Cassia

Thirteen - Two Days Later

It was the morning of the second day of the journey when the girl came up to Cassia and asked, “If we are free, why should we follow you?”

At the time Cassia was talking to James, one of the elves, asking him how game hunting was going. He had said it was good but not great. She was about to ask for details when the girl spoke. Cassia told the elf they could talk later, and let him get on with his work.

She turned to the girl. It was Alia, who was brown-haired and the tallest in the group of freed slaves Cassia was leading. She thought the girl was around the age of thirteen, and found her plain because she seemed to constantly frown.

I would bet money that unless she filled out, Cassia thought, she would end up being a breeding or domestic slave.

“It is true you are free,” Cassia answered, “but you must follow my lead.”

“Why?”

“Because I am the Blue Pistol, and I know where we are going.”

“But if we are free, why must we follow any leader?”

Cassia glanced around. The rest of the group were still eating breakfast, but the meal seemed more than half-way over. I suppose I can spare some time to talk to her.

“Freedom does not mean the freedom to be irresponsible, Alia. I freed you, but that did not mean that I could leave you on your own. I had a duty to make certain you could remain out of the Guild’s hands. That is why we gave the others coins and advice. That I why I am leading you. That is my responsibilty to you.”

“What is mine?”

“To follow my lead. To learn to be free. To help the others. To think of what is best for all of us, and to do that.” Cassia took in then let out a breath. “Alia, there is word, an English word, that you need to know and understand: liberty. It means that you are free, not a slave, but that you have rights.”

“What are rights? Not wrongs?”

“Rights are the privileges you have now that you are free. For instance, you have the right to say what you think and feel, like now, questioning why you should follow my lead.”

“Good.”

“But you are not the only person here who has rights. Everyone has the same rights you do. You have the right to ask why you should follow me. Remember, though, we are in the wilderness with no clear path or road to use. Should you encourage others to question me, or ask them to follow you in some other direction, you would risk their lives.”

“What of it?”

“They, like you, have another right, the right to live and be safe. The idea of liberty is that we all have rights. Our rights must be balanced against the rights of others, so that all can enjoy their rights. Putting your rights ahead of the rights of others makes you no better than a member of the Slavers’ Guild.”

Alia fell silent for a brief moment, then she shrugged. “If you say so,” she said. She turned and walked back to the group.

Her response took Cassia completely by surprise. I thought I had explained myself rather well. Did I not make the matter clear?

She quickly replayed the conversation in her mind. Part of the way through an image of Alia’s face stuck in her mind. It wasn’t of someone listening to their question being answered. It was the expression of someone paying just enough attention to keep up, but not so much as to be engaged and able to respond.

I must have looked like that those days when my mother tried to lecture to me about one thing or another, she thought. Perhaps the girl is not nervous about how her life has changed. Perhaps she is becoming rebellious, like I did at her age. I had better give that situation some thought today, so I will be able to deal with it.