It was a hot morning. Mom shouldn't be out in this heat. If he hurried, he could finish her outside chores before she completed the housework. It would put him behind schedule, but at least the beating would be his instead of hers. He'd sworn two monens ago that she'd covered for him one too many times, and so far he'd been able to subvert the worst of her punishments. He was becoming strong. He was becoming a man, and soon he would be big enough to take them both away from Him.
It needed to be soon. Her headaches were becoming worse as time progressed and He refused to let her see a healer. That was the first thing he would do when they were free. Mom would be free of the constant pain and she would be responsible for nothing but her tapestry she loved to create. He envisioned her happily working at her loom, humming the silly songs he loved as a child.
"Three blind mice, three blind mice," he sang merrily. "See how they run, see how they run. They all ran after the farmer's wife, who cut off their tails with a carving knife..." He paused a moment feeling sorry for the mice. He'd always been on their side against the tyrannical woman, even if he had no idea what mice were. When he'd asked his mother, she hadn't known either. "Did you ever see such a sight in your life as three blind..."
"Stop that noise this instant!" His matron screeched from the porch. She was large and a very dark purple, even for Furrbals. He stifled a grin at his own nickname for them. No matter how many times they would punish him, he still had his own thoughts.
"Yes, ma'am." He bowed his head, respectively not making eye contact.
"Why are you feeding the animals, when it's your lazy mother's job. You should be mending the north fence."
"She doesn't know ma'am. She expressly told me not to do it and I disobeyed. The heat affects her badly."
The woman harrumphed. "If the fence isn't mended by nightfall it'll be ten lashes."
"Yes, ma'am."
"And since you find extra work so pleasurable, before you start on the fence I want you to go to market and purchase a Gialshoo for roasting. Tell Aethus to put it on my bill."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Off with you now!"
He immediately began the metra long run to the market, dismayed he'd been unable to finish the feeding. Matron had sent him away purposely. His resolve hardened and he swore to himself that no matter what he needed to do, what deal he needed to make, he and his mother would soon be away.
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It was him. He knew it. There before him, across the street was the mythical creature of his youth, one of the heroes in the endless tales his mother put him to sleep with every night. Maybe he was grasping at straws in desperation, but he felt in his heart that this was his answer. He had to talk to the Luxan. He had to hurry, time was running out. It looked as if he and his female companion were about to move on. He couldn't tell if the female was the one in the stories as well, she was shrouded in the traditional veil of the locals. Only her eyes could be seen through the long layers of cloth. Not many off worlders wore the costume and he spared a moment to wonder why this woman had chosen to.
But, that was irrelevant and he set his mind to figure a way to speak to the giant. His mind was blank and he was desperate. Taking a fortifying breath, he decided to plunge in feet first and make it up as he went along. "Excuse me, sir."
The Luxan, ever watchful, acknowledged the greeting cheerfully enough. "Hello, boy. What can I do for you?"
"Sir, I need to talk with you privately."
Instantly the large man was alert. "I don't do private conferences."
At that moment, the grey woman of the stories approached from behind the Luxan, her mouth slightly open. She stared unashamedly at him. He was embarrassed, unused to beautiful and exotic women of any sort paying attention to him.
"D'Argo," the woman hissed. "We need to hear this boy out."
"Chiana, this is probably a trap."
"Do you remember visiting John's past?"
"What does this have to do with anything. You're not making sense."
"You didn't see him like I did D'Argo. This boy could be him. Maybe a little younger, but it's him."
"Are you trying to tell me that young John jumped into the future and is visiting us on a planet light years away from his home world? You are fahrbot."
"Weirder things have happened to us D'Argo. It's just one kid. Let's at least hear him out."
"Fine. Follow me," D'Argo growled. He led them away from the crowd into a side alley. Chiana scanned the perimeter and after she gave a 'clear' signal the three turned their attention to him.
"I don't have much time, so I'll make this quick. My name is Aeric. My mother and I are slaves on a farm not far from here. She has terrible headaches accompanied by visions of other places and people. She has described you to me in detail. Both of you. When I saw you I felt sure it was a sign. She is getting worse every day and if something isn't done soon I'm afraid she'll either die from the headaches, or from the beatings she gets for not completing her tasks. I try to take up the slack, but it isn't enough. Please. If you take us away from here and help me find her a healer, I'll give myself to you for the rest of my lifetime."
"I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do. We can't get involved with local problems. We can't free everyone."
