The Vale

Chapter Five

The sound of the leaves crunching under our feet as we dragged them through the forest was the only thing I could hear, that and the loud rumbling of my stomach. It had been hours, days even since I last ate something and even then, it had only been a slice of toast before the party. My stomach growled once more earning me a look from one of the guard’s in front of us. His black eyes roamed down the front of my dress, drinking in my exposed breasts and my bare legs. For a second a faint smirk appeared on his face and then it was gone, and he turned back towards the front. A chill ran down my body and not because I was cold.

I looked over towards Elisia, her head was cast down and her eyes were on the floor looking anywhere but at me. She hadn’t said a single word since the clearing “ Elisia” I whispered loud enough for her to hear. Nothing. not even a side glance. “ Elisia!” I tried again but still nothing. I let out a sigh “ Look, I know your probably scared right now but so am i! im not from this world and I have no idea what we are about to walk into, so I need your help and I promise I will do everything I possibly can to help you in return.” Fear had settled in the bottom of my stomach and silently festered, I didn’t know where we were going and I didn’t know what would happen once we arrived and that scared me more than anything. I tried to be brave and hold the tears back but it was difficult.” Please?!” I tried once more.

Finally her eyes lifted from the floor and they reflected my own. She was scared, afraid and helpless. “ They’re taking us back “ she whispered “ Back to the village, back to my master “ she choked on a sob that threatened to leave her throat. She was also trying her hardest to be strong. “ once we arrive they will take you to the training centre and once they believe they’ve broken you they will see you to the highest bidder at the next auction” My eyes went wide at what she was telling me! What kind of place was this?! “ why? Why would anyone do such a thing?” my head was full of questions and I needed answers. “because they can. They’re supernatural, top of the food chain. With one click of their fingers they can decided who lives and who dies”

Her eyes clouded over for just as second “They rip family’s apart, they kill innocent people, children are ripped from their mothers before they can even walk! They are monsters! They take pleasure in hurting those weaker than them” her voice held so much pain, so much sadness. Something bad had happened to her and I shuddered to think what. I looked at her dead in the eyes “I’m sorry for everything that has happened to you, but I swear that I will get you of this and away from this god-awful place. For good. “she nodded but her eyes told me she didn’t believe me.

I was about to reassure her when I was roughly shoved to the found landing on my knees. The guard from behind me bent down, his face inches from mine “thought you was a mute” his voice was laced with venom as she spat the words at me. “What’s going on here?!” a voice boomed from the front. The guard stood up taking a hand full of my hair and wrapping it around his wrist causing me to stand up with him. Pain coursed through me. “They lied to us boss! This one can talk, I caught her conspiring with the runaway” his head gestured to Elisia. The Boss walked towards us his piercing black eyes boring into mine. He studied me for a moment ad then his eyes turned to Elisia. Her eyes were casted down to the floor. “ If you so much as utter another word I will cut out your tongue, do you understand me?” his voice was deep and you knew that he meant every world! Elisia quickly nodded. Once he was satisfied his eyes turned back on me. “ ill deal with her once we arrive.”

The boss walked away and headed back to the front. The guy holding my hair leaned in close to me and inhaled, I tried to move away but his grip tightened “Your mine” he whispered before his tongue darted out of his mouth and licked the side of my cheek. I whimpered, afraid of what this sicko would do next but sighed in relief when he released my hair and ordered me to keep walking. once again, a shiver coursed through my body.

The rest of the journey continued in silence, I dared to look at anything but the floor but I could feel the fear rolling of Elisia in waves and I felt the same. It wasn’t long before the trees started to fan out and I could he voices, and then suddenly we stepped through a clearing. Dozens of thatched roof cottages greeted us, some two stories high others three stories and each one had a different colour door. But what caught my attention was the extraordinary castle looming over the cottages. It was huge and spanned across the whole of the village and then some. It was s startling white that sparkled in the afternoon sun. it was grander than Buckingham palace. Whoever lived here clearly had a lot of money.

My shoulders was nudged pushing me forward slightly, bringing me out of my daze. I carried on, walking past a few cottages. Who lived in these? I wondered. As we walked deeper into the village, I couldn’t help but stare as we passed several people who stared back, obviously they were as curious as me but I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Woman were dressed in sheer colour dresses that left nothing to the imagination and silver rings donned their necks. Men wore nothing but tight black trousers, their torso’s exposed and children ran around in matching grey tracksuits. My mouth hung open with shock.

