The first few stops were dull. Filled with nothing but boredom and left overs from the camp's meals. Then, something interesting happened, an additional crate was placed within his own, a small creature with leaf woven garments and elven features. The two recognized each other for what they were instantly.
"Didn't expect a son of Titania to be so low," the pixie chuckled.
The young boy harrumphed angrily, "these traders have no sense of humor."
"I know right?"
"They pulled me from a town because I was quote 'too destructive and disruptive to their small town's peace."
"They sound real dull," the pixie agreed.
"And these cages," the boy spoke.
"They are simply the worst,"
"What's your name?" The boy asked
"Trixie," she smiled, standing on her small wooden board like it was a pedestal. "What's yours?"
A pause, "brat? Rascal? Trickster? Asshole?" the boy listed names he had been called before
"Wow you must be broken in the head." The pixie bit her nails, "okay I'm giving you a name."
"Oh?" The fey boy asked curiously, interested to hear the name
"Your name is now titania-son-" the fey was interrupted.
"I don't feel like being named after a deadbeat mother."
"Oh, a sore spot?" the pixie asked.
"Yeah," the boy answered flatly.
"Hmm," the pixie thought, "how about Trix?"
"Very creative." the boy chuckled, "but no."
"Hey, I will have you know that Trix and Trixie are great names!"
"Sure, but I don't want it."
"Fine then, Puck." Trixie decided
"I suppose that would work."
"Really?" the pixie said, apparently surprised by the acceptance.
"Yeah."
The rest of the day was filled with the two of them playing I spy and twenty one questions. They also played twenty questions with a human caravan guard named Jack.
Jack was a kind fellow, surprising for the rather rude bunch these caravan folks usually hired. The man actually approached Trixie and Puck as they were finishing a game of twenty questions
[Jack's POV]
I had joined the caravan at the previous town, the adventuring group I was a part of having disbanded after the leader got mauled by a bear. I had warned them of the threat, pointing out the tracks, but that only spurred on the foolhardy group who clearly had never seen a brown bear in their lives much less cared about the stories. So when I saw the group leader run right in front and start trying to bash it with his mace, I simply turned and ran, the others didn't notice, when I turned back, that foolhardy man was getting his arm ripped off. Soon I realized I was being outpaced by the others as they didn't even look back. We didn't stop running until we saw the first farm house. We collapsed on the ground after hopping the fence, only moving after the farmer came out to see what all the fuss was about, with a pitchfork naturally.
We made our way into Haggartown and collectively decided that we should disband. The group was pulled together by Gerald, without him, we were barely acquaintances.
I joined up with the caravan, another joined the town guard, the third one became a farm hand.
I wouldn't have joined this caravan if I knew what they were selling, exotic beasts and, most curiously, and most frighteningly, what looked to be an elf with some strange features. Couldn't have been more than ten, though who knew how old that was in Elven years, I had only met one and he was fifty, hell the man hucked bails of hay like he was seventeen. And he looked seventeen as well. So for all I knew the 'boy' was twenty years old. Regardless, it only made things worse when they tossed a much smaller creature in the cage with him within a smaller cage as well. What I noticed is the two creatures seemed to keep themselves as far from the metal bars as possible. Even looking at them with something like fear or remembered pain.
Worse yet, we were entering elven territory, a place where they really don't like this kind of trade. I wondered what kind of dumbass would assign a caravan selling not only caged beasts but also a fey creature and a damned elf, through the elven lands.
With that, I had made my decision, I would be talking to them throughout the trip, and then spring them the first night we sleep in the elven lands. From there, well I would have to leave the caravan and find my own way. But I wouldn't let sentient beings be made slaves.
I approached the cart and spoke with the elf, "Good morning," I said awkwardly.
"Morning," both the denizens spoke, he could only see the elf, the tiny fey creature was too small to see over the railing of the cart. But the elf was staring at him, some curiosity, and a lot of distrust, and his entire being screamed boredom.
"What're your names?" I asked, figuring driving the conversation forward would go smoother if I had names.
"I'm Trixie," the yet not seen one spoke.
"I'm Puck," the elf spoke.
