After working her fingers to the bone, and gaining the hatred of all around her. Alora had finally finished her work for the day after everyone else and started heading back to the small uncomfortable bed that had become more of a friend to her than anyone there.
She marched out of the small walls room that she was assigned to scrub three times from the floor to the ceiling by the spiteful mistress Mary. She was left to finish knowing that if she tried anything she would be greatly punished.
The cold breeze prickled at her nose as she stepped out of the confined hallway into the dark open courtyard. soldiers paced from wall to wall and held their swords close to there sides as if their life depended on it. "Are you alright", Alora jumped from the sudden voice. She swirled around to come face to face with the boy who betrayed her, the one who did nothing to even try to help her, his appearance made her boil with anger but she held it down. for a small fragment of the time, she had thought he could be her friend in that walled prison but that hadn't lasted for long at all. his golden-green eyes look at her just the same as the day they had first met, cold, almost freezing. as she looks into his eyes she was reminded that it was starting to get late and the cold was starting to worsen, she didn't want to be seen by the mistresses. The boy still stared at her intently waiting for an answer, but all she did was turn on her heel and walk away. "I asked you a question do you intend to ignore me, I was trying to be nice", his voice seemed concerned but Alora couldn't hold her anger down. she twirled back around to face him, anger was written threw her gaze. "Do you think being nice is letting someone get hurt, you had been brought here just as I was, you are no higher then I am". The boy was stunned by her response but quickly regained himself, " I'm sorry that you think of me that way", his eyes dropped to the heavy bucket of frozen rags that dangled from Alora's freezing fingertips. He snatches it away from her, his hand grazing over hers, "Hells, your hands are about to fall off from this cold, get inside to the others before the mistresses see you're gone again". And without another word, he turned from her and started in the opposite direction. Alora regained herself, she caught herself entranced by him again, and it angered her to no end, but she mustered the courage, "What is your name?" he answered without stopping, "its Tiron". he disappeared into the darkness of the courtyard and Alora hurried back to her chamber.
once again after the morning light had caressed the sky Alora had been up working alongside the other slaves like dogs. The mistresses had already beaten several bloody but Alora was decided on staying in there good graces for at least that day. the night before she was bearly able to sneak past them to her bed. Alora lurched herself over the stone well tugging at the rope that seemed to be frozen together. her tiny thin body was half the weight of the water bucket but she still managed to loosen it enough to real up. a hand grabs the ascending rope and tugs it away from her almost making her lose her balance and fall, but a grip was tight on the back of her dress. "Aha, we have a little looker here", Alora darts around to be met with the smell of ale and mustiness. a man lurched over her, his hand tightening around her dress. his sickening chuckles as his eyes slowly trailed over her made her whole body to stiffen and a shudder role down her back like ice. after his eyes had finally finished looking her over his lips squirmed upwards, revealing disgusting brown teeth. Ge forcefully started dragging her, she tried to catch her footing but it was no use. she had seen what the guards had done to other slaves and she was horrified, but now it was about to happen to her, her breath hung in her throat. He drags her into a darkened corner away from prying eyes, his wormy grin still plastered on his scarred face. Alora was frozen, she couldn't move, she could hardly breathe. her eyes darted hoping to find anything to help her, she shriveled as gis cold rough fingertip traveled up her leg. she screamed as loud as she could, but the man's hand slapped against her mouth holding it shut. she squirmed under him. The clattering noise of metal hitting stone, And laying beside her was the golden pendent that fell from her pocket, but something else had caught her attention, a broken wooden spike laid only inches from her. without thinking twice she wrenched her hand away from his and grasped the stake. she thrust it into the man's shoulder. he reared back, screaming in pain. Alora quickly gained footing and started running, she ran as fast as she could not even looking back. until Thud! her body rammed to the ground, she coughed a loose breath picking herself up from the snowy ground. seeing a looming dark figure above her. she winced as a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. she felt the grasp around her but once she opened her eyes to look who held her she became deathly still. The concerned eyes that pitied her at the whipping post came into view. she ripped her hand from his and fell to her knees into a bow. just then the raging guard swept around the corner, his face red and his eyes bloodshot with rage. a bloody trail trickled from his stained shirt, but once he saw who stood before him his face became pale. he bowed to his young lord. "what is the meaning of this?" the boy asked the kneeling guard, "this savage creature attacked me, my lord, I was coming to punish it". The boy only frowned and concerningly look down at the trembling girl. "did he hurt you", his voice was warm but Alora dared not to speak. Alora had heard about the Lord being cruel and heartless rulers of the castle. She couldn't stop her body from shaking in fear below him.
