Comrades by Bond (DragonSong)

[Saber-Five]

A massive crowd of nobles and commoners alike gathered at a series of stands, slightly above a wooden octagon shaped ring tied together with three layers of ropes. Tonight was part of a special tournament in the underground world of Essnryi pit fighting. At the ring itself was a match was just ending.

A blond haired and small Connlaothian male was being beaten to a bloody pulp by a huge Adelan counter-part who had him pinned to the mat. When the Connlaothian finally succumb to unconsciousness, the beating stopped.

The victor raised his fisted arms in victory with the crowd cheering and walked away. This left leaving the defeated rival laying there to be picked up by a staff of slaves, tasked with the thankless job of carrying the wounded or dead fighters out and cleaning their mess during this tournament.

While most of the audience waited for the next match, a few of the fighters slave or not were placed one lower section of the stands on the west side, awaiting their turn to be called in.

[DragonSong]

Lani was tired. So, so tired. She'd just been sold to her third master in as many months, and not even half a day later here she was. At the pits. Again. She gave a heavy sigh, scrubbing her hands down her face in an effort to shut out the world.

She didn't want to look around her. She didn't want to see the people she'd be fighting.

So, so tired.

[Saber-Five]

As Lani despaired about her situation, the next fight was already underway. One of the contenders came out from one of the tunnels, it was a young aspiring merchant princess named Saffia Alamein. Dressed in a golden theme outfit of a belly dancer, she stepped into the ring with a highborn air.  As the daughter of the respectful yet struggling noble family, Safia, who been training in hand to hand saw this tournament as a means to show herself as someone strong and regain some of the family's honor. Very soon however, her opponent appeared from the opposite tunnel.

It was similarly young-looking woman yet wearing only a simple tan mini-skirt that covered only above the above the knees had on wrappings over her chest and its upper backside. It was Meeta Nefertari, a former slave that Lani that fought then became friends with a year before.

Would Lani look up and seen her, the nomad would note that Meeta had a more experienced look and a grown athletic yet attractive build to her than from before. The Essnryi half-breed jumped up into the ring from the other side of Safia for all the crowd to see.

[DragonSong]

Lani heard the crowd begin to mutter as the newest contenders entered the ring and, with a sigh, looked up.

Her eyes widened a bit. Slowly, a bitter sort of smile spread across her face. "Well well well," she murmured to herself. "Looking good, chiana..."

[Saber-Five]

Meeta stood away from her opponent, resting her back at one corner. Safia did the same as they both wait for the gong to be rung. The princess/would-be fighter looked at her lowborn rival with casual indifference she would with any other slave and commoner. It wasn't wholly cruel reaction but it was enough to remind Meeta, of her distaste for the nobles's so-called sense of superiority.

As a freed woman and fighter she no longer had to tolerate such attitude without action...well at least in this ring. The gong was sound off and the fighters circle each other, attempting to detect any openings to take. This lasted for a half minute, before Safia finally rushed Meeta.

She fired a few fient punches for Meeta's head then spin kick for the other fighter's legs. Yet Meeta blocked and dodged them, jumping back away from the princess. Safia pursue her across the ring, continuing to punch and kick the former slave at any spot she can manage. Meeta did take some licks in the stomach and shoulders, but for the most part coninuted to dodge and pull other evasive methods, to avoid most would-be blows.

The several in the crowd jeered at what they perceived as cowardliness on Meeta's part. Yet the fighters with good eyes can tell what Meeta was really doing. She was in fact, baiting the other fighter into exposing herself.

[DragonSong]

Lani couldn't help grinning a bit. She didn't cheer or shout like the rest of the crowd, but she smiled. The girl had definitely learned something- a couple somethings, by the look of it- since they'd last seen each other.

[Saber-Five]

 After few minutes, Safia was getting restless as was the masses above. Each attack and move she made became more reckless yet Meeta refused to fully fight her. This frustrated the blue blooded woman so much that she attempt to tackle the ex-slave.

Got you. Meeta thought in that very moment. She twist to the side before shoving Safia face first into one of the left corners. The princess was trapped while Meeta began her counter-attack. Dazed, Safia turned around, meeting a fast series of punches and knee strikes into her gut and chest. It caused her to bend over, allowing Meeta to grabbed her hair and toss into the center of the ring.

While Safia struggle to get to her feet, the Essnryi half-breed went after her again without. The princess found herself struck all over her body and kept being thrown across the ring several times, not able to fight back for the next seven minutes. When Safia reared her brusied face once more on her knees, it felt the full force of Meeta's roundhouse kick.

