The Fair Prey ((Closed for Dreamwalker85))

The cool, autumn day had a slight briskness to it. Alluria Truesinger, dressed in her silks and leathers layers, was hardly bothered by it though. She sat on a middle branch of a strong tree, her back against the trunk as she watched the deer roam about beneath her. Keeping her movements very still, her bow still in her hands, she watched.

The elven woman was rather small for an archer of her kind. Not more than 5'6", she did not have all of the stately height of some of the others. She carried herself with the pride of her people though, knowing every path and grove in the entire Forest. Her pale skin had a healthy glow about it, and her features were delicate and kind. She had always loved archery more for the precision and dedication than the actual hunting aspect. Alluria would have let the deer below her go actually, if it hadn't been so needed to bring in the meat.

The breeze moved a few of her long white blonde hairs in front of her clear, bright green eyes. With her free hand, she moved them back behind one of her long, pointed ears to stay in place. Those few movements had made her lose precious seconds, and it seemed the deer were already moving on ahead. With a sigh, she started down the tree to try and quietly track them ahead, unaware of anyone else's presence but her own and the animals in the forest as of that moment.

Routine. That was what everything was for Serrell Milner. Being a freelancer Milner worked whoever had the most gold to offer. Some jobs were turned down because it got his hands too dirty. His employer was a good week's ride away. Elves had apparently turned against the ancestor of his employer. Old wounds had not been forgotten lifetimes later.

Now they wanted elves, lots of them and all of them alive. Days had been spent in these woods watching, learning and taking in every little thing about Allure's routine. He didn't know who she was outside of a first name, but that didn't matter.

Milner was in a thick, big bush. Wearing dark brown, with bits of green he went unseen before popping out of the bush as Allure ran by in hopes of catching a meal. Bolos began to spin in his hand and were flung out to her. Allure needed to be taken alive. He was hoping the only thing needed to trap this one was the simple weapon.

Pushing out of the woods was a human male just under six feet. His body was lithe, that of a tracker. Across his face was mud caked on like warpaint. It made his five-o'clock shadow of ebony hidden. Atop of his head was long hair that matched the dark colors of the unseen stubble.

Over his body was studded leather that covered his torso. Leathers overed his legs and feet. The cape he wore contained various shrubs. The elf would have noticed ranger tactics a mile away. "Let's not make this harder than it has to be," the words were in elvish. Every syllable came out rough as Humans lacked the eloquence to properly say some words.

Alluria had started to pick up a trot to quietly pursue the deer, as the bolo knife ripped into her sleeve and struck her to a tree. Frowning, she whipped her head to the sides to glare at the approaching tracker. Cursed frustrations ran through her head, how had she been this stupid? Lost in her own head again, reluctant to hunt as usual.

A trickle of blood ran down her arm, as she tried to reach up and yank out the blade. It was stuck pretty tightly in the tree, and her own arm strength wasn't much but to string a bow.

Despite having one of her arms somewhat pinned, she tried and raise her bow to her best ability and notch an arrow from the quiver around her back. She aimed it at Stokain, though it would most likely miss him from the bad angle.

"Stay back, filth! Your presence defiles this forest!" She snapped, green eyes hopefully glancing around for any Elven Rangers that would pass by through these parts to come and help her.

Dodging the arrow with ease Milner just gave the elf a hard stare. He spoke in elvish that was clearly understandable. How he spoke with the eloquent language probably sounded like nails on a chalkboard. "I'll bind you, tend to your wound. Then you come out with me for five days walk. I'll make sure you're cared for. Once you reach your destination you're out of my care. Deal?" The elf didn't have a choice. He just wanted to create the delusion of it.

"I've no interest in your trees. Your grass. Your plants. Just you," the words held a slight edge. Both eyes watched her. "Not my fight. Nothing personal. This is just business. You have my condolences."

She wanted to clap her hands over her ears as to not have to hear the rough way the man spoke, butchering her beautiful language. Alurria pursed her lips, having to come to the realization that none of her people were out in these parts of the Forest at the moment. No patrol, no Rangers would be coming to her rescue. She had wandered out rather far, idly tracking the deer and not paying attention.

Narrowing her eyes as she watched him, the Elf continued to struggle against the knife that had lodged her to the tree. "It gives me no good to have your condolences, human. I will have no part in your business here." Gathering all of her strength, she put all of it into one big tug against the part of her sleeve that was stuck.

