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Taming the Gypsy Trade (Valanaer)

DontxBlinkk

DontxBlinkk

Supernova
Joined
Oct 18, 2009
Location
Canada
The loud sound of horse hooves hitting broken stone echoed through the kingdom. The long awaited, or dreaded, return of the travelling gypsy troop had come. They were stock full of goods to sell, barter and trade from food items to blankets and cookware. They had several new people with them, most of which were on horseback riding around the large caravan the group centred around. Inside held the children too young to ride on their own and the small selection of captured members they had picked up. The good number of them were used as servants for their own use, but one or two were available for trade, if the proper price came by.

Villagers parted ways for the large Clydesdale horses with hooves as large as a child's head, and watched as the group passed by. The members on the side were riding much smaller, more manageable animals which weaved through the other streets, alerting everyone of their arrival and making sure they understood what all the gypsies could be carrying for them. The troop pulled to a halt in the same courtyard they always took over for a good solid week and swiftly began to unpack what they needed. This was their best location, which also allowed them to set up for as long as they needed to be there, knowing they'd make up in money there what they wouldn't get in travelling to other cities.

The group began to unload several of the captured members, putting them to work hauling out the items and setting them in the proper display arrangement. These people had practice doing this type of work, it seemed, as they did it in a record time. Children were lining up, ready to see what the newest toys from other cities and 'worlds' looked like. They gypsies always had items for them to play with and food to sample. The travellers were just a friendly as they were charismatic and enjoyed a friendly, happy child more then anything in the world.

Just like the rest of the troop, Tari Eluch'l was put to work. She had been captured several weeks ago and had been travelling as a member of the troop since she came to be apart of them. Although she had her few escape attempts, and still had plans to run at this location, she had become a help in the group. Her armour and weapons had been stripped from her in a disgraceful fashion, but her pride still stood strong and she was careful to keep that close to her. Being an elf, Tari stood at the typical height of 5'8", towering over many of the women she came in contact with. She had several decorated piercings from her tribe lining the bottom of her elongated helix, made of small gems with silver curves holding them closed. Attached to the lobe of her ear was a single, small gold hoop, which she refused to remove, no matter how many people it could feed. Her clothing was simple, just as the rest of her wood elf tribe wore; consisting of leather pants and a shirt, exposing a good amount of midriff and her muscular, yet feminine arms. A single orange feather, seeming to belong to a phoenix, held tight to her bright ginger hair, bringing out the emerald colouring of her eyes.

It was rare for the city to get any kind of elf other then the grand high elves, so many of the children were staring at Tari, amazed by the colouring she naturally had. Luckily the elf didn't seem to notice...
 
Light filtering in through the window stirred Saren from sleep. He turned over in his bed unhappily, the thought of tossing the sheets off of himself not the most appealing thought. Of course when he turned over to see one of the cute new maids naked in his bed the prospect of removing the silk sheets did become less horrifying. A smirk found its way to his lips as he reached up and yanked the covers away, revealing a rather attractive young lady underneath them and making her stir awake suddenly. He simply grinned wider, moving over and flipping on top of the cutie, looking down at her with every intention of devouring her again this morning as he had the night before. Unfortunately his fun was ended by an all too familiar sound, his brother Kilel's voice, "Saren, you have already spent long enough in your bed, get dressed and come immediately, father requires you." Before Saren could even turn and make a snide comment his brother was gone, leaving him irritated as was the norm.

He couldn't disobey a summons from his father though, it would lead to nothing good and the last thing he needed was to anger his father. Reluctantly he slipped off of the girl and bed entirely, and walked over to a set of wooden drawers, rooting around for something suitable to wear in public, since that was the only reason his father ever called for him. He took a moment to turn around as he looked through his clothing, giving the maid a once over before waving her away to which she quickly complied, dressing and dashing out. Saren proceeded to throw on a red silk shirt and some white cotton trousers.

Saren proceeded to head to the throne room where his father was no doubt waiting and Saren already knew why. Whenever something happened in the public it was his job to participate or appear in public, from tournaments to caravans it was always his job as the second prince to take the risk and be the public face of the Niordan household. He wasn't always the best face, often times flirting or doing whatever he wanted, but the king and queen always gave him whatever he wanted, keeping him happy so he would behave, because he was the face of the family.

Saren was known in their kingdom for so many things, one of these was his appearance, his jet black hair and sharp blue eyes mesmerizing the subjects of the land. He had a few tattoos hidden on his body and while those were known to a few in the kingdom, most of the people who saw it kept it secret where they were, most of them being fair maidens and some even wed women. He was also known for his skills in combat, the tournament champion at many a kingdoms games and undefeated at their kingdoms games. It all culminated into him representing his family and their people, for better or worse he was the public face.

So when he arrived in the throne room he knew what was going to happen. His father continued to sit, looking at Saren and then over to Kilel who had no doubt informed their father of this mornings bed guest. Nothing was said though, as seemed to be a tradition in their family for most things, keeping quiet and letting problems simply go away without mention. What he did saw was exactly what was expected. "Saren. There has been a caravan of gypsies who arrived today, they set up shop in the courtyard near the market district. I want you to go and have a look, let people see you."

Now Saren knew better than to question his father for no matter what he would end up going to the gypsies. What he did know he could get away with was requesting a bit of freedom. So he simply smiled and bowed. "Of course father, though I believe I will purchase some items while I am away, make a day of it if I must go. I will simply do as usual and charge everything to the castle." Before his father could say a word, assuming he would, Saren turned and walked out, leaving his brother Kilel fuming and himself entertained.

