Kedris ....A young Life sold

Kedris was afraid. He and Cadris had been locked in the cellar for two days now. Selara had been livid when she'd awoken and found the smashed dishes in the kitchen. Her wrath immediately turned onto the two small boys. She hadn’t remembered her drunken rage from the night before. When she had woken the boys, throwing the dishes at the wall and yelling obscenities.1

Kedris had taken the brunt of it. He had tried to explain to her how she broken them. This only seemed to enrage her more. After a heavy beating he lied, saying he’d tripped and dropped them. He knew she would have gone after Cadris too if he hadn’t taken the blame for the dishes.2

Tears streaking his cheeks, he hung limply in her harsh grip. She had the four year old by the scruff and was shaking him angrily, her breath still reeking of cheap ale.3

“You ungrateful cur!”, she hissed as she slapped him hard drawing blood. “All you ever do is lie to me! Every word out of your mouth!. I won’t have it! I won’t have it I say!”4

Kedris’s eyes were wide in fear. He had only ever seen her this bad once. When she had killed one of her customers who had refused to pay up. He had to keep her focused on him and not Cadris. It could be then end for them both if she turned on his twin.5

“No mistress, I wouldn’t…I can clean it up…I can…fast…”6

A cold unfamiliar looked passed over the female trolls eyes. Something Kedris had never seen in the four short years since she bore him. 7

It was brief, fast, unexpected. He didn’t feel the blow at first, just the a blur of motion as her hand struck out at him. Then she threw him like a bag of refuse out the door into the street. He hit the wall across the narrow road with a sickening thud. Then lay in the street stunned. His little body in shock as blood poured from his throat where she had knifed him. 8

His mind played it all in slow motion. “You are of no use to me…” He heard dispassionately as the knife had cut deep. He lay in a pool of his own blood, unable to process what had happened.9

Shapes moving around him. Figures and voices blurring in and out. He blinked trying to clear his sight and his mind. Mister Helgrin the old butcher who lived next door came into focus. Kedris wanted to warn him to stay back. His dame was in one of her moods, maybe he could come by later. He felt his mind drifting off. His eyes starting to close on their own.
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“Boy, stay with me boy!” Helgrin said urgently as he scooped the boy up. With a fast scowl at Selara’s slamming door, he took the boy and ran for the healer’s hut.10

He had known it would be bad. He hadn’t seen either of the two boys since the mother had come home in a drunken rage. The yelling had started again early the next day, then nothing till today. Even as bad as it had been before, he had never expected this. He laid the boy down on a cot inside the healer’s and let the priestess work.11

“Can you do anything for him? Will the boy live?” He stood back and wiped blood off his hands and watched her.12

“He will live.” She said without turning. She worked on the boy both with potions and bandages, hurriedly stopping the bleeding. "He will be weak for a few days, but he will live.”13

A few minutes later she stood and looked to Helgrin. “I have done what I can…but I can not restore the damage to his throat. I fear he’ll will never speak again.” She looked sadden as she held her hand together before her.” How did this happen? Who’s child is he and do his parents know?”14

