The Ambition of the Dreadlord Raveres
Part IV: Sa'an'ishar!
Episode Twenty-Nine
"Well my lady. It's looking quite well so far." Yurin chuckled.
With a slightly raised eyebrow Raveres nodded, "So far."
Above the noise of the crew, nearer the middle of the ship, Captain Kohler barked, "Bring in the topsails!" while squinting and pointing along the masts.
Overhead, in the small jungle of vine-like ropes and rigging, claw toed sailors spilt the wind from the ships' gallants and went about their work, slowing the ship and getting ready to enter the port.
"How do you measure him?" Raveres asked, her voice genuinely quizzical.
Yurin furrowed his brow and cleared his throat.
"There's an old sell-sword saying; none is more loyal than a man whose honour is gold."
Raveres sniggered.
"So, there's that as a point of favour." Yurin continued.
Nodding and letting out a sigh the Druchii "True enough Yuri. True enough."
Directing his men, the scruffy man Kohler smirked when the smaller squire rushed past him towards the rail of the bow.
"It's really there!" Jacque exclaimed.
Excitedly jumping up and down he pointed and let out a laugh of disbelief, "I… I made it!"
Several crewmen clapped and cheered for the young man, and even Yurin felt tempted to join in. Raveres' cool expression eventually softened and she let out a small smile as she watched the human squire, despite the presence of that strange Shen.
Speaking with Jacque Shen walked to stand beside him at the bow as his tongue moved a mile a minute, pointing out along the coast and buildings of the port-village ahead.
Jacque was grinning innocently and taking deeper breaths, as if the air was now different that he was 'home'. A few sailors cheered to see port as well. While behind the squire Kohler stepped towards him and Shen.
"Aye boy. You made it." the captain loudly congratulated.
Jacque nodded and chuckled, while behind them, watching on Raveres folded her arms causally and began looking towards the quays.
True to Kohler's estimate, they had arrived to their destination less than half an hour after midday. But all the traffic around them was beginning to concern her.
The fact that they'd need to dock properly also made her anxious.
Small fishing ships were giving their vessel a wide birth, but it wasn't the fishing peasants which were making her tense and dart-eyed. Past the varying sizes of small craft, anchored just outside the port, was a pennant streaming war-caravel.
The sight of which seemed to only bother her, Yurin looked around, more interested in the fishermen and the coastline than the archer-laden ship to their starboard. From their current position Raveres could see the caravel move with the scurrying of sailors and marines, the rigging and masts vibrating like a plant covered in ants.
Though they hadn't yet entered the harbour of the 'port' the Druchii could easily see that it was hardly anywhere close to the sophistication, construction, and size of the port in Al Daouk.
The smaller, more intimate size, of these Bretonnian wharfs made their arrival more suspect, and the possibility of inspection almost certain.
'There's no turning away now though,' Raveres thought stiffly. 'If we did it might just arouse the interest of that ducal caravel.'
She raised a brow, 'I know that were I at its' helm I'd certainly be keen in a ship suddenly turning away from port.'
Raveres smirked to herself before sighing and uncrossing her arms.
Looking away from the Ducal ship and towards the deck Raveres watched on as Jacque turned and beamed an expression of gratitude and a wave towards her. At her side Yurin suppressed a smile of his own as he returned the gesture.
Raveres watched the earnest expression out of the corner of her eye and cleared her throat, her voice coming out evenly,
"Yuri, call him over."
The translator nodded his head curtly before cupping his off-hand around his mouth and beckoning the squire. The youth spoke to Shen before leaving her side and making his way down the deck.
Shen briefly looked over her shoulder at Captain Kohler and then towards Raveres. Closing her eyes and bowing her head slightly the easterner gave her Druchii benefactor a polite curtesy.
Raveres made no such return gesture, merely remarking to herself, 'Such an odd human.'
Jacque approached with a bright face, and she looked downwards towards him, a sudden desire to tease him taking root, yet the compulsion was squashed when she remembered that Yurin's translation often removed the nuance from her speech.
Clearing her throat Raveres indicated the approaching harbour, "Are you ready to be home little knight?"
Tilting his head from side to side Jacque's expression shifted as he contemplated his answer, his eyes darting over to the hamlet awaiting them.
"I suppose so… Though I wish things had of been, different."
He paused and pursed his lips before looking up at Raveres with a squint, shielding his eyes from the sun he nervously laughed.
"The Lady's protected me this far."
Looking away with a false smirk Raveres nodded, "Indeed."
Jacque stood beside Yurin, quieting and looking outwards, emulating the two adults.
He shifted his weight from foot to foot, minute ticks and twitches of his face betrayed something within his heart. Raveres moved her eyes towards the boy before Yurin did, her elven senses keener to notice Jacque's unease.
Rather bluntly, she asked the first question she knew would arouse the most interest, "Are you not pleased to be seen home?"
Raveres furrowed her brow in confusion as she continued, "I should imagine you to be ecstatic; that this strange and unheard-of arrangement between knight and reaver has come to an end."
The youth narrowed his brow and turned suddenly, opening his mouth, "It is not that! I… I do not wish to be seen as ungrateful my lady Raveres."
He paused, "Truly I am forever to remember you and your aid, but… it is not that."
Raveres turned, now more intrigued, barely hiding a wry smile, "Do tell young knight."
Pursing his lips Jacque tensed, until finally exhaling and taking the plunge, "I had a premonition, I thought it was merely a fitful dream last night, but…" he took a sharp breath, "I don't know what to make of it!"
Raveres narrowed her brow before immediately relaxing, regarding Jacque's sudden seriousness comically. His face of concern, his almost childish worry reminded her of her brother, 'The little fool that Narien is, Jacque does resemble his fanciful whims right now.'
