On My Own

[Leah Ziplah]

Leah felt exhilerated and light headed as she walked down clean and waking streets of Alcos. On her left and right, shop doors were opening, and families were begining to enter and exit their homes. Small stands were already up and operating and people were already crowded around them. Leah now understood why Cook had sent the boy so early to pick up some eggs. Already wives and children were out purchasing fresh food for their families.

Twice, Leah stopped to ask directions to the nearest Apothacary. She had been walking for fifteen minutes now and she knew that it was getting close. Finally, Leah found it. A low, one story building with a flat roof and lavish designs. It sat on top of a stone foundation with a porch and was adorned with billowing sheets of transparent, red cloth to provide shade in the heat. Leah took a deep breath pf the air. The smell of smoked pig wafted through and mixed with the sweet smells of flowers and fruits. Not even a block down, people were selling their wares and they colored the smell of the air. Leah loved it.

Finally, she began to head up the steps. She opened the door and a little chime sounded. The room was adored with selves of liquids and clippings of pants. It smelled strongly of lavender and Leah wrinkled her nose a bit. Lavender had a strong scent and though a little of it smelled nice, too much was just that.. too much. Leah began browsing the shelves for what she needed. she noticed that there was an archway to her left and another one behind a long, low counter.

Leah found a jar of leaves labeled "For sore throat." She picked it up and examined it carefully.

"What do you need?" A voice sounded behind her and a short squat man, not much taller than the counter inched around it while at the sme time adjusting strance looking opticals on his face.

" I am picking up some medicine. But I think I know what to get." Leah replied.

"Ahh, you may know what to get, but it would take you days to find what you need. I know where everything is in the store. What are the symptoms?"

" A high fever and a cough." Leah recited.

"ahh easy enough. Just wait here and I will be back with you in a minute. Let me just get what you need."

Leah turned away from the shelves and stared idly at the packed walls and low, flat ceiling as in the next room over the faint clink and unscrewing of containers could be heard. It was only a few minutes before the stout little man was back. He went directly behind the counter and grunted as stepped up onto a wooden stool. He lay three containers on the table and looked expectantly at Leah. "Over here please."

"Oh." said Leah, startled.

The man then proceeded to tell her exactly what was in each jar, how to use it, and how much to take. Leah concentrated on committing it all to memory so that she could relay it to the boy.

"Alright... The total cost is nine finn."

Leah nodded and took the little purse the boy had given her. It had exactly twelve finns in it. Leah counted out nine and put the other three back in the pouch. She put her hand out to the dwarf man but he only looked at it. "I will need to see your supervisor please, before I can accept this transaction."

Leah Blinked in surprise. "Supervisor."

"You are a slave. You have the clothes of the slave and the brand of Lord Aldeboron on your back. I need to see a supervisor and have him complete the transaction. Either that or you will have to come back or find someone else to buy it for you."

Leah was appalled. She couldn't buy anything without a supervisor because she was a slave? What kind of rule was that?

"But-"

"There are no exceptions."

[Ekiette Kalorey]

Kia walked along the cobbled street, sleepily rubbing her eyes as the sun crept higher into the sky. She yawned loudly, and shook her head. She instantly regretted the motion.

Though it had been almost a fortnight since her encounter with the trio of sedors, her wounds had still not completely healed. Her shoulder and the base of her neck were still crisscrossed with dark red claw marks, and sharking off her sleepiness had pulled the skin on the cuts painfully tight. She winced, and gingerly placed her fingertips on her neck, feeling the raised skin.

Today was her last visit to the apothecary, and today she would receive one last vial of a rejuvenating tincture that had greatly sped up her healing process. Today was the last day she would have to spend in this Gods-forsaken city.

She had an especially deep hatred of Alcos because that is where the Black Hands were based. Though she herself was a Black Hand, and earned her living by robbing others, she had found that over the last year or so she had been disagreeing with her fellow guildmates.

The Black Hands were now in close with Warlord Aldebaron's closest circle, and now it seemed they were a tamed Guild. A ribbon hound that yapped at the heals of Ramose, eager to do his bidding in hopes for a tasty morsal. Kia was well respected umong the Black Hands, and she remembered the days when they were a Guild who bowed to no-one. They were the liars and cheats of the lands, and faught against their governments, not for them.

