Oasis

 

 

I let myself be herded briskly away from the shack, and the only place that I had known since I had found myself in this new land. Mariel's grip on my arm eased, but she didn't let go. Our pace remained swift. I looked away from her.





The grass here was thicker, and greener than on the coast. It smelled richer, more earthy, instead of the salty aroma I was used to. The trees that made a natural barrier around us were formidable-- tall, with dark, sturdy trunks. We crossed the yard rather quickly, and I saw more shacks scattered along the tree line.







Briefly, I wondered if there were more people who had been bought sitting inside of them. 







Ahead, a magnificent looking home loomed. It had a large garden, and I could see people tending to the shrubbery. They looked up as we approached, but quickly lost interest, and continued with their tasks. 







My fists clenched nervously as we began to close the distance. The grand building was unlike anything I had ever seen, and ludicrously large. The windows were colorful, and caught the sunlight in a shimmering brilliance. I could have been in awe of it, if not for the apprehension and anger that gripped me coldly. 





Before we could enter the garden, Mariel stopped walking. She turned to me, grabbing both shoulders, and looked deeply into my eyes.







"Do not speak unless they ask it of you. Do as they say, or pay attention to me if you feel lost." Her lip was in a tight line, and I could tell she was nervous.







I nodded. 







As we round the corner of the garden, we were greeted by another man. He took us along the side of the house, and stopped before a gate. He slid a key into it, pushing it open for us. Without a word, he closed it, and headed back the way he came. I wondered about him, too. 







Mariel stopped again to fix my hair and adjust my clothes. 





We rounded another corner, and I stepped onto a cobble courtyard. The pavement felt foreign under my toes, and hot. In the center, there was a quiet pond, and water sprayed out from the middle. Beautiful flowers adorned the edges, encircling it gracefully. 





Behind it stood a large, marble arch. Vines crawled over its surface, contrasting with the white in a vibrant display. Underneath, I could see what had Mariel so nervous. 



 

Three figures sat perched on marvelous chairs. In the center, an older man with a full beard and colorful garb. His chin was lifted up in regality, and I could feel the air around him heavy with power. 



 

To his right, sat a plump woman with a large, done-up hair style, and equally colorful robes. Her hand was curled against her chin, in a gesture of indifference. She bore into me with an intensity that made me shiver, contradicting her posture.





On the man's other side, sat the one who had bought me.  I recognized him as the man in the crowd a few days ago. The one who kept my eyes locked in place, and my heart thudding in my chest. He had both hands crossed under his chin, and long, blonde hair that was swept down over one shoulder. His wardrobe was more modest in tone, but just as grand. His eyes looked at me unblinking, drinking my presence. I felt the water leave my mouth entirely. 





The desire to protest had been sucked from my bones. I felt insignificant in front of these strangers, and exposed. They looked at me as they would look at an animal, or a piece of fruit to be inspected, before it was to be consumed. 





Mariel's tugs on my arm brought me back sharply from my thoughts, and I followed her suit as she bowed. A thin sweat had begun to dance upon her upper lip. 





"My Lords," She said deeply, still bowed. I titled my heads toward her, in wonder. 





The woman ahead laughed suddenly, her shrill voice startling me. She said something to the bearded man that I could not understand, but I felt embarrassed, as if the words were about me. 





The man in the center waved his hand at us, and then looked to his right expectantly. My buyer, my owner--whatever it was that he was to me-- opened his mouth to speak. 





"What is your name, boy?" He said, his accent mingling with the words. It was obvious my language was not natural to him. 





I swallowed, trying to find the voice that had cleverly hidden itself in my throat. Mariel nudged me sharply in the side. 





"T-Tal." I squeaked quickly, avoiding his gaze. The woman let loose a mirthy giggle. 





"You are my property now," he continued, as if to remind me. He seemed unfazed by my outburst. The word property made my upper lip curl in disgust, and I could feel the rage from before seeping back into my body. I looked at him through squinted eyes. 





If he noticed, he paid no heed. 





"You address me as 'My Lord', or 'Master Aren'. Mariel will be training you for a few weeks. After that, you report to me and service me." Even with a strange accent, his voice was like silk, sliding out of his lips effortlessly. I imagined a fork-tongue hidden behind his teeth. 





"Do you understand?" 





I looked at him blankly for a moment, not sure how to respond. He held my gaze quietly, with a cold patience. Slowly, I nodded, and turned away from him. His stare made me feel small, like a insignificant bug. I had lost the urge to be riley in that moment, instead, I wanted to go back to the cot I had grown accustomed to and curl up underneath the heavy blanket, shielding myself from reality. 





Mariel nudged me again, hissing under her breath.







"Yes," I mumbled, not facing the man over my control, "my Lord." 















***



 

The rest of the afternoon passed by rather uneventfully. Mariel led me back swifty to the room after our short visit, and let me eat lunch. She looked at me thoughtfully as I ate. She seemed like she was contemplating speaking, but sat at the end of the cot silently. 



I scolded myself for acting so pathetic in front of the people who sat observing me in the courtyard. For the past week, I had been too weak to protest. I was swept away with the violent turmoil of change, like drift-wood in a storm. I let them take me from my home without a fight. The shock of the situation had numbed me into an almost irenic state, and now everything I loved was gone. It had been swept away from my hands so quickly it left me spinning. 





