Abased - The Exiled Warrior

Chapter 8.1 - Slave

"Nurlan!"

Shaleh charged. White knuckles held the sword in two hands.

Gretch stepped away from Nurlan to face her.

She swung her sword over her shoulder and struck out. The blade whistled, but Gretch caught it on his sword. Again she attacked. Again he blocked. She stepped in and stabbed. He flinched back and smashed her blade to the side. She was wide open and off balance. His sword slashed towards her neck. She ducked under the blow and flicked her sword out. It went wide.

"Shaleh, stop!" Nurlan said.

Gretch drove a powerful blow straight down on her. She raised her blade. The blow sent a shock through her arm and forced her sword down. She stumbled backwards. Off balance again. Gretch advanced.

"Enough!" Rustam bellowed. "I want her alive!" He had raised himself to his knees and was trying to stand back up after Clarisai's magic had drained him of strength.

Gretch stepped back from Shaleh and looked over to Liege Marext. When he nodded Gretch stepped further back.

"And him?" Gretch pointed at Nurlan.

"You've beaten him," answered Rustam. "If he survives the wound I'll make him my slave."

Shaleh moved between Nurlan and Gretch and pointed her sword at Gretch.

"Leave him alone," she growled.

Behind her, Nurlan grunted as he rose to his feet. "Let it go, Shaleh. It is over."

"I can beat him," she replied quietly. "You've already wounded him."

She felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Not today, my sweet one. You're being too reckless to..."

His hand slid off her shoulder and he collapsed to the ground with a thump.

She dropped her sword, turned around, and sunk to her knees. Nurlan was breathing heavily, with his hand clutching his blood-soaked side.

"Don't fight him," Nurlan muttered between breaths. "I can't bear to lose you." Unconsciousness took him.

Tears overwhelmed her. Sobbing, she lay down next to him in the cool grass.

Gretch walked over and picked up her sword, then Nurlan's.

"I hate you!" she spat at Gretch. "I hate you! I hate you! I will always hate you!"

"And yet you mean nothing to me," said Gretch as he slowly walked to take his place next to his Liege.

Rustam's warriors pried her off of Nurlan and carried her thrashing and kicking back to Rustam. Other warriors placed Nurlan on a stretcher and carried him away, through the crowd and out of sight.

"I hope my healer can save him," Rustam said to her. "I would like to have him as my slave. Then he will die everyday as he sees you by my side, instead of just dying once."

She continued to try to yank herself free of the two warriors that held her. "You are a coward, Rustam! A coward and a moron! If you hurt him, I swear I'll kill you!"

He stepped closer to her and lowered his voice.

"I used to want you to be my wife. Now I think I'll just make you my slave. Slaves can't say no."

She stopped squirming and went limp, with head dipped against her chest.

"Good girl," Rustam sneered and put his rough hand on her cheek. "It's good to see you accepting your fate."