Bree groaned as she awakened, face down on the slick floor of the entryway to the chamber where Ito was held captive. Her head throbbed and she squinched her eyes at the pain. Her daggers beneath her, handles digging in to her hip bone, making her position that much more uncomfortable. Oblivious to anything but the pain, she sucked in a breath of foul air.

She smelled him before she ever saw him. Her eye’s snapped wide open.

Before she could react, The Orc, muscled and stocky pounced upon her small frame, nearly crushing her with his weight. ‘Bree’s cheek pressed against the dampness of the floor beneath her. There was a pulse-like grunting coming from the back of his throat that only she, could hear. She panicked , shock and terror electrified her skin as she struggled to reach her daggers but to no avail.

“I never miss an opportunity……” He breathed in to her left ear in a voice that was low and gravely. ‘Bree squirmed and wiggled against his bulk, her actions seeming to excite the aggressor even more, his hands exploring her curves. Her mind went frantic as her free hand grasped for something …ANYTHING…to help her defend herself.

The guard slid a solid arm under her stomach and spun ‘Bree’s body onto her back. Now, his face, inches from her own he chorkled at her failing attempts at freedom from his grasp.

The shift in position was just enough…. Tazeria’s dagger, which had been dislodged from her minutes before, had found it’s way to “Bree’s searching fingertips.

‘Bree snatched the weapon and with a cry powered by white fear mingled with rage inhuman, sunk the dagger through his back, his lung and then his heart, and his death was instant. Hot, dark red blood oozed from the Orc’s mouth and dripped onto ‘Bree’s neck. Panting she shoved his body from her, struggling with the weight pushing him off inch by inch.

With a final shove and loud grunt, she was free. She stood and stared down, panting with adrenaline fused breath, at her kill by her feet. She spat on his chest and with her left hand grabbed his pointy left ear, and with one fluid sleek motion of the silver dagger, sliced the ear from the guards’ skull. She held the trophy between her thumb and forefinger high above her head and a slight giggle followed by a belch came from her mouth.

The sound of metal grinding against stone snapped her back to reality.

“Ito!” she thought, and raced to the adjacent chamber.