Andu and the Heroes of the City, HJ Donperi [read with me .txt] 📗

there. I was enslaved there for 20 years of my life. See these two scars on my neck? They had a collar on me that measured any magic power I used. If I did any magic without them knowing I was beaten. I barely escaped." Sandra looked out the window. In the dusk she could barely make out the shapes.

 

"We'd better get out of here before the mayor's goons come and collect us!" She looked at the girl sizing her up with a glance..then she looked at the man. "You're Rasta." she said with surprise, "How did you get here?....Never mind...no time for tales. Here." She threw the rag at him and watched as he put in on over his short hair and assumed the stooped position of a menial again. She smiled with approval. Then she turned to the elf again, "We're going to have to do something about your hair. They'd spot you a mile away!" With a flick of her wrist, a slow gradual change turned her pale blonde hair to brown along with her eyes, her ears became rounded like a humans ears and her body took on the shape of a child's.

 

Zella gasped. "How'd you do that without making any noise??!!" She looked in the mirror rearranged her clothes and picked up her things. "I'll have to leave a message with the Innkeeper. I was supposed to be waiting for someone. She'll be angry if I'm not here when she arrives." She stood at the door next to Rasta, ready to leave.

 

Sigh..."I'll have to teach you later. Right now we don't have time. You'll barely have time to leave that note with Mack. Let's go." Sandra led the way down the stairs. They reached the bottom and while Zella was leaving her message with Mack, Sandra checked the taproom for danger. She gasped, 'Sir Peter!' She went back to the counter and asked Mack, "Can we use your back door? There's someone in the taproom I'd rather avoid if we can."

 

Mack didn't even blink an eye. He showed Sandra the way through the kitchens and out the back to the inn yard through the door Rasta had used only an hour before. Sandra gave Mack a kiss on the cheek and slipped him two gold coins. "Thanks much, mate. I'll see you next time." With a wink and a smile she took her two protégés to the forest and along the familiar roads towards her home.

 

Sir Peter looked up from his mug of ale just in time to see 'Sandra De Spartamus!' the most wanted woman in all of Baracus going around the corner of the taproom. Sir Peter's ability to see through disguises had always steered him well. He kept his gift a secret though. He had no wish to become not only the Emperor's soldier but his slave as well. His first encounter with Sandra had been when he was hired by the Emperor to escort Lord Bastfield to the coast. Sandra had been Bastfields slave and to hear him tell it he had got her for a song because of her nasty temper. Underneath her disguises she was a damnably beautiful woman, despite the temper. He'd heard over the years about her exploits. She had finally ended up in the Emperor's hands. A position he was sure she'd die to get away from. The Emperor was notorious for his lust and his cruelty, especially to people of the craft. The last thing he'd heard was that she had killed the Emperor's son and escaped yet again. Fortunately for him he wasn't hired to find her.

 

He smiled at her resilience. 'So she made it all the way back here.' he thought to himself, 'It might be worth it to try his hand at capturing her heart.' He never could resist a challenge and here was one worth the fight.

 

He got up from his table and went out to have a smoke on his pipe. He could see in the distance the outline of three forms running into the forest. Intrigued, he grabbed his packs and headed that way himself.

 

Sandra woke up with the rise of the sun. She stood up..her muscles aching from sleeping on the hard ground. Looking at the other two she thought she might have found the best spot. She nearly laughed out loud at Zella's face when she woke. Zella was obviously used to the comforts of life.

 

"Well guys, we have to keep moving." Sandra smiled at Zella, "Don't worry tonight you'll be sleeping in a bed. My home isn't far from here."

 

"So, are you

going to tell me what happened in that room? What kind of a spell did you risk your lives for and who cast it?" Sandra said as they continued walking.

 

Rasta looked at Zella and smiled, 'I'm not giving her away. Let Sandra think it was me.' He knew who Sandra was of course. Everyone in Baracus had heard the stories about her. She had become a legend. If word ever got back that she'd died it would destroy the hope of the people. As long as people like Sandra fought the system there was hope. He had to admit, it was the stories about her that encouraged him to break out of prison. In reality she looked a lot tougher and smiled a lot less than the stories portrayed. He found he preferred a woman to depend on him..not the other way round.

