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[Shayna]

Time Stamp: 20th Winter 513

The winter had settled into the swamp, though it does not get frigidly cold here it does get a certain chill to the air with the moist humidity keeping it from getting too cold. That might be good for the Rajor's, Dhani's do not do cold very well, but for Shayna she detested winter. It wasn't warm enough to be comfortable, it was in that strange in between that she could not get comfortable in no matter what she did. The west bank was busy today, for a caravan of traders from Eyktol had entered the city and news spread rapidly. Mistress Katherine had not wanted to fight the crowds so she sent Shayna -not with Miza's of course- to observe the wares and to report back to her Mistress, to see if she wanted to come down herself.

It was beginning to be a bad time for slaves in Kenash, particularly if one ran into a Radacke house member. Shayna shivered, she had not seen one of the dead slaves but the mere fact that Katherine no longer allowed her to walk after dark to the river to wait for her but insisted she stay in the gardens until she was done was enough to make her slightly fearful. Of course the slaves that had been mutilated and killed were all expensive beautiful slaves. Mistress Katherine did not hide the fact that she considered Shayna lacking in the beauty department, but that did not make traveling alone in Kenash pleasant bearing the brand of a slave.

Since the Radacke woman had come up missing, and so many Rujaro markings slaves were beginning to be looked at with distrust. It wasn't open hostilities, not unless you happened upon a Radacke, but it was the extra scrutiny from freeborn and Dynasty. It didn't help that last season she had been victim to an ambitious slave who twisted her words to his Mistress to make it sound as if Shayna had known something of the Rujaro. The flawless back of the slave girl was no longer so flawless, and her sleeveless blouse exposed her arms to reveal a few scars from the whip. She wasn't sure if anyone other then the woman who had ..interrogated her and her Mistress knew about what put those scars on her back and arms but it still made her nervous.

Her black hair was brushed back, hanging in midnight waves down her back, slightly uneven thanks to her Mistress trying her own hand at trimming it. Her unusual height, not quite coming to five foot even, marked her as unusual but it was her oddly colored green eyes with the black around the colored iris that set her truly apart. Her Mistress considered her ugly, she herself would not have considered herself a raving beauty but until Katherine Morealis had purchased her she had never thought herself as ugly. Now, it was easy for her to look past the wide lips, the thick lashes, and the pert nose and only see the freckles, the brand that proclaimed her a slave, and her very short stature.

She moved toward the caravan, where the traders already had set up shop, stopping by a gem cutter's tent. Gems of multiple colors winked from the cloths that displayed them. Shayna had no clue which were expensive, and which were just pretty glass. They all looked beautiful to her, and for a second she lifted a hand as if she were going to try and touch one. The trader slapped her hand, hard, causing Shayna to withdraw her hand and back up. The trader recognized the slave brand and rightly assumed that the slave had no miza's and wanted no part in wasting time on a slave.

[Favre]

It was shaping up to be a rather pleasant day, Favre couldn't help but think despite his gnawing anxiety at closing the shop early. The move was easily justified, at least he reckoned in the moment, as he'd only a handful of visitors since he'd opened up today, and it wasn't every day that traders from Eyktol came riding into the city. Even if by doing so he missed out on a few possible patrons, the things he could acquire from the trader's could well make up for it, and possibly even he could make patron's out of the travelers, though he didn't count on that to much. Still it would be interesting to meet the visitors, for he knew little of the lands from which they came, and if he managed to procure something worth his time, well that would just further reassure him that coming out here was the right thing to do. Now if he could only find where they had set up.

His original notion was to follow the general direction that most seemed to be headed, but he quickly recognized the folly of that when he ended up in view of the traveler's complex, the obvious designation for anyone newly arriving in the city. With little other choice, he retraced his steps back to his shop, and headed off in the other direction, which in hindsight was the obvious choice. After all, newly arrived traders would likely be near the entrance to the city, wouldn't they? Reassuringly enough, the crowds tended to get thicker this way, voices louder as he closed in.

