Splendid Fall

Ch.8 Six Thousand Denarii

Chapter 8

As preparations were made to call the collector, Birdie was shown to a small room off the side of the office where she would be held. The collector would arrive at dawn and the General wanted to make sure the rare being he had gotten his hands on wouldn't escape.

Lady Ebony and Parry walked Birdie to the room despite her pleading for them to let her go. Lady Ebony tightly grabbed Birdie's arm and dragged her down the hall, biting down on her jaw to keep her words to herself. Once they were inside the small room that was only occupied by a narrow bed and a chair, the woman turned to the general and sighed.

"I'll watch her," she said. "You go and see that all the arrangements are made for the collector."

Parry's eyes darted to Birdie and then back to Lady Ebony. He looked unsure, his eyes suspicious but silent.

"Parry," Lady Ebony arched her brow. "After all these years? You still don't trust me?"

"No, no," the man shook his head. "I worry."

"About what?" Lady Ebony demanded to know.

"For your safety," Parry's eyes moved to Birdie once more.

"She's wearing brass," Lady Ebony looked down at Birdie's hands. "There's not much she can do."

"I should call the guar-"

"Parry," Lady Ebony's voice softened.

She took a step forward and laid her hand against the general's chubby face. Birdie watched as the woman pushed her chest closer to the man and batted her eyelashes.

"What if one of the guards send word to Xaiba that we have this wonderful mysterious being and instead of sending her directly to them, we sold her off?" Lady Ebony questioned. "Lord Darrian will not be so pleased, my love."

The sweetness in the woman's voice made Birdie cringe. She bit down on her bottom lip to keep herself from making any sound as Lady Ebony pushed herself up to her toes and kissed the general.

"You're right," the large man sighed. "We have to keep this hush hush."

"Exactly," Lady Ebony took a step back. "Now, go on. I'll watch her."

"Alright," Parry said, a bit reluctantly.

As the general turned and walked out of the room, Lady Ebony adjusted her shawl and busied herself with her jewelry. She waited until the door closed and the man's footsteps outside grew silent to turn to Birdie and grip her arms.

"What is your name?" Lady's Ebony's voice was urgent, but barely a whisper. "Where is your family?"

Birdie stared at the woman in shock. Her heart began to pound in her chest once more.

"Listen to me very carefully," the woman's eyes darted to the door and then back to Birdie. "Do as they say. Tell me your name and where your family is, I'll send words to them. Until they come, just do as Parry says."

"You...." Birdie's eyes watered and her throat tightened. "He's going to sell me?"

"It's better than sending you to Xaiba," Lady Ebony's eyes hardened. "I did you a favor. You have no idea what they would do to someone like you at Xaiba."

"What is this place?" Birdie asked.

"Paradise for some, hell for others," Lady Ebony muttered. "Now, give me your name."

"Birdie."

"What?"

"My name is Birdie."

"Like....like the things that used to fly around in the air?"