Smiling, she nodded and moved a hand to her hip as she encouraged him on with the other, "You have my interest, the imaginings of a youth are surely to be entertaining."
His expression seemed somewhat disappointed, but Jacque continued on dutifully ignoring her light chastisement.
"I speak true my lady. In my dream, I saw a dragon, it flew overhead and there was a great hail of arrows following behind it, there was rain and lightning but I…" he trailed off.
Yurin furrowed his brow as he translated, confused himself by the strange dream. Jacque sighed and shook his head earnestly, as he repeated himself, "I don't know what to make of it."
Then his cheeks reddened nervously before he looked back over the railing at the docks.
"Yet it has stayed with me since waking. So, surely there's something within it then?"
Raveres pursed her lips, 'a great hail of arrows… and a dragon?'
She raised a brow before speaking.
"I know not what to make of it either. It's ominous perhaps." She smirked playfully, "Yet to me it seems merely a product of your youthful, human, mind."
Indicating the dock growing closer, and the workers waiting and eyeing their ship curiously, Raveres continued,
"You are home, to a land empty of dragons." She looked at Yurin, "So I hear tell."
Then she raised a hand to cover her brow as she scrutinised the village around the port.
"And I see no rangers waiting with bows."
She scoffed and laughed before walking down the main deck, "If your vision was of a misfortunate arrival, it seems woefully inaccurate. Ha, ha! Oh Jacque… The gods like to play with us little knight, something you will learn in time."
After Yurin translated the last message, Jacque seemed to let out a noise. Raveres turned, looking over her shoulder at the young human. His lips were pursed and his eyes somewhat frustrated,
"The gods do not toy with us. We… We are not troubadours in a play!" his voice nearly cracked with sudden emotion.
Raveres' eyebrow rose and she stood straight, tilting her head backwards to look down at the him.
Jacque seemed to be filled with many conflicting emotions before he blinked and bowed his head, ashamed, "I… I do not feel like myself. A homecoming ought to be happy but I." He stopped.
In the middle of the deck sailors opened the hatches and locked them down.
There was a small crane waiting for them at the specific dock their ship was being directed to, and, now thinking about it, Jacque realised that there was only one piece of cargo large enough to be unloaded via crane.
The coffin.
Jacque now stood up straight, clearing his throat before grunting, "I merely wish my knightly master was at my side."
Yurin looked at Raveres uneasily, her expression had not shifted.
She finally blinked and her head moved, her vague expression of indignation softening,
"He died in battle. He died well."
Jacque drew a breath as he looked at the she-elf. Her voice returned, even-toned, and somewhat attempting to be assuring,
"Steel yourself young Jacque, see to your companion, ready your horses. Your home and you, are not the same as when you last knew them."
She raised a brow and wordlessly nodded. When he finished translating Yurin looked between them expectantly until Raveres addressed him, "I'm heading below to my cabin for a spell. Represent me in the interim."
Turning towards the hatch and stairs below deck her eyes looked back at Jacque for a moment, he appeared as if he were recovering from a slap before he moved his hand to rest on his belt.
Stepping below Raveres remarked in a whisper under her breath "Stupid boy…"
'And yet, how much more stupid am I?'
Rolling her eyes at herself and ignoring the stiffness in her chest the she-elf tilted her head and thought instead to something she had to do.
'I'm too lenient and quick to adopt pets…'
She nodded as she stepped towards her cabin, 'Aye! That's it, and amongst the multitude of lessons this damned Hakseer has taught me, that one must be the most annoying!'
She felt her lip twitch as her emotions began to bubble upwards in intensity.
'That damned boy, that stupid little human…'
Opening the door to her cabin she drew a sharp breath.
'That little… soft, passionate creature.'
Shutting her eyes and growling to herself she swore in a grumble, "Enough!"
'It is done. We are finished of this, he is home now, and no longer a plague upon us.'
With a long breath and a sigh Raveres centred herself.
'It is done… He is but a small, human boy. Hardly a man and you are a Druchii… Proven now, and tested.'
She scoffed as she entered her cabin. Maya was sitting cross-legged and Rhea was presumably teaching her low-Druhir. Arathar was presumably sitting to the side of the room by himself, but Raveres was too mentally distracted to actually look at anything.
The female slaves sitting on pillows below the cabin's window bowed their heads and greeted her in unison, "Welcome back Mistress."
Rhea's voice came out far more enthusiastically and forced than Maya's. A detail which took an extra second to sink in.
"Up, both of you I need out of this armour." Raveres ordered before chuckling, "The last thing I need is some idiot Bretonnian realising I'm not some twat wearing glittering Asurian steel."
The words were tinged with a natural venom for her high-borne kin, spitefully she hoped Arathar had heard her shot clearly. But Raveres eventually released a chuckle at her own words, sighing before then looking forwards, out the window of her cabin.
Now standing straight with her arms out Raveres waited for the two women to begin dis-arming her.
But neither moved or talked; somewhat perturbed Raveres noticed that Rhea hadn't even translated her words for Maya. The two merely stood still.
Moving her eyes to look at her human slaves Raveres saw that Maya was eyeing Rhea with interest. The blonde human's mouth was half open, but the words seemed to have been caught in her throat.
Raveres' brow rose in irritation, "Are you attempting to be playful? I have no patience for this, now move!"
Rhea's eyes were struggling to stare at the floor and Raveres readied a harsher sentence when, like being struck with an arrow, Raveres' made a realisation.
Her eyes widened and she looked to her left where Arathar ought to have been. Snapping her attention back to the two slaves Rhea's expression turned ghostly pale and she twitched, the chain-end on her collar jingling.
