“So, what do you hope to find in Goresrot?”
Dake voice rumbled deeply as he peered into the pen of horses. A heavy canvas cloak covered his body but his bovine chin rested just outside the shadows concealing him. He chewed on his lower lip as he watched Sunshine frowning, moving from horse to horse. Her slender form disappeared in the press of horses, but she managed to slip between them as she inspected each one. She paused for a second, standing on her tip-toes to look around with caution. Dake stood up straighter, easily as high as the horse.
“No, no one is listening.”
“Just… want to make sure.”
Dake shrugged and scratched his horns underneath the canvas, “Well, yeah.”
After a few moments, she spoke just softly for him to hear.
“When I was on the boat, there was a rumor of a thief in Taris Point. They said that he knew about the Anathema and where they gathered.”
“So, you find him?”
“Her, but no. Ended up going through every bar in that town, trying to be ‘subtle’ because I was afraid a Wyld Hunt would show up outside the door. Imagine my surprise when I find out that my companion,” she lifted herself up enough to glare at the tauren, “was keeping them occupied.”
“So, why Goresrot?”
Sunshine sighed, “I saw the notice that she was arrested about two years ago in Goresrot. That is also where they keep the prison, so I was hoping to go down there and may be ask, or just see if someone jumps out.”
She came back through the pen to lean on the fence and looked up at Dake. He saw doubt in her eyes as she looked up, her auburn hair matted against the back of her neck.
“Does that sound right?”
Dake shrugged, “Yeah, I guess.”
She worried her lip, “I’m just afraid of making a mistake. I mean, I don’t know what to do. One wrong step and the Wyld Hunt will hunt me down and kill me. Everything they said, everything the Immaculate Order priests said was that the Anathema were the evils of the world, worse than demons, worse than Deathlords, worse than anything else. And I,” her voice cracked slightly, “and I’m one of them.”
“Well, do you feel evil?”
“No! That’s the point. I don’t want to destroy the world or enslave all the people. And I never even considered raping anyone.”
Dake chuckled to himself and reached into his pocket, thumbing his RA card for a moment. Sunshine took a deep breath and then let it out with a sigh.
“Damn it! I just don’t know what to do.”
Dake shrugged, “Well, start with a horse. How about that one?”
He pointed to the best-looking horse he could see. Sunshine frowned and stepped up on the fence to see where he was pointing, then slipped into the pen to retrieve it. It was a white horse, filled with muscle and the silkiest coat of all the horses. Dake looked it over and nodded. His eyes focused on a chop mark on the ear and he remembered the young teenage girl in Taris Point who had a similar mark on hers.
Sunshine muttered, “It looks good enough, do you know anything about horses?”
“Nope.”
“Then… why this one?”
“Looked like Righteousness’ horse. He went on a quest for it, almost got killed a few times. So, I figured if that was the best horse he could have, then any horse that looked like it was pretty close.”
“Yeah… I guess.” She didn’t look convinced.
“Well, unless you have a better choice, buy the thing and let’s get going. Not like any of these can handle me.”
Dake stood up and showed his immense form to Sunshine. The caution in her face broke and she grinned.
“We’d need a tyrant lizard for you.”
“What’s that?”
“Oh… never mind.”
Grinning, Dake followed her as she went to purchase the horse. The horse merchant was a thin man with a long, ragged beard. He smelled of beer as he peered at the horse, a frown furrowing his brow.
“Eh… don’t remember that one.”
Sunshine sighed, “Well?”
“Uh, call it a thousand dinars?”
Sunshine started to open her mouth, but Dake cleared his throat. Fishing into his pocket, he pulled out some small lengths of jade, “How about six minae and we call it a day?”
His companion gaped at him in surprise. The horse merchant hefted the money in his hand, then looked up at the large creature.
“We don’t get much jade here.”
Dake grinned, letting some of his face peek out of the shadows of his canvas cloak, “Then enjoy it.”
The man’s face blanched and he nodded, “Um, deal then. Let me get you a receipt.”
“Thank you.”
As soon as he was gone, Sunshine spun on her heels, hissing, “Where did you get that!?”
“Taris Point, from the money changer.”
“Money changer!? You didn’t…” her voice trailed off as the frustration grew in her expression.
“No, I just changed some platinum and gold for it.”
