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The Wrath of Magic War - Chapter 5

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In the Enemy Camp
Warning: rated for sexual advances on a teenage girl


Less than a month into the invasion…

It still felt unreal at times, but the vengeful eyes of Baron Jaxom always seemed to be following his slave even when they were not. Nearly every night Farrell Greeneyes had to relive the most horrible experiences of his life. The involuntary cries he made whenever it happened attracted quite a number of questions, to which Jaxom simply answered that his slave occasionally had fits. No one seemed to notice—or at least care about—the bruises he received from beatings as well.

His master didn’t bother to chain him up at night, only saying with a sick smile that he would enjoy making Farrell suffer if he tried to escape.

The cat had felt like a traitor when he’d gone ashore at Vira’s Port, surrounded by enemy soldiers who rounded up the terrified Coizards. King Lugius and his daughter sifted through the people every time they captured a new village. Sometimes they would take a few, put collars on them and send them off with a group of slaves.

They also singled out young women as ‘camp followers’ to do the cooking, sewing and laundry. They were kept separate from the main force and guarded closely at night, but from what Farrell had overheard, they’d been purposely chosen because they had little to no magic among them. It made them less dangerous, he supposed.

He also discovered something else within the first two weeks. His own people avoided him because he was a feline like so many Rofakians, though they tended to be lynxes, panthers, leopards, and even the occasional tiger rather than an ordinary cat like himself. But due to that very thing, the Rofakians themselves didn’t look at him with suspicion, even after seeing that he was a slave. They just dismissed him.

This led him to the realization that he could go nearly anywhere in the camp without drawing attention. Things always needed to be done—and as long as he looked as though he was busy, no one paid him any attention. Farrell immediately made it his job to be observant and he practiced copying their accent.

The fourteen thousand troops King Lugius had brought were divided unevenly between ten Lord-Commanders who were great noblemen with private militias. Each militia was then further divided among members of that family so that there were son-captains and brother-lieutenants (though they tended to be cousins and uncles). The ones in authority were always nobles, and as far as he could tell, the positions were not necessarily deserved.

The only troops who weren’t under the leadership of any particular noble were what everyone called ‘handlers’, easily identified by the braided cords around their left arms. It took Farrell some time to discover that they were soldiers with noble ancestry, but their skills in magic were poor at best. They paired themselves off with magic-using slaves kept in the special compounds, and whenever they were needed to accompany a group of soldiers, someone requested them.

But Farrell simply didn’t understand why the Coizards started obeying them meekly after a short time once they were captured.

During the first few weeks when the Rofakian army was constantly moving it was impossible for him to get close enough to the slaves, but after taking over a cluster of villages at the Ford of Beruna (abandoned several days before the army got close), King Lugius ordered that the soldiers begin making a more permanent encampment. They had taken a crooked path into Cosium that covered nearly a hundred miles, traveling slowly since the only horses they had were stolen from farmland—and quite a number of them were not in the best condition. Their leader wished to hold fast in this position for an indefinite amount of time even though they were halfway to the capitol. He seemed to be waiting for a signal of some kind.

While stationed there, the yellow cat would watch silently as large groups split off from the main force, returning days later with Coizards in chains. The way the prisoners walked said they were mostly warriors, but for some reason that attitude didn’t last long after they arrived. Their eyes went dull.

Farrell was unable to approach the slaves until he knew what sort of security they kept around the place. In the end, he discovered the soldiers didn’t consider their slaves enough of a threat to post any guards around the ‘kennels’, as they were called by everyone here.

Finally night fell and Farrell slipped away from the housing provided for the Coizard nobles. He tried to speak with the Coizards, but those who did wake up didn’t seem to understand his questions and soon stopped talking. He tried the Rofakian slaves next, finding at once that they still had their senses. But they ignored him once they realized he wasn’t one of their masters.

There were over two hundred in the main camp, but they were either addled in their heads or refused to speak with him. The yellow cat was nearly ready to give up when someone else answered his cautious greeting.

“Yes, Lini is here. Who are you?” she asked, looking out through the bars with such a sweet, curious face that he felt instantly protective of her.

He introduced himself, noting that she was a fox but unable to tell for certain in the dark what color fur she had…purple maybe? She didn’t return to her bed after realizing he was a slave too, and even seemed intrigued by him.

“Lini has never met a slave who sneaks about at night. Why are you hiding this way?”

“Because the Rofakians will stop me otherwise,” he said, wondering whether she was too loyal to her masters to make this safe. One word from her could result in Jaxom finding out…and he knew what that one would do to him given the slightest provocation. “Listen, I think I may be able to free you and the other slaves if—”

Horror replaced the sweetness and she jumped back. “No, no! Lini must not go free! Lini is a wilder—dangerous! She must wear a collar!”

Farrell stared at her, stunned. “What do you mean? What makes you dangerous?”

