Meeta Nefertari, nineteen years old was eager yet nervous to prove herself tonight. Completely naked, she walked out of a tunnel into a wide pit surrounded by spectator stands above and lighted with burning torches. The arena itself was housed inside a lower section of huge mansion belonged to her master Kaa.
The stands themselves were mostly empty except for two special balconies on opposite sides. One on the left was filled with Master Kaa and his retainers while the other housed a visiting noble and his small party. The honored guest had brough a champion of his own, a slave from the northern plains, to fight Meeta in order to see who would win a wager between the two merchant princes. She hadn't seen her yet, though she heard that this former nomad is quite the beast in the fight pits.
Even so, I will win to earn more of master's favor.
Meeta reminded herself as she waited for the match to begin. The masters had the combat rules pretty simple, no weapons, no clothes, and fight until one is knocked out or they(nobles) called a halt to it. She took a deep breath before releasing it and then noticing another naked figure coming to the pit from the opposite side. Her rival was here at last!
"Do this right and I'll take you out of the pits for a week."
Lani's mouth twisted sourly as her master's words replayed in her head. She dragged her feet in the tunnel, wanting to put off the fight as long as she could. But then, if she won this she'd be out of the pits, at least for a while.
A growl rose up in her chest and she scowled at nothing and everything. How had this become her life?
Then she was stepping into the pit and she forced all other thoughts from her mind, looking around the arena for her opponent. When she found her, her eyes widened and she swore softly in her native tongue.
A child, she was going to fight a child. Alright, that wasn't entirely fair- the girl looked to be only a few years younger than she was herself. But she could tell just from the way she held herself, from the determined spark in her eyes, that she'd never fought in a match like this before.
And as far as Lani was concerned that just about made her a child.
She crossed to the center of the arena, waiting for a signal to begin, hating the feeling of eyes all over her. Meeting her opponent's eyes, she hissed quietly, "You don't want to do this, chiana." It was her native word for "little girl". "Trust me. Throw the fight."
She didn't really expect the other woman to heed her warning, but at least she'd tried.
Meeta met Lani's eyes defiantly. Winning favor from Kaa and eventually her own freedom was more important to her, than whatever pity this rival was showing or pretended. In fact Meeta was insulted by the offer. As for herself, she can fight and been training since as a sixteen year old youth after Kaa discovered her natural talent for it. She spit at the ground, as her answer to Lani and got into her fight stance. Master Kaa signal to a slave with a stick to bang a nearby gong.
Once it was rung, Meeta charged at the brown skinned woman, firing a fast series of fist jabs for the head area and low kicks at the legs.
Lani would have sighed in defeat, but she didn't have the time. The gong rang out and suddenly the girl was charging her. She spun to the side, a little surprised. She was obviously well-trained, and had the ferocity of a rabid wildcat.
Her mouth twisted into a snarl and she completed the spin, leg flying out in a kick aimed at the younger woman's ribs. Fine then; if this was how she wanted to play, she fought to win.
This fighter was no fool, the Essnryi half-breed realized when her attacks failed. It shouldn't be surprising, considering this was one of the champion fighters of the pits.
She blocked the kick with her left arm, though it still stung and shot a straight punch for Lani's face. As it is for the other fighter, Meeta played for keeps as well.
She managed to doge, but not quite quick enough, her opponent's fist grazing the side of her head. Snarling, she ducked under her guard and aimed two quick jabs to her torso, ears still ringing from the blow she'd barely avoided.
"Back down!" she hissed, low enough that the spectators wouldn't hear. "I don't want to hurt you, girl."
She gritted her teeth both in pain and annoyance. Meeta grabbed Lani by the head and slammed her right knee into the chest and hissed back.
"Shut up! This may mean nothing to you, but I must do this."
She meant every word, no matter what she's fighting this match.
Well, she'd tried. Gasping in pain, she wrapped her arms around Meeta's waist and lifted her over her shoulder, tossing her into the ground.
She whirled around, panting, and sank into a defensive crouch, positive the girl wouldn't stay down for long.
Meeta fell the ground with more pain, but rolled back up. Seeing the stance, Lani had taken, the younger fighter dashed to the left side of her.
She feint a hook punch for the chin but instead went down and spinned kick for the back of Lani's legs, in order to knock her to the ground.
She fell for the feint and moved too slow to avoid the kick completely, but at least she managed to take the blow on one leg instead of both. Rather than collapse, she stumbled backwards and went down on one knee.
Gritting her teeth, she leapt back to her feet and made another grab for the younger fighter, trying to get her in a chokehold.
Impressive Meeta thought with how Lani handle her attack. Yet she had no time ponder on it when the competitor came right at her.
She avoided the attempted chokehold by locking her arms with Lani's. There they stood, struggling with one another for a minute pushing back and forth. Meeta failed to remember though that Lani did had a height(by two inches) and experience advantage over her. Without a doubt, Lani was aware of this.
"Sorry, chiana," Lani growled, and hooked her foot around Meeta's ankles and pressing down on her from above to send them both crashing to the floor, pinning the slightly smaller girl underneath her.
Grunting out in further agony, Meeta persist on despite being slammed and then pinned to the ground. Their bodies pressed togehter in continued struggle.
Meeta suddenly wrapped her legs around Lani's waist and used her strength to roll them around and grappling with the enslaved nomad for control.
Caught off guard, Lani threw one arm up to protect her throat and snapped her other hand out to grab the girl's hair, jerking her head back and snarling at her. She twisted, yanking Meeta's head to the side and throwing her own body up in an attempt to dislodge her.
Meeta cried out upon her hair being yanked. She then found her head shoved painfully to side but kept her legs unto Lani's waist despite the attempted breakout. In anger, Meeta began pounding her fists into her foe's sides repeatly.
Lani shouted in pain. The sound quickly turned into a growl and with a sudden burst of adrenaline she flipped them both over so she was the one straddling the smaller girl. She drove her elbow into her opponent's stomach, face twisted in a snarl.
"I warned you, girl," she spat.
Taken aback by the revesed role, Meeta barely had time as Lani dove a elbow into her torso. With the wind knocked out of her, Meeta for a few moments could only struggle to move. She met her rival's fearsome snarl with a determined expression.
She was Meeta Nefertari, a born and bred fighter, not some whore who bends and breaks to trouble like those who sleeps with her master. There was no doubt she was wholly inexperienced compare to Lani, but she still had the will to fight on until she can't no more.
Meeta suddnely slammed a right hook into Lani's jaw and used the shock of it to roll off of her fellow fighter's grasp. She fell back a few feet away, circling Lani with raised fists.
She swore explosively in a torrent of Common, Essryni, and her own native language. Gritting her teeth, Lani rolled into a crouch, hand brushing the floor in front of her for balance as she watched the other woman circle.
"What are you, a vulture?" she goaded, eyes narrowed. "Come on, attack me already, chiana!"
Wow that last punch must really hurt, Meeta considered. To be honest, her right fist did hurt a bit as well. As she continued to circle, Meeta smirk a little bit and commented.
"What's the matter, can't do any attacks yourself?"
She stood and began circling the opposite direction, arms raised to either defend or attack. Smart girl. Either she knew Lani was trying to lure her into letting her guard down, or she just didn't want to be beaten at trash talk. She rather thought it was the former.
But this girl was obviously trying to impress her master. Lani was not. It didn't matter to her if they circled each other like starving dogs for the next few hours, but their owners would be getting antsy with the stalemate. She smirked, waiting for her opponent to crack.
After another minute of this, Meeta concluded that her own lure plot won't work. So it was the offensive for her again.
Meeta swiftly rushed Lani once again. She fake a few punches for the center area before jumping up in mid-air and commiting a spinning left kick, targeting for the side of Lani's head.
There we go. Lani knew the punches were a feint this time, she was getting better at reading the other fighter. She made a grab for her leg when she kicked out but missed. Damn the girl was fast!
Hissing in annoyance, she whirled and aimed a lunch for her sternum. "That's it, be a good dog for your master!" she spat out, iritation and adrenaline drowning out any sympathy she may have had. "Sit, come, stay, bite- what a well trained pup."
Meeta grasped the area in her chest that been hit. The dog insult enraged her and in respond tackled Lani, grabbing her in a firece chokehold. This outsider had no right to judge her, since she still fighting as well despite her own protest.
