RoT: Cry for Hitar Book One, Chapter 3 First Draft
Since I had not posted much in here for a while I decided to post something more, this is the third chapter from Realm of Tears Book one's first draft. I am aware that it sucks, that is because it is a first draft. Copy this and I will kill you. This is all.
Chapter Three
Cry's sleep was broken by the shrill caw of a Shadow Hawk. She awoke suddenly and instinctively moved into a crouched position with her eyes averted downward. She remained this way for several minutes, until the bird cawed again. It took her that long to remember what had passed, and she looked around as the bird sounded the second time for the source of the sound. It was not a sound she had heard before. Like a babies cry of terror, a scream that was high-pitched and drawn out. Her eyes searched the trees until the passed over the bird, and she breathed in sharply.
The bird was perched in the tree above her, tall and proud. It stared down at her with two red eyes that seemed to have no pupils. The bird's feathers were black as night, so black that they did not even reflect the sunlight that now brimmed lightly through the trees. It would be a shadow, if it were not for the eyes and the crimson beak of the bird. It seemed as if it had just stuck its beak in a vat of blood. It cawed one more time, and spread open its wings as her eyes met its. The bird had at least an eight-foot wing span, and each of the wing tip feathers were as crimson red as the beak.
Cry caught her breath, her eyes wide, she did not know what to do. She had never seen such a fierce looking bird. She brought a hand over her eyes, so that the sun was not in them and watched the bird intently, and it watched just as intently back. The bird waited, not moving more then its head to watch her more closely. After several minutes Cry gathered her nerve and began to wave her hands in the direction of the bird wildly.
"Go away you bird!" She cried out, in a voice too soft to be fear inducing. The bird simply cocked its head the other way and cawed once more in its shrill voice at her. "Please…"
The bird took flight at this, and she gasped. It circled above her and the trees, and then swooped left and disappeared behind a mass of trees. With the bird gone Cry rose to her feet, which stung still from the activities of the night before. She looked around, scanning the area for the bay stallion she had ridden here. About forty feet away she saw the horse, grazing in the long salt grass tat grew at the forest edge. With much hesitation she began toward it, not wanting to be in the open, she made sure that his side always hid her. As she approached the steed lifted its head and perked its ears to her. A stuttered whinny caused her to step back and with her moving back the horse moved toward her.
Cry froze and let the horse move to her. When he was close enough she grabbed his reins and pulled his head to her body. In this position she wrapped her arms around the horse, and held him tightly in fear and in relief. They stayed this way for several minutes and the horse did not fight being held as he was. When she moved one of her hands to pet him though he had enough, and with a quick jerk moved his head from her arms. She gasped at the sudden movement and then moved to the side of him to see that he still had the remains of the carriage strapping upon his back. She slowly undid and removed them, until he was bare backed with only the reins. When she finished she stepped back from the steed who watched her intently as she did. He bobbed his head frantically and let out a low rumble.
"Hush now horse." Cry whispered harshly, her fear of being discovered growing more and more with each minute she spent in this visible place. Se guessed that the thieves did not care to search for the other horse, or perhaps they were just waiting till morning. This thought scared her so that she lost track of what was going on around her.
A sudden loud screech caused her heart to leap into her throat. She jumped, and gasped, and fell back hard. With a cry of pain she looked up to see adorning the sky the hawk that had plagued her earlier. She was sure it was the same one, and it soared in a circle above. The horse put its ears back to its skull and offered a few chomps of its teeth at the hawk. Cry recovered quickly and lightly gritted her teeth. Years of harsh blows, learning to be submissive, and that she was nothing more then property had broken her of the ability to be mad, but she was annoyed. The bird cawed again, and the steed whinnied and between the two she was sure every bondage bringer in the area would be upon her.
"Go away bird, are you trying to get me captured?" She shivered; the penalty for her crime was seven days in the bad rooms. With a sudden gasp she came to the conclusion that the bird was working with a bondage bringer. With a cry she shrank to a crouch and shivered there. After a few minutes she heard a thud nearby. Se turned, shivering, toward it and saw upon the ground what appeared to be a chicken leg. With a confused glance upward she saw the bird veer off and disappear once more, and then turned her eyes back to the meat. Slowly she moved toward it and with a shaking hand moved to picked it up. She brought the meat to her nose and sniffed deeply. Surely it was chick, roasted as well. It was old, no doubt, but it was food. All at once she realized how hungry she was. It had been days since she had eaten. All slaves are denied food for 7 days before being auctioned. It made them more attractive, and weak.
She slowly took a bit of the meat and began to chew. It was heaven to taste. She had not had chicken since her third master almost eight years ago. She attacked the chicken again, this time more assertively. She finished the leg in but seconds, but immediately she felt better. Her stomach echoed a growl of contentment and she moved ito a relaxed sit.
Had that bird actually brought me this? She thought, tenderly wanting to believe that indeed the bird had. Yet it was just a bird, how would it know she was hungry. Why would it care? And where did it get the chicken. She unknowingly lifted a brow in thought.
