Completed Want to Turn Back? Feel Free.

[Melenna]

Melpomene nearly lost all sense of composure when food was placed on the table. Her eyes watered, a bead of saliva forming at the corner of her lips, and she was so caught up in the scent that she failed to hear a word the Pycon said. Such a platter seemed meant for someone twice her size, stacked with trout kabobs that were topped with mushrooms and lemon juice dotted with pepper. That alone was a wonderful peculiarity—lemon trees and pepper didn't grow well in cooler climates, so they must have been imported. And that was just the beginning of what Delos's generosity had bought: a fat clump of garlic-hinted mashed potatoes sat on the plate next to a pile of steamed green beans, carrots, and asparagus. The bitter, buttery flavors mixed together with the tang of lemon, creating a symphony of taste that she didn't know existed.

Control yourself... you'll get sick if you eat too fast, and you're in polite company now. Melpomene took a deep breath, hands trembling as she reached for one of the sticks of trout. Just bringing the food closer to her face made her feel warmer, and when she took a nip from the fish, her eyes rolled back and closed as she began to chew. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had fresh meat, and the juiciness, the soft texture of the flesh made her feel miles closer to home. It felt as though her tongue had been asleep for weeks, and when it awoke, her dry throat was simultaneously soothed.

There was no stopping what came next. Teeth tore mercilessly into bite after bite, the delicate portion she had begun with growing until her mouth was nearly full. She couldn't get enough of the flavor, and she didn't want to loose the wonderful sensation of a heavy swallow filling her stomach. Her attention was eventually brought to the vegetables, which she plucked up with bare fingers and crunched in her mouth with audible sounds of pleasure. The only thing that stopped her was the occasional need to wash it all down, but even feeling cold and clean water down her throat was bliss What semblance she had as a delicate woman was lost in her feeding frenzy, which, despite years of etiquette training, brought her leaning over the table with her mouth as close to the plate as possible.

In the end, it was over too soon. Melpomene caught herself as she was just about to lick the remains of the kabob, as the gesture suddenly caught her as savage. She blinked and set it down, sitting herself back up and wiping her fingers with a napkin, which she then dabbed to her lips. The slightest belch followed, which colored her cheeks as she covered her mouth. Her eyes traveled downward to Delos then, a sheepish smile on her face. “Ah... thank you. This is wonderful.”

[Delos]

Delos was rather unnerved as the Konti ate, it was as if she had not eaten a decent meal in some days. Of course he doubted that slavers would treat her well, however it just seemed needlessly cruel to let a person go hungry or deprive them of food. If he possessed the ability to shiver probably he would have as he remembered how starvation was one Amelia's favorite tortures, next to skinning a person with her knife. If ever there was a day he made a deal with the devil it was the day he had accepted working for the Black Sun Interrogator in exchange for citizenship.

He shook off the feeling and gazed up at his Konti companion, the beginning of a plan already in his mind. First things first though, he didn't even know her name.

"Give it no thought, it was a natural kindness." He said in reply to her thanks.

"I don't believe we've been properly introduced, I am Delos of the Pycon. It is a pleasure and an immense honor to be in the preasense of a Konti as lovely as yourself." He said, bowing a little in a way many might have found comical.

He had an idea of how he could safely smuggle her back to his abode, however it would involve a great deal of trust on her part. He was uncomfortable with the very idea, as it violated every single princple Delos stood for. However it seemed the most effective way to evade detection from the guards, and to get them to move on if they suspected something. He wasn't going to ask until he was sure that this Konti woman trusted him at least a little.

[Melenna]

Melpomene bowed her head, clasping her hands in her lap with the napkin between them. “Please, don't be so humble. Kindness is not natural here, and neither am I. If I could begin to tell you what you've done... I would sing.” A small laugh slipped from Melpomene's lips, soft and brief like the popping of bubbles. She took a moment to think, storing “Pycon” for later reference. “I wish these circumstances were different—I can hardly remember what pleasant is. I am Melpomene, daughter from the line of Elastria.”

With a fat stomach, the Konti leaned back in her chair, gazing down at her friend with decidedly more thoughtfulness. There was something different to the steadiness of his song and it halted his music, instead sounding off a faster beat. A long moment of silence passed before Melpomene leaned forward, the lines of her face straighter and serious. “Something is on your mind.”