The younger woman never knew what real freedom is like, it is she really wanted more than anything else. If it meant suffering and taking insults to earn her dream to be finally freed in the long run than so be it.
"Says the stubborn mule still being lead on by her rider, no matter how much she complains of the weight."
Lani twisted in the other woman's grip, sliding her leg back between her opponent's knees and using the leverage to turn them both sharply and toss the slightly smaller girl over her shoulder again.
She couldn't quite manage it, and instead they both crashed to the ground. She used the moment of surprise to free herself from the chokehold though, rolling away and springing back to her feet, fists raised.
The latest action by Lani, did catch her off guard. Completely dazed, Meeta began to force herself back up to her feet.
She was about to raise her head back to eye level, but she was opened for another attack by Lani.
She sprang forward, aiming a sharp jab for her opponent's throat. She just needed to knock her out, cutting off her air supply should help with that.
Her other hand swung into a fierce uppercut with no finesse and all raw power.
Meeta was able at the last second to parry the jab for her neck, using the left arm. Yet she failed to stop the uppercut that slammed into her face. Blood sped from her mouth as she stagger back from the brutal impact.
Meanwhile Lani's master, who can clearly see that his slave was trying to end the fight early called out to her.
"Continue or you will not gain your reward."
If Lani still wanted that week-long break from the fight pits, she will not only need to defeat Meeta but toy with her for as long as possible until her master was satisfied. If the noble even see another sign of her going easy on the girl, Lani will suffer after this is over.
Lani gritted her teeth, falling back a bit. She shot a glare into the stands, taking her mind off the fight for a brief moment.
Damn him.
Growling, she lunged forward again, snapping out a kick that caught Meeta in the ribs and threw her back. She followed that blow with two swift punches to her diaphragm, not giving the girl a moment to recover.
The torture that followed from Lani's next attacks was overwhelming. Meeta screamed out again upon being kicked in the ribs and fell back to the ground. She grunted when struck twice in her lower area. Meeta rolled away and tried to get up once more, but she could raise up to her right knee.
Kaa, her owner, could only watch on as the girl he raised almost like a daughter, took this punishment. A part of him wanted stop this fight but if he did, Kaa knew he would be seen as soft on his human pet by his guest who will no doubt spread the word around the community.
Though he did cared somewhat for Meeta, his status in society was more important than her well being. Beside this will toughen the young slave for the next time she fought.
Lani was a blur, darting around the other woman and delivering quick, sharp blows with fists and feet. Eventually she grabbed her from behind, wrapping one arm around her neck and pinning the younger fighter's arms to her sides with the other.
"Last chance, chiana," she hissed. "Yield." Her grip on her throat tightened.
Meeta endured even in the face of this agonizing onslaught of punches and kicks. She clomped down her teeth together, when her neck was gripped tightly in a headlock by Lani. She couldn't use her arms due to them being pinned to the side.
Struggling to breath at this point, Meeta was still able to hear her rival whispered the word yield to her.
"I...can't...do that...must prove myself....for...me."
She meant every word of it. At this point, Meeta doubted she could win, but her goal now was to take this punishment. She wanted everyone here especially herself to know she will perist until finally and completely beaten, so no one will see her as a weakling.
Lani's master looked over to Kaa with a questioning expression and with a heavy heart, Kaa nodded. With this approval, the visiting merchant prince called out.
"Don't finish yet Lani. Get Meeta up and keep testing that will of hers to endure."
She gritted her teeth, having half a mind to tell him that if he wanted to test the girl so badly he could very well get into the damn pit and do it himself.
It was the first time she'd heard someone say Meeta's name aloud, and her stomach rolled as her opponent became more of a person. Damnit. She jerked away, shoving the younger woman forward onto her knees and circling around to her front.
"You've got heart, I'll give you that," she said, quiet enough that only the two of them could hear. Sighing, she sank back into a crouch. Gods forgive me for this... She came cone on her like a thunderclap, hands as rigid as knives as she brought them down on the back of her neck.
Theme (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_44kGHBbzpQ)
When brought up to her knees, Meeta stared at Lani with gratitude when praised for her courage. Blood poured from her lower lip ad she hang onto her consciousness. When she noticed Lani getting into a conch, she realized what was coming. Meeta's bruised body screamed for her to take this last blow and end it.
Yet the fighter inside of her, refused to take the easy way out. With her last bit of adrenaline, she used both arms to block the attack for her neck and then shot out a straight kick into Lani's gut. With a battle cry, she pressed her advantage and unleashed a furry of fierce punches, aiming for the upper body area.
There was no doubt she will lose soon with her remaining stregnth fading rapidly, but right in this very moment, Meeta Nefertari never felt so alive.
Lani grunted in surprise and pain, staggering back. But she recovered quickly. Masters be damned, this ends now.
Gasping as she forced her batted body to obey her, she darted under Meeta's guard and delivered a punch to her gut that had the weight of her whole body behind it. "Sorry, chiana," she muttered, sweeping her leg around to knock the younger woman to the ground.
She stood over her, panting, bruised, and bloody, and waited. Was it over?
The punch into her gut, stopped Meeta in her tracks and she screamed out in reaction, feeling the full impact of it. That blow along with being sweep off her feet finally brought Meeta down. She fell on her back hard to the ground.
She laid there with her eyes looking up, tears swell up within them, and she muttered to herself.
"I did it."
Finally the half-breed slave finally into unconsciousness. Both masters were stunned and impressed with the final display of both fighters that they signal its end by clapping their hands in approval. Kaa gave his own inquisitive expression to his counterpart before getting a nod. Then he finally spoke.
"Well done. Both of you have earned rest for yourselves. As a sign of my good will Lani, you and Meeta can have one of the guest rooms together as you all recover. Medical care, food, drink, and any other desires will be taken care of at my expanse during the recovery."
He looked with pleading eyes to Lani to accept this offer and not fire back any insults. Such action which would force him cause to give back the offer to save face, in front of his visitor and let the victor be punished by her own master. Both slaves had suffered enough, he hoped Lani would hold her infamous tongue, at least for this moment.
"You-!"
She started to shout, to rail at him, but then her eyes fell on the unconscious girl at her feet. If it had just been her well-being at stake, she wouldn't have held back.
But this was her fault. She owed the other woman this much.
She gritted her teeth and bowed her head. "Thank you for your...generous offer," she replied, stumbling over the wording. She'd never really had to express such a sentiment in Essyrni.
The other master had to hold himself in check from chuckling with delight at this humbling display by Lani. With a pleased expression, he remarked in a smug tone.
"This was an interesting evening. Lani grab the girl and take her with you. Your new quarters awaits."
Biting her tongue, Lani knelt and scooped Meeta up easily, going as she was directed.
Some day, she thought fiercely, I'm going to beat that smirk off his face.
Once Lani left the arena carrying her fellow fighter, she was directed to one of the guest rooms nearby. It had two large beds with bright silk covers in one corner. Trays of food and wine were held a by large table near the beds. In the center of the room was a middle sized pool of warm water prepared for them. Considering that water is held sacred in Essryn, this was a rare honor to have.
In the back was an opened balcony, revealing the star filled sky. Once they entered inside, a staff of slaves specialized in healing took Lani to the left bed and the still knocked out Meeta to the other. Once they were situated, the healers began to patch up both fighters. They used special oil to heal the bruised skins, though it stung a bit and parts of their bodies that were injured were being wrapped in bandages.
Lani jerked away from every touch, unaccomsted to such care after years in the pits. Gradually though, she settled enough to not lash out at the healers every time they came near her.
"The girl," she grunted as she was patched up, wincing. "She gonna be alright?" She couldn't quite see the other bed, and coming down from the high of the fight her concern was starting to surface.
"She will be. Meeta maybe young, but she has quite the strength to see things through to the end. It something I don't see too often among us slaves."
A bearded and elderly man named Dakur noted as he finished wrapping over Meeta's brusied areas. Meeta with her eyes still closed squirm slightly as the effects of the healing oil kicked in.
Dakur looked toward Lani with sympathetic eyes.