She came closer to the bars again, gazing at him as though this question was utter foolishness, then finally seemed to understand he didn’t know. “Lini has no noble blood but can use magic. That means she is a wilder. Lini’s parents are dead because of her. Rofaki masters found Lini, trained Lini. Now she is safe.”

He tried to make sense of it. How could she have been convinced that being free was wrong?

“You have no noble blood but you can use magic… Maybe you’re really from Cosium. Is Lini your real name?”

His words appeared to frighten her and she stared with large eyes. “Lini… Lini does not remember the other name.”

“It isn’t right that they took it away from you,” the yellow cat said, shaking his head with pity. “They treat all of you with no respect, using you. This isn’t the way it ought to be.”

“No, no! Lini’s new master is the king. He is good to Lini! He comes at night sometimes. He tells Lini she is beautiful. He…” she trailed off, blushing.

Farrell stiffened, beginning to suspect why he’d overheard some slaves referred to as ‘the king’s pets’. “What exactly does he do?”

She ducked shyly. “He comes and talks to Lini. Master touches Lini’s cheek. Last night he kissed her… Lini has never been kissed before…”

The cat closed his eyes, starting to tremble with fury. She didn’t know what he was doing—what this attention was leading up to. How could that jackal manipulate an innocent girl?!

“Please listen to me, Lini. I know you think he’s being good to you, but I have a sister who was your age when she met someone who flattered her and said he loved her. He started off doing the same thing—stroking her cheek and giving her soft kisses—then he slowly tried holding her and touching her in ways she did not like. But he was so kind and always said he would never do anything she didn’t want that…that she finally gave in completely.”

Farrell was visibly shaking now, his hands clenched so tightly that the claws cut into his palms. Lini stared at him in confusion.

“He used my sister, and when he no longer found any pleasure in it, he cast her aside like rubbish. I know King Lugius is doing the same thing to you.” His green eyes darted up, catching hers. “Lini, if he ever tries to take off your clothes, scream.”

The young fox looked uncertain, hearing the pain in his voice. Still she insisted, “Master would never hurt Lini.”



Prydain slogged through the mud with the others. No one else seemed to care that they were wet and miserable and starving. There had been more than two hundred of them when they left the battlefield, but most had been taken elsewhere. According to the orders he’d overheard given, they were grouped by strength. There were now twenty-six of them, and supposedly they were powerful enough that King Lugius wanted them ‘trained’ in the main camp.

Every muscle in his body cried out for rest, and the only thing he was grateful for was the fact that he wasn’t wearing his armor. All the soldiers had to give it up, though quite a number had refused at first and been beaten for it. The next two days had been spent marching forty miles north to the Ford of Beruna, and most of this one walking through the rain.

The weather finally cleared, but it left the roads a mess. Riders on either side of them were able to avoid getting themselves muddy, but the horses’ hooves kicked it up, splattering the slaves even more. Prydain spat as a clump hit him in the face, loose grains of dirt crunching between his teeth and making him wince.

Light was fading as they reached the main Rofaki encampment. New soldiers approached and took hold of their long chain. One of them, a bulldog, laughed. “We’ll have to build new kennels at this rate!”

Prydain stiffened at the remark and was about to open his mouth when one of his comrades beat him to it.

“We’re not animals!”

The words earned him a heavy fist in the jaw. “Yes, you are, and the sooner you wilders realize that, the better.”

The slave let out an infuriated cry and plowed into the Rofakian. Two more joined him in pummeling the dog and Prydain would have too but an electric jolt went through the whole chain, sending all of them to their knees. He’d lost count of how many shocks they had received over the last two days. The noble that had done it gave a snort and muttered something about stubborn wilders.

Exhaustion had been pulling on them most of the day, and the promise of finally reaching their destination was enough to deter any other thoughts of escape. Yanked to his feet again, Prydain hardly paid attention as they were led to a narrow lane of small, squat buildings. Each one had fifteen doors, most marked with symbols. They reached some unmarked ones and soldiers started unchaining the Coizards to shove them in.

He was fifth in line and didn’t make a sound when the bulldog pushed him through a door and slammed it closed. The hedgehog looked around at the place that was more of a box than a room. There was a window on the far wall, fitted with bars, and another on the door itself, but all he’d been provided with in the way of furniture was a spongy mat to sleep on. He resisted the urge to throw himself down and try to block out this nightmare.

There had to be something he could do.

Ignoring the bone-weariness of his arms, Prydain pulled himself up enough to see through the window. There were the last of his comrades being shoved into cells, but then he saw several people bringing water buckets and setting them down just out of sight behind another building. He was so thirsty that he kept his eyes fastened on the spot, hoping they would have mercy and deliver one to him.

As hungry as he was, Prydain suspected the Rofakians would decide not to feed them this night. The last time any of them had eaten was the night before when they were each tossed a chunk of dried waybread.

A soldier with cords braided up his left forearm—he’d heard someone call them handlers—walked over to the hidden buckets, something small in his hand. A couple minutes later he reappeared, slipping the object into an inside pocket of his uniform then gesturing to the soldiers who had been waiting nearby patiently. They began to pick up the buckets, two at a time, and then carry them to the newly-occupied cells.