A ripping sound was audible as she tumbled to the ground, having freed her sleeve. She had managed to cut herself further with that, making the small scratch from before a little more noticeable. As she fell, her hand let go of the bow she had been holding, but she hardly cared. All that she was focused on was trying to sprint past the human hunter.

"You're about to tear something major if you keep squirming," Milner spoke in his rough elvish. Seeing that the elf was getting ready to sprint he grabbed the discarded bow, and arrow. Taking aim he was getting ready to take a shot at the elf's calf, an attempt to slow her down or at the worst immobilize her. With the arrow notched he said, "Just making it worse for yourself," he said in common.

The second she took off his readied arrow left the bow. Cutting through the air he was hoping just to clip her, something that would have made it hard for her to escape. Waiting to see if his arrow had done any damage the man went to the tree pulling out the bolo. It looked like the weapon was going to see more action today.

"K-chunk," came from the tree as he freed it. "Just making it worse for yourself," Milner resumed the elvish again. "Easier on both of us if you just surrender."

The arrow nicked her across her calve, causing her to stumble once again and fall to the ground. Cursing herself yet again, she tried to remember her training and quickly roll away. Her soft light blue leggings were slightly torn where the arrow had flown by, and there was now a bleeding cut that was sending more feelings of pain into her body. It wasn't completely debilitating, but certainly distracting to the woman.

Her roll to the side was clumsy, just hoping to avoid any further arrows that he might send her way. She ended up on her back, trying to scramble backwards while keeping her sharp green eyes on him. Her hands behind her back, she tried to push herself up. The cut on her arm and now on her leg though, caused her limbs to tremble, unable to really get herself there and back on her feet.

She glanced over herself with a sigh. What had seemed so suitable for a lazy day of following the herd of deer and hunting was now not so great for a confrontation. Her emerald green silk tunic had been a good insulated layer underneath an old, brown leather vest, with leggings so that she could move and climb easily enough. With brown leather boots, embellished in the Elven way, it had been good enough for a fall day in the forest. She could have used so much more protection though if she had known that a human would be nearby.

"Maybe we can work something out, you don't have to do this." She looked towards him, hoping that if putting up a physical fight wouldn't work, maybe some sort of deal could be made.

Pressing a black leather boot to the elf's chest Milner held the woman in place. "What kind of deal? All elves are wanted by my employer. He's giving me and anyone else willing a good amount of coin to bring someone like you in," the human said to the elf. His eyes were looking down at her.

Kneeling down he kept the pressure on his boot. On his brown leather belt was a pouch. Pulling out some herbs from within he spread them on the cut upon her arm. They would have stung, badly. "It'll burn. They're just cleaning out the wounds, preventing infection. I'd bind the wound but I don't trust you enough to be this close without you trying something."

"What's the offer?" he asked again in Elven wanting the response to be answered with some kind of urgency.

She let out an uncomfortable sounding 'Ooph!' as he placed his boot against her chest, pressing down against her binded breasts underneath the fabric of her tunic. Alluria tried to not glare too harshly at him, knowing that he was now holding the upper hand here. Everything inside of her screamed to not even lower herself by speaking with him, but what choice was there today? Shame filled her as she started to think of what people would think if they ever found out she had gotten herself here, caught by a mere human.

"I'm hardly what you are looking for. Not much of an archer, able to to move effortlessly throughout these forest like we are famed for. Not as stately and tall as some of my other sisters, so I wouldn't be much to look at for an Elven servant." She said quickly, trying to think up reasons he might take her to be less than a great catch. "The people, your buyers, they must want the stereotype. The dream, and fantasy of what my people are..." Her words were interrupted as she felt the stinging pain of the herbs going into her cuts and she bit back a hiss. Curious eyes lifted up towards him, wondering why exactly he was even following through with that, untrusting of his intentions.

"Let me go, I can lead you to where there are far better captives than myself. A neighboring village that does not have good relations with my own." She lied, trying to make it sound convincing. "It will do well for both of us, and you would make far more money off of someone from there than me."

"Employer wants the dream where your people are broken at his feet. He wants to crush your people for a defeat given to his lineage ages ago." Milner's words held a grave stare, "I don't care how easy you are on the eyes. It's not my call to make. Your people made his family look bad. Now he wants to even the score."

Pressing his boot down upon the elf's chest more. "Don't move," he growled in Elvin then pushed more herbs on the woman. This time they went into the wound on the leg. Grabbing the bandages he wrapped up her leg with his hands.