Departing the keep of their castle on foot he walked a ways down the street, no servants or bodyguards, just the addition of a sword to his attire. Not that he had many assassination attempts but he had a way of causing trouble that made him need the weapon every so often. As he walked people waved and stared at him, peasants and more prominent citizens alike seeming to find it odd that he was out even though it wasn't the first time by any means. It always confused him how much wonder people seemed to get out of seeing him, his identity as a prince baffling the normal person so it seemed. It wasn't all bad though, it allowed him his choice of woman for the most part and was quite entertaining to say the least.

Of course none of that really mattered, what did matter was checking out the gypsy group and seeing what they had to offer, making his appearance and seeing what wares were brought with them. He took a deep breath and joined the crowds moving about, looking at the toys and oddities that the caravan contained, looking around and seeing all kinds of interesting items. None of them really caught his fancy though. Alcohol and women were about all he really went for, a few trinkets here and there but nothing much else. He usually did find something of interest at these things though, whether it be a certain member of the group that wet his appetite or some interesting item from a faraway country. On this trip something that fell under both of those categories caught his attention quickly. It was a beautiful woman, maybe one of the most exotic he had ever seen, and she was an elf which made it all the more tempting.

Saren was no fool though, he knew how the gypsies guarded their members but there was a chance, a chance he could have his fun with an Elven beauty and he wasn't about to give that up for anything. So the prince without hesitation walked through the crowd and towards the elf, people watching as he approached her, many already knowing why no doubt but those who looked at him got a small wink. He wasn't the only one looked at the beauty though, many a children and other adults were watching or gathering around to look at the strange woman. Saren took it a step farther though, stepping out of the crowd and walking right up next to her, a smile on his face as he looked down at her, being taller despite her height at 6'1". And as confident as ever he proceeded to introduce himself, only leaving out the prince part. "Hello beautiful, my name is Saren. Who might you be?" He said casually, getting nervous looks from some of the gypsies who knew him all too well, but it was too late now.
 
Tari had been minding her own business, doing as she was told, ignoring all of the gawks the crowd was rudely giving her. She knew she was something of a rarity in the city, but she didn't understand why they all felt the need to stare at her like she was a circus act. It was getting more frustrated then anything, but she ordered herself to keep her calm, for the greater good. But when she heard the voice speak to her, her arms tensed, flexing what bit of muscle actually showed on her upper limbs. Calmly, she wheeled on her heel to face the prince in front of her. It took her a minute to size him up, making it clear that was what she was doing. The elven woman wanted absolutely no doubt in what she was doing to the man in front of her. Her next move was her most daring.

The elf met Saren's haunting blue eyes and her jaw tightened. "I'm working," she pointed out to him. "Is it a custom here to address women by looks, not rank or stamina?" It had been a month since she was dragged from her home and she was still learning so much about the humans around her. One of the gypsy women stepped up, bowing her head towards the prince before whispering in Tari's ear who the man was. Her green eyes twisted to the side, listening to the woman then returning to Saren. "Your highness? Really?" she questioned, as if she needed to hear it from him to make it true.
 
Saren watched, the same confident smile on his face as the woman seemed to look him up and down, a thing that he wasn't quite use to. In fact most women simply went crazy at first sight of him with no need to actually get a real feel for him. Sure he was good looking, it wasn't narcissistic to think so when everyone seemed to only notice that, but there was a muscle definition that came from being a warrior, from constant training in case of war and for his own personal enjoyment. He noticed the same on her, the fair elf woman having a bit of muscle herself, still a feminine figure that outshone most women but also strength which was both unusual and attractive. Sure Saren loved the cute little housemaids he often lay with but they were no fun other than that, this elf, he had a feeling she could do a great deal more than look pretty, a trait Saren prided himself on as well. Not only that but soon she showed yet another incredibly entertaining side, a feisty rather spirited side.

It had become a spectacle at this point though, she said something most would consider rude, yet Saren found it refreshing. Someone had to ruin it though, one of the gypsies whispered in her ear and soon enough she looked at him but not in the usual way. There was no awe nor did the woman seem to be sorry for her manners in front of him, it was intriguing and brought an even more dastardly smile to his face. "Ah, tis true actually and quite an annoying title at that." He said flippantly, as if he didn't care at all for his title. "But my title is of no importance, one because I didn't introduce myself as such thus I do not expect to be treated as such, and secondly because as the second prince I am merely prince in title." He said with a calm smirk, tilting his head to the side a bit, looking at the elf's face. "Now, you know my name, I wish to know yours, it is only fair." Of course if she knew anything about him she would most likely be wary, maybe she already was, but he had taken a liking to her at first sight and it had only been increased as they spoke. Even at that very moment one of the thoughts going through Saren's head was about how rare an elven woman was and how much he would love to make her his own.
 
Tari did give him the honour of a name, with little inner debate, but she didn't dare give him her first. No one, not even the gypsies, had learned what her given name was. Much like with several cultures on the outlying areas of the world, a given name gave others a certain power over another being. Only the parents, close relatives and only friends the owner could trust would know the first name, but they would hold the sweet power of command over the person. "Eluch'l," the woman told him with a small nod. She was almost challenging him, which came through in her voice, to pronounce her name correctly. For some she had come across, it wasn't an easy task and she had heard it said in more varieties then she could count on one hand. It was true, Saren had given her his name, but she didn't believe he earned more. Yet, if ever.

"I was lead to believe all humans cared about titles," she admitted, showing a bit of her inner confusion that she tried oh so hard to hide. But who better to ask then a prince, right? He should know about humans enough to answer her question and certainly the culture that lie inside the city.
 
