Tales of Thuria 1: Red Sonja in Chains - Chapter 2

Chapter 2:Pirates of the Vilayet

"Ohh! Ohh!" Someone seemed to be in a certain degree of pain. It was not until Sonja opened her eyes that she realized the moans were coming from her. She tried to move and groaned again. She was so sore she could hardly move. Those damned Dwarfs had really worked her over, but she wasn't going to be moving much anyway. She was still shackled and while she had been unconscious a rope had been placed around her neck securing her to what she determined was a bulkhead.

Although she was in complete darkness, there was no doubt that she was on a boat; or more properly a ship. If the smell of tar and salt air didn't give it away; then the creaking and motion of the ship certainly did. Fortunately, Sonja was not one of those who gave in to sea-sickness or she would have been more miserable than she already was. She was clearly on board a ship; probably somewhere below decks.

There was also another smell of she was profoundly familiar with; human sweat, urine, and excrement. There were other people in the hold with her; probably fellow captives. But she said nothing, knowing that they could probably offer no help to her.

She was desperately thirsty and wondered how long she had been unconscious. Long enough obviously for the Dwarves to get her to the "boat" they had been talking about.

She shifted her position, trying to ease the pain of the chains. Her arms were both numb and throbbing with pain where the shackles had cut off the blood flow. The metal clanked as she moved, but she achieved nothing in the way of improving her discomfort.

"You ain't getting out of here, even without them chains," a voice next to her commented.

We'll see about that, Sonja thought. But aloud she asked, "And who might you be?"

"Doesn't matter anymore, but I was called Flem Burgo when I was a free man. Sold into debt 'cause I could pay my taxes. Used to be a tanner. Probably end up working the mines in Agartha now."

"I've not heard of the place," Sonja replied, shifting uncomfortably.

"Not heard of the City of Agartha? Well you wouldn't want to would you? It's a hellhole on the south shore of the Vilayet. Gold is its claim to fame and working the mines its shame. But you. I saw you when they dragged you in. No mines for you."

Flem stopped speaking at that point. He had said enough, and Sonja was well aware of what her fate would be. It would make her session with the three Dwarfs seem quite pleasant. However, there seemed no getting out of her present circumstances unless something changed.

And nothing did change for the next few turns of the glass. Sonja dozed and awoke; dozed some more; and awoke again, her bladder bursting and her throat so parched she couldn't make a sound. Finally she did what everyone else had already done and relieved herself right where she was; since she was completely naked it wasn't as if she was going to soil her clothes. Then she fell back and dozed again.

She was awakened again by loud shouts from above; shouts beyond the normal commands and responses on a ship. She had heard similar sounds many times before when people panicked and she was hearing it now. Then a few heartbeats later there were other shouts mixed with those of panic. War cries. She had shouted her own enough times to recognize the sound and tone. Eventually the sound died down, and then there was the sound of a hatch being thrown back and light from above filtered into the hold. That was followed by the sound of boots on the ladder that led into the hold and a voice: "Let's see what we got here."

The boots descended and the light of a lantern flooded the hold. It was not particularly bright, but to those who had been confined in darkness for at least a day it was almost blinding, and Sonja squinted into the glare as the man holding lantern moved through the hold.

"Looks like we've got some saleable goods," the lantern-holder remarked. "Nothing special, but probably worth…. Wait what have we got here?" The lantern was thrust into Sonja's face. "Well, this is something different. From the looks of those irons you must be a bit of a problem. You're wearing enough metal for three. That won't do. You remain like that and you'll be crippled by the time we reach port. Remove the chain from her neck. I want her on deck so I can have a better look at her."

As the lantern was pulled back another man fumbled with the rope holding her neck to the side of the hull. There was a sharp tug as it was released. "Come along, red," the man ordered. He pulled again, forcing Sonja awkwardly to her feet. To her acute embarrassment her knees buckled, unable to hold her weight.

"Gwahlur's piss," the man cursed. He reached down and picked her up like a doll, tossing her over his shoulder.