In the faint light, Prydain’s brow wrinkled. Something about this wasn’t right.

His door opened and a soldier set down the bucket and left without a word. It took every shred of self-control not to dart over and empty it of every drop. Seeing Gavin behaving so odd after he’d been collared made him wonder if the Rofakians placed their slaves under a spell. But hypnosis was temporary and hardly worked on anyone with a strong mind. That meant it was either a drug or potion making all the Coizard slaves forget themselves.

And what better way to trick thirsty men into being drugged than by putting it in their water?

Prydain kicked the bucket and the water spread in a thin layer that quickly melted into the ground. But thirst clawed at his throat and mind until he despised himself for dumping the water without absolute proof first.

He leaned against the window bars, staring out at the muddy yard, wishing it was raining again. Then he noticed the roof of the building across from him. It sloped from a low peak, but there was a rounded lip.

Immediately he stretched his hands up, barely able to touch the edge of the roof above him. Desperate, he rolled up his mat and shoved it against the wall, using it to boost him higher. At last he was rewarded with the touch of water that had pooled there. Tearing off a strip of his shirt, Prydain soaked the rag and sucked it dry dozens of times before he felt sated enough to stop.

The orange hedgehog sank to the floor and unrolled his mat, too tired to do more than give one last, triumphant thought before sleep overwhelmed him.

“I can beat them. I will!



“Get up, Wilder,” someone said, the hard toe of a boot digging into Prydain’s side that was sore from two days of marching. “Time for your marking.”

As he stumbled to his feet, the handler clipped lead chain to the collar and yanked him outside into the sunlight. It had to be past midmorning and his stomach gnawed on itself from intense hunger. There was a group of ten others near a small house, all of them his companions from the battle. They seemed confused, occasionally staring into the distance with blank expressions and then snapping out of it, only to look confused again.

Prydain knew at once that the water had been drugged in some way. He did his best to mimic them. Then a figure appeared in the shadowed doorway, gesturing to the first slave. A handler led him inside and a few moments later there was a yelp. He came out holding a hand to his upper arm. Two more went in and exited the same way, then the handler pulled on Prydain’s chain and he followed.

A young woman was waiting there—a collie whose brown fur was so dark that it nearly looked black. Her gaze fastened on him, showing slight surprise as he stepped inside.

“Light. Quite powerful. He feels strong enough to…” She moved around the table and inspected him with hawk-like gold eyes, almost as though trying to decide his worth. “I want this one. My father has his pets… I think it’s time I started my own collection.”

“Would you like him placed in the new kennels, Princess Lefae?” the handler asked.

“I think so. He’ll be the first to bear my sigil.”

The collie reached up to touch his cheek and there was a burning sensation. Prydain jerked back with a gasp, hand going to the spot. He had no idea what mark she’d burned into his skin, but the fact that it was a slave tattoo was degrading.

She gazed at him with a measuring look, taking in the dried mud clinging to his fur and his clothes’ dark bloodstains. “I think I’ll call him Tai’Daishar. Take him to get cleaned up.”

Prydain stared at his feet and kept his cheek covered as he walked, not wanting any of the other prisoners to see the mark on his face. He should have expected this. They stripped away memories, dignity and names…

“No, it’s mine!” someone protested, making him look up.

A raccoon knelt on the floor of a different building where Prydain had been brought, curling himself around his clenched hand. A tub next to him was piled high with filthy clothing and another beside it had all kinds of oddments…wristbands, rings, necklaces, small pictures, booklets. The soldier holding onto the raccoon’s lead chain pulled hard and he choked.

“You don’t need it anymore,” he said harshly. “Give it up or I will punish you.”

The raccoon shook his head frantically. Prydain watched as his comrade was kicked repeatedly until he couldn’t breathe, then his hand forced open. A carved wooden locket tied with a marriage ribbon was snatched away and tossed in with all the other random articles. The handler dragged his half-conscious prisoner into the corner and revived him with a bucket of water in the face.

Prydain’s handler tugged on the chain to get his attention. “Understand, Wilder? No one keeps anything. Now strip.”

He wanted to spit at the arrogant Rofakian, but what would that achieve? If they perceived him as obedient then they would be less likely to pay attention to him.

The orange hedgehog pulled off his bloodied tunic and shirt, carefully giving the impression he was doing as he was told but had no idea why. It was painful to lose the ‘dragon tooth’ his little brother had given him before he enlisted, but Prydain knew fighting would have accomplished nothing and he’d have still lost it.

Someone doused him with two buckets of freezing water and after he’d stood there dripping and shivering for a few minutes, one shoved a gray robe and a leather belt into his hands.

“Put that on, then you can eat.”

