Heirot

Drakoe had sit down and propped himself against a tree when Kat popped from behind the brush. "I guess not," he said with a soft smile. He toyed the water with his fingers and stared at it swift motion.

"So how did you wind up with Zeikiel?" he asked trying to lighten the mood and change the subject.

Sitting down, gently across from him, Kat sighed and said, "I had just run into his camp ground. I was running from bandits... he saved me...though, he would not admit that. In his pride he took me as his own slave, saying 'it was only fit since I had barged in on his camp.' " She sighed then took a sip of water from her canteen.

He turned his attention from the water to the slave girl. It rather saddened him that people could think so little of others. He didn't believe in slavery and didn't particularly care for those who practiced it.

"So why are you a slave? Surely, you could run away if you liked?" he asked not really considering the girls feelings at the moment, but his questions were genuine and meant no offense.

"I was born into it." She said simply as if it did not matter. "Trained to do and perform every tasked asked of me by my master-at-the-time. Its been drilled into my mind not to run off."

Drakoe couldn't understand Kat's mindset. "Surely you've dreamt of freedom?" His ancestors had been slaves, but he had been fortunate enough to be born after those horrid times.

"Do you not feel free at this moment?" he asked. The leaves above them rustled in the soft wind.

Kat gave his words a moments thought. The only freedom she had ever dreamed about was with.... 'No, I will not remember that.' she thought to herself in despair.

"I feel free..." she thought again, looking around at everything. Feeling the breeze on her face and looking at her bare legs and arms. Yes, yes, she did indeed feel free. "I feel free...now..." she smiled to herself, her first real smile in a long time.

Drakoe allowed a slight smile to reappear on his face. "Then why return to slavery?" he asked. "You have a choice. You are free to go now. Zeikiel has no hold on you, nor does any other."

He stood up, from his seat and looked around. "I won't take you back to him, if you wished not to go." His eyes fell on her soft, innocent face. He couldn't take her back, if freedom is what she desired.

She looked up at him, startled. As if he had made the most horrible suggestion ever.

"I cannot go! Zeikiel needs me!" She launched to her feet and stared at Drakoe hard. "You may see him as a monster, but I know the truth behind him! I must return to him so he can finish his quest!"

Drakoe mused at her response. This is what he has been wanting to know since he had heard of the creature. He hoped she would exploit everything in her quick and senseless actions.

"And what quest might that be?" he said slightly raising his voice and holding her gaze. The girl had spirit, to say the least. Drakoe admired that.

"Ah..." Kat's words stopped before she could even start the sentence. She felt the magicked collar around her neck, thinking of how disappointed he'd be if she told. Which was not much, even she didn't know all of his plans, but she knew enough.

"It's not my place to tell you, beyond that it's very important to him. And he needs me... because I am resistent to magic..."

Drakoe nodded, realizing she wasn't going to give it up just yet. No matter. He would try again at the next opportunity. The sun sank slowly in the distance as the day drew to an end. He didn't particularly care for traveling at night, but wanted to catch Zeikiel as soon as possible. He couldn't push Kat farther then she could go at one time either.

"So do you want to travel through the night, or make camp?" he finally asked after not being able to read if she were weary or not.

"We can camp if you like." She offered him. She wanted to keep moving, but if Drakoe was tired and wanted to rest... then that would be better.

"I'm fine if you are," he answered. He rarely rested at all on many of his escapades. "The choice is yours?" He continued down the trail.

"Mine...?" She seemed perplexed by that statement. No one else had given her a... choice, except... No. No. NO! Don't think of him.

"L-let's travel a ways more before... making camp..." She said finally after working up the nerve. Making a decision for another person besides herself was new to her.

"Alright," Drakoe answered, a pleasant and peaceful smile on his face. He could travel a ways. Their little break by the water rested him well enough.

The sun was now gone from site and the darkness took hold on the forest. Though they were in Ighten, the forest was an eerie and dangerous place to be at night. The moon gave small beams through the trees in certain areas, but the journey was for the most part dark and quiet.