A letter in hand that spoke that my Cuwe had died in the line of duty for her Home Stone, my Aunt the Ubara told me about a man of Tyros the Regent of Kasra asked much about me and I was requested to venture to Tyros as a guest of the State, now of coarse this being an honor I could not say no. I armed myself with 10 tarns, my amulet with my family cress that also doubles as the Signet of the Ubar, I smiled within myself for though I live very humble in many’s eyes I had a rather impressive bloodline as well as a very diverse up-bring though I had no deep rooted beliefs it gave me a vantage view as I look to the world in the eyes of a child, Many in the outpost never calls me a Free Woman, they ether call me a Free Girl, Little Scribe or Just Charisma the Curious… Father always called me a name in Barbaric tongue I was always called his “princess” the daughter he worried about the most and yet at the same time I was the one he always said I was the one that could charm the Priest Kings to my will with just softness of my voice, the Sky would bow to my desire as I look to it in wonderment, and the ground would bloom under my foot steps…. Chuckling softly in memory of my youth I finish packing my bags, and head to the caravan that Father had paid the Merchant for my protection to escort to the nearest port village where I could pay for passage to any Ship heading to Tyros.
The merchant placed me in the comfort of a wagon that was less crowded I assume father paid well for such treatment I was given the use of two slaves upon my travels. Time had passed and though for many days I was served by the slaves I never really looked at them just called them blond and raven I named them these due to the color of their hair, I would throw them my clothing to wash or told them to take a small note in trade for ink or other small supplies I seemed to had forgotten, each time the girls would return with the note checked paid in full, father must have really paid well for rence paper that the merchant would send back with the girls was not a low quality.
I opened my eyes and yawned with a new day though the furs and silks that I slept upon was not uncomfortable it just was not the same as my own couch. I moaned and groaned as I herd a voice “Mistress’ rest was not well?” I chuckled looking to raven as I was about to answer her I saw a gleam of gold in her nose I reached out to take her by the ring pulling her close so my eyes could study it, she cried out in protest and I quickly let go I sat up on my heels taking a hand on each side of her face repeating over and over again I was sorry I did not mean to hurt her. Her eyes looked to me oddly as she did not lower them like I would have demanded of slaves she looked to me I could see she feared what I might do next and I spoke “My mother has a nose ring like that….. she is of the Tuchuks” and in boldness the slave girl threw her arms around me crying out in joy as she whispers “than you will free me!”…. I stunned silent unable to speak as my mind raced I never thought about it I was told only a fool would free a slave and why would this slave think I would free her over the fact that she and my mother shared a common peace of jewelry.
I dismissed the blond girl from my chain returning her to the merchant thanking him for the use of her that the dark haired pleased me and served me as much as two slaves could, I walked away from the merchant’s tent I could hear the screams of the slave girl I knew she was being beaten over that the Merchant felt like the girl displeased me, though this is not the case I walked back to my tented wagon with no other thought about the blond girl after all she was just a slave.
Time passed as we traveled to the port I learned much about the girl in my collar and I came to look to her like I did Tre my parent’s house slave, not as a slave but with a sense of family… I kept her in collar for the caravan trip and she agreed that it would be for the best if she retained her duties as a slave for the duration of the trip, if I was to free her than she would find herself re-enslaved due to unable to pay passage and I did not wish my account to run down twice as fast by footing her way. I learned that my companion on the road was named Kandia of the Tuchuks she was lost in the Love Wars, during the eve she and I would stay up late talking she told me much more about the Tuchuk people than my mother had, each night that she and I giggled and laughed coming up with a plan on how to return her to her people I now did not see the collar on her neck though still there it was vanished in my eyes she and I seemed to connect as sisters and I learned so much from her… I learned that I loved Kalana wine and she would bring the full strength wine instead of the deluded that was common for me to drink sense they say that kalana effects women it makes them slave even if just for an ahn. Oh how Kandia corrupted me, I am sure I would have been flogged for my shameless conversations with the Tuchuk Girl. I told her about the healer in the woods and she laughed so loud that a guard of the caravan raced in to the tent, I screamed as I threw cloth over me trying to keep him from seeing me in just my blue house Tunic, my slave girl jumped up and struck at the man screaming to leave her Mistress in private that no man that is not her companion would lay eyes on me, I snorted a giggle as the man shouted out in protest and left the tent shouting out that if it been under any other circumstance that he would have slain my slave. Kandia pulled the silken covers from my head laughing “he only saying that to save face, he barrows me from you on my trips to buy your inks” I blinked than snorted another giggle as I blushed, grabbing the bottle throwing back my head letting the sweet wine slide over my tongue before I lowered my head to look her in the eyes “tell me more”
We reached the Port where I went to the Merchant asking to buy “raven” to my shock he asked for 10 tarns I blinked as my eyes widen “WHAT!” he laughed “She will be sold in Ar I could easily get 20 or more she is a savage” “tuchuk!” I snapped as he looked to me, pulled my hand over my lips muffling as I hummed to think “She’s a tuchuk sir…” he mused “Than you know what she is and my price fair” snorting I pulled the pouch from my belt with the allowance father gave me for the trip I don’t think he expected me to spend it on a slave after all if I had truly wanted a slave companion I would have brought along one of the many slaves that serves the outpost for I had command of any at my whims. The Merchant counted out 5 tarsk and threw me the small pouch she placed them in I nodded knowing this must have been what was left from my account total that father had paid, at least now I was not completely without money but now I did not have enough for travel to Tyros. Kandia went ahead doing the duties of of a lure girl to soften up ship captians trying to get me a better deal the cheapest I could get was 15 tarks though many offered me tarns to buy my slave. When I thought about it Kandia heeling behind the captain would look up to me with a wrinkling twist of her nose, I would muse and shake my head to the man’s offer.
Have no way to get to Tyros I rented a small apartment and used caste sanction with the scribes who honored me, well maybe not honored me but placed me to work coping maps though I seemed amaze them with my skills I could not hardly earn more than my apartment and supplies cost, I never knew how much supporting two would be perhaps this is why I never owned a slave just rented them from time to time.
As a hand passed and I finished 3 maps for pay I knew I had to figged a way to get to Tyros than I looked to Kandia, I could tell she grew impatient and desired the freedom I foolishly agreed to grant her… so I took the key to her collar and placed it in the lock and jerked it out my eyes widen as I gasps out “I have a plan!”… she looked to me canting her head a bit “Oh and does this plan require me in a collar?” “Yes!” I cried out as I grabbed her by the arm racing down the streets to a tavern… she gasps out “WHAT ARE YOU DOING!” I laughed as I pushed her into the gates and saw the host “I have a slave that needs to learn how to be pleasing, she is your’s for the night” Kandia screamed out “NO NO NO!” I slapped her upside the back of the head not hard but it was great for a show “HUSH SLAVE” I grabbed her by the hair pulling her ear close to my lips a whispered low “see if any man in there is a tarnsman, and bring him to me” she turned her head to me as I let go of her hair she winked to me as she stood tall her palms turned outwards as she pranced into the tavern as a slave was taught to walk, the host mused and nodded “just send her out the back allie when she has earned 10 tarks for you” I told him and he smiled and I placed a tarks into the cup and turned away to head back to the apartment I herd behind me as I started walking away “Aii, lady and now she needs to earn me 9″ he seemed pleased with the deal.
