I wouldn't suggest reading any of this as it is an older chapter. No longer matching the new story which I am currently writing. Although I can't really stop you if you want too.
[Grant's Pov]
An abrupt ray of the Sun's light was cast downward, easily shattering the thick pack of clouds which hanged overhead. Said light now vigorously blasted me directly in my face. With the fury of the Gods upon me I had no choice but to jerk forward abruptly awaking from my slumber, or risk having 2 gaping holes burned through my eyelids. Yet upon opening my very tired and burning eyes, I was quite unfamiliar with my surroundings. This wasn't my room, or wasn't my house to be exact. Hell I wasn't even sure if I was even in my home province anymore, so where was I? Being surrounded by several wooden bars on all sides surely didn't make me feel safe or confirmable. Full of confusion and concern for my own well being I attempted to roll to my feet, I would need a better view of my surroundings if I wanted any chance of knowing where I was.
"Aack!?" I felt a sharp pain ran through my back as I arose. While rubbing my now sore back I attempted to inspect my surroundings a bit more.
Upon observing my surroundings slightly, mostly toward the ground. I noticed how odd the ground appeared, the grass and dirt seemed more disturb then what you'd normally see just by walking over it. Almost as if one had dug it upon frequently. As a hunter of wild animals and beast myself, I had felt like these common disturbance within the ground were attempts to plant traps or something else.
Although I'm sure I was just over thinking it right? I best focus my attention on my current predicament, finding out where I was and how to get back home.
The ever present pain eating away at my back sure did make concentrating difficult though. Judging from how sore I was, I could generally guess that I night have spent nearly if not the entire night sleeping in this rigid and unsecured wooden cage. Ok more problems for the list, and not a single explanation on where I am or why the heck am I in a cage right now.
I could feel my head begin to become clouded by groups of negative and distracting thoughts. Am I even capable of getting back home on my own? What will I do even if I do get home, surely the people who brought me here know where I live and can find me again right? I'm not nearly strong enough to fight off a group of people if this was organized?
"Damn it!" I yelled slapping myself in the face with both my hands. It was the only thing I could think of doing to keep myself as calm as possible. At the rate things were going I could easily see myself becoming overwhelmed by this if I didn't get my shit together. For the next 5 minutes I attempted to remain still, focusing on taking deep breaths which would hopefully gather my thoughts.
"Calm myself, I shouldn't be panicking from something like this. This isn't the behavior a hunter like myself should allow for" Taking one final deep breathe I would finally be able to properly steel my thoughts. Looking over my right shoulder there wasn't much aside from several other cages with people inside them. Aside from the cages there were several stacks of crates as well. I wasn't sure what the contents of these crates may have been however certainly it couldn't have been weapons right? Speaking of unsure, I found it quite confusing on why there wasn't any guards I guess. Yea how odd, there was a single person here who wasn't trapped in a cage. Whoever kidnapped me and these people surely did a bad job handing out orders for them to guard us. I mean who would be foolish enough to just keep boxes of potentials weapons near the cages of the people you've imprisoned unguarded.
"I shouldn't get side tracked, back to observing" I had said after a heavy sigh. Now turning to my left and closing my eyes. This allowing myself to focus more on my hearing, after a brief moment of silence I would finally noticed a faint sound of moving water. Hopefully it was a river, then I might be able to follow it to the nearest village once I got out of this cage. A poorly crafted one at that now that I inspected it more. It seemed to have slightly gave in upon any pressure I applied to one of the wooden bars slightly.
Since there are other people in cages surrounding me, should I take the risk of trying to communicate with them. I mean surely there was no way that I would be so far out to the point where we couldn't speak the same language, right? Nonsense! It can't be that hard.... hopefully. However even after attempting to convince myself that things would work out, I could shake the fear of this not working out or possibly backfiring horribly. It was only after this thought had crossed my mind that I had once again slapped both my hands against my face which encouraged me to start this conversation.
As so, I turned back to the group of cages. Looking to the person closes to me, I assumed whoever I was looking at to be male based on general appearance.
