Horses, mud, missery and her to make it bearable Options

[NEO256]

I have written 14 pages on this point and I think it is time to pusblish something.... enjoy:

My life is one big missary. As a slave you don't have anything of your own. Or you may count the rags you are forced to wear. The only thing that keeps me from riding to a nearby cliff and drop myself over the edge is her. She is beautiful, like an angel. Her long blond hair that sweeps in the wind, the way she walks and hangs the clothing on the line to dry, her singing voice on a sunny day. And when she looks my way and puts up a smile I feel like I could conquer the whole world.

My name is R'laph I am a Khajiit and as you probably have already guest, I am a slave. I work for master Oslon as a stable boy. Taming the horses, keeping them healthy, switching hoofs the stuff a stable boy needs to do. I don't ride them, I am to afraid for that. I had a friend Resho, a argonian... He was one of the best riders in all of Tamriel, although Oslon would never admit it. Riding like the wind every day to keep the horses in top shape. But he got tired of working as a slave... as someones property.
He dreamed of the wide world and his home province Black March, where he was born. Just like me he was kidnapped and smugled to Vardenfall as we were children. I hardly remember how life was in Elsweyr but I understood why he wanted to go back. Vardenfall is the only place in Tamriel where slaves are permitted. If you could fled to any other province you would be free. He told me how he would just like to take a horse and take off. One day a duke with a black horse came to pay a visit to Oslon. Reshos eyes went big when he saw that tremendously powerfull horse. I knew what he was thinking I said: don't do it! Atleast wait till nightfall...
But he already jumped on the horse and ride off. Master Oslon placed a big reward on his head ALIVE. It did not take long or one of the best bounty hunters brought him in more or less alive. I was whipped 20 times for my part in the escape for not telling Oslon.
Never felt that much pain... my back hurted for weeks, but that was nothing for what he did then. He beated and whipped Resho to death, before my eyes, to make a statement he said. He's a monster. I shivered at everything I had to do for months and kept thinking of Resho. I still think about him some days, and his dream... Free. But I am to afraid to even think on how to do it, to afraid to end like him.

It's just another spring morning when I go outside, raise my arms and arc my back to straight my splain. My bed is made out of hay with a peace of cloth over it. It's getting hard again, I found out that putting the hay on to the bed a certain way will make it softer. It involves waving it with different layers but I don't feel like doing that again soon. It takes a lot of time and it's boring, besides that I'm not very good at it so it will have me frustrated for days. I breath in the morning scent of a new day and take my walk to the stables, I feed al the horses who are eager to get out and run free. I can see it in their eyes and I certainly know how it feels to be a prisoner. Today I feel not so bad, I a saw her again yesterday in a blue long dress sweeping the front lane of Oslons enormous manor. She sung a song about the spring that still echoes in my head. I wish I could at least meet her one day. I want to know if she is as lonely as I am and maybe we could have a talk and... O who am I fooling, I know that would never happen. I will work my whole life here... alone. When all the feeding boxes where filled I got to the wooden seat that stands in the middle of the courtyard. A basket with bread and some berry's for my breakfast today. I take a seat and pulled a peaces of the bread and started eating. There is no wind today, total silent it's even to early for the birds. The courtyard that is covered with grass is surrounded by wooden fences, except the road from the entrance to the woods is open. While eating some berries to make the dry bread taste better I look at my left and see the square box made out of a taller fence that I use to tame and trim the horses. I don't ride them myself but the horses listen to me. Maybe it's because of my voice or the way I say it I don't know but as soon as I open my mouth they obey. Of course horses that are wild need some harder measures where I got my whip for. I don't need to hit them, just making the whip hitting a peace of the fence or snap it in the air is enough to back of a horse. It's all about letting them know who is the boss and that they will have the best time if they listen to there rider. I chew on the last peace of bread and return the basket to the front door. Set the baskit at the right side and return to the stables. That is the closest I will ever make it to the manor. If I am caught doing anything else than returning the basket they will punish me. I have never been punished for it but Resho did by stealing some meat once. They whipped him a couple of times and since then we are ordered to turn away from the house as soon as we had or must I say, I returned the basket. I still talk to Resho, in my memories I conversated almost every day with him. I knew it was not real but... It made me feel less lonely. Today the daughter of Oslon Laura wants to ride Kain. One of our fastest horses Oslon owns. She ordered me yesterday to make him ready for a ride as soon as they were done with breakfast. I had plenty of time left because they probably need another hour to finish it. I got my meal as soon as the maid starts making breakfast. They have two maids and both Khajiit, I don't know there names but I sure know which is prettiest. One seem to clean the house, I only saw her once when the rounded all of us up to bury the remains of Resho. She was pretty fat for a Khajiit, she probably has a disease or something. But the other girl... you just have to see her. When she looks in my direction with her blue eyes I feel like melting, I will probably see her later today when she is done doing the wash. She always do the wash on Wednesday. She will come outside to hang the clothes over the line between the manor and a tree right from the manor.

