The Black of a Rainbow (DragonSong)

[zozee9]

"You can't, but I can," Nitya declared, handing Bagni the money for the horse. "If you don't want it, then you don't have to accept it. But it is bought, and therefore it shall be kept. Whether it is in my hands or your hands is up to you." She picked up the horse and started walking back to the Fiddler's Fancy.

"Have a nice day, lovely Miss!" called out Bagni. She lifted her hand to say goodbye.

Nitya looked up at the sun and said, "We'll pick up the clothes now, and then head back to the inn to drop off everything. I want to talk to you more then, alright? And don't forget rule number eight."

[DragonSong]

He almost opened his mouth to protest the purchase, then thought better of it, simply accepting her words with a nod and a "Yes, Miss Nitya."

He followed her back to the clothing shop. His back stiffened a bit at the mention of talking more and he bit back a groan. Ducking his head to hide his expression, he murmured, "As you wish, Miss Nitya."

[zozee9]

Nitya left the rest of the trip rest in silence. They picked up the clothes and walked back to her inn. She was surprised he hadn't asked why she didn't live in a house—after all, people didn't normally buy slaves when they don't even have a place to call home. But he stayed quiet, so she did too. They walked into her room and Nitya set the horse and powder on her desk.

"Clothes go in the wardrobe, you can put the creams on the desk if you would like." Nitya plopped down, sitting on the side of her bed. "Grab the chair, unless you want to sit next to me." She assumed he didn't.

[DragonSong]

Kai did as she said, taking his time to place the clothes in the wardrobe and the apothecary's creams on the desk, procrastinating this apparently inevitable talk of hers for as long as he could.

Finally, when he couldn't think of anything else to do, he sat warily on the edge of the chair, shoulders hunching and eyes flicking up to her face for only a moment before he dropped them to the floor.

Waiting.

[zozee9]

"So," Nitya started, breaking the silence. It was obvious he did not want to talk, but a part of her actually felt amused by the situation. It wasn't a very amusing thing, she knew, for he was probably afraid of one thing or another. But she had never perceived herself as a scary woman. And, hopefully by the end of this, he would realize she wasn't scary at all. "Your name is Kai, you are seventeen but almost eighteen, and you like the color green. Clearly you are Yoreiqi, at least mostly, and I know you have a sister Ka'lei. You have no magic, which is likely to your advantage, and your last master was a bastard. This is what I know about you so far. Tell me more?" She asked with genuine curiosity, determined to learn just who she had bought.

[DragonSong]

He looked up at her, still not quite meeting her eyes but at least not looking at the floor. "Half," he said after a moment. "I'm half Yoreiqi. Our mother was from the mainland." He fell silent again, then offered slowly, "Our last master...wasn't the worst. Wasn't even too bad, all things considered. He clipped our wings so we couldn't run away, but..." He shrugged. It was hardly the first time that had happened.

"The one before him. She was worse. Had a temper and liked to hit. Two before her almost sold us to the fighting pits." Another shrug, and this time he managed to meet her eyes for longer than a few seconds. "What else do you want to know?"

[zozee9]

Nitya opened her mouth and then closed it. She was just about to tell him that he wasn't defined by his masters, or his slave life, but she knew that wasn't completely true. She was just a shell before she found hope. She had spirit, yes, but nothing to live for. She just lived because she loved life.

"Four masters, at least. And you and your sister had remained together this whole time? What were you doing to get yourself sold over and over again?" Nitya pursued. Then she paused. "Rule number nine: you do not have to answer any questions you do not want to. But at least tell me, so I know when I am pushing your boundaries."

[DragonSong]

He smirked at that. "Thirteen masters, Miss Nitya," he corrected. "Fifteen in twelve years."

The question did make him stiffen, but he tried to force himself to relax and let out a sharp breath. "We didn't do anything," he muttered. A beat of silence, another huff. "I didn't do anything." He looked down.

"I'm a good slave, Miss Nitya. I don't fight, I don't complain, I'm strong and I work hard. I do what I'm told." Kai's lips twitched up a bit on one side. "Ka'lei is the fighter. I don't know how I managed to stay with her every time they got sick of her attitude, but I did. Guess our luck just ran out."

[zozee9]

Nitya couldn't help it. She laughed. "Fifteen in twelve years?! I swear, you sister must have quite the attitude. It is a miracle you two stayed together for this long, I hope you are thankful for that." Her face grew a little solemn. "I am sure it is hard to be thankful for much, now, but appreciating what you have been able to have is better than moping all the time."

