Lowly Seduction

Chapter One || Taken

Thane...

Fear. Rage. I feel it running in my blood. My vision hazy making the only thing for me to depend on is what I feel and hear. Horses trotting...I hear it. Deep rugged voices...that too. Whereas my body feels as if on wood while jutting around on the moving cart. My hands are binded behind me with my mouth sealed with a clothe - to some miracle my legs are left free.

Memories from the night before hit me while tears breach my eyes worsening my vision. They did this to me, the king's men.

. . . Flash Back . . .

"Thane sweetie, gather the girls before rain falls!" Mother shouted, her feet sinking in the damp soil as she attempted to bring us home before rainfall. The curls on my head bounced freely in sync with my paced chasing after my cousin, Fawn. We raced trough the fields back to the village and soon enough drops of water fell upon my almond coloured skin where as for Fawn she was thankfully covered in her washed-out head scarf.

On her back was a newly crafted straw basket and inside rested her baby sister Gia and fruits we collected in the forrest today - it wasn't much but was enough to please our stomachs for a night or two. Her sister cooed at our running as if it were a race, her gummy grin softened once we arrived at the village and our wild behaviour stopped inorder to not get scolded by my mother, "Lets hurry inside and get you two dried, hm?" My mother had gestured at myself and Gia who was completely drenched yet still giggling at her state.

Every night I prayed for the gods to protect her. She's doesn't deserve this life..

Soon enough we made our way inside our tent not before greeting Fawn's Father. The man had some years in him making wrinkles coat his face and arms, his ribs were most prominent on his torso from malnutrition but it's something we all failed to address. What were we meant to do if we could've barely fed ourselves?

The man sat brewing some Beatrice stew on the fireplace which burned on the dirt floor inside our tent. My eyes sparkled at the delightful sight of our bowls pre-made for us after our long day. When my stomach protested for food, everyone around me fell into laughter while my face crumbled into a small smile.

"What?! It's only every other day we get full meals like this." It wasn't a lie. It was as if I hadn't eaten in months. I decided to take the first move by grabbing a plate for myself then taking a seat on the stained mattress before Fawn joined me. In the other corner of the tent my mother and Gia rested, the bigger feeding the smaller with pleading eyes as the little girl didn't want to eat. Her little fist swatted at my mothers.

My head turned to my side spotting my wide eyed cousin who beamed at the sight. "So beautiful. Ones sister can be so beautiful, aren't I right Thane?" I nodded, simply taking my first sip in the pottage with a fulfilled sigh. The quietness was soothing. Tonight we were all grateful for my uncle keeping his mouth sealed. For the past nights he'd gone on edge ranting about the king's new laws.

Unfortunately he wasn't the only one. A week ago Fawn had overheard a merchant talking about the king closing off all suppliers making resources nearly impossible to achieve. The orc king took control over the main resources us humans needed - ones we barely had in the first place as well.

Apparently he'd even been sending his troops to housing sites like ours. Taking away young women and men for trade. The thought of it made my stomach curl. Just the fact that no one had lurked amongst ours was enough to calm my nerves though. All of it was probably just a hoax anyways.

Rumours were easy to spread amongst humans. This so happened to be another one.

All the silence was soon disturbed when a horn blared. The noise happened to be loud enough for the ground below to shake, small cracks appeared in the dirt causing my mother to latch onto her niece thinking it was an earthquake.

I would've wished for an earthquake if I only knew the true dangers that laid ahead.

Out of curiosity, Fawn emerged from her seat not before placing the steaming bowl of stew beside her feet.

"Let us go look! What if they are merchants!" I was cautious. My head was wrapping around the situation infront of us and trying to handle it while eating. I was starving. At first I refused her calling until she grasped my wrist bringing us the view of the setting sun. Fawn loved bringing me down in her mischief. That was one thing I always would dislike about her.

Never had I heard such a sound before. Merchants never used horns to gain attention for purchase, they barely cared for bells as it would disturb the peace of many. A sensing feeling developed within me yet still I went along with Fawn. Outside there were many opened tents and countless gathered families eager - just like us - to see the source of such a sound.

Thats when my gaze landed on the brutish men in the deepest depths of the crowd.

"We demand all of your young to be lined up. I repeat! We need all of the young to be lined up!" My face tensed. The anticipation on my face drained into horror. Had the tales been true? What were these creatures...

Their lips held claw-like teeth that pointed to their noses. The colours of the men ranged from ebony to moss green skin. This particular group of beasts were most ugly to look at. My face crinkled at their look, scorning the way they presented themselves.

If we smelled, they were smelliest. If we wore rags, they were naked. If the stories told about creatures like these were true, that would then make them Orcs.

These were the kings men. They had come for us. Fawn was the one who ran first, her feet quickened as she made her way back into our tent but there was no hiding from these beast. Before we knew it they rampaged trough every tent, family and merchant and the line of people soon developed.

The men selection young weren't around Gia's age but instead Fawn's and I. That making their ideal list being around 17-20. My bare feet were planted into the dirt as I was forced to watch friends be threatened into lining up - some beaten unconscious. Tears breached my eyes, getting caught up in my lashes but I still catch Fawn in the corner of my eyes.

Her body was hugged against my uncle's own. His darker shade of skin hid her lighter one from the alert guards. She sobbed. He screamed at the men, cursing at their presence. All this while I just watched in the middle of it, too weak to get justice.

One of the largest approached them with a swift movement. Screeching came from the crowd. My pupils dilated at the sight of my uncles hands being sliced clean, the limbs now fallen in the dirt. Fawn's throat dried after all her wailing, her fingers glued to her chest when her breathing refused to exhale. The same orc grasped hold of her limp body before placing her with the others.

Thats when it hit me that I was the last one remaining. I wanted to run aswell but there my feet stayed stilled as if cemented into the ground.

The same beast who had chopped my uncle's arms made his way towards me, his fingers now placed beneath my chin.

"Come look! Our king would favour this one. He is far most beautiful than all we've seen so far."

"Please don't do this...please spare me." I tried for my voice to sound pitiful but as he told the others of my existence they only agreed along. My cries were ignored.

"Yes Roode, we must. It's a shame we never visited this village first."

"It's a shame you visited at all! Let me f*****g go!"

A harsh lash was pressed against my face from the orc as he warned me to watch my mouth - little did he know I cared less about my sharp tongue right now. Their arms swarmed me making my skin crawl at their touch. They took control of my body, binding my wrist at my lower back while I kicked my feet at them, spitting at their faces. I didn't want to succumb to the fact they were far too large for my flimsy resisting.

Soon my eyes turned puffy, body grew exhausted at their handling but still my outcry never stopped. Begging for one of my friends to help me, for my mother, for anyone...

Any of those options would've been a death wish. Only I was placed into the cart. I was the sacrifice.

They ripped me from my home. I hadn't even seen my mother before I'd been taken...not even one last gleeful smile from Gia.

And before I noticed it, I was miles from them.

Possibly years as-well....

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