Sara's Story

Act 2: Present

Chapter 11 - A new beginning - and - Justice ?

© 2003 Nameless

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I lie here in the darkness. My body is wracked by pain. My blood pounds in my ears, I can faintly hear the guards move around as they talk and laugh about some joke. " I'm going to die!" My thoughts spiral wildly, always coming back to that fact. I don't know how long it will take until I die of starvation or thirst. I pray that I will pass out soon. Faintly I hear the creak of wood as the guards climb up the ladder.

Then suddenly a muffled roar. " Gunfire!" I realize "Is there someone here to help me?" I wonder and strain to hear what is going on. But my own heartbeat is almost deafening. I can barely make out a few shouts of rage, then there are several more gunshots and a few more shouts. Then it is silent for a long while. Caught between hope and despair, there is nothing I can do, except wait.

Then the creaking of wood "Someone is climbing down the ladder!" It is the most beautiful sound I have ever heard. I can hear voices, voices I recognize! "The overseer! And Annie!" Then suddenly my coffin is lifted out of the hole. I howl in pain as the nails dig into my flesh. But I don't mind the pain, not now, not any more "I'm saved! I'm going to live. Thank God." I give a silent prayer of thanks as I hear the sounds of someone slowly working the nails out of the lid. And I can see a bit of light through the cracks and the small holes in the wood. It takes them a long time to do loosen the lid, my tormentors used a lot of nails.

Finally the lid is lifted and light floods my vision. The first thing I can make out is the overseer as he bends over me to look at me and the surprise and disgust on his face as he exclaims " My God! The bastards!" I have never seen a happier sight in my life. He cuts the ropes binding my paws and feet. Then he and a male slave lift me out. I howl in pain as the blood flows back into my arms and legs.

For a moment I can see the anger in his eyes "Oh God! What have they done to you?" he exclaims as he takes in my tortured body, my fur filthy and matted with blood, then the pain from my tortured feet and nausea overcome me. I fall to my knees and vomit out the vile contents of my stomach.

I kneel helplessly as my stomach churns and I can't stop heaving, even when it is already empty. Gently paws grasp my shoulders and squeeze them for a few moments, then they move on, to the back of my head and untie the gag. My jaw muscles cramp when I try to open my muzzle wide enough to take it out, but finally we manage it. With blood trickling down my chin, I turn my head and look into Annie's face.

She paws me a canteen "Here, rinse your mouth." My paws shake so bad that she has to hold it as she pours the clear water into my muzzle. I can't remember when I have ever drunken something that tasted better. When I have rinsed my mouth and drunken my fill, she asks "Can you walk, Sara?"

I try to speak, but my voice won't cooperate, so I just shake my head. I try to say "No. My feet hurt." I don't think anyone could understand what I wanted to say, but she seems to get the meaning and examines my feet.

"Master! They have whipped her feet so badly that the hide on her footpads is broken and bloody, I don't think she can walk without passing out from the pain."

"Crap! Ok, Annie, take care of her wounds. Max! Get those tools and help me make a stretcher for her."

Annie turns back to me and asks "Sara, where are you hurt worst?"

I force out a barely understandable "Here" and roll over to lie on my back. The ring they have put into my slit digs into my flesh again and I cannot quite suppress the howl of pain as I spread my legs and point at my crotch.

Annie examines me and swears in disgust and mutters "Bloody Bastards!" as her paw comes away bloody and she sees the metal inside me. "Can you spread yourself a little wider?"

I put my paws into my slit and spread it as wide as I can. I whimper in pain as Annie removes the ring, cutting me a little more in the process, even though she is as careful as she can be. Then she takes a clean rag from a bag and uses it to wipe away the worst of the blood.

"My breasts." I manage to say.

Annie swears again when she sees the wires. "I'll try to get them out." She carefully untangles the wires. Every movement hurts, and I scream in pain when she pulls the wire out. She looks at me in concern as I lie there panting and whimpering "Do you want me to take out the second one as well?"

I can't speak but I want the horrible things gone. I don't really care about the pain any more. I do my best to give her a smile and nod. The second one does not hurt quite as bad as the first one, still I cannot stifle my howl of pain. But I am so glad not to have them in me any more.

Annie cleans my wounds and binds several that still bleed a little.

"We've rigged a stretcher, Annie. How is Sara?"

"I have patched her up as well as I can, Master. She has lost a lot of blood and she is very weak, but she will survive."

"Good enough." He turns to me and muses "How do we get you out of here?"

The slave, a bear, speaks up "Master?"

"Yes, Max?"

"I could take her up easily, if she can hold onto my back."

The overseer considers the trapdoor, it is a tight fit for the two of us, but possible "Can you hold onto him, Sara?"

"Yes, Master."

"Good." They help me up and I put my arms around the bear's neck and hold on tight. My body hurts where it presses against him, especially my breasts. I hang on as he climbs up the ladder. When he reaches the top, he stops and two guards grab my arms and pull me up the last stretch. They sit me on the ground. The overseer and the slaves join us shortly. When I turn my head, I can see the rabbit and three of his friends kneeling on the ground, their paws tied. Several armed guards stand watch. The cat lies on the ground not far from me and when the wind changes direction a bit, the stench of his death fills my nostrils. Annie and the male slave wrap me in a warm blanket and lie me down on the stretcher. He and one of the guards pick it up and we set off. The swaying lulls me to sleep or maybe I just pass out from pain.

