"Huh. I expected him to have already come out here and be throwing a tantrum." Robert said, scratching his head.
"What do you think will happen to us now?" Ryo asked nervously.
When Ryo woke up, he was also expecting the merchant to be there, raving mad and cursing the heavens. The only one to have come to see them so far was Yotul, and that short weaselly man. When they saw all the slaves had gone missing, Yotul just smiled, though the shorter man had berated them with questions. They both left after Robert answered all the man's questions.
"Well, if he's dead, escaping just became much easier. All we got to do is burn those damned papers and then we're free." Robert told him, giving him an encouraging smile.
"Really?" He asked the old man.
"When those two personal slaves of his make a move, we will too. Will can grab the money, take a wagon and make our escape." Robert explained.
"What if he isn't?" He asked, begrudgingly.
"I can just as easily sneak in during the night and make sure he is. We just got to make sure that orc isn't with him." Robert
"..."
Ever since the others had begun talking about escaping, he had been thinking about his own life. Before he had always wanted to escape, but there wasn't any actual chance of it happening. His previous master had kept a slave collar on him at all times, preventing him from ever leaving. Now he actually had a chance of being free, and that frightened him. With nowhere to go, and no one to rely on, why wouldn't he be afraid? As if hearing his thoughts, Robert spoke again.
"Don't worry lad, I'll take you with me and show you the ropes."
When he heard the old man's words, he felt like crying. Ryo held back his tears the best he could, but still had to rub his eyes a little. He nodded happily and thanked Robert.
"Thank… you." Ryo mumbled, not sure what else to say.
Robert didn't have to take him and teach him anything. There also wasn't anything that he could provide to the old man. He would have to rely on Robert for everything until he learned some skills of his own. Ryo swore to himself that he wouldn't be a burden for long. One day he would repay all that the old man had done for him.
"Instead of listening to this old man talk about his adventures, you can make your own!" Robert said, giving a grin.
Ever since he'd been trapped in the manor, he'd wanted to see the world! Now he would finally have his chance. When listening to Robert's stories, he had always tried to imagine himself in them. He looked forward to the future! He and Robert talked all morning about what was to come, where they would go, and what they would do.
Around noon, Ryo heard voices coming from the direction of the inn. A minute later, a group of people turned the corner of the stable. He could see Yotul, Grant, the weaselly man, and an old woman with a staff. Seeing the merchant walking toward him, his heart felt like it dropped right out of his chest. The closer the group came to him, the more depressed he became. He scolded himself for hoping for the future so naively. The pain his heart felt at that moment was far greater than any physical beating he had ever endured.
When they got closer, Ryo could see that Grant was pale and seemed to have lost a considerable amount of weight. The old woman beside him looked human, but because of her age he couldn't really tell. She wore a loose gray robe that covered most of her body. Her pale, bony hands were clasped tightly around the staff as she walked along. The woman's face looked like that of melted wax, with eyes sunken far back into her head. It didn't seem like she would live for much longer.
When they got up beside the wagon, Ryo noticed a thin blue glow that enshrouded the old woman, much like the one around the man from last night! When he had woken up that morning, the man had disappeared. Before he had thought little about it, thinking he probably escaped after they'd fallen asleep. Getting a closer look at the old woman now though, he noticed the glow around her was much thinner and more refined than the man's had been. What is it? He wondered.
The old woman stepped up to the iron bars and examined everyone in the wagon. Her gaze lingered on him for an uncomfortable amount of time, and a sickening look of interest flashed across her face. That look sent a shiver through him. She quickly composed herself and smiled, nodding to herself.
He also noticed Grant had locked his eyes on him, as if he were shocked to see him. A thin smile cascaded across the man's face. It was easy to guess what the merchant was thinking. Grant probably thought he would have escaped with the group, being so young. With him still here, Grant could still make some coin. Thinking of this, Ryo's breath got caught in his throat.
"Hm, not the best quality." The old woman grumbled, looking back at Grant disapprovingly.
"But I will take the woman, the one-armed man, and the boy." She told the merchant, pointing to each of them in turn.
