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by Hybrid on Thu Jul 13, 2006 11:54 am
Chapter two: rescued and learning to live
The ride to the King RavenCroft's Land, wa s a trial of death and horror beyond words. Many of the children tried to escape. Each time, a man named J'hon was demanded to cut something off. Weither it was a toe or a finger. I saw so many limbs cut off, and each time I would supress the tears of sorrow, and resist the urge to lose the little bit of food in my tummy.
After two days, that punishment didnt bother me. Soon those who had lost a limb, became ill from infection and fevors. And they began to die. Among tthe first to die, was my first crush, a boy named Alan. Though we were only twelve summers old-he was a few moon cycles older than me. We were in love. He hadn't tried to run away, but he fell ill with a fevor. I wouldnt let the Captain's warriors near him, they claimed they could help but I didnt trust them. Perhaps they were being honest with me-I shall never know.
I remember the night Alan died, I feel as though it was an eternity ago.
We were sitting outside the wagon, I was leaning back against an old tree stump and Alan was in my arms. His fevor was as high as ever. I knew our time together was short, and he knew too. I think that was why he had asked us to go outside for a while. I held him close as we looked up at the starts. We were one day away from were we needed to be.
Alan smiled and looked at me, I smiled back though it was forced, I couldnt believe that at some point that night I was going to lose him.
Alan was the first to speak. We started talking about all the games we used to play. And how when we played hide and go seek I was the only one who could find him.
Then Alan started coughing terribly, his soft brown eyes watering. I knew the time I had dreaded was close. I had seen others die the same way. Alan knew I had changed my name, but he didnt call me by that name. To him I would always be Anita.
"Anita, please listen to me'" he struggled in between the fit to tell me "please, go on dont ever let them beat you. I know your strong enough to.....'' the couging fit was worse and his eyes were dimming slightly "take down this King and his servants. Please promise me that you will fight and keep this from happening to other innocent people!'' His voice was hoarse so I could barely understand the last part. But I swore to him that I would. And then he smiled, it was his usual happy smile and I gave him a real smile back, he hugged me and then he was gone. Just like that, the last person I knew in our struggling group was gone. I cried I couldnt help it.
"Oh Alan! Why did you have to go?! ALAN!!!!" My shoulders shook violently as I held his body close. Tears ran down my cheeks as I cursed every God I knew. I saw someone headed toward me from the warriors tent and I braced myself. The warrior stepped into the light and I seen it was the same one who had caught me willingly at the village.
"Is he........?" he asked in that same voice. All I could do was nod and I started to cry harder. I later learned that that man's name was Spencer. Spencer helped me dig a grave and bury Alan. I took the necklace Alan had given me and placed it in his grave and told him I would honour his wish-even if it was the last thing I did. Then I burst into tears again and Spencer held me. It was strange to be in the arms of the enemy while he murmured everything would be okay in my ear to slowly calm me. He ran his hand up and down my back and soon I stopped crying and fell asleep. I dont know how long he let me sleep in his arms, all I know is that when I awoke the next morning, I was on a cold hard floor with the other children. There was only about twenty of us left. Most too tired to even move. I on the other hand, was pacing the chamber thinking, when J'hon came down and announced we were being taken up so the RavenCroft King could decide what would be done with us-whatever he decided we were told, would be final.
Moments later we stood before the King. He was a tall man, who had huge muscles, you could easily see that this man had worked most of his life. And that made me hate him more than ever. He had red hair and green eyes his tan was slightly darker than that of his men. He also wore the traditional warrior outfit. A black outfit with a red bandanna on the left arm.
King RavenCroft looked to be around thirty summers old, his voice was deep and melidous but as cold as ice.
"Well well....Look at what the dog drug in..." He stood and began to walk down the line of us. Studying our condition and weighing mentally weither we would be of any use to him.
We were split into two groups of ten, one group was for those he would keep, the other was those he wanted killed-we couldnt do a thing for him he said. I was in the group that was to be killed.
The King was about to dismiss us when a warrior stepped forward and bowed a deep bow. "My Lord, I request permisson to take a child out of the children you dont want please." He said. His voice was soft and echoed kindly through the huge but almost empty room. It was Spencer! My heart began to thud in my chest. Was I the child he wanted?
"Why do you want a child soldier?" the King demanded. Spencer seemed to hesitate, then he answered "I am in need of a servant my Lord, I'am so busy with the tasks you give me that sometimes I need an extra pair of hands to see that I have done everything. With a child I could be of even more use to you my Lord."
Then he bowed again.
King RavenCroft scratched his chin as he thought this over. "Very well. You may claim one child as your own. However mark my words that if that child does not act reasonably, it wont be the only one to pay dearly." Spencer bowed again and walked over to our group. He walked among our group pretending to study us before he came to me. He took my wrist and pulled me from the group. "I choose her my Lord!" he said. The King surveyed me and nodded. "Very well. You are all dismissed Now leave my presence."