Without even touching the slave girl poor Rhea sputtered and her gambler's face faltered. Taking a breath through her nose Raveres stepped towards the two slaves, raising an intimidating and accusatory gauntlet covered hand.
"Where is he?"
…
It was a hastily concocted plan, but it had to work. It just had to! There was no other option, a life of servitude, of abuse, and of becoming a shade; condemned to the whims of a mad and remorseless Druchii?
No… A thousand times no!
'So long as there is air in my body! I will not allow this to become me!'
Nodding and taking another breath Arathar tucked his hair over his right ear, before he focused back on his quiet pilfering of the ships' stores. He was filling a satchel he'd taken from below deck.
It wasn't so much that they'd be bogged down, but it was enough for a day or two at least.
'I've already done the hard part,' he assured himself, 'I told Rhea and she agreed. Maybe that Maya will come too, but…'
'What matters most is that we get off this ship and put as many leagues between us and that foul Druchii.'
He took a sharp breath and tried to calm his heartbeat.
'I don't want this to fail.'
He clenched his right hand and formed a fist. His left hand held the pack so tightly his knuckles had gone white.
"Get it together." He whispered.
The memories of his thrashing on the deck came in a flutter and he shook his head, attempting to dislodge the pain from his mind.
'No.'
A creak of the floor made his eyes widen. As quickly and as noiselessly as he could Arathar slunk against the wooden wall of the kitchen's larder.
The grumbling and groaning of a man could be heard as a figure meandered into the kitchen cabin.
'Damn!'
Arathar risked a glance around the corner of the larder's entrance.
A shirtless, scruff covered, bald and round-belled man stepped towards the ship's hearth and cookery. With a grumble and a cough, he huffed and began setting the cook fire in the ironwork stove.
"Boy! C'mon now! Wake up boy." The human called.
'Gods… no! Father Asuryan, mother Isha!' Arathar brought a hand to his chest, 'Don't let me be found out now! Not like this!'
"Aye-aye I hear ya! An' I'm not a bloody boy ya old sod!" a groggy and younger voice responded.
The elder cook laughed.
"Right, right, now as I get this fire goin' you get them oats and make settin's for the night watch. They're near done, an' I wager they'll be a ravenous lot."
The apprentice cook dutifully responded before making his way towards Arathar's hiding place. "You know I'm thinkin' I got dwarven blood in me family. Might explain my short stature!"
The older cook chuckled to himself, "Aye? But you canny grow a beard to save yer life."
'What, what do I do?!' his eyes darted around the small space filled with sacks of grains and boxes of varying sizes. The larder 'room' was no larger than a broom-closet. A few shelves on one wall were arranged with jars of preserves and small boxes and below that were several thick weaved sacks.
'You idiot… you fool! H-how?! I… I.'
Arathar panicked as the human approached.
"Damn… that's true innit?" the younger human mumbled to himself now, his volume growing as he came ever closer before joking, "Maybe my grandad laid with a halflin'? Might explain my attraction to food too."
And then, it was too late, the younger man stepped into the threshold of the pantry. And the two locked eyes.
Instantly Arathar realised and understood the teasing that the sailor received. He stood almost two heads taller than the rather stunted and malnourished human.
But even with his size advantage he didn't dare dream of trying to attack him. Even if he did succeed in pacifying the younger cook there was still the veteran bruiser of a man over by the hearth and all the knives!
The elf held his breath and pursed his lips, his expression desperate as the human stopped his movement.
Arathar's mind raced, 'An excuse I need an excuse! M-my master s-she… she what?! Suddenly had a midnight hankering for seeds?! Is she a fucking bird?'
The human's expression was surprised, but quickly shifted. Arathar wished he could have read minds, but the shorter man's expression shifted.
"Have we any biscuits left? Or should I grab some flour too?"
The cook grumbled, "We're pullin' into port today anyways, no need to make new ones."
The younger man nodded, still staring at Arathar, "Right."
Looking towards the sack on the floor the man stepped forwards his expression and body language changed. Now ignoring the elf and going about his work as if the Asurian wasn't there. Taking hold of the sack the human lifted it up and turned from the larder towards the hearth.
"You knows I think we've got a large rat eatin' at our foods."
The older cook stopped his movement and stood stiffly.
"This best not be a damned man-rat joke I swear by Sigmar."
The younger man chuckled, "Well I mean who knows what mages get up to, really. I've heard tell of all sorts of things being pulled out of the gutters near the Imperial colleges."
The older man growled, "Ain't nothin but the prattle o' Tilean fishmongers!"
Looking around the edge of the doorframe Arathar watched in disbelief. The older man was crossing his arms and refusing to look anywhere else as he scrutinised the growing flames of the stove.
Then the younger human gave the elf a knowing glance before shooting back and resuming their argument.
As if spurred on by Kurnous himself Arathar noiselessly slipped out of the panty and towards the kitchen's exit.
Still in total dumbfounded shock Arathar hastily moved about the mostly sleeping ship. He had little time left to stow his rations, steal some rope, and make sure that it was all in place for their escape.
'Before that human changes his mind, o-or figures it out! I… we, have to be away in the commotion of docking.' He nodded, 'So long as I hold to that! It… it will work.'
Arathar bit his lip and shivered, 'It has to, or…' He shook his head, and tried to dispel his terror, 'It has to. I'll stow this away, and- and we'll get off this damned ship as soon as we can.'
…
Rhea was weeping without abandon, shivering and sobbing at Raveres' feet after she was forced to speak. And now the Druchii's wide, elvish eyes looked on with a growing, sadistic enjoyment as the human pleaded and grovelled.
"I was… please, by the gods! I beseech you! Mistress Raveres, p-please! S-spare us… Spare me… s-spare him!"