"A… uh… are you sure, madam? The boy has several health issues." Grant stuttered, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"Really?" She said, looking back to Ryo.
"You may not be able to tell now, but it's covered in scars. The person who owned it before, was very rough with it." The merchant explained.
"Oh…" She said, giving Ryo another look over.
Under her gaze, he felt like she was trying to see inside of him. On instinct, he brought his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around himself. The look she gave him was the same as when a farmer inspected a pig for slaughter.
"I wouldn't want to cheat my benefactor by providing damaged goods." Grant said worryingly.
The old woman rubbed her chin and went silent, as if thinking on the merchant's words. The merchant squirmed under the woman's deafening silence. He kept his gaze on Ryo, and then back to the old woman.
"I thank you for your concern, but I have decided." She finally answered, giving the merchant a thin smile.
"B… but madam!" Grant stuttered, his face going red.
"I have decided." She said, resolutely, motioning with an outstretched palm for him to stop talking.
"As you wish. I will hand over the papers to you." Grant reluctantly replied, through gritted teeth.
"Thank you, young man." She said, giving the merchant a nod.
Ryo wasn't sure what'd happened, but Grant didn't seem like he could deny her request. The group turned around and left in the direction they'd come from, disappearing around the corner of the stable and out of sight. This old woman would be his new master. Tears started to form in the corners of his eyes. He and Robert had been so close to being free, and now that was all ruined! Using his sleeve, he wiped away his tears and looked over to Robert.
"Don't worry, lad, the old bat can't live for much longer. We can easily escape from her. If she doesn't die before we get a chance, that is." The old man said, doing his best to sound reassuring and patting him on the shoulder.
"Yeah." He mumbled, looking away.
He appreciated what Robert was trying to do, but there was no need and it was no use. It had been his fault for hoping something would finally change. This was his life now, and it would never change. Ryo's life would always be in the hands of someone else. Hope only brought pain, he silently concluded.
About thirty minutes later the group returned, with Grant leading them toward the wagon. In one of his hands, Ryo saw a small metal rod, and in the other three slave collars. Seeing the collars again made his blood run cold. He realized that the small rod had to be the control rod for the slave collars. Whoever held the rod would have control over all the slaves it was attached to.
Grant commanded Yotul to fasten the slave collars onto all three of them. The orc reluctantly moved forward and put the slave collar over Ryo's head. Once the cold metal locked around his throat, escaping became almost impossible. The runes around the collar came to life, before dimming and disappearing. With this collar on, they would be compelled to complete the orders of the one who carried the control rod. If a person disobeyed, they would experience a deep, burning pain. The pain would gradually worsen until you followed the order.
"Well, madam, they are officially yours, please take them." Grant told the old woman, motioning them to come out of the wagon.
Ryo stood up with Robert and walked out of the wagon. He kept his eyes locked on the ground and waited for the old woman to say something. Long ago he'd learned not to speak unless spoken to and that one should avoid their master's eyes, unless they wished to be beaten.
"Follow me." She told them coldly, before turning around and shuffling toward the forest.
"We will be walking for most of the day, so keep up." She added.
The four of them walked in silence, the air felt heavy around them. When they reached the edge of the forest, the old woman's pace quickened. For several hours they walked, deeper and deeper into the forest, without stopping. Ryo's feet screamed in pain and he could feel several blisters begin to form on them. It had been years since he'd walked this much. His shirt was drenched in sweat and his breathing became ragged.
Surprisingly, the old woman didn't seem to be fazed at all, as she briskly moved through the thick underbrush, seemingly unaffected by the considerable exertion. He didn't think such a woman could move so easily. Before they entered the woods, she seemed to barely walk upright, yet now she seemed like a completely different person. She weaved in and out of the trees with ease and grace, following some invisible path only she could see.
During the journey, the one thing that stuck out to him about the forest was how quiet it was. Even the insects seemed to fall silent as the group passed. It was as if the world around them were afraid to make a sound. At first, he thought that perhaps there was something wrong with his hearing. But he soon dismissed this notion, because he could still faintly hear the far-off sounds of the forest. Why was the forest so scared of them?
