[Open] How to Save a Kelvic

[Tebridiar]

Fall, Day 27, Year 510AV

After spending a night in the care of Kayiri, Tebridiar had woken up. Not just to a beautiful morning free from the constraints of her Master, but she had woken up to the real world. She was fed up belonging to a man she hated. She had slept next to Kayiris beautiful horse, it was very relaxing there, and she was warm and radiated heat through her immense frame.

Tebridiar got up, and took a look outside. It was a misty, chilly morning, but in all respects glorious. The Autumn sunshine glowed in the mist, and Tebridiar felt alive. More alive than she had felt in years. She shed her shy, introverted self that she had developed in the oppression of that old man, and it felt brilliant. But she had to wake up, Technically he still owned her, and that thought slowly crept to the front of her mind.

She went out for a quick walk around Endrykas, barefooted and without her beloved waistcoat. Most of her things were still with her Master, but she had her precious whistle, an heirloom from her mother. Tebridiars russet hair flowed free and beautifully, shining in the diluted rays of the sun.

She wandered for about half an hour, then she decided to take a seat near some stalls. It was quite busy, even in the early hours of the day. For possibly the first time in her life the large crowd didnt phase her, partly because she didn't have to hide herself anymore.

But then she saw him.

The furious looking old man who had tried to take her virginity the night before. She sat there, frozen. It took him a few moments to notice her. Then he turned around.

"You! You there!" He growled, his croaky voice carrying over the bustle of the market. "I did EVERYTHING for you! And you betray me, you scum!" Tebridiar shot up like a spring, in a panic. Then she tried to run, but the city was busy and people barred her path.

"Stop that girl!" Called the old man. "She's mine!"

If only I stayed with Kayiri, thought Tebridiar.

[Raylin Sunsetfeather]

Raylin was stuck on shopping duty again. Great. She let out a small sigh as she adjusted the hood on the cloak she had borrowed from her mother. There was something about the large crowd that gathered around the merchant tents that bugged her. Probably all the noise that the merchants made as they screamed the names of thier wares and how much they were.

One of the yells wasn't like the rest though. Raylin turned her head to see who had uttered the words. She saw an old man who was pointing at a girl and yelling something about her being his. The girl had an expression of sheer terror on her face. A feeling arose in the pit of her stomach. A feeling that told her that something was wrong.

Quickly Raylin ran toward the girl, pushing through the crowd as if they were stalks of grass in the sea that surrounded the tent city. She soon came to the girl. Sticking out her hand, she said in common, "If you don't want that man to get you, come with me."

[Tebridiar]

Turning around, a girl stook out. She wasn't of the appearnace you would usually expect around this city.

She seemed to be making her way towards Tebridiar. She had very strange features, red hair and brown eyes. Another red head? Good. Run or stay? Horse-like instincts tugged at her mind but she decided to stay put.

Holding out a firm hand, the girl said "If you don't want that man to get you, come with me."

Without a moments hesitation, Tebridiar grasped securely as she was whisked through the weaving crowds. Was she losing him? Was he catching up? Nothing was sure.

"Damn it! Thank you, miss!" Tebridiar gasped. "Thats twice Ive escaped him! Once last night, and now today... I should have stayed with Kayiri. He rescued me last night. No, no. Ive decided. Ive done enough running. Just stay here, for some... moral support." She felt brave. Rarely was she so open with people. But ever since being saved by the strange Drykas boy last night, Tebridiar had felt alive for once. She felt like she now had a purpose.

She stopped moving, which seemed to surprise the girl, who was only trying to help. "Trust me on this one..." Tebridiar told her. She felt nervous. She had never spoken with such authority before. She was claiming back what had been stripped from her for two years. The girl appeared slightly annoyed.

Eventually, her Master managed to claw his way through the crowds. He venemously hissed assorted curses in her direction.

"You, my pet, better get here right now, or it is over for you." He spat. "And as for you, little girl, don't get involved with this one. She's broken, and rotten to the core."