Maya's surprised and ignorant, confused, expression did more than assure Raveres that she was not in on the plot. She merely sat away, her back against the wall below the window of the cabin watching on as Rhea prostrated before Raveres.
'The dark one certainly looks guiltless enough, but…' Raveres hid a predatory smile, 'What an opportunity to set them upon one another!'
Rhea was bawling, tears streaming down her pink and flush cheeks as her hands wrapped around Raveres' boots and ankles. Sternly, and dropping her voice low Raveres made sure to speak in such a way as to instil as much dread and malicious fear as possible.
Drawing out the syllables as she asked, "And Maya? Does she know of this plot?"
Rhea quickly looked up, her fringe had fallen in her face and her eyes were bloodshot and rimmed with tears.
"N-no, not a word of it! We, Arathar he, s-she doesn't know!"
Looking from Raveres to Maya, Rhea clasped her hands together.
"I swear, by my gods she's blameless!"
Raveres' expression remained unmoved as she stared down the human, her purple eyes unblinking.
Slowly Raveres lowered to her knees, reaching her hand to touch and grab at Rhea's chin. The sharp talons of the gauntlet dug into her skin and earned a cry and a wince from the terrified girl.
"Where is he now, do you wager?"
Rhea was shutting her eyes tightly, trying in vain to stifle her tears.
"W-waiting below deck… past the stalls f-for the horses."
Raveres let go of Rhea's chin and stood back up.
Then with a sudden motion she leant down and grabbed Rhea by the hair, "Come on, over here. Be a good girl now."
Screaming and crying as she crawled and stumbled, Rhea wept while being dragged until Raveres threw her towards the left corner of the room.
A hook for a lantern protruded from the wall and Raveres knocked the metal case from the ironwork hook, slamming her left fist against the wall the Druchii barked, "Stand. Up!"
Still weeping Rhea quickly complied before Raveres forced her against the wall beneath the hook, tugging at and grabbing the chain link on the front of Rhea's collar. With the band of leather in her grip Raveres twisted the collar around, choking and momentarily silencing the human before she pulled and attached the link of chain onto the iron hook.
Then, taking the end of the hook, Raveres bent it backwards a few degrees so that Rhea would not be able to unhook herself without help. In order to keep from choking Rhea had to stand on the balls of her feet and tips of her toes. Coughing, sputtering, and crying as she stood in such a humiliating pose.
Smirking at her ingenuity Raveres stepped back and admired her slave.
"Now, stay there."
Raveres' tone of voice left no doubt that a threat laid in wait for Rhea even if she remained perfectly still till her mistress returned.
In resignation and total defeat, Rhea stared at the floor and pressed her hands against her face and under her cheeks as she continued to cry.
Moving towards her trunk Raveres pulled her laundered and crisp white riding cloak to provide some cover to her armour. It was doubtful if any Bretonnian was actually going to be close enough to tell the difference in the armour she wore, but there were more pressing things for her to worry over.
After tying the cloak closed across her chest Raveres turned to look at Maya.
The dark-skinned slave's eyes widened and she tensed. Nervous that some form of sudden retribution was going to befall her too. But Raveres shook her head, seemingly knowing the slave's concern.
Motioning with her right hand Raveres spoke, despite the language barrier, she was sure her order was clear enough.
"You, do not move either."
Planting her left hand on her belt the Druchii wrapped her fingers around the hilt of her sword and angled it for drawing. Though unsure of Raveres' aggressive stance Maya had understood her well enough and remained seated.
Stepping towards the door Raveres let out a low chuckle, remarking to herself in surprise, "I didn't think he had it in him."
Quickly Raveres moved towards the steps up to the surface of the ship.
As soon as she was clear of the ledge, she looked across the deck and yelled to her retainer,
"Yuri!"
Furrowing his brow, he bowed his head and stepped away from the bow and his conversation with Jacque, Shen, and Kohler.
Once he was closer, he spoke "Yes my lady?"
Raveres climbed out of the stairwell and responded, her voice almost playful as she spoke, "There's a rather keen game afoot below."
Yurin's face contorted in confusion as he asked, "What is this about my lady?"
Without any inflection Raveres spoke plainly, "One of my pets is trying to escape."
His eyes widened and he lowered his voice, worriedly stating the obvious, "We're just about to dock!"
The Druchii kept her hand at her hilt and smirked, "Exactly."
She chuckled, and a wry smile came across her lips, "What a combination…"
Yurin rubbed his neck before looking back over his shoulder at Kohler, Jacque, and Shen.
Straightening his back the retainer swallowed nervously, "W-what do we do? They might board us if we have a commotion going on. Like a slave breakout!"
Raveres narrowed her eyes and her lip curled, "Calm yourself Yuri, and don't be so ridiculous. It's one slave, and he's of a far different breed then the actual chattel below. It's Arathar I speak of."
She looked around the deck.
Yurin let out a pained breath before bringing his fist to his brow, "The bloody fool…"
So far none of the crewmen moved with any difference to their strides. But they were getting so close now that the sailors were preparing the mooring lines. Over the rail the dock workers were beginning to greet and hail them, waving their arms and pointing towards their quay.
Jacque happily returned the salutations, encouraging his companion to do so as well.
"I do not fear the other slaves to be a problem, though it is always a concern." Raveres shook her head. "But I suspect that they'd likely not look kindly upon Arathar for this stupidity."
Yurin nodded solemnly, his expression hid something and Raveres predatorily smirked.
"You grew up in a city with slaves on near-every corner Yuri. Pray tell, what do the Arabyans do with their runaways?"
Yurin sobered and blinked before looking down. Despite having grown up around the practise and the brutal retributive justice of his adopted home, Yurin never quite dislodged his distaste for it. Memories of floggings, brandings, and other public punishments came to him as he stood mute.
