Meanwhile in the Capital Prison
Now it is a queer thing for one to have a vision. That, we all can agree on. But when two individuals each have a vision that works together as a puzzle piece, this is a true rarity. When two travelers are unjustly imprisoned, awaiting a sacrificial ceremony, there's many a way to respond to this tragic event. Desperation comes in many forms. But the contrast between these two can be starkly seen. One lass' frustration builds up in her great attempts to escape the cell that the two are locked in. Whereas the other prisoner; a young lad, hopeful, sincere. and at peace relaxes on the prison mat, not even making a move to escape nor despairing. It is not hard to discern which of the two have been bestowed with a vision and yet when the lad attempted to tell the lass, his words were dismissed for delirium over his own desperation. So, all he could do was let her search in vain, as he waited for the one called Kaitra to arrive. The details weren't elaborated on, save for where they'd escape to. The mountains of Oraeda, to the City of the Bright Ones, for sanctuary. He knew that Kaitra would know where to go to escape. But when she'd arrive and how was not enlightened to him. So when a halfling girl suddenly appeared with a flash of light and the bars opened, he was quite startled.
His sister however, was quite wary, her skepticism was etched on every aspect of her face. So the lad getting up, spoke to the girl as if he knew her, furthering the confusion on his sister's face; "Are you Kaitra?
"I am," the girl answer, straightening up. The expression on her face was just as wary and confused as his sister's.
"My name is Patryd," he responded and pointed to his sister, "That one is Agneva. I was told you'd be given directions to a way out."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kaitra stared at the two prisoners she'd appeared in front of. The boy peered out with golden eyes, and dingy dirt coloured fur on his face, his black hair curled long over his eyes. The girl's white hair curled all the way to her knees, her iridescent pink eyes intently glaring at their rescuer. Her light grey fur shimmer in the dingy light that came from a blue lamp. Kaitra knew of an escape route, through the rumors spoken of a door that few found. The portal was also known to move about. Each and everyone who spoke of it agreed that you don't find the door, it finds you. So besides the directions given once she was out all she knew is that. But if two had pieced a very similar vision together, and that man had said he'd direct her steps... then it was safe to bet that this is was he meant... So she nodded and responded with an affirmative. Suddenly a tug on her heart urged her hand to point deeper within the dungeon, "this way."
Patryd looked back to Agneva who hestitated then shook her head; "How do we know if we can trust her, Patryd?"
"Auorin was the one who led her here, Aggie," Patryd answered, "We can trust any He calls."
Agneva quizzatively raised her eyebrow then shook her head again.
"We don't have much time left," Kaitra cut the discussion off, "My master will be looking for us soon. I was to take you one of you to the ceremony nearly a quarter of an hour ago."
Patryd nodded, the grasped Agneva by the hand and encouraged her, "We can trust her, I know we don't know her. But I trust Auorin in this."
Agneva nodded, hesitantly and the three of them raced down the hall, deeper into the prison. Kaitra led the down, heart racing. While Patryd called out to her, "We will be provided for outside. All has been arranged for our escape!"
Escape...freedom, something Kaitra barely was acquainted with... But it was within reach today! A familiar tug on her heart compelled her to turn right and carry forth, onward to where they sought. The familiar warmth and sweet smell of perfume and incense permeated the hall as a light illuminated their path, the smell became replaced with the scent of flowers. As they kept walking a aurora embraced them and moved them forward. Kaitra gazed wildly all about and Patryd nodded with a smile on his features. Agneva grasped Patryd's hand as Patryd grasped Kaitra's; when suddenly, Kaitra felt her feet being carried upward. The light became so bright that it blinded Kaitra's sensitive eyes, that were so accustomed to the dark of Mythiah. Land finally caught up to her and Kaitra crashed to the ground, on something soft and green. Patryd and Agneva landed firmly on their feet and gazed down at Kaitra's body.