Kia stopped short when she realized she was at the apothecary door. Her head was low and her brow was furrowed. Just the thought of her guild made her angry, and she felt like venting.

The little bell rang as she entered the shop. It was a different place than the one she had been going to, but the other Healer had sent her here because they had run out of the tincture she needed. There was a squat man behind the counter who had an odd combination of frustration and supiriority plastered across his face. He was talking to a slave girl, and the girl was clearly upset.

"You are a slave. You have the clothes of the slave and the brand of Lord Aldeboron on your back. I need to see a supervisor and have him complete the transaction. Either that or you will have to come back or find someone else to buy it for you." Kia heard him say as she walked in. The slave started to say something, but she was cut off by the Healer.

"There are no exceptions." He said, a note of anger playing at the edge of his voice.

Kia grinned. She had an outlet. She was opposed to slavery and had disliked this man the minute she had walked in. He would do nicely to vent her frustrations upon.

"Godsdamit man!" She shouted angrily at him. She limped towards him, exaggerating her injuries.

"I sent my slave in because I find it difficult to climb your steps outside." She raised her voice in mock sweetness. "You see, I recently had a run in with a few seders, and they were kind enough to JUST BARELY LEAVE ME MY LEG!" She snarled.

The man, stammered, looking bewildered.

"Um, I'm sor-" He started, but Kia interupted him befor he could say anything more.

"My slave was trying to get my husband and I medicine so I wouldn't have to crawl into this shithole of a shop and get it myself. She's sweet. About as bright as a lump of dirt, but sweet. She probably ordered only half the medicine too eh?" Kia peered at the counter and saw the ingredients layed out there. "Looks like she only got Jayden's stuff."

Kia walked over to the girl and knocked her over the head, gently, but hard enough to give a show for the man.

"I told ya I need the Woundwort Tincture too, Kaira!"

The man stood there in bewilderment.

[Leah Ziplah]

Leah knew she should have found a supervisor, but no guard would take her without a note and she could not get a note from Cook and chickened out in asking the Lord himself for a note after their awkward run-in. Now she was in a rut. She couldn't get the medicine and she couldn't return empty handed and her time was running short. She was sure that someone would eventually notice her absence and questions would be raised. If the hounds were set on her and the search parties were sent, she could kiss her fairly nice life as a slave good-bye.

Her lip puckered over in a pout as she thought about her options, but then a loud voice was raised and a limping female in breeches went off about getting attacked by sedors and sending her slave to get it. Leah caught on instantly and a wave of relief and appreciation washed over her.
She played into the story and ducked a little putting on an abashed faces as the lady cuffed her. Finally it was her cue to speak.

"I'm sorry Ma'am. This man wouldn't let me speak." Leah had to really think about how to play into that "dumb-but-sweet" personality. She didn't appreciate that much but it was the easiest thing for people to assume and expect from a slave and she was great ful to be offered and escape out of her predicament.

" I went to get 'xactly what you told me to get but this man told me I couldn't find it and got it all for me without even asking side-wise if that there was what you really needed! I am sorry ma'am. I tried to explain. I really did." Leah shot the woman a forlorn look and then looked back at the man with the same look. If she wasn't force to play the "dumb-and sweet" character, she would have glared at him.

"I know I ain't too smart, but dontchya think the man should give you a discount for causing you pain, Ma'am. We have worked hard to ease yer sufferin and this man comes her and fires it all back up! I mean.. you haven't even be able to change outta yer travlin breeches and dressed like a repect'ble woman cause it causes so much pain. Today was gonna be the day to, that we trie to get you out of those old clothes!"

Leah hoped she didn't go over board with the last bit. She hoped that some dumb people were bright enough to know when to snatch up an opportunity for a discount.

From behind the counter, they mans face turned bright red with embarrasment. "I am so sorry for the confusion! I will take the nine finn and you can have the Woundwort Tincture for no cost!"

The man ran into the next room to find the tincture and Leah shot the woman an "I-owe-you-my-life" look

[Ekiette Kalorey]

Kia watched the man dart out from behind the counter and into the back room. The girl caught on quick, and even managed to get her a free tincture out of it. The day was looking better already.

There was an awkward silence between the two women while the man was gone. Neither wanted to speak in fear of breaking the ruse, but Kia noticed the slave's thankful glance. She winked back at her, hoping she understood that it was all great fun to her.