Her thoughts were broken by a nudge at her knee. She leapt to her feet, in a standard submissive pose, head down, arms down, and her form slouched. A moment passed before she lifted her eyes to see what it was. The dark bay stallion watched her from where she had been sitting. Its ears pinned to its skull it clamped its teeth at her and hit the ground with a hoof. She stood there for a moment, silent. Her right arm moved unconsciously around her stomach. The horse continues with its instant stamping and whinnies loudly, making her jump once more. With a sigh she moved toward the horse, feeling even weaker that a four-legged beast is ordering her. As she neared him she extended a hand to pet him. He moved his head away and turned sideways to her so that she was looking at his back. She looked to his head and he moved his muzzle to push her forward a bit.
"Fine, you do not have to be physical." With this she moves to mount the horse and once upon his back takes his reins. For a moment she lets them hang limply. "Do you want to say where we go to you mean old best."
Without even finishing the last of her words the horse starts up in a fast cancer in the western direction. The girl is lurched backwards with the force and suddenness of the horses take off.
"A horse now is my master." She said with a sigh. With a flick of her wrist she let the reins loose.
Hours may have passed, with no way to tell time except by the sun all Cry knew was that noon had passed over and the sun was close to setting. The coming darkness made her fret over what could happen in the open plain area the horse traveled through now. She knew nothing about where it was going, all she really could focus on was her worry. Her buttocks hurt from the sharp up and downs of bareback riding, but that and her other pains were nothing compared with her worry of being recaptured. She went over countless scenarios in her head. Perhaps she could lie to them, tell them her master set her free. They would be less strict then, or would they?
Suddenly she was brought back to reality, the horse had stopped moving. She looked about where she was now. There were mountains in the distance, but closer still were what appeared to be houses. With a gasp she shrank back on the steed. It had led her to a ShadowLands village, which is where the bondage bringers took their prey. She was going to fall back into what she had hoped to escape.
As her thoughts raced she did not notice that her horse had once again started, this time in a slow walk, toward the village. As she came to realize this she moved to yank hard back upon the reins of the stallion. It whinnied in protest as its head was yanked back and reared upwards. Cry hugged herself to the horse's neck as it reared, releasing the reins as the horse threw its head forward. It kicked the air and returned to the ground with a rumbling neigh. Cry stared wide-eyed at the village, it was now but ten feet away and she saw people coming toward her now.
She had no weapons, but the ones that approached her were armed. Pitchforks and swords brandished as they approached, she froze wide-eyed as they came. A fierce cry sounded from above, the sound shrill and eerily familiar to Cry. She slowly turned her head upwards, and sure enough sailing in the bright afternoon sun was the dark form of the bird that had bother her earlier. It circled above her, casting a large dark shadow upon the ground around her and her steed.
The people, who approached her, stopped at the first caw. Their weapons were lowered now as they watched the majestic bird sail above. The bird shifted its wings and gently descended to land before Cry and her steed. It eyed the crowd with fierce red eyes that seemed to be angry. Cry's mouth fell open in surprise, and the crowd fell back. One man moved forward toward Cry and the bird. Cry took the steed's reins in hand and prepared to send the horse in the other direction in full gallop when the man called out.
"My'lady is this beautiful specimen yours?" He said, one hand lightly motioning toward the bird. Cry watched the man, and then looked to the bird. She thought carefully for a moment and then looked to the man, her slave instincts making her look downward at the man's feet as opposed to his face.
"We have been traveling together." She resisted, with all her being, the want to add sir to her statement. She was not lying. It seemed the bird had been traveling with her, though she did not quite understand why. The man bowed before her, and went to one knee. She lifted an eyebrow and adjusted her eyes to look at the man's feet once more.
"Then I, High Priest of the Shadow Coven welcome you dear lady, and your beautiful Shadow Hawk to our village. Thank you for bringing to us this wondrous creature. May I have your name?" The man asked, rising from his kneel.
"I am Cry…" She thought wildly for a moment to add a position and place to her name. Something to make her less a slave. The words came to her strangely and she spoke them before she understood them. "Princess of Hitar."
The man seemed to step back as her title came forward. She did not know why she had said it. She didn't understand were either name had come from and with wide eyes she looked to the man who gazed back with his own wide eyes. He looked to the bird and then back to Cry.
"And the bird, does it have a name?" He stuttered.
Cry thought for a moment, her eyes running over the bird. Its head turned to her, fiery eyes met with hers and for a moment she thought she heard the bird's thoughts. Her eyes wide she turned back to the man and blurted out.
"Nyght"
The man looked to the bird, who had since moved its glare to the man once more. He nodded lightly and looked to Cry. With a slight bow he motioned toward the village he had come from. Cry looked to where he motioned, and noticed for the first time that the original crowd had grown substantially. At least a hundred people crowded the small area directly before the village, people of all ages watched on from the distance. Cry blinked and looked questioningly to the man that had greeted her.
"We rarely get visitors dear lady, and even less with such a beautiful specimen of a Shadow Hawk." The man said, sensing her question. "We also rarely get royalty from kingdoms thought to have been destroyed"
With his last words Cry gasped, and unknowingly pulled back on her steed's reins. The horse angrily threw his head into the air and snorted. Biting hard upon the bit, the steed jerked his head forward, and the reins out of Cry's hands. She blinked and looked down to the man's feet once more.