"D'Argo, you can't be so calloused!" The grey woman exclaimed.
"Chiana, try to remember the last time we assisted a slave out of mercy. This is probably a set-up."
"No." The shrouded woman spoke for the first time. Her voice hung in the air, forceful and sure. "He's not lying. We need to help him. And his mother."
"I'm here to protect you, Brennik, not go on a quest."
The shrouded woman stared in to his pleading eyes. "If you're going to protect me, D'Argo, then you'll come along. I'm going to help him."
"You're father is going to kill me." D'Argo muttered as he followed the two women and the youth out of the alley and down the road to the farmhouse.
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Aeric never dreamed it could be so easy. He had never said a word as the group climbed the steps to the farmhouse and pounded on the door. D'Argo and Chiana, without one word of rehearsal spun one the most eloquent story he'd ever heard about the trouble the boy had caused them and their transport, and since he boy was the property of these good farmers, said farmers owed them a great deal of money. His head spun at the sum they'd named and Mrs. Furrbal sputtered saying they were humble farmers and where were they supposed to get such a sum. The indignant Chiana and D'Argo insisted they would take the matter up with the local debt mongers and the harried purple woman offered the boy as payment. Such a scrawny boy was not worth half the amount and the woman offered the boy's mother as well.
Still offended, and assuring the woman they were being cheated, they bound both the slaves and headed out. They had left them shackled until they reached their transport pod and left the planet. Mrs. Furrbal congratulated herself on her extraordinary negotiating capabilities.
*****************
His mother sat silently, nearly lost under her shroud. He could tell she was having another headache and tried to ease her pain by sitting behind her and rubbing her temples. "It's ok, mother. There's nothing left to worry about."
"Aeric, I have been sold or bartered eight times. Never count on the next one being easier or better."
"This time is different, mom. You'll see."
Chiana came over and knelt before the woman, gently taking her hand. "You should be very proud of your son. He is very devoted to you."
His mother nodded but remained silent. Chiana tried again. "He says you have headaches. Maybe it would help if we took some of this heavy material off. Can I help you?"
His mother nodded once again and the two pulled and tugged at the voluminous cloth, Chiana from the outside, his mother from the inside. At one point a piece caught on her chin and he heard her giggle as they tried to unbind her. Finally, the material was free and his beautiful mother looked up into the eyes of the Nebari woman.
"By the goddess!" Chiana whispered, her pale grey skin turning white. "Aeryn."
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It needed to be soon. Her headaches were becoming worse as time progressed and He refused to let her see a healer. That was the first thing he would do when they were free. Mom would be free of the constant pain and she would be responsible for nothing but her tapestry she loved to create. He envisioned her happily working at her loom, humming the silly songs he loved as a child.
"Three blind mice, three blind mice," he sang merrily. "See how they run, see how they run. They all ran after the farmer's wife, who cut off their tails with a carving knife..." He paused a moment feeling sorry for the mice. He'd always been on their side against the tyrannical woman, even if he had no idea what mice were. When he'd asked his mother, she hadn't known either. "Did you ever see such a sight in your life as three blind..."
"Stop that noise this instant!" His matron screeched from the porch. She was large and a very dark purple, even for Furrbals. He stifled a grin at his own nickname for them. No matter how many times they would punish him, he still had his own thoughts.
"Yes, ma'am." He bowed his head, respectively not making eye contact.
"Why are you feeding the animals, when it's your lazy mother's job. You should be mending the north fence."
"She doesn't know ma'am. She expressly told me not to do it and I disobeyed. The heat affects her badly."
The woman harrumphed. "If the fence isn't mended by nightfall it'll be ten lashes."
"Yes, ma'am."
"And since you find extra work so pleasurable, before you start on the fence I want you to go to market and purchase a Gialshoo for roasting. Tell Aethus to put it on my bill."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Off with you now!"
He immediately began the metra long run to the market, dismayed he'd been unable to finish the feeding. Matron had sent him away purposely. His resolve hardened and he swore to himself that no matter what he needed to do, what deal he needed to make, he and his mother would soon be away.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was him. He knew it. There before him, across the street was the mythical creature of his youth, one of the heroes in the endless tales his mother put him to sleep with every night. Maybe he was grasping at straws in desperation, but he felt in his heart that this was his answer. He had to talk to the Luxan. He had to hurry, time was running out. It looked as if he and his female companion were about to move on. He couldn't tell if the female was the one in the stories as well, she was shrouded in the traditional veil of the locals. Only her eyes could be seen through the long layers of cloth. Not many off worlders wore the costume and he spared a moment to wonder why this woman had chosen to.