Relieved, Sunshine took a deep breath, “How did you,” she paused, “know about all this?”
Dake chuckled, “I listen well.”
The merchant came back with a small amount of paper.
“Here you go, folks. Enjoy the horse, I threw in a saddle since I’m feeling generous.”
Sunshine thanked him and got on the horse, not sitting comfortably. From Dake’s point of view, she at least has a minor skill in the beast. Reaching out with one large hand, he rested it on the horse’s shoulder and followed her as she slowly brought it down the road.
The merchant stopped them as they turned, running out to meet them.
“You folks going south?”
Sunshine nodded, “Yes, Gors-” she swallowed as she caught herself, “Yes.”
“Well, avoid the Village of Eurin.”
Dake looked down at him, “Why?”
“Rumor says they are itching with a fight. Sooner or later, Tammis is going to remind the serfs who is really in charge in this region.”
Letting out a grumbling breath, Dake said, “Thanks.”
“Hey, I’d be a bad merchant if I let my customers get killed.”
“Well, yeah.”
Some hours later, they were going along the east side of the Gray River, heading south. They managed to slip past the city of Tammis because neither wanted to risk encountering the guards or any potential trouble. With the light traffic, they were almost completely alone: Sunshine, Dake, and their new horse.
Sunshine broke the silence by clearing her throat delicately.
“Um, Dake?”
“Yes, Sunshine?”
She frowned at the name, “You know… I’m glad you were there.”
“Where?”
“Taris Point. If it wasn’t for you, I might have been caught.”
He shrugged, “That’s what companions are for.”
She bit her lip, “Is that what we are? Companions?”
Dake looked up, easily keeping up with the horse’s steady movement.
“Well, yeah.”
“Why? Is it because… the sex?”
He shook his head, “No, it was because you needed help. And you fought with me and held your own. Companions stick together, that is how it always is. Why?”
She frowned and said, “Well… I’m new to a lot of things. This being one of it. I’ve spent most of my life on a boat, as a pleasure slave. Fighting and camping and even bars, I’ve never done any of that.”
“You fought pretty well with that little knife of yours.”
She blushed. “It’s like I have these memories. I remember fighting. I remember drinking.” Her voice grew wistful, “But, I’ve never done half the things I remember.”
Sunshine frowned in concentration, “Hell, I don’t even think I was a woman for most of them.”
Dake shrugged, “Maybe its a sign?”
“Yeah… maybe.”
They traveled in silence for another hour. Then it was Dake’s turn to break the silence.
“So, how did you get there?”
“Where?”
“To where we fought, with those jade guys following you.”
Sunshine’s knuckles turned white around the reins, “It, um, a long story.”
“We have at least a week before we hit Goresrot.”
“Well… yeah.”
It was hours before Dake first stepped into Creation and it was raining. Not the light drizzle that was normal for the time of year but huge drops of wet, cool rain. It slammed into the sails of the riverboat and sheeted down, a fountain of water that sluiced across the deck in endless waves.
Hania looked up from her small, cramped quarters at the pounding at her door. Standing up and abandoning her book, she slipped on a silk robe over her almost naked body and cracked open the door. The chain on the outside made a scraping noise and halted it, preventing her from opening it more than a few inches. Outside was the boat’s second, a young man with dark black hair and an easy smile. A scar went across his brow, the results of a fight with some pirates long before Hania was purchased, much less brought on the boat.
“Hello, Zath.”
Zath gave her an uneasy smile, “Captain Ersos wants you and and Deelia, Hania. He brought a guest, so pretty up. I’ll be back down in five.”
She noticed the flicker of fear in his eyes, “Who is it?”
“Rattin Grath.”
“Who is that-”
She was interrupted by her roommate, a Djala named Deelia. The tiny woman stretched out on her bunk, arching her back and pushing her hard nipples into the air.
“He’s calls himself a merchant lord but he really is one of the scavenger lords with hopes of being more important. People say he waits outside of towns, to prey on those who succeed.”
Hania shivered in fear, “He sounds scary.”
She never liked not knowing things, but she spent almost her entire life in bedrooms and chambers, a slave as a child, a pleasure slave as soon as she grew hips, or just slightly before if she recalled correctly. Her lack of knowledge was why she always turned to Deelia for answers.
