Inoadar
But it WAS time to get Vera home to the NHC unit she shared with Burke. Although now it should probably be Yoona that moved in with her. 'So what to do with Burke?' he thought to himself. Burke at least was a true slave, one that would do as he was told. He was not sure about this woman Yoona, she was clearly a headstrong woman. Maybe it was time to give her something to think about.
"Burke? I'm afraid I'm going to have to have you stay at my room at Tarsin's until I can get my situation more settled. I'm going to get the stuff we brought from the shop a little more organized, and will probably be staying here for the interim. Tomorrow I will look into the finances to start a new purchase of a location and gear. You have been my loyal slave, twice in fact. Once I get settled into the new 'Ino Vations' I will give you your freedom and offer you a job, as a free man, as my assistant." Inoadar did not look at Yoona as he said this, but he wanted very much for her to see Burke's reaction.
Burke's jaw dropped in surprise, but there was a marked lack of dizzying gladness, just as Inoadar guessed there would be. "Master Nolan. You have been kinder to me than my own father. I do not hold the earlier manipulation of my status against you, but I would be lying if I said that I did not have some resentment of the politics of this city as a result of it. I..."
His expression was pained as he continued, "...do not want to offend you...but honestly...I...do not care to offer a pledge of loyalty to Rhysol. And given that this would be a requirement for citizenship, I would prefer to stay your slave, as it gives me very nearly the same freedom that you enjoy. The fact that you make this offer only assures me of YOUR gratitude for MY loyalty. I see no reason to change what has worked so well."
Inoadar nodded with a growing smile of appreciation for Burke, then turned to Yoona. "I don't know if that means anything to you, Yoona. I am not expecting you to feel the same way...yet. But if nothing else, consider that both he and I have been in the dungeons of this city, and yet feel as we do. We are stronger than ever, BOTH of us. And Burke is right. As a slave, he has no obligation to feign reverence for Rhysol. I say this because that soldier is just waiting for you to make trouble for Vera, and by extension, me."
He took her look to be skeptical as he went on. "You now have more power over me than you perhaps realize. But make no mistake, if you bring me down, by hurting Vera, I will take you with me. Then who wins? I do not deny that being a slave is a terrible state when your master is abusive. But you must know that Vera is not such a one. And now you have seen this man turn down his freedom to avoid living a lie of devotion, and avoid the politics of status, which I have to deal with every day."
He chuckled little at her expression. "You probably think we are crazy. Well, think whatever you want, but are we not in a far better situation than struggling against the wrack and ruin of what's out there? I do not know where your people originate, I admit. But I would guess it must be far away. I have been in a number of cities, Nyka, where I was born, and where my strength and determination were held up as an excuse for people to embrace second best, instead of as a goal to achieve. Sunberth, where my master sought to frame me, his own apprentice, for the murder of a rival. Zeltiva, where I amassed enough knowledge to begin to be my own master, but was given no stake from which to grow. Syliras, where my life savings, salvaged from Sunberth, was poured into the dust because they did not approve of the form it was in. And where I was then persecuted as a thief because I was left with no other way to make a living."
His expression grew more pained with each city mention, but then a sudden true pride lit him. "Then, I came here. At first, I clung to my resentment of all the experiences of the cities I'd lived in. And I did traitorous things here. But Rhysol gave me a second chance, and I have seen the glory of his benefits to those who give him devotion. He rewarded the same things I believe in. I have survived his tests, and I do not resent them."
He waved off the look on Yoona's face with a grin. "I know, I know, another sermon. No, I can understand that if you don't believe as I do, and as Burke and Vera do, that Ravok may seem a dark and harsh place. And to those with ill intent towards it, it surely will be. But I ask you to give it a chance. That is all. Vera needs a woman to help her grow properly into the young lady she is capable of becoming. If you befriend her, you befriend ME. And that is not to be discounted lightly. If someone gives you grief, they give ME grief. And that is not to be TAKEN lightly."
He held his hand out to Vera, who quickly came to hug him, her eyes tearful. "Uncle Nolan, are you mad at me for asking for Yoona to be my slave? I didn't know it was going to cost you so much. Burke was only three hundred."
Inoadar crouched to look her in the eye. "Vera dear, I could not be prouder of you. But let's be completely honest with each other. You knew what you were doing. And you saved the situation. We might all be dead now if not for you. You played on that man's vulnerability, and made it an issue of nothing more than money. He went away thinking he took me for a lot. I am delighted to see that you perceived the situation for what it was, and turned it to your advantage. It shows strength of resolve and ruthless resourcefulness. And you will need both to survive."
But he could see that she still felt bad for the financial damage she had done. He smiled now with a look of cunning. "I will now tell you something, honey, that may relieve your heart. I meant to see the shop destroyed tonight. I planned it from the start. And this soldier taking money from me now, will implicate him as an accomplice if he ever tries to pursue any future action. You played to his greed, and his desire to put me down. And you saved us all, truly. I might otherwise have had to kill him."
He stood up and shrugged, "I was going to have to get a new shop anyway. There was a danger there, something hidden by an enemy of mine, that I never told you about. And now it's gone. I'll tell you about it some other time. And besides, the old gear was no longer sufficient, and the site itself was getting cramped. We need this move to grow. We are good enough to survive this setback. And as is always the case, the hardships we overcome make us stronger! So don't feel bad, we used each other, and we both succeeded."
He snapped his fingers, suddenly remembering something. He spent a few chimes going through a couple of boxes, then came proudly back to the two women with a folded document. "Here, Vera, are your citizenship papers, marked as "probationary". I have to admit, that soldier was right about the fact that you should have these with you at all times."
He then turned to Yoona, "Well slave?..." he chuckled, "I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. Actually though, it IS out of line for me to call you that. You are not technically MY slave, but you should probably make an effort to get used to that. You see, Vera is still my apprentice. And AS my apprentice, I still have authority over her. And that authority extends to YOU to some degree as well. She will need to be HERE now every morning. I would appreciate it if you would escort her. I may have need of you from time to time as well. No one is going to dare harass you now. I truly hope you will start to feel that you have a home here."
x
so you save a little but of money there!