William

I started to complain about my stomach hurting and using it as an excuse to get away but she stopped me and put a hand on my face.

"Hey," She whispered in my ear as she pulled me down to her. "You can trust me William Thrisfalen."

I took a deep breath and sat down. She sat down in front of me on a good sized rock and looked into my eyes. I told her about the torture I had endured at the hands of those men and all the things they had made me do. I explained how I escaped.

* * *
William at age Thirteen
* * *

I was mostly fully grown, at least that's what Master Moomow said. He wasn't here now, no one was. They said I was going to die down here or serve them. I chose a third option, one they hadn't given me. The man who tortured me, he claimed he knew my grandfather and that he'd been betrayed and cast out, but he was always forbidden to tell me what he had been cast out of.

It didn't matter, I did not care for him or any of these weaklings. They had just finished torturing me for the day, assuming any more would kill me or damage me, that was the word they used. They didn't understand the rage that flowed inside my body, or perhaps they did and they were simply attempting to harness it.

It doesn't matter. I felt no mercy or remorse for my captors and they had made one vital mistake. I stumbled about in my rage and banged my fists and head and feet into the walls and suddenly the wall slid open and granted me passageway. The guards were astonished but by the time they had the door open I had managed to close the door. I had found myself in a large nearly empty room, it had been ransacked, all but a dusty suit of armor, a chain mail and plate mail set, a great sword, a long sword, a short sword and a dagger. All looked almost useless. I didn't care, the only thought I had was revenge.

I had barely donned the armor when I heard a noise behind me and saw the door slide open. I had been trained in the use of such weapons and I drew the long sword and charged. To my surprise the dusty armor absorbed the blows of the guards clubs with ease and I sliced them both down.

A grabbed the rest of the weapons and fought my way out, in my rage I killed everything I saw. The other prisoners had not treated me well, they were killed, I thought I did it out of mercy at first but when it was other I knew better. My torturer had evaded me and I stumbled into the fresh air outside, I have no idea where. I wandered for hours, perhaps days before I fell, only to be caught in the arms of my master.

* * *
End Narration in the past
* * *

"I think that was the first time I'd ever seen Master Moomow cry," I concluded.

She just stared in disbelief but she didn't turn away as I had feared. She did quite the opposite; she pulled me closer and held me tight.

"You aren't there anymore," She said. "You don't have to be afraid of them anymore."

I stayed in her warm embrace for some time.