Chapter 4: Chapter 4 – Town of Aros

 

"Here." The old elder handed two sheets of paper to the slave dealer. The deeds were handed over as soon as the six large silver coins were placed on the counter. The price for sight unseen slaves that could still walk.

"Master, what did we do?" One of the girls cried. He snorted and left. The slave dealer pursed his lips and sighed.

"It doesn't matter what you did. To that family, you are a commodity." He shook his head. In his mind, this was not a proper way to do business, only accepting quick profits to forego the long term. "Follow me to the inner room. I'll need a doctor to look at you both. I don't sell injured slaves, nor starved ones." He frowned as he more fully examined them. "Lift your shirts." The women obeyed, and heard a grunt. "You can put them down. Food will be sent to you soon." He sent a servant to guide them, while another slave came out with the ledger.

"Master. What shall I record about them?"

"Malnourished. They have not been cared for in the least. No doubt the doctor will find other things wrong. Three large silver each is the purchase price for slaves bought sight unseen." He shook his head slightly. "It seems this is too generous an amount now. Register the Inaris as a liability clan. All must undergo examination in the future." The slave nodded, and recorded the information. "Also, send word to the other dealers. They may wish to know that the Inaris will take advantage of their good will." The slave smiled.

"I understand, master. They should send a small token of their appreciation, if I know your fellow businessmen." He nodded.

"Put it aside for when we get slaves like this. It will help to offset the costs of their care. That family has really declined in the last few decades. There was a time when any sold, or bought by the Inaris, would be well cared for." He grit his teeth. That was the third pair of slaves the Inaris clan sold in the last week, and some were worse then others.

"That time has gone."

 

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"Hm. I wonder if there is a human settlement around." Aila pursed her lips, and looked at the two fresh corpses of the wolves.

She was surprised by some growls when she first woke up, but the wolves didn't catch her unawares. Aila took several minutes to determine that the growls were outside, and a few hundred feet away.

"My senses are sharper this morning." That was the only explanation. When she found the wolves, a freshly polished sword in hand, they still didn't see her. It wasn't until she went through the front entrance of the manor that they saw her.

They growled louder, decided to attack her without calling to the pack, and dashed forward. Like with the tree, she dodged sideways instead of a retreat, and slashed down with her sword. The sword was short, and she was inexperienced with it, but the cut to its neck was deep.

It could only watch as she cut down its partner in much the same way while it bled out.

Aila took her dagger, dug out the heart, and organs, and found the 'berry'. Although initially unwilling, her hunger increased as she looked at the 'berry', and swallowed both of them.

"Oh oh. Why do I keep doing that!" She cried out. She fully expected the burst of elemental power within her body, but what she didn't expect was that it was sucked away before it did any damage, along with the core.

"That was unexpected. Huh, the air sparkles now?" She looked at the sparkles, focused hard on them, and to her utter shock, it magnified enough that she could see small match stick sized fires.

Aila was curious, even though it had startled her to see the sparkles enhanced, and held out her palm. She thought about pulling the sparkles to her palm so she could see it more clearly, and all the fire elements in the air rushed towards her.

"Did I level up or something?!" She was startled again by the sudden influx of warmth within her body, and once again, she felt that force of suction on that warmth.

"So weird."

 

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"These scents. Humans." Aila said. "Finally! I just had to follow my nose!" She giggled a bit as she said old line from a breakfast cereal commercial. "It always knows." She looked down at her hands, and pursed her lips.

"I hope someone here will buy these guys." Aila walked out of the forest, which did surprise the guards as she didn't come from the road, but from the edge of the old forest that no one went into without a large party. They put their hands on their swords as she approached, then relaxed.

"You startled us." The guard said. "We couldn't see those clearly and almost thought they were pets!" She grinned.

"No, but they did think I would taste good! Too bad for them that I didn't want to be eaten." She looked through the open gate. "Do you know of any merchants who would buy these guys?" The guard's face twitched.

"You must not be from around here. Many stores will rush to buy, but not rush to give coins. Go to the square. Middle of the town. A stall that looks a little bit poorer. The merchant's name is Rirn. He's fair, which is why he's not as rich as other merchants." Aila smiled a bit.

"Thank you. Um, is there a fee to enter? I came here because I don't have any coins, and hope to make a little. Wolf meat is alright to eat, but it's boring without bread and vegetables. Or cheese." She said. "And I have to replace these." She frowned.

"The fabric is made of cotton, right?" He asked.

"Yes, but not made for everyday wear. Bedclothes."

"Yeah, but you don't look like a slave. Maybe someone wanted to sell you off?" He asked carefully. Her eyes narrowed, and started to glow red.

"My parents would never sell me off!" Her voice began to vibrate, and turned hollow. She felt a wellspring of rage at his statement. Her parents were great people, and she missed them terribly already. The guard's eyes bugged out of his head.

"Hold on, I didn't mean to insult you! It's common around here for parents to sell their children when times get tough. Two children can fetch two large silver coins each, but feeding two children can cost a silver coin a month. In a year or so, the food equals more than the children are worth, in the eyes of some parents." Her eyes turned back to normal.

"Sorry about that. I was sick for a long time. My parents took really good care of me." She sighed sadly. "I still miss them." The guard sighed and put his hand over his chest. He had come to the conclusion that her parents had died, and now that she was healthy, she missed them.

"We'll waive the gate fees, as we always do for those that cultivate." She tilted her head as he said a familiar term. "Don't forget to look for Rirn. He'll treat you fairly."

Aila nodded, and walked through the gate with one wolf in each hand as though they weighed nothing. The talkative gate guard shivered, while his friend chuckled.

"I told ya that you talk too much. Be glad she wasn't that angry. Didn't you even see the wolves? Rank one flame wolves, each over two hundred pounds of muscle, and she's carrying them like its a leather bag with a chicken in it!" He said with a snort.

"How was I to know? I was startled by the fact that she came out of the old forest!"

"That should have been your first clue, ya brainless dolt! That forest is death incarnate, and the biggest reason we have such high walls! Someone walks out from there with two dead spirit beasts of any rank, and they are not someone to mess with."

He nodded, and didn't respond. The sweat on his back reminded him of how much power that girl radiated when she got angry.

It was not something he wanted to experience again.

 

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