Timestamp: 75th Day of Winter, 514 AV
Seirei watched the twins sleep. They were beautiful when they slept. The quiet was beautiful, too. She was starting to forget what it sounded like. But even though Lukar and Lira were only twelve days old, Seirei couldn't imagine her life without them any more. The tiny infants filled something in her that she hadn't even known was missing until she had them in her life.
A soft ruslting outside the tent caught her attention. As far as she knew, she and the twins were alone in the small camp. Her captor had left to go hunting bells ago. No one else lived with him. He didn't have any herds of zibri, or horses that might make some noise. So there shouldn't be any. Startled, Seirei stood slowly so she wouldn't wake the twins, and left the tent.
Terrin, Rytira, and Tesaia were gathered at the edge of the camp, looking uncertain, but hopeful. When they saw her, Teisaia started to say something, but Seirei made a cautionary, silencing gesture.
"Lukar and Lira are asleep." she said quietly.
"I'd like them to stay that way for a while."
The others nodded.
"Good. That will make this easier." Teisaia said happily.
Seirei gave her friend a startled look. What could they possibly be up to that would be easier if the twins were sleeping?
"Look, we've been thinking about this a lot. I know how difficult it is for you, being a captive, and all. It would be bad enough, just being...well..."
"Being bred like an animal?"
Seirei loved her children. And now that they were here, she couldn't wish otherwise. But she hated her captor as much as she feared him for forcing himself on her repeatedly in order to sire them on her, much the way a horse would be bred. And she dreaded the thought that he would begin raping her again soon now that the twins had been born. How long would he wait to breed her again? One season? Two? Waisana had said two seasons were needed between pregnancies. But she didn't trust that her captor would wait that long in his eagerness to breed her again. Already, she saw him glancing at her speculatively at times.
"Well...yes. That. But the way that a lot of other people treat you must make it even worse."
Seirei nodded slowly. The looks. The jeers. The constant reminders that she was a worthless slave, and that the children she would be forced to bear were the only value she had.
"If you looked less like a captive, that might change. At least a little. Learning how to ride would help with that. Riding is...everything to a Drykas. People who don't know how to ride aren't respected. It's that simple. The traders who come here the most frequently know this, and send people who know how to ride to conduct the most important trades. You wouldn't be allowed to ride a strider, of course. But if you rode a horse when moving about the city, it wouldn't be as immediately obvious that you were a captive. You would still be an outsider, but some people might assume you were with the traders, and treat you accordingly."
Now that Teisaia had said that, Seirei remembered that her...that the caravan she used to live with used to do the same thing. She had been something of a different case since her father was a Drykas, but looking back at it now, she suspected that he thought of her as something like a pet more than a child. And learning how to ride was one step closer to being able to escape.
"I'd like that." Seirei said softly.
"We were hoping you'd say that. That's why we brought him."
"He" was a horse. Seirei hadn't noticed him until Teisaia had pointed him out since he was standing among a clump of bushes.
"He's getting up there in years, but he's a good old gelding. Patient with even the most hesitant of riders, and very calm. He'll be perfect to teach you how to ride."
"Wait...now?"
"Yes, now. And before you object, Rytira can keep an eye on the twins while we teach you. So come on!" Teisaia said eagerly.
Seirei couldn't help but grin at her friend's enthusiasm.
"Thanks, guys." she said as she followed Teisaia and Rytira out of the camp.
.
.
.
Seirei watched the twins sleep. They were beautiful when they slept. The quiet was beautiful, too. She was starting to forget what it sounded like. But even though Lukar and Lira were only twelve days old, Seirei couldn't imagine her life without them any more. The tiny infants filled something in her that she hadn't even known was missing until she had them in her life.
A soft ruslting outside the tent caught her attention. As far as she knew, she and the twins were alone in the small camp. Her captor had left to go hunting bells ago. No one else lived with him. He didn't have any herds of zibri, or horses that might make some noise. So there shouldn't be any. Startled, Seirei stood slowly so she wouldn't wake the twins, and left the tent.
Terrin, Rytira, and Tesaia were gathered at the edge of the camp, looking uncertain, but hopeful. When they saw her, Teisaia started to say something, but Seirei made a cautionary, silencing gesture.
"Lukar and Lira are asleep." she said quietly.
"I'd like them to stay that way for a while."
The others nodded.
"Good. That will make this easier." Teisaia said happily.
Seirei gave her friend a startled look. What could they possibly be up to that would be easier if the twins were sleeping?
"Look, we've been thinking about this a lot. I know how difficult it is for you, being a captive, and all. It would be bad enough, just being...well..."
"Being bred like an animal?"
Seirei loved her children. And now that they were here, she couldn't wish otherwise. But she hated her captor as much as she feared him for forcing himself on her repeatedly in order to sire them on her, much the way a horse would be bred. And she dreaded the thought that he would begin raping her again soon now that the twins had been born. How long would he wait to breed her again? One season? Two? Waisana had said two seasons were needed between pregnancies. But she didn't trust that her captor would wait that long in his eagerness to breed her again. Already, she saw him glancing at her speculatively at times.
"Well...yes. That. But the way that a lot of other people treat you must make it even worse."
Seirei nodded slowly. The looks. The jeers. The constant reminders that she was a worthless slave, and that the children she would be forced to bear were the only value she had.
"If you looked less like a captive, that might change. At least a little. Learning how to ride would help with that. Riding is...everything to a Drykas. People who don't know how to ride aren't respected. It's that simple. The traders who come here the most frequently know this, and send people who know how to ride to conduct the most important trades. You wouldn't be allowed to ride a strider, of course. But if you rode a horse when moving about the city, it wouldn't be as immediately obvious that you were a captive. You would still be an outsider, but some people might assume you were with the traders, and treat you accordingly."
Now that Teisaia had said that, Seirei remembered that her...that the caravan she used to live with used to do the same thing. She had been something of a different case since her father was a Drykas, but looking back at it now, she suspected that he thought of her as something like a pet more than a child. And learning how to ride was one step closer to being able to escape.
"I'd like that." Seirei said softly.
"We were hoping you'd say that. That's why we brought him."
"He" was a horse. Seirei hadn't noticed him until Teisaia had pointed him out since he was standing among a clump of bushes.
"He's getting up there in years, but he's a good old gelding. Patient with even the most hesitant of riders, and very calm. He'll be perfect to teach you how to ride."
"Wait...now?"
"Yes, now. And before you object, Rytira can keep an eye on the twins while we teach you. So come on!" Teisaia said eagerly.
Seirei couldn't help but grin at her friend's enthusiasm.
"Thanks, guys." she said as she followed Teisaia and Rytira out of the camp.
.
.
.