When the man returned, he handed the vial and the other items to the slave, and apologized again, saying that he hoped this little event wouldn't spoil the lady's opinion of his fine establishment.

Kia snorted, and didn't bother answering the man.

"Come on, lets go back to the manor. Jayden needs his medicine, and I need my leg to heal." With a pronounced limp, Kia hobbled to the door, and down the steps, motining for the girl to follow.

[Leah Ziplah]

When the door shut behind her, Leah took a deep breath. After being caught in that predicament, the room had seemed to shrink considerably in size, and she felt like she couldn't breath. Being out doors in the open air was a relief.

Leah followed the lady down the steps. "Thank you so much! It was stupid for me to come here without a supervisor, but I couldn't get one! I had no idea they had such laws against slaves! It seems like it would be more of a hassle for the owner! I am so greatfull! I wish I could give you something for your help, but I have nothing to give."

She drew in another deep breath and leaned against one of the wooden posts. " I hate it you know... not being able to own anything, not even my own skin. But what other choice is there? Death?Lord Aldebaran wouldn't do that unless out of convenience. Every slave knows he believes death is an easy way out. Its either be a slave or suffer the most unbearable pain for the rest of your life. " Leah shivered and checked the bag held between her fingers. "My name is Leah Ziplah by the way."

Leah shot a glance at the lady and realized she hand no idea who she was.

" I didn't catch your name? Who are you?... What are you? You are dressed as a traveler but you don't look it."

[Ekiette Kalorey]

When the two stepped out in to the warming morning air and were out of earshot of the healer, both Kia and the girl seemed to visibly relax.

"Yeah that does seem a bit counter-productive if your master has to go with you on everything little thing you do. Seems like it would be a waste of his time. I mean, if he is lazy enough to get a slave in the first place" She laughed, and then held out her hand.

"I'm Ekiette Kalorey, but I just go by Kia." She said in answer to Leah. "I'm actually a traveling merchant, but ran into a bit of trouble in the Shiran woods and lost all my wares" She said, the lie coming easily. It didn't usually work to her advantage telling people she was actually a road bandit in the Black Hands guild. And besides, it wasn't totally untrue.

"I only wasn't lying when I told shortie in there I had a run in with a trio of Sedors. I may have exaggerated the limp a bit, but I did get a few nasty injuries from them. Lucky I was so close to thisbeautiful city" She said, trying not to sound too sarcastic.

"If you don't mind me asking, why don't you just run away? You seemed to get away from your master easily enough. Just take an extra pair of clothes somewhere and poof! You are free to leave the city."

[Leah Ziplah]

Leah took a quick glance over her shoulder and lowered her voice considerably. "Believe me, I have thought about it. I have been thinking about it since I became a slave four years ago, but the odds aren't favorable, especially if you are a slave in the palace.

"Lord Aldebaran is a clever man. That is why he is such a success as a ruler. Alcos has grown considerably since his arrival, and has come to accept slaves without questions asked. He has laws to keep us in and precautions to make sure we don't leave.

"Every night in the palace, the beds are checked to make sure each slave is still there and every morning role is called just before breakfast. The clothes we wear are changed out every day. A missing set means a missing person. The hounds are released and search parties are sent out. Ramose sends letters out to each of the provences of Zaherran the fastest way possible. The cities are alerted and inspections of everything ensues. Cities are locked down. No one can enter or exit without being inspected.

"Lord Aldebaran doesn't stop there. He sends out notes to ships on the wind with birds, and to ports where the Zaherran ships dock. There is no escape unless you can fly, and we all know that is impossible. He offers an incredible sum of finn for a lost slave as an insurance policy for himself, that way people don't see the positives of hiding a slave. "

She sighed. " Ramose is a mild man. He is not cruel to his slaves unless one gives him reason to be. Often times he can be quite forgiving, " Leah flashed back to dropping and crinkling his clothes on the floor. "His temper only goes so far, and once a slave has crossed the line, he will make you regret ever having thought of escaping.

"Sure, he won't kill you, but there are far worse things than death. " She closed her eyes and wondered how much time had passed. Leah know that she still had until evening to get back. That should be the first time anyone would notice her absence.