Deelia slipped off the bed, landing on her feet as Zath closed the door behind Hania. The tiny woman stood there, her pale body almost perfectly white except for a series of black dots that freckled her cleavage and her spine. She reached down and grabbed her own silk, looking up as a peal of thunder shook the boat. The rain vibrated through the planks of the ship, then the Djala shook her head. Hania noticed that she seemed nervous, almost frightened as she yanked it over her head and pulled out one of the umbrella they used inside of town and set it aside.
“We better hurry, love, we’re probably here to seal some deal.”
Hania nodded, pulling her silk chemise tighter around her. Her nipples, hard in the cool air, perked through it. Moving quickly, she applied her makeup, brushed her hair, and made sure everything was sweet smelling. She also dabbed a bit of lubricant between her legs, to just to make it easier for everyone.
By the time Zath came back, both of them were ready. He unchained the door and swung it open. Deelia hopped ahead, taking her umbrella with her. Hania grabbed her own, a much larger affair compared to the Djala’s. As they followed Zath through the narrow corridor leading up, Hania admired Deelia’s bounce. Despite the side, the Djala was far more experienced in the ways of the world. It didn’t show, when she pretended to be a young girl and that was the role that Deelia always preferred, she said it made people forget her real age.
The wind howled against the boat and the scents of water, thunder, and perfume mixed together as they reached the stairs leading up to the deck. Zath paused for a moment, looking back at them, then threw open the door. Wind howled down the corridor, soaking both of them instantly, the silk turning transparent in the humidity. Deelia and Hania followed Zath up on the deck. Hania was curious why they were going on deck instead of through the bowels of the ship.
Her answer came in a flash of lighting. She spotted another boat tied up to her master’s boat. It was about thirty feet longer, with an additional mast and crewed by evil-looking men with dark eyes. In the lightning, their helmets almost looked like skulls as they mutely looked across the boats and along the shores of the Gray River. Sabers remained sheathed at their sides, but the sense of fear prickled down Hania’s spine as she looked through the sheeting rain.
There was a man, standing less than ten feet away. He was attractive, filled with muscles, his bared chest filled with soaked hair. He had two firewands at his side, artifacts of great destruction. Seeing those brought another pang of fear through Hania’s body. His short beard dripped with the rain but he didn’t seem to notice it. He noticed both Deelia and Hania and stepped over, easily walking across the slick surface of the deck. When he came closer, Hania saw the liquid blue-brown eyes, like the water of the Gray River itself.
“These must be the two…” His voice was a smooth purr as he reached out and lifted up Hania’s chin. She put on a good face, knowing that she was part of the deals her captains always made. With her strength of will, she arched her back, presenting her breasts for his view, the water sheeting off the transparent fabric. His eyes flickered down, then back up, a slow smile crossed his lips.
“Very nice.”
Deelia’s voice rose up, in her child-like persona, “What about me, master?”
Rattin glanced down, then back at Hania. His eyes were slowly turning blue in the light, the flashes of lighting and the lanterns on the boat giving him an demonic appearance. Hania shivered and decided it was from the cold. Rattin’s voice spoke smoothly, his eyes never leaving Hania’s.
“I don’t like girls, Djala.”
Deelia stepped forward, pressing her tiny breasts up against Rattin’s leg.
“I’m no girl, master.”
Rattin looked back and forth between Hania and Deelia. Hania shivered as he rested his guise on her for a long moment, not blinking enough. The rain sheeted down and she could feel is trickling underneath her fabric, following the curve of her cleavage and dripping down between her legs.
Finally, after an anxious second or four, Rattin shrugged.
“Why not? It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a girl who wanted it.”
Hania frowned for just a second, then forced herself to smooth her face. Rattin dismissed her as he reached down and picked up Deelia with one hand between her legs. The Djala giggled as he held her tight and started to walk back toward his ship. Hania watched, a terrible feeling rolling in her stomach. Zath tugged at her arm and she followed, this time leading her to the captain’s quarters.
Entering the room, she paused at the door. Captain Ersos was a powerfully-built man. He was a merchant first who enjoyed the good life. Now, he was reclining on the couch that filled one corner of the room, a glass of wine in one hand as he read through something that looked like a contract. Hania’s smile grew as she let her eyes drop down between his legs, where his cock was already swelling inside his pants.