"How old is your sister? I get the feeling that she is younger than you, yes? But if you were just five when they took you... she must have been even younger. I can't decide whether it was spirit or stupidity that kept her fighting. Maybe both. I assume you have stayed docile to protect her though, correct?"

[DragonSong]

Kai shut down, sitting back in the chair and looking away from her. "Ka'lei is younger," he said tonelessly. "By about eight minutes. She's seventeen. We're twins."

Spirit and stupidity. Normally that would have made him laugh- it was almost verbatim what he frequently told the girl.

[zozee9]

Nitya saw him close himself off again. She didn't know what to do, but she quietly responded, "I had eight siblings, all older. All girls." Why did she tell him that? She didn't like talking about her past. Especially that part of it.

Trying to mask her own pain with fake cheerfulness, she added, "I never had a twin though. Seems interesting. So... what skills do you have? I assume you've cleaned, every slave has, but what about cooking? Styling hair? Can you read or write?"

[DragonSong]

Eight siblings? He glanced at her, a little surprised she'd shared that. "Interesting," he repeated slowly. Well, he supposed it was that.

With a shrug, he gave her a slightly bitter smile and replied, "I'm a grunt, Miss Natya. I do hard labor, mostly, but yes, I can cook and clean a little. I can read, but not much, and my writing isn't usually legible." Yet another shrug.

[zozee9]

Nitya's eyes widened. She was so surprised she almost looked at him in his eyes, but caught herself in time to lower her gaze. "You are actually able to read? Amazing." Who had taught him? A master seemed unlikely, though not impossible. It was more likely he learned from a fellow slave. Probably a foreigner who turned into a slave later on in their life.

"Have you ever traveled beyond Essyrn?"

[DragonSong]

He nodded. "A long time ago. Before we were slaves. I haven't left the city since we were brought here though." He didn't really remember much of his time before Essyrn- he remembered his mother, a little, and he remembered her starting to teach them her craft, and bits of the alphabet. But they'd been so young when the caravan was raided, it was all almost more like a dream than real memory.

[zozee9]

Nitya looked at Kai with a frown. Traveling was one of the best things to do. She knew many slaves didn't get that opportunity, especially ones that had not proven their loyalty, but it still saddened her. "I am a traveler," she explained. "A traveling trader. I am planning on staying in Essyrn for a short while longer, however, I have not finished selling all of my things. There is no better place than here to trade, you know. Essyrn is the trading heart of the country! What a wonderful thing..." Despite her dislike of many aspects of the country, she still admired her birthplace.

"Is there anything else you would like to tell me?" asked Nitya. "Or do you have any questions for me? I suppose I'd answer just about anything, within reason, of course."

[DragonSong]

[OOC: Er...he was thinking the reading thing. Not sure how she figured that out lol]

"I have nothing else to say, Miss Nitya," Kai said evenly, shaking his head. "Nor any questions." He didn't need to know anything about her, only what she wanted from him.

"If that is all, what will my first task be, Miss Nitya?" he asked, flicking his eyes to her face and sitting up a bit straighter.

[zozee9]

[OOC: OH i thought the comment about "a long time ago" was referring to her astonishment at him learning to read. my bad. i'll edit that post in a sec.]

"Your first task?" repeated Nitya. "Hmm... well, first, I expect you to put on the creams that Jamie gave you. Then, I expect you to change into some of your new clothes. How does that sound?" Nitya leaned over, took off her shoes, and then laid down on her bed. She was tired of sitting. Though, as she stared at the ceiling, she realized something. "I suppose I will need to get a new room. We will have to share, seeing as I cannot get you a room of your own. I hope that is alright."

[DragonSong]

"Whatever you wish, Miss Nitya," Kai said obediently. He looked at the creams with a bit of confusion though, standing and picking one up almost hesitantly.

"Ah- forgive my ignorance, Miss. Does this...go on my wings?" he asked eventually, looking at her. He hadn't quite understood the apothecary's instructions, but hadn't really wanted to ask questions.

[zozee9]

Nitya didn't look over toward Kai, but instead spoke to the ceiling. "The pink on goes on your wings. Wherever they hurt, wherever they were clipped. The other one goes on any other sores—if you have any." Nitya scrunched her eyebrows and then sat up with a sigh. "Can you put it on your wings? Or is it too hard to reach?"

[DragonSong]

"No!" He flinched away from her, then took a breath and said more calmly, "No, I can manage. Thank you, Miss Nitya." He curved one wing around so he could see the shorn edges of his primaries and hesitantly dipped a finger into the pink concoction, dabbing it on the cut feathers.