This landlocked world was different, more cruel and unpredictable. I dreamt of standing on milky-white shores again, looking over the expansive rumbling sea. I yearned to feel the wind rush against my body in a cool embrace, pulling me towards the waves. Beckoning. 





As I swallowed the remainder of my food, I resolved myself to withhold blatant submission. I would play my role carefully, giving and taking like the tide, until I could find a way to be free again. Clipped feather's could grow back, with time and perseverance. 





Mariel's voice tore me away from my thoughts, "You're not done with introductions yet, tonight you'll be introduced to the rest of us." 





'Us', I repeated in my head. It felt strange to find that I was becoming a part of a different society. 





"What are they like?" I said quietly, trying to imagine the people I had seen tending the garden earlier. Had they been bought?





"Well," Mariel began, looking over my head in thought, "Like you and I.. People taken from their homes. Some were born into this life. But they're all pleasant enough. Perhaps you'll make friends." 





"Perhaps," I repeated. I didn't want friends in this place, now that I knew how easily the could slip through my fingers. 





"I have work to do," she said suddenly, standing and readjusting the apron around her waste, "Get some fresh air today. It'll be good for you." 





I nodded after her as she left, "Okay."









For a while, I sat on the bed, rubbing my thumbs together. I felt nervous without Mariel, now that I could stay awake. I was left to my own devices for the first time since this had all begun. Noises from outside made me tense, and jumpy. I could hear people in the distance. I stood slowly, not sure where to place myself. I could feel uneasiness setting in. 









I walked to the window, peering outside. I could see a thick lining of tree's, but the grass and brush underneath the canopy was weak for lack of light. 





A walk couldn't hurt. 





I took off the cloth around my shoulders that had been wrapped around my chest, and tucked into my belt. The air was cooler without it. 



I glanced around as I stepped out of my room, hesitating for a moment, and then taking off behind the shack. I ran for a long time, letting the wind rush past my ears. My feet never touched the ground for too long. I felt safe running. Like a deer moving swiftly through the shadows. Unable to be caught and bound. 





My lungs began to warm with exhaustion, and I slowed, leaning against the trunk of an old tree. The forest was quiet, except for the fleeting calls of birds. I took a deep breath, tilting my head up, smelling the air.







Water.







With unsteady legs, I wobbled away from my post, towards to scent. I could hear the dribbling of a stream, and when I saw it, excitement throbbed in my chest. I unfastened my belt swiftly, and tore the shirt over my head, sprinting down to the mouth of the water. 





The creek was cool against my feet, and lapped playfully at my ankles as it drifted by. I sunk my toes into the sand underneath, my shoulders stooping with relaxation. Blissful. I sat down to let the water tickle my sides as it continued on its journey. I splashed my face and hair, enjoying the refreshing feeling. 







I didn't need to go back. I could stay here, safely tucked away from Master Aren and his beautiful home. 







Before I could place my thoughts of deceit into action, a voice startled me out of my skin. 





"If they catch you out here, they'll whip you for sure." 





I snapped my head in the direction of the sound, cupping myself instinctively. A boy, perhaps a few years older than me, stood leaning against the trunk of a tree. His dark eyebrows were cocked in amusement. 





"Who--" I choked, but he cut me off. 





"I saw you sprint like a mad man into the woods. You're lucky it was just me." He picked my clothes off of the ground, and tossed them to me. I caught them, standing up from the water. "Others wouldn't have been kind enought to fetch. They would have let you be hunted down like a hare." 





My face heated up as I pulled my clothes over my wet body. It clung to my skin uncomfortably. 







"I was going to come back." I mumbled, not meeting his gaze. He stood at least half a foot over me, and I noted how differently he was dressed. I could see his firm, tawny muscles easily from under his short sleeves. And more importantly, he wore pants. 







"I'm sure," He said slowly, eyeing my with an his brow still raised. I could see the hint of a smile behind his lips. His hair feathered down to his chin in light brown wisps, framing it nicely. He almost looked ethereal, with the scattered sunlight from above flecked across his skin. I firmly pushed the thought out of my head before it could linger for too long.





"You're Tal," he said, not asking for my name. It startled me that he knew who I was. I looked at him skeptically. 





"Don't look so perplexed. Everyone know's who you are." He said, and then added, "I'm Seral." He extended a hand to help me up the side of the bank, and I accepted it hesitantly. 





"Everyone..?" 





"It's not often Lord Aren brings home a new chattel."





I didn't respond, and simply began walking back the direction I had ran. The social toll of our exchange had already drained me of energy, and I wished to be alone for a while in the seclusion of my wooden home. Seral followed me, his hands tucked in the waste bands of his pants. It was strange to have a conversation, and it didn't settle right with me.  







"You ran all the way out here with bare feet?" He asked, after a lengthy pause. I turned my head towards him, my pace constant. I noticed for the first time the leathery boots that reached his shins. The had rope tied around the top to keep them in place, and were a worn, dark brown color. 







I nodded at him, not wanting to make idle chatter. Mariel's words from before floated easily through my mind.









Perhaps you'll make friends.









The thought put me on edge. I didn't spare a second glance at the other boy during our walk back, and ducked into my room without so much as a wave good-bye. I peeled the damp clothes off my back, sighing deeply. The air was warm inside the wooden walls, with no breeze. I crawled into the cot, my body feeling worn. 





My head swam with incessant visions and words. 





 

Friend. Friend. 



 

Friend.







I fell asleep, a panicked feeling in the back of my mind.