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Post by Trinn on Sept 15, 2008 20:39:08 GMT -5
Gianna sighed. "Because you only have a moment. Unless you come with me now, you will have to find a way to escape by yourself. If you decide to be free." Taking in the others gathered in the room, she nodded once. "Allright, Adira. I have to leave now. There is no more time to wait." Giving her one last, sympathetic look, Gianna turned and started for the door. Allright, Gladia, a couple of them will have to ride with us.
Very well.
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Post by Tismri on Sept 15, 2008 21:11:21 GMT -5
Adira watched as Gianna gathered the rest of the slaves to her. She just continued to sit there, trying to choose between going or staying. She felt now that if she stayed, she would always be miserable. If she left, she would have no idea what to do with her life. A tear fell down. She glanced back at her master, then at Gianna, who was preparing to leave. Just as they began to go out the door, she said, "Wait...I...I want to come with you."
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Post by Trinn on Sept 18, 2008 22:29:44 GMT -5
At Adira's words, Gianna smiled widely. Turning, she looked at the woman with gleaming eyes. "Excellent! Trust me, you will not regret this decision." With a hand, she waved her on. "Come, follow me. And try to be quiet!"
A few minutes later, Gianna and the rest of the group were slinking across the mansion grounds, sticking to shadows. They successfully left the complex, moving into the sparsly wooded fields. Twenty minutes later, Gianna brought them to Gladia. The deep purple dragon stood to her feet, towering above the slaves. A good batch. she told her rider.
Yes, they will all transition into freedom nicely. Well, except for Adira. She may need help. Gladia inclined her head in a nod.
Aye. Now, introduce me. They all look as pale as ghosts! Turning, Gianna discovered what Gladia saw. Many of the slaves were staring at Gladia with wide, fearful eyes. Others looked about to flee. "It's allright," she quickly assured them. "I am a rider. Her name is Gladia. She will fly us to Surda."
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Post by Tismri on Sept 19, 2008 13:01:49 GMT -5
Adira walked slowly up to the dragon, the first to do so. She tilted her head.
"I've never seen a dragon before," she said, then suddenly shivered. The wind was picking up, reminding her of just how little she had on.
I wish I could have had time to change before we left...and grab my daggers. A run-away slave may need them.
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Post by Trinn on Sept 19, 2008 14:31:25 GMT -5
Gladia gazed down at Adira, noticing the chill that ran through the woman. Acting on instinct, the dragon bent her neck and touched her snout to the top of Adira's head. The scant clothing that she wore grew longer, thicker, covering her legs and arms, her bare stomach. Sturdier shoes replaced the ones she already wore. When finished, Gladia drew back and snorted.
Gianna watched her dragon perform the magic, slightly dumbstruck. I did not know you could do that. Gladia shrugged.
Niether did I. Most of us dragons cannot consciously control our magic, remember?
Yes, thats right. Allright, time to get moving. Walking to the large wooden basket, Gianna opened a small gate. "Ok, here is the situation. Most of you will be able to stand in here as we travel. Two of you will have to ride with me atop Gladia."
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Post by Tismri on Sept 19, 2008 17:32:40 GMT -5
Adira was frightened when Gladia touched her head. When she noticed that her clothes were changing, she looked at the dragon in wonder.
"Thank you," she managed to get out. Then she noticed the large basket they were supposed to ride in.
"We're supposed to ride in that thing?" she asked. It didn't looked very safe to her.
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Post by Trinn on Sept 20, 2008 1:50:46 GMT -5
Gianna smiled wryly. "Yes. Don't worry, it's perfectly safe. I've tested it many times. As long as everyone riding in it stay relatively still, you should be fine." She gestured to Gladia with a nod of her head. "Two of you will have to ride with me atop Gladia." Gianna spread her hands wide and raised an eyebrow. "So, who will be the two courageous souls?"
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Post by Tismri on Sept 20, 2008 2:41:09 GMT -5
Adira looked from the basket to Gladia's back, and back again.
"I think I would almost feel safer on the dragon's back than in that thing. I still don't think it looks safe." After a few minutes, another slave also decided to ride with them up there.
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Post by Trinn on Sept 21, 2008 9:16:04 GMT -5
"Excelent." Walking over to the carrier, Gianna lifted a latch and opened the small gate. She watched as the slaves filed in, most of them keeping a wary, and admiring, eye upon Gladia. As the last walked through, Gianna shut the gate and secured it. Stepping back, she was glad to see that the group of people standing within the carrier had a fair amount of space between them. She turned to Adira and the other. "Ok, this way."
Walking to Gladia's side, she had the dragon crouch down. Reaching out, she pointed to the many straps upon the saddle, which she had also modified to fit the purpose of freeing slaves. Rather then there being one pair of leg straps, there were now two others. Fortuantely, as Gladia grew larger, the gap between the spikes near the base of her neck also grew larger. If the dragon had been any smaller, then Gianna would have been able to add only another pair of leg straps. "Allright, I will ride at the front. You two will take these two spots." Leaping onto Gladia's bent knee, she pointed to the two extra seats in the saddle. "Allright, up you guys go." Reaching down, she proffered a helping hand to pull them up.