The sun was now far to the west, as the surrounding sky turned an amber color. They finally came upon a small clearing, and at its center sat a small rough looking cabin. It was made from dark timber, with a gray thatched roof. Small windows with white-painted shutters gave the cabin a simple but warm feeling. Beside it a small but lush garden sprawled out with various plants, vegetables, and herbs growing.
The old woman stopped and turned around to face them. Tapping her staff on the ground three times, before closing her eyes. Ryo could see her lips moving, but didn't hear a sound. No matter how much he focused, he couldn't hear her. Then, blue smoke erupted from the top of the staff, whirling around the old woman, until she disappeared completely.
The smoke dissipated, and in the old woman's place was a tall, slender olive-skinned elf! Ryo wasn't sure what kind of elf she was, but given her ears, she definitely was one. She had delicate features, with long willowy auburn hair. Tiny little freckles dotted the woman's face and shoulders. Her lips were twisted into a mischievous grin. Yet what he noticed the most were the emerald green eyes. They had a wild, almost crazed look about them. It reminded him of a starving animal on the hunt for food. He had seen this kind of look before, from his previous master.
"A… high elf?!" Robert mumbled.
Looking back, he could see the shock on the old man's face. Ryo had heard of high elves, but had never seen one until now. His first master had despised them and would often say foul things about them. From what he'd heard, high elves thought themselves superior to all other races. They wished to rule, to unite all elves under them and bring about a better world. Several wars had been fought between them and other races, the most recent of which was with the dark elves. Turning back toward the high elf woman, he watched as her smile grew.
"Oh, you have seen one of my kind before?" The woman asked curiously.
Her voice was low and had a soothing quality to it. She could probably charm anyone with such a voice. She looked at Robert, arching her brow inquisitively, as if amused by the old man's reaction. Robert never seemed bothered by anything, not like this. What about this woman made him react in such a way!?
"I have, but only briefly during a trade mission." Robert replied, regaining his usual, calm demeanor.
"What's your name?" She asked Robert, giving him a look over.
"Robert… errr… Ma'am" Robert told her, uncharacteristically stumbling over his words in the process.
"I have no ties to the Golden Isles, and I don't care about what you know. Just do as you're told." She told them, giving them a stern look.
"And you, little girl?" She asked.
"B-b-beth, ummm… master." She stuttered, squirming under the elf's fierce gaze.
Ryo noticed that the woman was shaking like a leaf. He had never really paid attention to the woman until now. She was around his height, with long brown hair that was loosely braided. Her skin was fair and her face covered in small freckles. She reminded him of a scared little field mouse.
"Don't worry, I won't bite, unless you give me reason to." The elf teased, making a biting sound toward Beth.
"You can handle the garden and housework." She added, ignoring Beth's shaking.
"And finally, you. Who… and what are you?" The elf said, locking her eyes on Ryo.
"I… uh… my name is Ryo, Master." He mumbled, trying to avoid meeting her eyes.
"And what are you?" She asked, arching her eyebrows.
"I'm a kitsune, Master." He finally replied. She had the papers on him, so it should be clearly marked what race he was.
"Really?! Oh, how lovely!" She said, clasping her hands together in delight.
"I thought I was going to butcher a pig." She said, giving him a big smile.
She quickly walked up to him and surveyed him from head to toe before she stripped his clothes off piece by piece. She touched his skin and examined the scars that covered his body. The elf didn't let a single centimeter go unexamined. All the while she mumbled to herself softly, in a language he had never heard. All he could do was silently stand there. Though he was used to such treatment, Ryo wished she would quickly finish whatever she was planning and allow him to put his clothes back on.
"I see… so he wasn't lying, your previous master was really that kind of person." She commented, stepping away from him.
"It's a shame he took your ears and tail." She complained, shaking her head.
"You may dress." She ordered, watching him closely.
"Are you from the kitsune island?" She asked him, while he put his clothes back on shakily.
"Yes, master." He softly answered.
"Interesting." She responded, tapping her fingers on her lips.
"Anyway, you will become my assistant. You will help me in my research, but we can discuss that later." She told him as he finished dressing.
"I understand, master." He obediently answered.