But, that was irrelevant and he set his mind to figure a way to speak to the giant. His mind was blank and he was desperate. Taking a fortifying breath, he decided to plunge in feet first and make it up as he went along. "Excuse me, sir."
The Luxan, ever watchful, acknowledged the greeting cheerfully enough. "Hello, boy. What can I do for you?"
"Sir, I need to talk with you privately."
Instantly the large man was alert. "I don't do private conferences."
At that moment, the grey woman of the stories approached from behind the Luxan, her mouth slightly open. She stared unashamedly at him. He was embarrassed, unused to beautiful and exotic women of any sort paying attention to him.
"D'Argo," the woman hissed. "We need to hear this boy out."
"Chiana, this is probably a trap."
"Do you remember visiting John's past?"
"What does this have to do with anything. You're not making sense."
"You didn't see him like I did D'Argo. This boy could be him. Maybe a little younger, but it's him."
"Are you trying to tell me that young John jumped into the future and is visiting us on a planet light years away from his home world? You are fahrbot."
"Weirder things have happened to us D'Argo. It's just one kid. Let's at least hear him out."
"Fine. Follow me," D'Argo growled. He led them away from the crowd into a side alley. Chiana scanned the perimeter and after she gave a 'clear' signal the three turned their attention to him.
"I don't have much time, so I'll make this quick. My name is Aeric. My mother and I are slaves on a farm not far from here. She has terrible headaches accompanied by visions of other places and people. She has described you to me in detail. Both of you. When I saw you I felt sure it was a sign. She is getting worse every day and if something isn't done soon I'm afraid she'll either die from the headaches, or from the beatings she gets for not completing her tasks. I try to take up the slack, but it isn't enough. Please. If you take us away from here and help me find her a healer, I'll give myself to you for the rest of my lifetime."
"I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do. We can't get involved with local problems. We can't free everyone."
"D'Argo, you can't be so calloused!" The grey woman exclaimed.
"Chiana, try to remember the last time we assisted a slave out of mercy. This is probably a set-up."
"No." The shrouded woman spoke for the first time. Her voice hung in the air, forceful and sure. "He's not lying. We need to help him. And his mother."
"I'm here to protect you, Brennik, not go on a quest."
The shrouded woman stared in to his pleading eyes. "If you're going to protect me, D'Argo, then you'll come along. I'm going to help him."
"You're father is going to kill me." D'Argo muttered as he followed the two women and the youth out of the alley and down the road to the farmhouse.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aeric never dreamed it could be so easy. He had never said a word as the group climbed the steps to the farmhouse and pounded on the door. D'Argo and Chiana, without one word of rehearsal spun one the most eloquent story he'd ever heard about the trouble the boy had caused them and their transport, and since he boy was the property of these good farmers, said farmers owed them a great deal of money. His head spun at the sum they'd named and Mrs. Furrbal sputtered saying they were humble farmers and where were they supposed to get such a sum. The indignant Chiana and D'Argo insisted they would take the matter up with the local debt mongers and the harried purple woman offered the boy as payment. Such a scrawny boy was not worth half the amount and the woman offered the boy's mother as well.
Still offended, and assuring the woman they were being cheated, they bound both the slaves and headed out. They had left them shackled until they reached their transport pod and left the planet. Mrs. Furrbal congratulated herself on her extraordinary negotiating capabilities.
*****************
His mother sat silently, nearly lost under her shroud. He could tell she was having another headache and tried to ease her pain by sitting behind her and rubbing her temples. "It's ok, mother. There's nothing left to worry about."
"Aeric, I have been sold or bartered eight times. Never count on the next one being easier or better."
"This time is different, mom. You'll see."
Chiana came over and knelt before the woman, gently taking her hand. "You should be very proud of your son. He is very devoted to you."
His mother nodded but remained silent. Chiana tried again. "He says you have headaches. Maybe it would help if we took some of this heavy material off. Can I help you?"
His mother nodded once again and the two pulled and tugged at the voluminous cloth, Chiana from the outside, his mother from the inside. At one point a piece caught on her chin and he heard her giggle as they tried to unbind her. Finally, the material was free and his beautiful mother looked up into the eyes of the Nebari woman.
"By the goddess!" Chiana whispered, her pale grey skin turning white. "Aeryn."
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