"I know you don't want any part of this life we all stuck with. Just don't blame yourself for this, Meeta won't hate you for what happen, she choose this path and accepted the risks. Trust me, she would do it again if meant another inch toward freedom for herself."
Her lip curled. "I don't blame myself," she muttered. It was mostly true. "I blame them."
She tried to sit up, waving healers away. "How long am I expected to endure your master's hospitality then?" she grumbled, wincing as her aching body's protested movement.
Dakur refused to reply to Lani's statement regarding the nobles, though he secretly felt similar feelings toward the higher class. He had grandchildren, serving in this household to think about than indulge in open or even sutble defiance.
As for her new question and he answered with a sigh.
"Two days and three nights. Master Kaa will be busy celebrating with your owner over a new business deal, cornering a newly discovered trade route. He wants to be a good host for him. So you and Meera will have time to catch a breath. I suggest you don't waste this chance, it's a lot better than going straight back to the pits."
She nodded reluctantly. Brusquely, she asked, "That water for bathing? Gods know I could use it." And some clothes would be nice, but she didn't want to push her luck too far just yet.
"It's for relaxation my child. We have oils and special tools that you and Meeta can use to clean yourselves. Once you're done with that you enjoy the pool. I'm afaird bath robes are the only clothes you will allowed in this stay."
He knew that Lani didn't asked for clothes but Dakur, who had lived long enough to tell what most people wanted, judging by their expression and body language. By this point, Meeta had stopped squirming and was peacefully asleep. So the healers tending to her and put the covers under Meeta.
"Perhaps it's for the best you get some rest tonight and let your wounds heal." Dakur added.
She still wanted that bath, but she was exhausted. She knew she'd regret it in the morning, waking up sore and covered in sweat, but she collapsed back against the bed with a nod.
"Right. Thanks." She was unsure how to react to this treatment. People hadn't been so nice to her since she'd first set foot in Essyrn.
Dakur nodded in reply, he and the other healers then proceeded to leave. The old man knew the kindness and luxury Lani experiencing would be short-lived. He just hoped his fellow slaves did enjoy themselves while it lasted. The staff blew out the candles in the room and closed the door behind them once they left.
Lani didn't sleep, at least not at first. When she finally did drift off, she was restless and woke often. She didn't like sleeping in new places, it made her feel vulnerable.
About he third time she woke, she gave an irritated growl and got out of bed. She moved to the balcony, hoping the fresh air would calm her some.
Slowly, Meeta stirred and opened her eyes by the time when Lani went to the balcony.
"Where am I?" She said to herself, loud enough for Lani to hear though.
She started, not expecting the other woman to wake up so soon. Crossing back into the room, she pulled the blanket off the bed and used it to cover herself.
"One of your master's guest rooms," she answered coolly. "A reward for a good fight." She glanced over at the other bed. "How you feeling then?"
Needless to say, Meeta was surprised to see Lani here until the other woman explained. Meeta a gave of understanding, it made some sense. Somtimes he gave away rewards, still to have a whole room for even a short time was quite the bonus.
"I'm sore all over to be honest, but no worries I'll be okay. How about you?"
She gave a small smirk. "You're good, chiana, but not good enough to really hurt me. Not yet at any rate. Give it a few more fights."
She tilted her head and added, "You've got an impressive right hook. Keep working on that, could be your powerhouse move." Then she shrugged, Indicating the younger woman could take her advice or not, didn't matter to her.
She looked down, embarrassed that she only succeeded in taking a beating. Still how many new fighters can say they lasted as long with someone like Lani in the pits? She laughed softy even though it hurt a little to do so.
"Right hook huh? I'll keep that in mind." She repiled looking back to her former competitor. Meeta intended to stronger and stronger, getting advice from an experienced champion like Lani was an honor indeed.
"What this word chiana you keep calling me? Every time you said it during the fight, I got angry and angrier."
From somewhere in the back of her mind, Meeta swore that heard that word somewhere else back a long time ago...but she couldn't remember exactly.
"Hm? Oh, it means little girl, pretty girl, something like that." She shrugged, scratching her neck a little sheepishly. "It's usually a- what do you call it, endearment? Something friends and family call their young women."
She shrugged again. "Guess it did the trick though, I was trying to get a rise out of you."
"I see" Meeta stated in a tone that said she was disappointed that she still seen almost like a child. Then she remembered that Lani had actually came from the plains up north, one of the nomads. Just like her mother...
"Funny thing is Lani, my blood is not fully Essnryi. The other half belonged to my mother who came from the Serha Plains."
Lani quirked an eyebrow. "You know my name," she noted vaguely, then frowned. "A plains girl, huh? Like me then, at least half."
A small, begrudging sort of smile twitched at the edges of her mouth and she bowed shallowly at the waist, pressing a clenched fist to her heart. "Well met, sister."
Then she snorted, glancing around. "Not exactly "well", I suppose, but you get the idea."
"I do. To be fair I never been outside of Essryn. Also mother died shortly after I was born, so I wasn't exactly taught anything about her people's ways or what tribe she belonged to." Meeta answered back.
Inwardly, she was curious about the plains people, she didn't ask much about them since she lived in an culture that praised itself above its neighbors. A part of her considered that perhaps her fighting spirit came from her mother's people.
She had so many questions, yet Meeta was afraid that Lani wouldn't want to answer since such questions would probbaly remind of her current situation.
Lani tilted her head. "Figured you were born a slave," she muttered. Then, realizing that might not have been the best thing to say, she added, "Not from the way you fought- if anything that would've made me think you were free once. It's the way you looked coming into the arena, something in your eyes..."
She trailed off and shrugged, not even entirely sure why she'd said that. "Not to brag, but you took quite a beating, chia- Meeta. You should probably rest."
Somehow Meeta knew Lani didn't mean any malice behind her words, though some of them still did hurt. Deep down, she wanted somewhere to belong to. Meeta hoped that perhaps if she eventually earn her freedom through combat, she will be accepted into her father's society.
Where was he when mother died? Gotten himself exiled that what happen and I was stuck raised in a harlot house before being sold off to Kaa. The younger woman thought with pent-up resentment she kept buried for now. Being the offspring of two different worlds and with a questionable origins was bitter lot to bear in Essryn.
Instead of expressing these feelings, Meeta pretended smile and repiled.
"You're right I should. See you tomorrow."
Then Meeta went back to bed and quickly fell asleep again.
Something in the younger woman's tone rang false, but Lani figured it wasn't her place to question. Shrugging mentally, she turned to her own bed and laid down, sighing as her battered body finally relaxed.
For some reason, this time she had a much easier time of falling asleep.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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?"
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.
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.
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."
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."
She blinked, surprised by the offer. "Condition?"
"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."
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.
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?"
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.
"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."
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.
Meeta suddenly realized what she said was contrary to what they agreed and corrected her mistake.
"Oops my apologies, Lani. I got caught up in the moment when this isn't a real bout. Let's just have fun with this, noting more, noting less."
"Fair enough." She quirked a smile. "Mark." She sank into a crouch. "Set." Her muscles tensed, adrenaline starting to pump. "Fight."
She sprang foreward.
Meeta met Lani's charge with her own. They locked arms with each other upon collision and pushed back and forth in a clash for supremacy. Noticing that Lani still wore her bathrobe, Meeta commented in amusement as they continued to struggle.
"I don't think you want your robe to get sweaty in this. It's the only thing you got to wear for the rest of our stay here."
Lani grimaced. She'd hadn't really thought of that. Shrugging mentally, she said, nonchalant, "Eh, I'm sick of being naked. I'll wash it, it'll be fine."
Using the conversation as distraction, she hooked her leg be one Meeta's knee and jerked, sending them both rolling over the ground.
They fell and rolled over but Meeta quickly got on top of Lani and pinned the nomad's arms to the ground.
"Oh well, I think got the better figure anyway." Meeta playfully teased looking down at Lani. She really didn't care her roommate what did or not, it had been just a friendly jab.
Resisting a childish urge to stick her tongue out, Lani bucked and rolled them over again so she was pinning the smaller fighter.
"Have your delusions," she snarked back, smirking playfully.
Meeta stick out her tongue in respond.
"Sometimes delusions is all that people like us have. Though I intend to make freedom for myself a reality, someday."
The Essnryi half-breed struggle to break loose from Lani's grip but couldn't in that moment.
