Awakening

As she sank deeper into the pit of unconsciousness, she heard a voice, faint and sodden with echo.....

Find the dragon, servant. Find his lair.

Astra opened her eyes, only to see a hazy blur. She heard gruff, male voices, seemingly from all around her. She tried to move, and pain arced through her left side, forcing a whimper of pain from her throat. She felt a hand grip her shoulder firmly but gently, encouraging her wordlessly to remain still.

Her vision began to clear. The faces of four men came into focus, all staring down at her. She was lying on her back, some sort of tough, scratchy material rubbing against her back whenever she moved. She heard one man speak, now clear enough to understand:

"Here she comes, lads. Where's that water? I won't say it again."

The man who had spoken was old, and did not have a single hair on his head. His right eye was a dull beige colour. It looked dead. Astra tried to move again, but the pain in her side once again forbade it. She growled through gnashed teeth. A chuckle emanated from another man to her left.

"Easy, tigress. No rush. You're alright for now." said the second man. Suddenly, the wooden rim of a small cup was being pushed towards her mouth. "Drink." said the bald one-eyed man in a quiet voice. Too disoriented to wonder whether the cup might hold poison or some other noxious brew, Astra was relieved to sense cool, albeit stale water tumbling into her mouth and down her throat. Remembering fully now the danger she may be in, Astra forced herself to come back to her full senses. Ignoring the sharp pain in her ribs, Astra pulled herself up into a sitting position, helped by the bald man.

As she did this, she looked downward, and was aghast to realise that she had been stripped of all her clothes. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she prepared to fight off her would-be attackers.

"Easy, girl, easy!" said the second man, waving his hands vaguely as he and his three companions each took a squatted step backward.

"Stay back!" cried Astra as she tried to get to her feet. The stone underfoot was slippery, though, and she fell ungainly to the floor once more. The impact sent a new wave of agony from her wound through her body, and she cried out in pain.

"Listen well, girl." said the bald man as Astra brought her knees to her chin and clasped her arms around her knees, glaring at him with open hostility. "It wasn't us what did this to you. It was the lisards."

Astra paused, remembering. The lisards, yes. They had caught her, right after she had burned the note. Then......

..........Alric?

1. :i: am: here,: Astra:
2. Alric did not reply. Had he left her, so soon after joining her?

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree