Velerren

Redgehood

Redgehood once again awoke to his pathetic excuse for a bed, complimented by the stink of faeces. He sat up, his bones and muscles alike aching from the beatings the day before. He sat up, still dazed from his restless sleep, which was haunted by the visions of Raydon beating him with sadistic pleasure. These nightmares were no new thing for Redgehood - he woke up to the real nightmare every morning, he told himself. Living with nothing, working in a stable with a violent and cruel master was a nightmare, on top of the consistent paranoia that he also had to deal with. The cruel truth of the whole thing was that Redgehood had never truly lived free. As a child, he was in the large streets of Usafern, desperate for a way out of this. Even though he was educated when he was younger, it was still captivity, and he was soon sold off to Raydon and his wife, no older than twelve. Four long years had passed since then.

His mentor was an old man named Graydson. He always looked crude and sour, with tight lips and a penetrating gaze, but he was truly the kindest man at heart. Graydson volunteered to teach children stuck in captivity, in an attempt to give them a chance at life, as he put it. He always showed compassion towards the children, feeding them, clothing them. He was the closest thing to a father Redgehood ever had. However, that dreadful day came when Graydon simply disappeared. Nobody knew where he ever went, nor do they know now, from what Redgehood has overheard when he has to run errands for Raydon around his land in Velerren. From that point onwards Redgehood always felt alone, afraid, and most of all, vulnerable. He had nobody out there to look after him, unlike the children who run down the streets in Usafern in the West, who can return to a loving mother and a hot meal. He had no means of protection, unlike those who live in the safe cities, where guards are patrolling to ensure no blood is spilled day and night. Nor did he have any way of getting out of this place, as nobody knew who he was, and would therefore never come to his aid.

He was interrupted in his thoughts by a very loud, yet subtle, "psst". Redgehood looked around, seeing or hearing nothing but the horses on the far side of the stable. The hissing couldn't have come from anything near the horses, they were too far away. He kept looking round, seeing no forms of life. He stood up, searching for the source of the sound more agitatedly, anxious of where the sound is coming from. Another "psst", louder than the previous one, but Redgehood could pick out that it was coming from above him. He looked up.

A young girl, no older than himself, with light brown hair and deep green eyes overlooked him, lying cautiously on one of the wooden bars that held the roof together. Her eyes never lost focus of Redgehood, which made him feel less and less sure of the situation.

"Can-Ca-Can I help you?" He asked the girl. The girl stared at him for a few seconds, as if processing what he had just asked her, before replying.
"No," she said, in a rich and clear accent, "Because I'm here to help you."
Redgehood stared back at her for a short while, wondering what she meant. "In what way?"
"Do you want out of this place?" She questioned.
"Are you here to just ask stupid questions? Of course I do!" He replied. It was met by a long silence, both just looking at each other, examining them.
"Meet me by the North field at sunset." She said. "Quick, Hulinda's coming"

Redgehood turned to see the crone dragging herself down the path, and turned back to find that the girl had vanished - gone without a trace. He quickly dismissed it, and pretended to be working as the hag walked by. He could feel Hulinda's eyes penetrating him for a second, before she grunted and continued walking.

For the first time in his life, Redgehood was finally hopeful. Today could possibly be the day he escapes from Raydon's clutch and into the boat of freedom.