Sights & Slaves

JP with Winteroak, Cindy, and White_Caribou

The look from Shaila wasn't lost on Islana. Keep her head down, her mouth shut, was basically how the young woman translated it.

That's what the redhead did, taking care to not look directly at the men. There was no intention on her part to make any mistakes with that order. Being unsure what exactly would happen if she disobeyed played especially into Islana's obedience.

Lack of knowledge of the language was the greatest disadvantage Islana had to navigating this, particular, situation. The fact she knew how slaves should behave might have been her greatest advantage. It didn't matter where it was slaves were without anything but what their owners granted them. They had no voice, no status and that was how they needed to behave, in order to get through any situation that might arise.
Islana never thought that her training in such matters would come in useful in Arcadia or she had at least hoped that would be the case. Yet, here she was again, like a song bird that had been returned to it's cage.

The man that greeted Shalia and her entourage was a seneschal for the leader of clan Ihlara.
He escorted his guests inside the fort. Banners of the clan flew in the afternoon breeze, high in the ramparts. The air had a dusty quality to it and everywhere you looped you saw people with covered faces by scarves.

Inside the courtyard you walked into a hive of activity. Some sort of market or bazaar buzzing with activity.

Shalia was show to a room on the the 1st floor of the fort. Her men took their places outside the door.
Inside the square terracotta room a large rug with square patterns covered the floor. A few red and golden pillows were placed around it. A large window opened to the courtyard below.

There were a few low benches and wooden tables in the room and some low hanging lanterns that were not lit.

Before the seneschal showed Shalia inside he once again looked at Islana.
"We will have some food and water brought up to you." He started. "Tonight you will join Yashker, our leader for a feast in your honour." The steward said bowing. "Will your slave stay with you or would you like me to find more... suitable dwellings for her kind?" He asked.

As they walked, Shalia was taken by surprise at the market-like setup in passing. So many years since she had seen a place like that, so much movement and life. Bittersweet memories came rushing forth.
Mizaran cities lined with all kinds of vendors and stands, her mother sampling some local spices, her father eyeing a sparkly necklace for his wife. Distant laughing and music playing from a man on the street.

The sound was louder to Shalia than it should have been, almost overwhelming her senses. The smells, the sights, even the ground felt different as she walked forward. Silence was too easy to befriend in the mountains. She had clearly taken it for granted and it dulled her slowly in its splendor.

Shalia curiously peered into the room as he asked, and she had almost forgotten Islana was trailing right behind her. The best course of action would be to keep her under close watch, but she genuinely wanted a break from the reminder of her pet.

~No...you have an obligation to her now.~

She could have time away during the feast and Islana could have some needed space away from the woman then. They would share.

"She stays here. I eagerly await the evening." She bowed her head respectfully once more before he showed them in.

A few moments later a servant with an iron collar brought some food in. The old woman looked in fascination at Shalia and Islana, having never seen a witch or a redhead, nor foreigners from across the sea.
She passed the tray to Islana having been told that she was a personal slave to the dark haired woman. She bowed and left Islana standing with holding the tray.