"Forgive me, I did not know that Hitar had been destroyed." Her words were confusing to her at first, for she did not even know what Hitar was. As she thought on it, though, she began to remember things that she had long forgotten in her days as a slave. She brought her confused eyes back to the man before her and he once more motioned to the village.
"Think nothing of it my'lady. Perhaps there is a reason you did not know. Come and grace our small village with your and your bird's presence. We would be happy to have you here."
Cry nodded and moved to take her steed's reins once more. With a small kick she and the steed followed behind the man as he led them toward the village and people. Her breath shallower as she neared so many people, her attention was diverted at the sounding of the familiar caw of the bird. She turned her head, eyes wide, to gaze at the bird that intently glared at her. She thought for a moment, and got an idea of what the bird wanted. She slowly extended a shaky arm, and the bird immediately took off to land upon it. It took all her wits to keep her from screaming and throwing the bird from her arm. With the heavy bird upon her arm she turned back to the man who had watched the entire thing transpire. He smiled, unknowing that Cry had no idea why the bird had taken to her, and began to lead her once more toward the ever more crowded village.
Cry prodded her steed to follow and the stallion did so. Her attention now went to the bird that rode upon her arm. It was heavy to carry, the bird was almost half as tall as Cry herself, but she had worked all her life and could easily carry her weight in grains. She could manage to hold up the bird. She looked over it, her eyes casting over the unreflecting feathers and moving up to the bird's fiery eyes. The bird's head was turned to her and as their eyes met Cry swore she could hear the bird's thoughts once more. She quickly looked away.
When she entered the village the crowd parted for her and the man. On both sides were people, and Cry started to become paranoid as she rode into the crowd. The hawk just stayed still regally perched atop Cry's arm. The horse sensed Cry's fear and coupled it with its own. With a screeching whinny the steed reared upwards, and the bird took off from Cry's arm. The two animals called out in unison as the horse landed from its rear and Cry released his reins. The spooked steed slammed its head toward the people, and they fell back from the steed with a few screams and a child's cry. The man that had been leading them turned back and saw the horse's dangling reins and Cry's terror struck look. The bird circled overheard, cawing angrily. It dove and pecked down at various people's heads, always calling off its attack before hitting. The man rushed forward and grabbed the dangling reins. With a fierce jerk the man pulled the steed's head downward, and the stallion fell quiet watching the man passively.
"I am sorry my'lady. They did not mean to spook your mount," the man said apologetically. The bird cawed angrily overhead, and the man looked up to it. "Or your hawk."
"I am afraid neither my mount, or my hawk much appreciates crowd." She said, her voice breaking in mid phrase.
"It seems that neither does their traveling companion." The man said with a reassuring smile. He reached his hand to lightly brush over Cry's. "Do not worry dear lady, we will not let harm come to you."
Cry looked to the hand over hers and then the man. He smiled again and the turned, the steed's reins in hand, and led them toward a rather large house. The hawk followed overhead. When they reached the house, the man released the horse's reins. The steed dropped its head low, tired now from the day's running. The sun had sunk low in the time that had transpired, and the sky was cased into a reddish tone. Cry looked to the man as he moved closer to her and offered a hand upward. She drew back for a moment and then with questioning eyes looked to the man.
"Come my'lady, allow me to help you downward. You may stay here in the Shadow Manor for this eve." The man said with a smile. Cry hesitantly moved her hand into his and shifted her weight. She moved her leg over the horses back so that both were on one side and slid off the horse. The man's hand provided a balance that helped her as she touched ground. She looked to her horse and then back to the man. "I will have a servant take your mount to the barn. We will accommodate him well my'lady."
Cry nodded and the man motioned to a nearby boy. The boy came and took the steed's reins and began to lead it off. The bird cawed loudly, and Cry looked upward to the circling hawk. She lifted a hand outward toward it and the bird sank in the sky, landing upon her arm carefully. When she was sure it was settled she retracted the arm and looked over the large bird. It looked down at her, and then opened and closed its beak. Cry could sense, though she knew not why, that it was hungry. She turned, her confidence slowly building to the man.
"My bird, she is hungry." As she said this she did not quite know how she could tell that it was a female. The man nodded politely and motioned toward the steps of the large house. With a bit of hesitation, Cry turned to the steps and moved toward them. She stopped as she did, and turned her gaze to the man to be sure that is what he wanted. The fear of displeasing him plagued her the moment she moved.
The man simply smiled and followed behind her. With this small bit of confirmation, she continued up the steps and to the house's porch. She waited their as the man came around her and moved his hand to take the door's decorated knob and open the door. He then stood to the side of the door and motioned for Cry to enter. She hesitated a moment, to shift her arm a bit so that the bird would fit through the door and then stepped into the door.
Once inside she was stunned. The main entrance of the home was small, but from it she could see the living area which was decorated with many chairs, a table, and a heavy chandelier that gave off a faint light. She stopped three feet from the doorway and turned to watch the man entered her eyes wide. The man noticed her gaze as he closed the door and smiled once more.
