Baki drew in a breath, shifting slightly on the bamboo raft. One of the older men had known what the blindfold over his eyes meant, and watched him closely. Baki could feel the man's gaze against the top of his wind ruffled white hair tucked away beneath a black hood, and felt the eyes resting on his right side. Not only that, but Nari was fluffed up on his shoulder, hissing lowly at the man. Personally, Baki couldn't blame her, the man had a foul odor, like bad liquor, or rotten food. And he had learned early that people often smelled like their personalities, never mind the smells attached to their own. This man had a sweet smell over his own, like a sweetened cake, something he seemed to indulge in often.
Sighing, the young male shifted again, listening to the soft mutters of the men, the clear rippling of the water as they pushed their way along. The low snorts from the horses at the shore, their hooves thudding softly on the dampened earth. The noise of the birds in the trees, falling silent as they came close. Then faint creak of a branch straining under the weight of something. He froze, his breath quickening. Nari shuffled her feet, cooing softly and nestling against his throat. There was someone above them, others behind them. He opened his mouth in shock and the man watching him seemed to realize he was bothered despite the hood hiding most of his face.
He touched Baki's arm and went to speak. As if the man's actions were a signal, the ambush began. There was a hiss of air as the man beside him let out a shriek and landed with a thud on the edge of the raft, sliding off into the water before his weight tilted the bamboo surface overly much. For this, Baki found himself grateful, though wary. If the surface, which at the moment was bobbing frantically, like someone was jumping up and down on it, were to tip, he would most likely drown, as no one had thought to teach him how to swim..
Dryly, he realized people probably were jumping on it, they had to get on the raft somehow, and tipping it over would ruin the goods they were after. Not only that, he added, when Nari screeched and burrowed closer to him, judging by the thuds, there were spears being thrown about. And knives, and well, anything that could be of use was being used.
Suddenly, a hand grasped the back of his neck and jerked him up to his feet, Nari let out an indignant hoot and flapped her wings at Baki's captor. The pale seventeen year old let out a hiss of pain as his hood slid back to reveal his face, with the blindfold over his eyes, and the grip on his neck tightened to a level slightly above painful. There came a sudden outcry from the one holding him and Baki decided he wasn't sure he liked being held so roughly. With his pale skin the smallest thing left bruises for weeks, and while he couldn't see them, he sure as hell could feel them. This wasn't a small thing, this wasn't very big either, but still, he would be feeling the hand on the back of his throat for a good while.
The sound around him gradually died down and after a slight sway from the raft, footsteps slowly approached, not warily, Baki thought, but calmly. Like the man walking, and he knew it was a man, no woman with such self confidence, was in charge of everything, knew nothing could touch him, because when they did touch him, he would beat them. With a start, he realized the man approaching was a fighter of some sort, either that or a dancer, but something told him otherwise. The man inhaled to speak, and Baki heard the hints of age creeping into the man's voice. In another ten years or so, he would be in the first stage of old age, having finished his time as middle aged.
"Let him go. The blind one is helpless and he didn't try to fight anyone." Came the voice, and Baki's felt the urge to smirk. The man's voice was well suited to him. The man holding him let go so quickly that Baki stumbled, but was supported carefully by the man, who had ordered his release. After he was steady as he could get, he stepped back, his lips frowning. Nari huffed but settled her head, though her feathers remained ruffled.
"I am Chernang, Leader of the Outlaws of Garuda Cliff. Who are you?" The man spoke again, exhibiting immense patience while Baki thought of how to answer. He crept his hand up to stroke Nari's head, but still said nothing.
"I trust only those who I can see with my name, but you may call me what you please." Baki finally said, smiling when they stirred in confusion, his mind on the past.
"Mother! Mother! Where are you?" A small white haired boy asked, swaying slightly on his feet. A comforting hand brushed against his face. He leaned into it, purring almost like a kitten.
"Baki. My son, my boy. This isn't going to make sense right now, but I need you to promise me something." A soothing woman's voice caressed his ears. Puzzled he tilted his head.
"What? What is it, mother?" He blinked his unseeing pale pink eyes, as a drop of water hit his pale face. It wasn't raining, there wasn't any water but what was hitting his face. Understanding struck him and he gasped. Silent except for her crying, his mother gazed into sightless eyes, eyes that saw nothing, yet showed everything within.
"Never give someone your name until you see them." Now she choked on a sob, watching puzzled confusion swell up in her only child's eyes, followed by understanding.
"You're leaving, aren't you, mother? Why? Is it because father is angry? Please don't go." Baki's plea was hollow, halfhearted. She went to reply, her brown eyes glistening with more tears.
