Chapter 1
Electra Moonblade sat on the bar stool playing her lute. Her long black hair hanging in her face as the last few notes of the ballad, Caramon the Great, resonated in the silent tavern. No one said a word. They were speechless. Her voice often had that effect on people. It was low, seductive, and stirred the hearts of anyone that listened. The last notes of the song rang out. She waited. After a minute she lifted her head and stood. Still no one spoke. They were in awe of her. The tips of her ears pointed out of her hair and her violet eyes shone. Her pail skin almost glowing from the moon light that shone through the window on her. She was a radiant creature. All though she was only five foot, two inches, and shorter than most of the people in the tavern, they still looked up to her. She was a highly respected bard and played the Dragon Song Inn often. More times than not she would room there
Picking up her lute she walked to the bar and asked for a drink. The bartender looked up at her and nodded. He went into the back room to retrieve the bottle. They kept a stock of elven wine in the back just incase she stopped by. Leaning on the bar she looked around. She was wearing a long silver skirt with a black leather bodice that laced up the front over a white peasant shirt. She was a sight of beauty standing there. The patrons were starting to talk again and she could hear bits and pieces of their conversation.
"Did you hear her voice?"
"I told you she was good."
"She plays that instrument like it is part of her."
She was used to hearing these words but no one ever said them to her. She didn't want their appreciation. She didn't play for them. She played because it brought her pleasure. Her room and board were often offered to her free of charge when she played in a tavern but she rarely accepted the offers when she was at the Dragon Song. With as frequently as she was there she would put them out of business if they gave her everything free of charge. But she enjoyed the atmosphere here. It was quiet and fights seldomly broke out.
Looking around she saw a table of adventurers talking. There was one that seemed to be their leader. He was a tall, broad shouldered human with a beard that looked like it had not seen a razor in weeks. He spoke with a loud booming voice that she could hear from the other side of the room, even with everyone talking. She studied the man thinking to herself that he wasn't half bad looking for a human. Suddenly he looked up and met her gaze, as if he had felt her eyes on him. His eyes bore into hers. Standing he walked over to her. He leaned on the bar he looked down at her. She could tell that he had already had too much to drink that night. He reeked of the cheep ale he had been drinking.
"Hey sweet lady, mind if I buy you a drink?" he slurred.
With out giving her a chance to respond he called for the bartender who was just returning with Electra's glass. "I'm paying for this little ladies drink. Put it on my tab." the man said to the bartender. Picking up her glass, he motioned her to follow him to his table. Reluctantly she did so.
Sitting down at the table she picked up her glass and took a sip. She looked around the table. There were five people in the man's group all together beside himself. Two women and three other men. They were all humans. They all towered over her and it made her feel a little uncomfortable. She got up and took the bow and quiver of arrows off her back and put the case to her lute on her chair. She often used it to sit on so she wouldn't feel so short around humans.
Sitting down she began to sip her glass again. The people at the table started to introduce themselves. At the head of the table was the man that had invited her over. He introduced himself as Caleb. Caleb was a fighter with a reputation, and not a bad one at that. As a bard, Electra had heard many stories and his name came up quite often. At this point she figured out who everyone else was. There was a cleric named Katrina, a mage named Matthew, and two fighters named Draco and Griffin. According to the stories they were a deadly pair of brothers. The last was a druid named Sasha. This group had a reputation for heroism. They had been together for many years.
Electra was seated between the two brothers and began talking to them. She had loosened up since the elven wine had started to hit her system. Soon she was talking freely and felt herself getting tipsy. This would have been fine if it weren't for the woozy feeling she was getting. Suddenly her stomach lurched and she got light headed. Caleb stood and came up behind her. Helping her out of her chair he looked to the rest of the group.
"I think she needs some air. I'm going to help her out side and let her walk around a bit." He said as he pulled her to her feet.
At this point Electra didn't know which way was up. She could barely stand let alone walk. Caleb helped her outside and gave her an arm to hold while she tried to get her feet under her. Still having a bit of trouble walking they went around a corner to the alley that led to the back door of the inn. She thought the fresh air would have helped but she just seemed to be getting worse. Before she knew it they were at the far end of the alley. She tried to turn to walk back, but Caleb stopped her.
