The hostages

Looking around at the streams of blood and body parts that flowed towards me from my path of carnage, I couldn't help feel relieved but also underwhelmed, it was too easy I was craving a challenging battle. The dark wizards that captured these beings were either dead or on their last breath, some groans escaped the debris of the stream through the woodland as they bled out adding additional liquid to the flow of the brook.

Looking around at the 40 prisoners closest to me, I noticed most of them were young human girls with a couple of centaurs and house elves mixed in, they were looking at the river of blood that passed them following its path and eventually caught sight of me. This caused a few screams from the girls but the centaur broke them out of it by shouting out.

"Thank you, friend, for saving us from that detestable rabble of filth! My name is Ivastus and I owe you a life debt" He finished with a bow that was followed by his compatriot as the young girls looked at him with fear and confusion.

"Don't worry about it Ivastus but could I trouble you to gather everyone? I'll explain everything when you're all together" I announced as I wiped the blood from my face as I got closer to the huddled group of captives releasing their bonds from one and other. The house-elf I shouted at the beginning popped in front of me and clicked his fingers, all the blood and bits of flesh stuck to me vanished. The Centaur who spoke stood tall on his horse body and had a tanned hue to his bare skin, his hide was a chestnut and had long black free-flowing hair down his back as he turned and trotted off to get the other newly released captives.

"Thank you little one what's your name?" I smiled looking down at the bald bat-like eared being who was bowing in front of me, he looked up with tears in his eyes and mumbled, "M-master w-wants to know my name?"

"That is what I asked, is it not?" I chuckled at him as he began jumping with joy.

"Master is too kind, too kind. This lowly one's name is Zodry, Zodry is a happy elf" he shouted as tears poured from his big green almond eyes.

"Zodry okay, my name is Fenrisúlfr, would you like to be my personal subordinate? I have a task for you" I asked gazing at the jubilant house-elf jumping around in delight when he heard my words he stopped his dancing and gazed at me with misty eyes and nodded furiously.

"Yes, yes master Fenrisúlfr, Zodry will complete all tasks his saviour has for him" I laughed at his exuberance, house-elves had a peculiar manner of speech often speaking in 3rd person, it was slightly difficult to understand with the speed Zodry was speaking.

"Okay Zodry I want you to collect every piece of equipment that these wizards have and pile them in the centre where their leader was everything even their clothes, can you do that?" I asked in a firm manner so he would listen carefully, I didn't want to leave anything and just burn it with their bodies, well apart from the shit covered clothes.

"Zodry will begin now!" He shouted as he popped away with a click.

"Toskr come here!" I shouted out into the treetops, I was a bit worried that he was hurt, there were spells flying around after all. Not long after I shouted I felt him land on my shoulder and come back into sight covered in blood.

"Are you alright Toskr? Did you get injuries anywhere?" My voice was breaking at the sight of him marred red in blood, his stripes were covered as was his satchel, all I could see were eyes peering through blood-soaked fur.

"I'm fine Fen, it's not my blood hehe It was awesome I kept jumping from face to face, stabbing, clawing as they hit each other with spells!" He declared with amusement.

"Thank Odin, had me worried for a second there" I sighed as the tension washed away from me, I turned to the group that was gathering around that Ivastus was returning with.

"Alright, everyone you're free to go home or wherever, you don't owe me anything" I yelled out to the amassing crowd that were murmuring to one another, they all looked at me with a shocked expression when they heard me, I'm guessing they thought I would enslave them or something. The little dead-eyed girl that was at the front of the line fought her way through the crowd and looked at me with a bit more life to her green eyes she started for a while with her mouth opening and closing like she was trying to say something but couldn't get the right words.

"What's your name?" I asked with a soothing voice pointing at her, her magic aura flared when I raised a question but she calmed down just as quickly as it surged.

