Author note: I hope you like these chapters to come. I am working pretty
hard on them do get them the way I like them. Enjoy! And please Review!!! I
love reviews, and constructive criticism is welcome as long as it is not a
flame or too harsh. Thank you!
Chapter Two
Avara woke up before the other slaves and forced her stiff, sore muscles to move. She found some clothing from one of the wagons; pants and a snug tunic, and crawled over to the lake they had camped by. She bit her lip when the cold water touched her newer wounds. With the blood washed off, she could see her wounds more clearly. She had three claw-like black marks running from the inside of her thigh to her belly-button, in an arc. She shuddered at the memory of the device that had caused those wounds. She put her new found clothes on after she dried off. She wondered about the mysterious soldier that had shown kindness to her; how did he know Elvish? She had little time to wonder; the Orcs were up now and herded the captives together for breakfast. She received none and knew Lord Melkriss had told them not to give her any. "If he thinks he will starve you into submission, he is wrong. Here, take some of mine," Dinfan whispered, pressing some bread into her hand. She shot him a grateful look and quickly ate the bread. Lord Melkriss walked over to them then, and she quickly swallowed. He stopped in front of her and smirked when she averted her eyes. Still looking at her, he gave the Orcs instructions for the day. "We move on today. Because of yesterday's.incident, we will not stop until nightfall, not even for breaks. Let's move!" Avara's cheeks burned with shame; if she hadn't tried to escape, they would be able to stop for breaks today. Dinfan's hand slipped into hers, as if he had heard her thoughts. "Do not even feel bad. He is a beast, and everyone knows that. You are not alone in your hate." Avara shot him a grateful look as the Orcs yelled and they moved out.
Dinfan kept his eye on Avara. He was impressed at how strong she was. She had had a meager breakfast, but steadfastly moved at the fast pace Lord Melkriss had set. His heart burned whenever the whip lashed at her, knowing how she pained from the other night. He noticed a certain soldier kept close to them, always stopping the whip if it was brought down to hard on her back. Hope bloomed in his heart at the sight of this act of kindness. Maybe this soldier would help keep Avara safe. He saw Lord Melkriss walking towards them, and hatred burned in his mind and heart. He had been only an elfling when this band of Orcs led by Lord Melkriss had invaded his home, killing his family. He had been spared, and taken prisoner, and slavery was all he knew. He longed for freedom, to felt the joy of going wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted. Little by little, the slave numbers grew. How Avara had come here was still a mystery to him. Lord Melkriss' voice jarred him out of his daydream. "We are coming to a river, and have to cross it." Several cries rang out and Dinfan knew some could not swim. "If you cannot swim, you will have a quick lesson. I plan to be across it by sunup. Anyone who falls behind will be left behind." Avara shot a look at Dinfan and he knew she could swim, but in her condition, he doubted whether or not she could cross it. He edged over to her. "Do not worry. I will help you," he whispered, but she shook her head. "If I cannot make it, you must leave me behind." Dinfan shook his head. "I will not." he began, but Avara cut him off. "You must! I have caused everybody to suffer needlessly. Promise me this Dinfan. You must leave me behind if I fall." She looked at him, and he saw the desperation in her eyes. "I am not afraid to die Dinfan, but I am afraid of Him. I will allow the River to claim my life, it is so happens, but I cannot-will not- allow him to claim it." Dinfan saw the tears in her eyes and swore again that he would find a way to make the slave master pay for hurting her. "Very well, I will do as you ask. But you must promise me that you will try to cross the River." Avara bit her lip and looked away. She did not look at him when she answered. "I cannot. If it is my fate to die crossing the River, I will die. I will not hinder fate." With that, she walked away. Dinfan started to go after her, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked up and saw the kindly soldier. "Let her go." Dinfan got angry. "She is my friend. I will not let her die!" The soldier smiled. "Nor will I young one." Dinfan then grew wary. "Why do you help us? Who are you?" he demanded. The soldier kneeled down beside him. "I am your friend," he said. Lord Melkriss shouted to some Orcs, but the soldier jerked away, but not before Dinfan caught sight of his features in the torchlight, and what he saw made his heart leap. He was an Elf! An Elf in the ranks of the Humans and Orcs!
