A New Beginning (standard:fantasy, 2169 words)
Author: Melody	Added: Jan 27 2001	Views/Reads: 3946/2488	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
This story is about a young girl living under the cruel thumb of a common street thug, and what happens to her.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

talents Seluna my dear. From now on your evenings will be spent at The 
Broken Blade tavern. I am sure you are familiar with the establishment? 
I have need of your pretty little ears there. When you hear anything 
concerning me or my operations you will learn all you can, and then 
come to me with it.” He leaned back in his chair watching her. 

“ I aint a goin there!” Seluna’s face flushed angrily. “It aint no good
place and besides I doubt there is anything in this fer me.” Prowen’s 
fist flew out and caught her squarely on the chin sending her to the 
floor. 

“Ye gets my protection and ye gets ta live. That’s what’s in it fer ye.”
Prowen’s voice was a barely contained growl. “Now shut up and do as yer 
told girlie!” 

Seluna picked herself up off of the dirty floor slightly dazed. She
quietly sat down in the chair and nodded. “I’ll go. I guess I aint gots 
no choice anyhow.” Gingerly she rubbed the spot on her chin where 
Prowen had hit her casting him a hateful glare. Reybur grinned wryly as 
he handed her a small bag of coins. 

“We don’t want you to starve. I’m sure you can show yourself out.” He
motioned toward the door to the street. Seluna grabbed the small coin 
bag and stood turning to leave. Prowen was instantly in front of her 
his hands on her and his lips covering hers in a rough and deep kiss. 
She knew better than to refuse him. He shoved her toward the door and 
grinning, he licked his lips. 

“I will see ye later Seluna girl.” She nodded and quickly opened the
door stepping into the dark and cold alley. She pulled the door closed 
behind her not looking back. Seluna never saw the suspicious glare 
Prowen fixed upon her, as the door shut and she was left all alone. 

****** 

Over the period of the next few weeks, every evening would find an
unwilling Seluna plying her talents as a dancer at The Broken Blade 
Tavern. Halfheartedly she would pick up bits and pieces of 
inconsequential information. Dutifully she reported everything to 
Reybur who always gave her a few coins that Prowen promptly relieved 
her of. He also managed to filch most of the steel she earned from her 
dancing. 

On one particularly overcrowded evening Seluna’s attention was drawn
toward two scruffier looking men that she had never seen in the tavern. 
Slowly dancing her way over to that side of the room, Seluna kept her 
ears open. At first she could not make out their words so she moved 
closer to their table her hips swaying enticingly. 

“Yup this is gonna be the night.” The larger of the two chuckled. “He’s
been a thorn in our side way to long.” The smaller one stated flatly. 
“We’ll get him down at the docks. That’ll be best.” The larger one 
nodded and leaned forward his voice a rough hiss. “Prowen dies 
tonight!” 

Seluna danced away her mind numb with shock. “I gots ta tell Prowen what
them men is a planning! Seluna thought to herself. “Or do I...” The 
young girl suddenly found herself faced with a dilemma. If she told 
Prowen he would likely escape death showing her a small measure of 
gratitude. If she did not tell him...he would surely die. And where 
would that leave her? “Free! I would be free ta go wherever I wanted 
and Prowen wouldn’t be around ta hurt me no more.”  Seluna seated 
herself at a small table in the corner and rubbed her temples trying to 
think. She knew her time was limited. “If I don’ts tell him though it 
just aint right. It aint right ta let anyone die.”  Seluna sighed 
unhappily not knowing what to do. 

She closed her eyes and tried to picture the rest of her life here in
the port city of Waterdeep. It was not a pleasant picture. She knew 
that Prowen would continue to use her for his own pleasure and to 
gather information to further his interests and those of his cutthroat 
and thieving friends. It was not what she wanted for herself. 

An hour later found Seluna hurriedly packing her few and meager
belongings. Reybur had rented her a small, drab room in the tavern, 
which she had done her best to decorate. Now however the room was a 
shambles as Seluna tried to decide what to take and what to leave. She 
wasn’t exactly certain where she was going to go but she had a good 
idea. She had heard of a town far away. A beautiful place called 
Silverymoon where people were friendly and kind. She hoped that maybe 
she could earn a living with her dancing there. At least it was away 
from Waterdeep. Her dark eyes danced with excitement as she thought of 
a new beginning. 

Suddenly the door burst open and in stepped Prowen, looking none the
worse for wear. Seluna gasped and turned, the small bag in her hand 
dropping to the floor. “Well, well girlie it looks like ye don’t care 
if ol Prowen lives er dies eh?” Seluna stood riveted in place from 
shock and disbelief, but being a resourceful girl she drew her wits 
about her and looked up at Prowen. “What do ye mean? Ye look fine ta 
me. Here I was just redoin the place an ye’ve busted in on me!” 

Prowen laughed harshly and in two strides he was upon her, his fist
flashing out and knocking her halfway across the room. “Wench! Ye 
damned stupid whore! I planted them two men in the The Broken Blade ta 
test yer loyalty and ye failed!” 

Seluna shakily stood, bringing her hand up to her nose in a vain attempt
to stem the blood that flowed freely from there. “W...what do ye mean 
Prowen? I don’t know what yer talking about.” Seluna dug her nails into 
her free hand to stop the tears of pain and fear, which threatened to 
come. 

Three more strides and Prowen was once again upon her. He lifted her up
and shook her, his face inches from hers. “Don’t ye play dumb! I knowed 
ye heard them men talking about killin me, and what did ye do? Ye ran 
here an started packin ta leave. Well it aint gonna be that easy.” With 
a growl he tossed her unto the bed, and slowly walked toward her. 

Seluna knew she had to think fast. If not he would hurt her yet again
and this time she doubted she would live through it. She allowed her 
body to go slack as if from the trauma of it all, her eyes scanning the 
small area. Just as Prowen reached her, her gaze fell upon an empty 
wine bottle lying on the floor by the bed. She whimpered and slumped 
down even further. Prowen pounced upon her like a hungry cat on a 
mouse. 

“This time I’m gonna learn ye wench. Yer goin ta learn ta obey an yer
gonna know once and fer all who is the boss!” Prowen hovered over her, 
his eyes angry narrowed slits. He reached one hand down to his waist 
and began to remove his belt. Seluna glanced at the belt, that horrid, 
despicable belt and she knew this would be her only chance. 

Sobbing she flopped closer to the edge of the bed one arm falling over
the side. Prowen grabbed her and shook her roughly, then went back to 
removing his belt. Her fingers closed over the wine bottle and taking a 
firm grip she quickly brought it up smashing it down on Prowen’s head. 
At the same time she closed her eyes and turned her body sideways. She 
heard the bottle break and felt the glass falling on her, just as 
Prowen slumped forward dropping like a dead weight onto her stomach. 

Seluna grunted and rolled the unconscious man off of her. Slowly she got
to her feet as glass fell tinkling onto the bare floor. Without a 
second thought she went through Prowen’s pockets relieving him of a 
small purse of coins. She snatched up the bag she had dropped upon his 
entrance and tossing a ratty cloak about her shoulders she opened the 
door. Seluna turned and looked at the silent form on the bed. 

“Good riddance ye sorry sack o filth,” she whispered.  With that Seluna
stepped through the door closing it behind her and made her way toward 
the stables where she knew Prowen kept a horse. 

The End 


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