Lucky Prodigy

17: Buyer of Chains

I nodded and turned my horse away, towards the district where all the slave auctions were. "Now that you've shaken his religious beliefs so needlessly, let's be off, Jerrod, there's Slaves to free."

The Saint looked at me, and grinned. "I'll come with, actually; I'm not looking forward to greeting the Hero again. As my future Fiancé, he thinks he owns me, and it's so very droll."

"As you like, I've done my duties and returned you, where you go after that is your business." I nodded.

"No, wait! Wait, you can't leave, please, I am supposed to deliver you to the Pope, so he can ask you to bless the Hero's Party." Benjamin asked swiftly, shaking off Jerrod's words.

"Hmm... the Pope, you say?... nah, not interested." I nudged my horse forward, and he cut me off. "You play a dangerous game, Benjamin Waylon." I frowned.

He cleared his throat. "I know. But in order for you to be allowed in the city, you need his permission. Otherwise the guards are within their rights to attack and arrest you. Or attempt to, and likely die. I'd rather they didn't, so there's your options."

"Mm. First of all: they won't even know I'm here, so they won't attack me or die. Second of all: I'm powerful enough to fight them without killing them or even touching them. My Third and final point: I'll do as I please, Benjamin. Don't get cute." I raised an eyebrow.

He crossed his arms stubbornly. "I'll get as cute as I like, you're in my city, and you're not King here."

"That can change, Benjamin..." I growled softly, and his face blanched.

"Now now, none of that! I'll escort them, and then we can meet the Pope in the morning, after he's rested! I'm sure it's far too late in the evening for an audience with the Pope?" Lady Maria smiled companionably, riding in between us rudely.

Benjamin slowly looked up at the noon sun, and back to her, and then to my clearly irritated face. "Yes... right, I suppose you're correct. I bow to your wisdom, Lady Rosanna." He bowed a bit in the saddle sarcastically.

"You'd better, I just saved the city!" She hissed at him sharply, and started her horse off towards where we were headed as he flinched. "Off we go!"

Jerrod and I followed her, riding on either side like a hired escort, to subvert suspicion. She attracted all the attention, in her shiny golden armor, though Jerrod, dressed ostensibly in a shimmering purple wizard's robe, was not one to be outshone for long. His vanity was something I would have to try to work on, but it seemed deeply, deeply rooted.

"Thank you." I hummed, as we rode, and she smiled over her shoulder at me, deigning not to answer.

The quarter of the city dedicated to auctions wasn't all about slaves, of course; their economy was also in the sale of magical items and potions that had been deemed suitable by the Church for sale. Towards the back, though, it transitioned quite suddenly into a gated and fenced-in section, the wall of blessed metal easily about twenty meters tall.

I glanced around at the cages, and refrained from simply ripping the cages open as I saw the sorry state of the people within. "Jerrod, cast a Mass Healing on this quarter." I demanded, standing still.

He cleared his throat. "Master, I don't have the strength necessary-"

I wordlessly unleashed all of my Aura, every ounce of it, into a single mote of black flame over my left hand, my right hand writing a mantra to keep the feeling of the Aura present enough for him to use it.