Post by Timeon on Sept 4, 2013 19:23:31 GMT
What Naru Zadhi had thought was a forest had merely been a sparse woodland, according to Corinne. They had been on the outskirts of the forest, and that much became obvious as the caravan wound through tunnels of shadow, cast by the tall trees emerging around them. Off to either side, Naru could see a forest of brown pillars and branches, and a never ending carpet of fallen and decaying leaves. The forest had a smell unlike anything he had experienced before. Maybe it was possible to liken it to some of the incense they used in the Wandering City, but that was dry, and here, the air itself was wet.
Three days after finding the sacked village, Naru Zadhi began to sneeze. His companions distanced themselves from him, and he deteriorated over the course of the day, feeling like sand had somehow gotten into his very joints, slowing him down. At last, Anthon offered him a place on his wagon. Seated beside the hefty man, Naru found himself surprised at his kindness.
"I suppose it was bound to happen, a desert grub like you coming somewhere like this for the first time."
Naru Zadhi was worried his illness would kill him, if he was so unused to it. How much worse would it really get? He dared to ask what was on his mind, just in case.
"Could it be healed by magic?"
Anthon was a pacter, after all.
"I'm no healer. I could try, but I'd probably just end up killing you by accident."
With a shrug, Naru turned his eyes to the road. The jackal familiar was walking beside the wagon, pulled by Anthon's two brown stallions. There was a faint buzzing noise in the air around them, like some sort of music.
"What's that sound?"
"Mosquitoes." Anthon said with a dry laugh. "I've been magically warding the caravan from them, which is part of my job. But where it gets really wet and dank in that forest, you are destined to find them. We are mostly shielded from nature in our cities. Some rich folk like to romanticize the wild. Truth is, none of them would last a day out here. If the savages don't get you, animals will."
"Hey, Anthon." Naru finally asked, broaching the subject. "I was wondering how much it would cost for me to buy a slave."
He had nearly said 'free' a slave instead of 'buy', and was glad for his choice of words.
"You want to free the girl we rescued? Lyala?" Anthon answered immediately, not taking his eyes off the path ahead. He sounded amused. "She's worth more than you can pay, believe you me, son. A beauty like her? Not even a criminal? Spirits take me! She's worth a small fortune. And you know why? Because rich folk think money can buy anything, they think money can fill that void of loneliness in their hearts. They think a concubine can learn to love them. Damned fools. Rich folk think they can buy anything in the world with money, even love."
"How much?" Naru asked anyway.
Anthon chuckled darkly.
"Didn't you hear me, Naru Zadhi? You're not rich, but you're a damned fool anyway. You think you can buy love, even when rich folk can't? Forget about her. I know you think it's unfair what happened to her, but she had a choice. Either we leave her there, or she comes with us as a slave. She made a choice. It's a damned risk you know, taking her."
Naru was taken aback. He opened his mouth to protest, but Anthon shushed him.
"You're a good lad, Naru. Don't take offence. You're brave, coming all this way. Captain Gharrn may hate you for being a poor shot, but he's a damned fool, so what does his opinion matter? Only brave Catarans come this far outside of the desert, especially with so little to their name. So keep that in mind."
Something whistled. Anthon opened his mouth, and then clenched his teeth. Something whistled through the air - a black lance stuck out of the side of one of the horses. A scream, from a horse, or a woman? The other horse was bolting, the wagon turning. Going out of control. Threatening to take them away from the caravan, or tip them over. Naru stole a look over his shoulder. The savages, streaming against the caravan, out of the woods, appearing out of nowhere, killing Captain Gharrn's men. Overwhelmed. But not lost. Not yet. They could win. They had planned for this.
Or he could escape. To Eukos. The horse. The wagon. A chance.
Three days after finding the sacked village, Naru Zadhi began to sneeze. His companions distanced themselves from him, and he deteriorated over the course of the day, feeling like sand had somehow gotten into his very joints, slowing him down. At last, Anthon offered him a place on his wagon. Seated beside the hefty man, Naru found himself surprised at his kindness.
"I suppose it was bound to happen, a desert grub like you coming somewhere like this for the first time."
Naru Zadhi was worried his illness would kill him, if he was so unused to it. How much worse would it really get? He dared to ask what was on his mind, just in case.
"Could it be healed by magic?"
Anthon was a pacter, after all.
"I'm no healer. I could try, but I'd probably just end up killing you by accident."
With a shrug, Naru turned his eyes to the road. The jackal familiar was walking beside the wagon, pulled by Anthon's two brown stallions. There was a faint buzzing noise in the air around them, like some sort of music.
"What's that sound?"
"Mosquitoes." Anthon said with a dry laugh. "I've been magically warding the caravan from them, which is part of my job. But where it gets really wet and dank in that forest, you are destined to find them. We are mostly shielded from nature in our cities. Some rich folk like to romanticize the wild. Truth is, none of them would last a day out here. If the savages don't get you, animals will."
"Hey, Anthon." Naru finally asked, broaching the subject. "I was wondering how much it would cost for me to buy a slave."
He had nearly said 'free' a slave instead of 'buy', and was glad for his choice of words.
"You want to free the girl we rescued? Lyala?" Anthon answered immediately, not taking his eyes off the path ahead. He sounded amused. "She's worth more than you can pay, believe you me, son. A beauty like her? Not even a criminal? Spirits take me! She's worth a small fortune. And you know why? Because rich folk think money can buy anything, they think money can fill that void of loneliness in their hearts. They think a concubine can learn to love them. Damned fools. Rich folk think they can buy anything in the world with money, even love."
"How much?" Naru asked anyway.
Anthon chuckled darkly.
"Didn't you hear me, Naru Zadhi? You're not rich, but you're a damned fool anyway. You think you can buy love, even when rich folk can't? Forget about her. I know you think it's unfair what happened to her, but she had a choice. Either we leave her there, or she comes with us as a slave. She made a choice. It's a damned risk you know, taking her."
Naru was taken aback. He opened his mouth to protest, but Anthon shushed him.
"You're a good lad, Naru. Don't take offence. You're brave, coming all this way. Captain Gharrn may hate you for being a poor shot, but he's a damned fool, so what does his opinion matter? Only brave Catarans come this far outside of the desert, especially with so little to their name. So keep that in mind."
Something whistled. Anthon opened his mouth, and then clenched his teeth. Something whistled through the air - a black lance stuck out of the side of one of the horses. A scream, from a horse, or a woman? The other horse was bolting, the wagon turning. Going out of control. Threatening to take them away from the caravan, or tip them over. Naru stole a look over his shoulder. The savages, streaming against the caravan, out of the woods, appearing out of nowhere, killing Captain Gharrn's men. Overwhelmed. But not lost. Not yet. They could win. They had planned for this.
Or he could escape. To Eukos. The horse. The wagon. A chance.