That was the straw that broke the camel's (or in this case, horses) back.

"How dare you." Tebridiar whispered. "I have to put up with your abuse, ignorance and sick urges for half my life. Ive had enough of it! Someone saved me last night, and its showed me a lot! I'm not going ot be your slave anymore. I'm freeing myself."

[Raylin Sunsetfeather]

Once the girl had grabed her hand, they took off, speeding through the crowds. Destination, her pavilion or the glass studio, which ever came first. Raylin became suprised when the other girl suddenly stopped. A look of confusion went across her face.

When the man came through the crowd, she stood her ground. The other young woman had wanted moral support, so thats what she would get.

At the threat, she steped forward a bit. She looked down at what was in her mind, a weak little man with a huge ego. "There is punishment for those who physicaly fight in Endrykas. And I can asure you that it's anything but pleasent." she said.

Then the girl beside burst into a rage that suprised Raylin. Her eyes widened as she watched the man step back a bit.

[Tebridiar]

Even in the busy street, it felt a little isolating.

The girl next to her was completely surprised. Tebridiar guessed she must have appeared meek and quiet, and sort of... helpless. This gave her a jolt, and reminded her of what she had become.

"Tebridiar..." Her Master hissed. "You can't do this! You don't have the right!" This was, well, sort of true. Technically she was owned by this man. But she was a life, and now she had a little more independant thought. She had no desire to serve, she'd never officially been sold or kept as a slave in the first place. Did this stand for anything?

"I have the right to get away from you. You think you'd have your wicked way with me, you can't. Not anymore. Ive seen the light and I'm not going back. You mistreated me as a person, and a horse. And I hate you, with everything I've got." Some Drykas surrounded the man, threateningly. They had a love of horses. Her Master shuddered.

But then he did something that surprised her. "How dare you." He broke out of the little knot of Drykas enveloping him, and he rushed forward and punched her in the stomach. Everyone around was shocked, but he just continued beating her. Blood tainted his knuckles. She began to scream. "I relive you... of my duty." He harshly whispered into her ear.

Still keeping that last streak of defiancy, she whisper back "Fine then."

And he was grabbed, and escourted out of the city.

But then a pain filled her heart, like she'd just been ripped in some way, torn like a piece of parchment. She lay on the grund. For a kelvic, it's quite hard to be separated from a Master, an owner. Many don't understand it. But Tebridiar knew. The only "support" she'd ever had for half her life was that wicked, twisted creature, but it hurt to be turned away by him. And everything went dark.

[Khiara]

Khiara couldn't help but smile as she walked through the city. The sun shone through light mist, almost twinkling in its radiance. It was a beautiful autumn morning in Endrykas. Dressed in the soft white and gold dress she'd been given in Riverfall, the vantha felt alive and loved. Only seven days ago, she had wed Vanator, the only man after Eliac to ever capture her heart. More than that, he'd opened it. Given her life. A breeze tugged softly at her hair, loose black strands shimmering violet and gold in the sunlight.

Moving through the morning crowds, she reached the markets and looked around. There were roots and tubers, a favourite of her frostmarch. He waited for her, in the coral. The brunette smiled, picking up a carrot from one of the stalls and examining it. Vsenri loved carrots. A sudden yell made her stop, dropping the carrot to look around. It wasn't a yell of wares or children playing. It was fear, pain. Eyes, golden with concern, searched the crowd till she saw a commotion. People gathering. Pushing forward, she made her way through till she could see the fuss. Two women stood together, one tall and russet haired the other slightly shorter and with fiery hair. Beyond them a wretched looking man screamed abuse, fleck of spittle flying from his mouth. The drykas frowned at him, before everything happened at once. The man pounced on the taller girl and she went down. Unthinking, Khiara shoved through the people, yelling angrily.

"Ho! Stop that! Stop him!" Even as she reached the commotion, the man had been pulled off the woman and escorted away. Dropping to her knees beside the russet haired girl, Khiara frowned. She looked up at the redhead.