"I want to go back in now." She said softly.
"I don't think so. I think you want to stay here with me." He said with a low growl in his voice. All of a sudden he pushed her against the wall. She tried to fight him but he lifted her so her face was even with his He pressed her body against the wall with his and started squishing her breasts with his hands.
She wanted to scream but he drowned her out by smashing his lips on hers and ramming his tong down her throat. She bit his mouth with all of her strength. Caleb twisted her arms behind her back and she felt a painful snap as her wrist broke. She wanted to fight him but it seemed like all of her muscles had gone limp. It occurred to her that something must have been in her drink. The light started to fade and soon she could not see. She could still feel everything he did to her though. She felt a sharp object near her stomach rip through her shirt and the lacings to her bodice. He had a dagger in his hand. Panic griped her mind as she tried to fight off the effects of the drug.
Her bodice popped open to expose her breasts to him. His rough callused hands closed on them and roughly squeezed them. She could hear him breathing heavily in her ear. Then his hands left her breasts only to be replaced by his mouth. He bit her nipples and bruised her flesh. The pain was so great but she could do nothing to stop it. She heard him undoing the tie on his pants and felt him lift her skirt. NO, she thought, not like this! I don't want my first time to be like this! But he was not going to spare Electra her dignity.
Letting her slump to the floor he yanked up her skirt and ripped off wisp of cloth that that was her undergarments. She felt his body cover hers and crush her into the hard cold stone alley floor. He lifted her legs and put them on his shoulders and with one hard thrust he was in her. She could feel the pain all the women spoke of when they had made love to their husbands for the first time. Her opening was dry and his shaft tore into her like a red hot iron. The pain was unbearable. Just when she thought she could not take anymore she heard footsteps running in her direction.
"Hey! Get away from her!" a voice shouted from some where above her. It was the voice of a young man. She heard the whistle of the air and then a sickening crack. Caleb fell on her with all his weight, unconscious. She felt the young man role Caleb off of her and cover her with a warm cloak. He lifted her into his arms just as the last consious thought passed through her mind.
Electra Moonblade sat on the bar stool playing her lute. Her long black hair hanging in her face as the last few notes of the ballad, Caramon the Great, resonated in the silent tavern. No one said a word. They were speechless. Her voice often had that effect on people. It was low, seductive, and stirred the hearts of anyone that listened. The last notes of the song rang out. She waited. After a minute she lifted her head and stood. Still no one spoke. They were in awe of her. The tips of her ears pointed out of her hair and her violet eyes shone. Her pail skin almost glowing from the moon light that shone through the window on her. She was a radiant creature. All though she was only five foot, two inches, and shorter than most of the people in the tavern, they still looked up to her. She was a highly respected bard and played the Dragon Song Inn often. More times than not she would room there
Picking up her lute she walked to the bar and asked for a drink. The bartender looked up at her and nodded. He went into the back room to retrieve the bottle. They kept a stock of elven wine in the back just incase she stopped by. Leaning on the bar she looked around. She was wearing a long silver skirt with a black leather bodice that laced up the front over a white peasant shirt. She was a sight of beauty standing there. The patrons were starting to talk again and she could hear bits and pieces of their conversation.
"Did you hear her voice?"
"I told you she was good."
"She plays that instrument like it is part of her."
She was used to hearing these words but no one ever said them to her. She didn't want their appreciation. She didn't play for them. She played because it brought her pleasure. Her room and board were often offered to her free of charge when she played in a tavern but she rarely accepted the offers when she was at the Dragon Song. With as frequently as she was there she would put them out of business if they gave her everything free of charge. But she enjoyed the atmosphere here. It was quiet and fights seldomly broke out.
Looking around she saw a table of adventurers talking. There was one that seemed to be their leader. He was a tall, broad shouldered human with a beard that looked like it had not seen a razor in weeks. He spoke with a loud booming voice that she could hear from the other side of the room, even with everyone talking. She studied the man thinking to herself that he wasn't half bad looking for a human. Suddenly he looked up and met her gaze, as if he had felt her eyes on him. His eyes bore into hers. Standing he walked over to her. He leaned on the bar he looked down at her. She could tell that he had already had too much to drink that night. He reeked of the cheep ale he had been drinking.
