Chapter 1 - The Beginning of the End

Love is a great burden,
that only the fiercest of all
can wield without 
beign burned to death

Lord Amaris of Tendris

Shandorah was a beautiful and very young elf maiden, with golden hair al the way down to her back, big and shiny eyes of the color of wet grass, smooth skin, fair and delicate, with a nice touch to the fingers. Pink cheeks, red lips, little hands and feet. She was a delicate thing, dressed in silk and satin, dead worried for the events that were developing in the city.

She lived with her brother and her parents in a mansion in the good part of the city, but her parents were there no more. They had died trying to go out of the country, to speak with the elf king so he would send his help to the human of that city, for they were the ambassadors of the elven kingdom of Belianna, working towards an alliance with the doralani in the southern kingdom of Rosanor. “Not a kingdom anymore” thought the maiden, approaching her brother, taking his hand in hers, afraid of what would come in the next hours of death, blood, loot and rape.

Rosanor weren’t a kingdom since some noble houses killed the old king and formed the High Assembly, some twenty five years ago. Now, the forgotten prince had come to claim what was his right, and to bring death and justice to the usurpers. And he wasn’t alone, no. He’d brought with him a vast army, and dragons, she could see them sometimes in the sky, above the city, dangerously near, but always far from arrows reach. She feared the dragons, but was compelled to look at them in reverent awe, the majestic creatures dancing in the sky resembled the gods she was taught since young, the dragon gods.

— I hope they don’t enter the city... —she knew that wish wasn’t going to be granted, news from other cities weren’t good either, so why would they be spared? Moreover, this was the capital, prince Zack wouldn’t leave the city without taking it. She knew that, but still, she hoped.

Her brother took both hands of her and made the pretty thing face him, looking at her, to reassure the child that being with the young elf (he was only a few years older than she) would make her safe from any danger. She wanted to believe that, but had many problems trying to. Her brother knew how to use a sword, but had never fought in a war, nor with so many enemies. She knew their lives were forfeit, their only hope was to beg for mercy to the prince, if they could see him, and with the army looting the city, that would be very difficult; going out to meet the prince was risky, but staying home... that had its own dangers. At any moment, some prince bannermen could come to their doors, and nobody would stop them. Only their old steward, Raanen, a seasoned doralani, skilled enough with the saber he had to the waist, but old and feeble, no match for true soldiers with gold and lust thirst. Between the boy and the steward would kill some men, five, six, even a dozen if they only tried to enter through the main door; but everyone in the house knew it would only increase the rage in the battered men. Instead of taking captives, they would kill everyone, and that's something anybody desired.

— I won't let them get to you, dearest sister —said the young elf, and she nodded, with bright watery eyes, she knew they had little time until the soldiers came to this part of the city, the walls had fallen more than three hours ago, the battle was almost finished.

They didn't know if the prince had get ahold of the High Assembly, but if he didn't, it would be only a matter of time. If he did, then the city would have surrendered, and soldiers wouldn't find anybody to stop them in the next hours. If the assembly was yet untouched, maybe some city guards and the rest of the Assembly army would protect the most defensible spots in the city. Their house was in one of those spots, their neighborhood was in the inner ring of battlements inside the city, really near to the old castle, seat of the Assembly, but residence of the old kings and probably the finish line for the prince. 

Some noises outside brought the attention of every inhabitant of the mansion. Apparently, the looting was coming to their area, the Assembly had fallen, nobody would protect them then, and their futures were forfeit. The maidservant almost cried when she heard crystal noises, but that weren't in their house and the boy managed to silence her. With a sign he commanded her to bring his sister upstairs, where she would be safer from danger if any man managed to enter the house. The maid nodded and taking one of the little hands of the girl, went to the second floor, locking the two of them in the girl's room, without a light, to not attract the attention of the men outside, if they thought the house empty, it would be nice, no good loot if the lords of the house had gotten away with all the riches.