Lani arched an eyebrow. "Really? and how do you plan to do that?" Since it was really just a practice match, she added, "I'm strong, but you're quick- use that to get me off. Knee to the gut or something."
Taking the advice, Meeta knee her sparring partner at the gut, but not too hard. It was enough to loosen the grip on her and she slipped out of the pin and rolled on top of Lani's back. She then locked her arms beneath the nomad's shoulders to the back of the neck.
"Fight and earn my master fortune in the pits and the arena. Also make sure I survive long enough for him to be generous enough to release me as a gift for my loya service. Then leave quickly before he changes his mind."
It wasn't a foolproof plan but it was something to start with.
Lani grunted slightly but wasn't really hurt. "If this was a real fight, I'd bite your arm," she told Meeta. "But as long as you can stand the pain it's a good hold, could win you a match."
She tapped the ground to signal that she gave. She probably could have fought the girl longer, but all the moves she could think of would have actually hurt her. Perhaps they'd have another bout before she left.
"Your freedom isn't something you need to earn," she added sourly. "You were born with it- just take it back."
Meeta let go of Lani once she made the signal. This session was pretty good in giving her pointers to follow. Though Lani's words about how to attain freedom did concerned her.
"It's not that simple here Lani. If I try to run away, they just sent slave hunters after on my trail and probably harm anyone that helps me or think they did. Beside I don't got anywhere else to go. I rather risk myself in a ring than endanger many others who don't ask for it."
Lani shrugged, standing. "It's your life, chiana."
For herself, she was gone the moment she had a chance. Slave hunters be damned, once she was in the plains they'd never be able to catch her. The problem was getting there.
She stripped out of the robe and splashed some water on it, scrubbing to remove the sweat before laying it out to dry and sinking back into the water herself for a quick scrub. Now that she actually had the chance to be clean, she was going to take full advantage.
Meeta joined her fellow slave in the pool and scrubbed herself as well. Pausing she asked.
"Would you like that massage now or at the bed? I can do it at either one."
Lani laughed. She'd actually forgotten about that part of their deal. "The bed," she decided, standing and drying herself a bit. "I don't often get to use one, I plan to take full advantage of the opportunity."
Meeta nodded happily, she was glad to return the favor for her...new friend. There weren't too many people even in this household she could say that but Meeta can with Lani, despite their new short time together and the violence of their initial encounter.
After drying too, Meeta finally put on her robe and waited for Lani to get situated.
A little hesitant, she laid on her stomach, resting her head on her crossed arms. It had been a very long time since she'd voluntarily allowed anyone to touch her in any sort of way that wasn't combative, and she tensed a little automatically.
It was clear that Lani wasn't used to be on the receiving end of this treatment. Meeta sat her knees up on left side of Lani's bed. Then she saw the huge scar across the nomad's back and paused.
This is not a wound by a whip.
With that in mind, she cautiously proceeded with the massage. She placed her fingers on the upper backside of the shoulders and slowly and with tender care began to rub it, loosening the muscles.
Lani shifted a little, feeling awkward. It wasn't like Meeta hadn't seen her bare back before- she'd certainly had the opportunity- but this felt more studious, and she was suddenly very self conscious of her scar.
Still, she couldn't deny the release of tension felt amazing. Forcing herself to relax, she turned her head slightly to look at the younger woman. "You do this sort of thing often? I would have pegged you more for hard labor, what with how you are in the arena."
Smiling Meeta answered as she continue to massage her newfound friend.
"I wasn't orginally raised to be a fighter. This talent I learned as a little handmaiden to one of Master Kaa's wives. Let's just say, things...changed. After that I went through a training regiment with an paid instructor who had me to do some hard labor as part of the sessions."
She didn't add exact details on what caused her role change.
"Hm." Lani let her eyes close. It was actually a big step for her, and an offer of trust to the yunger woman. "Well, you're very good at it," she mumbled sleepily.
"That right, just relax and think of things you enjoy." Meeta commented smoothly, while lowering her fingers to rub the middle part of Lani's back in the same way she been doing with shoulders.
Breathing deeply, Lani tried to do just that. She remembered home, her first horse, a grouchy bay made she'd called Empress for her attitude, the first time her father had let her lead a hunt.
It was a bitter sweet sort of experience, both cathartic and reminding her of everything she'd lost. She shifted, turning her face into the bed to hide her expression.
Something disturbed Lani judging by the way, she shifted. "Think of only good things, such as what you like to eat or do." Meeta said to be more specific.
"Didn't realize a massage came with such specific directions," she teased half heartedly, trying to put other thoughts from her mind.
"Well I'm doing all the work right now." She teased right back.
Huffing a quiet laugh, she settled down again. "And I'm grateful. Really."
Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, she added, "I am uh- I'm not exactly sorry about yesterday, but I wish things had been...different."
Her statement made Meeta stopped for a second. Lani didn't strike her as someone who said that kind of thing often to others.
"I wouldn't ask for an apology anyway. We both had no choice but to fight due to our status, I'm just grateful we weren't forced to kill each other."
Meeta resume the massaging process while she added.
"I enjoy fighting and intend keep doing it, but hopefully on my own terms in the future."
Lani sniffed. "On your own terms or not, there's no honor in a battle fought for other's entertainment," she muttered
Once upon a time she probably wouldn't have cared. Her tribe weren't exactly a soft people, and she'd both seen and participated in her fair share of fights put on simply to blow off steam, a ring of horsemen and women gathering around to cheer on their favorite. They weren't play fights either, bruises were given and sometimes bones were broken.
But there was never death. Not until the honor circle. The arena reminded her of it too much, expectant faces waiting for her to kill or be killed.
"I would not be fighting for their pleasure?" Meeta countered.
The younger woman was offended, just because she was born into slavery dosen't make her completely blind to how sadistic an audience can be. Somtimes those who been taken away from and forced to bondage, seem to stereotype that every slaves raised to this life was oblivious to how others view them
We just learn to conceal our true thoughts better. The nineteen year old girl thought.
"Fighting is one of the few things that reminds me that I can be strong. I certainly won't need a mob's attention to do it or not when if I'm freed."
Sensing she'd offended the younger woman, Lani subsided with a small noise as Meeta's fingers found a particularly persistent knot in her back. Privately though, she thought there were perhaps better ways for one to find her strength.
"You haven't asked," she said after a moment. "About the scar. Most people would have."
Taken aback, Meeta struggle what to say.
"Uh...I didn't want to bring up something that would you're uncomfortable with. If you wish speak about it go ahead."
She smiled a bit. "Not that great of a story, really. I was just surprised you hadn't asked."
Dropping the subject, she turned onto her side a bit. "That's actually a lot better, thanks. Want me to return the favor?" She shrugged, adding, "I've never been trained or anything, so don't expect much."
"You're welcome and yes I would be grateful."
Once Lani moved out of the way, Meeta disrobed and laid down the same way, her companion had done. Despite Lani's confession of being inexperienced with giving massages, Meeta didn't mind, as long it was something she can relax with.
Lani settled herself behind the younger fighter and started in on rubbing her shoulders, a little hesitantly. She knew her hands were rough and calloused, and her movements weren't nearly as practiced as Meeta's.
Still, it wasn't so different from what she'd done to help her father relax after a long hunt, or Nemeira-
She shut that thought down quickly, focusing on the work in front of her.
Meeta just laid still and let Lani do her thing. The older woman's hands did feel a bit rough but not unpleasant.
"Hmm...this is fine." She uttered while closing her eyes.
She smiled a bit. "Good." After a few moments of silence, she asked casually, "You have any idea why your master was so generous with this reward business? I've never been treated so nice, least not in Essyrn."
Meeta signed, she should've expected this question. Better deal with it.
"Master Kaa's not exactly a cruel man, he treats us, his servants with a little more leniency, than most of his class would. The reason why is because he wants slaves to depend on and believes it would benefit his household in the long run. Also he doesn't trust the other nobles that much, better to have many loyal pets as possible in case someone tried to harm him in any way."
Meeta caught her breath before she continued.
"Don't be mistaken, if a slave ever openly rebel or displeases him or any would be guests, he wouldn't hesitate to punish or even kill said slave to maintain his standing in Essryn."
