"You save yourself or you remain unsaved"
The passage of time again was an unknown quantity. Eventually Neyaa sat up and drew her knees up to her chin and hugged her legs to her, she hurt in places she had not known were possible to hurt. The bed linen was damp underneath where she sat so she shuffled backwards towards the top edge of the bed and it was then that she sat upon what was to become the first ray of hope...Henliffs belt! Her hands were still shaking as they felt their way in the dingy light along the belt and onto the hilt of a dagger still sheathed. She pulled the dagger from it's place and held it in front of her with both hands, Henliff would not take her again, she now had the means to prevent him.
After a time the key turned once more in the lock filling the room with light causing Neyaa to squint. Henliff carried a jug of water and a bowl of oatmeal, Neyaa hid the dagger under the pillow and glared at him with an expression of pure contempt. There was no fear, no panic, she was cold, empty, but no longer helpless. His lip curled slightly as he set the food and drink down, he scratched himself in a crude manner and rasped “you'll need something inside you if we are going to play some more lass, and you'll learn soon enough to play nicely or you'll starve right enough”. He left without another word and locked the door behind him. Neyaa listened to him descend the stairs and swung her legs to the side and slipped from the bed and headed towards the nourishment provided groping her way through the darkness. She drank straight from the jug noisily, the water spilling from her mouth which was swollen and numb, it had been days since she had drank. She scooped the oatmeal into her mouth with her hands hungrily and scraped every last bit from the sides of the bowl, licking her fingers clean. Even more desperate than her need for food or drink was her desire to bathe, to wash his filth from her, but it was a stark choice she had for she knew not when her next drink would come.
And this was how it was for a number of days, except the fourth time he came back he did not have food nor water only a look in his eye, but Neyaa was ready and revealed that she had a dagger, she held it defensively, he would not touch her again and if he did she would end her life by her own hand. Henliff snarled “if you want to eat you'll leave that on the dresser lass” he sneered cruelly, his voice authoritative “You will bend for me whenever I command it of you, nobody can hear your screams, you are naught but a bastard, you are sullied now, you have beguiled men for long enough, no one will want you now and nobody will miss you” and he turned and left.
He returned on three more occasions, his patience tested more each time. Whenever he came Neyaa held forth the dagger in defiance and he would leave his ire raised further. In her bleakest moments her Mothers voice spoke to her “You are a good girl Neyaa, you will never be left wanting, you will find the means to make your way in life, you are strong, you are resourceful”. Yes she was, and she was cunning, she would sit there no longer and await what fate may be bestowed upon her. She padded over to the door and knocked upon it and called to Henliff ensuring her voice sounded convincing “I yield, you have proven too mighty for me, I am hungry, I will do your bidding, if you would only show me some kindness” Neyaa listened, nothing, she continued, playing to his arrogance “I ask only for a morsel of food and you may lie with me”. Neyaa listened again, still no response, “Henliff” she asked woefully “will you heed my plight?”. Neyaa's heart thumped as she heard him climb the steps slowly. “Don't be playing none of your tricks Neyaa or I'll bring my bow up and finish you” his footsteps grew closer “You'll learn to play nice for Henliff or I'll sink an arrow into yer heart”.
The key turned in the lock a final time, Neyaa will never forget the look of disbelief on Henliff's face when she plunged the dagger into his gut, his blood spurted warm over her hand she had thrust the dagger in so deep. She wrenched her arm back and stabbed him again and possibly again, the look upon his face did not have a chance to change, he wretched and blood spilled from his mouth. They stared into each others eyes, their expressions entirely different, Neyaa pushed him aside and he fell to the floor crying out with pain, blood gurgling in his throat.
Neyaa took to her heel and ran. She took naught with her save whatever coins she could find. The sound of Henliff groaning and cursing her name was the last thing she heard as she fled from the house, from the farm and from Rohan.
Liberty at last was hers, but to what cost? What lay ahead? All Neyaa knew was that she had to go on, she may have killed a man, there simply was no going back!