Ignoring his silence Raveres took his expression as answer enough and continued, "I'd rather avoid this utter inconvenience of timing." She sighed, frustration bubbling to the surface, "by the gods Yuri, when I get my claws on him."
The she-elf shuddered and let out a stressful breath through her teeth which rose into a forced laugh, "Come! Let us get below and deal with this before we moor."
Yurin nodded and followed as Raveres turned and descended back below deck.
…
Once their mistress was out of the cabin Maya shook her head and looked towards Rhea, "What did you do?"
Standing and leaping towards the imperial, Maya shook her head, anger, confusion, and fear beginning to pour out of her.
"I swear you tell me! Blonde one, what did you do?!"
Rhea stopped sobbing enough to respond in a gasping stutter, "Arathar… an... and I- we, we were going to escape."
Maya's eyes widened and she let out a curse before turning around and rubbing her hands through her hair, flicking the short locks backwards before she made up her mind.
Turning back to face Rhea the swarthy woman extended her hand and gripped the imperial's collar, "Where is he hiding! Where is he?"
Rhea croaked and stuttered.
Letting go and slapping the imperial's face Maya growled, "By the prophet I will cut your hair! Where is the elf cock?!"
The young imperial girl cried as she once again gave up her 'lover's' location.
Immediately Maya turned and jumped towards the door, pulling it open and running out of the cabin as swiftly as her feet would take her.
Leaping into the hall she looked at the stairs, Raveres and that translator of hers were in conversation just at the stair's head.
'Good…' Maya nodded, 'I will find the fool first!'
Her lip twitched before she began sprinting down the hall.
'And I will save my skin!' she furrowed her brow. 'Gods be good I will not take a punishment for their stupidity!'
Moving into the main room of the deck she watched the sailors as the began preparing the hatches to lift out cargo.
She had to jump past them towards the horses, and then…
'Will he try to fight?'
She scoffed, 'Wouldn't you?'
Narrowing her eyes, she quickly scanned what she could snatch, to the left were several sailors, now noticing her presence, to the right a bucket and a mop propped against a wooden beam jutting out of the wall.
Moving quickly, she grabbed hold of the mop and used her foot in a snapping kick to break off the coils and wet end. Now she had a stave.
The men furrowed their brows but she paid them no mind as she darted past them all and towards her goal.
…
Arathar was growing more and more nervous. The crew were now far more active, moving and laughing. He knew beyond a doubt that the rest of them were not going to be as wilfully blind to him as the cook…
They had opened the hatches and were preparing to unload cargo, while the saw as the docks came ever closer out the porthole.
Crouched in the small forward cabin Arathar had plotted that he and Rhea would be able to slip out the anchor's hole, climb down his rope and swim underneath the docks…
He had mentally rehearsed it all night, and the night before. It was going to work.
But…
Something felt wrong. The air though humid in the cabins seemed to thin and cool.
He drew a breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Rhea…" he thought aloud.
His heart panged and he immediately felt a worry creep on him, 'What if she cannot leave Raveres' sight? The cook? W-what if…'
He shook and cursed himself, 'Gods above! Get a grip Arathar!'
Then like a cool splash he blinked, 'What if telling her was a mistake?'
His body shivered nervously, an unnatural chill waving over his body.
'N-no…'
He thought about her excitement and her nodding enthusiasm the day he told her. How her eyes glittered, the thoughts of freedom he dangled and tempted her with. The actual possibility to be free… A girl who'd practically always been a slave.
'She wouldn't have!'
Their lovemaking, though at Raveres' drunken, evil, prompting, and for her self-same sordid pleasure, it… it was real! W-was it?
Shaking and breathing heavily and with such a pain in his chest he sat backwards, pressing against the ship's hull for reprieve.
Then the door opened, and his body lightened, 'Oh thank the gods!'
"Rhea!"
Standing up he prepared a smile but then his expression failed.
The dark-skinned southlander stood in the doorway, her face a snarling, lion-like, expression as her arms moved.
Arathar was so startled he didn't see the stave moving through the air, but he certainly felt it across his legs.
"Agh!" he cried. Buckling under his own weight he fell to the ground as Maya jumped forwards, hitting at him and berating him in her alien language.
Reaching out towards her legs he attempted to pull her down, but succeeded in only a momentary reprieve from the strikes of her weapon.
Desperation was all that he could feel now, and Arathar's mind emptied, instead he lashed out; this is it… Fight your way out…
With secrecy and a stealthy slip away botched, Arathar moved as only he now could: brutishly.
He struck at Maya's left leg and calf with his right fist eliciting a sharp cry of pain from the human. She dropped to a knee and he leapt towards her. His hands moved to her neck, hoping to press her collar into her throat and force her to give it up.
Maya grunted and dropped her stave as Arathar wrestled her to the ground. His long fingers wrapped around her neck and he tried forcing his weight behind it as he choked her.
With her right leg she kicked upwards, hitting him between the legs, and with her arms she stuck him across the face in two hard punches.
Coughing and moving backwards she easily pushed up and kicked at him again, this time striking across his abdomen with her right shin, winding and forcing him back.
She struck again at his head, punching across his face and cheek.
Groaning and clutching his abdomen in retching pain with one hand Arathar tried punching her with his free arm.
She moved quickly, but he managed a few direct hits to her face and upper chest.
The hardest punch he delivered was to her chest and left breast.
Maya cried out, swearing in her language before reaching for his ears, her expression indicated she intended to rip them off.
Forcing himself to move Arathar let out a long cry before forcing himself forwards, his shoulder bashing into her body as he tried to flip her over him.
