“You, slave, it appears the sewage is backed up, I need you to go down to the sewers beneath the house and clean it,” a middle aged woman with a large wart on her face was ordering me. Her name was Therrexis Burnheart. A Baroness.
I stand around for a moment longer than was necessary; she looked at me and raised her left hand and brought down a force that was sure to break my right cheek, it had sprawled on the floor holding my cheek. “I said GO. I want you down there now.” She barked.
I quickly scrambled and left the room behind me. The entrance to the family’s sewer well wasn’t that difficult to get to at least. I manage to get there without being hit again. I lift the lid to the entrance and climb down. When I was sure I was left alone, I sat down on the floor and brought my knees under my chin and I wept.
I cried for a few minutes with no one but myself to hear my cries. My parents had died from a disease that had been going around town just last year. I was left alone at the slavery auction and was eventually sold off to the Burnhearts, a local Baron family I heard. My life here is miserable. I get daily beatings and I hardly get any food. I wish I had someone hold me while I cried. I wish my mom was still here.
Pulling myself together, I look around the tunnels to see where the blockage maybe. Is it this one? No… This one? No… Here? No… None of these are blocked. The fumes of this place are starting to make eyes water. Seeing no blockages, I make my way up the latter to escape this stinky place.
Just when I raised the lid to take a breath of fresh air I saw a face in front of mine. It was a square-ish face of a handsome guy, down to the chiseled feature of his jaw. Flawless red skin, brownish-black hair, he was currently smiling at me. It was Dathinos Burnheart, the current Baron and master of the house. Seeing the face suddenly really did startle me. He drew back his fist and punched me in my already swollen cheek. The sudden pain caused me to lose my grip and I fell down to the bottom of the floor of the floor. Looking up, I could see his face at the entrance.
“I’m going to have to keep you in here for a few days. You see the Slave Inspector is coming by to see if we are keeping up in maintaining your rights as a slave. It was only recently but there was a law that our Duke adopted from the Dukedom of Drayasil. I believe he called it the Phendahl Rights. I don’t get it but I am not giving rights to a slave. I will just say you ran away. Sooo, have a nice day!” with that, he closed the entrance; I could hear the rattling of chains and the clink of a lock.
I try standing up and immediately crumple back down. My ankle had been twisted, I’d be lucky if it wasn’t broken. The swelling of my right cheek had reached the point of blocking out half the vision of my right eye. I curl up on the floor and cry. I feel as though death would be a better alternative to this life. I just want it to all end.
I don’t know how long I was like that, but I do know I eventually fell asleep. I knew I had fallen asleep due to me waking up shivering from the cold stone floor. My eyes were getting really heavy as it got colder and colder with each passing hour. Maybe I’ll freeze to death. My clothing consisted of a dirty pillow case with holes and stains on it and a giant, shackle-like slave collar. I would like to fade in my sleep. I slowly close my eyes once, twice, and once more. The last time I did not open them.
I dreamed of being with my parents, and we were all free. We were some sweet desserts and laughing together. We were truly happy. I grabbed my mom’s sleeve and looked her in the eye and said, “I love you Mom.”
She gazed into my eyes with a warm smile and said while stroking my hair, “I lo-”
I bolted up right; I had been splashed with cold water. Looking at the where it came from, I could see a head at the entrance. It was the Baron’s oldest son Zaebzhar. He looked down me with a big smile and said, “You can sleep when you’re dead. Here, this is your food for the day.” He tossed something that had made a splat on the ground a few feet away from me.
Upon further inspection it was a rotting apple that was already covered in flies. I heard the shutting and locking of the lid above. Soaking wet, I couldn’t help but shiver. I am cold, wet, and starved. The air is foul and I was given a toxic looking apple as food. I wanted to cry, why must they do this to me? I have nothing to them, why do I deserve this. Perhaps it is for being worthless, this must be the punishment.
Feeling the hunger from not eating starting to take over, I glance over at the mush of an apple. Flies were already swarming it. No, I can’t bring myself to do it. I can’t. I slowly drag myself over to the apple and pick it up. When I picked it up, I quickly brushed off as much of the flies and grim as possible. I can’t eat this, it’s not food.