"From now on you should all address me as mistress." She said, giving them a big, wry smile.
"Yes, mistress." Ryo answered, giving her a small bow.
The mistress nodded approvingly, as if pleased with his reply. She spun around and headed toward the cabin, motioning for them to follow her. Ryo was right on her heels, with Beth and Robert close behind.
"I will show you around. If you have questions about it, you may ask me."
"My room is strictly off-limits, unless I give you express permission. Is that understood? The same goes for the cave behind the cabin."
She led them around the cabin, explaining everything, and what they should and shouldn't do. The cave she mentioned was about twenty meters behind the house. It was a small mound, a little over two meters tall and covered in bushes. She warned them again to never set foot inside unless she ordered it.
The mistress then led them into the house. When she opened the door to the cabin, a wave of smells bombarded them. Strong herbs and strange spices filled his nose and clawed at the back of his throat. It was so powerful that it made him dizzy, almost causing him to collapse. He forced himself through it, ignoring it as best he could.
Stepping inside the cabin, there was the kitchen to the left with a stone fireplace for cooking. On the right side of the cabin, was a narrow staircase that led up to the second floor. There was a long hallway toward the back of the cabin that led to a sturdy door. From what he could see, there weren't many things inside of the cabin. Aside from the kitchen, the rest of the cabin was bare. It almost felt like no one actually lived here.
She guided them around and again explained what they could and couldn't do. She told Robert and Beth that they would be sharing the upstairs quarters, as it was just one large room. The sun had disappeared from the sky by the time the mistress stopped showing them around the cabin. Where was he going to sleep? She hadn't mentioned it yet, and he was beginning to get a little nervous.
"There is some bread and dried meat in the kitchen for you to eat. Starting tomorrow, you will be responsible for cooking my meals." The mistress said, glancing at Beth.
She took a seat at the table in the kitchen and motioned for them to sit. Ryo glanced at Robert, wondering what the old man was thinking. They went to the kitchen and grabbed some bread and dried meat before sitting down. The mistress ignored them and pulled out a small book from her robes and flipped through it. He sat there in silence, wolfing down his food. The three of them went on sitting there in silence, only occasionally giving one another a brief look. When they'd finished their food, the mistress closed the book suddenly with a snap and stood up.
"Get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day." She told them, putting her book away.
"You, follow me." She said, pointing at Ryo.
Ryo followed behind her obediently, remaining quiet, as a knot grew ever tighter in his stomach. She walked down the hallway and stopped in front of the door. Pulling out a ring of keys, she picked one and inserted it into the door, before giving the brass knob a hard twist. The door opened, and she walked inside with him in tow. She closed the door behind him and locked it. She mumbled a phrase and the candles in the room sprang to life.
The room was an utter mess, unlike the rest of the cabin. There were countless scrolls, books, vials, and materials covering the floor. The only clean part of the floor was a small path that led from the door to the bed. At the far end of the room was an enormous bed, covered in furs. A desk was placed beside it with stacks of books on top. The room only had one window, and that was beside the desk. The other walls had bookshelves covering them, with books practically overflowing from them. He followed behind her as they made their way to the bed. She sat down on it, giving him a predatory grin.
"This will be your room, you will only be in here when I am. You will touch nothing unless I permit it." She explained, leaning back on the bed.
"Yes, mistress." Ryo answered, averting his eyes from hers.
"Ahhh… it's been so long." She complained, as she looked him over.
The pain in his stomach became worse as an all too familiar shiver ran through him. It was easy to see what was happening, and what was going to happen. Ryo had heard these same lines before, from his previous master. He hated doing this sort of thing, it always ended in pain. Never could he understand why people were so desperate for this sort of thing.
"Come here." She ordered, gesturing to him.
The mistress' face had become red and her breathing a little haggard. Her eyes radiated a bone-chilling intensity that made his legs weak. His instincts told him to run away, but he knew he couldn't. If he turned and fled, not only would the collar cause him pain, but he would be punished as well. Gritting his teeth, he collected himself and took a step forward toward her. He switched his mind off, becoming almost like a doll.
"Yes, mistress." He obediently replied.