Apprentice's Freedom

“I gotta hide! I gotta hide!” She thought to herself, “I can’t run forever.” Her breath was fast, her lungs burning, and her legs were aching. Everything around her was growing darker by the minute, yet she knew she couldn’t stop for a moment. Then, adding to her misery of already running away, her little brother started to kick and cry.

“Shhh! Shhh! Shhh, Benjy! Please!” The dogs barking grew closer. They were almost upon her. The sound of horse hooves had picked up as well. As if going to war, their thunderous hooves were slamming behind her.

“Don’t look back! Don’t look back! Don’t look back!” She did. Wanting to make sure that she kept a fair amount of distance between them, since the wind may her own hearing unreliable, she couldn’t help but turn around. Through the underbrush, there she saw was the sharp yellow teeth of the duke’s best hunting hound. Sure, he wasn’t the fastest, but Delilah knew that he wouldn’t let go once he got a hold of her. Keeping her baby brother clutched tightly to her chest, she leaned forward as much as her balance would allow, to try to pick up the pace.

“Delilah!” An angry voice rang out, “STOP RUNNING!”

Her pupils seemed to have shrunk out of fear. She knew that voice. That was the trainer. The huntsman who’s raised the lord’s hunting hounds, Joraiya. She remembered watching him allowing the duke’s hound to torture one of the yard boy’s arms for well over a minute. She figured that if he were allowed to do the same thing out here, that he’d allow for his dogs to mutilate her for well over ten. She might survive a few bites and lashing here and there, but her baby brother on the other hand…

Shaking the thought from her head, she desperately tried to pour all of her nervousness, the butterflies in her stomachs and the uneasiness in her head straight to her legs. Sadly, for her, she could feel herself slowing down. She’s been sprinting for minutes on end, “If only I had paced myself.” Yet, the only reason she had not was out of fear of being caught earlier. Reality was starting to shift and become a nightmare. Her breathing was ragged, her head started to make popping sounds as if her brain was boiling, her eyes started to have darkness zoom in and out of her focal points rapidly; she was starting to pass out from exhaustion.

Then, she heard the sound of running water. “The King James River!” Quickly a plan started to develop in her. She knew that she couldn’t climb a tree to escape them. They just climb up after her, chop the tree down, or worse, stuff her full of arrows. If she could get to the river, she’d at least have the chance of diving underneath the water and hopefully get swept by the current a few leagues away from this place. Also, if luck had it, she may even be able to have the hunting hounds lose her scent trail.

Looking over the brush line, she saw a mangle of roots on the other side. “Yes! I’m close! I’m close! I’m close!”

“BARK! BARK! BARK!”

Goose Neck was hot on her tail. In fact, if she had one, he would’ve torn it off already. Pushing forward, she knew that she’d suffer through a bit of pain. Running straight in between the thorn bushes, shielding her brother in the arm she coddled him with, she pushed back the branch with her palm. Like a ten small daggers, they’d sunk into her hand as she gripped onto the branch tightly, the pain causing her to grimace. Letting go of the branch, it flew back, striking Goose Neck with a THWACK!

The hound being struck in the face, whimpered as it was caught off guard, practically being knocked off its feet. The branch may have been lightweight, but the pain was excruciating for both trapper and assailant alike. Hearing the cry of the duke’s best hunting hound cry out, Joraiya dug his spurs into the horse’s sides. Speeding up, he saw the mutt bleeding, paws trying to cover its face, whilst writhing on the ground.

Rearing up the horse came to a sudden stop as the other dogs gathered round sniffing at their fallen partner. Not one to give up so easily, Joraiya yanked on the reins, signaling the horse to continue chase. Picking up pace in a short distance, Joraiya pulled the reins, as his draft horse leaped over the thorn bushes. Finding her within sight again, the horse had come to a stop as it was mere meters from her. Ever persistent Delilah hadn’t stopped running.

“DELILAH! STOP THERE,” he raised his voice again. Nothing was going to stop her. Even trying to bring her instincts back of fear and punishment was met with the resiliency that she knew to never stop running until she felt safe. She was just so close; she couldn’t stop now. Knowing that she wasn’t going to listen to her whatsoever, Joraiya raised his arm, taking aim. Giving her one last chance, his voice boomed, “DELILAH! HALT!”