"You shouldn't use that name, Sheb," the man with the lantern cautioned. "It's bad luck to mention the King of Darkness."

Sheb's only reply was a grunt as he shifted Sonja's weight more comfortably and then he carried her up the ladder to the main deck. "There," he said, setting her down. Can you stand now?"

Sonja didn't reply, answering his question by remaining on her feet. It had been the day of forced confinement and the lack of food and water that had weakened her. Looking around she saw that it was as she had guessed. The ship had been taken by pirates. Blood still stained the deck where some of the crew members had put up a fight before being killed. There were no bodies; probably they had been thrown overboard, and what was left of the crew and passengers huddled near the bow under guard by several heavily armed pirates. Sonja's eyes narrowed in fury as she caught sight of Jaff and Gorff. Her Dwarven captors were now prisoners themselves and no doubt headed for the same slave market as the hapless souls still below deck. Sitting a ship-length away was another craft, probably the pirate ship that had run down the one she was on.

"Let's get these chains off you," Sheb said, as he twisted the cotter pins out of their settings. I don't think you need to wear all that iron."

Sonja gasped in relief, bending forward, her hands on her knees as the blood rushed back into her tortured limbs. The return of sensation was quite painful and her arms and hands throbbed as proper circulation was restored. Then she was suddenly hit with a jet of cold water that almost knocked her off her feet. The pirates had activated a pump, sending a stream of seawater across the deck. Sheb was still holding the rope tied to her neck and she could not escape the chilling blast of cold water until the nozzle was turned away from her and used to wash the blood from the deck.

Dripping water, but now clean of the sweat and dirt that had marred her body, Sonja felt some of her strength return. She had drunk some of the water directed at her. Although called a sea; the Vilayet's water was more like that of a lake due to the large number of rivers emptying into it and the fact that it had an outflow at its northern end. She was not exactly refreshed, but she did feel a great deal better and she was bent on vengeance.

The two objects of her brutal humiliation were just a few paces away and although she was unarmed that did not stop her from hurling herself across the deck toward them. Her attack was so unexpected that no one attempted to stop her until it was too late. She slammed with the full weight of her one-hundred-and-fifty pounds into Jaff's startled form and smashed him against the rail. "Die, Dwarf scum," she shouted, her fingers delving beneath his beard and finding his throat.

In her rage she actually lifted the heavy Dwarf from the deck, forcing him half over the rail even as his eyes bulged as her fingers tightened on his thick neck. And then there was a grinding "crunch" as the rail behind the Dwarf suddenly gave way and he plunged over the side, taking Sonja with him. They hit the water together, the cold shock of the Vilayet knocking Sonja out of her rage. She released her hold as Jaff sank like a stone, weighed down by the metal all Dwarves used to ornament their clothing.

"You stupid bitch," Sheb shouted at her as she floundered around in the water. "You'll pay for that." The rope attached to the metal collar that was still around her neck trailed in the water and one of the pirate crew snagged it with a boathook and hauled her half out of the water. Another pirate grabbed the rope and together they heaved her, legs kicking furiously, and her hands clutching the rope to keep from strangling onto the deck where several pirates immediately laid hold of her.

"I see now why you were so heavily shackled," Sheb said. "My mistake for releasing you. But you have lost me part of my prize. That Dwarf would have fetched a good price in Agartha and you will be punished for that. Place some irons on her wrists and chain her to the mast. Her punishment will serve as a lesson for the rest of the prisoners."

Sonja fought back as she was dragged toward the mainmast of the ship. She got in a kick to the crotch of one of the men holding her and might have actually broken free if she had been in normal fighting shape. But despite her best efforts she was hauled across the deck to the mast and a manacle attached to a two foot length of chain was clamped on to her right wrist. The chain was then looped around the mast before the manacle on the other end was clamped to her left wrist, leaving her arms wrapped around the post.

She jerked at the chain, but could not prevent one of the pirates from lifting the chain on the other side of the mast until it was well over her head and pegging it into place with a belaying pin. She was forced onto her toes, her body flat against the mast and exposed to whatever her captors wished to do to her.

