November 29, 2008
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YACAS 5-6
Well, ‘won’ NaNo and therefore have time to finally post everything that I have except for the chapters I’m working on. *le sigh* So much to do! Enjoy!
A week passed by uneventfully, something that had Clyde on edge since something usually happened at least every other day. There had been no trouble, no rumors of attacks, nothing to really mark the days as they passed, which was rare in this still mostly jungle place. Both suns were high in the sky, their heat causing everyone to hide in the shelter of any shade that was available. Clyde was no different, fanning himself as he listened to the bugs hum in the field, and the occasional call from the trees, mostly from birds that he was used to seeing and others that he had never heard before. He had a sinking feeling that the speculation he had about the creatures now more curious than frightened as the newcomers settled in and showed no real sign of threat.
Closing the fan, he decided to see what sort of activity would be going on in town for some excitement and maybe even do some shopping, which he hadn’t done in awhile. He was sure that the slave trade was already over with, not that he needed any more in his workforce. However, sometimes it was more of saving one from something he thought they didn’t deserve although he knew that he wouldn’t be able to save all of them. He did sometimes wonder what would happen to his work force once he did finally find a way back home, but he just assumed they would run back to their tribes back in the forest or even to a master that treated them well enough. He rarely thought about it since the subject matter frankly depressed him.
“Senkora,” he called, the woman coming to him from the kitchens, covered in flour of that night’s dinner. “I will be going to town, please watch over everything for me and make sure everything runs smoothly as it can.”
Yes, master, she replied simply with a curtsey and went right back into the kitchens. He did sometimes wish the mute were better at telepathy, but she had done very well in even being able to project such simple phrases into the mind of the intended listener. And for what she couldn’t do with ‘speech’ she could do in writing, although not many of his work force knew what the scribbles on the paper meant, and some feared that it was a spell that would capture their souls if they even dared to look at it. As much as Clyde often found that amusing, it sometimes was a headache when such things were important and needed.
The trip into Sheystown was uneventful, as it usually was since only the most insane or those like himself that needed something to do in the hottest part of the day were out and about. Surprisingly, the auction was still going on, but it seemed that there was also something else, like a rally, that had Clyde just watching in amused horror. Isabelle was at the front, with a crowd behind her shouting something about how this whole thing was wrong, trying to get her voice over those of the auction, that was starting to get rather annoyed with the display.
This was why nothing seemed to be happening, because it seemed that Isabelle had been busy in gaining supporters for her little cause, and it seemed that there were more people than he thought that supported her cause. Where it could mean trouble, he knew that his issue had a long road ahead of it, or at least he hoped so. If not, that meant that his time was running out to freely find a way back to his home plane which made the sense of urgency even greater. At least it was happening where he could see it instead of miles away on the continent that he left so willingly.
Isabelle herself was proud, as the flyers, petitions, and articles she paid for in the post were gaining her cause support and even changing the views of some slave owners. Her father rarely paid attention to exactly what she spent his money on, since he rarely did any spending and left it up to his daughter to do it all. And she had chose to instead get her cause moving than just standing by and hoping that people listened to her. She had stayed mostly quiet far too long and it finally lit a flame that she wanted to spread across all of society, at least the part she could reach. She wouldn’t be able to influence those of the other countries, but at least her own or even just the colonies would be able to benefit from a slave free lifestyle.
“Why do we trade them like we trade cattle or even food,” she shouted, trying to make sure everyone in the square heard her. “Aren’t they like us? Intelligent? Have a society that we don’t understand in a much harsher environment than we came from? Yes, they don’t have the technology, but they have social systems! They have a soul that will go to either The Priest or the Priestess depending on which one they worship and the magic they have been able to use!
“They can learn as we have learned, except much faster because they have us, who have already gained the technology, who have already gained the knowledge! Our ancestors only took so long because we had to figure everything out ourselves! We can better them, integrate them into society! We may even learn from each other since we are losing most of our magic abilities to technology, and they seem to know much more about how to work it than either we, or our ancestors, ever have! Why do we continue to oppress them into free labor and dumb them down? Do they not have as much right as we do to be able to have their dignity and earn a day’s pay for a day’s work?”
That little speech received cheers from her crowd, while from the other she received dark glares as it was interrupting their business negotiations. Everything seemed to be working as she planned, although she knew that the fight had just begun. If anything, it would be up to the mayor whether or not slavery was allowed, and even then it would take weeks until her petitions reached the other side of the world to their home country. However, it was a start, although she didn’t expect to have so much support on her side this early. It was all very exciting.
“How long do you intend to disrupt my business,” Vivienne asked, her harsh glare enough to rise the bowels of the earth to wash over them. “You have made your opinions very aware to us for the past few ticks while we have done nothing but ignoring them. However, this has been going on for far too long. So if you please, take your little gathering to a place that won’t interrupt our business.”
