CaH1



	Chapter 1

I woke slowly, not shore of what I was to face, I remained still and kept my breathing steadily, faking sleep, while slowly I opened my eyes.

I found myself in an ill lit wooden structure, that didn't surprise me as most Elven structures were made from wood. As I looked as far as I could all I saw was that I was alone in an empty room with no doors that I could see, the only thing in the room apart from myself was the blanket that acted as a barrier between myself and cold ground beneath me.

Slowly I rose from where I lay shaking my dully-throbbing head I sat up.

And felt the weight of a metal collar round my neck

I reached up to examine the band and found that it was covered with engravings that wound all over the outer surface but left the inner side plain and smooth against my skin. The collar was designed to be worn comfortably for a long time.

From the first touch I knew what it was, an Elven slave band. I had been told all the stories of Elven raids into the border villages where they stole people for slavery and bound them with a copper band, a band that only Elven hands could remove and that bound the person to the Elven who was their master, to leave there master the spells in the band would slowly start to kill the slave unless they returned to their master to have the spells reset

I stood as I herd a commotion outside the room and a door I knew hadn't been there before opened

First an Elven mage walked tough the door holding me frozen before I could even think of running out the door. The mage moved to one side to let another Elven though. This one to me looked like some kind of lord

He stood tall and majestic. As he entered another, behind him, handed him what I recognised as my crossbow

'Fine craftsmanship' he said as he examined it� 'but not an assassins weapon, moor the weapon of a hunter' he indicated to the mage, who placed a round crystal between he and I.

'I wish to ask you some questions and this' he indicated the stone 'will tell me if you lie'

He nodded to the mage and I felt my body released from its frozen state, as I crumpled into a small heap on the ground.

He had someone bring him a chair as I worked the knots out of my muscles where I sat on the floor

'I wouldn't move from where you are' the mage silent till now spoke as I made an attempt to stand again

I shrugged at him as he stood to one side against the wall of the room as the other left and the door disappeared again leaving only the seated Elven and the mage.

'Now we will begin', he looked over the crossbow once more 'did you make this'

'Yes ' I answered him and gasped as he slammed it on the ground splintering the wood against the ground

'Remember human, my kind are stronger than yours and from this moment forth all that you are is mine to brake and bend to my will'

He defiantly had my attention, so this was to be my master for the time I was to live, I was terrified

'Who told you to kill my son' this was the king, now I knew I was in trouble

'Are you afraid, little human' I nodded,

I couldn't speak, but I think it was the growing wet patch at my crotch that proved it. I watched as he wrinkled his face up at me in revulsion

'Who, human' he asked again, his vioce more demanting

I had no idea what to do, I was afraid, No I was petrified. So I did the only thing I could think of to do and told him the truth

Sat there trembling and damp from my own urine I told him of the Lord who had appeared outside my hut one morning and demanded I undertake the task of Killing the Elven prince, one of his guards had tossed me my crossbow and quiver and then set my hut on fire with all the firs I had amassed fror trade at the local autumn fare

He had told me if I didn't comply he would hunt me down and as I watched he would flog the elderly couple, who had raised me when my father died when I was a boy, to death before doing the very same to me

'The lords name?' the king had lost most of his anger but still looked at me as if I was something he had trod in

'I... I don't know it sir, I am a commoner it is not for me to know the name of those higher than I, only that I show the proper respect'

Slowly under the frowning glare of the mage I moved my self to a kneeling position and bowed my head to the earth

With my head to the ground I couldn?t see what was happening but I heard a sound of disgust and my body was showered with dirt as if someone had kicked it at me

When I had the courage to lift my head I was alone. I picked up the blanket and shook it out before moving it from the centre of the room to the corner farthest from the hidden door

I lay there for an hour or more, it was hard to tell what time had passed, the dim light never changed.

I was completely lost in my thoughts when the door opened again, as before the mage entered first

'Move or make any attempt to attack or flee and you will be frozen where you stand and left that way for the night'

I nodded my understanding and stayed where I sat wedged in the corner, as a centaur entered carrying a large tin wash tub, he was an elderly bay stallion who examined me where I sat with a thoughtful look on his face

I looked him over as he watched me, he was all over deep brown fur apart from a white sock on his right fore leg and a white and the fur on his left hand was also white to halfway up his forearm. When he moved the longer fur on his head out of his eyes I saw a star decorated his fore head.

There was something familiar about him but I couldn?t place it until the sorrel yearling entered behind him and placed a pile of cloths. There was no mistaking him he had a blaze that went from his forehead and ended on his equine chest both his hands were white but what distinguished him for me was the small white scar on his hindquarters.

Last summer I had saved the colt, as a foal from a trap designed by hunters after the bounty that a centaur head brought. Yes I also was a hunter but I only hunted for meat to feed myself and for furs to trade for other foods and tools I needed. I didn't believe in hunting for a bounty and never the killing of young no mater their species

The centaur smiled at me 'you recognise my grandson' he stated, I nodded 'I thought you were the one who saved him and returned him to us'

I had been at a fair distance when I let the colt go to return to his heard I was surprised any of them had seen me as I had made efforts not to be seen

'A life is owed to you by my people I will mention this to the king when he decides your sentence, but for now clean yourself and eat'

The yearling had just left a seaming bowl beside the also steaming tub and smiled at me as they all left

The bowl contained soup; I smiled weekly, no utensils needed as I could drink it from the bowl. It was wonderfully tasty for food given to a condemned man and filed me up

I rinsed the bowl with a small amount of the washing water before striping and using it to ladle water over myself as I stood in the tub to wash

I had found a small cake of soap in the pile of cloths and used it to clean my self completely including my hair

Not wanting to dress in my soiled clothing I looked at the clothing that had been left for me there was a pair of cotton pants died an earthen colour and an un-dyed cotton shirt both simple garments. I put them on and though they were simple they were also comfortable and of a good fit, included with them was a pair of light moccasins, I had no wish to get rid of my boots so I left them to one side and put my boots back on.

With nothing else to do I wrapped my old cloths up and placed them under the blanket to rest my head on. I lay down to let the food in my belly digest, full and clean I found it hard to keep my eyes open and so I slept

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