"My'lady, allow me to escort you to the dining room. We shall partake of the last day's meal; I have so much food served here, and can barely eat most of it. Perhaps between the three of use we may clean off more." The man said, with this he held out a hand. Cry took a moment to understand why he did so, and slowly placed her much smaller hand into his. He took it firmly, yet gently and began to lead her toward the living room. Cry followed him with a bit of hesitation. They moved through the room and to a doorway at the right wall.
Once through it Cry was amazed once more to see the large table before her. It was at least thirty feet long and covered in a silvered tablecloth with flowers embroided into the ends in gold strands. Atop it was food of many types; chicken, roasted so that its smell caught her nose, potatoes that were mashed, and beside them gravy in which to smother them. Vegetables of varying kinds lined the left side of the table, and fruits lined the right. In the very middle of the table sat a pewter four-pillar candle with softly glowed giving light to the room.
The hawk cawed loudly as it spied and smelled the food. It remained though atop Cry's arm and looked with dark red eyes to the man that escorted them. He looked to the bird and released the lady's hand. He then looked to the lady and smiled as he clapped his hands together, which brought forth from the swinging door of the kitchen a man whom was smaller.
"Richard, please fetch a perch, and two extra plates for our guest." The man said. Richard bowed at the waist and disappeared into the kitchen for a moment. He came back through the swinging door with a large pewter perch in one hand and two plates balanced in the other. He sat one plate at the far end of the table, and the perch to the right of the table. He then sat the other plate before the perch and stepped back, his eyes going to the man who summoned him.
"Good man Richard, but you forgot the utensils and drink." The man reminded with a smile. The man Richard laughed at his mistake and moved back into the kitchen. He came back out with three forks, a napkin, a wineglass filled with a dark red tinged wine, and two spoons, which he placed carefully next to the first plate. He stepped back once more, and folded his hands behind his back. The man then turned to Cry and smiled. "Shall we sit?"
Cry nodded and moved toward the seat with the perch nearby. The bird was being good mannered and waited until Cry was close to the perch before taking off to it. Cry then sat herself in the wooden chair, and turned her eyes to the man who had seated himself at the far side. She suddenly realized she did not know his name.
"Sir, may I ask your name?" She said, her voice sounding small within the large room. The man looked up and chuckled to himself.
"Oh dear, I am afraid I have been absent minded. I am Temujin dear lady." He said, his green eyes passing over her for a moment and then turning to partake of the food before him. He looked to Richard, who looked at him. With a nod of his head the man moved forward and took up the plates of the people and began to pile food atop them.
Cry looked over the plate as it was set before her, but the bird was not so contained. It attacked the food ravenously with its beak. Cry turned to the bird and held back a chuckle. Meanwhile Temujin turned to Richard.
"You are dismissed good man. Have a well slept night." Temujin said. Richard nodded and moved to the swinging door of the kitchen and exited the room. Once he was gone Temujin turned his attention to Cry. "So my'lady, how did you come to find yourself alone within this dark land? It is not so wise or safe for a woman to travel unarmed within the ShadowLands."
Cry looked to him. Within her she debated her response, but training and morals brought her to tell the truth. She spoke softly, her eyes averting to the food atop her plate.
"I am a slave my'lord." She said slowly.
"A slave to your own perceptions, only. For what else divides you from those whom claim to be your master?" Temujin said, moving to take a drink from the wineglass before him. Cry looked away, to the bird, at his words and thought carefully before responding.
"I am what I am told I am sir." She said, knowing nothing other then the way of a slave. Temujin coughed lightly at this and placed the wineglass upon the table once more. He looked to her with his green eyes, noticing her keeping her eyes from him.
"Dear lady, look at me." He asked. Cry did so, partly because he asked, partly because she felt she must. "If I were to say you were a dog, would that make you a four legged furry animal that cannot speak?"
"It would in your mind sir, and so I would conform to fit your opinion of me." She said softly, and after doing so looked away. Temujin went to speak again but decided better of it.
"Tell me then lady, how it is that a slave woman is so far from a market, alone within the ShadowLands, on a rather fine steed?" Temujin asked, moving to take his fork. Cry looked to him and then away once more.
"I am a runaway. My new master's carriage came under attack, and I took my leave while the fray was in progress. I stole away with one of the carriage horses whom were cut from the carriage during the attack." Cry admitted. Temujin put his fork back down and smirked.
"Quite a feat for somebody whom is nothing more then what people say she is? It seems that you don't see yourself." He said, before picking up his fork and shoveling food into his mouth.
"What is it then, sir, that I do not see? I escaped because I had the chance, and did not want to be sold again." Cry said, her voice full of question. Temujin chuckled, his mouth full, and put his fork down. He folded his hands before him.
"And it is exactly that which makes you not a slave. You are a slave only to those who want to control this with force; to yourself you are free. Free enough to leave for your own devises." Temujin said.
Cry said nothing more. Instead she moved to take up her own fork and begin eating some of what was before her. Temujin followed suit and the two ate in silence.