“We have just as much right to be here as you do,” Isabelle replied, although she was a little shaken. She never liked Vivienne, the woman seeming like she would be able to raise hell quite literally. “And we are not disrupting anything! You people and your ‘business’ seem to be doing just fine even though we’re here, speaking the truth we believe!”
Vivienne’s eyes narrowed at that comment, and Isabelle knew that she was in trouble and that maybe she should have done what the old woman told her to do. With the speed that she shouldn’t have been capable of, Vivienne slapped Isabelle, and regained her composure right after word.
“Respect your elders girl, and take your little meeting elsewhere. I will not have a whelp like you trying to force your views onto us any longer. You have been a thorn in our sides for far too long, Isabelle, and many have complained about your constant visits to try to change our minds about something we clearly think is nonsense,” Vivienne said harshly, ignoring the tears welling up in the younger woman’s eyes from both the sting of the hand and tongue. “Most of us do treat them with dignity, and profit is better made with those that aren’t paid than those that are. Simple business fact, and they don’t pay for anything. Room and board are provided, as is food, any medical care, even transportation in some cases, so don’t go talking about things you don’t know girl.”
Clyde had to give it to Vivienne, she had a way with words that would either gather those to her or chase them out of town depending on what was going on. He rather enjoyed being a spectator in this little showdown, as he wondered just how far Isabelle would push the issue, especially with only such a small gathering behind her, although it was rather impressive since she had only started her real, public campaign a few days earlier. This could either get really interesting, or spiral downward very quickly.
Isabelle backed down, deciding to take her group to a different part of town, a part that didn’t hold so much danger to her fragile pride and group. She promised someday that she and her cause would be the downfall of this wretched ritual as well as wretched woman, one who held too much power in her opinion. Vivienne, happy with her victory, went back to conduct the rest of the day’s sales to count her profit, and Clyde was once again left with nothing to watch or do.
On the other side of the ocean, in the small fishing town of Jays, yet another exile literally dropped onto this so called forsaken world. He was happy that he landed in a field, and away from any that would have watched his ‘decent’ and either would have been scared shitless of him or laughed, depending on their views of it. Sitting up, he looked around, a little disoriented but not that bad considering what he had gone through to finally end up here. Nothing seemed to be broken, so that was a large plus in his book, however, the glaring light of two suns was a little much. The world he came from was much darker, much farther away from the one sun of the solar system. No wonder exiles were sent here, the light itself was punishment!
The heat was another problem altogether, as well as the humidity. He had never experienced such waterlogged air before, and could safely say that he preferred an arid climate to this stark contrast. How did any of the others that came before him ever even get used to such a horrible place! He had to find a way back and fast, although he sure that if there was a way, those already stuck here would have been home by now. Which had him wondering exactly where the others were, and exactly how large this place was, and maybe even learn the common tongue, although rumor had it that it was similar to Faolan’s home tongue, which he didn’t know at all, which meant he would have to learn everything from words on up.
Standing up, Rowan patted the dust from his pants, figuring that he should start at least trying to converse with the locals, to see just how much is similar between his language and that of people. He still didn’t know exactly what to expect, nor did he realize just how long the trek to the small town was in this oppressive heat and daylight. Did those already here only come out at night? Was there even night here? He knew of the two suns, felt them beaming down on him, who was to say that there weren’t more and this place was cast in an endless day that only the locals knew how to tell each sun apart to figure out some sort of time cycle? Shuddering at the thought, he was thankful for the shade when he came to it, and even the brief rain showers that at least gave him and the land a reprieve from the daylight.
==I need words so I’ll put things in the breaks=
Wait was a small fishing town, profiting mostly in its farming although it disliked to admitting that while fishing it had failed at, agriculture it was perfect for. It was small, and seemed to prefer to remain so instead of growing like the rest of the cities as industrial super powers. Being the farthest point out of the continent however, it was a large mailing post, with letters going all over the country and sometimes even to the neighboring countries, as it was peace time for the moment until something happened over the few mountain ranges again which held the only real sources of inland water.
The largest building was the tick tower, that would measure the time and could be seen anywhere in the city limits. It was also one of the oldest building back when the town was nothing more than a mere outpost that slowly grew in population that would finally allow it to become a town. The inside was renovated for town meetings, and other gatherings that were important to the people. Rowan’s appearance was, since he didn’t speak any known language and he looked nothing like the people here, although there was a very diverse mix of races living together. He himself, personally, didn’t see what in the world the big deal was expect for the language problem.
There were so many words being spewed about that he had no idea what was going on, nor how to really read the facial expressions that ranged from rage, to intrigue, to fear, to amusement. All he wanted to do was go back home, with Clyde in tow and they would be able to kick Faolan out of the throne and get everything back to normal. But then again, that required a way to get home which meant that he had to learn the way of this land. Something he had a feeling that it was going to be a rather difficult task.