It seemed that the woman was giving him the name reluctantly and yet again he felt almost excited at how different she was acting compared to the usual woman he tried to bed. She was an elf and that could most likely account for some if not a lot of her behavior, not really having much care for a human, but there was more than that, he could feel it. She did give him a name though, Eluch'l, a name which wasn't at all easy compared to some but at the same time no unmanageable feat for Saren. As a prince he had received a very proper education and he was a highly intelligent individual, sure he was lazy and would most likely never use it to the full potential, but once he learned or viewed something, he would never forget. And luckily enough along with all of the other mandatory subjects, language was one of them, not only the common language most shared but ancient Elven and Dwarven were two other such languages he had studied. While that didn't mean he was guaranteed to get her name right it did mean that he had a very good chance, having a decent bit of knowledge of the language and about as silver a tongue as any.

"Eluch'l, a lovely name, although anything in the Elven tongue can be viewed as such. Especially compared to the rough language of the human realms." Saren gave her a charming smile, his pronunciation had been precise or at least to him it sounded exactly how she had said it to an ear which while not being untrained was no where close to fluent or native when it came to Elven. She seemed confused though, confused about the human people. "That is the beauty Eluch'l, all humans are different, many care for titles but I am not one of them. Simple a that. Of course I do wish to know what it is you do in this group." He moved a bit close to her looking at the golden hoop on her ear and then down her body a bit, imagining how this beautiful creature would react to his touch if he were to have some time with her. His mind was already taken, one tracked many said, how he would lock on to someone or something and always get what he wanted in the end. He was spoiled and at such times he was glad, because Saren wanted this elf, and he would find a way to make her his.
 
Tari was impressed. She arched her right eyebrow up when he spoke and couldn't help but nod slightly, just out of respect for getting it correct. Not many could on the first try unless they had proper training. Obviously, that had to mean he at at least some sort of training. Her body seemed to loosen as he continued to speak, but she was on complete alert. Nothing about him was comforting and the way he was speaking to her certainly didn't give her any comfort.

A crowd began to form around the two of them, as they were blocking the way to view some of the items. No one dared to break them up though, fearing what the prince would do to them. They watched in awe as the woman stood up to the prince and all of them wanted either a show, or to have someone stand up to the royal family.

Tari smirked. "Humans are different?" she asked, finding that hard to believe. Every human who had come close to her village had just been the same; looking for goods, people and more land to take to themselves. She dropped that topic like a rock though and continued with his next comment. "My own business," she responded. "Now please, mind your distance." The elven woman refused to step back, returning to her warrior roots and needing to keep her ground, no matter what. She lifted her hand and held up a single finger, stopping Saren before he could go any further. On her wrist was a thick, silver bracelet held together tightly on the underside of her arm. It was decorated with a strange rune, having something to do with magic, it seemed.

"Please. Back away."
 
It was hard to get anywhere with this woman but Saren enjoyed a challenge so it wasn't all so bad, he was going to have fun regardless. In the very least he seemed to have said her name correctly. A crowd was gathering though, people circled around them with interest, which made it a bit annoying to talk to her, sure he didn't mind a crowd or onlookers, but he worked his charm best one on one. Saren was aware that not all of the crowd gathered just to watch him work his charm though, some of them seemed to be finding enjoyment in Eluch'l being so 'brave' and standing up to him in a way. Saren was not the type of prince to get angry that some subjects disliked him though, he knew that was inevitable, besides he had slept with some of their daughters and wives so it was impossible to have complete adoration. Not only that but while he was the public face and showed up to all of the events, he was viewed as the useless prince and his brother seen as the wise and hard working idol that they all looked up to.

His attention was on the woman, not the crowd, so he continued to focus on her and it was pleasing to do so. The way she acted like humans being different was a joke, which gave him some indication of what exactly her position was here. If she didn't think humans were different, if she believed them all to be the same, then in all likelihood it meant that she wasn't in human territory by choice. A smile curled onto Saren's lips at the realization and he whispering something so only she could hear, "Even if I do not keep my distance... There is nothing you can do about it." Of course he wasn't going to make the lovely elf too mad, teasing her was plenty fun for now, especially with all of the people watching. He was observant of the fact she wore a strange silver bracelet as well, maybe magical, and whilst he didn't back away he did maneuver himself to let people pass.

His eyes stayed on the woman for a moment, soaking in every aspect of her feminine yet powerful form. She was a captivating beauty but obviously no damsel that couldn't fend for herself. Saren had always loved beautiful things, especially women, and elven women seemed to be a step above humans by the look of Eluch'l and he was enthralled, he would have her. "You know, I think I have found something I want here..." He said looking over to one of the gypsy's who had been following him since he arrived, something that happened every time he came to one of their showings, "I want some time with the lovely Eluch'l later. Bring her and a few of your fine dancers to the castle for a show, I am sure the king would enjoy a spectacle such as that. Oh and also, I saw a fine dagger on one of the stalls a bit back, bring that when you come as well." He nodded and then turned to Eluch'l a small smirk as he gave her a slight bow, "My lady, I will be seeing you later." He said all to happily before beginning to walk off, so many plans running through his head. He was like a demented kid on Christmas.
 
The tall, thin gypsy who typically dealt with Saren crept behind the man as he spoke, mentally taking down his order as it came out. "I'd be pleased to," he agreed with a sly grin, taking a minute to look over Tari himself. He had his eyes on the elf since she was captured, but never had the time to make her his, or even try to. Whatever price they would have gotten for her, if she was sold, would have gone down for 'used goods' and money was worth far more then his own cravings. Not when he already had a youthful human girl to use on his own. As the prince left their small store, Marcus reached forward and grabbed Tari, pulling her close to him and swiftly leading her away. He signalled for a few of the dancers to come with him and set them all to work.