The reminder of food made his stomach tighten with anticipation and he dressed as quickly as he could, still shivering. Before leaving the building someone put manacles on his wrists. Prydain numbly followed the handler to some tables where prisoners were scarfing down their meal, then his lead chain was removed. Half of the others looked more aware after their frigid bath and sat glaring around at the Rofakian soldiers as they ate, occasionally rubbing at the tattoos on their arms. He automatically covered the one on his cheek again, wondering why that collie had to make his more visible.

A bowl of grits was handed to him, then he took a seat beside the raccoon who had received a beating. The other was clutching an empty place at his chest where the locket used to hang.

“My wife…she gave it to me… I promised never to take it off…”

“You didn’t. They stole it,” Prydain murmured in reassurance. He darted a glance around to make sure none of their enemies were close enough to hear, saying, “It’s the water. Whatever they gave us last night was drugged.”

“I promised…my wife…” the raccoon said again, sounding broken. It was as though his mind was so fixated on the locket that he hadn’t heard.

“You need to fight!” he insisted. “If you don’t—”

A fist slammed down on the table between them, cutting him off. Prydain looked up at a deer with deep red fur and then promptly lowered his eyes again as the handler growled, “Slaves are not permitted to socialize. If this wasn’t your first day, I would see both of you punished.”

The hedgehog focused on his food, swallowing the half-cooked grits that had a flat flavor and wishing once again that he’d never been assigned to that stupid polecat’s regiment.

Princess Lefae came over shortly after he was done, a riding crop in one hand and a conceited air draped around her. Without a word she snapped a different, thinner chain to his collar and gave it a tug. Prydain feigned confusion and allowed himself to be led, holding back the anger at being treated like a beast.

If it weren’t for her attitude of superiority she would have been very lovely with that silky near-black fur and long, shapely muzzle. The way she walked had a confident sway that didn’t overly emphasize her hips, but gave the impression of a girl smoothly entering womanhood.

Lefae brought him to an open space just outside camp where more slaves were practicing with their magic. He saw several of his fellow soldiers had already tried to resist and were now strung up by their manacle chains from posts along the outer edge of the training grounds. There was hatred in their eyes as they hung there, barely able to touch the earth.

The princess cleared her throat to get his attention. “Tai’Daishar, you cannot use magic at the moment but once I release the lock on your collar, you can.”

He felt her press something on the side of the collar and it popped open…a little. Lefae watched silently as he reached up to feel, understanding that although it was open it was still impossible to get off. There was a double-lock of some kind on it. He noticed the faintest blue glow around the hand she used to hold the lead chain.

That confused him. Hadn’t she used Fire to burn marks onto his skin and his comrades’ earlier? Unless… Could she be a mixer? He wondered whether her other Element was Wind or Water.

“You’re the first Light-wielder I’ve worked with, but I’ve seen others with far less potential. Now first I want you to make a globe of red light. That ought to be easy.”

Of course it was. He had made dozens of colored light globes for nighttime celebrations back home. But aside from lighting the darkness, his Element was useless. Why would she consider him a prize?

Deciding there was no point in being stubborn, he obeyed. A soft red light appeared between his hands, growing larger. After a few seconds his connection to the magic severed as the collar tightened about his neck. He jerked in surprise and looked at her. She stood there, arms crossed, the chain at her feet.

“You see? As long as another magic-wielder has your leash you may use magic. The collar automatically closes when I release it or if I stop holding my magic. That was your first lesson.”

A ‘leash’? The anger inside swelled and it took effort to keep from letting it leak out as the princess retrieved the leash and tucked the end into the webbing of cords wrapped around one forearm so that her hand was free. The outside lock on his collar opened again.

A small dagger came from a sheath at her belt and she held it up. “Now, use Light-honing on this.”

“I don’t understand.”

Her riding crop flew through the air, delivering a slap to his face that made the hedgehog stumble back.

“Tai’Daishar,” she said, completely calm, “only a person may say ‘I’. You are a slave. You will use your name.”

He reached up to touch the stinging welt and also felt the ridges of the tattoo she’d burned into his cheek. Searing fury built on top of the anger he’d already gathered, but he couldn’t act on it. Not yet. Forcing himself to lower his eyes, he answered.

“…Tai’Daishar…does not understand.”

Feeling her softly stroke his quills almost in an apologetic way was so surprising that the festering anger faltered.

“I do not want to hurt you. I will not if you are good.” She held the dagger in front of him again. “Light is important to us all, but you can use it for any number of things besides illumination. One of the most useful is enhancing the sharpness of tools. Even an Earth-wielder with metal skills cannot make a blade as sharp as a Light-wielder can.”

Now it was curiosity holding his anger at bay.

“Look at the way light catches the blade. Feel the light’s reflection. Make it real.”

He listened and tried repeatedly to follow her directions. The first successful attempt that made the dagger cut deep into a nearby post earned such praise that Prydain couldn’t help feeling a little pleasure. Realizing his Element was not worthless was in itself something to be proud of.