Lani resisted the urge to clench her fists with difficulty. "I suppose you have it better than some," she forced herself to say, the words sour in her mouth.
The tone in Lani's voice almost sounded resentful. Of course, Meeta could be mistaken.
"It's not like I want stay in his servitude forever. At the end of the day, we, the household slaves are still only pets to him. A cage is still a cage no matter how pretty it is."
Meeta pointed out as she tried focusing on relaxing.
Lani hummed a quiet agreement and renewed her focus in her task. She was supposed to be getting the other woman to relax, and this maybe didn't seem like the best way to go about it.
For the next few minutes, Meeta took a nap, as the massage resume and dreamed about what she will do as a freed woman. Beside the obivious choice of choosing her own fights, Meeta go wherever she wanted, bed whoever catches her eye, and maybe even get rich.
When she finished up, Lani realized Meeta seemed to have fallen asleep. She snorted softly and moved to the other bed, not wanting to wake her. Girl deserves some rest, as far as she was concerned.
She rolled her neck, sighing softly at the newfound ease with which she did so. The younger Slavs knew he stuff, she has to admit.
By the time Meeta awoke it was a new day. Realizing what happen, she grinned at herself.
Must been really tired last night.
Looking over to the other bed where Lani laid asleep, Meeta shook her head in amusement and gratitude. Suddenly an idea occured to her and she smiled like a predator. Meeta without making much noise, hid their discarded robes underneath the bed she was at then approached the sleeping nomad. Then she grabbed pulled the covers off of her carefully to avoiding stirring her friend.
Then raising a hand, she smacked Lani's bare butt with a shout.
"Good morning!"
"Horse Lords!" Lani shot upright, whirling to face her attacker with fists raised. An instant before she struck, she recognized the young woman and fell back on the bed with an exasperated breath.
"Gods above and below, Meeta, don't do that!" she snapped, but she couldn't help smiling slightly.
Laughing without restraint, Meeta stopped herself long enough to reply.
"Sorry I couldn't resist dear friend. I wanted to wake up you early to express my gratitude for the time we been spending together, but also..."
She pounced on top of Lani at the bed, pinning the other slave's arms down with her own.
"To have a final bout, winner gets to humiliate the loser." She finally added in a way that told Lani were noting malicious behind the intend.
She snorted, shaking her head. "Ah, the energy of youth," she teased, smirking. Rolling them so she was the one doing the pinning, she shrugged. "Alright then, as you wish."
"Well you are rather older looking." Meeta joked right back, rolling them both off of the bed. As Lani was willing herself up, Meeta got on her back and locked Lani in a playful headlock and her legs around the the waist too.
"Alright, alright," Lani laughed, reaching back to swat at her playfully. "Come one then, if we're gonna do this let's do it right. Get off me so we can start properly."
"Okay sister of the plains, we can do that." Meeta got off of Lani and moved toward the carpet in the back, their semi-arena from before.
She got up, rolling her shoulders and stretching her arms above her head. She moved back to the carpet, sinking into a crouch.
Well, this was certainly one way to start the day.
Meeta warmed herself up too for this final match they have together. Coping Lani, she got into crouch as well, opposite side of her roommate.
"Ready...fight!" Meeta declared before rushing forward.
Lani dodged the first attack with ease, pivoting on her back foot and throwing an experimental punch at the other woman's shoulder as she shot past, not enough to really hurt if it landed.
The punch did hit the shoulder and took Meeta by suprise as did the way, Lani dodged her. In respond, Meeta lower herself and spun around, with her left leg to knock Lank off from the back of her feet.
She tried to jump the kick and mostly managed it but stumbled on her landing, guard dropping for a moment as she tried to regain her balance.
Smirking, Meeta got top of Lani, while griping her partner's left arm in a tight lock with both hands.
"I think you're going soft Lani." Meeta remarked with amusement.
She scowled at that. Wriggling like a snake, she managed to free her arm and flip herself around to grab for Meeta's waist, tossing her away. "Who's soft?" she growled, eyes glinting with mischief.
Yelping in shock at being tossed over, she rolled by accident a further few inches away. Feeling slightly dizzy, Meeta attempted to shake it off as she got up and went on the attack again. She tackled Lani, wrapping her arms around the waist and in an attempt throw her like she had been.
Yet once more Meeta underestimated Lani's strength.
Lani broke out of the hold easily, gripping Meet's wrists and twisting her arms into a fairly genlte hold behind her back.
"Yield?" Unlike in the arena, her voice was playful.
"Never" Meeta answered with a smile. Then she used her right leg to slid back of Lani's feet and then applied her weight to push back and force Lani down. Taking advantage of the trick, she broke out of the hold and got into a defensive crouch several inches away from her fellow fighter.
"I'm just getting started."
She smirked. "Good." This time she was the one who charged, aiming for Meeta's middle to toss her over her shoulder again.
Meeta grabbed Lani's arms with her own and attempted to push her back, using the legs as leverage to the move.
Lani grinned and leaped back, letting Meeta's own strength be her downfall as she suddenly removed the force she'd been straining against.
Swearing humorously under her breath, Meeta found herself stumbling, falling face first. She was propelling herself back up when Lani's next attack came.
Essentially, Lani fell on her. She threw her arms out to either side of her slightly smaller opponent as she collapsed on top of her, pinning her to the ground with her weight. Straddling her waist, she sat back a bit and smiled cheerfully. "Impulsive, Meeta," she said teasingly, tutting quietly under her breath.
Meeta in the process of getting up turned to face Lani when she literally fell on her. Pinned to the ground, Meeta squirm and grunted in frustration, trying to break out. She looked up at the smug Lani who sat on her waist and replied joke-fully.
"Hakeshna's breath, you weight like a horse!"
Lani laughed, a real, full laugh- the first one she'd had in a long time. "That's all muscle, chiana," she grinned, pinning Meeta's wrist to either side of her.
That, and she was exerting a great amount of effort to keep the other fighter down. It may seem to Meeta like it was just the larger fighter's weight, but the girl was stronger than Lani had given her credit for.
"Whatever." Meeta fired back without malice. She continued to struggle to break free, but in the back of her mind, Meeta knew that she was completely at Lani's mercy in this moment.
"Having some trouble there?" Lani asked innocently, tilting her head. A wicked smirk worked its way across her face and she said with feigned nonchalance, "Now, don't I remember you saying something about the winner of this particular bout getting to humiliate the loser?"
Meeta at first didn't answer, until pointing out defiantly.
"I haven't lost yet."
Well truthfully Meeta knew she wasn't winning though she hadn't yield. Still it won't stop Lani from whatever she intends to do next. It is highly likely that Lani would be aware of this fact.
She shrugged. "Then I guess we have to fix that." In a lightning-quick move, she released her hold enough to flip the younger woman over and pin her arms behind her back. She then proceeded to essentially sit on her, using the awkward positioning and her own weight to keep her in place.
She must learn this by manhandling horses back in the plains. Meeta thought in resignation at her new awkward position.
Meeta knew she was trapped and Lani was clearly winning, she just won't admit it yet. Though she did finally asked.
"What you're going to do me?"
"Hmm..." She made a show of thinking about it. "Well, it seems to me, chiana, that you think you're bigger than you are." She smirked. "I guess I'll just have to prove different."
She didn't actually know exactly what she planned to do, but the teasing was fun. Honestly, this whole, bizarre turn of events was the most fun she'd had in years.
This bout between them is quite enjoyable though at the moment rather embarrassing for herself. Then her eyes widen in realization. My legs! I can use my legs.
She threw her legs upward as far as she can and they bend backward where she wrapped them around Lani's neck. Using her strength, she pulled back the legs, along with Lani. This move finally freed Meeta, who rolled up. To pay back for the humiliation she been dealt, she smack Lani's rear again and moved back.
Meeta circle around like a preying cat, showing Lani she needed to do more to defeat this youthful fighter.
Stunned for a moment, Lani scrambled up quickly. Sinking into a crouch, she gave Meeta a grudging nod of respect. "Using your flexibility and speed when you realized strength wasn't going to cut it. Nice."
"Thank you" Meeta answered with another smirk. Then the Essnryi half-breed approached closer to Lani she feint a rush to the left side when she instead dashed for the right.
