Disclaimer: Okay if you really want to read the disclaimer then go to the
first chapter and read it. Also I would like to remind everybody that this
fic is dedicated to mandy_croyance and please read her story because she
gets scary. I don't want that to happen.
New Masters
*Kari*
I stood like a statue in the middle of the room that the soldier had led me, too. I didn't know what to expect from the blond hared prince that I had been given to. He was definitely handsome and he seemed nice from the smile he had given me, but I just didn't know.
At least the gray robe was warmer than my normal rags. I heard the door creak on its hinges and turned around towards it quickly. I could see the blond hared price opening the door. His bodyguard stationed herself at the door facing outward. He looked up and our eyes met. He smiled at me revealing two straight sets of beautiful teeth. I remembered how I was supposed to act and looked to the ground.
"Hello I'm Takeru." He said. If he had just talked to me that would have been surprising enough but I could hear the kindness in his voice instead of the condescending air that was in everyone else's voices.
"Yes, prince Takeru." I said.
"No just Takeru." I wanted to speak but instead I just glanced up. Slaves weren't even allowed to call peasants by their first names without a title much less a noble.
"But prince Takeru…" I started before catching myself and looking down at the ground quickly.
"Listen we can't have a conversation if you are going to keep having to call me by a title. And you know you can speak in complete sentences. And if you don't mind I would like to know your name."
" I'm Kari, and I'm sorry but here slaves aren't allowed to speak without being told so. If we do then…" My hand strayed to the hand shaped bruise on my cheek. Takeru stepped forward and his fingers trailed over the bruise. It felt like his fingers were tipped with ice and a comforting cool flowed through the bruise.
"Ryban did this didn't he." Said Takeru. It wasn't so much a question as a statement. I nodded my head slowly. He pulled his fingers away and gestured towards a mirror on the wall. I looked over and could see that the bruise had disappeared from my face.
"How?" I asked.
"All true royal families have some type of gift that runs through the family. My family has the gift of healing. Actually my father and brothers gifts are weak compared to Sora's and mine." Said Takeru. "How long have you been a slave?" He walked over to his bed and sat down.
"I was branded by the old king when I was five years old. I don't remember anything about my life before that. My brother was eight and he told me that the king burned our village down and took my brother, our friend Kyle and me as slaves. We've been slaves ever since then." I said.
"Well don't worry about that." Said Takeru. "You are with me now. You need to get any of your things together."
"I only have one possession that actually belongs to me." I said.
"I'll come with you to get it. Some people might not know that you belong to me yet." Said Takeru. I flinched at the word "belong". I knew I was still a slave but I had hoped that it wouldn't be that way. I nodded and went to the door. He got up and adjusted his cape around his neck. "I can open my own doors."
"I'm just doing the slave's job." I said confused. I opened the door and he shook his head. Mandy (I was calling her Amanda but she wants Mandy more and it doesn't matter to me. So now she is Mandy.) looked into the room.
"Are we going somewhere Takeru." Asked his bodyguard.
"We need to go and get Kari's possessions before we go back home. I was going to go with her." Said Takeru. He stepped out and Mandy fell beside him. I walked out and closed the door. I fell into step behind the two of them. "Umm … Kari we don't know where to go. We can't do this if you're behind us."
"But a slave…" I said helplessly.
"Kari do you know how to not follow orders?" Asked Takeru gently.
"I've never done anything except for follow orders." I said looking at the ground. "If we didn't follow orders completely then we would be beat, whipped, or denied food." A single crystal like tear slid slowly down my face as I remembered the beatings and whippings. Strong arms wrapped around me and a gentle finger brushed the tear off of my face.
"Kari I'm not Ryban and I actually care about you. I'm not going to hurt you for speaking your mind. I may not always like what you are going to say but I'm not going to hit you." Said Takeru.
"Thank you, Takeru." I said pulling back from him. I had only ever been hugged like that by my brother and it was confusing me for someone I barely knew too.
"We better move. I really don't trust the people in the castle and it's not defensible in this hallway." Said Mandy.
"Is that all you think about?" Asked Takeru.
"It's my job." Said Mandy bowing mockingly.
"It's just down this way." I said leading him down the hallway.
