Small World, C6

"Whatcha doin'?"

Embarl jumped and spun round. To his relief, it was only the little girl that had first approached them to offer them an audience with Iztah in Crimmor. She was frowning slightly.

"I was just..."

"You were looking at the other kids, huh?"

Embarl nodded.

"Yeah, it's a shame, isn't it? They were taken from Calimport when we left, 'n' I don't think they've been outside the wagon since then. Me 'n' Rhianna feed 'em whenever we stop, but there's never enough to go 'round."

"Where are they being taken?"

The girl looked at him as if he was stupid. "Scornubel, of course. That's where all the goods are going."

Embarl winced; he didn't need to ask, but he did anyway. "They're slaves?"

"'Course they are," replied the girl. "What else would they be? What did you think I was?"

The thief blinked. "But... you called him your father?"

"No, I called him me 'pa'. He likes it when we do that. I mean, how stupid are you -- I don't look anything like him, an' I sure don't speak like 'em."

Embarl ground his teeth slightly -- an eight year old girl was talking down at him, and it wasn't the best feeling in the world. "Well, I'm not sure I can stand to see this happen," he said.

"Yer a thief, ain't ye? What do you care about some kids?"

Embarl opened his mouth, then closed it, and repeated the process a couple of times. He found himself unable to answer for a while. "I just think it's wrong, okay?"

The girl shrugged. "If you say so. You'll be sad to know that when we drop these ones off, we'll just pick up some more for the return trip. It's usually only one way we take 'em, but someone up in Scornubel wanted some prettier, exotic looking slaves I reckon."

He sighed, and looked back over to Graham. The ranger was checking over the horse, but it looked as if they'd be on their way soon. He'd need to have words with his companions before nightfall -- he couldn't make a decision on this on his own.

"Here," he said, pulling out a few coins from his pocket and thrusting them into the girl's hand. "Keep these safe."

"Why?" she asked, watching him as he climbed back onto his horse. "Can you not look after yer own money?"

He stared at her for a second. "I meant that they're for you."

"Oh."

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"We need to talk," said Embarl quietly after he'd managed to herd the other three together as they trotted along. His conspirational stance was met with an overwhelming display of indifference. "The two caravans, right at the back -- they're full of.... slaves."

"What?" shrieked Cotirso, immediately drawing his horse to a halt. Embarl grabbed it's reins and pulled it forward again, glaring at the priest. "Don't draw attention to us, you idiot!"

"Slaves?" asked Nara with wide eyes. "I always thought slaves came from Scornubel..."

"Apparently these are posher ones for some client up here," shrugged Embarl. "Anyway, we need to decide what we're going to do about it..."

"We're going to set them free!" declared Aefer, a bit loudly for Embarl's liking. "They can join with us and we can help them escape from their slavery, escort them to the city where they can find passage home!"

"It's not as easy as that," muttered the thief. "They're children."

Nara gasped, Cotirso gaped and Aefer slowly turned red. Embarl tried to calm him down, but it was too late.

"THEN WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING! THIS CAN'T BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN!"

Graham threw an inquisitive look over and Embarl laughed nervously to him. "He's... eager to get to Scornubel," the thief said quickly. "I told him we might have to camp for another two nights, and he's adamant we should only need one. Impatience, huh?" Embarl rolled his eyes good-naturedly, and the ranger just nodded slowly before returning to his previous conversation. The thief faced Aefer with annoyance.

"Will you please keep your voices down! Otherwise we won't be able to do anything!"

Assorted grumbling meant they'd comply and he waited patiently until they fell silent once more.

"Right, well we agree we can't just let this happen," he said, his voice lowered. "And as it happens, I think I have a plan..."

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"How many other kids are there serving him?"

"Two others," replied the girl he'd handed the money to earlier that day. She was looking grubbier than ever. "Me 'n' Rhianna, 'n' Stacey 'n' Penny who're kept in his wagon all the time wi' him."

"And then there's the kids in the wagon?"

"Just that one, yeah. The other one is empty -- it'll be filled when we get to Scornubel."

