Role Playing Fan Fiction ❯ ADOPTED DAUGHTER OF THE UNCONQUERED SUN ❯ manacles and coins ( Chapter 2 )

ADOPTED DAUGHTER OF THE UNCONQUERED SUN

 

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Yuki Samada.

 

Note: As I said in some of my others fan fictions, I don't believe that a standard modern person can survive unassisted in the wilderness. It takes skill, luck or training.

 

No matter what I write, I do not support slavery in any shape or form. I simply used the resources offered by the RPG Exalted.

 

 

Chap 2: Manacles and coins.

 

 

Marouk was a solid man of the Threshold. His tanned skin was crisscrossed by scars won during his travels. Since he threw his lot with the Guild, the fortune of the black-haired and grey-eyed bearded man has steadily increased. This caravan was funded by his personal money and the relative small number of wagons made it perfect for his needs and his style of working.

 

It was not easy to strike the right balance in the risky business of moving goods between cities and places. If the caravan was too small, bandits found it irresistible. If the caravan was too big, maintenance became problematic and needed more money. He preferred a jack-of-all-trade approach. He had enough manpower to discourage bandits and a small size to dodge bigger problems like barbarians or worse the Anathema.

 

He shivered as he considered the last news received at the outpost two days ago. An entire caravan has fallen prey to…one man. Well `man' if such a term could be applied to the monstrous shape-shifter described by the too few survivors. He recognized the tactic: They have been spared on purpose to propagate fear in the hearts of the merchants of the Guild.

 

He sighed. It was very effective. Orders have been sent to reinforce the slave-parties to the size of small armies. Not a good thing to do in his opinion: There will be too much attention drawn to the Guild. The problem for him was that he was a potential target for the Anathema: he was a slave-trader.

 

Although he preferred to deal with small and highly lucrative one-time deals with the flesh-market, he had indulged a few occasions in wholesome raiding of small communities. Oh well, it will do no good to dwell on the perhaps. They were in route for Nexus and there will be numerous juicy markets and opportunities along the way.

 

He believed in luck. Pragmatic to a fault, he dealt with problems on a day to day approach. With his nomad way of life, this has always been the best for him. Well speaking of opportunities...

 

She was a sorry sight if he had been inclined to feel it. She was a dirty young child of perhaps five feet clad in foreign clothes of grey. She was probably the sole survivor of a bandit attack. Who in his right mind would wander around the wilderness without an escort?

 

He signalled the guards to do nothing for now. Better let the prey entered the lair instead of running after her. Oh yes she was prey! As he observed her slow approach he saw under the dirt of the road a real exotic beauty. Her skin had the golden-tinged of the Southwest, her dishevelled hair was shoulder long and pure black and her weary almond eyes were hazel. She had not eaten any food or drunk any liquid for several days now as he saw her eyes shinning with hunger and her parchemined lips.

 

He smiled to her as she walked in the camp, helping herself with a stick. She spoke in an unknown language though: A singing and pleasing sound, probably a dialect of one of the islands in the West. He attempted to respond in one of the three trade languages to no avail. Old Realm, High Realm or Riverspeak evoked only a frown then a tiny smile and a shaking of the head.

 

Interesting. He could now see that the cut of her dirty clothes was superior to what bear the commoner. She was probably the young daughter of a high ranking dweller of the West, educated in the finest things and letting her considerable contingent of servants to deal with the everyday, including speaking another language. Well he would gladly help her to learn a few things about working with your own hands.

 

He signalled his guards to seize her. The expression on her face was priceless as she was held by the arms. He laughed. He was going to appreciate to work on her. Huh? Now that was new! The `child-princess' was not so much vulnerable as he thought first. She brought her foot into the crotch of the left guard then…shoulder-projected the right one who was a big fellow compared to her.

 

Amused he watched her struggle against his men. Very good, she has been trained in the martial arts. He didn't recognize the style but she was good. Unfortunately for her she was also fighting against her hunger and he had plenty of guards. She was quickly reduced to snarl at her captors as she was hauled before him.

 

He examined her caressing his beard. Hum… She was perhaps not from the West after all. Her exotic beauty was a blend of many races, in fact he was sure he never saw such traits before and he had plenty of experiences. Oh oh! A feisty one! She tried to kick him as he touched her cheek. He slapped her to show his strength but the fire in her hazel eyes merely augmented in defiance as her skin reddened on the impact.

