A breeze came across the large open field giving way to some relief among the young women that were huddled together due to being held captive by the Northern kingdom's army. The older men and women that hadn't been killed during the unrest were being round up to be sold off as slaves. The younger men had the choice to pelage fidelity to the North or be executed on the spot. Sandy realized that she and the other young women wouldn't get off so easily.

The female squirrel knew full well that they were about to be picked through by the higher-ranking men, and that she, and the other remaining girls would be given to lower ranks until those men lost interest in them at which point, they'd likely be killed. She didn't mind the idea of dying so much, as what she'd have to endure from these savages before getting there.

The summer heat had been unbearable since the day had dawned, but now it especially seemed so with the added smell of death surrounding what was left of the small trading city. Sandy looked up and looked on at what was once her family home on the edge of the city continue to burn along with many others just like it. She recalled the sight of her father's throat being slit right when the commotion first broke out. Her mother being dragged off and beaten as she quickly found herself restrained and eventually knocked out. By the time she came to she had been tightly bound and surrounded by many other girls around her same age of 16. She wasn't sure what had become of her twin brother, but hoped he'd managed to find a way of escape.

Sandy shifted her attention as the men surrounding the girls straightened their posture and saluted a small group of approaching knights. The incoming men's armor looked far more ordain than those of the men that had been holding them captive for the past few hours. Many of the young women continued to weep as the new group of men smiled and laughed with one another while looking them over. Sandy had no plans of giving them such satisfaction, so she continued to stare at them with nothing but hatred in her eyes.

Eventually her eyes locked with one of the higher-ranking knights. He was one of the few men in the group that wasn't smirking and making crude comments. His height surpassed most of the other men's. His brightly colored golden and silver armor made his mainly black quills seem even more striking, and his soulless eyes were as red as the centered red quills scattered over his head.

The large hedgehog took a few steps in her direction as he looked her up and down seemingly unimpressed. After seeming to lose interest in her he took one more step in her direction giving Sandra the opportunity to spit directly in his face. A look of shock crossed he face for a brief moment before taking a step back and wiping the saliva out of his eyes.

Sandy was met with a hard slap across the face from one of the lower level guards. "Show some respect for your king!" The ferret yelled while pulling her back up from the ground he had just knocked her to.

"He ain't my king!" Sandy hissed looking directly at the hedgehog before spilling on dirt in front of him.

"Put those two back there with my other girls." The king ordered as he gestured to two women behind Sandy. "And as for this one." He then pointed directly at the female squirrel. "Gage her and place her in my tent once it's fully set up."

Sandy looked at him confused, but she didn't have much time to dwell on his decision before she was met two guards restraining her and another shoving a large cloth in her mouth. "Time to go bitch!" One of the men laughed as they started to drag her off.

Sandy made sure to put up a fight the entire time the two men drug her to the Northern army's camp. That was until they finally bound her legs to her arms and then just had a mount carry her. She was quite satisfied with how exhausted to two men were by they time they finally placed her on a chair in their kings' tent. She found it a bit odd that they hadn't raised a hand to her despite how difficult she was making their trek, but she figured the king would more than make up for her lack of punishment thus far. That is when he finally found time to join his new captive in his makeshift chambers.

Sandy stared at the two guards that were keeping watch on her while they stared right back.

"What do you think he'll do to her?" One of the men asked the other.

"Hopefully something very unpleasant." The other man chuckled in response.

Sandy attempted to smirk despite the gage still in place in her mouth while she tilted her head back and urinated causing a small puddle on the rug below her.

"What the hell?!" One of the men yelled. "Did you just piss yourself woman?"

"I'm not cleaning that up." The other man asserted as their king walked into the tent behind them.

Sandy gave the king an amused look as he shook his head at her with disgust. "Leave us!" He demanded causing his two underlings to bow as they made haste to leave his sight. "You really don't know when to stop, do you?" He groaned as he retrieved a small rag. Despite now being dressed down out of his armor his clothing was still dirty and sweat soiled. He started to wipe his own body off after discarding his shirt before moving on to her puddle. "If you want to wade in your own filth so be it." He then tossed the dirty rag in her lap before pouring himself a glass of water and slowing drinking it.

Sandy hadn't realized just how thirsty she was until watching him drink. He even took the excess in the glass and poured it over his head. He smiled as he looked back at her as took notice of her longing for the cool liquid. "You want some?" He asked her as he poured another glass. He then walked up to her and held the beverage in front of her weary face. "Or will you just spit it out at me?" The hedgehog then proceeded to drink from the glass again. When he was about halfway done with the drink he stopped and removed her gage.

