Dominion Ch. 14

Chapter 14

The moon was nowhere to be seen, the stars scattered loosely through the ink colored sky. Leather wings hovered through the night air, leaving no shadows below as the stars were not bright enough to give away his approach. Jahren would leave no trace of the direction he came, and if he was lucky, he would manage to disappear just the same. He did not enjoy the errand he was sent on... But he was the only man capable of pulling it off, and so he would do it without complaint.

As one sees waste, another sees gold. How simple could they be?

He felt as if there was more to the situation than that. How easy would it be to falsify entry and infiltrate, with such a simple password? They would not sell to Tourik, he was told... But how would they treat races not a part of the Dominion? What if a Gaidec were to walk through the gates? What of the Daegra like himself? They were going missing after all, and evidence pointed toward the Brotherhood being the culprits. How dangerous was this mission, and what had he gotten himself into?

He shook his head and frowned. Trysten was confident that Jahren could manage this task, and it would be an insult to question such judgment. The Prince's keen mind was worth betting on, and so he would trust in that. He doubted Trysten would put him in a position that might compromise their progress in rescuing his sister, regardless of how desperate the situation was. It would be better to simply let her run free for the time being, and evaluate the situation. Jahren had no doubt Trysten would trust his own sisters survive-ability over losing an important pawn. Even if they didn't exactly get along, Jahren's tree gift was useful, and Trysten knew that.

Descending into a cluster of palm trees, he was careful not to be seen as he waited for contact from Okuo. He was ordered to hold position on the outskirts of the cave until the rest of his unit was in their places and he got confirmation. The rest of his men needed to keep their distance in order to avoid suspicion, but they needed to be close enough to be able to act in case things went awry. Kneeling in the sand, he was careful not to move as he searched the surrounding area for any sort of patrol. It seemed the people here banked on the position of this cave, and didn't feel the need to send men outside to watch for intruders. It made him wonder how difficult it was to get inside. Or to escape.

Your referral is a man named "Sinister Star".

"A strange alias. Seems rather obvious."

It is meant to be. You are a member of "The Sinister", your alias is Sinister Moon. Your status is White, which means you are a guest. Red are regular members, Black are dealers. Blue are security.

"Who is this Sinister Star, and how do I avoid being caught in this lie?"

I have a few connections within The Black Hole, young one. You would do best to stop underestimating my reach in the world.

"Will I meet this man?"

That depends.

"On what?"

His mood. At any rate, when you enter the cave, knock three times to prove you are there for a transaction. Once you are inside you must travel to The Widows Inn, and ask to speak with a woman who goes by Spider. I will intervene as necessary but the rest is up to you.

"Noted. Thanks for the intel, old friend."

Just be safe, Jahren.

He nodded and slowly stood from his place in the shadows. Entering the narrow cave, he knocked three times before following a curve in the path deeper in. Two men stood on the inside of a gated off portion of the cave that seemed to continue into unending darkness. He looked from one man to the other and kept a passive expression as he sauntered up to the locked gate.

"As one sees waste, another sees gold."

"Referral and status."

"Sinister Star," he mustered a cocky smile as he leaned against the gate, "And white. For now."

"We'll see about that," one growled while the other shot him a smile back. So far so good. "There're a few names under Mr. Star. Alias?"

"Sinister Moon."

"Ahh, I see ye'. Kyaga Daegra mix, young adult... Weapon of choice's a set of throwin' knives. Care to confirm?"

"Of course," he materialized two, and then three of his knives and juggled them with a cocky grin. Both of the guards seemed to enjoy his attitude and moved to allow him inside. "So, if I were to, say... meet up with a friend at the Widow's Inn. How would I get there?"

"Just head inside and keep walkin'. Ye' can't miss the place." the guard pressed a white badge into his hand and nodded. "Let's people know yer here as a guest."

"Thanks, boys. Enjoy your night."

Jahren continued down the hall in relief. He was lucky that encounter went off without a hitch. Who knew what might have happened if they suspected him? He had to keep his nerves in check, or this mission would go sour very quickly. This was only one of many encounters he would have tonight, and he needed to keep a low profile if he were to escape with the suppression cuff.