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Post by Tismri on Sept 21, 2008 12:57:53 GMT -5
Adira climbed up Gladia's back with a surprising about of grace. Most people getting on a dragon for the first time would not look back on it with happy memories, but she kept her dignity as she lightly settled on the purple dragon's back in the middle spot. She turned to Gianna and the other slave who had volunteered.
"Well, I'm ready," she said, giving one last glance at her former master's home.
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Post by Trinn on Sept 22, 2008 20:46:51 GMT -5
Pleased with Adira's ease of mounting, Gianna finished helping the other slave, a young man, onto the back spot. Securing their legs in the leg straps, she finally settled onto the fore of the saddle, strapping her own legs down. "Ok, everyone," she called out, "we're moving to the sky." The slaves in the basket shuffled, nervous at the prospect.
Flaring her wings, Gladia crouched, then leapt straight up, pumping her wings down as she did so. Now ten feet in the air, she manuevered herself above the large crate. Looking down, Gianna murmured, "Risa". Two thick leather straps lined with strong metal sprang upwards from the four corner of the basket. Using her magic, Gianna connected them to the four hooks built into Gladia's revamped saddle. Once they were secure, she patted Gladia's neck. Allright, everything is in order. Lets get back to Surda! Releasing a bugle, Gladia gave her wings a mighty flap, her feet clawing at the air as she struggled to overcome the initial task of lifting the thing into the air. Well, I can defintely tell their are more slaves in that basket then there should be, she told Gianna with a slight growl.
Im' sorry. We had to. Giving another powerful heave of her wings, Gladia successfuly lifted the basket off the ground. After a few more powerful wing strokes, she was gliding throug hthe sky, her burden hardly swinging below her.
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Post by Tismri on Sept 23, 2008 12:17:48 GMT -5
Adira felt a rush of excitement as they took to the air. She had never been this high up before. SHe found herself wishing she could do it more often. Feeling the wind rush through her hair, the knowledge that the ground was hundreds of feet below her; these things made her feel almost giddy with excitement
She looked at the ground and identifies Barobus's mansion. She felt a twinge of guilt, knowing that he would awaken soon and find her gone. She had worked hard to earn his trust, and what did she do with it? She spat on it and turned away. She tried to erase the guity feelings from her mind, but it was always there.
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Post by Trinn on Sept 25, 2008 22:11:55 GMT -5
Hunkered down in the saddle, Gianna watched the dark land pass by. Encumbered by the large crate, Gladia's flight was slower than usual, but she still made good time. As a light touched the far horizon, the flight slowed, and Gladia began circling down. I must rest. This man-crate is like lead upon my wings. she told Gianna. We are closed to the Surdan border, and I sense no one below. We should be safe for a few hours. Through their bond, Gianna could feel her dragon's weariness.
Of course. I do not want you to push yourself. I'm sorry we had to surpass its limit. As Gladia made her swift decent, Gianna looked around the land, spreading out her consciousness. Mice, birds, insects, all touched her mind. She sensed no human, no elf, no urgal. Gliding down on drafts of air, the large purple dragon eventually came to a hover between two large hills. With careful movements, she lowered the "man-crate" until it touched the ground. Muttering under her breath, Gianna released the straps connecting the basket to Gladia's saddle, and the dragon was then free to land next to it.
Turning, Gianna looked at Adira and the man behind her. "How are you guys?" She passed her glance over the people gathered in the crate. Some of them were blinking repeatedly, as if just having woke up. Others seemed frazzled. One of them took the initiative to open the side door to let the group out. They all stretched and yawned, taking in their surroundings. Gladia lowered her head to the ground and sighed, stretching her wings out and laying them upon the ground as well. Thats better, she said with her bell-tone voice. Reaching into her store of magic, Gianna touched a smooth neck scale, transfering some of her energy into her dragon. Ah, thank you, Gianna. That is much better. Patting the scale, Gianna smiled and looked back to her extra riders.
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Post by Tismri on Sept 26, 2008 10:57:41 GMT -5
Adira smiled at Gianna.
"That was so much fun! I loved it! I...I..." She suddenly felt something. Something telling her to go back. She didn't want to, but that something was bothering her about it. She went almost rigid and couldn't stop herself from turning in the direction they had come from and begin walking. She turned her head and looked at Gianna and Gladia, wanting with all her heart to go back to them. But she kept walking. And walking. And walking.
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Post by Trinn on Sept 26, 2008 21:26:40 GMT -5
Swinging a leg over Gladia's neck, Gianna dismounted and helped the man down. Adira was already off, and she was glad that the woman had taken to flying so well. The man she was helping down seemed rather pale, his eyes large and round. "Are you ok?" she asked of him. He nodded uncertainly, then joined his fellows near the crate. Turning back to Adira, Gianna was surprised to find her walking away. Where is she going!? Gladia shrugged.
Maybe she changed her mind. Eyebrows drawing down in concern, Gianna bounded after Adira. Coming up behind her, she placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. "Adira, is something wrong?"
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