With the rise of the sun she walked through what was once her home, now all that remain was ash and rubble. Not one single Elf was left alive.
With every passing second she hated the Demon more and more.
Her Grandfather gave her a quest, she would follow it even if it killed her.
Flora wondered where she'd start. The Demon was after seven royal bloodlines, the closest of the seven kingdoms was Stonebrush. The same place her father told her to go.
She decided that is where she'd start.
She walked the path out of what was once her home, now only ruins remain.
She'd set out to the East, for Woodburrow was in the West.
She was not familiar with all of Nirmal's Kingdoms, only the few close to Woodburrow.
She knew Stonebrush was two days travel on horse. To travel on foot would take much longer.
To her luck she spotted a horse just outside the burned stables.
She approached it.
"Hello beautiful girl." Said Flora. "Where is your master?"
She was reminded of the dead.
"Oh..." She sighed.
She stepped closer to the white horse.
"Would you take me to Stonebrush?" She asked the creature, not expecting a response. "I'm in need of a means of travel."
The horse moved closer. Flora gently placed her hand on its neck.
"Thank you."
She climbed onto the horse, a saddle was already in place.
"Let's go!"
She kicked with her feet and the horse took off in a sprint.
As she left her home she looked back, knowing she might never return.
She would remember her home as it was, full of life, laughter and beauty. She'd spent her whole life there, every treasured moment she had was in Woodburrow.
She turned forward to the journey ahead. The only thing left of her home was her sister. And she would stop at nothing to get her back.
...
Although she was driven, the many hours on the road caused her boredom. She lost track of how long she was on the road.
Thirst and hunger began to settle, she was foolish not to remember to pack supplies for her journey.
"I must eat something." She said to herself. "I can't slay a Demon if I'm too weak to hold a sword."
There was surprisingly little on the path to Stonebrush, as she realized all around her was nothing but trees and dirt.
She found hope as she spotted a wagon in the road ahead. When she approach it she realized it was not moving.
"Hello?" She called out. "I am so very hungry, I would be grateful if you would spare some food if you're able."
There was no response.
"Is anyone there?" She called out.
It was so silent, she was frightened as a shiver ran down her spine.
From the seat of the wagon fell a body, the corpse of a man who looked to have been dead for centuries.
"Now!" A voice from behind her shouted. Before Flora could turn to see who'd said it she felt a sharp pain in her neck.
She'd been struck with a dart.
"W-what... Is... This?" She began to feel tired. She couldn't move.
She fell off of the horse and dropped to the ground. She could see three bandits.
"You see," Said one of them. "She's an Elf."
"She'll fetch a fine price." Said another.
"Load her up and see if there's anything in the wagon." Said the third bandit. "Take her horse too."
She couldn't fight it, her eyes closed as she fell into a deep sleep...
...
When she woke she couldn't see anything, there was a blind fold over her eyes. She couldn't move her arms as each of her hands were tied to a object behind her.
"Oh look, she's awake." Said a deep masculine voice.
"What are we gunna do with her?" Asked the voice of what sounded to be a young woman.
"She's an Elf, that means she can be sold." Said the man. "Not only that but she is a pretty little thing too... Hmhmm, this one will bring us lots of coin."
"Who are you!?" Shouted Flora, "What do you want!?"
"Shut up!" The man shouted as he struck Flora's stomach. She groaned in pain.
"Seriously?" Asked the woman. "We need her in pristine condition for the auction."
"A little bruise wont hurt." Said the man. "Besides, all these perverts care about is what's below the waist."
"That's discussing." Said the woman.
"Please..." Flora cried out. "Let me go!"
"Shh, shh." Hushed the man. "I would sweetie, but you see we have mouths to feed and debts to pay."
He brushed his hand across her face, "I couldn't do that if I let all of my merchandise free."
"Please." She cried. "I need to stop him... I need to save my sister."
"Your sister?" Asked the woman.
"He has her... If I don't save her in time he'll take her life."
"Shh." Hushed the man. "It won't matter. Nothing will. You'll break, and when you do you'll forget she ever existed."
He removed his hand. "Put her with the others, and make sure no one touches her." He demanded. "It's almost time."
The man left and the woman brought Flora to a new location. She chained her wrists to the wall, the blindfold still over her eyes.
"Please, don't do this!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you go." Said the woman.