Spencer pulled my arm the gesture was made to look violent, though I barely felt it at all. He led me down a long corridor then down a series of other corridors, it was like a maze. Then we emurged into a large part of the Kings castle. It was the West Wing, he told me. And it was his part of the castle. He sat down on what he explained was a 'couch', it was a bit hard, from being made of wood. but it was a bit soft to from being stuffed with feathers. He motioned with his hand for me to sit down beside him. As I sat down on the opposite end, I asked "Why did you save me?" he smiled and I thought he had a beautiful smile indeed.
"Because I couldnt see letting him kill you. I saw your mother and Im going to try and save her when I go into town tomorrow. Your beautiful like her. And the reason I gave the King was true. I need some help. For more reasons than one." He surveyed me, then nodded. "First we need to get you cleaned up, follow me." So I did.
Spencer led me down a short hallway and out a door. We emurged into a clearing-right in the woods! There was a hot spring in front of us, and the air was full of steam. "Wow!" I gasped in awe. I had never seen a hot spring before though my Elder had told me stories about them.
He came up behind me and put his arms around me, I was suprised, but I didnt move. He smiled, "I hope we can become very close," he whispered in my ear. I smiled back and replied softly "I hope so to." He sighed soflty and stepped away. "I shall go find some clothes for you to wear. I wont let you run around dressed like that. I know those clothes mean alot to you. So I will get you a wooden chest to put them in until you need to wear them again. In the meantime, remove your clothes and get into the spring-slowly so your body can adjust to the tempurature. Taking the time to relax in there will do you good."
And with that he turned and left. I did as he said. The spring was very hot indeed. but it was so wonderful that I couldnt dredge up a single complaint about it. I slid down into the water until it was up to my shoulders and leaned back against a rock, sighing happily. Truely Spencer was a lucky man indeed. He had a cruel heartless idiot for a Captain and a cold blooded man for a King. But he was very lucky indeed. I lost myself to my thoughts and the amazing spring. Soon spencer returned, carrying some garments and a pair of leather boots that looked like they would come up to my knees. I got out and he handed me the garments. It was a tan dress-it was small, but it might fit. There were strings up the back which meant it had to be tied. I slipped it on and Spencer came behind me and began to tie it. He tied it tight and quickly. Though I was only twelve summers old, the dress showed off what little curves I had, and it made me feel a bit uncomfortable. I put on the boots next and found that even though they went up to my knees they fit perfectly. I turned to face Spencer and asked him how I looked. The dress only came down to mid thigh length, but I wasent going to complain.
He smiled again "You look beautiful," he took out a comb and began to comb through my messy hair. I felt strange letting a guy take care of me. But in a way I didnt see anything wrong with it. He had saved me and I owed him my life. If he wanted to take care of me than by the Gods I'd let him. My hair was waist length and brown, and so were my eyes. I was the only child in our village-before it was destroyed that had had the same color hair and eyes.
He finished combnig through my hair and braided it then held the braid in place with a small piece of leather. "Now lets go meet the King, he demanded to talk to me and said you could be there if you wished. But before we go, there is something I wish to give you." I told him he didnt need to give me anything else, he had given me so much already. But he insisted. He took out a leather band, it had a horse ingraved in it with the letters S and R ingraved in beautiful design. He took my left arm gently and slid the band up my arm until it was halfway between my elbow and shoulder. "There" he said. "No one will have any trouble recognizing you as mine now."
With that done, we headed back inside, through the maze of corridors, into the King's main room.
"Who is that with you Spencer, and where is that wench you claimed?" he demanded when we stood before him.
Spencer bowed and answered "The girl you see before me is the girl I claimed My Lord." The King studied me with his cold green eyes. I felt like my blood had ran cold and I felt suffocated. But I didnt dare move. And I remained expressionless. "Come here child!" he demanded. I stepped forward and bowed-as Spencer had done then stood straight. "It is an honor to be in your presence My Lord." I said. Though it was a lie, I made it sound very very believable.
He gave me a hideous scowl and spoke again "Well at least you have manners, what is your name child?"
I looked him in the eyes and said, "My name is AmyLee, My Lord." He scratched his chin and nodded than waved his hand and I stepped back beside Spencer, who looked very relieved.
King RavenCroft gave the order for Spencer to go into town and see that the slave auction went well and that the money was collected. He also ordered that any slaves who tried to run, were to be killed on the spot. Spencer nodded and said "As you wish My Lord." We both bowed and then walked out of the horrible place.
