This choice: Question Edelgard further • Go Back...Chapter #20A little interrogation by: Arnsley   (Spoilers for Black Eagles Chapter 11)
“…Question our little student further.” Rhea announced.
“I agree.” Seteth nodded. “Please, allow me to…”
“I appreciate your offer, Seteth, but I shall handle this personally.” She told him.
She’s going to question me herself? Why does it have to be her? Edelgard looked up to the archbishop’s face. Her expression was difficult for the tiny girl to read.
“Very well. You may make use of my office.” Seteth offered. “It may be best to conduct this business where you will not be disturbed.”
“Thank you, Seteth.” She reached out her hand. “Professor, please give Edelgard to me.”
Byleth hesitated. He didn’t notice, but he moved his hand away from Rhea, as if to shelter his tiny student.
“Is this truly necessary?” He asked. “I’m not sure she has anything to tell.”
“Perhaps. However, as I said earlier, there is the possibility of a threat to the church hidden behind her actions.” Rhea explained. “I shall get to the bottom of this matter myself. I ask that you place your faith in me.”
Her hand moved closer. Byleth looked down, to the shrunken student he held. She gazed up at him, an unspoken plea to defy the archbishop. He could not comply. Moving his hand to Rhea’s, he tipped Edelgard onto the archbishop’s waiting palm.
Now deposited on the archbishop’s palm, it seemed to Edelgard that she loomed even taller over her tiny form. The soft smile across her face did little to mask the overwhelming malice Edelgard felt emanating from the much larger woman.
“Thank you, professor. Do not worry, I shall deal with this matter myself. We will inform you if we gain any new information.”
Byleth nodded. He turned and left, Edelgard’s last hope of escaping the archbishop’s hands leaving with him.
“Are you to begin immediately, Rhea?” Seteth asked.
“Yes. I shall take her to your office. Please remain here.” Rhea instructed.
“You are going to question her alone? Very well.” He agreed, seeing no threat to the archbishop.
Edelgard in hand, Rhea walked towards the door. The tiny woman shivered in fear. She was about to be alone with her worst enemy…
Rhea closed the door behind her. She sealed herself inside the room, with only the miniaturized Edelgard for company. Shrunk down and captured by her enemy, the tiny woman could only speculate if she would get out of this alive.
“Now it is just the two of us.” Rhea told the small student.
Edelgard remained silent as the archbishop walked over to the desk. She slowly sat down in the chair, before suddenly tipping Edelgard onto the wooden surface.
Startled, she rolled onto the desk. It took a moment for Edelgard to get her bearings before she stood.
A demonstration of the power she now holds over me. She thought. I must not let her see any weakness.
Standing up, Edelgard resolved to face her fears. Rhea loomed over her, the massive woman the embodiment of the church herself. The sheer difference in size and power between the two women was immense, like Edelgard was facing Seiros herself.
“I wonder if you are feeling any more talkative.” Rhea said, her words carrying the same tone as usual.
Edelgard said nothing, just watching to see what Rhea would do to her next.
“I see. You sin each time you refuse to answer. Speak, and you may yet be forgiven by the goddess.”
“…” Edelgard stood awkwardly, unsure if she should show outward defiance in the face of such a large and powerful foe.
“So be it. Know that you are not yet beyond redemption. Yet it seems you will need some persuasion before you will confess.”
Rhea clenched her fingers into a fist. A moment later and it was flying towards the surface of the desk. Edelgard scrambled to get away as it crashed down, the tiny woman reeling as she felt the shockwave through the ground and the deafening sound on her ears.
“If I so wished, you would be squashed like an insect.” The archbishop said. Even as her language became more threatening, her tone remained the same. Edelgard shivered as she felt the larger woman basking in the power she held.
“The goddess is merciful. But even her patience has her limits.”
Even if Edelgard wanted to speak, she was too terrified to even utter a word. Before her sat the largest demonic beast she had ever seen. Unarmed and diminished in size, she had no way of fighting back.
“Perhaps it would help if I asked you some questions. Simple answers will suffice.” Rhea said, like she was offering a lifeline to the tiny student. “Did you become small on purpose, or was it by accident?”
For a moment, Edelgard considered answering her question. A single moment was all she had. A finger suddenly whipped forward, striking her in the chest. She let out a cry as she fell onto her back.
“You did not answer.” Rhea’s finger curled back into her fist. Edelgard lay still for a moment, stunned.
What just happened? That was… Just her finger! But it moved so fast!
“Even one of my fingers would be sufficient to crush you. I suggest you answer more quickly next time.” Rhea said like she was offering advice to her tiny captive.
“Since you failed to answer, I can only assume you are purposefully small.” Rhea continued as Edelgard stood. The blow she had taken was like being hit by a weapon. Though she was able to stand, she needed more time to recover.
“My next question.” Rhea’s fist moved closer to Edelgard, keeping the smaller woman in range. In doing so, she emphasized how futile it would be to flee. “For what reason are you small?”
Edelgard would not answer that question. She braced herself, waiting for Rhea’s punishment. The holy woman remained silent, still waiting for a response. But she did not attack yet.
“So, you lack even the courage to confess. Your silence will get you nowhere.”
A finger lashed out at Edelgard. It hit harder than last time, but she was ready for it. The impact lifted her a few millimetres off the ground, yet she did not fall. However, a second flick struck her in the head, dazing her as she toppled over.
Before Edelgard could get up, a hand pressed down on her. Her entire body was trapped under Rhea’s palm, save for her head and neck which were between two of her fingers.
“Confess at once.” Rhea pressed down only a little, but the force felt immense to the shrunken Edelgard. She cried out as Rhea exerted a bit more force for only an instant. Even though she continued to punish Edelgard, Rhea still did not seem angry, her tone unchanged from when she started. If anything, Edelgard got the sense that the giant woman was enjoying interrogating her, caring little for if she actually answered.
“This is the hand of the church, akin to that of the goddess herself.” Rhea ranted as she pushed down again. “Feel it press down on you, Edelgard. Before our merciful goddess, you are nothing.”
Even if she wanted to tell Rhea everything, Edelgard could not. When she pressed down, she prevented the shrunken student from even speaking, her lungs unable to fill with air. Even a small fraction of Rhea’s strength was overwhelming. The archbishop seemed well aware, revelling in how much stronger she was than the sinner beneath her palm.
“Perhaps the goddess would be pleased if you were merely executed. However, I believe doing so would be a little premature.” She pressed down again, harder than before. Edelgard screamed. The force felt like it would break her ribs. She felt only an instant from a bone breaking when Rhea relented, her hand lifting off the table.
Edelgard wanted to flee, but her body wouldn’t move. All she could do was gasp for breath as the giant’s hand moved towards her again. She braced herself, but the fingers shifted, grasping her tiny body. She felt sore as Rhea’s fingers shifted her around, adjusting her grip before they tightened. She held Edelgard with only her head and shoulders poking out of the massive fist.
“You have said not a word since you came in here.” Rhea said. “I believe it is time you spoke up. Or do you require further convincing?”
The freedom she felt upon escaping Linhardt’s room felt like a distant memory. If she didn’t speak, Rhea would only torture her further. Yet she could not tell her anything. As she was raised closer to the archbishop’s face, Edelgard braced herself while hoping for something, anything, to free her of this torment…   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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