"Riane! Come here! Leave that thing behind you." Baki felt his mother freeze uncertainly at his father's call, then reluctantly leave him standing there. He heard her enter the house and then he heard her pained screams. Shocked, he stumbled toward her cry. Upon reaching the stairs he fell with a rough thud to the wooden surface, and crawled up them, blood running from a scrape on his forehead. He entered the house, and his hands met something soft, and wet. He heard a choked gasp and his eyes widened.
"Mother? What's wrong? What is this?" Baki's young voice was strained and cracking with fear, soft as though he truly feared the answer. There was a sneer of laughter in his direction, and the white haired boy felt a coldness slide into his body like a python, coiling dangerously in his stomach.
Heavy footsteps thudded toward him. struggling for air Baki scooted backwards quickly. But as a hand grabbed him by the hair, he knew it hadn't been fast enough. Slowly, as if the one holding him relished his pained yelps, he was lifted to his feet, then the tips of his toes. His head was jerked back so his hair fell out of his face, and after a few minutes of silence, a man laughed. It was a cold hard laugh. One that was amused by both Baki's pain and by something else. It was then he heard a weak cry from his mother, followed by a groan. It was then his father spoke.
"Quiet, woman! You disgraced me with an abomination of a child, then you refuse me so that I can't have a different one. So, I will rid myself of this unsightliness and you will never see him again. He won't need you, so you won't have to use excuses to refuse me any longer." His father's voice was calm, odd considering the sting in his words. There was a soft scraping sound, like metal against metal. A sound Baki would soon call gold coins.
The man holding him laughed and moved his grip to Baki's elbow, dragging him roughly to a strange wooden cart. He let out another laugh at Baki's sobs at the scrapes on his legs from the ground.
"Your blind, not worth much usually, but you're pretty enough that I know of several who will pay a large sum for you."He cackled finally. before calling something. With a lurch, the cart began moving. Moving him away from Riane's pained crying of his name. To a life of slavery.
"I shall have to think on what suits you, then. Come, it is not in my nature to leave a blind one alone in the approach of winter." Chernang spoke, snapping Baki's attention away from his memories and back onto the world around him. Nari let out a soft hoot, rubbing her face against his, before taking to the sky. Irritated, Baki sighed, despite how much he needed her, she was worthless when she was hungry.
"What's wrong?" Another of the men spoke, dimly Baki pondered at how many there were, he had good hearing but the men were so quiet, and his nose wasn't much use, it didn't know how to count.
"Nothing, Nari decided to go catch herself a meal." he replied, a frown firmly planted on his face. The man touched his shoulder, nudging him carefully forward. Baki felt the water lap at his feet and tensed, they were at the edge of the water.
"Mork, go over there."
"Why?" Was the puzzled reply.
"I'm going to hand you over to my brother, Mork, alright?" He bit his lip, feeling a twinge of shame at what the man meant. Nevertheless, he nodded and allowed himself to be passed like a bit of cargo, though he had to admit they were careful in their movement of him, more so than others usually were.
Mork set him down on his feet and nudged him slightly, making it clear he was to guide Baki. With another sigh, this one entirely mental, he grudgingly let Mork herd him towards what sounded like a horse. Upon reaching the creature, Mork went to help him into the saddle, but with an irritable growl, Baki stopped him.
"I might not see, but I know how to ride a horse, that's one of the things I can do." he snapped. Turning his attention back to the horse, he ran his palm down its nose, enjoying the feeling of leather and horsehide beneath his hand. He breathed in deep, feeling almost thankful for the scent of horse to reach his nose. The horse snorted and nudged his hand, earning a slight smile.
After a few more seconds, Baki sighed and swung himself easily to the saddle, feeling more than grateful he could be on horseback again. A soft clopping of light hooves on the earth made him aware of another horse approaching. He sighed and waited for whoever it was to speak.
"The mare you're on, her name is Pen-chan, because she's white, like the full moon." The man who had given him over to Mork spoke in a friendly easygoing way, and despite himself, Baki felt himself warm toward him almost automatically.
"Ignore him, Banem, Koly's always talking, miracle he gets anything done." Mork's statement was light and teasing and judging by the lilt to his voice Koly was just as amused. Pen-chan snorted and quivered beneath him, clearly interested in moving rather than standing about.
"Banem?" Chernang's voice startled Baki, and he shifted on the mare's back. Nearby, Mork cleared his throat, he was nervous, very nervous if the added scent of human sweat was something to base judgments off.
"He was unexpected, and he didn't have a name so...I thought maybe that Banem would work." Mork's voice was surprisingly anxious, like a dog awaiting punishment or praise, unsure of what to expect. This confused Baki, as most underlings usually held either fear or challenge in their voice when forced to explain something, though it wasn't exactly forcing if he thought about it.
"Banem...It will work for now." Chernang said smoothly, before turning away from them with an almost inaudible swish of cloth and shouting orders to the others in the bandit's raiding party.
An: Here's what the names mean.
Banem: unexpected
Koly: Runt
Pen-chan: full moon
Mork: Mist