¶ Items » Lorebooks » An Emerald In The Rough - Book 1
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The marketplace of Kusu was a cacophony of colours, scents and voices, each of which assaulted Enahm's senses as he walked through the teeming streets of the Minoan city and past the multitude of market stalls. Vendors seemed to all at once be hawking their wares with a ferocity that suggested they were in a constant state of desperation, straining to shout over each other to grab the attention of any passerby with a coin to spare.Enahm moved like a rolling stone through the chaos. A man of quiet boldness and stoic virtue, he made a conscious effort to hide his disgust at the depravity and greed so blatantly on display. He was a merchant by trade, and had always dreamed of visiting Kusu–to see the wonders of a civilization built upon the foundations of unfettered mercantilism, but this wasn't anything like his dreams.
The stench of the Minoans themselves seemed to saturate the air, masked just barely by the smell of cooking meats and heated spices in some twisted mixture that made him want to turn around and leave, never to look back. How could anyone stand to be in such a place? Was everyone simply blinded by the grandeur of it all? The sheer size of the city, its immaculate architecture and the simple fact that it was thriving in times such as those were all impressive enough, but…
As Enahm found himself wandering haplessly into the market's slave district, his gaze fell upon a scene that made his stomach churn. At the far end of the district, near the seemingly numberless and filled cages, a Tokol girl was being dragged onto a makeshift platform. Her green skin was marred with bruises visible from afar, and her eyes, once likely filled with fire and defiance, were now hollow and resigned, one of them blackened from a beating. The slaver, a significantly overweight Minoan bearing a markedly cruel grin, barked out her attributes in a mockery of an auctioneer's chant.
"One tells you, this item is special! A true… Tokol treat!" The shouting Minoan had to take pauses between his words simply to catch his breath. "She has been trained for pleasure… Knows her place well!" His words were accompanied by a rough yank on the chain around her neck, causing the diminutive woman to stumble and fall to her hands and knees, her large ears drooping feebly. The crowd ogled her with such hunger, Enahm wondered if perhaps some of them intended to literally eat her if she were to come into their possession.
Enahm's heart pounded with both anger and pity. He had seen enough. Without a second thought, he made his way through the crowd, his mind already made up. As he approached the platform, he caught the Tokol girl's eye. For a brief moment, he saw a flicker of something—hope, perhaps? It was enough to spur him on.
"How much for the Tokol girl?" Enahm's voice cut through the slaver's spiel, drawing his attention.
The slaver turned, eyeing Enahm with a mixture of suspicion and greed, clearly not expecting anyone to waste good coin on the broken girl. "For you… good fellow, a special price. Fifty gold nubs!"
Enahm didn't flinch. He reached into his pouch and counted out the coins, the weight of their loss a small price to pay for what he was about to do. As the slaver's eyes gleamed with satisfaction, Enahm stepped forward, placing the money into the Minoan's fat, outstretched hand.
"Take your prize… and go," the slaver said with a sneer, tossing the chain at Enahm's feet. Enahm picked it up gently, meeting the Tokol girl's eyes once more.
"Come with me," he said softly, his voice gentle but firm.
She hesitated for a moment, then rose shakily to her feet, following him out of the marketplace. The crowd parted before them, a mix of curiosity and disinterest on their faces. As they left the market behind, Enahm led her to a quiet alleyway, away from prying eyes. As the pair came to be alone, the Tokol woman's eyes grew wide with panic, her dark eyes looking up at Enahm, watering with desperation and fatigue. "Please, no. P-please, no… I can't-"
"Shhh- it's okay, I'm not going to… do anything to you. My name is Enahm," he said, kneeling before her, hands hovering in front of her to show he wasn't going to hurt her before moving to undo the shackles that bound her wrists. "You're safe now."
The Tokol girl looked at him with a mixture of confusion and distrust. "Why?" she whispered, her voice hoarse from disuse. "Why would you buy me?"
Enahm paused, choosing his words carefully. "I couldn't stand to see you treated like that. No one deserves to be a slave, especially… not you."
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away, as if afraid to show weakness lest she be whipped for it. "My name is Riika," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Riika," Enahm repeated, smiling gently. "You're free now, Riika. Come, let's get you cleaned up and find you some proper clothes."
He led her to a small, inconspicuous inn on the outskirts of the city. The innkeeper, Behkara, who was much kinder than most of her fellow Minoan, greeted the pair with a pleasant smile.
"Ah, Enahm, staying another night? And what is this you have with you?" Behkara said, her eyes filled with warmth. Enahm winced at the wording. Behkara meant well enough, or so he told himself.
Enahm nodded toward the newly freed Tokol. "This is Riika. She needs a place to stay and some new clothes."
Behkara looked at Riika and then back at Enahm with surprise. "Are you sure?"
Enahm rubbed at his forehead with thumb and forefinger, finally allowing himself a show of frustration at the customs of the place. "Yes, I'm sure."
"Well, alright. Follow this one, small thing, and we will have you sorted," Behkara said before leading Riika down a hallway.
Riika followed Behkara, casting a glance back at Enahm. There was still uncertainty in her eyes, but also a faint sliver of trust. Enahm watched them go, his heart heavy with the knowledge of the journey ahead. He had rescued her from immediate danger, but there was so much more to do. He knew well that Tokol were seen as slaves, not just in Kusu, but in wider Sabu as well. She'd never be truly free. Not here.
As Riika was bathed and dressed in clean clothes for the first time in months, her mind raced. She couldn't understand why this man had saved her, but she couldn't deny the relief she felt. The terror that had been her constant companion for most of her life was being chipped away by Enahm's singular act of kindness, leaving room for the barest glimmer of cautious hope.