*Tai*
I sat in the corner of the arena fighter's armory. Weapons were racked on the walls of every size and description. A large grindstone was in a corner with a bench behind it. On the bench sat Kyle sharpening a spearhead. The haft of the weapon was leaning against the wall behind him.
The arena fighters were all Ryban's slaves and the armory was usually crowed with slaves preparing to fight or nursing injuries from previous fights. Most of the slaves were having to help with the ceremony where Kari was being given away. Ryban had kept Kyle and me away because he knew that we would do something at it. He was right too because I would have torn his face off even with all the guards in the room.
I twirled a small dagger in my hands. As anger flew through my head the dagger picked up speed and intensity. Why did Kari have to be given away to some other place? I hadn't been away from here for a day in her life and now she would be leaving for life. I screamed and threw the dagger. It sank into the wood almost up to the hilt in the door frame.
A young woman was standing in the doorway looking into at me. Flaming red hair fell down her back and hazel eyes looked into my own with the hint of a smile in them. She was dressed in green pants, a white shirt, and leather boots. A rapier was belted on one side and a long dagger was on the other. She had a medal of the Gathis kingdom pinned to the chest of her shirt. The dagger had hit the door frame only about an inch from the side of her head.
I had just almost thrown a dagger into the princess of the Gathis kingdom. "Oh shit." I whispered under my breath. And she just had to be absolutely gorgeous. I bowed deeply. "We are your humble slaves, your highness. Is there anything we can do for you."
"I was just looking for the armory and somebody pointed me in this direction." Said the princess.
"This is the arena fighter's armory but the soldiers armory is down the hallway a little farther." Said Kyle. The princess grabbed the dagger by its hilt and gave it a sharp tug pulling it out of the wood. I could see Kyle whistling under his breath. Sora came up to me and held the dagger out to me handle first.
"Thank you princess." I said taking the dagger from her. I bent over and slid the dagger into my boot then stood back up.
"My name is Sora." She said smiling and held her hand out. I immediately jumped away from her thinking she was going to hit me for throwing the dagger. Sora tried to cover a smile but she couldn't keep a straight face.
"I am sorry princess Sora for throwing the dagger." I said looking at the ground. I fully expected for her to hit me now.
"It didn't hit me so there is no problem." Said Sora flicking her hair behind her head. It cascaded through the air like a wave of flames. I could feel an uncomfortable feeling building in my stomach.
"Damn it Taichi don't fall in love with a noble." I thought.
"What is your name?" Asked Sora.
"Tai."
"Kyle."
"Tai, can you show me the way to the soldier's armory?" I nodded my head. I walked over the door and opened it for her. She smiled at me and walked out of the armory. I could feel myself flush slightly. No one ever acted with to me with any kindness.
"You go Tai." Said Kyle. "She's hot."
"Shut up." I said and I could feel my cheeks flush a deeper red. I punched Kyle in the shoulder but that made him smile broader. I stepped out of the room and closed the door behind me. The two soldiers in the Delfak purples stepped beside me and I rose my arms so they could check for weapons. Their hands patted me down until they came to my boot.
One of the soldiers stood up with the dagger in his hands. "Opps." I whispered. The guard behind me put me in a full nelson. The other hit me in the stomach. I doubled over and coughed blood onto the floor. Another first hit me across the face. Fists rained across my body and I could feel the blood running down my face.
Suddenly the hits stopped. I looked up and saw the Sora had her arm around the soldier in front of me with the dagger blade against his throat and her rapier over my shoulder against the other's throat.
"What do you think you are doing?" Asked Sora. He voice was pure ice and I almost shivered from the sound.
"He tried to steal a weapon from the armory." Said the soldier holding me.
"It was an accident." Said Sora.
"But our orders…" started the soldier.
"It was an accident." Said Sora more forcefully pressing the rapier point against the man's throat so he had to let go of me. My knees collapsed underneath me and I fell to the ground. Sora pulled the knife away from the other's throat and pushed him past me. "Go." The two soldiers turned and walked away.
A heavy cough racked my body and more blood fell out of my mouth and splashed against the stones. One of my eyes was too swollen to see out of. "Oww." I managed to groan.
"What happened?" Asked Kyle stepping out into the hallway. I looked up and could see that Kyle had the spearhead held like a dagger in his hand.
