Shadows of Voryn

Chapter One

Image above is T'ara

                                                                                          T'ara

10 years Later

The back of a whip slashed across T'ara's battered light brown skin, clenching her teeth, and trying not to react. Her flesh tore open over her lower back, and she hunched over, wincing. T'ara had grown used to the whip. She was more familiar with it than she was with anything else. Now and then, she would be introduced to a thicker one as if she'd been promoted but they were all the same.

"We need more wood than you are chopping for the manor. Lord Thad will be hosting guests and wood needs to be obtained for individual rooms." The guard held his whip and stepped forward, threatening to use it again. Dirt swirled over the ground from the harsh wind blowing in from the south, and dark clouds promised rain by the end of the night.

She had always felt connected to nature but since losing her parents, there was distance. The earth seemed to forget that she once planted seeds into its soil. As a child, T'ara would speak to the goddesses and thank them for protecting the land she walked upon.

But life had changed and the only thing she got now was the sharp chilly wind. T'ara wore thin, ragged clothes and shoes that were falling apart. She stood in the open field, gritting her teeth as she looked ahead, toward the manor that had three levels with watch towers at every end. A stone wall wrapped around Lord Thad's manor, at least twenty feet high, with heavy wooden double doors as the main entrance. His house sigil of a beast standing on two legs rested down against the walls, unmoving despite the wind.

T'ara gripped the axe tightly and pictured chopping her way through every guard, knight, and Lord until there were known left but knew that would be the quickest way to death. She'd lived too long now to throw her life away from carelessness. No, it was not time yet to fight. She breathed slowly to calm the craving to kill them all and sneered reaching for another log to chop.

"Girl!" The guard took a step forward painting at the one-wheeled wagon. "Take what you've finished to the front entrance of the manor. I swear, you test my patience on purpose."

He was right. If T'ara wanted to, she could have chopped twice as many logs, but she would not break a sweat for him or any guard. She moved with lazy intent toward the wagon, finding her grip on both arm handles, it was full of wood.

His whip lashed out at her again, marking her arm. She didn't lose her grip, the pain full. He sneered, angry at her lack of reaction.

"I can give you more than this whip if you like." He spoke in a threatening low raspy voice, stepping closer. He desired to harm her as much as many men with a cock between their legs. T'ara smelled his intentions, narrowed her eyes, and challenged him.

Lips dry and cracked, T'ara spoke in a daring tone. "Most I continue with my work, or shall I wait for your cock to harden? I do know you guards have trouble even pissing out of that thing that flaps most days." T'ara gray hazel eyes stared as if waiting for him to make a choice.

His jaw tightened; expression skewed enraged by her boldness. She expected him to hit her again with the whip, but he changed his mind, straightening. "Take the wagon to the manor. I do hope you make it there without tilting wagon over." He moved the whip in his hand, and she knew he'd slash her with every step she took. It was better for him than her. T'ara hadn't been touch by any man in years. Not after the last guard nearly had his cock torn off by her own hands.

Another one of Lord Thad's men walked up, chuckling and handing him a flask. "Bitch giving you a hard time?"

T'ara's frown deepened. To them, she was distraction from their duties.