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MasterMatrim -> Introduction and a story i've been working one (6/26/2006 8:34:56 AM)
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First post here, and thought a good way of introducing myself would be to first say greetings to A/all. I have been in lifestyle quite a long time and enjoy sharing/talking about things. A friend showed me this site recently and thought i'd visit and share. I have worked on this story for almost a year now. This is chapter 1. I had chapter 2 and 3 completed however, the computer gods felt it be nice for me to have to rewrite them since my HD decided to be a bad little drive and die. Yea I know backups are a must. I would welcome any critque/suggestions on it. Good day to you A/all.
P.S. It's a long read!
Submissive Fire Chapter 1 The meeting
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The cold winter chill barely touched her as she rode back home from her wonderful days of shopping. These few days she had in town were special to say the least. Today was a wonderful day. She had found the cloth she had been searching for from a tinker of lands far away. Her ride home had been uneventful. The wind was chilly but her cloak covered her shoulders shielding her from the elements. The sun setting caused a golden shine upon the wheat fields lining the path along her way home. Her steed walked confidently upon the path she had taken so many times before. Felix, as she had been called since the day god had placed her upon this earth, had gone to town to get a dress for her 25th celebration that was yet days away.
Dressed in a long blue gown with a white top that accentuated her ample breast, she guided her horse along the worn path to her home. The bridge to her land was almost in sight as she thought she heard a noise from behind her. She kept guiding her white stallion forward as her head turned and ears strained to hear if anything was behind her. This path was full of legends and folklore of a man who possessed magic of great power which was second only to his skill with a sword. The Keeper of the Flame as he was known in those tales told to kids as a story before bed. It was said that no one who had ever seen him came back with enough breath to tell their tale, but soon after had died from the encounter. She laughed at her nervousness of a man in tales told by gleeman at circuses and parents to scare children to sleep.
She turned her gaze back to the bridge and felt the breath escape her as she saw a lone figure standing there, hand upon the hilt of his sword. A second look eased her just a bit as it was obvious this man was a traveler. Someone who was most likely taking a rest between a long journey behind and the one that lies ahead. She edged her steed closer, trying not to hasten her pace to show any fear or anxiety. As she approached, she nodded slightly at the man who’s clothes had seen better days.
“Hello M’Lady, where does thou go this day?” he said actually moving himself between the bridge and her.
“I make my way home after a few days in town Sir. Thank you for
Asking,” she said as she raised her chin to try and exhibit more confidence and prayed she did not fall off her horse from anxiety.
“Ah, then ya’ll be need’n to cross the bridge here the. Very well, pay the toll and your ride will be unheeded,” said the strange man.
“Toll? There has never been a toll on this road. I ride it weekly. You jest, you must be a jester!”
His eyes grew tighter and jaw became firm. “There is a toll this day girl, pay or ya don’t make it home”
She felt her stomach tighten but kept her outward appearance steady. Slowly she moved her stallion in a half circle to head back down the path she had just come. If she tried hard to kick her horse and to make it home, she knew the man’s horse would catch her long before reaching it. “Thank you just the same, I believe I will take the long way home this night. The sun is down, with a full moon so I should be fine, thank you”.
“Suit yourself girl. We shall meet again, soon,” he replied.
She turned and started down the path, mind racing, scared to look behind. She did not even notice the second man that was ahead until she was almost upon him. She realized he too was blocking her path.
“Where er ya going? Have to pay a toll befores ya to be going farther on this road M’lady.”
“Well that is just silly. I just came through here and there was no Toll. Now step aside and let me pass,” she said sternly.
The other man moved up from behind her, pressing her horse forward and closer to the second man. “Told ya we would meet again girl. I suggest the toll is paid.”
“Fine,” she said with a fake firm voice. “How much is your silly toll, but remember I have been in town all day and have no time for such nonsense.”
“The money ya posses is not our desire, your body is girl. So hop down from that there horse and let us do what we wish. Then you shall be on your way!” said the second thieve.
His eyes revealed there was not much room for negotiation. Her stomach tightened, breath grew weak, a tear welled up inside as she felt the man grab her leg, pulling her from the horse. The ground raced up and slammed into her side, rocks digging into her skin. She felt the wind leave her body and a scream escaped her lips.
The two men surrounded her grabbing at her blouse, attempting to rip it from her body. Their hands grabbed at her legs and arms as she tried to struggle against their strength. The seconds seemed as hours as her eyes flashed before her what horror she knew she would be experiencing at the hands of these men. Fear was welling up; a hand met her cheek and snapped her neck to the side. She felt the taste of blood come from her lips and realized that her day at shopping may end here as may her life also. How she only wished she had made it to her 25th celebration to wear the new dress. Now she only wished she could make it home.
Suddenly the chill of the air was gone and it seemed the temperature rose thirty degrees in mere moments. All of the horses had been going crazy, but now seemed so calm. The forest seemed to come alive, as a voice echoed from just beyond the trees. “You have but one chance to leave her be, and walk away with your life.”
The voice boomed as though it had come from the every direction. The men looked up and slightly released their grasp upon her. She felt her clothes were ripped exposing her legs and midsection to the once cool, but now quite warm night air.
A slight outline of a man could be seen just on the edge of the forest.
He was difficult to make out as his very cloak seemed to blend with the shadows cast by the setting sun. He was tall, over six feet, but it seemed his build was smaller than one would expect from the voice that had escaped it. Something strange was in the air, yet she could not begin to wonder what.