[Delos]

Delos was rather shocked that she knew that something was on his mind, few people could tell if something was troubling him due to the fact that he was made of clay. Facial expressions were something he had to make a concious effort to shape, and changing around his shape was very uncomfortable. The young scholar regreted that he knew admittedly little of the Konti, the books he had read on them mentioned how they looked and where they lived. Perhaps they possessed some hidden power that he was unaware of. Maybe he could ask Melpomene about this later, he was rather intrugued by the Konti and their White Isle. It was definately on his list of places to go after leaving Ravok. After his research into the Black Sun was complete.

The scholar shook his head slightly, dispelling his distracted thoughts. He fell into wonder too easily, often he would lose himself in the pages of a good book or in a particularly interesting line of thought. It was probably his biggest weakness. The Pycon needed to gather his focus and worry about getting this woman to shelter, if all went well then he would barrage her with questions about her race.

He shifted slightly in place, looking down at the table for a moment before meeting the gaze of Melpomene. There would be no turning back if she went along with his plan, if it went awry then even his job wouldn't be able to save him. Still he needed to do this, to at least take this chance to help someone who needed it.

"I have been thinking of a way to smuggle you back to the house I own, however I am not sure that you will be too keen on what I have in mind." Delos said at length.

"You would have to pretend to be in my service, since I work for certain... high ranking individuals it would not be too much of a stretch for the guards to accept me having a slave. So even if they caught up with us it wouldn't be difficult for me to send them away." The little scholar explain, clearly uncomfortable with the idea himself.

"Once we get to my house, well, best take this one step at a time. What do you think?" Delos asked her, uncertainly.

[Melenna]

Melpomene patiently watched the fellow gather his thoughts, her own mind working to do the same. She certainly wasn't in a hurry, and couldn't help but marvel at her luck. What had she been thinking, fleeing from the enclave and into her own captor's territory? There was no way for her to navigate the unfamiliar city, and the darkness only made it worse. And even if she did manage to escape the lake town, where would she go? She'd be running headlong into a wilderness famed for its fearsome monsters all by herself. In the end, escape truly was suicide—it didn't matter if it was guards or slavers that killed her, for if they didn't, something else would. She'd either be eaten or starve to death or freeze, and no matter how far she got, there was no guarantee that it would be closer to home.

Her only hope to avoid the fate of a slave was to rely on the impossible; to find someone willing and capable to offer the protection and resources she needed at any cost. Delos had no reason to help her, no debt to pay, and yet the first thing he mentioned when speaking again was taking her to his home. Her heart swelled, and she had the overwhelming desire to embrace him, or find some other means of expressing accurately what was in her heart. She settled for clasping both hands on the table's edge and bringing her chin to rest on top of them, which made her eyes almost level with his.

“If that is the worst you could ask, know only that there are things far more cruel. I wish I could do something in return for you, but we will both be fortunate to get out of this at all.” Melpomene sighed, straightening back up again. “It isn't a small thing that you do, Delos; I don't know that I could let you, either. If I just... had some notion of where I am and how to leave this place for any other... but given the nature of Ravok, I imagine they have made that as difficult as possible.”

[Delos]

Delos shook his head sadly, it looked like she had some idea of how difficult her situation was but she didn't really know. Leaving Ravok was easier said than done, especially for a slave. It was rather a long swim to shore and most captains would probably see the Konti making them more money as a slave than a passenger. If she were a citizen it would be easier to get her out of the city, perhaps he might be able to pull some strings with Amelia tomorrow...

"You needn't worry about the risk I am taking, my dear, I have... friends who should keep me safe from the Ebonstryfe. You, however, would be picked up very quickly alone." The Pycon said slowly.

"As for getting you out of the city, I could speak to my friends and see if maybe they could arrange for you to gain citizenship. It would give you a fighting chance to get out of the city, as well as protect you from slavers." He stated, hoping that this would give the woman some hope, however small.

In the end Delos couldn't force any decision upon Melpomene, she would have to agree to this of her own volition. As for dealing with Amelia, well, he already owed the Black Sun Agent his freedom and livelihood, he had no doubt that she would see the advantage in having a Konti in her debt as well. It would not be complete freedom and she might have to wait awhile before being able to leave Ravok, but at least she wouldn't have to worry about slavery.

[Melenna]

“It certainly sounds better than my current odds. I'm in your debt, Delos.” Melpomene inclined her head in a bow, smiling lightly at the fellow. Something in his music was more sober than before, and it made her think that something was out of place. It was more than the notion that so small a creature could have such big connections—it was the way he said “friends,” the way he couldn't quite guarantee if they could help her. Which would be more difficult, she wondered, getting past the guards and their lake, or utilizing Ravok's system in her favor?