"Hey!, you there" I called out reluctantly, unsure on how to address the person.
"Huh!" A brief silence accompanied the person as they awoken. Eventually followed by their confused yelling.
"Where the hell am I!?" The person yelled while they jolted up, however they would quick fall back down just as quickly as they arose. This being caused from what I can only assume was by a sore back guessing from my own experiences.
"What is this!?" The person called out, while twisting and turning within their cage to find a more optimal position for themself to accommodate for their sore back.
As the person thrashed around I could finally see them more accurately now, they seemed to have been around my height at maybe five 'eight or so. Definitely male in appearance as they had a thick black beard with lines of grey running through it, also possessing a more muscle like build then even me. Of course I would need to get back to the topic at hand.
"Not sure myself" I stated while propping my right arm over my leg, using this all to support my head.
"In fact I was actually hoping you would have a clue on how you ended up here" I said attempted to appeal to the man.
The man have it some thought for a second, a uncertainty hinted within their expression.
"Lets see, if I retrace my steps then I was working at my workshop I believe" The man said, his voice much more heavier. This making it sound like he was simply screeching before in comparison.
"Workshop? are you perhaps a craftsmen?" I questioned in curiosity.
"Yes and no, I am a blacksmith from Penzance" The man said before a quick pause.
"I was preparing to make a set of farming tools upon the orders of the village mayor, however while working through the night a grouped of armed men broke into my workplace" The man said this while raising his left hand. Funny enough when I had originally spotted the man or called out to him, I wasn't even aware of the bandages covering his left hand. The man then going onto add more onto his prior statement.
"Thinking back on it I'm sure this was the work of those crazy bandits from Bodalf's group.
"Farming tools?" I was frozen and unable to fully listen to what the man added on, deep within thought as I was on the verge of a discovery.
"WAIT a minute!" I yelled to myself also causing the man to flitch slightly from the sudden raise of my voice. Pushing my hands around underneath my now dirtied brown clothe shirt which was now covered in many tears, from the cage I assume...… I hope. I urgently for "It" the possible key to solving this the current problem of being stuck here without any defense.
"Thank the gods, I found it" I exclaimed giving a heavy sigh of relief as I pulled out a small leather sheathe.
"You got something there young one?" The Blacksmith questioned, full of curiosity.
"Young one? Just call me Grant" You responded to him while unsealing what was within the sheathe. It was a small dagger for protection at most given it's modest size.
"Oh perfect!" The Blacksmith exclaimed in excitement, the volume in which he did so being quite concerning as it seemed to have awoken a few others within their cages.
"Well then in that case you may call me Lukas!" Once again, the volume he had exclaimed such being even louder then before. Although I could understand the source of this excitement, to him I had probably just solved almost all of our problems. Still I wouldn't be surprise if this man by the name of Lukas was the mid-night menace to anybody trying to get some quality sleep back at his village.
"Young- I mean Grant, what type of trade do you specialize in for you to be carrying such a thing in your shirt?" Lukas questioned me, thankfully in a much more quite manner then before. Although I did believe it to late to be concerned for it.
"A simple hunter sir" That's all I could really say on the matter. Saying anymore would make it harder for me to change the subject back to what I originally wanted it to be.
"So could you tell me more about "Bodalf's group" which gave you trouble?" I questioned Lukas who gave a heavy sigh possibly just by thinking of them.
"Judging from that question I'm assuming your not from here, allow me to enlighten you" Lukas said in-between grunts as he attempted to set himself upright, crossing his legs within the cage to leave plenty of space. A much more dignified position then his original position of laying down with both legs suspended in the air supported by his cage bars from when he had fell over.
"I believe my attackers and your kidnappers to be from Bodalf's Bandit Troop" Lukas had declared ever so confidently. Although I had never heard of this "bandit troop" or "Bodalf" the way Lukas would go about describing them would instill a feeling of concern within me. Lukas would go onto explain to me not something that would deserve the name of a bandit troop. In fact what he described would be more akin to that of a criminal empire currently in it's infant phases.