“Well, sticks and stones, love.” Jaeden replied to Nebitra’s comments over Jaeden’s competence. He then felt the sting of the crop strike across his back, as his muscles tightened slightly and his teeth gritted in slight grunts of pain. “You need a more constructive hobby. You ever think of flower arrangement. You could place lovely bouquets over those you bury out here.” “Ah, my lovely angel of mercy,” Jaeden then commented to the sister who brought the chain to attach him to the rest. “Never did quite catch your name, lovely.” Jaeden slowly turned his head, looking over his shoulder as he felt Nebitra’s blade poke against his back. His bound wrists slowly raised over his head in view to Nebitra. “They tell me these are your handiwork. Magecraft?” Jaeden asked curiously before lowering his hands once again. “By the way, could I get my shirt back if there’s no fun to be had in the tent? I fear I’ll blister under the sun and spoil my market value some otherwise.” Jaeden’s gaze then just began to wonder as he studied each of the individuals in along the chains, idly listening to the young girls talk of being captured. “Yes, well, still chained in the end,” Jaeden said casually to the young girl as he spied around for his pack and gear then. He casually kept giving slight tugs along the cords that bound his wrists, simply breathing through the pain as he tested it’s limits and his own. Jaeden then took a moment to weigh the stock of his fellow captors. The Benshira girl would likely know the terrain, and would be able to lead the group to the nearest city or sources of water within the desert. The young boy looked to be from the same region as him, and likely studied. He would probably best be able to shed some knowledge on their bindings, and a way to break them. The old man, looking to be a Drykas, could likely come in handy when it came to the slavers mode of transportation, though he wasn’t sure how a Drykas’ gift with horses would translate to camels. At the very least, he could procure the group with some wild horses that they may have found in the desert. Finally the twins, if the girls boasting was accurate, they would be useful in any struggle that may occur with the Slavers if the group decided to fight for their freedom. Still, the way they all were now, such was impossible at this moment. Jaeden would just have to hope that it was a long travel to this market that the sister that bound him spoke of. He would have to reserve any planning or talk outside of idle conversation for when the group camped, as well as observe the sisters, and how they interacted with each other. Perhaps Jaeden could use his silver tongue to turn one or two of them to his favor, but for now, all Jaeden could do was bide his time. “So,” Jaeden said casually as the sister finished binding him to the line, “how far is this market? I hope it presents ample opportunity for us to get to know one another better.” |