The White Robe Read Online Free Page A

down at him. “Well, merchant, have you remembered where you’ve hidden the rest of your goods yet?”
     
    He sighed; the prince had certainly grown up in the four years since he had last seen him. Gone was the thin sallow boy to be replaced by a remarkably good looking young man with broad shoulders, strong hands and deep, dark brown eyes. As it was, the Prince who had ordered him to be beaten, his hope that the vicious boy would have grown into a good and just man seemed unlikely.
     
    “Your Highness, I’ve already told you I’m a poor merchant and the gift I brought you from the Rale of Sandstrone is all I have. Please believe what I say, if there was more I would give it to you.”
     
    “Why should I believe you, merchant? Sandstrone is rich in gold and gems and all you’ve brought me is a worthless bronze tree with silver leaves. You may be old and ragged but if you come from Tallison’s court you’ll have far more to give me than that. Now where have you hidden the rest of your goods?” The ragged prisoner shook his head and dejectedly looked down at the ground between his knees. “Chain him up and let’s see if the touch of the lash will loosen his tongue.”
     
    He looked up in shock; this wasn’t at all what he had planned. Alarmed at what was about to happen he went to protest but before he could say a word the Prince gave the command to gag him. Two guards pulled him to his feet whilst a third forced a thick piece of rope between his teeth and pulled the ends roughly behind his head. He retched as the guard knotted the ends tightly over the lump on his head and choked as another pulled his shirt from behind, dragging at his throat and ripping it from his back. They dragged him across the courtyard and despite his struggles they shackled his wrists to the chains on the barracks walls and pulled his arms tightly over his head until his toes barely touched the ground.
     
    “Well, merchant, I will give you one more chance to tell me what I want to know. Where are the rest of your goods?”
     
    He shook his head, trying to get his thoughts together to prevent what they were going to do him, but when the first lash cut into his back the pain and shock scattered what little focus he had managed to gather. The second cut alongside the first, the tip of the lash snaking over his shoulder and drawing blood on his cheek. He tried to scream but the gag held his tongue down and cut at the corners of his mouth. Once again he tried to gather his focus but the third lash caught him high on the shoulders, the tip cutting his neck as it was withdrawn. The fourth crossed the other three and he lost control of his bladder. He sagged into the chains and after that there was just pain and fire and then oblivion.
     
    When he woke again it was completely dark and he stank of blood and piss, sweat and fear. His back was a raging fire, his mouth was torn and blooded and his wrists were cut and bruised from the iron manacles. He shivered in the cold and longed for the water he could vaguely remember someone leaving in his cell.
     
    Slowly he locked the pain away in a corner of his mind and focused his thoughts until a small ball of light flickered to life at the ends of his fingers. In its dim light he could see the bowl of water that had been left for him by the door. He eased himself to his hands and knees and slowly crawled over to it leaving a trail of blood behind him. The bowl of water was small, not enough to drink and clean his wounds, so he propped himself up as best he could and sipped the water, washing the taste of blood from his mouth.
     
    “Damn fool. What would Allowyn say if he could see me in this mess?” he whispered to himself when he’d finished the last of the water. “Why couldn’t I do as I was told and just kidnap the Prince instead of going through all of this so he would have a chance to prove that there was some goodness within him?” He knew why of course; he owed it to the boy’s