“But like you were saying, one thing at a time? I can scarcely think coherently.” Melpomene gently felt her stomach, which had become slightly distended from the vast meal. She almost frowned, feeling the beginnings of nausea as the meal began to climb back up. Hadn't she reminded herself to take things slowly? They'd have to make it to some sort of shelter quickly if she was to retain any further control of her body.

“And please tell me that your home isn't far away. It's very late...”

[Delos]

Delos was relieved that Melpomene agreed to his idea, the last thing he needed on his conscious was a nice pleasant woman like her ending up in the clutches of the Ebonstryfe. It might take some convincing to get Amelia on board but in the end he had a feeling that she might agree, she was a woman who saw the value in the smallest things, even him. Delos nodded slowly when his companion wondered if his house was close.

"My house is indeed close by, a walk down the street and around the corner as it were." He replied.

Her agreement to this plan also meant that he might be able to ask some questions about the Konti people and their homeland, a place he intended to visit someday. If she wanted to repay him in anyway then satisfying his curiosity would more than pay off any debt she might owe. Delos found himself looking forward to getting back to his house, the dangers of what he was doing nearly vanishing from his mind as he went over any questions he wanted to ask.

The small Pycon shook his head slightly, bringing himself back to the business at hand.

"If you wouldn't mind offering up a place for you to carry me I would be happy to give you more concise directions." The young scholar said.

He almost dreaded saying the words, being handled by the larger races was a scary thing even if it was necessary when living in their world. Melpomene may be much more friendly than the average human he met around here but she still was intimidating to some degree.

[Melenna]

“Ah... that's good news.” Melpomene fought the urge to shudder, instead wrapping her arms around herself. In truth, she was just putting on a good show for pride's sake—it was something she had done for the captors before her own body betrayed her. She was tired, nauseous, and her hands still burned with fresh pain, but she managed to smile and keep her body still as though she were recovering. Once she was out moving, it wouldn't be long before she started shaking again and fainting wouldn't be far behind. But Delos was relying on her to do her part, so she could only hope that he really meant a street and a corner away.

The further weakening made Melpomene less sensitive to the small creature's song, which had picked up suddenly only to stop. When she looked down, she saw only a calmly composed gentleman and had to keep herself from laughing. She couldn't get over it—his darling little clothes and proper little voice was too cute. Where did people like him come from, and how on Mizahar had he survived in a place as dark and harsh as Ravok? Whatever the case, he was a much kinder “captor” than her slavers.

“Well...” The Konti looked herself over in a futile effort to find pockets or some sort of comfortable perch on her person, eventually shrugging helplessly. “Could you balance on my shoulder? You could hold on to my dress, or... or tie yourself on with my hair? I-I know it looks bad now, but I promise it isn't too... too unbearable.” Melpomene's gaze narrowed sadly—she'd never before thought of herself as disgusting, but that was the only fitting word. It was a sad day indeed when a Konti ceased to shudder at the idea of her hair saturated with unwashed oil and grit.

Whatever the Pycon chose didn't matter. Melpomene bent herself carefully and lifted herself from the table, extending her hand once again for Delos to step on. As she did, her chin lifted so she could take a good look at the tavern, and the regret on her face was plain. It seemed a pity to leave such a cozy, quiet little place that still smelled a bit like trout, but there was no choice. It would be off to the night with her and her friend.

[Delos]

Delos inclined his head in respect to the Konti, the closest thing he had to smiling without shifting his form slightly. He was glad she had suggested her shoulder, some members of the larger races who had handled him prefer to hold him, which was rather uncomfortable. He stepped on to her proffered hand and stepped off onto her shoulder quickly when she brought him up to it. He decided to take her up on her offer and tied himself of with her dirty and unwashed hair.

"Thank you, I know that travel must be difficult in your condition." The Pycon scholar said, his voice lined with gratitude.

She did look far worse in the lighted conditions of the small tavern. Her hair was dirty and matted and her skin possessed splotches of filth in quite a few places. He could only imagine what Melpomene had been through to put her in this condition, but a least she had escaped. That was more than could be said of many of the slaves in the market square.

"Also worry not, I have a hearth you can warm yourself at and a bed you can sleep in. They aren't very useful to me so someone might as well use them." Delos stated soothingly.

As soon as they were out in the streets he intended to share the portion of his plan that he was sure that she would not be to keen about. The one that would make her indebted to an Agent of the Black Sun. Freedom in Ravok carried a steep price, especially for non-humans.