Ysennia walked her new toy out away from the farm in complete silence. The young lady was escorted away with only what she had been able to grab from her cave. She had worn out shoes, tattered pants, and her work shirt. She was as empty-handed as the day she was captured. Now she wasn't sure if she had been sold or if this was some kind of cruel joke that Torgus was playing for his own amusement.
"How did you end up with them?" Ysennia asked as they headed across a field. They had been walking for over an hour now.
"I was traveling with a merchant company, taking things from the north to the border to be resold. We were attacked before we made it into the southern gate. Those three nitwits captured us almost everyone. I was kept alive for Torgus amusement. Several others survived for a while living off the land and several were ransomed back. My family wouldn't have the money for a ransom anyway." She said looking down at the grass, thinking about her siblings and her parents. They must think she was dead by now. The year she had been a captive meant she was probably written off long ago when no letters came via courier.
"Oh, I assure you that your family feels that you are alive. They pray for you each and every night." Ysennia said smiling and looking up at the stars. Ysennia made herself just about the same height as El and was not wearing her normal gown when the girl was brought to her. She had changed it over to something hardier for a cool night of travel. Something to put this girl at ease.
"If you don't mind my asking," Ysennia continued. "I know that El isn't your name. Why do you go by that?"
"It's an old slaver thing. When we are captured, they change our names to the letter L for lady and M for man. Most people's names get changed to have either El or Em before their proper name. It denotes which gender they are. The things you learn when you listen in on conversations." El said politely.
"Well before there is any confusion, I purchased you to set you free. You will do some minor errands for me occasionally but otherwise, you are free from their chains. I can't allow you to return north but I will guarantee you the ability to communicate with your family. I need you to go somewhere and wait for a traveler. I will send you the information when he comes. I need you to talk to him and his companions. You mustn't miss him." Ysennia said very motherly like this was all some small easy task to be completely free again.
"After it's done, I am free to go?" El Asked.
"Absolutely. Although I am quite certain that you might stick around. Which is fine by me also. I can't wait to see what you decide." Ysennia said with a smile. They both had walked up onto the top of a hill facing away from the farm. They looked down at the dim lights in the distance.
"Fine, just please let me send a message to my family. They must be worried sick, and I would like to get away from this place as soon as possible."
"That's totally acceptable. Head this direction and a caravan of traders will take you south. Here is a small bag to get set back up in life. When you are ready to send a missive to your parents write it and deliver it to this address in the Glass City. I will have one of my associates deliver it personally." Ysennia put out her hand to shake. "I understand your family is quite firm on the idea that handshakes are how you cement a business partnership?"
El thought back to her father. Everything was a handshake. She had picked up that habit as well. She shook the hand. "Fine, you got me free, so I owe you. Thanks, I think."
"Good I'm glad that's settled. And you are most welcome, although soon I will be thanking you I think." Ysennia said as she turned towards where the caravan of traders was stopped for the night. She reached out handed the sack to El who took it and walked away.
Ysennia watched her and smiled to herself. She had not felt real joy in quite some time. Here she was creating and destroying again. Her personality loved to build and nurture things and then tear them all down. All things must end so that there is space for new things, she thought to herself.
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After another 2 hours of walking, and nearing her absolute exhaustion point, she stumbled the last few steps into a camp full of traders. She had almost made it to the campfire driven by the smell of grilled meats. She was about to step into the full light when she collapsed forward into the dark. She was found by a trader who tripped over her in the dark.
The camp hurried around and arranged a quick bed and any medicine they could find. Her skinny body was all sinewy muscles and bones. No fat sat on her body and her skin had that wrinkly look of someone who as becoming malnourished. They cleaned her, put her to bed and poured a little warm watery broth down her throat.
That next morning she woke up to the sounds of people talking and the feeling of a carriage moving. She knew that feeling. Several years of traveling in a merchant train told her they were doing a decent walking speed.
"Uggghhhhh…" She groaned and looked up. "I made it?"
"Oh, you're awake!" said a young wife who was traveling with her husband. She had been tending the girl, which was a much-needed respite from the boredom of traveling in the back all day long while he drove the cart. "We are merchants from Glass City. We were headed home when you stumbled into our camp. What's your name little one?"
El rubbed her eyes and covered them in the light. She was having a hard time adjusting. She had woken up in the dark and damp for the last year, so the warmth of the sun and the dry bed felt unnatural.
"Oh, I am known as El-Priyam Jorgensen now. Everyone at home called me Priya. I was a traveling merchant like you until my caravan was attacked and I was taken hostage by the bandit leader. I have been held as a slave for over the last year. I just managed to escape last night."
The new wife's eyes shot open. "Slave trade? Are you okay? Did they hurt you? Okay well, you are safe now and we will get to the Glass Capital and the rest of the Jorgensen's there. The clan will take care of you."
Priya got herself up on her elbows and looked around while the words rattled in her brain, "Wait what? What Jorgensens?" she stammered out.
"Well, you are at least part dwarf, of the Jorgensen clan. They are well known among the merchants. They will help get you settled why they find your family for you." She smiled at the knowledge she had to share.
Priya closed her eyes and laid back. Dad had always said he had was sure he had another family, but he was an only child to his parents and they never traveled back home to see them. Maybe he was part dwarf after all. She would soon find out for sure.
