YCH from the talented  furiarossa, also featuring  beretta-darkwolf as the cruel king,  novera as the sly advisor, and  wolveyflinch and  twitterlu as my fellow slaves!

As many of you know, back when I was much younger and much, much stupider, I wasn't exactly the 'great and model hero'. I was angry, headstrong, and reckless. I suppose it was only a matter of time before I crossed the wrong path, when my lack of forethought finally caught up with me and landed me in real hot water. I should have known, of course. The ones I attacked were dressed in expensive finery, adorned in gold and jewels. Their weapons were fresh, well maintained, and deadly. But I didn't care. They had threatened me. Taunted me. I could let such matters go unpunished. And so I lunged, all claws and teeth. But there were too many, and they were too strong. It didn't take much for them to subdue me.

Of course, these days I always try to look for the silver lining. This was likely the beginning of my transformation into who I am now. Before then, I didn't care what happened to me. I fought so ferociously because why should I care about protecting myself? I only wanted to lash out, to cause pain to the world that had wronged me, robbed me of what I needed and deserved. But after spending time in the dark dungeons, tortured by the guards, enslaved by the nobles, I begun to realise that I actually wanted to live on. Life was suddenly important to me.

That was why I begged. I was afraid. And I was no longer ashamed of it. I could admit it to myself. I was afraid. I wanted to live. I wanted help. I needed it.

Mercy, please...