"Damn guards." I said but more coughs racked my body and more blood hit the stones.
"Try not to talk." Said Sora to me. "Tai forgot that he had put the dagger in his boot and the guards attacked him for it. I stopped them."
"You okay?" Asked Kyle throwing the spearhead back into the armory where it clattered to the stones. I nodded and pushed myself to my feet. Black dots danced in front of my vision and daggers of pain flashed behind my eyes. I staggered and two sets of arms grabbed me before I hit the ground. I had the vague sensation of being lifted and carried somewhere. I was placed down onto a hard surface.
"Now this is going to feel a little weird." Said Sora. I could feel gentle finger caress my face and a soothing cool ran through my face and through my body. I could feel the lightheaded feeling disappear and the cuts close.
I blinked my eyes and could see a beautiful face hovering over my own. Dark circles were underneath her eyes and her cheeks were gaunter than they had been before. My hand went to my face and I couldn't feel any of the cuts left or even scabs. I looked up at Sora confused.
"It's a family gift of healing." Explained Sora. She sighed and leaned back against the wall near us. She closed her eyes.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"That kind of healing takes a lot of energy out of me. I just need some food." Said Sora. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a piece of bread and cheese wrapped in a strip of gray cloth. I always carried around some of my food ration just in case I need something after a fight. I unwrapped the bread and cheese. The bread was a little stale and the cheese was starting to fall apart but it was food. I shook the crumbs off and handed it over to Sora.
"Thank you." She said smiling and taking the food. She ate through it slowly and I could tell that the food had helped. She stood to her feet and I pushed myself up too. The black dots came back but disappeared quickly. "I'm sorry that you got hurt but I need to go and talk to my father about something."
"Yes, princess." I said bowing my head. The quick movement made me a little dizzy but it wasn't the only thing in the room making me dizzy.
"Sora." She reminded me.
"Sora." I agreed.
"You can call Tai anything you want as long as you come back and see him." Said Kyle smiling. I blushed and the princess smiled at me, which made me blush harder. She turned and walked out of the armory. I sank back against onto the ground and laid my back against the stone of the wall. "Well, Tai at least you keep your cool under fire."
"Shut up." I mumbled blushing a deep crimson.
*Takeru*
We walked down the stone hallways that Kari said had led to the slaves quarters. Water ran down the dark gray stone and mildew tickled the insides of my nostrils. I rubbed my nose but it didn't help very much. Kari walked slowly down the hallways and Mandy was walking behind me. Mandy's hand was wrapped around the hilt of her sword and I could see the whiteness of her knuckles.
Kari stopped at a dark wooden door and opened it. It swung to the side on rusty hinges that creaked as they moved. I looked into the slave's room that more resembled a cell. I was shocked at it. I had slept in bad places when my brother, sister, and me would disguise ourselves and ride out, but I had never seen a living place that bad.
Mandy stepped in quickly and glanced around the room. "It's clear." Said Mandy relaxing her grip on the sword. Kari and me walked in and my nose wrinkled at the smell of human odors kept together for too long.
She walked over to a corner of the room and grabbed on of the gray stones in the wall. She pulled sharply and the stone barely moved. I walked over and knelt beside her. My fingers curled around the edge of the stone and we both pulled at the same time. The stone pulled out slowly and a plume of dust shot into the air. I sneezed a few times but Kari seemed used to it.
She reached into the hole in the wall and pulled out something wrapped in a strip of red cloth. The faint sent of lilacs rose up from the package. She looked down at the package in her hands and a single tear slid down her face.
"It was your mother's wasn't it?" I asked knowing the answer already.
"Tai said that it was but I can't remember even her face. When ever I hold it a get a sense of well being." Said Kari pulling the package close to her chest. "I never wanted to wear it before because Ryban probably would have taken it away."
Kari pulled the red cloth away and I could see a thin golden chain with a small pink feather attached to it. The feather seemed to almost be glowing with energy and I could feel the sense of comfort that she had been talking about.
"Strange." I whispered under my breath.
"What is it?" Kari asked slipping the necklace over her neck. I reached down into my shirt and pulled a similar necklace out of my shirt. The chain however was made out of platinum and a white feather on the chain. "It looks like mine." She closed her eyes and breathed deep. "And feels the same."