While he didn't too much mind being around so many people, he could certainly do without the press of bodies, and the sour stench of unwashed flesh that almost always accompanied the jostling of the crowd making him more than a bit uncomfortable. Almost unconsciously, he found himself looking at his coin purse to make sure it was still secured to his person. As interesting as all these strangers might be, he wouldn't put it past them to be beyond a bit of thievery if the time was right, and he was certainly not going to allow himself to fall victim to their subtle fingers if he could help it. Keeping an eye on his coins was a hard thing to manage thought while at the same time trying to navigate the confusing thoroughfare, and more than once he found himself jerking this way or that as occasion would have his toes squished under the tread of a boot. Perhaps it would have been better if he'd stayed back at the shop.

He immediately rejected that negative thought though when he caught sight of the Eyktolian trader's tents, and squeezing past the last throng of individuals in his way, he stole away towards the nearest tent, and what a good choice it seemed for arrayed across a lavish display were colorful gems of various sizes. It wasn't often he used combined ornamentation with his clothing, but standing in front of the dazzling gems, he could imagine how they might attract a sort of wealthier clientele to his little shop as he paced to the side, trying to get a proper look at all that was for sale.

Not exactly paying attention to where he was going, he was never the less surprised when he bumped into a woman whom was suddenly in front of him, and reflexively he reached out to catch her arm to arrest any trip or fall he might have caused. "My apologies.. I didn't mean.." He let hang awkwardly, at a loss for words as soon as he made eye contact. Not even out of the shop for a bell, and already he was causing a scene.

[Shayna]

Shayna didn't bother to mumble an apology at the dealer, she knew that he would have simply looked on to another ..a real customer..a real person. Ignoring as most do, the slave that had caught his attention not too long ago. Shayna was about to move along when she was jostled, her hands flying out instinctively to grip the arm that steadied her own arm. It takes just a tick before Shayna's balance is restored and she recovers enough to lift her eyes long enough to check his face for a brand, either slave or freeborn...or check if it was free of marking which would indicate Dynasty - possibly a visitor.

It was that instant that told Shayna most on how she should respond to a person. For there were different distinct classes of people in Kenash, slaves were the very bottom, but if he were merely freeborn she could get away with a little more then if he was Dynasty. Not a slave, which meant a little bit more delicate approach was needed. "Forgive me, I didn't meant to get in your way." Her words, though humble that they were, was said without the frightened timid quality that many slaves take on. They were calm, respectful but neither were they timid or shy. "I was just looking at the wares, to see if I should tell my Mistress to come and purchase." This last is said with a noted look to the trader who had slapped her hand and dismissed her, the implied threat that she wouldn't tell her mistress of any such thing dripping from her words.

She just realized that she was still gripping the cloth of his sleeve, which she dropped instantly when she realized. Her eyes, the unusually wide looking greens raise to settle around his collar, never meeting his eyes. "You have nothing to apologize for.." She raised a hand, her fingers tracing the brand that had left the three pillars with a suspended diamond over top, on her cheek, just below her eye.

[Favre]

He couldn't help but wince when he realized he had run into a slave, and he stood frozen for a moment, at a loss for what to say or do. The white starburst mark on his cheek was not familiar enough yet to distance him from the memories of his former lot in life, leaving him awkward and confused where these people were concerned. Certainly there was a status quo to maintain here, but remembering well what it was like to be in her position, he couldn't bring himself to be curt or oblivious to this person like many would expect him to be in such a situation.

Fortunately, the woman filled the silence while he made up his mind, her words firmly reinforcing his initial notion before the sudden slack on the arm of his shirt reminded him of his own grip on hers, which he promptly released and took a step back for good measure. Not even close to becoming conduct.. "Agree to disagree then" He managed with an uneasy smile, turning his face to give a good look at his own marking, though it carried quite a different meaning. Proper decorum was shyke anyways..

The silence hung around only briefly, for he was quick to change the subject, with something she herself had only just brought up.with a question "So do you know anything about these gems on display, I mean since you are here to appraise whats being offered and all.." He asked even as he turned to look back at the display, though he was hardly paying the twinkling gems any attention now.

[Shayna]

The sight of his brand quirked her brow, a black slash on her pale skin, and her eyes raise to meet his. He wasn't Dynasty, not with that brand. Still a step above her in station, but he would not be as likely to be able to gain her any leverage to pull her way up from being a simple garden slave.

Her Mistress had sent her out here to scout the area, so in essence she almost had the afternoon 'off' in comparison to her usual duties. Her plain unbleached skirt was smoothed from her little stumble with her small hands, her short stature seemed to be proportional for everything about her was small. She often was mistaken for a child until one got close enough to her to see her small womanly curves, and the maturity in her odd green eyes.

