A Kajira's Story

Part 1

The Raid and a New Master

The girl was busy about her duties when the Raiders attacked. she ran to the safety of a cage, closing and locking it to keep Them from her. They snarled and circled her, trying in vain to dislodge her from her safe place, until One that looked different from the Others leaped from His mount to approach the cage, extracting a long, slender piece of metal. He inserted it into the lock and moved it slowly until there was a click, the lock falling open.

she gazed up through the bars of the cage in amazement, unable to believe that the lock had not held. The Raider grinned ferally, thrusting His arm in and grabbing a hank of her hair to pull her out of the cage and into the waiting group of Raiders. A scream lodged in her throat as she was forced to look at each wild face, only a pathetic whimper heard as her eyes grew wide with fear.

"What shall We do with this one?" spoke the group's< leader.

“Use her until she is used up,” One shouted.

“Sell her for a good price,” said Another.

“I claim her,” challenged a voice with authority. “she is my booty.”

They all turned Their heads at the voice, knowing it would be dangerous to gainsay its Owner. The mood shifted, as a Man walked through the Raiders, a head taller than most of Them. “None will touch her.” There were surly looks and mumbled
complaints at Their pleasure being taken from Them, but They dared not challenge Him openly.

Older than the others with hair so fair it seemed almost white and light eyes the color of a cloudy day, the Raider Leader took hold of the girl’s hair and pulled her to Him, her first Captor relinquishing His hold in favor of living longer. Squatting slightly, He
leaned forward to sling the girl across a broad, solid shoulder and carry her to His kaiila.

The fear was replaced with a flash of annoyance across the girl’s features as her hair was passed between Men. Throwing a contemptuous glance over her shoulder at the first Captor, she prepared to do the same to the One who had claimed her as His booty. Before she could do so, He tossed her over His shoulder and moved with easy stride to His mount.

The girl gasped in surprise but did not struggle, knowing better than to fight Him while in His grasp. she glanced up, her thick, dirty blonde hair flopping in her face as she bounced against His shoulder. she looked at the laughing faces of the Warriors, screwing her face up and sticking her tongue out, ignoring the roaring laughter that followed her.

The Raider Leader said nothing to her, speaking only to Those in His band. His kaiila carried Him and His burden across many pasangs before halting. A challenge called out and He answered. Men swarmed forth from the hidden cavern with greetings and congratulation on a successful raid. A boisterous time ensued while the Raiders entered Their secret lair.

Dismounting from His kaiila, the Leader lifted the girl down from her place across the beast’s shoulders. He had not bound her, confident of His ability to deal with any resistance. Taking hold of a generous portion of her long hair, He compelled her to follow Him. Instead of throwing her to His furs, He pulled her across the cave to a side one where metallic banging and ringing echoed forth.

Silently the girl fumed, listening to the Leader talk to Others and blatantly ignore her. He did not even bind her! she growled softly, unsure if she was upset at His arrogance or that she knew that bonds were not necessary. she slid from the beast's back, wincing at the grip in her hair, and took the opportunity to have a first glance around. she stared, eyes wide, stumbling after Him as He pulled her across the cave.

she felt a rush of familiarity at the sight of a bundle of furs; here was something she knew how to do. As the Leader continued on beyond the furs, a creeping feeling of dread sank to her stomach. When He stopped, she almost ran into Him, peering from
behind Him at the cluttered workspace in front of her. She blinked in confusion at the Man at the worktable, intercepting His gaze.

It was a generous space filled with pieces of inventions, samples of materials and partially completed projects. The Man at work was of medium height with golden brown hair to His shoulders. He wore the robes of a Builder and, upon looking up from
His work, forest green eyes took in much, once they focused in the here and now.

“Pindar, I have something that needs fixing,” the Leader greeted Him. The green eyes sharpened and
shifted to the Leader.

“What is it?” He asked.

He grinned, pulling the surly girl by her hair to face the other Man, leaning her back against His mountain of a body.“I found this
on Our raid. I think she might need some improvement.”His light gaze twinkled with mirth at His jest.

Pindar straightened, confusion evident in His face.“Needs to be fixed? Improved? she seems to be functioning well as she is. Besides, I do not work on people, just things. What kind of a sad jest is this, Lothen? You know I have no time for a slave.” Lothen still grinned, determined on His course.

“Even so, she is Yours to do with as You please.” His hand in her hair yanked her forward into the edge of the worktable, where Lothen left her and stalked away. Pindar stood studying the girl in moody distaste.

“What is the girl’s name?”

Listening to Lothen speak, she threw a disgruntled glare at Him at the notion of her needing fixing. Caught in His grasp and held against Him, she ignored the conversation and looked around the workspace with curious eyes the color of a forest-tinged fog. Idly, she tugged forward, testing His grip in her hair as she turned her head to better see about her. Suddenly, the hand holding her thrust her forward, and she almost stumbled over her feet. she turned, prepared to give Lothen a scowl when His words sank in.

