Darkest Night [DragonSong] [M]

[Zero]

Kyandria ate her own bowl in silence next to her, not even acknowledging the thanks given for the food. Although she did lower her fork when Zahra asked if she'd offended her. Her red eyes were hard as she studied the younger woman for a moment.

She kept her voice low so that only the two of them would hear. "I know you are not staying. Cole will not keep you. It was not difficult to convince Kaleb to give you that collar."

The drow simply picked back up her spoon and continued eating, without offering up any further explanation. It was not exactly a safe subject, but she felt the need to let the girl know that she knew what they were up to.

[DragonSong]

Zahra froze. For several long moments, she didn't move, or speak. She didn't even breathe.

Then, slowly, she returned her attention to her food. "Should I thank you?" she said quietly. She wasn't looking at the woman, eyes fixed on the bowl in front of her.

She wasn't entirely sure what she expected, but she'd come to believe that anyone in this camp would only commit and act of kindness, such as if were, for something in return.

[Zero]

"No." There wasn't a hint of hesitation in the response. "I did not do it for you."

Kyandria was obviously a very hardened woman, and she did not look at Zahra with kindness or sympathy. "If you were harmed it would hurt him. It always hurts him."

No matter what Cole might have done to try to hard it. Well, perhaps even a mother as cold and distant from her son as she was could tell when their child was hurting. "He is always hurting, and always unhappy. When he takes you away...do not let him come back."

She didn't say another word, simply rose and walked away to return to her role of ordering about the women as she directed lunch clean up.

[DragonSong]

Zahra was silent, but she nodded, once, firmly.

It would be her mission then, it seemed. While Cole tried to save her, she would save him.

She watched Kyandria go, thinking over the first dream she'd had of the woman, wondering how accurate to her reality it was. She almost didn't notice when the command was given to get moving again and flinched when one of the guards started toward her, growling, "Move out, bitch."

She stumbled to her feet and fell in with the other women. She didn't keep her eyes quite so downcast this time though, stealing the occasional glance at Cole's mother when she could get away with it.

[Zero]

Kyandria didn't look at Zahra again, except one quick glare when she hadn't moved fast enough for one of the guards. Whatever her son was planning, it wasn't going to work if the fool girl got herself into trouble before they got out of there.

As soon as everything came to a halt again, even before everyone started unpacking, Cole reappeared beside Zahra. He didn't look at his mother. "Set my things up and go to bed, woman."

That was said for everyone else, he leaned in to whisper words softly that were meant only for her. "I'm on first guard shift tonight. I won't be with you, but you'll be safe in my tent. I'll see you in the morning, sweetling."

[DragonSong]

Zahra flinched at the harsh tone, only half acting. She turned her face slightly when he lowered his voice, as though she didn't want to be close to him.

Subtly though, her hand flicked out to touch his wrist, just for a moment, a brush of her fingertips against his skin to let him know she'd understood. "Yes, sir."

She got to her feet and set about pitching the tent and moving his belongings inside, then crawled inside herself. She rolled out the bedroll and laid down, closing her eyes. Despite her best efforts though, sleep eluded her, and she found herself staring up at the ceiling of the tent as the chorus of wails and pleading started up for the night.

Tears gathered behind her eyes and she clenched them shut, shallow little breaths hitching in her chest and she covered her face with her hands.

[Zero]

The first shift lasted four hours. Cole stalked back through camp when he was finished, ignoring the sounds of the night's festivities. He wished that he hadn't been forced to stand there. Come to think of it, he shouldn't have had to, his father had promised to nix two weeks of that bullshit.

Well, his father never had been much of a man of his word, had he?

Cole was worried about Zahra. She had not handled the sounds the night before very well, and it had only been his talking that had calmed her. He got to his tent as quickly as he could, sliding inside quietly - just in case she'd managed to fall asleep.

Instead he found her like that. His chest tightened painfully. It hurt him to see her suffer so. How could he call this protecting her?

"Sweetling, I'm here." He dropped down beside her, a hand reaching out for her hesitantly.

[DragonSong]

She started violently, hands dropping from her face to fall into a feeble defensive gesture before she fully registered who had spoken.

Once she had though, she relaxed slightly and sat up off the bedroll. "C-Cole." She eyed his hand for a moment, then, very hesitantly, she took it.

"Talk to me," she begged once again, still crying softly.

[Zero]

His hand gently squeezed hers as he scooted a little closer. Cole had talked at length the night before, describing all the places he had seen. Well, not all of them. It was hard to recall everything within a few hours. He didn't want to talk about the places he'd seen tonight. They were almost to Essyrn. Two days and they'd be in the city.

"The group is going to camp just outside the city walls when we get to Essyrn. I'm going to take you into the city proper with me. I'll make up some excuse. Maybe to buy you clothes." Cole was still working on the plan, but he'd mostly figured it out. "I'm going to pay your passage on a caravan or maybe a ship out of the city. You could get a ride to almost anywhere for the right price. Do you know where you want to go?"

Wherever she went, he couldn't let her just go by herself. Too dangerous, she could get caught by some other slaver and then where would she be? No, passage with a group was much safer.

[DragonSong]

Kyandria' words echoed in her mind and Zahra bit her lip. "Where- where would you want to go?" she asked softly, looking up at him through her hair.

She had to figure out a plan quickly. How could she convince him to come with her? How could she make sure his father didn't sent someone after them?