Time passed, the young maiden was starting to hope that their house had been spared by the enemy, but then, some terrible noises downstairs filled the silence in the house. Door knocks, terrible sounds, hard on the sturdy wood, the one who beat the entrance door must have had a prodigious force, managing to make tremble the door frame and the lamps in the entrance. The young lady embraced the maidservant, hiding her face, her eyes wet with tears that didn't want to come out to her cheeks.

Six, seven hits, maybe ten... but then, silence again. Maybe the soldier only wanted to know if there was someone inside? Or maybe, bored, he went to find a tastier prey, the rampaging wouldn't last long, by tomorrow maybe the prince would calm down the men. If only they could survive until then... but it was difficult, maybe this one enemy had gone to other place, but others would come, that was for sure. A mansion untouched in war was a strange sight, this time wouldn't be different.

— Elah... do you think it is gone? —asked the girl to the maid, her watery eyes up to see the homely girl of brown hair and pretty green eyes.

— I think so... don't worry, miss Shandorah, I'm sure master Belaron will protect you to any cost —said the servant, trying very hard to smile for the little lady, but her worries were hard to disguise.

— What will happen to us, Elah...? I don't want to die... not so soon... —said the young elf, biting her lip tightly, with apprehension.

— We will be safe, don't think about foul things, m'lady, you'll see, we'll remember this night in the future and we'll laugh to our own silly fears —maybe the words of the servant were having a little effect, because the young elf remained silent, nodding softly to herself, embraced to the girl in servant clothes.

— What was that...? Did you hear that? —asked the young one, eyes wide open, moving away from the servant.

— No, m'lady, I didn't heard any... —Elah quieted down in mid sentence, her eyes locked to the bedroom door, she had heard something, steps, in the second floor hallway—; hush, child... don't speak... maybe is your brother, or Raanen... —said the girl in a quiet whisper; something in her voice told the little elf that the girl didn't trust her own words, and that made her more anxious if that was possible.

— I don't want to die, Elah... —said she in soft voice, burying her face in the maid's neck.

— Shhh... nobody will die, you'll see... —said the maid in a softer whisper, her voice trembling a little, hearing the steps die in front of the bedroom's door.

The door finally opened, very slowly, as if the one in the other side was expecting an ambush, but no attack was made, and the door fully opened. In the other side, a woman, slender of figure, dark skin, dark hair, dark eyes. She wore an armor plate, and the colors were the blue and silver of one of the supporters of the prince.

— I've found the other two! —she screamed, looking to the hallway, without fear of the two girls inside, they only were little harmless things... and she wasn't very far from the truth. The armored woman entered the bedroom and motioned the two girls to get up and exit through the door— C'amon, I don't have all day and there's so much to loot in this damned city...

The two girls got up, legs shacking, but maybe they were fortunate, a woman had found the house, maybe, just maybe, they would get alive from this... maybe she only wanted the gold and the ransom prize for the little lady and lord. Obediently, they walked the hallway and went down the stairs, but stopped just as they saw a enormous barbarian in the entrance, beside the boy and steward, who were tied up so they wouldn't try to use their weapons, now at a safe distance from them, across the room.

— What? Another dirty elf? I thought this was a damned human city, not some elf whoring hole —said the giant in distaste when he saw the young elf in the stairs with the maid—; you, girl... yeah, you, the human one, you should feel ashamed of yourself, serving an inferior race... come here, the two of you, now!
The voice of the barbarian was deep and commanding, Shandorah felt the urge to cry, but the maid took her hand and guided her to where the boy and old man where.

— Please, sir... don't do harm to us... we haven't done anything... we'll give you the jewels and money, but please, spare our lives —said the maid with all her courage.

The tall man —he was really tall, the two women were like little children compared to his big size— looked down and stared the maid, tsking and shaking his head, making his blonde mane to float in the air following all the movement. His eyes, blue, hard and cool as ice, shone in a malevolent way.