©1999, Crystal Universe ALL RIGHTS RESERVED NO RIGHTS TO COPY GIVEN AT PENTALTY OF DEATH
Chapter Three
Cry's sleep was broken by the shrill caw of a Shadow Hawk. She awoke suddenly and instinctively moved into a crouched position with her eyes averted downward. She remained this way for several minutes, until the bird cawed again. It took her that long to remember what had passed, and she looked around as the bird sounded the second time for the source of the sound. It was not a sound she had heard before. Like a babies cry of terror, a scream that was high-pitched and drawn out. Her eyes searched the trees until the passed over the bird, and she breathed in sharply.
The bird was perched in the tree above her, tall and proud. It stared down at her with two red eyes that seemed to have no pupils. The bird's feathers were black as night, so black that they did not even reflect the sunlight that now brimmed lightly through the trees. It would be a shadow, if it were not for the eyes and the crimson beak of the bird. It seemed as if it had just stuck its beak in a vat of blood. It cawed one more time, and spread open its wings as her eyes met its. The bird had at least an eight-foot wing span, and each of the wing tip feathers were as crimson red as the beak.
Cry caught her breath, her eyes wide, she did not know what to do. She had never seen such a fierce looking bird. She brought a hand over her eyes, so that the sun was not in them and watched the bird intently, and it watched just as intently back. The bird waited, not moving more then its head to watch her more closely. After several minutes Cry gathered her nerve and began to wave her hands in the direction of the bird wildly.
"Go away you bird!" She cried out, in a voice too soft to be fear inducing. The bird simply cocked its head the other way and cawed once more in its shrill voice at her. "Please…"
The bird took flight at this, and she gasped. It circled above her and the trees, and then swooped left and disappeared behind a mass of trees. With the bird gone Cry rose to her feet, which stung still from the activities of the night before. She looked around, scanning the area for the bay stallion she had ridden here. About forty feet away she saw the horse, grazing in the long salt grass tat grew at the forest edge. With much hesitation she began toward it, not wanting to be in the open, she made sure that his side always hid her. As she approached the steed lifted its head and perked its ears to her. A stuttered whinny caused her to step back and with her moving back the horse moved toward her.
Cry froze and let the horse move to her. When he was close enough she grabbed his reins and pulled his head to her body. In this position she wrapped her arms around the horse, and held him tightly in fear and in relief. They stayed this way for several minutes and the horse did not fight being held as he was. When she moved one of her hands to pet him though he had enough, and with a quick jerk moved his head from her arms. She gasped at the sudden movement and then moved to the side of him to see that he still had the remains of the carriage strapping upon his back. She slowly undid and removed them, until he was bare backed with only the reins. When she finished she stepped back from the steed who watched her intently as she did. He bobbed his head frantically and let out a low rumble.
"Hush now horse." Cry whispered harshly, her fear of being discovered growing more and more with each minute she spent in this visible place. Se guessed that the thieves did not care to search for the other horse, or perhaps they were just waiting till morning. This thought scared her so that she lost track of what was going on around her.
A sudden loud screech caused her heart to leap into her throat. She jumped, and gasped, and fell back hard. With a cry of pain she looked up to see adorning the sky the hawk that had plagued her earlier. She was sure it was the same one, and it soared in a circle above. The horse put its ears back to its skull and offered a few chomps of its teeth at the hawk. Cry recovered quickly and lightly gritted her teeth. Years of harsh blows, learning to be submissive, and that she was nothing more then property had broken her of the ability to be mad, but she was annoyed. The bird cawed again, and the steed whinnied and between the two she was sure every bondage bringer in the area would be upon her.
"Go away bird, are you trying to get me captured?" She shivered; the penalty for her crime was seven days in the bad rooms. With a sudden gasp she came to the conclusion that the bird was working with a bondage bringer. With a cry she shrank to a crouch and shivered there. After a few minutes she heard a thud nearby. Se turned, shivering, toward it and saw upon the ground what appeared to be a chicken leg. With a confused glance upward she saw the bird veer off and disappear once more, and then turned her eyes back to the meat. Slowly she moved toward it and with a shaking hand moved to picked it up. She brought the meat to her nose and sniffed deeply. Surely it was chick, roasted as well. It was old, no doubt, but it was food. All at once she realized how hungry she was. It had been days since she had eaten. All slaves are denied food for 7 days before being auctioned. It made them more attractive, and weak.
She slowly took a bit of the meat and began to chew. It was heaven to taste. She had not had chicken since her third master almost eight years ago. She attacked the chicken again, this time more assertively. She finished the leg in but seconds, but immediately she felt better. Her stomach echoed a growl of contentment and she moved ito a relaxed sit.
Had that bird actually brought me this? She thought, tenderly wanting to believe that indeed the bird had. Yet it was just a bird, how would it know she was hungry. Why would it care? And where did it get the chicken. She unknowingly lifted a brow in thought.