I knew what she meant. They both extended that same source of power that calmed the soul. "Mine was given to me by my father when my mother died. He told me that she would have wanted me to have it."
"Kind of strange." Said Mandy.
"What is?" I asked.
"A prince and a slave have necklaces that are almost the same and they both came from their mothers." Said Mandy.
"It is kind of strange." Said Kari.
"We can ask my father about it later." I said. The idea was confusing but I nothing I knew could answer it so I decided not to worry about it. "Mandy could you please take Kari back to my room. I'm going to go and talk to my father." Kari merely nodded and I could tell her mind was elsewhere, but Mandy looked like she was gong to argue. "Just do it Mandy. I'll be in my father's room when you're done and can follow me." She nodded. I walked past them and went down the hallway towards my father's room.
I paused by my father's door. I could hear voices talking behind the heavy oak door. I knocked and the voices stopped. A few seconds later the door opened slowly. Sora was holding the door open and my father was sitting behind an old looking oak desk. By the looks on their faces I could tell that they had been arguing.
"Is everything okay?" I asked stepping into the room. Sora closed the door behind me.
"Me and father were just having a discussion." Said Sora.
"About what?" I asked. I sat down at in a hard backed chair and Sora sat down beside me but she looked like she was ready to jump up at any time.
"About how Ryban treats his slaves." Said Sora.
"Sora…" Started our dad.
"A man was beaten almost to death for forgetting he had a dagger in his boot. If it wasn't for my healing he wouldn't have been able to move for days." Said Sora jumping to her feet."
"Sora." Their father's voice was still low but it carried a dangerous edge to it. Sora sat back down slowly but her eyes still held a glint to them. "In Gathis we treat our slaves with respect but they are still slaves. Property. Unfortunately I can not make Ryban treat his slaves better, and no one will fault him for how he's acted. Do you understand, Sora?"
Sora sighed and looked down at the ground. "I understand." I could tell that she didn't want to say it.
"Who was the slave?" Asked our father. "I might be able to try something."
"Tai."
"That's Kari's brothers name." I said.
"Who's Kari?" Asked Sora.
"The slave that Ryban gave me." Their father's eyes glazed over like they always did when he's thinking then a small smile touched his mouth.
"Sora, Takeru, I need to go and do something before we leave this afternoon." Said our father. He got up and left the room.
"What do you think he's doing?" Asked Sora.
"With our dad who knows." I said.
*Sora*
I walked slowly through the courtyard towards the two carriages. Two soldiers stood at attention. They had on half mail with Green sashes tied around their waists and full helms. Long pikes were in their hands and swords rested on their hips. I was still kind of mad at my father but I knew why he couldn't do anything. I was angrier at this long green dress I had to wear. I could barely move.
Kari opened the door for my brothers in the second carriage and another slave opened the first carriage for my father and me. My father climbed in and I walked up to the step. I lifted my leg clumsily up onto the step into the carriage. I pulled myself up but my dress got caught in- between my legs and I fell backwards. Two strong arms caught me before I fell too far.
I brushed the long hair out of my face and looked up. A pair of chocolate brown eyes looked down into my own and a faint smile looked at me from underneath the full helm.
"Tai."
"Hey, Sora. I don't know how it happened but I 'm now a slave for the Gathis kingdom, and your personal bodyguard." Said Tai smiling.
"Great, I'll be sure to show you around the whole kingdom when we get back." I said smiling back. His smile made his handsome face even better looking. I could feel a slight tinge of pink reach my cheeks at the thought. Tai picked me up and put me in the carriage. He gave me one last smile before he closed the door.
I looked over at my father and he was smiling at me. "Thanks dad." I said moving over to him and hugging him.
"This old ox has a few tricks up his sleeve." He said.
"How did you do it?" I asked pulling back and sitting down.
"Once I found out that Tai was Kari's brother it was easy. I just went up to Ryban and said since he was such a fair and caring leader he would not want to split up a brother and sister. He didn't like it but the flattery caught him." I could hear the soldiers jump onto the top of the carriage and the clopping of the shod horses feet. I looked out the window and saw us pass the gates of Delfak castle.
