Sword of Bone

I only see darkness in a world full of light. Nothing here is bright with color, only blacks and grays. The sound of laughter echoes through the halls of this grand home I reside in, that I am trapped in. I have no laughter, no joy. I have no love, warmth. No kind words, no inspiration of truth. I only have my reality. A reality that seems to be ever so pressing, one that seems to walk into the light and consume everything with its dark touch. My reality has a name. Its name is Lord Barret of Castle-town. He is my husband. I use the term husband loosely, of course. He is my master, my driver, my abuser, my captor. It has been this way since my eighteenth birthday. My father wanted a dozen farmlands to the east, so he struck a deal with the Lord who lived there. My father was to gain the farmlands he desired as long as Lord Barret gained me. I am now Lady Barret or Castle-town, but in all reality I am no Lady. I warm his bed only twice every year but still I have no children. He tells me I was a terrible choice, that I am barren. That fact alone pleases me. I do not want to bring children into this ‘home’. I could not bear to see my children harmed by the hands of the man who brought them into the world.  Sitting here in the kitchen, I can hear the hooves of horses galloping around the front court. My mind racing with the possibilities, I placed my knife down and went to see what all the noise was. When I stepped out of the front door, I see my husband upon his new mare. Lord Barret is a handsome man. No one could say otherwise. He has straight brown hair, big brown eyes you cannot help but to melt into. He is tall and lean, built for speed. I remind myself of theses things in order to survive this marriage. If I do not, all I see is the beast within, the man who likes to whip me. The one who enjoys the pain he brings me. After all, this is my life. My burden to bear.  “Wife.” His low, unpleasant voice said. “I will take my leave for a month, you are to remain here.”  “Where are you going, dear husband?” I asked, keeping my eyes trained on the golden buttons of his waistcoat.  “Away. I expect you to behave and beware, wife. If I hear of another coming to your bed, I will hang both of you from the rampart skinned for everyone to see. Do you hear me?”  “Yes, dear husband.”  He grunted and turned his horse, his feet raising to heel the beautiful beast between his legs into a hard trot.  “Husband?”  He stopped and looked at me with anger. “What?”  “You are taking all the guards with you?” I squeaked.  “I am. I have also given leave to the household so they can enjoy their holidays with their families.”  I sucked in a harsh breath; I am to be here all alone with the threat of beasts laying in the forest waiting. “But… the… Please dear husband, you do not mean to leave me alone here without protection… What if one’s comes? What if I am harmed… Stolen?”  He scoffed and smiled at me, “I would be so lucky.” With the sting of his worlds, he kicked his mare into a fledged run.  One of my servants rushed to my side, catching me as I fell to the ground in disbelief. “I will not leave you my lady.” She whispered as she took my arm, helping me stand. “I will never leave you alone.”  “You are an excellent woman, Helen. I am grateful for you.”  The horses soon faded into the darkness and so did my household, all but my Helen. She stayed close. “We need to bar the house Helen, will you help me?”  “Of course my Lady.” She smiled sweetly.  “You know you do not have to address me so when it is just us.”  “I am sorry, Estella. I forget sometimes.” She smiled softly.  I returned her smile and took her hand. We began walking around the lower floor, placing bars and planks to each window and door before moving to the second floor and doing the same when we heard a might crash and heavy footsteps in the lower level. I stilled myself and looked at Helen. Her face sharing the same fear as me. I slowly raised my finger, pressing it to my lips. She nodded her head and reached for my hand. We need to get to the third floor, where the metal room is. We will be safe from the beasts there. As we quickly and quietly ran through the halls towards the stairs. Just close enough to reach one beast stepped in the way, making Helen and I skid to a stop and whirl around, running back towards the room we just left. I let her hand go and turned to see the beast stocking towards us slowly and I slammed the door as Helen already had the wood and nails waiting for us. We barred the door and then took a few steps back.  “Come out women.” We heard a harsh voice growl.  I placed my hand on Helen’s stomach, and we started backing up. “You need to go out of the window, Helen. Run into town and tell them they are close.”  “No Estella, I will not leave you.” She objected. “It is an order.” I said slowly, looking at her.  “I do not work for you, Estella I work for your husband. You are my best friend, I will not leave you. Not now. Never.”  