Author: Cassandra, Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2021 9:47 AM, Post Subject: Never Say Goodbye (p:r)

Cassandra never looked at the other Kassandra, kept her eyes on the slavers that had been pointed out to her instead. Coincidence indeed they shared the same name, even if neither of them knew at the moment they may have spelled it slightly differently. ”Well, then we make sure they don’t find you, right?” Cass replied keeping her voice low.

Kassandra asked how she could trust Cassandra, and it was a fair question. But, before Cass could answer the slavers kicked off a small kafuffle as they realized that something was wrong with their cargo. A paled face revealed more of the tattoo work on Kassandra face, making her stand out more. Cassandra stepped a bit closer as she unclipped her cloak and spoke quickly in a whisper. ”You can’t know for sure, of course, that’s the honest truth. But, that being said, I’m the only one offering help at the moment. If it helps, I’m not from this city, but I do know it. I’ve been in a similar situation to you in the past and I was helped by a random woman who found me when I had been left for dead. Consider this me paying it forward to another young woman who needs help.” Cassandra looked to Kassandra with a small grin and forced her eyes to shift to the golden hue of her wolf form as a closely held hand rippled with a bit of fur and her nails elongated into claws for a moment. As she did this she went to clip her cloak around Kassandra to hide her form more in the crowd. ”I make a good body guard to, if you catch my meaning.” Without her cloak, Cassandra’s daggers were more easily seen, as were the throwing ones she had strapped to her leather armour.

”Kassandra, come with me, now, this is your chance before they come too close and see you. I have a place where you can be safe until you, or we, can get you out of the city and somewhere else. Orcs patrol these streets and if the slavers start a fight, we’ll be able to claim self defense if it comes to that, I can handle them. But you have to decide now, Kassandra.” Cassandra held her hand out for Kassandra to take and Cass would do her best to lead her away from the slaver. But she was prepared to make this a fight if it came to that.

Author: Kassandra, Posted: Wed Sep 1, 2021 9:36 PM, Post Subject: Never Say Goodbye (p:r)

She was so intent on watching her now former captors she didn't even realize that someone had stopped next to her.  And it took all of her self control to not yelp and give herself away.  Kassandra was so startled she couldn't speak at first.  But when the other woman introduced herself, a smiled crossed her face before she could stop it.  "well, that is a strange coincidence… my name is Kassandra as well.  and… yes.  Well.  I will be in trouble.  If they find me," she said, pointing across the way to the men.  They hadn't noticed yet.  But it seemed an inevitability that they would count the crates and realize that they were one short than they had loaded.  Hopefully the argument would hold them for awhile. 

But something already stuck out in her mind.  It had been such a long time since anyone had shown her kindness, and Kassandra suddenly felt a dagger of suspicion.  Could this woman be in league with the slavers?  And would she even tell Kassandra until it was too late.  Trust was something in short supply in her life.  Icy blue eyes narrowed and stared at the other woman.  Could she trust?  There was something honest in the woman's words, and she seemed very observant.  She hadn't thought that anyone noticed her escape from the crate.  "I could use help.  Yes.  But how do I know I can trust you?" Kassandra asked, her voice low.  She didn't want anyone overhearing the conversation and drawing any conclusions.

Before Cassandra could say anything in response to the question though, it seemed that fickle fate had a hand in the situation.  The slavers started shouting, and spreading out through the market street.  They had realized a crate was short, and they sounded convinced there was a thief to find.  Shrinking back against the wall, Kassandra froze.  She knew nothing of the city, nothing of where it would be safe to run.  She didn't realize her face had paled, making the tribal tattoos stand out even more.  She couldn't think, couldn't move, almost couldn't even breathe.

Author: Cassandra, Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 10:01 AM, Post Subject: Never Say Goodbye (p:r)

The trip had been long to get to the city, but it had been a worthwhile endeavour in the end. She had found what she wanted, some nice jewelry for her mother, and a couple of fancy rings for her father and brothers. As farmers they could not afford such nice things, and Cassandra felt it was time they owned something that was nice, even if they never wore them. Having to move away from home due to some rather extreme circumstance (that had worked out in the end thankfully), had allowed Cassandra the means to earn far more money than her parents’ farm. Cassandra sent a lot of her earnings from the Second Circle back home, it was a way to help her family even though she could not stay with them anymore and help them. At first her parents did not want the extra silver, but Cassandra insisted and now they used that silver to purchase new and better farm tools, extra hands to help on the farm. That allowed her brothers to go into the city more often and get some education. Thankfully her brothers did want to stay on the farm so they would not leave their parents alone.

