>>5451444"Mn.... aaah!" You yelp as a deft hand masterfully washes the skin around your fresh wounds. Mother was particularly artful with the whip-dagger today. An adult woman nearly a century old should not be stripped down and humiliated for the amusement of a crowd. For all you care, she merely wanted to terrorize you for the thrill of it. The indignity of it all! Clenching your fists, you try to suppress the pain by imagining the pleasure you would feel if you could strangle the old bitch - and then how much worse you would hurt if you were foolish enough to defy her will.
"Stop trembling," suggests a placid voice that sounds like the texture of black silk. "You're going to make this more painful than it already is." Under his advisement, you bite your bottom lip and shut your eyes, failing miserably at an attempt to remain still and silent as he delicately pours alcohol over your back. Tatherin is a quick study with natural affinity for the subtle arts, the most reliable person you know, and Mother's special boy. No sane person would allow another to see their exposed back, but you implicitly understand that you can count on your sibling to assist. It must be some sort of special ability that only manifests in twins which allows you to read his intent, and him, yours.
"So?" There is a momentary pause in Tatherin's work as the two of you sit on the floor of your room surrounded by total quietude. You clear your throat. "'So' what?" You growl in a feeble attempt at projecting the strength that Mother's brutality has momentarily robbed you of. "Come on, Jez," he sighs, as he begins to bandage you.
"Tell me what happened this time."
>Nothing. I've never done anything wrong in my entire life.>I spat at Mother and told her that she has been holding me back. It is the truth!>Vierna challenged me, so I beat her within an inch of her life. Ha ha!>Mother is simply jealous that her newest lover has been lusting after me.>[Write-in.] 