 

Zella looked back at Rasta and smiled in return, "It was my fault. Rasta was hurt. He needed healing."  " It had started to fester. I had to do something." she said in defense as Sandra gave her a frown. "My name is Zella, by the way. I know we didn't have time for introductions but I'd like to know who you are before we go much further."

 

Zella stopped walking and looked inquiringly at Sandra.

 

Sandra looked at Zella with a smirk, "Isn't it a little late to be asking that?" watching as Zella’s face reflected her discomfort.

 

"Well...if you really want to know about me, we'd better sit down and eat something. I have a feeling I might find a problem at home."

 

Sandra started telling her story as her hands worked putting together a small lunch for all of them.

 

"My name is Sandra DeSpartamus. I was born in an elvish village not far from here. Back in those days magic was commonplace for us. We were taught by the elders how to control it, explore our limitations with it, use it with good intentions and for the good of others. I was one of the best pupils in class, though one of the most mischievous. When I turned 8 there was an announcement that all students were to stay away from the Mestauphus temple. What they didn't tell us was that many elves were disappearing from there. Being the rebellious one that I was I went to explore the Mestauphus temple. I was picked up in a raid and taken to Baracus. I put up quite a fight but I was still only 8 then. I was quickly overcome and they put a necklace on me. The necklace was a device that monitored and retaliated magic power. Whenever I tried to use magic without permission I'd get a shock in my neck. I learned to do things without magic. I soon learned many horrible things about those people. I won't relate all my experiences to you. But I will tell you this. The Emperor of Baracus is a very evil man!" Sandra looked at the two of them with a very serious look. Then she bent her head and continued her cooking. "Every day for the next ten years I trained my body. I worked at getting stronger physically. Whoever I was slave to held the control to my necklace. I had to overcome my master in order to gain control of that necklace. Finally I was ready physically. I tried to escape. I killed my master and grabbed the control to my necklace..then I tried magic to get it off. Fool that I was!! I was soon caught and deposited in the royal prison. The Emperor's son took a fancy to me. I quietly submitted and worked out a plan to escape. The only way I could escape that necklace was to transform to a small animal, but any magic was monitored closely. I had to spread the spell out over days...possibly months to avoid detection. Fortunately transformation magic is mostly inward magic..that means it's quieter than most. Also because you're changing the makeup of your body it takes time. So over the next ten years I worked in the early hours of the morning when everyone was asleep..for just 5 minutes I'd try and spread out the transformation spell. It's hard work doing that kind of magic for long!! Finally I managed it. I turned myself into a mouse and ran out of the necklace under the door of my cell into the weapons room. As I sat in the weapons room I realized I wouldn't get far without knowing how to fight. So I stayed changed back into my human form and started reading the books there on combat. Unfortunately, the Emperor's son entered the room while I was there. I grabbed a sword off the rack and faced him."

 

Sandra's memories went back to that day. She could smell her own fear, see the shock and surprise in Masje's face. She watched him take his own sword out of its scabbard.

 

"I'm impressed. How did you do it?" he asked. Slowly circling the table that stood between them. She didn't say a word, just backed away from him around that table. Suddenly he jumped on the table and swung down at her. She jumped aside but not without being sliced across her forearm. Masje frowned at her, "I asked you a question, bitch!" He swung at her again. This time Sandra expected it..and with a quick intake of breath went under his swing and blindly swung upward at him. With a shock she saw him stumble and drop his sword. He was pierced in the heart. It was a lucky swing and she knew it. She also knew she was in serious trouble now. She grabbed some armour and with her sword still dripping with blood she ran from that castle like all the hounds of hell were after her.

 

Coming back to the present she realized she'd been quiet and still. "Well I had many battles leaving Baracus but I finally made it back to my village. But all the elves were gone. Emperor Baracus must have done one final raid taking every man, woman and child from my village. We were renowned for our strong magic. I know what he is after. He's creating an army of his own. Made up of all the strongest magic users in the world. I intend to stop him and to free my people."

 

"As for you two, you'd better stop using your magic this close to the border. Or Baracus will put a collar around your neck so fast you won't know which end is up!" At that Sandra stood up and after making sure all signs of their presence was obliterated she grabbed her bag to move on.