Upon knowing that she wouldn’t, he squeezed his hand. Sitting upon his gauntlet, clad in steel like the rest of his chest piece, he released the trigger to his miniature crossbow. Though it was small, the springs weren’t necessarily weak by comparison. He hadn’t aimed to kill her, but he knew that the barber would be picking out pieces of shattered cartilage from her shoulder blade for the next few days. In that split time of half-a-second if watching it fly, almost hitting her, he felt a slight sense of relief that the chase would be over. At least, that’s what he thought until the ground beneath her feet collapsed. In an instant she fell along with her brother into the river.

Just barely grazing her clothing, Joraiya watched as the metal arrow flew mere inches from her head. The wind that flew by her certainly had her startled. However, the ground was the most startling thing to both hunter and prey.

Scared that he just lost the merchandise, Joraiya swiftly rode his horse over towards the spot, but dismounting just before they got too close, in case the ground would want to swallow them too. Crawling over on his belly to the newfound edge, he looked down, but in vain. There was nothing in sight except for the black waters in the dusk covered with the occasional white foam of the river. Not finding their bodies anywhere upon quickly scanning the area, he gave up.

“I could’ve sworn I heard a loud splash when she fell. First, she was there, then she wasn’t. Wouldn’t surprise me if she got swallowed up by the river.” Looking back over his shoulder at the endless serpentine raging torrent he thought, “Well, she was thirsty for freedom. I hope the river’s quenched it. I need to report this back to the duke immediately.”

Horse hooves clopped off into the darkness accompanied by the barking of dogs. As the moon rose the sound of the river droned on, singing its nonstop chorus. As the light of the moon began to cast shadows upon that which faced its light, the owl called, signaling the mice to hide. As the coolness of the night drew out those that found comfort in the blanket of darkness, those that were ill-suited to it hid for protection only to reveal themselves in the light of day.

Looking out upon the river from their hole just beneath the bank’s outcropping, Delilah held her baby brother close. Keeping him warm, she looked into his eyes as he grew fussy. Cooing to him just as their mother had, she patted his back, rubbing it in small circles, Benjy let out a small burp and fell asleep. Letting out a small chuckle, she laid him beneath her chin, drifting off to sleep briefly.

...

Returning to the stables, Joraiya strode forth upon his black mare. Hopping off his horse, he approached the stableboy. “Give her a bucket of water with a fresh hay bail immediately. She’s ready to foal, even if she doesn’t look like it.”

Walking into the estate, Joraiya asked for word with the duke immediately. Upon sitting in the fireplace with a mug of apple ale placed in his hand, Duke Hensworth walked, gowned in his goosefeather robe and all. “Joraiya, what brings you at this late in the hour, have you brought back the girl with her brother?”

“That’s the thing,” he put down his mug, “when I shot my wrist bow, the ground beneath her collapsed, and both were swallowed by the King James River for committing treachery against his lordship.”

“Joraiya,” Hensworth spoke, “how long did you search for them?”

“I chased them all night towards the river. Your best hunting hound, Goose Neck, pissed itself silly after being struck by a branch that she pulled back.”

“Joraiya,” Hensworth repeated himself, “how long did you search for them?”

“There wasn’t much to search, Duke. The river was as black as their treachery for fleeing. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Lambton Worm pieced itself back together and swallowed them itself. Albeit a different river, that retched beast would rather not be accursed again after how John Lambton tore it asunder.” He went back to sipping his ale.

“Joraiya,” the Duke forcefully but gracefully, removed his cup from his hand, “you better get your ass back on your horse as soon as possible. If not, the lord whom you praise so much will have both you and I gelded, with our pink spears in tow, left to guard his maiden chambers as cruel punishment for letting one escape. He doesn’t care how you treat her or her brother at all, but he Hates. Losing. His. Property.” Hensworth spoke through gritted teeth. “I don’t care if you have to eat foal steak for the next three days; if you value your titles and manhood, and don’t want either to be left in tatters, you’d better get going, now.”

Having the fear of the Duke shoved his fear down his throat, Joraiya rose from his seat immediately. “Yes sir. At once sir. I’ll have them back on the morrow. I’ll make sure that Goose Neck picks up on their trail once again, leading me right to them.”

Hearing Joraiya shuffle his feet down the hallway yelling for the stableboy, the Duke headed towards an empty cellar. Surrounded entirely in stone, he grabbed a lantern from off the wall. Approaching a pale, scarred body lying on the floor, he heard weak breathing. Opening up the door to a nearby furnace, he grabbed a metal rod and gently held its tip within the flames. Upon having it grow hot enough, he turned around, and proceeded to brand the person lying out on the floor.

“Ahhhhh!” She cried out loud, tears streaming down her face, sweat beading her body.

“Now, now, Talulla, this can all come to an end. All you have to do is tell us where they went.”

