The Alestrion Chronicles: Slaves Redeemed

The Alestrion Chronicles

Slaves Redeemed

By LeAnna Shields

The Alestrion Chronicles : Slaves Redeemed

LeAnna Shields

Published by OutSkirts Press at Smashwords

Copyright 2011 LeAnna Shiekds

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Table of Contents

Chapter1: The Silent Performer

Chapter 2: Urgency

Chapter 3: A Royal Welcome

Chapter 4: Surprise Reunions

Chapter 5: Wilderness

Chapter 6: A Friend in the Night

Chapter 7: Trust Well Rewarded

Chapter 8: Transformations

Chapter 9: Trust Lost and Trust Gained

Chapter 10: How Far You’ve Come

Chapter 11: Where To Live?

Chapter 12: Princesses Among Peasants

Chapter 13: Dark Times Ahead

Chapter 14: Lessons and Revelations

Chapter 15: A Princess Called to Action

Genesis 50:20 What you intended for evil God intended for Good…

I dedicate this book to all those who are or will be bullied. From one who knows some of what you’ve been through, know you are in my prayers. Those who teased and taunted, intending to hurt me only gave me my own imaginary friends. These friends became characters I could write about. This taught me my love of writing. God used it for good.

Chapter 1

The Silent Performer

The clouds overhead threatened snow that day, but did nothing to stop the natives of this forlorn little moon from coming out to see the show. One lone man towered above the crowd, his seven foot height, snow white hair, and glowing teal eyes affirming the fact that he was no native. He sneered, shaking his head at the state of the tents that had once been a grand sight. Now the once proud flags were tattered, the royal blue fabric patched with scraps of cloth, and what was not patched was filthy. It’s hard to believe the Hygiene Commission hasn’t shut this place down. The scents of fried bread and sweets filled the air, mingling themselves with the unappetizing smells coming from the animal cages.

The man flipped up the collar of his plain leather coat to ward off the icy chill of the wind. This is where the captain’s tip on where to find the high king’s granddaughter has brought me? Hard to believe she would be in a dive like this? Kicking a can that someone had left on the path, he walked into the darkened tent. The show was beginning. Finding a seat between a three-headed Re’ab and a scaly, water breathing Glornark, he sat down on a wooden bench that gave a threatening creak.

The excitement was palpable as he gazed down at the center ring. A spotlight highlighted a lone figure, waving for silence. The ringmaster, wearing a long velvet overcoat and silken top hat, continued to motion for the audience to quiet down. Ladies and gentle beings! he shouted as the crowd seated themselves. We humbly thank you for allowing our great show to appear before you today. We hope that our entertainment brings a smile to your hearts and many laughs to your spirits. Now for our first act… He pointed upwards with the spotlight following, We direct you to the top of the tent… The wondrous Salin and her cardonian poles!!!

The stranger looked up and saw a girl about the age of twelve dressed in a glittery, low-cut gymnastic uniform and plumed headgear. She was standing ready to walk across a series of metal poles only wide enough for the ball of her foot.

Look at those support field generators! How long has it been since they’ve been replaced? The clanking and whirring of the two rusted servo-motors merely blended into the ecstatic cheers of the audience. They shuttered, sparked, and smoked as the field they produced wavered in and out of vision, causing the poles to either lean or stand up right.

The crowd held its collective breath as the girl jumped out to the first pole, then from one pole to another. The audience gasped, some closing their eyes with horror as she reached the middle, but missed her landing place. However she managed to grab the pole with split second timing and performed a series of spins and flips before pulling herself back up onto the pole. Then she resumed her graceful leaps and flips to the opposite platform as if nothing had happened. Her performance over, she turned her back on the ecstatic crowd and disappeared without taking a bow.

* * *

After the show, the stranger walked among the ragged tents searching for where the entertainers dressed. His pace quickened when he heard shouting and the sound of a whip crack. Stopping at the corner of a trailer he saw the ringmaster towering over the girl with a buggy whip in his hand. Since the show she had changed from her costume into a tunic and pants made from bits and pieces of drab scrap cloth.

