Solo A Captive's Place

[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

Timestamp: 45th Day of Fall, 514 AV Seirei felt a little bit nervous about going in for her second exam for the season. But that was more because she was afraid of what her pregnancy might do to her next rather than the exam itself. Waisana always had a way of calming any insecurities she had about the actual exam. Although the first had been uncomfortable, Waisana's hands were gentle as she worked, and she was quite good at keeping Seirei's attention focused on something other than what she was doing. It was getting close to the time Waisana had asked her to come, so Seirei stood, and stretched her aching back. As she did so, her leg seized up in a painful cramp that nearly sent her toppling over. Only the fact that foot and leg cramps had become common enough that she half expected one every time she moved her legs saved her. She was able to shift her considerable weight to her other leg in time to prevent a fall. As usual, she felt off balance with the additional weight of the child growing inside of her, but she was getting used to that, too. It seems as though I can get used to a lot of things I never thought I would be able to. Seirei mused thoughtfully. She still hated the aches and pains forced upon her by the child sleeping within her belly, but they didn't interfere with her life as much as she once feared they would. Seirei even found that she was still able to work with her beloved wood as long as she rested often and did as much as she could while sitting down. Now if I could just get used to this horrible morning sickness, I'd be a lot better off. Or better yet, if it would just go away... Seirei grumbled to herself. Seirei sat down carefully, and rubbed her cramping leg vigorously. Slowly, but surely, the cramp eased, and the pain began to fade. Seirei sighed in relief. She stood again, and she left the tent. Her swollen ankles ached as she walked towards the healing tents. Her pace was slow, but steady. As she walked, she noticed the way different colored tents were placed. Some seemed to be clustered together by color, but this was by no means the case for all of them. That suggested that those that did were friends, or family rather than just being in the same Clan. There were a lot of green and red tents clustered together. That made perfect sense to Seirei. She had learned that the red tents belonged to the Ruby Clan, and that they were the craftspeople among the Drykas. That included leather working. Green tents meant the Emerald Clan, and they were hunters. So why not put the leather workers near the hunters that would be selling them the uncured pelts from their kills? Before Seirei knew it, she was standing outside the healing tents. She began looking for Waisana. It was early enough in the day that the River Flower wasn't overly crowded, but it was still fairly busy. Healers dressed in the white that Seirei had come to associate with the Opal Clan bustled about, showing patients into smaller, private areas where they could be examined. But she didn't see Waisana. Patients milled about the area, waiting to be seen with varying levels of patience. But Waisana wasn't among them. Seirei knew that she could be in one of the smaller, private areas, but she didn't want to just walk in. What if she was treating someone? So she kind of lingered around the main tent, hoping that she'd see her friend emerge, or that Waisana would see her. "May I help you? You look lost." Seirei started at the polite, but distant sounding masculine voice. She turned, and found someone dressed as a healer standing behind her, observing her. His startling green eyes fell on her belly, lingered for a moment, then met her gaze expectantly. "I'm looking for Waisana. Do you know where I can find her? I have an appointment with her today." The healer had spoken in pavi, and after a few ticks to translate his words, she had responded in kind. But her accent was obvious, as was her hesitance over word choice. And her hands fluttered indecisively rather than using any clear signs. The man frowned, and the polite, neutral expression in his eyes and face chilled slightly. "You must have made a mistake. Waisana is not here today. I will examine you in her place. Come with me." the healer said in heavily accented Common.