His hands lightly lifted her head to him, to her surprise he was seemed concerned, a small smile etched over his lips reassuring her. "Did he hurt you little fawn?" Alora couldn't help but melt at his soft tone and warmth, she looks behind her at the guard snarling and the fear swept over her, damaging her voice. She couldn't speak. The boy turned his attention to the guard, "did you harm this girl", The guards snaring facelifted from the ground, "That is a slave my Lord, I was only taking what I deserve", The disgusting brown smile crawled over his face. The young lord only grimaced at him. He called out a name and a sturdy built man emerged behind him, mangled scars ran down his arms and face. "Teach this man what a true animal is" the boy's brows were furrowed and his eyes cold. The man behind him smirked before parting his lips in a growl, sharp descending teeth lurched from his mouth, and his eyes changed into a glowing blue. He pounced into the air, the sound of cloths shredding and a furry beast land with a thud to the ground. Its huge body straightening, its blue slit eyes, and snarling lips pointed at the guard huddling in fear.
"Come with me little fawn", The boy helped Alora to her feet, her eyes glued to the beast. She had always new the stories of men changing into giant beasts but she never thought she would witness it so close. Alora was shaking but something fascinated her, she only snapped back when the young lord grabbed around her shoulder and started pulling her away from the battle. He led her towards the barracks, she could sense the eyes of others watching her, she shriveled into his grasp.
They finally arrived back to the cellar rooms, Mary stood in shock at the sight of her young lord walking a slave back to the rooms. "Where have you been mutt, how dare you even think of touching his Lordship", She was fuming, "I'm so sorry my lord I will take care of this right away", "No need mistress she was in trouble with one of the guards so I only aided a hand for her well being, take her and make sure she is well looked after". Alora shivered after his warm hand left her bare shoulder, Marys mouth gaped at his words, "Yes my lord I will do as you command". After he disappeared back threw the door, Mary's face morphed into one of anger. "How dare you associate with the Lord's sons, I assure you this shall be punished". She thrust her further into the room, the other slaves around her staired, and silents whispers breezed threw them. Alora closed her eyes and covered her ears, bracing for the mistress's wrath. After the beating, she received the day she had arrived made her want to fall over sick. The whip crackled threw the dense air but never hit, Alora opens her eyes to Tiron's furrowed brow and pained face. He clunge around her taking the brunt of the whip's lash, His arms firm around her. "Move mutt", Mary growled the words threw her sharp gritted teeth. "I want to take the beating for her", he tried his best to not let his voice shake. Mary's face crinkled into an amused grin, "so be it", and with those words, she raised the whip over her head. Tiron shoved Alora to the side right as it descended down. She watched in fear as Tiron hunched on the floor gritting his teeth. After a few long minutes, the sound of the crackling whip finally stopped, and the room was silent with the mortified faces of the children slaves. Alora was frozen her eyes wide, she was about to go to him until a tight hand gripped around her wrist. "The mistress is sure to beat you if you go near him now", Alora looks behind her to the golden-haired girl that gripped her wrist. It was the same girl who had accused her of dumping the water bucket the day before. Alora wanted to let her anger boil but the girl's face was sad and tears danced around her eyes. "I'm sure he'll be alright, he always gets back up", the girl and Alora looked on in pain at Tirons hunched body, But just as the girl said he slowly started to move, and before long he was standing again. His eyes were streaked red and a painful expression held on to him. Alora wanted to help him but if she did now his pain would have been in vain. She slunk back to the girl still holding her wrist tight. Mary turned to her, "Lisen here you little slut, stay away from the Lord and his sons. If I or any of the other Misstress find you flirting your way around, they will have full permission to beat you with nothing held back". Her eyes shot golden daggers at Alore. She cowards at her glowing gaze.
After this, the children were chained to there beds before they slept, It seemed that every slave became even more bitter to Alora as well. she tried to stay out of there way and become a mere shadow around the mistresses, and as time went by it slowly became easier to fade into nothing.