fandomania | The Adventure continues...

Orlando was correct. Things were very horrible inside the town. The shops and houses looked old, dingy and uncared for. There was raw sewage running down the center of the road, with the occasional call of "Gardeloo!" when someone threw their night soil out the window and onto the streets. The stench of the place was like living in a cesspool. But that was nothing compared to the leather tanner offering dragon leather or the butcher offering dragon steaks for sale. And in the center of town, a human slave auction was going on, where unfortunate men, women and children were being sold as chattel. Their fear and misery was palpable. There Haveners were so evil and depraved. It took all my strength to keep my anger under control. To make matters worse, in the back of my mind, as though far away, I could hear the fear and pain of many hundreds of hatchlings being held somewhere, by humans who thought of them as animals.

"WE HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR A LONG TIME NOW TO FIND WHERE THEY ARE KEEPING THE HATCHLINGS. BUT NO MATTER HOW HARD WE HAVE SEARCHED, WE EITHER COME UP WITH NOTHING OR THE DRAGON, WHO IS LOOKING TOO INTENTLY, NEVER RETURNS. I KEEP HOPING I WILL OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION OR HEAR A THOUGHT OR TWO THAT WOULD LEAD SOMEWHERE, BUT I HAVEN'T DONE SO YET."

This place was mis-named. It wasn't a haven. It should have been called Misery, because that is what lived here.

Our Hatchlings:

Our Eggs:

¤

Once we found the dry goods shop, we quickly purchased the items we needed. I tried to be very careful not to show the contents of my purse. I didn't want to attract any more attention than necessary, nor did I want thieves to know how much gold I was carrying.

We were leaving the shop, when I noticed several men leaving the surgeon's office down the street. I quickly turned my back to them, as they were several of the men who had tried to capture me and my children earlier today. I knew that I couldn't let them see me or there would be trouble.

While Orlando watched where they went, I ducked into an apothecary shop to avoid them.

Unlike everything else I had seen in this hell hole, the apothecary shop was surprisingly clean and well ordered. While I was browsing the bottles full of potions and herbs, a man came in from the back. "May I help you?" he asked.

From the marks on him, I could tell that he was a slave. He may also have once been a Freedonian. He reminded me of someone I once knew.

"I would like some chamomile, comfrey, marigold and St. John's Wort. Hmmm. Two ounces each, please?"

He quickly went about getting me what I asked for. But when he came back, he whispered to me, "I know who you are. Please help me? I am Donal. We met three years ago at the Spring Festival in Freedonia. I went on pilgrimage to Rawn-Devu, but our caravan was attacked and I was captured by slavers. I have been in this hell hole since then."

"But how can I help you? I am just one woman. If it was easy to escape this place, I am sure you would have done it already."

He got down on his knees and started to beg.

Hearing a commotion, this master came into the shop from the back room. "Is my slave bothering you, madam?"

"No, sir, but I find myself in need for a slave with his talents. There was nothing of interest at the auction today. Would you be willing to sell him to me?"

The man scowled and looked sharply at me. "This slave is next to useless. Why would you want him?"

"Just a whim of mine. How much will you take for him?"

The man laughed and looked greedy. "Twenty gold pieces."

"Sold. And I want all his paperwork to show that I am now his owner."

The man looked startled, as if he hadn't expected me to agree. I handed him twenty gold pieces. He quickly got the paperwork and signed it. I quickly left with Donal.

"THOSE MEN ARE COMING THIS WAY AGAIN." warned Orlando. We quickly walked down the street a bit and then entered into a tavern.