Not Exactly Alone

Four years and six months before landfall in Arcadia

Among the orchards and fields of the Vasant estate, were the barns; wooden structures with peaked roofs which held the animals used for food or work. Some of these plain-looking buildings held horses, others cows, and chickens, and one was specially designed for the many dogs which were used for hunting or guarding the property. All were in the back away from where guests might see them. Between, the fencing which stretched for miles, the guards or the dogs it was a question of whether Vasant meant to keep uninvited people out or keep certain people in.

It was in one of these buildings Islana found herself spending the night. A punishment for accidentally spilling the soup at dinner time. As if the sting of Vasant's whip hadn’t been enough. It was likely begging the man to stop the beating that got the redhead thrown out here. He hated it when she begged.

Dinner for her hadn’t occurred yet as she was only allowed to eat after the Lord was finished with his meal. Tonight, because of the mishap, the girl would make her bed of hay and sleep on an empty stomach. Still, this was the dogs’ barn, and as such the girl was never exactly alone.

The hunting canines varied from eight smaller-sized dogs with coats of brown, black and white, brown heads and squarish muzzles to two much larger dogs with big floppy ears and brown and black coats. The two larger hunting dogs tended to be the ones to curl up closest to the redheaded slave.

Then there were the guard dogs; four in all. Two were large dogs with black around the eyes and down through their muzzles, pointed ears, and a black back with some light brown in the coat. The last two were the largest dogs, standing on four legs they were practically the same height as Islana. Their coat was mostly black with some tan spots, long pointed ears, and a long black muzzle.

These dogs, which caused fear in many of the workers, would cuddle up to the redhead or at least lay in the stall keeping her company throughout the long night. Islana never feared any of these dogs but knew that her relationship with them could change drastically if she tried to escape.

The stars were at their peak as Islana made her way to the barn door to gaze upward. Her thoughts on nights such as these were to her sister who had been sold to a different man. She hoped that the other girl was fairing better than herself. Maybe, they could find each other again. It was just a hope - even too much to wish for but still something to keep Islana going.

This wasn’t the first night the slave had spent out here. The orders were set, and no one was supposed to come check on her until morning. Usually, no one did. The other slaves had a mentality of just getting by day to day until their time was up as a slave so they wouldn’t dare disobey. The household didn’t care much about the slaves. The guards cared even less. Islana was the only one ever punished like this and the rest couldn’t be bothered to do much about it.

“Greetings, it's a fine night out.” The man standing a few feet away startled the girl out of her thoughts by talking to her.

Islana didn’t know what to say. Was this some sort of trick? Did Vasant put this man - this guard up to it?

When the fair-skinned girl said nothing, the guard spoke again. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Saul.”

Everyone on the staff knew who Saul was, he was one of the guards recently hired, after two of the older guards retired. Still, Islana was too scared to say anything.

“And you’re Islana, correct?” Saul watched her respond with a nod. “Well, it’s nice to meet you Islana.”

She seriously doubted that, no one here was ever happy to meet her and he was talking to her while in the midst of a punishment, why? It was then that her green eyes noticed the man with hair the color of the sand, light blue eyes, and almost chiseled features. The man who stood at least a foot or so taller than the petite girl herself and who she guessed to be in his early twenties. That man was holding a small wicker basket that seemed completely out of place for his stature.

The white piece of fabric which covered the top of the basket did little to hold in the smell of food wandering upward which was making her emerald eyes stare at it and her mouth water.

“I heard you hadn’t been allowed to eat dinner so I brought you this.” Saul stepped forward slightly and put the basket on the ground between them, then stepped back. “I promise you it’s not a trick but I’ll just leave it here.”

As the man started turning to leave, Islana stopped him. “Wait, You can’t leave this here. If ….. If he finds out ….he’ll….” There was no finishing that statement, as the words wouldn’t come.

“I can stay until you're done and take it with me but I’m not going to leave you out here all night with no dinner.” The guard then looked at the young slave for a long moment. “I promise nothing will happen to you.”

Islana tentatively picked up the basket and walked inside the barn, Saul followed her. He was more than a little surprised to see the dogs camping out around her. The two spoke very little but Islana ate the food and thanked the man before he left.

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The licks on her face told her morning had arrived before the sun had a chance to. It was still early, sunrise was about midway through. The hues of blues, pinks, and oranges signaled that the day would likely be a pleasant one.

One of the servants came to get the young slave as there were preparations to get to work on. Lord Vasant was hosting a few nobles this afternoon for a meeting, the details of which none of the staff seemed privy to. Islana didn’t think too much on this, beyond that work was waiting, and headed off to get cleaned up.