"See na, that didn't 'urt ya'a bit, did it?" Wulf questioned sarcastically to Käleea as she knelt before the foot of his cot, hands and feet completely bound. With a newly fashioned armour cuff around her wrist, the man was beside himself for thinking up such a cleaver idea.
The Wildman had bought the young female several years ago. As 'his' only girl and one of the eldest servants, her roles were constantly gruelling, demeaning, and unjust. It was for those reasons she tried to (unsuccessfully) escape his overbearing hold...again. Though she knew her punishment would be severe, nothing could have prepared Käleea for the terrible anguish and inhuman acts she was about to endure.
"That should teach ya ta resect me! And if it don't..." He stopped briefly, grasping an aged iron rod from out of the fireplace and twirling the handle nonchalaugntly in a container of toxin. "Then 'bet this will! Ya've run away from me fur the last time!" Wulf's sinister eyes lit up as he roughly grasped Käleea's dress, tearing open the back to reveal many years of scars and unhealed wounds, tainting an otherwise creamy, delicate young skin.
An ear-curdling scream reluctantly left the girl's lips, as the smell of burnt flesh and blistered nerves leaked into the atmosphere of the home. Käleea's back arched in pure reflex as she tried to escape the smouldering utensil, but the Wildman's grip held firmly to his prey.
As the steam and aroma lifted from the scene, and Wulf was certain the branding had took its toll, he tauntingly removed the rod, pitiless eyes never leaving the new inscription on her skin. Once again, the man was self-righteous about what he had inflicted upon victim. No regret, nor remorse, was part of his character. He felt nothing. For it was the constant pints of ale that made him loose all emotion and sanity... if either were ever there to begin with.
Käleea continued to whimper in utter tenderness as she felt the weapon drawn from her back when Wulf return to the fireplace. Her blue, spiritual eyes closed so tight, spots began to intrude on her darkness. Liquid formed excessively as the slave allowed the dim daylight back into her vision, so the visuals were closed off for a second time. She was determined not to allow that fiend see her shed a single tear.
"You are despicable!" The girl lost control and screamed as she felt her body become jostled around in the man's firm grip.
"Ya knows just as well as I does why yur 'ere." He clarified sarcastically before kneeling to her level. His calloused fingers tauntingly trailed along the curvatures of her exposed, raw back as Käleea continued to block out his visual presence. "I rescued ya." He whispered against the crook of her neck when his tongue mischievously made contact with the girl's collarbone.
"You did not, you sc-" Käleea whispered in a dominant tone, completely intent upon standing her ground and not succumbing to his mind game.
"Silence!" Wulf retorted, finally beginning to show signs of aggravation. He thrust her back and forth against the foot of the cot before a smirk grew across his devilish face. Hurling the slave back to the ground, he strolled over for another swig before his fingers resumed their duty of violating Käleea's figure. Every old blemish, nook of her spine, and bone of her ribs was examined from the rear by his venomous touch. These actions created a stream of goose bumps against the girl's skin, and a tightened jaw, also from his prisoner. "An unattached girl is of na use ta the world, ya knows that." His fingers then stalked slowly under the girl's ripped garment, fully aware of their next destination. "Useless ya were, starvin' and not deservin' of being alive. Na one else cared fur ya... but I does."
Käleea despised when the Wildman spoke those words, for she knew it was all true. Why else would her parents have left her alone, to be bought by such horrible beings?
"Ya taunt me, straw-head." He whispered into the back of her ear, his beard scratching the surface of her skin. "Ya belong ta me."
Unknown to Wulf, the young girl smirked as her eyes shot open, glaring deadly intense at the wall before her. She was no ones possession. Käleea took in a solid breath as the room and her body became cold and tense...ready for conflict. She whipped around, connecting the angle of her elbow fully with Wulf's ribcage, and her tethered wrists with the Wildman's jaw. He fell back more in shock then pain when Käleea began to crawl to his weaponry. She was perfectly absorbed on finishing the battle once and for all. However, between the bound limbs, open flesh wound, and a newly fashioned, unexplainable exhaustion, the girl was far from achieving that goal.
"A ha!"A hearty chuckle was released into the room as Wulf wiped the blood from his battered nose, taking note of her intense spirit but dwindling energy. "Finally." He whispered, knowing the toxic substance had finally taken its effect upon her. The male then stood to lift her into his brutal arms, basically ignoring both the new presence in the room and the weak lashings the girl was attempting against him.
"What you doin' Wulf? Not savin' any fur us?" One of the males laughed sarcastically, as he and three other Wildmen entered the home. Wulf snorted as he brought himself over to a chair that one Wildman was sitting upon, and put the girl's limp form face down, her stomach and slender hips placed squarely over his lap. Sitting back on the chair, the male understood what Wulf wanted, and prepared to hold her steady, while leering at the newly branded caption upon her lower back.
