Kong Ming heard out the slave, let him help guards find the hidden section. Once they discovered the blankets and the small, feminine footprints, calling out the mounted guards made tracking Cleo easy. It wasn't long before the experienced hunters of Kong's army had her in sight and pulled up as she nocked an arrow and raised her bow.

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In another part of the dungeon, The Ox had bound the former royal couple into painful positions. Tama hung from his thumbs, raised from the floor. Hanging from his testicles was a heavy rock, as there were from his ankles. That was not the worst, however, as he was facing his wife... about to be tortured by this powerful man.

"One last chance to tell the truth!" The Ox stood between them. He was patient. But his waiting was in vain, as neither spoke.

He had bound Jing into a special chair, which had arms with round paddles at the ends. Her hands were on their backs, and loops of lacing held each finger extended. Her bottom rested on rough points, which wore at the skin as she moved. The chair had a back which could be removed if needed, and the bottom held a grate which could hold a bucket of hot coals which would heat the metal of the chair seat. Her feet were bound as well: tied to leg-and foot-rests lined with the rough points, and bound around each toe.

Braziers were burning hot around the room. The Ox turned to Jing and asked, with a grin, "Cold, little one?" At a hand gesture, he had a minion place a small bowl with just the bottom lined with coals under the chair.
"This will be enough to keep you warm, but not to bother you... yet. I will respect the wishes of my leader Kong Ming and try to preserve your beauty. We shall start with something simple and basic, then."

He started her torture with a wide leather strap. It was about 18 inches long, and 4 inches wide, well aged and stained with use.

"This is my favorite, little one. He has made many young things sing, and hard old men cry." Winding his arm, he laid a stroke across her palms to start with. She grunted, and looked at him defiantly. Tama cried out that he should not hurt her.

Another stroke to the other hand, the same response. "Ah, Tama, she is a strong one. Perhaps her back is more delicate than the warrior hands..."

Lowering the back support, he laid a stroke across her shoulders, putting his strength into it. This one elicited a moan from Jing, another cry from Tama.

"Ah, the little one begins to feel the force of my friend here. Next blow, perhaps a bit lower?" Another stroke falls, if anything, harder still. And another, and yet another.

"That is six blows, little one. Do you wish more, or will you finally speak?" He turned. "Tama? do you have anything to say? Are you such a worm, not a man at all, that you will not speak to prevent your wife from experiencing this agony?"