Martin, Gonff and Bella were out in Mossflower woods, slowing wandering around the forest as they answered the question "What made you stronger than you already were?"
"Enduring." was Gonff's answer, "Enduring the time when Tsarmina ruled- or tried to rule- Mossflower."
"Yes, that's true." Bella said, "Martin, you're one of the strongest I know; what made as strong as you are now?"
Martin stiffened but he replied, "Pain."
"Pain?" Gonff asked, "You mean like wounds from fighting?"
"That's part of it. I mean spiritual and physical pain. The wounds from fighting is part of the physical pain; you get wounded, and the pain from it makes you not want to experience it again, so you try harder to avoid getting wounded; but that's not all..." Martin's voice trailed away.
"Care too explain?" Bella asked "I don't mean to pry, but what other time did you encounter physical pain besides when you were fighting? What are you thinking about?"
Martin couldn't meet his friend's eyes. "Being whipped."
"Whipped?" Gonff repeated, "Matey, what were you whipped for; misbehaving?"
Martin looked up at his friends his eyes hardened as he answered. "All of us were whipped, even when we had done nothing wrong. That's how slaves were treated."
"Slaves? When were you a slave?" Bella asked, "I can't imagine that you could ever have been a slave."
Martin smiled slightly at his friend's stupefied expressions as he explained. "When I was just a few seasons old, my father, Luke the Warrior, set sail to kill Vilu Daskar, as you know. Not long after that, I was a league away from my father's caves. I often wandered off because I resented Timballisto's authority. Windred was there, telling me to come back to the caves. Then she saw the vermin…" His voice trailed off.
"Go on," Bella encouraged.
"Windred told me to run for it,but I wouldn't leave her behind. They surrounded us. I tried to fight, but the sword Luke had given to me before he left was too heavy for my tired paws to lift, I was knocked unconscious. When I regained consciousness, I was chained to a line of slaves." Martin closed his eyes. "Next came a two season march. Windred died during that time, the hunger, beatings and hard marching were too much for her to endure. When we arrived at the Easter Sea, Badrang-"
"Sorry to interrupt, but who's Badrang?" Bella asked Martin.
"Badrang's the one who captured me. He took my father's sword from me and forced us to build him a fortress; Marshank. I spent most of my childhood under his whip. I still have the scars from the beatings."
There was silence as Gonff and Bella tried to comprehend what Martin had just told them. Then Bella asked, "How did you escape?"
Martin visibly flinched.
"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to." Bella told the warrior.
"No, it's fine. " Martin paused for a minute to collect his thoughts before continuing. "Hisk, one of Badrang's captains tripped an old squirrel before whipping him for falling over. Barkjon, the squirrel, would have died from the beating if I hadn't intervened. On the back swing, I got it to wrap around my paw. I was upon Hisk choking him with his whip. The nearest six guards set upon me, beating me mercilessly until Badrang ordered them to bring me to him. As my death penalty-"
Gonff interrupted again. "You, matey, were sentenced to death?"
Martin smiled a sad smile. "Yes, Gonff. For my death penalty for attacking one of his horde he had me tied between two wooden post on the walltop by all four paws. If I survived through the storm that night, the seabirds would rip me to bits." Martin rubbed his paws as if he could still feel the rope cutting into them. "I yelled my anger out over the winds. She must have heard me because a voice called up to me 'Martin, son of Luke, can you hear me?'" Martin turned his face away as a tear rolled down his cheek.
"Are you mmph." Bella's huge paw stifled what Gonff was saying as she allowed Martin to continue.
"The voice told me that there were two of them, Grumm a mole and Rose a mousemaid-" Martin's voice cracked over the mousemaid's name, "they asked me if I knew a mouse called Brome, Rose's brother. I still remember word for word what I replied 'I do not know of a mouse called Brome and I don't think I'll have much chance to. I am sentenced to die up here, Laterose.' That was Rose's full name. She asked how she could help me; I told her of the seabirds that would attack me in the morning, then I lost consciousness.
"The next morning, one of Badrang's horde a rat called Gurrad revived me, I saw the birds beginning to circle and I began to struggle, but to no avail, the ropes held me tight. Rose and Grumm held the birds off until Badrang cut me loose- he saw a pirate ship sailing toward Marshank and needed to prepare for war.
"I was thrown into the prison pit with my hands still bound to my side. In there I met Felldoh, whose father I had saved and Brome. We managed to get word to Rose and Grumm. Grumm dug a tunnel and we escaped through that."
"Didn't you free the other slaves?" Bella asked.
"Yes, we gathered an army and I led the final charge. I slew Badrang, but not…" Martin's voice broke as he whispered. "not before he killed Rose." Martin didn't attempt to hide the tears coursing openly down his cheeks.
Gonff looked at Bella, his eyes pleaded with her to do something. Bella shrugged, the affection Martin had for Rose was obvious, but neither of them knew how to comfort Martin.
They stood in awkward silence until Gonff asked, "Is that why you traveled south?"
Martin nodded. "After I regained consciousness from my battle with Badrang I was in Polliken's house. Rowanoak told me Rose didn't make it through the battle. I grieved for a full season, speaking to no one before I made up my mind to travel south."
They walked on in silence for a while before Bella said, "I suppose the loss of Windred and Rose are what you meant by spiritual pain."
"Yes, that, the loss of Felldoh; he died trying to take down Badrang and also doing what I never imagined I would ever do- abandoning my friends to travel alone." Martin sighed "Please don't tell anyone else about this."
"Of course not, we wouldn't dream of it." Bella reassured Martin. "We're always here for you if you need to talk about anything."
"I know." Martin said, "But for now, let's go home."
The midday bell tolled out across Mossflower as the three beasts slowly made their way back to Redwall.