You completely botched that show and you expect to have the privilege of sleeping indoors? The threatening crack of the buggy whip echoed in the still air. The ringmaster was about to lower the whip again, but this time aimed at the girl.

The outsider grabbed his wrist. How dare you, Sir! This child hasn’t done anything to deserve being beaten!

Reeking of alcohol, the ringmaster turned and snarled, "I can do anything I maknel please with my property." Snarling with anger and hatred he picked up a shackle made of white metal in his gloved hands and placed it on the girl’s ankle as she whimpered softly.

With anger burning in his voice, the young stranger said icily, I was only trying to preserve her so that I could offer you top dollar for her.

She ain’t for sale. And for your safety, Sir, I suggest you stay away from her. The ring-master stumbled off to his trailer, leaving two vicious looking veegna guard hounds to watch over her.

Probably going to finish off the rest of the bottle, muttered the stranger. Letting out a deep breath, he focused on the guard dogs and telepathically lulled them to sleep. He smiled at the girl, who had slowly started to back away. He said gently, It’s ok, he’s gone now. I won’t hurt you. Do you have a name?

The girl nodded and wrote in the snow with her finger, S-A-L-I-N

Salin, is that your name?

The girl nodded again.

Could this be her? Could it be that the High King’s missing grandchild is right in front of me? Even if it isn’t, I still have to free her. He turned when he heard the ringmaster shouting from the trailer about something. Turning back to Salin he told her, I’ll be back. Don’t worry. He turned to find his way back through the trailers and tents, sniffing to keep his nose from running in the cold weather.

He was walking past one of the trailers when he heard, Pssst. Turning in surprise, he saw a feli-humanoid. It’s dark brown hands faded to tan arms and a dark brown mask, looking virtually identical to the Siamese cat she had in her arms.

Who are you?

I’m Catanya, but the pirates called me Kitty. Who are you? the Feli-humanoid countered.

I’m Jarron Latron. Your master said Salin wasn’t for sale. Why is that? I figured as hard-up as this circus was, any slave would be for sale.

He doesn’t have her papers of ownership. Somehow they went missing and now we’re drifters.

Drifters?

That’s what we call slaves who don’t officially exist. They get treated the worst because there’s no documentation and can only be sold over the black market. Since he doesn’t want to get caught having illegal black-market slaves, he’s not going to let either of us go.

Jarron snorted, You mean there’s a subclass of slave?

Yeah. Her right ear swiveled catching a sound, I gotta go.

Wait. He grabbed a heavy horse blanket that was covering a bale of straw and handed it to the girl, Take this and use it to keep Salin warm.

Why?

Because I’m going to come back for both of you.

Catanya hesitated, Do I trust this guy? Somehow she thought she should, I’ll make sure she’s taken care of. Then she vanished into the expanding shadows of sunset.

Jarron looked behind him, I am definitely coming back… and soon.

* * *

Jarron was sitting in a cheap, dingy hotel room, on the other side of town. He had been staying there for a week, waiting for the circus to arrive. The room’s disarray attested to the fact that the hotel couldn’t afford much in the way of housekeeping. He sat down on the lumpy bed and took out a tiny silver orb. Pressing a small button on the side of the device he waited till the device had scanned his features for transmission. When it was completed he said, "Jarron to Solaris. Come in Rozlin."

Three lights glowed red, green, and blue as a flickering hologram of a young woman in a loose fitted white blouse, and black slacks materialized. A sly smirk spread across her face as she said, Jarron. The Captain wants to have a couple words with you, most of them bad.

Can it, Roz. I need you to be ready for a late night escape. I’ve found two slaves here and one matches the description of the kings missing granddaughter.

Sorry, Jare. No can do.

What? Why not? You were supposed to be here two cycles ago.

We can be there by the moon’s next sunrise.

He growled, It’s not good enough, Roz. I need the ship here tonight.