Removing his boot Milner jerked the Elf to her feet, "If it's not a village of elves I am not buying it. You wouldn't betray your people. Besides, I don't anger my employers. Professional courtesy," the words continued in Elven. Pulling out a pair of mannacles he started to cuff one wrist behind her back. Then he jerked the other one behind the elf's back.

"A group of you for your freedom, or just you? Can you live with that guilt?" Milner asked in a serious voice. His eyes remained on the woman as he tried to lead her away. "I won't hurt you if you don't run."

Ria winced once again as the herbs were pressed into her other wound, the stinging sensation ripping up through her muscles. She gritted her teeth, long ears twitching back a little as she decided she'd have to get a closer look at what he was putting against her cuts later. To make sure that he wasn't doing more harm than good. She looked pained from having to not only have her wounds healed, but his boot upon her, and the way his words still sounded harsh to her.

Getting yanked up on her feet, her long, wavy white blonde hair swirling about in the air as she found her footing. Ria sighed internally, there wasn't even a village of elves nearby, and no way she would have taken him there. Just another chance at escape lost... but perhaps if it was a few days further, she would have another time to do so. She soon felt the harsh, cold iron manacle clip about her wrists and she wriggled against him as to not make it too easy. Just out of sheer stubbornness.

"I'd like to see you even try." She snipped, hearing his last comment, unable to help but try and show some defiance in the face of what was truly happening to her.

Suddenly Milner ducked down. Then he lifted the elf up. Hoisting her up in a fireman's carry position. Lifting the woman out he moved out of the forest. She could see the empty clearing as they moved out there together. "I'm sorry about shooting you," he grunted in common.

The sun beaded down on them as he kept going forward. In the distance she could have heard a horse in the far distance. "You got a name? We're gonna be stuck together for five days. I should call you one," he didn't want to say the name that was known to him. Bad enough that she had so many things against him already, the last thing he wanted to do was to give his prisoner one more.

As she was lifted up, a small "Eep!" of surprise was elicited from her lips. She gasped as she fell upon his shoulders, a furrow of her brow coming forth.

"This is hardly a way to be carried! Just let me walk, please." She squirmed upon his back, glancing about furiously. Half hoping that someone would come to save her, and half hoping that no one would ever see her in this degrading position. She didn't even care if it would hurt to walk, it would be better than being toted around by someone like him!

She turned her sloped nose up in the air at the request of a name, not even sure she wanted to tell him. After being bounced upon his shoulders as he walked a few times, she glanced back down and sighed outwardly. She knew there were names men would call a woman when not given alternatives. None of which she was going to answer to.

"Alluria." She said softly. "And who might my captor be?"

"Milner. I wish we could have met in a better way Allurina," he said in Elvish. The words were slower as he was trying to be a little more eloquent with the words.

She would have seen a brown and white steed in the distance. He draped Allurina over the back like she was cargo. Sighin he looked into the woman's eyes, "This is going to be hard on you. You're going to need to eat meat. If you want to bathe you're going to have to do it with me. We're tuck together until I get to my employer, got it?" His words carried the weight of seriousness.

Suddenly he pulled her atop of the horse. Then he moved behind her. If the circumstances were different maybe this could have been nice. Grabbing the reins he pressed his chest into her back. Allurina would have felt the studded leather chest press against her back, and how his chest felt like a stone wall. "Ready?"

The Elven woman was relieved to see a horse, and to be put on it. Much better to be on that than to be on him, even if she still was sprawled across it in a most uncomfortable way. Placing her cheek against the horse, she sighed and glanced over at him.

"Milner." She repeated, as if she really wanted to be able to remember that, and him. One day, when she got away, she'd keep that name in mind. Ria quickly frowned as she listened to what he was saying to her.

"I am alright with eating some meat, but bathing together seems excessive! That's indecent with someone of your standing. It is one thing for people of the same race to do so, but I think in this situation I'd rather not. Where will I go if I'm in nothing but what I was born with anyway?"

She then lightly gulped as he felt her captor press against her, her pointed ears flattening back. "No, but will that stop you from leaving?"

"Open lakes, streams, the like. Get used to it. I need a bath now and you're getting dragged in. And just because I'm a human doesn't mean I have things you haven't seen on male elves," Milner responded honestly. Apparently the human was a bit brutal with his candidness. "Decency laws don't matter out in places where the kingdoms, rulers and that thing becomes muddy."