Confusion crowded Kaitra's thoughts; as she aimed to recollect herself. That was the door?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
East side of the Ado Mountains
Kaitra's breath caught in her lungs as she lay in a jumbled heap on the soft, dewy grass. Adjusting to the light was already done and yet her thoughts still moved about as blindly as her eyes had been a few moments prior. Motion to her right alerted Kaitra that someone had knelt beside her, but it was the empathetic voice of Patryd was how she knew who it was; "First light gate?"
Kaitra nodded, gazing into the distance, "first time out of Mythiah."
Agneva made an audible groaning sound on the sidelines, making Kaitra turn to look to her right, up at her turned back, "Auorin visits her in a vision, a girl who has been in complete darkness all her life... and you! But doesn't bother to visit me to keep informed."
"Aggie!" Patryd spoke in a stern tone. She turned suddenly and rolled her eyes Patryd shook his head pointedly, which silenced her complaints.
Kaitra's heart cringed like a withering bloom upon hearing the judgements of Agneva. Patryd rose to his feet and extended a hand to Kaitra.
"Disregard Aggie," Patryd smiled, "Skordrim took a fancy of torturing us and it impacted her a little more... negatively."
Kaitra gazed back at Patryd, and grasped his hand as he raised her to her feet.
Kaitra smiled and extended a hand to Agneva piece of encouragement, "Give yourself til tomrrow to detox. His influence is stronger in Mythiah, though. So it could be much sooner than that."
Agneva hesitantly smiled back at her, her dark black eyes gazing almost emptily back at her; "Thanks, sorry bout all that. I'm just not used to uh..." she stopped midsentence and sheepishly grimmaced, "all this..."
Kaitra left hanging with her arm out. resumed to lowering her arm and looking away, at her surroundings. They stood right above a valley, upon a mountain ledge. A mountain peak stood behind them. As the sun set westward. Further beyond the valley, Kaitra spotted a winding river and over the river stood a stone bridge.
Patryd's eyes followed hers, then a smile spread upon his features, "That way is the direction of the City of the Bright Ones. But, firstly we must head this way, first," his finger pointed southward, to a little village crossing the river, "We'll wait by the bank for a man named Maeral. He'll help us out with provisions."
"Does he know too?" Agneva harrumphed, "He's just a marketman!"
Patryd continued, as though she had said nothing, "We need to get there tomorrow. For now, let us camp and rest here for tonight."
Aseday, Primnova 10th, 3658 The Second Age; Millenium of The Promise
Fourth Moon Cycle of Spring
Western Outskirts of the Capitol of Mythiah
Kaitra woke up to the sunlight piercing her eyes through the bars, her wrist was tied together and the men who had taken her were asleep. She had cried herself until she passed out from fatigue. Her eyes were swollen from the tears she had silently wept. Flashes of her uncle's bloodstained body kept visiting her thoughts uninvited. She wasn't given any dignity at all, expected to pee in a pot in her caged wagon. Not even given water or food until nightfall. Her parched tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.
They denied her the decency to even acknowledge her personhood, multiple times referred to as "it" and "halfling", today was the day they would sell her to Mythiah to build its stronghold and its statues. It had taken a fortnite and half to reach there and she had long since given up the hope to escape, the moment she saw the lifeless eye of her uncle and rode in the wagon, moving further from the burning remains of her home. Desperation replaced her carefree joy within moments. Sorrow had replaced desperation within a day. And apathy had replaced sorrow within a week. All she knew was gone. Nothing was going to be the same, for nothing remained.
Present day....
East side of the Ado Mountains
Kaitra awoke, from the memory, tears stained her eyes, as the sun rose on her first morning of freedom. Nothing was going to be the same... When she rolled over to greet the new day, she saw Agneva still lying asleep., but Where Patryd had slept in the grass was empty. The fire had withered away and the smell of the ash and remained. Kaitra watched Agneva's unmoving body, knowing that she would be experience a hangover for some time.. So, watched over her to make sure she was doing so in safety.