Screaming as she rolled over his back Maya missed, managing only to scratch his face and the back of his neck as she flipped, face first, over him and onto the ground. Smashing her head on the floor she groaned and panted, clenching her teeth as she tried to roll back over.
Arathar forced himself to stand, stumbling through the doorway as fast as he could, knowing that Maya was coming to her feet.
The sailors in the main room looked at Arathar oddly, they were readying the horses to come to the surface deck, but once they met his expression, they realised what was going on and spoke the words he was dread to hear:
"Hey! Stop that slave!"
Arathar growled in frustration and darted past them, "No! No, no!"
He dodged one, but another leapt and grabbed hold of his leg.
Falling and holding onto his ankle the sailor laughed and grunted as Arathar struggled.
"No! F-fuck you!"
More sailors jumped towards him and Maya let out a long scream as she dove after him.
Punching and grunting, yelling and rolling under them Arathar became dogpiled and incapacitated by the sailors and Maya, all clutching at and holding down his limbs.
"No! This cannot be! I… No!" his crying voice faltered when he heard the stepping of boots down the stairs and hall.
He looked towards the source of the noise, but now that he was on his back, his view was inverted, and made the moment all the worse for it.
The taunting horrid voice of the Druchii announced into the room.
"Aww, Arathy. I never said you could leave."
Grumbling in pain and still vainly trying to resist the men holding him down, he spat at her defiantly.
"Fuck you Druchii!"
Maya let go and slowly stood, her chest moving up and down as she caught her breath.
One of the sailors grunted, "Looks like he was planning to run milady. Daft…"
Raveres looked away from Arathar and towards her other slave. Raising a brow, she smirked.
"Yuri, I think Maya was proving her worth? Don't you think so?"
The retainer's face was reserved, and he looked on as Arathar was forced to roll onto his front as the crewmen kept him down. Then he looked at Maya and the lithe woman met his eye, her face serious and supressing her bruises.
"I do milady."
Maya's eyes dared to look at Raveres for a moment before she began speaking in her heavily accented Druhir,
"He run, I, me, stop him." Slapping her chest for emphasis Maya pointed at Yuri and continued in her own language, "I was trained to fight and I have fought. I do more than just breathe, and touch, and fuck!"
Raveres' expression cooled and she pursed her lips, listening as Yurin continued to translate.
"Lady Raveres." Maya looked at her mistress, nodding as she slowly knelt.
"You are not a weak one. Rhea," She motioned her head towards the cabin and spat onto the floor, "She is weak. She is a slave! I, I am no slave."
Maya pointed at Arathar, "He, is an idiot, and a fool."
Slapping her chest again she nodded, "I am a fighter! You give me a spear and I will kill whoever you want me to kill."
Her dark eyes met Raveres' and remained unblinking, "I kill your enemies."
She moved her hand to her neck, indicating her collar.
"But I am no slave."
Raveres finally showed emotion. Her lips moved to the side and she began a deep smirk.
"Yurin, have Arathar tied up and thrown in my cabin. Thank these sailors for me, and then get Maya wine or anything else she might want."
Looking back at Maya Raveres blinked and tilted her head in acknowledgement ever so slightly. But Maya's brow tensed in suspicion and hope.
Raveres spoke and Yurin translated quickly,
"Your offer is not without merit Maya. I will consider it."
Then, before the human slave could let the words sink in Raveres spoke to the men curtly and turned, chuckling to herself as she walked back topside.
…
"Can you believe it Yuri? I buy her for her exotic looks, and she turns out to be useful?"
The retainer scoffed uncomfortably and shook his head as they climbed the stairs.
"She obviously wants her freedom…"
Raveres nodded, "Of course she does, but, ha! Did you see how well she savaged Arathar?"
The Druchii chuckled to herself as they walked along the deck.
'So much at once,' Raveres mused, "And now, our passengers."
"Are you… going to?" Yurin asked, his voice genuinely uncertain.
The Druchii furrowed her brow, "Going to what?"
"Free her?"
Raveres sharply laughed, before shaking her head, "Gods no! But she won't know that. No, no. If she's as martially capable as I now suspect her to be I have just the right place for her in my retinue."
The she-elf chuckled again.
"But no, I'm not in the business of emancipation."
She raised an eyebrow playfully as she looked away from Yurin. He opened his mouth to risk another question but thought better of it.
"We can discuss this as well as what to do with him, later."
Yurin nodded, "As you wish my lady."
The ship was stopped along the dock, mooring lines and cables had been tied down and sailors were calling down to the dockworkers.
Jacque was looking down the gangway to the landing, his body practically vibrating with excitement as he smiled and looked to his side at Shen.
Kohler was first off the ship and now stood at the end of the walk-plank talking with a man who appeared to be the harbourmaster. He was wearing an aged doublet, the crest of the local lord emblazoned over his heart and a feathered, brimless soft cap on his head.
He blinked and nodded along as Kohler spoke, constantly looking from the man towards the ship.
He was stunned and seemed completely out of his element as Kohler continued speaking.
Coming closer to the rail and to Jacque and Shen, Raveres tensed but focused on keeping her breathing even.
The moment had finally come.
Turning around Jacque met her eye and smiled, "Captain Kohler's just speakin' with the master, spinning him a yarn heh."
"Is he indeed." Her voice responded somewhat distantly and Raveres stood beside the squire for a moment.
The sailors had brought the horses up and were leading them slowly down the gangway, the tiny crane was moving overhead and its lines were directed into the hold for Sir Jean's body and Jacque's previously promised chest of coin.
Kohler turned and smiled, waving for Jacque to disembark.
Shen smiled at the squire and slowly followed the horses down. Raveres continued to have her suspicion about the easterner, but now finally resolved to let it go. There were far more pressing and pertinent things for her to think on.
