Slaves by Combat (DragonSong) One Year before current date

[Saber-Five]

They slept until morning finally came and the birds could be heard outside. Meeta opened her eyes once more, her body still sore and aching. Most of all she was hungry, the Essnryi-born girl didn't bother to wake up her room-mate as she made her way to food, half bandaged and half nude.

She dug into a load of bread and snip a cup of wine.

[DragonSong]

A light sleeper, Lani woke at her new roommate's movements, sitting up and looking around blearily. It took her a few moments to remember where she was- and why she was there- and once she did she relaxed a bit.

She glanced around the room and saw Meeta eating. Her stomach growled, informing her that this seemed like a very good idea. Clutching the blanket around herself, she crossed to the food and dug in herself, giving the other woman a sleepy grunt of acknowledgement.

She really wasn't a morning person.

[Saber-Five]

"You too" Meeta answered with amusement after finishing another bit of bread. She took the time to savor it for almost a moment, before digging in again. When finished in a few minutes, Meeta noticed the pool again and her mood brighten even further. She went back to the bed and undressed her bandages completely.

Despite the soreness she was recovering and she applied cleaning oil on herself and then used a wooden tool to scrub off any lingering dirt like in her bare feet. After that was done, she strolled and submerged into the pool. Meeta let out a sigh of pleasure when she pulled her head up to the surface for air.

[DragonSong]

That seemed like an awfully good idea. Dropping the blanket, she followed Meeta's lead and brushed off as much dirt as she could before slipping into the other side of the pool.

The water did a good job of waking her up and she sighed happily. "I haven't had a real bath in forever," she muttered, letting her head fall back and closing her eyes.

[Saber-Five]

"This is a rare privilege even for non-slaves." Meeta noted. Essnryi society as whole viewed bathing as grossly wasteful with something as precious as water. Still there were communal baths and even private pools like this one among noble-like circles. Despite being raised with that line of thinking, Meeta loved being in water, though she was careful and secretive when doing it.

Probbaly another trait from my nomadic blood.

Like Lani, the younger woman moved her head back and just relaxed.

[DragonSong]

Lani tilted her head at the other woman. "Can you swim?" she asked abruptly. She'd never really thought about it before, but she supposed people raised in Essyrn wouldn't have been exposed to much water deep enough to learn such a skill, and for some reason she was curious.

[Saber-Five]

The question caught her by suprise and it took her a long second before replying with a shake of her head that meant no. There were some Essnyri sailors at the coastlines and fishermen at the river who perhaps did. As for herself, Meeta can make it in water that's shallow enough to bath in.

"What about in the plains? It dosen't sound your kin don't swim much either from what I heard." Meeta pointed out.

[DragonSong]

She smiled a bit, thinking of her home. "Well, it's not like we have lakes or anything, but there's rivers, some deep streams. I can hold my own."

Her face fell a bit and she looked away. This was making her homesick.

[Saber-Five]

Meeta realized her mistake when seeing how Lani gotten homesick. She decided to change the topic, quickly.

"So beside using my right hook as powerhouse move. Where else you think I can improve as a fighter?"

[DragonSong]

She cocked her head, considering the question. "Honestly? You're a little impulsive. Granted, I was trying pretty hard, but it was fairly easy to get a rise out of you."

She shifted, ducking her head under the water and then coming back up for air, combing her fingers through her hair. "I've learned it throws people off if you don't react to insults. Maybe even smile a bit or something. Half of a match is mental, the more you can keep your opponent guessing the more openings they'll give you."

This was strange. She wasn't used to talking to people in any way that could be deemed "normal", let alone giving advice.

[Saber-Five]

It made sense to Meeta. She did get pretty impulsive at times. Sometimes it helped her get more aggressive in a scarp but it almost made her more careless and prone to further mistakes.

"Did I actually do anything right in that match? Well beside enduring the pain."

She added with an embrassed smile.

[DragonSong]

Lani winced a bit at that, but forced a lopsided smile. "Like I said, great right hook. And you're good at finding openings, even if you leave a couple yourself." She gave a quick, barking laugh and added, "And damn you're fast, chiana."

[Saber-Five]

Meeta nodded, showing that she understood what's her roommate was saying. She did noticed that wince that Lani when she mentioned the pain. It's becoming that despite her own poweress in hand to hand combat, that she didn't enjoy it.

No I think it's more like she resents being forced to beat others to a pulp. Not fighting her own battles. Meeta corrected herself.

As much Meeta thrived at hand to hand, she longed for the day she can make her own choice, to whether or engage in it. Free choice, now that something even more rarer in Essryn than water itself. Well at least for those at the bottom of these society.

Meeta got out of pool and began to dried up with a nearby towel. Finally she put a bathrobe to over herself. Looking at Lani again paused before saying.

"If you would like a massage I can give you Lani. Though under one condition."

[DragonSong]

She blinked, surprised by the offer. "Condition?"

[Saber-Five]

"That tomorrow night we fight again." Before Lani can protest, Meeta rasied a hand in a gesture to hear her out.

"I know you don't want to beat me to a pulp again and I'm not asking you to. This would be simply a wrestling contest, no hard punches, or kicks, no breaking bones or anything similar. Of course slaps are allowed heh. The winner is the one who dominates the most in the match that lasts for half an hour."

She stopped herself before finishing with a genuine smile.

"You're freed to reject this offer, I don't want to force you to like our masters would do. Just wanted test our strengths without having to hurt one another and to be honest, avoid going stir crazy."

[DragonSong]

Her eyes widened slightly. Huh. She considered the offer for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Alright, give got a deal," she said with a crooked smile, climbing out of the pool and grabbing q bathrobe for herself.

[Saber-Five]

Afterward they spent the rest of the day, enjoying more relaxation, which conisted of some eating and drinking. Thankfully there was a chess board and after teaching Lani the basics, they played each other a dozen times. Following that they were treated with dinner by some slaves who came to replace with something different types.

Then they slept through the night.

In the next day, Meeta shared some stories about Essryni life and culture that would help Lani understand what kind of people she was dealing with.  She told these things during the next round of chess games and meals. Finally it was closing to evening. Meeta turned to Lani.

"So do you want that massage first or we wrestle before that?"

[DragonSong]

Lani shrugged, rolling her neck. "Makes more sense to beat on each other before we tried to work out sore muscles," she said with a lopsided smirk.

[Saber-Five]

"Point taken." Meeta said with a challenging grin by this point, her wounds were fully healed. She got up from sitting at her bed and removed the bath robe she wore.

Then the young nineteen year old rolled her neck as she walked toward a huge wide space behind the beds covered in a thick crimison silk carpet, long as three horses. She stopped at the lower right corner and smirk some more while crouching down in an fight stance.

"Though this is a restrained fight Lani you better not go easy on me. I certainly won't with you."

[DragonSong]

Lani frowned a bit, but nodded. She didn't relish the idea of hurting the girl more than she already had, but she was t about to half-ass a fight a fight either.