STEEL FROM THE COUNT
Torture execution

    The cell was cold and damp. She tried to warm herself, bare arms around a bare body. Not all of her shivers were from the cold. In a few hours she would be taken from the cell never to return. She had been caught stealing and had ended up in front of the Count. Then to make things worse she had lied in his court. He was a stern but fair lord who demanded truth is his lands. Those who lied were punished severely as she well knew. It had been just desperation that had caused her to forget. Knowing she was facing possible death she had panicked and lied. When she had been shown to be untruthful her sentence was merciless. Death on the scaffold, but not the quick death of the rope or axe. He had refused to tell her just what awaited her in the morning other than to promise her she would regret lying. 
    The sky was just beginning to brighten when they came for her. Her bare skin was cooled by the early morning breeze as they made their way through the streets to the execution scaffold. There were three of them going to die. Two were young while the third was almost old enough to be called granny. She knew nothing about the others nor did she guess that they knew any more of her. The old ass pulling the cart upon which they rode did not seem to be in any hurry. The slow pace did allow the gathering crowd time to yell out insults and to throw garbage at them. Once in a while a lad braver than most would dart out and make a grab at an unprotected body part, her breast was pinched hard by one little brat. With their hands tied to the rail of the cart they were helpless to defend themselves and the guards seemed to treat it as a game.  
    Then the scaffold was looming before them. A tall platform with ample room on top for any and all of the necessary tools of the executioners trade. Under it was a low table with a young woman tied to it. From her position it was clear she there to be raped until dead from whatever cause. And she was close to death. She gave no notice of the teenaged boy that was engaged in the sex act with her nor did she seem to see the line of those waiting their turn at her ravaged body.  She was now a side show as the three fresh victims were untied from the card and led up the stairs. Once there each one was tied to a post at one of the corners to await whatever was promised for her.
     The executioner moved to the other girl and removed a parchment from his pocket. Reading from it he proclaimed her to be the daughter and apprentice of the older woman. Her crime was a most horrible one. She had helped her mother and master to perform abortions, a wicked crime against both man and God. For her part she was sentenced to death but because she had only following the orders of both her mother and her master she was being granted some mercy. Instead of the full punishment her acts had earned her she would only face death by hanging. 
     Her naked body trembled as she was forced up the ladder and the rough noose placed around her neck. Because of her crime there was no priest there to comfort her or to pray for her soul. The ladder was turned to dump her from its steps and suddenly her cries were cut off. Being a light girl the noose took a long time to choke the life from her body and those present later agreed that she had put on a fine show as she had danced. It did take a long time but the noose finally won and left her hanging limply. 
     Her mother was next and her sentence was terrible. The hands that ended the god given pregnancies were placed in the fire of the forge and she was made to watch as the cleansing fire burned then to ashes. The womb that she had dishonored was cut from her body and it too was burned before her eyes. The wound was closed by the hot iron. Her arms and legs were broken on the wheel and she was braided through the spokes. Her eyes were dug out with spoons. She was forced to drink a mixture of vinegar and salt and the wheel holding her was raised up and mounted on a slanted axle where it was to be turned every candle mark until the baby killer herself would die. 
    Then it was time for her to discover the method of her death. Once more the parchment was read. As a thief and a liar that had thought to steal from the Count himself she was to be punished severely. As her crimes were being read she stared into the red hot coals of the forge and imagined them to be the fires of hell. Surly she would soon see the real ones. She was tied to a X frame and turned upside down. Then she was given twenty five lashes well laid on to her womanhood. After the last was delivered there was another twenty five to mark her breasts. Her tongue was seared by a red hot iron and the Count’s mark was branded on her forehead. Then she was untied and allowed to kneel before the priest and given her last rites. Then the final part of her punishment came. Her nude body was tied to a table much like the one under the scaffold where the other girl was even then breathing her last. Her legs were tied in much the same way and she could only watch as two long thick bars of red hot steel were shown to her and to the crowd. With great care and exquisite slowness each was pushed into one of her openings. Even without her tongue she managed to scream, long soul rending screeches that bore witness to her torment such agony could not last and hers did not. After a long time one of them reached and destroyed something inside her that she could not live without and death came for her. It was only fitting- one who sought to steal from the Count was given steel by him.