{"id":124,"date":"2018-01-26T15:01:28","date_gmt":"2018-01-26T15:01:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/?p=124"},"modified":"2018-01-26T15:01:28","modified_gmt":"2018-01-26T15:01:28","slug":"twenty-nine-overheard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2018\/01\/26\/twenty-nine-overheard\/","title":{"rendered":"Twenty-Nine: Overheard"},"content":{"rendered":"

Raizel napped for a while, only to wake to very quiet conversation circling around her. \u00a0Her head was on the Raven\u2019s shoulder, and his was resting on her head. \u00a0It felt cozy, the way she\u2019d only ever felt with –<\/span><\/p>\n

she felt a stab of guilt. It had been days since she last thought of Amos and Emma, Emma back home without either of them and Amos probably on his way back from this same trip she was taking now. <\/span><\/p>\n

Well, not the same trip. She found herself doubting that rational, calm, reasonable Amos might have ended up with a captive mage, several slaves, and a kitten, a favor from a spectre, a geas from a fairy…<\/span><\/p>\n

…and a promise to a boy whore. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019re going to have to come up with something,\u201d hissed a very soft voice she thought was probably Cailing. \u00a0\u201cYou heard her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen why did she even buy us?\u201d complained the youngest of the men. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause she – no. \u00a0Because her man was angered by what the Mistress was doing. \u00a0Which, to be fair, the Mistress was being her best demanding irrational self. \u00a0And I think that this one, the Raven, he\u2019s very protective of New-Mistress.\u201d \u00a0She recognized the voice as the one who had been attending the woman, one who had introduced themselves as Louren. \u00a0\u201cSo he wanted to hurt her, and he did. \u00a0Bit now we have to deal with that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan we – can we go back? \u00a0That was the youngest boy. \u00a0\u201cShe doesn\u2019t <\/span>want <\/span><\/i>us. \u00a0I liked being wanted.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI,\u201d commented Weckel,\u201dlike the idea of being free, or at least of choosing an owner. \u00a0I didn\u2019t ask to be a slave, you know. \u00a0I didn\u2019t ask for any of this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d \u00a0The youngest boy – Cory, his name was Cory – sounded mortified. \u00a0\u201cYou were a <\/span>prisoner<\/span><\/i>?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBorder-crosser. Did you know they have slave-grabbing checkpoints if you can\u2019t pay the tarrifs?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d said Cailing. \u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s not the only place, but there\u2019s at least three ways to become a slave that don\u2019t involve volunteering.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI volunteered,\u201d Cory muttered. \u00a0\u201cI volunteered so my parents would have money for my younger sibs, and because I didn\u2019t know what I wanted to do, so I figured I\u2019d let someone else decide.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI,\u201d whispered another woman, probably Yisser, who had been a cook. \u00a0\u201cI was a prisoner. \u00a0I was caught stealing, and I couldn\u2019t pay back the fees and what I\u2019d stolen, so they sold me to cover the difference.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t anyone else volunteer?\u201d \u00a0Cory was indignant. \u00a0\u201cSeriously. \u00a0Our Lady trusted you. \u00a0She put her life in your hands every day. \u00a0And you didn\u2019t even want to be there!?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want to be here?\u201d Cailing countered. \u00a0\u201cYou didn\u2019t want to be sold, did you? \u00a0You liked our Lady, but you weren\u2019t protesting when they passed you along. \u00a0When she sold you just for a chance at getting our Lord back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, of course. \u00a0He is her <\/span>Lord<\/span><\/i>. \u00a0Of course she wanted him back more than she wanted us! \u00a0But this – this mistress doesn\u2019t have any of that, she just took us to hurt her. \u00a0And what does that leave us with? \u00a0On a train going who-knows-where-\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe capital.\u201d \u00a0Louren interrupted Cory\u2019s rant impatiently. \u00a0\u201cI told you that. \u00a0<\/span>She <\/span><\/i>told you that. \u00a0You \u00a0knew that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut she\u2019s from the mountains. \u00a0Is she going to take us back to her mountain village? \u00a0And if so, what will she do with a fine city household of slaves? \u00a0We\u2019re meant for easy work-\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSpeak for yourself, kid. \u00a0You might have thought your work was easy, but my work wasn\u2019t ever simple or gentle. \u00a0Working for a clockmaker\u2019s apprentice might be a relaxing walk in the park after that work. \u00a0And besides, maybe she\u2019ll free us.\u201d Weckel\u2019s voice was harsh but no louder than anyone else\u2019s<\/span><\/p>\n

