🌊Siren's Son🌊Oneshots

Newcomers

The very annoying sound of chains clashing together was especially loud tonight. The hunters had come back, and most of them had caught quite a few half-bloods.

"How many?" Her stupidly exasperating voice rang out.

"Six. A whole party caught trying to get resources from Ravenfell." The hunter answered.

"Resources? My, my," She smirked, "Brand them, and put them in their new cells."

"Yes, Madam Cercie."

You winced a little. It was something that happened to every single half-blood that walked through that door, yet you could never get used to hearing it happen over and over and over again. No matter how strong you think you are, getting branded will always be the worst experience. Not because of the pain, no. You would endure so much worse than the branding in your stay here. It was the worst, because it was the eye opener. The one blow that made you realize how real your situation was.

One minute you could be out and about, minding your own business with your family, and the next you could be on a hunters cage cart. Even then, you would still tell yourself that it was just a bad dream. Everything would soon be over. Suddenly the burning hot branding iron melts your skin.. And its not a dream. Its real. This was your life now.

Even though you would only go through the process once, everytime newcomers came along, it was a painful reminder to everyone that all they could do was sit still, and watch as another being got hurt to the same extent, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. It was the reminder of being powerless.

One by one, you heard their pleas and begging, their tears and finally their cries of pain. One by one, you heard the physical abuse that happened between the window frame of them getting branded and being taken into the cages.

You saw them getting escorted into the prisons. Everyones eyes were on the newcomers. Everyone was scanning them, hoping to see someone of the same species as themselves.

Cercie was a very organized person. She loved to put her little money making pets in order by their species. This not only made it easy for her to visualize what two half-bloods would make for the best fights, but also it would make window shopping for a pedigree for the rich nobles much easier. That way they could go from species to species and look at genetics and what not. If it was a big broad species like cattlefolk, then she would divide them into bulls, cows, oxen, etc. Otherwise all half-bloods of that specific species would go to the same cage.

In other words, people would get really excited to see another half-blood of their same species because it meant new company.

You scanned the group hoping that this time it would be you who would get new company. Being the only one of your kind at Cercie's arena was quite lonely. It would be nice to have someone else in the same cell with you. Though you wouldn't be able to talk, the comfort of being in the presence of someone else who you didn't have to fight would be nice.

Looking over the crowd you saw a lion, a tiger, three bulls, and.. A bear. Hope filled your eyes for another foolish time. You wouldn't be alone anymore. His hair was long, brown, and soft looking. He was a grizzly bear. You as a black bear were smaller than him, but looking at him there was an unusual thought. If you as a black bear were always sent out to fight because it was the most entertaining and aggressive fight of the night, then how many times would they overuse him? His enchanting violet eyes were already full of defeat, and suffering.

You feared for the worst for this newcomer. Matter of fact you fear for all of them, because they were all relatively huge guys who could easily make the bitch quite a bit of money. Even though you once had the record for the most aggressive half-blood in the arena, you had a feeling that with the lion, soon that title would be stripped from you. You watched the bear, as one by one they all got dragged towards their new home for the foreseeable future.

Eventually he was shoved into your cage, wincing and yelping from the pain of the fresh brand. Then the guards went away. In a matter of simple seconds the prisons went from being dead silent, to rambling, movement, and quiet whispers.

Your eyes peered over him as he got adjusted to his new environment. Just then, he attempted to get up, "Don't. You'll only hurt yourself further." You advised.

"Yeah, well then what do you suggest I do? Stay here, and let her get away with it?" He was choking on his own tears.

"Let me help you." You loomed over him, as stated before he was larger than you, but in this moment, with his weakened and defeated state, you were much stronger than he was. You extended your arm out so that he could grab onto your hand. Slowly as he got used to the movement, you pulled him upwards and had him lean on your shoulder before you could take him to the bed.

"So whats your story?" You asked. In response he groaned as soon as he sat on the bed. "Right.. I take it, its a bad time. If you want get some shut eye. You'll need it."

"No. I don't need rest. I need to go home. I.. I have to find my brother." He resisted.

"Listen, uhh.."

"Hammond."

"Right. Listen, Hammond, as of right now even if you really wanted to somehow breakfree- which trust me many of us not only want to but have also tried- you'd only get yourself killed, either by the guards, or by your injuries doing you in. You are not in any condition to be escaping these cages."

"Aren't you optimistic." He joked.

You smiled, "I'm glad you still have it in you to joke. Not many of us are like that anymore."

"What's your name?" He asked, suddenly curious about his new cellmate.

"(Name),"

"Nice to meet you, roomie, I'm Hammond Harmon." He tried to smile, but the pain was apparently too much for him.

"A last name? Not many of us have those. Tell me, where are you from,Hammond?" You let curiosity take hold of you.

"I'm not sure. All I know is that when I was eight years old, and my little brother was five, our parents were taken away by hunters. By some miracle I stumbled upon a woman who was either kind enough, or pitied us enough, to take us to.." He lowered his voice, and leaned in, "The half-blood sanctuary."

Realization and foolish hope hit your eyes. That made so much sense. That's why their clothes were so much nicer than any other half-blood you've ever seen. That's why they were so clean, and well put together. They all looked as if they came from a place of privilege. Not like the nobles of course, but privileged in the standards of every other half-blood in the arena.

"You're not used to this type of life then, eh?"

"No.." A curious light was now under Hammonds eyes.

"Ask away." You said, as if reading his mind.

"What's your story?"

It was this very reason why you craved to have someone with you in your cell. Someone who cared to ask. Someone who didn't know the hell that awaited them as soon as they were brought out to take anothers life.

"I was born a pet. Not from a pedigree, but my mother simply fell in love with my father and I was the result of that. I was just seen as an unwanted creature. Because of this my mother was killed for giving life to scum. Never knew her, but my father. My father looked after me best he could. Over the years both of us were sold out, and sold back into house Fain. But eventually the old man was worn to pieces." You paused, not wanting to remember this part of the story.

"Did he pass?" Hammond asked.

You chuckled maniacally. "Yeah. He passed. By my own hand." A single tear fell from your eyes. You didn't even know you were tearing up. God.. it had been so long since you gave that memory any thought.

"Oh. Im so sorry." He sympathized.

"No, its fine. Cercie is just fucked like that. And if I were you, I wouldn't be too trusting that she won't be something similar to you. Don't go bad mouthing her, or doing shit, because if she's mad enough about it, I bet you she'll go out to find your brother and have you kill him yourself as well."

His face turned pale, and you weren't sure if it was because of the realization or the pain. This served as your signal to stop, and let the man breathe for the night.

"Well.." You sighed, "I suggest you get some sleep, Hammond. In the morning you'll realize what a shit show this place truly is.. Goodnight, friend."