Sandy took a long deep breath of fresh air right before he held the glass to her lips. She willing accepted his offer of refreshment, and even enjoyed the small bits of water that dripped down her neck. The heat was still incredibly intense despite how late in the evening it had become. She was thankful he allowed her that, and even let him to know that by keeping her mouth shut as he placed the glass back on his table. He then sat down on the end up his bed directly across from her as he tapped one of his fingers on his chin.

"Now, what should I do with you?" He asked out loud before standing again and walking around her.

"Ya could put a knife in my neck like ya did ta my Pa." She suggested with anger behind her voice.

"I haven't killed anyone today." The king replied as he gripped the back of her chair and leaned his face closer to the back of her.

"So cowardly ya gotta have everyone else do yer dirty work?" She laughed. "Such a big man!" She turned her head and glared at him out of the corner of her eyes.

"I prefer to save my strength for fighting against real solders." He responded as he breathed heavily in her ear.

"Ya pour delicate little thing." She whispered back almost seductively. "Can't have ya break a nail in a dust up with us common folk." She then turned back her attention to in front of her. She prayed he'd grow sick of this back and forth soon and just execute her.

The man just laughed as he walked back and took a seat on the edge of his bed again. "You really have one hell of a mouth on you, woman." He smiled as he looked at her in awe. "I was thinking of a way we could put that mouth of yours to good use, but then I was told how much of a fight you put up on your way to camp. I'm not so sure I want to risk going the route with you."

"Fuck around and find out." She smirked. "Besides, I highly doubt yer dick even works. Cute excuse though." She winked at him tauntingly.

"Oh, it works." The king stood and grabbed at his erection to show it off to her through his pants.

Sandy's face dropped into seriousness at the realization that the sick fuck in front of her was getting aroused by their trash talking of one another.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he continued to hold himself in full view of her.

"Please just kill me." She pleaded quietly after closing her eyes.

"You disrespect me in front in front of my generals. Then you insult my masculinity. Why on earth should I give you what you want?" He grabbed her chin causing her to open her eye and find him kneeling down in front of her. "Well?" He questioned.

"After all the awful things ya have allowed ta happen today can't ya at least do one compassionate thing?"

"What's your name, girl?" He asked seemingly ignoring what she just said.

She looked at him blankly for a moment before answering. "Sandy."

"Do you know who I am, Sandy?" He pressed.

"A king."

"Do you know what king?"

"From the north." She was confused by his line of questioning. It really didn't matter what king he was because in the end he was just the commander of the army that killed her family and friends.

"North East to be correct. I took over the crown after our former ruler was murdered, and do you know who murdered him?"

"I know our town had nothing ta do with it." She whispered back finding herself becoming less fearful of him and more angry again.

"But your rulers did. And those rulers depend heavily from this trading post. There are three more cities such as this one we will sake before returning to our homeland. Leaving those ruthless bastards broken to die of starvation with what's left of their people demanding their heads. I, Shadow, shall see to this."

"Yer a monster."

Shadow released his grip on her and stood. "War has that effect on men. I fully intend to see this through to the end, even though I'm not the one guilty of starting it."

"Seeing it through ta the end is just military talk fer killing more innocent people." She looked away from him while she held back tears at the thought of more people suffering like those, she cared about just had.

"No one is innocent in this world, Sandy."

"Why are ya telling me all this?" She finally looked back at him truly confused.

"I'm not sure…" He trailed off as he looked down at her. The amusement on his face from early had long been replaced with the look of tired sorrow.

"Will ya kill me now?" She attempted to beg again finding herself become exhausted as well.

"No." He answered while he pulled a knife from his belt. Shadow then kneeled back down and cut the ropes tied around her legs, However, he stopped short of releasing the ones binding her arms behind her back. "I'm enjoying you." He admitted.

"I ain't enjoying you. I hate the whole lot of y'all!"

"That's fine. You don't have to like me. I seriously doubt any of the girls I've claimed do." Shadow placed the knife back in its sheath before standing back up and loosening his belt.

Sandy became worried again as the king before her completely disrobed. "Please don't make me." She pleaded as he started to remove her skirt.

"You're not getting into my bed in urine-soaked clothing." When he was done removing all the clothing from her lower body he assisted her in standing up so they could make their way to his bed.

"I'm sure there are lots of gals that'd love ta be with a king. I just ain't one of 'em!" She attempted to talk her way out of her impending doom as he laid her down on her back and crawled on top of her.

"There is no need to be nervous." He ran his hand over one of her cheeks carefully. "I plan on being gentle."