She swing a light kick, aiming for the head.
Ducking under the kick, Lani grabbed her leg and twisted, forcing the younger fighter to hop awkwardly of she wanted to stay upright.
That was an rookie mistake. Meeta thought about her failed attack as she forced herself to keep standing despite being her leg trapped and twisted within Lani's grip. If she didn't do something real soon, Lani gonna put her in an submission.
Flexibility, she remembered. Using the rest of her body not locked, Meeta sprang upward and spinned to the side and taking Lani with her. Once they fell down to the carpet, Meeta broke loose but her move had made her extremely dizzy. So she struggle to ascend and then maintain her footing, unaware at the moment she was right next to Lani.
Though impressed by Meeta's ingenuity, Lani wasn't about to go easy on her. Her hand darted out and wrapped around the other fighter's ankle, sending her back to the floor and once more crouching over her, pinning her arms over her head.
"What do you say?" she asked, panting a bit- which in of itself was a mark of the younger woman's ability. "Do you yield?"
"No." Meeta manage to say right back despite seeing stars in her eyes and panted from exhaustion. Little did Meeta realize or admit that the tide had turned completely in Lani's favor. The fighter from the plains now had free reign in this match.
Lani smirked. "If you insist." One one smooth motion, she stood and dragged the other fighter with her, tossing her over her shoulder and holding her there like an over-large travel pack.
Smacking her rear lightly, she commented casually, "Ah, sweet revenge."
Meeta groaned at the smack to her bottom but she had spent most of her strength and couldn't do much to retaliate. The younger slave wasn't really hurt, just tried though she insisted on defying the destined outcome. Only her stubborn will remained for Lani to conquer and she indeed was going to have a lots of fun and plenty of time taking that sweet revenge of hers.
"Turnabout it fair play," Lani crowed, singsong. An idea struck her and she pivoted, giving Meeta no warning before jumping into the pool of water, taking the other girl with her.
The jump to the pool, took Meeta by suprise. She struggle enough to come up for air, slightly coughing out water out of her mouth. Thankfully the pool wasn't too deep but it will serve whatever purpose Lani had in mind.
"Please don't drown me." Meeta begged in an pathetic tone.
Lani laughed. "I'll do my best." Slinging Meeta into her arms so she was holding her like an infant, she lifted her up slightly and abruptly dropped her into the water. It was something her father used to do to her when she was little, and maybe once or twice she'd gotten some water in her lungs but it was all in good fun.
Meeta flail her arms and legs around like a madwoman, causing great splashes around her. Seconds later the young girl popped back up as best as she manage with her arms, shoulder, and head. Spitting and blowing out more in mouth and nose, Meeta then looked up to her front, seeing Lani slighty above her, staring back down.
"Hold your breath," Lani warned with a smirk, and pushed her back under. She didn't hold her there- she didn't wan to actually hurt her- but she did give a little shove so Meeta sort of drifted deeper and further away.
Not again Meeta thought as she took Lani's advice when pushed under once more. When shoved away from her sparring partner, Meeta took the chance and worked up the engery to swim toward one of the pool steps and climbed out.
Then she proceeded to crawl on her knees and when she reached another big carpet, a purple one. Meeta rolled herself lazily on it back and forth, an semi-effort to dry off with limited success. Looking back to Lani once more, she spoke after spitting out the last of the pool liquid.
"If you're going to keep taking your revenge...just don't add no more water to it."
She sat up with her head sorta lower, panting and waiting for the next round of the humiliation.
Lani shrugged, climbing out as well. "Meh. I think I'll keep that in reserve for a while. Spring it on you when you're not expecting it."
Drying off a bit, she donned her robe and looked around. "You know, all that really worked up an appetite. You wanna eat?"
Without hesitation, Meeta nodded. Sure it was only a delay, she will take it. Standing up again, she put on her own robe and joined Lani in eating some fresh food, left by the slave staff, before they woke up.
"You know, this is the best I've eaten in years," Lani commented, making happy little humming sounds with each bite of food.
"No kidding." Meeta noted, who was mostly occuiped eating up a banana.
"What kind of food, do the plains people eat anyway?
She shrugged. "Rabbits. Antelope. Whatever edible plants we can- could find. Simple stuff, usually." She reached forward and grabbed some odd, spiky fruit. "Nothing like this. I mean, is this even food?"
"Heh, it is, just different." Meeta explained while going for some vegetables to consume. After finishing breakfast and going to the nearby restroom, the ladies spent time just resting and even looking out to the balcony. An hour after lunch, Meeta noted.
"Up for another round of massages?"
Lani shrugged, smiling. "Sure, why not? Not often I get the chance to really relax, may as well take advantage while we can."
"I agree, we do it like before." Meeta answered. Once Lani got herself prepared and situated at one of their beds, Meeta got behind the nomad and began the same treatment like last night on her bare back.
Lani settled in with a contended sigh. "So, how'd you go from being a handmaiden to a fighter, anyway?" she asked, yawning. "Seems like quite a switch."
Taken aback by this question, Meeta stopped for a few seconds. This was a subject, she didn't usually spoke but yet for some reason, she felt it was alright to share it with Lani.
She resume the massage treatment while she proceeded with telling Lani the story.
"Yes I was a handmaiden for a time. It was in service to Master Kaa's second and favored wife, her name was Sharia. As her personal assistant, she wanted someone who can be refine and so taught me much me about Essryni culture while serving her. She was a bit vain to be honest but not cruel. Sometimes I felt more like a student around the mistress, since she tended to get caught up with my education."
Meeta worked her hands on Lani's back sliently, mustering the nerve to confess what happen next.
There was sadness in the younger woman's voice, and Lani sat up a bit, twisting to look at her. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," she said softly. "I was only curious, I didn't mean to pry."
She knew how painful some memories could be.
"I'll be fine, just lay back down." Meeta answered. When Lani done so, Meeta told the rest of the story.
"Well it didn't last, when I turned sixteen, I went to her room as usual, bringing some treats. That when I caught another slave, similar to my age, murdering the mistress, with poison. That...when I snapped."
Meeta played it out in the back of her like it was only yesterday.
"The mistress wasn't a gentle woman nor concerned herself about whether I should have freedom or not. Yet at least she had been someone, who gave me a purpose beyond simply being a slave. So in rage I attacked her killer without restraint. It was a clumsy effort but in the end I took down him. The guards that accompied Master Kaa came in had to pry me off from the beaten assassin before I could strangle him to death.
Seeing how loyal I was to his favorite lover and even caught her murderer, he decided to use my discovered talent. So he have me trained as fighter and gladiator, under the promise I would be given freedom eventually. That...why Lani, I didn't yield throughout our match back at the arena days ago."
Lani twisted to look at her again. "I'm sorry," she said gruffly. "that can't have been easy."
Then she shook her head. "I understand why you didn't yield, Meeta- but if you keep fighting the way you do, without thinking about your own survival, you're going to get yourself killed before you ever have a chance to get your freedom."
That point Lani made, did get Meeta's attention. It was something to think about, she considered before saying.
"We better continue, please keep resting, it be will my turn later."
With a sigh Lani subsided and settled back down, muttering something about stubborn youngsters in her native tongue.
Meeta did her massage sofly on Lani, until she finally stopped several minutes later.
"My turn horse lady. Move over please."
She discarded the robe to the side of the bed and laid where Lani was originally and awaited her own treatment.
Chuckling softly, Lani switched places. She'd learned a little bit from trying this the previous day, so she hoped she was a bit more proficient than she had been.
Uttering sighs of pleasure, Meeta just rested, letting Lani know she was getting better at this. She wasn't totally sleepy but the younger girl shut her eyes with a relaxed grin.
"If you fall asleep again, I'm moving you to your own bed this time," Lani warned playfully, grinning.
"Make me." Meeta challenged back in a mutter. She wasn't in that state to go to sleep, yet though pretty comfortable right now. Then Meeta mutter some more.
"I still got a better figure."
Saying that, Meeta had forgotten that Lani had not cashed in her sweet revenge fully yet and she just provided her friend the excuse and moment to do so.
Her eyes narrowed. "That so?" Without a word, she stood and crossed to the table of food, grabbed a few pieces of fruit, returned to the bed, and proceeded to smash them all over the younger woman's back.