The group of women were sent to relax through the day and prepare for the upcoming night. They were careful to bathe with the best herbs and scents available to them. Although Tari didn't enjoy what was to come, she did care for the way the girls were treating her. She had never had a chance to spend time with the others like she was now, as she was always working to travelling around in the back of a wagon, like some captive prisoner. but when time came, Tari argued and fought with Marcus, demanding that she be left behind form the castle; that she would nothing but embarrass the gypsies in front of their ruler. Marcus would have none of it and tossed her into the open back wagon with the rest of the performing troop to start up to the castle.

With an air of assurance, Marcus told the guards what they were invited to do at the palace that night and quickly slid past, arriving at the proper courtyard, closest to the show room. The girls came out of the back, followed by the two men who were apart of the group, just for support and security and Tari followed behind the two of them. They were all dressed in grander outfits then they had on when they arrived, with plenty of small, light weight metal disks attached to their skirts and lower shirts. Tari didn't have any of the disks, but her clothing was just as decorative. Her top was a deep plum colour, cut to just below her breasts with an over the shoulder strap, folding down into the shirt. Her skirt was a much darker brown colour, which complimented the shirt nicely. It was hanging on her hips and fell to just above her bare feet, which were now decorated with thick ankle bracelets, matching the bracelets, which were large enough to cover the thick silver bracelet. Her hair was fastened up with a leather band, with plenty hanging down around her face.

The group were all smiles, cheering at just the idea of performing for someone as important as the royal family. They were spinning, dancing and alerting nearly everyone that they had arrived.
 
Saren had made his way back to the castle rather quickly after requisitioning some entertainment for the night. He had to inform his father of the event that would take place. Of course when he had told his father what he had arranged it wasn't exactly a cheerful conversation, the king hated the idea of having company so suddenly, nonetheless Saren was all smiles and in the end he got exactly what he wanted, permission for them to perform and subsequently permission for the Elven beauty to come as well. For such a performance all of his family had to be in attendance though including both of his parents and Kilel. Kilel would no doubt find it to be a bother but now that his father had given the okay it didn't matter, it would happen. So Saren went to his room to wait for the company of dancers to arrive, happy thoughts going through his head. He often enjoyed such luxuries being wealthy, having groups and famed minstrels coming to perform in front of the court, but rarely did he find himself such a gem.

There was no doubt the woman's Elven side was part of the attraction, their kind rarely visited cities and even more seldom made contact with humans. Eluch'l seemed to be forced to, it was no doubt she was a slave or something of the sort, after her attitude and the way the gypsy seemed so thrilled when he asked for her personally, that usually meant expensive goods. It was sort of disgusting honestly, such a beautiful creature being the property of dirty despicable gypsies, but it would soon be rectified as long as she was as he figured her to be, different. They would see tonight, see how she reacted to him, if she would easily crumble like all the other women did so quickly, or if she would be more of a challenge. Whatever the case it was already a promising evening.

Saren simply lazed around in his room for most of the day, he had gone out and engaged in some sword play with the knights but other than that it was uneventful. He found himself playing around with a flute and at one point simply staring out at all of the lands under his families control. It was a vast expanse of land, all the way from the large river in the north to the sea to the south was under the control of the Niordan family. They were decent rulers, his father was a man of honor and respect and thus far had a peaceful reign. His brother was of similar mind to his father, peace and prosperity being the only things on his mind. Saren on the other hand knew that it wouldn't last, he could see the signs, outlying villages being slaughtered by other kingdoms and a new force rising that while nobody had seen was making far too much noise to be ignored long. That was where he as second in line would be involved. If war broke out he would be dispatched with the troops, and a greater honor he could never imagine. For now though he was happy enjoying the life he had, beautiful women and absolutely no daily worries.

He snapped out of his thought when a knock came from his door and a meek voice spoke from behind it, "Sir, the gypsy party has arrived, and is being led to the hall, your presence has been requested." Saren walked to the door and opened it with a smile to see one of his favorite maids, a nice girl by the name of Juliet, not one Saren had been with, too quiet and plain for his taste, but nice. "Thank you, I will be along shortly." With that the girl bowed and scurried off, leaving Saren to head down the halls on his own. He arrived at the main hall and watched as the troupe came dancing in, all of them looking rather thrilled to be performing for himself and his family tonight. His eyes focused in on Eluch'l though, her attire most pleasing to the eye and as she had earlier she sparkled above the rest of the women in attendance. "And that one is mine." He said nudging his brother who shot him a glare, quickly realizing exactly why Saren had set the entire thing up. The true show and feast would begin soon though and Kilel had to pay attention, he couldn't reprimand Saren in front of an audience. Not that Saren was worried, he already had a plan, let the troupe perform, have a bit of fun and then make sure that Marcus and him came to an agreement afterwards. Not only for the tribal dagger he had asked for but also for the gem of a woman he had his eye on.

Saren gave Eluch'l a small wave with a smirk on his face as his father stood up from his seat, a royal start to the evening. "Thank you for coming. My son Saren has told me you have quite a performance for us and I am looking forward to it." He stopped for a moment and looked at Eluch'l, his eyes looking over to Saren accusingly before he turned back towards the girls with a hearty smile, "Now, whenever you wish, please begin!" he shouted with a bit of showmanship. Saren simply leaned back in his seat and kept him eyes glued on Eluch'l, ready to see what she could do, not caring if his entire family saw right through it.
 
