Aratheon - The Bound Soul Pt. 01

Happy day of birth, Lura, you've lived for thirty cycles and you're finally not a child anymore. I cry and cry on a day I should be happy. My uncle and his crew... My parents... They're gone. They're all gone. They paid for my deeds with their freedom. There's nothing I can do. Maybe I can still see them if I head up to Low Town. I head to the part of the wall where there are enough indents and the joints are big enough so I can climb up it without any problem. I head to the gap in the wall and climb through.

A thought occurs to me as I drift through Low Town. Maybe if I turn myself in, they'll at least let my parents go since they were only arrested for "Harboring a Fugitive" which is a load of rat turds. I head to the central guard post. But before I get there, I see a wagon cage carrying several elves who have been sold. My mother is among them. I rush up to it. "Mother!"

Her eyes find mine, and we reach for each other, grasping each other's hands. "My baby. What are you doing here? You must go."

"I've come to turn myself in so you and father can be freed," I say.

"No! Don't ever do that. It is too late for us. We've been sold into slavery. They will not set us free. You must be free for both of us. Go, live your life and forget about us. I love you," my mother says, with tears streaming down her eyes. My gut clenches as the reality of the situation sinks in. My parents are going to end up as slaves because I couldn't listen to my father. My tears are bitterly painful.

I try to keep up with the caged wagon, but I'm pushed into the dirt by a guard.

"Back away from the prisoners."

I glare at him before I get up and keep pace with my mother. "I'm so sorry, mother. It is all my fault."

"Don't be sorry, my love. None of this is your fault. Please, forget about us and live your life," she says as the wagon is taken past the gates beyond my reach. I fall to my knees and cry.

I wipe the tears away and run. I run far, and as fast as I can through Low Town, and climb up the tower of the church until I reach the bell that looks out of the town. I watch through blurry tears as the wagon slowly disappears in the distance. I stay there and cry until the tears no longer come. I reach into my pocket and find the letter my father wrote.

I open the envelope and pull it out.

Lura,

My beautiful child. If you find this letter, then we are out looking for you. Just please stay. As you wait, I decided to tell you the truth. It's a hard truth to say, but I find writing it down is far easier than speaking it out loud. My brother, Lethvelion, and I came from a once noble family named Syllana. However, we had a falling out when the noble King abdicated the throne. Our noble house stood for the Royal family; however, we were only one of few. Our family was denounced and our power stripped, along with our nobility and house. Our lands and wealth were forfeited, and we were shunned. Never trust people of authority, and have a healthy skepticism about any organization that claims to know the truth of life and what comes after. For it was those who hoarded the power and wealth, claiming that they know what is best for everyone while stripping our family of everything.

We became poor and broken. Our name was taken from us. My brother and I were so full of anger and hate that we did the only thing we knew we could; we became thieves. We stole from those who took everything from us. However, actions always have consequences. And our actions were no exceptions. We were nearly caught, however, even though we escaped punishment, our parents were not so lucky. They were arrested and enslaved. Our sister killed herself shortly after that. I was so stricken with grief and shame; I walked away. That is when I met your mother, and she saved me from my own despair. I beg you, my dear daughter. Please don't make the same mistake I did. I don't want to see you have to pay the same price that I paid.

Sincerely,

Your beloved father

Tanyl

Just when I thought I had no tears left the damn breaks, and my cheeks are flooded. It feels like my heart just shattered into thousands of little pieces. Why couldn't he have told me this sooner? Now I really have repeated his mistakes. I am my father's daughter. Because of me, the only friends and family I've ever known have been taken. It's all my fault, and there's nothing I can do about it. I should just end my life before I make things worse.

Suddenly the trap door opens up, startling me to my feet as a beautiful, golden-haired elven woman in a white robe walks up. "I thought I heard someone. Lura, why are you hiding up here?"

I look up at the beautiful shimmering blue-eyed priestess, Damaris, and wipe my tears away. "I... I lost my family, and it's all my fault."

She hesitates, but walks over and takes a seat on the ledge. "Why do you think it is your fault?"

"I don't know if I should tell you," I say, wearily.

