The Walls of Xey stood tall and strong, keeping out the vicious monsters that threatened the lives of all beneath her banners. The Walls were so tall that the light of day didn't make it over the tops until the tenth hour, leaving the city in darkness far longer than usual. The massive gates of the city would open for caravans and slaughter groups returning from successful hunts.
The only things outside of the walls were untamed wilderness and bloodthirsty beasts, only broken by the occasional cities with comparable Walls. Few people would travel between the cities, only merchants and their employees regularly made the trips; and the Chosen who would guard them. The Chosen were people with inherent strength beyond that of mortals, powerful bloodlines of magic and might. The Chosen ruled over the city of Xey, protecting those within and asking only what their supplicants could give.
But according to the Chosen, their supplicants could always give more.
Kase was a child of The Floating Lotus pleasure house, one of 6 from his generation and one of 4 boys. The boys were used as runners and cleaners, providing free labor by virtue of being born to the women working the rooms. The girls were pampered and groomed for their eventual working in the house. As such, his sisters were given pretty names, like his elder sister Lily Blossom, or his younger sister Spring Breeze.
In contrast the boys were named after what the women had at hand to hold them at birth. A hat case for Kase, a box for Bahks, a basket for Bas’qet, and finally a pot for Poht. Personally, Kase thought he got the best of the bunch, since his name at least sounded like a name. He was the third child, and only a few months younger than Lily Blossom, only a week behind Bahks.
He was the primary cleaner, ever since he grew tall enough to reach the counters. He had taken over from Bahks, and the older boy had graduated to basic repairs. Kase was the last person to bathe at night, with his final task being to clean up the tubs and wash the rags. One night after finishing the washing, he was heading to the boys room when he heard a sound. He wasn't sure what the sound was, so he followed the bits he heard until he found the source.
One of the rooms the Ladies used was lit, which wouldn't have been strange except for the time. This late, the patrons were all sent home and the workers would rest and prepare for the next day. Kase moved to the door and peered through the peephole beneath the knob. He saw two figures entwined on a bed, the usual thing to see in the rooms. The only difference was the frantic movements from one of the pair, and he realized the Lady was trying to get away.
As she twisted and tried to move away, Kase recognized his sister Lily Blossom, but only barely. Her mouth was covered with tightly bound cloth and her cheek and eye were swollen and red. The man on top of her grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back to him, pulling so hard on the strands that some of them were pulled out.
Kase was angry at the mistreatment of his sister, and knew in his heart that this wasn't right. He grabbed one of the candelabra from a side table and shouldered the door open. The man spun, starting to yell something that was cut off as the yellow metal collided with his face. Kase followed up with a second swing to the man's other cheek, and then a downward strike to the top of his head.
He struck the man many more times, until he eventually stopped fighting back and Kase stumbled off of him. He turned to his sister who was crying heavily and he started to untie her mouth when he felt a hand stroke across his head. At first he thought the man had gotten up and attacked him, but as he swung around he saw Mistress Orange Meadow. Her face was so red he nearly thought she was covered in blood, but that thought fled his mind when she struck him with the back of her hand.
“Foolish boy! Do you have any idea who that was!?”
She struck him again.
“Ungrateful brat! I knew we should have just dropped you in the river!”
She struck again.
“How dare you interfere with the Mayor!”
Again.
“You will pay for this! I will burn before I let the House take the blame for your actions!”
Again.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Again.
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Again.
His thoughts went dark.
He awoke some time later, he hurt all over and his arms were bound behind him. He tried to sit up but couldn't manage it with his sore muscles. His head felt like it was spinning and he vomited on the ground in front of him, idly noting the thin streaks of blood. He was in the back room, usually reserved for deliveries and storage; it was now holding him prisoner. He continued to lay there for a time, only rousing when the door opened and Mistress walked in.
“The Mayor is in critical condition thanks to you! Your unprovoked attack has been judged and in the morning you will be executed by the guards in front of the whole city.”
“No… he was-”
“He was enjoying his time with a girl he paid for! You're lucky I heard the commotion and came to investigate. If I had been any later the Mayor might have died, then your punishment would be worse.”
She smiled, the slow curling of her rouged lips telling him that she might have preferred that option for him.
“As it stands, you're quite lucky. Your death will be mostly painless.”