"Hey sweet lady, mind if I buy you a drink?" he slurred.
With out giving her a chance to respond he called for the bartender who was just returning with Electra's glass. "I'm paying for this little ladies drink. Put it on my tab." the man said to the bartender. Picking up her glass, he motioned her to follow him to his table. Reluctantly she did so.
Sitting down at the table she picked up her glass and took a sip. She looked around the table. There were five people in the man's group all together beside himself. Two women and three other men. They were all humans. They all towered over her and it made her feel a little uncomfortable. She got up and took the bow and quiver of arrows off her back and put the case to her lute on her chair. She often used it to sit on so she wouldn't feel so short around humans.
Sitting down she began to sip her glass again. The people at the table started to introduce themselves. At the head of the table was the man that had invited her over. He introduced himself as Caleb. Caleb was a fighter with a reputation, and not a bad one at that. As a bard, Electra had heard many stories and his name came up quite often. At this point she figured out who everyone else was. There was a cleric named Katrina, a mage named Matthew, and two fighters named Draco and Griffin. According to the stories they were a deadly pair of brothers. The last was a druid named Sasha. This group had a reputation for heroism. They had been together for many years.
Electra was seated between the two brothers and began talking to them. She had loosened up since the elven wine had started to hit her system. Soon she was talking freely and felt herself getting tipsy. This would have been fine if it weren't for the woozy feeling she was getting. Suddenly her stomach lurched and she got light headed. Caleb stood and came up behind her. Helping her out of her chair he looked to the rest of the group.
"I think she needs some air. I'm going to help her out side and let her walk around a bit." He said as he pulled her to her feet.
At this point Electra didn't know which way was up. She could barely stand let alone walk. Caleb helped her outside and gave her an arm to hold while she tried to get her feet under her. Still having a bit of trouble walking they went around a corner to the alley that led to the back door of the inn. She thought the fresh air would have helped but she just seemed to be getting worse. Before she knew it they were at the far end of the alley. She tried to turn to walk back, but Caleb stopped her.
"I want to go back in now." She said softly.
"I don't think so. I think you want to stay here with me." He said with a low growl in his voice. All of a sudden he pushed her against the wall. She tried to fight him but he lifted her so her face was even with his He pressed her body against the wall with his and started squishing her breasts with his hands.
She wanted to scream but he drowned her out by smashing his lips on hers and ramming his tong down her throat. She bit his mouth with all of her strength. Caleb twisted her arms behind her back and she felt a painful snap as her wrist broke. She wanted to fight him but it seemed like all of her muscles had gone limp. It occurred to her that something must have been in her drink. The light started to fade and soon she could not see. She could still feel everything he did to her though. She felt a sharp object near her stomach rip through her shirt and the lacings to her bodice. He had a dagger in his hand. Panic griped her mind as she tried to fight off the effects of the drug.
Her bodice popped open to expose her breasts to him. His rough callused hands closed on them and roughly squeezed them. She could hear him breathing heavily in her ear. Then his hands left her breasts only to be replaced by his mouth. He bit her nipples and bruised her flesh. The pain was so great but she could do nothing to stop it. She heard him undoing the tie on his pants and felt him lift her skirt. NO, she thought, not like this! I don't want my first time to be like this! But he was not going to spare Electra her dignity.
Letting her slump to the floor he yanked up her skirt and ripped off wisp of cloth that that was her undergarments. She felt his body cover hers and crush her into the hard cold stone alley floor. He lifted her legs and put them on his shoulders and with one hard thrust he was in her. She could feel the pain all the women spoke of when they had made love to their husbands for the first time. Her opening was dry and his shaft tore into her like a red hot iron. The pain was unbearable. Just when she thought she could not take anymore she heard footsteps running in her direction.
"Hey! Get away from her!" a voice shouted from some where above her. It was the voice of a young man. She heard the whistle of the air and then a sickening crack. Caleb fell on her with all his weight, unconscious. She felt the young man role Caleb off of her and cover her with a warm cloak. He lifted her into his arms just as the last consious thought passed through her mind.