The cave grew ever darker as he walked, and he had to press his hand to the wall in order to find his way through the tunnel. As he rounded a corner, the telltale light flooding through the cracks of a door frame followed the sounds of a crowd on the other side. He crept to the entrance and tested the stone entryway, finding that pressing it inwards triggered a mechanism that allowed it to slide sideways into the wall. He was momentarily blinded by the light that broke through, and he stopped to adjust before passing through the entrance inside.

There were carts lined up in rows with various trinkets and other such harmless items near the entrance. As he continued down the line, he found replicas of the six gems of power. He found himself drawn to the cart as he looked over the different pieces of jewelry.

"Unfortunately the totem belt doesn't change shape to match the size of its wearer like the real one," and older woman said as she rounded the table, "but its a beautiful piece, nonetheless."

"It is. It looks nearly identical to the original."

"You've seen it?"

"Once, when I visited Jagged stone cliff. Long before the belt was lost, the chieftain would wear it as a symbol of his place in leadership." Jahren replied as he fingered the replica. "Its interesting though, that the belt wasn't always worn as a belt. Some would wear it as a bracelet, others as a necklace. It was more convenient for those with certain guides."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. It would be difficult for some creatures to have a belt around themselves when they changed. A bird, for example, would struggle to spread its wings."

"Maybe they would sell more if I made them in different sizes, then."

"Possibly." He turned to the clasp of Kahar and frowned. The replicas were much larger than the original, and seemed to be made with a steel like material that just didn't share the luster of the original. The Dove wasn't positioned right, and the gems that made up its wings were the wrong color. "How much is this?"

"three Gold."

He searched his coin purse for three gold and handed her the money before pocketing the clasp.

"Thank you. Its a pretty piece."

"Of course! You have a wonderful day now."

He smiled at the old women before making his way through the rows of carts. He tried not to grimace at the different booths, keeping his head straight forward as he passed vendors with illegal pets and other inhumane things. When he got to the end of the lines of vendors, there was a building off to the side. He looked away when he saw the rows of people standing chained against the wall, and he fought to hide his disgust as he kept walking. There was an auction running in front the slave trade, and the people lined against the wall must have been in line to be sold. A small, frightened girl stood in chains on the block as the announcer called out the going price. Jahren tried to keep moving, but couldn't help watching as a burly man rose his hand to raise the price.

"Five hundred gold! Going once, going twice-"

Jahren lifted his hand before thinking, raising the price to five hundred and fifty. The announcer pointed in his direction, and everyone turned to look at him as the number was called out. No one else contested his bid, and the girl was sold to him. Grinding his teeth in frustration, he walked up to the podium and fished out his platinum coins.

"11 Platinum. Does that work for you?"

"You got it, much easier to carry around," A rough chuckle, and then a key was handed to him. "This is for her shackles. She's fairly well behaved, so you shouldn't have much issue toting her around with you... though for an extra fifty we can hold her here until you're ready to leave."

"I think I can manage," Jahren replied with a forced smile as he took the key and walked up to the girl at the podium. She stood stock still, her slate colored eyes wide and frightful as she stared down at him. She hid her face behind the mess of black hair cascading loosely over her shoulders, her hands twisting nervously together as she hesitated before him. "Come on, little one. Its time to go."

Still she stood, blinking and trembling as she stared at him like she couldn't comprehend his words. She was frozen in fear, her mouth pursed like she was fighting not to cry. Jahren sighed and reached up to grab her and pull her into his arms. She struggled for a moment before curling into herself, a look of defeat falling over her face as she turned her head to hide in the crook of his arm.

"It's alright, love," he whispered into her hair as he made his way through the crowd, "I've got business at the Widows inn and then we will be leaving this place."

She said nothing, only stiffened as she curled tighter into his arms. She was such a tiny little thing, weighing next to nothing as he carried her through the streets toward a building in the back with a large spider on the sign. The guards were right when they said he couldn't miss the place. As he walked, though, he had the distinct feeling of being followed. Deciding it was far too risky to be followed to the inn, he took a left down an alleyway before setting the girl down.