Chapter Two
Avara woke up before the other slaves and forced her stiff, sore muscles to move. She found some clothing from one of the wagons; pants and a snug tunic, and crawled over to the lake they had camped by. She bit her lip when the cold water touched her newer wounds. With the blood washed off, she could see her wounds more clearly. She had three claw-like black marks running from the inside of her thigh to her belly-button, in an arc. She shuddered at the memory of the device that had caused those wounds. She put her new found clothes on after she dried off. She wondered about the mysterious soldier that had shown kindness to her; how did he know Elvish? She had little time to wonder; the Orcs were up now and herded the captives together for breakfast. She received none and knew Lord Melkriss had told them not to give her any. "If he thinks he will starve you into submission, he is wrong. Here, take some of mine," Dinfan whispered, pressing some bread into her hand. She shot him a grateful look and quickly ate the bread. Lord Melkriss walked over to them then, and she quickly swallowed. He stopped in front of her and smirked when she averted her eyes. Still looking at her, he gave the Orcs instructions for the day. "We move on today. Because of yesterday's.incident, we will not stop until nightfall, not even for breaks. Let's move!" Avara's cheeks burned with shame; if she hadn't tried to escape, they would be able to stop for breaks today. Dinfan's hand slipped into hers, as if he had heard her thoughts. "Do not even feel bad. He is a beast, and everyone knows that. You are not alone in your hate." Avara shot him a grateful look as the Orcs yelled and they moved out.
Dinfan kept his eye on Avara. He was impressed at how strong she was. She had had a meager breakfast, but steadfastly moved at the fast pace Lord Melkriss had set. His heart burned whenever the whip lashed at her, knowing how she pained from the other night. He noticed a certain soldier kept close to them, always stopping the whip if it was brought down to hard on her back. Hope bloomed in his heart at the sight of this act of kindness. Maybe this soldier would help keep Avara safe. He saw Lord Melkriss walking towards them, and hatred burned in his mind and heart. He had been only an elfling when this band of Orcs led by Lord Melkriss had invaded his home, killing his family. He had been spared, and taken prisoner, and slavery was all he knew. He longed for freedom, to felt the joy of going wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted. Little by little, the slave numbers grew. How Avara had come here was still a mystery to him. Lord Melkriss' voice jarred him out of his daydream. "We are coming to a river, and have to cross it." Several cries rang out and Dinfan knew some could not swim. "If you cannot swim, you will have a quick lesson. I plan to be across it by sunup. Anyone who falls behind will be left behind." Avara shot a look at Dinfan and he knew she could swim, but in her condition, he doubted whether or not she could cross it. He edged over to her. "Do not worry. I will help you," he whispered, but she shook her head. "If I cannot make it, you must leave me behind." Dinfan shook his head. "I will not." he began, but Avara cut him off. "You must! I have caused everybody to suffer needlessly. Promise me this Dinfan. You must leave me behind if I fall." She looked at him, and he saw the desperation in her eyes. "I am not afraid to die Dinfan, but I am afraid of Him. I will allow the River to claim my life, it is so happens, but I cannot-will not- allow him to claim it." Dinfan saw the tears in her eyes and swore again that he would find a way to make the slave master pay for hurting her. "Very well, I will do as you ask. But you must promise me that you will try to cross the River." Avara bit her lip and looked away. She did not look at him when she answered. "I cannot. If it is my fate to die crossing the River, I will die. I will not hinder fate." With that, she walked away. Dinfan started to go after her, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked up and saw the kindly soldier. "Let her go." Dinfan got angry. "She is my friend. I will not let her die!" The soldier smiled. "Nor will I young one." Dinfan then grew wary. "Why do you help us? Who are you?" he demanded. The soldier kneeled down beside him. "I am your friend," he said. Lord Melkriss shouted to some Orcs, but the soldier jerked away, but not before Dinfan caught sight of his features in the torchlight, and what he saw made his heart leap. He was an Elf! An Elf in the ranks of the Humans and Orcs!