Spinning back around, she faced the shorter Man. Knowing she was courting a beating, she lifted her eyes to His face, frankness and solemnity meeting the distaste on Pindar’s face. She was unused to such attention, unsure of what to do. He spoke, then, asking her name. she hesitated, her eyes dropping from His to watch His mouth. she dared again to gaze upon
Him, her head tilting in tentative curiosity. "They called me dara, Master."

“dara, then. I do not usually keep a slave because I do not have the time to care for one. My work keeps Me occupied for long hours. I dislike interruptions. I dislike having to tell one what to do.” she considered His surprising words. Fighting down a
sudden feeling of inadequacy, she glanced around the workspace, opening her mouth to ask what she should do. Remembering His words, she closed it and moved to a far wall, curling down in an empty space and folding her knees up. her thoughts spun. How could she serve without being told what to do?

Pindar returned to His work, forgetting the presence of the girl. He poured over a scroll with great intensity, occasionally mumbling to Himself. Others came and went with some request for repair or crafting and He considered Them all, often being able to create something on the moment that worked for what that One wanted. He moved briskly about His workroom,
occasionally moving into one of the other rooms in the side cave that made up His personal quarters and storage space.

dara watched Him in silence, her fingers curling and uncurling the hem of her tunic, watching the stream of Visitors come and go. A quiet sigh escaped her as she turned to face the large cave, watching the slaves there go about their tasks. After a few hours, she learned where the food was prepared, which furs were Whose, and where the common-held slaves slept.

The workroom had become quiet. Bent over a worktable, Pindar had fallen asleep where He worked. The girl eyed Him for a long time. Should she move Him? Should she move herself? Deciding not to bother Him, she quietly rose to her feet and moved to where the other slaves were sleeping. she curled up on the edge of the furs and slept.

When Lothen came stalking through the main cavern, eyes roving over A/all, He saw dara sleeping in the
Cavern furs. With thunder on His face, He strode to the furs and growled, “What is the girl doing here?” Pulling dara up by her hair and dragging her back to Pindar’s side cave, He loosed His hold and ordered, “The girl is to stay within Pindar’s
quarters, unless He tells the girl otherwise,” and strode away.

Shaken from her sleep, she struggled in confusion against the grip in her hair, blinking rapidly as she was dragged across the cave. Her hands reached up to pull at the strong hold of the Leader, a strangled gasp sounding as He pushed her back into the
workspace. she landed on her knees, shooting a glare at Lothen when He turned and left, then glancing quickly to Pindar.

Awakened by the gruff voice of Lothen, Pindar straightened from His prone sleep upon the worktable. He had caught the last few words Lothen had spoken and frowned. Locating the girl on the floor, He studied her for a moment. Sighing in resignation, He said, “dara can begin by cleaning My personal quarters. I am an untidy person away from My work.”

Seeing Pindar’s expression, she bit her lip and looked down. He was disappointed, she could tell. her brow furrowed in confusion, wondering how He could be disappointed when He did not tell her to do anything. As though catching her thought, He
ordered her to clean His quarters. "Yes, Master." she spoke quietly, greenish-gray eyes wide with a mixture of curiosity and hope.

His attention was arrested by the emotions fleeing across the girl’s face, those of curiosity and hope among them. He asked Himself why He should be concerned with what a slave thought, but His conscience pricked Him on His earlier behavior. So,
pulling Himself into the here and now, Pindar focused on the new problem of having a slave and what to do with her.

“After dara finishes with My personal quarters, I would like something to eat.” Hearing His command, she brightened. Uncurling from where she landed on the floor, she stepped around Him, glancing at Him as she passed. Entering the alcove where He
slept, she began assaying the work to be done. she knew that, if she paid attention, she could learn quickly about His habits, and, hopefully, not be too much of an upheaval in His life.

Wrinkling her nose slightly at the mess, the girl began to work, folding various clothes and setting others aside to be washed. she cleaned the furs, shaking them out and switching them. The passage of time was lost as she worked, her curiosity getting the best of her as she found various objects and mechanisms. she picked them up, turning them around in her hands, her head tilting to one side as she studied them.

Sometime while she was working, her new Master appeared in the opening. Pindar watched her silently, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other, unsure as to what to do next. He cleared His throat to attract her attention. “I thought dara might like something better than what she is wearing.” He produced a new tunic. In His other hand was a collar of the kind the Cavern girls wore, but this one had been altered to read, “dara {Pdr}.”

Surprised out of her thoughts, dara gave a squeak and fell back against the wall. Eyeing Him warily, glancing between Him and the tunic and collar, she slowly relaxed. Seeing the things in His hand, she grasped the edge of her tunic and pulled it from her
body, neatly folding it and setting it aside. Slowly, she sank to her knees, lifting her arms and crossing them at the wrists. Her head bowed between her arms as she waited silently, her eyes watching His feet.

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