The Slave

Led to being here

description: slavery has been outlawed in Araluen; however, there are still those few that own them, and of course there are illegal slave traders. what happens when King Duncan and his group come upon a young slave that has them all falling in love with him, even the emotionless Halt? a young slave has somehow found himself to be the company of the king and some of his men, what will happen to him? and just exactly who it this slave?

warning: punishment of slave, mentions of inappropriate touching, blood, memories, beatings, and so on. ALMOST RAPE!

disclaimer: all known characters belong to author, John Flanagan! not me!

I woke up to hands holding my down, and quickly tried to struggle. key word being 'tried', after all, I haven't eaten in almost four days. I finally am forced to stop my weak struggles when I am picked up and carried a short ways, before being thrown into the wagon once more. I try to move away as I feel the wagon rock as Allen climbs in, only to be grabbed by the hair, and forced closer, till I was kneeling right in front of him.

"got something to tell you boy." Allen said as he roughly yanked the blindfold off, and that's when I noticed that he was smiling, and it terrified me more than I'd ever been before. "I'm an Araluen all right, but years ago I was ran outta this kingdom by Rangers, because I killed my wife and two sons. I made my way up to Clonmel, and found myself a job as an adviser to the king. well, a few years ago the king passed a law, that said that all slaves are to be brought to him, and if he likes them he will buy them for himself. so, you might just find yourself the slave of King Ferris, aint that exciting?"

I just glare at Allen, trying very hard not to allow him to see my fear, but he just laughs. then his smile and laugh disappear, and he grabs me roughly and spins me around, allowing me to see the coffin like box that rested in the middle of the wagon. I try to struggle as he forces me towards the box, and then into it. only to soon find myself unable to move as the lid is put on and nailed into place. I hear Allens voice through the box as I try to control my breathing.

"I can't risk you escaping boy, so you're going to stay in that box during the days, and if you behave during the day I might let you out at night. but if you don't you'll find yourself going without food. you didn't really behave yesterday, so you'll receive no food today." with that I hear him turn around and go to the front of the wagon, and moments later I feel the wagon moving once more. as we travel I try to take my mind off of what is happening to me, and I find myself thinking over the events that led to me being here today.

I thought back to the days that my father sold me.

(Flash back starting)

I walked down the old beaten path that lead to the cabin where my father and I lived. I had a wheelbarrow of groceries in front of me, and I was on my way home from picking them up in town. I'm the outcast in town, everyone knows that my father hates and beats me, just as they know that I am almost never fed. but they do nothing about it, they just ignore me because my father saved the village and they believe that he knows how to raise his son, they won't believe that he is no longer that great man he once was. as I stop in front of the cabin and begin to put the groceries away, I think about the man my father used to be. he used to be an amazing soldier, and a valuable healer. he had fought in the war against the monster morgarath, who was finally killed when I was five. he had been a great man before my mother died, he had loved her more than anything else, and he blamed me for her death. you see, my mother died giving birth to me, and so my father hates me, but I can no longer dwell on these things, as I hear father's horse coming up the path.

I quickly finish with the groceries, and then grab a bucket and race outside to the well, knowing that he will want coffee as soon as possible, and that I'll get a beating for not having it made before he got home. I was just leaning over the well to throw the bucket, when I feel a large hand wrap around my neck, and I know it's my father. as he starts to lean me over the well, I know that I'm about to spend a couple days in the cold water, and it won't be the first time, anymore than it would be the last. I don't even cry out as I am thrown over the wall and into the water below, I just try to find the large rock to sit on until he pulls me out, already knowing it could be a couple days.