Coming of the Savior

Jessa sat in the vestuable of the throne room. Her long brown hair pulled and her green eyes sparlked with unshed tears. She wore a loose dress that exposed her back. Not what the king would have chosen for her but it was the traditional garb for one such as she. An older woman entered momentarily.

"It is nearly time Jessa - you are truely blessed." the woman glanced at the girl who sat trembling. "Why on earth are you scared? You will soon serve your king and be with the gods."

As the woman left Jessa shook her head. 'Blessed? I am doomed to die so the king can keep his powers.'

She was not a small girl - at 18 she was short but plump. The god Agun would not accept a poor skinny girl. Every twenty years a girl was given as sacrifice to Agun. She had been breed and raised knowing of her great 'honor'. She knew her duty and would follow it through for the good of her king - as was expected of her.

A pounding on the door announced the arrival of the guard charced with delivering her to the Great Temple in Hamphis.

Soon enough with the doors open a tall beast lumbered into the chamber. Garb in black long fur a Minotaur comes in slowing as the chains bind him from too much movement. "Here is the Guardian you asked for. Don't worry about this beast. His will was easily broken like most. He'll take the girl to the temple without much of a problem," He says with a grin before the messenger unlocks the chains.

The poor beast looks melancholy at the girl as he rubs his large hands. His bulging muscles were quite evident as they weren't easy to hide under the fur. The Minotaur walks up further as his feet clank hard on the tiled floor. He looks down at the girl before bowing down on one knee and raising a hand up to take hers. It was all things he memorized from the human who brutally trained him just for this.

Jessa looked up at the beast.

'A minotaur?!?' she wondered to herself as her trembling increased 'They are monsters. Bloodthirsty savages! Was the king mad?! She would never make it to the temple alive!'

"My Lord King - I serve you and the gods." She spoke the ritual words required of her.

Jessa put her hands into the large hand of the minotaur surrendering her fate to the gods. She stood on shaking legs and did her best to hold her head high - 'This is an honor. I serve my king. I honor the gods.' She kept chaning this to herself as she prayed for strenght.

The kings chamberlain opened the vestibule doors leading to the outside of the castle. A great fanfare met her ears as they stepped out. In two weeks she would assure the kings continued power and the favor of the gods in a great celebration.

Soon enough he lifted her up off the ground and squarely placed her on his shoulder. Which was quite actually nice to sit on and it made it alot nicer to her than walking. With it he began to walk her to the royal carriage. He helped her into the carriage but, not before spotting an odd mark on her. Soon enough the beast has his eyes wide open. 'It is the mark.' Looking around the place he closes the door before leading the men that will also protect the Princess.

A parade of people shower the side of the road as they celebrate what was to come. The Minotaur though was merely pelted with odd rotten fruits. Though he put up with it as the ends would serve him quite well. He just needed to deal with the guards once they got further out. After all if he did it now he'd be wasting his time.

Jenna gave a small squeek of suprize as she is hoisted by the beast into it's shoulders. She smiled weakly and waved to the crowd...trying to look like the happy, willing sacrifice she is was meant to be. Despite her royal birth she was only the daughter of as lowborn serving woman. She was not accustomed to being carried by the slaves as were her spoiled siblings.
As the minotaur set her into the waiting carriage she heard a soft intake breath of supprise and felt the creature gently touch her between her shoulderblades. Jenna quickly grabbed a cloak to cover herself. She was imperfect. A birthmark mared her otherwise perfect skin. It was a strange mark she new - she'd been told how the shape seemed to resemble a leafless tree.
The minotaur closed the door and took his spot right next to it. No one would get through to her without getting through him first.
'Well.' She said to herslef, 'so long as he doesn't attack me - I couldn't be safer. Only a fool messes with an angry minotaur.'
She sat back as the carriage began to roll. Jenna wanted nothing more than to close the curtains blocking out the rest of the world - but tradition spoke that she must wave to the crowd giving blessing to those who came out to watch the procession.

Soon enough they began to head off out of the kingdom. With it came the real action. She would soon enough hear the two guards in front suddenly collapse to the ground. The Minotaur looks at her, "I'm going to save you." He says gruffly and began to coax the horses to keep moving. "You are not meant to be killed for naught my princess. That mark is the mark of our savior. The one to bring power back to our people and save us all from an upcoming blight." He says hoping she wouldn't freak out... too much. He knew it would be alot to handle. Especially cause he was this monster to her but, his choice would be alot nicer than sacrifice.

"Have you taken leave of your scenses? How can I possably be the savation of your race? I have no powers! It is certain death for us both! The gods will curse you for such disobedience. I have no say - it is his will. Agun will have your soul if I am not delivered to the temple. It is my destiny!"

Try as she might - Jenna could not open the door of the carriage. The beast and the Temple High Priest held the only keys to unlock it.

"Please - no one else need die!"

Jenna could not tell if the creature heard her or not. The carraige continued on - but not on the path to the Great Temple.

"Why you think the god asks for a sacrifice? It is cause man'd punishment towards people they find inferior." He says to her as the carriage continues. "My kind know about the gods. We have been waiting for you. The great guides told us of a maiden that would bridge the gap of my people and the others. With uniting will come true peace and no need to sacrifice." He says as he walks by the carriage.

"How am I supposed to unite two races that hate each other? My own people keep yours as slaves. Minotaurs are highly sought after as you are so difficult to capture - your kind would rather be dead than enslaved. If I go to my people speaking peace between us - they will laugh and take me to the Temple to fullfil my pourpose. I have heard your kind will kill me on sight."

Jenna was truely perplexed. How could she, a maiden who had never used any weapon unite two waring races?

She could not see the minotaure from where she sat. He sat in the drivers seat up top. Was this a trick? Would he lead her to a settlement only to be killed by them?

"What do you call yourself? Or should I simply call you Minotuar? Please, just take me to the furthest human settlement, I won't be searched for there! You can take your freedom. I won't tell of anyone of you. Please let me go!"

"My people aren't as savage as you might think. They'll keep you safer than some human town. Why would I do this if I didn't believe it had some significance?" He says to her as he continues to lead the horses towards his village. The trip itself was half the time and it was stationed deep into the forest. Which would keep them hidden from the humans.

Jenna just sat back and shook her head. There was no arguing with the beast. And far be it for her to anger the creature - he was twice her size and no doubt trained to fight.She still didn't understand what he expected of her.

'Shall I mumble some spell they have written and make all well?' She wondered silently 'or perhaps capture a fairy that can make the humans forget their grudge against the minotaurs?'

She looked out the small window as they traveled. They were far from anyplace she knew and it was going to be getting dark soon. The forest was getting thicker and the carraige would soon have difficulties manuvering between the densly packed trees.

"They call me Winter-Wind." He says to her as he halts the carriage and helps her out with her belongings. Then he unhooked the horses and set her on one of them. With it he began walking beside the horse she was on as the other free horse follows. "You must trust me... In time it will become clear. Not every problem can be solved so easily." Winter-Wind continues off as he looks around.