# # #

When I wake up again, I find myself in bed in the small room where I stayed during my recent illness. It is light outside. Looking at the sun outside, I see that it is already early afternoon.

Annie, who has been dozing in the chair next to the bed wakes up and smiles tiredly "Good afternoon, Sara. Are you all right?"

"I guess so. My whole body hurts. But I'm just so happy to be alive."

She stands up, stretches and paws me a mug of tea "Here, you need to drink a lot now, Sara." Then she pulls away the covers from my bed "Okay. Let me check your wounds, then I'll bring you something to eat." She works over me for some time, cleaning my wounds and binding them with fresh bandages. I whimper in pain as she carefully spreads healing salve over my cheek. Then she leaves to bring me something to eat.

Tears flood my eyes when I see my reflection in a polished plate. My whole left cheek is a mess, scarred to the bone, with only a few bits of fur. "I'm hideous!" I realize.

The mistress accompanies her when she returns a few minutes later, carrying a tray with food and drink.

"So, how are you, Sara?"

"My whole body hurts, Mistress. But I'll heal." I say and take a sip from the mug of tea. The warmth in my stomach feels incredibly good.

"Would you leave us alone for a moment, Annie?"

"Yes, Mistress." Annie answers, bows and leaves the room.

The mistress looks at me for a long time before she speaks. I cannot help but wonder and worry what she wants from me. When she sees the anxiety in my face, she puts her paw on my brow and ruffles my headfur a little "Don't worry, Sara. I'm not angry with you, not at all. I'm angry at myself." The badger femme falls silent for several long moments, whatever she wants to say is not easy for her "I'm sorry, Sara. Henry and I have been suspicious of Jack for some time, but his Lordship would not believe us. One of the guards that we knew we could trust would keep an eye open for him so we could catch him with blood on his paws. We thought we could catch him after he had committed himself, but before he could do any real damage. But somehow he managed to fool us yesterday. If we had not had a bit of luck we would not have noticed that you were missing until the morning. I'm angry with myself for telling you not to worry about this and ... you had to suffer for my mistake."

I can only look at her in surprise. "My Mistress apologized to me!" I don't know what to say, except "Thank you, Mistress. I'll heal."

She looks at me for some time, then she squeezes my paw "This won't happen again, Sara. I swear to God." If I had not seen the tears in her eyes, I would have heard them in her voice. "You stay here until you are all healed up, Sara. Annie or one of the others will care for you. And I will do what I can to make things right for you."

"Mistress?"

"Yes, Sara?"

"What happens to me now, Mistress? Now that I'm ... hideous?"

She looks at me for a while before she answers "Don't worry, Sara. His Lordship will not kill you or sell you because of this. Maybe the guards will not order you to entertain them as often as before, but apart from this it does not change much for you. You will rest for a few more days and then it will be quite some time before anyone will be allowed to make you share his bed. You will be excused from that duty until I decide you are completely healed."

"Thank you, Mistress? What will happen to ... my tormentors?"

She looks at me for few moments and a feral grin forms on her muzzle "They are in the cage for unruly slaves for now. His Lordship has sent for the sheriff. He will probably come here in a week or two, then they will be sentenced. I guess they will be either enslaved or executed, but I don't know for sure. I don't think you have to worry about them again." She smiles at me "Now rest and get well again, Sara." She stands up and turns to leave.

"Thank you, Mistress." I say. Annie comes back into the room and I turn back to my food.

I am allowed to stay in bed for several days. For three more weeks I am allowed to sleep in this room, I don't have to entertain the guards and I only have to do light work in the kitchen as my body slowly heals my wounds. Several of them leave scars on my skin, some of them very ugly. I'm glad my fur hides at least some of the scars.

# # #

A little more than a week after my ordeal, the sheriff, a wolf, comes to hold court. Not that this is really needed, no fur would question the Lord if he decided to punish my tormentors, even if he had them killed. Not after what they had done. The sheriff arrives in the late afternoon and after a lavish dinner he and his men select several of the slaves to entertain them and retire to their rooms.

The next day the sheriff holds court. We all assemble in the great hall, all the slaves and nearly all the guards. We slaves have to kneel. Then the rabbit and his friends are marched in, shackled. They have to kneel in front of the sheriff. His men stand over them with drawn weapons.

The sheriff bangs his gravel and turns to the Master "Lord Archwhiffle, what charges do you lay on these miscreants?"

"Your Honor. These furs have taken an oath of service with me. They have acted in violation of my commands, recklessly endangering me and those they were charged to protect. They have stolen money from me and they have damaged my property and conspired to destroy it."

"Damaged my property?" Tears spring to my eyes when I realized that my master is referring to me.

The sheriff turns to the accused guards "Did you take service with Lord Archwhiffle and swear an oath of fealty to him?"

"Yes, your Honor."

"What specific commands did they violate, my Lord?"