Sorry. Captain’s orders, replied the hologram of the captain’s second in command as it flickered in and out. We won’t be able to get there until early the next morning. We got a distress signal from a shipping frigate that had to jettison its Tachyon Emitters. It turned out to be a slave ship headed for Zarloth’s big auction. Sadly we were unable to free them all, just a handful of boys. Probably fifteen or twenty boys all together.

That’s still a good number. Jarron huffed, What am I going to do? The escape has to happen tonight. This girl might not last ‘til tomorrow.

Just find a place to hide ‘til morning. We’ll get there.

It’ll have to do. The hologram dematerialized and vanished as Jarron tossed the device into his luggage which stood open with various street clothes hanging out the sides. Grabbing the controller for the entertainment hologram he said Might as well see what’s going on in the rest of the galaxy.

The device’s projector lights glowed red, green, and blue as a hologram came up. In other news; reports have just come in on another escape attempt at the Center for Psychic studies. Three teenage boys were being transported to the big polrak tournament when one of the boys released himself from his bonds and hijacked the shuttle. The guards were able to gain control of the prisoner and take back the ship. When asked what would happen to the boy that escaped, the guard went on record as saying, ‘he’s too unreliable to be one of us. He will be sent to one of our many research facilities.’ In spor---

He clicked off the hologram saying, How can the universe be doing these awful things to each other? Forget it! I better go look for a good hiding place.

* * *

Jarron walked through the cliffs and canyons that surrounded the town. The woods were still and lifeless. All the animals had either migrated to the moon’s other hemisphere or had taken shelter to ride out the cold temperatures. Jarron’s breath came out in puffs of fog as he stopped to look at his surroundings. The only footprints in the area were his, and the only sound, other then his breath, was the sound of the icy winter wind blowing through the trees. He looked up at the cliff he was closest to, Smooth cliff face for about ten meters. He touched the grey stone and thought, Solid Agroton? I knew there were rich deposits of it, but not a solid cliff of it. A little further on he spotted what he had been searching for. Behind a lone jidda berry bush was a cave. The chirps of bat-like baldri, roosting inside, echoed off the stone walls. A smile spread across his face. Perfect! These deposits of Agroton will block the satellite scanners, this slick cliff face will make it hard to climb in, and these baldri will scramble any detectors looking for life signs. It’ll be next to impossible to track our scents with the river in front of the cave. This is it.

* * *

Later that night Catanya came out of her small rusty trailer. She bumped a catnip filled jingle-ball down the rickety steps and flinched; then relaxed as her gaze fell on the light shining through the filthy windows of her master’s trailer. She tossed a few scraps from her dinner toward the watchdogs and knelt down placing the blanket over Salin’s shoulders. Salin was shivering uncontrollably on the ground. The ring-master had whipped her for talking to the strange man. Catanya looked out into the night and whispered, You better hurry whoever you were. I don’t think she’ll make it much longer.

Kitty! a soft hiss came from behind a bale of hay.

Catanya turned toward the sound of her name, You came back?

Of course I came back. Jarron whispered indignantly, stepping from the shadows. He jumped back when the two hounds started to bark again. Jarron stared at them and they curled up and fell back asleep. I promised to free you, and I intend to keep that promise. I just had to make some preparations with my crew… so how is she doing?

Not well, Sir. The ring-master whipped her just after you left and she’s burning up with a bad fever. I’ve been doing my best to keep her alive ‘til you returned.

Good job. Jarron said placing a hand on Catanya’s shoulder, Where’s the ring-master?

She shrugged, Oh he passed out hours ago. He won’t wake ‘til morning.

Jarron nodded. So what’s with the shackle? I’ve never seen anything like it.

"It’s made of corithum. It’s a metal that takes the air temperature and amplifies it so cold becomes colder and hot becomes hotter.

Kneeling down he murmured, So it might be cold enough to break. He picked up a rock and gently tapped away at the shackle. As Jarron had guessed, the metal had become extremely brittle and broke easily. He gently brushed the leftover shards from the girl’s tiny ankle, noticing frostbite where the shackle had been. He tore off a small section of his shirt and used it to wrap the ankle. Taking a jar of salve from the bag he had brought with him, he carefully exposed Salin’s back, revealing crisscrossing wounds from earlier, and scars from previous beatings.