The first performance was simply the females. Tari stood to the side, her arms crossed across her stomach as the small group performed an upbeat, rhythmic dance, accompanied only by a single drum to keep a basic beat. Their feet hit the floor to fill in the 'music', giving them a different sound then most other acts had when they performed in the hall. Even to the person who hated the gypsies with a burning passion, they would have to admit the group knew how to party and perform. Sadly, they were known for over partying at times, which would get them in trouble in some areas and gave them a bad reputation from the very beginning. But the sound carried through the hall, echoing the stomping of the feet as they seemed to smile ear to ear. It was clear the women loved what they were doing and were quite proud of themselves. Their dance ended with a sudden stop, their skirts spinning around their ankles, their chests rising and falling quicker then they normally would. They curtsied quite smoothly and came up towards the head table, bowing once again as Marcus came up with a gift to the royal family.

"Your highnesses," he greeted with a low, dramatic bow. "I bring a gift for your household." With a swift flourishing movement of his hand, a piece of silk felt from his tight grip, coloured of a light lilac. "Silk, from the east," he informed them, folding it and holding it out to Saren's mother. "Perfect for both warm and cold, standing up to any arrow point." He smiled and held out a blade, appearing in a light puff of airy smoke, the handle pointed towards the king. It was far different from the blade that Saren had requested, as it was curved upwards at the end, perfect for making a smooth cut of the enemy. "A blade created from the mines of the dwarves," he added with another bow. "Fit only for a king."

He stepped back, waving his arm behind him in another showy action. "Now, much like the silk, we have another feisty gift from the east," he explained, his sly grin returning. The sound of the drum returned again, this time matched with a whistle of some sort, made from a dark wood, with a light and airy, but oddly satisfying and hearty sound to it. Tari stepped forward, along with a tall, blonde man with bright blue eyes, the colour of a clear day. He looked to be some part elf and carried himself in the same sort of grace that Tari had. The music continued and the two of them broke into a stunning, celebratory dance as none of the family had seen before. It looked to have some parts from the human dance just performed, but with a good bit of it holding to its elven roots. The two performed it perfectly, complete with the full, spinning effect that Tari's skirt was made to show, and bowed to each other at the end of it. The 'couple' turned to the family and the man bowed deeply from respect, while Tari gave a half hearted nod of her head at the same time. Clearly, her proud ways weren't about to sway just because she was performing for the leaders.

Marcus, who had moved away some time during the dance, was smiling and gestured a pair of women onto the floor again to perform one of the more advanced dances they knew, incorporating all of the steps they had learned since childhood and all of the musicians they had brought along.
 
Saren watched the first dance out of the corner of his eye, mostly focusing on Eluch'l despite her not being part of the dance. Not that he disliked the dance that the gypsy women were performing, on any other night he would be trying to figure out which one to seduce and then bed, but tonight he had his chance at something better and his attention was glued to that chance. Of course he had to turn when the man Marcus greeted them, well his father. He came with gifts, some silk for his mother, a blade for his father, and it was a fine blade at that. Unfortunately while his father would graciously accept such a gift he wouldn't treasure a fine blade much at all, he was more interested in other pursuits, weapons being lost of the man, in fact even though he was a king he was a relatively weak combatant, not being as handy with a sword as the knights or Saren. But still, the gesture was appreciated and it was shown from his parents faces how they adored gifts of any sort.

The final 'gift' was the best of them all though, the feisty gift from the east, Eluch'l and another man who seemed rather fair and seemed to have a hint of Elven in him as well. Together they performed, something much to be looked forward to and an act which captivated all those present. Even Saren's brother seemed to be enthralled, his eyes locked on to Eluch'l in wonderment. Saren didn't like it of course, he was rather stingy with things that caught his fancy, but nonetheless he couldn't blame anyone for being captured in the Elven beauties essence. When it ended applause rang out and his brother even stood up clapping. His father seemed as thrilled, smiling happily as the man bowed, though a little confused when all Eluch'l did was nod. That stiff prideful nod did get a laugh from Saren though, who stood and clapped a bit before walking around and over to Marcus. "Send Eluch'l to my chambers, and have her bring the knife when she comes..." He continued past the man, not caring to stay for the next performance, besides his family seemed to enjoy it enough for all of them.

Instead Saren went straight to his room, a smile on his face as he walked over and opened up the doors that led out to a balcony that looked out over the land. There he stood, breathing in the fresh air and waiting for her to arrive, because he knew Marcus would do as he was told, that was just the kind of man he was. The only question still left to answer was what kind of woman Eluch'l was, and Saren planned to find out very soon.
 
Marcus casually nodded, mentally making a note to add both 'items' to the palace's tab, which needed to be paid before they left the square. He approached two of the guards, informing them of Saren's commands and trusted them with the task of keeping the elven girl in the prince's room, no matter how much she would complain, fight and cry for it. The guards were slightly confused, but accepted their commands, waiting for Marcus to send the elf over with the proper gift. Tari softly argued, but Marcus ordered her to control herself, refusing to be embarrassed in front of the royals and sent her off with the dagger and a light pat on her behind.

The elf nearly wheeled around again, but instead she held herself back, using more self control then she really needed to, and started off to the prince's room. When she arrived, she scowled at the door for the longest time, dreading what sort of room was on the other side. Disrespectfully chopped trees turned into furniture for the rich, a young, dead grizzly on the floor to warm Saren's feet in the morning. Most of it made her sick just thinking about it. But she straightened herself and knocked on the door. It was awkward to be firm and steady when wearing clothes that were not her own, but Tari swore to herself she would pull it off. She had to be, to show the prince she wasn't just another one of his mindless, drooling women.
 