My stomach starts aching again and again from the lack of substance. Something takes over in my mind and I can easily recognize it. It was my beast half that had overridden my civil part of me out of hunger. I almost took a bite of it but quickly took control of my mind to stop. I chuck it away and shook my head. I cannot eat that.
Again my body act on its own and started to move toward the apple. No, I don’t want to. I might die! Something in my head said I might die if I don’t eat it. I couldn’t resist the urge to move to the apple before I found it a few inches in front of my face.
I lost to the instinct, I took as big I bite could out of the mush. What I tasted was pure, revolting bitterness. The sewage I could taste in the air was sweet compared to this, however I couldn’t hold back from stuffing my face with this awful mush. As I took bite after bite, choking down the apple till I was licking the mush off my fingers, I wept. When it was done, I felt like throwing up but my body wouldn’t let me. This vile taste was left in my mouth as I felt getting more and more nauseated.
The pains in my stomach had settled for only ten minutes before it came back in sharp pangs of intense pain. It felt as though I was being punched over and over, again and again in the stomach. The best I could do was holding my stomach in a curled up position on the floor with sweat running down my face. “Ah, please. Ahh, Please Stop It. Someone, help me! Ah, AGGHH. Hah, AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!” the pain had gotten worse and worse until it was unbearable. Screaming and crying hysterically went on for hours and hours till I lost consciousness.
…
I have no idea how long I have been unconscious but it seems most of the pain had subsided. My ankle still throbbed, my cheek still stings, and there were still pangs in my stomach, it was just more bearable now.
*Clang*
Looking up from this prison I could see the face a little Fire Demon. She had a small, childlike face with black, curly hair that just barely hit her shoulders. She peered into the entrance and spoke with a tenor voice, “Can you climb this ladder?”
I stand up and put a little pressure on my damaged ankle and wince in pain. I might be able to climb this ladder. This could be a trick, but her face looks too innocent for that. Using all the strength in my arms to pull my body up was a very strenuous task, but eventually I made it outside.
Sunshine was so bright I was squinting, when my sight had adjusted I discovered the little girl studying my ankle. Looking closely in this new light, I saw that it was swollen to the size of a newborn’s head. Not only that, it was also purple.
“That does not look good at all! Here, I’ll help you to the tool shed over there.” She helped me stand up once more and let me lean on her for support, she was only a little taller than I am, limping to the shed. Once we made it to the wooden construct, she set me on the floor and quickly shut the door.
She rummaged through a few shelves and grabbed a few supplies before she returned in front of me. She mumbled to herself, “I am gone for a few months and they go and get a slave, seriously, what were they thinking?”
She took a knife out of her pocket and warned me, “This is not a threat. This will hurt, but I need to drain the blood from the wound.” Before I could protest she already sliced a deep line into my swollen ankle. I was expecting to hurt quite a bit but my ankle was so much pain, I only felt a prick. I was just marveling this when this little girl put a small board of wood on either side of my ankle and tightly bound it in cloth. They more she wound the cloth, the more pain I felt. I started getting dizzy and then I fainted before I could scream.
By the time I woke up, it was dark out. But something was in the air. Something that smelled delicious! Looking around frantically I could see a plate that a piece of cooked pheasant. Before I knew it I already inhaled the food. I could hardly taste it; I had consumed it so fast. What I could taste, was heavenly and warm. Remembering the crisp texture and the juices that flowed when I bit into made my mouth water again.
Over the next few weeks, my ankle got better and my overall health also improved. I learned the girls name to Louise Burnheart. Since coming to this shed, I have not been bothered by the other family members of the Burnhearts. Louise said I was being treated as her pet. She taught me some things she had learned in her lessons. These lessons included nobility ranking, etiquette, government, arithmetic, history, and general politics.
