You Owe Me, Etaf

[Darastrix]

"Physically? No," Schuldig whispered harshly as he moved from his spot to search the man for the key. "Mentally, being Touched would be a an improvement."

[Kender Bard]

"I... good," Ragnar murmured, a little shocked at the turn of the events. "The key should be in his pocket." He swallowed--this was the most he'd talked in a while. But you'll need to be quick. It's too quiet here. And that will draw attention in itself.

[Darastrix]

~Right.~ Schuldig retrieved the key from the man's pocket and set to work on Ragnar's chains. ~What about the others in here? You want me to try to get them, too?~

[Kender Bard]

They are my kinsmen and, I suppose, my subjects, Ragnar thought, sighing in relief as the shackles fell away. He reached down and winced as his fingers brushed raw skin. I have no idea what put them in here but I can't just leave them chained. Unlock them.

He brought his clear aura to bear. "None of you will tell anyone that I've escaped nor who helped me. I want you all to try and get off of Grandisle and to the safety of Celentia if you can... But if you can't, for whatever reason, then stay safe and try not to get caught again."

[Darastrix]

Schuldig made quick work of the other locked shackles, dropping the key in the lap of the last man he freed. They might need it. ~All right,~ he said, placing a hand on Ragnar's shoulder. ~Let's get the fuck out of this place.~

He reached out to the rest of his party at the inn. ~We're coming,~ he warned, before picturing their suite and teleporting away.

[Kender Bard]

Harmony was sitting in the room, the slave girl and Timble standing next to her. She glanced up and smiled brightly at her father. "Looks like you did well."

Ragnar reached up and held firmly on to Schuldig. He was considerably weak and standing straight caused him some pain. Timble moved over to offer the priest support on his other side.

[Darastrix]

"You too, kid," Schuldig remarked, looking at the slave as he steadied Ragnar. "All right, let's sit you down for now." He moved slowly and carefully so they could get the man to a seat. "Ruby?"

His "slave" retrieved a glass and slipped a finger behind one ear while she murmured quietly, filling the glass with healing water. "Here," she murmured, offering it to Ragnar. "This should help a little."

[Kender Bard]

"Thank you," Ragnar murmured, drinking down the water. Even that seemed to be a pleasure as he sighed softly after he'd drained the glass completely.

The young slave girl's eyes widened through this all. "High Priest....?" she asked quietly.

Ragnar blinked and then smiled at her gently. "I'm surprised you remember."

"I saw you at the queen's side on my last birthday before everything happened," the girl answered, a bit shyly. She looked at Schuldig again and there was just the slightest smile.

~She was worried you weren't in on it, no matter what we said~ Harmony told him.

[Darastrix]

~Not surprising,~ Schuldig replied. ~There's always someone who likes to jerk slaves around, promising freedom. Especially to new or young slaves.~

"What's your name, kid?" he asked, looking at the girl again.

[Kender Bard]

"Anita," the girl answered Schuldig. She seemed to feel a bit shy and insecure. Harmony didn't have her father's strength of telepathy but she brushed a sign and nosed around her surface thoughts. They were mostly wary, filled with alternating hope and concern of betrayal. Usually if a slave tried to run away, they were punished severely. They'll cut off some of my fingers and toes.

Harmony made a face and withdrew from Anita's mind. ~I'm not Mom, I don't know how to comfort kids~ she confessed to Schuldig. ~And this one's just a bundle of nerves, even though she's agreed to come with us.~

[Darastrix]

Oh, fuck him. Like he'd be much better at it? He hadn't exactly been a natural when Harmony was a kid. ~Last I checked, I wasn't her, either,~ Schuldig replied. He wasn't that sure she'd be much better here, though. There was plenty Filly probably would have done or said, but she was more experienced with soothing normal childhood fears, not trying to assure a child who'd been raised for the past few years to obey orders and fear punishment for her mistakes.

"Kid. Anita. Look, I've been in your position. I was taken as a slave when I was a few years younger than you are now and it took me about ten years to get out." No sense in going into detail; knowing he'd been trained to kill probably wouldn't make her feel better about being around him. "I know exactly what a fucked-up, shitty situation it is." Self-censoring? What was that? "Nobody ever offered me an out and I probably wouldn't have believed them if they had, so I know it's asking a lot to trust us. I'm asking anyway. Your 'master' isn't your master now. I am getting you and Ragnar out of here, and anyone who tries to lay a hand on either of you will have to go through me first. I'm not just saying I'll free you. I'm saying I'll fight to keep you that way."

[Kender Bard]

Anita lowered her eyes, but the conflict of emotions was clear on her face.

Ragnar reached out a hand that trembled just slightly and lay it on her shoulder. "For what it's worth, young lady, I trust this man to help us."

Anita smiled slightly at that. Schuldig's little 'pep talk' and Ragnar's vote of confidence helped. She moved closer to the priest, though. "Is there anything you need me to do?" she asked.

[Darastrix]

Schuldig shook his head. "We should be able to go soon. If there's anything you've got hidden away that's yours, try to picture it and where it is as clearly as you can. 'Dia' can teleport it to you."

He looked at Ragnar. "They've got a kid now, by the way. I didn't want to tell you before in case it made your mind so active that the slave master picked up on it."

[Northen Light36]

Just then Flame arrived in the inn room with the Ryker siblings, Eros and Adrian, staggering with exhustion. All this teleporting was a lot more then her usual efforts with her mind sign and she was getting a migraine as a reward.

Secret leapt up onto her bonded's shoulder, nuzzling the girl's face and purring soothingly.

[Kender Bard]

Harmony jerked slightly in surprise at that. ~Hey, you could have asked me to help you...~ Harmony told her with a sympathetic look. Poor kid. That was a heavy load.

"I don't need anything," Anita murmured, increasingly nervous with more people around.

For a moment, Ragnar seemed puzzled and then a look of comprehension flashed across his face, chased after quickly with a bright smile. "I will look forward to hearing more."