For Honor: The Journey of a Conqueror

Slave

"KEEP WORKING SLAVE!" The guard yelled at the flimsy man next to me and whipped him. The neighboring slave slouched under the licking glass that tore off his skin with each touch. The guard kept walking and came upon me. "Well done. You have filled more than the required amount for today. Rest in your quarters." He slapped my bicep and I gently set down the pick axe.

I worked in the mines alongside many others that were put into this labor from their kingdoms being conquered, their kingdoms giving them up as offerings for peace, or many other reasons they use nowadays. I have been a slave since I was eight years of age. It was hard to begin with until my body adjusted to the setting and grew to the proportionate size needed for survival here.

We're given food depending on how much work we do and how well it is done. One day I thought 'What if I completed more than what they told us to? What if I did it well?' Nothing happened at first except for an impressed "Hmph." Then after a month I was given a bountiful piece of cooked meat.

So long as I worked hard I was given good food, I improved my work and began receiving clean drinking water. This so called 'special' treatment as the other slaves deemed it, was a cycle that repeated without fail when I started it at eleven. One day I fell behind on my job and thought that with my excellent work for two years it would not be a problem... I was whipped for only the lord knows how long before I was thrown into my quarters and left there to bleed.

Ever since then I never fell behind. So I was rewarded with the resources to continue my excellent work. Now being nineteen years of age, I have become a favorite among my peers to my master. Lord Norance was his name.

I entered my quarters to find a man standing there, the sun coming in from the makeshift window shadowed his face and features from sight. Only my owner ever came into my quarters. "Master Norance." I said and kneeled. "Get up slave, your lord has perished." The man replied and nudged my knee with his foot. I got up as I was instructed. "What?" "He was killed in battle." I stood there waiting for something to happen. Did I not clean his gear well enough? Where is this man's whip?

He must've noticed my eyes searching. "I am not here to punish you slave. Your master requested upon his dying breath that you take his armor, his weapons and wrap; his legacy. And that you take his place." What? I had only heard of stories of such occurrences happening. Masters dying in battle and giving their responsibilities... their freedoms to their oldest son or wife if there were no son to give it to. The last thing to give the title the owner possessed before death is the kingdom.

Lord Norance told me of all these things... and he was married with children... "What has... become of my lord's family?" I asked carefully as to not agitate this man who was clearly well armed judging from the... pole axe if I recall correctly upon its name... that was leaning against the wall.

"They were taken from his distant home by the Vikings he fought. The wife was raped and murdered along with her daughter as the sons were forced to watch. I arrived as I was meant to visit and give the kingdom's condolences for their loss when I saw the slaughtered family outside of the burning home on the ground. The son that still drew breath told me of the events that had transpired before dying in my arms."

I shuddered slightly from the thought of those things happening. Though the wife and daughter certainly didn't deserve what they had endured, they harmed and taunted slaves regularly before their untimely demise.

"It is a well known fact you were his favorite among those who served Lord Norance, and so the kingdom has picked you to take his responsibilities. But, you will remain a slave, until your training is complete. Now follow me. You have much to learn if you are to be anywhere near the prestige your former master held."

"If I may ask, what am I training to be?" I inquired. "You are going to join the ranks of our Conquerors."