This is a short story about a meeting between Kel and Joren after Joren has been a slave to an abbusive master for 4 years. in this story, Joren was kidnapped a month before his ordeal was schedduled to take place. His master was arrested recently for taking part in the slave trade, and Joren fell under Kel's care. Kel is married to Napaz (for more info on him see Sewing Needle, which is still going (and i will post the 4th chap. soon.)) and is head empress. Enjoy.


She looked him over.
He was still good looking. The bruises didn't hide his natural beauty. His pale blonde hair was longer. His eyes were less cold. He stood with less dignity and more fear than anything else, quiet and servile after four years of beatings and abuse. He was too skinny. What had his old master done to him? How long would it take to undo the physical and emotional wrongs he had endured and suffered at the hands of a cold and heartless man?
She beckoned to her healer. "Fix the bruises. Bring food and water. Do anything else needed to improve his health. In those matters you have my permission."
"Yes your magnificence." the woman bowed and left.
She turned her attention back to the slave. "Do you remember your name?"
He looked slightly startled. He tried to think past 'Bitch' 'Dog' 'Filth' 'Waste' and countless other things he had been called. He couldn't. he had known those thing to long. "No milady."
He didn't look at her when he spoke, fearing the slap his master had given him when he tried. She was patient. "Do you know the name 'Joren'?"
The slightest hint of recognition flashed across his face, followed by confusion. "I think so milady."
She would have to get him to speak louder. His words were unsure, as if he didn't know whether replying was the wise thing to do. She would have to fix that. It would take time.
"Your name is Joren. When was the last time you ate Joren?"
His voice got even softer. "Last week milady."
She was surprised. He must have been used to starvation to still be standing.
"When the food arrives you will eat." She touched his cheek. He flinched slightly at her touch, something that would have sent his old master into a rage. She made him look at her. "Joren look at me. I will not hit you, beat you, or harm you in anyway. You need not fear me or my husband or anyone here. No one will hurt you. You will not have to worry about Duke Callahan again. He is dead, or will be soon. You are in my house, and you are my servant. You will have your own room, a full supply of clothes, even someone to guard your door if you so wish it. You are safe here."
Joren's eyes were uncertain, scared, resigned. He thought she was playing games with him as Callahan so often did.
What happened to the proud young man training to be a knight in Tortall. What had happened to her ambitious enemy, her rival, her competitor? What had Callahan put him through to crush the life in him and replace it with fear?
"The trial is over Kel. Callahan dies in a few hours."
She nodded, watching Joren eat with concerned eyes. Napaz followed her gaze. "What Callahan did to him was wrong."
Kel nodded. "I'm worried about him. every time I talk to him he expects to get hit. I can count his ribs! He's half dead and weak and scared. He was living in hell for four years!"
Napaz nodded gravely. "These wounds will heal in time. The bandits who kidnapped him are long dead. Callahan dies in the morning. The underground slave trade is almost defeated. He has Noreem, the best healer in the islands, looking after him. He even has you to mother him to death. He'll live Kel. Just give him time."
Time. That was what it would take. But Kel knew that even with time, Joren would be a broken young man. The wounds Callahan had given him were too deep.