"Child, I am a priestess of the Light. I am bound by the Light to keep whatever sins you may have committed sealed by the Light. To tell me your sins is to tell our savior, the Light. the Light never punishes honesty, and it is clear that you have already been punished for your sins. There is no reason to punish you twice," she says. Then she looks down at the empty space beside her and pats it before she looks at me, inviting me to sit down next to her.

I take a deep breath and take the seat beside her. "I stole what I could from the pockets of others and food from the stalls to feed my family. I hung out with my uncle's gang of thieves even though my father forbade me. And a man tried to... Well, he was kicked out of the crew, but his brother was a part of the city guard, and he brought the guard down upon my uncle. They were all arrested. They then went to my home down in Tent City and my parents... They were sold into slavery because I wasn't there..." After all the crying I've done, I thought I was finally all dried up, but tears water my eyes once more. "They paid the price for my crimes and now I'm all alone. It's all my fault."

"Oh, my dear child," Priestess Damaris says as she takes me in her arms and gently rubs my back. "My dear child. You have been dealt a grievous cost for such a meager sin. For that, I am sorry. I may not be able to free your family, but I can offer you a place for shelter, food, and a bed. You have felt the heavy weight of the consequences our deeds may invoke, but that does not mean it is just or fair. Even so, what is done is done. All that you can do is move forward and choose how you should live your life from now on. You still have freedom, and now it's your responsibility to use that freedom to live a life your parents could be proud of..."

I look up at her as the tears dry up once again. "What shall I do with my life now? I have no one."

"You have the Church of the Light. You are always welcome here, child," she says, gently taking my face in her delicate hand. Her fingers wipe away my tears.

"What if I don't believe?"

"No one can fault you for your beliefs, child. It is in our nature to be skeptical. No one will blame you for that. Once you see the healing Divine Light for yourself, you'll see that it is true," she says, gently stroking my cheek.

I just don't know if I can join her. Where was this Light as my family and I starved? Why does the Light let so many people suffer?

"Come with me and we'll get you cleaned up," she says as she stands up and offers her hand. I take it, but as soon as she starts down the trapdoor, I head out of the balcony, climb down the bell tower, and run. I can't trust anyone. Especially those of the religious sort. Father said not to trust anyone who claims to know the truths of life. They always preach and preach and preach about peace and prosperity, but how can they let all of us suffer in tents when the wealthy prosper in mansions and castles?

I run away through the streets, searching for a place to hide and rest. I head down a series of dark alleys filled with trash and homeless elves lost in the glimmer spice, trying to find a quiet spot to just sit and think.

As I turn another corner, I run head into a man and nearly fall back on my arse. The tall elven man is with several other men who all look as if they're up to no good. They smell of strong drink and pipe smoke.

"Well, look at what we have here, a pretty face. I bet she'd be a lot of fun," the man says with a twisted, rotten tooth smile.

The others slowly circle around me. I can't find words as my heart races in my chest. What have I gotten myself into?

Chapter: 4

The men have twisted smiles with eyes that are filled with lust as they crowd me. I step back before hitting the wall as the men tease me.

"Oh, little girl, we're going to play a fun little game together," he says as his friends all laugh. I swallow the dread in my throat as I freeze. I can't find words. I want to scream at them. To tell them to leave me alone, but I can't even breathe.

"Oh, Cele, there you are. I've been looking all over for you," A raven-haired, busty woman says as she pushes the men aside and helps me up. She glares at the men. "Enthein, did you forget the last time you tried to hurt one of my girls?"

The eyes of the man who was terrorizing me go wide. "Sorry, Madame Faralene, I didn't realize this one was yours. Forgive me."

"I will this time, now off with you lot," she says as she whisks me away into a nearby building. "What in the bloody hells are you doing out here all alone?"

"I... I was trying to find someplace to stay for the night."

"Well, you almost found out what it's like to be at the mercy of scoundrels. Thank goodness I was around. Now, come dear, let's get you all cleaned up and a nice hot meal." She doesn't wait, pulling me in with her. My jaw drops as we enter a room full of people. Men sitting around tables drinking with scantily clad women dancing in their laps. Some are showing off their bosoms and others let men grope them. Disgusting.

