Escape from Etrusca

[Daphne]

Daphne and Felicita have been captured by the Etruscan king, Leonius, several days ago. They have been treated the worst a women could be treated like, they have carried their wounds from several conversations and meetings with the king and have been going through deepest pain.

However, now the news rushed through the palace of Etrusca that the king has been killed in the war with Rome, so that Etrusca now was a Roman province. This news even reached the deepest levels of the palace, where Daphne and Felicita were held captive. Hope was rekindled in them that now they would be rescued and taken back to safety.

Daphne was lying on a pile of straw, deeply in pain. Leonius had hurt her only once during their stay here, but it had severe consequences for her. She had been with child before, in the first few months, hardly to be seen, and now had lost it. She was bleeding, losing much blood, and so being weakened. Felicita had cared for her as much as she could, but real medical treatment as provided in Rome was missing.

Now, that they seemed to be freed soon, Daphne wished for nothing more than seeing Stratos' face again, who had left her so long ago for she had hurt him with not being able to return his love. She had not seen him since then, and now she needed him, for he was her dearest friend. She was too weak to think more about the reason she did not wish for Alcander coming to her rescue, she knew she loved Alcander, he was her greatest love, but somehow it seemed that Stratos now seemed more important to her.

[Stratos]

As the Romans had occupied Etrusca after the war was over, the legionaries were ordered to search the city for prisoners and other hidden persons. Stratos who had followed his queen Daphne of Athens to Rome, had been gone when she got kidnapped by foreign people. When the news reached him about what had happened, he quickly had gathered his things to find her. When he reached the capital of the Etruscan land, he had asked others where she could be. Lucius who had leaded the army to victory gave help in the search, since gone his sister Felicita also was. Deep down in the enemy palace was the dungeon, Romans outside worked and searched threw out the city while taking prisoners and slaves for their own while also they looked inside every house and room. Together with many guards Stratos went to find his lost queen, hoping that nothing bad had happened to her. With the heavy armor and weapons clanged against each other as they moved, they could be heard approaching the prison bars.

As Stratos finally reached the floor after the many steps to the dungeons, he in fast movements went to check every room that held prisoners. Those that had suffered for no reason was set free, but in the deepest darkness of the corridor he saw Felicita sitting close by Daphne that laid on the floor wounded. With a smash of strength, Stratos destroyed the lock on the door. Doing that made them able to step out, however to weak his queen was to move."My lady."He said worried as he approached, wondering what had happened and how she felt. The wounds and blood clearly showed she had been threw a lot, but the same Felicita also almost had."Give me some water."Stratos shouted out to the guards, wanting them to give something for her to drink while he carried her outside the dungeon.

[Daphne]

Daphne had heared sudden moves from outside her and Felicita's cell, and its doors clattered. So, slowly she opened her eyes, and looked directly in Stratos' face, like she had wished for. He poured some water into her dry mouth, and she was thankful for each drop of the cool liquid. She was weak, as she lost blood and had not been treated correctly. However, now that Stratos was at her side she knew that everything would turn out well again, it gave her hope again and she was so thankful that he had come.

Daphne closed her eyes once more, and only felt being lifted up and moving out of the cell. However, she glided down in darker levels of her conscience. She still was wearing the peach-coloured dress she had put on so many days ago, but now it was stained with blood and covered with dirt from the floor of the cell. Her hair was all messy, but she did not notice any of this.

[Felicita]

Felicita had tried to make it as comfortable for Daphne as possible, to care for her, to try and give her back strength which she lost with losing her child and even more blood. She had tried to catch her blood with any cloths, and gave her more water or bread with sparing some from her own rations she had gotten from the men who guarded them. She had tried to keep her cousin warm. All these days, Felicita had been afraid. She knew that the war against Rome would not be won by the Etruscans, so it was only a question of time when Daphne and Felicita would be set free again. However, she was not sure Daphne had enough time.

Quickly, Felicita stood up when she heard people coming down to them, and she went to see better. Daphne she left, bedded on hey, but she returned soon again, speaking with her, although Daphne looked like unconscious. She told her that now they were rescued, people were coming to rescue them. And indeed, Stratos opened the door, and he went straight over to Daphne. Felicita did not know Stratos yet, but from the look he was Athenian. The other men who came in gave her water to drink as well, and as she could go they guilded her out into freedom. Turning around to Stratos shortly who was carrying Daphne she asked "Do you know if Lucius is here? The General of Rome?" She asked, she hoped that Lucius was around here as well. Only when she would see one of her family again she truly would feel saved.

[Felicita]

Felicita had tried to make it as comfortable for Daphne as possible, to care for her, to try and give her back strength which she lost with losing her child and even more blood. She had tried to catch her blood with any cloths, and gave her more water or bread with sparing some from her own rations she had gotten from the men who guarded them. She had tried to keep her cousin warm. All these days, Felicita had been afraid. She knew that the war against Rome would not be won by the Etruscans, so it was only a question of time when Daphne and Felicita would be set free again. However, she was not sure Daphne had enough time.

Quickly, Felicita stood up when she heard people coming down to them, and she went to see better. Daphne she left, bedded on hey, but she returned soon again, speaking with her, although Daphne looked like unconscious. She told her that now they were rescued, people were coming to rescue them. And indeed, Stratos opened the door, and he went straight over to Daphne. Felicita did not know Stratos yet, but from the look he was Athenian. The other men who came in gave her water to drink as well, and as she could go they guilded her out into freedom. Turning around to Stratos shortly who was carrying Daphne she asked "Do you know if Lucius is here? The General of Rome?" She asked, she hoped that Lucius was around here as well. Only when she would see one of her family again she truly would feel saved.