Saren heard the knock at his door not too long after stepping into his room, no doubt it was the beautiful Eluch'l waiting to be let in. He was eager to have words with her, to see who she really was, and as he approached the door he looked around his room, for one of the first times finding himself curious if it was good enough. Sure he was a prince but his room was rather unique, no great gems or fine oils such as his family had. There was a large bed, made of all the best fabrics and put up on an oak frame, a single large set of drawers for whatever clothing he would need. He had a chest full of odds and ends, ranging from odd little toys he had picked up to trinkets of assorted value. And then there was a table on the wall across from the balcony, beneath it was long trunk, inside lay his weapons and armor kept to the highest standards and looked after by Saren personally. Other than that a few books lay on top of the table, along with a few scraps of paper and his flute. Nothing special, no peasants room but at the same time it had nothing ornamental either. He wasn't the kind to keep trophies or luxurious items meant only for observing.

He shrugged, presentable or not it was too late now and he had a far more pressing concern to attend to. So he walked over to the door and opened it up, a smirk on his face as he lay eyes on the beauty. "Well hello again Eluch'l, I am pleased to have your company. Come in." He made sure to pronounce her name perfectly again, taking her hand afterwards and walking her into the room. He of course closed the door behind them to give at least the air of privacy and only when they were a bit into the room did he turn to her again. His eyes looked into hers and he kept her hand in his, the smirk still present on his face. "Tell me, how did a woman so beautiful as yourself become the property of such a disgusting little cretin as Marcus?" His voice was calm, his eyes unwavering, he had to get a feel for her and see what exactly she was going to do now that she was in his room. Surely she was not stupid, she had to know what he thought, he never held his tongue, he made it clear he found her stunning and if his words didn't explain that enough his roaming eyes would. She also must know what Marcus was expecting, what he would be charging for, the question was, would she do like most women, slaves and free alike, did in front of him, or would she show herself to be different and not fall before him without question.
 
The very first thing Tari did was to look around the room, taking note of what sort of things were in the room. No dead bear, but certainly a tree was made into his bed. And desk. And chest. Well, at least it wasn't a bear. The woman did enter the room when she was lead, but quickly tugged her hand away. "Distance," she warned again before handing the sword out to the man, sheath side towards him, as to not allow him to use it on her right away. She didn't say a word until Marcus was brought up. Her head turned swiftly at the question and she studied the prince carefully before even thinking about answering him.

"He captured me," she told him honestly. "I don't like it any more then any of the other slaves there." But, as Seran could figure, there was nothing they could do about it. The whole group of them were stuck in the command of one of the creepier men in the history of gypsy life. She paused and swiftly responded with a question of her own. "And why else did you invite us here?" she asked, arching a thin eyebrow.
 
Saren liked the feisty attitude displayed by Eluch'l, tugging her hand away was cute to him, the 'disrespect' as some would call it was simply fun to the young prince. He said nothing of it though, simply smiling as he took the sheathed dagger and walked over to the table, placing it down before turning back around. When she began to talk about Marcus capturing her he listened closely, walking back over towards her, ignoring the 'distance' issue. She seemed to not know why else they were invited though, possibly because she didn't understand human ways or perhaps she was simply innocent but honestly it didn't matter. In fact it was rather despicable what he was doing, inviting the woman to his room, but he wanted what he wanted. He looked at her and moved his hand, touching her arm very gently, his hand feeling her soft skin. "Like I said, you are a very beautiful woman Eluch'l and as a beautiful woman you have caught my interest. Though I admit... You're different from the type I usually fancy. Just by looking at you I can tell that you won't be so... Easy."

Saren smirked, suddenly a wonderful idea came into his head, easy or not he was going to make sure she understood exactly what was going on. He slowly began walking around behind her, leaning in close to her ear when he was directly behind, whispering gently, "That pig Marcus, all I had to do was ask him to send you to my chambers and he did, without hesitation, and guess what he is charging me for..." Saren gave her a moment to try and figure it out on her own before speaking, "He is charging me for the price of your body... Charging me for sex, no hesitation, and apparently he didn't even tell you of his sell of that which is so precious." Saren moved his hand lower, brushing it along her hip and even close to her inner thigh before walking a few steps away, not stupid enough to think she wouldn't try something. Of course she had few options, escaping wasn't one, the door was closed and guards were posted in the hall, and if she tried to attack him, well despite his attitude and title he was a better fighter than any of the knights of his kingdom and had proven his skill many a times.

Once a bit away he turned back around, a few steps between himself and the Elf. He looked her up and down slowly, deliberately lingering on certain areas of her nearly perfect body. "Of course I have been considering making sure he has nothing to say about you ever again." He said before focusing his eyes back to her face, watching for a reaction, a punch or just harsh words... Or the subservience he was so use to but so disliked.
 
As soon as Saren's hand grazed her arm, she knew what he wanted. He didn't have to go any further, but he seemed to feel the need just to drive his point home. With each dripping word, she grew more aggravated, but she was careful to keep her face as emotionless as possible, keeping her careless-about-you bluff up. That is, until he began to touch. Her hand snapped towards his, but he was swift and smart. She was half expecting a move like that, but didn't bother to try to move any further. Better to pull a 'stupid' then to over react right away. That was later on when she did make a double move, he's expect it just a little less.

The man was skilled though, she could feel that from what parts of his hand he used and how he moved. Half of her was impressed while the other half was just disgusted by the idea of having anything to do with mating with this man. She was far from a common prostitute and there was no way she would sit -or in this case, lay- by and allow herself to be taken in exchange for money. She waited until the man had paused before making her move.

He was expecting it, she could see it in his face. This would be tricky; she had just one chance to pull it off. "So you're telling me, that you could make him leave me alone. Forever?" she questioned, remaining in her place. "And you think that I haven't tried that?" Her words turned harsh in less then a second. "I am not a common whore for your use," she demanded. "Certainly not for a spoiled child like you." She crossed over to him with a ranger's speed, tightly latching her hand onto his throat, squeezing ever so slightly on his carotid artery, pushing against his pulse. Even if he was stronger then her, which she didn't doubt one bit, this would affect the blood flow even just for a small amount of time.