“I… don’t… know…” She wept.

“Come on Talulla, don’t you want to see their faces again? Don’t you want to hold your baby boy once more, or see Delilah blossom like a daisy into womanhood?”

“Not at the hands of monsters like you. If you treat me like this, I don’t have much faith for how you’ll treat them.”

“Oh, come on, I’m not that bad,” he branded her once again with the hot iron rod. “Now, why don’t you tell us where you sent them off to?”

“If I knew, don’t you’d think I’d tell you already to spare myself this torture? I’d only tell you just to give them a better plan.” She sobbed, her throat tightening, her voice breaking. “I’d only tell you where they were just to leave with them. Just to keep them safe.”

“Well,” Hensworth moved over towards the furnace, reheating the rod, “Looks like you won’t be doing that anytime soon.” A malevolent grin widened across his face.

...

It was still the late morning hours, and Delilah knew that she’d have to get moving soon. If not, Joraiya would be back even if he hadn’t removed himself from his horse if he reached the estate. Pushing through the roots that dangled above them from their little hidey hole, they emerged in the blue of night, as the light from the next day was eventually starting to dawn amongst them. Having his chin hoisted over her shoulder, she made sure to carry Benjy carefully.

Walking along the length of the river, she looked for a shallow spot to cross. Seeing an area with which the rocks were still visible beneath the surface, she mentally prepared herself. Though she wasn’t wearing any shoes, the soles of her feet had scabbed over sufficiently. Taking in a deep breath, she braced herself for the coldness.

Walking across the rocks, some felt sharper than others, and she nearly slipped on one, almost sending her and Benjy in for a cold drink. Placing one step firmly in front of the other, slightly moving her weight ever so gently, she made her way across the river. Even having parts of her dress soaked up towards her hips, she made it across bravely. Though Benjy wasn’t a fan of the bumpy ride, he wasn’t as fussy as he was before. Then again, he also didn’t know how hungry he was secretly.

Making it up the embankment on the other side, Delilah kept pushing further in the opposite direction, trying to put as much distance between her and the Duke’s estate as possible. Still, determination alone does not make for a good traveler. One still needs adequate nutrition and rest. Even though she got a small amount of sleep, the effects of its deprivation were starting to hit her.

“I need to eat soon, but not just me,” she rubbed Benjy’s back. “He’s at four-and-a-half months now, but normally babies don’t start weaning at their earliest until six.” Looking around for anything to eat, she found a mulberry bush. “If anything, I hope that these can still fill his belly even if they give him a bit of trouble.” Grabbing a few purple ones for herself, she plopped them in her mouth. They were sweet, a bit tart, and the perfect little pick-me-up that Delilah needed. “So good. So good. So good!”

Picking a few more off the bush, she plopped them in her mouth, squished them around, them spat them, back out in her hand. Hoisting her baby brother off her shoulders, she jostled him awake, gently. Yawning from his morning nap, Delilah quickly popped the mushed berries into his mouth. Caught by surprise, his mouth closed up quickly and he made all sorts of weird faces. First, he coughed, spit a little, then followed by a sharp swallow, Benjy let out a loud cry.

This wasn’t a meal. This wasn’t mommy’s milk. It wasn’t warm, tasty, nor as nutritious. In fact, it was downright disgusting. He wasn’t used to eating spit, especially his own. Most of the time his spittle would just be wiped up by mommy’s sleeve. How could he stand for this terrible mistreatment? He wanted to throw up but couldn’t, since his tummy was practically empty. Instead of remaining silent, like how he did last night, he let his frustrations be known to the whole world.

“Benjy! Shhh! Shhh, shhh, shhh. Please, oh please won’t you be quiet?” She went back to bouncing him while patting his back and rubbing it. “Please, don’t cry, or else they’ll hear you, and then they’ll hurt us.”

However, Delilah may have held Benjy often, she wasn’t mom, and Benjy wanted mom. He didn’t plan on stopping until Mom was here giving him the attention he needed, getting his needs met. Delilah however, had other plans. Not deciding to wait around to be discovered, she went about running again. Even though they weren’t being chased she sprinted for a bit until she settled into a natural pace.

After running for what seemed like half-an-hour, only then did Benjy calm down. Licking the inside of his mouth, he removed that nasty slime textured flavor from before. If mom wasn’t going to be here to meet his needs immediately, he’d rather get some well-deserved rest, then cry his head off later. Looking at her baby brother whilst walking, Delilah almost broke down crying, but knowing that their survival depended on her, she continued walking.

“What am I doing? I was so stupid? All I did was sneak him out of his crib after mom fed him. Why didn’t I make sure to run away with her?”