"Get some water." Her voice lilted softly, concern in her golden gaze. The downed woman was beaten, unconscious. She might be seriously hurt...but laying in the middle of the street wouldn't help anything. Best to get her inside. Beside, the pavilion really wasn't that far away. If she could at least rouse the girl.

"Hello, can you hear me? Hello?" The vantha tapped the girl's cheek, pushing her hair out of her face. Poor thing...she looked so young. So vulnerable. What dog would out-and-out attack a woman?

[Tebridiar]

It was like wading through thick, liquid shadow. She could sort of hear, and see, and feel, in her mind. But she couldn't force herself to move, except maybe twitch slightly. She could barely open her eyes. She was aware of muffled voices, very close now.

She thought of what had just happened. She was alone now. But free. It was excellent, libarating, vigorous. But to a kelvic, it was just tainted with hopelessness. Like a dog abandoned by its owner, tied up outside some market stall or on a tree trunk. She didn't fully understand everything. Right now she didn't want to.

But freedom was what she asked for, she had asked for it for about 2 years, and never had it given to her. She could curl up and cry about it, or seize this opportunity with open arms. She opened her mind again, and she wasn't alone anymore. People had helped her, hadn't they? And Kayiri... his name lifted her heart and mood.

She strained her eyes open.

Everything was a bit blurry, a bit... smudged. But there was a women there, A strange looking, exotically beautiful woman. She looked concerned, and slightly angry. What did she do to make this lady angry?

"W-who?" Tebridiar croaked, trying to work out what was going on. Vision was slowly improving. "I must have fell over... did I collapse after that? Ugh..." She was still a little confused. "He hit me, didn't he? Then he left..." She tried to sit up, but she suddenly felt very weak and shaky. "That man, he i-was my Master. Im sorry about all this. I feel so... weak. Im sorry."

Tebridiar thought of where she would go, and remembered Kayiri's lovely home. "If its possible, I need to get to the home of Kayiri, Kayiri of the... the Starweaver Pavillion. Diamond Clan... Ive only been here a day, I dont understand what it all means."

[Raylin Sunsetfeather]

Nodding to the woman who had come to help, she quickly ran over to one of the barrels of water that sat inbetween the tents for horses. She quickly took the bowl that sat near the barrel and filled it with water. Going back to the two other women without spilling any water, she placed to bowl beside the exotic looking woman and kneeled beside her.

By now, Raylin had noticed that the original girl who she had been helping was awake. "How are you doing?" she asked, a look of consern on her face. "By the way, my name is Raylin Sunsetfeather from the Amethyst Pavilion." she said with a smile.

[Khiara]

Khiara shushed softly as the slight woman stirred.

"Lay still for a moment, your safe now." Glancing up as the firey redhead returned, the vantha smiled and nodded, swirling golden eyes returning to the downed woman.

"My name is Khiara, and I know of Kayiri. He is my husbands cousin. I can take you back to the Diamond Pavilion." Sitting back slightly, the young woman thought about what had been said. Her Master, that man had been. So she was a captive..a slave? There was a possibily that this woman was a Kelvic. Reminded of Pygmy, Khiara felt the strong urge to keep the russet haired girl safe as best she could.

"Raylin, can you help me get her up?"

[Tebridiar]

Things were all happening very quickly now.

The red haired girl had went off to get some water, and the girl with the violet eyes was making sure she was okay.

Tebridiar was relieved to know that Khiara knew of Kayiri, and she hoped she was in safe hands. She stull felt a bit weak, but a new power was slowly rising inside her. But it wasn't... physical. Maybe it was all the pent up emotions inside of her bubbling and rising, or the personality she had supressed for so long. Was it coming back?

It felt a little strange, this feeling. But deep down Tebridiar felt reassured by it. Like it was going to help her, guide her in a way. She imagined it as a golden horse spirit, the side she had left behind. And it was returning to her.

"Thank you Khiara. Thank you for helping me. Im glad you know Kayiri, it makes me feel better."