[Ekiette Kalorey]

The tone Leah voice took when she described her captivity made Kia's heart reach out for her. It made her blinding mad to see this girl's freedom taken away from her. Kia could not imagine a life where she was not allowed to come and go as she pleased, or do whatever she felt like doing. Just the thought of being held somewhere against her will, being forced to do tasks for others sent an uncontrollable shiver down her spine. Her entire way of life was centered around her freedom of movement, and even though she had a slightly warped sense of morals, Kia knew this was wrong. Taking peoples material possessions was one thing, taking away their sence of self worth and their freedom was an entirely different matter.

Lord Aldebaran had a good system, she had to admit. Even if it was cruel in every way imaginable, it was as watertight as a fire-hardened mug. He had this poor girl so terrified of even the thought of escape that he probablly wouldn't even have to go through with any of his threats. As long as his slaves [i[believed[/i] that is what he would do, they would not dare run away.

There had to be hope for Leah. Kia could not just go about her life as if nothing had happened after this encounter. Prior to this, Kia had sort of turned a blind eye to the issue. She knew it was wrong, and it made her empathetic when she thought about it, but she didn't often think about it. And that was that. But now that she had talked to Leah she could hardly ignore it now. She knew she would see the pain and defeat in every slave's eyes as she passed them on the street. Sure Leah seemed to think she was treated well, but the fact of the matter was that no matter how kind her master was, he was still stealing her very basic rights. That was cruelty in perhaps its most wanton form. And there were others, she knew, that would have their health as well as there mentality at risk. Mankind had the capacity to do terrible things to others, and she knew there were slave owners out there who would take advantage of their slaves docility. She knew there would be slaves malnourished, beaten, and abused. It made her sick.

"Leah," She finally said, after her moment of silent reflection, "Don't loose hope. That is the one thing they will never be able to take from you. They have already taken so much from you, it would be a shame to see that broken as well. In my experience, the universe has a funny way of correcting the wrongs in this world."

She stood there as a man and his slave walked into the apothecary Kia and Leah had just exited. Unlike Leah, who was identified as a Royal Slave by her golden corded belt, this slave had been marked with a brand on his neck. He must have been newly purchased by the man, because the brand was still fresh, and its raw crimson color stood out on the slave's pale neck.

"You said you wish you could do something for me? Don't give up. That's all I ask." Then she laughed, a warm laugh that immediately turned her mood from brooding rage to lighthearted comradery. "Well, that and I'd like my ticture" Kia gestured to the vial that the healer had handed to Leah with her own purchase. "Thanks for speaking up about the price too. I'd call that even"

[Leah Ziplah]

Leah smiled in gratitude. She wasn't used to people feeling sympathy for slaves. In the beginning year of Lord Aldebaran's rule, there were maybe a few people who did, but they had either changed their minds or left Zaherran for good. Owning slaves had become completely acceptable and something that was rarely brought up as the breaking of moral code. It was a normal, necessary part of Zaherran life. Slavery was the hub that kept the wheel of the empire turning. She commited Kia's don't give up words to the back of her mind. She told her self the same thing every time she experienced a bad day, but it was nice and refreshing to know that someone else actually cared and felt the same way.

"Well thank you again, Kia. And the no charge thing was just an opportunity waiting to be snatched. I bet you would have said the same thing if I left it up to you. I get the impression that thievery is not all that new to you. You seem to accept it pretty well, and I have to admit, you are a very convincing liar. " She gave Kia a wide smile. She did not know if what Kia said about her being a merchant was true, but Leah got the impression that she was very verse in cheating as well. She patted her bag and began walking down the steps.

"I better get going. Don't want to get caught on my own!" She turned back to the road and began to throw a "thank-you-again" over her shoulder, but the words got stuck in her throat as right in front of her, one hundred yards away, Leah saw Lord Aldebaran himself on his fine Zaherran horse with two ribbon hounds at its hooves. He was staring directly at her with furious eyes.

[Ramose Sa'id Aldebaran]

Ramose was furious. After meeting Leah earlier that morning, he decided to look for her once more in the palace. He was curious about her and her stark resemblance to his wife and he wanted to learn about her activities in the palace, her character and intelligence. He was thinking of making her a personal maid to his son. She seemed nice enough, ready to blame herself and ready to go the extra mile.