Her thoughts were broken by a nudge at her knee. She leapt to her feet, in a standard submissive pose, head down, arms down, and her form slouched. A moment passed before she lifted her eyes to see what it was. The dark bay stallion watched her from where she had been sitting. Its ears pinned to its skull it clamped its teeth at her and hit the ground with a hoof. She stood there for a moment, silent. Her right arm moved unconsciously around her stomach. The horse continues with its instant stamping and whinnies loudly, making her jump once more. With a sigh she moved toward the horse, feeling even weaker that a four-legged beast is ordering her. As she neared him she extended a hand to pet him. He moved his head away and turned sideways to her so that she was looking at his back. She looked to his head and he moved his muzzle to push her forward a bit.
"Fine, you do not have to be physical." With this she moves to mount the horse and once upon his back takes his reins. For a moment she lets them hang limply. "Do you want to say where we go to you mean old best."
Without even finishing the last of her words the horse starts up in a fast cancer in the western direction. The girl is lurched backwards with the force and suddenness of the horses take off.
"A horse now is my master." She said with a sigh. With a flick of her wrist she let the reins loose.
Hours may have passed, with no way to tell time except by the sun all Cry knew was that noon had passed over and the sun was close to setting. The coming darkness made her fret over what could happen in the open plain area the horse traveled through now. She knew nothing about where it was going, all she really could focus on was her worry. Her buttocks hurt from the sharp up and downs of bareback riding, but that and her other pains were nothing compared with her worry of being recaptured. She went over countless scenarios in her head. Perhaps she could lie to them, tell them her master set her free. They would be less strict then, or would they?
Suddenly she was brought back to reality, the horse had stopped moving. She looked about where she was now. There were mountains in the distance, but closer still were what appeared to be houses. With a gasp she shrank back on the steed. It had led her to a ShadowLands village, which is where the bondage bringers took their prey. She was going to fall back into what she had hoped to escape.
As her thoughts raced she did not notice that her horse had once again started, this time in a slow walk, toward the village. As she came to realize this she moved to yank hard back upon the reins of the stallion. It whinnied in protest as its head was yanked back and reared upwards. Cry hugged herself to the horse's neck as it reared, releasing the reins as the horse threw its head forward. It kicked the air and returned to the ground with a rumbling neigh. Cry stared wide-eyed at the village, it was now but ten feet away and she saw people coming toward her now.
She had no weapons, but the ones that approached her were armed. Pitchforks and swords brandished as they approached, she froze wide-eyed as they came. A fierce cry sounded from above, the sound shrill and eerily familiar to Cry. She slowly turned her head upwards, and sure enough sailing in the bright afternoon sun was the dark form of the bird that had bother her earlier. It circled above her, casting a large dark shadow upon the ground around her and her steed.
The people, who approached her, stopped at the first caw. Their weapons were lowered now as they watched the majestic bird sail above. The bird shifted its wings and gently descended to land before Cry and her steed. It eyed the crowd with fierce red eyes that seemed to be angry. Cry's mouth fell open in surprise, and the crowd fell back. One man moved forward toward Cry and the bird. Cry took the steed's reins in hand and prepared to send the horse in the other direction in full gallop when the man called out.
"My'lady is this beautiful specimen yours?" He said, one hand lightly motioning toward the bird. Cry watched the man, and then looked to the bird. She thought carefully for a moment and then looked to the man, her slave instincts making her look downward at the man's feet as opposed to his face.
"We have been traveling together." She resisted, with all her being, the want to add sir to her statement. She was not lying. It seemed the bird had been traveling with her, though she did not quite understand why. The man bowed before her, and went to one knee. She lifted an eyebrow and adjusted her eyes to look at the man's feet once more.
"Then I, High Priest of the Shadow Coven welcome you dear lady, and your beautiful Shadow Hawk to our village. Thank you for bringing to us this wondrous creature. May I have your name?" The man asked, rising from his kneel.
"I am Cry…" She thought wildly for a moment to add a position and place to her name. Something to make her less a slave. The words came to her strangely and she spoke them before she understood them. "Princess of Hitar."
The man seemed to step back as her title came forward. She did not know why she had said it. She didn't understand were either name had come from and with wide eyes she looked to the man who gazed back with his own wide eyes. He looked to the bird and then back to Cry.
"And the bird, does it have a name?" He stuttered.
Cry thought for a moment, her eyes running over the bird. Its head turned to her, fiery eyes met with hers and for a moment she thought she heard the bird's thoughts. Her eyes wide she turned back to the man and blurted out.
"Nyght"
The man looked to the bird, who had since moved its glare to the man once more. He nodded lightly and looked to Cry. With a slight bow he motioned toward the village he had come from. Cry looked to where he motioned, and noticed for the first time that the original crowd had grown substantially. At least a hundred people crowded the small area directly before the village, people of all ages watched on from the distance. Cry blinked and looked questioningly to the man that had greeted her.
"We rarely get visitors dear lady, and even less with such a beautiful specimen of a Shadow Hawk." The man said, sensing her question. "We also rarely get royalty from kingdoms thought to have been destroyed"
With his last words Cry gasped, and unknowingly pulled back on her steed's reins. The horse angrily threw his head into the air and snorted. Biting hard upon the bit, the steed jerked his head forward, and the reins out of Cry's hands. She blinked and looked down to the man's feet once more.
