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Post by Kelathi on Dec 20, 2018 3:32:51 GMT
“I’ll find my way.” She had merely replied, a wave of her hand to indicate that it was no bother. She would definitely be sure to keep to the busier streets, this time. Baharah snorted then, seemingly as a note of farewell, and Arsinoe couldn’t help the small smile that tweaked onto her lips as she raised an open hand towards the mare. “Until we meet again.” She spoke to the stranger, unbeknownst to her just how soon they would be meeting again…
***
It had really tested her patience to force herself to wait a few more days, now that freedom was so close. But if her escape wasn’t successful, she didn’t want it to be obvious that she had merely been waiting for the ‘return’ date to pass. It was best her master continued to think her slow and dim, and not the calculating young lady she really was. So she bided her time until she simply could stand it no longer, and on that day, when she awoke a few hours before the crack of dawn, she knew it was the day that she would make her escape.
She continued it as if it were any other, running the household as the other slaves had instructed her. She went about her business and did the chores without so much as a murmur of a complaint, as was usual. She was dutiful and respectful, as she had been from day one; in fact nothing in her demeanour seemed to have changed in the slightest. Yet, inside, she was filled with a constant burning desire to skip the theatricals and just make a break for it. Eventually, though, there was a break in her day when she knew she would not be missed for a few hours, and so into town she went.
She kept a sharp eye out for guards, even going so far as to double back on herself if she noticed a patrol rounding a corner. After everything, and today of all days, she certainly didn’t want to run into the soldier that had caused her issues a few days past. Her first port of call was to get some supplies. She had slipped some coins from her master’s fortune, he had been lax in keeping it’s location a secret, and proceeded to buy some food and a flagon for water. The people who served her did not even bat an eyelid- assuming she was on some errand for her master. Supplies now safely packed away in a satchel on her shoulder, she headed towards the stables. She’d passed the place many times before, and it was ideal in that it was nestled between buildings, far enough from the hubbub of the street that she shouldn’t draw attention upon entering, and after, leaving with her new steed. To buy a horse was certainly above the role of even the most trusted slave, so to steal one would be her only option. This was the part that caused her some nervousness, she could not be too hasty, despite the urge to just leap on and tear down the street. She would need to lead it away, as if delivering it to her master, before mounting once outside the city walls, assuming, of course, the guards let her through. That gave the true owners plenty of time to notice their horse’s absence…
She readied herself, drawing herself, and taking a deep breath before entering the stables confidently.
She was relieved to find nobody inside except those of the 4-legged kind, a few faces turning towards her curiously. The smell of hay and manure triggered a sudden memory of her childhood, from being shown the horses of their stable by her father. Heart in her throat, she pushed the thought away, walking besides the stalls and browsing over the choice. She paused at one particular horse, one… very familiar mare. Her eyes widened as she recognised the creature, and with a laugh, she held out a hand for the creature to sniff. “Well, hello again.” This time, when she reached into her pocket to withdraw a shiny red apple, she was not stopped in offering it to the horse, which she did so without hesitation. It seemed so ironic that his mare should be here, but luckily for him, it was beneath even her to steal from the man whom had so eagerly helped her. Instead, she approached the stallion in the stall next to hers, reaching up for the bit and reins that hung invitingly from a nail in the beam like a gift. The horse looked her over curiously as she set about readying him, and she was just placing the heavy saddle onto his back when she froze at the sound of the stable door opening.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Jan 9, 2019 18:02:19 GMT
Sohran watched the young woman leave, still shaken by the incident, but also… well, he wasn’t able to name it, but Baharah knew better, nuzzling him. The contact made him smile, if wistfully, and able to identify the feeling at last. It had been a while, too long in fact, since he had last been in the company of a beautiful young woman. But she was already gone, and they had to stay low during the inevitable blowback from the Roman guards once they discovered their fallen comrade.
---
It was a strange sort of luck that apparently aided them, as the Roman was dead by the time he was discovered by other soldiers. His money pouch was gone, so the most likely answer was that the Roman woke to find his pockets being rifled, and was thus permanently silenced. It was a saving grace, ironically, as he could not then later identify Sohran or his Palomino. Or the young woman.