Instead of leaving he stayed in place, "Well get ready." There was annoyance in his voice, but he lingered around just waiting for her to be secure.

The little elf wrinkled her nose at the idea of having to actually undress and bath in front of him, a little heat rising up to her cheeks at the idea. It had never been much of an issue to go nude in front of other Elves, but having a human seeing her undress seemed like something else completely.

"I... I, ugh." She harumphed, not having much to say against him with that. "You could at least pretend to understand!"

Glancing down at her placement on the horse, she shifted a bit so that she was more comfortable in the saddle in front of him. This swayed her back a little against his chest more, causing her to then quickly try and move forward a little. That however, was uncomfortable to be riding so up on the pommel of the saddle. She sighed, and leaned back to where she and been before, his chest against her back. It seemed the archer would have to put up with the bit of contact as they rode. "Alright, I'm ready... Where are you taking me anyway?"

"I would but I'm not going to worry about your modesty. People in my position wouldn't have even patched you up. I'd say you're lucky I don't try to press for more. You may not like me, but understand your people that have been caught for my employer wound up in the cross hairs of worse men. Imagine all the things that happened to them then be thankful you're not those elves," Milner said with anger rising in his voice. If she wanted to act a little refined then he would bring her down a couple of pegs.

When she was comfortable he spoke quietly, "We're heading out a few days back to Outreach. It's nearly a week away. The Lord of Outreach wants you and other elves to him as soon as possible. He's paying enough for people like me to stop being mercenaries. That's why I'm here." He tried to remember old teachings for the job. How you weren't supposed to get close to a target or acquisition that they were just merchandise with the horrible ability to talk back.

Sadly, it was easier said than done. Allurina was still going to get taken to Outreach. He just hated to treat cargo as if it had zero worth. Besides sometimes people didn't pay for damaged goods. So it was also in his best interest to care for the cargo a little extra.

"We'll be stopping by a water fall five hours away. Camp will be set up. I'll be bathing. You'll have to join, like it or not. Got it?"

Listening to him, she was quiet as she took in what he said. Her pink lips pursed together, and she tossed her head back a bit so that her long hair flipped over her shoulder, potentially even getting in his face a bit as she did so. "That is, if you actually healed me. I'm not convinced yet that you haven't done something else dastardly while you had the chance." She said in a clipped tone, but didn't push it farther as she heard the rising anger in his voice.

"What does he exactly want people of my kind for?" Alluria asked, not sure she even wanted to know the answer to that one, a hint of worry seeping into her voice. "Should I be preparing to be sent to my slaughter? Or to warm some old Lord's bed?" She asked, distaste very apparent to her at both sentiments, though even more so the latter.

She glanced down at the horse's head in front of her, watching the creature move and wondering if it was just as captive as her here. "Yes, fine. I have got it. We'll be bathing soon." She sighed, not sounding happy about it at all.

"Family hates elves because you guys crushed his family. Hell, you almost dethroned the person. Don't expect to be warming his bed unless you're found to be cute. I doubt it'll happen. Guy seems to be a racsist to your kind. I'd consider it if I were him," Milner spoke honestly. "Consider doesn't mean an automatic yes. "Hatred can make a man or women see the most beautiful things turn into rotten shapes before their eyes. Remember that."

"You'll deal with the inconveniences this trip brings us," he said in a firm voice. "Tell me about yourself. The trip is long and we can sit in silence, or you can make it easier on both of us by talking." Again the man was just being honest with the elf. Time was not on their side as it was a five hour trip before their stop.

"Why do you want to know if you'll keep a man's bed warm? Have an itch you want scratched?" he teased the woman and looked down at her.

Ria fidgeted with her chained hands, finding the iron against her wrists highly uncomfortable. She wriggled them around, trying to see if there was a chance he had not put them on very tightly, or if her little wrists could find the right way to turn about and twist themselves away. So far she wasn't successful, but she was at least trying to find some sort of way while she was on horseback. Her eyes took in the scenery that they were passing, keeping a note of where they were and how far they were going out from her home. It would become hard for her to get away, or make the journey back, but the first step would be knowing what direction to go in.

"Are you trying to teach me life lessons? More likely than not, I am technically older than you, human. Though we consider age different in my society." She quipped, "I may look like one of your eighteen year olds, but I have been alive for almost a hundred years now. Still very young to my people, though I'm considered an adult to my people it's just barely... But still, to your people, I am most likely vastly wiser!" Once again, her little sloped nose rose into the air, prideful as ever.