When she returned to the common room, she found Enahm waiting with a hot meal and a warm smile. "How do you feel?" he asked as she sat down.
"Better," she admitted, her voice stronger now, though still hoarse. "Thank you."
Enahm nodded. "Eat, and then we'll talk. I want to hear your story, Riika."
She paused, then nodded. As she slurped down the brothy soup, she thought about how much to reveal. She had been a princess, once. The youngest daughter of the Tokol king, her life had been one of privilege and regal duties. But that had all changed when the Merchant's Guild sacked her home in an unsanctioned raid. Her family was slaughtered, her estate seized, and she was sold into slavery. None of that mattered anymore, or so she thought.
Enahm watched her with patient eyes, giving her the time she needed. When she finally finished, tipping the bowl back against her lips to drain every last drop of her meal before setting it back down, Enahm reached out and took her hand. "You're safe now, Riika," he repeated. "I'm going to take good care of you."
Tears welled up in her eyes again, but this time she let them fall, little rivulets, for the first time in a long time, not washing away dirt and grime. Enahm's words were a promise, and she believed him. With his help, maybe—just maybe—she could reclaim at least an inkling of her old life.
In that small inn on the outskirts of Kusu, a bond was formed between Enahm and Riika, in both word and deed. Enahm had rescued Riika from the horrors of slavery, but both knew the journey ahead would be long and fraught with danger. Together, they would face the challenges to come.
As the night deepened and the inn grew quiet, Riika lay in her bed. Her own bed, with no one laying in wait beneath the sheets to use her like a toy. Her mind raced with thoughts of the future. For the first time in a long while, she allowed herself to dream of a better life, a life where she was more than a slave. And with Enahm by her side, she dared to believe that it might just be possible. It was these fanciful visions of a better future for herself which carried her into a blissful slumber.
The following morning, Enahm found Riika in the common room, staring into the fire with a pensive expression. He approached her quietly, not wanting to startle her.
"Good morning, Riika," he said softly.
She turned to him, her eyes reflecting the dancing flames. "Good morning, Enahm."
He sat down beside her, offering a gentle smile. "I know you have been through a lot, and I don't want to rush you, but we need to start planning our next steps. If you feel up to it, I'd like to know more about you."
Riika took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly in her lap. "I was a princess," she began, her voice tinged with a mixture of sorrow and pride. "The youngest daughter of King Wrizzle'ot of the Tokol Kingdom. Our land was… small, but it was prosperous and peaceful, until those bull-shaped brigands attacked."
She paused, her eyes clouding with painful memories. "They came in the night, like shadows. I can still remember wondering how those overweight bullies managed to move so stealthily at first. Our guards were quickly trampled to death, and my family... they were slaughtered. I managed to escape, but only because my father sacrificed himself to buy me time, but I ended up being captured anyway. They didn't kill me though. Mustn't have known I was royalty because they caught me outside the palace, so they threw me in cages with the others, and made us into slaves."
Enahm listened intently, his heart aching for her. "I'm so sorry, Riika. No one should have to go through anything like that."
She shook her head, her eyes still glistening with tears. "I'd go back home and claim my birthright, but what's the point? There's nothing left. No one left…"
Enahm placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We could try. I can help you."
Riika looked at him, a flicker of determination in her eyes. "Thank you, Enahm. I don't know why you're helping me, but I am grateful."
Enahm smiled gently. "Because it's the right thing to do. Now, we need to be smart about this. The Merchant Guild is very powerful, and we can't take them head-on. We'll need allies, and we'll need to gather information."
Riika nodded. "I know of some Tokol clans that might still be loyal to my family. If we can find them, they might be willing to help."
Enahm's eyes lit up with a spark of eagerness and pride. There he was, a simple merchant, getting ready to become an adventurer, or even a hero on a whim. His mother would be proud. "That's a good start. The more we know, and the more help we can get, the better our chances."
They spent the rest of the morning making plans in whispers besides the fire in the common room. Enahm's mind worked quickly, mapping out potential routes and considering various scenarios. Riika's knowledge of her homeland and its people proved invaluable, providing insights that only someone of her status could offer.
As they talked, a sense of camaraderie began to form between them. Riika felt a growing trust in Enahm, his kindness and determination lifting her spirits. Enahm, in turn, was inspired by Riika's resilience and courage, vowing silently to himself that he would see her restored to her rightful place.
By midday, they had a rough plan sorted out. Their first destination would be the Dune Sea to the North, where Riika believed they could find some of the loyal Tokol clans. From there, they would work their way through the Westlands and into the Dahmur Wastes where Riika's home would be found, hopefully gathering allies and information along the way.
"We'll leave at first light," Enahm said, his voice firm with resolve. "Rest today, Riika. We'll need our strength for the journey ahead."
Riika nodded, a sense of purpose filling her. "Thank you again, Enahm. For everything."
He smiled warmly. "No need to thank me, Riika. We're in this together."
That night, as Enahm and Riika each laid in their beds, the two of them held tightly onto the the image of each other's faces, which seemed to appear in their consciousness whenever they closed their eyes, their hearts full with purpose, and perhaps something else. The moments spent in dreamful imaginations quickly faded into dark as both of them drifted to sleep.
¶ Stats
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | An Emerald In The Rough - Book 1 |
| Gold | 5 |
¶ Availability
| Location | Screenshot |
|---|---|
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¶ Notes
- Added in v0.5.201