"Why not?" Flora asked.
"Are you stupid?" Said the woman. "They'd kill me if I betrayed them."
"Please." She cried. "I need your help."
There was a pause..
"I'm sorry."
There was silence.
"Hello!?" Flora yelled. "Wait! Don't go!"
The woman was gone.
...
Flora couldn't move but inches, her wrists were chained to a wooden wall behind her, the chains short but strong. She could feel hay at her feet, the smell of a barn and noise of horses around her.
"Hey." The voice of a man called.
"Who's there?" She asked.
"I'm Daniel, another prisoner." He sounded to be a young man. "You could probably take off your blindfold if you try."
Flora couldn't reach the blindfold with her hands, instead she brushed her head against her arm forcing the piece of cloth off of her face.
She was in a barn, horses and chickens around her. There were cages with the dead and other near dead prisoners stacked around her.
"Hey, over here." Said the young man. He was to her right a couple of stables over.
She was shocked to see how handsome he was. He had dark hair, blue eyes and pointed ears.
"You're an Elf?" She asked.
"Elves make more money." He answered. "Humans are sold as only slaves, but Elves make a more rich profit."
"Why are they doing this?"
He smiled. "To make money, they're bandits, they'll rob and sell anything to make money."
Flora looked down, she was sad knowing she might suffer dearly.
"Hey, don't be so sad." Said Daniel.
"What will happen to me?" She asked, a tear falling from her eye.
"Nothing..." He answered.
She almost laughed. "I know that not to be true."
"I have a plan, I'm going to get us out of here before the auction. Just wait."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm a good thief, I'll steal the keys and break us out. I know I can do it, you just need to have hope. I'll get us out." His smile was reassuring. Flora didn't know if he could do such a thing, but it was all the hope she had left, so she clung to it.
"So." He said. "How did a pretty girl such as yourself find a way into this mess?"
"I was taken while on the path to Stonebrush." She answered.
"Why were you traveling alone?"
"I have no one else."
"Really? No family? Nothing?"
"They were taken from me." Yet again she felt powerless and overcome with sorrow.
"My sister is all I have left, and her life is in danger."
"I see..."
There was a pause.
"What's your name?" He asked.
"Flora." She answered. "Flora of Wood-" She stopped herself. That was no longer her home.
"Flora of where?" He asked. "Woodburrow?"
"Yes." She answered. "But Woodburrow is no more."
"Woodburrow is a well protected place, how did it come to fall?"
"By a Demon."
There was another pause.
"One of the Seven Bloodlines lived in Woodburrow, I heard stories of the brave King and his two beautiful daughters. Do you recall the names of them?"
Afraid to reveal her identity, Flora lied. "I don't recall."
"I remember the one was Hannah, but what was the more beautiful daughter's name again?"
She was silent.
"It sounded very much like Flora, that wouldn't be you would it? You are definitely more beautiful than the stories I've heard."
She paused for a moment.
"You can't tell anyone!"
"Don't worry." He said with a calm voice. "I won't share your secret."
She had just met him and yet she felt as if she could trust him.
"Where are you from?" She asked.
"I come from here and there, I traveled a lot. I never had a home of my own." He answered.
"And your family?" She asked.
"I never knew them..."
There was yet another pause...
"Here little pretty pretty." A raspy voice called from behind a cage. "Here pretty pretty Elf."
A large fat bandit appeared in front of her, a skinny one behind him.
"You are indeed a pretty little Elf." Said the bandit.
"You aren't supposed to be in here." Said Daniel.
"I'll be wherever I want to be." He replied. "Now bug off."
Daniel was chained to the wall as well, he looked to want a fight even though he was unable.
"You know." Said the bandit. "It's a known fact that Elven women give more pleasures than human woman."
"Don't you touch her!" Shouted Daniel.
"Shut him up." Shouted the bandit.
"Yes Burge." Said the skinny bandit before striking Daniel with a club.
"Don't hurt him!" Shouted Flora.
He ignored her and continued to hit Daniel with the club.
"Oh pretty pretty Elf." Said the bandit Burge. "I'm not going to hurt him nearly as much as I'm going to hurt you..." He walked closer and grazed his hand across her face.
"Hmhmhmhmm... I'm going to enjoy this."
ns 15.158.61.8da2