Divorcing her from her thoughts, Jacque meekly spoke aloud, "Now that I'm here, I don't know if I want to go."
His expression was vulnerable, and his eyes moved towards Raveres.
"If not for your efforts I…" He laughed nervously before furrowing his brow. "I feel as if, oh confound it, I don't know what to feel."
He swallowed and forced his back to straighten as he looked up at the Druchii, elven, woman, he'd become smitten with all that time ago on the beach…
Raveres' hair was tied back, but a few strands of her silvery locks stuck to her brow, under which her thin, arched eyebrows raised as she looked back at him in interest. Her lips and her face had an elegant beauty to them, and her purple eyes stared back at him with a casual intensity.
"You…" he faltered.
Raveres furrowed her brow and leant slightly forward in interest.
Scoffing and looking away in embarrassment Jacque shook his head.
"What is it? Go on, speak. Even if you'd risk offence." Raveres smirked, "I detest unfinished sentences."
Jacque chuckled boyishly, looking down before forcing himself to look in her eyes.
"Will I ever see you again Lady Raveres?"
When Yuri finished translating the Druchii blinked.
Over side Shen was standing near Kohler and the harbour master was directing some workers to wheel a cart over. The horses waited dutifully, as if knowing what was to come next.
Raveres let out a breath and began removing her right gauntlet. When her fingers were free she looked at Jacque, and held her hand out towards him, nodding. The youth's eyes lit up and he pursed his lip to supress his smile. But the touch of his hand to hers told her far more.
"If I do not die on my return to my country," she laughed, "Then yes, I think we shall meet again."
He stood firmly after shaking her hand and cleared his throat.
"Thank you, my lady."
Then after the coffin and a chest full of plunder was loaded into the rickety harbour cart, Michelle and Jacque's horse were reined in.
Stepping down the gangplank, Jacque waved to Raveres, and to Yurin.
"I shall never forget ye!"
Then, jumping onto the quay he met with the harbourmaster, a wide grin on the man's face as he directed Jacque and Shen towards the cart. Kohler waved and wished the boy well too before climbing back up the plank.
Yet almost as soon as the human had left their company, Raveres' expression had cooled; her earlier smile was now replaced by a stern professionalism as Kohler explained;
"I told the harbour man there enough to make him sympathetic, but not enough to make him wary. He says he'll help the boy and his companion along, and get them, and… the body. To where they need getting."
Raveres nodded curtly as she watched Jacque wave towards the ship one more time.
Stepping beside her Yurin cleared his throat before asking, "My lady?"
She looked down slowly for a moment before turning to Yurin and Kohler.
"Get us out to sea again, I want to be in Karond Kar before the snows."
Kohler nodded before giving a small salute, "Aye-aye. Sharp the word, quick the action, milady."
Then he stepped away gruffly ordering the men.
Yurin furrowed his brow though, "Milady, are you alright? I know you two travelled with one another before we met, but-"
She interrupted him dismissively, "It's nothing."
"We still have the wind, and the skies are clear. Let us away."
Yurin bowed his head, "Aye."
Stepping past him Raveres drew a heavy, solemn, breath.
The squire was now gone, a bother no more.
Her chest tightened and she felt a displeasure rising in her body.
Suppressing it with a snarl her thoughts now focused on another matter entirely… Arathar.
'I know what to do…'
…
"Raveres."
Blinking her eyes open she furrowed her brow, candle light gave a low illumination from the doorway, though it was obscured by a figure she knew that she was in her room, in her bed.
The voice was familiar and didn't make her that uneasy, but it was so early it didn't seem right.
She wanted to wave them off, a house slave waking her probably.
'But so early?' she wondered.
Her throat felt stiff, tight, and dry. But there was a level of seriousness to how her name was said, as if it had been repeated to the point of irritation. Which immediately made her think of only one possibility…
'Father'
Immediately her lithe, elven frame sprang into action and Raveres threw her sheets off as she looked towards the doorway. Sure enough, standing straight in the parting, tilting his head away from his indecently dressed daughter, was Titos Naguii.
So many questions began flooding her mind as she woke, why were they up so early, what time was it, in fact the young Raveres was so disoriented she was unsure just yet as to what day it was!
But she knew better than to ask her father, the general, any such stupid questions. So, she adjusted her feminine nightgown and stood at attention beside her bed.
His voice came out, in the tone it usually did with her, plain and devoid of emotion,
"Dress yourself. Wear riding clothes, and meet Riccard in the foyer."
She nodded and bowed her head, "Yes father."
Once he left the young Raveres scrambled to throw off her sleep-clothes and open her room's wardrobe to begin layering. Without Elianna it took longer to dress, but Raveres wasn't so witless as to not choose the thickest hides and furs she had.
Then she donned her old, ill-fitting, riding boots. She hadn't yet gotten new ones; and with her feet and body continuing to grow in strange bursts she'd be getting one of her sisters previously used pairs before any new ones from the cobblers.
Despite the discomfort, she shoved her feet into them and jumped towards one of her chamber's shuttered windows.
Pushing the thick curtain aside and unlatching the cold iron lock Raveres lifted the bottom of the wooden cover up enough to peer out. Already the kiss of the wind entered into the warm chamber, and she reluctantly looked into the gloomy darkness. It was the dead of winter, and the snows draped over the land outside of Blacklight Tower in heavy sweeps, with a wind which howled like a banshee.
It was so dark she immediately recoiled from the sill in primal self-preservation; as if a Raksha or a Sabre'd Mountain Cat might steal her through such a small opening. Yet there were no beast prowling upon the snow-dusted heath.
