Thread: His  Daughter the Slave [Edward Thatch  Karo]

Only her father would be able to make her smile in such dire circumstances. Papa... she laughed as he kissed over her forehead. You know I'm not a little girl anymore...it wouldn't be proper, she started, then paused for a moment. Of course it wouldn't nothing about their situation was proper at all. She faltered for a moment as she stepped back from him before he lead her from the room. She clung tightly to her father's side, hardly daring to even loosen her grip on his arm. Even as the priest sneered over them, she remained quiet and stalwart. This was not the time to cause a scene, not when they were surrounded by temple guards. While her father might be released for a small act of insubordination, she would undoubtedly face a much harsher punishment. Even in her short time in captivity, she had seen the beatings doled out by slavers, seen men and women with their tongues cut out, fingers removed, and worse. She couldn't bear to force her father watch that happen to her. Eva tried not to show that her heart sank as the priest announced her sentence. Thirteen years. She would be bound to the laws of a strange god for thirteen years, unable to marry, unable to own lands. All for the crime of having her lands razed and her home ransacked. Her mind had gone numb, only vaguely comprehending the words that were exchanged as the collar was again buckled around her throat. For the moment she was numb, pulled back to reality only at the unexpected tug on the lead from her father. It was time for them to be gone, to return to what was left of their home to hopefully find some sort of peace. At the tavern, the landlord spoke around her the same way the priests had, never once addressing her directly, discussing her arrangements as if she were livestock rather than the daughter of a lord. Her birthright meant nothing to them, not for as long as she bore the scarred symbol on her chest, or as long as she had the humiliating collar locked around her throat. She remained silent as her father pulled her into another comforting embrace. Their people had always been known for their resolve. If anyone could make it through such an ordeal, it would be them. That much she knew. And they were together now it would be only a short time before they were as free as they could possibly be, all things considered. Her attention turned to the door as it opened, to the young servant who entered the room. Again, she was never once addressed directly, Cajetan now fully responsible for her actions, at least in the eyes of their priests and laws. She tightened her jaw, let her fist clench for a moment, waiting until after the girl had left to release the breath she had been holding. The option to eat had barely left her father's mouth before she eagerly helped herself to one of the plates. Of course she had been fed while in captivity a starved slave was no use to anyone, but it had been bland, and only enough to keep her functioning, never a full meal. Manners were forgotten as she cleared the plates of her favorites first, well-seasoned meat and heavy bread filled her empty stomach. She gulped down the weak ale that had been brought up with their meal, and by the time her father had readied the bath, she had cleared a good portion of her plate. A tiny flush of embarrassment rose to her cheeks as she realized she had been scarfing her food, but really, it was too welcome of a meal for her to take slowly. A bath would be wonderful after this, she said. You should eat, too. I'm sure you could use a good meal after everything that's happened.