In the manor kitchen, Rize was busying himself, cleaning and preparing dinner mainly on occasion Margaret would ask him to bring her ingredients from the storehouse, usually this would slightly annoy Rize, but not today. Today was his 10th birthday. Even though he was a slave, he was still excited his uncle had told him that he had a surprise for him, honestly he didn’t have high expectations but it would be the first gift he will ever have, the only thing in the whole world that he can truly call his, and his alone.
All his life he’d heard stories from his uncle and the other slaves, about how great it is to own things instead of being owned, lavish parties and delicious meals. He uncle used to talk seamlessly about how he and mother used to live in a keep, keeping only the finest of possessions, dancing to the most splendid music and how they used to be on top, whatever that meant. Occasionally he mentions the master’s name sometimes it almost seems as if they used to be friends, but he’s quick to discard such thoughts.
Making his daily trip to the dining room to bring the master his dinner he bumps into Lottie sweeping the floor along one of the longer corridors, “Hey Lottie,” he says barely containing his inner excitement, ”Is there anything you’d like to say to me?” trying to act like he didn’t want her to make a fuss over his birthday. “Hey Rize, no not really, why?” disheartened by what she had just said Rize’s whole body seemed to droop like a willow in the wind, averting his gaze now focused on the floor back to Lottie, he notices a mischievous smile plastered across her face, realising he’d been tricked he turned a deep shade of crimson.
“Ha ha ha, did you really think I forgot?” placing her hands on her hip she continues, “Happy birthday Rize”. “Did you get me anything good?” he asks knowing full well that it was impossible. “No but I do know what your uncle got you”. “Really?” now unable to hold back his inner excitement be begins berating her with questions about it but the only answer he got was, “well it wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you would it?”
“Hey Rize did you hear the rumor that’s going around?” “No, why?” Putting on a superior air she says, “I heard that in a few months the master is going to have some guests, mum told me that usually means a few slaves get to leave and see the world,” clasping her hand over her chest looking out of the window she continues, “I hope a princess takes me away.” The two continued to talk for a while before Rize left to complete his task.
He was in a rush, now not wanting to get punished he had quickened his step, but then he saw it, the dagger. He couldn’t help but slow down to a snail’s pace in order to admire it again, ever since that time he was talking to Lottie he’s stopped every day trying to figure out what made him want it so badly, sometimes he can swear he hears somebody whispering that he should take and use it on the master. Realising that he’d spent too much time musing looking at the dagger he continued on his way.
Knocking on the door, he enters the dining room he sees that the master is stood by one of the rear windows just staring, he hadn’t even noticed Rize entering. “Master?”Rize calls out across the room, seeing that there was no reply he edged forwards slightly once again calling out, “Master,” only slightly louder this time, still not noticing his presence he edges forwards more now only a few feet away he almost calls out again, however, this time it appeared to have been unneeded as the master had turned around to face him.
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An odd expression flashes across the master’s face as he looks at Rize before it returns to its natural indifference, only slightly off, unable to comprehend why the master had looked at him like that Rize ask, “Are you alright master?” completely ignoring the question the master begins to cut into his meal and as the first mouthful is about to enter his mouth he stops abruptly, “why is this cold?” quaking in his boots Rize fumbling over is words almost in tears, “I-im s-so-sowwy,” now practically cowering in front of the master. For a split second, the master pauses before saying with a slight cough, “Well don’t let it happen, you may leave”.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Rize quickly bows slightly and scurries out of the dining room. Once outside of the door he leans back against the wall slowly sinking down to the ground, wondering why he wasn’t punished and what why he reacted like he did. Giving his head shake he tells himself, “I can’t worry about that right now, I should go finish my choirs so I can go home”.
Finishing up the last of his choirs he says goodbye to Margaret before running all the way home, he was exited unable to hold it in any longer, smiling the whole time during his mad dash home.
Entering his hut, heart palpitating, hands sweaty, he is caught by surprise by the collective call from his uncle, Rory, Lottie, Charlotte and Rory. “Surprise!” overwhelmed by the love he felt from them Rize bursts into tears. Unsure of what just happened everyone crowds around him barraging him with questions asking him whats wrong and why he was crying. Once he had calmed down a bit he just said, “I love you guys,” giving him a knowing smile his uncle was the first to attack him with a hug then the rest piled in.
Once the festivities got underway Chester hands, Rize an object wrapped in torn slave cloth, ”here this is for you”. Almost bursting into tears again Rize says, “thank you,” unwrapping the item only to find a small red rock in the shape of a knife taken aback by the gift his uncle had prepared for him he was lost for words, he understood that his uncle must have shaped and sharpened it himself, the amount of time it had taken to create it just proved how much his uncle loved him, “thank you,” it was the only thing he could say.
“You’re 10 now if we weren’t slaves you would begin combat training at this and that you will,” he says turning to Rory. “That’s right lad your uncle and I are going to teach you how to fight, we may not be able to teach you magic because of the slave mark but we can teach you how to fight,” he says patting Rize on the back with his gigantic hand almost sending him flying forwards. Giving a little chuckle Chester chimes in, ”one more thing about that dagger it’s made of blood crystal, as long as it’s near your body you will feel more invigorated, your body wont tire as easily and hunger won’t be as unbearable, this is way Rory is still so big even with our rations and how the slave have enough strength to work in the mines and build all day.”
After the party had come to an end it was time for bed, overwhelmed by the excitement of the day Rize was out like a light.
Millions of stars filled up his vision, awed by the beauty of this space Rize can’t help but exclaim in adoration of the sight before him, never before had he seen such beautiful scenery. “hey kid, turn around,” a hollow voice askes. Turning around to see what had called him Rize sees three figures. The first is a gaunt man in odd garments with black hair and dark bags under his eyes sporting a tired look. The second was a short man in his early twenties covered head to toe in slightly overused black garb with a dagger strapped to his back, this man had small scars all over his body and a cheeky smile on his face. The third was a greying middle-aged man with a large scar arcing across the side of his face, this was wearing dented armor and had a broadsword attached to his left hip and a dagger strapped to his lower back.
Rize didn’t know why but these three men seemed familiar to him like he had met them before.