Helgrin made a grim face. “It was the boy’s mother that did it. Slit his throat and threw him out into the street to die. Damned troll bitch…” He looked away for a moment and sighed. “I don’t know where the other boy is…sometimes I wonder if it wouldn’t be better to let the boy die.” The old orc shook his head sadly. “I wish I could do more for them. But with the war and so many mouths to feed…” He looked with regret at the young troll sleeping on the cot. Already an angry scar forming on the boy’s throat. “He’ll have to go back to that whore of a mother of his. That’s the law. I don’t think there is a father.” He looked at the healer with a resolved sigh. "How soon can he go back?”
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It had been five days. Five days since he had awaken at the healer’s hut and Mr. Helgrin had taken him back home. The old orc had acted a little awkward, making sure Kedris had eaten a full meal before regrettably taking him back to Selana. He even giave him extra bread to hide for his brother.
Kedris already knew why he had to go back. It had happened the previous summer. Mr. Helgrin had taken in the twins after Selana had chained them outside to a post during a storm. She had complained about needing some space to herself.
Mr. Helgrin had gotten the boys warmed up and fed. Telling them funny stories till Cadris and Kedris had both fallen asleep. They had been there for two nights when the city guards came pounding on the door. Selana had filed a complaint that the old butcher had stolen her children. Mr. Helgrin had to turn them over to her or go to prison. Kedris and his brother had been beaten badly and forbidden to talk to the man even since. Selana never forgave and never forgot.
Now, once back in the house, Kedris again did his best to stay out of Selana’s way. For two days he cleaned and kept out of sight. Cadris and he keeping the place as orderly as they could. Then one night Selana came home complaining about the price of food going up due to the war. She was in a foul mood and drunk again. She saw the boys huddled in the back of the kitchen. She stared at the two of them for a moment, then stood with a scowl. She snapped her fingers and pointed to the cellar door. Both boys immediately headed down to the cellar sitting against the far wall as she locked the door.
Two days passed before Selana had dragged them back out of the cellar. She had grabbed Kedris and ordered Cadris to stay and scrub down the kitchen. She had hurried off into the Drag, yanking Kedris behind her. She met with an orc warlock in one of the back allies there. Kedris heard the debate…the dickering and the sale. “He's small for his age…nearly six, you’ll get plenty of good years outta him…“ A small exchange of coins and she threw him towards the man with a, “…Good riddance.” She had not looked back.
Kedris, hands bound before him, had managed to keep up with the large orc that bought him. Passing through empty back streets and passages. They had stopped at an old derelict building.
The orc has waved his hand at the building with a sneer. “Welcome to the Blue Raven, your new home. Serve well…and you may live long. Fail, and you will find there are worse things then death.” With that, they had entered.
Kedris now sat in a small dark cold room. Arms wrapped around himself for warmth. There were five small boys in the room. Two had been there when he was tossed in. Two more added the same day. There had been only water given. The other boys had whispered amongst them selves now and then. One or two of them cried at night. One orc boy named Torse, six summers old. Two troll boys from Durotar , five and six named Drallo and Sumis. A troll from the barrens, six, name Felis.
Earlier, a guard had come and started taking the boys away, one by one. Kedris was the last. He was brought first to a orc in a tiled room. The guards handing him off to the ‘Keeper’.
“You will, from now on, report here every morning with the other se’baric for daily cleansing. That will be obeyed unless told otherwise by a Master is that clear?”
Kedris nodded as the man grabbed him and cut off the ropes. He was quickly stripped down and cleaned thoroughly. His skin bright purplish blue where he had been scrubbed raw.
Barely dried off, he was then taken to another room.
“Master Belacor, the next initiate.” The guards shoved him in and the door was locked behind him.
A large older orc stood at a table before him, turning to give him a glance. Kedris kept his head down to show respect. He had learn long ago at Selena’s hands never look someone in the eye or stare.
The orc warlock walked around and looked Kedris over closely, running his hands over the boy. He held Kedris face, lifting it to the light for close inspection. The orcs large hand resting on the scare at Kedris’s throat briefly. Then he stood back, releasing his chin.
“You will be train here with me, till I feel you are ready to serve and know your place. You will seek not just to serve but to please your Masters. A slave who does not please does not get chosen to serve. A slave that does not serve does not earn food. Your survival depends on your ability to serve and to please.”
The orc stepped in closer to him, a hand caressing his cheek and down his neck.
“Lets get started.”
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Kerdis sat in the corner, arms wrapped around knees for warmth.
He kept a watchful eye on the door, not bothering to look at any of the other se’barics in the room. they all sat in silence, not one whispered or spoke.
He would need to be summoned if he was to eat. He knew the rules. It had been only two days since his 'marking'. The rules still pounding fresh in his head and aching body.
His body was cold, stomach clenched. Only two of other the four boys taken with him had survived the marking. He had seen the other two in the back corner, eyes glazed with exhaustion and pain.
Kedris shivered. He needed to be summoned tonight. He knew he needed food. He again looked to the door, hoping.
A crack of light opened into the crowded room. Kedris blinked a little at its brightness.
"Post", the order came. Quickly all the boys scurried to their feet to line up against the wall.
All stood still, eyes down, waiting to be selected.
A shadow approached, back lit by the light from the door. He moved down the line of boys, looking. Lifting heads, turning their chins, as if looking over cattle or dogs.
Kedris felt a hand to his chin and he was made to look up. He did his best to look pleasing and willing, hiding the shivers he was feeling. This Master was a race he hadn't seen before. He did his best not to scared.
"This one is new?" The Master asked the Keeper in an acceted voice.
"Yes, just yesterday. He bears a good mark. You want him sent?"
The master continued to stare at him. Kedris' skin prickled under the gaze.
The master smiled and stroked a finger along Kedris' jaw then down his neck and chest.
"He's lovely, rather young for even here."
The master stroked a hand through Kedris' silverwhite hair, as if petting a dog.
"Yes, this one. I may keep him for a few days. I'll send him back when I'm done."
With that, the Master stepped out.
Kedris quickly stepped over to the Keeper, careful to keep his eyes down. There would be a required cleansing before he reported to the Master. He silently followed the Keeper out of the room.
***
Days and years went by, blurring into one another. Some days summons and servitude. Some days cleaning and chores. There were the bad days as well. Things that stood out above the daily misuse.
Once, when he was near seven, he was serving Master Saduerd. Bread had fallen from the master’s table. Kedris had waited, then cautiously picked up the bread. Saduerd pounced on him immediately. He had taken food not given by a Master’s hand. He was beaten badly and then dragged to the Master’s pool where there was a ‘pet’ male naga kept. Kedris was thrown in. The naga used him all night, pushing him under the water over and over again. Each time he came near drowning he was released to the surface briefly to recover. Only to be dragged back under and used again. If he passed out, Saduerd revived him enough to be aware. This went on all night. By morning, Kedris couldn’t tell when he was breathing water or air.
A few months later, one of the other se’baric was found with one of the females. All the other se’baric were made to watch the punishment.
A troll boy about 8 years of age. He was dragged into the courtyard by the Keeper of the females. Then the females had run forward with heavy sticks and begun to beat him bloody. Once the boy stopped moving from exhaustion, the Harem Master stepped forward and did the ah’shuit., leaving the boy bleeding and silently screaming as the undead Masters stepped forward. They se’barics had been require to stay and watch as the undead had begun feeding on the still living boy. They had to stay until there was little left but blood and bones. Kedris had nightmares for weeks.15

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