[Zero]

"Me?" Cole questioned, brow furrowing in thought. He assumed she was seeking his advice on a good place to go where she might be safe. That was a difficult question. Slavery was far too commonplace in Essyrn, and even in Adela it was rampant, but he thought she'd be safer north.

"I think you should at least go as far as Adela, maybe even all the way to Serendipity. Don't go to Connlaoth, they are not welcoming to those that are different, and mages are killed or put into horrible camps where they freeze and starve." He sighed heavily and looked down at her hand, it was a bit small in his. "I know that getting you out will not make up for taking you captive, but I hope you find yourself in a safer place."

[DragonSong]

"Serendipity then." Her voice was soft, but determined. She even tried for the barest trace of a smile. "I don't think I'll know what to do with myself- I've lived in the desert all my life, I wouldn't know how to handle all that green."

Her eyes dropped and she was quiet for a moment. Then, cautiously, she gave his hand a soft squeeze. "It's... if you came with me, you could show me how to live there."

Her voice was nearly inaudible, the question not so much a true plea as a probe, testing the waters as it were.

[Zero]

"It's different, but I think you'll find it easier." Life in the desert was harsh. Life in such a lush place would have some challenges, but he had no doubt she would learn and adapt quickly. It would be better for her there.

What she said next shocked him, and it showed on his face.

"Go with you? Sweetling, when you get out of here I don't think you want to be anywhere near me. Haven't you had enough of men like me for one lifetime already?" Cole rubbed her hand softly. "I see the way you flinch or cringe whenever I come near. You're afraid of me, and you're right to be. You will find kind people, good people that will show you how to live."

[DragonSong]

Her brow furrowed slightly as she looked at the ground. She couldn't deny what he said, but...she didn't want to leave him behind. Even if his mother didn't scare her half to death, she thought she would have wanted to take him away from this place.

Ideally, she could have taken all the slaves, the camp women included. And possibly dropped the mercenaries into the middle of a pride of starving lions in nothing but their smallclothes.

But that wasn't going to happen, so she would at least make sure Cole was safe. But how? She sighed and gave his fingers another soft squeeze before gently pulling her hand back and turning onto her side on the bedroll, wiping absently at the remainder of her tears as she closed her eyes.

"Goodnight," she murmured. Then, out of habit, "Dream well."

[Zero]

Cole sighed as she turned away from him to lay down. Well, that was what he'd wanted her to do, wasn't it? She needed to get her rest. It wasn't going to be easy when they reached Essyrn. If she had to run for some reason she'd best have the energy to do so.

"Sleep well, sweetling." He murmured heavily before turning from her and curling up. While getting rid of her was for the best - for her - it felt oddly sad to think about.

What a stupid reaction. Of course he wanted Zahra gone. No matter if Cole hated hurting the girls, the pretty elf he'd captured in the oasis had done nothing but make his life hard and difficult, more than it usually was. Once she was headed out of Essyrn he wouldn't have to worry about protecting her and could focus on keeping himself alive.

He closed his eyes angrily and eventually fell into a sullen and dreamless sleep.

[DragonSong]

Zahra's sleep was never dreamless, and this night was no different. She was haunted by images of her previous dreams, of seeing a small child hurt and neglected and twisted into a shadow of what he could have been. It made her heart ache, by she couldn't stop it- she was just a silent observer.

"Cole..." Shedisnt know she spoke allowed, wrapped in the world of her dream. Her brow furrowed and her dream-sel reached out, trying desperately to bridge the space betweeen her and- and she didn't even know what. The boy? The man?

She shifted in her sleep, curling in on herself a it tighter and sighing softly.

[Zero]

Cole rolled in his sleep, turning to face Zahra drowsily when he heard his name. He didn't fully awaken as he reached out to her, pulling one of her hands slightly away from her curled up body as he entwined his fingers with hers.

The gesture and the contact soothed him, though who knew what effect it would have on her as he drifted back into a deeper sleep.

This time he wasn't fully dreamless, but was sort of hanging between dreams and pure unconsciousness.

[DragonSong]

She almost thought she could see him, just for a moment, but then he was gone. Zahra whimpered quietly and her dream-self reached out, trying to catch ahold of him. In the physical world, her hand in his tightened its grip and she shifted slightly closer.

She wasn't sure how much later it was when she finally opened her eyes and found her face very close to the drow's. A sharp intake of breath and she tried to backpedal- then froze when she realized their fingers were intertwined.

She stared down at their hands, brow furrowed. When had that happened?

[Zero]

Cole didn't wake up immediately after she did. The feel of her trying to pull away did have him unconsciously holding her hand just a little tighter and letting out a soft whimper. His face screwed up slightly in a look of distress before his crimson eyes slowly fluttered open.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, but he realized they were holding hands.

Instinctively he pulled his hand away and sat up, rubbing at his eyes wearily. What time was it? Had everyone else begun moving and packing for the day? He'd get chewed out if he slept in. "Just...just one more night and you can go."

Cole muttered softly, casting a glance in her direction before ducking out of the tent as quickly as possible.

[DragonSong]

Zahra almost reached after him when he pulled his hand away, lips parted as though preparing to protest. Then she snapped her mouth closed and pulled her hand back into her lap, nodding slowly.

"Right. One more day," she said softly as he slipped out of the tent.

With a small sigh she set to work backing up, it was mostly habit by now, and she joined the other camp women once she'd finished. She kept her head down, brow furrowed in thought.

How was she going to get them both out of here?