She spat down on him and walked away slamming the door behind her. In the now silent room, Kase was left reeling at the information he had received. He knew not to get in the way of any of the patrons with their Ladies, but Lily Blossom wasn't one of the Ladies yet. She was only 13 and still considered a child, she wouldn't join the other women in service until her 16th birthday.
The knowledge that the Mayor hadn't just broken in, but had paid for what he did to his sister… it filled him with more anger than he knew he could produce. The Mistress was just as guilty as the Mayor, and he wished he had another candelabra for her. And maybe a few days of sleep. Kase closed his eyes and opened them again only when he felt a gentle hand on his head.
“You were always such a sweet boy Kase, I'm so proud of you for sticking up for your sister.”
He blinked, trying to get the blurriness out of his vision but having difficulty placing the figure. As the blur faded he recognized Lady Golden Wren, smiling down at him with tears in her eyes.
“We don't have much time, baby, eat this.”
He felt something press against his lips and he reflexively opened his mouth to a small ball. He trusted Lady Golden Wren, so he bit down on the sphere and felt it crumble between his teeth. He swallowed the bitter mush it left in his mouth and felt a powerful warmth flow into him. The pain in his head lessened and his vision sharpened, removing the last of the blur.
Lady Golden Wren pulled out a small knife and cut the cloth binding his arms before pulling him to his feet and into a brief hug.
“We need to run now Kase, follow me okay?”
Without waiting for his answer she moved through the outside door, and Kase followed. Two men were slumped against the outer wall, snoring quietly. Lady Golden Wren moved quickly and he had to hurry after her, stumbling a bit at the uneven ground on his bare feet. She led him through town at a brisk pace, so early in the morning that the sky hadn't even begun to lighten yet.
Kase tried to ask her what they were doing, but she kept shushing him and leading him along. They passed a few people, but none paid them much mind in the darkness. Kase had never been too far from the House and so spent much of his time looking at the surroundings. The other portion of time was spent thinking up questions to ask Lady Golden Wren when she allowed him to speak.
She pulled him along and eventually they arrived at one of the small intercardinal gates, to the notice of the guards. One guard brandished his spear and called for them to identify themselves. Lady Golden Wren told him to wait and scurried forward to speak with the man in low tones. Shortly she returned and led him through the gate. Kase wanted to protest leaving the protection of the Walls, but a harsh tsk from the Lady stopped him.
She led him away from the gate and to the edge of the river that flowed away from the city.
“Kase, you've been practicing your swimming, yes?”
“Er, yes, but-”
“Good.”
She looked at him with tears in her eyes, and grabbed him into a much tighter hug than before. She pressed her cheek to the top of his head and he heard her sniffle, before saying something that stunned him.
“I'm sorry I couldn't be a better mother Kase. Be safe.”
His mother? He knew one of the women was his mother, but he hadn't known which. It made sense then, she had always been nice to the children, but especially to him. He wanted to ask why they were out beyond the Walls, but found himself unable to speak in the arms of his mother. He closed his eyes and focused on the warmth of the embrace, feeling a comfort he had never known before.
She pulled away and placed a bundle in his arms, smiling sadly at him in the dim light of the encroaching dawn.
“Goodbye.”
She shoved his shoulders back and he stumbled, tumbling into the racing waters. He clutched the bundle closely, twisting to try and get his head above the water. He struck a few rocks and scraped against the muddy edge, before he kicked off to try and avoid the stones. He breached the surface and looked to the shore, where he didn't see Lady Golden Wren. He realized then that she was getting him away from the city, and the punishment he had been promised.
The late fall weather made the water practically icy, and he felt the heat quickly sucked through his skin. He started to try and paddle back towards the shore but found the current too fast to fight against. He still tried in vain to reach the edges of the river, but time and again he was sent tumbling back into the center by stray currents. He started to move slowly, his limbs losing feeling as he struggled to keep his head above water.
But finally he saw a lifeline, a sizable chunk of tree had fallen into the water and had snagged many bits of debris from the city. He grabbed onto the branches like they were his only life line, which they were when he thought about it. Shaking and chattering every step of the way he dragged himself closer and closer to the shore. Once he felt the muddy sand beneath his feet he nearly shouted his relief but he just didn't have the energy. Splashing and stumbling his way to the sloping shore he grabbed fistfuls of grass and pulled himself free of the water.
Kase hadn't even realized he had dropped the package that Lady Golden Wren, his mother, had given him. He felt too exhausted to do anything else and quickly fell asleep to the sound of rushing water.