They had stayed in town simply because Sohran had found work, helping to unload a particularly large caravan of supplies being brought into the town. It didn’t hurt that the caravan had to be snuck in to avoid the so-called “taxes” by the Roman soldiers, to supply the people without alerting the enemy. The work ended up being mostly at night, in torch-lit tunnels and abandoned warehouses, with a guard on duty to notify of any Roman approaching. It meant, however, that Baharah was left in the stable most of the day, easily becoming impatient and annoyed at her rider for not keeping her entertained throughout the day. Sohran had avoided using her in his work, simply because her distinctive coat would make her too visible in the darkness, so she was literally chomping at the bit for some real exercise.
This was partly why Baharah was so excited to see a familiar human come into the stable, used to shying from curious glances by other owners who had come to fetch their own horses. She snorted a greeting, and leaned out as far as she could go upon scenting the apple. Almost comically, her lip reached out like a desperate hand as the apple was offered, quickly devouring the fruit with no hesitation even as she hopefully waited for another. Unfortunately, the woman had instead shifted her attention to the stallion in the stall beside her, snorting and pawing at the door of her stall. No more apples? Surely not…
It was fortunate for the woman indeed that the one opening the door to the stable did so groggily, knowing he’d have to come to feed the mare during the day as his work kept him busy all night. Even so, he hesitated seeing another person there, the panicked thought of it being a Roman helping to wake him up. “Oh,” Sohran noted, softly, relaxing as he recognized the woman, if confused and surprised at the reunion. “Hello... again…”
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Post by Kelathi on Jan 13, 2019 9:44:04 GMT
Instead of a Roman coming to arrest her, or the owner of the horse she was about to steal, who should turn up than the handsome stranger she had met before? Upon recognising him, she relaxed a little, letting the saddle rest down on the horses back. “When I said we’d meet again, I didn’t realise it would be this soon.” It was an uncharacteristic tease, perhaps borne from being caught in the act of thievery. However, judging by the fact he had not tried to stop her or run to get a guard, he was not aware of this fact. She continued seeing to the straps on the horse, not letting the impromptu meeting slow her down. “You look tired.” She noted conversationally, seemingly not realising that to say such a brazen thing could be considered rude.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Jan 13, 2019 18:18:18 GMT
Tired as he was, and as unfamiliar with the city as he was, even Sohran could tell that something was going on. She had been tense until she recognized him, and her casual conversation did not slow down her work, preparing the stallion for travel. An impressive mount for one so simply dressed…
“I’m… fine…” he replied, uncertainly, paying far more attention to her actions than her words. Sohran didn’t want to get her into trouble, if that was indeed what would happen if he tried to stall her, but at the same time, he didn’t want to be there to pick up the pieces if she was doing something, given the high volume of Romans in the city. “Can I… help?” he finally asked, although he was beginning to wonder if he shouldn’t be preparing to go himself.
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Post by Kelathi on Jan 13, 2019 22:50:35 GMT
Ever the good man, the stranger had offered to help her. But even as selfish as she was, she was not so twisted to let him unknowingly help her steal a horse, not after how he had helped her before. “It’s not a problem.” She smoothed over, quickly, a polite way of rejecting his offer of help. The horse was so tall she had to stand on her tip-toes to strap up the saddle, and that was what she was doing the moment the door to the stables opened again.
This time, a voice barked out almost immediately. “What are y… unhand my horse!” Arsinoe spun round, her dark skin paling at her face, caught completely in the act of saddling up someone else’s horse. The lie came quick, some act of self-preservation causing her to be creative. She dropped her head quickly, stepping out of the stall and before the man. “Forgive me! My master told me to saddle up the horse, and being of simple mind I saddled up the wrong one. My master here was just telling me of my mistake.” She looked up then, a look of pleading in her honey eyes towards the first man, silently willing him to corroborate her story. It took all she had not to tremble, her skin prickling with adrenalin. If he chose to out her as a liar, this man would tell her master, and she would be punished severely, something she was doggedly trying to avoid for the aforementioned reasons. It would not just be punishment for her, but a risk of death should her true identity be revealed during the lashing that would be sure to follow.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Jan 14, 2019 0:17:22 GMT
Sohran was not the best person to rely on for such discretion or misdirection. The sound of a man coming in startled him as well, unsure what to do when the young woman called out. Her master was telling her? And what was with that funny look-
Oh.
