Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Wednesday Briefers: Orphic Revelations

This week we had several photo prompts, along with line/word prompts: "The night was deadly quiet..." or the alternate prompts. Use: shadow, vengeance, blister or "She/he brushed up against me, and I saw (blank) in her/his eyes..." or use: tea, samurai, patience or "When was the last time you....?" I chose the prompt with shadow, vengeance, blister.

This is a new story! Woo hoo!! I do so hope you enjoy it, as well as the follow up chapters that will come throughout November. *Warning* There is some graphic violence.





My father's enemies had wreaked their vengeance. They killed my father, captured me, and claimed my family as slaves. My mother would not allow such disgrace. Using her woman's knife, she opened the veins of both of my little sisters and then her own. They were found in the courtyard under the sacred family tree, clothed in their best robes with their hands touching, the blood from their slit wrists turning the soil red.

Furious at their lost worth, my uncle beat me until I was barely conscious. I screamed when his slippered foot drew back and slammed between my legs. I woke in a dark cell some time later. 

To shame me, my hair was shaved and I was dressed in slave rags. A thick metal collar, scrolled with symbols on the top and bottom, was fastened around my neck. It chafed for a long time until the skin around my neck thickened and scarred.

Days blended together while the seasons passed. I shivered in the winter in my cell, a blanket a luxury I never earned. Summers I sweated, thirst mounting until I could barely stop myself from begging for a single sip of water.

I'd been barely old enough to leave my mother's  side when my uncle finally claimed the entirety of the family businesses. I finished my growing years as his slave, starved and beaten. I was small, never growing as tall as I should have, but I was far from weak. I was worked hard from sunrise to beyond sunset each day. The only touch I ever felt was to cause pain.

I was scrubbing the outside walking stones, my fingers wrinkled and sore from the harsh soap in the water, when a window opened on the second floor. Voices floated on the wind down to my ears.

"It's dangerous."

My uncle scoffed. "He's broken. Even if he were not, he is uneducated and marked as a slave. No one will follow him."

"I wish him gone. If you will not kill him, sell him. I have a contact that says the wemic is looking for a servant to take back with him into the mountains."

The brush snapped in my hands. The brush clattered against the stones. I flinched, futilely trying to fit it back to the handle.

"Slave!"

My shoulders hunched.

"Come here."

I slowly put the broken pieces of the brush next to the bucket, rising to my feet. Walking soundlessly, my hands loose at my sides, I went up the stairs to my uncle's office on the second floor.

The door slid open before I finished climbing the stairs. Two steps inside I sank to my knees, dropping my forehead to the floor. It was better to be looking down, so that I would never be tempted to meet his cold blue eyes. I'd learned that early on.

"What was that noise?"

"I broke a brush sir." My voice was barely audible, hoarse from disuse.

"You dare break my property?" His voice was deadly calm. A whistle through the air made me tense, though I tried not to.

I bit my lip bloody, holding in my screams as a thick rod struck my back. The iron tang filled my mouth until it was finally over. A fine tremble shook me.

Still in that deadly calm voice, he spoke again, "Why did you break the brush?"

"I am a clumsy fool." That response, too, had been drilled into me.

"Oh, I think it was more than that. Were you listening to our conversation?"

Denial was my only hope. "Of course not."

The rod struck again and again. "You lie."

"No, no, I swear." Tears streamed down my face but I didn't cry out from my beating.

The other voice was full of scorn. "I am sure he did hear, Father. I'll not have him here to threaten my takeover of the family. Sell him."

My fear was stronger than the agonizing fire in my back. "No, please, the wemic will kill me."

I fell onto my side when a slippered foot slammed into my ribs. Curling up, I struggled to breathe.

My cousin kicked me again. "I told you he was listening. Even now he's a dangerous, lying sneak. Sell him!"

"Fine."

My heart should've stopped, my fear was so great, but the traitorous organ kept beating. My uncle ordered me locked in my cell. The next morning I was dragged out by my hair, my body so sore I could barely move. A sharp pain dug into my side with every breath.

In the front courtyard I was dropped into the dirt. I eyed the open gate.

"We will not risk you running from the wemic."

I couldn't hold back my screams as hot metal touched the heels of my feet.

"Cover them." My feet were wrapped in rags.

