Parthevia Empire

[Bloodedge]

Parthevia is a small country in southwest.

[Apollymi]

Through the streets of the Parthevia Empire a slave girl was walking. Her ankles and wrists bound in chains as she carried a large basket of fruit directly over her head. Her wrists and ankles bruised permanently beneath her chains. She was rather odd looking for a slave. She seemed to eat very well and was a healthy size and weight. Though dressed in rags she seemed to have an odd presence about her. Though she kept her eyes down and didn't speak to a single soul as she moved through the market place. Her pink hair was dirty and so was her rather tanned skin and the rags she wore as clothing. But it was like a gentle breeze moved with her as she practically danced through the streets, dodging oncoming traffic with a great deal of grace despite the imprisonment she'd known for most of her life.

[Bloodedge]

Most travelers through the streets of Parthevia paid no heed to the pink-haired slave girl, as the presence of such slaves was nothing more than a normal occurrence in this area. There was however, one particular lad who seemed just as filthy as the slave, though there were no chains upon his person. Ashen hair billowed its way betwixt pedestrians recently passed by the tanned girl, until this male figure, also sporting quite an intense tan himself, slipped ahead and landed himself in an alleyway to await the girl's passage. At the time she would step into view from here, she would likely hear a very well-known whistle. It was low, but elongated and delivered in a sing-song manner as if it were some strange bird's mating call.

[Apollymi]

A whistle passed through this girl's ears and made a momentary smirk cross her lips. Her head still down she ducked into the alleyway to be reunited with an old friend of hers. Her movements making it appear that this was always the direction she'd intended to go. The basket of fruit balanced atop her head, she'd speak to him in a manner befitting to friends. And since they were simply two undesirables talking, no one would even think twice about whether or not they should be looking into what the pair of them were doing. "Baki~ it's been a couple of days, you had me worried something bad had befallen you." she said. Her voice seeming to convey a deep bit of care about the apparent street urchin. But this boy had been her friend pretty much since the inception of her imprisonment. He was one of the few people she felt close to in this world and as such his care was something she took very seriously, despite her own current condition as a slave in a foreign land.

[Bloodedge]

As the girl approached through the alley, the white-haired boy smiled and moved deeper into the shade, eventually reaching for a large sack he had placed against the wall. "Sorry, Yas. I had to disappear for a couple of days to make sure nothing happened, but everything's fine. I've got some new stock for you to have at. Fruit and bread ripped straight from His Majesty's dinner table. Eat your fill and tell me what's new."

[Apollymi]

As this was a kind of normal meeting for this pair of individuals she also slipped into the shadow of the wall blending in between these buildings for the duration of the minor food and rest break being afforded to her by this moment. "Well, I am happy you're alright. But you know Baki... you don't have to feed me. I am capable enough to get fed on a regular basis." the girl mentioned. Slaves who weren't worth much often were only fed scraps. But she was a tough girl with strengths beyond the norm so she was always fed more than her fellows. Even so, she began to rifle through the bag choosing to snack on an apple, a treat she was often denied herself as she was constantly feeding her own food to the slaves less useful than herself to keep them from starving. After a few bites she spoke also grabbing in her other hand a loaf of bread which she broke in half to give to the boy with her, as she never properly enjoyed eating alone.

"As for new things, you know that guy who got captured a couple of weeks ago? He's really weird, it's like he really doesn't belong among the slaves... I am not sure why he stays. And he's damned hungry for such a scrawny being." she finished only to chuckle as she finished off an apple all the way down to the core only to begin stuffing her face with the broken loaf of bread right after. "Anyways, this is straight from his Majesty's plate... my my... how busy you must have been these last few days Baki."

[Bloodedge]

"Of course you're capable. But, because you're capable with a kind heart, you make sure those who aren't capable can still eat... and you get their food before you get food for yourself. We're to much alike, Yasmin." As the boy spoke, his own stomach growled audibly. The truth of the matter was, he had gone out of his way to find the girl called Yasmin, and bring her this spread of food before having so much as a bite of it for himself. As such, when she broke bread with him, he offered a warm smile and partook with the lass. "People like us... I think sometimes we need to be reminded that if we let ourselves get weak, the people we look after will suffer for it." Without another moment's hesitation, the boy began eating nonstop, until nothing remained of his half of the bread. In the meantime, he listened to Yasmin's story about the new slave owned by her master. "I remember you mentioning him when he showed up. Has he actually been useful? From what you said before, I figured he'd have been gotten rid of by now."

[Apollymi]

"I suppose I can't argue with you there." the girl said smiling brightly and giggling just a tad at the sounds of the boy's stomach before he began eating. For someone always stealing food to feed her, he was quite prone to not feeding himself either. But she supposed they got along so well, because of the similarities they shared if nothing else they were two kind individuals inhabiting the lower rungs of society. But at least here, the difference they made was felt among those who understood what the kindness they gave actually cost them. As the conversation progressed between them she tossed the boy a piece of fruit and began eating another herself pausing only to answer his question.

"I don't know if he's useful. I haven't actually seen him do anything. Surprisingly enough, my master refuses to get rid of him. He's apparently under the impression that this new guy is his ticket up in the world in some way. I don't know, I think that man has lost his mind to be honest." she said of her master and this apparent new comer only to take a few more bites to eat. "As for the new guy... he's always looking around... like he's seeing something the rest of us can't. Like he's waiting for something... and I'm not entirely sure what it is. Whatever the case, I am as nice to him as I am everyone else, I've seen way too many people lose all of the spark in their eyes." she finished up looking around. She knew that she couldn't spare too many moments stuffing her face with this friend of hers. After all, she was expected to return soon and she wouldn't want anyone hunting her, and in particular she didn't want anyone else hurt because she hadn't returned. Such was a threat she believed in earnest from her master and was the most solid reason she remained under his control. "Thank you, as always Baki. You're good to look out for me. Don't let it get you into any trouble." she said with a smile as she stood. "You don't mind if I take a bit of this..." the girl said tucking away a few small pieces of fruit into her cleavage for her later consumption. After this was done she'd pick up her basket and head further down the alleyway and to her master's estate with a parting wave to her companion of choice.