Juvenile? Yes. Satisfying? Hell yes.
Meeta yelp out of surprise when the fruit was mashed to her back. Forming an facial expression that literally displayed this means war attitude, she turned her body around and slapped Lani by the left cheek, not too hard but enough to give payback.
She then grabbed for Lani's hair with both hands and pulled her down to the bed side opposite of her, with a defiant grin.
Lani yelped in protest, swatting at the other woman as she was yanked down. "You had that coming!" she protested, laughing and scowling at the same time.
Meeta laughed along with her, despite being swatted at. "Bring it on, horse lady." She declared as she proceeded to get on top of Lani and trade slaps with her in the face.
In her efforts to flip their positions, Lani accidentally rolled them off the bed. Her breath whooshed out of her in a huff and she grunted.
"Oi, ge'off," she muttered, shoving at Meeta. There was no real malice though.
Needless to say, Meeta considered this petty fight rather fun when she and Lani flipped off the bed. Grunting herself, the young girl found herself shoved.
"You're the heavy one." Meeta countered. Then she grabbed Lani in a new headlock and dragged them both up, with Essnryi half-breed struggling to maintain her grip.
Squeaking in a rather undignified manner, Lani reached back and grabbed at Meeta's hair, tugging lightly in an effort to get her to loosen her grip.
Meeta laughed slighty in amusement when her friend squeal. Of course that stopped when she felt Lani tugging at her hair.
It cause Meeta to squirm and pulled her head back and shake, to throw off Lani's hand. It was enough however, to loosen the young girl's grip, giving Lani the chance she wanted.
Using the momentary lapse, Lani wriggled out of the gold and darted across the room, putting the water between them as she sunk into a defensive crouch.
Meeta spotted Lani flee too. With a smirk, she called out, placing her hands at the hips. "Scared of little old me?"
"Wary," Lani corrected. "I'm not in the habit of underestimating my opponents."
Smirking, Meeta stroll toward Lani from the left. She hum a little song, while rolling her shoulders and head. Then once she came within reach Meeta sprang at Lani, in an attempt to tackle her.
Dodging out of the way, Lani twisted and threw her shoulder into the smaller woman, knocking her toward the water with a playful grin.
Not again! Meeta thought upon falling into the water with a great splash. She quickly pulled herself up and climbed out of the pool. Yet as she was willing herself back up to her knees, she had failed noticed that Lani was right there, within range of her!
Smirking, Lani planted her foot on the younger woman's shoulder and shoved her back into the water. "Okay, now we're done," she said gloatingly.
Rather to face more water treatment, Meeta forced up again next to Lani and said with a nervous chuckle.
"You win Lani, just humiliate me properly out of here and not in the pool."
She shrugged, reaching down a hand to help her up. "Fair enough," she said with a teasing smile.
Meeta took her offered hand and was out of the pool within seconds. "Being the winner of this bout, you can have between thirty minutes or an hour taking in your revenge." Meeta explained in full detail without any resentment while on her knees before the standing Lani.
Lani frowned. "Hey, get up." She didn't like people kneeling for her- it made her feel like she was one of the people she hated, a slave master.
Suddenly their little game seemed much less playful.
She turned on her heel and grabbed her discarded bathrobe, shrugging it on. "I think I've taken enough revenge," she said, forcing her tone to be lighthearted.
"Come to think of it, I believe you're right." Meeta said while standing herself back up. After drying off, and putting her own robe on again, they chose just relax and play another game of chess and finally dinner when evening came again. Then the door to their room finally opened. Entering was Dakur along with a pair of two shirtless yet muscled black men in short orange sarongs
Bowing his head in respect to the woman sitting in chairs, Dakur spoke.
"I'm glad to see you both doing rather well."
Pointing to the men, behind him, he continued.
"Being this is your last night in this room, we decided to give you a special treat. These men with me are twins Azim and Nabar. Each volunteered to bed one of you if you so choose. The masters have noting to do with this, we slaves of the household came up with this."
Meeta eyed up Azim with desire. a clean shaven and brown short haired man, she was into strongmen after all. Nabar on the right facing Lani had a more mature look compare to his brother, bald and with a short beard. Both men were friendly and funny, Meeta knew this, having worked with them at the house for years. Remembering Lani, Meeta looked to her friend, sliently seeing if this was okay with her.
If not, she would be more than willing to refuse the offer.
Lani went very, very red. She was exactly a stranger to- romantic interludes, as it were, but this had completely blindsided her. "Um..." She stammered intelligently, looking at Meeta.
Well, the younger woman certainly seemed eager enough, and she'd hate to deprive her of her fun. There was no rule that said they both had to accept. "That is a...generous offer," she said slowly, "And I'm flattered truly..."
She shifted awkwardly under everyone's stares. Shrugging, she said to the twins, "You're welcome to stay, I suppose. I wouldn't say no to the company."
Just the company, she decided. She'd head out to the balcony or something to give Meeta and whoever she chose privacy.
All of the men nodded in understanding, Dakur left and closed the doors behind the doors. Meeta grinned and signal at Azim with her left forefinger to come. Azim returned the expression and moved toward. As for Nabar, he just shrugged and chose to accompy Lani at the balcony for company and closed the to it to give the "bed-mates" more privacy.
Standing next to Lani but giving her some personal space, Nabar looked out at the moon and the stars while uttering an embrassed chuckle.
"My apologies about...the forwardness of our offer. My name is Nabar, it's an honor to meet you Lani."
"Ah- pleasure." She gave him a small smile. "Look, I didn't mean to...offend you or anything, I'm just not really..."
She gestured back and forth between them helplessly, then chuckled, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck.
"I understand, we're strangers to you and it all rather sudden." Nabar remarked sympathetically. He looked to her with kind eyes.
"We can just talk with other each or look up at the stars. Though..."
Back in the closed room, both of them can hear Meeta giggling and groaning non-stop, while making love with Azim no doubt.
"It's going be a bit noisy for a time in there." Nabar finished.
Lani snorted. "Eh, let her have her fun, she deserves it." Realizing what she'd said, she flushed and hurried to add, "Oh, gods, sorry. I mean, I know that's your brother in there..."
She cleared her throat again, looking away and self-consciously tugging her bathrobe closer around herself. "What made you want to...offer this, anyway?" she asked curiously, glancing back at him out of the corner of her eye. "Like you said, we're strangers."
Nabar scratched the back of his head in amusing nervousness, before confessing.
"Me and my brother were used sometimes in the fight pits...even against each other. So we know what's it like for you and Meeta. Slaves, especially pit fighters and gladiators, life is only measured by their worth to the masters. That in turn tends to make life miserable or shorten for the likes of us. We, slaves of the Kaa household give whatever comfort can be given to our kind if we can manage.
It's not always bedding one another, other time, it just sneak in food, or simply talk and listen to one another."
The moaning by Azim and Meeta grew slighty more louder, Nabar just rolled his eyes, trying to keep his expression straight.
Lani tried to pretend the noises emanating from the room weren't making her blush. "That's very kind of you," she said, a bit louder than normal to drown out Meeta and Azim.
She was surprised by the almost familial bond the slaves of this house seemed to share; with her previous masters it had been very different, as with her current one.
"We're not perfect, but I believe we have a bond more closer than most other households."
It true, they were only a rare group among the enslaved community in Essryn. Nabar tried to keep his eyes away from Lani's figure despite it being clothed. Suddenly Meeta uttered a loud scream of pleasure that gave the others outside, a "very good idea" what Azim is doing to her body right now.
"Ahem." Okay, even she couldn't pretend to ignore that. "Well, seems like they're having a good time." She cracked a smile to try to cover her embarrassment.
It wasn't like the tribes that lived on the plains were prudes, but there was usually at least a bit of distance between a rendezvous and the main camp. Enough distance that everyone else could pretend they didn't know what was going on at any rate.
Laughing a little bit Nabar nodded and added.
"To be fair this isn't their first time in bed with each other. You know what they say, its gets only better."
"Come on is that all you got Azim!" Meeta challenge before moaning repeatedly.
Tilting her head curiously, Lani asked- more as an effort to drown out his brother and her roommate- "Have you ever..." She waved her hand airily. "With Meeta, I mean."