End Note: Okay that is the second chapter and I thought it was pretty good. This is going to be a long story so this is just a beginning. Please read and review and keep waiting for the next chapter.
New Masters
*Kari*
I stood like a statue in the middle of the room that the soldier had led me, too. I didn't know what to expect from the blond hared prince that I had been given to. He was definitely handsome and he seemed nice from the smile he had given me, but I just didn't know.
At least the gray robe was warmer than my normal rags. I heard the door creak on its hinges and turned around towards it quickly. I could see the blond hared price opening the door. His bodyguard stationed herself at the door facing outward. He looked up and our eyes met. He smiled at me revealing two straight sets of beautiful teeth. I remembered how I was supposed to act and looked to the ground.
"Hello I'm Takeru." He said. If he had just talked to me that would have been surprising enough but I could hear the kindness in his voice instead of the condescending air that was in everyone else's voices.
"Yes, prince Takeru." I said.
"No just Takeru." I wanted to speak but instead I just glanced up. Slaves weren't even allowed to call peasants by their first names without a title much less a noble.
"But prince Takeru…" I started before catching myself and looking down at the ground quickly.
"Listen we can't have a conversation if you are going to keep having to call me by a title. And you know you can speak in complete sentences. And if you don't mind I would like to know your name."
" I'm Kari, and I'm sorry but here slaves aren't allowed to speak without being told so. If we do then…" My hand strayed to the hand shaped bruise on my cheek. Takeru stepped forward and his fingers trailed over the bruise. It felt like his fingers were tipped with ice and a comforting cool flowed through the bruise.
"Ryban did this didn't he." Said Takeru. It wasn't so much a question as a statement. I nodded my head slowly. He pulled his fingers away and gestured towards a mirror on the wall. I looked over and could see that the bruise had disappeared from my face.
"How?" I asked.
"All true royal families have some type of gift that runs through the family. My family has the gift of healing. Actually my father and brothers gifts are weak compared to Sora's and mine." Said Takeru. "How long have you been a slave?" He walked over to his bed and sat down.
"I was branded by the old king when I was five years old. I don't remember anything about my life before that. My brother was eight and he told me that the king burned our village down and took my brother, our friend Kyle and me as slaves. We've been slaves ever since then." I said.
"Well don't worry about that." Said Takeru. "You are with me now. You need to get any of your things together."
"I only have one possession that actually belongs to me." I said.
"I'll come with you to get it. Some people might not know that you belong to me yet." Said Takeru. I flinched at the word "belong". I knew I was still a slave but I had hoped that it wouldn't be that way. I nodded and went to the door. He got up and adjusted his cape around his neck. "I can open my own doors."
"I'm just doing the slave's job." I said confused. I opened the door and he shook his head. Mandy (I was calling her Amanda but she wants Mandy more and it doesn't matter to me. So now she is Mandy.) looked into the room.
"Are we going somewhere Takeru." Asked his bodyguard.
"We need to go and get Kari's possessions before we go back home. I was going to go with her." Said Takeru. He stepped out and Mandy fell beside him. I walked out and closed the door. I fell into step behind the two of them. "Umm … Kari we don't know where to go. We can't do this if you're behind us."
"But a slave…" I said helplessly.
"Kari do you know how to not follow orders?" Asked Takeru gently.
"I've never done anything except for follow orders." I said looking at the ground. "If we didn't follow orders completely then we would be beat, whipped, or denied food." A single crystal like tear slid slowly down my face as I remembered the beatings and whippings. Strong arms wrapped around me and a gentle finger brushed the tear off of my face.
"Kari I'm not Ryban and I actually care about you. I'm not going to hurt you for speaking your mind. I may not always like what you are going to say but I'm not going to hit you." Said Takeru.
"Thank you, Takeru." I said pulling back from him. I had only ever been hugged like that by my brother and it was confusing me for someone I barely knew too.
"We better move. I really don't trust the people in the castle and it's not defensible in this hallway." Said Mandy.
"Is that all you think about?" Asked Takeru.
"It's my job." Said Mandy bowing mockingly.
"It's just down this way." I said leading him down the hallway.
*Tai*
I sat in the corner of the arena fighter's armory. Weapons were racked on the walls of every size and description. A large grindstone was in a corner with a bench behind it. On the bench sat Kyle sharpening a spearhead. The haft of the weapon was leaning against the wall behind him.
