The Slave

Haven

escription: 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!

Sorry it's been so long and that I must inform you that my updates will be far from each other, but I'm not abandoning anything. ALSO, IMPORTANT!, this chapter might make you guys a little mad, but I've been writing descriptive narrative for the past week and cant get them out of my head, so this entire chapter is basically going to be a descriptive piece.

Will's POV:

I look out over the see as I think of what happened yesterday. We found out that Halt is really a prince and rightful king of a kingdom which his brother stole from him, and that he now has to go home to stop his brother from destroying the country he loves. We had stopped at Araluen port late yesterday afternoon in order to drop off everyone else, leaving only Halt, Horace and myself on this journey. after we had seen them all off, I had to allow Halt to look after my wounds once more, only to find that the marks on my back are already starting to heal, and that my nipple will soon be completely whole once more. Man am I glad i only had that ring in for a day, allowing for no permanent damage.

Feeling someone come up behind me, I force myself to appear calm while truly tensing for a fight. However, I quickly recognize Halts light footsteps and allow myself to relax for real. I can smell coffee surrounding him and wonder when he last drank a cup for the scent to still linger. I can't really explain it, but I feel at peace when around Halt, as if my mind somehow knows that I'm safe when I'm with him. In fact, I've only ever felt this feeling once before; in the meadow behind my house where I would go to escape my father.

Thinking of this place brings the memories back, and I soon find myself with my eyes closed, and imagining myself back in my meadow. I can smell the river as it crawls by; hear the soft sound of the rapids that form near my small haven, and picture the deer that I know are always eating nearby. In my mind I can draw up the image of the fresh snow melting from the still green foliage, and the cold water dripping from the branched of the pines surrounding me meadow. It makes me feel safe and loved, two feeling I hardly ever get to experience.

The unusual stillness of the the rapids, the calmness of the winds, and the songs of the birds help amplify the sense of tranquility. This entire picture is only added to by the complete and utter lack of any hostile persons. The beauty of this place only adds to the sense of tranquility surrounding me. After all, where better to relax than surrounded by Nature's beauty?

I come out of my thoughts as I hear a soft sigh from beside me, and turning, I see that Horace has slipped to my side and is now leaning against the rail as well. He looks at me and smiles. Looking into his eyes, I realize why he is smiling with such a look in his eyes. When remembering my meadow, I had begun to describe it out-loud.

"Don't stop, I have never heard of such a place, and would love to hear more of your meadow." Horace's voice was slightly pleading, and I found myself looking at the tall warrior in wonder. Never would I have believed that such a soft voice could come from such a man as the one that stands beside me. "I know you did not mean for me to hear, but now I find myself wanting to know more about this meadow, please continue."

And so I did. I continued to describe my meadow to this warrior that seemed so entranced by such a simple place.

My meadow has always been beautiful, especially in the winter. At that time I can walk into the meadow and see deer at the north end, munching on whatever grass remains. I can smell the fresh snow; hear the river and the rapids that yell hello. I can feel the soft breeze tickle my red cheeks, and feel the cold slowly sink beneath my clothes. I can picture a cup of hot coffee in my cold hands, Smell the sweet honey that always is added. The smell of the honey mingles with the scent of fresh snow and rushing water. Leaving me calm and relaxed like nothing else ever could.

Even in the winter this place acts as my haven. When I can run from my father and seek shelter in the tall branches of the pines. The grass is always green and soft on my bare feet, acting as a carpet to protect sensitive heels from the cold, hard ground. The wind is always whistling through the branches, pining for my attention and begging for me to come join the in the branches.

I am about to continue when Halt appears at my side once more, allowing me to notice his earlier absence for the first time. He looks at the both of us for a moment, causing my body to freeze and my heart to stop. I would never admit it out load, but Halt scares me more than any man ever has. Something on my face must have given me away, because Halt suddenly gave a satisfied nod before turning his back to us. However, he didn't immediately walk away, instead he spoke.

"You will both eat dinner before joining me back in the Hall, there you will given all the information you will need for this assignment." This was all he said before continuing on his way from the deck and towards the hall, leaving us both wondering what happened to his sea-sickness. Oh well, with a last look out to sea, Horace and I both turned and headed below deck to get diner before heading towards our meeting with Halt, knowing it was going to be interesting.