The crack of a whip indicated what was going to happen to her. "Give her twenty," Sheb ordered, "but don't mark her too badly. I have further plans for her."

"This is a coward's way," Sonja protested, but her words did her no good as the whip snapped through the air. It struck her back with brutal force, catching her off guard and driving a cry from her lips. She gritted her teeth at the next blow and fought back the pain, attempting to deny her captors the pleasure of hearing her scream.

She last until the twelfth blow, before she whimpered in agony. Her back felt as if the heavy whip had cut her flesh to ribbons in spite of Sheb's order. The thirteenth blow produce a moan, the fourteenth a cry, and the fifteenth a scream. She screamed again for the remaining five strokes, before being taken down from the mast.

Not surprisingly she could hardly stand and she had to be carried by each arm to a barrel that had been laid on its side. She was draped across it while a vile smelling concoction was smeared over her wounds. For a heartbeat her back went numb and then she felt as if she had been set on fire. She really screamed then as she was held down and several applications of the burning mixture were spread over her tortured flesh.

"Burns doesn't it?" Sheb remarked. "It's a witch's brew from the jungles south of Akrim. Burns like the fires of Yama, but you'll heal without a scar."

Sonja's only response was a whimper. The potion, whatever it was had suddenly stopped burning and she felt only the throbbing pain of the flogging. Water was scooped from a bucket and given to her along with a bowl of broth. Despite the pain of her injuries, Sonja drank and ate greedily.

"That's it, red," Sheb remarked. "Keep up your strength; you're going to need it."

Surprisingly, she was able to make it to her feet and she was escorted to the carried to the captain's cabin where she was placed face down on the bed and the chain securing her wrists was attached to the headboard, while each of her ankles was tied to the posts at the bottom. In that vulnerable position she fell into a deep sleep.

She awoke with her back still smarting from the flogging, but the pain was much reduced. What had awakened her was a stinging blow to her buttocks and she turned her head to see Sheb standing over her, a leather belt in his hand. "Thought that would wake you," he grinned. "You've slept enough. It's time for your next round of punishment."

"You will all die for this," Sonja gasped. "I am Red Sonja of Hyrkania and this I vow."

"Never heard of you," Sheb sneered. "But at least you now have a name. Sonja, eh? It is as good a name for a slave as any, and as a slave you will learn proper respect. It appears that the whip did not beat your spirit out of you, but perhaps what is going to happen to you next will."

He snapped the belt again and then brought it down across her shapely backside. She tried to roll away from the belt, but with her wrists and ankles tied, she could do nothing but endure Sheb's further punishment. She bit back a yelp of pain and then clamped her teeth together as Sheb proceeded to lay the leather into her until her backside was bright red. "Now your ass matches your hair," he remarked. "I've heard you've had a bit of Dwarf cock. Let's see how well you enjoy mine." He had removed his clothing as he spoke and as Sonja looked over her shoulder Sonja saw that he was sporting an erection to match the two Dwarfs who had taken her.

Sonja twisted her body again in a useless effort to escape. Sheb positioned himself between her thighs and then took her in a most leisurely fashion, easing into her slowly and with much enjoyment. "You've not had many men have you?" he observed. "Tightest cunt I've had in years."

His observation was not entirely true. Sonja frequently took lovers; sometimes only for a single night; but she had always chosen carefully and sometimes went weeks without a lover. As Sheb thrust into her that was obviously going to change.

The fact that he had taken her slowly gave her body time to adjust. Her womanly juices shielded her against the pain of what the Dwarves had done to her, but she took no pleasure in it as Sheb thoroughly enjoyed her.

"That will do for a start," Sheb said, as he climbed off her. "Now every man aboard will have a turn with you. I will break that proud spirit, Red Sonja. Break it until you are nothing but a shell of what you once were." He went to the door and called to the deck. "Enjoy her," he invited. "Enjoy her one at a time, and take her as hard as you like, but I don't want her damaged. I want her to be a worthy offering in the slave market of Agartha."