The arena fighters were all Ryban's slaves and the armory was usually crowed with slaves preparing to fight or nursing injuries from previous fights. Most of the slaves were having to help with the ceremony where Kari was being given away. Ryban had kept Kyle and me away because he knew that we would do something at it. He was right too because I would have torn his face off even with all the guards in the room.
I twirled a small dagger in my hands. As anger flew through my head the dagger picked up speed and intensity. Why did Kari have to be given away to some other place? I hadn't been away from here for a day in her life and now she would be leaving for life. I screamed and threw the dagger. It sank into the wood almost up to the hilt in the door frame.
A young woman was standing in the doorway looking into at me. Flaming red hair fell down her back and hazel eyes looked into my own with the hint of a smile in them. She was dressed in green pants, a white shirt, and leather boots. A rapier was belted on one side and a long dagger was on the other. She had a medal of the Gathis kingdom pinned to the chest of her shirt. The dagger had hit the door frame only about an inch from the side of her head.
I had just almost thrown a dagger into the princess of the Gathis kingdom. "Oh shit." I whispered under my breath. And she just had to be absolutely gorgeous. I bowed deeply. "We are your humble slaves, your highness. Is there anything we can do for you."
"I was just looking for the armory and somebody pointed me in this direction." Said the princess.
"This is the arena fighter's armory but the soldiers armory is down the hallway a little farther." Said Kyle. The princess grabbed the dagger by its hilt and gave it a sharp tug pulling it out of the wood. I could see Kyle whistling under his breath. Sora came up to me and held the dagger out to me handle first.
"Thank you princess." I said taking the dagger from her. I bent over and slid the dagger into my boot then stood back up.
"My name is Sora." She said smiling and held her hand out. I immediately jumped away from her thinking she was going to hit me for throwing the dagger. Sora tried to cover a smile but she couldn't keep a straight face.
"I am sorry princess Sora for throwing the dagger." I said looking at the ground. I fully expected for her to hit me now.
"It didn't hit me so there is no problem." Said Sora flicking her hair behind her head. It cascaded through the air like a wave of flames. I could feel an uncomfortable feeling building in my stomach.
"Damn it Taichi don't fall in love with a noble." I thought.
"What is your name?" Asked Sora.
"Tai."
"Kyle."
"Tai, can you show me the way to the soldier's armory?" I nodded my head. I walked over the door and opened it for her. She smiled at me and walked out of the armory. I could feel myself flush slightly. No one ever acted with to me with any kindness.
"You go Tai." Said Kyle. "She's hot."
"Shut up." I said and I could feel my cheeks flush a deeper red. I punched Kyle in the shoulder but that made him smile broader. I stepped out of the room and closed the door behind me. The two soldiers in the Delfak purples stepped beside me and I rose my arms so they could check for weapons. Their hands patted me down until they came to my boot.
One of the soldiers stood up with the dagger in his hands. "Opps." I whispered. The guard behind me put me in a full nelson. The other hit me in the stomach. I doubled over and coughed blood onto the floor. Another first hit me across the face. Fists rained across my body and I could feel the blood running down my face.
Suddenly the hits stopped. I looked up and saw the Sora had her arm around the soldier in front of me with the dagger blade against his throat and her rapier over my shoulder against the other's throat.
"What do you think you are doing?" Asked Sora. He voice was pure ice and I almost shivered from the sound.
"He tried to steal a weapon from the armory." Said the soldier holding me.
"It was an accident." Said Sora.
"But our orders…" started the soldier.
"It was an accident." Said Sora more forcefully pressing the rapier point against the man's throat so he had to let go of me. My knees collapsed underneath me and I fell to the ground. Sora pulled the knife away from the other's throat and pushed him past me. "Go." The two soldiers turned and walked away.
A heavy cough racked my body and more blood fell out of my mouth and splashed against the stones. One of my eyes was too swollen to see out of. "Oww." I managed to groan.
"What happened?" Asked Kyle stepping out into the hallway. I looked up and could see that Kyle had the spearhead held like a dagger in his hand.
"Damn guards." I said but more coughs racked my body and more blood hit the stones.