Both men stood placing hands upon their sword. “Go on about your business little man. Maybe we’ll leave her alive enough for ya to have fun when we er done.” Both men began to laugh.
“Perhaps I was not clear, leave now, or die here”. He stepped farther from the shadows, yet his cloak still seemed to reach out and touch the darkness of the forest. His eyes, barely visible, there was something with his eyes. His face was plain except the noticeable lift in his lip as he spoke. It was almost as a wolf growling at his prey.
“Well guess we’ll have to leave her for a bit and play with our new friend here before we have our fun,” said the obvious leader of the two as he drew his sword from its sheath. The other followed suit and slowly move around behind this stranger from the forest.
“Don’t be fools. I wish not to kill you both. Let the lady be and I will see her home. Go about your journey before my patience wears thin.” She noticed his hand had not even made a move from within his cloak towards his blade. It was if he was waiting for them to strike. She felt fear well up inside. Why did she not run? She could be away before they finished killing the forest stranger and be home in a short time. But yet, she stayed, and she knew not why.
The first man in front swung his blade high and made a run towards the stranger, yet he stood there, only raising his hand slightly. The ground beneath the assailant seemed to come alive grasping at his feet, surrounding them in grass and weed. The man’s progress had been stopped. The second had started his assault as well while the strangers other hand moved ever so slightly towards him. The man seemed to be pushed back by a sight unknown, like a fist of air had struck his chest throwing him to the ground with an eerie sounding thud.
The man held by the earth recovered his composure quite quickly to her surprise and his voice spoke with hate. “A magician who uses his skill with the elements and not a man who uses his steel, I would suspect nothing less from a coward”.
The strange figure showed no emotion, yet his hand moved to his blade.
“As you wish my friend, however, your chance to live, however slight, was better with the magic, then by my sword. But it is your wish how to die, and I shall grant it.”
The blade slowly moved from its resting place and the blade glistened in the late day sun that was setting in the east. Her eyes watched it as the blade seemed to become one with his hand, an extension of the man himself. Her breath seemed to leave her body as she noticed the heron that resided upon the blade. A mark of a blade master that few had seen but many spoke of. This man held a blade forged from the steel of battle. Yet, his cloak still seemed to melt with the shadows that formed around him. Her interest was only exceeded by her fear of what was unfolding before her. Yet still, she could not run.
Both attackers advanced again as one, blades coming down almost as twins towards the stranger’s body. His move was like a dance, smooth as the silk she had bought earlier this day, as his blade cut through the air meeting them both simultaneously. She had heard tales of blade masters, even studied them. She knew some of the tactics used as well as names of the same. She could see them in her mind and was surprised she had remembered.
The stranger turned slightly pushing both blades towards the ground,
Dance of the Night, she thought to herself. In almost a continuous motion, the blade spun around to catch one of the attackers square in the stomach, burying itself within his body and protruding from the other side, Wolves’ Cry, she thought.
As quickly as it had entered it was withdrawn as the stranger spun on his heels again bring his blade to meet the other. Eagle Flight, she thought. She watched as the stranger continued his upward momentum carrying the hilt of the sword square against the man chin sending him backwards to the ground as his sword flung just out of his reach. The stranger quickly threw the sword up and caught it ever so gracefully into his grasp, blade down. Eagle Strike, she thought and knew what was to come next, the end. The blade disappeared into the man’s chest as his body wrapped around its cold hard steel. The poor soul tried to grab the blade before it had entered his chest but his effort was futile. He made a sound that seemed to be like he was drowning in his own blood before his body relaxed against the ground.
The stranger pulled his blade form within, covered in crimson from the men that now lay motionless on the path. Without a word he bent down taking the dead man’s cloak to his blade wrapping it around, and pulling it slowly to remove the sight of death.
With that he placed his sword back into its home and turned to face the girl named Felix still lying upon the ground where they had thrown her.
Her dress ripped in places, but still her most private areas were covered from what seemed to be the gaze of death itself. He walked towards her, reaching his hand to her. She cringed away slightly before feeling his hand firmly grasp her wrist pulling her to her feet.
Her eyes could not meet his, she kept her head lowered toward the ground and seemed to struggle to find her voice visibly shaken from her ordeal. “Thank you kind sir, thank you for saving me from them.”
He seemed to take her in from head to toe and she could feel his gaze upon her. “What is your name child and why are you here so late?”
“I am Felix kind sir, and I am no child. I will celebrate 25 circles upon this earth in a manner of months. And what might your name be? Or should I just call you my rescuer?”
“Silly child, I am not your rescuer.” His voice seemed to turn cold.
“I am Nep. You may have heard me called the Keeper of the Flame, and child I did not rescue you from those men, I have taken you from those men. And you may call me Master!”
Her body seemed to collapse beneath her as darkness surrounded her. She once again felt the ground scream up to meet her body as her legs could not longer hold her. She collapsed to the ground. He lifted her with ease despite his build that seemed so fragile, throwing her over the saddle of her own stallion. He grabbed the horse by the reins and began to guide it towards the shadow of the night within the forest.
In her barely conscious state, she thought she heard him speak again.
“Yes, you shall call me master, and I shall call you, precious. You will be with me until I no longer require you. That girl, is my desire”.
End chapter 1
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