[NEO256]

“Now, let's go. We have a long way to go.” Fineas said.
Fineas looked at Zirasy and said: “Turn around to the horse.”
She first looked at me and then slowly turned around checking over her shoulder from time to time. Fineas came forward, took stand just behind her, grabbed her at the middle and lifted her on the horse. “Your turn.” He said looking at me, I walked to the horse; he took place behind me and without any effort he lifted me on the horse the same way he did with Zirasy. Then he got 2 pieces of rope with a stroke of letter between them out of the sack on the side of his horse and tied our feet together under the horse. He jumped on his horse, grabbed the rein of our horse and led it while riding his own. I felt rather nice but my anger for Fineas did not subside.
He rode just beside us and looked very cool and confident, as if this was just every day’s life. “Why do you do this?” I asked him angry. “You are a Khajiit yourself, how can you betray your own kind?”
He did not look up or moved a muscle but continued to ride and look straight forward.
“Why do you catch people for money? What is so exciting about bounty hunting?
A moment of silence made me think he would ignore my every question but then he answered as cool as he looked: “I need a way to support myself. And this is where I am good at, hunting and fighting.”
“So you catch innocent people and more or less sell them to the highest bidder. What a wonder full life, doesn't it: get on your conscience what happens to the people you catch?”
He replied again without looking up: “The most people I catch aren't innocent. And I cannot live from things I find in the woods. I need shelter, clothes and weapons to defend myself... If you can just name a job where you get paid for hunting people legally and completely on your own I will stop my bounty hunting and start doing that job.”
“Master Oslon will probably kill us; doesn't that bother you at all?”
He turned his head and took short look at me, it was hard to read his face but it was clearly he would have liked to say something, but then stared forwards again. I never got an answer.
It was silent for a while when I tried something else.
“Please, let us free. I will give you everything you want.” I begged.
He started to look irritated and replied looking deeply in my face: “Can you offer me 10.000 pieces of gold or anything worth that amount of money.”
I opened my mouth but nothing came out, he only cared for money, he did not care for any one or anything as long as he could make enough money to support himself. I looked down at the ground “No” I replied silently.
“Then you can't give me everything I want.” He started looking forward again and he looked a little angry so I decided to give up. A hopeless situation, yesterday I was the happiest man alive, tomorrow... I don't want to think about tomorrow.
I rested my head on Zirasy shoulder and said sadly.
“I'm sorry Zirasy. It's my fault I should have at least tried to defeat him...”
“No,” she said confident looking up to the sky. “It's not your fault. You wanted to protect me, but you couldn't and I don't blame you. You’re the first one that really cared for me; even want to give your life to protect me... I would rather die then never have met you.”
She turned her head and kissed me on the cheek. Suddenly I felt much dosed; I then did not care about the world anymore. There was only me and her. We kissed and rubbed our heads against each other, time was nothing more then a word. We continued and licked each others neck and cheeks then the last thing I could remember is the taste of that Shweet potion Fineas gave us.

