Extra 16: Anxiety of the Hidden

Shreshka lay with Hureheh underneath a small, rocky outcrop in an isolated field, about half of an hour away from the city, which Retlafeh was currently infiltrating.

The two were idly chatting in hushed voices, intended not to carry far, in an effort to calm their mutual nerves.

In truth, neither of them were happy with Retlafeh’s plan, Hureheh outright rebuking it, but nonetheless it was the course of action that had been taken.

Eventually, a lull in the conversation occurred, and each took time to observe their surroundings.

They had tried to find a spot which was as isolated from the city and surroundings as they could, while also minimising distance, and they had settled on the place they were now.

All around the city were fields of some variety of grain, which carried bundles of small red berries which would be harvested once the plants had died off for the colder season and let their fruits dry as a consequence.

This field was far from being fully grown, but it was long enough and thick enough that the two were confident that they would see someone coming before they saw them.

They had followed the edge of this field until they had reached a small natural cave caused by erosion, only large enough for them to hide their torsos, with a slanted boulder hanging overhead in such a way that they could only be seen from the front.

Once the safe space had been found, Retlafeh had left them in search of his friend, with promises that everything would be worked out.

“Did I ever tell you about the time I mistook a girl I was involved with, with my employer.” Hureheh began, a hint of humour in his voice before the story had even begun.

Shreshka grinned a little and bade him to continue, to which the former-slave eagerly did so.

“So, I was under employment by a particularly unusual master, the kind who would go crazy on the nearest living thing if the slightest thing was out of place, he was meticulous in everything he did and couldn't stand it when others were less so. Naturally, those under him couldn't really live up to his standards, and he was almost always yelling about something or someone. Unsurprisingly, he didn't like me much and a appreciable majority of his anger was often taken out on me. Now, it was important for you to understand that this guy was bald, and when I say bald, I mean he would actively apply some kind of oil to his head so that it would shine in the sunlight, and then seek compliments about it. ”

Shreshka giggled a bit at that, causing Hureheh’s ever present smirk to become a grin.

“However, there was this girl that he had bought from up north in the capital named Perskra, and she was his pride and joy. She was strict, orderly and decisive, and very quickly she became his number one, waiting on him personally hand and foot.”

“Somehow, by methods I do not fully remember, I became good friends with Peshkra and discovered she wasn't nearly the hardass she presented herself as, and soon enough she went as far as to ask me to go on a date.”

“Naturally, as a barely 18 year old with friends to prove myself too, I agreed, though in truth I didn't see her in that way, and we set up a place and time. This time she scheduled the date for was the exact time I was, very strictly, scheduled by my employer to serve a punishment for some other mistake he thought I made, and he was going to go out of his way to “ensure discipline” by watching me the whole time.”

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“Despite this rather extreme situation, I judged the date to be more important and figured that I could take whatever extra punishment the boss dolled out, as he was often unreasonable, but never violent.”

That got a raised eyebrow from Shreshka, it was rare to find an Earliag of that particular demeanour that also upheld a basic respect for slaves.

“Now something you have to know about Perskra is that she, like her master, was completely bald. I never worked out if that was a fashion decision, an attempt at appealing to the boss or if she had some kinda condition, but she wore it well nonetheless.”

“So I made my way to the spot with little problem, at the height of the morning, trying my best to avoid attention in case someone got curious, and sure enough, standing in the middle of the path was Peshkra, which I knew because of the sun shining on her bald head.”

“I was a little confused as to why she was displaying herself so brazenly, even if what we were doing wasn't strictly illegal, there was a great deal of people who would not be happy about it, ya know.”

“Nonetheless, I thought I would start things on a high note, and slowly crept up behind her.”

Shreshka let out a bit of a giggle at that, knowing full well what was about to happen, the smile on Hureheh’s face reaching its peak as well.

“Now, imagine my surprise when the person I had wrapped my arms around from behind was not, in fact, my possible partner, but the very man I was avoiding in order to mess around with a girl.”

The woman let out a yell of laughter, whacking her head on the top of the recess in the process, yet even that was unable to stifle her.

“Now, now, for as shocking this was to me, it was equally as shocking to my former master, who had given up on waiting for me and went into town to buy a gift for his daughter and stood for a solid thirty seconds with his mouth wide open while I backed up and started apologising.”

“After a while, the man seemed to realise what had happened, and despite his non-violent nature, backhanded me so hard I still felt it a month later, and was still getting yelled at for the same amount of time.”

Eventually, Shreshka managed to curb her laughter with much effort, and noticed consequently that the sense of anxiety that had previously suffused her being had lessened as well.

By the looks of things, Hureheh felt the same, as he sat there with all three eyes closed and a satisfied grin, as if he were enjoying a holiday and just heard wonderful news.

“Thank you for that story, Hureheh, it really helped.” the woman expressed.

The man in question chuckled, “If you really want to thank me, why don't you return the favour and tell me a story of your own.”

Shreshka blushed a little at the unexpected request, but figured that her companion had put such effort into his story, she might as well reciprocate.

“I don't think it can match up to your story, but I suppose I can tell you about the time I almost got mistaken for a trail taker on Kershakreheh and only managed to get out by acting like I got fruit-weavers cough.”

That raised Hureheh’s eyebrows, and caused him to lean in while Shreshka began, the morning slowly passing by in the flow of shared stories.

Slowly, agonisingly, Retlafeh ducked from shadow to hidden alley, closing on his destination, the mayor’s mansion.

Already the streets were flooded with Earliag, all out on the day's business and enjoying life, while the former slave lived in fear of being seen by but a single one.

Orshraka like him were rare in the Earliag cities, the imperialists always having possessed a strong belief that people like Retlafeh should stay in their own lands, and serve them there.

It was for that reason that anxiety crushed the man, as a single glance, a single person who noticed the colour of his skin under the hood he stole, would be enough to cause suspicion, and by extension, death.

But this couldn't wait, the group needed safety immediately and waiting till night would only risk them being hunted down before they ever got a chance.

He would not repeat his mistake again.

Finally, when it seemed there was no end in sight to the city corridors and passages blocked off by streams of people, Retlafeh found what he was looking for.

The mayor’s mansion stood proud, shaped like an octagon with sharp angles and frequent use of pillars, massively contrasting the circular, self contained homes around it.

Around it was a vast wall, containing a well kept garden filled with rock statues depicting scenes of decadence.

It was almost offensively extravagant, and unfortunately for Retlafeh, very guarded.

“How am I ever going to get into there?” he worried.