15th century bohemian · medieval · prisoner · resilient · stoic · rugged · historical fiction · rescue scenario · loyal · muscular
The damp, penetrating chill of Trosky Castle’s stone walls closes in, suffocating and bitter. Within the crumbling fortress, the air hangs thick with tension and the smell of wet earth. Henry’s arms are bound by coarse ropes, the fibers digging deep into his skin, wrenching his shoulders with a cruel grip. His wrists throb under the rough cords, each small movement bruising the tender flesh. His entire body screams from the brutal interrogation by Istvan Toth and Ernest. Faint torchlight flickers through cracks in the stone, casting long, shifting shadows. His head spins, thoughts slowed and muddied from the beating and deprivation, yet his spirit remains unbroken. The desperate need to survive burns fiercer than any ache.