When I woke up the sun was on the top of his height. I looked at my left where Fineas was riding.
“How long have we been asleep?” I asked.
“3 Hours.” He said without looking up.
“What was in that potion that made us fell asleep?” I asked rather angry.
“I messed up with one of the ingredients I think, sorry.”
He said sorry... why did he do that? He was pretty well caring for a bounty hunter. First the cloth he putted around my wrist to apparently make sure the ropes didn't cut me, then that Shweet stuff he gave us and now he said sorry because he messed up with the potion.
I wondered what was cooking in his mind. It was impossible to see from the outside because he just looked like Oslon usually did when he tried to sell something to a rich duke. Full of confidence and whit a look like he didn't care about the world.
It was also hard to determine Fineas age, he looked very strong and his mean face made me think he was about 24 years old, but he was very fast and agile that made me wonders.
“How old are you?” I asked.
He seemed to think about that question for some time and then said. “I’m 18 years old.”
That was a surprise, he was barely an adult and already this powerful. He must had a lot of training to achieve this level of skill and strength.
After riding for about 2 hours we saw a village dooming up at the horizon. When we almost entered the village we saw 3 adolescent nords trying to threaten an old man.
“Give me your money grandpa and we will leave you alone.” One of the boys said while threatening the old man with a knife.
The man tried to walk away while anxiously protecting his purse but the boys have him cornered.
Then Fineas surprised us even more. He jumped of the horse and walked to the boys.
The boys saw him coming and the boy with a knife looks at him and shouted.
“Back off or we will hurt you plenty you filthy feline.”
He turns around and continues threatening the old man. Fineas tapped on his back.
The boy turns around while saying. “I told you to….”
Fineas grabs his hand and squeeze in his wrist so hard that the boy dropped his knife. The boy at Fineas right charges in, but didn't get far because Fineas feet blew him away for 3 meters before rolling over the road. The left boy backed off while Fineas grabbed the boy at his neck and lifted him up with only 1 hand.
“If I see you again doing stuff like this I will castrate you... Got that?” Fineas said very calm.
The boy nodded anxiously.
“Now scram.” He said a little angry.
The boys ran of but the guy he kicked remained on the the ground. Fineas followed the boys with his eyes and growled. “Pests...”
He looked at the old man that slowly started to calm.
“Are you alright?” Fineas asked friendly.
“Yes hmm... thank you young man.” The old man said surprised by this sudden turn off events.
“Your welcome.” He said friendly. Fineas turned around an headed back for his horse.
“Hey wait up; here take this money as a reward for helping me...” The old man said.
“No, you can keep it old man. You seem to need it more than I do.” Fineas said over his shoulder while taking the lead ropes from his and our horse and slowly leading them in to the village.
“But can I at least know the name of my saviour?” The old man asked.
“Fineas” Fineas said.
I turned my head to see the old man before we entered the village and saw that he was stunned. His mouth and eyes wide open. I could see he was whispering something.
This was very weird; I thought Fineas would be very well known for his bounty hunting. I learned later that I was right about the well known part...
We rode in to the village, it was getting darker. It was very silent in the village, there was light coming from a tavern next to the stables where Fineas stashed the horses and helped us off.
We spend the night in the tavern. Zirasy and I slept in a big bed. It was very soft and comfortable although we were still bound by our hands. Fineas slept on a bedroll he lends from the owner, he slept against the door of the room. Fineas was watching us for a while, but as soon as I was sure he was asleep I talked with Zirasy on a plan to escape. We didn't make a chance against Fineas so if he would wake up we would be done for. We tried to think up all kinds of plans but we couldn't think up something that had a reasonable chance of success. We gave up and finally fell asleep.