"Forgive me, I did not know that Hitar had been destroyed." Her words were confusing to her at first, for she did not even know what Hitar was. As she thought on it, though, she began to remember things that she had long forgotten in her days as a slave. She brought her confused eyes back to the man before her and he once more motioned to the village.
"Think nothing of it my'lady. Perhaps there is a reason you did not know. Come and grace our small village with your and your bird's presence. We would be happy to have you here."
Cry nodded and moved to take her steed's reins once more. With a small kick she and the steed followed behind the man as he led them toward the village and people. Her breath shallower as she neared so many people, her attention was diverted at the sounding of the familiar caw of the bird. She turned her head, eyes wide, to gaze at the bird that intently glared at her. She thought for a moment, and got an idea of what the bird wanted. She slowly extended a shaky arm, and the bird immediately took off to land upon it. It took all her wits to keep her from screaming and throwing the bird from her arm. With the heavy bird upon her arm she turned back to the man who had watched the entire thing transpire. He smiled, unknowing that Cry had no idea why the bird had taken to her, and began to lead her once more toward the ever more crowded village.
Cry prodded her steed to follow and the stallion did so. Her attention now went to the bird that rode upon her arm. It was heavy to carry, the bird was almost half as tall as Cry herself, but she had worked all her life and could easily carry her weight in grains. She could manage to hold up the bird. She looked over it, her eyes casting over the unreflecting feathers and moving up to the bird's fiery eyes. The bird's head was turned to her and as their eyes met Cry swore she could hear the bird's thoughts once more. She quickly looked away.
When she entered the village the crowd parted for her and the man. On both sides were people, and Cry started to become paranoid as she rode into the crowd. The hawk just stayed still regally perched atop Cry's arm. The horse sensed Cry's fear and coupled it with its own. With a screeching whinny the steed reared upwards, and the bird took off from Cry's arm. The two animals called out in unison as the horse landed from its rear and Cry released his reins. The spooked steed slammed its head toward the people, and they fell back from the steed with a few screams and a child's cry. The man that had been leading them turned back and saw the horse's dangling reins and Cry's terror struck look. The bird circled overheard, cawing angrily. It dove and pecked down at various people's heads, always calling off its attack before hitting. The man rushed forward and grabbed the dangling reins. With a fierce jerk the man pulled the steed's head downward, and the stallion fell quiet watching the man passively.
"I am sorry my'lady. They did not mean to spook your mount," the man said apologetically. The bird cawed angrily overhead, and the man looked up to it. "Or your hawk."
"I am afraid neither my mount, or my hawk much appreciates crowd." She said, her voice breaking in mid phrase.
"It seems that neither does their traveling companion." The man said with a reassuring smile. He reached his hand to lightly brush over Cry's. "Do not worry dear lady, we will not let harm come to you."
Cry looked to the hand over hers and then the man. He smiled again and the turned, the steed's reins in hand, and led them toward a rather large house. The hawk followed overhead. When they reached the house, the man released the horse's reins. The steed dropped its head low, tired now from the day's running. The sun had sunk low in the time that had transpired, and the sky was cased into a reddish tone. Cry looked to the man as he moved closer to her and offered a hand upward. She drew back for a moment and then with questioning eyes looked to the man.
"Come my'lady, allow me to help you downward. You may stay here in the Shadow Manor for this eve." The man said with a smile. Cry hesitantly moved her hand into his and shifted her weight. She moved her leg over the horses back so that both were on one side and slid off the horse. The man's hand provided a balance that helped her as she touched ground. She looked to her horse and then back to the man. "I will have a servant take your mount to the barn. We will accommodate him well my'lady."
Cry nodded and the man motioned to a nearby boy. The boy came and took the steed's reins and began to lead it off. The bird cawed loudly, and Cry looked upward to the circling hawk. She lifted a hand outward toward it and the bird sank in the sky, landing upon her arm carefully. When she was sure it was settled she retracted the arm and looked over the large bird. It looked down at her, and then opened and closed its beak. Cry could sense, though she knew not why, that it was hungry. She turned, her confidence slowly building to the man.
"My bird, she is hungry." As she said this she did not quite know how she could tell that it was a female. The man nodded politely and motioned toward the steps of the large house. With a bit of hesitation, Cry turned to the steps and moved toward them. She stopped as she did, and turned her gaze to the man to be sure that is what he wanted. The fear of displeasing him plagued her the moment she moved.
The man simply smiled and followed behind her. With this small bit of confirmation, she continued up the steps and to the house's porch. She waited their as the man came around her and moved his hand to take the door's decorated knob and open the door. He then stood to the side of the door and motioned for Cry to enter. She hesitated a moment, to shift her arm a bit so that the bird would fit through the door and then stepped into the door.
Once inside she was stunned. The main entrance of the home was small, but from it she could see the living area which was decorated with many chairs, a table, and a heavy chandelier that gave off a faint light. She stopped three feet from the doorway and turned to watch the man entered her eyes wide. The man noticed her gaze as he closed the door and smiled once more.