The vaewolf woman knew she could have bought some trinkets in Vilpamolan, but she wanted to explore more of the continent anyway while she had some time off from the Second Circle as a bartender/bouncer. So car Sviet had been accommodating enough, she had stuck to the human area for a while before venturing further into the city. She had gotten some stares from the orcs and dwarves but at one rather nasty glance Cass had snarled, bared her fangs and allowed herself to partially shift, enough to ripple fur across her skin. That got them to back off, now knowing she was not as human as she looked. Her long red hair, fair skin and freckled face did not make her look threatening at all. She opened carried a couple of daggers, one on each hip, but she had far more than that hidden on her body. Her two opened carried daggers were her primary fighting daggers, the others were for throwing. She missed her bow, but, she did not want to stand out too much.

Her dark green cape was tucked up and pushed to one side as she sat and ate a freshly cooked steak watching the crowd in the human traders district of the city. She had found a place a little higher up on a building’s ledge as she just peopled watched, including the wagon that rolled in. Crates were removed from it and Cass’ attention was drifting away when an odd bit of movement caught her attention from one of the crates. From her vantage point she saw one of the crates open from the inside and a young woman with pointed ears peaked out and then darted away. ~Alright, fuck it.~ Cass thought to herself and dropped down from the ledge and headed into the crowd.

She made a point to walk closer to the wagon and the opened crate and inhaled deeply catching the scents in the air. She then turned and walked into the crowd again and after a moment was able to track down the woman’s scent. It did not take her too long to locate the young woman, she had not gone too far and was leaning up against a wall with a hood made of leather pulled over her head. She was staring at the men on the cart who were currently arguing and had not noticed her escape.

Cassandra casually walked near the woman and then leaned on the wall next to her casually, like she was resting her feet. ”Nice day, huh?” She asked to get the woman’s attention. ”Stuck inside for a long time, it’s nice to get out and run sometimes, eh?” She asked rather pointedly with a small grin and then lowered her voice. ”I saw you, if you want help just ask, I’m Cassandra.” She introduced. ”People who aren’t in trouble don’t hide in crates…”

Author: Kassandra, Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 9:49 PM, Post Subject: Never Say Goodbye (p:r)

She hadn't know the moment until she had seen it, but Kassandra had learned a long time ago to trust her visions.  The first time she hadn't, it had cost her father his life, and cast Kassandra and her mother into a long life of slavery.  Over time, she had learned to mentally note something that seemed out of place, and to file away that bit of information for later.  And now, she was carefully hidden away in a wagon, hiding within a crate of leathers.  She knew the human tribe traded in the city of Sviet.  And she knew that it was a city of many races, where she hoped that she could slip away and blend in.  There was a risk to it of course.  But she also knew that there was a greater risk in staying.  She heard the whispers, and knew what they meant.  The slaves were often traded away for goods, and she was young and considered attractive.  Her face had been tattooed as a mark of ownership by the tribe, but not in any garish way.  Kassandra knew she would have a time getting rid of those tattoos.

But that was a problem for later.  For now, she focused her senses outward, listening for the sounds of the city.  She wouldn't have much time, only moments in the organized chaos of unloading trade wagons and inventorying the goods.  She didn't know how long it would take for one crate of leathers to be noticed empty, but Kassandra knew from the brief glimpse a week ago that she had to go now.  Otherwise she would never be free, would never be given a chance to lead her own life.  She closed her eyes, reforming the sight in her mind's eye.  The visions were rarely vivid except for one detail, and this time the detail was a sound.  The thump of the wagon drawing to a stop, and the wheels being chocked so it could be unloaded.  Kassandra tensed, she knew she would have to move quickly.  The crates were pulled off, the one she had tucked herself into included, and she felt movement as it was carried… somewhere.  As soon as it was set down, the young woman made her move.  The leather crates were made by gluing pieces of wood into a large cube, then had more leathers glued around the frame to protected the contents.  And she had simply emptied a crate and hidden inside.  she had scattered the contents around the inside of the wagon so it wouldn't be obvious at first… but it wouldn't take long.  She pushed the loose leather away, glanced around for a moment, then darted into the closest crowd. 

There was a dreadful moment when she could hear one of the tribesman shouting, that there were loose leathers in the wagon.  But it wasn't long until they settled into arguing over whose fault it was, and who would pay for the wasted goods.  Kassandra knew she had to move away from the tribesmen, because if they saw her, they would stop at nothing to recapture her.  She knew nothing of the world, or of the city she was in.  She had no way of knowing that slavery was punished here, only that she wanted to make sure the men left before they even realized they'd had a stowaway.  So Kassandra stayed nearby, leaned against a wall with a hood formed from one of the leathers pulled over her head.  Her eyes were entirely focused on the tribesmen going about their work, and not on any of the people around her.