It was the talk of the town- how Red Sun tried to escape. There was, of course, no mention of the bandits who tried to take her- just that the slave woman had nearly gotten out of range of the city before Karime's men found her, lamed her, and took her in. She was sorely beaten for it, and made a public example, but even as she was dragged back to Essyrn, she smiled anyways.
Just a small taste of freedom was potent, and though Karime punished her and made her bleed before taking her to the streets and locked into a pillory, Red Sun felt the desire rise within her- the truth and perceptive clarity of her hatred of this life, and of the man who owned her. Freedom had been so close, and on so many occasions, nearly gifted to her-
and now, as the people of Essyrn walked past her, laughing or cringing, spitting on her or beating her with their own animal whips or throwing stones, yes- even now, she felt the prideful desires of wanting to be free.
And it was probably that desire that kept her alive and spirited throughout her punishment, even as the raw heat of the afternoon sun tried to bake her, and she was losing a lot of blood.
Yes... the taste of freedom, though briefly, was surely worth all of this. And ironically, she had only Cassius to blame.