Immortality
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Selnissa lay nestled among the rocks steadily watching the hurrocks eat their catch. Never had she seen such fascinating creatures in all her life. They looked so beautiful standing there - stormy grey coats sparkling in the sun, the black mane and tail lifting in the breeze. The wicked teeth and hooves did not phase her one bit. If only she could be like them she thought wistfully. But she couldn't - she was but a lowly servant child born only to serve the every whim of her cruel mistress the Lady Almarnay.
"Selnissa. Come here at once." Rang the nasal voice of her mistress. "If you don't you'll be sorry.
"I'll be back." She whispered to the great beasts. She nimbly darted in and out of the rocks arriving by her mistress' side in minutes. She struck her a cruel blow across the cheek. Selnissa staggered back kneeling meekly at her mistress' feet.
"Never run off like that again." She screeched angrily. "Your place is by my side not up on the hills. You will be flogged once we return for your disobedience."
Selnissa's eyes widened in fear of the promised beatings. She would be given 30 lashes this time. There was no doubt.
Selnissa walked by the head of her mistress' horse. "Don't worry Sally, it'll be alright. You'll see." She whispered gently to the mare. The mare eyed her and shook her head snorting softly. The mistress shrieked and cruelly hauled back on the reins, damaging the horse's soft mouth.
"I'm sorry Sally." She whispered not seeing the blow that came from the whip. She staggered and fell into Sally. The horse fell forward throwing her rider; then the horse slowly fell on top of the still girl. There was a sickening crunch as the horse fell on her. Selnissa watched in horror and helped Sally to her feet. She fell to her mistress' side.
"Lady Almarnay!" she cried trying to wake the girl. Her mistress' head rolled uselessly.
"No." Selnissa cried in fear. The mistress couldn't be dead. The horse backed away snorting in terror. The servant girl shook her a couple of times more.
"Sally we must go. We'll be hunted by Lord Pratlas." She said fleeing to her friend's side. Together they traversed the way they had come going as swiftly and silently as one of the locals could. They never saw the Golden Eagle watching them.
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"Where is the Lady Almarnay?" asked the impatient Lord Pratlas. His blond hair gleamed in the sunlight. His blue eyes belied his impatience. He was every inch a warrior thought his wife proudly.
"The great lady has not yet come back from her ride my Lord." The servant bowed low to his master.
"She was supposed to be here for luncheon." He rapped out angrily ignoring the surprised look of his guest long time friend Numair Salamin.
"She has not comeback my lord. We have sent out search parties." The servant said calmly.
"My Lord, My lord." A voice cried. He turned to berate his squire for interrupting him.
"The Lady Almarnay has been found." The boy said pale faced.
"And where is my daughter?" he asked the boy gently. He knew how scared the boy was of him.
"We think you should come and see for yourself my lord." His squire said with a bow.
He glared impatiently at the boy and motioned for him to lead the way.
"I would like to come also Alnas." Numair said gently.
Together they swept out of the drawing room.
****************************************************** I do not own anything of Tamora Pierces characters. Please review.
Selnissa lay nestled among the rocks steadily watching the hurrocks eat their catch. Never had she seen such fascinating creatures in all her life. They looked so beautiful standing there - stormy grey coats sparkling in the sun, the black mane and tail lifting in the breeze. The wicked teeth and hooves did not phase her one bit. If only she could be like them she thought wistfully. But she couldn't - she was but a lowly servant child born only to serve the every whim of her cruel mistress the Lady Almarnay.
"Selnissa. Come here at once." Rang the nasal voice of her mistress. "If you don't you'll be sorry.
"I'll be back." She whispered to the great beasts. She nimbly darted in and out of the rocks arriving by her mistress' side in minutes. She struck her a cruel blow across the cheek. Selnissa staggered back kneeling meekly at her mistress' feet.
"Never run off like that again." She screeched angrily. "Your place is by my side not up on the hills. You will be flogged once we return for your disobedience."
Selnissa's eyes widened in fear of the promised beatings. She would be given 30 lashes this time. There was no doubt.
Selnissa walked by the head of her mistress' horse. "Don't worry Sally, it'll be alright. You'll see." She whispered gently to the mare. The mare eyed her and shook her head snorting softly. The mistress shrieked and cruelly hauled back on the reins, damaging the horse's soft mouth.
"I'm sorry Sally." She whispered not seeing the blow that came from the whip. She staggered and fell into Sally. The horse fell forward throwing her rider; then the horse slowly fell on top of the still girl. There was a sickening crunch as the horse fell on her. Selnissa watched in horror and helped Sally to her feet. She fell to her mistress' side.
"Lady Almarnay!" she cried trying to wake the girl. Her mistress' head rolled uselessly.
"No." Selnissa cried in fear. The mistress couldn't be dead. The horse backed away snorting in terror. The servant girl shook her a couple of times more.
"Sally we must go. We'll be hunted by Lord Pratlas." She said fleeing to her friend's side. Together they traversed the way they had come going as swiftly and silently as one of the locals could. They never saw the Golden Eagle watching them.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
"Where is the Lady Almarnay?" asked the impatient Lord Pratlas. His blond hair gleamed in the sunlight. His blue eyes belied his impatience. He was every inch a warrior thought his wife proudly.
"The great lady has not yet come back from her ride my Lord." The servant bowed low to his master.
"She was supposed to be here for luncheon." He rapped out angrily ignoring the surprised look of his guest long time friend Numair Salamin.
"She has not comeback my lord. We have sent out search parties." The servant said calmly.
"My Lord, My lord." A voice cried. He turned to berate his squire for interrupting him.
"The Lady Almarnay has been found." The boy said pale faced.
"And where is my daughter?" he asked the boy gently. He knew how scared the boy was of him.
"We think you should come and see for yourself my lord." His squire said with a bow.
He glared impatiently at the boy and motioned for him to lead the way.
"I would like to come also Alnas." Numair said gently.
Together they swept out of the drawing room.
****************************************************** I do not own anything of Tamora Pierces characters. Please review.