Continued from here...
Woe accepted the scrutiny of the Naerrik passively but without cowering or acting a weakling. He'd been through worse, both in his youth growing up a slave albeit a pampered sort of slave, and then through his varied adventures during Cylus of the preceding year. He was not intimidated by the woman, nor did he feel she was a threat. He had been free for about ten years before this twist of fate brought him here. He knew as a slave he was living on borrowed time, and didn't have illusions as to his expiration date. Woe anticipated that he would learn exactly what it was like to be a slave to the Naerrik in time.
He came along, allowing his new slaver to tug at his collar before moving. The slave knew well enough that slavers didn't take kindly toward slaves getting ideas to move on their own. One must always wait to be bid to move.
"You belong to Augiery, now." The slaver told him in heavily-accented common, "We'll find out what you're good for in time, Langilea, but for now you're a bed-pan scrubber, a street sweeper, whatever your betters want you to be. Do not deny your betters any service, but nor should you forget where your duty lies." She of course meant that he should seek recompense for whatever service he provided, for the purpose of giving it to his supervisors.
She explained what she would as they followed through the streets of the underground city. They walked for a good amount of time before they found their way to a nearby barracks built for the housing of slaves, which was etched into a rock edifice. She tugged him as hard as she could as she entered the place. There were about a dozen other male slaves of various races, species, sizes and shapes, all dressed in a way that reflected their function. Many of them were dressed scantly, and very few of them had a shirt.
She snapped her fingers as she entered, and a large man approached Woe, carrying a camping knife. She left their side as he appeared, and without waiting for so much as a greeting, the large man cut down the fabric of his coat and shirt, throwing it to the side, to be recycled for some other purpose later. "Mistress will give you a collar to suit your purpose later, if your continued residence does not offend her. You may only speak to me in the meantime, I will see you to your tasks. I'm Laskx."
So began the service of Woe, in the undercity. Unfortunately, he was set to the less pleasant tasks of scrubbing bedpans and cleaning privies and outhouses. Such was the fate of those who were inducted as new slaves. He supposed if he ever had another slave to supervise, he could set them to the less pleasant tasks. In the meantime, he could endure the indignities this position afforded him.
At the end of the day, Laskx brought him to the Lurpeko, what appeared to be an underground fighting arena, where the male slaves could work off their frustrations of the day. "Have your fun now, the rest of your stay won't be as pleasant as pounding another slave's face in. If a Naerrik woman wants to fight you, indulge her, but be careful of giving her too much of a fight. At the same time, most of them are looking for a challenge, so don't pull your punches either. It's a tricky business."
Woe nodded, still having said nothing throughout the day beyond some small talk with residents of the city.
That settled, he made his way through the crowd, to the front where he could watch the proceeding fights with interest.
Woe accepted the scrutiny of the Naerrik passively but without cowering or acting a weakling. He'd been through worse, both in his youth growing up a slave albeit a pampered sort of slave, and then through his varied adventures during Cylus of the preceding year. He was not intimidated by the woman, nor did he feel she was a threat. He had been free for about ten years before this twist of fate brought him here. He knew as a slave he was living on borrowed time, and didn't have illusions as to his expiration date. Woe anticipated that he would learn exactly what it was like to be a slave to the Naerrik in time.
He came along, allowing his new slaver to tug at his collar before moving. The slave knew well enough that slavers didn't take kindly toward slaves getting ideas to move on their own. One must always wait to be bid to move.
"You belong to Augiery, now." The slaver told him in heavily-accented common, "We'll find out what you're good for in time, Langilea, but for now you're a bed-pan scrubber, a street sweeper, whatever your betters want you to be. Do not deny your betters any service, but nor should you forget where your duty lies." She of course meant that he should seek recompense for whatever service he provided, for the purpose of giving it to his supervisors.
She explained what she would as they followed through the streets of the underground city. They walked for a good amount of time before they found their way to a nearby barracks built for the housing of slaves, which was etched into a rock edifice. She tugged him as hard as she could as she entered the place. There were about a dozen other male slaves of various races, species, sizes and shapes, all dressed in a way that reflected their function. Many of them were dressed scantly, and very few of them had a shirt.
She snapped her fingers as she entered, and a large man approached Woe, carrying a camping knife. She left their side as he appeared, and without waiting for so much as a greeting, the large man cut down the fabric of his coat and shirt, throwing it to the side, to be recycled for some other purpose later. "Mistress will give you a collar to suit your purpose later, if your continued residence does not offend her. You may only speak to me in the meantime, I will see you to your tasks. I'm Laskx."
So began the service of Woe, in the undercity. Unfortunately, he was set to the less pleasant tasks of scrubbing bedpans and cleaning privies and outhouses. Such was the fate of those who were inducted as new slaves. He supposed if he ever had another slave to supervise, he could set them to the less pleasant tasks. In the meantime, he could endure the indignities this position afforded him.
At the end of the day, Laskx brought him to the Lurpeko, what appeared to be an underground fighting arena, where the male slaves could work off their frustrations of the day. "Have your fun now, the rest of your stay won't be as pleasant as pounding another slave's face in. If a Naerrik woman wants to fight you, indulge her, but be careful of giving her too much of a fight. At the same time, most of them are looking for a challenge, so don't pull your punches either. It's a tricky business."
Woe nodded, still having said nothing throughout the day beyond some small talk with residents of the city.
That settled, he made his way through the crowd, to the front where he could watch the proceeding fights with interest.