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Ed, Rennish, and Ashra were over 100 stones from the city of Northern Gate when they stopped for their first break. Ed had insisted on getting away from town as quickly as possible. He had that feeling on the back of his neck like something was absolutely wrong.
Ed and Rennish had set up two tents to let them rest through the mid-day sun. They had driven straight through the night, Ed and Rennish took turns driving the cart through the night. Ashra had cried for many hours, wailing incoherently, and finally fell asleep from exhaustion in the middle of the night. Ed's plan was to let her sleep while she could before waking her up in hopes he could find out what had happened. There were faint traces of Divine power around her but she seemed untouched and complete otherwise from a visual inspection.
With the tents up and the oxen tied to a run line through a small clearing of grass and a small stream, all three of them decided to rest up. Rennish had set up his little sleeping area inside the back of the carriage where the small crate from the Taxmen had been secured for them. If anyone tried anything they would have to go through him first.
Ed put his tent just back from the road about 40 units. With Rennish's help, he had lifted her out of the carriage and placed her on a bedroll inside the small tent. Two walls had small openings to allow air to breeze through and keep things cool. Ed had put it between two trees for the extra shade and because it seemed to pick up the airflow in just that same spot.
Ashra slept and Ed looked her over for any signs of something wrong. There were no scars on her skin. She seemed to have all her fingers toes an extremities. Ed had gotten creative and gotten the finder from his satchel, he put it in his hand towards her and thought very clearly that he needed to find what was wrong with Ashra. The needle spun rapidly for about 5 minutes before pointing at Ed and then at her and then at her feet. He couldn't interpret magical devices like this, it looked like Ed, her, and the trip was to blame for this condition.
Ed, he was too tired to give this any real thought. So much movement and activity the day before had left him exhausted beyond normal human capacities. He had only slept for 3 hours through the previous night while he and Rennish swapped out driving duties.
Ed and Ashra had a bedroll big enough for two in their supplies, but to keep Ashra comfortable Ed had folded it over to give her as much padding as possible. He had rolled up a blanket to use under his head, took off his shirt, and laid down next to the sleeping woman. He didn't dare touch her, but he could smell her normally sweet smell and fell fast asleep.
Dreams came to him during that nap. He dreamt of home, and the farm in CunStead, and he dreamed of large glasshouses he thought he might see when he made it further south. His brain danced and weaved and darted from idea to idea while he slept. When he woke, he wasn't totally recharged but he felt like he wasn't going to fall asleep at a moment notice anymore.
He looked around and found himself with his head being supported by the blankets he had put under Ashra and she was sitting up in with her comb trying to clean our fur and keep herself occupied.
"Good Afternoon," she said looking at him and forcing a smile.
"Oh, Hey. How far is the sun? Is it close to dinner time?" he asked.
"Not quite, it's still afternoon. We haven't made it through the worst of the heat yet so just stay still for now." She said and looked at him.
He ignored her and sat up. He looked at her and put his hand out. "Are you okay? You scared the shit out of me yesterday. You wouldn't stop crying."
Ashra shook her head and wiped away a tear. She had been fighting them all afternoon, the urge to cry wasn't as strong anymore. Something was wrong, very very wrong. When she looked at Erust she felt the command to cry. It was that same teary-eyed bawling that you do when a dear member of your family has died. But she didn't know why she was crying. Only that she was compelled to do so. As long as she stayed about this far away from him and he didn't touch her she could control the urge to a small degree. She felt horrible because she knew he cared for her, in his own way. And this must be confusing for him, not only as her master but also as a newly wedded mate.
"Please, stay there." She said as she waved away his hand. "Something is wrong. I don't know what. I just know that I can't handle it, and it's worse when I look at you and uncontrollable when you touch me. It's the sadness you get from grief."
"Oh," said Ed unsure what to do. "That isn't natural. What do you remember?"
She listed out what she remembered. She described going to Ursals store and having things sent to the carriage. She describes going down the walkway and finding the shop with beautiful cloth and trinkets. She told how she wanted to get some household trinkets to spruce up the carriage while they made their way south to the oracle. She described talking to a woman in white at the counter who helped her have what she wanted and then described running into Erust when she opened the door. Nothing seemed out of place. Ed was still convinced that the store she entered was not real and that the memory of buying her crate of goods was one that was made up. But how could he prove that suspicion?
Ed looked at her and sighed. He had failed his job to protect her. But how does a human go against the divine? He looked at her and thought for a minute, blinking his eyes and looking at her face as she tried to hold back the tears from being near him, "Okay, something happened in there you don't remember. We will try every shaman and priest we can between here and the oracle. Hopefully, the power will wear off. If it is a simple spell sleeping next to me at night should absorb some of its powers."
Ed got up and scooted himself outside through the front flaps into the blazing sun. It was 15 degrees cooler in the tent than in the sun but he wasn't going to watch her suffer. He thought she was in there trying to force herself to be with him as his servant. It was painful. He considered sending her back to the oasis until it wore off but thought better of it. There was dried fruit and meat in the carriage and Ed decided he needed a snack and to talk to Rennish about a plan. It was time to wake up the Bard.