She kept him working at it for the remainder of the day, only taking breaks for the midday and evening meals, then brought him to a new kennel with a sunburst on the door to indicate the Element of the one housed there. It had a cot inside which looked so inviting that he fell facedown onto it before Lefae had removed his leash.

After it was off, the princess stroked his quills, leaning close. “Your coloring is so different… I have never seen anyone with the fur of a sunset. That is your name, you know. ‘Sunlight at Dusk’.”

Prydain had done his best to avoid talking so that he didn’t have to use that distasteful name. It was also an embarrassment to him the way his fur had a few soft patches of red among the orange. As a child some of his playmates had called him ‘Peach’ because of it. Now instead of a taunting nickname, he had a patronizing pet-name.

“You are very tired, I know. I will send someone with water for you soon.” She stood, then paused. The princess smiled at him in a way that seemed genuine. “I am very glad you are mine, Tai’Daishar.”

She locked the door and he rubbed his face, clearing away the idiocy that tried to make him feel grateful. Yes, this was nicer than the one he’d been shoved into the night before, but it was still a cell and he was still a prisoner. And she was still an enemy.

Once he’d dumped out the water bucket, Prydain wrenched himself away from the fatigue. He pushed his cot over to the window, stepped up onto it and began to painstakingly retrieve water from the kennel’s gutter, one sip at a time.



Elsewhere in the kennels, King Lugius sat on the stool beside Lini’s bed, telling her jokes and listening to her timid laughs. Every now and then his fingers brushed hers in what almost seemed an accidental way. He had teased a quick kiss from her earlier, but now moved in more purposefully, lightly tracing the shape of her cheek with his thumb.

Then she was tasting his lips, eyes sliding shut as she enjoyed the sensation. His tongue flicked out, catching hers, trying to dance in an unfamiliar way that made her blush. He kissed harder, more forcefully. The neck of her robe stretched a little wider, the king’s fingers slipping in to squeeze her shoulders, but Lini tensed. He pulled away, looking into her face.

“Lini…Lini does not like this,” she whispered, closing her gray robe with one hand.

The king seemed concerned. “I understand. I would never want to do anything that distresses you. It’s alright. I’ll go now.”

As the door closed behind him, Lini had the impression she had done something wrong. The magenta fox sat on her bed, hugging her knees. She had not expected Farrell to be right. It was surprise more than anything that made her speak up.

But she hadn’t wanted him to leave.

Lini felt a mixture of loneliness and regret the following night when King Lugius walked past her cell and instead visited one of his other pets. She could hear laughter and almost thought she heard them kissing, then he led the girl out of the kennels.

The next night it was the same. And the next. He ignored her for almost a week, choosing to give his attention to the other three. Whenever she watched them walk past her cell, the girls always looked rapt, delighted to be chosen.

How could it be right for her to refuse him if they didn’t find the way he touched disturbing? Was she the only one who thought so? Did that mean there was something wrong with her?

Lini was worked hard the sixth day after he’d left. Moving earth and solidifying it to make new buildings for the camp took excessive energy and she felt as though she had none left when he opened the cell door. Tears sprang to her eyes and she struggled to sit up, but he knelt beside her.

“You don’t have to move. I saw how tired you were this evening.” He ran his fingers along the side of her face, smoothing down the fur. “I’ve missed you, Beautiful.”

The young fox felt so starved for his affection that she leaned forward, wanting more contact. This time when he tentatively eased the neck of her robe down there wasn’t even the flicker of resistance. Lini didn’t want to be alone again and she welcomed the kisses he planted on her shoulders and collarbone.



Prydain hated himself for being weak. Barely a week and he was already beginning to feel comfortable in his surroundings. None of the others had any of their thoughts left. They followed orders, called themselves by their new names, and parroted off the phrases handlers were always telling them.

Wilders are dangerous. Wilders must be collared. Master will make wilders safe. Listen to Master.

Or Mistress, in his case.

Princess Lefae held her head so high when he did the magic correctly, as though she were the one responsible. He’d learned to make a flash so bright that it blinded people, bend the light around an object or person so that they became close to invisible, use light to mirror images, and—hardest of all—solidify pure Light into a shield.

Over and over he went through different plans to use these new skills to escape. If he could just blind her and then take her dagger to cut off the collar…but that wouldn’t work because she would let go of the leash before he could use it to make the weapon ultra-sharp. Using the dagger first may not work because it was so keen that he’d slice right through the collar and cut his own throat if he wasn’t very careful.

And even if it did succeed, he’d still have to deal with dozens of mindlessly obedient slaves who would attack him at a whisper from their handlers.

The one hope he had was Farrell. While trying to reach the dregs of filthy water on his third night in camp, he’d seen the cat sneaking through their kennels. Farrell had been shocked to find any of the former soldiers lucid and immediately brought him some fresh water.

Knowing why and how all the Coizards had gone witless was helpful because it offered the hope that there may be a cure. Now at least Farrell had an idea of what he was looking for. As the personal slave of a noble, he had access throughout the main camp and could slip into certain places while carrying out his many duties.

