Hunting Party|Mount Humontis

[Northen Light36]

"Be silent!" Threim ordered Ganda, throwing a powerful punch towards Ganda's jaw.

He and the other slavers stepped away from their captives, having a muttered discussion on what to do with Elise. Threim and Norus were strongly in favour of simply slitting Elise's thoat and leaving her body to be disposed of by wild animals.

The other three, however, wanted to keep her - mostly due to how useful a properly broken Clear could be on hunts like this. Although judging by the nasty glances Ildell kept shooting Elise, where his eyes would roam Elise's body, the teenager had more then one plan in mind for her.

[gandalan]

Ganda took the punch, but it felt titanic through his form. He stumbled backward, fell down to a knee awkwardly, and struggled to get back up. His lip was bleeding, and his jaw ached. He looked back at Elise, grinning. At least he'd gotten them away from her for the time being.

He looked over at them, all huddled up. They were... discussing her fate. It was obvious. He drew in front of her again, choked up. Would they really kill her for just being a clear? He shivered, looking back at her with longing. He didn't want to lose her. He stood in front of her... he wouldn't let them touch her if he could help it. He probably couldn't, but he'd damn well try. He licked his bloody lip, and gulped once. What was their decision...? And he saw the boy looking her over. He moved to stand in front of her whole form. He didn't like how he was looking at her. He looked at the whole lot of them. What was going to happen?

[ealintara]

“Ganda!” Elise cried when he was struck, wishing she could do something to help him as he struggled to get back to his feet. He was risking far too much for her and despite his whisper of encouragement, she didn’t hold out much hope for them if he upset the men too much. As he stepped in front of her again, she got up on her toes, whispering up towards his ear.

“What are you doing?” They were off to the side, leaving them fairly alone, why would Ganda be taking such a protective stance again? When he turned his head, looking back at her with such unveiled yearning she suddenly felt quite afraid. “What is it? Ganda?” So focused on him she was, that she didn’t realize the eyes lingering on her, or the unspoken thoughts in them, at least not until she followed Ganda’s gaze.

The man, the one who had taken the most enjoyment out of ‘searching’ her, was looking at her in a way that made her skin crawl and every instinct cry for her to run. She’d not survive such a move that much was certain. It was as if she wore nothing at all under his scrutiny and it didn’t take much to realize what he was thinking. Ganda moved to separate her from his penetrating gaze and she shivered. Scared for herself and the things she would have no power to prevent as well as for him and the way he tried to protect her, Elise stepped forward, lightly pressing against his back and burying her tearing eyes between his arm and shoulder. “Please… don’t do anything to anger them. I don’t want you hurt on my account.”

She was pleading and Elise knew it, but she was more concerned about what else Ganda might be bringing on himself than she was about what the man might very well do with her. All she could truly do was pray, and that she did with murmuring lips against his arm, the same plea softly repeated over and over. Keep us safely together…

[Northen Light36]

Finallly the slavers come to an agreement and Waren strolls calmly over to Elise and Ganda. Scowling, he reaches out and pushes them apart before giving Elise a cold, cruel stare. "You two belong to us now," he told them as simply as if he was commenting on the lovely weather. "Whatever lives you had before now, forget them. The only way out of Ekaitz is our lord Taed's embrace, so... If you are in a hurry to die, by all means, resist us. If you want to live however, you would be well advised to accept your fate. And girl, keep your aura under control."

Waren stepped closer and looked down slightly at her as he continued in a soft, menacing tone, "There are too many elementals here for a single Clear to ensnare and if any of us feel the slightest tug of ensnarement, you will be begging to die when we are done with you."

Stepping back he looked at both of the pair as Threim covered Ganda's sign with a band of cloth tied painfully tightly. Ganda would not be able to use his ablities. "Do you understand, slaves?" Waren finished.

[gandalan]

Ganda listened to the man downcast... so they were to be slaves to these people? He had been hoping he was wrong, that they would be held for ransom, or something like that- being a slave was terrible. He shivered a little, looking over at Elise, before his head was jerked upwards- a man tied a scarf tightly over his symbol. He now had a headband. A rather tight, uncomfortable headband. He winced, and turned to Elise again as they chastised her. He wished they wouldn't- she didn't need it. As if it was in her to struggle against these men. Ganda wasn't strong either, but if he'd have had time, he might have resisted- they had given him no such time.

They turned back to him, and asked if he understood. He sighed, looking sidelong at Elise for a moment, before looking down at the ground, and saying quietly, "Yes master..." It was humiliating, but he didn't want to give them an excuse to hurt Elise... which was why he added 'master' in. It left a bad taste in his mouth.

[ealintara]

Elise trembled after being pushed away from Ganda, staring up at the man as his icy gaze fell on her. Belonging to someone could have two different meanings and as in one way, belonging to someone you loved might be a pleasant thought, this was the complete opposite. She didn’t want to belong to these men, but she had no choice. It wasn’t as if she’d resist anyways, she knew nothing good would become of her if she tried, and she’d never dare let her control over her powers slip again, not after what she’d gone through with Ganda.

She nodded solemnly, too afraid to speak as he stepped closer. Her head had to tilt back to look up at him and for the first time she truly felt small and powerless. Elise would never think of giving them a reason to punish her, not that she was fool enough to think they might not do so regardless.

Her eyes teared up as she looked over at Ganda and felt her heart sink as he spoke, her own voice copying his words softly as she lowered her own head. “Y-yes, M-master.”

[Northen Light36]

Waren nodded, satisfied, and tied rope collars arround the necks of his captives, with lengthes of rope attached. They weren't tight, at the moment, but they could be made chokingly tight with the slightest tug. He knew these prisoners weren't broken yet, no one broke that quickly, and he was taking no chances.

"Back to Ekaitz," he ordered and the march began.

[gandalan]

Ganda sighed as the man tied a rope leash around his neck, and strained his eyes to the side to see the same happening to Elise. Would this humiliation never end? They'd submitted hadn't they? Why this too? It was so very humilitating. He wasn't a warrior, and he wasn't strong, but he liked to think himself a man. Apparently he wasn't much of one.

He walked behind the man, trying not to fall behind. He was sure that it would hurt it he did. He glanced at Elise sometimes, but not much- if he tripped, he'd soon find himself choking, he was sure. So he kept walking, onward... away from his home. He reflected, surely, that this was the worst day of his life- but that surely, there was worse to come.

[ealintara]

Her eyes still filled with tears as she stood quiet and trembling, the rope being tied about her neck. She’d never felt so humiliated before, so… afraid. She honestly had no idea what would become of them, she’d heard tales of slavery but never seen it, never pictured it outside of old tales from strange lands. It never seemed as real as it did when she found herself bound like an animal.

She was afraid of falling behind and so did her best to keep up, thankful at least that she was able to walk alongside Ganda. His calm, his quiet strength, gave her some in return as she faced a frightening future. Had she been alone… Elise didn’t want to think of how she’d of reacted, at least this way their submission might keep them alive… together.

Dear Efil, how she prayed for the latter!