Rowan was not a very strong boy, even though he was almost a man he was still treated like a boy. There where not many people his age around, most had left for battle or died opposing the Zebak. He looked after the animals mostly, sometimes the bukshah, and sometimes the gratch. Originally Rowan had been scared of the strange beasts but eventually he had come to love them much like his bukshah. He wished he could stop the Zebak from slaughtering them every time they wanted to eat.

As the weakest and least likely to put up a fight he was usually the one who delivered the food throughout the city. As he walked through the streets his heart wept. The lush grass had been ripped up and replaced with long grey roads, large houses loomed over him as he led the gratch pulling the cart through the streets. He stopped at each house to leave a basket filled to the brim with food he so desperately craved. Rowan was tired and weak, overworked and starved. The sun above beat down on him, the heat attacking his small body and increasing the unquenchable thirst. He would be allowed to eat and drink when, and if, all his work was done.

The cold metal chains clinked on Rowan's wrists and ankles as he trudged along. Passing what was once the beautiful sweet stream of Rin Rowan eyed the water hungrily. "Wait here Baron," he instructed the gratch, grabbing the large bucket from the cart he made his way to the canal, the clinking chains slowing his steps. Rowan stopped at the edge, ignoring the glares upon him and bent to fill the bucket with water for his beasts. Oh how badly he wanted to drink and fill his belly, but he knew from experience that to take even a sip would earn him a severe beating.

Groaning under the weight Rowan lifted the heavy bucket with all his might. He rested only a second once the bucket was placed on the concrete, he knew that to pause to long would also earn him a beating, he could rest when he had completed his duties for the day.

Rowan cast one last longing look at the clear sweet water but as he turned his head to look away something caught his eye. The surface of the water was disturbed, someone was in the canal, someone who could not swim.

"Hurry up scum!" Rowan heard the gruff voice threaten but his eyes were on the body in the water, it was small, like a child, and no one else had seen it.

Abandoning the bucket of water Rowan turned and threw himself into the canal, ignoring the shouts of protest and rage. He had not expected the chains to hinder him as much as they did, but the heavy metal, combined with his weak body made swimming almost impossible.

All he could think of was Annad, he knew his sister was not the one drowning, but that changed nothing, Rowan had to save the small child. Holding his breath he waded through the water until he reached the child. Bubbles obscured his vision as the terrified child thrashed helplessly. Rowan threw his arms, with the wrists chained together around the small body. He could not spread his legs because of the chains binding his ankles so swimming to the surface would be difficult, especially with his burden.

Rowan's head grew heavy and his chest tight as his lungs screamed for air, but there was a child's life at stake. Crouching low the weak young man pushed off the concreted bottom of the canal with all his strength, thankful that the water was not too deep. When he broke the surface of the water he gulped in huge lungfuls of air while searching desperately for a purchase to grab onto. Just as Rowan felt himself slipping back into the sweet water a rough hand grabbed his shoulder painfully and yanked him up, out of the canal.

His head swam as the child was pried from his arms and the next thing he knew he was surrounded by water once again. The hand held him by the hair now, barely keeping him above the surface. "Fancy yourself a hero squirt?" The gruff voice asked. And then he was being held under the water, he struggled with everything he had but it was no use.

"Stop! Please!" Someone called and then Rowan found himself roughly thrown onto the concrete road.

"This is not your businesses bitch," the man said angrily. "This muck here wasn't doing his work."

"He saved my brother," the gentle voice insisted. "Please don't kill him?"

There was a moment of tense silence and then a firm kick landed in Rowan's stomach. He coughed and choked, grasping at his injured ribs. "Get back to work you piece of trash," the brutal man ordered. "Before I throw you back in there."

Tired, weak, cold, wet, injured, exhausted and gasping for breath Rowan wasted to time forcing himself to his feet and moving towards Baron and the cart, dragging the heavy bucket behind him.

As he went his eyed made contact with that of a young woman, barely older than him, she clutched a soaked little boy to her breast. Her hair was black and her skin tanned and she had the angular eyes of all Zebak, but they were filled with tears, concern, apology, greatfullness. 'Thank you,' she mouthed and Rowan flashed a pained smile before quickly looking away and continuing his work.

~SophieAngel69