World of Gods: Blackwater

Chapter 2: Ethno

'Has it been hours or days? Was it a dream? Did I just experience some sort of hallucination? Yeah, that has to be it. That would be the only thing that makes sense.' Lucine thought to herself as she awoke from her slumber. Her vision swam for a few seconds before it came into focus. Long, sharp pieces of brownish hay poked against her cheek, along with a musky, foul scent. If she had had any food in her stomach, Lucine would have thrown it up. Lucine scrambled to her knees. She reeled back in the hay until she was pressed up against the wall behind her. "Where am I!?" Lucine screamed in fear and confusion. Looking around, she swiftly realized she was surrounded by various humanoid creatures! Some seemed to be half-animal; others had pointed ears or scales.

A graveled voice spoke only one word. "Blackwater." Lucine looked up to see two armored men standing in front of her. The man who spoke up was dressed in plate armor. A shield on one arm and a spear in the other. Lucine felt she had woken up in some sort of medieval cosplay convention's dungeon. The dilapidated stone walls had sloppy repairs done to some areas. It was also apparent that the other beings that lived here had no bathroom either. As feces and body fluid were strewn about the large room, it only added to the putrid stench. Many of the creatures were stuffed shoulder to shoulder, which left space between them and Lucine. The armored guards stood between Lucine and the rest of the prisoners, acting as another barrier.

One of the other guards loudly called out to his other soldiers beyond the bars. "Hey! The Star Born is awake! Tell Saverious!"

That was the second time she had heard those words, Star Born. "What was that?" she thought to herself. "What's going on? Who are you people?" Lucine asked the guards.

The man who had answered her previous question sighed, "Just do us all a favor and be quiet."

"Better watch yourself there, Urik," the other guard warned. "If she is bought by someone powerful, you may be getting it later on for the way you treated her."

"You should learn to keep your mouth shut, Devon. Standing here with the filth and slaves is below our pay."

"You know how these animals get." "They would be going at each other if we were not standing here." "No doubt they would dirty the Star Born." Devon replied.

"You keep saying Star Born. What is that?" Lucine asked, interrupting their 'delightful' conversation.

Urik barely looked at Lucine. "Don't worry about it. Saverious will be here soon to answer all your questions. "

"Or be here now." A smooth voice came from beyond the bars. Lucine turned her head to see a well-dressed gentleman standing there. Both guards bowed to him. "Come, bring her. We have to start getting her ready." Saverious ordered them. Each guard quickly grabbed one of Lucine's arms. Lifting the small woman up off the pile of hay, her feet didn't even touch the floor.

"Hey! Hey! I can walk by myself!" Lucine huffed, which caused Saverious to chuckle a bit.

Saverious raised his hand to the guards. "You heard her, let the lady walk," he told them. Urik grunted, and the duo would set her down. As soon as they did, she stopped where they had left her.

Urik used the wood of his pole to prod Lucine's back. "Come on, hurry up!"

Saverious sighed, moving some of his long golden hair aside. "Urik... I told you, this one is to be handled with care," he chided. "If we sell her with a single bruise, I will personally have you and your family pay for it." The threat from Saverious made Urik nervous enough to shake. Lucine could hear his armor lightly rattling.

"Forgive me." Urik said. Without much choice, Lucine would walk up to the bars and look Saverious right in his deep green eyes. He had no sign of facial hair and looked young for someone in charge. It was his height and mannerism that showed his maturity. No doubt he felt the same about her, given she was often mistaken for a child.