— Why should I spare any of you? The two of them are filthy elves, they would be better dead than alive. And the two of you... you should be ashamed, you disgrace the human race, serving elves... where is your pride? I should kill you both so nobody has to stand such insult to every living human —the man was hard, his voice dangerous, and his gestures where filled of power and brutality, and the worst of all, the seemed to mind every word he spoke.

— Beorn, don't take that to heart, people have to work, and elves aren't bad, you overreact, a lot —said the dark woman, arms folded, her dark eyes fized on the big man, without a trace of fear in them, only some annoyance to his words.

— But it's true! All elves are mages, and you know magic is the worst of the worst! —the man defended himself, his voice loosed his hostility when speaking to the dark woman.

— Every barbarian thinks the same... you've seen some world now, Beorn, not every elf is a mage, and quit that crap, magic is not bad, not if wisely used —the woman shacked her head, but knew hers was a lost war. So, she decided to change subject— Well... I'll go to look for the riches... what will you do to these people? Are you going to make the same than in the other city? I'm asking so I fetch a bottle of good liquor too, if you're going to have a little time with the ladies.

That comment made the girls start crying, the image of the barbarian trying his way through them was a very fearful sight. The boy started to insult the two intruders, but soon had to keep quiet when a kick of the barbarian hit him in the stomach.

— You, filthy scum, don't insult a human, ever, again... —threatened the barbarian, then turned again to the dark woman, without noticing the crying women, or maybe just ignoring them— I won't do that... the maid is not pretty enough and the elf... it's an ugly elf, I don't want to touch her even.

— That's good then, just let them here and I'll go find the riches... you could find something nice to drink tonight, elven wine is the best, I'm sure they'll have some casket anywhere.

— Hey... don't you protect the elves a little too much, Zen? —asked the barbarian, looking suspicious from the woman to the little elf— Are you sure the girl didn't made something to you? They can enchant anybody with their stare...

— You are ridiculous, Beorn... I'm not overprotecting them, if you don't want to fuck them, well, let's move to other place once we have the jewels and gold, don't you think that's better? And also... they don't enchant anybody with their stare... that's all bullshit.

— There! You made it again! You are trying so hard to protect them... I'm sure she made something to you... —the big barbarian frowned at the girl, that was with wide eyes hearing everything, almost dead of fright— Your eyes... yeah...  you're a little witch, don't you? What did you do to my friend, huh? —the barbarian stretched a big hand towards the elf, grabbing her shoulder and making her stand, started to drag her to the next room. 

— What in the seven hells are you going to do, Beorn? —asked the dark woman, Zen, with weary voice, maybe that wasn't the first time she saw the barbarian act as stubborn as a mule.

— I'm going to end the spell she put on you, you'll thank me later, you'll see —said the barbarian before entering the room, the little girl following, trying to stop the advance, but the barbarian's hand had a tight grip on her shoulder and he wouldn't let her go as easily.

Soon, the two of them were alone in that other room, the door open, so outside everyone could hear what happened inside. The young elf was weeping, trembling with fear when the big man made her bend over a table, feeling the skirts of her dress go up to her  hips, making her weeping more intense.

— Please, I'll be good, please... I didn't do a thing! I'm no mage! Please! —the girl tried to convince the barbarian of her innocence, but he wasn't paying any attention. She could hear the man pulling out one of his weapons, a dagger as big as a short sword, and her fear went wild— Please! I didn't do anything! Please! —she started kicking, trying to stand, but the barbarian held her with one hand in the back, crushing her to the table, and for one moment, she stopped the kicking, trying to catch her breath. In that moment, she could feel the bite of the steel in her buttocks, the barbarian drawing a red line of blood over her delicate skin, making her scream from the pain and shame, she wouldn't be able to sit properly in a time, if she lived enough.

