Adora's escape

Adora woke and stared at the roughly hewed beams that formed the ceiling. She sighed. “Another day free.” Am I really? She got up and looked out her window. The field around the Inn was flat and grassy for a few miles before the thick woods began, so she would be able to see them approaching. But only if they come through the woods when I am watching.

Adora shook her head and turned around. Her eyes scanned over her room – the table and chairs, her bed and the trunk at the foot of the bed. Her room didn’t look much different than her room back home. I’ve been here too long! Why haven’t I left yet?? The longer I stay the more likely I will be captured. Adora quickly dressed in leggings and a loose tunic then stormed out of the room.

The Phoenix Alehouse hadn’t opened for business yet, but Adora could already smell breakfast being cooked and her stomach growled. You are putting them in danger, girl! Adora went out onto the front porch and began to sweep it off, allowing her mind to wander.

She had come here just two months ago, starving, running and scared. It was about this same time in the morning. Smelling cooking food, she could not resist and quickly found herself softly knocking at the door. Before she could change her mind, the door opened and a gentle man looked at her with deep blue eyes. He was a bit overweight and his hair was thinning, but he had a quick smile. His name, she found out later, was Reginald.

Reginald quickly showed her to a table and brought her a plate over-flowing with food. She shoveled the food into her mouth, too hungry to taste it. About half-way through the meal, however, she caught Reginald looking at her right hand. She could see the question forming about the strange mark there, but she hid her hand in her lap and he let the question go unasked.

He stood up and Adora tensed. Her mouth frozen in mid-chew. Is he going to call the authorities? Turn me in? Does he know what my mark means!? She watched him carefully, but he only went to the bar and poured her a glass of cold milk. Setting it in front of her, he sat down again. “I could use some help around here,” he spoke softly. His voice kind and comforting. “There’s sweeping and such that needs to be done that I just don’t have time for. I could only pay you a few coins, but your room and food would be free.”

I could use the coin and some food would be great before I move on again. Adora simply nodded her head and finished her plate. “Great! You’ll find a broom on the porch. Go ahead and sweep that off while I get your room ready.” He took her plate away and it wasn’t until she was on the porch that she realized he hadn’t even asked for her name. She had been here ever since and he still has not asked her name or even her history.

Heavy boots on the front steps brought her back to the present day. She stole a glance at them, trying to appear that she wasn’t looking, expecting them to ignore her and continue on inside. Most other people did just that. But she realized that they were staring at her and making no move to head inside. Without looking up, Adora said, “The Inn will be open in a few moments, but I believe they are about to serve breakfast if you want to wait inside.” They still did not move. Finally she stopped sweeping and looked at them in the eyes. They much have seen my gold arm bands. A few people before have tried to steal them, but discovered that she is not as easy a target as she looks.

“Are you guys lost?” They stepped closer to her, and Adora backed away into the railing that surrounded the porch. She could go no further. As Adora tensed to jump over the railing, the thinner man grabbed her right arm and pulled it out straighter. Adora jerked her arm back but it was no use. The man’s grip was firm. “Those are very interesting arm bands, my dear. I don’t believe I’ve seen anything like them.” His voice was oily, sending shivers down her spine. He turned her hand over and traced the symbol on the back of her hand. “And such a beautiful symbol. What is it?”

Adora’s heart was pounding now. The second man came in close and grabbed her other arm. She struggled, but they held her tightly. “Who are you!?” she demanded. They both looked into her eyes and thinner man smiled wickedly. “We are the Huntsmen.” Adora’s eyes grew wide and her heart stopped. “No,” she breathed. Then she came to her senses and she pulled her arms, trying desperately her free herself. The thin man pulled her close and held her against his body. “Stop fighting Adora. Surely you knew this day would come.”

Just then, Reginald burst out of the front door holding an axe, ready to strike. “You let her go!” The larger man stepped in-between them and lashed out at Reginald. Adora heard bones breaking and Reginald was thrown against the railing, his arm bent in an impossible direction. The large man held the axe now. “Old man,” the thinner man said through gritted teeth, “she is a slave and we have come to take her back to her owner. But first you must learn what it costs to hide a slave from their owner.”

The thin man held out his hand and a small ball of flame appeared. Adora instantly knew what he was going to do. “No! Please! You have me now! Let’s go. Please don’t do this! He didn’t know I was a slave. Please!” The thin man only smiled again and threw the fire ball at the Inn. The fire quickly caught and began to spread. The man threw more fireballs at the building and soon the whole front of the building was engulfed. Reginald looked horrified and finally sprang into action.

He jumped to his feet, but then swayed as the pain in his arm threatened to overwhelm him. Shaking his head to clear it, he ran back into the Inn shouting his wife’s name. Adora was crying uncontrollably and the thin man laughed. They walked off the porch and down the street just as others were coming out of their houses and spreading the word about the fire.

