He is not happy.

When Oren arrives there is a sour expression on his weather-hardened face.

"You idiot." He begins, scowl deepening. "You attacked a guard?"

You shrug. "He attacked me." You gesture to Cora, still curled up in the back corner. "I want to keep this one."

Oren pinches the bridge of his nose, sighing. He is quiet for a moment, then he speaks. "Alright, fine, she can stay with you, but you attacked a guard. That can't go unpunished." He thinks for a second. "The whip. Thirty lashes."

You wince inwardly, but nod, taking off your shirt and stepping forward to receive your punishment.

Oren lets you out of your cage and sends a passing mercenary off to retrieve a whip. There is a vertical wooden post a small ways away from your cage. Your arms are chained around it, exposing your back, and the whipping begins.

The first lash is painful. A searing line of pain along your spine.

The second lash is very painful. A white-hot knife scoring your flesh.

The thirteenth lash makes your vision go white. You don't remember anything after that.

You come to as you are being moved back to your cage. Your back throbs with agony, making it difficult to do much of anything, even after you are thrown face down onto the hard wooden floor of your cage.

You try to open your eyes, but find the task too difficult.

A moment later you hear Cora's voice.

"Oh..." Her voice wavers. She sounds very small. "By Jaris, look at your back."

You feel small, cool fingers prodding gently at your back, sending small jolts of pain all along your spine. You hiss in discomfort, and the hands immediately retreat.

"I'm sorry, " Cora says. "I'm so sorry."

She continues speaking, but you don't hear it as you quietly slip into the sweet darkness of sleep.