Part 3
Though Ilgwid was deeply embarrassed by losing her clothes, her fury didn't pass away so easily. She reached out and bit the finger of smiling Lady Delvina. The sorceress cried out in pain and jerked back her hand. The smile was wiped out from her face.
“Our little b*tch is taking a defiant stance and doesn't want to listen to good reasons” Delvina told with hate and disgust in her eyes “I see. You need to be taught a lesson or two”. She took a short whip and lashed the redhead across the body. The whip fell onto one of the Ilgwid's breasts, she winced in pain, losing her breath. Still the girl clenched her teeth and did not produce a sound. Seeing her captive resist, the Mage lashed her once again, leaving the red stripe on her belly. Now the witch couldn't manage to hold out a scream. Delvina's whip fell onto Ilgwid's body for the third time, and the bent down due to unbearable pain.
“On your knees!” ordered Lady Delvina, pointing her finger down. Ilgwid tried once again tried to resist, but the noblewoman cracked the whip for the fourth time, and the naked witch fell to the ground, groaning.
“Now that's better” Delvina said. She knew how to treat captives. This girl was stronger than those who she fought earlier, but the nobody could resist the pain for long. Delvina took a long leash and attached it to the taming collar.
“Well, it was long day and we need to supper and sleep” Delvina told her guards. “It's time to return to the tavern and this young lady would be a perfect companion” she slightly kicked Ilgwid's firm naked ass with her boot. She raised her voice “Nobody has the right to assault the High Mage of Astia. You will pay in full for this behavior but for starters it would be appropriate for you to crawl all the way to the tavern like a dog, on all fours. And if you try to do tricks then this whip will scorch your flesh over and over. Let's go, you stupid common sl*t” Delvina pulled the leash, dragging the groaning redhead after her.
The people around gazed at the naked witch who had to crawl beside her noble captor. When Ilgwid tried to rise to her feet or moved too slow, the impeccably dressed lady Mage delivered another whip to her back or ass which quickly became covered with red stripes. Some of the peasants found the view funny, they giggled and pointed their fingers. But the majority kept the same gloomy silence, watching the procession with the looks of confusion, terror and hate.
Martius came up to Delvina and asked “My lady, I'm sorry, my task is to guard you, not to counsel you. Still, I don't like the moods of the crowd. They liked their wise woman as it seems. Is it necessary to let them watch her getting her deserved punishment in public. I'm anxious about the riots here”.
Delvina smiled again. “Dear Martius, this kind of folk are rude and clueless. Maybe some of them really worshipped their so called wise woman. Now it's time to show them that practicing witchcraft is not so wise. What is better than to show them this sl*t naked, barefoot, and totally at our mercy. Now they see who's really the master here. Living in their wilderness some of them might forget who's the true authority in this country. Am I right, girlie?” Delvina let Ilgwid stand on her knees and took her chin by the fingers. The witch looked at her with now a blank look.
Of course, by humiliating Ilgwid, Delvina tried to make a statement of her own power. But first of all she felt angry and degraded after she slapped her publicly. Such an offense couldn't go without a retribution and Delvina liked to be in control of the situation. Moreover, the naked, dirty and beaten b*tch contrasted with elegant, well-dressed and sophisticated Mage, so she forgot about her being much younger.
As for Ilgwid, after the minutes of heavy embarrassment, she also weariness, desire to break free and to take revenge on her captors. How to do this, was another question, and the young witch didn't know the answer.
Finally Delvina and soldiers returned to the inn, which was crowded by the people more than usually as evening came. Seemed like all the village and some people from the surrounding places packed here, there was no free tables.
Ilgwid was bound to the bar in the corner of the hall room, with her hands up, so that everyone could see her young, tight and totally naked body. She looked at the people in the tavern, trying to find some support, but some looked at her with lust, others just turn off their eyes with a glimpse of shame and sympathy. She knew that no one was going to help her here. The siuation was as hopeless as if she'd be in the dungeons of Mages' quarter in Litinum.
Only a couple of days ago, she was almost like a queen in this village. Everybody liked respected her and those who didn't were at least a little bit afraid. Now, she was publicly humiliated, put on display before all and see most men and women gazed at her naked beauty. The body burned after the lashings, and what was worst, the future ahead was uncertain beside the fact it was definitely grim. The death was almost good choices, if only she could choose.
She might have bowed to this female magician in order to ease her predicament. Ilgwid thought that attack on her and disobedience was a mistake. But she couldn't help to do that as the persons like Lady Delvina exemplified the type she really hated – all these stuck up, pompous, overdressed aristocrats who had everything as their birthright. The thought that she managed to tear off the mask of good manners from the snobbish magician was the only thing she could enjoy here.
Meanwhile, her captor raised her cup and spoke “To the Princeps and High Council of Astia! Today I, Delvina Gratiana, the High Mage, showed that the law and order in this country is no mere words. witchcraft and other evil deeds won't go unpunished while I'm there. The peace and justice in the Principality will prevail and...”
The whistle of crossbow bolt sent from the balcony didn't let her finish the speech. The bolt sank into the neck of one of the soldiers. And almost simultaneously several people, who moments ago left the their table, threw the knives in Delvina's guards. Two of them hit the target and soldiers fell. Meanwhile, the people who sat at the table near the exit, threw the heavy bench at the soldier's table, wreaking havoс there.
Delvina, though relatively young was experienced, and well instructed about behaving in such situations. Her heart beat wildly but she quickly stepped back into the corner of the room and drew an imaginary circle around her. This spell took a lot of magical power but defended from any projectiles. The sorceress looked around: she counted about fifteen assailants. Her small army consisted of thirteen men, including Captain Martius, but three of them guarded her carriage. So, now it was fifteen against seven, but they were good soldiers and they had the Mage.
Delvina smiled to herself. Now, after the surprise effect ended the assault was doomed. Guards got on their feet and took a defensive stance. Martius was lucky to evade the bench and quickly cut down of the attackers, now fighting against two more. Now, it was time for the sorceress to enter the battle.
Blue lightning came off her fingers, striking down two of the opponents who died so quickly that didn't even scream. “They must have been mad to attack us”, she smiled to herself. After the first shock, her confidence returned to her. She concentrated for a couple of moments, to create an even more devastating spell...
And then the blonde woman pounced on her. It was the same female whom she saw when visiting the inn for the first time. Frida, recalled the sorceress, falling on the floor under the weight of the woman. The “merchant” fell after her but in a couple of moments she was on to while the Mage lied on her back. The spell which should have turned the tide for Delvina's company never came.
Delvina was no fighter. She was a good battle mage but only while keeping the distance. In hand to hand combat she was no better than any other noble lady of Litinum and of course she was no match to the strong, seasoned Frida who fought almost as good as average male soldier.
Sitting on Delvina's belly, she delivered slap after slap to the noblewoman's face. It was almost impossible to concentrate on a spell during this painful beating but Delvina gathered her mental strength and hit her with a simple paralyzing spell.
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