[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

The man turned and walked away, clearly expecting Seirei to follow him. Seirei did so, feeling anxious and helpless. He led her into a small examination area, then drew the entry flap closed behind her so they would have some privacy. "Strip." The order was cold, and unyielding. His tone was brisk, and demanding. Seirei wanted to flee. She didn't know what she had said or done to offend the man, but it was clear that he didn't like her. Instead of following the urge to run, Seirei obeyed the icy command despite her reluctance. The man examined her genitals as Waisana had done on a number of occasions in the past. But his large, meaty hands were cold, and hard as he poked and prodded her. Seirei couldn't help but flinch several times as he examined her. Waisana's exams were uncomfortable, but this was far worse. It hurt. The ordeal reminder her painfully of Lian, and once again Seirei had to suppress the urge to flee. As the man worked, his hands lingered as they touched certain parts of her body. It made her feel horribly uncomfortable for a different reason. And the silence that filled the examination area was so complete that Seirei was certain that the healer could hear her heart pounding its way out of her chest as her discomfort turned into bone chilling fear. "I can see that your master has not touched you in some time. Has he lost interest in you now that you are showing, and aren't as attractive as you might have been once?" the healer asked bluntly, his tone one of curiosity. His hands betrayed the fact that the man was greatly interested in her answer. Seirei wasn't certain of the exact meaning of the hand signs he used, but she did understand that much. It took a few ticks for Seirei to translate the healer's words, and there were a few she didn't understand. But when she did figure out the general meaning of the man's words, anger flooded through her. "He is not my master!" she snapped in Common, words and tone harsh with bitter anger. Her hands flashed a sign of strong, furious denial, emphasizing her words. The man frowned. His entire bearing declared his disapproval at her use of Common. Then he turned away from her, refusing to respond. He didn't have to. His meaning was painfully clear to Seirei. But anger refused to allow her to back down. She repeated her words once more, this time in pavi. The man turned to face her, his frown deepening. The expression in his eyes was hard, and unyielding. "Yes, he is. Oh, the auctioneer that sold you last fall may have used pretty words to soften the reality of the auction. "Welcoming the captives into their new families" is what he said if I remember correctly. But surely you are not stupid enough to believe that? Were you married into your new "family?" No, of course not. No decent man would marry an outsider like you. Well, then. Have you been welcomed into your master's home like a beloved sister or daughter? No. Although the damage has healed for the most part, there are lingering signs that are proof of how "gentle" your "brother" has been with you. And what kind of "brother" or "father" would force himself on their female relative, anyway? You are a slave, nothing more. No pretty words will ever change that fact. Nor should they. You are a slave. A brood mare to be used by your master to produce children that will replace the people we lost to the illness. That is all you will ever be. And it is high time that you learn your place!" The man's hands, and posture betrayed his utter disdain for her. It took Seirei some time to figure out what the healer was saying to her. He spoke rapidly, and some of his words were lost on her completely. But when she'd worked out the gist of the man's words, Seirei could only stare at him silently, in wide eyed, horrified shock. How many times had Seirei struggled with the idea that she was a slave? Lian's abuse wore her down despite her determination to fight. And while she had never once given in and "allowed" her captor to rape her, deep down she had begun to doubt herself shortly before Lian had succeeded in getting her with child. Still...her situation was different than that of a slave. Wasn't it? Lian had given her free run of the city so long as she obeyed his rules, and didn't try to run away. He allowed her to earn money, and he did not claim her earnings as his own. Surely that was different than being a slave...wasn't it? It had to be. Waisana didn't treat her like a slave. "I may be a captive, but I am not a slave. There is a difference." Seirei said icly, in heavily accented pavi. Angry tears blurred her vision as she began to cry. She hated herself for giving in to the weakness of tears. Especially in front of this man. But her own body betrayed her...yet again. Trembling with the force of her emotions, Seirei started to get dressed once more. She wanted nothing more than to leave the River Flower, and never see this man again. Even Lian didn't call her a slave! Her efforts were thwarted abruptly by an explosion of pain in her cheek as the healer backhanded her across the face. The blow nearly sent her staggering, but she caught herself more out of sheer force of will than anything else. "I didn't tell you that you could leave yet." the healer said coldly. Seirei froze, staring at the healer warily. Her clothes fell from hands gone numb with shock. Slowly one hand rose up to her injured cheek. The man eyed her coldly. But when his eyes lingered on her cheek, they widened slightly, almost as if he was just realizing what he had done. "I...apologize." The man's hands showed that his words were sincere. And was that regret in his voice? Seirei just stared at him fearfully. "I am a healer. Healers are supposed to do no harm. Not even to disobedient slaves who should know their place. I should not have struck you like that, so I apologize." he bit out slowly, reluctantly. Seirei remained frozen in place. She wasn't certain that she could move even if her life depended on it. She barely even dared to breathe. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest as she waited to see what the healer would do next.

[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

The man eyed her critically. Seirei shivered, and cringed back. "How far along are you?" the healer asked briskly. Seirei stared at him, her mind racing to translate his words. "A-about five and a half months." she whispered, barely daring to speak even to answer the question for fear of angering the unpredictable man further. The man eyed her again, studying her naked body with a skilled eye. "Are you sure?" Seirei nodded, not daring to speak this time. The man made a hmphing sound. "You're bigger than I'd expect you to be for only five and a half months. You must be eating well." he said with a frown. Seirei's eyes widened anxiously. She hated to contradict the man, but his assumption wasn't true. Plagued by morning sickness as she was, she wasn't eating much at all. Often only Waisana's words telling her to eat even if she didn't feel like it kept her trying to force something down when she knew it was likely to come up later anyway. "N-not really, sir. I...I still get sick a lot, so I really don't eat much. I know I should eat more, but..." The man frowned. "You're still experiencing morning sickness?" Seirei nodded, trying not to cringe at the tone in the man's words. "You should be over that by now." The man eyed her again. To Seirei, it seemed as though he was judging her, and finding her lacking. Was she doing something wrong? Was it her fault that she still felt sick to her stomach most days? "We'll definitely have to keep an eye on that. Try to eat something every day even if you feel sick. Eating small meals several times a day rather than normal sized meals may help. Eating bland foods that don't have any significant odor may help as well. Are you still getting cramps in your legs and feet?" Seirei remembered the painful leg cramp she had had earlier that morning before coming in for her exam, and nodded. "I...yes..." "That's to be expected at this stage. Are your feet and ankles swelling at all?" the man asked, glancing down at Seirei's feet briefly as he spoke. Seirei nodded again. She didn't dare ask if that was normal too or not. "That's also to be expected." Seirei was relieved that her symptoms were normal, but she still couldn't help but wish they would all go away. She hated feeling tired and moody all the time. She hated how fat she had become, and how very easy it was for her to loose her balance. She hated morning sickness, and everything that went along with it. And she hated all of the aches and pains that seemed to come along with being pregnant. Seirei longed to feel normal again. She was beginning to think that she never would. "What about your hands?" Seirei gave the healer a startled look. Her hands? They had felt a little awkward at times lately. It had even hindered her ability to work with wood a couple of times. Seirei glanced at her hands warily. Sure enough, they did look a little bigger than normal. It wasn't much. She likely wouldn't have noticed it unless she was looking for it. But now that she was, she could see it. "They are a little bigger than they should be..." "Minor swelling in the hands and feet is normal for a woman as far along as you are. But if they swell too much, you need to tell a healer immediately." Seirei wanted to ask how much swelling was "too much," but she didn't dare. She didn't trust this man not to get angry again if she asked any questions. And he had already proven that he could be unpredictable when he was angry. Even dangerous.