Moments later, a misshapen shadow fell over me.

"I received your message. Is this him?"

"Yes. Fifty akels and he's all yours."

Tawny paws appeared as the wemic circled me. I shook in terror.

"He doesn't look worth the price of a dinner. What can you do, boy?"

I knew the answer to that question. "Whatever you need, sir."

"Look at me."

I slowly lifted my eyes. Honey gold fur covered his body and four legs, but the tip of his tail was dark. His bare chest was covered in a leather vest, twin swords hilts above his shoulders. Worst of all were his fearsome yellow eyes and sharp teeth I could see when he snarled.  

The painful burns didn't stop me. Faster than anyone expected, I jumped to my feet and ran out the open gate.

I huddled in an alley, unable to run anymore. Bile burned my throat as I gasped for air. I rearranged the dirty rags, trying to cushion the bleeding blisters. Sweat dripped into my eyes and I wiped it away along with my tears.

I could not afford to be weak.

I would not be dinner.

TBC

Don't forget to check out the other briefers!

Cia Nordwell     m/m
Nephylim         m/m
Victoria Adams   m/f   flash virgin!!!!!
Elizabeth Morgan m/f    flash virgin!!!!!
Tali             m/m
Julie Lynn Hayes m/m

18 comments:

  1. I like this. I can't wait to see where it goes.

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    1. Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked the story; more will be coming next week.

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  2. That's how to get off to a running start. :) Something tells me he's not getting far. I'm really interested in learning more about the wemic.

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    1. Literally! LOL. I was drawn to a fantasy element this time but I didn't want to do anything like your story, with it's futuristic aliens, or Julie's with her alien/ghosts. So I went to a more historical vibed story, with animal fantasy elements. Definitely a favorite of mine anyway. I'm not sticking with classic wemic mythos, more making it up on my own, but I hope you'll like it! Thanks for reading Tali.

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  3. I hope there is some horrible death planned for the uncle.

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    1. Oh but that would be telling. ;) lol. Villians rarely get away in my stories, but you never know. Thanks for the comment Victoria!

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  4. That was a harsh life he led, poor boy. I hope things get better for him, although right now, with pursuit close on his heels and that (evil?) wemic, I don't think they will.

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    1. We'll just have to see next week what happens next! Poor boy was right. No telling what will happen!

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  5. Hey Cia, like Tali, I wouldn't have known it was a brief with the amount of detail and intrigue you fit into it. You have me hook, line and sinker with this one. But, now I have research since I haven't heard of this 'wemic' before and you said something to Tali about traditional mythos, so off to the internet! :) This poor child! I hope he's given some good fortune soon. How much can one kid take! What strength. Can't wait to see what is predicted to happen or what it is they fear about him!
    cannd

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    1. I tried to encompass many years of 'bad' without showing it all; that would be rough and darker than I wanted to go. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Technially lion-taurs have appeared in many mythos through the years, under different names. I decided I liked the name 'wemics' from the fantasy games better than the other names though. :P And I'll be adding my own spin, as always.

      Glad you enjoyed the first part of the story, and more will definitely be coming! Thanks for commenting.

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  6. ooooo,very interesting start Cia. Looking forward to reading more. :)

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    1. I'm glad you liked it! I wanted to do something different. :)

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  7. Enjoyable as always, but this one is a bit more intriguing. Leaves my mind going in 14 different directions. Did he..? Will they..? What if he..? Is he really..?
    I know the ride will be very exciting and can't wait for the rest. :o)

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    1. One never knows! I don't even really know, though I have an idea. That's the interesting element to using the prompts to create stories. I have an idea of where it could go, but it could change at any time! :P Thanks for the review Pat!

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  8. i love it so far. you have a way of pulling people in your stories its awsome. can't wait for more.

    kayla
    stonekayla49@yahoo.com

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    1. Wow, thanks Kayla! That's a lovely compliment. I'm so glad you enjoyed the start to this story. More will be coming next Wednesday!

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  9. That was a fabulous start. A whole backstory in 500 words and a set up in the next 500 words (give or take :) ) Love it. And it's got torture in it !!!! What can I say

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    1. This was a hard chapter! I wanted to set the world, the back story, and hint at some to come. All that in 1k is a challenge! I'm glad it worked. Thanks for reading Nephy.

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