Chapter 1

Kyceria spent the next few days exploring. She was living off turtle eggs, insects, and water she drank from the nearby river. It was not very appetizing, but it was sustaining, and she was still alive. She explored up the river, and down the river, both ways. But she never strayed very far from the river itself. The desert, this land she was exiled to, was hot. She knew that she needed water, if nothing else, and the river was the only source of it that she had found. Being that she could sew, she knew she could make a waterskin, to hold some water, but the main problem was, she did not have anything to make it out of. The plant fibers that she had been able to weave into rudimentary clothing would not hold water, she would need a fabric that was thicker and stronger.

So up and down the river she went each day, mainly to pass the time, but inwardly hopeful that she could find someone, something, that would help the quality of this new life she was apparently going to have to accept. There were other people here, other exiles, some of them friendly, some not so much. She met a crazy hermit man. She didn’t even catch his name, but she could tell she didn’t want to stay long. She found a giant broken bridge. She climbed to the top of it and looked around. The view was very nice up there, but the main thing she realized was that other than the river she was following, this was a hot, desert land, filled with ruins, and not much else. Back down on the ground, a bit later, she ran across another man. She didn’t remember his name either, only that it started with an S. At least he wasn’t crazy though. He was nice enough, and offered to hunt with her. She explained that she didn’t know the first thing about hunting animals, so he gave her a couple tips. He told her how he killed antelope, and crocodiles, for their skins and meat, and the techniques he used. She watched and listened closely, trying to take this in. However, she did not have any kind of weapon, and he did not offer his. It wasn’t long before the man got obviously bored with her, and excused himself and went on his way.

Another day, Kyceria met another girl, who simply wanted to follow her. Kyceria shrugged and told her ok. She had no idea why this girl wanted to follow her around. It was actually kind of unnerving, after the first few minutes. It was not long before they ran across a small camp, a group of other exiles were gathered around a bonfire. Kyceria was not trained in survival, but she was not dumb. She had figured out in her meager couple of days here, how to watch people and creatures from a distance, and discern their motives, if they were friendly or not, before approaching. Apparently this girl did not have that skill, she walked right up towards the camp without pause. One of the tribesmen saw the girls, and alerted his buddies, and they immediately attacked. They beat both girls senseless, took their things, but left them alive, laying in the mud to die. Kyceria really didn’t know where the other girl had gotten to, but she was able to drag herself back up the river to her campfire, and with some rest, eggs, and water, she eventually healed enough to consider herself ok. It was something she was getting used to, getting attacked, beaten, barely making it back alive, and healing. She was going to have to figure out some way to get better at this.

So the next day, Kyceria decided to venture a little further out. From the top of the broken bridge, she had spied what appeared to be a lake, off in the distance, between the bridge and her small camp, just north of the river. Her small camp was on the south bank. She swam across, went to where she thought the lake should be, made sure her thirst was quenched, and headed northwards. Sure enough, a little ways inland and up a hill, she found what appeared to be a small oasis, trees and vegetation surrounding a small lake.
One of the first things she noticed was the house that was built on the other side of the lake. What stood out, was that this, while not huge, was a much bigger house than the other small huts that she had been seeing along the banks of the river. Kyceria herself still camped beside the cliff, as she had no idea how to build a house that would stand up on its own. She walked slowly around the lake, and approached the house with caution. As she got closer, she could see two people, talking, a woman, and a- well, she couldn’t really tell if the other was male or female from this distance. The woman looked up and noticed her, and immediately drew her weapon, but it was obvious that she was not going to attack her. She was simply readying herself, in case Kyceria was the attacker. Kyceria immediately held her hands out, trying to show the woman she had no weapons, and was peaceful. The woman relaxed a bit, and motioned her over.

Formal introductions were made, the woman said her name was Kassalyn, and the others name was Jaeden. Jaeden didn’t talk very much, but Kassalyn did, and explained that this was her house. She was building it here, near this oasis, in hopes of opening a trading hub for travelers. They would be able to come trade, rest, whatever they needed. The more they talked, the more Kyceria wished this place was already built, and she could just stay here. Her small bedroll and campfire by the cliff paled in comparison to this spa like atmosphere. As she expressed this desire, and told her story, she noticed the woman seemed to become increasingly interested. She also noticed that Jaeden had disappeared. This woman was very crafty and cunning, as she gained Kyceria’s trust. She would compliment her, and stroke her long tawny hair, then would jerk on it just slightly, enough to exert control. At some point, as night fell, the woman invited Kyceria over to her campfire, but then literally pulled her over, by her hair. The woman let loose, smiled, and told her to sit and eat. Kyceria, by her nature, did exactly what she was told, trying to ignore the odd stirring in her loins.

After eating, it was time to head out. Kyceria did not want to wear out her welcome. Whether it be the upper class area in the city where she was from, or an finished house by a lake in an exiled land, manners were still manners, and that was one thing she prided herself in having. As she began to make ready to leave, Kyceria again expressed how nice it would be to live in a place like this. The woman, Kassalyn, told Kyceria that she could probably do just that, if she wanted, as she liked the girl. Kyceria knew enough to know that you don’t get to just stay at a hotel or inn or whatever this was going to be, for free. She said that she would love to work for the woman, but she really had no manageable skills, other than rudimentary cooking, and sewing. Kassalyn snickered softly, and said that was not a problem, that she was already thinking of many other good uses that she could make of Kyceria. Kyceria could not fathom what those uses may be, but her ears perked up, and she was visibly interested now. She could go back to her small campfire and bedroll by the cliff, being continually chased by tribesmen and wild animals, or she could take a job here, in what she assumed was going to eventually be a luxuriously appointed spa like inn. Or trading hub. Or…what was it the woman had said it would be?
At this point, the woman got serious.

Reaching out, holding on to Kyceria’s hair, again alternately stroking it, and pulling it, the woman began to explain the terms. Kyceria could stay here, indefinitely, and be well taken care of. However, she would not be an employee. She had to agree to become Kassalyn’s property. She would do whatever Kassalyn asked of her, without questions, at any time.
“The choice is yours, girl,” Kassalyn had said, “Stay or leave, but those are my terms.”

As Kyceria sat by the fire, the full implications of what was happening dawned upon her. This woman was asking her to voluntarily become her slave, plain and simple. Kyceria was fully aware of the concept. It was everywhere in the world that she knew. Although her family had none, many of the upper class noble families of Aquilonia, the ones her father had planned to marry her into, did own slaves. In the lesser civilized areas, she knew they were bought, sold, and owned freely. She never in her life thought that she would end up as one. But here, in this moment, she had a choice to make. She could live as this woman’s property, or she could go back to eating eggs and insects, running from every hungry wild animal that got close.

Kyceria looked up from her sitting position.
“I would stay here.” she said softly.

“So you agree to the terms? fully?” the woman asked.
“yes.” Kyceria said, even softer, tears welling in her eyes, as all the implications ran through her mind.
“Say it.” Kassalyn stated flatly. “I want to hear you say it.”
Kyceria stared at the ground.
“I am your property.” she said quietly.
“Louder.” the woman said, “and look at me.”

Kyceria looked up.

“I am your property.”