Solo The Arrival

[Kaie]

39th of Winter, 513 AV
10th Bell

It had been a damn long ride. Between the reddening of her skin beneath her binds and the idiots she was forced to interact with at every waking moment, Kaie was utterly miserable and undeniably pissed off. She was a Myrian and a female at that. A woman born to one day become the matriarch of her clan and a sword at the disposal of the Goddess Queen. Someone who hailed from a far away land where family and racial pride were everything. She was part of the people who eradicated the undesirables from the jungle and erected a City of Bones for Myri the Merciless to reign supreme. Her bloodlines were of those whose deeds fueled the nightmares of barbarians all over Mizahar. And somehow, some heathens in the cold forest had managed to enslave her.

"Come on, boys! In a few bells we'll be within those walls with fresh ale in our hands and wenches warming our beds!"

Kaie scoffed at the very idea. Whomever they paid to occupy their rooms would have to be coaxed with quite a handful of coin. Even the whores in Syliras had to have standards too high for the band of fools she traveled with. Stupid, greedy fools. Tormenting them day and night with constant attempts at escape and murder were one of the few things Kaie had enjoyed since her capture. She lived for it. And without much else to do, she had her every waking moment to plan her next move. It was such a bummer Zeke was the one who rolled up her weapons and stowed them away mysteriously. Had Broderick been the one in charge of them, she'd be long gone from them by now with several cut throats in her wake. At least she was certain no one had dared touch her father's gladius...

"Hear that? Almost there," Zeke grinned at her, giving her horse's reigns a tug. Maybe if he hadn't been the one to put a dart in her neck and wrap ropes around her limbs, she might've liked him.

"Hey, I bet if I start screaming curses at their gods when we approach the gates I can get one of the guards to slit my throat. Wouldn't that be exciting?" She retorted with all the venom and sarcasm she could slip into her Common, anger making her accent harshen the words far easier.

"You know, that might've been clever if you hadn't told me. Now I'll just have to gag you."

Kaie rolled her eyes and gave a tug at her wrists. No matter how much she struggled, she could never get any separation in the rope. Zeke sure could tie some knots. Another reason to hate him. It almost made her want to see if she could somehow manage to take him down with her before they entered the city. Had she been suicidal, her voiced idea might've been a serious option. Being what she was and strolling into the domain of the most hated demigod of her people was enough of a danger to her life. Goddess, she could only imagine the smug smirk that would frame Uphis's face if he saw her being dragged in as a slave. The image made her hands turn to fists.

"Hey! What are you doing!"

The Drykas man was too late. Before he had a chance to realize what the woman was doing and stop her, Kaie had driven her heels into her horse with plenty of force to coax a reaction. With her legs in the stirrups and connected by a thick rope beneath the horse's stomach, the rebel was ready to make another try at escape. The horse whinnied and sped forth like a stallion parading wild across the Sea of Grass. Kaie managed to wrap her fingers around the saddle horn and held on for dear life. With the sudden yanking of the lead from his hands, Zeke no longer had control. The rest of the slavers watched as the Myrian took off from them in the direction of the boggy wilderness.

She was sure she had liberated herself in that moment of exhilarating freedom. The wind whipped through her hair with a wintry breath, Syna glowering at her high above in the sky. The snow beneath her horse's hooves crackled and flew powder in their wake. For a while she just closed her eyes and leaned back, listening to the rhythmic stomping of her companion. The change of four racing hooves to eight sent her eyes flashing open and head turning behind her. All that hopeful bliss was gone.

And I thought I was going to beat a Drykas and his strider in a horse race...

Zeke caught up within ticks to snag her reigns and regain control of her horse. He had his teeth grit together and a hard expression on his face. Angry. Kaie could only grin in response, tongue probing the inside of her cheek in her own mirth. When were they going to learn to always stay on their toes?

"Almost had you didn't I?"

"You wish, Jungle Girl."

[Kaie]

It wasn't long before her legs were retied and she was sitting sideways on the horse, holding onto the horn for dear life. The last embarrassment she needed was to fall face first off a horse with no ability to break the fall. Zeke had a much firmer grip on things after that stunt. If she didn't get far before, another try certainly wouldn't bring her any more distance. Not without full use of her appendages. Needless to say, Broderick was taking a little too much pleasure in her complete uselessness. The way he sat there on his high horse, all smug like a thief out of Syliras, made Kaie want to knock him dead.