"My'lady, allow me to escort you to the dining room. We shall partake of the last day's meal; I have so much food served here, and can barely eat most of it. Perhaps between the three of use we may clean off more." The man said, with this he held out a hand. Cry took a moment to understand why he did so, and slowly placed her much smaller hand into his. He took it firmly, yet gently and began to lead her toward the living room. Cry followed him with a bit of hesitation. They moved through the room and to a doorway at the right wall.
Once through it Cry was amazed once more to see the large table before her. It was at least thirty feet long and covered in a silvered tablecloth with flowers embroided into the ends in gold strands. Atop it was food of many types; chicken, roasted so that its smell caught her nose, potatoes that were mashed, and beside them gravy in which to smother them. Vegetables of varying kinds lined the left side of the table, and fruits lined the right. In the very middle of the table sat a pewter four-pillar candle with softly glowed giving light to the room.
The hawk cawed loudly as it spied and smelled the food. It remained though atop Cry's arm and looked with dark red eyes to the man that escorted them. He looked to the bird and released the lady's hand. He then looked to the lady and smiled as he clapped his hands together, which brought forth from the swinging door of the kitchen a man whom was smaller.
"Richard, please fetch a perch, and two extra plates for our guest." The man said. Richard bowed at the waist and disappeared into the kitchen for a moment. He came back through the swinging door with a large pewter perch in one hand and two plates balanced in the other. He sat one plate at the far end of the table, and the perch to the right of the table. He then sat the other plate before the perch and stepped back, his eyes going to the man who summoned him.
"Good man Richard, but you forgot the utensils and drink." The man reminded with a smile. The man Richard laughed at his mistake and moved back into the kitchen. He came back out with three forks, a napkin, a wineglass filled with a dark red tinged wine, and two spoons, which he placed carefully next to the first plate. He stepped back once more, and folded his hands behind his back. The man then turned to Cry and smiled. "Shall we sit?"
Cry nodded and moved toward the seat with the perch nearby. The bird was being good mannered and waited until Cry was close to the perch before taking off to it. Cry then sat herself in the wooden chair, and turned her eyes to the man who had seated himself at the far side. She suddenly realized she did not know his name.
"Sir, may I ask your name?" She said, her voice sounding small within the large room. The man looked up and chuckled to himself.
"Oh dear, I am afraid I have been absent minded. I am Temujin dear lady." He said, his green eyes passing over her for a moment and then turning to partake of the food before him. He looked to Richard, who looked at him. With a nod of his head the man moved forward and took up the plates of the people and began to pile food atop them.
Cry looked over the plate as it was set before her, but the bird was not so contained. It attacked the food ravenously with its beak. Cry turned to the bird and held back a chuckle. Meanwhile Temujin turned to Richard.
"You are dismissed good man. Have a well slept night." Temujin said. Richard nodded and moved to the swinging door of the kitchen and exited the room. Once he was gone Temujin turned his attention to Cry. "So my'lady, how did you come to find yourself alone within this dark land? It is not so wise or safe for a woman to travel unarmed within the ShadowLands."
Cry looked to him. Within her she debated her response, but training and morals brought her to tell the truth. She spoke softly, her eyes averting to the food atop her plate.
"I am a slave my'lord." She said slowly.
"A slave to your own perceptions, only. For what else divides you from those whom claim to be your master?" Temujin said, moving to take a drink from the wineglass before him. Cry looked away, to the bird, at his words and thought carefully before responding.
"I am what I am told I am sir." She said, knowing nothing other then the way of a slave. Temujin coughed lightly at this and placed the wineglass upon the table once more. He looked to her with his green eyes, noticing her keeping her eyes from him.
"Dear lady, look at me." He asked. Cry did so, partly because he asked, partly because she felt she must. "If I were to say you were a dog, would that make you a four legged furry animal that cannot speak?"
"It would in your mind sir, and so I would conform to fit your opinion of me." She said softly, and after doing so looked away. Temujin went to speak again but decided better of it.
"Tell me then lady, how it is that a slave woman is so far from a market, alone within the ShadowLands, on a rather fine steed?" Temujin asked, moving to take his fork. Cry looked to him and then away once more.
"I am a runaway. My new master's carriage came under attack, and I took my leave while the fray was in progress. I stole away with one of the carriage horses whom were cut from the carriage during the attack." Cry admitted. Temujin put his fork back down and smirked.
"Quite a feat for somebody whom is nothing more then what people say she is? It seems that you don't see yourself." He said, before picking up his fork and shoveling food into his mouth.
"What is it then, sir, that I do not see? I escaped because I had the chance, and did not want to be sold again." Cry said, her voice full of question. Temujin chuckled, his mouth full, and put his fork down. He folded his hands before him.
"And it is exactly that which makes you not a slave. You are a slave only to those who want to control this with force; to yourself you are free. Free enough to leave for your own devises." Temujin said.
Cry said nothing more. Instead she moved to take up her own fork and begin eating some of what was before her. Temujin followed suit and the two ate in silence.
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