...

Fortess Blackstone was a large black stone building, hence its name, and twice the size of Fortress Stonehill. It was a simple square structure with six turrets and a drawbridge. It was surrounded by a moat filled with a crimson water mixed with blood.

A guard hailed Gosk who waved back and the drawbridge was lowered.

<I have our first prisoner of Rosemarble!> Gosk announced.

<General Valka will be glad to hear it!> the guard said.

Gosk leapt from his horse as he entered the courtyard, a mostly empty lot of black sand, as Valka stepped out to greet him.

Valka was the general of the Ashwoodite army and even taller than Gosk. She had the chalk white skin and red eyes of the vampelle, and was clad head to toe in black armor. Her red cape was longer than Gosk's and her pauldrons were human skulls. Her left arm had been lost long ago, but was replaced by a spring loaded metal beak in the shape of a raven's head. Her helmet was also shaped like a raven.

<General Valka.> Gosk announced, <I have brought a gift for you.>

Gosk's soldiers flung the chained Marcella in front of Valka. Valka knelt down to face her adversary, who had been crying and praying all the way. The generaless licked her lips, revealing a black tongue common to some vampelles. She then removed her own helmet, showing her messy purple hair and the large diagonal scar on her face.

<I think we are going to be the best of friends, you and I.> Valka announced.

Marcella could only bow her head as Valka personally dragged her into the fortress. Valka took Marcella down a staircase to the "spare room" as it was known. The room was lit only by torches and contained various metal instruments that Marcella did not want to even look at. Another vampelle soldier appeared and Valka nodded to her.

<Remove her armor.> Valka ordered.

The soldier unlocked Marcella's fetters but put a dagger to her throat to make sure she did not resist. Yet another soldier freed the knightess from her armor and chain mail. Marcella shivered in fear as Valka produced a pair of small iron pincers with sharpened ends.

<Leave us.> she ordered.

The soldiers went back up the staircase as Valka grabbed Marcella's wrist and placed the pincers around her smallest finger. With a swift jerk, Valka managed to rip out Marcella's fingernail. The knightess screamed in agony and placed her bloody finger into her mouth. Valka grabbed Marcella's wrist again and ripped the nail from Marcella's second smallest finger. Marcella gave a piercing shriek and fainted from the pain.

When Marcella awoke, Valka was still standing over her and Marcella's fingers were still bleeding.

"Do I have your attention, human?" Valka asked in perfect Rosemarblian.

Marcella managed a weak nod.

"Very well, human." Valka said, "We will start with your name."

"Marcella..." she whispered.

"I cannot hear you." Valka said, "Speak up."

"Marcella!" she repeated.

"Very good, Marcella." Valka continued, "Now, tell me, where are all of your friends? What is there strategy? How many in number? And what are their weaknesses?"

"I do not...I do not know..." Marcella pondered.

"Incorrect." Valka said as she soon ripped the nail from a third finger.

Marcella screamed again and collapsed into a sobbing mess.

"Deliver me...kill me...please..." Marcella prayed, "Please...Our Lady...make it stop..."

"Are you praying?" Valka mocked, "How quaint. Now answer my questions."

"All of us." Marcella admitted, "The whole of our army. We already...breached the wall...strength in numbers...I think...I think...we start at the orc villages..."

"Now was that so difficult?" Valka chided, "So you bring out your thousands to meet our tens of thousands. Where is the strength in that?"

"The darkskins..." Marcella confessed, "Kotarians are our friends...we will defeat you..."

"Kotarians?" Valka questioned, "Who thought that Blaine would stoop so low? In any case, why start with the orcs?"

"Supplies...burn supplies..." Marcella sung.

"You plan to starve us out?" Valka assessed, "How despicable. Luckily for you, you have earned a short break."

"Need water..." Marcella begged, "Pain..."

"No water for you." Valka said, "Perhaps when you are actually dying of thirst."

<Valka!> shouted a shrill female voice, <What are you doing?!>

<Valkaia!> Valka shouted back, <This is no concern of yours!>

Valkaia was Valka's twin sister, who had never seen combat. She lived in Stonehill along with her sister and was as pampered as a princess. Valkaia shared her sister's scarlet hair but kept it fashionably long. She wore black chain mail designed to just barely cover herself. She also had two large black bat wings, a rare mutation among vampelles that allowed them to fly.

Valkaia instantly took pity on Marcella as she had no stomach for torture and tried to hug the bloodied woman. Marcella drew back in fear until Valkaia went back upstairs and returned with a small goblet of water.

<Here. Drink it.> Valkaia said, <I will not hurt you.>

Marcella assumed it was poisoned and turned her head but Valkaia practically forced it down her throat. Marcella sputtered a bit but finally managed to gulp it down, surprised to learn it was unspoiled water.

<What have you done to her?> Valkaia asked her sister, <I could hear the screams from my chambers.>

<Some fool must have left the door upon.> Valka realized.

<You ripped out her fingernails?> Valkaia noticed.

<She is an enemy. Sent to destroy us.> Valka said, <But you may play with her for the time being.>

<Let's get you something to eat.> Valkaia said as she lead Marcella upstairs.

The vampelless took the knightess to her private chambers which consisted of a luxurious red silk bed and another room hidden behind a curtain. Valkaia let Marcella lay on her bed and the woman soon fell asleep. Valkaia later shook her awoke and bandaged her hand with gauze. She also had brought a small bowl of gruel from the kitchen that Marcella quickly devoured.

<I will not send you back to my sister.> Valkaia decided, <I could use a servant like you.>

Marcella fell asleep again until she was awoken by Valkaia. The vampelle had peeled back the curtain to the other room, revealing an octagonal pool filled with blood. Marcella gasped in fear and almost turned to flee when she saw that Valka had returned.

"It is only warg's blood." Valka assured her, "Mostly."

"What is this for?" Marcella asked.

"My sister's leisure." Valka said.

Valkaia removed her chain mail and dipped into the pool of blood. Valka had a small human boy at her side, urging him into the pool. Valka poured in a bag of powder and the blood foamed up into bubbles.

<Can you tell her to massage my neck?> Valkaia requested.

"Massage my sister's neck." Valka repeated.

Marcella reluctantly rubbed the vampelle's neck and breathed a sigh of relief when Valka left.

Much to Marcella's horror, the boy plopped himself into the pool and Valkaia bit into his neck.

<Such a sweet, delectable little boy you are!> Valkaia swooned.

"He is only a child!" Marcella screamed.

<Oh yes..> Valkaia pondered, <I suppose you are not accustomed to this.>

Marcella briefly looked around for a knife she could use to plunge through Valkaia's neck but then thought of all the tortures she might face if Valka found out that she killed her sister. Marcella fled back to Valkaia's bedroom, starting to lose her sanity.