"Oh, quit giving me that look. I could've tied you up and dragged you on your ass behind me couldn't I?" Zeke reasoned with her, turning around on his saddle to eye her. She might've found a witty response if Broderick hadn't taken the liberty of cutting her off.

"Gods be good! Lhex is with us today!"

"What the petch are you talking about?"

"Look up ahead. It's perfect! I'm sure we can work something out between the three of us!"

Something told Kaie that she was the center of the discussion for all the wrong reasons. If only she could get her hands on a blade. Shyke, she'd take anything with an edge. A table with sharp corners would be a blessing.

"I came to Nyka once or twice as a boy. Visited the Northern Quarter, too. The monks there are the ones who guard the walls. I hear they're not too fond of her kind," Broderick explained calmly, seeming to straighten up on his saddle. A rough hand pushed his thick hair back. From the looks of it, it appeared he was preening.

"Alright. And you plan to involve another party to profit us how?" Zeke retorted with an obviously skeptic tone. Kaie noted the way his eyes narrowed in distrust. However, when she leaned back and forth to see ahead where Broderick had his gaze fixed, she saw nothing.

"Well we came all this way and I'd rather not risk losing what little we have. Besides, I'll bet pooling our money wouldn't be such a bad idea. Looks like he's got some great stock from here."

"Who?"

"Yeah, and he's got a few more guys than us. How do we know he won't just take her and go?"

"We don't, but it's called business, Zeke. Sometimes you have to roll the dice and hope a little charm works things in your favor, hm? So do try to be likable. I, for one, would still like to be paid."

"What are you two going on about?" Kaie attempted to interject again, pursing her lips in irritation. Besides the language barrier she was always traversing, they were being vague. Were they trying to keep her from knowing the details of the plan for fear she'd try to make another run for it?

"I think you're forgetting our little friend here doesn't exactly play well with others. How many times did she try to kill you in your sleep?"

"Three. But that's beside the point! They're pros! They'll handle her. Gods help her if she tries anything ridiculous."

"I know you're talking about me. I can hear you by the way."

"Good point. I bet they'll teach her to behave then."

"Hah! Wouldn't that be a neat trick."

"Um, hello! Sitting right here!" The Myrian woman growled more forcefully this time, daring to trade her grasp on the horn for one on the reigns. With a strong tug, Zeke was almost torn from his saddle in surprise. Had part of him not been suspecting something all along, she might've dismounted him. The Drykas yanked his head her way with a disapproving look and tugged back. Kaie narrowly managed to remain on the saddle."Quit ignoring me! The petch are you two planning to do now?"

The two men exchanged looks before Broderick began to chuckle. He shook his head grimly at her and licked his lips with anticipation. At first she got nothing from either of them. Broderick simply turned back around to watch where he was going. It was only after a few moment of Kaie working to drill holes in the back of his head that she realized something was up. She could hear voices. The snort of a horse. There was the faint sound of wagon wheels traversing rough earth. Another caravan, it seemed. They couldn't have been more than several yards ahead. Maybe if she was lucky, she'd find some kind of philanthropist or abolitionist to give her a hand. With a little manipulation, she'd be out of her bindings in no time. The Myrian couldn't keep the smirk turning up the corner of her mouth. That's when she finally got her response.

"Nothing that'll ease your pain, love. Sorry. You know how it is. Just business."

And as they broke from the trees toward the group just ahead, any plan of escape died in a fiery explosion. Her heart sank with despair and hatred. Eyes hardened and narrowed, lip curling in utter disgust. It wasn't a caravan of travelers to bring her salvation. Just a rolling cage with hands that scrapped at the empty air, fingers locking around the bars hopelessly. Their filthy conditions permeated the vicinity like a plague. They were the very downtrodden animals vultures circles in the Cyphrus. Bones for the picking. These were not men of goodwill. They were slavers. And Zeke and Broderick were down for some sort of trade.