[Seirei Dawnwhisper]

The questions continued. "Do you get back aches a lot?" Seirei nodded. "That's normal, too. Your back hurts due to the extra weight you're carrying around now." Knowing why her back hurt so much all the time didn't make it hurt any less, but Seirei appreciated the explanation all the same. "Do you ever have trouble catching your breath?" Seirei frowned in concentration. It was hard to focus on translating the healer's words when she was so worried about angering the man by mistake. But she did her best, and the healer seemed to see the difficulty she was having. He frowned in disapproval, making her nervous, but he tried again. This time, she recognized one of the words that Waisana had taught her during her last exam. Panting. That was it. Seirei nodded. "It happens a many." Seirei frowned. That wasn't the right word. It was something similar, but...she glanced at the healer nervously. It was so hard to think of the right words to use when she was so nervous! It made Seirei appreciate Waisana even more for being willing to use Common with her. "I think you mean that it happens a lot." the healer said with an annoyed sigh. Seirei nodded again. "Yes. A lot. I'm sorry, sir." she said quickly, feeling miserable, and anxious. The healer sighed again. Then he shrugged. "You can't help being a worthless outsider, I guess. But you were very lucky that you were taken as a captive. It gives you a chance to have a purpose in life. To actually be worth something. Well, not you so much as your children, but that's really the best you can hope for since you aren't a Drykas. You need to show more gratitude to your master for taking you in. Encourage him to use you for pleasure as well as to produce children. And you need to get a better grasp of our language, too. You live among the Drykas now. You will never have the pleasure of being a Drykas yourself, but you can, at least, learn to speak like one of us. Not everyone is as tolerant as I am about the failings of an outsider like yourself." There were a lot of unfamiliar words that Seirei struggled to understand. When she did, she blanched. Allow Lian to...to...to rape her? Allow it? No. Seirei would rather die. "I...no...I...but..." Seirei shook her head in denial. She closed her eyes for a few ticks, trying to calm herself. "Wouldn't that be bad for the baby? Waisana said..." "Some healers are too soft on you slaves. This Waisana sounds like she might be one of those. There may be some risk to the unborn child, especially further on in your pregnancy. But I have learned that some women find that they actually want to have sex more often during this stage of pregnancy. These are women who are married to men that they love, and they truly want their children, which you may or may not, given your role as a brood mare. But if you gave it a chance, you might find that you would enjoy it, too." Seirei shook her head helplessly. She didn't even know where to start. The fact that she would ever enjoy being raped by Lian was insane. It was just insane. And Seirei was far more inclined to believe Waisana when she said that it was bad for the baby to have someone forcing himself on her. Part of that was because it was what she wanted to believe. More than that, she wanted Lian to believe it. Ever since she had told Lian that it was bad for the baby for him to have sex with her while she was pregnant, he had left her alone. But she also trusted Waisana. She didn't touch this man in the slightest. He seemed to hate anyone who wasn't a Drykas, and he had proved to be dangerous when he was angry. Once again, Seirei found herself wanting to flee. But she didn't even dare get dressed again until this man told her she could. "I don't really expect you to believe that, but it is true." the man said with an annoyed sigh. Seirei tensed, sensing that he was starting to get angry again. The healer waved a hand in a gesture that was clearly a dismissal. "Get dressed. Go. I'm done with you. Just make sure that you give yourself to your master freely whenever he wants you. And let him know that if he gets tired of you, I might be interested in working out an agreement with him to borrow you for a while after your child is born." The healer's eyes traveled over her exposed body with a calculating gaze that sent shivers up Seirei's spine. "I might even be interested in siring your next child if an agreement can be arranged." Seirei shuddered, feeling sick to her stomach for a reason that had nothing to do with her pregnancy.. She dressed as quickly as she could, and fled for the dubious "safety" of Lian's tent.

[Khida]

Seirei

Skill	Points
Acrobatics	+1
Observation	+1
Socialization	+2

• Symptoms of mid-term pregnancy
• Unkind words from an unkind healer

Notes

Talk about an... interesting character. And probably a very gloomy day for Seirei, after...

I didn't really see a lot I could award here. I gave a point in Acrobatics for the bit about keeping her balance through the leg cramp, seeing as Seirei currently has none. If you have any questions or think I missed anything, please let me know.