"Li'l straw-head givin' ya trouble there Wulf? Not like them boys ya gots out there, huh? Well, if ya want her, I wants me own 'experience' by one of 'em. Don't care who, just miss their young touch." He joked while Wulf released his loins from the conformity of his belt and pants.
"Na, na! The boys are workin'. Besides, she's a fiery young whore, she can handle us all." Wulf said smugly while the seated male lifted the bottom of Käleea's dress up over back, exposing her backside.
Wulf suddenly became quiet, compared to his intoxicated, giddy counterparts. His movements were shaky but determined, as his hands briskly moved from the girl's backbone and diminutive hips, to under her thighs and petite breasts. The male holding Käleea smiled at his friend's obvious excitement and self-satisfaction. Transported out of his deep trace, Wulf brought his loins up to the slenderness of Käleea's backside as he took a deep breath, making it clear to his friends that "I will bes the one ta break 'er."
Wulf, Wildman of the Forest, was finally going to conquer his prey.
"No...do not...not...me" Käleea cried very weakly, completely paralyzed from the reaction of the toxin. That was the last time she ever begged Wulf for any remorse, as in her eyes, it became a sign of weakness.
"This will not be the last." A voice called in the distance, muggled between that of Wulf's and another. "Last...las...lassie?" The gruff voice broke to that of another altered individual.
"No...NO!" Käleea sat up suddenly; a constriction in her chest violated her being, with the sweltering intensity like no other time before. The young girl panicked as her azure eyes went broad and she began to wheeze heavily.
"What did you do? Estel asked for you to awaken her calmly!" A male stressed from where he had been helping pack up camp.
"What is wrong with her! I did nothing!" Another cried out.
"Oh, na! Na, do nots trouble yourself, me Lord, she is possessed by devilry now and again. Her body betrays her patheti-uh-young mind." Sérathen called to the shorter male, throwing over a small satchel to the girl. "'Ere." And with that, turned her attention away from the situation.
Käleea quickly scooped up the bag and placed it up to the curves of her mouth, trying to breathe evenly into the pouch. After several minutes, the world became clear to the young child once again. It was also at this time that Käleea realized she had been dreaming when Gimli, one of three male travellers who were now staring intently, had come to awaken her.
"I'm sorry about that, Lassie! I did not believe I looked THAT frightful in the morn. But alas! I must be a sight compared to the rested beauty I see before me!" He chuckled light-heartedly to calm her spirits as he stood to aid Sérathen.
"I would be privileged to see the face of such an honourable male, such as yourself, every morning, my Lord." Käleea said quietly as she removed the satchel from her lips, revealing a slight smile. "I apologize for my reaction. I was preoccupied with my dream." She explained calmly, yet another result opposite from the ones she had shown the previous night. This, in turn, surprised the trio.
"Agh, I am most certainly going to enjoy your company today. These Lads just don't appreciate magnificence when it is standing four feet in front of them!" Gimli laughed.
"Four feet in front, or four feet tall, Master Dwarf?" Legolas questioned as he reveal his place beside Aragorn, a smile tugging at his crimson lips.
"Bah, pay no heed to them." Gimli retorted before gruffly walking away to Sérathen. As he did so, the two travellers and young girl tried very hard to keep their amusement well hidden.
"You should do that more often, my Lady." Aragorn stated when the hilarity died down and he knelt before the girl.
"I am sorry?" Käleea enquired in confusion. She found herself being drawn to look up upon the males in clear day light, but reluctantly fought the urge. Although they had yet to show signs of aggression, she did not want to disrespect the male's high status by making eye contact.
"Smile. The action suits you." The Ranger explained confidently before reaching out, placing his fingers in a way in which to raise the girl's face from the direction of the ground. "Are you certain you are fairing well? That incident..." He wandered off, pointing with his other hand to the empty satchel.
"No." Käleea awkwardly assured him while shifting to a boulder, away from his grasp. "For myself, that experience is not uncommon. The event is triggered by many different things, and this is the only treatment I know." She said, indicating toward the bag before standing up, as Aragorn followed suit. "Although, I wish you had not gone through the nuisance of witnessing it."
"Your condition does not frighten us away, Lady Käleea, but it is rather distressing that you have not received a proper cure." Legolas explained, bringing himself into the conversation. "I have read and experienced many cures in my time, but there is not one that I can assume will aid in your recovery."
"Nor I, my friend." Strider confirmed to the Elf, looking slightly distraught over his own thoughts. "I am sorry for your needless torment, my Lady."