In reaction, Nabar shook his head no immediately. He explained.
"She is a good girl but too wild for me. Beside me I don't sleep with whoever did it with Azim already. It would be too weird for all involved."
Arching an curious eyebrow he asked. "Why you ask?"
She wrinkled her nose at his explanation. "Yeah, I can imagine." Then she shrugged. "Just curious I suppose. I didn't even know someone could make noises like that," she said with a smirk, nodding back at the room.
"Also, she seems to treat everything like a competition. I was just wondering how far that extended." She arched an eyebrow meaningfully.
Nabar considered what she said.
"That an understatement. We always assume it was the nomadic blood from her mother's side. Though judging by your reaction I guess that not fully true. Perhaps it's her way of dealing with being a half breed slave and wanting to prove herself. Although there could be something else..."
He suddenly stopped.
Lani snorted. "I'm competative, but not suicidally so." She tilted her head when paused. "Problem?"
He looked back at the door, to see if the lovers were listening. A fresh series of mating noises eurpted from there. Then turning back to Lani, he asked.
"How much has Meeta told you about her life before serving in our household?"
Lani frowned. "Nothing, really. She told me how she became a fighter, but nothing before that."
That makes sense, Nabar thought. Usually he and the Kaa slaves didn't share private details about one of their own, but it seem that Lani had gotten to be close friends with Meeta. Of course, there was a worry that Lani could use this information against Meeta seeing as they were both served different masters.
It obvious that she wouldn't go that far.
"Don't let Meeta know that I told you this but maybe it will help you understand."
After a short pause to gather his words he went on.
"It's true that her mother was a Duhjari from the Serha plains but she was also a concubine. The father Morah Neferatri, was a rising noble who was disgraced to due to some scandal and abandoned his mistress who was heavy with child at a common brothel, while going into exile.
As for her mother she died in childbirth and Meeta was left in the care of the brothel for a time. Before she could be taught in that lifestyle she was sold to Kaa who needed a maiden to serve his second wife."
Nabar finished and hoped he didn't go too far by revealing Meeta's history.
Lani shook her head. "I get where she's coming from," she said, "but this is t a problem fighting can solve. Not even winning her freedom will make her happy, not really. Not until she figures out who she wants to be."
She shrugged, looking up at him sidelong. "Maybe you can do a better job convincing her of that than I did. Horse Lords know I tried."
For a so-called savage, Lani was pretty wise. As for convincing Meeta on the other hand, he answered.
"She needs to convince herself Lani, and that will take time. Funny, I think her toughest opponent is actually her stubborn self. I believe though she will find her own identity eventually. Now let's focus on you Lani. How do you see yourself and what do you want from life?"
She laughed bitterly. "I want to go home," she answered bluntly. "I want my freedom back. And I want to make the bastards who took it from me pay."
He looked deep in her eyes, as if examining her very soul. Like Dakur, his mentor, Nabar had learned to study people, freeborn and slave alike. Lani had the distinction of experiencing both worlds and it was very much clear she won't accept these chains forced on her.
"It is one thing to have these desires but it takes even more to gain the will to sustain and fulfill all this. A few reach all of their goals, grow strong and endure until you have that chance to seize it."
Azim and Meeta in tne closed background, were laughing and pleasuring each other loudly again.
With a genuine smile, Nabar asked.
"You sure you still don't want some pleasure of your own tonight?"
Laughing quietly, Lani rolled her eyes. "Men, so single minded," she muttered teasingly, looking him up and down.
She tilted her head, considering the offer again. "I'm not going to sleep with you," she said decisively, arching an eyebrow. "But there are some other things we could do."
It was a decent compromise with her earlier conviction, as far as she was concerned. And gods knew she probably needed a little fun, it may help her relax some. But she couldn't take someone completely into her bed again, not after Nemiera, not even years later. It still hurt.
"Whatever you want." Nabar answered, silently understanding the look of buried pain he saw from her. He awaited whatever Lani intended.
"Hmm." She looked him over again. He really was quite attractive. She stepped closer and fiddled with the tie of her robe. "Well, I'm certainly not going back in there," she muttered, nodding at the door.
She hoped up to sit on the balcony rail, waving her hand to beckon him closer, a small smirk curving her lips.
With a smirk of his own, Nabar approached Lani. He joined her at the rail and whispered in a voice filled with desire.
"Want me to help you out of your robe?"
She leaned back a bit, placing her hand on the railing to either side of herself and arching an eyebrow. "Be my guest."
This was certainly interesting. She hadn't really done anything like this since she was much younger- well, younger than she was now at any rate. She wasn't quite sure if she actually remembered what she should be doing.
Smiling all the more, Nabar proceeded to take off his sarong first, leaving him completely nude. Then slowly he disrobed Lani. Once done, he wrapped his large arms around the plains woman's back and pressed their bodies together. With great passion Nabar locked lips with Lani below the moon.
For as long Lani allowed it they made love at the balcony and Lani discovered she still knew what to do. Meeta and Azim finished with their own exchange of "pleasure" when the half-breed girl fell asleep. Of course around the same time, Nabar and Lani stopped and clothed themselves more once. The brothers left the two women back at the room.
As Lani went to rest once more, she would find her roommate sleeping under covers in her own bed with the biggest smile she can manage. No doubt, the younger woman was still dreaming of the fun she just had.
Feeling considerably more relaxed than she had in a long time, Lani flopped easily into bed, and not even the knowledge that she'd be back to her hell of a life come morning was enough to truly upset her.
The next and final morning for the fighters, Meeta opened her eyes. This time she kept herself covered in the blankets while looking to Lani. She smiled when seeing how contend Lani seemed in her slumber. Though Meeta had been rather occupied with Azim, she heard similar things outside the door last night.
When her friend started to stir, Meeta giggle loud enough for Lani to hear it.
"It seems you spend quality time with Big Nab after all. How was it, getting on the saddle again?"
She admitted that joke was very corny but she couldn't resist.
Two seconds awake and she was immediately groaning in exasperation. She stuck her tongue out at Meeta, rolling her eyes. "Clever," she said dryly, "really clever."
But a small smile worked it's way across her face. "He's...nice," she said, trying to keep her voice noncommittal.
Laughing harder than this, Meeta continued.
"Well as for me, Azim was so wonderful, both him and his..."
Meeta didn't finish the rest of statement, blushing all over her face and shuddering with sheer enjoyment at the very memory.
"Okay!" Lani made a show of covering her ears, laughing. "I think I get the picture. You were not exactly...subtle last night. No gory details, please."
"Yes I don't wanna share, you would be so jealous." Meeta teased. In the back of her mind, Meeta knew soon they will be separated and likely not seen each other again. She kept a brave face while adding.
"Uh Lani though our initial encounter wasn't pleasant, but I am glad to have met you nonelthess. I learn some things and its been a privillage to have been in your company these past few days. Never thought I never thought I would find...you know a friend in this matter."
Meeta wanted to say sister but friend seem more accurate for now.
Lani's expression softened and she stood slowly. "C'mere," she said with a small smile, crossing to the other girl and taking her hand to pull her to her feet. "I wanna teach you something. May help you connect with your plains heritage a bit."
She reached out to grip Meeta's right forearm and made her left hand into a fist, pressing it over her heart. Speaking in Essyrni because she knew the younger girl wouldn't understand otherwise, she said, "Four Winds guide you and Horse Lords protect you where you ride, until we meet again."
Meeta had to force herself from tearing up. Despite never have been part of her mother's past culture for some reason she felt a real connection to the words Lani had blessed her with. As soon as Lani finished, Meeta said.
"Thank you."
Without warning, she gave Lani, a big hug that one would give to family. Once they're were done, they ate their last breakfast before getting ready. Before lunch Dakur came with some other servants and provided the two girls some new clothes, this time attire that sadly fit to their status. Coming out into the hallway, Meeta watched Lani being escorted away by Dakur, no doubt on their way to the nomad's current master.
Meeta let her fellow slave and friend see her make the same sign of blessing she made earlier, with her left fist closed into a fist and pressed to the heart.
Until we meet again. Meeta sliently thought with a heart of bittersweet emotions. She prayed their reunion would be on better terms.
THEME (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9wVYEL216Rk)