"You have to do something! This is VERY important!" Noah bursts in exasperation. "It's a life or death matter" She hastily explains, which may or may not be true.

Aafje frowns, her lips pursed as she is deep in thought. "Hmm…." Then she snaps, realizing a possible solution. "Earlier a young woman came here and borrowed a book similar to what you're describing, she's fairly mysterious and will likely stand out in a crowd so I think we could track her down"

"Perfect let's go!" Noah exclaims, and grabbing Aafje by the hands she drags her away.

…

She couldn't take this any longer.

As Lulu treks through Romano's market place, carrying a stack of crates, she wonders if she can just collapse right there and be done with it.

The thought is tempting, however if she collapses she'll get punished again, and no one in their right mind would help a slave.

She knows she shouldn't, but she stops to catch her breath anyway. The chains that bind her ankles and wrists are scratching at her skin still, even after all these years she hasn't quite gotten used to the feeling. The sun is hot as it bears down on her, and she feels as though she's suffocating. At least she doesn't have the chain around her neck anymore, although that'll come soon enough if she doesn't keep up her work momentum.

And the collar is just a minor punishment, she doesn't want to think of what they'll do to her if any of the crates or their contents are damaged, or worse if she tries to escape.

The last time she tried to escape she ended up waking a day and a half later covered in dry blood and slash marks, and in so much pain she couldn't move, let alone continue working. She'd blocked out everything that they did to her, but she knows she doesn't want to relive it now.

She sighs and starts walking again, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to try and calm down.

This is a big mistake, as she walks right into someone, and falls backwards. The crates fall out of her hands and smash against her legs, going flying to the ground besides her.

She shrieks and opens her eyes to see a cloaked figure standing above her.

"S..SORRY!" She exclaims and holds her scarred hands over her head to fend off any blows she might be given.

Instead the figure steps forward and offers the girl her hand.

…

Reibun frowns and her eyes dart back and forth between Kadia and the one who claims to be Noah. She has a feeling Kadia's impatience will cost them here, and she usually doesn't want to question these things but this is important, and she isn't about to disappoint Ja'far.

"You're Noah?" she asks skeptically, if this girl is Noah than either the description they were given of her is wrong, or she is a master of disguise.

"Yes?" She says confusedly. "Yes. Yes. I am totally Noah. Yeah...that's me."

Reibun sighs, and lets her hands rest on her hips. "Listen, I don't know who you are but—"

"She told you she's Noah!" Kadia growls, scowling at her friend.

"Oh hush and let her speak" Reibun says, her frown growing deeper.

She wouldn't say that Kadia is the Sinbad to her Ja'far exactly, in fact when properly motivated Kadia is far more hardworking and focused than she could ever be, however right now her patience with her friend is really starting to grow thin.

"We don't have time to chat, we need to get back to Sindria." Kadia argues. "Besides, the quicker you get back to Sindria, the sooner you can get back to stalking Ja'far."

Reibun scowls. "I. Do. Not. Stalk. Him. Kadia." She mutters through clenched teeth. "Working under someone who you happen to have feelings for and stalking them are two very different things."

She sighs, and continues her sentence from earlier, glaring at the girl before her. "I don't know you are, but you have two seconds to get off of this ship before I alert the authorities and have you arrested for trespassing"

This is a lie actually, as she has literally no authority here in which to do that, but she isn't sure this girl knows this, so she might as well make the idol threat anyway.

"Alright I'm not Noah!" The girl burst. "My name is Winter and I HAVE TO GET THE CONTENTS OF THIS BAG TO SINDRIA NOW!"

Reibun shrugs. This is probably a lie in itself, but she honestly doesn't care. "Alright fine, but WE are staying HERE until Noah shows up."

Kadia groans dramatically and collapses onto the deck. "If that kid doesn't show up in ten minutes or less I swear to Solomon I am going to swim back home!"

…

Lulu smiles softly and shakily accepts the girl's hand, pulling herself up slowly. "Th..thank y—"

She is cut off when the girl backhands her. "I GIVE YOU ONE SIMPLE TASK AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS" She scoffs.

Lulu is confused, until the girl winks under her hood. "Just trust me" she whispers. "I'm going to get you out of here"

Lulu catches on and immediately bows. "I'M SORRY!" She cries, shaking nervously, because she really is terrified.

What if this doesn't work?

She pushes those thoughts from her mind. "IT'S JUST THAT THE CRATES ARE SO HEAVY MASTER, I CAN'T CARRY THEM ALL AT ONCE"

Her new friend huffs and pulls her up by the chains on her wrists. "WHY MUST YOU BE SUCH A PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A SLAVE?!" She demands and strikes Lulu across the face again. "Now let's go, we have a boat to catch" she commands, dragging her away.

…

"Alright, you said she was easy to spot, so where the hell is she" Noah demands, looking around the market place with a frown.

"Wait I see her!" Aafje says, and points to a cloaked figure.

Noah takes one look and frowns. "I think she's in trouble….is she okay?"

The two of them walk closer, so they'll be in earshot, and notice the girl is holding another girl, a slave, by her chains. More importantly, a guard is bearing down on them.

"There have been reports of a missing slave belonging to a caravan with the same description of that one there." The guard says pointing to the younger girl.

"This is MY slave!" The cloaked one argues. "How dare you accuse me of stealing it!"

Before the guard can object, Noah decides to help out.

"She's right!" Noah shouts, striding over to them. "That's her slave."

"Oh yeah, definitely" Aafje chimes in. "I saw her with it last week in the library….when she checked out that book about….what was it again, Noah?"

"A book about the medicinal properties of root herbs that can be found in Sindria?" Noah offers.

Aafje nods. "Yeah that." she says. "Anyway we can both say with absolute surety that this person is telling the truth."

"Oh absolutely." Noah agrees. "I've lived here my whole life and she's had that slave for as long as I can remember. Honestly."

The guard scowls. "I'm supposed to just trust some kids?!" He scoffed. "How would you all like to get execut—"

Suddenly he falls to the ground, completely paralyzed.

The others just barely notice the slave girl tucking something back into her hair. She blinks back at them confusedly as they stare. "What?"

Before anyone can answer, they hear shouts ringing throughout the market.

"Time to go!" Noah exclaims and grabbing Aafje's hand, who grabs the cloaked figure's hand, the four of them take off running as fast as they can.

…

"THAT'S IT!" Kadia all but screams, tugging at her hair. "It's been half an hour. WE ARE SO OUT OF HERE!"

Before Reibun can object, four people scramble onto the boat, and in the distance there are shouts as they are followed by what looks like a caravan as well as several guards.

She is confused until she sees the girl in chains, then she instinctively dives for the helm.

"Alright we're out of here!" She shouts and Kadia immediately goes to lift the anchor.

Winter pushes the boat away from the shore and they are lucky enough to escape the angry mob.

Once they are a safe distance away Reibun sinks to the ground and sighs with relief. Then looking at the newcomers she sighs again. "PLEASE tell me one of you is Noah!"

Then she groans. "You know what" she says. "I don't even care."