"I am merely a garden slave, mister...." She let the words drift off, he wasn't Dynasty so he wasn't referred to as M'lord, but he wasn't a slave either so that demanded some form of respect. As a normally successful slave, Shayna knew the nuances well. She was good at reading people, though some of that was lost in her encounter with the interrogators, a lingering fear of anything she said being whispered twisted to suit the needs. "My Mistress sent me down to really see if there was anything she might like to buy. It is winter so my ..normal duties are curtailed, and I am far too plain for her to be allow in her shop." She smiled slightly as she said this, mostly to hide the slight grimace at her words.

Not really wanting to wander off amid the crowds here alone, the kidnapping of the Radacke woman, the killing of the slaves and the rumors that Rujaro were gathering strength caused a shiver to flow through her. So she sought to extend the company, though with him being freeborn and her a slave it would have to be delicately approached. Some freeborn think they are as high as Dynasty when speaking to slaves, though those same freeborn scrape and scuttle as low as a slave when Kenash royalty pass by. "Do ... do you need any help looking for something in particular?"

[Favre]

Returning to look back at her, he found that he was starting to truly notice her, now that the initial surprise of the whole situation was wearing off, and tentatively his eyes met her unusual verdant greens. That in combination with her stature set her quite apart from those he typically had dealings with, free or otherwise, and he found himself more than a little bit curious about her life as a personal slave, which is what he could assume by the way she carried herself. He certainly hadn't been so.. competent when he'd been a house slave, so perhaps there was more to being a personal slave than he had thought.

Thinking along such lines, he was suitably caught off guard by her admission, especially given the place they found themselves, though the fact that she had some experience gardening was intriguing enough to make him forget his supposition, for he himself had been dabbling a bit in botany of late, and planned to do even more with it as soon as he could find enough time away from the shop. The ghost prickling perplexity that remained on from the remark was soon at least partially assuaged by her next words which put things into perspective. He couldn't help but think that her mistress must have some exceptional women in her shop for he certainly didn't consider her plain, but managed easily enough not to say so aloud. Such things were beyond giving voice, even to him. Still the statements begged some sort acknowledgment.

"Ah.. forgive my assumption, I thought.." For a few moments he floundered for the words to say, for he didn't want to come off as derisive, but neither was he going to be dishonest, though to admit he had judged her prematurely was hard to swallow. "I decided before even knowing anything of you.." His voice unavoidably stressing the word you as he spoke, and heat tickled across his cheeks, the faint scarlet of which his embarrassment was revealed, he promptly hid by turning to the side, and taking a step towards the dazzling display of gems. The move drew a dirty look from the merchant though, one all to familiar that Favre did not miss when he glanced up, and the heat of embarrassment was replaced by irritation. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped and twisted about when he heard the woman's question, all to happy to ignore the oaf for a moment.

"Have you seen any cloth or dyes being offered around? That would suit my purposes better than these trinkets.." He decisively asked, purposefully turning to look at the merchant when he said trinkets. Certainly he knew he was being petty, but it was assuaged his budding pride, at least enough to forget the man.

[Shayna]

Shayna raised a brow at his stumbling over words. This was very new to her, and a little disconcerting. One hand raises to tuck an errant strand of black hair away from her freckled face, her green eyes running over his features even as he turned to hide the blush. "What did you assume about me?" Curiosity raised in her mind, wandering what could he have possibly assumed about her that would make him blush like that and stumble over his words with her, a mere slave. Most freeborn and almost all Dynasty didn't consider her worth even speaking too let alone worrying enough about what she thought to be embarrassed. It was... an unsettling feeling, this unknown.

Yet before she could contemplate more, he was speaking again and giving her something that she was familiar with. A way to satisfy a need of his, and she smiled, relieved a little to have company in this crowd. Though she would have to guard her tongue it was still preferrable to walking alone. "I saw some um.bundles..ahh.. big things of cloth down that way." She wasn't sure what to call the large upright fabric that she had seen, didn't know that it was called a bolt of cloth. She didn't know what kind of cloth it was, only what colors were present. "I don't know if they have dyes...but we can check." She smiled up at him once more before turning, darting between two moving people and into the crowd, assuming he would follow her. From behind the thin scars that were mostly healed now was very visible on the back of her upper arms, running into the fabric of her sleeveless unbleached blouse. "Do you work in at a Tailors place?" She asked amicably, becoming a little more comfortable. "What does that mark on your face mean? It is not a slave mark..nor is it the typical freeborn mark.."