Spencer gave me a brown horse name Abba to ride and said it was another gift. I hugged him happily and then petted Abba. I learned to ride a horse that day. At first it was a bit scary being up that high. But I tackled that task like I tackled everyother task I had ever been given and halfway to town, I was riding like I had riden for years.
We rode into the town and I was even more amazed by it than I had been about the size of the castle. There had to be thousands of merchants there. They were so crowded together that I was suprised to see they could even move. They used old crates to place their items on. Every merchant was shouting about one item or another, and caiming they had the lowest price in town.
There were horses and animals of every size and color lining the street, and it was crowded with busy people leaving and arriving. It was another hot day to begin with, but with everyone crowded in the street, it seemed even hotter. We slowly made our way through the town, it took at least two hours to get where we needed to be. And there were only three people who hadn't been sold. Bryan,Evve, and Ray were the only ones who hadnt been sold. Ray was one of the best archers from Dolores. Frantically I looked around for my mother, searching through a sea of unfamiliar faces, but I couldnt find her. Then a body laying on the ground beside the platform where Bryan and the others were waiting caught my atteantion. I dismounted, and walked slowly over to the body praying it wasent my mother, but I already knew it was. I knelt down beside the body and turned it toward me. It was my mother! Her throat had been slit. I stifled my tears. I saw she was wearing the necklace my father had got her as a gift when they were married. I took it off carefully and wiped the blood off onto her dress. I said a quick prayer and wished that whereever she was that she wasent in pain and that she was happy and had everything she needed. I walked back and mounted my horse. Spencer announced that it was time to head back. He asked what was wrong, but I didnt speak. I only wipped a few tears away and showed him the necklace. Instantly he understood.
When we arrived at the castle I let the stableman tend to my horse and went into the room Spencer and I had been in before. I sat down on the couch and stared at my mothers necklace and the tears began to roll down my cheeks again. Spencer sat down beside me and pulled me close and whispered how sorry he was. I cried and cried I asked why and tried to push him away. I blamed him for everything that happened. And still he held me close, not once did he tell me I was out of line. Once I calmed down, he explained everything to me. Why RavenCroft had demanded the attack and destruction of our village, why the old were killed, the young sold as slaves and why the children were forced to work as servants.
RavenCroft had had a mysterious cloaked man visiting him over the past year and Spencer claimed that man's words were poison to the King. That RavenCroft had been a kind and gentle ruler up until then.
I believed him, but there was something in that story that was very wrong. We were summoned before the King, and he didnt look pleased to see that I had come along.
"Is she going to follow you everywhere?!" he demanded "Yes My Lord." was Spencer's reply.
Spencer hadn't even bowed to the King as he usually did, so I didnt bother bowing either. I didnt feel a need to. King RavenCroft frowned deeply, he was obviously very displeased with that answer. He was silent for a while as he studied Spencer and I. Then he spoke, "Very well, I will accept that answer-for now. I have a present for you and your wen-I mean for you and AmyLee. You did a fine job in town and I was very pleased." He snapped his fingers and two men stepped forward, each bearing a sword. One was handed to me and one was handed to Spencer. They were the most beautiful things I had ever seen. His had S.P. ingraved in the hilt. And mine had that horse symbol on it. We both unsheathed the swords at the same time and the metal seemed to sing as the light touched them and they were free. The steel was amazingly perfect. The King explained that those swords were specially made for us and that metal was the finest in the world. The craftsman who had made the swords had sadly died that morning, so our swords were very rare indeed.
Someone cleared his throat from on the other side of the room. It was a man wearing a ankle length hooded black cloak. The hood was up so his face was hidden in the shadows.
He stepped forward and bowed deeply, then said "My Lords, my I please ask permission to walk through the garden with the beautiful Lady AmyLee?" King RavenCroft scratched his chin and then nodded "If Spencer approves then yes." Spencer nodded and that strange man took my hand into his and led me toward the garden. We walked for a while in silence. Then he asked "Where are you from my Lady?"
I told him the entire story-leaving out a few details here and there. That seemed to satisfy him. We sat down on the stone bench near the water fountain, I ran my fingers gently through the water, as I asked "Who are you? And why do you wear that cloak?" He sat motionless for what seemed like years and then he took off the cloak and my hand flew up to my mouth to stifle a gasp. He had black hair, the tips were red, his skin was dark tan, the only bit of clothing he was wearing was a tattered pair of black pants with some white cloth tied around his waist to hold his pants up. It was obvious that he was a fighter of some kind. His muscles were clearly defined-every single one of them. The muscles on his arms were nearly two times the size of one of mine. "My name is Kai."
I noticed his eyes were brown like mine, but they were a deeper brown than mine.
"As you can tell by what little clothing I wear My Lady, I had to wear something. So I chose that cloak."
I realized I had been staring and looked away.
I seen Kai smile out of the corner of my eye, but I didnt dare look at him. There was something about him...