There is no arguing with her. We turned and faced the door, squaring our shoulders and placing a brave look upon our faces. We waited as the banging grew louder, angry, and then finally the door crashed open, sending splinters of wood bouncing off the ground like a dangerous confetti. Leaving in its wake a large snow white beast. Dressed in thick leather pants and a bare chest, a metal helmet on its head. In its hand a large sharp axe begging to drink human blood. I can feel his eyes running over us, and then he stepped aside before yelling something in his language. A language I know. He is Orc.  “Come.” He said with a growl.  “No.” I growled back, pushing Helen behind me.  A low rumble. And then scoffed before he yelled out from his brothers. I can feel Helen's coming to my hips as she pressed the front of her body to my back. She is shaking, a soft whimper occupying her lips. I reached around, grabbing her arm with a soft squeeze. “Be still, my friend. I will protect you.”  In reply, her body pressed closer to me.  I turned my attention back to the Orc standing at the door, staring at us. Watching. He is not the first beast to stare at me like this. My dear husband is the one who taught me what it feels like once that gaze becomes truly angry. I broke away when more Orcs came to the door. They all moved in and then out of the way for their Horde King. He is bigger, so much bigger than the others. I took a step back, pushing Helen with me. The Horde King growled and came towards me. He grabbed the color of my overly used falling apart gown and brought me to him. He pressed his nose into the side of my neck and took a deep breath. Another growl escaped, this one different. It is lust filled, hungry.  “Omara.” He breathed into my neck, sending a shiver down my spine.  I know many Orc words, this one I do not. But something ringing in me said I should not take comfort in the unknown knowledge. He took a single step back and commanded his mean to come investigate, to smell us, to tell whether we are what they hunt.  “Dliaddir, Olchei Huhr.” One grunted and then the same as the next and the following.  “What are they saying, Estella?” Helen asked, still firmly pressed to me.  “They are telling their Horde King one of us is fruitful.” I whispered.  But not low enough. The Horde King snapped his attention to me. “Both are.” He clarified. “I am not. I am barren.” I replied.  He shook his head no and grabbed my arm, “We leave now.”  I pulled my arm away, ripping it out of his hold and turning to clasp Helen to me. “We are not going with you Orc.”  He said something to one of his brothers in a hushed tone. One came over, ripping Helen from my arms and dragging her yelling out of the room. The other followed, leaving the Horde King and me alone. I backed away from the beast when his arm shot out, gripping my wrist tightly. He pulled me into his arms, throwing me over his shoulder. I kicked and screamed with all my might. It did not seem to matter. The Orc only responded by tightening his arm across my back, pressing my mid section closer to his shoulder.  He began walking from the room towards the stairs. “Please, wait.” He stilled and waited. “Please let me gather a few things and I will go willingly in return… Please…”  It took a moment of hesitation, and then he placed me on my feet and looked into my eyes. “Do so quickly, Roamaka.”  I nodded my head, wasting no time. In my room I went to the desk, taking everything I had left of my mother and placing it to the bed. The beat watched from the doorway. I went to my wardrobe and grabbed clothing, a bag and another small box of my mothers. I shoved it all into a bag and then looked at him. I turned my back and jotted my husband a brief note letting him know they have taken me along with a plead for him to find me.  “May we stop in Helen’s room to pack her some clothing as well?” I asked, turning to face the Horde King.  He looked at me and then nodded his head yes. I walked around him and went down the stairs and into the hallway where her room was. I did the same, taking the things she held as important and clothing, packing them away into a bag. He waited in the hallway. When I came out, he took the bags from me and then walked towards the kitchen. I looked around to see everything, all the food, many of the pots and pans stripped from the room. Making me wonder what else they may have taken from the house.  “Did you tunnel under the house?” I asked him.  He grunted in response. I continued to follow when we passed by the reserves room where the lock remained in place. I stopped and smiled at myself. This is a moment I can take to punish my dear husband for being a cruel man and leaving me here alone.  “Wait, you did not take from this room.”  He stopped and turned, looking over his shoulder at the door I pointed to. “There is naught in that room. Come.”  “You are wrong. That room holds all the rations for this house. It holds rations for no less than four harsh winters.” I explained.  He took a moment and then yelled for his men. He handed our bags to one and then stocked over to the door with the other. The Horde King placed his hand to my lower stomach and pushed me backwards, shielding my body with his, while one of his brothers kicked down the door. The Horde King then moved inside to see if I was telling the truth. Pleased that I did, he grunted and called for more men to empty the room.  “Come, Roamaka.” he said with a soft voice, kind almost.  I did as he asked. I followed him deep into the tunnel they dug.