"Stay behind me, alright? I don't want you to get hurt."

As soon as her feet touched the floor, she took a couple steps back and froze. Her eyes flittered from his face to something behind him, and it was then Jahren knew whoever was following them finally caught up. He turned around, and locked eyes with the burly Kyaga who was also betting for the slave girl. He was larger than the usual Kyaga, his white hair so greasy it shone with a yellow tint. His eyes were bloodshot, which only made the blue of his irises glow even brighter. His mouth was turned down into a grimace as he looked between Jahren and the little slave girl he was betting for.

"So ye think ye can steal me prize an' just walk away, that it?"

"I out bet you. If you wanted her badly enough, you would have paid the six hundred." Jahren returned with a glare, "Don't think you can bully me into giving her up. I paid good money for her."

"We'll see about that, mutt," He growled as he took a step forward. "They shoulda' put ye down when ye were born. It's what they do te mistakes like ye." he chewed on his lip for a moment, his eyes narrowing, "matter o' fact, shoulda' butchered yer mum while ye were in the womb. N' yer pops for makin' such a nasty creature."

Jahren snarled and took a step forward, nearly stepping in front of the large axe that materialized mid swing before him. It was a clever tactic, and Jahren might have been hit if his intuition wasn't there to guide him. The Daegra dropped to a crouch and summoned his throwing knives, tossing two that dissipated mid throw and another that landed directly above his opponents knee. He closed his eyes and focused on the weapon, listening to the pain filled screech that followed the blast of hellfire erupting from the dagger as it disappeared. He looked up to find the Kyaga on his knees, one pant leg covered in blood. He took a deep breath and stopped himself before finishing the kill. He wanted to punish the man for his harsh words... but it wouldn't do to bring unnecessary attention to himself. His parents were dead, and getting caught up in this place would not help to honor their memory.

"That was a warning. If you persist, I will kill you."

Jahren turned just in time to find the slave girl rounding a corner at the end of the alleyway. Cursing, he made to follow her and found the small girl cowering at a dead end. She watched him with wide eyes, no doubt waiting for some kind of punishment. He slowed as he approached her, his hands out with palms facing upward. As he closed the distance between them, she looked at anything but him, most likely searching for an escape route.

"Shhh, its alright," he murmured, stopping in place as she tensed, "I'm not going to hurt you."

"P-please master," she stuttered as she folded herself into the corner of the two buildings that kept her trapped, "I just ran because I didn't want to get in the way."

"You ran because you were afraid," he amended, watching her face crumple as he saw through her lie. "it's alright. I don't blame you."

He crouched down to her level as he got closer, and reached out a hand to touch her face. She flinched at the contact and moved to bolt in the other direction, but he was quick to catch her and hold her in place. There were worse people at this market than him, and it wouldn't do to have her falling into someone else's hands.

"As long a you are with me, you are safe," he told her, petting her hair in an attempt to comfort her as he tried to explain, "I can't promise your safety if I lose sight of you, do you understand?"

He continued to pet her hair, waiting until she acknowledged him with a weak nod. She still wouldn't look him in the eyes, choosing to stare at the floor instead. Jahren stood, helping her up as he did and pulling her close so that his mouth was to her ear.

"Stay close, act the part... and we will make it out of this safely," he whispered, "Don't make me have to discipline you in public, because I will do so in order to keep up appearances."

"What.." she blinked a few times before looking up at him, "what do you mean?"

"Do you want to go home, to return to your family?" he inquired with a hard stare, "you will have your freedom. But only if you help me fit in here."

Understanding shone in her eyes as she nodded and relaxed in his hold. As Jahren lead them back out of the alleyway, he took the chain between her shackles and hooked it to his belt. Pocketing the key, he continued through the streets toward The Widows Inn, hoping above all hope that the girl didn't blow his cover. It was risky to tell her anything, but he couldn't stand the look in her eyes as she waited for whatever terrible fate she thought would come. He had to reassure her somehow, to keep her from trying to flee.

Head straight to the back, past the bar through a doorway covered in hanging beads.