 

He recognized the type. Although very young, she was a wild spirit untameable except by herself. Breaking her into slavery will take many and many subtle dressage. She must be shown that she was powerless then gradually brought into the idea that slavery was a way to escape her condition. The use of force will only kill her by her own hand of by the hand of her captors attempting to break her will.

 

He drew his knife. She tensed but didn't flinch. He slowly began to cut her clothes. Ah! He could see now fear in her eyes along with the defiance. He could also see her grinding her teeth in anger. Just as he thought, she could dominate her fear even against an impeding rape. The laugh of his men around her as he exposed her skin pieces by pieces was only fuelling the fire in her eyes although he found her full-body blush cute.

 

He palmed her nude body. Once again he was impressed by her composure. She didn't scream like many much older girls in her situation. When she will be educated properly she will be an instant it with some of his clientele. But first a little punishment to `tenderize' her. Still maintaining her in the iron grip of his men he slowly whipped her. The first strike made her scream of pain but the next merely marked her skin as she bit her lips. He was attentive to not disfigure her. An intact beauty like her was very lucrative.

 

Once her failing strength was depleted by the physical punishment, he negligibly waved her to the wagon containing his others soft acquisitions in the flesh-market. She was certainly better than another body for the wagon with the dozen of low-quality slaves. The courtesans will nurse her to health and he gave instructions to begin her education on her future `duties'. He laughed loudly at this thought as he saw her being dragged completely limp in the night.

 

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Vara was a young slave of seventeen years. More exactly, she was a future concubine. Educated in the fine arts to pleasure the powerful and sated the desires of a master or a mistress. The dark-skinned redhead was born in a family enslaved in the city of Gem in the South when they tried to sell gems illegally. Sold at a tender age, she has finished `rescued' by Marouk from an unfortunate merchant party too small in numbers to escape the `interest' of the men of the Guild.

 

She was the responsible of the small group of `soft slaves' within the caravan since she was the more experienced and educated of the three girls and two boys. During the travel her duties were to see that everyone was properly fed and taught the others what they needed to know.

 

She worked in tandem with Astrelia, a Wyld-touched girl of the East. The girl has amazing silver hair and deep dark eyes that draw the gaze and lust of many. Very pragmatic, she sold herself to not die of hunger. Her blend of willingness and street knowledge gave her an edge that too many educated courtesans lacked.

 

Well it seemed that her duties have been expanded a little. A young child was just being delivered into their wagon. A nude and whipped child that didn't eat properly for several days now as she examined her. The unconscious child was rather dirty and completely exhausted. She signalled Astrelia to help her to give a sponge bath and to dress her wounds.

 

As they began to wash the gold-skinned body, Vara noted that she was much older than her appearance showed at first. The development of her breasts and pubic hair placed her in the 14-16 years range. Her small stature and the finesse of her traits could make someone believe that she was only 12 or 13 years old. She has the delicate and smooth hands of the high social class and the only thing strange beside her exotic appearance was her very firm muscle tone.

 

In the morning of the new day, she began to take care of her and assess her capacities. Well trying to do it was more accurate. After she managed to make her relax her defensive posture when she awaked, she quickly found that she couldn't speak any languages known within the group. Well at least the language of the body was universal: She could teach her their names and showed her what to do during the day.

 

With a good surprise she found a very eager student in her. No wonder, after the first week she managed to express that she was a complete stranger ignorant of even the most basic aspect of the Realm and the Threshold. Oh yes she wanted to learn in order to survive period.

 

Vara learned quickly that `Youki', as she named herself, was remarkably adept to improvise. She could fake an unknown skill with just a few try. It was very good for her future. The only bad thing was the defiance in her eyes. Although her language skills in the trade tongues were progressing nicely her attitude in regard to her status of slave was not encouraging. Even the witnessing of a few punishments given to the low-class slaves by the masters was not curbing her. Oh she was very attentive to give a proper appearance to the men of the caravan but it was just that: An appearance.

 

Two weeks after the arrival of the young foreigner, Vara discovered that she had led a very sheltered existence prior. A spirit of the forest manifested during a halt and requested tribute. He demonstrated his power over the vegetation to prove his might. She and Astrelia entertained the spirit and Marouk opened a few of his merchandises to properly gift him. After his departure, `Youki' passed an entire day to ask about the spirit and the power he used in her halting Riverspeak. She never saw anything like that before. Vara showed her the magical Winterbreath Jar that conserved cold drinks. It was like educating a newborn, even the money used was a novelty for her. Well it was a good thing that they were not due for Nexus for several weeks.