When Ramose asked for her though, no one knew where she was. He had people look out for her but after not being able to find her, Ramose decided to pull out one of his hounds to catch the scent. It lead him outside the palace walls. Leah was on her own. She was probably trying to run away. Ramose's temper flared. First, he wondered at how his guards in the palace could have even let her slip through without a note and then he wondered at the nerve of the girl that thought she could escape and tarnish his strict record of so few runaways.

Without looking for Saer to cancel their plans, Ramose grabbed one more ribbon hound and mounted his fastest steed. From what he gathered, Leah had only been gone for about an hour and a half. It would take just that long to organize a search party. Ramose would find her himself. He was an expert and experienced tracker. Within two minutes, his hounds picked up the scent of the girl and he hardly had to work to track her. She left a direct and distinct trail. He was able to let the hounds do the work for him.

He mocked at the girl's supposed intelligence. If she were really that smart she would have done something to hide her scent, conceal her trail and delay her detection, but she didn't. She was found to be missing only an hour after her departure. It figured. She was a slave. She was ill-educated.

Within ten minutes, Ramose found himself one hundred yards from an Apothecary, and right there on the steps, talking to a roughly dressed woman, was his slave. He glared at her from on top his horse. When she caught his eye, he could see her face color with terror and fear and he knew she knew she was guilty of doing something wrong. He dismounted his horse easily and with the reigns in his left hand, crossed the distance of the one hundred yards. He roughly grabbed Leah's left arm and yanked her down the left two steps. She stumbled a bit but he held her up.

He noticed a bag in other hand and ripped it from her fingers. He was so angry, his words came out more as a low growl. "What is this?". Before he gave Leah a chance to answer, he threw the bag against the wall of the Apothecary. Its contents shattered inside and Leah winced. One of the vials she had gotten was filled with a liquid. It oosed out of the cotton bag and onto the ground.

Ramose still held her arm, slightly twisted, waiting for an answer.

[Ekiette Kalorey]

The strong scent of herbs rose up from the ground, where the glass vial had shattered inside the bag. The day was beginning to warm up, and the scent was sickly sweet and unpleasant. One of the ribbon hounds at Lord Aldebaran's side dashed tentatively forward to sniff it, but then caught himself and sat obediently by his master's horse.

"Ah, Lord Adebaran, just the man I was on my way to see," Kia said, bowing in respect to the man she detested. But any trace of her hatred for him was gone from her voice, and was replaced by cordial respect.

"I was on my way to return this slave to you. While walking out from the Apothecary near the Soldier's Guild, I ran into a couple of slavers leaving the city. One of them had this one," She paused to gesture with her thumb towards Leah, "and I recognized the sash. They must have fallen on dark times indeed if they are willing to steal from your Royal Presence. I figured you would want her back, so I taught the pair of knaves a lesson and told her to come with me and I would escort her back to your palace."

Kia could not believe the luck of this girl. Two events back to back that could cause her to loose her life.

"You see your Lordship, I understand the Black Hands have an... er, agreement with you now. A sort of, we scratch your back, and you scratch, if I understand correctly. I taught that lesson to those slavers, and made sure they will never steal from you again."

If Kia had been a religious woman, she would have been praying fervently to any Gods willing to listen to her that Leah would make it out of this ok. Kia was confident in her own skills to get away from danger if she needed to, and she could always fall back on her Guild for help. Leah, however, could not.

[Ramose Sa'id Aldebaran]

Ramose loosened his grip on Leah and put her behind him so that he could address the rouge-ish lady in front of him. He rose his eyebrows at her story. He was pretty sure that the drivers in the black hand were on a trip to the Balah province in the fire forest. He had ordered more slaves to be delivered there to speed up the build up process of Balah city. On top of this if Leah was working inside his palace, the black hands would never actually be successful in dragging her out beyond the gates without one of his guards knowing about it. Unless of course.. there were guards being disloyal to him. But that couldn't be the case. The black hand would not steal from him, the man who offered them a permanent place to stay, who gave them food and drink and pointed them in the direction of wealth. He gave them good business. They were becoming fat off of his legalization of slavery. The income was making the black hands guild a force to reckoned with and Ramose knew that he had control over that force, because if it weren't for him, the black hand would be nothing. Just a rabble of disorganized baffoons who were more dangerous on their own than together.