Sonja yanked at her chains as the next man entered. But nothing had changed. She was still held fast and could do nothing as the next man had his way with her; and the next and the next, until every man in the pirate crew had taken her. Some took her the way Sheb had and others took her hard, slamming into her with all the subtlety of a rutting stallion. Whatever the case, the humiliating ordeal lasted until nightfall and by the time every man had taken her she was so sore that she could barely walk as she was escorted from the cabin to the head. There she was allowed to climb painfully into the ship's chains and relieve herself. She was still shackled, the heavy length of chain connecting her wrists hampering her movements, but she was able to mount the tiny platform used by the crew to attend to bodily needs. Once finished she made her way back to the deck where her wrist chains were linked to another chain about her waist, rendering her completely helpless.

"Until tomorrow," Sheb promised. He had brought her a hunk of coarse bread and a bowl of water and watched her as she forced it down. "By the time we reach the City of Agartha you'll be more than ready for you proper station."

Her simple meal finished, Sonja lay her head down on a coil of rope. She was so sore and exhausted that sleep came swiftly and she lapsed into a state that resembled a state of insensibility rather than normal sleep. For a few hours her ordeal was forgotten while her body healed and she escaped into her dreams.

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The next day found her awake before dawn. She had been in an exhausted sleep and it took her a few heartbeats before she realized that it was raining and the movement of the ship had changed from the usual pitch and yaw to a much more vigorous motion. She was so sore that she could barely move and the heavy chains did not help, but she managed to struggle into a sitting position, and from there gained her feet.

The pirate crew was dashing about the ship, some climbing the rigging and others hauling on ropes as they sought to shorten sail, but even in that brief time the wind had doubled in force.

"Move it. Move your ragged asses," Sheb roared, his voice carrying even above the sound of the wind and the waves. "Get that canvas down."

He turned and his eye fell on Sonja, the only captive who had been left on deck. "Get you into the cabin, girl," he ordered as he removed the chain from around her waist. That still left her wrists shackled, but he made no effort to remove her manacles. Gathering herself up Sonja did as she was told, moving across the now slippery deck even as the rain intensified and thunder rumbled in the heavens.

Reaching the cabin she found it unoccupied, but she had no illusions about Sheb sending her to safety. She had no doubt that as soon as the storm had passed she would once again be put to servicing the pirate crew. She was filled with helpless fury at what had been done to her. As a proud warrior and a servant of her goddess it was infuriating to be lowered to the status of a whore.

Casting about her, she began to search the cabin. Surely there would be a weapon in it somewhere. But she found nothing she could use to defend herself. She did find a small store of dried fruit and meat as well as several bottles of wine and brandy. Still half-starved she tucked into the food and polished off a bottle of the wine. The food and drink did a good deal to restore her strength and to a certain extent, her confidence.

I've got to get out of here, she thought. I won't be used again. I will die first. Lacking a real weapon she seized the back of one of the chairs and by main strength broke it apart, leaving herself with a pair of wooden batons. They would not be much against swords, but she would use them with all of her considerable skill. If I die at least I will die fighting.

At that moment a bright flash following a heartbeat later by an incredible peal of thunder shook the ship. From outside there were loud cries, a menacing creaking and crashing, and then the roof of the cabin caved in as the mainmast smashed through the quarter-deck and into the cabin below it. The impact lifted her off her feet and suddenly she was flying through the air.

She landed in water, and weighed down by the chains on her wrists she had to fight hard to reach the surface. Floundering in the water, she found herself surrounded by high waves and any sight of the ship was lost. Desperately she fought to stay afloat, but the weight of metal on her wrists quickly began to pull her down again. And then she touched a large floating object. Grabbing ahold of it with all of the desperation of a drowning woman she found that a large piece of the mast had followed her into the sea. It was as thick around as her body and trailed yards of rope. As quickly as she could she tied herself to it and then let the sea take her. For good or ill her life was now in the hands of the gods.

Continued in Chapter 3

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