Hearing his comment about wanting to warm a bed, she inhaled sharply at how insulting such a personal question felt, shaking her head. "No! I would rather die than warm some old, hateful, human's bed. If that was why you were bringing me out there, I'd throw myself off this horse right now. Death would be a better fate, preferably by my own hands. That is none of your business otherwise, anyhow!"

"Yes I am teaching you life lessons. I'm presuming you've never been in this situation before. This is less about age and more about experience. Throw out whatever statistics you want, you've never been in this position. I've seen people put into these positions. Advantage me," suddenly Milner stopped the horse. They were in a new set of woods and had traveled for about a good hour.

Lush green leaves could be seen for miles. Trails littered parts of the ground. Getting off the animal he pulled the elf down. "Allurina," Milner said her name in common to get the elf's attention. Staring down at her, "You're bound. The restraints have some room so you can make some noise. Wrists are in tight. Basically you're stuck. "I did not kidnap you to bed you, but if you keep saying I did then I will give you reason to make your suspicions true."

He pushed her down onto her knees in the ground. "Anyone could pass us by. Anyone could see us. If you keep complaining about sex I will make you take my cock one way or another...do you understand?" his words were sharp. They were to prove a point. The point was a very simple one. Allurina could do nothing to get out of the predicament she was in. "I won't care who watches. I may even charge them a coin or two to watch. Do you understand, Rina?"

Alluria was watching the lush green scenery, and seemed confused when they had stopped. Especially after he had been saying they wouldn't until a little while longer. "Of course I've never been in this position before, and I can promise you I never will again!" She furrowed her brows, which only lasted for a moment as she was then promptly lifted off the horse.

Her bright green eyes widened at his words, letting out a gasp as she was forced onto her knees. "I was speaking of the Lord of Outreach..." She tried to say, "That I didn't want to warm his bed, so if you were taking me to him for that purpose, I would never want to!" She seemed horrified by what he had misinterpreted, and would then want to do about it. "Please, put me back on the horse, let's continue on. I won't say anything more about not wanting to warm beds!"

She tried to stand, get off of her knees, giving him a pleading look in her eyes to be done with this. "I'm sorry, even." She said, trying an apology. It felt grating to her to even say those words to a human, and it didn't come out very sincere though it was clear it had been an effort even to say it to him.

Seeing the emotion and the sincerity Milner made note of. "Tonight you're going to suck my cock. Next time you'll know to put sincerity behind those words. We're going to be stuck together, you're going to learn how to behave and treat me with respect. If you don't...I can find other uses for your mouth and I know of many words to call you. Understood?"

Suddenly he pulled the elven woman up by the manacles then led her to the horse like an animal. If she put up a fight he would have jerked the woman down more like a animal with a choke chain, or another restraint. If Alluria was behaved she would have been given a "Good girl."

After she was next to the horse he hoisted the woman onto the animal. "You'll learn to behave. One way or another."

((Sorry this can't be longer, next post will be.)

A look of fury flashed through Alluria's eyes for a few seconds, and then it was replaced by the dread and realization of her situation. How absolutely serious he was being. No matter how debasing this was to her, he really didn't seem to care. The crude language that he used made her flinch, and as he spoke of what she would be doing, her green eyes couldn't help but rest momentarily on the crotch of his pants. The Elf quickly dropped her gaze once she realized where his words had brought her attention, not even wanting to think about having to do something like that just in the middle of the road. Looking around, turning her head from left to right, she tried to rationalize that at least she had escaped from having to do anything here and there at the moment. Where anyone could have walked by. Maybe she would find a way later that night to wiggle her way out of doing this. Perhaps it was a momentary burst of anger he would recover from, and would think better of.

Whatever it was, she didn't think it was worth pressing his buttons further at the moment over it. As he pulled her up, she made something of a squeak at the roughness of it, and how if chaffed at her wrists, but otherwise she remained quiet. Behaving herself, Alluria was rewarded with a "Good Girl". Something about that made her relieved, and her body lost some of its tension, ears perking a bit. Confused at herself for even finding some peace in that name, she shook herself out of it. There wasn't much time to think on that either as she was thrown up on the horse again.

"I understand." She finally said to him, giving a nod and not looking towards her hunter. Readjusting herself on the horse, she got herself comfortable again. "I'm ready to depart when you are." The woman tried to be more careful with her words, hoping to gain favor so that he might go easier on her that night.