Needing no direction, the pleasure slave came forward, kneeling down in front of him. Ersos shifted his position, not even tearing his eyes away. Hania felt her heartbeats pounding in her chest as she delicately released his pants, fishing out the hard shaft and pressing it into her palms. Breathing in the manly scene, she brought her cheek up to it, nuzzling it as she breathed slowly. It was hot against her skin and she enjoyed every sensation. Slowly, she brought her lips against it, mouthing the side of the shaft as he let out a tiny moan. Encouraged, she worked her lips down, taking one of his balls in her mouth, then the other, kissing and sucking between them. His hips rose up against her mouth as she felt an answering thrill of pleasure between her own legs.
Slowly, very slowly, Hania drew her lower lip up his length, to the slicked head of his shaft. She opened her mouth just enough to bring it into to the heat before sealing up his shaft with her lips. Ersos set down the paper, she could feel him watching her as she started the slow, enjoyable slide down his shaft, feeling his hardness fill her mouth, working it with her tongue as it pushed up against the back of her throat. She moaned herself, shivering in the pleasure of it as she felt the cock head brushing against the back of her throat. Wrapping her fingers around his length, she drew up, moving her hand along the saliva-slicked hardness.
Ersos moaned as she pleasured him, slow and sensual, diving down until her mouth was filled with his hardness. Hania breathed in the scents of his body, something she enjoyed every day since she joined this boat almost three years before. He was kind and gentle and she knew that she survived on his pleasure.
She felt his hands on her head and took a deep breath, pulling her hand away. He clutched his fingers into her auburn hair, holding her in place, then pushed her down. She moaned as she felt his cock sliding in her mouth, pushing further and further. It forced itself up against the back of her throat and she swallowed at it until it slid in even further. He buried her lips into the base of his shaft, her nose pressing tightly against his hairy stomach. Holding her there for a second, Hania felt her lungs wanting to complain but, she just opened her mouth further, to bring him deeper into her body.
His fingers pulled her up, leaving his shaft slick with her juices. He only released her a few inches, enough for a short breath of air before shoving her back down. Hania moaned, spreading her arms and fingers out along the couch, showing her submission.
That sent a surge of heat rolling through his cock as he jammed her again and again on his cock, filling her up as the taste of precum flooded her mouth.
As he drove her down, he grunted, “Damn, you are good. I don’t know what I’d ever do if I had to sell you. Don’t know what I’d do…”
His voice was punctuated by jamming her down on his cock, forcing it deep into her throat. Hania tried to relax, but her body was tensing up. When he talked about selling her, she always had a horrible twisting in her stomach. And now, he was fucking her with the thoughts of it.
In hopes to appease him, she spread out her hands even further, brushing her fingertips of each end of the couch, her breasts pressed up against his legs. The flood of precum soaked her mouth, washing away all other tastes as he rammed her down again and again, hard and fast until she could barely draw in a breath.
Then, he slammed her down, grinding her into his crotch as his cock exploded in her throat. She felt his hot cum pouring down into her stomach as she trembled with the pleasure. This time, he didn’t let her up, his hands hard against her skull, holding her down as he pumped into her. Her lungs started to burn as she held herself there, her hands shaking and clutching the sides of the short couch. As the burning grew, she forced herself to spread her legs, the feeling of suffocating redoubled with the feeling of hot cock filling her throat.
As the cum filled her stomach, he finally released her, letting her pull herself off his length. She did so, slowly and wetly, gasping for hair as goblets of cum dripping from her lips. Panting, she looked up at Ersos, but the captain was peering off in the distance. It felt strange, so she did what she normally did next, reached down to wrap her fingers around his slimy shaft and prepared to clean it.
“Uh… no.” She froze at his voice. He gestured for her to stand up.
Hania did, then turned around at the other gesture. She felt his hands at her hips, pulling her back and she spread her legs to straddle his hips. At the first touch of his slicked head at the entrance of her sex, she gasped.
“Oh… captain!”
Ersos pulled her down roughly and his shaft shoved up against her slit, missing the hole and sliding along the channel of her being to jam up against her clitoris. Rocking from the sudden sensations, Hania rocked her hips back, bringing the hot hardness up against the entrance of her tunnel. He grunted as he yanked her down again and this time she dropped, feeling his shaft spear her, plunging right to the hilt in a single thrust. It filled her, consumed her, the sensation of being taken by her master.