"Thank you, but there is nothing either of you should be apologizing for. I have learned to adapt and accept that this is what will happen during the rest of my days. I am healthy and privileged in many other ways." Käleea enlightened, truly believing the words she spoke. "The rest of Middle Earth needs your sympathy; please do not waste it upon me." With that, she excused herself from the two males, but not before slipping something out of one of the bags, and extending it out towards the Elf. "I believe this belongs to you, my Lord." Bowing in respect, she then grabbed all personal belongings and walked over to prepare the horse.
"What is it, Legolas?" Aragorn questioned as he strode over to his friend.
"The bread from last night." The Elf stated simply, not needing to unravel the small bundle. "She did not eat the portion you gave to her."
"But how did she know it was yours?" The Ranger queried in disbelief before a boisterous tone echoed through the camp.
"Ach, by the time you two Lads charm us with your presence, it will be dusk again when we resume our journey! Get a move on!" Gimli shouted from the other side of the encampment. The two hunters subsequently made their way towards him, both completely smug at the Dwarf's perseverance.
Off to the side of the camp, Käleea continued to saddle the horse. As she draped the bags to either of the animal's sides, a sudden flood of uneasiness came about her. What if this was all a show; all the humour, the friendliness? What if the travellers were decoys? What if someone was watching them? What if someone was to steal the horse...and the package Sérathen was going to be carrying... what then would she do? Or rather, what would Wulf do to her and Sérathen? Without a second thought, the young girl conspicuously exchanged the contents from her own bag, excluding her book, for that of Sérathen's package and the two knives. As the final blade slipped into her own sack, she became startled and anxious when a voice boomed from behind her.
"My Lord." Käleea sighed in relief of seeing Gimli, not Sérathen, at her rear.
"I believe we are to be departing now. Are you ready to keep up with me, Lassie?" He enquired as the other males came upon their conversation.
"I would never intentionally threaten your honour, my Lord." Käleea explained cheerfully, with her previous awkwardness washing away. They could not be decoys! She was just paranoid. "Therefore, I do believe this stallion would never challenge your sprinting ability."
"You could not be more correct! His speed is no match for the dashing sprint of a Dwarf!" He explained seriously, as the rest of the group snickered in response. Everyone, that is, except Käleea, who became preoccupied with her demeanour when Sérathen walked up to mount the horse.
"I hope the girl's not givin' ya any troubles! If she is..." The woman threatened as she grabbed the reins from Käleea.
"Bah, not at all, my Lady." Gimli assured her.
"Your daughter's presence is not threatening." Legolas stated before coming across to the young girl's direction. "It has been far too long since we have felt the humanity and innocence she has expressed these past few hours."
"Both of you have shown such kindness, and it comes as a comfort to know the land still embraces such consideration." Aragorn elaborated, in hopes of lifting Sérathen's grim attitude.
"As you wish, me Lords." Sérathen said while inconspicuously shaking her head in disagreement. "Let us be off!" With that, she motioned for the stallion to being his journey, but not before the Ranger moved to halt the beast's progress.
"Wait, Lady Käleea has not yet mounted." He confirmed, as the young girl and Sérathen looked at each other in uncertainty.
"Oh, no, me Lord. She don't ri-" The older woman started before Käleea intervened.
"This horse is one of that factors the cause me to have that...that..." The girl looked away from the group as she lied, pointing over to the spot where her breathing constriction had begun.
"Ah, then! Settled!" Sérathen said with pride as she gave two swift movements with her legs, making the stallion trot ahead of the party.
"Are you sure, Lassie? This is no short stroll we are about to embark on." The Dwarf explained factually as he and his fellow hunters exchanged glances amongst one another.
"I am, my Lords." She guaranteed them with an unusual confidence, when her eyes lit up. "And perhaps I have a better chance of winning if I race you on foot." With that, the young girl was off, paying no attention to her recent injuries.
"What a change!" The Dwarf laughed as he began his journey.
"The sun pales in radiance to the beauty of the child's compassion. Let us hope the mother does not continue to hinder, nor deny her daughter's beautiful spirit." Legolas stated to Strider.
"I agree, my friend. Let us hope both will come to respect each other, by the time we part ways. What a change in the daughter's confidence that could produce." Aragorn nodded in agreement before both males resumed their expedition. "What a change indeed."
Thank you so much for giving this a chance! I apologize for all the errors, lateness, etc. Its been an odd few months but thanks for the support!
Banana4422, aragornseyes, Yami Ray, tess , Unski (Im a sweeper too!) Ellmarr, aloib, pixsey, Otel, moonbunny77, narmolanya, When Fire Meets Ice, Gemini969, mellon18