Closed The Call of Freedom

[Taylani]

The captive sighs, swiping her hands over her dress to clear it of any debris from the plains. Taylani straightens, and just as she has been doing this long period that she was here, she lifts her chin and holds up. She takes one last longing look over the plains, knowing that something drastic would have to happen for her to even think of going out there now. The other woman seemed to expect that she would simply work to help her put the dead animal on the horses back, and in days past Taylani probably would have balked. However now, she simply bends over and almost gingerly picks up the hindquarters, thankful that she was not on the more bloody end.

Again the woman motions for her to follow, and again Taylani complies more easily then her normal wont, but then again does not want to be out here alone. Not when there was a small lion, whose mother might be somewhere...That thought causes the Dancer to speed up to catch up with the other. "Darkeye.." Taylani repeats, and casually taps her eye and then points to the other, "Drykas?" She repeats in Pavi as a question, pointing then to the other woman's windmarks, then cradles her arms like she is holding an infant. Hoping the other woman might understand she was asking her how she became a Drykas, born -half human- into Drykas or if she was adopted like some of the other captives who were more then willing captives.

She lays her hand on her own chest, almost as an afterthought, "Taylani." She speaks slowly and clearly, still looking over her shoulders.

[Oryani]

Oryani watched the other woman's pantomimes as she tried to figure them out. Khal walked calmly behind the pair, ears alert for any sign of any other approaching creature. The Chatakwe herself was also focusing on any movements around her, but nothing really obvious seemed to be happening, and most of her attention was elsewhere.

So... Darkeye... she was probably asking about her eyes. And... Dykas... baby? Had she had babies? That was an odd question... maybe she was born a Drykas? Shrugging, Oryani just decided to explain everything. "I am a Chatakwe. she tried to put emphasis on the last word, and make it not sound like a random Pavi word that her companion didn't understand. "My Mother and I were captured... like you... and joined the Darkeye pavilion. I got a Strider, and Windmarks. I am now a Drykas." Well, technically you didn't 'get' a Strider, it was a lot harder than that. You had to bond with one, as she was bonded with Khal. To enhance the meaning, she reached behind her and petted the stallion's muzzle, who snuffled and blew into her palm.

Apparently her companion's name was Taylani...a helpful detail, so she didn't have to keep calling her 'woman'. "Um... you like being with the Drykas?" she asked, still trying to keep her language simple enough. She knew some of the captives flat down hated being stuck with them, and despised the culture with a passion. Her mother had been like that, but the presence of other half and full blooded Chatakwe was a comfort to her, and soon enough she settled down and joined the pavilion. She never bonded with a Strider however, rather staying at home in their main pavilion tent.

[Taylani]

Taylani follows quietly, her fingers lacing together in front of her, her lower lip tucked between her teeth as the other girl speaks. Though Oryiana speaks slowly she still does not understand most of anything she says, though she did understand that Chatakwe was how the other identifies herself. She understood Strider and Windmarks, and Drykas. Though that did not help Taylani understand if the other had been born or taken.

It was still helpful to listen to the Pavi spoken, helped to identify conversation words at least, but it seemed to Taylani that she would never pick up the complex language of the barbarians. When the other asked her a question, blue eyes stares back at dark eyes trying to understand the question better. Something with You, and With and Drykas. It takes a minute, for Taylani to logically deduce what the other is trying to ask. The other already knew that she was with Drykas, it was obvious so that could not be what she was asking. Perhaps she was asking if Taylani had wanted to be with the Drykas. Shaking her head emphatically no, before answering, in common though stopping occasionally to add the words she knew in Pavi. "I miss home. I miss my mother, my father." Her words struggles to remain matter of fact, struggles to not crack but her face remains stony calm, and her chin lifts almost defiantly. "I am alone."

OOC INFOI can't get the colors to come out right if I do more then one color shift, so Pavi is indicated in bold

[Oryani]

Oryani focused on Taylani's hands and words, even stopping her walking to pay attention. She... something home. Was that word 'miss'? She wasn't quite sure... it might have been 'go'. She missed home... She missed... mother and father... She was... something. The last bit she didn't understand, but it sounded important. Well... the Chatakwe had figured out something more about her companion, at least. The woman was missing her family and home... a sure sign of not liking the Drykas way. That was a sad fact, as it wasn't entirely fair to the captives that the Drykas forced them into their culture, and basically enslaved them, but... they needed the people. To be honest, she would probably be helping increase the population, except she was completely barren... it was part of the reason why she'd never married.

Oryani sighed and rolled her shoulders once more, taking a moment to think this over. "I am sorry." she admitted, truthfully. "You do not have it fair. But... you should enjoy Drykas! Though you are officially a 'slave', you can still be free. Bond with a strider, or something of the sort. You know you can't run away." The last was said with firm determination. Leaving the tent city without any survival skills was dangerous... very dangerous. Practically a death sentence. And the Drykas would be allerted to her leaving the confines of the city. She also doubted that Taylani understood most of her statement, but it didn't really matter... hopefully the woman would figure out the important parts. Especially the first.

After their short pause, the Chatakwe began walking again, the tent city was growing closer with every step. Thinking on the woman's situation, she realized a similarity with someone she knew well. Her mother still missed the desserts and rocky lands of Ekytol, and had never really integrated into the Drykas culture. Still, she'd accepted it, and Oryani herself had moved in quite well.. though she'd only spent 3 years in the lands of her birth. "My mother is like you." she said quietly, more voicing her thoughts than anything else.