"Try not to talk." Said Sora to me. "Tai forgot that he had put the dagger in his boot and the guards attacked him for it. I stopped them."
"You okay?" Asked Kyle throwing the spearhead back into the armory where it clattered to the stones. I nodded and pushed myself to my feet. Black dots danced in front of my vision and daggers of pain flashed behind my eyes. I staggered and two sets of arms grabbed me before I hit the ground. I had the vague sensation of being lifted and carried somewhere. I was placed down onto a hard surface.
"Now this is going to feel a little weird." Said Sora. I could feel gentle finger caress my face and a soothing cool ran through my face and through my body. I could feel the lightheaded feeling disappear and the cuts close.
I blinked my eyes and could see a beautiful face hovering over my own. Dark circles were underneath her eyes and her cheeks were gaunter than they had been before. My hand went to my face and I couldn't feel any of the cuts left or even scabs. I looked up at Sora confused.
"It's a family gift of healing." Explained Sora. She sighed and leaned back against the wall near us. She closed her eyes.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"That kind of healing takes a lot of energy out of me. I just need some food." Said Sora. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a piece of bread and cheese wrapped in a strip of gray cloth. I always carried around some of my food ration just in case I need something after a fight. I unwrapped the bread and cheese. The bread was a little stale and the cheese was starting to fall apart but it was food. I shook the crumbs off and handed it over to Sora.
"Thank you." She said smiling and taking the food. She ate through it slowly and I could tell that the food had helped. She stood to her feet and I pushed myself up too. The black dots came back but disappeared quickly. "I'm sorry that you got hurt but I need to go and talk to my father about something."
"Yes, princess." I said bowing my head. The quick movement made me a little dizzy but it wasn't the only thing in the room making me dizzy.
"Sora." She reminded me.
"Sora." I agreed.
"You can call Tai anything you want as long as you come back and see him." Said Kyle smiling. I blushed and the princess smiled at me, which made me blush harder. She turned and walked out of the armory. I sank back against onto the ground and laid my back against the stone of the wall. "Well, Tai at least you keep your cool under fire."
"Shut up." I mumbled blushing a deep crimson.
*Takeru*
We walked down the stone hallways that Kari said had led to the slaves quarters. Water ran down the dark gray stone and mildew tickled the insides of my nostrils. I rubbed my nose but it didn't help very much. Kari walked slowly down the hallways and Mandy was walking behind me. Mandy's hand was wrapped around the hilt of her sword and I could see the whiteness of her knuckles.
Kari stopped at a dark wooden door and opened it. It swung to the side on rusty hinges that creaked as they moved. I looked into the slave's room that more resembled a cell. I was shocked at it. I had slept in bad places when my brother, sister, and me would disguise ourselves and ride out, but I had never seen a living place that bad.
Mandy stepped in quickly and glanced around the room. "It's clear." Said Mandy relaxing her grip on the sword. Kari and me walked in and my nose wrinkled at the smell of human odors kept together for too long.
She walked over to a corner of the room and grabbed on of the gray stones in the wall. She pulled sharply and the stone barely moved. I walked over and knelt beside her. My fingers curled around the edge of the stone and we both pulled at the same time. The stone pulled out slowly and a plume of dust shot into the air. I sneezed a few times but Kari seemed used to it.
She reached into the hole in the wall and pulled out something wrapped in a strip of red cloth. The faint sent of lilacs rose up from the package. She looked down at the package in her hands and a single tear slid down her face.
"It was your mother's wasn't it?" I asked knowing the answer already.
"Tai said that it was but I can't remember even her face. When ever I hold it a get a sense of well being." Said Kari pulling the package close to her chest. "I never wanted to wear it before because Ryban probably would have taken it away."
Kari pulled the red cloth away and I could see a thin golden chain with a small pink feather attached to it. The feather seemed to almost be glowing with energy and I could feel the sense of comfort that she had been talking about.
"Strange." I whispered under my breath.
"What is it?" Kari asked slipping the necklace over her neck. I reached down into my shirt and pulled a similar necklace out of my shirt. The chain however was made out of platinum and a white feather on the chain. "It looks like mine." She closed her eyes and breathed deep. "And feels the same."