I'm being dragged up the stairs into a side room with a wide round table and forced into a chair. They give me a bowl of delicious-smelling stew, and I don't bother asking questions as I devour every last bite of it. The woman then drags me back to the bathroom, and I'm stripped naked and shoved in a tub of cold water. Another woman comes in and scrubs me. I cling to my delicate parts to keep them hidden from their eyes, but the woman scrubbing me doesn't care. She just pushes my hands aside and washes my bare breasts. At least what I have for breasts. They look like molehills compared to... What did that man call her? Madame Faralene? She has a bosom that could knock a man out.

After I'm cleaned, I'm pulled out, and the woman dresses me as if I was a child. And not with decent clothes. The same kind as those women downstairs wear. Sheer stockings that only go up to my mid-thigh. Underwear, if you can call it that, that barely covers my bottom and a dress that does nothing to cover my legs. Soon, Madame Faralene comes back and inspects me. "Yes, you'll do quite nicely."

"Excuse me? What is going on?" I ask.

"How would you like to earn a lot of coin?" she asks.

"Coin? How much coin?" I say with my attention fully in her hands.

"Oh, more than you'd ever see in your entire lifetime, girl," she says.

Suspicious, I narrow my eyes. "And what would I have to do to make this money?"

She smiles. "Oh, just wait on a few scoundrels. Let them have a feel or two. Give 'em a dance. Make them feel desired. You could make a lot more coin if you take them to bed, but I won't force anyone."

I think it through and nod. "I'll do it for now. But once I make enough, I'm done."

"Fair enough," she says with a smirk. "Now, let's put you to work. See the table over there? Go bring em some drinks."

I nod and head up to the bar, grab three mugs of ale, and head over to the men sitting at the far table in the corner. I place them down on the table and let out a gasp as a hand comes down hard on my bottom. My face turns to pure red as I look over at the elven man, who has a wide grin on his face as he keeps his hand on my arse. I try to brush him off, but he gives it a squeeze. I want to slap him, but I know that I shouldn't. I pull away and thankfully he lets go as I rush back to the Madame.

"Girl, you're going to have to do a lot better than that if you want to earn enough coin to get out of here," she says in a flat tone as I hold myself, covering as much as I can of my exposed skin.

"You need to tempt them. Don't give them what they want, but let them know you have it," she says in a sultry manner. "There is far worse you could do than this line of work."

I sigh as I get back to work, serving drinks and enduring hands that are far too friendly.

Chapter: 5

Warm sunlight breaks through from the balcony as I lay in the arms of a man with pure golden hair and eyes as blue as the sky. He holds me with tender care, nuzzling my bare neck. I smile with pure happiness. His hardness presses up against me and I wiggle my hips against him, but we're interrupted as children rush in. Our children. I quickly pull the blankets over us to cover ourselves as our children convince us to get out of bed for the day. My husband sighs with a hint of frustration, but I can tell deep down he's never been happier. He convinces them to go hide and he'll come out and find them. They rush out in glee before my devilish husband puts me on my back with a grin brighter than the sun.

"You are so bad," I say as I drag my hand down his perfectly sculpted chest. He grabs my legs and lifts them on top of his shoulders before...

I shoot up from my cot and groan as I realize it was all just a dream. That man... he feels so familiar, but I've never met him before. The golden-haired mysterious man of my dreams. Perfect in nearly every way. A man I feel like I've known my whole life and yet, he only exists in my dreams.

Work at the Brothel isn't easy. I'm expected to get them as drunk as possible so they spend as much coin as possible, but the drunker a man gets the more handsy and pig-headed he is. I feel so disgusted every night after work. I have to take a bath just to wash the stain of their eyes off me. Not only that, but I'm constantly pushed and pressured to be one of Madame Faralene's women of pleasure. To sell the pleasure of my body to these perverted men. There is no way in all the hells I would ever do that.

To make things even more difficult, I have seemed to get off on the wrong side of one of Madame Faralene's best "workers," if you can call what she does as work. Zaralraden, a golden-haired, blue-eyed falcon of a woman, seems to dislike me. She goes out of her way to get under my skin. The other day she hip-bumped me, causing me to nearly spill all of my drinks. Of course, I may have used a little of this magic I secretly learned to prevent losing the drinks. I think I may have angered her when I laughed, hearing her complain about her holy client. A High Father or whatever. The way she described him was rather funny, but it's clear she despises the man and the things she says he's making her do cause me to shudder. Somehow, it doesn't surprise me that these holy men of the church or whatever are here tossing coin around to satiate their unholy desires. Hypocrites, all of them. It is why I will never trust the religious type.