"They left my manor during the night without telling anyone about it. They abused one of my slaves in ways that I had specifically forbidden. And they lied about it when they were questioned about what had happened to her during the night."

"Did you do this?"

They hang their heads, as the realization that they would be punished badly slowly sinks in "Yes, your Honor."

"How much money did they steal?"

"Twenty imperials, thirty crowns and some smaller coins."

"Did you do this?"

"Yes, your Honor." the rabbit answers, the others remain silent.

"What property did they damage, my Lord?"

He looks at me and commands "Stand up, Sara."

I obey.

"They abused this slave so badly that she was ill and unable to work for several weeks. When we apprehended them a few days ago, they had tortured her so badly that she will be scarred for the rest of her life. And they sealed her in a wooden crate and left her to die. She was hurt so badly, that she will not be able to work for another week or two."

The sheriff considers me for a few moments and muses "I see. Scarred like that she is practically worthless." He waves at me to kneel again.

Tears of shame and fear run down my cheeks as I kneel again "I am worthless now! What will happen to me?" I shiver. Suddenly a paw squeezes mine and I turn to look at Annie, who is kneeling next to me. She gives me an encouraging smile and squeezes my paw again.

The sheriff asks the accused furs "Is this true, did you do these things to that slave?"

"Yes, your Honor."

"Do you have anything to say that might lessen the severity of your crimes?"

"He made us do it, your Honor." One of them, a red fox, says, pointing at the rabbit.

They squabble back and forth for a while. Apparently Jack, the rabbit, instigated their actions. And once they had disobeyed the Lord's commands once, he used the threat of exposing them to get them to help him with more and more extreme forms of entertainment.

After a few minutes of this, the sheriff bangs his gavel and they fall silent. "None of this lightens your crime in any way. The penalty for breaking your oath of service is death. There is no excuse for the crimes you have committed. You are sentenced to be shot until dead. May God have mercy on your soul." He turns to the master "My Lord. Since these furs broke their oath of service to you, it is up to you to enforce the sentence or show mercy as you see fit. This court has spoken." He raps his gavel. One of his men shouts "Everybody rise!" and the sheriff leaves.

The master sits down in the chair the sheriff has vacated and waves at us to kneel again. When the room has fallen silent, he regards the kneeling miscreants. Two of them are sobbing and trembling in fear. "Jack! It is death for you. And you will not die as a free fur. Your sentence will be carried out tomorrow morning. You shall know what it is like to be a slave who can expect nothing nut death in the near future. Aaron, Karl and Wallace! It is slavery for you. Henry, have them branded and sold. Take them away! And everybody back to work."

We wait until the guards have led them away, then we quietly file out. I walk back to the kitchen, to prepare lunch. I am relieved that the rabbit will not be able to hurt me again. I know that I am only a slave, still it hurts to know that what they did to me was hardly worthy of consideration, compared to their other crimes.

# # #

The next morning all the slaves are assembled in the yard, our paws are tied behind us. We have not been given any breakfast. Surrounded by armed guards we are marched to the small hillock where all the slaves are buried. The former guards have to walk at the front of the procession, limping slightly from the fresh brand on their thighs and the hobbles on their feet, wearing only their new slave collars. When we get to the hillock, two guards grab the Jack and force him to watch as the other three are untied and dig a grave for him.

When they are finished, the Master steps forward "Jack Bennet! You broke your oath of service and endangered all these furs. For this you are sentenced to be shot until dead. But you are beneath the notice of a free fur." He pauses for a few seconds "Sara! Come here."

"Yes, Master." I say and walk up to him, anxious about what he wants from me.

I have to wait while overseer carves Jack's name into a wooden cross, then he unties my paws.

The Master turns to me again "Sara, you will shoot him."

"Me?" I ask, surprised and suddenly afraid. He has hurt me badly, but still ... I don't want any blood on my paws. I would have liked to tear him to pieces when he tortured me, but I don't want to kill him in cold blood.

"You will not disobey me, will you?"

I grow even more afraid. I bow my head "No, Master."

"Come here."

I walk to stand beside the overseer, directly in front of the rabbit. The overseer pulls a pistol from his belt and paws it to me. I take it, terribly afraid now, praying silently. "Hold it like this." He says and guides my paws "And aim at his heart." Then he cocks the pistol and takes a step away from me.

I take a step back and aim the pistol at the rabbit's chest. My paws tremble and my pawpads are suddenly wet with sweat.

I nearly drop the pistol when the Master suddenly addresses me "Sara?"

I lower the pistol and look at him "Yes, Master?"

"If you don't want to, you don't have to shoot him." I breathe a silent breath of relief, but then he goes on "But if you don't, then I will let him go free. Do you think he will try to take revenge on you later? Or maybe he will just find some other femmes to torture."

For a minute I stand completely still, unable to think or move. I don't even breathe. But then all doubt leaves me and I turn to the rabbit and look in his eyes. An evil grin forms on my muzzle and I ask him "Do you want to beg for your life, slave?"

He stares at me in shock as the last hope leaves him.

I raise the pistol, aim at his heart and squeeze the trigger.

End of Chapter 11