When he didn’t do anything else, she started to rock her hips, swirling his hardness deep inside her body, feeling it work its way around her inner folds, driving up a cauldron of pleasure deep inside her womanhood.
The captain grunted, “Oh… do that.”
Hania leaned forward, supporting herself on her trim legs and started to rock even faster, her knees shaking from the growing pleasures as she rode his shaft, rocked it back and forth. His hands came around her, grabbing her breasts roughly, squeezing her nipples. It was just on the edge of pain, but it enhanced the incredible sensations of heat and hardness deep inside her, scraping against her nerves of pleasure with every rock of her hips and every pulse of his being.
He came hard inside her, soaking her insides with wet liquid pleasure. She kept on rocking, squeezing her inner muscles to milk as much as possible out of his body. She felt a tiny shiver of an orgasm herself, minor but still filling her with the warmth she craved.
When he finished, he held her on his cock, still squeezing her breast and nipples, panting.
“Wow… you are never bad, Hania.”
“Thank you, my master.”
She arched her back, pressing the soft mounds of her breasts harder against his hands and grinding her body around his hardness. She gave it an experimental squeeze, enjoying the sensation of being impaled by him.
“I’m so glad he didn’t pick you.”
Hania froze instantly, the cold prickling shooting up her spine.
“W-What do you mean, master?”
He didn’t seem to notice as he twisted her right nipple, teasing it even as he started to grow inside her.
“The idea of you being mangled would just…” he shook his head, “No, please don’t think of it.”
Hania surged to her feet, spinning around his shock and fear. She could feel juices dripping down her inner thigh as she, for the first time in her life, shrieked at her master.
“What did you do!?”
Ersos stared up at her in surprise and shock. It quickly turned into rage as he stood up, towering over her.
“What I am damn well allowed to do! It was a good deal and I was thinking of getting rid of her anyways!”
Her mouth opened in shock, then she turned to run for the door. She almost made it when Ersos slammed his hand against it. Tears in her eyes, Hania yanked at the door but he was too strong for her. Ersos grabbed her by the hair, forcing her head back as he whispered in a tight, angry voice.
“Don’t even try, slave. I own your soul.”
“Please! She doesn’t deserve this!” She pleaded, trying not to think of the pain her exposed throat. Her hands kept on clutching the door, trying to yank it open.
Ersos snarled at her, “Let go, slave!”
His bellow echoed against the walls of his room. Hania froze, her hand slowly loosening from the handle. Then, she heard a scream, Deelia’s scream. The pain and terror echoed inside that shrill voice ignited something deep inside her. Sobbing, she lashed out with her hands, catching Ersos unaware. Surprised, her blow knocked him to the ground but he was already scrambling to get to his feet. Frantic and terrified, Hania kicked him hard in the face and threw him back to the ground. Reaching over, she grabbed a vase that Ersos always claimed was from the Second Age and brought it hard against his head. This time, the larger man’s eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he collapsed to the ground.
As a second though, she quickly stepped over her master, maybe her former master, and grabbed the sheet off his bed. Wrapping it around herself, she threw open the door and ran for the deck. The screams were gone, but the feeling of terror continued to rise up in her throat.
She burst out on the deck and froze, the sight in front of her burning itself into her memories forever.
Ratting was there, naked from the waist and below. Underneath him was Deelia, her tiny white legs stretched out obscenely, one of them hung at an unnatural angle with a broken bone. The Djala, tiny as most young girls, was clutching at the rope around her neck, her pale head dusky as she was being suffocated in time with the cruel thrusts as the scavenger lord raped her. Blood dripped from her fingers as she scratched at it, trying to breath. Her mouth gaping for breath and the bastard, Ratting, continued to drive up into her, harder and harder, slapping her up against the mast of the ship. His cock had torn her open, and blood dripped down from between his legs with every grunt.
Around them, the sailors of both boats watched in mute silence, not moving or even cheering. Just a dark silence of apathy.
Hania let out a scream of horror. Grabbing a knife from one of sailor’s sheaths, she threw herself at Ratting, her face a mask of rage. Her sheet fluttered in the wind, snapping with the force of her blow as she brought the tip of the dagger.
