Belly of the Beast by Warren Thomas (story books for 5 year olds txt) 📕

            “You are mine, swordsmith,” he whispered. “And there isn’t anyone in the world that can save you.”

Chapter 20

            After a long two weeks of company pitted against company training, the most emotionally and physically demanding ordeals Tane had ever known, the members of Fox Company were declared soldiers and took up duties as such. They received new dark blue “auxiliary” tunics, to distinguish them from the regular army soldiers.

            Quinn wasn’t at all pleased at the end of training, grumbling about the “half-baked” training, and the “ill-bred” officers and sergeants who were condemning them all to bloody death. The Vikon couple was quite pleased to end the grueling training, and the opportunity to take up more leisurely duties on the city walls. Raven was eager for the promised pass that night, to indulge in some “good ale and bad men.” Tane agreed with Quinn, knowing he for one needed much more training, but wouldn’t miss it one bit.

            The official end of training brought the return of all their personal weapons. Tane spent all morning polishing his sword, and fighting off Raven’s attempts to lure him into a game of chance. She was broke, due to bad luck at the nightly dice game down in First Platoon.

            “You’d be better off forgetting about drinking and dicing,” Tane said. He nodded at the two-handed hilt just protruding over her shoulder, trying unsuccessfully to dampen his disapproval, and said, “I haven’t seen you even look at your sword. A good warrior always tends his, or her, sword before all other concerns.”

            Raven was properly scandalized by his remark, turning beat red for a moment. Then after gaining control of her rage, she smugly pulled her sword with a flourish.

            Tane was shocked at what he saw.

            “She’s Duran Steel,” Raven said, laying it across her hands for him to get a good look. “Her name is Tasheba.”

            Tasheba was the first Duran Steel blade he had ever seen. It was a steppe sword with a black hilt, silver-cased disk guard, and a mirror-finished blade. And it was glorious.

            Spotting the twin quarter moon mark of the House of Duran just above the guard, he asked in hushed voice, “What is her enchantment?”

            All Duran Steel blades were enchanted. Different blades, and Duran Steel armor, too, had different enchantments, to protect or aid the wielder. No Duran Steel blade had ever been known to rust, much less break. In all likelihood, Raven’s sword was worth a king’s ransom.

            “Tasheba protects me against magical attack,” Raven said, lovingly caressing the sword with adoring eyes. “She was given to me by the love of my life, the man who freed me from slavery.”

            Tane forgot the sword, to look in astonishment at Raven.

            “You were a slave?”

            She gave him a strange look, as if he was crazy.

            “Yes,” she said, trying to force a smile. “I thought everyone knew.”

            Tane was shocked. It was inconceivable. She was too fast, too cunning. Then he remembered what she was.

            “Who would dare enslave a priestess?”

            Raven slanted a sharp look at him, sheathing Tasheba.

            “Not everyone is as awed by priests and priestesses as you are, Tane,” she said. “But, I told you, I’m not a priestess, though everyone seems to want to name me one.” Pain flashed across her face, making Tane wish he hadn’t asked her about it. “My enemies captured and enslaved me, condemning me to the most humiliating slavery imaginable.” 

            Tane felt his face burning, wishing he could think of something to take away her pain. Then she began unbuttoning her trousers. Before he could stop her, Raven yanked the homespun down to her upper thighs and pointed to a tiny red heart tattoo beside her pubic hair.

            “My mark of ultimate shame,” she said. It was the tattoo only a slave trained in the Arts of Love bore. A Silk Slave. “I should pay a mage to remove it, but I can’t seem to do it. Maybe it’s part of the training I was subjected to, or maybe I just need something to remind me that I’m not invincible.”

            “No one is invincible,” Tane said through a tight throat, hands clenched to stop their shaking.

            He had heard the horror stories about the six month ordeal of ceaseless sexual, mental, and magical abuse in a Slave House. Powerful mages and witches used their magic to warp and pervert the slave’s mind and nature, while men and women taught her how to please in every way imaginable.

            Raven snorted contemptuously, “Well I certainly proved I wasn’t! Gods, you should’ve seen how I groveled. I would do anything for my masters, my trainers, anyone, and when I managed to be pathetic enough, to grovel prettily enough to gain a compliment, I was so proud, so pleased with myself. Gods, I was a slave, in every respect.”

            Tane’s throat grew tighter as she bowed her head, tears rolling across her cheeks. He wanted to hold her, to comfort her, but felt touching her was the last thing he should do. Then she lifted teary eyes to him.

            “That’s the real reason why I’m still here,” she said. Her voice was hoarse, forcing her to cough to clear it before proceeding. “Silk Slaves are trained with magic. Magically enslaved, sort of like the zombies out there. Magic was used to train and punish me day in and day out, used to warp my mind and body to their perverted will. I know its power.”

            “You want to save the zombies?”

            She smiled balefully, “I want to kill the bastards who are magically enslaving them.”

            The garrison alarm bells began tolling.

            Raven stood up, a mad joy claiming her eyes, “Finally, the zombies have arrived.”

Chapter 21

            Tane rushed out to the parade ground, only to find the company’s sergeants and corporals yelling for everyone to draw their weapons and armor, then fall into company formations.