The Great Divide

Four Years Before Land Fall in Arcadia.

The divide between the other servants and especially the other slaves and Islana had become insurmountable through no fault of the girl’s own. Things over the past few months had led to where everything in her life was at this moment.

It started with Lord Vasant having only Islana wait on him which became her having to tend to his every need. There was a difference. Waiting on him meant bringing him drinks when asked. Making sure his laundry was done correctly. Waiting on him at meals, and primarily things like that. Islana wasn’t happy with that arrangement or anything that made her ever be alone with that man.

However, the more ill Lady Vasant became, now to the point of never leaving her room, the greater the demands came from the Lord on to Islana. Now she mostly had to stay by the man’s side unless it was to attend to a task or fetch something for him. He longer seemed to care if there were guests, she was supposed to be by his side. Her reprieves came when he slept, the rare occasion he left the property, or when those odd meetings were held. She still had the inexplicableness of Vasant still bedding every female slave but her, something Islana was grateful for but didn’t understand.

Sometimes he had her running all over the place, doing menial tasks. On other days the redhead would be left standing until the man needed something sometimes for hours on end until she thought she would collapse right where her body stood. It was on one of the days of standing endlessly off to the side in the office full of wooden shelves and endless amounts of items that gained dust far too quickly, that Vasant turned to her and without any emotion commanded that she would move into one of the rooms in the main house.

That would seem to be a privilege but not in this house or with this Master. No, it was another way to not only control what the young slave did but who she associated with. There was no way to deny this command so her only reply was “Yes, sir.” It was the phase the girl used most often.

Things over the next month or so deteriorated, a rumor went around that Islana was actually a spy for Vasant to tell him if anyone stepped out of line. It, of course, wasn’t true but it managed to cease the little interaction the girl did have with the rest of the staff with one exception.

It was one of those rare days when Vasant had ventured out from the estate. He had a meeting in the capital city of Farkas and had left this morning right after breakfast, not to return to this evening post-dinner time.

Islana had been tasked with the Lord’s laundry, not the best or worse job to have. At least this particular duty allowed her to benefit of being outdoors. Today was even a nice day for it. The temperature was unseasonably warm, the sun was shining and only a few white billowy clouds dotted the azure sky. The other slaves which normally tended to the laundry had made them scarce upon her arrival. The young slave wondered for a moment if this was what a leaper felt like before starting on the clothes.

“Good day, Islana.” The deep voice made her jump, before realizing who it belonged to.

“Good day, Saul.” Islana watched the man approach. “Are you certain that speaking to me is a good idea?”

“I believe that I can determine that for myself.” Saul seemed quite decisive about it. “Besides, I don’t believe for one instant that you're a spy for Vasant.”

Islana said nothing but went back to her work. Why Saul was always nice to her was beyond the girl’s comprehension but he was. When Vasant would be particularly brutal the man always seemed to know and find a way to see the redhead, to see if she was alright. She wondered if that was why he was here now.

“Are you alright?” Saul’s words removed any doubt, he had heard, he always heard.

“How do you always know?” Islana was really wondering by this point.

“How? I am usually told by one of the staff wanting to spread gossip but last night. I was making the nightly rounds and heard you…well him.” Watching as Islana went slowly about her work. Clearly, she was in pain but there had been no response. Finally, Saul knelt down next to the young woman and said. “How bad?”

“Bad. One of the worst.” The response was practically whispered. “He … he… oh, I don’t know what I did this time. I really don’t ….he never said. Just came into my room, furious over something.” Closing her eyes for a moment. “Can we talk about something else? Nothing is going to change. Talking about it won’t fix anything.”

Saul sighed and thought for a moment. “He can’t keep you here forever.”

“Yes, he can. He has said he will. No matter what I have no out and even if I got out no where to go.”

It was days like this one and talked like this from Islana that greatly worried the young guard. Some days the redhead was determined to find a way out, other days it was as if she had given up. Not that it wasn’t understandable. Islana knew all of this because Saul had expressed his concerns before.

“Nothing is completely hopeless” Saul stood up. “I’ve found out more about Arcadia.”

Laundry took little thought but when the guard spoke about Arcadia, all other activity stopped and the young slave rose to look directly at him. “What?”

Talk of the strange land across the sea had trickled down through the staff. Even the outcast herself had heard much of the talk of the place. According to one rumor, there were precious gems in the mountains. According to another, there was delicious sweet fruit that grew, even in the winter. Still another there was no winter but an endless supply of spring-like days. There was so much food growing all the time and numerous animals - no one would ever go hungry there. But the rumor that was the best to Islana was that it would be easy to get “lost” in a place like that. That no one would come looking for anyone there. There were even rumors that it would be a safe haven for those that needed to get away from Helias.

“I bet they’ll attract a ton of witches over there. Or vagrants. Thieves. And the like.” There was always one person that would say something like that.

“What about Arcadia?” The name of the foreign land that held a promise was spoken from the redhead’s lips as if it was almost a secret.

“I heard ships might be taking people, citizens who want to go there, out of Salos.” Saul’s response made the emerald eyes staring at him filled with tears.

“Even if I got there I can’t afford passage,” Islana said, then added as she knew what the man’s response would be. “And don’t offer me money.”

“Why not?” The guard asked, a little confused by that comment.

“Because you can’t afford it. You have a child on the way and I know that you and your wife are probably barely making it as is. So, as much as I appreciate the thought - it needs to be left as a thought.” Islana ran a finger under her eyes. “I just don’t see a way right now but things can change.”

Saul had talked about his wife and to-be child and Islana had some idea of what the different staff made wage-wise so she knew he didn’t really have the means to offer her any money.

Islana hadn’t told Saul of her snooping, mostly because he would say it was too dangerous and want her to stop. As of right now, there wasn’t much to tell anyway. She hadn’t heard much beyond that one conversation and nothing had been found as to what that group of nobles was up to. Besides, anything heard would need proof, that would be tricky. Maybe, her best bet would be to just wait, plan and get out when the time was right. Still, it was difficult to stop that curiosity once triggered.