He promised to help them all escape. The cat just needed more time to formulate a plan.

But Prydain’s pretense of submission was hard to keep up without occasionally slipping into it for real. It was growing easier to get used to this life since he did privately enjoy learning to use his Element, and it wasn’t as though they treated him badly. Not to mention pleasing Princess Lefae was a reward in itself because she had a beautiful smile and didn’t always stare at him as though he was her possession. Strange as it was, occasionally he did get the feeling she cared about him.

He hoped Farrell hurried with the plan. Prydain was afraid if this went on too long…he really would end up freely following her.



Two nights after the jackal king had returned to Lini, he took her by the hand, leading her out of the cell and across the camp to the house he used until the army moved forward. The other girls always looked excited when he took them, so Lini assumed she should feel the same way, forcefully squashing the nervousness bubbling up inside.

His quarters were very fine compared to any she’d ever been permitted to enter, and he poured a glass of red wine for her. Lini sipped, trying not to blanch at the strong, bitter taste.

Lugius looked at her with amusement. “The others enjoy it. I can get something else if you like.”

Not wanting to be perceived as less than them, Lini downed the entire glass. She had three more before he laughed, saying she’d drunk more than enough. The words made her giggle, then the fox kept giggling when she stumbled and he barely caught her in time. His teeth nipped her ear playfully and she shivered with pleasure, automatically wrapping her arms around him.

Then suddenly she found herself lying on the softest bed she’d ever felt and he was leaning over her murmuring, “Isolde, my darling, do you want me?”

Her wine-clouded thoughts swam and she responded with a dizzy kiss, not even bothering to wonder why he’d called her by the queen’s name. His hands slipped down her sides, creeping lower until they found her belt. It loosened and he pulled her robe open, beginning to feel along her bare hips. Lini’s mind cleared slightly.

If he ever tries to take off your clothes, scream.

The king was on top of her, pressing against her body. His knee started to slip between her legs and she felt his hands squeeze her breasts as he kept kissing ravenously, making Lini tremble as she began to grow afraid. No one had ever touched her this way. She didn’t like it. She didn’t want it. Farrell’s voice echoed in her head.

Scream—scream—scream!

Lugius jerked back as the shriek tore from her throat. A moment later a guard burst inside, weapon drawn. The king shouted at him to get out, but two more came running in before he could obey. He twisted around and covered Lini’s mouth, hissing, “Shut up!”

But she was crying now and trying to cover herself with the robe so that the soldiers wouldn’t see. She felt utterly humiliated!

His hand cracked across her face with such force that the young fox nearly blacked out. But the screams cut off as her cheek went numb.

“Take that bloody wilder back to the kennels!” he snarled to the guards, shoving away from the bed and grabbing the flask of wine. It was dry in less than a minute then the dark jackal threw it to the floor, glass splintering everywhere.

One soldier lifted Lini into his arms, carrying her because she couldn’t make her legs work. Tears kept falling and she didn’t understand why. It took her a while to realize the Rofaki soldier was muttering as he brought her toward the slave compound.

“…Lecherous scum… taking advantage of children… he has daughters this age…” He paused, looking down at her briefly. “At least he didn’t make you emotionally attached to him like his other pets. The whole camp will know about it by morning, so he won’t try that again on you, I’m sure. You’ll be safe from him now.”

Safe from him? Had she been in danger after all?

Lini still didn’t understand what had happened or why her master had changed his attitude toward her so suddenly just because she’d screamed. She thought he would be concerned, but he… Why had he slapped her? Had Lini done something wrong? …Or had he?

The wine continued to muddle her thoughts and her tears didn’t stop even long after the cell door had locked her in again.



Rain tapped out a soft pattern on the roof of Princess Lefae’s dwelling as she surveyed the slave standing before her. The magenta fox kept her eyes down, as was proper. Lefae took hold of her chin and a wave of icy cold swept along Lini’s cheek, healing the burn that had marked her as one of the king’s pets. It left behind a white scar instead—a mark of shame she would never be able to escape. To fall from his favor and for everyone to know it…

Moments later the pale tattoo on her arm was black once more, making her gasp and shudder at the pain. She continued to keep her gaze angled toward the ground, but tears began to spill down her cheeks.

“Oh, don’t start that,” the princess chided. “Losing him as your master is not so great a dishonor as you believe. I will find you a good replacement.”

“I would expect you to despise his pets,” one of the two maids standing against the wall spoke up. She allowed them the freedom to speak their minds, considering these two more of her friends than servants.

“My mother does not care, therefore nor do I,” Lefae said with a shrug. Picking up a glass vial, she gave a regretful sigh. “My Tai’Daishar is surprisingly resistant to his medicine. Though I always enjoy a challenge, it’s time to stop coddling him. Father’s impatience is grating on me.”