What kind of man could do this to a kid? Using his fingers he scooped some salve and carefully started to apply the medication, murmuring gentle assurances as Salin moaned in pain. When he had finished, he gathered her up in his arms and whispered, Don’t worry little one, I’m taking you to our hiding place.

***

After an hour of running through heavily wooded terrain and over rocky paths, Catanya was struggling to keep up with this well built stranger. Where is he from? He looks so much like Salin? Are they from the same world?

They soon reached a mountain that was too steep for any of them to climb. Jarron nodded toward his right and ducked behind a large bush, plush with dense purple leaves and red jidda berries. Cat followed after him and looked around the cave. It was dark, but her ears could catch the faint dripping of water from the many stalactites that were on the cave roof. The air inside smelled damp and musty. How did you know this place was here?

Jarron was busy setting up a spot for Salin next to a lantern near the back of the cave. I make it a point to know where all the best hiding places are before I make rescue attempts.

As Jarron finished tending Salin’s wounds, Catanya came over to watch warily, I can do that.

Jarron opened his mouth to protest but thought better of it. She still doesn’t trust me. He stepped aside, Alright, I’ll build a fire.

Cat sat beside her friend, tenderly dabbing sweat from Salin’s face. Why did you return?

Because slavery isn’t right, he said, blowing on the wood until the smoke turned to flames.

There are several planets that are working to pass legislations to abolish slavery.

Cat turned away as a single tear rolled down her cheek, Then why hasn’t one of them passed? Why leave kids in places where they’re mistreated?

Sadly, right now, they’re tied up because no one can agree on anything. He reached out to her with his hand… then let it fall. I wish I could convince her that there are people fighting for her out there… that there is someone that she can trust right here.

Catanya looked back to Salin, I can’t go back there -- we can’t go back there. This time she openly sobbed.

How long has she kept these emotions pent inside? Jarron knelt beside her and took her hand, And you won’t go back. Neither of you will. I’ll make sure you’re both kept safe.

Catanya yanked her hand away and glared at him, Empty words for empty promises. There’s no way he can make good on his promises. She propped Salin’s head up to help her take a drink of water and to make her more comfortable.

* * *

A violet dawn crept slowly into the cave, bringing ethereal wisps of fog in with it. Jarron was resting against a massive, and fairly slimy, stalagmite. He sat up, turning his neck right and left to get the stiffness out. Ughh, I’ve been spoiled to the ship’s bunks too long. This cave life isn’t for me. He looked over at the far corner of the cave where the two girls were sleeping and smiled. Don’t worry girls, in an hour you’ll be free. He stepped outside the cave. The morning was cold and damp as he went about setting up a small distress beacon. The machine had started sending its beacon when he heard the baying of Neega hounds.

"Oh vrack! he growled as he drew his disrupter pistol. I hope I don’t have to use this." He checked the energy readouts, turned them down to stun, and stood ready to fire.

Out of the woods came two long grey-bodied, floppy eared hounds. An old man with a scruffy beard and worn straw hat followed. He was carrying a long-barreled ion rifle. Hello there! Ya needn’ help young man?

Jarron discreetly holstered his gun under his coat, took a deep breath and spoke with much relief in his voice, No, My Friend. I was camping. You gave me a scare.

Sorry ‘bout that, Sonny. Just gettin’ me and my pets here some breakfast.

Never mind. Jarron reached out with his mind as he looked through the old man’s thoughts. He saw no traces of deception or any signs that he had been sent to discern their whereabouts. Can’t take any chances though. He carefully manipulated the old man’s memory, eliminating anything of suspicion.

After the hunter left Jarron went back into the cave, How’s she doing, Cat?

Cat uncurled from her sleep, Last I checked, Sir her fever was gone.

Good. He smiled when he heard the roar of a ship, They’re here.

Who? Cat stepped back into her wary attitude.

My crew.

I knew you were a pirate! She spoke in fear and betrayal.