As they walked out of town, Adora quickly dried up her tears and tried to concentrate on the problem at hand. No one is stopping us. It doesn’t even look like they see us leaving. She hoped Reginald and his wife got out of the building safely. She doubted they would be able to put out the fire in time.

They left the town and walked about another two miles, coming to a large encampment. Adora looked around in wonder. There were at least 50 men in camp. “Were all these Huntsmen hunting me?” The thin man laughed, “No, but you have given us quite a chase.” She was lead to the center of the camp where she saw a cage. Adora gasped and began struggling again, “No! I hate cages!” She was shaken so hard that she stopped fighting. He looked her deep in her eyes and another smile tugged at his lips. “You will go into the cage willingly now. Or we will put you there after you have entertained us.” He watched her to make sure his meaning was understood. Adora paled and walked herself to the cage. They locked her inside.

She had just enough room to stand and turn around in one spot, but no more. The seriousness of her situation slammed into her and she groaned, grasping the bars to keep from fainting. She watched the men break camp and while most of the left in different directions, about ten stayed behind. She finally learned the thin man’s name – Kevven. He walked over to a wooden box and took out a short piece of rope and a small, clear glass globe.

Kevven held up the globe and said, “Nicholas.” The globe filled with black, swirling smoke and his voice came through, deep and filled with evil. “Nicholas here.”

“We have your daughter, sir. We will be arriving in just a few moments.”

“Excellent. You will receive your fee upon your return.”

The globe cleared and Kevven put it away. He picked up the rope and spoke the magic that would extend it to whatever length he needed. The other Huntsmen gathered their camping gear and piled it around Adora’s cage. Then they laid the rope around all of it and, stepping inside the circle, touched the rope ends together.

The rope glowed blue then white. The woods outside the ring became hazy then blurry then disappeared altogether. Adora looked down and even the ground wasn’t seen. They were floating in a white space. We’re being transported back to him. Adora closed her eyes, involuntarily picturing the meeting that was about to happen. She whimpered as she thought of the pain and beatings she would receive. And who knows what else he will throw at me. Oh, why did I run away! I knew I would be caught eventually. Why did I do it? Adora was beginning to feel sick.

The sights beyond the rope cleared and she groaned again. There in front of her was her home. Her prison. Her punishment. Kevven and the large man unlocked her cage while the others loaded the gear into a wagon. Adora collapsed to the ground, too weak with fear to stand. Kevven and the large man lifted her up and she stumbled towards the main doors.

They carried her inside, down the hall, and into his throne room. Adora never looked up. She could feel his wrath reaching out for her, surrounding her, then choking her. They carried her to the end of the red carpet and dropped her. She flinched as her knees struck the thin carpet and felt the hard marble underneath. Adora bent down until her forehead was touching the floor. Blind panic threatened to blind her to reason, so she clinched her hands and trembled.

A bag of coins was tossed into the air and Kevven caught it easily. That sounded like a lot of money. They silently turned and left Adora to her fate. Adora was alone with her father and she could picture him sitting on his throne, his thick black hair hanging to his shoulders, his black eyes boring into her. His right hand would be gently, sensuously tracing the curves on the small naked slave girl carved atop his cane.

She heard him stand and walk over to her. Finally she saw his shiny boots stop next to her. She heard a sword being drawn. That is the sword hidden in his cane. A sudden peace came over her. He is going to kill me. Right here; right now. At least I won’t suffer. A quick cut was made to the back of her neck and Adora cried out. But it was only a shallow cut. What is going on? She stayed in her position and waited. Nicholas walked around to face her. “Kneel.” Adora got up on her knees, but kept her eyes on his shoes. “Look at me, Adora.” She swallowed hard and her eyes traveled up his body to his eyes. He was smiling. Oh that’s not a good sign.

“You are very good at what you do, my dear. You managed to stay free for almost a year. That is quite an accomplishment. Of course, I didn’t hire the Huntsmen until about two weeks ago. Their fee is steep, but they are always successful. I could kill you, slowly and painfully, but you are too valuable to me right now. That being said, you are getting to be too independent for a slave. You need to learn loyalty and with that cut on your neck, I have just guaranteed it.”

Adora looked at her father, completely puzzled.

“I have just poisoned you Adora.” Her eyes grew wide and she reached back and felt the blood already sealing over the cut. “Don’t worry, it’s a very slow acting poison.” His smiled widened and Adora whimpered. “There is no cure and only I have the delay antidote. You won’t feel a thing until three days from now. Then it will begin as a burning and the burning will continue to slowly get stronger over the next three days, and at the end of that third day, you’ll be dead. But you’ll beg for death long before then.” He laughed then, his voice echoing around the room. “I’ll let you go for five days to prove to you the truth of what I say. That should keep you loyal to me.”

“Now leave me.” Adora stood up, not believing what her father had just told her. Poison? No cure? Once again, she stumbled out of the throne room and barely made it to her own bedroom before fainting.