Kura raised an eyeborw as Faith said that the slavers weren't to blame for her family and marriage misunderstandings, though she remained silent until she finished explaining her viewpoint. "Faith, in some ways you amaze me. Not many who were slaves for so long come to the realization that the slaves aren't just part of the natural order so quickly. But you're a smart lass, and you've got an ever improvin' sense of the world, so allow to me help you grow a bit more." she said, before learning forward and looking Faith straight in the eyes, as unblinking as she always was when she was making a point.
"I'm going to make some not-so-wild guesses. You were trained in Athart, weren't you? That lot is on the Empress's priority hit-list for one, simple reason. Even by the standards of slave trainers, the trainers of Athart are utterly sadistic. Even Nashaki, with it's obscene obsession with lucre, or Yaralon with it's conscripted armies, neither of them are as cruel." she said, before narrowing her eyes. "You said you were told that you were given away when you were naught but a break old, aye? If it was the slavers who told you that, odds are good they were lyin' through their teeth. It's what they do, break down any self worth you might have, make it seem like they're doin' you a kindness by giving you some kind of life, instead of just throwing you to the sharks." she said, before growling, a sound that would have sounded more at home coming from Phelan's throat than Kura's.
"Your issues with family, marriage, they use things like to make you feel like you're less than a free being. Less than human, se'vryn, ithecal, raskithecal, naerikk, what have you. Slavers in most other regions, they allow slaves to marry other slaves, allow them to have interest of their own, all things you were denied." she said, before sighing and breaking eye contact, leaning back in her chair. "The Eternal Empire has slaves, and it's a problem of ours, I'll admit. But even there, we handle it differently. It's part of our criminal system, means they're still of use to society rather than rotting in a cell. Also means they have some skills besides whatever got them arrested as well, so when they're sentence is up and their freed, they aren't forced back into criminal behavior." she said, before pausing a moment and giving a shrug that looked sort of resigned. "That said, there's always a few who steadfastly refuse to take up legal occupations. After a while they get life sentences. Executing such has been debated, but ultimately it was decreed that if they won't willingly contribute, they'll be made too. Possibly not our most enlightened law, but it does help get the roads repaired in a timely manner." she said, her tone thoughtful.
When Padraig spoke, she turned her gaze to him and nodded. "Aye. Which is why the Empress has been trying to find a way to strike at Athart for the past century. Unfortunately, Nashaki is in the way. Ultimately, she decided to just take Nashaki on her way down to Athart, since Nashaki is one of Athart's biggest buyers." she said, before blinking at the thought of the pair of them going to Scalvoris. "They've a pirate problem, last I looked. If you do go, do your best to stay out of Almund, place has a bad reputation." she said, before frowning. "And avoid Viden if at all possible. I'm not sure how much of it is her general issues with most of the Immortals, but my mother purely hates Yvithia, the ruler of Viden. She says the place is, it's way, more dangerous than even Athart, which is...rather damning."
"I'm going to make some not-so-wild guesses. You were trained in Athart, weren't you? That lot is on the Empress's priority hit-list for one, simple reason. Even by the standards of slave trainers, the trainers of Athart are utterly sadistic. Even Nashaki, with it's obscene obsession with lucre, or Yaralon with it's conscripted armies, neither of them are as cruel." she said, before narrowing her eyes. "You said you were told that you were given away when you were naught but a break old, aye? If it was the slavers who told you that, odds are good they were lyin' through their teeth. It's what they do, break down any self worth you might have, make it seem like they're doin' you a kindness by giving you some kind of life, instead of just throwing you to the sharks." she said, before growling, a sound that would have sounded more at home coming from Phelan's throat than Kura's.
"Your issues with family, marriage, they use things like to make you feel like you're less than a free being. Less than human, se'vryn, ithecal, raskithecal, naerikk, what have you. Slavers in most other regions, they allow slaves to marry other slaves, allow them to have interest of their own, all things you were denied." she said, before sighing and breaking eye contact, leaning back in her chair. "The Eternal Empire has slaves, and it's a problem of ours, I'll admit. But even there, we handle it differently. It's part of our criminal system, means they're still of use to society rather than rotting in a cell. Also means they have some skills besides whatever got them arrested as well, so when they're sentence is up and their freed, they aren't forced back into criminal behavior." she said, before pausing a moment and giving a shrug that looked sort of resigned. "That said, there's always a few who steadfastly refuse to take up legal occupations. After a while they get life sentences. Executing such has been debated, but ultimately it was decreed that if they won't willingly contribute, they'll be made too. Possibly not our most enlightened law, but it does help get the roads repaired in a timely manner." she said, her tone thoughtful.
When Padraig spoke, she turned her gaze to him and nodded. "Aye. Which is why the Empress has been trying to find a way to strike at Athart for the past century. Unfortunately, Nashaki is in the way. Ultimately, she decided to just take Nashaki on her way down to Athart, since Nashaki is one of Athart's biggest buyers." she said, before blinking at the thought of the pair of them going to Scalvoris. "They've a pirate problem, last I looked. If you do go, do your best to stay out of Almund, place has a bad reputation." she said, before frowning. "And avoid Viden if at all possible. I'm not sure how much of it is her general issues with most of the Immortals, but my mother purely hates Yvithia, the ruler of Viden. She says the place is, it's way, more dangerous than even Athart, which is...rather damning."