[Stratos]

Stratos who just had rescued the prisoners, was extremely worried about how his queen felt. Gentle he held onto her close as he offered her something to drink, important it was as terrible ill she looked and almost unconscious she were. A lot it meant for Stratos that his beloved friend and true love Daphne got well, coming back to Athens with grave news to her husband was something he would not like to give. After giving her water, he sonly turned to look at the woman next by to them. She looked royal, even filthy she too seemed. It could be none other then Felicita herself, the sister of Lucius. When she asked about her brother, Stratos simply answered but wanted to make sure she too was alright."You must be LUcius sister, he his upstairs, in the palace hall."He said but nodded to the roman guards to give her everything she needed, a cloak was laid on her shoulders so no more cold she would be by the little clothes she had on.

Stratos smiled in return to her, hoping that she was alright. Daphne on the other hand was still in great pain, blood marks was seen on her body which he tried to clean carefully as she drank from the cup he gave her. The prisoners that had lingered inside the cells, was given freedom to walk out in light again as some of them were innocent and Romans. Softly he touched his queen for head, trying to figure how bad ill she was. She needed a medic as soon as possible her pain seemed to get worse by the minute. Quickly he stood up while holding her, but turned to Felicita and spoke ones more."The guards will follow you to your brother, I must take my queen to a medic as soon as possible."

[Felicita]

Felicita nodded at Stratos' answer, she was very thankful for him as well. She gladly accepted the cloak that the Roman soldiers, who had followed in as well, had given her and pulled it tight around her, for cold she felt indeed. She was delighted to be freed now at last, and to see her cousin Daphne in good care now. Stratos, although she did not know his name, truly must be a loyal servant of the Athenian queen, to care so much about her, Felicita could tell simply by his moves and him touching her. She replied him once more "I thank you, my lord. Take good care of my cousin." She told him, in this moment wishing nothing more than seeing Lucius again.

Several guards now led her way up from the dungeons to the throne hall where Lucius would be found, she went quickly with them. She had not cared in all this time about her own fate, but had cared only for Daphne, but now that this burden was taken from her by Stratos she felt how miserable she herself was. Hunger she felt deep inside, as she spared so much from her own rations for Daphne. Her wounds itched and burned, and all her limbs ached. So she could not await finding herself in Lucius' arms once more, for he was it who had taken care of her for all her life, and surely now would as well.

[Stratos]

As Felicita left with the romans to meet her brother, Stratos himself who carried Daphne went upstairs to find a medic that could help. After some time of searching, he found one that wished to care for her. Quickly Daphne was taken inside a room in the palace where better help could be given, the medic and his helper carefully tried to figure what bad things that had happened. When the news came to Stratos about her having a lost child, he got shocked. Not only did it mean she had been pregnant with Alcander her husband, but also that Leonius had raped her during time of captivity. It angered him greatly, since in love with her he was and never did he wish someone else to harm her. After minutes of healing, Stratos went out to think about what had happened.

When the medic came once again to speak with him, he listened and shortly after entered the room again to see her. The thought about her being raped by another was something he did not like, even much had happened with her and her husband in the past during Stratos service. Before they had set sail to Rome, he had promised the king and her to protect Daphne no matter what. However he had failed, she had been kidnapped and raped by an evil man. Stratos blamed himself when he saw his queen terrible ill on the bed, he just wished he never had left the ship. Slowly he came over and sat down next to her, taking her hand in his as he whispered, wanting her to get better."I am sorry my queen, I should had protected you."He said, kissing her hand in respect and sadness.

[Daphne]

Daphne was not unconscious, she simply felt too weak to do anything and her mind made everything swirl around her, happen very fast or incredibly slow. This must be how people felt when being drunk, she thought. She noticed everything that happened around, she felt Stratos' presence, and she knew he now would take care of her. However, the loss of blood had made her too weak to even open her eyes.

She was laid in a bed, somewhere in the palace it must be. Another man checked on her, to see how wounded she was, and to see what could be done to heal her. The medic bound her wounds as good as he could, he checked her stomach with lightly pressing with his fingers against her womb. She then squirmed with pain, and he gave her herbs and something to drink to stop her pains, as well as strengthen her. Only afterwards, he let Stratos in again and left the two.

The tea to strengthened her helped she felt power returning, even although very slowly. She felt Stratos taking her hands in his, and she opened her eyes to look at him. She had to smile very lightly at his words, he absolutely had donw nothing wrong, from her point of he had no reason to be sorry for. She gathered her strength to speak to him and said "Don't be sorry. But... could you take me home now?" She asked him, slowly she spoke and with weak voice, but he would understand her.

[Stratos]

"I will, we will take you on the first ship to Athens as soon your healthy enough."Stratos spoke worried and kind, wanting his beloved queen to be alright again as so much had happened to her in the past. She deserved something good in life, without sorrows and suffering. Before she ever left her life was happy in Greece, now as she had gone on a dangerous journey, evil had happened to her. Carefully he held her close as his arm was below her head, while touching her cheek with his other hand. She looked beautiful, but terrible wounded she was. Everything Stratos would do to make her happy again, since a lot he cared for her and for long had he loved her. Deeply he looked into her eyes, wondering what she now thought but could not understand how she felt.

Food was given her, but shortly after he laid her head down to rest on the pillow. She had been threw a lot and it was time for her to return home, next day after she had slept the Athenians brought her onto a ship. The ship with many guards was to bring her unharmed back home, without danger as safe she would be.

(Guess you can make a new thread now about they being on the ship.)

[Daphne]

(Alright, we continue on the ship then, I'll make it in the Sea board.)

[Stratos]

(Yes, sounds good. I`ll post there then next.)