“Can I just, you know, get out of your hair and be on my way,” he tried, starting to stand up but being pushed back down into the chair by a large clawed hand of a person who looked like they had to have surgery to replace the obviously missing one. He didn’t fight the forceful persuasion, as he didn’t know how much of his magic would work on this plane, if any did at all. “Or…I could just remain in your hospitality.”
The glare he received did nothing to calm his nerves, as he realized that he may have just pissed off the guard which wasn’t very comforting. Maybe they would just kill him and he wouldn’t have to worry so much about escaping and going home, as he would be sent to whoever governed this place or back to his home deities, although the Universe would just most likely put him back into reincarnation for not completing the life as it was supposed to be. Not like he meant to be caught and then put here for some sort of punishment. If the information wasn’t leaked by the damn double agent, he and the rest of his little group would be alive or taking over the country.
Well, after a few more minutes, it had seemed that the congregation had reached a decision, which didn’t bode very well for Rowan as he watched the proceedings take place. He didn’t know exactly how he came to be in the lone jail cell, chained to the wall and having one hell of a headache, but he wasn’t that stupid not to figure out that the guy with the clawed hand had played a role in it. They guy was most likely some type of enforcer out in this part of the world. They world kept swaying around him, giving him the sense that he was no longer on land or he was more woozy than he had anticipated.
Blacking out again, he figured that he’d rather not know and just be content with the fact that he had at least lived a little longer than Faolan most likely gave him credit for. The other beast would see, he’d come back with their leader, maybe the traitor, and others who weren’t killed in the war that had broken out years and years before. He would be a hero to the people again, for helping to kick yet another horrible dictator out of the throne and giving it back to someone who truly could run the largest, most profitable country in all his world.
=oh look, another break! And more words to be counted!=
It had been at least a day, there could have been no way that he could have been here for any shorter time frame than a full day in his mind on this rickety old water logged vessel. He had determined that most of his magic was either null or the rules of this universe affected the sources where he was able to take the power from, both of which frustrated him. He had been able to figure out that there were others here, by their voices didn’t sound like they knew what was gong on either, but at least they were able to communicate to each other instead of being the one chained up and away from everyone else. Not that it mattered, since without his powers nor some sort of weapon he was useless, never learning hand to hand combat due to the fact that he never thought that he would need it, and didn’t for the styles that were all too common in his home plane.
“At least they have some of the same food,” he mused, looking at the pitiful plate of dried bread and water he didn’t even want to try to drink. At least he thought it was water, but in this dim light, he wasn’t so sure about that. “Although I think I’d be chancing it if I did try it. But it is better than nothing I guess. I mean, they could just starve a little old new comer like myself. How nice of them to pretend to be concerned for my health.”
He wasn’t sure what the guard yelled at him, but assumed that it was for him to keep quiet or something along those lines. He was pretty sure that a threat was thrown in there as well, but couldn’t be too sure. The thing sounded tough and he didn’t want to really mess with it anyway, since he was useless or felt like it. Nothing like being on board a ship, caged, chained, and a long way from anyone who could understand him to make him feel insecure.
“So, when do we get there,” he tried, although he knew it was pointless as he had a garbled response, most likely not even the answer he was looking for. “Well, thanks for the information.”
He never wished that he was knocked out more than that moment, as boredom was quickly setting in as he stared at the same walls for hours on end. He wished that he was at least granted a game of some sort, or even a picture book, but he highly doubted that those that were being forcefully kept in this part of the apparent ship were allowed any form of entertainment. His thoughts kept trying to make up where exactly he was going to be taken to, or even what was going to become of him, sometimes venturing to think of what was happening in his home plane, and how everyone who hopefully escaped was fairing.
It was days later that he was finally brought out into the full light of day, still in his chains and cage, and was rather surprised to find such a large port awaiting him and the other captives apparently, as they were chained together in long lines and didn’t seem to be enjoying themselves, since they most likely knew exactly what was going to happen to them. Although still leaving what was actually going to happen to him in speculation, he had a sinking feeling that he already knew what it was going to be. He didn’t like it since it would greatly interfere with his plans to find the others that were sent here and find a way back, even if he wasn’t sure exactly how he was going to do so.
“Hey, what’s going on over here,” he asked, and only received glares for his effort and a short, but most likely nasty, reply in the tongue he hoped he would soon understand. “Guess I’ll just have to wait and see then.”
There was a lot of sitting around in his little cage, listening to conversations going on around him, trying to make sense of the foreign words. He heard some similar words being thrown around, but he highly doubted that they meant the same things. However, when he was face to face with a hardened old woman, he knew that he wasn’t going to be in here much longer, her harsh voice commanding and directing everything around him, all the while her eyes never left him. Did she recognize something? Did she know one of the others that were here? Was she going to take him to them?
Rowan could only hope, lest he give his sanity up for good.