She went to the closet and opened it, revealing hundreds of leashes hanging on pegs. An ornamented key rested on a nail of the door itself and Lini recognized it—or at least one like it—from years ago when her collar had been removed to replace it with another. Averting her eyes once more, she waited until a leash had been attached to her and then was led outside by a handler.

Lefae stared out the window at the rain, thinking about the Light-wielder she owned. He still had his senses. That was perfectly obvious. Though he tried to hide it and pretended to be subservient, there was animosity behind his eyes. She had hoped by instructing him gradually and with much care he would eventually come to see it was best this way, but the improvements she noted were only in his skills, not his attitude.

And the princess could not progress with his instruction unless he was truly faithful. Her father kept asking why she waited so long to train him in the use of Elementals. He ought to be able to summon one easily with the strength he had at his fingertips. But such a powerful technique could so easily be turned against the Rofakians. She could not risk it until she was sure he was completely under control.

And there was always the chance he would discover how to convert his body entirely into Light. That was something they had to be extremely careful about when dealing with any magic-users of Darkness, Light, Water, Wind or Fire. In the past some had faded into their Elements, escaped their collars and fled. Only the most trusted Rofakian slaves were ever taught the skill, and always in secret to keep other slaves from learning of the possibility. Tai’Daishar could do it, she was sure, but he didn’t even know it.

Because of the bad weather, only a handful of slaves would be trained this day, indoors. The others were given the opportunity to rest. She might as well use the lull to bring him to heel.

As she was passing around the back side of the kennels, a movement in one of the windows caught her eye. She squinted, recognizing Tai’Daishar as he reached out to catch the water that dripped from his roof with a rag and then suck it dry.

Less than a minute later Lefae flung open the door to his cell and he pulled away from the window in surprise. The princess stared at him with a glimmer of respect.

“I’ve been wondering how you were doing it. Seems I chose the most clever one of the lot. It’s too bad you weren’t more convincing, though. Now I suggest you drink this.”

She held out a waterskin to him. Tai’Daishar struck out, sending it to the floor where its contents splattered in the dirt. He crouched in the corner, glaring.

There was a disappointed look on her face.  “I suspected you might feel this way. Guard, come in and hold him for me.”

A large deer entered—the same one who had threatened to punish him for talking on his first day here. Perhaps before he became a slave, the orange-furred hedgehog might have been able to defend himself well, but with poor rations and being worked to the point of exhaustion every day, the fight was a short one.

Lefae watched, head tilted to one side as though she found the situation sad. She stepped outside and got a second waterskin from a guard stationed nearby, then took the vial from her sleeve. Several drops went in the opening and she swished it, coming closer.

Tai’Daishar snarled at her. “Cold-blooded thieves! You have to steal our identities and our minds to get what you want!”

“Tai’Daishar, this will—”

“My name is Prydain!” he shouted viciously. “That will always be who I am no matter what you say or how you trick me!”

“That mark on your face says otherwise,” the black collie commented, now standing in front of him. He flushed, humiliated by the reminder of his tattoo. “I’m tired of this foolish prattle.”

He coughed and choked, yet in the end he was forced to swallow. The deer threw him onto his cot and tied the wrists securely behind his back. As he struggled there, Lefae leaned close to his ear and began to whisper in a tone of remorse.

“I love horses, Tai’Daishar. There is not a not a single one of mine that does not love me—because I know how to train them gently. I did not want to do this to you, but there is so little time and my father has been demanding to know why you are not advancing. I have no choice but to break you now.”

“You haven’t broken any of us—not a single one! All you’ve done is mask the truth by drugging us! We’ll be free someday and then you’ll regret—ugh!

A heavy punch to his back cut him off as the soldier growled, “Don’t speak that way to the princess!”

“Oh, settle down,” she said absently. “It’s the last chance he’ll get to be defiant. In two or three days he’ll be just like the rest. I’ll probably miss that stubborn streak of his.”

The door shut behind them and Prydain lay on his cot, finally allowing himself to feel despair rather than anger. If his arms had been free he would have jammed a finger down his throat to throw up the stuff poisoning his mind. Now he would start to lose himself in a well of forgetfulness…and there may never be any rescue for him…



Farrell went to Lini’s cell, having heard rumors about the previous night’s disturbance. He also knew she had been worked hard that afternoon creating stone basins to catch rainwater. It wasn’t necessary since they were beside the river, but he knew enough about Princess Lefae by now that it was likely she’d ordered the girl’s handler to do it so that she had less free time to think about her former master.

“Lini?” he whispered, putting his face close to the window.

His eyes could see well enough in the dark, noting at once that her cot had been taken away, replaced by a simple bedroll. And she was curled up on it, only moving to tuck her head more deeply into her arms.

“I heard about last night. I’m sorry you feel so lost, but if you understood what he was really trying to do you’d know it’s better that this happened.”

The fox raised her head. By the dark streaks below her eyes, he could see she had been crying for a long time. “Lini doesn’t understand. How can Master be wrong? Lini must listen to Master, but Master… Lini doesn’t understand…” she repeated in a terrified voice.