My shoeless feet sank into the wet soggy mud as we came to a sudden stop outside one of the cottages. This one was two stories high with five windows and black wooden door. Picking up the huge round knockers the one known as the boss knocked three times, the sound echoing off the wood.

Seconds later the door squeaked open to revel a tall man with white hair and deep red eyes. He was dressed in what looked like black robes that made his skin look even whiter. The boss cleared his throat and spoke “ sorry to disturb you my lord but I believe we found your slave” the man looked away from the guard and down at Elisia. Recognition flared in his eyes and a sneer appeared on his lips. “ shall we take her to the podium for her punishment” the man stayed looking at Elisia who was now visibly shaking “ No. I shall deal with her my self. She has caused nothing but trouble in my household and she will be taught a lesson in obedience!” his hands reached out and grabbed the chains her wrists dragging her into the house. She struggled but it was useless. Once minuet she was here and the next she was gone. The door slammed shut in our faces.

“ what shall we do with this one?” the guard behind me spoke up. The boss turned a around and looked at me “ take her to the stables “ was all he said before he strode off. my arms was grabbed forcefully and I was dragged through the mud once more.

The stables were nothing like what I expected, there were no horses or warm hay to lie on but instead there were rows of jail cells equipped with nothing but a bucket. Keys jangled as they opened my prison and I was roughly pushed in, the door slammed shut seconds after.

I didn’t look behind me to see if he was still there, I waited to hear the sound of the door closing and when it did I let out breath I didn’t know I had been holding in. The cuffs were still around mu wrists and had cut into them leaving behind bloody marks. I sighed and slowly sank to the cold hard floor. My emotions were at an all time low and I couldn’t help but let the tears fall. I cried for my family, I cried for my self and I cried for Elisia and it felt good. It felt good to let out everything I had been holding in and once I was done I felt empty but also a ittle relieved. Now I could concentrate on getting the hell out of here and getting home.

 I stood up brushing the dirt and dust from skirt when a soft voice spoke from across the room “ You wont make it” I looked around confused, when I spotted a head full off blonde hair at the far end of the stables “ What do you mean I wont make it?” “ those doors are designed to keep us locked in, trust me ive tried” her voice sounded defeated. Curiosity spiked in me. “ who are you?” I asked. “ Kelly” she replied. “ Nice to meet you Kelly, im Sam” before I could say anything more a dark menacing voice boomed from the dark “ Aww isn’t that sweet, you’ve made a friend “ the voice was mocking me.

I spun around in time to see a figure morph out of the darkness and when I saw his face my heart dropped into my stomach. The guard who assaulted me earlier was now staring at me through the bars of the cell. His black eyes held so much evil I couldn’t help but shiver. He lifted his keys from his belt, unlocked the door and swung it open. I hoped I could squeeze past him and make a run for it but his entire body took up the space of the door. This was built like a brick house.

“ I wouldn’t come any closer if I was you!” I tried to sound strong but my voice came out weak any shaky. He laughed and took a step further into the cell “ Or what?” he goaded. “ because….because I know karate.” I blurted out, my mind going blank. The guard stopped for a second confusion marred his face but he recovered and lunged forward pushing me back, me head knocking the brick wall behind me. I saw stars and for a moment my vison was blurry, it wasn’t until I heard fabric ripping did I realise what was happening. I shook away the fuzziness and tried to fight back “ No!” I screamed, trying to stop him but he pinned my arms above my head and leaned close to me “ I don’t know who you are or where you came from but im going to enjoy this” he sneered in my ear.

A sob broke out of me as I begged but if fell on deaf ears. His hand slithered down my body pushing my dress up but before he could do anything more he was interrupted.

“ Stop!” the guard immediately stopped and let go of me. Without any support my kegs gave way and I collapsed to the floor. “ I told you I would deal with her once we arrived, did I not?” I recognised the voice from the woods he was the one everyone called the boss. “ Y-yes sir” the guard stuttered. “ then why do I find you in here?” the guard said nothing he just stood there shaking. The boss tutted and walked inside the cell, I tried to keep my eyes down but when I saw his black boots stop right in front of me I couldn’t help but look up. He crouched down so were face to face and took me in. his eyes searched my face then they moved down towards my breasts that were more now exposed. I tried to cover up as much as I could but his hand shot out and gripped my wrist stopping me. His eyes zeroed in on something. He looked…shocked “ well, well” a smile slowly crept across his face “ inform the council, Ive found the lost prophecy