 Striding
proudly out of the shadows, a Warrior comes, sitting at a table, and ordering
a chilled Ka~la~na. His skin is browned by the many ahns He's spent traveling,
and his eyes speak death to those that would challenge him.
"Tal....Im sorry, what was Your name?" asks a Free Woman sitting
nearby. " I dont believe We've met"...He Smiles to Her "Nay
Lady, We haven't I am Shadowglade, and You?" giggling softly beneath
her veils she says "I am Jeanelle, Scribe, I come here sometimes to
hear tales and meet Warriors that may have news of the happenings about
the world, would You mind if I joined You?"
The Warrior smiles for a moment contemplating the question, then offers
the seat next to Him "Aye Lady, You may, but Im sure You won't find
much interest in hearing My tale" again She giggles as She takes Her
seat "I see You prefer Ka~la~na to paga, a little unusual for a Warrior
is it not?"
He sips His Ka~la~na slowly, gazing at her for a moment, then sighs "Lady,
Ka~la~na is the preferred drink in My family. Part of many personal ceremonies
for Us, it is a habit I have retained since I was exiled from Them "He
chuckles softly, sipping again, and notices the curiousity in Her gaze.
Smiling again, He says "Aye, if it is a tale You wish Lady, then I
suppose That is a good place to begin...
"I was born a child of an Assasin, Lady, Black caste, in the City of
Ar, and raised til I was old enough to wield a longsword comfortably. I
lived and worked with My Family, Who's name I shall withold, for I swore
a pledge of secrecy on My thirteenth naming day.
My Father was an Assasin as I said, and very good at it, Vicious and cruel.
I was taught all My life that things like Love and Honor were weaknesses
to be exploited in order to get the kill. I believed in that, lived by it.
It was My own twisted code for many years.
One day, I was approached by a High Ranking Builder, and offered much wealth
to destroy one of My fellows of the Black caste. He told Me He had become
aware of a mark on Him, and wished to sleep safely. He Promised over half
of His holding's treasury if I brought the head of this Assasin to Him.
Ahhh....I was young and impulsive, and at that time very greedy. I had only
two kills under My belt, and looked upon this as a chance to move up in
standing in My Family, Which was a guild unto itself.....
I was not prepared, however, for the target I was given....Imagine My distress
when I learned it was My own Father I had to kill. But, I took My job seriously,
and buried any loyalty I had to My family deep in the back of My mind.
That night, I snuck into My father's chambers, stood over his couch, and
swung My blade down, seperating His head from His neck with one stroke.
I killed the kajira that slept at His feet next, placing a quiva in her
heart.
She was the house's first girl, and I cared for her much. she had helped
raise Me, her eyes burned a hole in My heart as she died, gasping."
He takes another sip of his Ka~la~na, the sadness in His eyes beginning
to show "that was the first time I questioned My training and My code.
I delivered the head to My employer that night, and collected My riches,
placing them in My own special hiding place.
After the initial outrage of My family, and an effort to find the mysterious
killer, things eventually quieted, and it appeared I had got away with it.
My Brother took over the family, and ran it Himself...I became more distant,
The thought of that kajira staring at Me as so many had before, but different
because she was so close to me, was pushing My interest past gold, pushing
Me in a direction I had never faced...towards the idea of Justice, but again,
I forced it out of My thoughts, it's voice merely a whisper at the back
of my mind.
Many hands passed, as I continued My work, and then one day, I sat outside
a tavern, watching the passersby, and I saw a young girl, a slave girl screaming
under the whip of her Master. I was enraged, and left before I got Myself
in any trouble.
Not too soon after, My Mother arranged a contract for Me, and sent Me into
a lesser house in the city, along with one of My other brothers...We were
to kill all in the house, and I was sent to the third floor. As I scaled
the stairs, that whisper in My mind got louder and LOUDER til it was a scream..'This
is not RIGHT' it screamed 'To steal the life of an entire family in this
way, think of that girl You saw' it screamed....I found the rooms at the
top of the stairs filled with children of all ages, and knew then that I
could do it no longer.
I fled the house, seeking My home, and appealing to My own Brother for peaceful
release. 'Nay' I was told, 'Nay, the only release is death' I was so distraught
that I threw Myself upon My own blade, rather than living on like this.
I passed out from the pain, and when I came to, I was in a room i didn't
recognize.
I learned later that I had been brought to the outskirts of the City, and
left to die, and that an old hermit had found Me, and been looking to My
wound. He healed Me, and spoke to Me about many things....it was many hands
before I recovered, but the old Man spoke of the Codes of honor, and advised
Me to seek them...He told Me to seek the Warrior caste, and learn it's ways,
that I would be much happier following that way.
When I was fully recovered, I left him, thanking Him for His wisdom, and
began wandering, learning from any who could teach Me what they knew.
After many years traveling, learning, and searching, I one day stumbled
into Port Kar,'scourge of Thassa' a city of theives, slavers, pirates and
warriors....it was there I found a tavern called Gorean Shores, and found
many who made Me feel welcome....it is there I made My home, becoming comfortable
in My scarlet cloak, it a very different one than the black that I used
to wear.
It is there that My former Pledge Brother from the tavern asked Me to be
His Slave Master. He had just been appointed Administrator of the City of
KoRoBa. I accepted and served proudly under Him, but change is a natural
thing in the world, and He eventually left KoRoBa, leaving Me to look after
the City. I was made Ubar, a position I did not seek, but gladly wore, helping
to build KoRoBa as strong as I was able.
As Ubar, I had accomplished some of My goals, one was to finally capture
and tame a FW I used to know from My former home, she was My property, My
sweetest treasure, I gave her the name va'lain. she learned quickly her
slavery, becoming a fine slave, I have little doubt she knows her slavery
well.
Alas, as I was called away for an extended journey, I had to step down from
My position at KoRoBa, I gave My girl va`lain to the protector of the city
of KoRoBa. With sadness, I say that KoRoBa has since fallen, I had denounced
My Ubar position, and set out for the SarDar Mountains, to seek wisdom from
the Priest Kings, and the girl va'lain was bought by My Brother, Aleron.
After traveling for a very long time, and searching long and hard, I have
returned, and have found something often spoken of, but seldom found. A
beautiful little beast? They say that for every Master, there is that ONE
slave.... wellI must be blessed of the Priest Kings, because I have found
more than that. No, not one girl, but three... All of them beautiful creatures,
I named them squishy, sha'hara and sev'rain. They do keep me smiling.
"So there it is Lady, a tale for Your scrolls, I hope You find it more
interesting than I *chuckle*
Finishing His Ka~la~na, He smiles softly, and nods "I must be returning
to My home now Lady Jeanelle, It was a pleasure meeting You" Standing,
He glances about, and turns to the tavern door, pulling it open, and striding
out into the night.
And So it goes...If one day You should happen into Port Kar, and see a Man
in Black clothing, wearing the Crimson colors around His waist, and keeping
a watchful eye on Strangers, You may have found this Man, Shadowglade. -Jeanelle,
Scribe |