"Why did you want to walk with me?" I asked in a voice that hardly seemed like mine. Kai came over and sat beside me. "Your beautiful. I know you belong to Spencer Ravencroft. But do you think he would give you to me?"
Spencer....Spencer's last name was Ravencroft! That meant that he was most likely King RavenCroft's son. I jumped up from my seat and glared at Kai "What makes you think that Spencer would give me to you?!" I demanded.
Kai smiled. "Because at this moment, King RavenCroft is talking him into it." I felt like I had been slapped.
I turned away and ran as fast as my legs would carry me back into the castle. Just in time to hear Spencer ask where I was, I told him our 'friend' was in the garden and that I had wished to come back in before him.`
Thats when Spencer told me that the stranger was leaving town that night and that I was going with him. To learn to fight as well as learn a few other things. When I started to protest, Spencer literally drug me back into his living room again. And this time he looked angry. "I dont want to send you away-please believe me. But I have no other choice. Please understand.."
I turned away from him. Anger seemed to radiate from every part of my being. "The only thing I understand is that your sending me away. I havent even been with you a day and your all ready getting rid of me. Do you dislike me so much that you want to get rid of me?" I half yelled.
I couldnt understand, if he put an effort into saving her from a merciless death, then kept me from the King, why keep me for a couple hours then send her away again?
Spencer ran his fingers through his hair, looking very frustrated. "You don't understand! The King is suspicious! He thinks Im up to no good and even told me so! So I need to send you away for a short time, until everything blows over and it's safe."
I watched him for a moment as I thought about how crazy he sounded. How crazy all of this seemed. Perhaps I was dreaming and this was all a nightmare. And when I awoke, Alan and the others wouldn't be dead and the village would still be preparing to celebrate Bryan and Evve's wedding. But deep down I knew it wasent true, I was well awake and everything was out of control.
Spencer handed me a leather bag, it was quite heavy for its size. He told me inside, was an extra outfit, a hunting knife, a flask of water, and various herbs for wounds. Also that Abba was saddled and ready to go and that it would be rude to keep that guy waiting any longer. I wanted to cry, it wasent fair! I had just started to feel like I belonged and I was being taken away again. This time I was to go with a stranger who looked as though he could break me in half with his little finger. I nodded and hugged Spencer goodbye. Then ran toward the stable without looking back. I knew if I looked back I would't be able to leave. So I swallowed my pride and ran on, never stopping.
I arrived at the stable to find Kai petting Abba as he waited. I didnt like him touching my horse and I made a mental note to tell him so. If we were going to be traveling together there were a few rules we were going to have to get straight first. Otherwise we werent going to get along at all. And we needed to get along for Spencer RavenCroft's sake. And for the sake of my people-the ones who still had the tiniest ability to live and not lash out only to be murdered for their 'disobedience'.
I cleared my throat nerviously and waited until Kai turned around, before saying "We should get going." He merely nodded and mounted his own horse-who's name was Sakura. Sakura was a white horse of the finest breed and the most reliable horse you could find for thousands of miles.
I mounted Abba and we were off, riding into the fading sun set. A part of me wondered why we didnt wait until morning to leave, but Kai had insisted that we leave as soon as we could and only take what was needed. And I new better than to argue with someone who had made up their mind about something.
I looked around as we headed out of the city. I knew that the next time we returned I would be there to take down the King and his men. Once and for all. I would justifty the deaths of the innocent and condem the murderers to hell where they would stay for an eternity. And even longer if I could will it.
We rode for a long time in silence. I was too busy plotting my revenge to bother with polite conversation. I was feeling too angry to really care. I was wondering what all Spencer had to do with his father's plan's and if Kai was really poison to the King. Something didnt seem right with everything that Spencer had said. There was something terrible amiss. But I just didnt know what yet. But I knew I would soon enough.
Finally it was too dark to contiue riding, what little light was left had to be used to make camp. I tended to the horses as Kai found some wood and started a fire. We were miles from town and I felt very small.And alone. Kai made some soup using a pan and some ingredients that he had brought. The next night, he explained, we would have to hunt for our dinner if we wanted to eat.There wasent much that we could really do. Besides stare at the fire, I wasent really tired, but Kai insisted that I rest. That there was an even longer journey tomorrow. One that would consume all my strength. And rather than argue, I decided to take his advice. I curled up close to the fire, but not close enough to get burned and closed my eyes. Within moments I was fast asleep.
Kai sat watching the girl beside him. She seemed so small and fragile when she was asleep. However when she was awake, she seemed to have the strength of someone two times her age. It amused him, but at the same time, it infuriated him. A child like her in the hands of King RavenCroft was not a good thing at all. He had wove his web of lies and got the girl out of danger thus far. But he didnt know how much longer he could protect her- or even if he could.
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