"What to do today? Perhaps some slave hunting? No, maybe I should look for some prime specimens to add to my collection. What do you think my dear?"
The young lady cowered and begun to tremble. A snicker could be heard from one of the guards. One of the older slaves stood up to say something to protect the her, but was stopped in her tracks just from the intense stare the Baron gave her.
"I asked you a question and I expect an answer you wench!" The Baron exclaimed as he ripped the leash towards him, pulling the young slave to her knees.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." She managed to say as she wept.
"This one is useless, seems she needs more training. Make sure she sleeps with the hounds for the week as punishment. I'm sure they will teach her some manners and make her realize she is nothing but a lowly slave." The Baron said as an evil grin grew across his face.
A guard stepped towards the Baron and took the leash from him. He yanked on the leash forcing the weeping slave to follow him to the hounds' kennels. The other women slaves all looked away, hurt knowing that there was nothing they could do.
"Baron Garnet sir, what should we do about The Desolate Plains? Should I take a small team to investigate the cause behind the flames?" The guard standing next to the Baron asked.
"Hmm, I don't really see the need. If that place could burn for all eternity then we would never have to worry about slaves trying to escape there, or the scum peasants claiming monsters came from there to destroy their crops. Now there will be no excuse for them not to pay their taxes."
The Baron stood up and walked over to the window. A twisted grin formed over his face. "You know, if that slave doesn't learn her lesson after a week and the flames are still going, we should set her free and then let the hounds chase her all the way to The Desolate Plains. She can make the choice, become the hounds' breeding toy or run into the blaze and roast herself alive!" The Baron broke into a hysterical laugh, "Yes, I think that would be most entertaining. I considered giving her to you guys as the barracks stress relief toy, but I doubt any of you would want to use the her after the hounds are done."
The guards all begun to laugh in unison. Just like the Baron, they're sick and twisted down to the bone. The Baron walked up to one of the other slaves and grabbed her by the hair, dragging her to his personal bedchambers. All the slaves could do was breathe a sigh of relief that they were not chosen, however they all felt sorry for the girl that was taken.
Back in the royal capital, the young sheepherder was standing before the castle gate demanding an audience with the King. The guards refused to allow him to pass, but when he mentioned he had a message from the demon of the blaze, the guards opened the gate and he was led to the waiting hall. The guard told him to wait in the waiting hall while he went to inform the King. The sheepherder inspected the waiting hall. It was probably 10 times bigger than his entire house and sheep pen combined. The walls were decorated with the finest silk drapes, the pillars made of marble and the statues all solid gold. The paintings on the wall were all paintings of great battles, many of which the King had taken part in when he was in his prime. There was one painting however, that stood out to the him. The painting was not of some battle but rather a landscape. The young King stood with his sword in hand and his back to the Desolate Plains, however that wasn't the weirdest part of the painting. What truly shocked the him was that The Desolate Plains were engulfed in flames. If he strained his eyes hard enough he could make out the shape of a demon, the one that told him to deliver the message, standing in the flames. He squealed in delight, it was surly fate that he was the chosen one to deliver the message, this is where his life would change. He knew he had to sell his house and sheep after he left the capital. His job now was to spread this message and guide the chosen few into the utopia that would be created.
YOU ARE READING
The King's Game - Blackbarrow Arc (Part 1)
FantasyA warrior named Royland is sent by the Gods to bring peace and unite the realm by erasing humanity. The King, backed by a mysterious man, however doesn't seem keen on being erased and has instead united the realm to take the fight to the Gods. What...
