By the time they stopped today Lyris was exhausted. Once her chain was released from the carriage, she collapsed. A swift kick was delivered to her ribs, still recovering from recent injuries. She grunted, and twisted her head sideways.

A half-orc towered over her, dressed in simple leather armour that left his scarred chest exposed. His long black hair, shorn on both sides, was tied back into a long braid.

'Who said you could sleep yet, slave? 'Fire's gotta be made. Tents pitched. Food cooked. Drinks poured.'

Lyris's pride, or maybe it was stupidity, took over her mouth. 'Fuck you.'

The guard grabbed her by her hair and pulled her head upwards. 'Let me make myself very clear. You are now property of his lordship Andro. And you will behave as such, or suffer the punishment. And you don't want to know how I punish pretty little elves like you.' He pushed her back down withy enough force for her head to connect painfully with the ground.

'Just do as your told,' Nerissa hissed. Her arms were already full of firewood. They looked thicker than her twig-like limbs.

Lyris looked about their surroundings. Thick forest. Minimal visibility now it was twilight. She didn't doubt the guard force were watching them, but right now they were a good twenty-feet away. Likely enough of a head-start. She grabbed Nerissa's hands and pulled her behind her. The firewood clattered out of her arms.

Several yells followed them as they ran to the edge of the forest. Nerissa gave some resistance, beseeching Lyris to wait. She didn't listen. She continued until an invisible force struck her, flinging her back several feet. She bounced off the floor and rolled up at the feet of the men chasing them. Nerissa hovered behind her, one arm clutching the other.

'I tried to warn you,' she said.

'You stupid knife-eared bitch.' Brigen grabbed her collar-chain and yanked her upwards. 'The Ambassador won't stand for this. I guess we'll start discipline early.'

Immediately both of her arms were grabed. She was dragged into camp and promptly pushed in front of the Ambassador.

He looked questioningly at Brigfen.

'This one not only tried to escape, she tried to take the other one with him!'

Andro raised one eyebrow. 'Really? How disappointing.'

He wordlessly held out one hand. One of his guards handed him a cat-of-nine-tails whip. With a snap of his fingers, he summoned a spectral dagger and used it to cut open the front of her white shift-dress. He waved it away, and it misted into nothingness.

Lyris was forced down onto her knees. Andro ran his fingers through the split-ends of the whip. He held it behind his shoulder, then brought it down on her torso.

The first lick of it stung. The second burned. And with the third, she sagged in their grip. The fourth, she pressed her lips together to smother whatever sound she might make. The fifth and the sixth, she grunted. The seventh tore open her skin. The eight broke her.

By the time it was over, Lyris was barely conscious, and her front was a bloody mess. She was too exhausted to even react to pain properly. The men lost interest, and went back to their drinks. Nerissa crawled over to her.

'Why?' Neriss was usually soft-spoken, but her voice had an edge to it.

'Because I'm a bloody fool.' Lyris croaked. She looked down at her ruined front. 'Literally.'

'That's not funny!' Nerissa knelt besides Lyris and poured water onto her wounds. She hissed as the cool liquid hit her burning torso. Gently, Nerissa wiped away the blood. 'This will leave scars.'

'Some people find scars attractive.

Nerissa leaned in closer. 'Do not prove yourself more trouble than you're worth.'

'Haven't you heard? I'm worth a lot.'

'Stop talking and rest. I can take care of them for the rest of the night.'

Lyris was already drifting asleep.