[Favre]

"It's just.. I forgot myself and decided you were a personal slave without even asking of you what you did.." He returned with an uncomfortable shrug of his shoulders, a bit ashamed that he had become so out of touch at socializing with other slaves. It made him feel almost apart of himself, but he pushed that thought aside almost as soon as it occurred in his mind, for now was certainly not the time to open old wounds. Instead he focused more intently on her face, the blush on his own at last fading, returning his cheeks to their dusky hue, and as things were, he had the perfect excuse to shift thoughts elsewhere, for since she knew where some cloth could be found, perhaps in such search his little display would go forgotten, he could only hope.

"That sounds like just what I need" All too happy to return her smile, and leave past uneasiness behind, he checked on his Mizas one more time before following as close behind her as he could manage with so many people about. He almost even ran into the two she first darted past for she was quicker at it than he was, but even after having to go around them it wasn't too much trouble to follow her through the crowd, and soon he was right behind her once more. However he quickly wished he'd come up along side her instead, for from his position it was hard not to notice the discolored lines on her arms that were undoubtedly scars, for he himself carried similar marks, but before he could think on it any further, her voice broke the brief silence between them and had him thinking in an entirely different direction.

"Indeed, I own one in the area actually, which makes for a small walk from here" He answered with a grin, a bit of pride creeping into his tone. His features were quick to shift though at her follow up question, his brow creasing in a manner that could be construed as thoughtful as his hand absentmindedly went to touch his cheek and the starburst centered there. "It marks me a Zulaca, making me Favre Zulaca.. What is your name anyways?"

[Shayna]

Shayna did not realize that the scarring on her arms was causing any sort of uncomfortable thoughts in the mind of her companion. She didn't think anyone in Kenash would be uncomfortable seeing those types of scars for many slaves bore them. Radacke slaves more then any other, fortunately she had never been owned by the Radacke. Shayna's back had up until these scars were placed , had been clear and unblemished. A fact that she had used to prided herself over, though not any more.

When he spoke again she was still in the dark, but that didn't matter especially when he explained his mark. She stopped short in her tracks, her green eyes round visibly before dropping to the grass around their feet and her hands clasp tightly in front of her. He was Dynasty, Zulaca which was an odd Dynasty anyway but still Dynasty. She had heard rumors that slaves were elevated far from their caste in life in that house, though she was not sure if it was true. It didn't matter if it was, it didn't even matter if he had been a slave prior, for he was no longer a slave now. Nor was he merely a freeborn as she had been treating him as. She wondered briefly at the easy way he chatted with her, the lack of airs that he had before she slammed the door on that thought. He was Dynasty and he could act however he pleased.

Her words went from open and just a little reserved, to being closed and respectful, with just a tinge of fear. "Oh..forgive me M'lord I ..I didn't realize that you were from the Zulaca family, please forgive my forwardness." This whole season had her on edge, and now this was enough to make her cringe. "The traders with the cloth are this way.." She turned away from him, intending on leading him to the place where she last saw the cloth.

[Favre]

Since he was following close behind her, he found himself quickly stepping around her when she suddenly stopped, almost running into a passerby in so doing. "What.." He started to ask after quickly apologizing to the pedestrian but she explained everything without having to be asked. Reflexively, his head cocked to the side and his brow furrowed for a brief moment of confusion, not quite recognizing her point. After all, why was she apologizing when up until that point the conversation had been rather pleasant. Before he could say anything though she was already starting heading off again.

Acting upon a sudden urge that welled within him, and darting forward he moved to step in front of her or at least try and grab her shoulder if he couldn't manage that. It felt too tense to leave things as they were. At a loss for what to say, he went with what came to mind, what he himself would want to hear in her position. "Wait.. To use your own words, there is nothing to forgive..." He spoke hastily, rubbing his neck nervously for he was not accustomed to accosting people in the street. "Be easy.. You have caused no offense.." With that said, he stood where he was shifting uneasily in place for that was all there was to do in a situation such as this.