Little Lamb

JP with Cindy, Winteroak, Jaxx, White_Caribou

What now? Was all Islana could think when she heard the shouting.

Before the young woman knew it the Odsier woman was gently pulling her up to standing and pointing towards the flaps that led outside. When Islana didn't move, one of the guards came and retrieved her.

Outside, then back towards the hearthstone. Her eyes caught sight of Hunter, naked, chained to a rock and Islana wanted to rush over and make sure the man was alright but there was no way to make that happen given the two men escorting her with spears and the many more willing to do whatever they wanted to her.

The village still seemed to glow with excitement which served in contrast to Islana's emotions.

Her gaze caught sight of another woman one that hadn't been there before. A woman with black curly hair. Was this the guest?

Arriving in the center of town, the petite redhead was pushed to her knees in front of the new woman.

Years of being subservient to Lord Vasant had taught her what this position meant and to keep her head down, unless otherwise directed.

To be kneeling in front of another woman, given what Islana had been told about the mountain clans, came completely unexpected.

Hunter muttered, “Ouch” , as he used the large rock behind himself to scratch his ear a bit to hard. Then he rolled his head over to see Shalia being adored and praised by the locals. Granted she was pretty, he didn’t see what the big deal was about her. Then he saw Islana brought out and forced to her knees. He then muttered, “I wonder if she is friendly?”

While waiting, Shalia looked to the fire and took a long sip of her drink to wash down bites of goat. What a way for them both to wind up here. Seems the foreign folk were just as self-serving as she remembered.

As the guards approached with Islana, Shalia put her meal aside at the sight of her hair--a mane of fire.

She stood as they pushed the small woman to the ground, and a sudden sense of deja vu struck her.

She knelt to get a better look at her face in the firelight as the sun was vanishing into night. Gently lifting her chin, their eyes met. She wondered how the woman would take the chilling feeling of her skin. Islana's eyes were a vibrant emerald color like her own and coupled with her hair and foreign features, made her quite a prize in the mountains. A beauty that Shalia understood would wilt like a flower in this place. She stood no chance here.

"Hello, little one," she spoke in Helian to the frightened Islana. Her eyes drank in the sight and sensation of finally having another Helian woman in Fang with her, though the circumstances were unfavorable. It was almost a comfort, but she saw an opportunity.

"Haven't roughed you up too much, have they?" She offered a grim smile.
She turned her head to the elders and went back to speaking Odon.

"I want her."

There was a chill that overcame Islana as the other woman touched her chin. The sensation wasn't unpleasant but odd and unexpected though that was probably the least of Islana's concerns.

Emerald eyes met each other, and Islana got a moment to see the dark haired woman's beauty. Clearly from Helias. Who was she?

The only obvious physical injury to Islana was her arm in the sling, though she was certain her eyes gave away she was tired and frightened.

It seemed clear the black haired woman had gained an interest in the redhead; what that meant Islana didn't know.

The elders looked at each another. A request from Shalia Nix was pretty much a request from Koshnem himself. They couldn't very much refuse it. But they couldn't just want her over without reparations.

"What is she worth to you?" One of the elders asked Shalia cursing the woman for taking a fancy to their newest prize.

Shalia thought for a moment before standing. “My intentions do not need interrogation, but the War Chieftain would appreciate a rare gift to welcome him and the clansmen back after their victory. If he has no interest in her, she might entertain me or one of our valiant warriors. But when they return, they will be on a blood high and Koshnem would not like to hear that you made my request difficult. It is rather simple. I want this little lamb for the same reasons you do.”

She had no intention of using the girl or passing her off to anyone--besides, she looked broken enough from whatever her and the man had endured before this. Shalia considered that obtaining her meant she would have to drag her along to the meeting, but they both looked light enough that it wouldn’t overly-burden her horse. The red hair could be covered with the shawl in her pack. All she needed now was to remove her from this village and the rest would be figured out later. It was easy to lie through her teeth for something she wanted.

Everything was a transaction, even here. Though, how much was this moral obligation worth? She didn’t know anything about Islana beyond the arm injury, her value, and that she looked quite sad, of course having every reason to be. It was a sad existence for women of the mountain, and yet Shalia benefitted from that despite how unsettling it was. Used it to her advantage even.

Perhaps she was being too soft toward the girl, the fragments of humanity still existing somewhere. Shalia paused, pursing her lips in thought before continuing.

“The plains are full of lovely, fertile women. They will be included in the Odsier spoils. The Aghul will send you two as we also respect your eagerness to bend to the banner. If that does not satisfy, what else do the Kumik have a taste for?”

The elders listened to Shalia's words carefully. They understood that they could not refuse her request and some form of gift to Koshnem's witch would go a long way in pleasing the chieftain they would hope but they couldn't accept such poor trade.
"A rare beauty such as this from across the seas? Of child bearing age? For two Odsier women? You insult us." He said looking at her venom dripping from his words.

Before the situation could escalate one of the other elders interjected.
"Five women of the same age. Untouched. And she is yours..." He proposed.