"You will do no such thing to me."
 
Saren couldn't help but take notice of her small movement before he walked off, it was just the beginning and he was sure of it, he was prepared for whatever she had planned. She began speaking to him but there was something, maybe just intuition, but he didn't believe her words were the main response to his action and revelation. Main reaction or not she did get quite harsh, calling him a spoiled child. Of course her not being a 'common whore' was correct, in fact thinking of her as a whore had never crossed her mind, no she was a jewel, beautiful and rare, not common in the least. It was only after she was done getting angry that she made her move, darting towards him with speed that he had seen before of the more agile soldiers but never quite to the extent of the woman. It had to be because of her heritage, the quick speed of the Elves, he had never seen it before but it was definitely surprising.

Saren was not one to be caught off guard by this type of attack, even as precise as it was, her hand squeezing in the perfect place to choke him efficiently. It was only panic that would make such an attack lethal, especially when the woman was smaller. Saren managed a smirk even in such a situation before he reached in and grabbed her arm, squeezing on it tightly and then using his other hand to spinning her around violently. Sure he wouldn't hurt her but he would not allow her to hurt him either. Once he spun her around her wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her in close to his body, his voice firm and a little heavy from her little attack. "The thing is beautiful... I could simply take you if that was what I wanted. I could simply throw you on the bed right now and rape you..." His voice got a bit angrier near the end but he calmed himself, his other hand moving down and touching her thigh again, "Now... Let me be clear. I am going to buy you from that man and he would not bother you ever again."

Then he released her, his hand moving from her thigh as he gently pushed her away. He took a deep breath before rubbing his neck. "Does that sound so bad Eluch'l, I mean a prince has to be better than a gypsy, at least if you're going by titles" He said with a wink as he stretched, in his mind listing off all the other ways he was better for his own benefit. His appearance, wealth, bedroom abilities, combat skills, intelligence, the list went on. Some may call it narcissism but Saren liked to think of it simply as the truth, even for this elf who seemed so hostile as to attack him had to understand that. Then again even if she didn't, he had already decided that she was his and Saren always got what he wanted, especially when it was such a beautiful woman, and to him, her personality was a plus.
 
Tari bit back her response, a small cry of surprise, and held perfectly still as Saren held her. She took that time to take a mental note about how he felt. He had muscle, like any other warrior, and it was placed properly to fit one of a swordsman. His words was what got her though. Rape was something that was rarely done in her culture. The elves were polite folk who were more about respectfully seducing each other into sex and there was rarely a risk of even having a chance to rape another. Her mind panicked, which caused her body to tighten against Saren's own. If she were to be raped by anyone, her family would be marked by their village and Tari would be an outcast. They wouldn't force her to leave the village, but caution would be taken when speaking to the tainted woman.

The elf knew it was completely possible that Saren could do exactly what he was suggesting and she cautioned herself from then on. She took a step or two when pushed and turned on her heel to face the man again. She caught the action and smirked ever so slightly, knowing she had at least hurt him an ounce, which was enough for her, at the moment. "You may be," she responded. "But what advantage is that to me? I would rather be trapped by gypsies then kept by a narcissistic prince." Her words hadn't stung like she had hoped, but it was honest. "I doubt Marcus would allow you to actually keep me. He is, after all, a lying gypsy."
 
Saren had felt the way she responded when he mentioned rape, as any woman would she seemed to tense up, but that was not the way Saren worked. Even a prince such as himself had honor and forcing anything on a woman was the most disgusting thing he could imagine. Of course it wasn't only his honor that held him back but also the fact that having the woman want him was part of it, he wanted that and forcing it would not cause such a thing, especially with someone as strong and proud as Eluch'l, or so he assumed. So the simple truth was he would not rape her, use the threat to warn her sure but he wouldn't do it. It did piss him off a bit when she said she would rather be trapped by gypsies than kept by him though, not that being called narcissistic really mattered to him, but the idea that staying with that dirty cretin Marcus was better than being around him was not something he particularly cared to be told.

He didn't say anything right off though, instead he walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, looking over to her with a confused expression. "I find it interesting that you think I am less appealing than Marcus. No, actually I don't find it interesting, I find it annoying..." He paused for a moment and then looked up at her with a slightly angry tone in his voice, "So... If I am worse than him I suppose that I will have to act in such a way. Now, I can buy you from him, the greedy little bastard will no doubt ask for quite a sum for a beauty such as yourself, but he cannot deny me if he wishes to visit here again and he knows that. I was going to do this because I found you interesting and deserving of more than becoming a mere 'common whore', as Marcus will no doubt make you one way or another since he believes I am currently breaking you in..." Saren smirked, there was a but coming on, "But... Since you see me as the worse option than the gypsies who will sell you to every man with a spare coin I don't feel so generous anymore."

Saren stood up and walked over to Eluch'l and reached his hand up, touching her cheek gently. "Now, you can ask me to save you politely and kiss me to seal the deal, or..." Saren began walking towards the door and stood next to it, his hand on the handle, "I can send you back to that man and tell him that you were less than satisfactory." Saren let his anger get the better of him but he wasn't going to back down, Eluch'l would either realize that he was offering her something that was much more grand than her current setup or she would leave because of her pride, an option that would not be good for the beautiful elf, god knows Marcus would not be happy with a bad review from their generous host.
 