She told me the only reason her parents are leaving me to her, is because she said she would go to the Slave Inspectors otherwise. There were a series of laws that passed in the Grand Dukedom of Drayasil that went for the better treatment of slaves, banned discrimination of races, and encourage equal opportunity in the workforces. The Windbars were trying to get a better relation with the Phendahls, so they passed the laws in their own Dukedom of Shienriech.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Knowing I wasn’t going to be beaten as badly or as often and fed more made me feel more at ease. I was not allowed to have a full meal, but Louise did her best to get me the table scraps and leftovers. I was so thankful I was moved to tears. When my ankle got better, I tried to help Louise in any way I possibly could. Mostly the only I could help the baroness-to-be was to carry her things when she went shopping.
I know my own met nothing to anybody, but Louise asked for it anyway. I felt special when I was with Louise. Today was another shopping trip, so I went along with her as I usually did. We were just looking around the fruits and vegetables for today, but Louise wanted a new dress so we went to the shopping district and visited a clothing shop.
When we walked through the doors, she turned and looked at me, “I already know the dress I want, I saw it last time was here. Just stand here while I go try it on. Ok?”
“As you wish, Young Mistress Louise.” When she received my affirmative, she smiled and said a few things to the clerk. After a short conversation later, the clerk gave her a black, ruffled dress. She took the dress and disappeared behind a wooden door to try it on.
As soon as she disappeared I felt something slip over my head and into my mouth. I couldn’t scream for help. I couldn’t tell Louise something was happening! Just as the cloth tightened a figure stepped out in front of me.
“Now, now. A slave should not been seen nor heard. So we are going to take you to place were you can’t be seen.” The voice belonged to Louise’s older brother Zaebzhar. My eyes widened when I realized who this was. No, no, no, oh please no.
He gave a grimacing smile and grabbed me by the back of the neck and started forcing me out of the door. “Come Flonach, let’s go have some fun!” he called out to his brother.
“I’m ready when you are,” replied a similar looking guy, his younger brother.
“Hold it, what are you doing?” the clerk had called out to the brothers.
“This slave is property of the Burnhearts; do you have a problem with how we conduct business, Commoner?” Zaebzhar viciously questioned the frightened clerk.
The clerk nervously looked around and shook his head, “My condolences, carry on.”
The brothers smirked and dragged me out of the shop. When we walked down the streets, the people we crossed, just averted their eyes to what they saw. No one will help me. No one is my friend here. Louise where are you?
Walking for miles, we had long since left Reslem, and entered a nearby forest. The older brother called for a halt with a satisfied look on his face he said, “Our family decided you are of no use and was agreed that you should be disposed of outside the public eye. If you are looking for the help of Louise, she won’t help you. I mean, she is a Burnheart after all. I think she was getting tired of you as well.”
He pushed me hard enough that I lost my balance and fell to the ground. The younger brother had pulled out a dagger and traced my cheek. He looked at me with immense lust, “Hey bro, she has gotten a little prettier, so why don’t we have ‘fun’ with her?”
“That’s a good idea little bro, here grab her hands. Yeah, like that.” He brought his face really close to mine before he let out a whisper, “Ever since we got you, we’ve wanted to this. We haven’t been able to do it because our parents don’t want you to conceive a child with noble blood. It would… sully our family name.” He took his hand around the edge of what cloth I had and ripped it off exposing me to these monsters.
When I was fully exposed, they started to drool a bit. After wiping away the drool he removed the cloth around my mouth and I let out as loud of a scream as possible. After I let it out, I was quickly slapped across the face. Zaebzhar laughed and said, “Yes, scream more and more. No one will hear you; no one will come to save you!
“Please, no. Just let me go! Let me go!” I try to fight back in vain. He pulled himself between my legs, rendering kicking useless. No, I don’t want this please. No, help me! Someone help me! He smiled that same disgusting, lewd smile he had when he started this. He quickly unbuckled his trousers and the fell to the ground.
There was a small tower of flesh that twitched slightly. My eyes widen in horror seeing it get closer and closer to me. There was a sudden blur that appeared beside the fleshy thing. When the blur disappeared, the thing dropped to the ground and took the look of a bloodied sausage. A few seconds later Zaebzhar howled in pain and doubled over. He quickly scrambled for the bloodied sausage.
When his brother fell over in pain, Flonach let go of my hands to investigate a slight movement in a nearby bush. Dagger drawn, he began shifting through the bushes. I was scared out of my wits, I was fixing to get raped and killed by these monsters, but there was something really scary was happening.
