Cyl'Dia led the horse into a stable where girls about my age took the horse and gave it blanketing, food, and water.Cyl'Dia led the horse into a stable where girls about my age took the horse and gave it blanketing, food, and water. "Come," Cyl'Dia said to me softly. "I will show you the chirugeon, and then to home." The chirugeon was a kind, elderly woman who looked me over carefully, taking special care to examine my eyes, tongue, and sex. "She has suffered no permanent harm," she finally assured Cyl'Dia. "She needs proper food and a bath, however. This thinness is not natural for her." "Senva?" Cyl'Dia asked, or at least I thought asked, the doctor. It was not a word I knew. "No, no, not quite. A healthy middle, I think. Bengesk." Cyl'Dia smiled and nodded, but her smile was tainted slightly with sadness. "I understand. Thank you, Chire." "My pleasure. It was sweet to meet you, Beth'Sany." Cyl'Dia lifted me into her arms again and Huna followed us out into the streets. We made our way into a small home off a side street. Once inside, another girl about my age came running up. "Cyl!" "Myr!" she shouted, straining to hold me with one arm while with the other gathering the girl into her clasp. "Oh, it's so good to see you!" "Are you... are you home, finally?" Myr asked. "Who's this?" "Myr'Dia'Nan, meet Beth'Sany. We found her with the centaurs as her unwilling slave." "Unwilling?" Myr seemed to recoil. "You mean, they didn't give you a choice?" "Slaves don't get choices," I sighed. "Some do," Myr assured me. "I do." The revelation that Myr was a slave frightened me. That she was Cyl'Dia's slave stunned me. The fear in me grew immense and suddenly I was fighting Cyl'Dia, slapping at her. But she still wore the protective padding that went with her armor and I was doing little more than getting her attention. She dropped me, however, in my squirming, and I retreated across cluttered room to kneel against the wall by the fire. I expected Cyl'Dia to confront me, but instead Myr did. "Wait, you don't understand. I want to be here." I looked up at her, disbelieving. |