Nia was surprised by the care given to her after she met with her
lady. The woman laughed at her when she saw that her eyes had the milky
look of blindness to them. " Blind. well I have always enjoyed a
challenge." The woman smelled of cinnamon and mint and a number of bath
salts but she never allowed Niccarra to touch her.
The woman ordered her cleaned and new clothes given to her so she could commence her training.
Stitting alone in the room given to her by the other slaves Nia sat and cried. Homesickness had caughten up with her, she missed her mother's voice singing old Thak songs to her, her brothers, Marcus the army captain and Arram the black robe. She missed his quiet spells and his talent for juggling and slight of hand. She missed her father least of all, in fact she didn't miss him. It was his falt she was here and Arram was alone in . well somewhere.
Quickly Niccarra said a prayer to the gods to protect her brother and on second thought to protect her as well.
Her training began the next day; Nia was led out into the yard. Stiff with fears she waited to the man to begin to auction her off but instead she hear the ring of steel on steel. The breeze shifted giving Nia a whiff of her lady's perfume.
" Welcome Niccarra to my school, do you know what it is?" the woman's voice held authority in it that Nia recognized as power.
" No master I do not." The woman laughed.
" I train fighters Niccarra, and you will be my first blind trainee." Nia bowed some of her fear gone. " Tell me your previous training, can you read, write?"
" Master I can read and write in several languages. Not that it matters much anymore." The woman did not answer so she continued, " I am also gifted, I only have six years of training but my brother is a black robe and they told my mother that I have the potential to become one too. I know how to use daggers and a little sword not much else." The woman's scent was back as was her ring of jewelry.
" Wonderful, you are a gift Niccarra, and the emperor let you go!" she clapped her hands and the yard went silent, " This is your new trainee she will be trained just like you have, no special treatment because she is unable to see." Nia could hear murmuring and people shifting from foot to foot. " Have fun my dear." The lady whispered and walked away leaving her with the trainee's.
The woman ordered her cleaned and new clothes given to her so she could commence her training.
Stitting alone in the room given to her by the other slaves Nia sat and cried. Homesickness had caughten up with her, she missed her mother's voice singing old Thak songs to her, her brothers, Marcus the army captain and Arram the black robe. She missed his quiet spells and his talent for juggling and slight of hand. She missed her father least of all, in fact she didn't miss him. It was his falt she was here and Arram was alone in . well somewhere.
Quickly Niccarra said a prayer to the gods to protect her brother and on second thought to protect her as well.
Her training began the next day; Nia was led out into the yard. Stiff with fears she waited to the man to begin to auction her off but instead she hear the ring of steel on steel. The breeze shifted giving Nia a whiff of her lady's perfume.
" Welcome Niccarra to my school, do you know what it is?" the woman's voice held authority in it that Nia recognized as power.
" No master I do not." The woman laughed.
" I train fighters Niccarra, and you will be my first blind trainee." Nia bowed some of her fear gone. " Tell me your previous training, can you read, write?"
" Master I can read and write in several languages. Not that it matters much anymore." The woman did not answer so she continued, " I am also gifted, I only have six years of training but my brother is a black robe and they told my mother that I have the potential to become one too. I know how to use daggers and a little sword not much else." The woman's scent was back as was her ring of jewelry.
" Wonderful, you are a gift Niccarra, and the emperor let you go!" she clapped her hands and the yard went silent, " This is your new trainee she will be trained just like you have, no special treatment because she is unable to see." Nia could hear murmuring and people shifting from foot to foot. " Have fun my dear." The lady whispered and walked away leaving her with the trainee's.