But even so, Zaralraden is the worst kind of evil. The conniving, spiteful kind. If she wasn't bad enough, the attention I get from men is not the welcomed kind. I'm not talking about just the stares they give me, but the things they say to me are absolutely disgusting. I thought Phraan was bad. He definitely is bad, but some of these men can give him a run for his coin. Some of the things they say they want to do to me makes me want to take a bath and wash the filth of their words off my skin. Part of me is afraid Madame will try to convince me to take up one of their offers. As if I would ever consider it, but I've heard things from the other girls. A lot of girls start out like me, but no one stays a barmaid. Soon, an offer will be made that is too tempting to decline.

Still, there is no way in hell I will ever consider doing anything with these pricks. I'd rather starve. Hell, even joining the church would be better. I will keep my dignity and that is that.

"Hey, new girl... I need a refill!" one particularly disgusting man says. His ears are pierced all the way up to the point and he's got a gut that can't be contained by any shirt. I reluctantly bring over a pitcher of ale and take his cup. But when I feel his hand crawl up my leg, I can't take it. I grab the mug and wash his face with the ale. "You filthy bitch!"

He immediately flings the chair back as he gets to his feet and grabs me by the hair, but his hand is caught before it strikes by the bouncer, a rather large beefy man with dark skin and black hair named Janyris. "Don't touch the girls."

He lets go of my hair and yanks his hand free only when Janyris lets go. "Get a hold of your women."

I quickly walk away, but not before Madame has a word. "Lura, what do you think you're doing?"

"He grabbed my arse," I say.

"And your point? You do realize this is a brothel, right?" she says, hand on hip with the other pointing a finger at me. "The men who come in here will get handsy. Can you handle that, or will I have to find someone else who can? Need I remind you that I saved you from those men on the street? I can just as easily put you back on those streets for all the men to have at you."

I hold my tongue in fear she'll do just that. I need to get out of this place. I have to find out who bought my parents, along with my uncle and his crew. I will set them free one way or another. "Good, now get back to work."

She storms off and Zaralraden snickers. "Be a good girl, you stupid sewage rat."

I hate that woman!

---

I've worked long enough at the brothel to earn some pocket coin. I'd have more if I didn't have to pay such high rent to Madame for room and board. Just for a room I have to share with seven other girls. Fortunately, none of them are like Zaralraden. Nambra, a blonde-haired elf is rather nice and polite. Alisenda, a taller brunette who'll take no nonsense. Her daughter, Caeninita, who's rather shy. Maenirin, a red-haired girl with pale skin who has a loud mouth. Maenalasa, a beautiful brunette with the charm of one of the best of merchants. She has men wrapped around her finger. Gisrae, who's aggressive and can be rather violent. Men who cross her learn the hard way that she can give as good as she takes. And lastly, a woman I've become rather close with named Tyma. She's a dark-skinned woman with dim blue eyes, which means she doesn't have an ounce of magic in her. Her hair is black, but she tends to wear golden wigs to attract men's attention. We share a bunk and she's easy to get along with. She's really taken me under her wing.

We spend quite a bit of time together whenever we're able to. She seems to know the ins and outs of not just the Brothel, but Low Town itself, and it seems like she's got friends everywhere. I'm always following her around town during our off time and meeting new people. It doesn't hurt that she's one of Madame's best girls, rather tied with Zaralraden. It also helps that the two hate each other. You know what they say about the enemy of your enemy. Although I do find it weird that she still stays here, considering how much coin she brings in.

After a long night of work, I follow her out to a hookah lounge where we find a booth with her friends, just a few men and women who are stuck here just like the rest of us. Irevhur, a short, black-haired man with dark skin who works the docks doing hard work. Zharrish, a woman with deep chocolate skin that spends her days in the hot kitchens baking. She's a rather plump woman, and it's easy to see why her baking is by far bested by no one else. I'd be just as plump if I had half the skills with an oven. Of course, having skill is one thing, but having the food to bake with is another. Thankfully, she loves to treat us with some leftovers and mistakes.