Her head spun violently with the second blow to her head in one day, she felt herself being lowered to the ground and her ankles bound as her companion left to help with Epharis, who had Drizdan on the verge of losing consciousness.
The man punched Epharis as hard as he had hit her if not harder and then pried his ankles apart, Drizdan rolling free and choking down as much air as he was able.
When he was able to stand, he turned and kicked Epharis hard in the ribs, the sound of ribs breaking was loud in the sudden quiet.
Kicking him again and again, he only stopped when he was dragged back by his companions.
"You need him alive," one said and Drizdan turned to face her. Immediately her legs pulled up to her chest, protecting her stomach, but he only smirked at her.
"Don't worry, you and I have a future date," he snarled, motioning for the two that he was fine.
Binding Epharis's legs just as hers had been, they were effectively trapped with the three drow looking down at them, breathless but satisfied with their work.
"Now that we have all calmed down, we can chat," Drizdan said brightly, his malicious smile turning from her to Epharis and back again. "I have a little game I like to play in situations like this"
He approached her and crouched down beside her even as she shrank back from him, but his eyes were on Epharis
"It's called 'Choice'. It's quite simple really. I give you two options and you get to choose which you want."
Epharis looked like he would have said something very unpleasant, but chose to keep his mouth shut. Finally he nodded his understanding.
"Perfect! Now your first choice is..." he pretended to be thinking, but they both knew it was just a game and he had it all planned out. "If the beautiful Etani here were to lose a finger," He touched the ring finger on her left hand. "Or that sharp tongue," his finger left hers and he touched just below her lower lip and jerked back when she snapped at him. "Which would it be?" His hand flung out to strike the back of his hand against her cheek at the first word of his final question and she gasped in pain, rolling her jaw but it wasn't broken.
Looking up at him, his eyes burned into her soul and she was left dreading what exactly it was he had planned for them.
"Finger," Epharis said immediately, not looking away as their eyes met.
They both knew what was coming, it was obvious and yet Drizdan whipped the cloth off the tray like it was supposed to be some great surprise.
"It was the name wasn't it? I'll have to change it for next time…" he pouted when neither of them gasped in horror, he looked a little put out, but he still picked up a large pair of clippers used to cut tree branches and shrubs. She was glad they were at least clean.
Her eyes slid shut as she felt the blades against her finger and she gritted her teeth to try and stay quiet. She did fairly well, remaining silent until the final click as the blades came together, but then her scream rang through the room.
Drizdan laughed, seeming becoming almost drunk on her pain.
"Good girl, scream for me," he growled, making no effort to hide his arousal.
Forcing herself to go silent, she panted heavily and stared at her bleeding hand. The iron meant it would take longer to heal and blood was flowing down her arm to pool beside her, soaking her skirt where she sat.
"Now, what should we to next?" he reached for her, gripping her jaw and forcing her to look up at him.
"Ah, I know. Those beautiful eyes… Or a foot?" he forced her to look at Epharis even as he looked to the lich.
He met her eyes and swallowed, trying to figure it out. There was a risk of killing her if they removed her eye, but her foot was only slightly less dangerous and she wouldn't be able to run or defend herself.
"Eye," He said finally and she whimpered.
***
He gritted his teeth, refusing to take his eyes off her as one of the drow moved behind her, his arm curling up under her jaw, the second going over in a headlock.
Picking out a small knife, Drizdan studied her eyes, unable to decide which one to pick.
"I think the green flecked one, I don't like that change," he said and leant down, the knife pressing against the corner of her eye. "I always found those eyes hypnotic, electric and sexy," slowly he pushed the blade into the underside of her eyelid and she did her best to stay still even as she screamed.
When he leant back, her mangled eye was resting on his hand. He laughed as he threw it onto the trolley. He looked down at her, one half of her face coated in blood and the other stained black with tears.
"Don't look at me like that Etani, it's all games," he said, wiping a tear away from under her remaining eye.
The drow released her and she dropped against the wall, waiting for the grand finale, she didn't know why it would be three, she just knew it.
"Now Epharis, here's the big one… Your child or your wife."
The room was so silent they could hear the drip of blood from her elbow into the pool on the floor. No one had taken a breath and everyone was frozen as though in a painting.
"W-What?" Epharis finally asked.
Her entire body had gone cold as she realised what was happening. The games had all been leading up to her death and by extension, the death of her child.
She looked up slowly and Drizdan was watching her, waiting for her to realise.
"Ah, she's got it," he whispered, his grin sadistic. "Your child. Or your wife, Epharis," he said again slowly, speaking to Epharis but his eyes never left her, relishing the fear that flooded through her, the way her body tensed and she drew her legs closer to herself, protecting the swelling at her middle.
"Are you insane?" Epharis asked, too horrified to be shocked.
"Not at all," Drizdan said jovially, finally tearing his eyes off her and turning to Epharis. "Not at all. Those are your choices."
Turning her head to see Epharis, she saw the horror on his face. It was simple really, it was the baby or her and the baby. He really had no choice at all, either way he was going to lose his child.
"Why are you doing this?" he snarled, his entire body straining against the chain but there was no freeing herself from his greatest and most dangerous invention.
"Because it's fun, because I wanted revenge, and because I have my orders," Drizdan said.
"Orders from who?" Epharis snapped.
Drizdan leaned in close to Etani's ear, but he spoke loud enough that they both heard clearly.
"King Alaric."