After another pause of thought, she added "Pavilion? What pavilion?" Though Taylani might not have thought herself 'part' of a certain pavilion, she still was in the Drykas' minds. The archer also needed to know which tent to bring her companion back to after the lion was sold...

[Taylani]

When the dark eye'd woman stops, so does Taylani, if for no other reason then to prolong returning to Fallan's tent. Today's events coupled with so many days of gentle conditioning has given Taylani much to think on, given her a choice that she had wanted to ignore before. Fallan would simply make that choice harder, she knew this though she did not understand why he made it so difficult for her to focus on her need to go home.

So she was quiet and still as the other woman spoke, trying to latch onto the few words she had picked up over the last half season. Most was garbled, she understood Drykas, but not the sentence that went with the word. However she does understand the tones the woman used, and understood the woman must have been speaking something positive about her and Drykas, either encouraging her perhaps to accept and help the Drykas or perhaps trying to persuade her to understand the Drykas. The next sentence she does not understand anything but the pronouns, but the gestures seemed to speak of captivity and freedom. This was causing her head to ache again but she struggles to focus on the gestures. The last sentence she understands, not because of a sudden epiphany of the Pavi language, but because it was pronouns and she well understood the gesture for run away.

"I know I can't run away." She says bitterly, shaking her head and looking back out across the plains. "Today..was a violent reminder. That option is last recourse. Yes I will be free again," She continues to speak, just presuming she was speaking of being free from her captivity. Though she does not know how others become free, as Fallan has only made her the one bargain. Two children for freedom. Such a small thing perhaps for a man, but for a woman it was asking her to give up two lives. "Once I have given him two children. If I am able to give him two children." The last is muttered but she begins to walk again, still further into the tents rather then away.

She is almost happy that she understands the last part, she knew the word Pavilion from her time here, though she does not answer. Instead she shakes her head, "It is ok, I can make my way from here.." Taylani does not fear Fallan, she has never had a reason to fear him, but something inside is telling her it would not be wise to divulge her stupidity today to him.

[Oryani]

Oryani listened to the speech in Common with a serious expression, trying to piece together a language. Life would be so much easier if everyone spoke Pavi… then she wouldn’t have to deal with trying to translate the language and all those problems. Still, she listened, noting the ‘two children’, and something to do with ‘free’. Maybe once she’s had two children…? Her husband must have been very kind, to make a deal like that. She would have just encouraged the woman to try and bond with a strider, and join the Drykas culture… from what she’d seen of cities like Riverfall, you weren’t ‘free’’ in a city. You couldn’t roam around, you couldn’t ride. Sure Endrykas was technically a city, but it was simple a large collection of tents and pavilions that moved as one. She loved the nomadic ways of the Drykas, and it was actually part of the reason her mother had integrated so well into the culture. The Chatakwe themselves were nomadic, with no cities or true homes, very similar to the Drykas culture… it was a very convenient match, actually.

Still, she couldn’t change this woman’s mind… though it would have been nice to introduce her to the Strider concept. However, the language barrier made that nearly impossible, since she had no clue what the word was in Common, and she doubted Taylani knew it in Pavi. She’d learn soon enough, at least. Two children would take several years at best. Maybe the woman would grow to like the Drykas, and decide not to leave after she’d completed the deal.

Oryani jerked her head up in surprise when Taylani began speaking again, brought out of her intent thinking. She could make her way back to her pavilion? Well… they were already well into the city, so that would make sense, and there was little to no danger of creatures there. She would have liked to know which pavilion her companion was part of, but she wasn’t going to force the answer. Instead, she nodded, and commented in Common ”Ok”.

Now that the group had separated, she and Khal continued their walk towards the shop where she knew she could sell her kill. It’s pelt was mostly ripped apart by her Strider’s attack, making it worthless, but the meat would at least get her some more coin… though it wasn’t her living, it was still always nice to make a few mizas off the side. The Chatakwe made her way into the large tent, leading the stallion behind her… he was the one carrying their kill, after all. ”Afternoon… I was out keeping a watch on the outskirts of Endrykas when this guy came and tried to eat me… mind taking him off my hands?” She chuckled a little, glad to be able to get back into speaking Pavi fluently. She patted the lion with a free hand, the other still clutched around her bow, before beginning to unravel the rope. The Drykas she had been speaking to came and helped, and together the two lowered the dead cat to the ground.

The man stared at it with a critical eye, before commenting ”It’s pelt is worthless, sorry about that. Um… I think I’ll get about 15 pounds of useable meat off him. It’s 2 gold mizas a pound so I’ll owe you 30 gold…Sound good to you?” Oryani nodded, actually quite surprised by the price. She had been expecting a lot less, so this was pleasing. It would fund any…other… extra things she planned on doing. And mostly pay back her purchases on the 22nd. ”Great…Here!” he passed the Chatakwe the allotted amount, before dragging the kill off on his own for butchering. The archer turned and left the pavilion, off to return to her actual job….

OOCOk… I can change the prices if needed, I forgot the price/pound, but I think I got it right. Taylani, feel free to add another post, or just put this up for grading!

[Praetorian]

Taylani

Observation	+3 XP
Rhetoric	+3 XP

• Oryani Darkeye: Horsewoman and Lionslayer
• Oryani: The Chaktawe Drykas
• Nightlions: Monsters of the Grass

Oryani

Observation	+4 XP
Riding: Horse	+2 XP
Webbing	+2 XP
Rhetoric	+1 XP
Weapon: Shortbow	+3 XP

• Taylani: A Captive in Mind and Body

Loot :

+30 GM

Notes :

Good, brief thread, guys! Very fun to read, especially with the language barrier.

Have any questions, comments, or concerns? Feel free to message me.