“… yes. Y-yes, forgive my, um… girl… slave, here, for her mistake,” he began, hardly what one would call convincing, but growing bolder as he kept on, walking over to the man. Rather than backing away, his approach seemed to make the other hesitate, as such a move was not common for one caught lying. “For shame, girl,” he added with an attempt at a cross face, glancing back at her while shaking a finger, like scolding a child. “But,” he added, turning to face the man completely, even coming too close and making the other step back a pace, “Saddle off, no harm done. Right?”
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Post by Kelathi on Jan 14, 2019 1:22:39 GMT
Arsinoe had lifted her head to watch the interaction with interest, but had quickly dipped it again in submission as the other man glanced her way. The man was not a smooth liar, but at least he was trying, for her sake. And as he grew bolder, it appeared he was swaying the newcomer into believing him. “Well…” The disgruntled man uttered, straightening. “Yes, no harm done. Be sure to punish her right, though! Block-headed girl!” The man exclaimed. Instead of backing away, he headed towards the horse- he had, after all, entered the stables for a reason. Arsinoe was quick to try to pluck the saddle from the beast’s back as instructed, but the man merely barked, “Leave it!” to which she sidled out from the stall, and made a show of busying herself with Baharah instead, as if getting her ready instead. The man looked suspiciously at them both as he fed his stallion a sugar cube, then finished what Arsinoe had started. At last, he left the stable, taking his stallion with him.
Finally, Arsinoe was able to release the pent-up breath she had been holding, and she turned immediately to the stranger. “Thank you.” She stated, bowing her head again, except this time sincerely. She had, of course, lost her steed, but if he had not been here she would have lost a lot more. “That’s twice now you have helped me. I’m indebted to you more than you could know.”
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Jan 14, 2019 1:58:46 GMT
As tense as the young woman had been, Sohran seemed just about as tense about the situation. If push had come to shove, Baharah’s training would likely have been tested in defending her master, but fortunately - and apparently blessed by the gods - Sohran’s bluff hadn’t been called. As it was, he “agreed” eagerly, again apologizing for his slave’s mistake. “When we go home, I’ll put whip to you,” Sohran noted, trying not to watch the man’s suspicious reaction too closely out of the corner of his eye, instead pretending to admonish the girl. Finally, he was gone, and for a few breathless moments only the horses stirred. Then, Sohran let out a held breath, half falling as he folded over, hands on knees as he tried to slow his racing heart.
Quite the way to wake up.
He stood again as the woman thanked him for his help, the Persian running a hand through his wild, free hair. To not look too much an outsider might have helped in convincing the owner of the stallion, as he realized his turban was missing. Of course he hadn’t been wearing it of late with his work, but he must have forgotten it back in his room, letting his hair settle about his shoulders in wild curls. His response to the discovery showed his groggy state, returning a little now that the threat was gone.
“No debt,” he replied, focusing his attention back on her. He pointed towards the door the man had left through with his horse, seeming to take a moment to think about how he wanted to frame his question.
“Just please… what did I just lie about?”
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Post by Kelathi on Jan 15, 2019 1:56:00 GMT
Arsinoe watched Sohran’s reaction with interest, she had been the one in trouble, and yet she was calmer than he was at the moment. At his words, however, her face set seriously. His question drew her back to her current predicament- how was she going to make her escape now? She would not get far on foot, the guards would not let her out of the city without her master to accompany her, and the only other horse in the stables was this strangers’.
She thought his question strange at first; she had thought it would be rather obvious what had transpired. Then she reasoned it was perhaps his hesitancy with the language that made him frame the question that way- it was clear he was not a Roman- maybe what he was really asking was why she had tried to steal the horse.
Seeing no reason to lie to him after he had helped her twice, she decided to just be honest. “I’m trying to find a way to get out of the city. I can’t leave unless my ‘master’ accompanies me.” The word master was said with a wrinkle of her nose and a look of distaste, something she had resisted the urge to do when faced with the other man.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Jan 15, 2019 3:16:25 GMT
Sohran watched the woman’s response carefully, sounding very confused as he finally spoke. On one hand, it revealed an innocence to her situation while also sounding uncertain of his next move. Somehow, it didn’t seem that he would have changed his behavior before had he realized the truth, but it did lend itself to solving one little mystery about the man.