She stuttered the words out but never looked away, " A-A-Aileen ó Conaill Sir" she sounded reasonably aristocratic, well brought up, but obviously frightened, Toskr noticed this and made his way towards her

"A reasonable name for someone so brave Aileen, what is it you want to say it's okay I'll listen" her name meant 'little noble strong as a wolf', she stood out among all these people and had something to say while they were all dumbstruck by my announcement. I spoke to Toskr also as he was about to jump on her, "Toskr you're still soaked in blood, don't frighten her even more"

Aileen looked at me confused and then at Toskr on the ground who was searching through the crowded group looking for something, he changed his path to a little, droopy long-eared house elf and stood clicking his paw pointing to her and himself.

"Ah he wants you to clean him as Zodry did with me" I explained to her with a smile, she looked at me and then Toskr and just clicked her fingers and the Blood soaked in his fur had vanished and he looked at himself and nodded his head making his way back to Aileen jumping on her shoulder wrapping his blue striped tail around her neck and rubbed his head on her cheek, it was cute a major contrast to his earlier behaviour.

Aileen's eyes shot open in fear at first but as Toskr started to rub her cheek with his fur she calmed down considerably, I conversed with her again asking what she wanted to say she eventually got the words out after a brief moment of patting Toskrs head with her fingers.

"Erm, sir what if we don't have a home anymore? Where do we go then?" Tears started to build up in her eyes and I felt so stupid, most of these young girls might be orphaned or was already they would be an easy target for Orlando after all.

"Don't worry about that, I'll help anyone who doesn't have anywhere to go but I honestly can't do it for all of you, I'm sure some of you have families you want to get back to" I spoke clearly so the whole group could hear me and most of the young sighed in relief, you could feel the tension diminishing from them slowly. Ivastus spoke up while with a few other centaurs we're around him at the back of the group gathered, he towered over them with pride saying "Fenrisúlfr, we Centaurs are going back home you are always welcome to visit and we will accommodate you as best we can"

"Thank you Ivastus, I hope your journey home is more pleasant than your journey here" I smiled as he bowed slightly and started to trot away with 5 more centaurs following his example.

The female house-elf that cleaned toskr stepped forward with a few other house-elves and looked up at me with hope in their eyes, she asked in a broken voice "I-Is master going to l-leave Trippy and her friends? Do we have to go back to work at Mrs' home? Trippy doesn't have a master anymore"

"Is that the case for the rest of you?" I asked the big-eyed bunch stood in front of me and was met with simultaneous replies from them.

"Yes, master, Drippy doesn't have a master, Drippy wants to work for master", "Numpty will work for Master, Numptys master died earlier", "Hibsey will too, Hibsey has no master, Hibsey was taken", "Konry wants a new master after master died Konry has no tasks", " Falrey has a question, do master have tasks?","Meely will stay with Falrey"

There were 8 house-elves altogether with Zodry and Trippy. 4 males; Zodry, Numpty, Konry, and Falrey. The females were; Trippy, Drippy, Hibsey and Meely. There wasn't much difference between them, they were all bald and short, there only defining features were their eyes and ears, the males had different bat-like shapes and the females ears drooped with different lengths, Trippy had the longest ears and Drippy the shortest. They all wore rags tied around there skinny shoulders and had bare feet.

After figuring that jumble of replies out I smiled at them and explained "Okay guys you can all work for me, Zodry and Trippy will be your head elves and you will report to them, please go assist Zodry with his task, be thorough and quick I want to get out of here soon it's beginning to smell" with a collective "Yes Master!" They all popped away, I turned to the rest of the group there were 58 people left, I'm guessing some died in the attack or before I arrived, many of the adults were mumbling to each other and I couldn't be bothered to listen in so I shouted to them

"Okay group! Those with nowhere to go please gather together those that are still unsure of what to do, I can have my house elves apparate you somewhere"

The group of 30 children all moved away and started mumbling to each other. Toskr was still with Aileen getting petted. As I cast my gaze over everyone I noticed there were at least 10 witches in the mix, Orlando must have known who to target because this amount wasn't common in a group of 30.