I knew what she meant. They both extended that same source of power that calmed the soul. "Mine was given to me by my father when my mother died. He told me that she would have wanted me to have it."
"Kind of strange." Said Mandy.
"What is?" I asked.
"A prince and a slave have necklaces that are almost the same and they both came from their mothers." Said Mandy.
"It is kind of strange." Said Kari.
"We can ask my father about it later." I said. The idea was confusing but I nothing I knew could answer it so I decided not to worry about it. "Mandy could you please take Kari back to my room. I'm going to go and talk to my father." Kari merely nodded and I could tell her mind was elsewhere, but Mandy looked like she was gong to argue. "Just do it Mandy. I'll be in my father's room when you're done and can follow me." She nodded. I walked past them and went down the hallway towards my father's room.
I paused by my father's door. I could hear voices talking behind the heavy oak door. I knocked and the voices stopped. A few seconds later the door opened slowly. Sora was holding the door open and my father was sitting behind an old looking oak desk. By the looks on their faces I could tell that they had been arguing.
"Is everything okay?" I asked stepping into the room. Sora closed the door behind me.
"Me and father were just having a discussion." Said Sora.
"About what?" I asked. I sat down at in a hard backed chair and Sora sat down beside me but she looked like she was ready to jump up at any time.
"About how Ryban treats his slaves." Said Sora.
"Sora…" Started our dad.
"A man was beaten almost to death for forgetting he had a dagger in his boot. If it wasn't for my healing he wouldn't have been able to move for days." Said Sora jumping to her feet."
"Sora." Their father's voice was still low but it carried a dangerous edge to it. Sora sat back down slowly but her eyes still held a glint to them. "In Gathis we treat our slaves with respect but they are still slaves. Property. Unfortunately I can not make Ryban treat his slaves better, and no one will fault him for how he's acted. Do you understand, Sora?"
Sora sighed and looked down at the ground. "I understand." I could tell that she didn't want to say it.
"Who was the slave?" Asked our father. "I might be able to try something."
"Tai."
"That's Kari's brothers name." I said.
"Who's Kari?" Asked Sora.
"The slave that Ryban gave me." Their father's eyes glazed over like they always did when he's thinking then a small smile touched his mouth.
"Sora, Takeru, I need to go and do something before we leave this afternoon." Said our father. He got up and left the room.
"What do you think he's doing?" Asked Sora.
"With our dad who knows." I said.
*Sora*
I walked slowly through the courtyard towards the two carriages. Two soldiers stood at attention. They had on half mail with Green sashes tied around their waists and full helms. Long pikes were in their hands and swords rested on their hips. I was still kind of mad at my father but I knew why he couldn't do anything. I was angrier at this long green dress I had to wear. I could barely move.
Kari opened the door for my brothers in the second carriage and another slave opened the first carriage for my father and me. My father climbed in and I walked up to the step. I lifted my leg clumsily up onto the step into the carriage. I pulled myself up but my dress got caught in- between my legs and I fell backwards. Two strong arms caught me before I fell too far.
I brushed the long hair out of my face and looked up. A pair of chocolate brown eyes looked down into my own and a faint smile looked at me from underneath the full helm.
"Tai."
"Hey, Sora. I don't know how it happened but I 'm now a slave for the Gathis kingdom, and your personal bodyguard." Said Tai smiling.
"Great, I'll be sure to show you around the whole kingdom when we get back." I said smiling back. His smile made his handsome face even better looking. I could feel a slight tinge of pink reach my cheeks at the thought. Tai picked me up and put me in the carriage. He gave me one last smile before he closed the door.
I looked over at my father and he was smiling at me. "Thanks dad." I said moving over to him and hugging him.
"This old ox has a few tricks up his sleeve." He said.
"How did you do it?" I asked pulling back and sitting down.
"Once I found out that Tai was Kari's brother it was easy. I just went up to Ryban and said since he was such a fair and caring leader he would not want to split up a brother and sister. He didn't like it but the flattery caught him." I could hear the soldiers jump onto the top of the carriage and the clopping of the shod horses feet. I looked out the window and saw us pass the gates of Delfak castle.
End Note: Okay that is the second chapter and I thought it was pretty good. This is going to be a long story so this is just a beginning. Please read and review and keep waiting for the next chapter.