Only the silver of a hunter's moon gave definition to the landscape.
Shaking her head, she closed the window and re-drew the curtain before leaving her room. Then she tried to think, the still nagging question of why she was up so early continued to bother Raveres.
In the foyer of her home several slaves, still in their own bed-clothes, stood about, holding candelabras and or otherwise standing to the side, out of the way.
Several men, in furs and armour were waiting for her, seeing Riccard she immediately felt a rush of confidence, enough to ask the man,
"What are we doing up so early?"
Whispers and hushed voices of her father's men could be heard but not a single slave dared to speak, not even to dare a whisper among themselves. The bearded human Riccard shook his head as he turned to greet her. Then she noticed something even more odd about the whole affair.
Standing beside him, bundled up like a bear, was Narien, rubbing his eyes and blinking in confusion.
Furrowing her brow Raveres pointed an indignant finger at her younger brother, "Why is he here?"
"Your father's waiting for us lady Raveres, he wanted the little lord to see as well. Now come."
Before she could say anything more Riccard nodded to the footmen and they opened the door and stepped out into the cold night air. Horses, draped in winter covers were arranged and waiting for them.
So, they rode out of the town, lit torches illuminating the well-trod path through the snow banks into the landscape, and Raveres began to chill, futilely turning the hood of her coat tighter against her cheeks.
She didn't ride alone, their house didn't have enough horses to mount all of them, so she sat in the same saddle as Riccard and the young Narien was planted upon her lap.
The farther they rode from town the more nervous and anxious she and her brother got.
Holding him to her chest tighter she tried to calm her breathing until finally they saw torch light on a small hill.
Their destination, she presumed.
When they dismounted, she saw her father, the only man without a helmet or a face covering, flanked by Valar, Riccard's brother, another Naguii guardsman, and several men sporting the insignia and colours of Blacklight Tower's garrison.
A career of patrolling and commanding men in the far north had long since ruined Titos' sense of temperature, and one could often tell the age and the experience of a Druchii by merely watching them outside on a cold night, for he stood as still as a statue while younger guardsmen, helmeted and covered in fine furs of bear, sabre, or elk, shivered.
Torches held by the armoured men gave poor lighting at first, but then Raveres saw it.
In the middle of the group of men were two figures, one was moving while the other lay still. The one moving grunted and cursed, writhing from side to side and sputtering in pain.
As she came closer, following Riccard and the others, she realised the man moving was shirtless, his back was covered in so much blood it looked like he had been wearing a tunic.
Scourge marks and the heft of an arrow in his shoulder still oozed blood as he continued to twitch and groan in pain, occasionally whimpering. She also could tell now; it was a human slave. His bald head, rounded ears, and the collar around his neck indicating as much, while the other man on the snowy ground, had long black hair, golden eyes, pointed ears, and a masque covering the bottom half of his face; a Druchii.
Weakly Raveres asked Riccard, "What's going on?"
Her whisper went unnoticed as her party continued to approach silently.
Now just mere feet away, she saw and recognised the human, the man was actually a Naguii house slave! He'd cleaned her room! Served her food, why? He must have…
'He. He tried to escape?' She wondered.
None of the men said anything, they merely stood stiffly, watching the injured human weakly crawl on the snow.
Riccard looked down and finally spoke, "Your father wants you two to watch lady Raveres."
Seeing that Raveres and Narien were now close enough Titos nodded and gruffly cleared his throat. Without any fanfare, hesitation, or warning he drew a dagger and stepped towards the slave.
The men around watched on quietly, small chuckles of amusement escaping some of the less cold ones. Narien let out a sharp noise, one which Raveres instinctively silenced with her hands over his mouth.
Wide-eyed and shivering she watched on.
Narien must have recognised the slave too, because he was blubbering the human's name behind her fingers as their father slit his throat.
After Titos stepped away from the body Raveres watched the blood pour from the man's throat, steaming into the cold night air and melting some of the snow underneath him.
Cleaning his dagger off Titos finally spoke, addressing the Blacklight Tower guardsmen, "Burn the slave or feed it to nauglir, but make sure the poacher is impaled at the city gates."
The senior guardsman nodded, "As you wish milord."
Titos pointed at Valar, raising his voice, "Give these men my favour."
Looking at his own household guard he added, "You men, help them move the bodies."
With a huff he finally stood before Riccard, Raveres, and Narien.
Kneeling so he was head-height to Narien, Titos scrutinised his son's face.
"That Druchii behind me was a slave-poacher."
Narien gulped and nodded. Titos' voice changed, rising and speaking as plainly as if he were telling his son how to fish.
"They do more than just taking things which do not belong to them. They lie in order to lure slaves away, and then, they sell them again, to someone else."
Looking towards Raveres Titos slowly stood back up. His voice now losing any trace of his earlier paternal explanation,
"You understand why I did this?"
Raveres looked at the body of the dead Druchii being lifted and nodded, her shoulders moving as she answered hastily,
"He stole from you."
Titos shook his head, "A mere thief loses a hand, or receives a branding on their flesh."
Raveres tensed and grit her teeth to keep from shivering as her father calmly watched the men tie the two corpses behind two of the horses.
"No, no. This is about respect."
The hint of pride behind his voice made him stand more stiffly.
"It is a commodity far more valuable than material possessions."
His cold eyes rested on Raveres for several moments.
A wind whipped around them and she could feel Narien shaking against her legs. Her face twitched and her body felt the bite of the air despite her layers of thick fur.
With his features unaffected by the touch of the wind, Titos repeated his question, "Do you understand?"
The lesson, the presentation, the whole process, it resonated and in a moment of clarity Raveres finally got it…
Swallowing and clearing her throat she nodded before responding, "I do father."
…