Then another voice in her head rang aloud, “You know why you left her. It was the only chance that you had. If Benjy was gone, nobody’d bat an eye. If you left, they search for you in a day, -but if your mother left, let alone with all three of you, she’d be made even more of a slave than she already is now.”

“No! It wouldn’t be like that!”

“Oh, come on Delilah, you already know that they’re using her. She’s nothing but an animal to them. They use her to clean their messes, prep their meals, taste their meals for poison, and you both know Benjy’s not your father’s blood. Whatever happened to him?”

“Shut up! You don’t deserve to think of dad like that at all! He was providing food for us. He was getting us something to eat. We were more destitute than poverty.”

“Yet, he should’ve thought that when he killed the lord’s deer. It was a nice buck too. Ten, if not twelve points? Shame that he robbed the lord the satisfaction of hunting it. He should’ve known to only hunt does, button bucks, or fawns.”

“He was trying to feed us! He was trying to feed me and make sure that I got better from my sickness!”

“True, but it’s such a shame that the Duke couldn’t understand. Isn’t that why he was chopped and sold?”

The sights of the merchant’s block flashed vividly in her mind. The chains, shackles, her father’s cracked skin, and of course the blade. She had been blessed that her mother forcibly shieled her eyes and covered her ears as much as possible, after they saw her father forcibly disrobed in front of the crowd. His screams of pain followed by the jeers and laughing mockery of the crowd soiled her mouth every time.

“If only the Duke knew, if only the Duke knew that he was just trying to protect me from sickness.”

Looking her head up, trying to wipe away her tears, she came across to her what she believed to be a Godsend. “Plums!” A small tree was sprouted well within the forest. It’s fruit that had ripened and even started fermenting lay all around. There were so many of them, that Delilah couldn’t eat them all even if she were given the entire summer to do so.

Rushing over, she plucked one off from a small branch. Biting into it, its juices flowed down her hands as its red pulp revealed itself. Her eyes rolled back as it had been the best piece of fruit that she’s had all year aside from the handful of berries she was permitted to pluck from the wild trees that surrounded the estate.

Setting Benjy down, laying his back against the tree, she grabbed him a plum and made a small bite into it. Handing it to him, his chubby little hands picked it up, bringing it towards his mouth. Though sweet and tart, even though it wasn’t the milk he’s used to drinking, he suckled away as drops of red juice dribbled down his chin.

Happy that he was eating something for once, Delilah, grabbed two more plums for herself, and would wait for Benjy to get bored of his, so she could take another bite, allowing him to suck it dry of juice, before eating it herself. They never wasted food in their house, let alone their estate. Hensworth would send them to bed hungry on purpose sometimes just to keep them willing to do whatever menial and depraved tasks he gave them.

Hearing a slight rustling of dry leaves, Delilah turned her head quickly, fearing about who it might be. Upon seeing that it was a songbird picking up fermented fruit from off the ground, she let out a sigh of relief, until something crawled out from beneath behind the brushwork.

Dropping her plum in an instant, she met the Goose Neck’s gaze, as the mutt proceeded to snarl, baring its teeth. Picking up Benjy, Delilah knew that she couldn’t run immediately, but that she would need to climb the tree if she could. Dropping his plumb, Benjy grew disgruntled again, as he wasn’t finished with that one quite yet. However, the sight of the scary dog, made him want to start crying.

As she turned to climb, she noticed another dog, Prickles, circling ‘round the tree. They found her.

“Delilah!” His voice rang out. Though in the night he’d been boisterous, Joraiya’s voice was strained if not horse. Even worse, was that his horse was panting heavily. Near to foaling soon, she couldn’t run as she had last night. So, it was a long walk following the hounds with barely any sleep for them.

“Stop now and I promise you that you’ll return home to see your mother.”

“What’ve you done to her?”

“Come on brat, you know damn well that’s none of my business. I rear the hounds and hunt runaways, if you want to know that badly why don’t you come ask the Duke yourself?”

“No! I refuse to go with you! Not after what they did to my father! I refuse to let Benjy be treated the same way! I won’t let you cut him! What has he done to you?!”

“Besides make your mother smell like piss and shit, he’s kept me up late in the night, along with getting the Duke to be pissed at me for it. Hensworth thinks he’s my bastard.”

“My mother would never love another man!”

“That’s the thing, I wouldn’t love her even if my life depended on it. The only reason why we keep her around is for the lord. You know he’s going to want his son back, whether he’s a slave, son, or bastard, right?”