The teens and adults all looked at each other and nodded towards one another and a young scruffy black-haired teen stepped forward, he wasn't the oldest in the group only around 14/15 years old but his face held conviction as did his voice when he spoke out,

"We all thank you for your offer but it isn't needed, we have decided to make our way back home ourselves, we appreciate your help in our escape and are thankful to have survived the ordeal but staying here any longer isn't an option, it isn't everyone who says this but I Dunstan the son of Wystan offer my sincere Gratitude and if you are ever in the county of Staffordshire I will welcome you to my hearth and home gladly"

Dunstan wasn't Irish at all he was English and his accent was crisp Anglo-Saxon, he held himself well even with the bruises and obviously diminished physique, he looked too skinny to sound so noble, if he hadn't have spoken up I would have thought he was a beggar.

"Well Dunstan thank you I will be visiting Britain in the coming years on my way back home ill be sure to visit your residence" I replied smiling as the group began to amble away through the trees. I watched him leave before I made my way to the group of children just as Zodry and Trippy popped at my front.

"Master Zodry and Trippy have come to report, Zodry and Trippy have finished your task!" Zodry shouted excitedly while crouching on a knee, Trippy was doing the same but remained silent.

"Excellent work you two, your next task is to clean all these children and then start to make some food," I announced as I got my snail home out of my pouch and enlarged it in between a small clearing of trees.

"Trippy will begin cleaning, Trippy will gather the others!" She shouted as he popped away again, a few seconds later the gang of elves were all running into the house as Zodry was clicking his fingers towards the children as dirt and grime vanished from their clothes and body, all while staring wide-eyed at what I did.

"Done master, Zodry will help the others now", " okay Zodry thank you, but please make sure no one messes with the table of clutter I need to sort that out myself" I instructed as he nodded and ran away.

Making my way over to the children I looked around and could see them a lot clearer now, Aileen stood at the front with Toskr on her shoulder gawking at me.

(Aileen pov)

When Mister Fenrisúlfr brought out that snail shell and made it big I had a strange feeling in my chest, it was warm and bubbly a little uncomfortable but it felt like it was always there I just never noticed it before.

"Magic" I muttered to myself out loud and something just felt new about me after seeing it happen, "I wonder if I can do magic" I mumbled again, Mister Fenrisúlfr was in front of us now smiling at me, his blonde hair was plaited together on top and skin on the sides, he had piercing blue-green eyes that made me feel safe for some reason. As I was looking at him again without any fear this time, he spoke.

"You could if you practice, that goes for you guys as well" and began to point at a few other kids who were here, I was just gobsmacked at what I heard I think I missed what he said after.

"Aileen?" Brought me back to myself as I blushed and confessed "ah, sorry I wasn't listening! What did you say again?"

"I said let us get you some food and then we can plan what to do next, I need to get back to Dublin soon though"

All the kids around me started to drool me as well it had been ages since we last ate, the bad men only gave us scraps every 2 days, when he started to walk towards the snail shell we all followed.

(Fenris pov)

I don't have a clue how everyone's going to fit in the house, but I'm sure they won't mind it being a bit cramped. When I opened the door I was surprised about what I saw, it was spotless Trippy was by the cauldron stirring a stew Zodry was guarding the table of junk and the rest were all scrubbing something, I made some space on the floor for the kids to sit down as they began to flow in.

"I'm sorry if it's not big enough but it'll have to do, for now, Trippy make sure everyone gets some food I'm am going to go out for a while when everyone's fed clean the up and kids just get comfortable for a while I won't be long"

They were all smiling even while bunched together like ants, looking around at everything with fascination as they drooled at the smell of deer and vegetables stewing in the pot.

I made my way out as the kids made space for me climbing on top of one another, when I closed the door I heard a rabble of voices explode out and couldn't help but smile to myself as I walked towards where I massacred Orlando and his men.