As if to add to the dosage of scariness, a purple demon stepped out of the air behind Flonach. The demon slipped his hand in front of Flonach’s neck and slashed his throat wide open. When his body went limp, the demon took his body and threw it into the air where it vanished. Where did it go?
Hearing a yelp, I turn around to see Flonach’s body lifeless and on top of Zaebzhar. Zaebzhar was pinned under his dead brother was looking for the assailant frantically, hollering, “Who’s there? Show yourself.” It seems the Demon was in his blind spot, “Do you know who I am? I’ll make you pay!” He shoved off his brother and quickly ran over toward me with bloodied sausage in hand. When he got within five feet of me, the demon disappeared and reappeared in between us.
His back was to me, I could tell he towered above in height, which wasn’t saying much. Zaebzhar fell down in surprise of the sudden appearance of this demon. Zaebzhar had paled when he saw the man, turning his skin pink. Zaebzhar cried out, “Waaaaaaah! Where did you come from?! Who are you?”
The demon strolled up to him in a slow, intimidating way and kneeled down to face him. Seeing the scene had me frozen in place with sweat pouring out. When he brought his face within an inch of Zaebzhar’s, an orange puddle of blood and urine formed on the ground beneath Zaebzhar’s pelvis.
The demon let out a voice so menacing and evil, it sent shivers down my spine, and I tinkled a little myself. He whispered, “I am you Executioner, and you have been found guilty.” He put one hand on the now petrified Zaebzhar’s shoulder, and withdrew a long black bladed sword with a silver handle. The sword’s blade seemed to embody all of the definition of darkness. The Demon spoke again, “Have a safe trip to Hell.” He then effortlessly impaled Zaebzhar through the heart.
Zaebzhar’s body became lifeless and slumped to the ground. The man slowly stood up and flicked the blood off his blade before the sword vanished. The Executioner seemed to remember my presence and turned to face me. It was the first time seeing his face through the whole scene. He had long, black unkempt hair and smooth, purple skin. He had a sculpted face with solid black eyes. His eyes were like looking down an abyss of nothing, but they were curious.
After he looked over me once and seemed to fix his gaze on my tail and ears. Once he was done he tried to walk toward me and said in a light voice that didn’t hold the same evil it had earlier, “So you are from the beastman tribes of demons. Hmm, well there are no more bad guys.” Even though it didn’t hold the venom from before he was still a monster, so I flinched at every word, every action.
Just as I backed away, it looked like understanding came into his mind. He gave off a pained expression and sighed as if to say he gives up. He pulled out a shirt out of the air and tossed it at me, causing me to flinch once more. Seeing he gave me a shirt, I question his reasons. Why would he do that? Wasn’t he a monster?
Then I understood that he came to save me. When I look back at him, I saw my savior was walking away. No wait! Please don’t turn your back on me! Please no. Don’t leave me! Fearing for him to disappear I scramble to get up and chase after him. When I caught up I grabbed his shirt. When he stopped, I huddle close to his back, clutching on to the shirt. Please don’t leave me alone.
He turned around and pulled me into a nice warm hug. It was a hug that seemed to be made of security and comfort. I felt the problems of the world melt away. Just like my mom used to hug me when I got scared. I couldn’t help it, I started to whimper. When the demon noticed he began stroking my hair and whispering that everything was going to be alright. It was like there were words no truer than these. I began crying louder and louder. All the emotion I had bottled for years had come out overflowing. I cried and cried and this demon hung on to me tighter and tighter until it had passed.
He gave me a warm smile and looked at me with kind eyes, “Do you feel any better?”
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So, Aria what do you think of your chapter?
(eyes sparkle) Wow, it's so long! It's amazing! Are you sure I can have it?
You certainly may. You deserve. Do you mind me asking a few questions?
Not at all! You are the Author-sama!
Alright, can you tell the readers what some of your likes dislikes are?
Oh, I like meat and my head being patted, and... and... and food! I dislike being scolded and being left alone! It's scary!
You did have traumatic experience when Louise left you. At least you met the MC.
Oh I like him too!