"He's a child of the-"
"Shhhh," the elf shushed the pixie, clearly either uncomfortable with his lineage or finding it would be an inconvenience in some way.
"How did a pixie and an elf find their way in this trade?" I asked, immediately regretting the insensitive question.
A pause, and then both of them said, "because people are no fun."
"Well, that is certainly very descriptive," I said mildly amused.
"The village I was in was full of stuck up halflings who considered pranks and jokes to be disruptive crimes."
"I was thrown in here for spiking a noble's soup with a bowl of salt, apparently ruining their trade deal with this very caravan. In order to maintain that trade, the noble ordered the entire guard and her court wizard after me. They caught me, and gave me to the buyer as a way to sweeten the deal and ensure that things went well."
"Rough," I said, "So you're an elf?" I looked at Puck.
"Yes," Puck said, pointing to his ears as if it was obvious.
"And Trixie," I looked to where I guessed the mini cage was, "You're a pixie right?"
"Correct," she said.
"Sorry for your captivity," I lowered my voice, "In two days we are going to have our first night in the elven territories, I'm going to spring you then."
The elf perked up with that, "you're going to spring us?" he whispered
"Yeah, and hopefully when we get kidnapped by the elves of that forest, they don't butcher us like they will these poor folks."
The two didn't say anything, but the elf nodded. As I turned to go the elf spoke, "hey, human." the boy said, "What's your name?"
I turned back and said, "Caleb, Caleb Jackson."
"That's a stupid name," he snickered, but then gave me a serious nod and a smile. The boy may have been young, but damn could he play a part. The cart driver thought that I was simply curious about the merchandise, possibly thinking I was looking to buy, and the kids' words played the part of such a random conversation well. As I sped up the cart driver spoke to me.
"You don't have the coin son," he said.
"Huh?"
"You ain't got the coin to purchase either of those two, they are fey creatures."
"Yeah, but aren't pixies just the nats of the fey wild?" I asked, definitely something he didn't know. He sounded interested, but merely shrugged at the information, "that was beyond my knowledge, but the boy," he said.
"Is an elf," I said flatly.
"That boy's no elf," he said, "I watched him teleport through a wall, and watched him randomly disappear from my sight. He always loved terrorizing this caravan every time it stopped in that town. An elf can't do things like that."
"Dude, you understand that elves are innate magic casters, usually not to that extreme, but they aren't unheard of. Also common in those closer to the noble families."
"Really?" the man said. I conveniently left out that the noble families typically have a direct lineage to an archfey.
"Well, that is intriguing," he said.
"Not if you're dead," I said.
"What do you mean boy?"
"Tell me man," I said, "do you know where our planned travel route is?"
"I don't see how-" he stopped, "the elven lands."
"Yeah," I said.
"Damn,"
"I have a way out for you." I said.
He looked at me, "does it involve suicide?"
"No, it involves hope for your life."
"I'm listening."
"On the first night we spend in the elven territory," I whispered, "You should leave the keys to your cages underneath the cart, then I will steal them, and set the two free. Then I will run away with them, or alone depending on their whims at the time. You can blame me for the stolen merchandise, and maybe request a bounty be placed on me, preferably requiring me alive if anyone actually takes it. And then after a month or so, pull it off the bounty board."
"How long have you been thinking of this?" he says in an acceptably low tone.
"A few minutes," I said.
"Well it's damn smart, though I think it'd be smarter to simply break away from the caravan, not get you in trouble, and entirely avoid the elven territory. Then, I simply open the cages, and allow the two to go wherever they please."
"I… hadn't thought of that," I said dumbly.
"Never get too hung up on one idea, you may miss a better opportunity."
I narrowed my eyes at the merchant, "I respect you far too little to accept advice from you, I can accept the beast trade, but slaves are another matter."
The merchant laughed, "oh you're mistaken my boy, i'm no merchant, I'm just a wagon coach, my job is to get merchandise to a certain place. And since I have a livelihood to maintain, I don't have much say in what my cart hauls."
"I see," I wasn't entirely believing, but the reasoning made sense, even if it ended your livelihood, you should never risk your life. Then I thought, "What about your family?"
"Can't support them if I'm dead." he looked at me like I was stupid. I just chuckled and reddened slightly.