Legends of Belariath
Twelic Sepe
A loud crash of thunder shook the heavens as a newborn's small cry sounded in the same instant. Twelic Sepe had arrived, and it was as if nature was welcoming her. The girl's parents, Ismene and Gor, were as proud of their first born child as anyone could be. But as with all babies, Twelic began to grow up. With the coming of age came a deep, mysterious solitude that seemed to envelop her and carry her away to a world of her own. Her parents tried to quell it, but it kept getting bigger, and Twelic was slowly sinking deeper and deeper into this world that seemed to be made entirely for her. She became more withdrawn and as soon as she was old enough to walk, she would leave her home to sit in the forest for hours at a time. It seemed as if Twelic enjoyed being in the forest more than she enjoyed being in her parent's company. Hours turned into days as Twelic grew older, and her parents grew even more dismayed. Soon, the couple had another baby, a boy that they named Kucheck. This baby seemed to lead a normal, happy life and his parents decided that perhaps it was Twelic who was abnormal, not them. Two years past and another child was on the way. This time it was a girl, who they named Ayla. Twelic was soon all but forgotten as the couple's children grew and brought joy to their lives. Twelic soon only came home for the evening meal, and took food with her when she left again. She was twelve years old. Twelic had learned to survive in the forest, and it was as if nature wanted her there with it. She stayed in the forest with the animals and trees, and talked to them happily like they could speak back to her. It was during one of these times in the forest that tragedy struck her life. She returned home after being gone all night in the forest, and was worried that her father would be upset and punish her as he normally did when she returned from an outing of this length. What she saw worried her more.
Her home was burned down, only rubble and ashes remained, still smouldering in the early morning light. Twelic started to run. Her bare feet took her to the edge of the homesite, but would not allow her to step into the rubble, as the ashes were too hot and burned her tender flesh. She looked toward where the kitchen would have been, and saw a little leg sticking out from under a fallen log, burned badly. Twelic fell to her knees, sobbing and retching. Her family was gone, her life as she knew it was over. She threw herself down on the ground and sobbed, great body racking sobs that left her weak. She slept for two weeks beside the rubble, only occasionally travelling into the forest to find berries to eat. She grew very thin and pale, and very weak. She managed to crawl into the forest and leave her home behind for the last time. She ate berries and plants until she was strong enough to carry on. In time, Twelic learned to hunt and fish, and how to prepare the food she killed. She learned which berries were good, which were poison, by trial and error. She would eat a single berry and sit down beside the bush. When she found it wasnt poison, she would commit that bush to memory, and that is how she learned which berries were good to eat. And so she grew and aged, becoming more in tune with the forest than ever. She spent the next six years in the forest, with her only companions being the animals of the forest. One day she happened upon an inn, and went inside to see what it was like to be indoors again. She met a few nice people, and one in particular was named Christolf, a half cat man that was very kind to her. She spoke to him on a few occasions, and her feelings for him grew. She went for walks with him and had long talks as they strolled in the forest, which she found out was his home as well. Something happened one night to make her run away, and she found herself under a tree to sleep for the night. She was awakened by a male figure who told her she was tresspassing on his property. She moved to stand, and to apologize, when he stunned her with magic. He took her to his house and put a collar around her neck. Now started her training as a slave.
Valardghast trained her in the basic mannerisms of being a slave for the first few weeks. He kept her locked away, chained to the wall in his basement. She was very thin and pale from living on her own in the forest and eating only what she could catch and the berries that weren't poison, and so he forced her to eat every two hours until she put on the weight he thought she should be. She learned a lot during this time, and grew to love her new master. When she would do something right, he would reward her by letting her have a longer chain, or be free to walk around the basement. After she had learned all she needed to in the basics, he began to train her to be a pleasure slave. He taught her what a man liked, and what he didnt, and how to pleasure a man with every part of her body. For learning this, she was rewarded with clothing and allowed to move freely through his house. Her life had taken a turn that she never saw coming, and she was adjusting quickly.
Soon she was a perfectly trained slave, and it showed. She never got punished anymore, and Valardghast decided it was time to sell her to the highest bidder, or so she thought. They went to the Inn once more, and she saw Christolf again for the first time. He seemed to take pity on her, and bought her from Valardghast, who reluctantly turned over her leash to Christolf. She had never thought she could be so happy.
Christolf turned out to be a very good Master indeed. He never beat her, the way Valardghast did when she couldn't learn something as soon as he thought she should, and he praised her highly. She grew to love this cat man even more than she thought she did before she was captured. But Christolf had a secret, and one that he couldnt tell her until much later, when he had gained her trust. HE had been the reason she was captured. He had wanted to have her for himself, and wanted her to be his slave, and so he hired Valardghast to capture her, even told him where she could be found. Twelic took all of this in without a word, and then decided that no matter how she came to be his, she was glad she was. She hugged him and told him she loved him, and that she would always be his. Now Twelic had adjusted to her life nicely, and she was very happy with Christolf. She was deeply in love with the cat man, and it showed with every movement she made. He seemed to care deeply about her as well, and she had never thought things could get better. When Christolf took a mate, it broke Twelic's heart. She had never wanted to share him, and now she had to be a good slave and not say a word about it. So, she started staying more and more away from his house. She visited Valardghast often, and he advised her. She began to think of him as the father she had lost so long ago. When Christolf and his mate, Ariellia, broke up, Twelic was ecstatic. She knew that at last, Christolf had come to his senses, and things would be much better now. For a time, it was. He seemed to need her more now, and she was there for him, even when he decided to become a slaver himself. He captured a vixen and asked Twelic to help him train her, which she did, in true Valardghast style. She had decided that being a slave trainer wasnt so bad, until Christolf sold Kianti and took Tsutla as his next slave. Christolf decided to make Tsutla his own, and this didnt bode well with Twelic. Now there were two of them to share Christolf's attentions, and Twelic was staying at home less often. She felt Christolf didn't need her as much as he did anymore, and so she decided to start staying in the forest once more. SHe would always be home at night, have his meal cooked, and then clean house before she went to bed. She adjusted to this lifestyle as well, and grew to love Tsutla as a sister.
It seemed as if things were looking brighter. Perhaps it was the calm before the storm. Christolf had decided he needed another love in his life, and Astarte came into the picture. Twelic had never met this woman, and knew nothing of her until the fateful night Christolf had a run in with a centaur. Christolf was badly hurt, but the centaur was finally defeated once and for all. When Twelic went to Christolf to take him to the Healer's Guild, Astarte stepped up and told her she would do it. Twelic could not imagine anyone else taking her Master to the Guild but herself, and refused Astarte's help. She managed to drag Christolf to the Healer's Guild, and stayed with him until he gained consciousness once more. Another slave, Cirri, had captured Christolf's eye, and soon she came to live in the little cabin Twelic had called home for so long. Twelic had to share Christolf with yet another woman, and she was beginning to wonder how he actually felt about her. She knew that he didnt have as much time to be with her as he did have, and now it seemed as if everything she did was wrong. Christolf often blamed her for not getting along with the other slaves, and yelled at her when she asked what she did wrong. She felt dejected, and left the cabin to live in a tree behind it. That is where she remains now, only going in now and then to check on Christolf and make sure he has everything he needs. She had vowed to look after him when she first wore his collar, and wont stop now, even though he has many others to take care of him. And so this is Twelic's story, up until present day. Many more adventures will likely be hers, and many more heartaches will likely befall her. She is a strong, independent woman and not easily broken, though she has been close to it with Christolf. She still loves him with all her heart, and would never leave him, but she now knows that she is only a slave, and that is all she will ever be to him. That knowledge has made her what she is today.