Patryd came back from wherever he had been. He came and sat down next to Kaitra, "How you doing, Kaitra?"
The question puzzled Kaitra. Nobody had been interested in how "it" was doing. Never cared for "the halfling's" condition. Her personhood had never been considered, she was expected to be emotionless and obedient. So this was a surprise to be treated as such.
And almost as though Patryd had recognized her pause for what it was graciously nodded, "I see."
He got up and shook Agneva gently, "Wake up sis. We must retrieve provisions before we head back to meet the caravan in Oraeda."
"Caravan?" Kaitra asked, as Agneva stirred and hummed her acknowledgement to the waking call.
"Aye, Aggie and I were in a caravan with our family, before Skordrim's men found us on his territory." Patryd paused, as he turned to gaze Kaitra in the eye, "They were heading west to the City of the Bright Ones. We'll meet them there."
Kaitra nodded, "Okay."
"If you need to relieve yourself, I'd do it now, Kaitra. Aggie may be a while.
Kaitra nodded and stood up, walked to where Patryd had gone. Towards where an outcropping of rocks stood.
A few hours later....
Southwest of the Ado Mountains
The three of them headed southward, to the Elviren river bank. Agneva remained silent most of the day. Her face was somewhat peaked from her ordeal which suggest a more invasive form of torture for her. The kind she had seen done to many of the slaves who stood out of line or mentioned anything about the rumors of the door. From her experience watching those slaves, it changed their personalities irreparably. They became the prized slaves, the ones who gladly took orders. They became spies for the master and were given the best things a slave could ever have. It was used to break the ones they loved usually. Because if even those who gave hope to slaves could become their enemy then who could you trust? She had heard master say that to his mistress after finally enacting such a punishment on them. Oh yes, it was a punishment in Skordrim's eyes. Don't get me wrong, they may have been the prize slaves... but it squelched the hope of thousands. Hopefully Agneva wasn't too overcome by it. She wasn't there long. The prisoners were only there, according to Skordrim, for 5 days. This process had to be done every day for at least a fortnight which means it could be reversed now. But she'd need to gather more information during today to be sure. Then she'd tell them. No sense in worrying them for nothing.
The sun rose as the stars in the sky seemed to dance in it's light. Two moons remained up to the west. One above the other, slightly askew in the sky. The sun was above them, indicating it to be nearing midday. As they drew near to the river, they waited by the bank and Patryd turned to the girls we a creased brow, "Now, we wait. I'll alert Maereal."
Aggie nodded.
"You going in, alone?" Kaitra asked.
No, I'm going to alert him through soulspeak, Kaitra started when Patryd's voice rung in her mind and she saw his lips remain shut with a tilted up sideways smile.
Kaitra's mouth opened in a "o" upon the dawning of what the plan was. She sat down on the bank as Agneva did the same. The wait was pretty eventless. Patryd's back was turned to them and he remained silent, with his eyes shut. Agneva lied back down to sleep off the rest of the hangover while Patryd continued his moment of silence. When he finished, he walked over to sit by the two of them and nodded. He'll be here around sundown, Patryd's voice asserted itself in Kaitra's mind, We'll let Aggie sleep until then.
"We might want to keep an extra close eye on her," Kaitra responded aloud, after a long pause, "She is showing signs of a type of hypnosis I've only seen be used on rebellious slaves."
I already sensed what you noticed earlier. And I agree with your assessment, Patryd answered her within Kaitra's mind.
Kaitra nodded back then turned her focus to the village, and thought to herself; Could I be be taught to soulspeak?
"You could learn," Patyrd's actual voice asserted, "We could find you someone to learn from in the Oraedan Mountains."
Kaitra smiled at him half heartedly then sighed, Is he gonna keep entering my head?
This time there was no response, and they remained silent as they watched the sun setting in the west and the stars shimmer brighter as the sky turned a blue violet.
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