The Helfain soldier screamed when the grey & white
dog’s fangs tore out his throat. Growling, the dog shook its head trying to
ignore the command to kill the enemy. Another man crossed her path. The man
waved an axe to scare off the dog. Undaunted, Elke snapped her jaws and grabbed
the weapon. She tossed it aside and went for another kill. Heartsick, she ducked
when the corpse fell beside her. She tried to run off the field but a jolt of
pain forced her back. Her master, Tyroline, called her to his side. “I saw
that, Elke. We’re not done here yet.”
The mercenary army won the battle against the Helfain
regulars. Elke’s master was praised for his work with her. Tyroline received a
handful of silver while Elke was given a beating for her disobedience. Tyroline
tied her at his campsite. He set a rabbit to cooking and went to care for his
horse.
Elke waited until he was out of her sight. She worried
the knot holding her to a stake in the ground. It took a little time, but she managed to
loosen the rope enough to get free.
Elke found a thicket and pushed through the brush. She
turned in a circle to tamp down the leaves and undergrowth. The grey and black Sheppard
sank to the ground and licked a paw. How
long can I hide here before Tyroline finds me? I don’t want to fight anymore. I
hate killing for him. I have to get away and live my own life. The dog
scratched at the brown leather collar stamped with runic symbols. Are there others like me? What happened to
my real family? Are they shape shifters, too?
XXX
“Adalwin, have you seen my dog? She’s broken her tether
and ran off again.”
A dark haired, grizzled warrior tied off the thread on
his spare shirt. “No, Tyroline, I haven’t.
Did you look over by Sir Walter’s campfire? He has a new hound. Maybe
Elke is there?”
“I haven’t but I will...thanks.” Tyroline found his way to the knight’s spot.
He was brushing a black hound. He looked
up at the approaching mercenary. “Missing something?” It didn’t take long to
find the missing dog. He tightened the loop around her neck and yanked the dog
to her feet. Using the extra length of the lead, he whipped her twice. “Stupid,
bitch! My dinner is probably burnt while I’ve spent my time tracking you down!
Come on!” He pulled her after him. “That
spell is weakening if you can run off. Thankfully, the geas won’t let you go
too far. Guess I’m going to need to take a couple of days and see a witch to
renew the spell.”
XXX
Elke’s tongue lolled from her mouth as she kept up with
her master’s grey gelding. The horse had been loping for over an hour through a
little known road through the Wrewynt Forest on the way to the Sorcerer, Lady
Elizabeth of Gweirvon. Tyroline hoped to convince Elizabeth to enhance the
spell on his dog. Elke was famous for her work in battle. He couldn’t afford to
lose the silver his canine partner earned.
The trio cut through a copse of tress to enter an open
area. Just ahead was a small castle surrounded by a ten foot thick wall of
brown stone bricks. Guards walked on top, ever mindful of strangers. Tyroline
pulled up in front of the closed iron portcullis.
“Who are you and what do you want?” asked a man who held
an arrow ready to fly.
“I am Tyroline of Brisane, a mercenary. I need to see the
Sorceress. I can pay...”
“Very well. Walk your horse slowly and control that dog
else I order it shot.”
XXX
Tyroline waited with Elke in the Great Hall. A handful of
men spaced themselves in close proximity, in case the stranger attempted to
harm their mistress. Elke was tired after the journey. She lay down next to her
master. I’ll never be free of his cruelty
if this witch casts a new spell on me. I have to find a way to stop her from
bewitching me.
Lady Elizabeth glided in the room followed by her
ever-present Knight of the Silver serpents, Sir Lander. The two stared at the man standing before
them. Elizabeth knew right-away that the beast was a shifter. The pleading
displayed in the dog’s brown eyes tugged at her heart.
“Speak your request, Tyroline of Brisane.” she said to
the warrior.
“My Lady, I seek to have a control spell renewed for my
dog. Elke is headstrong. Without the geas, she would not obey my commands in
battle. Many men depend on me & my dog to protect them and find hidden
enemies. Can you help me?”
“Dog, before I
answer him, tell me if this is your wish. Tell me about your master.” Elizabeth
said mind-to-mind to Elke.
“Lady, I am a shape
shifter. This man has me trapped in my canine form with a combination of a geas
and a spelled-collar. I regret my actions under his direction. I wish to be
free so that I may seek out my family. Please help me.”
Elizabeth considered the man’s request and the dog’s
answer. Before Elizabeth lived in Witcenogra, in Thaelia’s world, she was a
modern woman in the USA. She hated
seeing animals abused. Elke was not a real dog, which made it even worse in her
eyes.
“Give me the creature and I shall see what I can do.”
Lady Elizabeth took the dog’s leash. “Wait here,
Tyroline.” She led Elke out of the main room to a private solar.
“Can I trust you not to attack me?” she said with a
twinkle. Elizabeth unlatched the collar and threw it on top of a blazing fire
burning in the fireplace. She waved her hand once and the dog was replaced by a
young woman in her 20’s with short blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes. The
Sorceress was unhappy to see bruises in a rainbow of colors on the girl’s
exposed flesh.
Elke ran one hand along her other arm. She wiggled her
fingers. “Thank you, Lady. I hope you won’t give me back to him.”
“No, I should think not. That ogre doesn’t deserve a dog.
I think I’ll give him something else instead. I have a rat in mind. A temporary
spell and the rat will run off and change back to its usual self. Tyroline won’t
know the difference. You are freed, Elke. Please stay here with me until your
wounds heal.”
Tears leaked from Elke’s eyes as she replied “Goddess
Bless you, Lady. I promise; I will fight no more unless my life is in danger.”
The End
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