The elf paused, still studying Saren, her eyes narrowing and widening once again. At just the idea of returning to the gypsies, her stomach turned in a way that she didn't enjoy. She was always taught to follow her gut instinct when it came to everything in life, and right now, it was telling her to do what her brain was against. Her mind was insisting that she leave and stay with the gypsies, hoping that there was a way out, but at the same time, she knew there was a little chance that she could actually get away. She stood, awkwardly in the middle of his room as her mind began to race. For the first time in her life, she stood with her guard down, in the presence of someone else.

Her mind was quickly made up and she turned to the prince, taking a few steps towards the door. But she stopped, staring at the plain, blank wood. "If you dare to ever treat me like how you claim Marcus will, I will kill you." She turned to the prince, her green eyes full of promise and even rage. "But don't give me back to the gypsies."
 
Saren was rather pleased when she stopped short of the door, that was all he needed to confirm what came next. She was so beautiful a woman, her green eyes full of spirit and that was something that most people lacked these days. Of course she made promises she couldn't keep, saying she would kill him. She could try but she would never succeed, Saren was too powerful a person and too skilled a fighter to let her kill him, then again a woman easily put his guard down. At least she had made a decision though, she wanted to be away from the gypsies and apparently he wasn't such a bad option after all. The prince smirked, pulling her close to him by the arm, so close that their bodies were practically touching. "I won't give you back to the gypsies... But you're forgetting that we have to seal the deal my darling..." Without warning her leaned in and kissed Eluch'l, his lips pressing against hers and it was not the kiss of a beginner. He was wise though, she wasn't captured by his charm yet, he had to move slowly.

The kiss satisfied him but he felt the need to make things clear so the Elf knew exactly what she was getting herself into. "Now, while I will promise you that I will treat you well and never sell you to any man, nor let any man lay his hands on you, remember that you will be mine. That means if I tell you something you will do it and that you will try your best not to cause too much trouble." Saren finished, not asking her if she would, trusting that Eluch'l knew her position. Instead he went over and opened the door, looking to one of the guards, "Bring Marcus to me when you get a chance." He then closed the door and turned back to Eluch'l, "Now, let's see about making you mine." He said with a grin, eyeing his 'prize' of sorts happily, it was time to get what he wanted.
 
Tari's hands met Saren's chest, pushing on it enough to keep her body from touching his more then she desired it to. A slight scowl crossed her face at just the idea of sealing the deal, but she had her honour to uphold. She kept her end of the 'deal' and when Saren did kiss her, she returned it, just enough to show that she was serious about refusing to return to the gypsies and that she would go as far as to try to kill the man if he went further then she was comfortable. But she'd give him a good chance before risking the dungeon for a simple slip up.

When Saren began to list what her job was now, she pushed against the man's chest to back away from him once again, but met his arm instead. She said nothing to go against what he was telling her but she looked quite cross at just the idea of it all. She turned back to the man and frowned. "Don't look at me that way," she demanded. "I don--"

There was a knock on the door and a guard called through to the prince. "Your highness. Marcus is here for you. With another gift..."
 
Saren was all to pleased that Eluch'l had reciprocated the kiss, at the very least he could say that she was serious about the entire ordeal and that was the first step. He knew there was a long way to go though, her resistance to being too close to him making that obvious. He would be patient, as patient as a spoiled prince could be but he would give it a shot, for while she would be difficult to attain he knew she was well worth it. She was proud though and that was obvious, so proud he couldn't help but poke fun at her. "I will look at you whatever way I like beautiful... Besides, it is what I am thinking about while looking that you should really worry about..." He said as he moved a hand and touched her cheek again, giving her a pleased look before the knock at the door came. It wasn't that he hadn't known Marcus would rush or anything of the sort but he did wish for a bit more time to play with Eluch'l, though he would soon have as much time as he wanted.

He would not have the meeting be delayed despite wanting to have more fun, there would be time for that. So Saren went over to the door and opened it up, looking to his guard and giving a slight nod before waving Marcus in and walking back over to Eluch'l side. He would let Marcus speak first, especially if the man had come to deliver another gift, something that while Saren had a feeling he wouldn't have need of, would be rude to refuse straight up. Plus, if he made Marcus angry now it would be much more difficult to obtain Eluch'l fairly and while he was willing to risk a bit of an incident over her, it would be best to obtain the gorgeous woman fairly and maintain a good relationship with the gypsies, especially since, while they were not particularly powerful, they had some things he had a liking for.
 
Tari scoffed as the guard returned and swiftly looked to it, moving quite a bit away from the both the door and the men when she was released. Marcus slid into the room, moving like the snake of a man he was. His hands were gripping something behind his back, hidden from sight, and for a good reason.. His smile grew as his eyes darted around the room and took in what the prince had inside. "I believe we have the means to decorate your room properly, your highness," he suggested. "If you would care to come look at our selection before we part." That business could wait though. There was the elf at hand and who was far more important then some simple decoration. "Are you enjoying our Elven beauty?" he asked with a smug grin. "Quite a spirit she has there, no? I believe a prince like you could break her in no time."

Tari rebelled with her harsh Elven tongue, comparing the man to one of the slugs commonly found in the lakes around the castle. Marcus simply laughed before directing his attention back to Saren. "Yes, you have the means. Care to have her?" he asked, creeping forward towards the 'couple'. "Typically she would be quite expensive, but I could part with her for the night for..." He paused, allowing his eyes to run over the woman. "How does four hundred gold sound?" he asked. "Including a command chain." He held out his hand, allowing a thin silver chain necklace to fall from his fist. "In case you don't want the fight she'll give you."

"You don't dare!" Tari argued, stomping forward, thrusting her hand forward towards the man. Marcus's deep laugh filled the room once again. "Forgetting something?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. "What do you say, your highness?"
 
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