“You… really are a slave?”
Understanding this seemed to answer several questions he had been harboring since meeting the woman, given how his expression demonstrated several points suddenly making sense. So his next question seemed even odder than usual. “How you plan to leave? If a slave, why with a horse? No one to play master?”
Then, with a blink of surprise, pursed his lips as he realized he had just answered his own question; if she was to escape, it would be easier with someone to pretend to be her master. Just as he had done not a few minutes before… so much for staying low around the Romans.
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Post by Kelathi on Jan 15, 2019 3:41:47 GMT
The fact that he was surprised to hear that she was indeed a slave both pleased and alarmed her. It was true, she held herself in a different way, initiating eye contact and did not seem naturally subservient. It had been difficult to smother what was in her blood, but she had thought she had been doing relatively well until this moment. To his statement, she merely lifted her chin, the defiant look returning to her eyes. “For now.” She replied firmly. At his next question, she had to pause again to interpret what exactly he was asking. “I have no friends in this city. I don’t belong here.” Her answer could easily be taken as a reference to her Egyptian descent, despite the fact that many slaves in Rome were indeed taken from Egypt.
They both seemed to clock on the idea at the same time, his lips pursing and her eyes widening slightly as the weight of what he had said finally settled. She could hardly ask him for such help though, especially after she was already indebted to him (what he had said earlier about there being no such debt clearly being ignored) but he seemed as if about to offer… she just needed to play it right. She cast her eyes down, and decided to try and tug on his heartstrings. “I have to leave today. My master will beat me if I go back. People shouldn’t be able to be owned...”
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Jan 15, 2019 4:15:53 GMT
Despite having been an unintentional bodyguard for her, twice now, Sohran seemed to be finally catching on to the woman’s methods. As she cast her eyes down, her voice pleading, his own eyes widened in response, taking a step back while shaking a finger at her again.
“Wait wait wait… I’ve not own slaves, and I am horrible liar,” he began, wholeheartedly embracing his bad performance that had somehow worked earlier. “Romans not so easily fooled. Beside, how will you survive out there? No horse, no ride, surrounded by Romans! And I have work here,” he added, his voice trailing off. Well. His work would also piss off the Romans should they find out, but he wasn’t sure he really needed to tell her that…
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Post by Kelathi on Jan 15, 2019 23:33:07 GMT
He seemed to sense that she was trying to manipulate him, and she quickly changed tact upon realizing it wasn’t working, coming from a different approach. “You don’t have to say anything! They will just assume I’m your slave! Listen, I’m just asking you to get me out of the city, that’s all. Once I’m out I can take care of myself.” He still wasn’t swayed, so she pushed harder, stepping forward. “I have friends outside the city, they will help me. They are waiting for me, I just have to clear the city walls.” It was a lie, but if he was so concerned about her safety afterwards, that might be enough to convince him. All he needed to do was to get her out the gates, then she would figure the rest out on her own.
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Post by Red Irish Dragon on Jan 17, 2019 0:39:52 GMT
“But…” Sohran began, clearly conflicted; if she was just going to be beaten if she went home, then it made sense to risk freedom. But he wasn’t sure if he really believed that she had someone waiting outside for her, if so wouldn’t they be helping her? Why would she need him then? Or was she telling the truth, and was just looking for whatever way she could find to get out to find them?
He finally walked away, arms folded across his chest, but then he paced back, and forth. One hand went to his chin as he thought, glancing at her every so often, looking more and more conflicted as he paced. Finally, his hands went to his head, then fell to his sides with a deep sigh. In truth, he’d only paced for a little over a minute, but it easily felt like much, much longer.
“Ok… I help you out, we go to meeting place… then I come back.” Sohran looked exhausted, possibly even more so than he had walking in, but he walked over to Baharah, packing up her saddle bags to take her with them. Glancing at the woman, he added, “Just in case.” He didn’t need to say in case of what.
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Post by Kelathi on Jan 20, 2019 0:04:47 GMT
“Thank you.” She breathed, heart leaping at the prospect that somehow he had decided to go along with it, despite his obvious reluctance before. He was risking much to take her, she knew, but she was too concerned with the prospect of her escape to mull on that. “We’re leaving now?” She asked eagerly, perfectly ready to get going straight away as she followed him.
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