[Bloodedge]

"Sounds like the infamous Shaqeeq is turning into a regular old nutter. I have half a mind to use that to my advantage to get you free finally," the boy commented nonchalantly. He left his food bag open long enough for Yasmin to claim whatever she desired from its confines, and surely enough, she did have more before preparing for her inevitable departure. "Of course I don't mind. I'd be offended if you didn't," he said. With Yasmin making her way back to her home of slavery, the boy named Bakura was left to return to the streets after waving his farewell.

Meanwhile, with the rest of the caravan Yasmin was to be returning to, there was a peculiar male with spiky, multi-colored hair that seemed to have lightning bolt-shaped streaks accenting each spike while also forming bangs. Unlike the other slaves in the carriage he inhabited, he was dressed in much cleaner white cloth, as if he'd been picked up only recently. As he stared off into the open sky, the strange male felt a tingle within his nose. Said tingle quickly resulted in a light sneeze, prompting him to rub his nose post-haste. For whatever reason, he then smiled despite being brought onto a cart of slaves to presumably become one himself.

[Apollymi]

A small giggle escaped the girl's mouth as she disappeared back into the crowd of people. Apparently in spite of her life of servitude she found these moments of happiness to be just enough to keep her spirits high. She knew her friend of choice, was always talking about freeing her from slavery, but she was firmly against this because of the effect it would have on others. That being said, she wasn't born a slave and this wasn't the only kind of life she'd ever known. In fact, she'd once been a very particular kind of free person, and she thought about this only briefly as she approached the caravan now holding numerous slaves which she'd soon be locked back up in.

The large basket of fruit on her head would soon be sat at the feet of her master. And by her own approximation she'd still be able to return much faster than the norm. With that in mind she kept her head low and waited to be addressed by the infamous slaver Shaqeeq who had purchased her from a man in a far away land many years ago.

[Bloodedge]

At the head of the caravan, there was a tall male with purple hair and amber eyes. He sat in the back of a carriage alone, bar the driver, and when Yasmin returned, he glanced over the girl briefly before fixing his gaze upon the basket she brought. "An excellent retrieval as usual, my Yasmin. You sit in here for the rest of our trip," the man said as he fiddled with a strange object shaped like an inverted pyramid made of gold, which hung from a necklace. "But first... bring me the boy. He's in the first cage. I'll be taking both of you with me on a little adventure."

[Apollymi]

Yasmin kept her eyes low, but even as she did so, she managed to catch a glimpse of a strange artifact in the man's possession. She wouldn't draw attention to this she would simply nod her head and continue on doing as her master wanted of her. As this man complimented her apparent retrival of goods and even commented that she would be allowed to sit in the carriage the girl was quite confused. After all, she'd done nothing out of the norm and as such shouldn't be at all entitled to any kind of special treatment. Such things made the girl slightly uneasy as he went on to demand that she retrieve 'the boy' from the back. Which she could only assume was a reference to the newest capture of their party. "As you wish." these were all the words spoken by the girl she never had much to say to her master, and they were partnered with a bow which left her head even lower. In fact she'd learned it was better simply to acknowledge that he'd made a request of her and complete it as soon as she was able. With that in mind she walked back to the first cage and stood in front of it, pausing for it to be opened by one of the mercenaries accompanying the party. Once it was, she pointed to the young man with his spiky hair and his still clean clothes.

"The Master wishes that you ride in front with him." she said calmly hoping this wouldn't turn into any sort of ordeal as she offered this young man alone the ability to walk out of the cage she usually inhabited with the rest of the slaves. Most of the others wouldn't stir, they all seemed a bit lethargic but that could only be expected given the recent heat they'd traveled through. She also couldn't really bring herself to admit that she was also part of this apparent riding in the front, but she'd learned long ago, that questioning her master's wishes only got other people hurt... with this in mind she'd simply do as she was told, until such a time as she didn't have to anymore.

[Bloodedge]

Shortly after Yasmin left the master's carriage, she had the eye of another individual from within the first cage. He seemed quite spaced out as it were, but after being called on by the pink-haired lass, his attention was grabbed. Without much hesitation, he walked toward the cage door and hopped outside, pausing thereafter to speak with Yasmin directly. "A new sun is rising soon. I hope you're ready," he said. With that, he continued on his way toward the master's carriage.

[Apollymi]

"No idea what you mean. Are you alright? Did you eat enough?" she asked only about this young man's well-being. But whether or not she received an answer she would tilt her head downward as the young man moved past her and towards the front carriage. Given that this had transpired she also moved right along having the gate closed she also headed back to the front as she had been instructed to come back and sit in the front as well. She paused in the front of her Master's carriage ever respectful of his boundaries, and waited for permission to join him, as he could have well changed his mind about her being seated in the front since she went to the back and retrieved the young man he'd asked for.

[Bloodedge]

"Be ready," was the cryptic male's only response as he approached the carriage to enter without so much as a word to this Shaqeeq individual. "Welcome aboard... my Magi," Shaqeeq said just before turning his head toward Yasmin with an expression resembling disgust. "You. I said get in the fucking carriage! Do I need to tell you twice!?" Shaqeeq's attitude toward his slaves, particularly this lass, prompted something of a stale expression from the man he had so recently called "Magi." However, the man still had nothing to say, it seemed.