carriage finally stopped, and the locked door was opened. “Get out.” A Dueglesteiner ordered, and Alice obliged. It reminded her of when she’d first been captured when Boromir had dragged her away from her family then set the carriage on fire. She felt a feeling of dread as she stepped out of the carriage. She felt that something bad would happen that day.
As Peter tried to step out of the carriage, his ankle gave out and he stumbled out. The Dueglesteiner soldier kicked him in the side, and he hunched over, so Alice tried to help him get up.
“Hey!” Peter shouted to the soldier, who in turn slapped him across the back of his head.
“Quiet.” the soldier growled and walked away, leaving them standing in the grass. There were soldiers nearby, so trying to run away would be too risky.
“No respect,” Peter mumbled as he kicked at a rock with his barefoot.
“Well, we are prisoners,” Alice replied, then lowered her head in shame. “once again.”
How could they have been so easily captured again? At least with Boromir here and having no idea where the others were, they might be able to escape unscathed.
Then she looked down at how Peter wasn’t putting any weight on his left ankle. “What happened to your foot?”
Peter laughed bitterly at that, saying, “I jumped off a roof and didn’t land right.” then he mumbled, “Stupid foot. I don’t think it’s broken, though.”
They waited for 2 hours sitting in the grass until finally, another carriage came into the camp. Soldiers stood at attention and the doors of the carriage opened. Boromir stepped out.
Boromir stomped over to them, glaring. “We searched that entire damn town,” he said, his voice rising in anger. “Where are the others?” he shouted as he gripped Alice’s arms, lifting her up so they were eye level. Alice gasped in fear.
“We don’t know,” Peter argued, spitting at Boromir’s boots. Boromir’s eyes flashed with anger, and he dropped Alice who fell to the ground in a heap.
“Got somethin’ to say, street rat?” Boromir demanded, “You know, I enjoyed killing that friend of yours.” Peter’s eyes filled with rage as he glared at Boromir. Alice had never seen him so angry.
“Yes,” Boromir continued, “I know he was your friend. Was he all you had left?” Boromir sneered, his lips curling like a snarling dog, then his tone darkened, “I saw the life leave his eyes, you petty boy, and I will make you see the life leave the eyes of everybody you care about.”
Then Boromir leaned close to Peter’s ear, whispering something Alice couldn’t hear. Peter’s eyes widened and filled with tears, but he fought to keep them in his eyes and from crying.
Boromir then backed away, looking at the tears in Peter’s eyes and smiled.
“You’re a monster,” Peter said bitterly, glaring at Boromir.
Boromir laughed at that. “Boy, you have no idea what a monster is.” his eyes glinted and Alice saw a hint of fear in them, “But I do.”
Peter continued a steady glare at Boromir. “You leave my friends out of this. I will fight you myself. If I win, you will leave Alice alone. If you win, you can interrogate her. But no torture.”
Boromir thought it over for a moment, then nodded. “Fine. I hope you see the look of shame in your girlfriend’s eyes as you lose.”
What was going on? What did Peter mean by leaving her out of this? And why did Boromir want to interrogate her? She didn’t know what to say.
Boromir and Peter began getting ready for the fight. Boromir began to unbutton his soldier’s jacket, then his shirt, revealing a scarred and muscular upper body.
Peter took off the remains of his shirt as well, and Alice gasped. She knew Peter was skinny, but she could see his ribs. And his chest…was scarred with burns and cuts, looking like they’d never healed all the way.
Boromir let his men take his clothes, but Peter just threw his shirt on the ground. Boromir began rolling his shoulders, popping his knuckles and neck.
Peter didn’t bother with that, just stood there with his fists at the ready. “You ready, princess?” Peter smiled, taunting the Dueglestein general.
Boromir stopped stretching and they circled each other. Alice held her breath, knowing who would win.
They stopped circling and bowed to each other, readying themselves. That was when Boromir made the first strike. He punched at Peter’s midsection, but Peter dodged it, kicking Boromir in the groin. Boromir keeled over, and Peter used Boromir’s knee as a stepping stone to get onto Boromir’s back, gripping Boromir’s thick neck in an attempt to choke him.
Boromir thrashed about, backing up into a tree to knock Peter off. Alice covered her open mouth, flinching as Peter fell to the ground.
Boromir rubbed his neck for a second, picking up Peter by the throat. “Stop!” Alice shouted but was ignored. She tried to rush forward to stop Boromir but was grabbed by 2 soldiers, so struggling was futile although she still tried nevertheless.
Peter’s face turned red, his eyes popping but kicked Boromir once again, making Boromir drop him. Peter got back to his feet quickly, trying to punch Boromir in the face. Boromir grabbed Peter’s hand and twisted it away, making Peter cry out in pain.
Boromir flashed out a knife from his side, and, still holding Peter’s hand, slowly dragged it across Peter’s forearm. Peter screamed in pain, but grabbed the knife out of Boromir’s arm, spinning it around and stabbing Boromir’s leg.
Boromir roared, punching Peter in the face, making Peter lose his balance. Boromir removed the knife from his leg, limping over to where Peter was laying on the ground, desperately trying to crawl away. Boromir lifted up his uninjured leg and brought it down on Peter’s chest. The wind was knocked out of him, making him roll over on his side.
Boromir raised the knife but Peter gasped, “I yield.”
Boromir smiled and put the knife back in his hilt at his side.
“Weak,” he said as he walked over to Alice, who was still being held by his soldiers. “Let her see the boy,” he ordered his soldiers, who let her go. “I want her to see what he has become.”
Alice ran over to Peter’s crumpled form as he lay on the ground.
He was almost unrecognizable. He had a black eye, a cut lip, and a bloody nose, and his torso was filled with bruises. His arm was bleeding from the cut made by Boromir’s blade. Alice couldn’t even tell if he was awake. This wasn’t the boy she knew, this had to be someone different. Not a boy who’d just been unfairly beaten by an adult much older and stronger than him, making him weaker than he’d been before.
Tears filled Alice’s eyes and she yelled to Boromir. “He needs help! You won’t let him die, will you?”
“He will be healed by our medic, but he will feel every pain he has to. He’s the one who asked for it.” Boromir sneered at her.
“He asked for a fair fight!” Alice yelled at him, “Not to be beaten unfairly by the likes of you, and much less to be outmatched by a weapon!”
Boromir argued, “He will be healed. That is all. Now, like the deal he made with me, you will come with me.”
Alice would have to go with Boromir, but not yet. “Peter,” she pleaded, “Why would you do that?”
Alice saw Peter’s eyes open barely, and he whispered to her, “You can’t let him break you, Ally, fight until the last minute. That’s why I did it, Alice, because we can’t…let them…break us…”
Alice wanted to stay there, to be with Peter as he was healed, but she felt strong arms grab her, and she struggled to get out of their grip. But it was useless. Boromir dragged her away from Peter’s limp body and into Boromir’s tent...
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