“Lini,” he said as low and comforting as he could, “you’re finally beginning to think. Don’t ever stop.”

She looked away again, the words strange and incomprehensible. It went against everything she’d been taught from an early age. Farrell didn’t know what might really make any difference to her. This child had known nothing except confinement. How could he help her to understand…?

“I grew up about thirty miles southeast of here,” he murmured. “Ruatha is a small village, but we’re known all over Cosium for our woodwork. We have lots of Nature-wielders who can use their talents to shape wood into almost anything.”

She had turned back to him. “...They don’t use magic to fight?”

“Only against the occasional band of thieves,” he said, shrugging. “I think it’s the most beautiful place in all of Cosium. Just outside town is a meadow. Every spring buttercups flower so thickly that they look like one large blanket spread over the grass. Nearby is a waterhole where everyone goes swimming in the summer. It’s spring-fed, so the water’s always cold no matter how hot the weather is.”

He continued describing his hometown, noticing that Lini’s eyes were fastened on him. They were filled with wonder.

“My family has a small plot,” he continued. “We harvest grapes, mostly, but the rest of our land is for vegetables. My wife’s name is Mara. We have three girls, two of them Nature-wielders. Sometimes it takes all of us to take care of our crops. Even though their magic hasn’t settled yet, they are very good at using it to kill weeds.”

Lini kept listening, her mind a whirl of confusion. It didn’t seem natural to her that wilders should have such ordinary lives…just like anyone else. But Coizards had been living this way for generations. Why did the Rofakians consider that so wrong?

For the first time in longer than she could remember, the young slave began to wonder what life would be like for her if she wasn’t collared.
I went back and forth a dozen times before finally deciding to keep the near-rape scene. That sort of subject terrifies me, especially with the emotional manipulation involved on Lugius’s part. Scumbag.

But now we see what Farrell is doing, and though I feel pretty bad for Prydain, his part of the story was interesting to write (I guess I can be considered weird for wanting to show the exact process of what he goes through from the beginning). Now you see how the Rofakians are pulling off their gig with all the captured slaves. Originally Lefae was going to be a female dog in more than just appearance, but she grew sympathetic as I wrote, taking on a much different personality.

For reference on the map, look at the four clusters of mountains north of Cosium Castle. The Rofakians are situated in the middle of them, just below that river.

King Lugius belongs mostly to LiyuConberma, but the rest of the characters in this particular chapter are mine. Those who are relevant here are outlined below.

King Lugius
Dark-furred jackal with paler fur on his chest
King of Rofaki, obsessed with gaining magic-using slaves. He expects to be obeyed without question and when his will is thwarted he instantly grows violent.

Princess Lefae
A brown-black collie
The firstborn child of Lugius and Isolde. Her father promised to give her a portion of Cosium in return for helping with the invasion. She is currently in charge of the slaves and chose Prydain to train personally, but inwardly disagrees with the idea of brainwashing them. She is a "mixer", able to use both Fire and Wind.

Baron Jaxom
Gray hedgehog with jagged blue stripes along his quills
Baron of Ruatha, helping the Rofakian army so that they can strike all the Coizard outposts and capture soldiers. He is relying on information from Rakar and plans to eventually betray Rofaki.

Farrell Greeneyes
Yellow cat with brown stripes
A slave owned by Jaxom. Rakar used his gift to make him suffer mental torment in response to verbal phrases. He uses his position in the Rofakian camp to find ways to undermine them and is currently working on a plan to free the slaves. To find out more about what happened to his sister, read my oneshot: Hunting Down the Past.

Prydain
Orange hedgehog with small splotches of red
A foot soldier taken captive by Rofaki, able to use Light. He discovered how the slaves were being drugged, but only managed to stay “sober” for eight days.

Lini
Magenta fox
A magic-using slave who was raised in Rofaki, very powerful with Earth and skilled enough to manipulate metal. After refusing the king’s advances she was demoted…and she now no longer knows what to think about herself or her Rofakian masters.

Chapter 1: The Storm Gathers
Chapter 2: Deep Breath Before the Plunge
Chapter 3: The Invasion
Chapter 4: Just One Victory
Chapter 5: In the Enemy Camp
Chapter 6: The Cost of Trust
Chapter 7: A Bitter Sacrifice
Chapter 8: Cosium Rebounds
Chapter 9: To End the War
Chapter 10: Mortesen's Battle
Epilogue
© 2016 - 2024 JanikaCheetah
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Jonpicard's avatar

This chapter filled me with me with many emotions discuss for the royal family of Rofaki and how they are treating their captive prisoners it hurts me inside seeing this. I want to help Prydain, Lini, and Farrell escape and regain their freedom from Rofaki. You did an outstanding job in this chapter focusing on Prydain, Lini, and Farrell and the struggles and hardships they are facing with Rofaki. I can't wait to read more thanks for this chapter!!