Cory\u2019s was even quieter now. \u201cI don\u2019t want to be freed,\u201d he whispered. \u00a0\u201cI want to have someone take care of me. \u00a0I want someone to tell me what to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, then, son, I suggest you start thinking of everything you want in a master – or that you start thinking about how you can serve the mistress you have without quite so much whining. \u00a0For one thing, some of the rest of us would like to get some sleep. \u00a0And for another, what are you going to do when she wakes up and finds you complaining about her? \u00a0Mmm? \u00a0Think she won\u2019t paddle your bottom red on the train? \u00a0Would the old mistress have had qualms about that, if you talked about her like you\u2019re talking about our new mistress?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Raizel wanted to open her eyes, because she wanted to see what sort of reaction Cory\u2019d had to that. \u00a0On the other hand, she was pretty sure the boy might die of fright if she did that. <\/span><\/p>\n

She was woefully under-equipped to handle something like this. \u00a0Slaves. \u00a0Slaves who wanted her to tell them what to do. \u00a0Well, some of them. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She stretched slowly, As if she was just waking up. \u00a0The little compartment they were in went silent. <\/span><\/p>\n

Cailing was the first to recover. \u00a0\u201cCan I get you something from the refreshment car, Mistress?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRaizel,\u201d she corrected, and then thought about how habits worked. \u00a0\u201cUnless you think that calling me by my given name is going to cause you problems if you want to move on to , uh, the sort of owner that cares about that. \u00a0A formal or, um. \u00a0real owner?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She had to open her eyes at the silence this time. \u00a0\u201cYou\u2026 want my opinion?\u201d Cailing asked cautiously. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, like the Raven said. \u00a0I\u2019m new to this, so you\u2019re going to have to teach me. \u00a0At least as long as you want to stay with me. \u00a0If you move on to someone else, obviously, you won\u2019t need to teach me anymore.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut you want to get rid of us, don\u2019t you?\u201d \u00a0Cory spat the words out. \u00a0\u201cYou want to pass us on to someone else. \u00a0Why did you even buy us?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Raizel napped for a while, only to wake to very quiet conversation circling around her. \u00a0Her head was on the Raven\u2019s shoulder, and his was resting on her head. \u00a0It felt cozy, the way she\u2019d only ever felt with – she felt a stab of guilt. It had been days since she last thought of… Continue reading Twenty-Nine: Overheard<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Side Quest Chapter Twenty-Nine: Overheard\r\n\ud83d\ude82\r\nRaizel gets a little nap - and an earful. \r\n\ud83d\ude82\r\n#freefiction\r\n#fantasy\r\n#quest","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Tn4Q-20","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":129,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2018\/02\/16\/thirty-one-whispers\/","url_meta":{"origin":124,"position":0},"title":"Thirty-One: Whispers","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"February 16, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Raizel watched the conversations move around in circles. \u00a0They were trying to be deferential, but she was a kid by their reckoning (and they weren\u2019t far off), and she wasn\u2019t firm or authoritative enough to make it easy for them. Raven got up after a bit and went wandering, came\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":24,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/07\/06\/chapter-2-taking-off\/","url_meta":{"origin":124,"position":1},"title":"Two: Taking Off","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"July 6, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Raizel walked down the hill, past the Hoanian house, waving at Younger Hoanian, who was outside with a weaving loom taking advantage of the sun and air. \u00a0She walked past the Ferruna house, where Madam Ferruna waved at her and reminded her to hurry, hurry: Amos Farruna had started the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":56,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/07\/23\/ten-the-perils-of-ones-past\/","url_meta":{"origin":124,"position":2},"title":"Ten: The Perils of One\u2019s Past","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"July 23, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"She should have thought of it before she agreed, she supposed. \u00a0She might be stepping into some long-held family feud \u2014 their mountain had several of those \u2014 or maybe into the sort of thing where the city wanted to move someone whose home had stood in the same place\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":58,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/07\/25\/eleven-the-diamond-raven\/","url_meta":{"origin":124,"position":3},"title":"Eleven: The Diamond Raven","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"July 25, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Esteronzerai was the biggest town Raizel had been in yet, and it was where the carriage\u2019s route diverged from Raizel\u2019s, whether or not she had been stopping to lasso a wizard. \u00a0She bowed to the driver and, her grandfather\u2019s words in her mind, tipped him, although she had not been\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/07\/21\/nine-yederya-wizard\/","url_meta":{"origin":124,"position":4},"title":"Nine: Yederya Wizard","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"July 21, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The woman studied Raizel. \u201cYou have skills I don\u2019t?\u201d \u201cWell, I can\u2019t design a building,\u201d Raizel admitted, \u201cor build one. \u00a0But in the last two days I\u2019ve been dusted by a pixie, blessed by a spectre, and kissed by what might have been a goddess.\u201d \u00a0Also by two whores, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":60,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/07\/27\/twelve-watch-what-you-say\/","url_meta":{"origin":124,"position":5},"title":"Twelve: Watch What You Say","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"July 27, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The man who might or might not b the Diamond Raven struggled, but he couldn\u2019t seem to do anything about the cord around his neck and, rather than have Raizel tug it tighter, he followed her. \u00a0\u201cI have things I should get-\u201d he protested, but she didn\u2019t listen, and then\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 2 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 2 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