He nodded and headed through the double swinging doors, passing the tables where groups of people sat and waited to be served. He passed the bar where a young Daegra woman served liquor. She looked so fleetingly familiar that it nearly caused Jahren to freeze in his tracks. That white hair, those blue eyes... they just weren't the right color. He shook his head and almost laughed at himself as he continued on, knowing that it wasn't who he was looking for, even if the smile sent his way left him with fond memories. Her eyes reminded him of a cloudless sky... not the ever changing waves of the sea. There was no storm hidden in those Irises and he almost felt disappointed by the revelation.

I need to stop kidding myself. Thoughts like that will only get me into more trouble. It isn't meant to be.

He parted the beads with one hand as he passed through into another room, the slave girl following closely behind. The only light inside came from the other half of the inn, the soft glow flowing through and reaching less than a foot inside. He squinted his eyes and struggled to adjust to the sudden darkness, barely catching the soft green irises glowing near the back of the room.

"The moon glows sinister with a light that puts the sun to shame." a withered voice came from the shadows, "He seeks The Sister Keeper, with a little bird in toe. Come closer, young wolf. Let me have a look at you."

Jahren crept closer to the elder woman, his eyes adjusting to the dim light as he let the slave girl loose from his belt and sat down. The girl dropped to her knees at his side, and he waited patiently as the older woman leaned in over the table between them, an intent look in her eyes. She was a Maeleq like Okuo, her hair still copper with silver streaks dispersed randomly throughout. Her green eyes all but drew him in as she narrowed them and nearly smiled.

"The god's are such curious creatures, the way they bring people together," she murmured as she looked pointedly down to the slave at Jahren's feet. "Your sister is not here, young one. Getting caught was a wasted effort. If fate is kind, you will see her again soon, Aryei."

Aryei's head shot up and she looked hopefully at the elder woman. There was a shared glance between them before she lowered her head and the Maeleq woman turned her attention back to Jahren.

"I see. You will not be her keeper, then?" she chuckled as she leaned back in her chair, "Can the Raven handle a harpy, I wonder? He will surely do a better job than the Consort has."

"A harpy? Do you mean Nora?"

"Ah, my grandchildren have grown up to be such untamed wildlings, wouldn't you say? Its a wonder that they have managed to survive so long," she smiled wistfully, staring off at nothing as she reminisced, "I did my best to watch over them, but there is only so much I can do when the truth of their lineage is hidden from the world."

"So then..."

"Yes. I am the master of strings. The puppeteer, if you will," her smile grew dark as she focused on him once more. "though my puppet has come to grow a mind of his own now. I haven't decided how I should deal with it just yet."

"Why then, would you lead Trysten into Pakaur?"

"He is safe there," she snapped, a frown on her lips, "Safer there than he would be anywhere else. His sister would not fare well in their presence, I am afraid. Which is why I have led her to you."

"He is a prisoner in that wretched place. Tormented by his powerlessness," he shot back with an angry huff. "He may be 'safe' but what of his sanity?"

"This is not his fight! It is bad enough that my granddaughter will be caught up in the middle of this war... but it cannot be helped," she stood and rounded the table, her hand reaching out and snatching him by the chin, "Under no circumstances can she fall into the hands of the circle. It will undo everything. Do you understand me, child?"

Jahren said nothing, the elders sudden vehemence shocking him into silence. He wanted to berate her for being the cause of all of this... but the words that Okuo spoke returned to his mind.

If you could walk through the minds of others as I can, you would see the world very differently.

"That you would, young wolf," her voice softened as she regarded him. "If Trysten finds his way out of Pakaur, then he will be ready to face this war. None of you understand the true enemy, or what it takes to defeat it."

"Then tell me."

"You are not ready either, and you very well may never be," she replied as she returned to her seat. "Fate has different plans for you, I believe."

She reached into her coin purse and fetched out a suppression cuff before placing it on the table. It had a familiar energy to it, and he hesitated to touch it. The two locked gazes and those green eyes seemed to look straight into his soul. There was something in her expression that made Jahren's skin crawl. Did she read the truth from his mind? How could she possibly feel about his shameful thoughts?