Sunshine and Shadow
folder
Fantasy & Science Fiction › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
8
Views:
5,801
Reviews:
19
Recommended:
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Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Fantasy & Science Fiction › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
8
Views:
5,801
Reviews:
19
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Two
Sunshine and Shadow
Chapter Two
Shi and I walked in silence, between three of the men. There were at least fifteen others that I had counted since we had left the clearing. Shi had been silent, never speaking a word. The men around us were anything but silent. Loudly they tramped through the forest, chattering about this and that.
"They are beautiful for barbarians," one of them said, staring at us.
"True, true," the cruel one with the silken voice answered. "But don't let it fool you. They sleep outside, upon the ground. They haven't even buildings in which to live. Some sort of communal meeting place is the closest they come to a government. No Queens, nothing. They are like to animals."
I wondered at the ignorance of these beings. They were calling us barbaric? They were the ones who cut themselves from Nature with stone and metals. They were the ones who could not solve any argument without a fight, thus dictating the need for the Queens. I shook my head in wonder, causing the cruel one to look towards me.
"You disagree?"
"Yes," I answered simply, once again unprepared to be struck.
"Do not. You no longer have the right. You are my Mistress' property now. Do not forget that."
I stared at him horrified. The idea of taking another living being and keeping it as one's own was terrible, yet I wasn't surprised.
"Do not seem so disgusted. Do you not have pets? Horses, cows, dogs? Even as we came upon you, I saw you holding onto that bird."
"He had come to me solely for comfort. His mother had passed, I had been closely acquainted with her in the past. I did not think to 'own' that bird, any more than I would ever think to 'own' any other living creature. Including yourself."
This time his blow struck my stomach, and I doubled over slightly. I tasted blood in my mouth, wondering why he had struck me this time.
"You compare me to cows? I think not. Be careful what you say. You are 'owned' by my Mistress, whether you will or not."
I looked to Shi, how could she still be enduring this. What had they done to her? Her eyes seemed dead to the world, as though she knew not what was going on. Perhaps she no longer did. No, she knew some things, for she had been terrified at the silky one's earlier threat.
"I hear," yet another one of the men said mockingly, "that in their own tongue, these barbarians sing. As though they never took the time to bother with real language."
"Ah," the silky one looked at me cruelly, beginning to walk again, forcing me along. I stumbled forward trying to recover from the violence of the situation, physical and otherwise. "That they do. Shadow, sing for us your friend's name."
I realized that he was talking to Shi. Shadow was perhaps an appropriate name. Shi was but a shadow of what she had been. She was also dark. Long black hair, black eyes, dark copper skin. Her full name in fact, was sung 'Dragon of the Shadows.' For her darkness and for her prowess in battle.
Shi was silent for a moment, and the silky one whispered something to her, causing a whimper to escape her lips. 'Sun and Light' she sang, Lyn'ia. Her voice was melancholy, her melody haunting. Not the usual brightness that was customary with my name. Great pain filled her song, bringing tears to my eyes.
The humans laughed, delighted sharing in some private joke. I stared at my friend, in terrible pain, knowing hers was so much worse. I looked towards her black eyes, hoping to see some glimmer of herself there, and saw only despair and tiredness. Not for the first time, I began to feel hopeless as well.
Chapter Two
Shi and I walked in silence, between three of the men. There were at least fifteen others that I had counted since we had left the clearing. Shi had been silent, never speaking a word. The men around us were anything but silent. Loudly they tramped through the forest, chattering about this and that.
"They are beautiful for barbarians," one of them said, staring at us.
"True, true," the cruel one with the silken voice answered. "But don't let it fool you. They sleep outside, upon the ground. They haven't even buildings in which to live. Some sort of communal meeting place is the closest they come to a government. No Queens, nothing. They are like to animals."
I wondered at the ignorance of these beings. They were calling us barbaric? They were the ones who cut themselves from Nature with stone and metals. They were the ones who could not solve any argument without a fight, thus dictating the need for the Queens. I shook my head in wonder, causing the cruel one to look towards me.
"You disagree?"
"Yes," I answered simply, once again unprepared to be struck.
"Do not. You no longer have the right. You are my Mistress' property now. Do not forget that."
I stared at him horrified. The idea of taking another living being and keeping it as one's own was terrible, yet I wasn't surprised.
"Do not seem so disgusted. Do you not have pets? Horses, cows, dogs? Even as we came upon you, I saw you holding onto that bird."
"He had come to me solely for comfort. His mother had passed, I had been closely acquainted with her in the past. I did not think to 'own' that bird, any more than I would ever think to 'own' any other living creature. Including yourself."
This time his blow struck my stomach, and I doubled over slightly. I tasted blood in my mouth, wondering why he had struck me this time.
"You compare me to cows? I think not. Be careful what you say. You are 'owned' by my Mistress, whether you will or not."
I looked to Shi, how could she still be enduring this. What had they done to her? Her eyes seemed dead to the world, as though she knew not what was going on. Perhaps she no longer did. No, she knew some things, for she had been terrified at the silky one's earlier threat.
"I hear," yet another one of the men said mockingly, "that in their own tongue, these barbarians sing. As though they never took the time to bother with real language."
"Ah," the silky one looked at me cruelly, beginning to walk again, forcing me along. I stumbled forward trying to recover from the violence of the situation, physical and otherwise. "That they do. Shadow, sing for us your friend's name."
I realized that he was talking to Shi. Shadow was perhaps an appropriate name. Shi was but a shadow of what she had been. She was also dark. Long black hair, black eyes, dark copper skin. Her full name in fact, was sung 'Dragon of the Shadows.' For her darkness and for her prowess in battle.
Shi was silent for a moment, and the silky one whispered something to her, causing a whimper to escape her lips. 'Sun and Light' she sang, Lyn'ia. Her voice was melancholy, her melody haunting. Not the usual brightness that was customary with my name. Great pain filled her song, bringing tears to my eyes.
The humans laughed, delighted sharing in some private joke. I stared at my friend, in terrible pain, knowing hers was so much worse. I looked towards her black eyes, hoping to see some glimmer of herself there, and saw only despair and tiredness. Not for the first time, I began to feel hopeless as well.