Day 6

When we woke up there were all kinds food settled on the bed. Fineas brought us all kinds of fruits, bread and wine. He untied me so I could eat properly and I fed Zirasy. After that he tied me the same way he did the first time we met, we didn't had much time to see the inside of the tavern by daylight because Fineas wanted to go as soon as possible.
The ward took his payment and said.
“Good to do business with you and I hope to see you again Abbadon I mean... Mr. Fineas.”
I heard that name before, I was sure of it. Fineas took us to the stables, collected the horses, paid the owner, put us on the horses again and we took off again. After riding for a half a hour I remembered.
“Abbadon, the temple gave you that name because you murder a lot.” I said against him. “You are Abbadon the angel of dead.”
“That’s how some people call me.” Fineas said without looking up.
I didn't want to know more, so I didn't ask him any more. I didn't know anything about Abbadon or Fineas how every you want to call him, but why did a heartless murderer bounty hunted slaves? I didn't care because on this point we would be brought to Oslon, I was far more afraid on what he would do to us then Fineas.
We rode for the most of the day, took a short stop at the same pool we found about 3 days ago. I remembered the thing that happened there.
We drunk some water and took off again. Fineas was a good rider; he knew how fast he could ride without tiring out his horse and Kain... That wasn't an issue; he was used to extreme work out.
At nightfall we were on only kilometres from Olson’s ranch. We spent the night in another tavern, Fineas made the same approach he did the last time only this time the door wasn't visible from the bed. So I took the risk and tried to escape. But as soon as we were around the corner Fineas looked up at me and said slow and tempered.
“If you don't want any trouble, you return to your bed and go to sleep.”
We gave up, went back to bed and we spend the night as it was our last.