Embarl nodded slowly. He was taking a gamble trusting the little girl, but she spoke like he was addressing someone of his own age, even wiser than him. It was a risk he was prepared to take. "Well, how would you feel about leaving his 'employment'?"

"For real?"

Embarl nodded.

"Well, I'd just end up in an orphanage, or homeless and starving," she reasoned. "But then, I'd not have to spend the nights in his caravan-"

"Uh, yes," Embarl cut in quickly. "So, you'd want to leave him?"

She shrugged. "I guess so. I haven't thought about it, 'cause there's nowhere I can go."

"My friends and me, we'll make somewhere for you to go, but we'll need your help. Will you help us?"

"You'll help us get away from pa? Sure I'll help. What do you need me to do?"

"Well, it's quite simple," the thief replied. "But listen closely..."

----------

Graham had taken Aefer's roar into consideration, it seemed, and the procession ploughed on late into the evening to make good time in their journey. When they eventually stopped, the four were informed that they'd arrive at Scornubel by late afternoon the following day, and that they were to make sure the horses were well tended during that night's rest. Embarl nodded and waited for the drivers to head over to Graham and start erecting the tents.

"Right, time to act," he whispered.

The four took the horses through the trees to the river and allowed them to drink, Cotirso and Nara staying with them as Aefer and Embarl carefully made their way back to the convoy. The little girl, who'd eventually introduced herself as Alice, was waiting for them with her associate, Rhianna at her side. They scowled at the men, telling them to be quieter as they moved, then led them to the the wagon with the children.

Embarl found a lock on it, and picked it silently, opening the door softly and letting Alice in to quietly tell the prisoners what was happening. The thief counted them quickly -- there were six of them, all underfed and dirty. They listened as the girl explained what was about to happen, then nodded; smiles lighting up their faces as they looked at Embarl and Aefer with a mixture of awe and terror. They didn't protest when the door was closd again, leaving Stacey and Penny beside it, and Alice and Rhianna carefully skirted over to one of the other wagons that they'd identified as holding most of the valuables.

Embarl and Aefer cautiously made their way back to the river and watched as Nara wandered back towards the main area of the camp with all but two of the horses that were left drinking. As quietly as they could, the other three took the remaining two horses back towards the chosen wagons where Cotirso and Aefer tried desperately to figure out how to harness them up. Embarl watched the other men from a distance -- Nara was playing her role well, having fainted dramatically beside the campfire and secured the attention of most of the drivers, as well as Graham.

"Done," came a hushed whisper. Embarl turned to see Aefer beckoning him over.

"They securely harnessed up?" the thief asked, looking doubtfully at the higgledy looking straps encircling the two dappled mounts.

"Yeah. We got Alice to check them over. She said it could be done better, but it was passable."

"She's older than her years," Embarl muttered. "Make sure she's loaded up with her friends -- two on each wagon to keep us right. You go with Cotirso -- I know roughly where Nara's going to try and teleport to to meet us."

Aefer nodded and wandered back to the caravan. Embarl could hardly believe what they were about to do, but it was now or never. He stealthily made his way over to the secured horses that Nara had taken back with her, and cut the ropes tethering them near to the camp. Then he dashed back as quickly as he could to the second wagon, and realised with disappointment that Aefer had assigned Alice to be his guide.

"Do you usually take this long to do things?" she asked.

Embarl scowled at her and waved over to the others. Cotirso immediately set the wagon moving, allowing the horse to canter off past the amazed drivers. Embarl's own caravan was close behind, and he could hear the men swearing and shouting. Graham's voice drifted towards them -- telling them to get to the horses to pursue, but the ruckus had been enough to spook the remaining steeds and they too were fleeing from the camp, galloping into the dark forest.

Embarl reigned up his horse when they'd cleared the immediate vicinity of the convoy and checked behind them. He couldn't make out any figures in pursuit and he was close to the place Nara was aiming to travel to. Time was of the essence -- she had to be quick, otherwise they ran the risk of being caught.

A flash of light to his right was the cause of much relief. The mage ran to the wagon, clambering on board as the thief instructed his horse to pick up speed again; and the two wagons, their former prisoners and hoards of valuables continued with their escape from Iztah's company.