"...and what did they do in our darkest bell, hmm? The answer is nothing! What is the point of a state which doesn't provide? We will all unite and build a better future without difficulties or differences!..."
An odd monologue droned on and on from the far corner of the cell. The way the tattooed woman spoke made Alexandre's mind remember the already foggy memories of his early youth, of stone circular buildings and the speeches made by people inside.
The increasingly sermon-like speech never once grazed the concept of religion. It should have been an obvious thing to spot for the noble-born but it took a while for him of passive listening for something to click into place. Of course, the woman didn't deviate away from what the people around her knew.
It was clear on the faces staring up at her that she had especially touched their hearts. Talks of apparent equality and bald, fearless condemnations of mages ruling were unheard on the streets of Oriripol and even in the privacy of their houses most feared to speak.
Even if not from the very beginning, the lower will eventually mirror the culture of those ruling them. As such the populace of Oriripol had become the same cynical, power-driven and proud schemers as their masters, holding many contradicting superstitions. It was truly a rare sight to see a selfless Oriri, selling one's children wasn't seen as something evil or odd if it gained the parents more power. The word firstborn even became a sort of curse aimed toward yourself as many returned to their family after paying their debt and finding a closed door greeting them. Even if some didn't like this soulless state of affairs they couldn't do anything as an upright nail is the first one to get hammered down, which was probably the first lesson learned by life in the mage-city.
Knowing that it didn't seem too strange that at their lowest, the people would gather around something previously shunned and dangerous. Well, the things the woman said were still dangerous if any guard had overheard her, she would have been collared and as an example put back here for a day or two. That wasn't entirely true either since coming here Alexandre had learned that the authorities didn't need to follow any rules when it came to matters of punishing the chaotic elements of the public and loved to show their creative punishments to everyone.
Mutilated, stitched into a nightmarish creature or kept alive while having your blood boil. There was a concrete reason why people in Oriripol talked about mages like some sort of buggiemen, more like forces of nature than fellow humans. Maybe because they were seen as other most Oriri somehow grew to love their masters, seeing everything they owned as the product of the magical protection provided by the two ruling classes.
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"After all only those who make trouble get punished." Alexandre whispered.
A screech of iron shushed the woman's raised voice as guards barged into the room.
"Hope you liked the stay in this wonderful hotel," One of them said before the slaves were ordered to line up before being linked to each other by a chain coming from the back of the metal collar they were forced to put on. "It's your lucky day, you're being all sold before the end of the day."
For the first time since he was enslaved, Alexandre felt fresh air on his skin, although he couldn't see much other than the dark silhouettes of houses against the dark blue sky. Guessing, it was early morning or even earlier unless being sold before the end of the day meant that wherever they were currently heading was their buyer.
Hole-filled cobble eventually gave way to a smooth and even road, meaning that he only needed to fear being choked to death each time someone in the line tripped over their own feet.
"The Bazaar?" He said to himself as he spotted a trio of thick black lines against the skyline, which in the sunlight were beige in colour with blue tiled domes crowning them.
The Great Bazaar was near the towers which were the main residence of the richest Sophist House in the entire city, House Rikass. That House in previous centuries was just another mage-house but a century ago one of its members helped the Great Hero Brad extinguish the Undead plague from the southern continent giving House Rikass a very favourable sentiment by the rest of the Remanent Kingdoms West of Vitas, making them the de facto head of Oriripoli branch of Traders Guild.
The cold air entering his lungs suddenly got warm as Alexandre stepped past the open portcullis. Sweat caused his forehead to gleam in the low light of the torchlight as they walked through the stables of the Bazaar.
He would have lied if the idea of escaping now and taking one of the horses hadn't entered his mind but he didn't think he would have been fast enough to pull his escape off. As if someone had read his mind he passed a solid statue of what looked like ice which continuously poured cold fog onto the ground past them. The person inside who looked to have been hit in the back while escaping wore the exact same ragged clothes which they had been given. People working in the stables simply squeezed between the grim statue and him, paying mind only to not touching the cold ice.
"I'm afraid." Alexandre overheard one of the twins saying as they were all lined up in a holding cage, making Alexandre think that he would meet his master sooner rather than later.
"Shhh, everything is going to be okay," The tattooed woman ruffled the twin's dirty hair. "Which day you said it was?"
"Thirty first of January."
"And what is today's day called?"
"Rabetag?"
"Exactly, you never heard that on this day only good things can happen?" The woman's eyes gave the child a rather warm look but no matter how hard Alexandre tried he couldn't see any hint of lie in her words.
I knew she was insane.
"You don't believe me little shadow? Make a wish and it will happen today." She said still watching the child but the Shadow Thief only a hand's reach away felt his hair stand up, like goose feathers.
I want to see my sister again. Alexandre could hear himself think, even if he knew the woman he was staring at was only trying to keep these street mice calm.
"Tell me what did you wish for?" An even warmer voice asked.
"I wish for the things you said about the city to come true... Miss. I don't want to stab other people anymore. Do you think everyone can be happy?" The other twin, standing close to its sibling replied.
"Yes, I do but only if you help me today little one."