Ranger's Apprentice (The Escapee)

Chapter 1

"Rana scrub harder" the buff man who had killed her father and mother yelled at her!

"Yes Drak" Rana said quietly, while scrubbing her master's feet. She scrubbed the last of dirt of his foot and he stood up with a satisfied look.

"Good job Rana I will give you some gold to buy yourself something in the Skandia market" He said. Making Rana beam with pride. She collected the gold with glee.

"Drak may I go buy something now" Rana asked him hoping he wouldn't get angry at her. He nodded his head and looked out at the ocean. Rana felt a ping of pain for him because she knew with his maimed arm he would never raid again. But Rana ran off to the market not disturbing her master...

"Hi girl would you like to buy something" an old, frail, woman asked?

"I don't know what do you have" Rana asked, not sure if she should blow her money on useless things.

"Spells" she answered drawing Rana closer "any thing you want for that hand full of gold, what do you say" she asked? She knew she shouldn't but she thought what does she have to lose. Rana opened her palm and gave the old lady the coins. She smiled and pulled Rana over to a rug and held out Rana's hands. "Drink this" she said. So Rana opened her mouth and gulped it all down. "Now say what you wish to happen" the woman said.

Rana thought long and hard and finally said, "I wish to be free". The old lady started convulsing and the stopped.

"If you wish to be free run to the well far outside the village" she said in a very different voice. Rana of course scared by the transformation, but also wishing to be free ran to the well.