“Benjy’s my brother. Not your plaything, and I’m not your play toy either!”

“Oh, we’ll see about that. Goose Neck!” The hound looked at him, “Bring me the girl,” Joraiya snapped his fingers. Signaling the hound to attack, the dog lunged at Delilah. Closing her eyes in anticipation for the pain of being throttled around, she welded them shut.

A loud crash was heard coming from the trees, and Goose Neck let out a squeal. Peeling through one eye, Delilah witnessed as a large, winged creature had Goose Neck in its jaws, then had proceeded to throw the mutt into a tree. The other dog that was bounding its way from around the tree as well, had stopped dead in its tracks, but it was treated just the same by another foe descending from the treetops.

Startled from such large predators, the horse reared up, her labor pains kicking in. Unsure of the situation unfolding, Joraiya reached for the reins, but the drafthorse pulled away. As things turned from bad to worse, they discovered that they were surrounded by four more of the creatures. After the dogs had tried to get up and run, two of them had dispatched the hounds, making quick work of them. One had grabbed the mare’s reins with its jaws, holding her in place. The two great beasts initiating in a tug of war.

The one behind Joraiya had knocked him down, then proceeded to turn around screeching in his face. Drawing his sword, the creature knocked it out with its clawed thumb. Soiling himself, he got up and ran. Not chasing after him, Delilah was surrounded by these… these... dragons.

Though they weren’t the prettiest specimens to look at, she was thankful for them saving her from the Joraiya’s cruelty, but filled with dread at the same time. Watching the one that was struggling with the horse continue to have their dance circling each other, the black mare excruciatingly foaled right then and there, from sheer stress. Standing over her baby, she was ready to stomp and kick whoever came near, sending her maternal instincts through the roof.

Then a voice yelled out, “STOP!” Striding in on the largest dragon of them all rode a young woman, with blonde hair, atop a one-eyed dragon. The other six chittered, but with one small roar, they all settled. The alpha-female had calmed the group. Making eye contact with the mare, the great she beast quelled the anxiety from the new mother with one simple look. Plopping down, the mare tended to her foal, breaking it free of the sac.

Turning to face her new- protector? Savior? Persecutor? Delilah kept her mouth shut and bowed down.

“Be not afraid young one.” She slid down from the back of the dragon. Placing a hand on Delilah’s cheek, she said, “Please, you have nothing to worry about.” Upon seeing Benjy, she continued, “But you having everything to be worried for. Pray tell, what is your name?”

Flabbergasted for a moment, Delilah couldn’t find the words, let alone her own name. Who was this woman? She’s exceedingly beautiful, and powerful especially when astride dragonback. Her mom told her about women who are so beautiful that some men go to war for them, and Delilah thought that her mom was talking about herself. For Delilah’s mom had always garnered such attention, but now that she met this woman, she understood entirely.

“My name’s- My name’s Delilah.”

“Such a beautiful name, and who is this?” Her hands coaxed Benjy out of her arms. Then again when surrounded by seven dragons, you don’t need much persuasion to hand over everything valuable to you.

“This is my brother Benjy.”

“Such a cute little thing, aren’t you?” He started to nuzzle into her chest. “Now, now, I’m no mother. So, there won’t be any milk there, but luckily for us we have a mare now.” She chuckled. “So, who was that man?”

“Joraiya,” she started to cry. “He’s a bad man just like the Duke! They have my mother, and they were going to cut Benjy and sell him just like what they did to my father!”

“Do you know where she is?”

Sniffling through her tears she answered, “Yes.”

Nodding her head the lady said, “Alrighty then, that settles it. Peace, Hope, Love, Charity, Faithfulness, Benevolence, we’re headed home for now. Guide the mother and her foal back to our nest.”

“You and your brother will ride with me, but first we need to keep him safe with Mary.”

Hopping on the one-eyed dragon’s back, the great she beast roared and took flight. Holding tight onto her waist, Delilah watched the world shrank from below them, as the younger dragons guided the horses back on claw and hoof.

“Who- who are you?”

“Me?” She chuckled, “Oh, I’m just the rider of two dragons, nanny to six.”

“Well, what do you call her?”

“Infidelity, but her name was already given to her. We’re going back to the cave to retrieve Malevolence, right now. If things go bad, don’t you worry, Mary will mount her dragon, Treachery, and make sure to fly away to a safe place. Don’t worry, we’ll rescue your mother, but you’ll need to follow my every word as an apprentice.”

“Really? Thank you, but still, who are you? What’s your name?”

“Me, oh, for now, you can call me the Dragon Witch.”