Day 7

We woke up and to my surprise our hands were already untied. We walked to the door. But as soon as I wanted to open it, Fineas entered with a dish full of food. I could have attacked him, but I decided it had no use; we ate together at the table in our room. It was silence and we were tense towards the day that lay ahead off us.
We went as fast as we had came, again bound just after we were finished breakfast and after riding for 4 hours through the forest we entered the thinly grown forest and after a short while we saw Olson’s ranch through the woods. I felt that Zirasy was dead afraid, I laid my head against hers and we rode on to the courtyard.
Oslon was apparently waiting for us; he stood beside the entrance of the courtyard playing with a stick in his hand. The wound I delivered him was scarsly visible on his face. We looked how Fineas jumped of his horse and walked up to Oslon.
“Ha I see you brought back my slaves. Well done.” Oslon said while looking from me to Zirasy and then to Fineas who was standing in frond of him.
“Yes, I would like my reward.” Fineas said cool. Oslon handed over a sack and Fineas immediately started to count money out of it.
“You know what I'm going to do to them? I'm going to slap the girl until she is almost dead and then she may watch how I'm going to skin the boy and pull him all over my property until he is dead.” Oslon diabolically laughed.
I felt my stomach turned and I could feel how Zirasy tensed. This was the end of our journey, I started it and I would end it by paying my life for my transgression. I closed my eyes and gave for what I felt Zirasy, my last kiss. What then happened can't be described by a single pencil... But I will try.
Fineas took some of the money he was been counting and putted back the sack into Olson’s hand.
“I don't think so.” He said rather angry. “First you can take that money and put it where the sun doesn't shine.”
Oslon was totally stunned and looked at him with big eyes.
“Second you drop the reward against those 2 and third you let them go.” He said.
Now it was our turn to be stunned... What was he doing? He wanted us for his self?
Oslon recovered rather quickly and said on an equal angry tone.
“And who do you think you are that you can order me something like that? KHAJIIT!”
“My name is Fineas.” Oslon turned pale white and was nailed to the floor.
“Now if you would be so kind, get me some parcment and a pencil. I want to make a contract.” Fineas said again cool and controlled. Oslon didn't move and was still nailed to the ground.
“TODAY OSLON!” Yelled Fineas angry.
Oslon ran off to the manor, Fineas brought the horses to the bench in the middle of the courtyard where it had all began. He lifted us of the horses when Oslon came back with some parchment roles, a pot of ink and a feather. We didn’t felt confident at all about the situation. What did he want to do with us? Did he want his own slaves?
Fineas snapped his fingers and said “Note!”
Oslon spread out a parchment over the bench and dipped his feather in the ink.
“I Oslon, declare that the slaves named R'laph & Zirasy are released from there duties as slaves. They are hereby free to go. Signed Oslon.”
Oslon wrote it down as fast as he could and signed the parchment.
I couldn’t believe my ears, he set us free. Fineas untied us, grabbed the parchment from under Olson’s hands, rolled it up and handed over the parchment to me.
“Why did you set us free?” I asked him amazed.
“What? You would rather be dead?” He said sarcastically.
“No, I mean. Why did you help us?”
“You apparently haven't heard from me before did you...?”
“No, I heard from your nickname Abbadon and that it's connected to the angel of dead and that would mean that you are murderer or something like that.”
“Then it's time to properly introduce myself: as you know my name is Fineas and the temple has also marked me as Abbadon: the angel of dead. I'm called this because I have indeed killed a lot of enslavers that didn't want to cooperate with me or tried to kill me afterwards. I got the name mainly because the way I do it.”
“You mean you make a living freeing slaves and killing enslavers?” I asked.
“Not exactly, I make a living by bounty hunting. But freeing slaves is my first priority and when an enslaver dies and has no more family left. I just take all the stuff I can carry as a reward for my effort, but trust me. That's not that much.”
“But you said you wanted to claim our bounty.” I said.
“I planned it out from the beginning and it worked out perfect.” Fineas said.
“But you could have told us and we could have just followed you...” I proposed.
“You think you would believe a bounty hunter marked Abbadon. The angel of death would bring you to you owner to set you free?”
I thought for a moment and shaked my head. He was right, we would have never believed him.
I stared at him for a while and he looked around at the ranch. He than pointed at the shack I used to live in. “Was that your home?” He asked.
“Yes.” I said looking at the shack and remembering the bad time I had living in it.
“Darn, that’s a small rotten excuse for a crap house. Take my excuse for my slang words; I can be a little rude from time to time.”
He looked over the courtyard and watched the manor and then his eyes rested on Oslon. Oslon was still sitting at the bench; shacking and apparently he pissed his pants.
“What are you looking at, haven't you anything better to do?” Fineas asked.
Oslon stood up and slowly backed away.
Then Fineas saw the fat Khajiit at the manor, she stood in the door opening watching the crowd at the courtyard. Fineas walked around Oslon to the house and talked to the Khajiit apparently she didn't want to leave because after Fineas pointed at the forest she shaked her head.
Fineas returned passing Oslon who was walking so dumb that it looked as he had also pooped his pants. He stopped in front of us and said.
“Well seems my deed is done, see you again sometimes. R'laph...” He said while nodding at me. “Zirasy...” He nodded towards Zirasy. “Good bye.” He turned around and just wanted to walk off to his horse when I said.
“Wait, we haven't had the chance to thank you for everything you have done for us.”
“Seeing 2 happy young lovers is more then enough thanks for me.” He said with a smile.
“Are you going to Elsweyr, because we could ride together then...?” I asked him.
“You are going to travel to Elsweyr? That’s a very long journey. I think I can help you two.”
We 'borrowed' Victor from Oslon and we rode to Kragenmoor. That was just 20 kilometres south from the ranch. There Fineas took us to the mages guild, he seem to knew a someone that worked there, we could use the fast travel provided by mages guild and we were transported to Orcrest a city in the centre of Elsweyr in an instant.
We thanked him for all his help and Zirasy gave him her amulet she had from her mother as a gift, Fineas declined it but after pushing him to take it, he accepted the offer. We waved him goodbye just before he entered the mages guild and transported back to Kragenmoor.


And that was 2 years ago.
Zirasy and I have married. We live 10 minutes walk south of Orcrest. We have our own ranch and the manor I dreamed off. What started out as a small business with one horse I captured in the nearby woods, became one of the biggest ranches in the province.
I make a nice amount of money from rich people who bring in there horses for obedience and health training.
We own 15 horses now that are for sale, I have 3 young pupils in pay to help me to keep up with the demand for good trained horses and I'm going to need it because it seems I'm going to be a father soon. I hope I will see Fineas again someday, so I could thank him again for the tremendous life I'm living now.

And that is so much for my story, if you are looking for a good horse or you want to hear some about the harsh live as a slave or how to make a success out of nothing: drop by sometime and I will be happy to share you my story's.