Vampire: Dark Ages - Scene 2: Harrowing: Sabine

[Goatkiller666]

Wenceslas smiles even broader. "Excellent, child. Now, remember, no crying. Crying only hurts the song. If you cry, you'll have to suffer even more to make the song better."

He turns to Timothy and says, "Hold her." The boy moves up behind Sabine and puts his arms around her waste. "No, stupid beast. That will constrict her breathing. Hold her arms by the elbows, behind her back. Hold them tight, so she can't get away or dodge."

Timothy complies, and then the older man staps Sabine across the face, several times. Forehand, backhand, forehand, backhand, forehand, backhand. Her left cheek is red from the slaps, but her right cheek is bruising from the force of his knuckles on her cheekbone.

[Sabine]

It really hurts. I try not to cry, but it doesn't work. [Spend a willpower.]

I finally stop crying, even if I'm almost hyperventilating.

[Goatkiller666]

The man stops slapping, and watches Sabine push the pain down. "Oh, very good, child. Very good indeed."

"Now, try the song again. And sing with all your heart."

[Sabine]

I glow from his praise. He said I'd done good!

I sing the song again, singing my hardest, with all my attention. [Spend a willpower.]

[Goatkiller666]

[Two successes.]

He watches her face, and her focus on the song. His face shows no sign of displeasure at the singing. But when Sabine finishes, he frown. "No, that still wasn't good enough."

"I can see we'll need to try harder. The singing should cause you pain. Then you can know why you're sacrificing for it." He quickly finishes off the drink in his hand, and then breaks the glass against the hilt of the dagger on his belt. "Hold her still, Timothy. She might squrim or kick." He steps forward and scratches Sabine across the throat. It's a light scatch at first [No wound levels.] but it still hurts.

"Now, try again. And I'd better feel the pain in your soul flowing into me with this song.." he adds with some menace.

[Sabine]

This hurts more than the time William pushed me down and threw dirt in my eyes. But, my majesty told me not to cry. I don't cry. I just sing the song again.

[Goatkiller666]

[No successes.]

"Stupid girl!" Wenceslas slaps her across the face mid-verse. "Don't waste my time with that noise." He moves in close to her, and holds the shattered end of the glass next to her throat. "Do it again. And do it right, if you know what's good for you. Do you hear?"

[Sabine]

Oh no. Majesty is mad at me. I'm a bad girl. I don't want to be bad. I want him to love me!

I sing the song again. [Spend a willpower.]

[Goatkiller666]

[Three successes.]

"That's better. Do you hear that, Timothy? She just needed the proper context."

Timothy mumbles, "Yes sir. Context."

"Now, girl. Do it again." He's still holding the glass to her throat.

[Sabine]

I did good! He likes me again! I smile brightly, the pain forgotten.

I sing the song again.

[Goatkiller666]

[No successes.]

"What is that? You're smiling? There's no pain in that! Stupid cow." He slashes deeply with the broken glass, cutting deeply but missing the major arteries. [One health level.]

He turns away and paces around the couch once, watching her struggle in Timothy's grip. Her vocal chords were damaged in the cut, and he can hear her rasping and wheesing as she tries to hold back sobs of pain.

[Sabine]

I flail around. It hurts so much. I'm not even standing, only Timothy is holding me up. I try to apologize, but I'm sobbing too much for words. Sobbing hurts my throat, but I can't stop.

[Goatkiller666]

"Good girl." Wenceslas smiles proudly at her "Now you understand pain, little one."

"Will you sing for me now? Let me hear your soul filling up with pain." He reaches out with broken glass again and makes a thin slice on her cheek.

[Sabine]

I scream. All my fear. All my pain.

[Goatkiller666]

Wenceslas closes his eyes and listens, enraptured, until Sabine runs out of breath. "Beautiful..." he mutters, when it's over and he opens his eyes.

[Here endeth the harrowing.]