"Let me promise you this, barbarian," Kaie growled low to Zeke, teeth grit as she struggled to maintain her volume to nothing much above a harsh whisper. She dared not even give him the courtesy of eye contact as she spoke. All the while she stared forward at the new manifestation of an enemy. Needless to say, she would make a memorable first impression.

"Before my days are done, I swear before the Goddess Queen that I will reap your souls for Dira. I will bury my ax in your faces and tear your innards from your chest to feed Caiyha's gifts. Know that I will destroy all that you are. Akajia alone knows of the sins I will punish you for. I will bathe in your blood before we part ways for the last time. The world will burn to ashes before I let anything stand in the way of my vengeance. You will not forget my face. Not even in death," She snarled maliciously in her own tongue, well aware he had no idea the gravity of the threats she uttered. His gaze was upon her. She could feel his eyes. No doubt he was staring at her, trying to decipher the twisted message she had sent him. Deep within his soul, he would know. How could he not?

[Kaie]

"Greetings!"

The heavily guarded slave caravan halted at the intruding voice that belonged to none other than Broderick. With the sudden stop of their moving prison, more fingers latched around the bars. Dirty, matted heads tried to peer out and around toward the back of the wagon to see what was up. A few eyes lit up in dim hope. Hands outstretched toward the stranger's voice, fingers curling and uncurling in a silent plea. If only they knew they were begging another monster to swallow them whole.

Broderick rode up toward the travelers, finding the opposing men turning on their horses to eye him. All hands went to the weapons at their sides. A few bows were raised, too. Arrows with refined points hung upon Lhex's fragile strings, waiting to see what the Fates decided for the intruder. Strangely, Broderick didn't lose his nerve in the face of hostility. Instead his grin broadened and he flicked his reigns if only to show he had nothing in his hands. Unamused slavers approached on their steeds with scowling, scarred faces. It looked like it was going to be a tough crowd. Kaie prayed Broderick wasn't ever half the businessman he tried to pass himself off as. If only he could say the wrong thing and get himself killed.

"It appears I have your attention. Good," He began with a smile, hand rubbing his chin casually. The slavers sat on their saddles in aggressive silence. The Myrian couldn't help the sadistic grin that threatened to break upon her furious mask. Already did things seem to be going her way.

Not such a great start, Broderick.

Then he did something unexpected. He dismounted. With the reigns in his hand, he walked toward the three slavers who had approached first with a winning smile. One by one, he reached up to shake their hands. Kaie convinced herself his tactic was stupid. It could never work. He wanted something from them and instead of intimidation, he makes himself out to be their subordinate. He had sacrificed his level ground on horseback to practically grovel at their feet with politeness and respect. It was sickening. Did he have no self respect? Maybe he should've been the one sold to chains.

"Broderick Franks. It's a pleasure. I see Xyna has been in your favor! I congratulate you!"

"You must have a death wish stopping men like us in our journey. If you have an sales pitch to give, I'd get on with it. Otherwise, get the petch out of our way," The man in charge demanded in a deep growl, his armor making a metallic shifting noise as he tugged his longsword from his scabbard.

"Fair enough. The way I see it, you and I are brothers."

"That so?"

"Indeed. There's a very large portion of this world that thinks very little of what we do to survive. Everyone knows there's thriving profit in slaving. I happened to be coming here to rejoin my own company when we ran into an...Item of interest," He started off charismatically, hand gesturing wildly with his quieting speech. Every once in a while he'd smooth back his hair or adjust his jacket. It was the only sign of his nerves. Otherwise he was cool. Far too cool. Unnaturally so. He had nothing and yet he believed he could con a legitimate group into doing his bidding. It was preposterous.

"Get on with it."

"Look. The slave I have in captivity isn't one I want to handle with a couple men and a line of rope in a city. Let me pool her in with the rest of your stock and I'll make it worth your while."

Broderick stared up at the man with finality, hands clutching the collar of his inner shirt in wait. Meanwhile a gentle snow began to fall and casted a white layer across the Myrian's falling curls. Too far from earshot since Broderick lowered his voice, she felt inclined to stare at the falling wonders as they rested upon her.

"Zeke, bring her up."

Now they had her undivided, and very angry, attention.