"Oh yes? The black hand you say.... what did they do? Walk into my palace without my guards noticing, randomly pick out this slave and silently dragged her off in broad daylight with the full knowledge that I would hear about it and possibly take away the foundation for all the recent success?"

"Am I to believe that another member of the black hand would go against her own guild in order to keep good terms with me? Am I to believe that this slave girl behind me is so important that she was singly picked out and the only one dragged off? I am the master of the golden palace and I can assure you there is nothing special about this girl behind me."

[Narayan Elor]

The world was spinning. Rayan had his sword and dirk drawn and stood on unsteady feet facing a circle of angry men. A spilled pint of beer rolled at his feet, and there was a tense silence that hung over the room, nobody daring to make the first move.

"I dare any one of you skum te' come o'er here," He said, slurring his words. He was drunk, and had been so since the previous morning.

When none of them made a move forward, Rayan, opened his arms wide, blades outward.

"None o' ya eh? Thasright! You're all a bunch of cowards, not even fit te dirty my blade on!" He shouted. He stumbled forward, and sheathed his blades. He headed for the door, but stopped suddenly, barely catching himself from falling. He turned and teetered over to one of the tables.

"I fergot my hat..." He said. Without warning, he whirled to the man nearest him and punched him squarely in the nose.

The inn exploded. It was chaos as the men charged at Narayan. A woman screamed, glass broke, and everywhere blades were drawn. The man he had punched was gushing blood, and held his hands to his face. He was pushed aside by three other men, who lunged at Rayan. He barely had time to draw his sword again when the first was on top of him, catching him in the jaw. Rayan stumbled back and charged at the man, sword drawn. Though he was drunk and clearly not in the best shape, years of experience and muscle memory made him a formidable opponent. His sword flashed as he fought the men he had insulted, and they came at him again and again. They did not have his skill, but there were far more of them, and they were sober.

"Ya filthy pirates!!" Rayan screamed hysterically, "Ya murdering sons-of bitches!"

Two of them had gotten a hold of him a with a solid push shoved him outside. Rayan toppled to the ground, and only luck saved him from landing on his knife. He jumped back up to his feet with a snarl, and leapt for the men, ignoring the people that were now staring at him.

[Leah Ziplah]

Leah froze in terror when Kia began to speak. She tossed her a frightened look before Ramose pushed her behind him to speak to Kia. Hadn't Leah told her that Aldebaran was clever? Hadn't she? But Kia seemed to be a proficient liar. She was bent on her ways. Leah was terrified, not only for her self but for Kia as well. She fully believed it would have been better for the both of them to tell the truth, in this case, than make up a story.

Leah listened as Aldebaran immediately caught on to Kia's lie. It was hard to lie about the design of a ship to its creator. Leah drew in a sharp breath. Now was her time to butt in, to tell the true story before they were dug into a deeper hole She made to step around Aldebaran but then some loud noises behind her and the shouting of a man momentarily caught her attention. Three men heaved him out of a bar that stood opposite the Apothecary only about 100 feet away, across the road. Leah gave small yelp as the man landed with a grunt and rolled until he was close to twenty feet away. She moved back into Aldebaran slightly as the man heaved himself back to his feet and rushed back at the bar door.

[Ramose Sa'id Aldebaran]

Aldebaran was looking at Kia with a dangerous glint in his eyes. He knew that what she said wasn't true, she just had to slip up once in her answer to get caught. He had his arms crossed over his chest as he waited. Ramose hardly noticed Leah cowering behind him. He would deal with her later. He was immensely enjoying catching a black hand off her guard. He waited for the reply but only seconds after his clever retort, a commotion frightened Leah and she bumped into him. Slightly frustrated with her, Ramose turned around. He followed her sight up to a hollering man who was currently trying to push his way into the bar. He had his sword drawn.

Ramose sighed. This man was causing a disturbance. People were stopping to watch as he hollered and yelled drunkenly and unfortunately, Ramose was standing right there. As the ruler of the city, he had to do something since he was there.

He pulled his sword from his horse and tied it to his belt. Grabbed Leah and quickly bound her hands and tied her and her horse to a nearby post where he could keep and eye on them both. He made it easily over to the other side of the street with an air of authority, he grabbed the man by his left shouldered and shoved him aside from the door. He glared at the man. His troubles were just piling one after another today.

"What is going on here?" he asked in a demanding tone.