The world exploded in golden light as she slammed the dagger into his back, about a foot above his hips. She felt the soft pressure of his flesh give before she rammed it deep. Metal scraped against bone as she buried it completely in him.
Ratting gave out a bellow of rage as the tip of the knife burst out of his side, almost impaling Deelia. He shoved himself back and swung around with a powerful blow. It caught Hania in the face and she flew across the deck, slamming against the hard wood with her shin and knee. She scrambled to her hands and knees, the sheet soaking in the ground. As she forced herself up, she saw that the wood was light up light the brightest day and wondered where it was coming from. But, then she heard heavy boots pound across the deck and someone grabbed her hair. Screaming out, she scratched at the hand as Rattin yanked her off the ground. Cruel fingers grabbed her arm and twisted her around, bringing her face right into Rattin’s gaze.
“You dare attack me bitch!” His face was purple with his own fury. The bright light surrounding her was intense and she could see every shadow and every wrinkle in his face. But, nothing compared to the death that rested in his eyes. Her eyes flashed over to Deelia and she felt her heart stop, watching the Djala struggling to escape, her face purple with suffocating.
Rattin’s eyes looked up, over her gaze, then widened with fear.
His fingers clutched harder around her hair as he whispered out the words that still haunt her.
“Anathema.”
He repeated himself, this time in a yell, “Anathema!”
He swung her around, to throw her on the deck and Hania kicked hard, catching him right between his legs. Her foot almost cracked as she crushed his balls and he let out a scream, throwing her back toward the edge of the boat. Hania felt something surging through her body, the light flaring around her as she twisted suddenly, feeling her body responding in a way it could never before. Her feet slightly slapped up against the deck and she launched herself away from it, feeling a strange memory of doing this exact maneuver before. Her hand grabbed at the dagger in his side and twisted it as she came flying by. A shower of blood splattered against her face and sheet and she rolled twice and came up near the mast. Frantic, she twisted around the mast and slashed at the rope holding Deelia. The tiny woman dropped to the ground, then let out a hoarse scream as the bone in her leg punched through the skin.
Hania crouched over her, watching the sailors as they surrounded her, weapons drawn. She had only a tiny knife and a sheet around her body. The blood was already dripping off in the pouring rain and she felt warmth spreading to every limb of her body. The light was bright around her and she felt memories, hundreds of memories of things that never happening reminding other of things she never did.
Rattin circled her, snapping his fingers. She watched as one of the sailors put a black jade weapon in his hand. It sparkled in the rain as he pointed at her.
“You are going to die, bitch! Right after I finish what I started!”
He charged and she felt the world freezing for just a single heartbeat. One of the memories, a tiny shred fuzzy with the passing years, rose up and she realized something she could do. Twisting her wrist painfully, she swung it down toward the ground. She managed to twist her body to avoid a powerful downward thrust and she slammed into the wooden neck with her knee. Looking up, half-blinded by the rain, she saw his naked organs danging and slashed up with the knife. A hot rain of blood poured against her face and body and Rattin staggered back. He dropped the sword to the ground, then landed on his knees as he clutched the ragged wound between his legs.
With no time to respond, Hania reached down and grabbed Deelia. The Djala screamed as Hania hefted her and jammed the knife into her sheet. The edge of the blade cut into her side but she was focused on her new plan. Holding her hand over the struggling Djala’s mouth, she sprinted for the edge of the boat and leaped off into the darkness and the rain.
She didn’t know how long it took for her to swim to the edge of the Gray River. Her body screamed in pain and again as she shoved herself up on the bank. Sharp sticks poked her and the slick mud threatened to bring her back into the water, but she managed to crawl high enough that the mud turned to grass and leaves.
Panting, she forced herself up even further, the sheet dragging her down. Unwilling to lose her own protection, she yanked it and winched at the sound of the tearing fabric. Finally, she got high enough that gravity wasn’t pulling her down. Behind her, she could hear the sailors calling out and she looked at it frantically. They had lanterns out, it was so bright that the ship almost burned with the intensity of it. Unconsciously, Hania pressed her hand up against her forehead, but the strange light was only a flicker.
Deelia coughed and everything else was forgotten as the young slave spun her head, kneeling over the Djala.
“Deelia! Deelia, are you okay?”
One eye cracked open, “No.”