— Now your spell should have been ruined, that dagger is made of iron, your people can't stand iron, and iron can break any spell, so Zen should be free from you, little bitch... you are a dangerous one, aren't you? I thought of leaving you here, so any other men could find you and take a moment of pleasure, but you would enchant them too, wouldn't you? I can't let you here, I don't want any of my men falling to your magics and all that elven crap —the rude barbarian sheathed again his weapon and took the girl after gagging her with a bit of cloth from the room drapes and tying her ankles and wrists with rope he carried, lifting her as if she didn't weighted a thing, and shouldering her, went out of the room to the bigger one where everyone were.

— What have you done there? That was pretty quick —said the dark woman, who now had two sacks filled with jewels, gold and anything of value. She held out one of them, so Beorn could grab it with his free hand— What are you going to do with the girl? Are you taking her? Well, I suppose she'll do a good ransom, if we could find anybody interested in paying for her.

— See? You're talking as normal now... I've broken the enchantment, but I'll take this little witch with me, so I see that she doesn't use her magic against the men.

— You... you can't take her! —said the young elf that was still tied of hands and feet, fighting to free himself to fight the barbarian.

— Oh, I certainly can take her, this is war, kid, and we won, so we can take anything we want, the women, the gold, the jewels... even your life, but an elf life is a dirty thing, I won't dirty my weapons killing something like you, I won't grant you the honor to be killed by Beorn Storjen; so be quiet, or I'll leave you here tied up so anybody who comes to this house would kill you off after raping your arse; you elves, with your magics and all, you look like pretty little maidens, even damned males look like damned maidens... you unnatural things... —the big barbarian walked off the main door, leaving behind the dark woman, who followed him in some minutes, after loosen the elf and servants ropes. When they freed themselves, barbarian and woman would be far, and with all the looting they would never see them again, or that we though.
The little elf girl was unconscious in the big shoulder of the man, blood running to her thighs, her skirt still up, revealing her arse to anybody that would look up to the blonde giant.

— What will you do now? Are you going to carry her from here to there while we loot? —asked the woman, that would be very troublesome.

— Hummm? not, I'll take her to the tent, I've got a good measure of riches in here, and I'm not going to carry her as a mule, you know.

— That's fine... I'll loot a little more, if I find something you'd want, I'll bring it to you.

— You're a good friend, Zen; have a good loot, and be careful, men can make horrible things in the lootings... make sure they recognize you, I don't want to hear that you got hurt because of my men.

— Beorn... you're as sweet as ever... don't worry, I'll be fine, this is not my first looting, it'll be fun, but you should come too, leave the girl in the camp and come seeking me, we can resume the looting.

— I don't know... I don't trust her, what if she tries to enchant one of the men that remained in the camp? She could run away, or worse, maybe she could slave my men with her magics... no, I have to make sure that she doesn't do something like that. And I have to teach her who is in charge, doesn't I? She will be a slave, I'm sure I could sell her for a good amount of gold to any slavist in the south... but first I'd have to train her, her value would be bigger if well trained, don't you think? —the gears in Beorn's mind where working at maximum speed, that was one of the first times Zendilet, the assassin, saw him think so much into the future. Maybe, that was something good for him, but, surely, not so good for the little elf.

— That is a good plan, yeah... well, I'll go looting, I'll bring to you some rare weapon I see, I know you love to collect them... and be careful, don't kill the elf by accident, you're so rough and she seems so... delicate...

— She'll endure, every woman does it... you did, didn't you?

— Well... I'm not a child anymore, and she's so young...

— Young? She? She could be older than you! She's an elf, Zendilet... don't be so silly... maybe there's still traces of the enchantment, I'll go to camp now, I'll make her break the spell, I promise you.

— I'm not under a spell, Beorn... —said the dark woman, but the barbarian was already starting towards the army camp, so she only shrugged her shoulders and followed some of the men to the nice houses of noble men and merchants, to loot for more riches.