The noble-raised fighter collapsed in backward, knocked out upon impact. This time, the crowd cheer, though Meeta didn't really care about their opinon, she committed a victory pose at one corner for appearance's sake. That when she spotted Lani in the stands, it caused her to pause momentarily before displaying a genuine smile.

After that Meeta left the ring and the slaves helped the defeated Safia back up and escorted her out. Soon it would Lani's turn to fight and she knew it.

[DragonSong]

Lani offered a small wave when she caught Meeta's smile, giving a quick, only slightly forced grin of her own.

Then there was a hand on her shoulder and her master's slavedriver's voice in her ear, shoving her toward the entrance of the tunnel that would take her to the ring.

Any emotion other than pure exhaustion left her.

[Saber-Five]

 As for Meeta, she reached the stands and took an open spot, right next to where Lani originally sat at. She noted her friend's abesence, realizing she was no doubt about to fight to. She looked to the ring, awaiting for the coming match.

[DragonSong]

Lani wanted nothing to do with this. The ring, the overly-aggressive woman coming out of the other tunnel, the whole damned city, none of it.

But she fell back into a crouch, waiting for her opponent to strike at the sound of the gong. Another slave, she thought- and she could usually tell- and one who was new to the pits.

Poor thing.

[Saber-Five]

Meeta observed with interest. Despite having spent only a few days with Lani, she knew how nomad resent her present lot. Her heart wasn't into the fight, since this was one, not of her choice due to servitude she been cursed with. The younger woman just hoped Lani will be okay and make it through this mess.

Don't throw your life away. She thought as if she was speaking to her friend from the plains.

[DragonSong]

Her opponent was strong, she'd give her that. But she was slow, and she was scared. Two factors Lani could use to her advantage. She simply baited the other woman into lunging- again and again- until she was tired, unfocused.

And she struck. Her foot flew out, snapping her opponent's head back when she connected with her jaw. Follow that up with two quick jabs, one to the gut and one to the throat, and she had the other woman on her knees.

She'd learned by now not to demand her opposition yield. They never did. She slammed her head into the ground, knocking her unconscious.

Then she stood and walked from the ring, not even casting a glance back.

[Saber-Five]

 Meeta's heart went out to her friend, sure Lani won, yet the enslaved acted as if she was the one who lost. It becoming clear more and more that the burden of Lani's chains were getting heavier each day.

She waited in her sit for Lani to arrive, they were in a spot away from most of the fighters and the crowd, so they can have room to talk with some safety.

[DragonSong]

Lani's master gave her a nod from the stands and she replied with a rather obscene hand gesture. Before he or anyone else could stop her, she slipped back in among the fighters.

She spotted Meeta easily enough and made her way toward the young woman. "Hey there, chiana," she said quietly, tiredly. Forcing a smile, she added, "You did good today."

[Saber-Five]

Answering first with a sutble smile and nod, Meeta spoke with some tease in her tone.

"Still calling me a child I see heh. Well thanks anyway, it's so great to see you again horse lady."

[DragonSong]

Lani sank down next to her with a sigh, muscles aching. "It's an endearment. Deal with it," she grumbled playfully. Her expression softened a bit. "Good to see you too."

[Saber-Five]

Meeta kept smiling and nodded some more. She decided not tell Lani yet she was a free woman now, it would only add further frustration to her friend. Still it was best to talk while crowd focus on tne latest fight occurring at the ring.

"Funny how we run into each other like this. Though I believe in hindsight it was bound to happen. Count our small blessings I would say."

It would become obvious to Lani that Meeta had matured with a new confidence in herself than before yet smart enough not to be a show off about it.

[DragonSong]

"You look good," Lani noted, giving her a small nod as the next fight started. "How've you been, Meeta? You reach that goal you've been fighting for?"

[Saber-Five]

The young half-breed checked her surroundings to see if anyone was listening to their conversation. Satisfied, she whispered.

"Well, not in the way I imagine it would be. Let's say some raiders in the desert ambush my old master's cavern. Kaa died in the attack but I survived and got away. The thing there is no one among his remaining household cronies or relatives who wants to collect me, they got bigger problems to worry about.

In essence her servitude was declared void with no one willing to claim her. She paused for a second before adding.

"Beside that I gotten myself a steady lover, he's a bounty hunter."

She grinned sheepishly that told Lani she was enjoying bedding with this man she spoke of.

[DragonSong]

Lani smiled at her and clapped her on the shoulder, ignoring the small pang in her heart. She missed Nemiera. "Well, good for you, chiana. But what the hell are you still doing in the pits? If you don't have to be here, why stay?"