Relief flooded through Hania and she swept up the pale woman, holding her tightly. Sobs tore through her body as she held her for a few seconds before letting her go. Wiping at the tears, she looked up at the leaves above her, feeling the occasional droplet of water splash against her.
“We have to run, Deelia. I… I did something bad.”
The pale woman smiled, pain brimming in her eyes, “You saved me, Hania. You were so pretty, shining like the sun and you saved me.”
Hania blinked back her own tears and reached out for Deelia. There was a sharp twang noise and both of them twisted to look back toward the ocean. About twenty feet away, an arrow slammed into the trees. From over the water and wind, they heard Rattin screaming out.
“Just shoot everything, she didn’t go far!”
More twangs of bows and Hania shrieked as an arrow grazed her right leg, slamming into the ground.
“There she is! Don’t lose her!”
There was a pause, then a rapid swarm of arrows. Hania screamed out again and grabbed Deelia, who let out her own shriek from the bones being ground even harder. Hania threw herself deeper into the woods, away from the river. Leaves and branches slapped against her face, stinging her. Her bare feet crashed into thorns and rocks and she knew they were bleeding but the fear consumed her. Deelia let out another scream and collapsed in her arms, but Hania refused to stop as the arrows rained down around them.
She ran as fast as she could until her body finally collapsed underneath her. Panting, she forced herself up on her hands and knees and looked around. It was dark but the rain was finally letting up. There was only a faint circle of moonlight in the sky above and she felt around for Deelia, finding the tiny form in a matter of seconds. Her hand froze as she felt an arrow rising up from the soft, cool flesh.
“Deelia? Deelia!?”
A cough, weak and delicate, “I-I’m here… Sunshine.”
Tears burned in her eyes as Hania shook with emotion, “I have to get you to a town. They have doctors… medicine…”
A terrible pause, so long that Hania thought Deelia died, then the Djala coughed.
“No… I won’t make it.”
“No! You have to!”
In the distance, she heard sailors yelling, coming closer. She clamped down on her jaw and shook, no clue what to do. The droplets continued to splash at her as she looked down at the spotted woman, barely visible in the moonlight.
“Deelia, what do I do?”
Another cough and she saw something dark on her lips. With a trembling hand, she reached out to brush it off and realized it was blood. The Djala gasped, her body spasming from something, then slumped.
“Deelia? Deelia!?” She had to silence herself again, feeling fear rising up, consuming rational thoughts.
Deelia answered, in a broken whisper, “Two things… you run…”
“And? What else?”
The small woman grabbed her sheet, pulling her close. Forcing herself to speak softly but steadily.
“Don’t let them have me.”
The sounds of the sailors was growing closer. Hania could feel the ground shaking as they charged closer. She sputtered.
“I’ll take you, I’ll make you safe-”
Deelia shook her head, “No.”
“Please, I need to save you, I need-”
The Djala coughed violently and Hania saw more blood splatter on her lips. She froze, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her voice came out in the softest whisper, her throat refusing to give volume to her thoughts.
“I can’t save you, can I?”
Deelia gave her a weak smile.
“I’m sorry… Sunshine…”
Memories came flooding through Hania, both of her time as a slave but also from other life. Terrible lives filled with violence. Another came rising up and she was already moving before it finished flashing through her mind.
Sniffing, she knelt down further and kissed the soft lips. They were sticky and hot, but Deelia managed to reach up, holding her tightly in their embrace. Feeling the pain searing across her heart, Hania shoved the knife up into her only friend’s throat, ending her pain and making sure they would never have her as a slave again.
Sunshine finished her tale while cooking some fish at a campsite. Dake, the Cleaver of Two Worlds, watching her from the other side, not doing anything. His massive backpack laid forgotten at his feet. Tears glittered on Sunshine’s face as she lapsed into silence.
The tauren broke the silence, “Is that why you called yourself Brilliant Sunshine?”
She sniffed and turned the fish, “Yes and no. When you asked, I thought about everything that happened that night, just hours before, and I didn’t want to lose it… I didn’t want to loose Deelia. So, I just said the first thing that came out of my mouth.”
He nodded, his head never raising above his shoulders, “It’s a good name.”
Sunshine looked at him, tears wet against her cheeks and the sorrow still burning in her chest.
“Why?”
“Because you’ll never forget her.”
“No,” Sunshine paused for a long moment, “I won’t.”